Today is World Mental Health Day and the overall objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and how you can access the support you may need.

The theme this year is ‘Mental health in the workplace’. Our jobs can be fast paced which could lead to chronic stress and burnouts. The World Health Organization are calling for everyone to take shared responsibility for workplace mental health.

Addressing your mental health issues with your line manager or HR team means they can support you early on before work becomes too overwhelming.

For further information and resources for mental health in the workplace, click here:

If you are struggling with your mental health or want someone to talk to, here are a list of charities and support organisations that can help:

• www.mind.org.uk
• www.mentalhealth-uk.org
• www.rethink.org
• www.nhs.uk/mental-health

The weather is getting colder, therefore it’s important to know how to keep you and your home safe when you need to keep warm.

When warming your home, the most effective way to prevent a fire is to remain vigilant when it comes to fire safety and understand the common risks in your home.

By carrying out simple safety checks you can reduce the chances of a fire starting in your home.

Remember: If there is a fire in your home – get out, stay out and call 999 – don’t try to tackle the fire yourself. 

Things you should do:

• Make sure you know where the fire escape routes are from your home and building.
• If you see an object blocking any of the fire escapes, please move it if it is safe to do so or report it to us.
• Close inside doors at night to stop a fire from spreading. 
• Never store items in communal (shared) areas such as corridors and balconies.
• Make it a habit to keep the exits from your home clear, so that people can escape if there is a fire.
• Check all your smoke alarms work.  You are twice as likely to die in a fire if your smoke alarm does not work. Your local fire service provides free home safety checks and in many cases, this may include fitting a free smoke alarm. Fire Officers will also advise you about making your home safer. To get a free safety visit from your local fire service, contact the London Fire Brigade on 08000 28 44 28. 
• Turn off and unplug all electrical appliances unless they are designed to be left on, like a freezer.  
• Do not leave the washing machine on overnight or if you are leaving the property. as that can potentially start a fire.  
• Check your cooker is off.  Gas cookers are harder to notice so double check. 
• Turn heaters off and put up fireguards too if you have them.  
• Put candles, naked flames and cigarettes out properly. It is much safer to smoke outside and ensure they are put out properly in an ashtray. Make sure candles or naked flames are secured in a proper holder and away from materials that may catch fire – such as curtains. 
• Ensure everyone in your home can easily find the keys for doors and windows – always keep them in the same place.
• Keep mirrors and other reflective materials, like glass and crystal, away from sunny windows as the reflection can start a blaze.

Fire doors

We check flat entrance doors and communal doors routinely to ensure compliance with safety regulations.

• Never leave fire doors wedged open as they need to remain closed.
• Do not tamper with self-closing devices on fire doors.
• Please report any faults or damage to fire doors immediately.
•  

Keeping your balcony safe:

• Never barbecue on your balcony, sparks can fall to the homes below.
• Don’t keep paints, paint thinners or fuel on your balcony.
• If smoking on your balcony, dispose of smoking materials responsibly and do not flick lit cigarettes from a balcony. Use safety ash trays to extinguish cigarettes.

How can I keep fire safe? 

You can keep fire safe by: 

• Giving our staff and contractors access to your home so they can carry-out fire related maintenance and undertake fire risk assessments. 
• Looking after doors and windows on escape routes so they can be easily and quickly opened in case of a fire. This includes keeping doors closed (unless they are doors designed to be held open on magnetic devices) and not wedging them open. 
• Not changing your flat’s front door, as this acts as a key line of defence in preventing the spread of fire. 
• Not smoking in communal areas and generally taking care when smoking. 
• Keeping escape routes and communal areas clear by not storing belongings in communal areas and in particular keeping stairwells free of obstacles. This will ensure people can get out of the building quickly. 
• Familiarise yourself with the escape plan for your building. If you are not sure of this, please contact us. 

For more fire safety advice, visit the London Fire Brigade website at www.london-fire.gov.uk 

If you discover a fire:

• Raise the alarm
• Leave the building immediately by the nearest available exit if it is safe to do so
• Move to a safe distance away from the building
• Phone the Fire Brigade by dialling 999 
• Remain a safe distance away from the building and await the Fire Brigade.

If the fire is in your home:

• Tell everyone in your home and get them to leave the building closing your front door behind you
• Move to a safe distance away from the building
• Call the Fire Brigade by dialling 999 asking for FIRE
• Remain a safe distance away from the building and await the Fire Brigade
• If you see or hear of a fire in another part of the building stay put in your home as this will usually be the safest option unless you are directly affected by the fire. Close all windows and be prepared to leave
• Phone the Fire Brigade by dialling 999 asking for FIRE
• You must leave the building immediately if smoke or fire directly affects your home or you are directed to do so by the Fire Brigade. Close your front door behind you
• Move to a safe distance away from the building, remain there and await the Fire Brigade.

Remember:

• Do not take risks.
• Do no stop to collect personal belongings.
• Do not return to the building for any reason unless authorised to do so.
• Do not use any lift.

Congratulations to the winners and runners-up of this year’s gardening competition.

Anne Waterhouse, Chief Executive at Wandle and Jeremy Kimberley and Suzana Karakashi from our Engagement & Partnership team visited the winners and were impressed by the hard work and creativity on display.

First place:

Community garden – Soul food garden

Outdoor garden – Donna Spiller

Runner up:

Outdoor garden – Allison Rose

Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who entered the competition. This year’s entries were sustainable, colourful and demonstrated how you can create a mindful space for everyone to enjoy.

Our New Homes team recently helped one family of eight downsize into two smaller properties. The A* family were living in a seven-bedroom house, and they were looking for a new home to better suit their needs.

At Wandle we will always try to find our residents a suitable home, however we don’t have many properties with a large number of bedrooms, therefore our Project Liaison Officer Angie Lewis worked with the family to find them a new home to meet the needs for the entire household.

It was challenging to find a large property in the same area; therefore, it was agreed we would help them find two new homes close to one another, with the adult children in one and the younger members of the family, along with their parents in another.

Angie Lewis worked closely with the family and found two homes that matched their requirements, including size and location.

Mrs A* thanked Wandle and said, “You have helped my family get the best home possible. You communicated well with my family and listened to our needs and preferences. This helped us feel confident in trusting you with the move.”

Ms A* personally thanked Angie Lewis for all her hard work relocating her family to their new homes.

“A key highlight was the exceptional support provided by our project manager Angie. She was consistently available to answer any questions I had, no matter how small, and dealt with any queries promptly and effectively.

Overall, we couldn’t be happier with the outcome of this move. The scheme not only helped us find homes that perfectly suited my family’s needs but also ensured that the entire process was handled with professionalism and care.”

Anne Waterhouse, Chief Executive at Wandle said, ‘I am proud that we have been able to support the A* family with two new homes to build a future. Sadly, this is becoming more and more rare due to the challenges facing the sector in being able to build new social homes in London.’

Sleeptember is back for another year! Sleeptember aims to raise awareness around the importance of getting enough sleep. The theme this year is ‘workplace sleep’, to help organisations avoid accidents in the workplace caused by a lack of sleep.

Did you know…

• Tiredness contributes to around 20% of accidents in the workplace (Health and Safety Executive).
• Almost 60% of workers have experienced their attention span being negatively affected by a bad nights sleep more than once (The Sleep Charity).   
• 3/4 of workers state workplace challenges had caused issues with their sleep over the last six months (The Sleep Charity).

A good night’s sleep is important for your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

Here are some tips for a better night’s sleep:

• Make sure your room is the right temperature. The Sleep Charity recommends between 16-18 degrees.
• Try to sleep with the lights off and curtains closed.
• Ensure your mattress and bedding are comfortable for you.
• Most people like no noise when they sleep, but some prefer white noise such as a fan or the use of an app such as Calm.
• Make sure your bedroom space is clean and clear.

You can find out how to get a better night’s sleep in detail by clicking here.

For more information regarding healthy sleep patterns and advice, please visit the The Sleep Charity website.

Gas Safety Week runs from Monday 9 – Sunday 15 September 2024 and helps raise awareness about the importance of gas safety.

Celebrating its fourteenth year, Gas Safety Week helps to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances. Poorly maintained appliances could cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

It’s important to be in the know about gas safety, to keep you and your home safe.

Here are some gas safety tips:

• Always get an annual gas safety check
• Obtain a gas safety certificate
• Book an annual boiler check
• Get a carbon monoxide alarm fitted
• Only use gas appliances for their intended purpose
• Know what to do in an emergency

For full details, please click here.

Keep up to date with Gas Safety Week’s updates and advice here.

Our annual gardening competition is back for 2024 and by entering you could be in with a chance of winning £150 or £300.

Gardening and tending to plants are a great form of exercise as well as being a positive mindful activity which can boost your mood and help with your mental health.

This year we have three categories:

Community Project: We have loved seeing your community gardens over the years, creating beautiful spaces to share and build together. This year, we want to see examples of how you are using gardening to bring your community together.

Prize: £300 cash prize for first place and £150 cash prize for second place, to put towards your community garden.

Best Back Garden: If you love spending time in your garden, attending to your flower beds and creating your own space to enjoy alone or with loved ones, then we want to hear from you and see your beautiful botanical creations!

Prize: £100 Amazon voucher for first place and £50 Amazon voucher for second place.

Best Balcony: Living in London means that some of us have limited outdoor space, so we want to see your beautiful balconies. We are looking for a creative space that is sustainable and wildlife friendly, helping to protect our planet.

Prize: £100 Amazon voucher for first place and £50 Amazon voucher for second place

Entries are now closed.

Our previous winners at Soul Food Garden in Croydon said, ‘“Our community soul food garden offers a place where neighbours can contribute and reap the harvest. There is so much to harvest in so many levels, it’s a place to connect with mother nature and enjoy being outside in the open. The garden boarders Mitcham common so we have the common as a backdrop with all the added wildlife wonders that makes our little heaven a special place.”

Our New Homes team recently helped one family find their forever home. Last August, Mr and Mrs F* attended our community day in Peckham and advised they were looking to downsize into a smaller property after outgrowing their home in Peckham. They had tried to use Homeswap, but there were only a few options available to Wandle.  

Our amazing BMH Project Officer Angeline Lewis got into contact with Mr and Mrs F* and advised she would assist them in finding them their new home.  

In October 2023 Angeline organised a visit to a property in Tooting, but unfortunately it did not quite meet their needs. Angeline promised to continue searching for their new home and in April 2024, she found them a property in SE1. The couple viewed the property and immediately knew they had found their forever home, moving in the following June. 

Mr and Mrs F* thanked everyone who was involved at Wandle, but in particular, Angeline for her hard work and guidance throughout the whole process. 

Mrs F* said, ‘As Wandle tenants of nearly 40 years, we could never have imagined living in a property like this, and though it’s early days, it’s hands down the best home we have lived in. We are very happy and always look forward to coming home’.  

A south London council has warned residents in the area to stay scam aware after a series of phone calls were made from criminals pretending to be a housing disrepair team.

Residents in Southwark were contacted by an unknown number, asking them to confirm if they were a tenant, landlord or staff member of the housing association.

If you receive a call you believe to be a scam, do not give any personal details over the phone and end the call immediately. Then block the number.

You can always contact your local authority or Wandle to check if we contacted you. Our number is 0300 2000 120.

If you’re worried you’ve been scammed, here’s what to do:

• End all further communication with the scammer and block their number/email address.
• Call your bank immediately as they will check if you’ve paid a scammer accidentally or set up a standing order or direct debit.
• Report the scam to the police by calling 101. If you feel threatened or are in danger, call 999.
• Report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
• Contact Citizens Advice Scams Action via the Citizens Advice website or call their helpline on 0808 250 5050.

Are you ready to take the Plastic Free July challenge?

We know it’s important to reduce our waste to help protect our planet. Therefore, this month why not take on the Plastic Free July challenge. This is your chance to make a difference and be a part of the solution. We have put together some hints and tips to help get you started.

• Coffee cups: Swap single use cups for reusable cups. Many coffee branches offer a discount if you bring your own coffee cup.
• Loose produce: When buying loose fruit and vegetables at the supermarket or market, why not bring your own reusable bag instead of using single use plastic bags.
• Reusable shopping bags: Bring your own shopping bag to the shops instead of having to buy a plastic one.
• Ditch the one use plastic straws: Instead buy reusable plastic, metal, or bamboo straws. Paper straws are also an option as they are biodegradable.
• Water bottles: Swap single use water bottles for a reusable one. Filling up your water bottle at home will also save you money in the long run.
• Soap: Swap shower gels and shampoos in single use plastic bottles for soap bars instead.
• Sanitary products. One way to save plastic and money when on your period is using a menstrual cup or period underwear.
• Events and celebrations: Why not save party decorations and gift bags after you have used them for another occasion. This is a great way to save the planet and some pennies.

For more tips, please visit the Plastic Free July website.