The UK has already experienced several heatwaves this summer, and even though the sun hasn’t been shining in recent days, the temperature is predicted to heat up again in August. Therefore, we have put together some tips to keep you safe for when the sun returns.  

When the temperature rises, make sure to:

• Use a high protection sunscreen of at least SFF 30, which also has a UVA protection. Apply a generous amount and apply frequently, especially if you are spending a lot of time outdoors.
• You can protect your skin by wearing a loose fitting t-shirt and shorts. To protect your face, pop on a hat and some sunglasses.
• Try and not be in direct sunlight between the hours of 11am-3pm as this is when the sun is strongest.
• Keep babies, young children and pets out of direct sunlight.
• Never leave children, anyone vulnerable or pets in a parked locked car.
• Never exercise pets when the temperature is very high. A regular walk could become a medical emergency.
• Always test pavements, footpaths and slabs in gardens and communal areas. If it’s too hot on your hand, it’s too hot for your pet.
• Make sure to drink plenty of water.
• If there are any changes to a mole or mark on your skin, book an appointment with your doctor to make sure everything is ok.

BBQ Safety

• Never use a BBQ (including disposables) indoors or on your balcony.
• 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.
• Keep children, garden games and pets well away from the BBQ.
• Have a bucket of water/sand or a fire extinguisher nearby in case of an emergency. If you’re using a gas BBQ, make sure you know how to cut the gas supply.
• Never leave your barbecue unattended.
• Smoke can get into hair, clothes, eyes and lungs, and can also contain 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.
• Check your 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.

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

Tip to keep you and your home cool this summer

• Take lukewarm or cool showers
• Close your windows, doors, curtains and blinds closed during a heatwave to keep the hot air out. When the sun goes down, open your windows and doors to let the cool air in.
• An electric fan is relatively cheap to run and will instantly cool you down. Remember, the fan will not decrease the air temperature, so don’t leave a fan in an empty room, as you will waste energy.
• At night, you might think it’s better to not wear anything, but wearing thin loose clothing will act as a sweat barrier between you and your bed sheets, which will help you feel cooler.

To read more about sun safety, here are some useful websites:

www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk

www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/

www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-staying-safe-in-hot-weather

Every year Sureserve Compliance South are required to check landlords gas appliances in your home, such as gas boilers, gas fires and cookers. A degree of flexibility has been introduced for the timing of landlords’ mandatory annual gas safety checks.

The MOT-style change will allow landlords to carry out their annual gas safety check in the two months before the due date and retain the existing expiry date.

This regulation sets out when the next safety check must be completed in order to retain the existing deadline date. It also sets out a one-off flexibility that landlords can use to align the date of an appliance check with that of other appliances at the same premises. This avoids landlords waiting until the last minute and not gaining access or having to shorten the annual cycle check to comply with the law. There is no change to the legal requirement for an annual gas safety check or for maintenance to be carried out.

Here is an example:

An engineer completes a gas safety record on 10 February 2025 which means the next check is due by 10 February 2026 (the “deadline date”). On 5 January 2026, the next gas safety record is completed (about 5 weeks early). The next check will be due on 10 February 2027 despite being done early because the “deadline date” has been retained under the new legislation.

Under the previous rules using this example, the next record would have been due on 5 January 2027.

Please be aware you may be required the have your gas safety check sooner than current expiry as this will then align servicing into the summer months to assist with the winter demand.

If you would like more information or would like to check when your last gas safety check was, please contact Sureserve on 020 3961 5210.

We know that our current repairs service isn’t meeting the standards you deserve, and we’re committed to making real improvements. To do this, we need your voice at the centre of this change.

We’re setting up a Repairs Improvement Panel and would like to invite you to take part.

Why are we doing this?
We’ve heard some of the issues already – missed appointments, unclear priorities, and inconsistent service. We want to go further by working together to design a service that works for you. Your insights and experiences will help shape the changes we make, ensuring they reflect what matters most to you and your neighbours.

What’s involved?
• Quarterly meetings, with occasional smaller group sessions to look at specific issues
• Initial meeting in person, then hybrid (online or in-office – your choice)
• £20 voucher per meeting to thank you for your time and contribution.

What’s in it for you?
You’ll have the opportunity to influence how our repairs service works in the future. Together, we’ll explore improvements such as:
• More flexible appointment times that take into consideration your working hours or the school run
• Clearer repair priorities for residents with caring responsibilities
• Better standards for operatives in your home – like wearing shoe covers or signposting support services.

We are hosting an info session online on Wednesday 25 June at 6.30pm. If you’re passionate about improving services in your community and want to be part of making things better, please email customerempowerment@wandle.com.

Wandle’s flagship development 46-76 Summerstown in Merton reached a significant milestone this week, with a ‘topping out’ ceremony marking the latest construction phase.

The single eight-storey development will provide 93 much-needed affordable homes. These include 39 London Living Rent homes and 54 Shared Ownership homes, which promise to be high-quality and energy-efficient.

The development is supported by a social housing grant from the Greater London Authority (GLA) and is part of a wider regeneration project in the area. Originally designed by Concept Architect CZWG Architects LLP, it has been updated by Higgins Partnership, which is working closely with the GLA to bring the project to life.

Yinka Bolaji, Executive Director of Development and Property at Wandle, said: “I am delighted to see how the building work at Summerstown is coming along, and am looking forward to welcoming our future residents.

“Our residents are at the heart of Wandle’s business, and I am proud of the high-quality and affordable homes we will provide to one of our core boroughs.”

Dominic Higgins, Chief Operating Officer at Higgins, said: “We are proud to reach this milestone at Summerstown, which will not only deliver affordable homes but leave a legacy for the people who live and work in this neighbourhood. This development exemplifies our commitment to creating sustainable, well-designed homes that meet the needs of the community today and for generations to come.”

As part of the development, the local authority will benefit from over £150,000 of S106 contributions, which will go towards funding vital local public health and education facilities. The council tax benefit to the borough will be c.£180,000 per year.

Both Wandle and Higgins are committed to building better, stronger, safer, and more sustainable communities that deliver high-quality homes for residents and leave a legacy of positive impact.

Our annual gardening competition is back for 2025 and by entering you could be in with the chance of winning £150 or £300.

Gardening and tending to plants is 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 use 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.

You can enter the competition here and entries close on Tuesday 26 August 2025.

Barclays are hosting their Career Discovery Day on Thursday 19 June 2025 from 10am – 12pm at the Barclays headquarters in Canary Wharf.

This is an opportunity to improve your CV, brush up on your interview skills and create a personal brand for the next step in your career.

Whether you are interested in banking or not, their Discovery Day will cover a range of topics applicable to any industry.

The event will include:

• A tour of Barclays Headquarters.
• Developing your personal brand including networking skills and creating/building your LinkedIn account.
• Insights into good interview skills and quality CVs
• Light lunch provided and chance to meet with Barclays colleagues.

You’ll also have the opportunity to hear from a range of colleagues in the bank who have risen to success from diverse backgrounds whilst demystifying stereotypes of being able to work in the finance sector.  

It promises to be an action-packed event, so please register your interest by emailing us at communications@wandle.com.

The address was Barclays Bank, 1 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, E14 5HP

Wandle has secured another government grant from the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund Wave 3 to improve the energy efficiency of some of our most inefficient homes.

We are one of the 27 members of the Retrofit London Strategic Partnership which has an ambitious target to retrofit 15,000 homes across the capital by 2028 using a £78m grant.

Yinka Bolaji, Executive Director – Development & Property, said, “This is amazing news, and I am pleased to see Wandle are shaping the future of housing in south London.

“As part of the partnership, we plan to improve 129 homes by installing wall and loft insulation, air source heat pumps, solar panels, and improving ventilation using our £1.3m allocation.

“Together, these works will help us achieve our target of 90% portfolio at EPC C by March 2027. Residents will benefit from warmer homes, reduced fuel bills and reduced risks of damp and mould.”

We are already working on SHDF Wave 2.2, for which we won £1m in 2024 to improve 121 homes.

International Women’s Day is a worldwide celebration with marches, events and campaigns highlighting women’s progress and ongoing challenges. It started in the US and became a global event in 1975.

When it comes to Women we could go as far back in time as memories and history permit. Women have always achieved (this was not always documented). The mere fact we are tasked with continuing the human race albeit with the help of a man is testimony to this. It was and to a greater degree still is the women’s duty to bring up the next generation with sometimes very little input from the men.  It is important for women and girls to understand how far we have come to achieve equality in just over 100 years. 

UK women did not have the right to say how they wanted their country (UK) to be run. In 1908 Emmeline Pankhurst (a leading figure in the suffragette movement) was organising protests demanding voting rights for women. This inspired many suffragettes to adopt direct action tactics, including chaining themselves to government buildings to demand voting rights.

Finally in 1918 women over 30 could vote, bear in mind all men over 21 could vote.  Not happy with this woman still protested until in 1928 all women over 21 could vote. After this mammoth achievement the first women to have a seat in House of Commons was Nancy Astor in 1918. This paved the way for future generations of female politicians.

After 59 years of winning the right to vote we had our first prime minister – Margaret Thatcher. She was known as the ‘Iron Lady’, and rumour has it that she could make men weep by just one look.

Women no longer see roles in professions as “men only”. However, I believe we need to encourage more women to go into professions such as skilled trades and manual labour, construction, information technology, programme and software development. Within housing most surveyors are male. To change this, we need initiatives to focus on promoting the profession to women, providing mentorship opportunities.

After a century of smashing glass ceilings and rewriting laws we have gone from needing permission to open a bank account to running those banks!  We still have a lot to achieve however but to put things in perspective the UKs women football team (the lionesses) were the first UK team to win the UEFA.  This was England’s first major international championship since the men’s football team won the 1966 world cup!!! 

Did you know before:

1919  – Women could not serve on a jury

1923 – Divorce was restricted for women.  Women had to prove their husbands had committed adultery and or abuse and abandonment to get a divorce.

1940 – Many professions, including teaching and civil service roles, forced women to leave work once they married.

Imagine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge gender equality, and #AccelerateAction.

Today is International Women’s Day, and the theme is #AccelerateAction. 

International Women’s Day (IWD) has been around for over a hundred years, as have many of the issues still impacting women’s advancement.  

At the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, to reach full gender parity, according to data from the World Economic Forum. 

Focusing on the need to Accelerate Action emphasises the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres. 

Jade Reid, Personal Assistant, and Geraldine Pagel, Building Compliance Support & Engagement Officer, spoke to Chief Executive, Anne Waterhouse, about what International Women’s Day means to her. 

Jade: Hi, Anne. Thank you for talking to us today about International Women’s Day and what it means to you. Let’s get started. What would you tell your younger self? 

Anne: Hi Jade, great question! I would tell my younger self that you don’t have to have all the answers. I think we set ourselves up, particularly as females, when we enter the workplace, to think we need to be experts in everything to do a role.  

I would tell my younger self to use the expertise around you. Everyone brings something different to the table, and you don’t need to have the answers to everything. Learn from people, be open and honest, and do not be afraid to say I don’t know that. 

Geraldine: What and who do you find inspirational, and how have they inspired you? 

Anne: Well, firstly, my mum. She was very fortunate to go to university and study computer technology. When she left, she got married and had children. Because childcare didn’t exist then, she left work to bring me and my siblings up. Once we reached senior school, she decided to retrain as an account assistant at night school. To be able to afford this, she worked in a clock factory. 

My mum taught me that you are in control of your destiny and that perseverance is key. It won’t always be easy, but she impresses me. I also love music and look up to women like Grace Jones and early Madonna, who were not scared to be different. 

Jade: Did you experience any setbacks in your family after starting a family? 

Anne: I was fortunate enough to be in a senior role at the time I had my first child, and I felt brave to have conversations about what would work for me after my maternity leave. 

My manager at the time judged your productivity by how many hours you put in and was resistant to my request to return four days a week. Luckily, I had allies at work who supported my decision. 

I am a big advocate of enabling people to work in a way that makes them the most productive and recognising that work isn’t everything. Also, we can’t just find solutions for parents, many people have other caring responsibilities that need to be understood and respected. 

Geraldine: This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is #AccelerateAction. What do you think Wandle can do to support female colleagues? 

Anne: I see so much achieved when you bring a diverse group of people together and ask if we have the right voices to resolve this issue.  Also, by creating safe spaces for women to come forward and use their voices, you create more successful organisations. 

When I started my career, there was a feeling that the women in high-up positions had fought hard for their success, and they drew the ladder up behind them. Whereas now, I think we are much more supportive and encouraging of one another to achieve. 

Jade: Would you say your gender has ever held you back in your career? 

Anne: I wouldn’t say it held me back, but it has played a factor. When I began my career in house building, it was a very male-dominated environment. I rose quickly to be finance director by the time I turned 30, and it was a lonely place to be. I felt I had to be two different people and to be seen as very serious to keep my seat at the table. I learned more about construction than I ever needed to because I wanted to be seen for my skills and expertise. 

Geraldine: Final question, what biases do you think women still face? 

Anne: I believe a lot has changed, and women are not being doubted as much if they want to pursue certain career paths. There are job roles that are desperately needed, such as plumbing, but women are not entering these professions, and we do have to ask why.  In general, women are more emotionally literate for several reasons, and I think that is a positive and can be brought into the workforce to encourage an open and honest working environment that benefits everyone.  

Thank you to Jade, Geraldine, and Anne for taking the time to chat. 

We will be sharing information throughout the week to support International Women’s Day.