The current situation has been challenging for everyone and we wanted to share with you some details regarding the hard work we’ve been doing behind the scenes to make sure our essential services continue and to support the health and wellbeing of all our customers.
There have been many heartwarming stories of how our communities are really pulling together and how people are looking out for each other. We’ve seen a number of our employees work with foodbanks and other charities to help those people who need it the most and make sure that we’re doing all we can to help our communities during this time.
How we’re communicating with you
We are of course, following the strict guidelines laid down by the Government and we strongly encourage you to do the same – wash your hands regularly, remain two meters apart and stay home to save lives.
We have written to you with information regarding the situation, what we are doing and what we ask of you. Information has also been provided on emergency repairs, how we’re managing our estates and details of free support services available.
Coronavirus has affected our lives in many ways, particularly those who are older and may be more vulnerable. That’s why we have put in place welfare calls to those people who may be most at risk.
We’ve created dedicated coronavirus webpages with frequently asked questions on our customer website, as well as a customer hotline for those people who don’t have access to the internet. Please visit orbitcustomerhub.org.uk/coronavirus or call 02476 147 310 for more information.
We are also continuing to provide you with a wide range of free support services, to help you with both financial and mental wellbeing, which are available on the Better Days website at betterdays.org.uk
Our Community Investment team has been extremely busy over the last few weeks, making sure your needs are cared for during this challenging time. The team is working hard to direct services to areas which need them most, including setting up foodbanks, home-cooked meal delivery services and fresh food boxes.
Keeping our essential services running
As well as stepping up support to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, we are also working hard to keep our essential services running.
Emergency maintenance services are still available to you for any work which poses a serious risk to your health and safety, your home or the security of your property.
We are making sure that all safety measures are followed too – that our contractors are calling you in advance of visits to check that you are okay for them to attend and to make the necessary arrangements. Contractors will also carry out a risk assessment and will be wearing the correct safety clothing to make sure they can work safely in your homes whilst maintaining social distancing.
Thorough cleaning is also taking place across our schemes, again with the correct safety clothing being worn. Now, more than ever, it is important to make sure that shared areas are cleaned thoroughly to reduce the risk of passing on the infection. While the threat of coronavirus is still high, particular attention is being paid to cleaning frequently touched areas and surfaces such as corridors, stairwells and door handles.
Where it is safe to do so, we have also been maintaining our estates, including mowing lawns and tending to flower beds. During the lockdown period, where the Government has restricted access to parks and we’ve closed playground areas, it is even more important to keep the green spaces you can use well maintained and to provide a safe place for you to exercise and get some fresh air.
Thank you
We will continue to monitor the situation, follow Government guidance and do everything we can to play our part in working through this challenging situation. We will continue to provide support to you, so please get in touch if you need any extra help.
We’ll continue to keep you informed of any changes and would like to thank you for your support and patience during this time.