The July issue of our newsletter for older residents is here — and this one was written by you, in a sense.

This spring, 49 of the people we befriend told us what THFN means to them in our biggest impact survey yet. Their answers open the issue: every single person is satisfied with the service, nearly all say it has improved their quality of life, and the thing they value most isn’t the practical help — it’s someone to talk to.

Also in this issue:

  • Scam Watch — the phone scams doing the rounds in Tower Hamlets right now, the golden rule about one-time passcodes, and five simple ways to beat scam callers, including the 159 number that connects you safely to your own bank.
  • Help with the rent — a new council Hardship Fund can cover six months’ worth of April’s rent increase for eligible council tenants. It’s first come, first served: call the Housing Service Centre on 020 7364 5015.
  • Have your say, and get paid for it — the council wants residents to shape the new One Stop Shop at the Harford Centre, with a £20 voucher for each panel meeting.
  • A scam-themed word search — every hidden word comes from the scam pages, so the lessons stick while the kettle’s on.

The newsletter is free and comes in three versions, because everyone should be able to read it:

If you’d like printed copies for yourself, a neighbour, or a community space, contact the THFN office.