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For those of you with children or grandchildren, I do hope you are enjoying half-term and managing to spend some quality time with friends or family despite this changing weather. As the temperature cools here in the UK, it reminded me that Diwali is only a week away and before we know it, Christmas will also soon be upon us.

It has felt like a hectic last month, thanks to the well-documented fuel shortages followed by the steep rise in wholesale gas prices which is pushing up the price of electricity and gas. So, with that in mind, I wanted this month’s update to focus on what you as a Bromford customer can do over this chilly winter period to stay warm, while limiting the impact on your household finances, and how we will be there to support you

A delicious Indian treat

But first, to celebrate Diwali, I was keen to share with you a cost-effective traditional Indian recipe which I love preparing for the immediate or wider family, especially as the cold nights draw in. Diwali is a five day festival of lights celebration marked each year by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists, and food always plays a big part. New research by National Curry Week reveals that “the last decade has seen the Tikka Masala reign supreme as Britain’s No1 curry but our research shows that tastes across the nation are changing and the iconic Tikka Masala’s place at No1 looks under serious threat from hotter curries like Rogan Josh, Madras, and even Vindaloo.” Personally, I don’t think anything beats a good Chicken Tikka Masala with a cold beer so why don’t you try out the recipe? I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

Did you know?

A YouGov survey earlier this year showed that Indian food was Britain’s second favourite takeaway dish (17%) behind only Chinese (25%).
 
Money mattersBromford customer on doorstep talking to another man

A number of global market factors has caused UK wholesale energy prices to triple in the past 18 months, leading to the collapse of some smaller providers. We are currently analysing the impact this will have on Bromford and any additional steps that may be needed to support customers who are struggling to heat homes, keep on top of bills, and stay out of fuel poverty.

I hope to be able to share more detail with you soon, but in the meantime please remember that we are here to support you so do have a conversation with your neighbourhood coach if you have any concerns. I’m delighted to say we are today launching a Money Matters campaign which will take us through the winter months and see us share lots of energy saving, financial, employment, budgeting, and affordable warmth advice and guidance, not just from us but from customers, industry experts, and more so please stay tuned. The first in our Money Matters instalments is this handy eight simple ways to save on your energy bills so do check it out.

Remember there is already a wealth of information out there, and some of the most helpful organisations include Citizens Advice and the Energy Saving Trust.

Facebook Live for Talk Money WeekChild looking at financial information on a white board

Our first event for Money Matters is a short Facebook Live broadcast with three industry experts as part of Talk Money Week which runs from 8-12 November.

You’ll be able to drop-in on Thursday 11 November between 12.30pm and 1.15pm to hear more about the current economic climate, what Bromford is doing in response, how small adjustments can make big savings for customers, and there will also be an opportunity to ask any unanswered questions on this topic. We hope to see you on the day.

Thrifty customers, please step forwardBromford customer planting in her garden

As I talked about above, we’re particularly keen to hear from customers who are already experts at heating their homes, making savings on their energy bills, and generally managing their day-to-day finances. Or maybe you have just got back into employment and would be happy to share your knowledge to others?

We saw a great community spirit emerge during the first national lockdown and your advice could make all the difference to a fellow customer, so if you’re up for sharing your knowledge, please get in touch with our communications team at communications.team@bromford.co.uk

Keeping on top of repairs Bromford engineer repairing a door with a drill

Over the past few months our teams have been working really hard to provide appointments to all of our customers and there are just 650 still to be appointed from a high of 7,000 in July. I know that it is not good enough to just give you a date for the repair but to actually get the work completed as quickly as possible, and that is why this month we have brought on three sub-contracting partners to help us respond faster to requests moving forward. Thank you for your patience and my team and I will continue to work hard to get to customers needing a repair as soon as we can.

Refer a friend – earn £1,000!*

Finally, I’m delighted to say we are offering customers a seasonal boost by giving you the opportunity to earn a massive £1,000 if you recommend someone to work for us by the end of the year. So, if you know someone talented who would enjoy supporting our customers to thrive then fill out the form. If your recommendation is successful, £1,000 will be paid to you in two instalments – £500 on their first day and £500 after completion of their six month probation. So, get your thinking caps on and start networking today (offer ends 31 December 2021).

Stay safe, keep warm, and let me know if you manage to try out the Tikka Masala recipe! I will be back in November for the final update of the year. See you soon. 

Rohini 

 

*Terms & Conditions

The decision of Bromford regarding any aspect of this offer is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into about it. Bromford reserves the right to amend, alter or terminate the offer at any time due to circumstances beyond its control.