Colchester Borough Homes

09/10/2026

Memories! 📷 💬 Colchester's history comes to life!

Tenants at Grymes D**e Court told us they wanted to learn more about the city’s past, so we were delighted to welcome Simon Robinson from the Museum Service along for a talk as part of the Colchester: Now & Then project.

Everyone had a chance to take a closer look at historic photographs and artefacts. Pictures of former local businesses were a particular favourite, bringing back fond memories and plenty of stories to share! 💚

Thank you to everyone who shared their memories. The talk went down so well that we’re now arranging visits to our other sheltered housing schemes. 🙌

08/10/2026

Sometimes making time for a colleague starts with a cup of tea and a simple question: how are you doing?

Ahead of World Mental Health Day this Saturday, we’ve been holding a Mental Health Awareness Week at Colchester Borough Homes, encouraging colleagues to check in with themselves and one another.

Our Wellbeing Group is making time for a cuppa and a conversation, while our Mental Health First Aiders are available to listen and help colleagues find the right support. Staff also have access to a confidential Employee Assistance Programme, available 24 hours a day.

This year’s theme is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change”. It's a reminder that supporting mental health starts with listening to people’s experiences.

We want colleagues to feel able to say when things are difficult, ask for help and be heard throughout the year. 💚

07/10/2026

Teamwork! 🚒🏠We've been out tackling some real-life issues with Essex Fire Service 👍

Our Community Anti-Social Behaviour Officer, Rob, was in Greenstead recently, joining Essex Police and Essex Fire and Rescue Service for a community engagement day.

Alongside several hours of joint patrols, Rob helped make sure issues identified by the Fire Service in CBH homes were followed up quickly.

A chat with one resident revealed damage behind an old gas fire that was allowing vermin into their home. At another property, a smoke alarm had been fitted in the kitchen and was being covered to stop it going off during cooking. This was replaced with a heat detector, solving the problem while still helping to keep the resident safe.

It’s a great example of the value of getting out into our communities, talking to residents and working closely with our partners. A simple conversation can uncover a problem, get it sorted and ultimately help keep someone safe. 💙

06/10/2026

⚡ Help keep your home safe from electrical fires and accidents. ⚡

From everyday appliances to rechargeable batteries, knowing how to use electrical products safely can help protect you and your family. E-bike and e-scooter batteries can pose a particular fire risk if damaged or charged incorrectly.

Electrical Safety First offers free, practical advice on staying safe at home, spotting potential hazards and checking whether a product has been recalled.

🏡 Take a few minutes to explore their guidance:
https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/

06/10/2026

Your safety and wellbeing matter to us.

We’re sharing this information for any CBH residents who may be affected by changes to prisoner release dates, or who are worried about what those changes could mean for them or their family.

Victim Support’s new national helpline can provide confidential support, practical advice and help you understand what you can do next. You can contact them even if you’re not sure whether the changes affect you.

Full details are below. 👇

📢 Our new national helpline for victims and survivors affected by changes to prisoner release dates is now open.

Being told someone may be released earlier than you expected can be unsettling, upsetting or frightening.

If you're worried about what the changes could mean for you, your family or your safety, you don't have to cope with this alone.

You can contact us for support even if you're not certain you're affected.

Our expert team can:
✅ listen to your concerns
✅ help you understand what the changes may mean
✅ offer practical advice to support your wellbeing and protect your safety
✅ explain next steps and how to seek further information
✅ connect you with ongoing or specialist support

We can't provide an individual offender's release date or case-specific licence conditions.

But we can explain where that information may be available and help you understand what to do next.

📞 0808 168 9280
🕕 9:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
💻 https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/offender-release-helpline/

03/10/2026

Get involved! 🙌 Our Damp & Mould video was recently updated after our tenant-led scrutiny Tenant Inspectors suggested changes to help make the information clearer and more useful for residents. 👍

If you're interested in getting involved and helping create changes like this send us a DM with your contact details and we'll get in touch with more info!

https://www.facebook.com/colboroughhomes/posts/pfbid022EisusmCXBg1VvK98LHk5tXX1k92AgScCWeBzUhxMTBHZQf1VigownGvrty3g9j2l

🏠 Damp and mould can affect more than just your home. It can affect your health too.

Our latest video explains:

✅ What causes damp and mould
✅ The signs to look out for
✅ Simple steps you can take to reduce it
✅ What CBH is responsible for fixing
✅ How to report issues and get support

Most importantly, you will never get into trouble for reporting damp or mould. We're here to help and want to resolve problems as quickly as possible.

Watch the video to learn more and find out how we can work together to keep your home safe, healthy and comfortable.

🎥 Watch here: https://cbhomes.org.uk/you-and-your-home/repairs-improvements/damp-and-mould/

02/10/2026

Prostate Cancer Screening 💙 Our Service Improvement Manager, Mark, got checked. Now we’re encouraging more men in our communities to do the same.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, and finding it early can make a real difference.

Knowing your risk and taking up opportunities to get checked is important, which is why we’re helping spread the word about another free CHAPS prostate cancer screening session in Greenstead.

There are 45 free PSA blood test appointments available for men aged 40 to 80 who are not already receiving treatment or care for a known prostate condition.

📅 Wednesday 7 October
⏰ 5pm to 9pm
📍 Greenstead Community Centre, Hawthorn Avenue, Colchester, CO4 3QE

You’ll need to book in advance, as walk-ins aren’t available.

👉 Book at chaps.uk.com/book-event-main

📷: Greenstead Community Centre

30/09/2026

Woof! 🐕 A quick reminder for dog owners. 👍

We know how much our four-legged friends can mean to us, but we also know that not everyone feels as comfortable around dogs.

If you live in a CBH property, please make sure your dog is well behaved and kept under control, and always keep them on a lead in communal areas.

This is particularly important in our sheltered schemes and shared spaces, where some neighbours may be nervous or frightened around dogs.

A little consideration goes a long way in helping everyone feel safe and comfortable where they live. 💙

👉 You can find out more about keeping pets in your CBH home, including getting permission to keep a pet, here:
cbhomes.org.uk/you-and-your-home/your-tenancy/pets/

28/09/2026

Got thoughts on your repairs, home improvements or building safety? 🏠

Our Asset Services Focus Group is a chance for CBH residents to share their experiences and help shape how we deliver these services.

You can tell us what’s working well, raise concerns and suggest improvements, as well as hear about upcoming projects and changes to our services.

📅 Wednesday 30 September
🕠 5.30–7.30pm
📍 St Edmunds House, Tamarisk Way, Colchester CO4 3GW

To attend, email [email protected]. Let us know if you need a taxi or parking space and we’ll arrange this where possible.

28/09/2026

Bus users! 🙌 How can the service be improved in Colchester?

👇 Take this quick survey to help shape future improvements.

Even if you don't - or rarely - use a bus, you opinions are even more important! What would make you use buses more? 👍

Let's talk bus travel, Colchester! 👍

We've teamed up with local organisations, authorities and bus companies through the Colchester Bus Growth Partnership, and we want to hear about your experience of travelling by bus around the city, or why you choose not to.

We'd like to understand what works well with our existing services, as well as the main barriers that might be stopping people from using the bus more often.

Whether you're a regular bus user or rarely catch one, we'd love to hear from you.

👀 We know a new bus station is high on many people's wish lists. We're hoping to be able to share more about our plans for this in the next few weeks. 🤗

Take the survey here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=9Q332kxszUGNw3OPqVebMOl9smGImk5Ahjsvq1l-pepUMko0M0lSVFVGSVQ4TVpWT0c0UUVQME0wMiQlQCN0PWcu&origin=QRCode