It’s the school holidays and the cost-of-living crisis might be making it harder to afford summer holiday activities on a tight budget. 

Below are some of the places where little ones can eat for free or cheap this summer. 

• Morrisons – Get an adult meal from £4.99 and you’ll receive a free children’s meal. The supermarket is offering this nationwide, so find your nearest store and more info here.
• Asda – Kids eat for £1 at Asda Café with no need of paying for an adult meal. The offer runs until 4 September. Find your nearest store here.
• Yo! – Children under 10 can eat free from 3-5:30 pm, Monday to Thursday, until 29 September. The offer runs for every £10 spent on food for an adult meal. Find more info.
• Beefeater, Brewers Fayre & Table Table – Up to 2 children can enjoy a free unlimited breakfast with every adult £9.50 breakfast purchased. Find out more info: Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table.
• Hungry Horse – Children get a free breakfast when you buy an adult breakfast for at least £3.49. Find your nearest pub here. 
• Dunelm – Kids eat for free at Pausa Cafés at Dunelm. They can get a mini-main, two snacks and a drink for every £4 spent. Find out more.
• Ikea – All kids eat one hot meal, jelly, a soft drink, and a piece of fruit from 95p until 3 September. Find out more.
• Bella Italia – Kids eat for £1 with the purchase of every adult main from 4-6 pm, Monday to Thursday. They will enjoy three courses and fruit water. Check with your local restaurant if they’re running this offer.
• Dobbies Garden Centres – Kids eat a free lunch menu plus a drink with an adult main meal. Find more info.
• Café Rouge – Kids can eat 2 or 3 courses for £1 with every adult meal. Available until 31 August, find out more info.
• The Real Greek – Kids eat free on Sundays for every £10 spent on an adult meal. The offer includes a kids’ meal, drink and ice cream or sorbet.
• Preto – Children under 10 can eat free from noon when you buy an adult rodizio. More info.
• Sizzling Pubs – Kids eat for £1 with the purchase of every adult main from 3-7 pm, Monday to Friday. The offer runs until 2 September. Find out more.

The weather is glorious, and the perfect time to clean up the barbecue (BBQ) and start grilling! However, barbecuing can become dangerous when not done responsibly, so it’s vital to always keep safety in mind. 

Below are some hints and tips to make sure you keep safe this summer. 

• Never use a barbecue (including disposables) indoors or on your balcony. 
• Keep children, garden games and pets well away from the cooking area. 
• Don’t cook in communal areas. Have your barbecues in a private space, away from neighbours and well away from sheds, fences, trees or shrubs. 
• Have a fire extinguisher close to hand and know how to use it/ you also need to know how to cut the gas supply, and it’s useful to know how to treat burns. 
• Never leave your barbecue unattended. 
• Smoke can get in hair, clothes, eyes and lungs, but also contains carbon monoxide and other dangerous substances. Try and keep your distance as much as possible. 
• Grilling gloves and utensils with a long handle will keep arms and hands safe from flames. 
• Wash your hands before preparing food, after touching raw meat and before eating. 
• Check food is cooked: ideally, burgers, chicken and sausages should be tested with a thermometer before eating and no pink meat should be visible.  
• After you have finished cooking, check the charcoal is cold or the gas has been turned off. Store your barbecue in a safe, dry place and not on your balcony. 
• Remember to clean up your barbecue after using to avoid any pests. 

See more advice on safer barbecues from London Fire Brigade. 

If you have an emergency while having a barbecue, please call 999. 

It’s the summer school holidays and we’ve brought to you some ideas that won’t bust your budget and will keep the little ones at home happy. 

• Join the Summer Reading Challenge 2022 

Let’s get children into reading this summer. Sign up to read six books this summer as part of Gadgeteers, Summer Reading Challenge 2022. Children aged 4-11 are challenged to borrow and read any six library books over the summer and submit them until Saturday 10th September. 

To take part in the Summer Reading Challenge, all children need to do is sign up at www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk where you can find your nearest library. 

• Get creative at the Tate with the Mega Please Draw Freely 

Leave your mark at the Turbine Hall and become part of the ever-changing artwork, Mega Please Draw Freely, by artist Ei Arakawa. Open and free to everyone. 

Let your children release their imagination (and yourself) and share their drawings with the world. Their drawings and everyone who came before you, and after you will create this massive artwork. The Tate will hang the banners up each Monday for everyone to see. 

More info Mega Please Draw Freely | Tate 

• Discover places, activities and nature in Merton 

Out of ideas? Check Merton Council’s ready-to-explore list and discover places, history, activities, and nature. This could become your summer challenge with the little ones, ticking many boxes as you can! 

Find the activity sheet here – Ready to explore files (merton.gov.uk) 

Check for more ideas on My-Merton-Summer-Guide-2022.pdf

• Visit the Summer’s Park Adventure

A fun-filled, free outdoor family show celebrating the great outdoors running for free until 24th August –Theatre | Summer’s Park Adventure | London (summersparkadventure.com)

• Check your local Youth Community Centre 

Review your nearest youth community centre to find free and low-cost activities for the little (and not so little) ones at home. Many places offer free and discounted prices for households in benefits and free. 

We are delighted to share that the Chair of Wandle’s Board, Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick, has been named in this year’s Queen’s Honours List with an MBE for her services to General Practice and to the ethnic minority communities. 

For more than two decades, Valerie has made an outstanding contribution to both the public and third sectors with a record of organisational improvement and efficiency. Currently, she is the Chief Operating Officer of Head of Paid Staff at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). 

In addition, she is the Chair of the RCGP Leadership Team, whose work is critical to the NHS and the response to COVID-19 and the Co- Chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, that is leading positive change affecting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic GPS and staff. 

Until recently, Valerie was also the Chair of Woolwich Creative District Trust, a charity that regenerated the Royal Arsenal site in Woolwich into a cultural hub and performance art space and launched the opening of the Trust in September 2021. 

Throughout her career, Valerie has been passionate about access to justice, and her focus on social housing, health and regeneration makes her a worthy receiver of an MBE. 

Our Helping Hand Fund has supported over 200 households. Throughout the last year, we have spent a total of £109,627 providing residents with household essentials. 

Most recently, the tenancy team supported Ms S* who is a vulnerable resident suffering from a variety of health conditions and social anxiety. In addition, she was heavily in debt with high rent arrears, housing benefits, and utility bill debts. To make matters worse, her cooker was broken and she was sleeping on a mattress on the floor which was seriously impacting her wellbeing.  

Due to the severity of Ms S* situation, her application was fast-tracked, and she was awarded £800 in vouchers to purchase a new cooker and bed frame. 

She was also awarded £350 in Sainsbury’s vouchers to purchase groceries and cover her fuel. 

Ms S* was thankful for the help and said: “These vouchers are going to help me so much. I can now order a cooker and a new bed for my daughter, thank you so much!” 

The Helping Hand Fund is available to all Wandle residents who are financially struggling. It aims to support residents by providing vouchers for food and other household items from supermarkets, furniture, carpets, washing machines, essential white goods, and even technology as internet access is now essential for Universal Credit and other online services. Please note that the fund is not to be used to cover your rent. 

Applications for the Helping Hand Fund are now open. You can apply by emailing helpinghandfund@wandle.com

We have seen a worrying increase in disrepair claims, and ‘no win – no fee’ companies targeting our residents.

These companies will use many different methods to contact you, including telephone, WhatsApp, social media and even knocking on your door.

They will say they are working with us, and to report a repair through them. Do not believe them – their sole purpose is to make money out of you and us.

You may be advised not to accept contact from Wandle, or to let us in to do repair work. Please remember that we are legally entitled to have reasonable access to your home, and it is in both our interests to ensure that any repairs needed can be carried out.  We will always try and book a time and date that is convenient for you.

We are members of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, and you may wish to contact them for advice and guidance about your complaint with us. You can get in touch with the Housing Ombudsman Scheme at any point during your complaint.

What to do if you are contacted

Always ask for identification, and don’t be afraid to call the police if you feel scared or threatened. Block any unknown numbers that look suspicious. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns or are being pressures to sign anything! You could be liable to pay fees if you change your mind.

You can help us stop this ‘claim’ culture by reporting your repair on MyWandle or calling us on 0300 2000 120. If you are not happy with a repair you can register your complaint on MyWandle. Also, if you have a problem with damp or mould in your home, please report it on MyWandle.

We are delighted that work is set to begin on 93 units in Summerstown, Merton.

The development is in partnership with Higgins and the Greater London Authority (GLA) who have supported the scheme with a social housing grant. The new homes are part of the wider regeneration of the area which is also home to the new AFC Wimbledon football ground.

The development will provide much needed, high quality and energy efficient homes and will be a mix of 39 London Living Rent and 54 Shared Ownership. Wandle exists to help south Londoners who need a home, by building and managing quality housing and supporting communities so they can thrive.

Yinka Bolaji, Executive Director of Property and Development at Wandle said: “I am delighted that Wandle will be able to provide safe and affordable homes that people really need. Summerstown is an exciting development and will create a new community and boost the economy. I look forward to seeing the development take shape.”

We will keep you updated with the development which is scheduled to be completed by 2025.

We have achieved 100% gas compliance on all our properties, keeping our residents safe and secure in their homes.

The team recently completed a gas inspection on a 91-year-old vulnerable customer who they were unable to reach. Our Neighbourhood Customer Services Officer arranged access to the property with the residents’ neighbour, so K&T Heating could complete the inspection.

Anyone who uses gas in their home needs to be aware of the gas risks and how to keep safe. Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances and installations can cause gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning.

If you have concerns about gas safety in your home please contact us immediately on 0300 2000 120.