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West London housing associations support staff post-Grenfell
West London housing associations have offered their staff mental health support in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Notting Hill Housing, which managed some flats in the tower itself, has provided counselling to staff, while Catalyst Housing has reminded employees that support is available from its external employee assistance programme if needed.
Two families in properties managed by Notting Hill are still missing, and the association has been working to support residents in the area affected by the fire.
Annemarie Fenlon, group director of housing at Notting Hill, told Inside Housing: “Grenfell is right in the heartland of where Notting Hill started. Not only do we have a lot of residents around there but a lot of our staff live around there or have connections with the community.
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“On the day itself, our staff’s immediate reaction was: what can we do to help? All the practical stuff has kicked in like it has for everybody, but we’re also recognising that this has an emotional impact as well. The staff appreciate that.”
Neal Verman, head of people at Catalyst Housing, said: “As a housing provider with a long history in north Kensington, the Grenfell Tower tragedy had a particular poignancy for Catalyst and our employees.
“Catalyst has made sure that there are resources available to provide support and advice to our employees.”
Kate Davies, chief executive of Notting Hill Housing, wrote about staff and residents’ response to the Grenfell Tower disaster in a blog post the week after the fire.
She said: “We are a close community and many of my staff live in the area or have friends and family there. Many others are also affected. Twenty or so of our resident families, along with many others, were evacuated from the area due to concerns about the stability of the building adding more uncertainty, grief and dislocation to an already deeply hurt community.
“We have offered 27 homes that are available now for people to move into but it is too early for many who have lost so much. They will want to remain in the community halls, sleeping communally, until they know more about what has happened to their families. It is shocking and just desperate, and our teams are affected and reeling too. Like the fire service, the police, the Red Cross, the churches and the community they are doing all they can to mitigate the disaster. It has taken its toll on us all.”
