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Last updated: Wednesday, July 9th,  2025

Next update by August 13th.

Stay Safe and Well in the Summer Heat

Stay Safe and Well in the Summer Heat

We're sharing some essential advice from the NHS to help you cope during periods of hot weather and avoid heat-related illnesses.

As temperatures rise, it’s important for everyone to take precautions to stay safe and well in the hot weather. While many of us enjoy the sunshine, high temperatures can pose a risk to our health, particularly for vulnerable groups.

Your health and well-being are our top priority. We’re sharing some essential advice from the NHS to help you cope during periods of hot weather and avoid heat-related illnesses.


Who is most at risk?

Hot weather can affect anyone, but some people are more vulnerable to serious health impacts. These include:

  • Older people(especially those over 75)
  • Babies and young children
  • People withlong-term health conditions(e.g., heart or lung conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, mental health conditions)
  • Those oncertain medications
  • People wholive aloneor incare homes
  • Individuals who arephysically active outdoorsor work in manual labour roles

Top tips for coping in hot weather:

  1. Stay out of the heat:
    • Try to keep indoors or in the shade, especially between11 am and 3 pmwhen the sun is strongest.
    • Avoid strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day. If you must be active, plan for early morning or late evening.
  2. Cool yourself down:
    • Havecold food and drinks.
    • Takecool baths or showers.
    • Sprinkle water over your skin or clothes.
    • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and hot drinks, as these can dehydrate you.
  3. Keep your living space cool:
    • Close windows and pull down blinds or curtainsduring the day, especially on sun-facing windows, to block out heat.
    • Open windows at nightwhen the temperature outside has dropped to allow air to circulate.
    • Turn off non-essential lights and electrical equipment, as these generate heat.
  4. Stay hydrated:
    • Drink plenty of cold drinks, especially water, throughout the day. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty.
    • Even if you’re not feeling hungry, eat a balanced diet to help your body replace any salt lost through sweating.
  5. Look out for others:
    • Check on elderly relatives, friends, and neighbours, especially those who live alone or have underlying health conditions.
    • Ensurebabies, young children, older people, and pets are never left alone in parked carsor other closed spaces.

Recognising Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke:

It’s crucial to know the signs of heat-related illnesses.

Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion can include:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness and confusion
  • Loss of appetite and feeling sick
  • Excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin
  • Cramps in the arms, legs, and stomach
  • Fast breathing or pulse
  • High temperature
  • Intense thirst

If you or someone else is showing signs of heat exhaustion, move to a cool place, get them to lie down and raise their feet slightly, give them plenty of water or a rehydration drink, and cool their skin (e.g., with cool water spray or damp cloths). They should start to cool down and feel better within 30 minutes.

Heatstroke is a medical emergency and needs urgent treatment.Call999if someone:

  • Is still unwell after 30 minutes of resting in a cool place, being cooled, and drinking fluids.
  • Has avery high temperature.
  • Has hot, red skin that’snot sweating.
  • Has afast heartbeat.
  • Is confused, restless, staggering, or has a seizure.
  • Loses consciousness.

For more detailed information and advice on how to cope in hot weather, please visit NHS.uk:


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Andover Neighbourcare is a local charity providing a wealth of services to the local and wider community.We offer help with Transport, Shopping, Cleaning, Gardening, Relieving carers and much much more. More information about Andover Neighbourcare, our staff, volunteers, services, members and community shop can be found by simply clicking the relevant button in the menu on the top of this page. MEMBERSHIP SCHEME - Our membership scheme cost just £40 a year per person. Membership benefits include up to date information with what's happening at Andover Neighbourcare, parties, events and Mini Bus Trips. Please use the contact form to register your interest, pop in to the offices or call 01264 404142.

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