Category: Uncategorised

Season’s greetings

Dear community members,

2020 has presented exceptional challenges for all of us, and we are grateful we were able to keep our community association going through the use of virtual meetings.
We were very much looking forward to hold some kind of Christmas event this year – potentially outdoors – but with plans to place London into tier 3 lockdown, we have resigned to make our Christmas meeting next Wednesday (16th of December) virtual once again (details to be published on the day as usual).

We were able to bring a little bit of a festive spirit to Nelson Square by lighting up our Monkey Puzzle tree, and we hope you enjoy the humble spectacle.

Monkey Puzzle Tree with Christmas Lights
Monkey Puzzle Tree with Christmas Lights

Major works

Having cleared the drain pipes, Standage are installing a silicone lining inside of the pipes to waterproof them. This became necessary after it turned out that they were rusted through in various places following neglect to maintain them adequately.

This work is currently taking place on the Eastern side of Rowland Hill House, and will continue towards the centre- and Western sections in the new year. Regrettably, Southwark council decided it would be most appropriate for the contractors’ vans to park on the grass area South of Rowland Hill House, which is why this area is now fenced off and boarded up. We only had one day notice of this.

Water tank replacements

Independent of the major works undertaken by Standage, the water tanks at the top of Rowland Hill House are being replaced. The contractors undertaking this worked can be reached on 020 3589 3133 or 01689 806 182.

Council Contact

Sophique Miah <Sofique.Miah@southwark.gov.uk> 020 7525 0915 can be contacted with inquiries about either the Major Works or the Water tank replacements.

Financial aid available

Are you struggling financially?
Do you need to feed your family?
Southwark Group of Tenants Association has small grants of between £100 and £250 available each month, which can be awarded to vulnerable residents. Grants can be awarded to help food bills, but also for essential items like school materials or clothing.
The grants need to be applied for via us; please get in touch via the contact form if you wish to apply.

Welcome Victor

We would like to welcome Victor from Applegarth House onto the committee.
Victor has been working with the London Ambulance Service to arrange First Responder training. Due to COVID, sessions cannot currently take place, but we are looking forward to start offering them once we are allowed to re-open our community hall.

So long

On behalf of all at NSGCA, I would like to wish everybody a peaceful holiday period, and a healthy and successful new year 2021.
Toby, Chair

Hello again | 5 August next meeting

It seems a very long time since lockdown first began back in March, and NSCGA were forced to suspend our meetings, as per guidance from the Council. So, time for an update from us! Happily, on 15th July, the Committee had our first meeting since the pandemic changed everything, appropriately social distanced by virtue of being online.
Top of our agenda: re-starting our regular meeting schedule with Residents.

For the time being, the Council prohibits all face-to-face TRA meetings, whether that’s General Meetings or internal Committee meetings. Even entering the Community Hall is out of bounds. The Council strongly suggest virtual meetings as the way forward, at least for the next little while. As such, we will be holding all General Meetings online, until face-to-face events get the Council’s OK. We realize that online meetings are not ideal for everyone. For the time being, though, this seems to be the only compromise possible, in efforts to resume meetings during the ongoing pandemic. If you cannot participate in online meetings, but want to share your thoughts or get your voice heard, please get in touch with us and we can represent your views at the meeting.

With that in mind, we invite all Nelson Square Residents to join us for our first virtual General Meeting on Wednesday, 5th August, 7.00-8.30pm. We’re still finding out footing in the digital world, so we’ll be trying out Google Teams to see if it works for our needs.
Please check back on the 8th to get the link.

A few more updates… We now have a schedule for the forthcoming year’s meetings – so check out the dates below and be sure to add them to your diary! The pandemic stuck a wrench in our usual summer festivities – very sadly, no summer party for us – and our less glamorous but nevertheless essential AGM. We’re hopeful that we might be able to hold a Christmas shindig this year, though we have to wait and see how the coronavirus situation is going before we can make any firm plans. As for the AGM, the Council signed off on “rolling over” the proceedings till May 2021. That means that the Committee you elected in May 2019 will continue serving you until then. In other Estate news, the Major Works on Rowland Hill House have started up again, though with contractors only working on external projects for now. We continue to monitor the situation, and are in contact with the contractor, Standage, to sort out any issues as rapidly as possible.

We hope to see as many Residents as possible at the virtual meetings, to hear how you’ve been doing since we last met up, and see how we can support you going forward.

A message from SGTO

If you are in crisis, we [Southwark Group of Tenants Organisation] are here to support you.

Here are a few numbers that might prove useful during this period.
If you do not have internet access and need any numbers or information please contact SGTO on 0207 639 6718.

If you are experiencing problems paying for emergency items, such as fuel, you can call Southwark Emergency Support Scheme on 0207 525 2434

If you are experiencing difficulty applying for benefits you can refer yourself to Southwark Local Support team 0207 525 2434

If you are struggling with your mental health during this period you can call Southwark Wellbeing Hub for confidential support on 0203 751 9684 9am-5pm. You can also contact 07849 084368.

______________________________________________________________________

  • Remember to stay safe in your home.
  • Do not answer the door to any strangers.
  • No one from the police or health services should come to your home to do tests.
  • If you are concerned about your health call 111
  • if you are concerned about crime call 101
  • if you are experiencing any emergency call 999

https://www.sgto.org.uk

Coronavirus / COVID-19 update

Dear residents,

due to circumstances that need no further introduction, all public meetings in the residents hall have been temporarily canceled. This includes:

  • Coffee mornings
  • Councillors’ Surgeries
  • Standage meetings about the major works in RHH
  • Aphasia Reconnet
  • Community Hygiene Concern
  • HGH meetings
  • Blackfriars Settlement is closed, too

We will make a decision with regards to our next general meeting in due course.

Meanwhile, Southwark is looking for volunteers to help those who cannot leave their home. Details here: https://www.southwark.gov.uk/engagement-and-consultations/covid-support/covid-19-what-can-you-do-to-help

For general advice from Southwark, see https://www.southwark.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/public-health/for-the-public/coronavirus

Quality Homes Investment Programme (Major Works)

Please see below the transcript of the letter we have received with regards to QHIP.
Key information:
Contact

Sofique Miah
Customer Relationship Officer
Asset Management – Investment Delivery Housing & Modernisation
Sofique. miah@southwark.gov. uk
020 7525 0915

Transcript

Dear Resident,

Nelson Square Gardens Estate QHIP 20/21: Applegarth / Helen Gladstone / Vaughan House

We are pleased to invite you to the 1 st Resident Drop-in meeting for Nelson Square Gardens Estate which includes 157-209 Applegarth, 222-269 Helen Gladstone & 1-51 Vaughan House. Your home will be part of the proposed Quality Homes Investment Programme (QHIP) 20/21 which we expect to be delivered from autumn 2020. The works will include external redecorations, window & general repairs to the fabric of the building where necessary and internal kitchen and bathroom renewals to tenanted properties which meet the QHIP criteria.

The drop-in has been scheduled to take place on Wednesday 18 December 2019, 4:30pm-6:30pm at Rowland Hill House TRA hall, 60a Rowland Hill House, Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 0LT

The Contract Manager (CM) will be Brian Checkley (Brian.Checkley@southwark.gov.uk /
07956 200 666) who will be responsible for monitoring and managing the works. Sofique Miah will be the Customer Relationship Officer (CRO) who is responsible for dealing with any issues that you might have in relation to how the works are delivered, quality of workmanship and
level of customer service provided and can be contacted using details above.

This is a drop-in session, so you are free to attend anytime between 4:30pm-6:30pm and don’t have to stay for the whole duration.
If you have any queries or require assistance regarding these specific works then please contact me.
Yours sincerely
Sofique Miah

Meetings 2019/20

DayDateEvent / Guest speaker
Wednesday17 July 2019tbc
Saturday17 August 2019Summer Party
Wednesday16 October 2019tbc
Wednesday11 December 2019Christmas Party
Wednesday12 February 2020tbc
Wednesday08 April 2020tbc
Wednesday13 May 2020Annual General Meeting & Elections

Always at 7pm in the Community Hall, 60a Rowland Hill House, London SE1 0LT.
Contact us if you want to see your concern on the agenda.