Creating community initiatives that help ease the cost of living impact

At Abri, we believe that everyone has the right to a safe and warm home. And we’re doing what we can to support customers, especially during the cost of living crisis.

For immediate support, our Tenancy Support Services (which we’ve grown in response to the cost of living crisis) and Independent Living Support Services are a simple way for our customers to access help when they need it. Our Independent Living Housing Support Partners have been talking to residents in some of our housing for older people schemes giving general advice on the cost of living and what measures they might be able to take to help. Sometimes older people can be very proud and do not like to ask for help, so by giving talks and having a chat with a group it can help people without them having to ask for it.

Last financial year (April 2022-March 2023), over 8,200 customers had been referred to our Tenancy Support Service. Customers can receive advice on welfare benefits, budgeting and other issues that might put their tenancy at risk. During that time we’ve also supported 576 people into employment or better career through our Employment Services.

Supporting our local communities

We believe local people know what's best for them and their community. Our Customer First strategy recognises just how important working with our communities is. We’re refocusing our community investment and resident involvement, resetting our aim to go where the need is greatest. This means we can target our resources and investment, amplify our work with local delivery partners and adapt our approach when appropriate.

Our Community Fund is one way we invest in local community projects and bolster the efforts of local people. In 22/23 we made £90,000 of funding available. We’re supporting community pantries, locally-owned ones such as Gosport Community Pantry, as well as setting up our own in our cafés – Round About Café in Mansbridge and Café 1759 in Whitehill and Bordon. They help customers to buy food at a fraction of the cost – members are saving, on average, £20 when buying 10 items, and £35 when buying 15 items.

We also have the Good Grub Club, which tackles food inequality during the school holidays. Since 2018 it’s helped hundreds of families by providing nutritious free meals, while helping parents to develop confidence, skills and knowledge around cooking on a budget. Recently, we provided £56,000 from our Partnership Fund to six local organisations to run the club for 12 months.

And, we held slow cooker workshop courses in Windsor, Millbrook, Mansbridge, Weymouth and Chard to support customers with the cost of living crisis. The sessions included support and education on using cupboard store ingredients as a healthy, low-cost energy option for cooking. By March 2023 56 people took part in the sessions and were each given their own slow cooker and food to cook the recipes shown during the sessions.

As well as food and energy advice and support projects, we also delivered other initiatives, such as clothes swap shops. We held/supported five clothes swap shops in three areas of our operating area. And they supported 51 customers to swap, alter, or revamp clothes for free. Some events also had energy advisors who gave advice to visitors.

We are continually adapting and exploring interventions to help our communities face rising costs. Other projects include free weekly activities such as the Doorstep Sports Club with Wiltshire Council, Community Action Days, and free holiday activities for children and families.

And we’ve created an online hub dedicated to the cost of living. The site shares guidance on how to save on energy bills, access financial support and specific information for Abri customers on what to do if they’re struggling.