Tower Blocks UK Spring newsletter |
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Greetings to all our followers. We've had a very busy start to 2022 so far. In April we travelled up to Yorkshire to visit some tower block communities in Leeds. We chatted with residents about their experiences of high rise living and their concerns. We were also able to share our Tower Blocks UK and FixMyBlock information and resource leaflets through letterboxes and on noticeboards in blocks across the city! |
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Residents in Leeds shared with us their thoughts about building and fire safety. Several tenants commented that Covid continues to impact repairs and major works being carried out or delayed - something we are hearing across the country. We also noted that cleaning and maintenance in Leeds appears to vary depending on where blocks are located, with some blocks well looked after and others in a poor state of decline. We have written to Leeds City Council with our findings and look forward to returning in the future to meet with residents again. |
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During our trip, we also met up with professor of Urban Geography at Leeds University; Dr Stuart Hodkinson to discuss future projects and our upcoming speaker presentations at the Tall Buildings Fire Safety Network Conference at London Excel 17-19th May! Click below to find out more and book your tickets to this event. | | |
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On our way back from Leeds we stopped off in Sheffield to meet our former colleague Mandy who shared lots of historical literature with us dating back to our days as the 'National Tower Blocks Network' in the 80s and 90s! We are excited to announce that we will be sharing these publicly, along with many other items through a collaboration with the prestigious Bishopsgate Institute. Working closely with the Special Collections & Archives manager; Stef Dickers and his team of curators, we will be creating a fully accessible tower blocks collection containing letters, photos, posters, news items and much more, to tell the story of tower blocks history in the UK. More on that soon! |
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Energy Crisis We remain concerned that the rising cost of fuel will increase the risk of fires as some households may resort to alternative methods of heating and cooking, such as using oil heaters or LPG gas. We have written to the government and Fire & Rescue services with our concerns and are liaising with other groups and charities to raise awareness. If you live in a block and are concerned about fire safety, please take a look at our Fire Safety Checklist which you can use to identify & highlight fire risks in your building. |
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This year we are planning to pilot a citizen journalism project. Do you live in a tower block? Are you interested in learning how to create and report your own news, highlight issues or share your views on high rise living? Get in touch to register your interest! |
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The Inquiry continues as we approach the 5 year anniversary of the tragedy, and alongside Grenfell United, we continue to echo the calls for justice for the survivors and bereaved. In recent weeks, government officials have been called to account for their actions; and the inquiry recently heard witness statement evidence from Tower Blocks UK co-founder Sam Webb MBE. Read more on that here. |
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Special thanks to The Tudor Trust! We're very pleased to announce that our work is being supported by The Tudor Trust; an independent grant-making trust supporting voluntary and community groups. Find out more about the trust here. |
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FixMyBlock Providing information, resources and support for tower block tenants. Find out everything your landlord should be doing to keep your tower block safe and what to do if they aren't. | | |
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Thoughts, issues or opinions? We love to hear from you so please drop us a line either via our website or through social media. |
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