Pizza and Terrariums:

World Mental Health Day 2023

Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay, and at FCHA, our team gathered around a wood-fired pizza van for lunch, indulging in good food and conversation. 🍕 before spending the afternoon at our stress-down session.

Relaxation and creativity were on the cards as staff sat together to build beautiful terrariums, finding solace in the soothing process of creating something green and serene. 🌿

Taking care of our mental health is essential. We believe in fostering a supportive environment where everyone can thrive.

Remember, it's okay not to be okay, and seeking help is a sign of strength.

Call Samaritans or Mind for more information

Samaritans: 116 123

Mind: 0300 123 3393

How to tackle condensation and mould in your home

There is always moisture in the air, even if you can’t see it. Condensation occurs when warm, moist air meets a cold surface. So, when the air in your home gets colder, it can’t hold the moisture which means your surfaces such as windows, doors and even walls will feel wet or cold and, could turn into black mould. If you look near windows, in corners or behind furniture these are the most likely places untreated condensation builds up which can lead to black specks of mould occurring.

Take a look at our helpful videos to prevent condensation in your home:

YouTube Playlist

Tips to prevent condensation

Here are our tips to prevent condensation:

• Maintain the temperature in your home to the recommended level.

• When filling a bath, run the cold water first, it will reduce steam by 90%.

• Avoid drying clothes on radiators and using unvented tumble dryers

• Ventilate your home all year round by opening windows and vents

• Make sure any extractor fans in your home are being used

• Cook with pan lids on to prevent steam escaping

• Try crystal moisture traps, which can be bought cheaply

• Open any vents in your windows and rooms to encourage airflow.

• Regularly wipe all cold and moistness from windows with some kitchen towel and make sure they are dry.

More information

You may find the following information helpful, this was delivered to tenants homes earlier this year to help reduce the effects of Damp and Mould in homes.

Damp and Mould Document.pdf

Download PDF • 1.13MB

CONTACT US

If you think you have condensation and mould in your home, then please get in touch with our team, as they are always there to help:

Call: 02920 703 758

Email: customerservices@fcha.org.uk

You can also get in touch via our social media channels

search for @FirstChoiceHA

Meet the Team: Electricians

Winter 2022 saw FCHA recruit 2 new electricians to help develop the electrical systems at tenant properties and in the head office here in Cardiff.

The Team

Ciaran is our new electrician. He has worked in the social housing sector for a number of years carrying out electrical maintenance and condition reports.

Tina has also joined the team as the Apprentice Electrician. For the past 2 years she has been at college completing electrical installations. She will be working to assist Ciaran on site and to further her skills to become a qualified electrician.

What will they be doing?

Ciaran and Tina's main role will be helping FCHA achieve their goal of becoming carbon neutral. This will involve installing energy monitoring equipment into properties to analyse energy use and environmental monitors to provide data on the conditions of the properties. They will also be equipping some homes with smart technology to give tenants control over their homes and help reduce energy use.

Tenants and Digital Tech

Here are some quotes from tenants in Swansea who have had sensors and smart technology added to their home. These tenants have also been provided digital equipment to help them reduce their energy costs and allow them to be more digitally included.

The FCHA Van

New to FCHA are the vans! These new vehicles will allow some staff to get the work done at tenant properties more effectively. Ciaran and Tina will use this to install smart devices in tenant homes or help with electrical issues.

We encourage all tenants and staff to get a photo in front of the FCHA van if spotted outside your home. We encourage all tenants to send photos and stories of their experiences with digital technology to go in our Newsletter. All entries have a chance to win a voucher from us!

Here's one tenant standing in front of the van!