The NHS Healthy Start scheme gives vouchers to support pregnant women, babies and toddlers. People are eligible if they are pregnant at least 10 weeks or have a child under four and get benefits. The vouchers can be spent on milk, fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, and infant formula milk. Free vitamins are also included in the scheme. But it emerged last week that nearly half of those eligible for the vouchers in Lewisham are not claiming them – this equates to £312,000 going unclaimed annually. In a members question at full council, Councillor James-J Walsh noted the significant drop in uptake and asked what was being done to address it.
A development in Blackheath that will see trees cut down and leave disabled residents in darkness was criticised in light of the conclusion of Ella Kissi-Debrah’s inquest. The nine-year-old, who lived near the South Circular in Lewisham, became the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death on Wednesday (December 16). Assistant Coroner Philip Barlow concluded that traffic fumes, which exceeded World Health Organization guidelines, contributed to Ella’s death. On the same day Lewisham’s strategic planning committee approved a planning application for Blackheath Business Estate. Members were tied four against and four in support, but the casting vote from the chair approved the plans.