Fire 4th June 2014

Those of us who were in the Hall at 2 o'clock this morning were awoken by the fire alarm.

(If you were in but did not evacuate / did not hear the alarm, please see this post as well: http://connaughthall.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/did-you-not-hear-fire-alarm.html).

There was a real fire inside the third-floor ladies' bathroom. The fire brigade attended and made the area safe within about an hour and a quarter, so that by 3:30 everyone was allowed back into their rooms. We did have some rooms available to move residents into if their own rooms (on the third and fourth floors) were too smoky to spend the night in.

The evacuation at 2 am was calm and efficient. Everyone was very patient, waiting until the fire brigade allowed us back inside. I want to thank everyone who was here - staff but even more so, residents - for the way you conducted yourselves during the emergency.

I can confirm that nobody was injured last night.

There is significant damage to the affected bathroom, which will require a complete refurbishment. The electrics were also damaged but we were fortunately able to isolate the bathroom circuit without losing power to anybody's bedrooms.

Now we need to work out exactly what happened. The fire brigade believe there are suspicious circumstances around how the fire started - that this was either a deliberately started fire, or at the very least, that someone was doing something they shouldn't have been doing in the bathroom that could have led to an accidental fire.

If you know anything about how the fire started last night, please come and talk to me in confidence. If you think you might have done something that could have accidentally caused this fire, please come and speak with me urgently, before this becomes a full criminal (police) and internal (disciplinary) investigation.

I will be in my office on the ground floor today (Wednesday):

• 3:00 to 3:30 pm
• 7:30 to 8:00 pm

Or feedback to a senior member if you don't feel you can approach me directly.

We do already have a number of leads to follow-up, and we are being assisted by the Metropolitan Police and the London Fire Brigade Fire Investigation Unit. So any more detail to flesh out those little bones of information will be welcomed, even if you are unsure whether or not what you saw or heard was significant.

I also will take this opportunity to remind everyone of the correct action to take if you suspect there is a fire. At least four people were talking about a lot of smoke coming from the bathroom before a senior member went to investigate and set off the alarm.

If ever you suspect there is a fire in Hall, please break the glass on a red fire alarm point to start the evacuation. Every minute that a fire continues to burn without us getting people out of the building places people in greater danger from smoke and fire.

Connaught Hall annual photo 2014 is now available

It has been very difficult to schedule our annual photo this year because the weather has been so bad for late May. But we finally did manage to get together outside the front of the Hall on Saturday afternoon.

The full-resolution photos are available to download from our Flickr photostream here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/connaughthall/tags/annualphoto2014.

You can also purchase hardcopy prints of this year's photo direct from Photobox: http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/2610271323. No money from the sale of these photographs come to Connaught Hall; you only pay for the cost of printing and delivery charge.

Fire practice Saturday 31 May

Weather permitting, a fire evacuation practice will be held at Connaught Hall on Saturday afternoon (31st May).

 When you hear the fire alarm:

• Evacuate the building immediately.
• Close all doors and windows behind you.
• Leave by the shortest route
  (follow the green exit signs to find your nearest fire escape).
• Do not use the lift.
• Assemble on the pavement outside Passfield Hall on Endsleigh Place.

Remember it is possible that there may be a real fire alarm on the day, so for your own safety never ignore the alarm because you assume it is a drill.

It is a condition of your Licence Agreement that you participate in all fire practices.

Cartwright Festival

Saturday 24th May saw the third annual intercollegiate halls summer garden party. This year's theme as a 60s/70s/80s rock festival called Cartwright.

As the last two years, the party was held in Cartwright Gardens and we had 1,000 free tickets to give away to students resident in any of the eight intercollegiate halls.

After three months of planning, the weather was the only variable that could spoil this event. And the forecast in the week leading up to the festival was really grim. We were worried we might have to move parts of the festival indoors and cancel the rest. And indeed, it did rain in the morning, while we were setting up, and again for about 20 minutes at the beginning of the party at 3pm. But by 3:30, we were enjoying bright sunshine and it was warm enough (for some people!) to wear a t-shirt and shorts.

Those attending the festival had lots of food, drink, and entertainment to enjoy. This year's food was superb - with a choice of one of three "street food pots" plus one of three "handheld snack" options. And everyone could have two drinks - alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

Everybody got a free bottle of bubbles and an exclusive CARTWRIGHT wrist band as they entered the Gardens.

To keep festival-goers entertained, we had bouncy castle boxing, a bucking bronco, a really amazing fire-eating acrobat, stilt walkers, a street magician, a balloon artist, face painting, crazy golf, hula hoops, and tug of war.

Three student photographers captured the festival on camera and we have some wonderful photographs. All our photos are available to view and download at https://www.flickr.com/photos/uoljubileeparty.

Everyone who has given us feedback about the Cartwright Festival has told us how much they enjoyed the event and loved the food. So despite a wet beginning to the day, we're pleased that we hit our objective of giving our students a day to unwind and relax after or inbetween their term-three exams, and a great event to remember us by after they leave in just a few weeks.

Now, the organising committee is looking forward to next year's summer intercollegiate halls event already!

Access to the roof at Connaught Hall

Residents should please be reminded of the following provision in the Connaught Hall Residents’ Handbook.

15.6 Access to roof, etc

It is strictly forbidden – and extremely dangerous – for residents or their guests to gain access to, or attempt to gain access to, the roof of the main building, the roof of the dining hall, or any ledges or parapets on the Hall exterior, including first-floor balconies.

Breach of these rules will constitute serious misconduct as defined in the Licence Agreement. Sanctions may include expulsion or a fine of up to £250.

Climbing on the roof is obviously very dangerous. Footsteps on the roof are also disturbing for residents trying to study or sleep in rooms on the fourth floor.

I will not give any further warnings on this matter. From today, anyone who is reported to me as being found on the roof will be removed from the Hall on 48 hours’ notice for his/her own safety. 

Unsuccessful re-admissions applications for 2014-15

Whilst I was on leave, I received numerous emails about re-admissions next year. If you are someone whose application was unsuccessful, please read the following text of my standard response to all queries about re-admissions. 

I am sorry that your application for re-admission in September 2014 was unsuccessful. I have prepared this briefing so that the same information is given to everyone who asks about their unsuccessful application.

The closure of the three Garden Halls from July this year means the number of students we could accept for re-admission was reduced from 47 in previous years to just 11 this year.

As I have previously advised many of you, this very small number of places meant that we would only consider applications from those who have made a very outstanding contribution to the Hall community (usually through an elected position on the Residents’ Club Committee) or who have a medical reason for re- admission, supported by a doctor’s letter enclosed with the application for re- admission.

We had 50 applications for re-admission this year. I judged 20 of them to be deserving of re-admission, and those 20 would definitely have been offered a place in any other year. But we could only make offers to 11 people. I did ask for some extra places but my request was declined. So we have had to be very strict about those criteria I mentioned above, and were only able to consider an application on medical or mental health grounds if a doctor’s letter was included with your application.

The remaining 9 residents whom I thought should be re-admitted, but could not be offered a place immediately, have been put on a reserve list. They could be made offers if some of the 11 students who were offered a place turn down their offers.

Because of the very tight numbers this year, it is not possible to make any more offers at this time. I am sorry that is no mechanism for appealing this decision, since we simply could not offer you a place now unless someone else turns down his or her offer. If you do have any further concerns, please write to the central accommodation office at info.halls@london.ac.uk. I regret that no one here at Connaught Hall can provide any more advice or assistance, since we are working within strict rules imposed by the colleges and the central University; we have no discretion to act outside those rules.

For those on the reserve list, I should advise you that I think it is unlikely that anyone will turn down their offer, so you should begin making alternative plans for your accommodation next year.

Once again, I am very sorry that your application was unsuccessful and regret that I cannot provide any further assistance. 

Senior Member vacancies 2014-15

We have three senior member vacancies at Connaught Hall for the 2014-15 academic year. 

One post starts in mid-July. Two posts start on 1 September. 

The closing date for applications is 4 May. 

For information and to apply, visit http://ig29.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_universityoflondon01.asp?newms=jj&id=114154&aid=18699. 

Away from Connaught Hall 26 April to 6 May

I am away on leave from Connaught Hall until 6th May. I will aim to reply to emails received during my absence by 14th May.

If you need help with anything before 14th May, please speak with a Senior Member in Hall or email the management team at info.connaught@london.ac.uk.

If your email is about re-admission to Connaught Hall for 2014-15, please write to info.halls@london.ac.uk. I regret that I am unable to provide any further input into this process.

If your email is about Senior Member vacancies, please refer to the information at http://ig29.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_universityoflondon01.asp?newms=jj&id=114154&aid=18699.

The Senior Members and management team can contact me by telephone in case of a serious emergency while I am away, and can also seek assistance from the warden of another hall if a situation requires it.

Help with alcohol & drug use concerns

Several recent incidents in the halls have provided harsh reminders of the serious and immediate risk to health and life that "recreational" drugs - including new psychoactive substances and herbal or "legal highs" - and/or excessive use of alcohol can pose to otherwise fit and well students. And of course there is also a good body of evidence showing the longer-term physical and mental health risks of regular use. So we are writing to remind you about the help that is available to safeguard you from alcohol- and drug-related harm.

Whilst the possession or use of illegal drugs is a disciplinary offence, our primary concern will always be for your safety and wellbeing. If you genuinely seek our help because you are worried about your use of alcohol or drugs, we will approach your concerns confidentially and non-judgmentally. We will seek to provide you with the support you need. If you are willing to accept professional help, in most cases we will not pursue disciplinary action. 

Similarly, if you are concerned about a friend's use of alcohol or drugs in the hall, you can tell us in confidence, without fear that you will get your friend in trouble. Telling us your concerns about a friend's use of alcohol or drugs could be the thing that saves their life. Please don't stand by and do nothing. 

Most importantly, if you or a friend become unwell after taking drugs, please get medical help (call 999 for an ambulance) and inform the front-desk security immediately. In a medical emergency our concern is always to ensure that the paramedics and doctors treating you know exactly what has happened and why, so please tell us the whole story. Your health and wellbeing always come first. 

So if you are concerned about any matter relating to alcohol or drug use in hall - your own or someone else's - make an appointment to speak in confidence with your Warden. 

English law places some requirements on us that mean we must use the disciplinary procedure in certain circumstances. These are: 

     1. If there is any evidence that a resident is supplying drugs to others. 

     2. If smoking drugs such as cannabis inside the Hall is causing a breach of the Health Act 2010. 

     3. If the use of drugs in the Hall causes risk to the safety of other residents, staff, or the public.


We will also use the disciplinary procedure if we find evidence of illegal drug use in your room but neither you nor a friend has come forward seeking help. It is too late to ask for our help after we have found evidence of drug use.

Links to sites providing information on alcohol and drug use disorder are provided below, with contact details for counselling and support services. Whilst we do wish to provide direct support these hopefully provide alternative avenues if you feel unable to contact anyone in hall. Whether hall staff or alternative support provision, please do seek professional help and do gain understanding of the risks you face.

EXTERNAL SOURCES OF HELP & ADVICE
Help with alcohol use concerns
DRINKAWARE: Sensible drinking tips & help with alcohol problems - www.drinkaware.co.uk 

DRINK SMARTER: Sensible drinking tips & help with alcohol problems - www.drinksmarter.org/drinkline - 0800 7 314 314 

CAMDEN ALCOHOL SERVICE: Individual and group counselling sessions and advice on alcohol related problems - http://bit.ly/XHnhCv - 020 3227 4950 

FOUNDATION 66: Individual sessions with people under 23 who have concerns about alcohol use - http://bit.ly/UspAf3  


Help with drug use concerns
VITAL INFORMATION PACK: Lots of information about drugs, including what first aid you should give if a friend gets unwell after using drugs - http://bit.ly/1cd2oYb  

DRUGS RECOGNITION & EMERGENCY FIRST AID: This leaflet will help you if you're worried about a friend who might be using drugs, and show you how to help them in an emergency - http://bit.ly/OpCfAq

TALK TO FRANK: The National Drugs Helpline - www.talktofrank.com - 0300 123 6600 - Text 82111

DRUGSLINE: Support, counselling and information about drugs - www.drugsline.org - 0808 1 606 606

LONDON FRIEND ANTIDOTE: The UK’s only LGB&T run and targeted drug and alcohol support service - http://bit.ly/WZwFlN - 020 7833 1674 

CAMDEN DRUGS & ALCOHOL ACTION TEAM: Individual and group sessions to help with alcohol and drugs issues - http://bit.ly/1bYrTlx - 020 7974 2915

Kitchen gas supply restored

As previously advised via Facebook and posters, the gas supply to the kitchen has been restored and all meals are being served at Connaught Hall as normal.

No gas in the kitchen

A gas fault in the kitchen means we are currently unable to prepare any hot food at Connaught Hall.

Starting from dinner on Saturday 15 February, all meals will be served at International Hall, Lansdowne Terrace, WC1N 1AS. (Here's a map: https://goo.gl/maps/e2oSX.)

Meals will be at the same time as at Connaught Hall.

We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused and will keep you updated via this blog.

CCTV to be installed in pantries this week

Sadly, I receive many complaints about food being stolen from the pantry refrigerators. A very small minority of residents are responsible for this, I know, but I still find it quite extraordinary and very disappointing that adults at some of the best higher education institutions in the world engage in such petty theft.

We already have one tested, effective method for detecting food thieves. But its efficacy depends upon the technique being kept secret, and it is very time-consuming for staff, so we cannot operate that method all the time. That is why, from this week, we will be placing mobile CCTV cameras in the pantries. Some cameras will be hidden; others will be more visible as a deterrent. Not every pantry will be monitored all the time: we will rotate the cameras between different places.

Anyone who is caught stealing food will be subject to disciplinary action.

I am very disappointed that it has proven necessary to take this step. I have argued many times against installing CCTV in common rooms, pantries, and the bar because I very much dislike infringing your privacy in this way. But the number of complaints recently has made it plain that we simply must do something more.

Ideally, we shall not catch anyone stealing food: much better that those responsible simply stop doing it! For sometimes, your fellow residents keep food in the fridge because they are unwell and can only muster an appetite for certain foods, or because they have special dietary requirements. They might have to go hungry if someone else takes their food, whether we catch the thief or not. And whatever the reason for having food in the refrigerators, it is really upsetting (and can be expensive) to find it stolen by someone else.

So please only take food or drink from the fridge if you bought it.

I thought it important to write to you about our new CCTV initiative because you may wish to dress or behave differently when using the pantries if you know you may be being recorded. We have ensured that clear signs are displayed to remind you that CCTV may be in operation.

As always, come to an open office session (openoffice.connaught-hall.org.uk) or write to me if you have any concerns or if anything is not clear.

Lower ground floor: hygienic use of toilet facilities

I wrote to you just over a week ago with an offer of help and support in case you are feeling stressed or unwell at the moment. I particularly mentioned eating distress because we have noticed that there has been frequent soiling of the toilet facilities on your floor with vomitus, first before Christmas, but worse this term.

No one has asked for help so far, although of course that offer remains open and will remain open for the rest of the year. I have included a copy of my last letter with this one in case you misplaced it before.

The soiling of the toilet facilities, however, has become a greater problem. This must now stop immediately.

As well as vomitus in and around the toilet, we have seen toilets blocked with paper and sanitary products – and even a toilet brush. This is very unfair on other uses of those facilities, extremely unpleasant for the cleaners, and poses a hygiene risk, particularly in view of our recent outbreak of diarrhoea & vomiting. This can only be deliberate: sanitary products and toilet brushes do not put themselves into the toilets. And whilst all of us at Connaught Hall will do our utmost to help and support anyone who is experiencing mental or physical health challenges, we will not allow the continued deliberate soiling of toilet facilities.

Please follow this guidance:

1. Place any sanitary products for disposal in the bins provided. 
   Do not put them in the toilet.
   
2. Use the sanitizer spray provided and a small amount of toilet tissue to clean the toilet seat before use (if you wish to). 
   Do not put layer upon layer of tissue on the toilet seat, as this causes blockages when it is flushed away.
   
3. If you have an accident and soil the toilet seat or the area surrounding the toilet, please use the cleaning spay and some toilet tissue to wipe it up and then flush away the tissue. 
   Do not leave faeces or vomitus on the seat or around the toilet.
   
   Cleaning spray has now been provided, so there is no excuse for leaving a mess.
   
4. After you have flushed the toilet, use a brush if necessary to clean it. Do not use a brush while there is still tissue in the toilet bowl.
   
5. If you notice any soiling of the bathroom or toilet facilities, please report it immediately:

• Phone reception (extension 8200) and tell them what the problem is; and
• Send an email to suggestions@connaught-hall.org.uk so we can build up a record of exactly when this is happening. This should help us to track down the person responsible.
• If you have any suspicion of who might be responsible, please talk to me in confidence.

I hope this is clear. Allow me to stress again that if you are experiencing problems right now, we will do our best to help and support you. Provided there is not more soiling of the toilet facilities, there will be no disciplinary repercussions. If, however, this mess continues to be a problem, I will have no option but to pursue this as a disciplinary matter, for the sake of all the other residents on the lower ground floor.

As always, please contact me if you need any help, advice, or further explanation.

Toilet isolation lifted this morning

There have been no new reports of residents being unwell with diarrhoea and vomiting for over 36 hours.

This morning, as each toilet block is cleaned, the yellow triangle and green tick signs will be removed and all bathrooms will be back in normal use for everyone except:

• on the first floor, the single toilet next to room 128; and
• on the second floor, the single toilet next to room 228.

These two toilets will be for the exclusive use of people who have had any diarrhoea and/or vomiting within the last 48 hours.

If you have had diarrhoea and/or vomiting within the last 48 hours, we ask that you please only use one of these two toilets, until you have been free from symptoms for 48 hours.

We should be able to return these two toilets to normal use tomorrow or Wednesday, provided no one else becomes unwell.

Food poisoning investigation

The pattern of cases of diarrhoea & vomiting so far is more suggestive of person-to-person spread than of food poisoning, but we always conduct a full investigation into food safety whenever there is an outbreak of this type of illness in Hall.

The catering team will send food samples for analysis if there is any food left from Thursday night, which is when most people became unwell. 

It is also really helpful if anyone who is unwell sees their GP and has a stool sample sent for analysis. This is the only sure way to determine what the cause of this illness is.

Finally, we ask that everyone who has been affected completes this form and sends it to info.connaught@london.ac.uk or hands a printed copy to the Hall Manager on Monday morning:

connaught-hall.org.uk/documents/AllegedFoodPoisoningReport.doc

D&V: Fewer notifications in last 24 hours

Only two new notifications of people being unwell with diarrhoea and vomiting have come through in the last 24 hours. If there are no more notifications overnight tonight, we may be able to reduce the number of toilets reserved for sick people on Sunday morning.

It is extremely important that if you are unwell with diarrhoea and vomiting today - or if you have been in the last two days, but haven't told us yet - that you tell us by email. If we don't have accurate numbers and locations of those who are sick, we cannot make a proper assessment of when to relax the isolation precautions, and we cannot help you individually if we don't know you're unwell!

We need you to tell us by email: not in person, telephone, Facebook, or any other means. This helps us to keep an accurate log and ensures that everyone who needs to know does know in a timely manner. 

So if you are or have been unwell in the last two days, please send an email to both wardens.team@connaught-hall.org.uk and info.connaught@london.ac.uk. Please send an email even if you have already told a member of staff verbally or by some other means.

In your email, please mention:

• your name and room number;
• what are your symptoms? (e.g. diarrhoea, vomiting, fever?);
• when did your symptoms first start?;
• did you eat in the dining hall at Connaught Hall on Thursday night, and if so, what did you eat?
• do you need any practical help from us right now?

There is lots of information about this outbreak, and tips on how to look after yourself if you are diarrhoea and/or vomiting, at connaught-hall.org.uk/vomiting.html. 

Updates are being posted here on my blog. You can see them all at connaughthall.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/vomiting%20February%202014.