North Somerset Council is encouraging everyone to look out for vulnerable neighbours following the red heat-health warning issued for extreme heat on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 June 2026.
This is the highest level of alert issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office. It means the heat is expected to have a wider impact on services and infrastructure and poses a significant risk to health across the whole population.
Visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/heatwave for the most up to date information on any council services which may be affected due to the red heat health warning
Top tips to stay cool
NHS tips to stay cool include:
- Drink extra fluids but avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks
- Have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes
- If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter
- Close windows, curtains and blinds during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down
- Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees.
For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/beat-the-heat-advice-for-hot-weather
Look out for vulnerable neighbours
Looking after vulnerable neighbours during a heatwave can make a big difference to their safety and wellbeing. Adults over 65, people with disabilities, young children and those with long-term health conditions are especially at risk.
Check in regularly and make sure neighbours are drinking frequently, they are keeping as cool as possible through closing curtains, wearing loose, breathable clothing and that they have enough medication to see them through the heat wave.
Also, remember the welfare of pets. Make sure your neighbours’ pets have plenty of fresh water and shade.
Warning signs of heat-related illnesses
Heat exhaustion does not usually need emergency medical help if you can cool down within 30 minutes. If it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency.
The symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
- tiredness
- dizziness
- headache
- feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- excessive sweating and skin becoming pale and clammy (a change in skin colour can be harder to see on brown or black skin)
- cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
- a high temperature
- being very thirsty
- feeling irritable.
The symptoms of heat exhaustion are often the same in adults and children.
If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion they need to be cooled down and given fluids. You can call NHS 111 for further advice.
The symptoms of heatstroke include:
- a very high temperature
- hot skin without sweating
- fast breathing and a fast heartbeat
- confusion and restlessness
- seizure (fit)
- loss of consciousness.
Heatstroke is a medical emergency. Please seek immediate medical help if someone has the symptoms of heatstroke by calling 999.
Support the NHS
The extreme heat will cause additional pressure on all NHS services. Following the advice above will help limit the impact on our health service.
A&E is for serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies. They will treat the most urgent cases first and you may face a long wait. Many issues will be treated better in minor injuries units, GP surgeries or at a pharmacist.
It remains important to get help when you need it. If you’re not sure if you need to go to A&E, NHS 111 can check your symptoms and tell you what to do.
Check your symptoms at https://111.nhs.uk
Call 111 if you cannot use the online service, need help for a child under 5, have a number of long-term health conditions or complex care needs or need to get end-of-life care.
Library closures
Due to the extreme weather, some council services are also being affected.
We have been notified that the ‘For all healthy living centre library’ and Yatton Library will be closing Wednesday and Thursday. Extended access at Yatton Library will also be unavailable.
Some libraries will be open as ‘cool spaces’ over the next two days. Cool libraries are – Nailsea, Portishead and Winscombe (Thursday only).
Check here or the libraries social media page to find out if any other libraries are affected this week: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/disruption.
School and nursery/early year setting closures
Some schools, nurseries and early year settings have also advised they will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday. Parents and carers will be notified directly by their school.
Where the council is aware of school closures, they are listed on www.n-somerset.gov.uk/disruption.
Brandon Trust
Brandon Trust will be closing Banwell Pottery and Sycamore Lodge and Worle day services on Wednesday and Thursday this week due to the red heat-health warning. Alternative plans will be put in place for clients using the day service during this time. Brandon Pottery will be providing essential support to those that live independently in their own homes.
The North Somerset CYP Wellbeing Celebration is cancelled
The North Somerset CYP Wellbeing Celebration Event due to take place this Thursday has been cancelled. This decision has been made in light of the extreme heat warnings currently in place and the associated public health guidance, which advises people to avoid unnecessary travel and to stay indoors where possible during the hottest periods of the day. Our priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone who was due to attend.
We appreciate that this will be disappointing and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
We are already exploring options to reschedule the event and hope to hold it in July. We will be in touch as soon as a new date has been confirmed and look forward to bringing everyone together at that time.
Leisure centres
All leisure centres are remaining open – you are welcome to come for a cooling swim!
Staff are monitoring the temperature and conditions for staff/customers and the studios and gyms all have air conditioning. If any classes are required to be cancelled, those who have booked will be informed.
Centres are open for swimming. Please make sure that you check websites for sessions or call the centres direct to confirm availability.
Parks and Open Spaces
Parks, open spaces and woodlands are great places to keep cool especially under the shade of our many trees.
Recycling
Due to the forecast high temperatures and red heat-health alert, our recycling teams will be starting waste collections earlier this week to help protect our crews.
Collection teams will leave the depot from 5:45am, with collections beginning from around 6am. We ask all residents to please put their recycling and waste containers out for collection by 6am or earlier to ensure they are collected.
To help our crews and do your bit, please make sure your recycling is sorted correctly:
• Red bag: plastics and cans
• Box 1: glass and soft plastics (please stuff soft plastics tightly into an existing bag and tie the top)
• Box 2: card and paper
Sorting your recycling correctly makes collections much quicker and safer for crews, especially during hot weather, compared to when materials are mixed together.
Notifications of any potential changes to services will be made via the North Somerset Council app.
Keep our beaches beautiful
As the weather heats up, we know many of you will be heading to our beautiful beaches and open water spaces to cool off. Please remember to leave nothing but footprints and either place litter in the bins provided or take it home.
Be careful in cold water
While the sea can be tempting, it’s important to remember that UK waters remain cold – even on the hottest days. The RNLI is urging families to be aware of cold-water shock, which can happen even in summer and can make it hard to breathe, swim or stay afloat.
Top safety tips before you enter the water:
- Take it slow – enter the water gradually to allow your body to adjust
- Stay within your depth and avoid jumping straight in
- Float to live if you get into difficulty – lean back, extend your arms and legs, and stay calm
- Supervise children closely at all times
- Wherever possible, choose a lifeguarded beach.
Cold water shock can affect anyone – even strong swimmers. Knowing how to respond could save your life or someone else’s.
For more advice, visit the RNLI website: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2026/june/19/rnli-urges-families-to-share-water-safety-advice-durin…
Don’t get stuck in the mud
Many of our coastal areas can be categorised as soft ground, particularly at low tide. People can get stuck in the mud so don’t be tempted to walk through it to get to the water.
If you do get stuck the advice is to stay calm, try and spread your weight as much as possible and avoid moving. Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Don’t attempt to rescue others because, without the proper equipment and expertise, you could become stuck too.
Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) activated
SWEP has been activated across North Somerset until Friday 26 June. During this time, the Somewhere to Go outreach team will be carrying out additional welfare walks to ensure sunscreen and water is available to anyone who is rough sleeping.
Somewhere to Go have extended their opening hours from 6am to 8pm to ensure that people are able to shelter indoors during the hottest part of the day.
Overnight accommodation will be offered if the individual is known to have health issues which may be exacerbated by the heat.
Should anyone have any queries or concerns, please contact the Somewhere to Go Outreach service or the Homeless Prevention Team.
Email: Outreach Service outreach@somewheretogowsm.org.uk Or Homeless Prevention Team HP.Triage@n-somerset.gov.uk
Telephone: during office hours: Outreach Service 01934 641880 or Homeless Prevention Team 01934 426330 Monday – Thursday 9am – 5.00 pm; Friday 9am – 4.30pm
Out of Hours team: 01454 615165 Monday – Friday after 5.pm; Saturday & Sunday; Bank Holidays
You can also use Streetlink to report a rough sleeper: https://thestreetlink.org.uk/
