Board Strategy Day
The Zebra Board held its first in person meeting in 18 months when it met for its annual strategy day in late September. It reviewed Zebra’s vision, values and culture upholding their essence but also updating them. They will appear on the website in due course. It updated Zebra’s strategy for resident engagement which formalises the various mechanisms we use to talk to residents and find out their views on matters. Steve will now be producing an annual report to the Board outlining what residents have said to us in the year and we will publish this on our website.
The Board also looked at what Zebra is doing about decarbonisation and climate change and approved plans to spend £20k per flat over the next 25 years on measures to reduce carbon and adapt for climate change. This is on top of budgets for renewing kitchens, bathrooms and windows and general maintenance.
Board news
We are very fortunate in having Paul Van Driessche on the Zebra Board where he is deputy Chair. He completed his PhD at Imperial in 2018, was made an MBE in 2021 and is Honorary Consul to the Republic of the Maldives.
We also have two new Board members, Zamzam Ahmed, a former Zebra resident, and Rebecca Coxhead. We welcome them both.
New Arrivals
We have a lot of new residents
Please welcome all our new neighbours. It’s always very daunting moving to a new country to study at post-grad level. But it’s particularly daunting following the COVID pandemic. So please be helpful and understanding towards any new residents.
Staff and Zebra Office
We are now regularly back working in our office in Jerome House, but we don’t have any plans to re-open them to the public. Our view and experience are that we can provide as a good a service without basing staff in an office and that all our residents are more than happy to contact us by email. Steve will be consulting formally with residents in the next month on the future of our office service.
Wardens
Please remember that wardens (and in their absence deputy wardens) are there out of normal working hours – evenings and weekends, to be the local Zebra presence. Because we’ve had quite a churn of residents there’s been some changes and we will make sure that everyone is aware of these. There are up to date details of who your warden and deputy wardens are, together with contact details located in the main hallway to your residence.
We are encouraging all residents to use our new web portal MyHome (https://myhome.zebrahousing.com/) to improve your communication with Zebra. MyHome allows you to report & track repairs, amend your contact details, submit student letters and check your rent account. You have already received information on how to use MyHome, but if you need further assistance please contact David Morrow (davidm@zebrahousing.com).
Reporting maintenance
Please remember the new email address for all maintenance is repairs@zebrahousing.com
Covid-19
Let’s remember that we still need to remain cautious. It helps to wear masks where it is appropriate, to use hand sanitisers and follow government guidelines on behaviour.
Social Programme
Steve is hoping to start organising some events – so keep an eye out on the website for some events and watch out for a Christmas show.
Scheme Meetings
Steve is organising a further series of scheme meetings for residents. Where possible they will be real in person meetings. If you get the chance please attend because we need your views and feedback so we can improve what we do.
