June 2015
JOHN’S BRIEFING WINGS FOR LIFE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK STAFF SURVEY RESULTS AND MUCH MORE! 1
John’s Briefing Board Meeting
Capsel
The Board meeting was held on 20th May 2015.
Peter Clarke (MHA Board Member) has been appointed to Capsel as a Board Member. Barry Gallagher and Andrew Martyn-Johns have been appointed as reserves should the need arise.
Business Plan Following the submission of our Business Plan to Barclays, John and Steve met with the relationship manager. Barclays are trying to charge us more money and this could increase our repayments over 30 years by £1m. We are currently in discussion with them and our treasury advisors and have drafted a response to negotiate the increase as we don’t feel its appropriate relationship banking. 2
Capsel Waste is looking to receive 50 ton per month but was only receiving 11 ton to start with as not all the waste was being taken there. It’s gone from 3 lorries to 8 per day. The new Marketing Officer Ben Hennessey will be able to market the services and increase sales.
Capsel Lettings is being run the same as the private market from which we have much to learn. Not only must we learn the lessons but we need to apply them to our own properties. First up we are piloting a new voids standard, dramatically improving the standard of the property at point of letting and not leaving works to post letting. This will involve significant extra cost and already we are taking on an additional painter but it was clear that potential tenants were not excited by what they saw and we need to meet their expectations. We will review the pilot over the course of the year and decide whether to expand the areas involved and assess levels of satisfaction.
Risk Map The Risk Map shows all the key risks facing the association split into those risks which are considered business significant and those which are considered minor risks. 46 risks were identified and we use a traffic light system with mitigation against each risk. Mared Dafydd has been appointed as the Risk and Business Assurance Manager and will be focussing on the risk map as part of her role over the next few months.
Regulatory Outcome 7 Regulatory Outcome 7 was approved by Board and it’s about how we deliver efficient and effective landlord services. John commented that the demand is there, however, there were 25% of refusals in quarter 3 with the majority being OAP. 18 bedsit bungalows were converted to 1 bedroom bungalows to help improve space standards. John added that we gave a commitment to allocate 25% of lets to homeless households but due to reduced demand this had been reduced to 20%. John added that homeless households currently living in private leasing accommodation are reluctant to bid and instead waiting for more desirable properties to become available.
We have currently re-designated 350 OAP properties as they were not attracting much demand. They are now general needs and are attracting more bids. Since February 2014 we have let 29 redesignted properties and to date only one have proven problematic. John added we need to look hard at who we are trying to house in the future and be competitive with the private rented sector. We have invested time in improving the void standard and spent more to make our properties look more attractive.
Schedule 1 Schedule 1 is a report we have to complete if we let any properties to members of staff. Two properties were allocated in 2014/15 in accordance with our agreed Lettings and Allocations Policy.
Corporate Plan Review The Corporate Plan review gave the Board an update of the actions completed, deleted and rolled over into this financial year. There were 102 actions in the 2014/15 Corporate Plan, 67 of which were completed and 32 rolled over to 2015/16. The remainder were deleted as they were no longer appropriate.
Management Accounts to End of March 2015 The position at the end of March was a cash deficit of £1,118k. There was an adjustment of £241k due to the pension scheme adjustment which had to be accounted for.
Compensation Policy Board gave delegated authority for officers to update the policy and guidance to reflect the new Concerns, Complaints and Compliments Policy and amend to MHA Group.
REMEMBER EBuzz is put together following John’s briefings every other month. This is your newsletter and it would be great to hear some of your stories! If you have anything you want to share, please get in touch with Louise Davies via In House, 01495 761104 or email: louise.davies@monmouthshirehousing.co.uk We look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy this edition. 3
News In Brief Save the Date
Discretionary Assistance Fund The Discretionary Assistance Fund offers payments, or in kind support, to people needing urgent assistance and where there is an identified need to safeguard health and well being. Payments will be made available to people who have no other means of meeting the immediate cost of living. They are not intended to meet the cost of ongoing expenses.
4th December – This years Xmas Party will be held at the Manor Hotel, Crickhowell with live entertainment from Kosmik Drive (with lead vocalist being our very own Jade West!)
Number Changes From 2nd June our new mainline contact numbers are: General Enquiries Paying Your Rent
0345 677 2277 0303 123 1127
Competition Winners
Within the scheme there are two types of nonrepayable grant support: • Emergency Assistance Payments - assistance in an emergency or when there is an immediate threat to health or wellbeing. Anyone over the age of 16 can be considered eligible for these payments if they need help to meet expenses due to an emergency or because of a disaster. • Individual Assistance Payments - to meet an urgent identified need that enables or supports vulnerable people to establish themselves or remain living independently in the community. The criteria needed to make a claim is for tenants to be claiming one of the income replacement benefits – JSA (income related), ESA (income related), Income Support or Pension Credit. For more information please contact Matt Taylor or Sarah Jones on Ext 7182 or 7181. 4
Claudia Blair, Shani Howley and Rhiannon Taylor all correctly guessed the number of Easter Eggs in the April edition of EBuzz. Hope you enjoyed the eggs!
Dewi Parry Received Man of the Year at Slimming World on 1st June 2015 “I joined Slimming World in May 2013 with my sister after she found out she was pregnant with her first child and didn’t want to attend the group on her own. I set my target weight at 13st 12lb and hit it in January 2014 losing a total of 2st 6lb in a little under 8 months. I have been maintaining my target weight since.”
Running For Those Who Can’t By Sian Hughes On May 3rd 2015 me and my friend took part in the Wings for Life World Run in Silverstone, with many other runners and a few celebs. The race is held all over the world in 35 locations all at the same time – this year there was over 100,000 runners worldwide.
The race got people running around the world. My friend in Australia also took part, but most importantly it raised over £5.5million that will be used for research into the treatment of spinal cord injury and trauma.
The difference with this race to traditional races is there isn’t an end point, there is a catcher car which starts half an hour after the runners at a set speed and when the car catches you it’s the end of the race. This year the car was driven by David Coulthard! I started with a set distance in mind of 10km, as the Silverstone track is undulating and on a camber plus the villages just outside the track were quite hilly. There were six other wheelchair runners and over 6,000 runners so the atmosphere was brilliant plus the weather was great for the run. The car finally caught me after an exhausting but great race at just over 15km, and in a reasonable time after which the celebrations started! The race was started by Mark Webber who also took part in the race, along with Max Evans and George North was one of the cyclists that encouraged us all along. 5
Roughing it Can be Fun By Graham Harvey Camping is the ideal budget getaway and offers a unique experience. We have some of the best coastlines and forestry right on our doorstep so why not take advantage of this during the summer. It’s easy to get the right kit together and doesn’t need to be expensive. You can find most of the essentials in budget high street shops such as B&M, Home Bargains and Poundstretcher (as well as others).
My Favourite Place to Camp Hill End, Llangennith, The Gower Hill End campsite is situated right next to the sand dunes, giving you instant access to a huge beach populated with a mixture of families and surfers. The site itself is split into two areas, group camping and family camping. They have clean, modern shower and toilet blocks and an onsite café and small shop. There is a good pub about 30 minutes walk away (5 minute drive) where you can get some hearty food and a few cold refreshments. You can’t book this site so need to get there early on the Friday in peak season to avoid disappointment. www.hillendcamping.com
Packing Tips You can be pushed for space when trying to fit the whole family and all the luggage into the car. If you don’t have the luxury of roof bars and a roof box, make sure you can fit everything securely in the boot - you don’t want it bursting open on the motorway! A good tip is to put your tent in last, as it will be the first thing you want to get out. Also, if you pop your clothes in compression bags, it’s surprising how much less room they take up. Finally, while you’re away, try to keep the tent organised. As unappealing as it may seem, a tidy tent will mean you’ll spend far less time searching for the torch, a pack of cards or other items that have a nasty habit of disappearing.
6
My Camping Pack To sleep: • Tent • Sleeping bags • Airbeds or mats • Pillows & Duvet To eat and drink: • Food & drink • Barbecue • Charcoal • Camping stove • Gas canisters • Pots/pans/plates/cooking utensils • Water carrier • Cool bag & ice blocks • Kettle • Flask • Picnic rug Other essentials: • Rubber mallet • Wind breaker • Torch/lamps • Wellies • First aid kit • Swiss Army Knife • Air pump • Sun cream/insect repellent • Large storage box • Camping chairs • Toiletries • Washing up stuff • Hats • Lighter/matches • Bin bags • Toilet roll • Toys & games
Be Sensible in the Sun
It’s coming up to that time of year where everyone enjoys spending time in the sun. It’s important that you stay safe when you’re out enjoying the sunshine. Here are some top tips to keep you safe: • Use sunscreen, ideally with a sun protection factor of at least 15, if the rating is higher, even better. Make sure you re-apply regularly. (Make sure that any sunscreen you use is in date and not past the expiry date). • Try and spend some time in the shade, under trees, umbrellas or indoors between 11am and 3pm. The sun is most damaging to skin in the middle of the day during the summer. • Wear a t-shirt, hat and sunglasses when you’re out in the sun. Try and wear sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection. These glasses will offer the most protection. • Drink plenty of water to avoid becoming dehydrated. • Don’t let your skin burn. According to a survey of over a thousand people, which was carried out by the British Association of Dermatologists, 96% of Brits fail to check their skin once a month for skin cancer, and more than 77% would not recognise signs of the disease. Worryingly, 72% of people admitted that they had been sunburned in the last year. This is of concern given that the risk of developing melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer - is more than doubled in people with a history of sunburn compared with people who have never been sunburned. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and rates have been climbing since the 1960s. Every year over 250,000 new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer – the most common type – are diagnosed, in addition to over 13,000 new cases of melanoma, resulting in around 2,148 deaths annually. The ‘Life & Soul’ group will be sharing guidance information on how to check your skin with departments.
Gardening Tips The summer months are all about sitting back and enjoying the garden, hopefully accompanied by a bit of sunshine! There are, however, a few things that need to be done to keep that garden beautiful:
Plant up... ...summer pots and hanging baskets, using peatfree compost and adding slow-release fertiliser granules and water-retaining gel. It’s not too late to plant annuals for instant colour in your garden.
Cut back... ...early-flowering shrubs such as lilac, philadelphus and ceanothus once the flowers have faded. Cut back your lavender to a third of its height once flowered.
Find space... ...for a few vegetable plants. Just two or three plants each of courgettes and runner beans will keep the family going till Autumn.
Dig up... ...any bulbs that failed to flower and replant. More sunlight or more space should do the trick.
Conduct... ...regular pest patrols, looking out for lily beetles, aphids, slugs and snails. You’ll find a morning tour of the garden, coffee in hand, is strangely therapeutic (an evening tour, with a glass of wine, also proves more of a pleasure than a chore). 7
COMPLIMENTS Mr Davies would like to thank Daniel Yandle for... “Being a very nice young fellow. A very good painter who did a very good and careful job.”
Mrs Lynch would like to thank Nigel Casson and Rob Edgeworth for... ”Helping her last night. She called the out of hours service and they were so helpful she wanted to say thanks.”
Ms Perryman would like to thank Kerris Winter for... ”Being a really great person and for you to take the time and trouble for me when I am fully aware of the pressure and stress your position with MHA entails is so rewarding. MHA are very lucky to have you.”
Mr Browning would like to thank Sarah Jones and Cath Murray for... ”Being so supportive and helpful. What Sarah has helped him with has lightened his financial burden a bit and he feels a lot more upbeat about things. He also wants to thank Cath for the help she has given him too.”
Mrs Gizzie would like to thank Andrew Mahoney, Rudi Lewis and the Support Team at Plas Mawr for... ”A splendid first year at Clare Court, couldn’t let it pass without saying a big thank you. Having had a few jobs done by MHA and this week interior doors painted by Andrew and Rudi via Capsel, an excellent job too! Also couldn’t let go by the lovely girls at Plas Mawr office Tina, Ann-Marie, Andrea and Helen. Greatly appreciated!” 8
By Dean Phillips On Friday 10th April, in Partnership with MCC and Keep Wales Tidy, we held a re-use event where people could bring unwanted household items to give away or take away other peoples unwanted items. The event took place in Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni on St David’s Road in Mardy. The initial idea came from a request made by Albert McNab a tenant from Dan-Y-Deri who felt that litter and fly tipping had become a problem in the area. A task group involving myself, Paul Quayle (MCC), Tom WardJackson (Keep Wales Tidy), Bernadette Kelly (MHA) and Albert came together to discuss ways to tackle the problems. We decided on a re-use event to encourage people to stop things going into landfills. As well as the Give it Away – Take it Away event there was also a litter pick in the area and a service to pick up large/bulky household items that could be reused. A range of items such as clothes, books, toys, ornaments, furniture and even a bike were given to the event and taken away by others. The litter pick was also a success with Councillors Roger Harris and Councillor Mrs Harris helping Albert, Tom and a few other helpers clean up a number of areas in the Mardy. We even had a visit from Mayor Hickman to show his support for the event. The feedback received from those that attended was that they loved the idea and could see a real benefit to what we were doing.
Way Into Work Tom Burrows - Volunteering with Finance I undertook a two week work placement, and for both of those weeks I helped out in the Finance Department. I learnt how to do a variety of different things as I wasn’t allocated to just one job. The tasks I was set included; • Making graphs and tables • Helping to complete invoices • Collecting completion forms, from the purchases of new properties • Helping out with the monthly accounts I enjoyed my two weeks and felt like I achieved a lot from it. Despite not being a ‘big’ computer or business person, I learned how to read and analyse figures, as well as learning the basics to do with Microsoft Excel. In the Finance Department there were around six people and because of this I felt like
I was able to socialise with everyone, work as a team and ask for any advice or help when needed. This helped to build up my confidence with other people, as well as completing administrative tasks that I would have normally not been able to achieve. However, despite enjoying working in an office environment such as that, it’s not a job that I would pursue in the future. I did learn a variety of skills, some of which will help me in every job and some that may only be needed for specific jobs. I feel happy with myself due to the fact I have tried something that I would have never seen myself doing, but as I thought before undertaking this work experience, office work is not really my thing as I see myself as more of a physical and outgoing person. If you are somebody who wants to get into office work and would like to undertake some work experience, then I would thoroughly recommend Monmouthshire Housing as they give you the opportunity to test your current skills, as well as learning something new along the way.
e t a d p U Capsel on Capital
Accreditation
Capital Radio will be running a series of Capsel advertisements over the coming weeks and months. The ads will promote Capsel’s Lettings and Home Essentials services. Keep an ear out for them by tuning into 97.4/103.2 Capital FM.
Capsel has been working hard to secure a range of professional accreditations aimed at making its systems and working practices as effective and robust as possible. Capsel now has ISO 14001 Environmental, BS 18001 Health and Safety, Constructionline Registered Contractor, Green Dragon Level 5 and Green Deal Approved Installer accreditations.
Capsel Waste Management Capsel’s new Waste Management service launched in April. The service helps local businesses and organisations, including Monmouthshire Housing Association, to make more of their waste through effective recycling. It aims to process 800 tonnes of waste this year, with 75% of that being recycled. Capsel Waste Management will be holding an official launch this summer – keep an eye out for details.
Staff offers Don’t forget – Capsel’s Home Essentials Gas and Heating services are available to all Monmouthshire Housing Association staff. Boiler service packages are available from just £6 per month, service and repair packages start at £12.50 per month and staff can currently get 12 months service for the price of 11. Boiler installation is also available from just £1,950. 9
Mental Health Awareness Week 11th – 15th May 2015
The purpose of the week was to raise awareness of the Public Health Wales Five Ways to Wellbeing - a wellbeing equivalent of ‘five fruit and vegetables a day’. These are based upon the New Economics Foundation [2008] review of the most up to date evidence of individual actions that promote wellbeing. Each day was linked to each theme (until the weather got the better of us).
Monday was ’Connect’ We had a Tai Chi Taster Session with Barbara Blease from MCC Leisure. All participants were chilled out and ready to face whatever their afternoon of work threw at them. The Staff Forum was decorated as the ‘Connect Café’ and cakes were available to purchase in aid of Monmouthshire Mind.
Walkers 10
On Tuesday we were ‘Active’
Our final day, Friday, was ‘Give’
Several members of staff cycled to work and had their bike maintained by Dr Bike. Neil Binnell led a walking group on a ramble through the local countryside.
Do something for a friend or stranger. Many of us wore our favourite t-shirt or something bright and colourful. A small group attended the photography lesson with Adrian Reilly and took some lovely photos in the area around our pond.
Wednesday... it rained, so our ‘Take Notice’ day was moved to Friday. We had a few entries for the ‘Wellbeing’ poetry competition. The winning entry was a Haiku by Claudia Blair
“Take time for yourself, Do things you really enjoy,
Here’s a few samples of their work:
Read, run, sing, swim, smile.” Thursday was ‘Keep Learning’ A large group of staff tried Mindfulness for the first time. The feedback was excellent and many have asked for a similar session in the future.
Throughout the week we raised £100 for Monmouthshire Mind which is a local charitable organisation that provides advice and support to anyone who has experienced a mental health problem. 11
Gayle Sheppard Finance Officer Hi, I’m Gayle and I’m the Finance Officer covering maternity leave for Philippa Worgan. My background is mostly in social housing having spent almost 16 years working in the sector. Nearly 15 of the 16 years were working with the Seren Group where I was responsible for producing the accounts for Solas, who deal with people affected by homelessness and drug & alcohol issues. I’m a very proud Mum of my 18 year old son who is currently in university studying rugby coaching and performance. Most of my spare time is spent running or doing running related things, hence recently joining Lliswerry Running Club.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If I was stuck in a lift and hadn’t already hyper ventilated from claustrophobia then I would be very happy to be in there with comedian Billy Connolly. I love his sense of humour and Scottish accent. I’m sure he would have a few stories to tell to while away the hours.
Natasha Jones Community Investment Coordinator Hello I am Natasha Jones and I have joined MHA as the new Community Investment Coordinator. I am very excited to be part of the MHA team and I am looking forward to working across Monmouthshire. My role will be to develop and deliver a series of interesting, fun and enjoyable projects with partner organisations which will focus on improving tenants’ wellbeing and aspirations. This means working with tenants to overcome issues such as mental health and loneliness. I also manage the unique BIG Lottery funded project called Dads Can. I have worked in social housing in Blaenau Gwent for the past 12 years. I have an unhealthy obsession with music. I love nothing more than going to watch a live band. I am very outdoorsy, so I love camping trips and walking the gorgeous mountains of the valleys with my Jack Russell called Jefferson. I have also found a new love of ‘spin’ classes.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? I would want to be stuck in a lift with the whole band of Fleetwood Mac – HUGE FAN. I would ask them all about how they wrote their album Rumours (my favourite album of all-time).
12
Why not say hello to all the new starters on
Karolina Gola Modern Apprentice Business Administration I moved from Poland (Wroclaw) to the UK 2 and a half years ago. Since my first day in the UK I have lived in Chepstow. I used to work in a Greek restaurant in Chepstow and also in NEXT. I have the Bachelor of Science in Tourism and Recreation. After leaving school I travelled around Europe, I think that was the best time in my life. I was also living in the Netherlands for a few months, where I used to work. My interests include reading, most sports, geography and DIY.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If I was stuck in a lift it would have to be Nicholas Sparks... I really like his books and I would like to know a little more about his novels.
Helen Mabbitt Income & Energy Advisor Hi, I’m Helen and I have recently been appointed as an Income & Energy Advisor. I will be working specifically with tenants on the Direct Payment Pilot in order to prepare tenants for the forthcoming Universal Credit. With regards to my working background, for my sins I have always been involved in the welfare benefits field – I have worked for the DWP, Powys County Council, Neath Port Talbot Council and more recently Tenovus Cancer Care. I am a country bumpkin at heart, I took on a project of renovating a derelict cottage three years ago and now live very happily (yet very rurally) in the heart of the Brecon Beacons – I don’t have a neighbour in sight and love it!
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If I had to be stuck in a lift with someone it would probably be Miranda – such fun!
Mared Dafydd Risk and Business Assurance Manager I’m Mared and I’ve recently moved to Abergavenny from Caernarfon, North Wales where I worked for Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd. As we’ve only just moved down most of my spare time is currently spent on searching for sofas, furniture, washing machines, fridges and other boring things for the house. But when I have time I enjoy keeping fit through walking, running or going to the gym and I love socialising and eating out, so I would welcome any suggestions for nice restaurants in the area.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? Since moving down here I don’t talk to the girls as much, so if I had to be stuck in a lift it would have to be with them so we could catch up properly, jangle and gossip ...ideally with a bottle of Prosecco and some chocolate. 13
Ben Hennessy Marketing & Communications Officer I’m joining MHA after working for seven years at Thames Reach, a London-based homelessness charity. I’ve lived in Chepstow for three years and was travelling across to London for work – my commute is a lot easier now! Before Thames Reach I was working in marketing for a technology company in north London for a number of years. I grew up in Suffolk. I live with my partner Nicolle, our sons William and George and our dog, Pip. Most of my time outside of work is spent getting out and about with my family, especially in the summer when we like to go to the beach as often as possible. I also enjoy photography, the odd bike ride, and I’m an Ipswich Town FC fan.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? Steve Coogan. They say you should never meet your heroes, but I’d be intrigued to find out if he really is as difficult in person as his reputation suggests. And his most famous alter-ego, Alan Partridge, has escaped far more tricky situations than being stuck in a lift...
Julia Molumby Senior Administrator I’m Julia, Capsel Administrator, mum of 4, 3 bearded/strapping lads who are currently travelling the world, hopefully making their fortune to keep me in my old age and one 18 year old daughter. The thing that I enjoy most apart from spending time with my family is socialising, I have practised this a lot over the years and have now perfected the art!
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If stuck in a lift with anyone apart from my kids (as it’s very hard to get them all in the same country at the same time) it would have to be Diana Ross, I normally drive everyone mad playing her music so I could listen to her with no complaints.
Mark Parry Heating Engineer I celebrated my 40th birthday this year and was taken away on a surprise trip organised by my wife to Krakow. I enjoy sport and play rugby regularly. I also run weekly and complete the MacMillan 10k each year.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? I would love to be stuck in a lift with Keirly Knightly – because she’s beautiful!
14
Why not say hello to all the new starters on
Michelle Smith Community Services Manager I love travelling and recently embarked on a Cruise around Eastern med. I love to cook and enjoy trying all sorts of different food. My guilty pleasure is crisps, bar snacks and IPA ales. I am a big outdoors person and most happiest riding horses or zip wiring over a mountain.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? I would like to be stuck in a lift with Elvis – I love his music and would ask for a bit of a sing song with him.
We wish them the best for the future. Greg Jones Development Manager
Owain Israel Assistant Building Surveyor
Ian Atkinson Director of Property Services
Kath Deakin is taking a year off for adoption leave. All the best Kath! 15
The Perfect Cruise by Michelle Smith
16
Eighteen months ago I met my true love. Since then we have enjoyed many wonderful experiences together and shared many happy memories with various activities such a city breaks, zip wiring, beach walks and the like.
for anyone to riffle through. I assured him that no one wanted his Calvin Klein’s and to relax as this was standard practice when cruising. We said goodbye to the ship, but hello to our lovely hotel in Venice for 2 nights.
My second love is travel. Given my passion for cruising it wasn’t hard to persuade Rich to embark on a new experience, and for us to make some more memories together.
We headed out to explore Venice and walked through the alleys and over the bridges of the city. We came across a music museum which was hosting a concert on our last night with Interpreti Veneziani and their ensemble of The Four Seasons. What could be more perfect whilst in Venice? “I know” says my love “wouldn’t it be perfect on our last night to have drinks and dinner on a roof top terrace and then see the concert” So, as we strolled along the city alleys our heads were poised upwards looking for a venue. I looked at the Carlton which we were walking past and it had a roof top terrace. Excited we headed in and made our reservation before heading back to our hotel.
We searched the Internet for the best deal and was lucky to get a 9 night cruise and hotel stay. Packing our shorts and posh frocks we checked in for our flight to board the ship in Istanbul. At check in we were asked “Do you have your visas for Turkey?” “What visas?” we replied in a panic. “Oh yes, you have needed one for some time, it can be quite an ordeal at Istanbul airport if you haven’t got one in advance!” she replied. Panic set in, we headed off for breakfast and frantically went online to get visas. The wifi was slow and after inputting the data over 10 or so times we gave up and left to board the plane. Thankfully, we were slightly delayed which gave us a slot to try again. As luck would have it, the internet was flowing and we quickly got our visas. Arriving on the ship exhausted from travelling, we headed straight to the restaurant for dinner. We sat next to a couple and found out that Irene from up North had spent 42 years in Barcelona after meeting her true love, a Spaniard namely Antonio and we spent dinner with them most evenings. The ship quietly sailed along and took us to Istanbul, Mykonos, Santorini, Kefalonia, Dubrovnik and Venice. Each destination was individually special from the beautiful Blue Mosques and the amazing selection of Turkish delight in Istanbul, the stunning views in Santorini and the historic city wall of Dubrovnik. But nothing could have prepared us for the spectacular experience when the ship entered Venice along Giudecca Canal. The views of the Grand Canal and the hustle and bustle of St Mark’s Sq was breathtaking. Having a night on the ship in Venice gave us the opportunity to do a quick “wrecky”of the city and we enjoyed our last evening with Irene and Antonio. Putting our suitcases out for collection, Rich said he was a bit nervous leaving his “ valuables” outside
After a wonderful last day, we headed out for the last night of our holiday. Arriving at the Carlton, both of us had forgotten our sunglasses and a shifting of position around the sun was unsettling and spoiling our fantasy of being on the roof top terrace. Dismissing the menu, I suggested we just have a drink and return to the restaurant we had been to the night before. Rich gently insisted we remain and try and enjoy the moment, with the view and the sun, relax hold hands and find something to order from the menu. The food arrived being unveiled by the waiter on a silver platter. We polished off the food and wine and as ladies do prepared to leave by using the “ty bach” before we set off for the concert. “No, no” Ricardo says, “just wait a minute and you can use the facilities on the way out.” The waiter returned again with another dome to reveal. “No, no” I said, “ we haven’t ordered dessert”. Without a word, he removed the dome and there presented on a silver platter was a ring and there on one knee was Rich, “Will you marry me?” It all made sense and he has made me the happiest girl in the world. The holiday had indeed brought us a wonderfully happy memory and of course there was then just his Calvins in the suitcase.
17
Social Events
Monmouth Music Festival
Friday 24th July – Saturday 1st August Over the years the nine-day free music festival has become THE big event for Monmouth – and one of Europe’s biggest and best free open air music festivals, attracting visitors from all over the world. It’s a celebration of the town and its community, and a chance to see local and national musicians from rock, classical, pop, folk, jazz, ska, punk, world music and beyond. The line up is to be confirmed.
Chepstow Agricultural Society Show Saturday 8th August, 2015 Sited in the Centre Course, Chepstow Show is open from 9am – 5pm. Prices below: Adults £8.00 Children £4.00 Children under 5 years old FOC Family Ticket £20.00 OAP’s £6.00 Car Parking Free
Madness Chepstow Racecourse Friday 10th July
The night will start with seven flat horse races before Madness take to the stage. Enjoy a highenergy performance of popular hits, including ‘House of Fun’, ‘Baggy Trousers’, ‘Our House’ and ‘It Must Be Love’. Madness will be performing quirky pop classics that are guaranteed to draw you in, get you dancing and singing along. The band will also be performing some of their new songs, their first new recordings in three years. Tickets are priced at £39, with additional hospitality packages available.
Castell Roc – Chepstow Castle Castell Roc Festival is a small, but perfectly formed friendly festival. The festival is easily accessed at Chepstow Castle. Fri 21st Aug: Monsters of Roc (Hells Bells/Letz Zep/The ZZ Tops) Sat 22nd Aug: Mod Ska Gold (From the Jam & Bad Manners) Sun 23rd Aug: The Simon & Garfunkel Story (from the West End) Wed 26th Aug: Goldie Lookin’ Chain Thurs 27th Aug: Bellowhead Fri 28th Aug: A Night of Queen Sat 29th Aug: ELO Again Sun 30th Aug: Blue
18
Employment & Skills Fair Wednesday 17th June Caldicot Choir Hall, 10am-1pm MHA, jointly working with our partners are putting on an Employment and Skills Fair in Caldicot Choir Hall. There will be other support providers, ranging from Community Education Monmouthshire and Careers Wales there alongside Job Centre Plus and a range of employers. This event is open to all, from people who are unemployed to those looking for a change of career. If you know of anyone who is interested, come over and ask Julia or Cath at Work & Skills Wise.
E MONMOUTHSHIRFAYRE ILLS EMPLOYMENT & SK l
Caldicot Choir Hal
, yment, education Raise your emplo s on ati pir as & e experienc
- 1pm June 2015, 10am Wednesday 17the, Caldicot, Monmouthshire, NP26 5DD l, Mill Lan
Caldicot Choir Hal
ployers teering • Meet em • Sign up for volun advice rs ree Ca • ic • CV clin • Interview advice partners: our by ed port Sup Sponsored by:
95 767 193 Cath Murray on 014 tion please contact co.uk For further informa outhshirehousing. onm y@m urra e.m or email catherin
Feedback from New Starters Within the Corporate Induction course we have recently started to include a practical session for new recruits to comment on issues within MHA that we could improve on. This is then discussed at SMT and here is the feedback.
Suggestions for Improvement Feedback from SMT Improve personal relationships between staff and tenants.
The ‘Big Chat’ is extending dialogue with our tenants to find out what they want from our services and extend opportunities to be involved for hard to reach groups.
Some sheltered housing isn’t up to standard i.e. St Cadocs – people are still living there.
The St Cadocs building is in the process of being decanted to enable us to redevelop the site. The residents have been decanted over the past year and we anticipate they will have all moved by the end of December. We have a significant contingent sum within our business plan over the next few years to specifically deal with the schemes not up to standard.
Giving Feedback to Customers - A more personal Our Customer Service Policy is currently being reviewed and we approach to situations and engagement – rather would expect all staff, where reasonably practicable to provide a than letters. personal approach. Both staff and tenants can be unsure of services MHA provides.
As above, the new Offer to Tenants will clarify this. We recognise that we need to consider how best to improve communication in this area.
Build relationships with people who most likely aren’t going to pay their rent – so Universal Credit won’t have such an extreme impact.
This will be the role of the new Direct Payment/Welfare Reform Neighbourhood Officer, to identify these individuals, linking in with the Neighbourhood Officers for their area.
Groups for children with disabilities and parents/ We will look at our Tenant Profiling information to see if this is siblings – support. something we can provide. Improve mis-communication between staff and This will be fed back to the Maintenance Team. tenants such as maintenance i.e. surveyors going out looking at properties then never informing tenants of next steps (fall through net) going to cause issues when UC comes. Utilizing staff resources to their full potential – cost effective, productivity.
Productivity information is regularly reviewed by SMT, and managers are required to review roles to ensure that we best use individual skills and have interesting and challenging roles that provide value for money.
Enhance monitoring, reporting and investigation MHA has a clear Attendance Policy and management procedures for of sickness of staff within organisation – dealing with absence. A refresher course for managers is being held clamping down on repeat instances. in Nov and Dec. Shadowing within teams to reduce impact of sickness and to assist with productivity
Job shadowing is encouraged particularly to help people understand what their colleagues do and other services provided.
Promotion of all MHA services in communities in The new Tenant Offer document will update information on our which we work. services. The website is regularly updated and we do issue press releases when appropriate. PDR versus 1:1 – Do we need both? What measurable outcomes are there to justify both e.g. 3 hours PDR, 1 – 2 hours 1:1 6 weekly.
There are important aspects covered in both the 1:1 and PDR that provide managers and the organisation with information on performance, levels of workload, work pressures, skills, learning needs etc and provides formal communication both up and down the organisation. Both processes are regularly reviewed.
19
MY TYPICAL DAY 06:30: The alarm goes off. If it’s my lucky day I get an extra half hour in bed, otherwise it’s my turn to walk around the fields with a very happy golden retriever for an hour. On a dry morning the walk is lovely but in the depths of winter it can be a bit of a chore. 07:15: The mad morning dash starts in earnest. Maisie, my daughter, is coaxed into her school uniform, feed the cats and dog, make lunches, have breakfast, wash and get ready for our days. At just before 8 o’clock we leave the house for school and work. 08:45: I arrive at MHA HQ and get a cup of tea, check e-mails, check my notes for things that I need to get on with and catch up with the team.
HELLO! I’m Claudia Blair, MHA’s Business Intelligence Analyst SAY HELLO TO Claudia... via
09.00: At the moment I am working on analysis of our data from the 2014 Tenant Insight Survey. This involves creating queries to extract data, checking the validity of the data and making corrections, analysing and writing up the report. I am still getting to know teams and individuals so I may attend a meeting with someone to explain my role and understand theirs. Or I may have a training course to attend. 13:00: I have some lunch and take a break from my desk – maybe catch up with some reading, studying or have a walk.
13:30: Back at my desk, I may continue my analysis or prepare some ideas for how to maintain and improve our tenant insight data, or I may have meetings or training. 17:00: I head home and may call in the supermarket for ingredients for tea. I enjoy my drive home listening to the radio and admiring the beautiful Monmouthshire countryside. 17:30: When I get home, I feed and cuddle the cats, feed and pat Alfie and talk to David and Maisie about their days. 18:00: I help cook and have tea, take Alfie out for a walk, read with Maisie and watch a bit of telly with her. 19.30: David or I get Maisie ready for bed and have a read and cuddle with her before she goes to sleep. 20:30: If the bed routine has gone to plan, I get on with some chores. I am on a decluttering mission at the moment so things have to be chucked, recycled, donated or put away. One day I will have a tidy house! If the bed routine hasn’t gone to plan, well… 22.00: I watch a bit of telly, play on the iPad, check e-mails, and then have a bath with my book. 23.30: I go to bed and read a bit more before lights out. 20
Monmouth Raft Race This year is the 50th year of the Monmouth Raft Race so MHA have decided to be part of it! We will required to design and build the raft. We are hoping to put as many raft teams together as possible, each raft will require a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 10. Therefore we are looking for participants. If you are interested please get in touch with Jill Morgan or Sarah Needs. The race will be down the River Wye on Sunday 6th September 2015 Visit www.monmouthraftrace.com for more information about the race.
Personal Development Jane Grayer was successful in her application for Supported Personal Development. We run this scheme each year to provide funding for employees to undertake non-work related training. The Staff Communications Group consider and decide on the successful applicants. Jane will be supported to undertake a Diploma in Family & Funeral Celebrancy. The course will enable Jane to embed knowledge gained from previous experience in conducting civil ceremonies.
Capsel Attend Torfaen Business Event Liz Jones and Sarah Harrison attended the Torfaen Business Event on Wednesday 6th May. It was our first stand where we marketed our Capsel Lettings and Capsel Home Essentials service. There were over 250 attendees and the day was a great way for us to promote Capsel. We are looking to attend similar events in the future and will be advertising this on our website.
Here are a selection of “Pickles” that you have awarded to your colleagues recently: Clayton Charles has ‘pickled’ Alison Bromham for... “Dealing with an extremely volatile and emotional situation throughout the day on Friday, using her skills of being compassionate, helpful and authorative.” Catherine Murray has ‘pickled’ Graham Harvey for... “Making a new MHA volunteer feel very welcome and at ease in her volunteering induction today. She is very much looking forward to working within your department.” Jane Grayer has ‘pickled’ Peter Stephens for... “Helping me to create the final missing piece to finish my ILM assignment. Thank you for your patience.” Louise Davies has ‘pickled’ Catherine Murray for… “Giving up her Saturday afternoon attending the opening of Monmouth Skate Park which we have recently sponsored and taking lots of pictures for us to promote. Massive thank you Cath :-).” Do you think your colleagues should be recognised for their additional work efforts? Going above and beyond customer expectation and showing a good service. Then award them a pickle via In House. A prize will be awarded to the employee with the most pickles during the quarter. 21
Staff Survey 2014 The survey we carried out towards the end of last year identified us as a ‘Very Good’ 1 Star organisation in the Best Companies national results for Not For Profit companies…. but we know we can do better.
The above graph shows the Best Companies accreditation scores for MHA for the years we completed the national survey We’ve being Listening to what you have to say, and know that by turning your Feedback into Actions that we can Achieve even Better Outcomes for MHA.
Since the first survey we completed in 2008 our staff satisfaction levels in My Manager and Giving Something Back have achieved the greatest improvements. However, we still have areas we can improve particularly in Wellbeing and Fair Deal. Here are some of our agreed actions as a result of your feedback that will be built into the Corporate Planning process 22
Action LEADERSHIP Senior managers of this org do a lot of telling but not much listening Senior managers truly live the values of this org I have confidence in the leadership skills of the senior management team MY COMPANY I love working for this org I would leave tomorrow if I had another job I am excited about where this organisation is going
MY MANAGER My manager is an excellent role model for me I feel I lack support from my manager My manager motivates me to give my best every day My manager does a lot of telling but not much listening My manager cares about how satisfied I am in my job PERSONAL GROWTH There are limited opportunities for me to learn and grow within this org This job is good for my own personal growth MY TEAM Working in this team gives me a buzz WELLBEING Most days I feel exhausted when I come home from work My work deadlines are unrealistic I’m spending too much time working FAIR DEAL I am happy with the pay and benefits I receive in this job I am paid fairly for the work that I do relative to others within this org I am paid fairly for the work that I do relative to people in similar positions in similar orgs I feel I receive fair pay for the responsibilities I have in my job GIVING SOMETHING BACK Profit/budget concerns are the only things driving this org
1. Senior managers to spend more time with frontline staff; periodically attending Team Meetings and Toolbox Talks. 2. Actively seeking out and responding to queries from staff, and ensure that outcomes of meetings are communicated to all relevant staff. 3. 1:1’s and Team Meetings to include Continuous Improvement on standard agendas. 4. Presentations/Representatives from other teams at Team Meetings. 5. Ensure everyone understands how their role contributes to making MHA a great place to work, and develop staff to their potential. 6. Further management development, referring to management competencies in the PDR process. 7. 1:1’s and Toolbox Talks to take place regularly and be planned in advance with template agenda and full interaction encouraged. 8. Managers to feedback all positive comments.
9. Introduction of Peer Support, more use of Mentoring. 10. Opportunities are provided to develop outside of role, including team lead roles in Social Media, Environmental, Data Analysis etc. 11. Managers to consider whether current team structures help to build cohesive teams. 12. 1:1’s to include focus on Wellbeing & Worklife Balance. 13. Job descriptions and workload to be regularly reviewed at PDR’s and 1:1’s. 14. Managers to monitor levels of flexi accrued/taken. 15. Managers to discuss benchmarking information, job evaluation with individuals/teams in 1:1’s and Team Meetings.
16. Topic for presentation at Away Days/Team Meetings
If you have any further feedback to any of these issues, please pass these on to your manager or Karen Williams, HR. 23
Suggestion Action If you have a suggestion and would like to be in with a chance of winning £50, please complete a GEMS form via In House or use the cards and GEMS post boxes allocated around the building. Can MHA conduct a survey of staff if majority want a Xmas Party. Maybe the offer of a voucher for £50 would work out cheaper. Karen Williams reply - The level of attendance at the Xmas parties has always been very good and the purpose of the party is for teams to come together to socialise. MHA will continue to offer a good package of benefits, which will include the funding of events for staff to celebrate together. Well placed grit bins to be put back outside MHA HQ as a back up to the council because we can’t always be a priority to them. Facilities - Bin was removed as recommended as there were 24
reports of people vandalising and setting fire to them locally. Once it was found the bin was in a bad state of repair and fully submerged in water it was decided that salt would be stored in stores as a backup if MCC were unable to grit the car park for whatever reason. Run live “web chats” on our website which could be directed to officers who are carrying out “office duty” who can have live chats with people who may have queries relating to their tenancy, rent account, housing application or other issues, that can be answered online rather than them phoning in as some people don’t like speaking on the phone. I got the idea recently from a travel agency who offered a live chat with a staff member to discuss issues relating to a holiday search. Mark Gauntlett’s reply: We have investigated ‘live chat’ in the past and considered offering it between specific hours so that advisors are not required to be available all day. However, the idea has been postponed for now as we are planning to upgrade our website software later this year. It seems wise to revisit the issue of ‘live
chat’ then rather than spend time and money integrating it into the existing software now. Put on the Caldicot & Chepstow Suite doors a “Vacant/Occupied” slide sign to stop people walking in to the meeting room thinking it is empty when actually there are people in there having private and confidential conversations. This has now been done! In the Caldicot and Chepstow Suite install telephones. Sometimes Managers need to make difficult or private conversations to members of staff at home or away from the office and doing this in an open plan office can be difficult. IT Reply: There’s no problem doing this. As well as the handsets we’ll have to order additional licenses from Mitel. That can take a couple of weeks but I’ll place the order asap and set up the phones as soon as they are available. 11/03/15 licences received, MG said phones will be installed asap. Have signs suspended from ceiling tiles which indicate what teams sit where - like the signs they have
in supermarkets. Helps people orientate especially if they are new or are not office based - can easily be moved as teams move. Facilities reply: I’ve spoken with the team and it was decided that signs hanging down from the ceiling tiles wouldn’t be the most aesthetically pleasing option and we would look exactly like the suggestion, a supermarket. However, we have looked into the idea of getting either an A4/ A5 colour coded map made up to be given to any new starters upon their induction. Shani can keep some on reception however visitors should be accompanied by their host at all times anyway. I’m hoping to speak with Graham in Corporate to see if he can come up with some simple but creative ideas. We thought of free standing signs but these will go missing and wouldn’t be very noticeable when masked by paper and files. Ongoing Text tenants prior to the ‘rent free weeks’ to save a lot of these enquiries coming through to the CSA Team Mark’s reply: Tenants are informed of the dates of the free weeks on their rent increase letter, and it is included on their payment record, if they have requested one. Sending a text relating to the free weeks, could raise more calls than it would prevent.
s t r o p S Monmouth Tri Club – Challenge Aquathlon 2
s t n e v E
6th July 2015
The Aquathon: For adults and young athletes 17 and over:
Dirty Dozen Races 11th July 2015 in Usk
Dirty Dozen Races is known for being the home of big obstacles but that’s just a small part of who we are. All of our courses and obstacles are designed by the infamous ‘Beard’ whose hell bent on helping you lead a fitter and healthier lifestyle.
Swim open water in the River Wye, The 6k obstacle race combines change into running gear and run 15 military style obstacles with along the riverbanks footpaths challenging terrain to test agility, strength and endurance! It can be Choose from: done as part of a team or on your • 2km swim + 12km run own. • 1km swim + 12km run
The Challenge Run: 12km run mainly along the riverbanks of the River Wye. www.monmouthtriclub.co.uk
Remember: There are 2 folding bikes available to borrow if you would like to do some cycling over the summer months. If you would be interested in borrowing the bikes or to find out more please speak to Tony Clark in Finance.
Have a look at the website: www. eventbrite.co.uk/e/dirty-dashsouth-wales-11-july-2015-6kmregistration-13767518017 Booking for June/July 2015 Festival now open! This year we begin an exciting new venture teaming up with walkers in the Forest of Dean to create the MonDean Walking Festival. This will allow us to offer walks across the county of Monmouth from the Black Mountains through the Monnow and Usk Valleys to the Wye Valley and to pick up the link on its opposite bank with the beautiful Forest of Dean - capturing the industrial and geographical links between the areas as well as their stunning scenery. www.walkinginmonmouthshire. org 25
Kneeling Chairs
Try the Treadmill Desk By Kayleigh Down
The treadmill desk is now available to use. All information is on In House, please remember to book your time and to complete a risk assessment with your line manager before you use it. The treadmill is based in the CSA office. Did you know the treadmill desk has been proven to have the following advantages:
Two kneeling chairs have been purchased and are now available to try. Please have a go and let us know how you get on with them. Kneeling Chair Benefits: • Back Pain Relief • Improve Your Posture • Long-lasting Comfort and Ease • Core Muscle Development • Increased Work Performance 26
• Brain Boost • Reduce Back Pain • Feel Happier • Healthier Heart • Improve Focus • Boost Productivity • Improve Metabolism • Live Longer As I write this I am walking at 3 miles per hour on the treadmill desk. It takes a bit of getting used to and I am struggling slightly with multitasking but I am reassured by Domini Barnes who uses the desk regularly. She says ‘once I am on the treadmill it is like second nature. Once I am working and ‘in the zone’, I actually forget that I am walking and time goes like any other day, apart from I have actually burnt calories in the process.’ In attempt to get us all moving more we are launching a competition throughout July to see who can walk the most miles on the treadmill over the course of the month. There will be a prize of £20 high street vouchers for the person who covers the furthest distance.
Eric
If you have any content you would like updated please speak to your content manager:
Housing & Communities
Chris York, Cath Murray & Terry MacColl
Property Services Elaine Sollis On 20th April we launched your new fresh look intranet In House. We held demos throughout the day and gave away some freebies and chocolates to win prizes. We are continuing to keep In House updated with fresh ideas so please let us know if you have any suggestions for your intranet. We will shortly be running some demo sessions with the DLO to use In House via their PDA’s.
HR
You can now update your colleagues by posting on your timeline what you are working on and this will also help Corporate Services to promote the work you are doing through social media and press releases.
Maria Williams
You can also book annual leave and the monthly car wash and keep up to date with the latest competitions and find the latest policies. There is also a Staff Room where you can you can check out Matts latest money tips, a video corner and keep up to date with the latest news from Inside Housing to BBC Sport.
Adele Aubrey & Carol Thompson
Corporate Services
Louise Davies, Graham Harvey & Nathan Cook
IT
Cariad Griffiths & Dewi Parry
Finance
Hav claim e you free ed yo choc ur Pop up t o late get y o Corp ? our o rate fr p
ee b Serv lus chan other go ar of cho ices to c o ce o f win dies an olate ticke ning a ‘g d the t’ pri olde ze. n 27
NEW
1,909 Followers
Following 362
1,383 Tweets
@Jessie_MHA Scrutiny panel is taking place at our lovely @Mon_ Housing office today #gettinginvolved
Send us a pic of your pet! The pets will be published in the next edition and you could win a £10 High Street Voucher. Email Louise Davies with a pic of your pet and tell us a little bit about them.
@CHCymru Double success for @Mon_Housing featured in @24housing, John Keegan CEO ‘this accolade doesn’t happen by accident’. @BowenGardens Exciting News!! – All plots @BowenGardens have now been reserved...@Lovell_UK @CapselLtd @ ParrysProperty @Mon_Housing @Mon_Housing Say hello to @claire_mha our Web Wise Support Advisor, start following her now for all the latest help and digital updates. @Mon_Housing MHA welcomes 3 new volunteers this week through the #WayIntoWork course. Interested in volunteering? Contact MHA’s Work & Skills Wise Team
Hello, I’m Colt “This is Colt, he’s four years old and an American Bulldog. We share the same birthday and I love him to bits!
Positive meeting today with @Mon_Housing to discuss new development excellent example of partnership working! #partnership #positive #IOP
Where we live he’s known as the ‘Lazy Dog’ because every time I take him for a walk he always decides he can no longer be bothered to walk home and lies down at every opportunity (every couple of steps). The neighbours always point and laugh when I’m trying to drag him home, he knows I can’t lift him up and uses this to his advantage (he weighs 7stone!) Whenever I’m sat on the sofa he’s more than happy to climb on my lap and totally squash me or sit himself in-between me and Joe as he really doesn’t like to share my love and affection and gets ever so jealous of anyone else. Colt’s favourite trick is to give me a smile with his teeth showing and that always makes me give in to him!”
On Twitter? Why not follow us @mon_housing
By Jessie Sibthorpe
@IOPteam
28
CuIsine Corner
Welcome to Cuisine Corner! We all love food and it’s always good to get some inspiration from others about what to cook and where to go. Each edition, we want some tantalisingly tasty, tried and tested recipes and reviews to feature in Cuisine Corner.
Restaurant Review Las Iguanas, Cardiff By Jessie Sibthorpe
Las Iguanas is my favourite food place, when you walk inside there’s always lots going on, authentic music, tables full of people and sizzling fajitas coming past making you hungry. Las Iguanas is a Latin American themed restaurant serving dishes from all over South America. There’s lots of menu choices to suit anyone and there’s lots of authentic ingredients I’ve never experienced so if you like to try new things this is the place to go.
In Cardiff Bay at the left hand side of the restaurant there is a bar and seating area where you can make the most of the cocktails whilst you wait for a table. Me and my other half seem to spend most ‘date nights’ here, however it isn’t your most romantic restaurant just casual, good food and a good atmosphere! Recently we went there and had the Nachos sharer for starter followed by steak fajitas, you can’t get better than a sizzling plate of medium-rare steak strips, onions and peppers ready to stuff in warm tortilla wraps. For dessert (if I can squeeze it in) churros with chocolate dip are always a winner for us too! I’d definitely rate Las Iguanas 5* – Maybe those 2-4-1 cocktails are just too tempting!
RECIPE Cupcakes Ingredients For the Cake Mixture: • 4oz Stork • 4oz Caster Sugar • 4oz Self Raising Flour • 2 Medium Eggs For the Buttercream Icing: • 1 Whole Block of Unsalted Butter • 4 Cups/Mugs of Icing Sugar • 2 Tablespoons of Milk Method • Put all the cake mixture ingredients together in a bowl and mix together with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. • Preheat the oven to 170c or 160c for fan ovens. • Spoon the cake mixture evenly into cases and fill just over halfway. • Pop the cakes into the oven once hot and leave for 20 minutes. • Check that the cakes are cooked all the way through with a cake tester. • Once done leave the cakes to cool for at least 30 minutes. • Meanwhile pop the butter, icing sugar and milk into a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until it is all blended together and creamy but not runny. • Pop the icing mixture into a piping bag complete with a cupcake piping nozzle and pipe a swirl around the top of the cake & voilà!
If you would like to share your ideas with us, then please get in touch with the Corporate Services Team. 29
Day 3 came around and I had to measure my progress so far. I had lost 4lb and 41/2” all over. I couldn’t believe it, talk about chuffed! This gave me the motivation and determination to know if I stick to this it’s really going to be worth it. Day 8 I had a lovely treat at the Harvester on the way home with the ‘Simply Chicken’ dish which is 575 calories.
C9 Programme by Katrina Surtees I started my Forever Living business to earn some extra cash, I immediately fell in love with the products and I am very passionate about them. I began drinking the Aloe Vera Gel as this is bursting with nutrients and can help improve your immune system, balance your digestive system, improve energy, it’s good for your skin and nails and is generally a good health tonic. After seeing some amazing results and testimonials I decided to give the Clean 9 programme a go! The programme can help to jump-start your journey to a slimmer, healthier you and will rid your body of all the toxins and stored fat cells so that your body can absorb all the nutrients from your food properly. I purchased my Clean 9 and was really excited and looking forward to starting it, but on the evening before I had a doubt in my mind and thought “this is going to kill me, I love my food!!” but I woke up on Day 1 and thought ‘Come on Trina! Lets do this!’ I began following the programme and by early evening could not believe how easy it had been! I was shocked at how I’d not been hungry or craved any “junk” food. Day’s 1 and 2 flew by and I felt amazing, less bloated, more energised and wanted to do more physical exercise so my dog thought that was awesome having more, longer, faster walkies! 30
By Day 10 I had lost a total of 11lb and 123/4”. To say I was pleased was an understatement, I was totally blown away. I’d lost all this weight and as if that wasn’t enough I had this new found energy and felt amazing! I now have a completely different mindset about eating healthy and am certainly not going to slip back into my bad habits.
Thank you C9 #changeforever
PRESS RELEASES
31
ok pa ges We now have 2 active Facebo www.facebook.com/Monmou
285 Likes
thshire.Housing
www.fa ce bo ok .co m /M HACo m
m un ity Bu zz
99 Likes
s th at they can Don’t forget to tell our tenant ate with all the use this pa ge to keep up-to-d have going on latest events and activities we within their communities.
MHA0317
32