Spotlight Newsletter

Housing for Older People

Welcome to the fifth edition of the newsletter for residents living in Housing for Older People.

We know there has been a gap since the last newsletter and this edition focuses on important information around keeping you safe and well in your home. In October a fire occurred in one of the flats in a designated (purpose built) scheme which tragically resulted in the death of the occupant. Understandably, the months that have followed have been a period of instability for the neighbours and friends of the tenant and for those residents who were most directly affected by the incident. I would like to thank all the residents that helped and assisted with this incident and our colleagues in General Needs Housing, Estate Services and Housing Support who worked alongside the HfOP service in the aftermath of the incident. In this edition we share safety information and encourage all our tenants to ensure we have your up to date information and next of kin information.

We have seen changes in staffing over the last few months and I also wanted to take this opportunity to share that Tom Dalton and Sam Horgan have left the council. We wish both Tom and Sam the best of luck with future
endeavours.

We are keen to encourage residents to get involved with the housing service and hold the Council to account for delivering against our published service standards. We offer joining us on line or in person and recognise the personal time you are giving to the council so offer shopping vouchers as a thank you to residents who participate in various housing groups.

For more information on how you can have your say and get involved contact us at involvedinhousing@kingston.gov.uk. 

Fire Safety

We want to highlight the important role fire doors have in protecting residents from fire and smoke. It confirms how you can report any faults with the fire doors and explains the fire evacuation/stay put procedure for your building. It also includes fire safety tips for your home, communal areas and activities such as cooking.

1. Fire doors in Kingston housing blocks including housing for older people.

Fire doors are an essential part of the fire protection plan in your housing block/home. They protect escape routes and restrict the spread of fire and smoke should a fire break out in your home. Your front door and the doors into communal stairwells are fire doors.

2. Our Evacuation Strategy - Stay Put Policy

The stay put policy - what is it?

The ‘stay put’ policy is used in buildings where a fire can be safely contained within a section of the building. Your housing block operates a stay put policy. This means that, in the event of a fire in your building, you should follow the points below. ‘Stay Put’ Evacuation Policy for flats including those in housing for older people:

• When a fire occurs within a flat, the occupants alert others in the flat. They must then make their way out of the building and ring the fire and rescue service by dialling 999 and asking for the fire brigade giving the address of the property. They must close their flat door as they leave the flat to help stop the spread of smoke and fire. They should then go to the cordon of the incident scene and follow the direction of the emergency services for the location of the emergency shelter they should go to.
• If a fire starts in the common parts (for example the stairs, a corridor, areas open and accessible to all) anyone in the areas affected by fire must make their way out of the building and summon the fire and rescue service by dialling 999.
• All other residents not directly affected by the fire are expected to ‘stay put’ and remain in their flat with their front door closed unless directed to leave by the fire and rescue service. If these residents become affected by the fire they should then evacuate from their flat, closing their front door as they leave the flat. They should then go to the cordon of the incident scene and follow the direction of the emergency services for the location of the emergency shelter they should go to.
• In the event of a fire, please keep your doors and windows closed - this prevents the spread of fire and smoke, and protects communal escape routes, enabling safe access by the fire brigade to fight the fire and to protect those escape routes in the event a full evacuation of the building is required.

What should I do?

It is important that no matter what building you are in, even as a visitor, that you follow fire safety guidance (below), and contact customer service immediately if any of our fire doors in your block/ home are faulty, so that we can repair them and keep our residents safe.

Please remember

All fire doors to be kept shut at all times (The only exceptions are doors fitted with a door guard linked to the alarm system - these are usually found in housing designed specifically for older and vulnerable residents and they should be kept unobstructed so that they can close automatically)  All fire doors should sit flush in their frame. This means closing fully into the frame.

Overhead door closers should be present and working on all fire doors (communal and flat front doors) and bring the door to a full close

All doors should be in good condition and working order. The Council has a programme to ensure doors are maintained, however, it is important for residents to report any faults or damage they find to ensure it is repaired as soon as possible. You must report faulty doors to customer service.

You must not tamper with fire doors or self closing devices which are installed. All windows should be in good condition, no cracks or damage

3 Ability to evacuate in the event of a fire

We would like to know whether you or any member of your household has an inability or reduced ability to evacuate in the event of a fire. Remember that the lifts will be unavailable for use during a fire. Unless you instruct otherwise, this information would only be passed to or used to assist the Fire Service. You can email us at fire.safety@kingston.gov.uk or contact your Housing Officer Hop@kingston.gov.uk

To report any repairs, contact customer services on 0208 547 5003. Taking time to familiarise yourself with the fire safety advice of a building could help save lives.

Find out more information on fire safety

Please also remember:

Do not store items in the communal corridors or stairwells. Never charge equipment in communal corridors or stairwells (for example ebikes or mobility scooters).

Help us to help you, update your household details today!

Help us to help you with your home and tenancy needs. This form offers you the opportunity to tell us about you and your household. The data you provide can influence the services that we offer and currently provide, such as if you need a repair carried out more quickly, or if you require an adaptation to your home.

Update your household details

Complete all sections, all information provided will be stored and used securely in-line with current Data Protection Regulations.

Planning for the future

There may come a time when it becomes necessary for someone else to manage your financial affairs or make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so yourself. This may be due to a learning disability, mental health needs or because of an illness, such as dementia. It can make dealing with important choices a real problem.

If this happens, you may need to give someone else (if you are able to do so) the legal power to make some important decisions for you. This is called making them an Attorney. Having a Power of Attorney set up can make things much easier if and when that time comes – so it’s worth considering now.

Setting up a power of attorney gives someone you trust – your ‘attorney’ – the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf and in your best interests.

The person you choose as your Attorney could be a responsible relative, friend or professional. On the other hand, if someone asks you to be their Attorney, it’s important that you know exactly what it involves. More information about this can be found on the web pages for Age Uk

Tenancy Matters - Tenancy Conditions

Everyone has a right to live in a safe and secure home. We wanted to remind our tenants of our tenancy conditions related to the use and care of the property/home and access. The specific tenancy conditions relating to this are:

Occupation, use and care of your Home

You must make sure that you keep the whole of the Property/Your Home clean and free from rubbish and vermin.

Access

You must allow us into your home at any reasonable time to inspect or to carry out repairs, maintenance or improvements. Always ask for official identification. Normally we will give you at least 48 hours notice. We expect you to move furniture, fittings, carpets and anything belonging to you to allow us to carry out repairs or maintenance.

We are also required to make annual tenancy visits to all our residents. Allowing access to Council staff / contractors is a condition of your tenancy visit. We will check that your property is safe and secure, and that you are
living comfortably and independently. There are different reasons why residents are reluctant to allow Council officers to visit their home. It may be that they are embarrassed about the condition of their home for reasons such as hoarding or simply not being able to keep it clean and tidy. Under such circumstances, it is even more important that we are able to visit you.

If you feel any support is needed please contact us, and we can signpost you to the relevant services.

Find the right support to live independently at home Services to assist you with daily living, household tasks, and health management. 

Residents are making a difference

Residents on the Alpha Road estate have transformed an unused green space into a haven for fruit trees. Over 16 residents supported the project to plant 9 trees across the estate with a few fruit bushes. Mary Parmar Chair and resident of the Alpha Road Association said, ”we hope this will lead to many more joint initiatives to bring more greening, community connections and improved wellbeing to the local area. This will not only boost the visual appearance of the area now but be enjoyed by many for years to come.

”Mary also said ‘We also asked for volunteers to become tree angels and make sure the trees are cared for’.

Do you like books to read or listen to?

Do you find it hard to get to the library? Kingston Community Library delivers books to people, every month, in their own home. We have large print books as well as ordinary print and books on CDs to listen to, if you have a CD
player. We already deliver to Alfriston, Dowler Court, Edinburgh Court, Fountain Court, Gooding Close, Howard Close, Hugh Herland, Lovekyn Close and we organised the small library at Sobraon. If you’d like us to deliver to you ring us on 020 8547 6451 or email us at community.library@kingston.gov.uk

Kingston Association for the blind

Kingston Association for the blind is a registered charity that empowers blind or partially sighted residents of all ages living in Kingston. Services and Activities include:

• Social Lunches
• Tech Sessions
• Talking News
• Benefit Checks
• Eye Health Talks
• Working Age Forum
• Exercises
  • Swimming
• Bowls - Football
• Visual Awareness
• Living with sight loss

For more information contact us:

• Phone: 0208 605 0060
• Email: Kab@kingstonassociationforblind.org
• Kingston association for the blind website
• Address: Kingston Quaker Centre, Fairfield East, Kingston, KT1 2PT

Cant't come to the library?

LET THE LIBRARY COME TO YOU

Kingston Community library delivers books to residents who can’t get out to visit their local library for whatever reason.

• We have many books in large print, ordinary print and CDs of audio books for residents to borrow.
• We would like to hear from anyone who wants to join the community library as a member.
• You can be a temporary member if you have spent some time in hospital or are unwell too.

Kingston 2025 Street parties

You can now bring our landmark Kingston 2025 celebration right to your own doorstep with a street party!

Kingston 2025 officially begins on Saturday, 3 May, and runs all summer, so choose the date which best suits you for your street party and provide your street with a fun way to connect with neighbours and bring different generations together.

It’s free to apply for a temporary street party road closure. When your application is approved (allow up to 8 weeks), you’ll get a downloadable pack to help make your event a success. Kingston 2025 marks the 1,100 anniversary of the crowning of King Athelstan, the first King of a united England, in the heart of Kingston. It celebrates the rich and diverse history of the borough and the vibrant communities who live, work and study here.

Find out more information on street parties.

Recipe

If there ever was a crowd-pleasing Easter bake, this is it! These delicious fudgy brownies are speckled with mini eggs.

Ingredients

• 200g/7oz unsalted butter, cubed
• 200g/7oz dark or milk chocolate, roughly chopped
• 3 free-range eggs
• 250g/9oz caster sugar
• 100g/31⁄2oz plain flour
• 50g/13⁄4oz cocoa powder
• 240g/81⁄2oz mini eggs, about half of them roughly chopped
• pinch salt

Step by step

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan and line a 20cm/8in square baking tin with parchment paper.
2. Put the butter and chocolate into a heat- proof bowl and melt them. Leave to cool slightly to room temperature.
3. Put the eggs and caster sugar into a large bowl and whisk using an electric whisk until light, pale and fluffy. While whisking, gradually pour in the chocolate mixture until combined.
4. Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, the chopped mini eggs and a pinch of salt.
5. Pour the brownie batter into the tin. Dot over the remaining mini eggs.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cracked slightly on top and there is a little wobble in the middle. Leave to cool completely in the tin before slicing and serving.