May Newsletter

Guidance on barbecue safety this summer:

With the predicted hot weather in the coming days, we are urging residents to stay fire safe, especially when using barbecues.

We’re reminding residents to use common sense and not use barbecues near timber cladding and fencing.

Unfortunately, each year the London Fire Brigade attends about 50 barbecue-related fires on balconies, and many more in gardens and parks.

Barbecues on balconies are especially dangerous as smouldering debris spits off the barbecues and floats down to other levels risking a blaze on different floors. Barbecues placed too close to the building can also cause a real risk of a fire as there is a risk of them spreading onto a building structure, fence, decking or catching a stray curtain.

More guidance available on our website.

Say No to fly-tipping

Our Estates Watch team is monitoring CCTV to try and stamp out fly-tipping in our estates and community. Residents should be aware that fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence and can lead to heavy fines.

Recently, team captured a notorious fly tipper at James Place.

We are working with Haringey Council’s Anti-Social behaviour specialist to prosecute the suspect.

The suspect, who is a local resident has been using communal bins repeatedly to dump large amounts of commercial waste. The illegal activity was recorded on CCTV.

Commercial dumping of waste is an inconvenience to tenants because residents are unable to use the bins due to the large amount of waste dumped. it also presents which also presents a fire risk and is expensive to manage. Many residents have complained about illegal dumping of waste around our other estates which has prompted our Estate Teams to become keep a look out.

Veolia Environmental Services in Haringey collects rubbish and recycling every week from our estates. We also have a service for disposal of rubbish or large items that can be arranged. Please email: customerservices@homesforharingey.org, or call the Contact Centre on 020 8489 5611 who will get in touch with your local Estate Services Team Leader, who will be able to make the necessary arrangements.

More info, please visit our website on how to manage waste.

Money tips during Covid-19 pandemic

These are testing times and if you have concerns about debt, money and mental health there is help available.

If you have problems about paying mortgage, rent or other bills during the pandemic, there is a list of organisations and resources that can be helpful.

If you've lost a job or found you can't continue in business, the Coronavirus Universal Credit & Benefits guide looks at what benefits you can claim to help you through this difficult time.

Don't struggle on your own. Seek help.

Martin Lewis Founder & Chair, MoneySavingExpert.com says, "No debt problems are unsolvable. It might not be easy or quick, but there's always a route. When mental health problems are involved, some special solutions apply."

More information is available here.

Support and wellbeing service for vulnerable residents

We are working with Connected Communities to make check-up calls to vulnerable residents who may need help due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

We made a total of 1,865 successful calls to find out what type of support was required and identify how we can help our vulnerable people.

Over the last seven weeks, 3,760 vulnerable residents in general needs housing were identified and 2,993 actual phone calls have been attempted.

The exercise continues with a dedicated team calling the most vulnerable also identified by Connected Communities.

Some of the older residents wanted help with delivering shopping, others wanted emergency food supplies while others wanted help with their medication. Some residents just wanted a conversation and reassurance.

For more information or if you need help, get in touch with us via Haringey FoodBox.

Please note: The FoodBox centre is unable to accept self-referral. Haringey residents who are in a crisis situation are advised to contact local referral partners including Homes for Haringey’s Housing Demand Team, Tenancy Management Team, Hearthstone Centre and local charities.

#BigHousingThankYou Day

Last week, we joined other stakeholders to mark the #BigHousingThankYou day across the country. The day was celebrated to show appreciation for frontline housing workers across the country for their continued help and support during the Coronavirus outbreak.

The presence of housing frontline workers has become very important in mitigating effects of the pandemic. They have kept thousands of communities safe and well-cared for: doing repairs, clearing rubbish, cleaning, staffing food bank services, doing safety checks, delivering care packages, and phoning or calling on hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people to check they're okay.

Frontline housing workers have been the invisible heroes of the country's COVID-19 battle.
Please visit our website for details. To watch the video, visit here .

Guidelines on use of lifts in residential blocks

We have issued guidelines to residents on how to use lifts in residential properties in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

Residents are advised to avoid contact with other people. Only one household at a time or one person in passenger carrying lifts.

The guidelines have been pinned on all lifts in residential blocks.

With the resumption of estate services such as such cleaning, residents are also advised to stay away from operatives when they are working.

For tips on using a lift during coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, check our website

Volunteers' Week 2020

Next week, 1-7 June will be celebrated as Volunteer's Week across the country. This is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering.

The coronavirus pandemic has stopped many of the things we would usually do. Although it’s more important than ever for us to recognise and support volunteers, we’ve decided it would be inappropriate to go ahead with many of the things we’d usually do around this time.

We have many people in our community who have been offering voluntary services to deliver food to vulnerable residents and other activities.

We would like to say a big 'Thank You' to everyone who is doing the best they can in these times.

You too can still get involved to volunteer in your area. For more information about what the Volunteers' week involves, please visit here.

If you would like to volunteer for us, please get in touch at HFHCommunityFoodBoxAdmin@homesforharingey.org

Celebrating Haringey’s unsung Heroes

Do you know someone making a difference in the community during the coronavirus pandemic?

The Mayor of Haringey, Sheila Peacock has announced a new ‘Haringey Heroes Awards’ to celebrate Haringey’s unsung heroes.

Residents are encouraged to come forward and nominate someone who has helped them the most during the outbreak - it could be a volunteer, a bus driver, their local GP surgery a family member or someone who has gone the extra mile to brighten up a neighbour’s day.

The nominated person may have helped with their food shopping, picked up their mail, walked their dog or helped to collect medicines - or even someone who has helped ease their loneliness by having regular conversations with them.

Residents have until the end of August to put forward their nominations for the Awards. All nominees brought forward with receive a special certificate thanking them for their efforts to support the community during these unprecedented times.

A badge of honour will also be awarded to a select few, who have shown an outstanding contribution during the outbreak.
To nominate someone, fill this form.