Recent Updates from My Community Voice:
Good morning,
I thought it would be relevant to a lot of Medway residents to talk about cold callers and how you can protect yourself and/or your elderly relatives from being scammed at the doorstep.
Usually, cold callers will target areas with a high population of elderly and vulnerable residents as they are more likely to trick these people.
Some of the common openings are.
1, “you have got a loose tile on your roof!”
2, “I was working over the road and noticed ….”
3, “I can do you a special price if you agree and pay today.”
You can always ask for time to think about the proposition and any good tradesman will not be annoyed, upset, agitated or pushy if you say that you will come back to them.
If the door knocker does become aggressive or confrontational then call 999 and ask for police. If the door knocker leaves but your still not happy report it to 101 or Kent police online reporting. Try to take note of the vehicle number plate and the company that they claim to be from.
Here are some of my cold calling top tips.
1. Always call a friend or family member to discuss before agreeing to anything.
2. Get another quote for the work, get three quotes to be absolutely sure that you have a fair price.
3. Get your quote in writing so that it can’t be disputed later.
4. Never pay in full until your satisfied with the completed job
5. If in doubt just don’t answer the door.
If you need a cold calling sticker pack then feel free to email the clerk at: clerk@cuxtonpc.org.uk.
Get prepared winter newsletter
The Kent Resilience Forum has launched a new campaign to provide information and basic tips to help residents become better prepared for the wintry weather.
Severe weather, including storms, low temperatures, flooding and heavy snow, can cause significant disruptions to normal life. The effect of climate change means we are unfortunately likely to see an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events across the UK.
We have seen from periods of severe weather in the past how our daily lives can be affected. Already this year, parts of the UK have experienced serious impacts of several named storms, and areas of Kent and Medway have been affected too.
Some common issues include road and travel disruptions, damage and disruption to basic utilities, and damage to property, all of which can impact communities and businesses.
The cold weather can affect anyone, particularly the vulnerable including the over-65s, under-5s, mums-to-be and people with long-term health conditions such as heart disease, asthma and poor mental health.
Kent’s Local Resilience Forum partners work together to produce plans to manage the impact of severe weather events. Weather forecasts are also monitored regularly by emergency planning teams and notifications of severe weather are shared with residents, along with safety advice.
Understanding what you can do now to prepare and protect your household and those you care for can reduce the impact of these extreme weather events.
Follow these tips to get winter prepared
Sign up to receive alerts
Subscribe to receive warnings and advice issued ahead of and during severe weather:
· Met Office: UK weather warnings – Met Office
· Flood warnings: www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings
· UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Met Office Cold-Health Alerts
Things you can do at home
· Consider what you could do to prepare your home and property for extreme cold or in the event of high winds. Visit the Met Office Weather Ready campaign for some handy tips: www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/weatherready
· Check if your home is at risk of flooding and make a flood plan for your household. Visit Kent Prepared for more information: www.kentprepared.org.uk/flooding
· You may wish to prepare a ‘grab’ bag with essential supplies such as a torch, water and medication, in case you have to leave home quickly in an emergency. For ideas about what to pack Visit Kent Prepared www.kentprepared.org.uk/pack-an-emergency-grab-bag
· Keep a physical copy of key information such as contact phone numbers and insurance details in case you cannot access these in your electronic devices in an emergency.
Winter driving advice
· Prepare a winter kit for your car in case you get stuck in cold and wintry weather.
· For advice visit www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/seasonal-advice/travel/winter-car-kit.
· You could also visit National Highways to learn more about having a safe trip this winter
Sign up for the priority services register
If you have young children, disabled or otherwise vulnerable people in your household you can sign up to the priority services register for each of your utility providers to receive relevant support in the case of disruption to electricity, gas or water supplies.
Find out more here: www.kentprepared.org.uk/post/get-extra-support-when-you-most-need-it
Offer help to those that need it
If you can support others, keep in touch with vulnerable family, friends and neighbours.
· Learn more about keeping well and be a winter friend when temperatures fall here: www.news.kent.gov.uk/articles/keep-warm-and-well-this-winter
· When cold weather is forecast, see if they need help to stock up on food and medication.
· If you are worried about someone else’s health, contact your local pharmacist, your GP or NHS 111, who will all be able to offer advice. If you are in any doubt about what service to use, visit the NHS web page: www.stopthinkchoose.co.uk.
Keeping warm
For advice about keeping warm and well, and additional support available visit:
Kent County Council’s web pages at www.kent.gov.uk/leisure-and-community/this-winter
Medway Council’s web pages at www.medway.gov.uk/info/200349/winter.
Keep winter well
For advice on seasonal flu and COVID 19 vaccinations, staying well and keeping #WinterStrong visit NHS website: www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/keep-warm-keep-well
Warm Welcome spaces
Warm welcome spaces offer support to local residents and a hand of friendship to residents who may be struggling to keep their homes warm. To find your nearest space or to register a space that you are providing visit the national Warm Welcome website at www.warmwelcome.uk
Stay fire safe
For winter fire safety advice visit www.kent.fire-uk.org
· Check if you are eligible for a free home fire safety visit.
· Test your smoke alarms weekly.
· Have your chimney and flue swept and inspected regularly to prevent fire and damage.
· Take care with electric heaters, candles and chargers, and do not overload sockets.
Further advice
For more information on preparing for potential emergencies visit the Kent Resilience Forum’s website www.kentprepared.org.uk/preparing-for-an-emergency
Can you help share our Get Winter Prepared messages?
· You can help by forwarding this email to friends and relatives to help them get winter prepared.
· You can also create a social media post using our campaign images and messages to share on your Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) pages or WhatsApp groups.
· Don’t forget to add the hashtags #WinterPrepared and #BetterPrepared.
· Visit our campaign page here and click on the images to learn more: www.kentprepared.org.uk/get-prepared-for-winter-campaign-assets
many thanks, Ben
