Repairs We are only providing an emergency repairs service, focused on health and safety. Go to

our website for a list of emergency repairs

Resident welfare We will contact you if you are older or vulnerable. But any resident can phone or email if they need extra help

Estate services We are keeping services running as far as we can and

prioritising the cleaning and sanitising of communal your areas.

Your finances Contact us if you’re having trouble paying your rent or service charges. We can provide guidance to help you maximise your income.

Contact us Our offices are now closed to the public. But you can still contact us by emailing customerservices@thch.org.uk or by phoning 020 7780 3070

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Health & safety compliance We are continuing to complete gas servicing, as well as checks of lifts, fire equipment, communal electrics and water systems

UpdateMessage from our Chief Executive – Philip Sullivan

Newsletter for residents / May 2020

Inside

Support and advice 2-3

Anti-social behaviour 3

Staying safe at home 3

Clap for the NHS 4

Ramadan Kareem 4

The health and safety of residents and staff is my top priority. The team at THCH has being doing all it can to keep you safe and protect the essential services that are most important to you during the current coronavirus outbreak.

We’ve continued to deliver all emergency repairs and carry out essential health and safety work, such as gas servicing and fire safety inspections. We’ve also been contacting our most vulnerable residents to check to see if they need any assistance.

THCH’s Estate Services Team has focused on sanitising and rubbish

PLEDGELEDGPLEDGEE

This is a pledge to residents, from the Tower Hamlets Housing Forum and each of its Registered Provider members, during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

These are exceptional times for our residents, for Tower Hamlets and for the whole country.

We want to assure you that we are working closely with each other, and with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, to look out for our tenants and leaseholders.

As a member of the Forum, we commit to the following.

We pledge to do our best: To keep critical services going during the coronavirus pandemic.

To look after the welfare of our most vulnerable residents.

To offer support and advice if you fall behind with your rent or service charge during the pandemic.

To keep estates clean – including sanitising and wiping down touch points.

To keep you informed when things change.

We need you to: n follow government public health advice, and n act responsibly in and around our properties – keeping your distance (at least

6ft/2m) from people who are not in your household. You should stay at home except when going to work, food shopping or taking exercise. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after going out – and don’t touch your face.

Remember: Stay at home. Save lives. Protect the NHS.

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P R OV I D E N C E R OW H O U S I N G A S S O C I AT I O N

Key information

Keep track of our changing services at www.thch.org.uk, or follow us on social media (addresses on back page).

clearance in communal areas. Our phone service has remained open throughout the lockdown and staff who would normally be in the office have been working hard from home.

This newsletter provides an update on the current position and provides some further guidance and advice. We have also signed up to the pledge opposite together with 15 other housing associations.

We have not been able to provide all of our non-essential services because of the exceptional circumstances we’re in and some services have taken us longer to deliver than normal. I want to thank you all for your support and patience during this period.

We are carefully following Government advice as it is issued, including about the end to the lockdown and what this will mean for THCH and our service delivery.

If you need THCH’s advice or support, or if you have an emergency repair, then please continue to call or email us – we remain here for you.

Thank you again for your support during this difficult period, and stay safe.

Contact us at www.thch.org.uk 32 Contact us at www.thch.org.uk

Coronavirus lockdown Anti-social behaviour

Support and adviceFor support or advice, email customerservices@thch.org.uk or phone 020 7780 3070.Your health and wellbeing are especially important to

us at this difficult time.

Extra support for vulnerable people

We are making phone calls to all our residents who are vulnerable, or over the age of 70. We want to check that you have all the support you need. If you need help, please let us know.

The Council is also offering support to people who are extremely elderly or vulnerable, living with disabilities and/or at particular risk of severe illness if they catch the coronavirus. This includes people in the ‘shielded’ group, who have been advised to stay at home at all times and self-isolate for at least 12 weeks.

To access support from the Council, phone 020 7364 3030. They can give you advice on social isolation, getting your food or medicines, and any worries you have about debt.

If you are self-isolating and need support, but you are not in the highest risk group, you can ask for help from the Council by completing the online form at: forms.towerhamlets.gov.uk/ service/COVID_19_Self_Isolation_Support_Request

Food support

There is special support for families on a low income.

If your child normally gets free school meals, or (since 20 April) if you are a migrant who normally has no access to benefits by law, contact your child’s school. Some schools are issuing supermarket vouchers (£15 per week), while others are running other schemes to support you.

The council is also providing food bags through schools to families with children who get free school meals – eligible parents will be contacted.

If you are having problems getting enough food for your family, call the Council on 020 7364 3030.

Keeping children occupied

Lots of parents are finding it challenging now their children are not at school.

The council has put together some helpful resources on its website. Google on ‘Tower Hamlets support with education and childcare at home’ and ‘Tower Hamlets Stay at Home Resources’. Their well-researched lists include educational and fun activities, and resources to help with mental health and wellbeing.

The NHS Change4Life website has 10-minute activities with a Disney theme to get younger kids moving. Go to: www.nhs.uk/change4life/ activities/indoor-activities

Support for families Benefits and money

If you are worried about money or need help with your benefits, ask for help from our Tenancy Support Officers. They can offer immediate advice, or refer you to more specialist agencies.

If you are getting behind with your rent or service charge, speak to our Income Team. We will make sure our response takes your current situation into account.

To access our support, email customerservices@thch.org.uk or phone 020 7780 3070.

Go to the March issue of Update, available on our website at www.thch.org.uk, for information about changes to sick pay and benefits, and the government’s payment schemes for furloughed workers.

You will find up-to-date information on these schemes, including details about payments for people who are self-employed, on Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert website at: www.moneysavingexpert.com

Above: food supplied to families at a local junior school. Below: The Council’s food station.

Our Neighbourhood Officers can still offer advice if you email customerservices@thch.org.uk or phone 020 7780 3070.

Be kind

Because more of us are at home, you are likely to hear more everyday noise than usual, including children

During this period, although we can’t do any face-to-face work, we still want you to tell us about any anti-social behaviour at your estate.

playing, voices and music playing. Please be tolerant about this.

Please also think about how the noise coming from your home and how it might be affecting your neighbours.

Now is a time to be kind and thoughtful towards others.

Staying safe at home

If you are isolating with someone abusive, you can still get support.

For help from THCH, email your Neighbourhood Officer at customerservices@thch.org.uk or phone 020 7780 3070.

The Women’s Aid website at www.womensaid.org.uk has vital information. They recommend keeping your mobile phone on you at all times, so that you can stay in contact with someone.

In an emergency, you should call 999. If you’re in danger and unable to talk, call 999 and then press 55. This will transfer your call to the relevant police force, who will register your call without you having to speak.

If you are worried for someone else, stay in touch with them and be ready to call the police if you think they are in danger.

For some people, home is where they don’t feel safe.

Useful info

n National domestic violence helpline: 0808 2000 247

n Free train tickets to escape an abuser. Email: membership@ womensaid.org.uk

n Galop (LBTQ+ community): 0800 999 5428

n Mens’ Advice Line: 0808 801 0327

n Tower Hamlets Victim Support: 020 7364 7957/2448

n Tower Hamlets Crisis Intervention Centre: 020 3222 4027

n Respect (for perpetrators of abuse, who want to stop): 0808 802 4040

4 Contact us at www.thch.org.uk

Ways to contact us My Corner: report a repair or send a message through your account

Web: www.thch.org.uk Email: customerservices@thch.org.uk (for general enquiries) Phone: 020 7780 3070 n from 8.30am to 5pm (for all

enquiries, or to report a repair) n from 5pm to 8.30am ( out-of-hours

emergencies only)

Facebook: TowerHamlets Community Housing

Twitter: @THCH_LTD Instagram: @THCH_LTD

For training and monitoring purposes, and to improve service quality, we record calls to the Customer Service Team.

Clap for the NHS A huge thank-you to all our residents who work for the NHS and in the care sector, and to all those of you doing essential work – including supermarket and pharmacy staff, transport workers, refuse collectors and people keeping schools open.

Best wishes to all who are celebrating Ramadan, from everyone at Tower Hamlets Community Housing