Together - English copy

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DECEMBER 2012

c r e a t i n g

c o m m u n i t i e s

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Top ten fire prevention tips fire in the home can start very easily and can spread with frightening speed. Every year there are more than 68,000 fires in people's homes, resulting in 400 deaths and 14,000 injuries.

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5. Never leave lit candles in rooms that nobody is in or in rooms where children are on their own.

Statistics show that you are six times more likely to die from a fire in the home if you do not have a smoke alarm.

7. Get into the habit of closing doors at night. If you want to keep a child's bedroom door open, close the doors to the lounge and kitchen – this may well help save their life if there is a fire.

Listed below are 10 top tips to protect your home. 1. Cartrefi Conwy is responsible for ensuring that a hard wired smoke alarm is installed in every property. If you have any queries or concerns please call our repairs team on 0800 0121431 / 01492 805580. 2. Make a fire action plan so that everyone in your home knows how to escape if there's a fire. 3. Keep the exits from your home clear so that people can escape if there is a fire. Make sure that everyone in your home can easily find the keys for doors and windows.

6. Make sure cigarettes are stubbed out properly and are disposed of carefully and never smoke in bed.

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TAKE A LOOK INSIDE Make your money go further

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8. Don't overload electrical sockets. Remember one plug for one socket. Don’t leave the TV or other electrical appliances on standby. 9. Keep matches and lighters where children can't see or reach them. 10. Take special care when you're tired or when you've been drinking. If you have any queries or concerns please call our repairs team on 0800 0121431 / 01492 805580.

Christmas cake recipe

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The tips listed above are only a few things that you can do to prevent a fire in your home. If you would like more information contact your local Fire & Rescue Service or go to http://www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk/Home and remember get out and stay out.

4. Take extra care in the kitchen, especially when using hot oil, accidents while cooking account for over half of fires in homes. Never leave young children alone in the kitchen.

Mobile phone App

page 4 A big thank you to everyone who took part in the Pendalar Environmental Day. Special thanks go to the children who loved being involved and are already asking when theycan do it again. After everyone’s hard work the place looked great and it really showed the improvements an environmental action day can have on an area.

LONG SERVICE AWARDS Congratulations to two of our colleagues on their Long Service Awards for continuous service with Conwy County Borough Council and subsequently Cartrefi Conwy following transfer.

Halloween Party

page 6+7 Christine Collis 40 years’ service

Contacts

Bryn Eirias Reception Repairs freephone Colwyn Bay Reception Llandudno Reception

01492 805500 0800 012 1431 or 01492 805580 01492 805600 01492 805632

David Wilkinson 25 years’ service

enquiries@cartreficonwy.org

Audio copies of this newsletter are available Simply ring our reception on 01492 805500 to request a copy.

£51,240 given to support Enviro SOS projects

A total of 20 projects have been supported through Enviro SOS funding. Tan Lan Community Centre is one of the successful projects.

people to apply for funding if they have a particular project or idea in mind for their community as she states “if you don’t ask, you never get”.

Tan Lan Community Centre first opened its doors in the 1950’s and over the years it has developed into a facility at the heart of the community. In 2010 the Tan Lan Tenants and Residents Association applied for Community Chest funding through Cartrefi Conwy, to transfer the waste ground at the rear of the centre into a community garden. What was once a wild, overgrown piece of land has been transformed into an area for children, parents and elderly members of the community to utilise and enjoy.

It is also an exciting time for the Community Centre, as future plans to develop wasteland next to the centre into an adventure playground/jungle area have been accepted. Let’s hope there’s no bush tucker trial though!

With the increased usage of the centre for children activities such as, Flying Start and adult activities for example, bingo taking place weekly, further work is now required on the Community Centre garden, to evolve into an integral part of the centre. Due to the funding received in 2010, the Tan Lan Tenants and Residents Association applied for extra funding earlier this year through the Cartrefi Conwy Enviro SOS scheme, which they have also been successful in achieving. This money will go towards purchasing new picnic benches, external sockets and tools for the garden. Sylvia Lavender, Chair of the Tan Lan Tenants and Residents Association said “we are very happy with the support and funding from Cartrefi Conwy, it has given us the confidence to carry on and put our plans into action. The centre gives local tenants and residents somewhere to visit and participate in the activities.” Sylvia would also like to encourage

For more information about Enviro SOS please contact Owen Veldhuizen, Senior Tenant Engagement Officer on 01492 805530. The other projects that were also successful in receiving funding through Enviro SOS are as follows: 1) £900 for a bench in Rhos Park, Rhos-on-Sea. 2) £3,360 to level and tidy a sloped area and creating a sensory garden in Bryn Difyr, Penmaenmawr. 3) £4,000 to create a community garden and meeting place in a disused courtyard in Maes y Felin, Llanfairfechan.

7) £600 for planters in Ffordd Pandy, on the Fron Estate. 8) £4,000 to convert an abandoned area in Llwyn Ysgaw, Llanfairfechan, into a communal garden safe for children to play on. 9) £556 to provide garden furniture and raised flower beds in Bryn Castell, Llanfairfechan; 10) £650 for a storage box/ seat, hand tools and plant boxes in Llys Eryl, Llandudno. 11) £4,000 to create an outdoor learning space in Betws y Coed. 12) £2648 to the Green Fingers Club in Chester Avenue, Kinmel Bay to restore 9 planters. 13) £4,000 to improve a wildlife garden with paths, raised beds, and outside classroom at Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd in Llandudno. 14) Create a communal area with raised beds and benches near Bro Gethin in Betws y Coed. 15) Provide equipment to create an outdoor sensory garden and learning space in Dolwyddelan.

4) £2,200 for establishing a community garden in the Esplanade, Penmaenmawr.

16) Develop an unused courtyard into a safe pleasant area for elderly tenants in Marl Crescent, Llandudno Junction.

5) £1,542 for outdoor lighting, better signage and benches and planters at Deganwy Play and Learning Centre.

17) Provide remedial works to assist in the drainage to a popular football pitch in Llanrwst.

6) £1,700 for litter and dog-waste bins and a “Welcome to the Fron” sign at the Fron Estate, Colwyn Bay.

Make payments the smart way You can now make rent and service charge payments using the new Allpay App which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Android Market through your smart phone. Please make sure that you have your Allpay swipe card and a debit or credit card when using this app for the first time. If you require any more information about this new Allpay app then you can visit www.allpay.net/the_allpay_app or email enquires@allpay.net or call 0844 557 8313. Apple App Store

Google Play

Download for iOS

Download for Android

18) Create a woodland trail for children from Ysgol Maes Owen in Kinmel Bay. 19) £2,000 to create a low level adventure playground at a school in Llandudno.

Important! Office closure over the Christmas period Cartrefi Conwy offices will close at 5pm on Friday 21 December 2012 and will reopen again at 8:45am on Wednesday 2nd January 2013. Normal out of hours emergency cover arrangements will apply. If you need to request an urgent repair over the Christmas period please contact 0800 0121431. Please remember even though our offices will be closed; please ensure you make prior arrangements to ensure your rent is paid on time.

Warden Service during the Christmas period. During this time a Relief Warden Service will be provided on Monday 24th, Thursday 27th and Monday 31st December. This service will be offered based strictly on individual need. Your Warden will discuss this with you in forthcoming weeks to agree what contact (if any) you require. The Relief Service will be provided by a limited pool of Cartrefi Wardens who will be assisting tenants in the greatest need. You will therefore not necessarily receive the service from your usual Warden however; we will ensure that we will inform you in advance who the Relief Wardens will be. If you do need contact over the Christmas period you will be provided with the details of Relief Wardens working over the holiday period and if you have any concerns you can contact them directly or via Careconnect to assist you.

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Get on your bike… With the cycling for health project! Cartrefi Conwy is proud to be able to sponsor a new healthy living project in Llandudno, with Communities First…. • Join group rides – make new friends, see new places, and get fit. • Learn new skills, improve riding ability and gain confidence. • Get tips and advice on how to look after your bike and deal with small repairs. Whether you are an experienced cyclist or a

novice wanting to improve ability, it is open to training will be provided, all they ask is that you are everyone. With small rides around the Llandudno able to commit a couple hours a week and that area making use of the North Wales Coast cycling you are enthusiastic about bikes. path, to off-road mountain biking for the more Join them now by contacting Gemma at adventurous riders, they have rides that will suit Communities First on 01492 338914 or everyone. If you don’t own your own cycling gear 07826876887, or email you can borrow some, they have everything you gemma.davis@conwy.gov.uk need to get you going! Interested in being more involved? They are looking for The Kinmel Bay Green Fingers Group is appealing for tenants to volunteers to keep a watchful eye over the planters on the estate. Unfortunately help lead rides during a weekend in October, one of the three tier planters had and assist in activities. Full been knocked over destroying all the plants.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Helping you to make your money go further. My name is Lisa Jones and I am the financial inclusion advisor for Cartrefi Conwy. Financial Inclusion is a free service available to Cartrefi Conwy tenants that can help you improve the way you manage your money, maximise income from available benefits and develop good saving and spending habits. My aim is to provide information and support that tenants need to help prevent them worrying about money matters or getting into financial difficulty. You can contact me by telephone to discuss your personal circumstances or make an appointment to meet in person. Meetings can be held at our Llandudno, Colwyn Bay or Bryn Eirias offices or in your own home. With Christmas being just around the corner, this is an important time of year to get our priorities right. Even though you may be focussed on a visit from Santa and what gifts he will be bringing for your family, your rent, council tax and existing debts still need to be paid. Here are some tips that may help you this festive season. • Plan early for Christmas. Be realistic and set your budget. Work out how much you can afford to spend on each person and stick to it. • Don’t forget your everyday bills. The rent, council tax, utility bills and food bills will still need paying. Consequences for not paying your rent and council tax can be severe. Even though it’s Christmas these bills should be your priority. • Always read the fine print. If you are purchasing a larger item on credit, ensure you can afford to keep up the payments. If you are able to purchase outright by cash this is usually the better option. Missing a payment on your credit agreement will work out expensive in the long run. Store cards will not be the cheaper option even if they do offer a 10% discount on your first purchase. • Always buy from reputable retailers, don’t be tempted to buy cheaper goods off unlicensed street traders. • Always shop around for cheaper deals. If there is a two for one offer do any of your friends and family need the same thing? Using these deals will work out cheaper in the long run. • If you are planning on using an overdraft to fund Christmas, make sure your bank is aware. An unplanned overdraft will prove to be expensive. • Organisation is the key, sometimes it helps to make a list. If you do borrow money don’t forget that it won’t be long before your first payment. Make sure you pay on time. • Once Christmas is over, it’s worth looking at what helped you cope this Christmas, what problems you ran into and how you could plan for next year. A savings club is always a good option, buying food stamps at your supermarket every time you go and saving them for your Christmas shop can help with the food bill next year. Please remember if you do need to borrow money, ensure that you visit a licensed lender. Check that you will be able to afford the repayments. Shop around and always look for the best deal.

Alf Roberts, tenant and chairperson of the group stated “The Green Fingers Group were rather upset to find the triple planter situated at the Maes Gwyn end of the estate had been knocked over and plants emptied and destroyed during the weekend beginning 5th October 2012. Green fingers were granted funding via the Cartrefi Conwy Community Chest Fund for the planters earlier this year and have been maintaining them regularly. The planter was not broken however the plants were destroyed during the incident. Could tenants please look out for any anti-social behaviour around the estate and report any incidents directly to the police and the Green Fingers group based at the Community House.” At Cartrefi Conwy we also have our very own Anti-Social Behaviour Unit who can assist tenants and estates, addressing anti-social behaviour. Jan Jones, Senior Anti-Social Behaviour Officer advises “ Neighbour problems start off as minor disagreements but can end up as a full blown dispute if not tackled Tenants early on. We would advise and residents in Kinmel Bay you to approach your got together recently at the Chester neighbour in the first Avenue Community House when they took instance, your part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care on Friday 28th neighbour may not September. They raised £121.72 by serving realise that they are home-made cakes and coffee. causing you problems. If things do not improve you should approach your neighbourhood coordinator, who will then contact the unit to assist if required.”

I hope you have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

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What would you do if you arrived home after a night out or a trip away to find out that someone had broken into your home or a pipe had burst and flooded your property?

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Your belongings are NOT automatically insured by Cartrefi Conwy against fire, theft, water damage and other house hold risks. So, if you haven’t thought properly about insurance cover, you could be in for a shock. However, Cartrefi Conwy can now arrange for insurance for the contents of your home at a special affordable rate through My Home Insurance.

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Cartrefi Conwy are pleased to launch the new Going It Alone mobile phone App, the App has all the information and contact that you will need to access housing or for housing related issues in the county of Conwy, from who to ask about getting a house, to finding out who can help you with your housing benefit and your rights as a tenant, as well as a fun quiz and myth busting fact!!! Download the App now FREE from any of the online app stores – compatible with IPhone, Android and Blackberry just search for ‘Going It Alone’ )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ RU )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ RU WR H[SUHVV \RXU LQWHUHVW WR H[SUHVV \RXU LQWHUHVW LQ MRLQLQJ SOHDVH SKRQH LQ MRLQLQJ SOHDVH SKRQH RU WH[W *HPPD /HYH\ RQ RU WH[ [W *HPPD /HYH\ RQ

The cover has been designed to help you insure most of your belongings as easily as possible. The minimum value of possessions you can insure is only £9,000 (£6,000 if you are aged over 60) and premiums start from as little as £1.53 a fortnight (under 60’s) and £1.16 a fortnight (over 60’s) for standard cover. Extended accidental damage and optional extensions such as personal possessions (cover away from the home), wheelchairs/mobility scooters, hearing aids and buildings cover for sheds, garages and greenhouses are available for an additional premium.

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For further information call My Home Insurance on 0845 337 2463 or ask Cartrefi Conwy for a free information pack by selecting ‘Yes’ below.

HOME CONTENTS INSURANCE Wordsearch ACCIDENTAL BURST PIPE CARPETS COVER DECORATION FIRE FLOOD DAMAGE FREEZER CONTENTS HOME INSURANCE KEYS LIABILITY STOLEN STORM TELEVISION THEFT

Christmas Cake Recipe

There are 16 words to find in the grid above. Can you find them all? If so mark them up clearly and return with the slip below to Cartrefi Conwy, Bryn Eirias, Heritage Gate, Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, LL29 8BY before 20th January 2013. You could be the lucky winner of the vouchers. The winner will be the first correct entry drawn.

This cake is for 12 to 15 people Ingredients: all fruit dried 1 Bottle of Brandy 125g pineapple 350 g glace cherries 125g mango slices 350 g sultanas 125g apricots 250g brown sugar (soft) 125g papaya 250g plain flour 100g cut mixed peel 250g butter 5 large eggs

Name: .......................................................................................................................................... Telephone number: .................................................................................................................. Address: ...................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................

Method: Place all fruit in large bowl. Pour in 1/2 bottle of Brandy leave covered for 2 days then pour on 1/4 bottle of brandy and leave covered for another 24 to 36 hours. Line a 7" cake tin with Greaseproof paper. Preheat oven to 160 degrees or gas mark 3. Cream the butter and sugar together then add eggs 2 at a time and beat into mixture. Sift in the flour and fold into mixture, then add the fruit. Now you can transfer mixture to the prepared cake tin and place in the centre of oven for up to 3hrs.

.......................................................................................................................................................

I would like more information about the special home contents insurance scheme YES/NO The National Housing Federation My Home Contents Insurance Scheme is a product name arranged and administered on behalf of the National Housing Federation by Jardine Lloyd Thompson Tenant Risks. A division of Thistle Insurance Services Limited. Lloyd's Broker. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority. A JLT Group Company. Registered Office: 6 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2PH.

Please note you do not need to purchase individual insurance for your boiler, fixtures or fittings in your property.

Registered in England No 00338645. VAT No. 244 2321 96.

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The National Housing Federation is an Appointed Representative of Thistle Insurance Services Limited.

Cut along the dotted line

Postcode: ....................................................................................................................................

Begin testing the cake after 2hrs with a knife, once your knife is clean when you withdraw from the cake it is ready (please note Fan ovens don't need as much baking time, so keep your eyes on the cake after 2hrs). Leave to cool in the tin, once cold turnout the cake and wrap in greaseproof paper and foil. Add Marzipan and Icing a few days before use. Recipe provided by Brenda Robinson and Brian Williamson

................. SERVICES CHARGES ................. What are Service Charges? Service charges are costs in providing services to a block, scheme or estate where you live. Both Tenants and Leaseholders may be liable to pay service charges. Cartrefi Conwy provides a number of services to communal areas, which are over and above what is included in your rent. If your property benefits from a service then there is a cost for that service. Examples may include: • Caretaker services to communal areas. • Cleaning of shared areas, including cleaning windows and removing dumped rubbish. • Cutting communal grass and looking after planted areas. • Repairs to shared facilities such as door-entry systems, television aerials and lighting. • Providing and repairing lifts, including the cost of contracts and lift insurance. • Providing fire fighting equipment, including repairing and testing emergency lighting and smoke alarms.

• Providing water, electricity and gas supplies to shared areas. • Insurance for blocks of flats (Leaseholders only).

Why do service charges need to be treated separately to rent? Rent is the amount of money you must pay to live in your home. The rent charged enables us to: • Carry out repairs to your home and estate. • Carry out major works and improvements to your home and estate. • Provide a housing management service to our tenants. Service Charges are the cost of other services we provide to your home and estate, which may include some or all of the above. Not all tenants receive services over and above the rent as the property maybe a house with no communal areas. Over recent years Cartrefi Conwy has not recovered all of the costs that it has met in providing services. This has resulted in rental income being used in meeting the service charge expenditure.

Why am I not currently paying a service charge When will service charges ‘go live’? • New tenants after April 1st 2013 will be charged for any services but receive some services? Up until transfer these costs were met through the rental income and tenants did not pay a separate service charge for any service received. For existing tenants the Offer Document guaranteed that tenants at the time of transfer would not have service charges applied to them whilst their current tenancy exists.

provided. • Tenants at time of transfer 29th September 2008 will not be charged whilst at their current tenancy. • Leaseholders will continue to be charged for services under the current regime.

What’s the cost of service charges?

Where can I find out more?

The cost of service charges will vary between tenancies as the calculation is made on the specific cost of services provided to the property. New tenants will be informed of the details of service charges they receive on their tenancy agreement and leaseholders will receive an annual statement.

During January and February 2013 we will be holding a series of consultation meetings with tenants and leaseholders (we will hold separate meetings for leaseholders as there are additional points to discuss). Those meetings that have already been confirmed are listed below. We will add to the programme of meetings and an up to date summary can be found on our website at www.cartreficonwy.org. Please click on the tenants section where service charges will appear in the list to the left of the page, alternatively please scan the code.

What if the people in my block want a new service? If a new service is requested by the majority then the new service will be provided. Any new service provided will be chargeable as it did not exist at the time of transfer. Similarly if a current service type is agreed to be changed at the request of residents there will be a change in service charge.

If you are unable to attend any of the scheduled events but want to know more about service charges please contact Nigel Harris on 01492 805519 or e-mail nigel.harris@cartreficonwy.org Tre Creuddyn, Communities First Shop on the estate.

Date 08/01/13

Time 10am - 12noon

Kings Road, Llys Seiriol Communal Room.

08/01/13

1pm - 2.30pm

Kinmel Bay, Chester Ave Community House.

15/01/13

10am - 12noon

Peulwys Community House.

16/01/13

11am - 12noon

Llanrwst, Golygfa Gwydyr.

22/01/13

10am - 12noon

Kennedy Court, Community Centre.

28/01/13

10am - 12noon

Llys Seiriol, Communal Lounge.

29/01/13

10am - 12noon

Parkway Community Centre.

30/01/13

10am - 12noon

Hendy Tal Y Bont, CATRIN parked at the bottom of the estate by the entrance to the garages.

31/01/13

10am - 12noon

Y Fron Community Centre.

31/01/13

2pm - 4pm

Bryn Castell, Community Centre.

01/02/13

10am - 12noon

Maes Cwestennin, Communal Lounge.

01/02/13

2pm - 4pm

Tan Lan, Community Centre.

05/02/13

11am - 12noon

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VOLUNTEERS WANTED: OPPORTUNITIES FOR TENANTS

Tenant Forum feedback

If you; • Are interested in making sure that Cartrefi Conwy tenants views are heard and fairly represented. • Have a passion to see Cartrefi Conwy tenants taking a leading role in decision making and developing services. • Feel you have the enthusiasm, organisational and people skills to help make things happen. We’d like you to consider putting yourself forward for the following current vacancies.

Any tenant of Cartrefi Conwy can attend Tenants Forum meetings. The main purpose of the Forum is to promote the interests of the tenants and other service users of Cartrefi Conwy with the objective of improving housing conditions, quality of service and quality of life for the benefit of current and future tenants, service users and residents throughout the county of Conwy.

Getting involved in this way could help you: • Gain valuable skills and experience.

Four Tenant Forum meetings are held each year. The Tenants Forum Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held at the Interchange in Colwyn Bay on 29th August 2012 and 38 tenants attended. The organisation and promotion of Tenant Forum events are planned by the Tenants Forum Management Committee in collaboration with colleagues at Cartrefi Conwy. The following tenants were appointed to the Tenant Forum Management Committee, and they will serve until the next AGM in 12 months’ time:

• Find out more about how Cartrefi Conwy is managed. • Get to know other tenants. SECRETARY TO THE TENANTS FORUM This is a key appointment to the Tenants Forum Management Committee to support the co-ordination of Tenant Forum events and related administration. The Forum Secretary is required to work closely with the Chairperson of the Tenants Forum and members of the Tenant Forum Management Committee in order to: • Agree the agenda for all meetings. • Take minutes of each meeting. • Oversee the issue of notices of meetings, agenda and related papers to those entitled to attend. The Secretary will also need to build effective relationships with Cartrefi Conwy staff to support appropriate promotion and support for Forum activities.

John Roberts (Chairperson) Margaret Rawlinson (Vice Chairperson) Eddie Barker (Treasurer) Ruth Cockerill David Lloyd Williams Renee Williams Yvonne Hicks Phil Batty We’d really like to hear from any tenant interested in getting involved generally with the Tenants Forum and more particularly, if they are interested in taking on the role of Secretary to the Tenants Forum.

COMMUNITY CHEST PANEL MEMBER As a tenant member of the Community Chest Panel you will be involved in If you’d like to know more about the work of the Tenant Forum considering applications for grant funding to support small, local community led Management Committee why not ask your local community projects, such as: group to invite the Chairperson along to one of their • Activities that help bring a community together (including events. Older sports activities, youth groups, social events). Tenants Forum meetings for 2013 are currently Person’s Event • Gardening projects that help improve an area. being planned and the first will be held on • Community facility refurbishment projects. Wednesday 20th February 2013. Put this date Following feedback from the in your diary now and watch out for further Family Day for two years running we You’d also be involved in visiting projects and reviewing information about place and time. the impact the of the project. TENANT BOARD MEMBER Tenants who are appointed to the Board of Management of Cartrefi Conwy have the opportunity to be involved at the highest level of decision making. Training is available for tenants who wish to volunteer for these specific roles. We’ll also cover reasonable travel and care expenses associated with attendance at meetings and other relevant events.

are pleased to be able to confirm that in 2013 we will be hosting the first event, specifically for our older tenants. The event will be invite only and you must register your place – spaces are limited so look out for your invite in the post in the New Year!

If you want to know more or attend a Tenant Forum event, please contact Sarah Jones on Tel: 01492 805564 or email: sarah.jones@cartreficonwy.org

If you are interested, please contact Sarah Jones on Tel: 01492 805564 or email: sarah.jones@cartreficonwy.org

Glanrafon Halloween party By Sheila Jones Our local police officer, Kate Bithel, approached us to say she had funding for a Halloween party. We all thought this was a good idea. The funding came from North Wales Fire Reduction Team, North Wales Fire and Rescue, North Wales Police and Community Trust. We were given £200 and the planning with Kate began. Although £200 sounds a lot, with approximately 65 children alone on the estate, we knew that we had to make it exciting for the children. Fortunately the residents committee had a double gazebo and we had the loan of another

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one, for a small donation. A list was made of games and food. It was decided to have hot dogs, crisps, biscuits, sweets and drinks. The list of games started with apple bobbing and a participation story using jelly, a water pistol, torches and whistles. The support from Kate and the local PCSO, Delia Bellis was great. The party took place on Saturday 27th October and started at 4pm. The gazebos and decorations went up at 2pm. The children were so excited. Delia and Kate started the party with a talk to the children about stranger danger. Delia dressed up as a witch but Kate was in uniform as being on duty it was very

unprofessional to turn up at a call out in a witches outfit! The party carried on with getting eye balls and spiders out of jelly and quickly followed by getting teeth out of flour. The party ended with a good firework display which had been donated by different residents. Although it was very cold everyone enjoyed themselves. Thank you to everyone who helped.

Chester Avenue Community House Halloween Party Through PACT funding from the local neighbourhood policing team, Chester Avenue received £200 towards a Halloween party organised by Vicky Welsman, Community House Development Manager and the Community House Volunteers. In total 53 children attended the event, with Ken Stone, Mayor of Kinmel Bay assisting the Community House trustees in judging the fancy dress competition. A spooktacular event, enjoyed by all.

Congratulations to Arwyn Roberts from Betws-y-Coed. Every completed tenant satisfaction survey with contact details that we received was entered into a prize draw and Arwyn was the lucky winner of £50 High Street Vouchers.

Community spirit at Ffordd Pandy Since the refurbishment in Ffordd Pandy there has been a noticeable improvement in positivity amongst tenants. Mr Howie Owen moved into the flats, which most of these are bedsits, in 2010 at a time when there was very little community spirit. The community room was sparse and had no character until now. Mr Owen explains “The Warden and Michelle from Community Involvement Team got together with a group of tenants and acquired funding to have the rooms decorated. G Purchase donated a new kitchen, flooring and carpeting in one room and offered their workforce to paint both rooms. A TV and furniture was purchased with the funding received from Cartrefi Conwy, this has made a huge difference and there is now a very good community spirit. We have various events throughout the week, which tenants from the neighbourhood attend; therefore this renovation is not just for the tenants in the flats, it has given the neighbourhood more events to join in.” For more information on how the Community Involvement Team can help you please contact Vicky Kelly on 01492 805531 or Sarah Breeze-Roberts on 01492 805572.

Chester Avenue Community House in Kinmel Bay are currently looking for tenants and residents of the Chester Avenue Estate to become involved in setting up a young parents group and/or baby and toddler group in the crèche facility at Kinmel Bay Community House. It is a fantastic facility for parents on the estate to use free of charge. Support will be provided by the Community Involvement Team if required. Please contact Vicky Welsman at the Community House on 01745 331825.

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…” By Ryan Davidson, Asset Management Administrator OK, as far as opening lines go that one’s been plagiarised more than Wikipedia however, it best describes the challenge of cycling from Cardiff to Colwyn Bay, which my wife and I embarked on to raise money for the North Wales Mountain Rescue Association. Day 1 and 2 What a day to get torrential rain. Sodden as soon as we started and my wife struggling with a knee injury, the first two days of the challenge were CHALLENGING, but were saved from catastrophe by eventual sunshine and the amazing Brecon Beacons!

Day 3 Abandoning my wife 120 miles from home I set off through the heart of Wales. Although the up-hills were excruciating, the down-hills were sensational and the views were sublime. The journey was amazing from start to finish with some particularly scary moments.

Day 4 I met my brothers for the final leg of the challenge and was grateful for the company. We struggled 50 miles through forests and mountains until finally we were back home in Colwyn Bay and in front of a warm fire.

So far we have managed to raise £532 for the North Wales Mountain Rescue Association

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......... On your estate with Elaine Fox .......... By Caroline Naughton, Communications Manager I recently met with Elaine Fox who lives on the Chester Avenue estate in Kinmel Bay, to find out what life is like on the estate and what involvement she has with her community, here is what she had to say. “I love living on the estate, people always ask how you are and how the family is. I first moved here approximately 141/2 years ago from Manchester and wouldn’t change it for the world. I started to get involved with the Chester Avenue Community House about 4/5 years ago and I am one of the founders of a health group which still exists today. It is important to try and bring the community together as one, as there is an amazing amount of community spirit on the estate it just needs slight direction. My family love living in the area and its worlds apart from Manchester. I have always had a connection with North Wales as our family holidays were in Talacre. Most recently I also found out that my family actually originates from Bala. Anyone new joining the estate will receive a warm welcome and we hope as we move forward into the future the community spirit will continue to grow”. For more information regarding events and activities on the estate please pop in to see Vicky Welsman at the Chester Ave Community House or call her on 01745 331825.

Important information

Please remember if a Cartrefi Conwy colleague is due to visit your home, whether it is Building Maintenance, a Neighbourhood Coordinator or a Warden, please can you wait until your appointment is over before smoking in your property. This is to protect the health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. Department of Work and Pensions and will be paid to the claimant every four weeks. Claimants will be expected to pay their rent themselves out of their Universal Credit. This will most easily be done by Direct Debit from a bank account on the same day that the Universal Credit is paid into the account. Claimants who do not have a bank account will find it difficult to pay their rent and may fall into arrears.

Big changes to WELFARE BENEFITS The UK Government are making big changes to benefits which may affect you! From April 2013 the Government will introduce empty bedroom deductions. Claimants of working age with spare bedrooms will have to pay a charge for each spare room. It seems likely that Housing Benefit will be reduced by around £11.00 per week for each spare room. Non-dependent deductions will increase again. Also in April 2013; Disability Living Allowance will be replaced by Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Entitlement to PIP will be decided by a new assessment process that has yet to be decided but the Government expects a 20% reduction in expenditure. Over the next two years every claimant receiving Incapacity Benefit will be reassessed to see if they are fit for work. It is expected that around 1 in 3 people will be moved to Job Seekers Allowance, losing around a third of their income. From October 2013 onwards most benefits for working age claimants, including Housing Benefit, will be replaced by Universal Credit. This will be run by the

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Leaseholder Forum Cartrefi Conwy would like to facilitate a Leaseholders Forum. This forum is for our leaseholders who bought their home either through the Right to Buy Scheme and were former tenants or bought on the open market. The purpose would be to enable the 160 leaseholders to comment on, contribute to and develop existing policies, procedures and how services are delivered. It is expected that a Leaseholders Forum would meet twice a year at a venue and time convenient to the majority. With this in mind could you please contact Julie Brotherton on 01492 805524 or by e-mail julie.brotherton@cartreficonwy.org indicating your preferred meeting time of morning, afternoon or

Cartrefi Conwy have developed a Welfare evening. Please enter Leaseholders Forum in the subject Reform Project Team, who are currently field on your e-mail and include your contact details visiting all Cartrefi Conwy Tenants Don’t forget in the body of the e-mail. where their housing benefit you can find payments will be affected by the Cartrefi Conwy issue of under-occupation of We would hope to arrange the first meeting bedroom space. If you are in on Facebook! for April 2013. receipt of housing benefit and have bedrooms in your home that are not currently in use, the project This would be an ideal environment to present team will be visiting you in the near topics such as service charges, subletting, payment future to offer you advice and assistance. methods, section 20 process, estate inspections, repairs, If you wish to contact the Welfare gas safety, building insurance and any other topics that may Reform Project Team, please ring Tracey Yorke on 01492 805621 directly or indirectly affect you. If you would like help or advice with regards to the implications of Welfare Reform and how the legislation may affect you, contact Lisa Jones, Financial Adviser, Cartrefi Conwy on 01492 805625.

Please consider taking part in the proposed Leaseholders Forums for the benefit of yourself and other leaseholders.

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