Everyone’s hoping for a happy, healthy and safe festive season here in Bute - but just in case, we’ve put together all the information you need about doctors, pharmacies and local council services over the Christmas and New Year period.

Medical

Your local GP practice will be closed for four days over Christmas (Saturday, December 24 to Tuesday, December 27) and four days over New Year (Saturday, December 31 to Tuesday, December 3).

To find your nearest GP practices, dentists, opticians and pharmacies, click here and then select the appropriate choice.

Although many services will close down for Christmas and New Year, support is still available throughout the holiday period if you’re feeling distressed.

If you’re finding it hard to talk to someone you know, phone or email one the helplines below:

Breathing Space (0800 83 85 87) is a free, confidential service for people in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety, available weekday evenings and 24 hours at weekends

Samaritans (08457 90 90 90 or jo@samaritans.org) is a confidential, emotional support service for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide, available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Childline (0800 1111) is a counselling service for children and young people, available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Guided self-help therapy for people suffering from low mood, anxiety and mild to moderate depression is available from NHS24 Living Life (0800 328 9655), available Mon to Fri, 1pm to 9pm but closed for bank holidays.

If you require medical help over the festive season and your GP is closed, call NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24 where the nurse adviser, if necessary, will arrange for an appointment for you.

For more details about the service, click here.

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this winter can be found here or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.

Support is also available for people with mental health or psychological problems by phoning Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or Breathing Space on 0800 83 8587 (6pm to 2am).

In the event of any life threatening illness or injury, call 999.

Council services

All offices and service points will close at 2pm on Friday, December 23 and will reopen again on Wednesday, December 28.

They will close again at 2pm on Friday, December 30, and will reopen fully on Wednesday, January 4.  

While the council offices are closed over the festive period, there are some phone numbers to use in case of emergencies:

• Housing repairs 0800 028 2755
• Homelessness 0800 587 7285
• Social work emergencies 0800 811 505
• Property maintenance services 0845 601 4073
• Local and minor roads problems or street lighting faults 0800 373 635
• Faults on Trunk roads (Transerve Scotland) 0800 032 2520

For opening times of libraries, theatres, halls and leisure centres, click here. 

Refuse collection and recycling

You can find out if there are going to be any changes to your normal rubbish and recycling bins collections over the festive period by going to the council's  bin collection section, and selecting your area from the list.

Details of changes to collections dates are listed for each area, as well as information on when the recycling centres will be open and closed. 

Burials and cremations

Cardross crematorium will be closed for services on Monday, December 26 and Monday, January 2, and will reopen fully on the Tuesday each week.

The crematorium will be open every day during the festive period for access to the Book of Remembrance.

All cemeteries will be open as normal throughout the festive period.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year from everyone here at s1!

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