Dear Customer,
Everyone at GCH hopes that you and your loved ones have remained safe and well during this most challenging period of uncertainty for us all.
As we have reached 6 months since the lockdown in March, I wanted to provide you with an update on your GCH services and the work we are doing to ensure that we can continue to provide safe delivery options to support you and your community.
During the first period of strict lockdown in March, we continued to provide essential and emergency service appointments. Since June, we have gradually reintroduced our services, albeit in slightly different ways. For example, our customer reception at Railway House is now open on an appointment only basis having been made COVID secure with the introduction of a fully glazed floor-to-ceiling reception facility to protect you and our staff. Sadly, we have not been able open our communal lounges in our sheltered schemes at this moment but will keep this under constant review.
We pride ourselves in being open and clear with our customers and despite the difficulties the current situation has presented, I wanted to thank you personally on how you have responded and pulled together during this time. We value our role as a community-based organisation and have been proud to support the set-up of local food banks, distributing vital food supplies and essential medicines through our teams. We have also provided financial support to several local organisations, helping them to provide vital help to our communities – like the Holiday Kitchen during the summer holidays.
Our staff have worked very hard to stay in regular contact with you – making welfare calls, checking on the health of sheltered residents, responding to your enquiries over the phone and online, visiting your homes through carefully planned repairs appointments and providing direct support when required to our more vulnerable residents.
When writing to you or updating our website and social media channels, we have told you how we are closely following Government and Public Health guidance in the decisions we make about how we deliver on-going services, although we recognise that there have been several updates to the guidance and that this can feel overwhelming and confusing. We will continue to provide updates to make sure you have the latest advice and we will write to you if Government guidance results in specific changes to future services. For now, services will continue as they are, mindful that safety is our top priority. It is important that you follow our rules when a member of our team visits you or comes into your home.
Finally if you are struggling to pay your rent, we would really encourage you to speak to us at the earliest opportunity. COVID-19 has brought money worries to most of the Country and we would remind all of our tenants and residents that we have specialist teams who can help, providing you with the latest information and advice about Government help schemes, maximising your benefits, universal credit, and budgeting support. The teams work with a range of agencies to ensure that there is always help available. Please click here for more information.
In the meantime, please stay safe and look after your families and loved ones, and thank you for supporting everyone at GCH at this time.
Ashley Green – Chief Executive, GCH