August 2015
RUGBY WORLD CUP JOHN’S BRIEFING COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TEAM RHODE ISLAND PET CORNER AND MUCH MORE!
Pool A Australia
Pool B
Pool C
South Africa New Zealand
Pool D
5: SCOTLAND
6: ENGLAND
Star man: Stuart Hogg Population: 5,295,000 Capital: Edinburgh
Star man: Jonathan Joseph Population: 53,012,456 Capital: London
9: FRANCE
10: ITALY
Star man: Wesley Fofana Population: 66,317,994 Capital: Paris
Star man: Giovanbattista Venditti Population: 60,795,612 Capital: Rome
France
England
Samoa
Argentina
Ireland
Wales
Japan
Tonga
Italy
Fiji
Scotland
Georgia
Canada
Uruguay
USA
Namibia
Romania
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8
6 7 9
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1: CANADA Star man: Jeff Hassler Population: 35,344,962 Capital: Ottawa
2: USA Star man: Samu Manoa Population: 321,230,000 Capital: Washington DC
3: URUGUAY Star man: AgustĂn Ormaechea Population: 3,324,460 Capital: Montevideo
4: ARGENTINA Star man: Juan Imhoff Population: 42,669,500 Capital: Buenos Aires
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4
3
7: WALES
8: IRELAND
15: JAPAN
Star man: George North Population: 3,063,456 Capital: Cardiff
Star man: Johnny Sexton Population: 4,595,000 Capital: Dublin
Star man: Michael Leitch Population: 127,220,000 Capital: Tokyo
11: ROMANIA
12: GEORGIA
16: SAMOA
Star man: Mihai Macovei Population: 19,960,000 Capital: Bucharest
Star man: Mamuka Gorgodze Population: 3,729,500 Capital: Tbilisi
Star man: Ken Pisi Population: 194,320 Capital: Apia
17: FIJI Star man: Ashkan Dejagah Population: 858,038 Capital: Suva
18: TONGA
The 2015 Rugby World Cup will be the eighth Rugby World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by England (& Wales) from 18th September to 31st October 2015. Twickenham Stadium in London will host the final.
11 12 10
Of the 20 teams competing at the 2015 World Cup, 12 of them qualified by finishing in the top three places in their pools in the 2011 World Cup. The other eight teams qualified through regional competition. Of the 20 countries that competed in the previous World Cup in 2011, there is only one change – Uruguay replace Russia.
Star man: Fetu’u Vainikolo Population: 105,323 Capital: Nuku’alofa
19: AUSTRALIA Star man: Israel Folau Population: 23,837,200 Capital: Canberra
20: NEW ZEALAND Star man: Julian Savea Population: 4,500,000 Capital: Wellington
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17 13
19
16
18
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13: NAMIBIA
14: SOUTH AFRICA
Star man: Jacques Burger Population: 2,303,000 Capital: Windhoek
Star man: Eben Etzebeth Population: 52,981,991 Capital: Cape Town, Pretoria & Bloemfontein
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John’s Briefing Board meeting
The Big Chat Fortnight
The last Board meeting was held on 22 July.
The Big Chat Fortnight will be happening from 21 September to 2 October. Following on from last year’s Big Chat we’ve noticed that a traditional ‘offer document’ isn’t the way that our residents want to tell us what they want, so we’re going all out to talk face to face with everyone to shape our services for the future. We’ll be out and about in our neighbourhoods asking residents three questions about what they want.
New faces We’d like to welcome Karen Tarbox, the new Director of Properties who is took over from Ian Atkinson this August. Karen is “… so excited to join MHA and working directly with the DSO. I’m passionate about housing; to me it’s about making homes that people want to live in.”
Developments: Trevor Bowen House: Will be officially opened on 24 September. All staff are invited to visit the development. Tenants will move back in over the coming weeks and will also be joined by new tenants. St David’s Road is also looking good and is close to completion. The great thing about our new developments is that the quality is amazing, but this does mean that some of our older properties need improving as a result.
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During the Big Chat Fortnight we’ll be setting up gazebos, sending postcards, speaking to residents on the telephone, going door-to-door and holding coffee and chats so that our residents can tell us what means the most to them. We’ll be looking for volunteers to help us with this work.
123 Campaign The 123 Campaign has been developed so that all tenants potentially affected by the impact of welfare reform will know what to and will prepare in a timely fashion. Postcards have been sent to all tenants who may be affected on the 21 September and in the future.
REMEMBER
Life Begins
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!
Is the new branding for the sheltered schemes and is looking great.
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.
Tenants’ Survey We’ve had encouraging results from the Tenants’ Survey and the six key areas are in the upper quartile with performance in one area the highest in Wales. While some performance is good, other areas have dropped and these results - along with welfare reform - show that there are challenges ahead for us.
Higher Standard Voids Headlines from budget Universal credit will come to Monmouthshire on 21 September, initially for single JSA claimants. Initially around 15 cases per month will be moved across with other benefit claimants crossing over to UC in time. We anticipate that there will be 1400 residents to begin with and will increase over the next three years as more residents reach pensionable age – so it’s really important that we’re geared up for this change. CURO, a pathfinder project in Bath have 117 tenants on Universal Credit and have found that their arrears peaked at 18% MHA’s rent arrears are currently at 1.5% - so we will need to intensely manage our rent arrears in future. We will be reporting the financial impact report to Board in September.
Capsel We recently met with Cadwyn waste to look at a more structured approach and we’re looking to increase the number of volunteers through the waste yard. Volunteering transforms lives and volunteer Allan Probert is doing great: to read his case study go to www.capsel.co.uk/news.html
Safe Hands We’re rebranding the supporting people team who assist residents over age 55 with their tenancies; they help out with bills in order to help them continue to live independently. The team is looking for more referrals – for more information on the service watch our video online: www.monmouthshirehousing.co.uk
Voids that are receiving a full decoration and carpeting are receiving lots of positive feedback from DSO staff and residents. Responses during 4 weekly visits are also excellent.
Regulatory Outcome 8 Anti-social behavior was a large feature of this item at Board and we discussed how to keep down crime levels so that residents don’t fear criminal activity. It’s also about making people care about their tenancies and being aware of what they’d lose if they were evicted.
Annual Accounts We’ll be concluding discussions with Barclays bank soon.
Year to Date Performance Sickness figures were down in June, but higher in July; it’s important to support staff in getting back to work so that there’s less pressure on colleagues.
Regeneration Strategy The Regeneration Strategy was approved at Board. Re-designation of OAP lets: The re-designation is going well: 29 lets were made into the re-designated stock, with only one tenancy failing.
Notable dates 10 September: Making A Difference Awards 23 September: AGM – here at HQ 24 September: Opening of Trevor Bowen House 5
News In Brief Save the Date
COMPLIMENTS Ms Holland would like to thank Matthew Taylor for...
”Being so kind, patient and helpful. My application for HB was far from straight forward but Matthew made me feel like he was in my corner with me, which was so important to me. Thanks to MHA for offering such a wonderful service.”
Mrs Symonds would like to thank Sarah Jones for...
”The help through the Money Wise Service. Can I just say this scheme has been fantastic for me. Having Sarah visit my home is such a big deal for me, I honestly don’t know where I would be without her, she is amazing! I really am extremely grateful, she deserves to be praised for all her hard work so I would like to say a huge thank you.”
Mr Arnold would like to thank Adrian Simmonds and Jake Cohen for...
”Arranging for Jake to thoroughly check my heating system. Jake was very thorough and bled all the radiators and got my heating system running correctly. I have just received the next quarter bill which was £142 which I feel is more realistic. I would like to pass on my thanks to Mr Simmonds and Jake.”
Mr Arthur would like to thank Andrew Young for...
”Going the extra mile to make a tenant happy. The door was sealed very nicely to stop the drafts all the way round. Andrew arrived and then went to purchase all he needed to accomplish this...very impressed.”
Mrs Foster would like to thank Justine Whitcombe for...
”Thanks so much for all your help. It is very much appreciated.” 6
Friday 4th December – This years Xmas Party will be held at the Manor Hotel, Crickhowell with live entertainment from ‘Kozmic Drive’ featuring our very own Jade West. Check out the next edition of EBuzz for a short interview with Jade as she tells us what we can expect from ‘Kozmic Drive’ on the Night.
Pretty Muddy 5k On Saturday July 18th Louise Davies & Philippa Worgan took part in Muddy Race for Life 5k at Bute Park, Cardiff. It was rather muddy ‘obviously’ but we had good fun climbing obstacles, crawling through tunnels in between some running and then the big slide down into the mud pool at the end. We were told as we crossed the finished line we looked too clean! A big thank you to everyone that sponsored us – We raised £92 for Cancer Research UK. We will be taking part again next year and would like some more of you ladies to join us; the event gets booked up really quickly so if you are interested, please can you contact Louise Davies.
Meet the new faces of the Community Investment Team
Natasha Jones
Shane Hatherall
Emily Townsend
The Community Investment Team has seen some changes over the last few months. In April Natasha Jones joined MHA as the new Community Investment Coordinator. Shane Hatherall then joined in May as the Project Officer followed by the new Community Investment Apprentice Emily Townsend and Amy Jones, Ziggies Coordinator in July. The role of the team is to deliver innovative and exciting projects which promote health and wellbeing amongst MHA communities. The team cannot do this alone. It is very important that the team work with internal departments within MHA such as Neighbourhoods who have a wealth of knowledge of the locality and tenants but also to work with external partners such as Mind and Monmouthshire County Council. This ensures projects make the maximum impact in communities resulting in tenants living happy and healthy lives. Here are some examples of the type of projects: Ziggies After School Club: Ziggies is a free after school club for 3 to 8 year olds which will be running in Deri View, Abergavenny and Kymin View, Abertillery from September 2015. Its main purpose is to promote physical literacy through children’s love of stories. It is run by parents for parents who are supported by Amy Jones, the Coordinator. Amy
Amy Jones
Dominic Pembridge
will be promoting Ziggies to more schools across Monmouthshire and will be setting up new clubs throughout the year. Rock Academy: Rock Academy is a week of rocking fun! Young people have the opportunity to join a rock band and learn musical instruments like guitar or drums; or learn how to DJ and spin tracks on the decks. The young people will then host their own gig to family and friends at the end of the week. Street Sports @ Mardy: A range of free and fun sporting activities including football, athletics, cricket, dodgeball, tennis and lots more located on the Mardy Field behind the Llantilio Pertholey Community Centre. There are also opportunities for young people to become youth leaders. Dads Can: Dads Can is a project specifically for young fathers aged 14 to 25. The project supports young fathers across Monmouthshire and Newport in their transition into fatherhood. The project is managed by a Project Coordinator and two Development Workers. The Development Workers can support the young dads in all aspects of their lives, from parenting to employment. It is a five year Big Lottery funded project. Do you know any young dads that would benefit from the project? Contact Dominic Pembridge, Development Worker on 07964 845727. If you have any ideas of projects you think would benefit a community please get in touch. 7
Changes to Driving Abroad
Driving abroad? Here’s what you need to know Time was if you were driving abroad, you’d take your paper licence with you, show it at the car hire desk and you were away getting your kicks on Route 66.
Once you’ve entered these you’ll be able to see your details, including your endorsements (if you have any).
As of 8th June 2015, the DVLA have done away with the paper driving licence - Which is great news if you have a photo driving licence and you hate the whole paper thing. All your details are now held online and you can access these at any time.
You can also request a ‘check code’ – which is what you’ll need to give to the car hire desk. The code is a one-time-access code which will allow them to log in to the DVLA system to verify your records.
The DVLA now advise drivers that they can throw away their paper counterparts, keeping just the photo part. If you don’t have a photo card licence, you’ll need to keep your paper copy. It’s easy to view your driving record; just visit the DVLA website: www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence to view your record. You’ll need to know: • Your driving licence number • Your National Insurance number • The postcode on your licence
The DVLA website will instantly generate a unique code that you’ll need to make a note of – this will last for 21 days so you can plan ahead. If you’re a belt and braces type you’ll be able to print off your records and you can take these with you in case technology fails. The AA also recommend that you take your paper copy with you, although any new changes or endorsements won’t be added as it’s no longer a legal document: everything will be updated online. The AA also warns that some hire companies may not be aware of the changes, so it’s a good idea to take paper copies or make a note of your National Insurance details so that you can check online while you’re away.
Source: www.gov.uk
MHA Staff Benefits pay out £4,280 In the past year our Staff Benefit from Bupa Cashplan has paid our employees £4,280 towards medical and optical expenses. Have you claimed all that you’re entitled to? Please contact the HR Team if you have any queries. Group Claims Analysis - Monmouthshire Housing Association - Group -11516, for claims from 25/06/2014 to 25/06/2015 Total amount claimed in pounds Consultation fees
Dental Hospital in-patient
Maternity and adoption
Optical
Physiotherapy benefits
Total
438
1,426 62
100
1,374
881
4,280
Maternity and adoption 2
Optical
Physiotherapy benefits 16
Total
Total number of claims Consultation fees 5
8
Dental Hospital in-patient 46 2
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How to Barbecue Safely You can’t beat a bit of back-to-basics barbecuing - you, your friends and the great outdoors - but in these sterile times our stomachs just can’t handle a rough and ready approach to food hygiene. You don’t need to be too precious but if you follow a few basic rules, you can be sure your guests will go home feeling pleasantly satisfied not peaky. 1. Keep all your perishable ingredients in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them. Often with a barbecue people are grazing over a period of time so you want to avoid taking food out before it’s necessary. 2. All frozen meat should be thoroughly thawed out before you put it on the barbecue, otherwise it may appear to be cooked on the outside but will be raw on the inside. 3. Wash your hands before handling food to avoid any cross-contamination. If you touch raw meat or fish, wash your hands before touching readyto-eat foods and do not put ready-to-eat foods on plates that have been used to carry raw meat or fish. You also want to avoid using any utensils for both raw and ready-to-eat foods. 4. Make sure your barbecue is hot enough before you start and turn your meat during cooking time so that it cooks evenly throughout.
5. For extra safety, ensure all meat, particularly chicken, pork, sausages and burgers are cooked throughout. You can be less concerned with steaks and lamb chops. Ensure fish is cooked throughout too. 6. Watch out for dripping meat and fish juices, avoid trailing raw meat or fish over cooked and do not use leftover marinade as a sauce. 7. Don’t leave food out in direct sunlight, pick a shady spot or indoors for your buffet table. Don’t leave food out for more than two hours. The safest option is often to throw away leftovers. If you are planning to be serving food over the course of an afternoon, put salads, meats and other perishable foods out in batches in fresh bowls. 8. Keep desserts in the fridge until the main course is over, again avoiding unnecessary time standing around. 9. Barbecues can be dangerous so be careful and ensure you and your family and friends stay safe.
Source: BBC Good Food
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Emma Assender Governance & Communications Assistant I come to MHA from Newport City Homes where I’ve spent the last two years loving the worlds of Communications and Governance. I’m thrilled to join the team here and can’t wait to meet everyone and find out what great things everyone is working on. When I’m not working on tweeting the latest news from you guys or supporting our Board Members I love photography and food: in fact most of my raving is usually about food, especially if it’s salted caramel (believe me, it’s so wrong it’s right). I also love travelling; I recently visited New England, but I love North Africa and France (cheese and wine - what’s not to like?) and fashion (mostly leopard print - yes, the crazy leopard print mug is mine!).
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? It’s a toughie, but I think I could cope with being stuck in a lift with Johnny Depp: apart from sharing a liking for Lagavulin single malt scotch, I love his quirky character and he’d certainly keep me entertained whilst, rather handily, being very easy on the eye!
Andrew Matthews Multi Skilled Operative I have worked for MHA previously under contract with Newport housing. I completed a carpentry apprenticeship with a private firm in Tredegar too many years ago to mention. I enjoy cycling with my children at the weekends
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? I’d like to be stuck in a lift with Dave Price...who wouldn’t want to be!
Alex Caswell Assistant Building Surveyor I have recently joined MHA as a Assistant Surveyor with Asset Management after graduating from the University of South Wales with a first class honours. I am thoroughly enjoying working for MHA and the team I work with. I also enjoy doing sports and fitness in particular boxing and love to travel.
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 have to be Muhammad Ali as he would be amazing to talk to! 10
Why not say hello to all the new starters on
Cerrys Burnell Project Intern (Neighbourhoods) Hi I’m Cerrys! I joined MHA in June as a Project Intern working on the Rent Management Review. I am heading back to university in September to complete my final year so I am only here for a few months, but I am thoroughly enjoying myself so far!
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If I could be stuck in a lift with somebody it would be Lee Evans. I love watching comedy shows and I find him hilarious, it would certainly keep me entertained for a few hours!
Alexandra Callaghan Project Intern (Partnerships & Projects) I am a student studying health and social care in Cardiff Metropolitan University. I also work as a waitress at the Celtic Manor Resort. I love to travel and am quite literally addicted to booking holidays, my favourite place is Las Vegas! In my spare time I love to walk my dogs and I am a bit of a cocktail enthusiast. I would love to open a cocktail bar or old-school American diner.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? Being stuck in a lift is no fun, BUT if I was stuck in a lift with Katy Perry I’m sure it wouldn’t be so bad. She is just fabulous – I also think she’d have some pretty cool stories to tell and could do a little musical number!
David Morton Multi Skilled Operative I joined MHA after working for the voids team as an agency operative, doing painting and decorating. I have also worked for Caerphilly CBC doing WHQS kitchen and bathroom work. I enjoy walking in the countryside, particularly on the mountains within the area.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? I would like to be stuck in a lift with Will Smith so he could show me how to act.
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Joanne Doughty Community Services Advisor I am a divorced, single parent to my 11 year old daughter Tegan, and I recently moved to the New Inn area. Leaving my role of 28 years with Monmouthshire County Council to join MHA was a big step, but continuing my role in frontline service I hope to gain job satisfaction and look forward to working with new colleagues. In the week that I have been employed by MHA, I have been welcomed by all staff throughout the building and feel excited about my new role.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? Sad that I have to think about this, but my first thought would be a hunky fireman, but celeb wise I would say Peter Kay because I would at least have a laugh, distracting me from thoughts of actually being stuck in a lift.
Anna White DSO Maintenance Administrator Hi, I’m Anna and I have recently been appointed as DSO Maintenance Administrator and before joining the MHA team I worked at Coleg Gwent in Usk Campus. I have 2 children who take up most of my time outside of work and I enjoy running and boxing (to de-stress!).
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If I ever had the misfortune to be stuck in a lift I would love to be in there with “Mrs Brown” for the entertainment factor!
Emily Townsend Community Investment Apprentice Hi, my name is Emily Townsend and I’m the new Community Investment Apprentice! I graduated last summer with an acting degree and have a huge passion for the theatre. Over the last year I have been working part-time and developed my skills through working with a local youth theatre Rareseed. I love to act, travel, spend time with my family and friends and to bake cakes and then eat them!
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If I had to be stuck in a lift with someone I’d chose Mary Berry! She’s bound to have some cakes hidden somewhere, or be able to make them out of nothing!
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Why not say hello to all the new starters on
Joel Eaddy Information Services Support Officer I have recently graduated from my computer science course with an upper second class honours. I love anything to do with technology and being an Information Services Support Officer is my dream job and I’m really enjoying it.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? Richard Branson, mainly because like me he struggled with Dyslexia but still managed to make a success of himself. I find it very motivating that despite whatever difficulties you may have you can still find a way to succeed in whatever you do, and I would like to talk with him about his struggles.
Peter Griffiths-Jones Facilities and Compliance Officer
Evan Jones Apprentice Painter For more information about Evan and Capsel, see page 27.
Allan Probert Waste Operative I volunteered with MHA and Capsel in the beginning just get out of the house more and meet some new people but luck was with me and it turned in to a full time job. In the little spare time I get from work and raising my son with my partner, I love building computers and reading and have just started taking an interest in gardening as my son loves planting seeds and watching them grow.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If I was stuck in a lift first choice for who else would be in there would be an engineer because I’d want to get out of there. Failing that it would have to be my youngest son as he never stops talking and the time would just fly by until it was fixed.
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We wish them the best for the future. Heather Donne Administrative Assistant
Sarah Foster Relief Cleaner (Davis Court, The Reddings)
Jane Philpott Neighbourhood Officer
Jim Jones Dads Can Development Worker
Jane Grayer Dads Can Project Co-ordinator
Cariad Griffiths from IT is currently on Maternity Leave.
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White Ribbon Fancy a game Football Tournament
Ten teams battled it out in the first White Ribbon Football Tournament on Friday 7th August hosted by Tai Calon Housing Association. White Ribbon is a campaign working to end men’s violence against women. The Five aside event was held at Beaufort Welfare Ground in Ebbw Vale and MHA sponsored £50 for the team entry and they had great fun taking part together with Linc Cymru, Melin, Tai Calon, Rhondda Housing, Gwent Police, Hugh James Solicitors, Working Links and A P Waters Building Contractors. Our MHA Allstars came runner up in the plate final. Well done lads!
of football after work?
Every Wednesday 17:0018:00 at the Football Factory, Cwmbran. If you’re interested in joining up with colleagues for a friendly (but competitive) game of 5-a-side after work on a Tuesday, drop Michael Harper or Dewi Parry an email. You don’t need to be Messi or Ronaldo, we welcome all comers!
The North Gwent Referees Association was in charge of proceedings and community radio station, BRfm, provided a ball by ball commentary. The event was so popular that they are thinking about making the tournament an annual event.
MHA All-Stars Back Row left to right: Dewi Parry, Joseph Lewis, David James, Gavin Howells, Alan Webber, Shane Hatherall Front Row left to right: Dean Phillips, Michael Harper 15
Rhode Island by Emma Assender
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Not many people would think of Newport as a holiday destination, but if you were to live in New England Newport, Rhode Island would be the place to spend summer. Having found myself there as bridesmaid to my brother and his American fiancée, there’s just too much to talk about without taking up this whole issue of EBuzz, so here are a few of my top tips of what to do when in Newport, RI: Eats – I’ll start with a subject close to my heart – food! New England has its specialties and if you’re a seafood fan you definitely won’t starve! Clams: There’s loads of ‘em, although you need a licence to take them off the beach, you can catch them pretty easily with just your toes and an ability to dive in the waves. Otherwise you can find them on every menu in the area: clam strips, clam chowder, stuffies – you name it, they’re in it. Clam chowder: There are two main types, the mother of all clam chowder is the New England version that’s milk / cream based but the Rhode Island version is better for your waistline being broth-based (and no less tasty!). You can order bowls or cups of chowder - which is less of a commitment if you’re new to seafood – or you just can’t decide between starters! Stuffies: Clams mixed with breadcrumbs, onion and bacon and baked in their shells. Delicious with a cup of chowder (see above). Baked oysters: Don’t be put off because they’re oysters. These are baked in the oven, usually under a crust of chopped bacon and melted cheese. Lobster: You can’t go far without lobster; the best way is to grab a lobster roll to eat on the beach. A soft roll, rammed with chunks of lobster, tossed in mayo and mixed with iceberg lettuce for crunch. Bliss! Awful Awful: sounds dreadful, tastes heavenly. These are a Rhode Island specialty that may well challenge the reputation of New England cousins, Ben & Jerry: Newport Ice cream blended into a milkshake that is Awful Big, Awful Good, hence the name.
Del’s Lemonade: Basically a Slush Puppy that’s made locally from real lemons (including the zesty bits). It’s a lifesaver on a hot day on the beach, but beware of the ice-cream headache! Things to see: There’s no shortage of places to go and things to do in New England: Here are my ‘must see’ places that you can’t come home without experiencing: Plimoth Plantation: Massachusetts’ answer to St Fagans, Plimoth Plantation retains the original spelling from the days of the Pilgrims. Using materials and techniques that historians understand were used at the time, it’s a faithful reproduction of the shelters that were their first homes. Actors take on the roles of the original settlers and will happily chat to you (in Olde English) about life there in 1621. I discovered from one lady how turkeys give “good belly cheer” once you’ve waited for them to go to roost and you can knock them on the head for dinner. There’s also an area recreating what life for the American Indian Wampanoag tribespeople was like. Head into Plymouth town to climb aboard the Mayflower II: a reconstructed version of the Mayflower that carried the Pilgrims across the Atlantic. Prepare yourself: it’s smaller than you’d imagine! Newport Mansions: Rhode Island, being situated between New York and Boston rapidly became a popular place for the rich and famous to spend their summers. Belle Vue Avenue is the millionaires’ row of RI and you can spend hours strolling along, taking in the grandeur of the millions of dollars’ worth of ‘summer cottages’. The best examples are Rosecliff and The Breakers – possibly Rhode Island’s answer to Downton Abbey. Boston: About an hour away from RI, it’s a friendly, buzzing city with absolutely loads to do. But if there’s one thing you should do, it’s go see the Boston Red Sox play baseball! It’s a bit like being at a huge barbeque – with about 37,000 mates; sip beer and grab food from the vendors who run up and down the concourses yelling their wares. You won’t even need to leave your seat; they pass your hotdog/ burger/peanuts/donuts along the audience and you pass your dollars back. Every now and then there’ll be a mad dash on the park as someone goes for a home run – watch the crowd go crazy if it’s one of the Red Sox. 17
Civica Project A new Housing Management System The Benefits Great customer experience: • The new system makes it easy for you to store, update and access customer profile information such as ethnicity, disability or vulnerability • You’ll be able to tailor services according to known requirements for example communicating with customers by their preferred means • The system will give customers the ability to access their account information, pay their rent and make transactions on-line
• Data is regularly updated which means that whether you’re in the office or working remotely i.e. from home, from a tenant’s home or another office, you’ll have the latest information to work with • You’ll be able to access data and reports anywhere, so you can work agilely without having to visit the office to access the systems you need • You will be able to record ad-hoc/additional information and report non - associated incidents, such as graffiti or fly tipping • The system will produce automated letters and reports for you
• Anti-Social Behaviour reporting will be much easier • The system will be set up with void paths that will for you to record ensure procedures are followed, and processes are • Improved processing and monitoring of voids will automatically triggered so that voids are turned allow you to give clear timescales around sign up around quickly dates • The system will contain more efficient automated • The new system is designed to cut down arrears processes and more effective reporting administrative tasks, giving you more time to focus tools making it easier to stay on top of arrears and on delivering services to our customers at the front help you decide how to manage them line • You’ll have easy access to information, making it easier for you to answer queries there and then, without having to pass the caller on Making our job easier: • The new system will integrate asset management, finance and responsive repairs information: you won’t have to duplicate your data input, saving you time
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Giving you the power to: • Take ownership of our own workloads/ performance as a result of being able to generate reports • Be more pro-active about the way we provide service by working smarter through the use of technology • Offer improved processing of customer enquires at the first point of contact using improved information and current information from the database
Meet the Civica Team Mark Winstanley
What are you doing for the project?
What do you think is the best thing about the new CRM system?
I’m the Database Administrator for the current systems so I will be doing the same for the new CRM. My main focus at the moment is preparing the data that we already have for migrating across to the new system. When it’s up and running I’ll be initially helping with training, but mostly I’ll be dealing with how the data can be accessed by everyone: I’ll be the person to speak to about reports, creating new reports, and setting up new codes within the system.
The most outstanding thing to me is the ease of access: you’ll be able to search for a person really easily – everything MHA deals with will be there, from repairs to rent to complaints: it will give you an overview of our relationship with our tenants.
We’ll be bringing over two years’ worth of history – but don’t worry, older records will be available from the archive. Just ask and I can make it available to you.
The other exciting thing is the tenant portal: tenants can log in and look at their own account – they can set up a direct debit and check their payments for example.
Clayton Charles
I’m part of the project as the Housing & Communities team has such a broad view of our systems: we need to get involved with so many different aspects of support that I’ve been called upon to help advise on what we need for a new system. My focus will be on ensuring that our tenants get a great experience, so I’ll be advising the team on what a great CRM system will look like for MHA. I’ll be asking staff members for feedback and then pulling it all together so that the new system has all the good stuff about our existing ones.
The best thing about the new system will be the ability for anyone to see an overview of the account, so that if there’s something that needs to be resolved in one area, the staff member can easily see what’s needed and resolve the problem, like booking in a gas service while they’re paying their rent for example. It will empower people to give our residents a great service.
Tania O’Neil
I’m representing the customer-facing angle to the team and I’ll be specifying parts of the new system that will help make our job in assisting our residents easier. So far we’ve had great feedback from staff members and everyone’s on board with having a system that works well with our processes and will bring lots of useful functions.
I’m looking forward to having a system that can accurately record our tenant interactions, record accurate data and is flexible: a system that is fit for purpose and (I know it sounds a bit corny!) will lead MHA into the future!
Katie Needham
I’ll be helping design the reports and working with the team to work out how the system can help us monitor performance. I’ll be speaking to staff in the coming months to find out what kind of reports and data you will want to see coming from the new system.
I’m excited about the enhanced ability to pull out data: not only will the system produce set reports, but we will be able to adapt and tweak them to suit our requirements as they change. This will make a huge difference in the way that we understand what’s happening and be able to make better decisions based on this.
Paul Davies
I’m the Project Manager and I’m working under contract: I don’t work for Capita which means that I can see both sides of the story; from the product which comes from Capita, to the implementation, which is the MHA side of the coin.
What stands out to me is how flexible the new system is: It can be whatever MHA needs it to be and it’s a chance for you to make the system that you want. We’re currently talking to different people in different teams to build up a complete picture of what you’ll need and we’ll be building the system later on in the year based on the feedback that you give us.
I’ll be making sure that the project runs on time and that we can put together the best system for MHA for now and the future.
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Civica Timeline Element: Planning Data Migration Complete all download scripts
Data Extraction
Data Refinements
Scoping Design Build Testing User Acceptance Testing Training Interfaces Reporting Review Status Prioritise Specify Write Test Sign Off Dummy Go Live Tests/Data Migration only Operate 4 Weeks Go Live plan Go Live Phase 2 Continuous Improvement Other modules
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Core Config
Config Completion
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2015
Manchester Trip Emma Gallo, Cally McCarthy, Dean Phillips, and Catherine Murray attended the Tai Pawb Conference in Manchester as delegates of the future. The long trip home after a long day was not something we were all looking forward to, especially as the train wasn’t till 6 and we arrived at the station for 5. We thought our luck was in when we were in time for an earlier train. However they made us get off at the next stop and wait half hour for the other train. Catherine Murray- “Had a brilliant time at the conference, it was amazing to see the breadth of Housing Associations across Britain and I learnt so much about the major differences between the English and Welsh HAs. Welfare Reform was a hot topic as well as discussions surrounding planning permission and Right to Buy and it was a real boost to my general housing knowledge ... plus got to love the good freebees in the exhibition area!” We all met in Newport train station on the Thursday and it was roughly 3-4 hours on the train until we got to Manchester. When arriving at Manchester we relied on Dean and Police Officers to get us to the hotel. Although the map Stella Strongman printed did come in handy. We all settled into our rooms and decided to go for an Italian, when looking through the local restaurants; we stopped for some drinks and food. We were all very boring apart from Dean and ended up in bed by 10:30. The conference was a mix of workshops going on throughout the day and then a large exhibition room, which was full of fun and interesting things, which you could get involved in. There were 5 main workshops throughout the day which each of us attended. The workshops were based on Welfare Reform, future of market rents, managing large projects and what do we want for housing. The final part of the day was spent listening to the president of the CIH, whose focus was to get more young people involved in housing.
Emma Gallo- “Had a great trip and learnt a lot. It was really interesting hearing the professional’s opinions on different matters and gave a good insight on subjects I may not usually be involved in. The trip was very inspiring and allowed us to see the wider picture of housing which we are all a part of.” Dean Phillips - A fantastic opportunity to attend a national conference in a superb venue in Manchester. The workshops I attended were informative and motivated me to endeavour to continue developing my knowledge of the key topics within housing. It was interesting to find out the main issues faced by housing providers in England and highlighted some of the good work the Welsh Government are doing using their newly devolved powers. I found the whole experience valuable towards my current role and future aspirations.
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Universal Credit Update 1, 2, 3 Campaign
Be Prepared Cards
Are you ready for Universal Credit?
The UK Government is changing the way people receive their benefits. The ‘Your (YBAC) has been set up to inform people about these changes and to provide free need it.
The DLO are handing out cards to tenants informing them if they are underCredit? pensionable age and You’ll receive What is Universal Universal Credit is the name of a newBenefit monthly payment currently receiving Housing to pay their rent,get be if you that will replace a number of current benefits and tax • Top up a low inco then this will change following the implementation credits. These include Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit, JSA, income-related Incomewill Support of income-based Universal Credit and thatESA, tenants be • Raise children • Help with the cos and Working Tax Credit. responsible for paying their rent directly to MHA. • Top up a carer’s a
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How is Universal Credit different from my current benefit payment?
The UK Government is changing the way people receive their benefits. The ‘Your Benefits are Changing’ campaign (YBAC) has been set up to inform people about these changes and to provide free, independent advice to those who need it.
You’ll receive Universal Credit if you get benefits to: • Top up a low income • Raise children • Help with the cost of rent • Top up a carer’s allowance • Help when you are unemployed or sick and have low National Insurance contributions.
• You’ll get one monthly payment for your whole household.
When?
• Housing Benefit will be included in this payment and you’ll have to pay your rent to your landlord yourself.
Universal Credit is being rolled out across the country in stages and has already come to Wales. New benefit claimants will be put on to Universal Credit first and then all existing claimants will be moved over to the new system gradually between now and 2018.
• You will have to apply for and manage Universal Credit online.
When?
• Care for children under five
• Universal Credit will be paid into your bank account.
MHA0288 Universal Credit Postcard - Bank Account.indd 1
• You’ll get one monthly payment for your whole household.
MHA0313 Universal Credit Tear Off Flyer.indd 1
Are you ready for Universal Credit?
How is Universal Credit different from my current benefit payment?
• Help when you ar have low Nationa
Universal Credit is b We• are running a like, share and retweet campaign Housing Benefit will be included in this payment and stages and has a you’ll have to pay your rent to your landlord yourself. on Facebook and Twitter. Tenants need to like,in share claimants will be pu You will have to apply for and manage Universal or • retweet our #universalcredit message to bethen in all existing cla Credit online. new system gradua with a chance of winning a Fujitsu tablet. Here’s no1 of our #123 guide to preparing for#universalcredit Remember to retweet or share! #welfarereform to be in with a chance of winning a tablet.
Are you going to be affected by the introduction of Universal Credit? This card can help you prepare. Universal Credit is the name of a new monthly payment that will replace a number of current benefits and tax credits. These include Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support and Working Tax Credit.
• Universal Credit will be paid into your bank account.
Social Media
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What is Universal Credit?
• Care for children
Tear off this checklist to make sure you’ve got everything you need to fill in your application for:
21/07/2015 08:02:34
MHA0313 Universal Credit Tear Off Flyer.indd 1
The first of our 1, 2, 3 Campaign postcards has now been sent out to tenants affected by the introduction of Universal Credit this autumn.
04/06/2015 16:30:28
The 1, 2, 3 Campaign is to help tenants prepare for the changes by getting the right bank account. The next two postcards will cover getting online and effective budgeting. A text message has also gone out to affected tenants alerting them to the arrival of the first postcard. Although it may take some time for Universal Credit to be rolled out across Monmouthshire, we want to help our tenants prepare and raise awareness of the changes as early as possible to give people a chance to get ready for Universal Credit and the way they pay their rent. 22
Please encourage tenants who use social media to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive regular updates on Universal Credit.
SUMMER
M O N E Y
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Money Matters
2015
E A D V I C
! BE PREPARED
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Matters (Summer
24/06/2015 14:31:13
The latest edition of Money Matters is devoted entirely to Welfare Reform and the introduction of Universal Credit in Monmouthshire this autumn.
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The magazine features key messages from the Your Benefits Are Changing campaign, frequently asked questions, money saving tips and a wealth of information on how MHA can help its tenants. Money Matters was sent to all working age tenants affected by Welfare Reform in July. It’s worth having a look, so you can be prepared for any queries about Welfare Reform people may have. You can view the latest edition of Money Matters via the new Your Benefits Are Changing In House page.
Staff Messages
The Welfare Reform Communications Group have been to your team meetings with a presentation on all you need to know about Universal Credit. If you missed this presentation, then a copy is available under the Your Benefits are Changing section on In House. We have also been running an internal poster campaign aimed at keeping staff informed. You will have noticed a poster of Maria Williams from the Finance Team to raise awareness to staff that they may also be affected by the benefit changes. A new poster will be coming soon to raise awareness amongst staff and to understand why planning for the changes is so important. John will also be talking about the changes at his staff briefings so please make every effort to attend. There is also a new section on In House called “Your Benefits are Changing” where you can find all of the information that we have been communicating to our staff and tenants. Please log on and take a look.
LD OUR GOARD STAND
MHA has launched its new Gold Standard – a six month pilot project that aims to increase demand for MHA properties, boost tenancy sustainment levels and meet tenant expectations. MHA’s Gold Standard properties offer fully painted and decorated rooms with brand new, stylish carpets fitted throughout. All necessary repairs to the properties have been completed and gardens brought up to standard. Potential tenants can also benefit from not having to pay a deposit payment or admin fees. Competition from the private rented sector means MHA has to offer unique selling points to potential tenants – the Gold Standard can form a key part of this. Gold Standard properties are available in: Abergavenny (Old Hereford Road); Bulwark (Fisherman’s Walk, Middle Way and Fairfield Road); Magor (The Lawns and Chestnut Close); The Mardy (St David’s Road, St Andrews Crescent, St George’s Crescent and Llwynu Lane); and Wyesham (all properties) are currently being renovated to our new Gold Standard. Alan Kilbourne, who recently moved into one of MHA’s Gold Standard properties in Mardy, said: “The place has been tastefully decorated and is looking really clean. It’s a great location for me and my ten year old son and we’re really happy to be here. It’s the perfect place for us.” MHA Neighbourhood Officer, Lauren Francis, said: “Gold Standard has really helped to promote ‘problem’ areas with high void turnover. All the feedback from new tenants has been brilliant, and they have all been very grateful. Hopefully this will mean they are more likely to stay in these areas long term and create less turnover for us.” 23
SUMM£R BUDG£T The Chancellor announced a series of changes to public spending this July; mostly reductions that are designed to save the UK economy a further £12bn by 2020.
Other changes and reductions in support will also affect our tenants and they may require additional support to manage their budgets and pay their rent:
Here’s a quick guide to the changes and how they will affect housing associations:
1. The Benefit Cap will reduce from £26k to £20k. This is estimated to affect around 5000 households in Wales.
1. Automatic entitlement to Housing Benefit for 18 – 21 year olds who aren’t living with their parents will be withdrawn from April 2017. Around 660 young people in Wales will lose around £90 per week towards their rent. 2. Rent reductions: housing associations will be expected to reduce rent costs by 1% every year for the next four years. 3. Right to Buy: allowing more people to buy their rented homes will reduce the number of properties available to rent. This will drive people into the private rented sector which tends to be more expensive and will in turn drive up Housing Benefit costs. The effect of this will be reduced in Wales as the WG has reduced the amount of discount available when buying your home and is also working towards legislation that will do away with the policy altogether.
2. Employment Support Allowance (ESA) will be brought in line with Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) meaning a cut in benefits of £29 each week to around 9,100 people in Wales. 3. Child Tax Credits will no longer be available for a third child after April 2017, so any households who already have two children will be affected. This currently accounts for around 51,000 working families in Wales. 4. Universal Credit: It is estimated that 1,345 MHA households could be affected by Universal Credit which could affect the income of around 264 MHA households amounting to £137,000 per year. Paying benefits direct to the tenant could increase arrears to £450,000 for this group.* 5. The overall impact on tenant income on all existing and future reforms amounts to £1.1 million to MHA. *Claudia Blair, report to Board “Tenant Insight” July 2015.
John says: “...the first casualty of decreasing rental income will be the development programme... decreasing overall income will make it more difficult to keep financial covenants.” John says: “Nearly two thirds of Britain’s poor children live in working families, a real problem for the government, who want work to be a way out of poverty: The decrease in Working Tax Credits will make them poorer. The Office for Budget Responsibility feels it is unreasonable and unrealistic to expect the increase in the living wage to make up any shortfall.” Figures from “The Budget – what it means for welfare in Wales” (Blog) Hannah Johnson, National Assembly for Wales Research Service https://assemblyinbrief.wordpress.com/2015/07/20/the-budget-what-itmeans-for-welfare-in-wales/ 24
Here are a selection of “Pickles” that you have awarded to your colleagues recently: Clayton Charles has ‘picked’ Suzanne Powell for… “coming to the rescue and helping to resolve a problem with a gas meter that would have delayed a tenant moving in and caused significant problems. Sue took control and dealt with and arranged everything for a fantastic outcome. Thank you.”
Graham Harvey, Graphic Designer has won this quarter’s pickle draw and £50 voucher. Peter Stephens awarded a pickle for dropping everything to help me with an urgent bit of graphic design. Thank you! Jim Jones awarded a pickle for designing Warren the Bunny for our Easter hunt. Not bad for a red ;) Louise Davies awarded a pickle for his hard work put into the new intranet, making the site look new and refreshed, and the effort put in during a short space of time to get the site set up and ready for launch. Catherine Murray awarded a pickle 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! Kate Bradbrook awarded a pickle for all the hard work in getting the new In House launched!
Domini Barnes has ‘pickled’ Daniel Yandle for… “giving exceptional customer service whilst arranging some follow on works with me which would take about 3 hours. The tenant advised they could not get home till 2pm. Daniel’s response was ‘don’t worry, I can work on and get that finished for you’. Great Customer Service Daniel.” Kerris Winter has ‘pickled’ Joseph Worgan for… “assisting with a food bank voucher for a tenant in dire need. Going out of his way to help a tenant who has been ill recently and unable to collect a food bank voucher.” Chris York has ‘pickled’ Elaine Sollis and Rhiannon Taylor for… “helping to finish off the last parts of the Adapted Property Procedure. Thanks!” 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 deserved pickles during the quarter.
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e t a Upd Get Ready For Autumn The sun may be shining*, but autumn will soon be here and with it cooler temperatures. So now is the ideal time to book in that boiler service you’ve been meaning to arrange, in preparation for those chilly, autumnal evenings when central heating is a necessity. Capsel Home Essentials offers boiler service packages from just £6 per month, service and repair packages start at £12.50 per month and MHA staff can now get 12 months service for the price of 11. Boiler installation is also available from just £1,950. The team can also now offer one-off gas services and repairs services at very competitive rates. Call Capsel on 0333 207 9000 to book an appointment. *or possibly hidden behind dark, grey clouds.
Capsel’s First Apprentice Capsel has taken on its first apprentice, Evan Jones, who is working with the Property Services team on painting and decorating projects. Evan, 18, has now been with the team for nearly three months and is really enjoying seeing the benefits his work is having on the
Evan is pictured with Capsel Painter and Decorator Rudi Lewis. local community. Evan said: “We’ve been working over in Raglan recently, renovating 34 Monmouthshire Housing Association properties in the area.” “It’s been great learning on the job and I’m developing new skills every day. I’m really enjoying the work and hearing positive comments from tenants after we’ve finished decorating their homes. It makes me feel like we’ve done something worthwhile.”
of waste through its specialist facility in Mamhilad. As well as managing MHA’s waste, Capsel is now working with local builders Robert Price and SK Building to help them make more of their waste through effective recycling. Capsel Waste is also developing strong working relationships with both the British Heart Foundation and St David’s Hospice charities.
Capsel Waste Management Capsel Waste Management is processing increasing volumes 27
Neil Binnel has won this quarter’s GEMS suggestion - Congratulations Neil!
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. Log all informal complaints in one place for Departments to review and learn from. Staff to record informal complaints within their own service area where the managers can access it to monitor any trends or patterns. This would be kept on a shared access spreadsheet. All weather table tennis table in the grass area by pond (would be fixed). Encourage leisure and activity in the lunch break as long as no wind. May be possible, but situated at the back of HQ. Gardening club - growing vegetables in the flower beds 28
which could then be used in employees’ lunch boxes. E.g. spinach, dwarf beans, low maintenance veg, veg to cut and come again. The gardening club could plant/keep an eye on them in their lunch breaks. Neil is willing to lead on this and set up club. WINNER – Neil Binnell Congratulations, your suggestion for a Gardening Club was selected by the Staff Communications Group as the winning GEM. As this was a Roll-Over quarter, your prize is £100. As part of your suggestion you have committed to organising the Club. DVD’s created to be shown on the TV in the foyer and/or staff forum - particularly when we are hosting events or meetings with a lot of external attendees. Could we also host them on an MHA YouTube channel. Mark Gauntlett will look at collating the information in the first instance, then a discussion to take place as to the next step. MHA could lease/buy/rent some of the many empty pubs in the area - there seems to be at least one in every community - to reuse them as community enterprise hubs.
The idea in principle sounds good although there are many areas we would need to consider: Location. Future development potentials and if it fits with our current business plan/demand for properties. Cost - How we would fund any development/refurbishment of either the unit if we were to utilise it for lease for other businesses. Can we have the mobile numbers of staff back on Inhouse. This was really useful and the only directory we had. Each user of Inhouse can add their own mobile number to their profile and this is what was done when the original Inhouse was launched. Staff can edit their Inhouse profiles and updated their mobile numbers. A reminder e-mail out to all staff to ask them to check and update their Inhouse profiles. Trip to Birmingham Christmas Market. MHA cleaners will be organising trip Consider using Qlikview to produce monthly management accounts and roll out to budget managers to increase financial awareness Qlikview is capable of looking at multiple databases, so accessing SUN shouldn’t be an issue. This would most likely be a stand-alone Qlikview data model, which would require input from someone in Tony Clark’s team to specify, and then employ Castle CS to set up. Finance to look at.
at Trevor Bowen House
Facebook Activity Today we bid a fond farewell to our longest standing Board Member Judith and to David who have both retired from our Board. We wish them all the very best.
Trevor Bowen House is MHA’s flagship new development in Monmouth. 20 spacious, contemporary one and two bedroom apartments have been developed for people aged 60 and over. Trevor Bowen House has been built on the site of the former Trevor Bowen Court scheme which was demolished to make way for the new development. Work on Trevor Bowen House began in March 2014 and MHA selected affordable housing specialist Lovell to carry out the work. Work on Trevor Bowen House is now complete and tenants will be moving into their new apartments this month.
Left to right: Judith, David & Andrew (Chair)
Do you have a passion for working with young people and the skills to lead a Committee? Dads Can are looking for a Chair to lead their Steering Committee. http://goo.gl/BSnbeq
Trevor Bowen was a former freeman of Monmouth and donor to projects in the local area. Previous accommodation on the site has long been named after him, so MHA wanted to continue that tradition with the new development. Trevor Bowen House has been decorated according to MHA’s Life Begins brand. Life Begins aims to provide affordable, high quality homes in great locations across Monmouthshire, for people aged 60 and over. Trevor Bowen House will be officially launching this autumn. Keep an eye out for details.
We’ve just taken on our first #apprentice, Evan, who is working with the #Capsel Property Services team on painting and decorating projects. Evan has now been with the team for nearly two months and is really enjoying seeing the benefits his work is having on the #Monmouthshire community: www.capsel. co.uk/news.html 29
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.
Visit the ‘Staff Room’ area on
to vote for the cutest pet.
2 year old Alfie - Sent in by Claudia Blair 3 year old Jefferson - Sent in by Natasha Jones Hi I’m Jefferson. My mammy is Natasha. She bought me thinking I was a Chihuahua but I grew into a Jack Russell. Even though I moult all over the house, she still loves me to bits.
1 year old Pierre - Sent in by Emily Townsend
8 year old Gracie - Sent in by Graham Harvey 30
I am wild, wicked but very loving. I love very long walks on the mountain and around lakes. I especially love to wind my mammy up by jumping in dirty puddles just as we are about to get in the car to go home – hehe. I love food, I am like a dyson, I’ll hoover up anything! My other favourite thing is cwtching. I looove to cwtch! I don’t sit on the floor like other dogs, (yuck!), I cwtch ring into my mam all the time, on the settee, in bed, I wont leave her side, I’m her little prince. When mam is in work my Nanny Carol dogsits and she lets me get away with loads of naughty things and I don’t listen to her one bit, but she still gives me lots of treats. I am spoiled rotten and I love it!
s t r o p S Mon & Brec Canalathon 2015
s t n e v E
Goytre Wharf & Canal Visitor Centre Yes, it’s back! After the success of the 2014 event it has been decided that the event will run again in 2015. The Canalathon celebrates over 200 years of one of the most scenic canal routes in Britain by organising a challenge that will take you on an historic journey through the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Teams of four are invited to complete this epic challenge in under twelve hours. Teams consist of four people and a team manager! Team entry cost is £180 per team. A good team needs a good team manager! You as a team are responsible for making sure that you can get to the start of the event, drop/collect bikes at transitions. Further details of exactly where and how to get to transitions will be released closer to the event. • Competitors under 18 years of age may take part with parent / guardian permission. • Competitors over 12 and under 16 years of age must be accompanied by one adult per minor. www.mbact.org.uk
Summer Holidays Adventure Extravaganza Inspire2Adventure
Join us this summer holidays and take the opportunity to try fantastic adventure activities at special discounted rates. Perfect for families, friends and groups visiting The Wye Valley, Forest of Dean and Monmouthshire.
Gorge & Paddle Adventure Day £55 per person
Spend the morning on our exciting Gorge scrambling activity and the afternoon enjoying a guided open canoe river trip on the River Wye taking in the Symond Yat rapids along the way!
Gorge Scrambling Experience
£33 per adult £25 per child Rock climb waterfalls, scramble rocks and go through a tunnel in the dark! Great fun where you will get wet!
Rock Climbing
£33 per adult £25 per child Introduction to Rock Climbing at Symonds Yat where we will teach you all the basic skills and techniques to successfully climb cliffs.
Rock & Paddle Adventure Day
£55 per person
A great adventure combination where you will be rock climbing in the morning, and enjoy a guided open canoe river trip on the River Wye in the afternoon taking in the Symond Yat rapids. Fun for family and friends. www.inspire2adventure.com
Summer Family Fun Tredegar House, Newport
Daily activities from Sat 18th July – Sun 30th August 11am – 4pm Get artistic and make some summer crafts, dress up and put on your own shadow puppet play and see if you can complete the servant’s challenge. Then anyone for a game of croquet? Why not throw a sports day with a twist and challenge your family to some traditional garden games. Normal admission charges apply: Adult £8, Child £4, Family £20. For more information, call the Tredegar House Office on 01633 815880 or email tredegar@ nationaltrust.org.uk www.monfis.org.uk
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2,170 Followers
Following 404
1,641 Tweets
@Jessie_MHA Thank you to @AgeCymru for coming along to our Tenants’ Forum & providing some useful info for @ Mon_Housing tenants! @Th3MissingLink Great #Abergavenny visit with Maintenance Officer Alyn on his weekly rounds. Working hard to support @Mon_Housing tenants. @Jaime_Moya_Eos Not yet finished but @EosArchitechts @ BowenGardens design for @Mon_Housing already has a nice feel about it. @Mon_Housing Last year we helped MHA tenants receive £4,305 of funding for courses/learning. Visit http://t.co/ jukqzsoo4k and we could help you! @Mon_Housing Do you have moves like Jagger?! Stay cool this summer with Summer Rock! Full details here: http://ow.ly/PPZhX #rockon @Mon_Housing We have a brand new 2 bed apartment available to rent @ Trevor Bowen House, #Monmouth Pls call 0345 9002956 for info @Mon_Housing Here’s Andrew who’s delighted to be moving into a Gold standard @ Mon_Housing home!
On Twitter? Why not follow us @mon_housing 32
Safe Hands “As you get older, it’s nice to know there are people out there that can help you and that you can really trust.” Annie Foster, 65, is a tenant at Plas Mawr, an MHA accommodation scheme for older people in Usk. Annie moved into Plas Mawr after becoming homeless earlier this year. The stress of her situation coupled with the need to manage her rent, bills and finances generally was causing Annie to worry a lot. After assessment by MHA staff shortly after her arrival at Plas Mawr, Annie was assigned a case worker, Justine, from MHA’s Safe Hands support service. “Justine has been amazing. She’s helped me settle in my new home, assisted me with my contents insurance and helped me get my utility bills sorted. She also helped me to successfully apply for Housing Benefit.” “I know if I need anything, that Justine and the Safe Hands team are there for me. They offer a real peace of mind.” Safe Hands is MHA’s older persons support service. Safe Hands offers free, specialist support for people aged over 55 and who need help to live independently in their own home. The service is grant funded by Monmouthshire County Council’s Supporting People Team. For more information about Safe Hands and to watch a new film about how the service is making a difference to the lives of older MHA tenants, visit www.monmouthshirehousing.co.uk
CuIsine Corner
Restaurant Review
Green & Jenks Ice Cream Parlour, Monmouth By Claudia Blair
As summer has arrived, what could be better than a delicious ice cream treat? Monmouth has a new ice cream, or gelato, parlour opposite the Shire Hall. Gelato is Italian ice cream and is considered to be a healthier alternative as it contains less fat. They have a great selection of around 20 flavours and when we went, the queue for service was as much due to the popularity as the people’s indecision over the variety of flavours. The menu changes continually, as batches
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. run out, but there is always a good selection of fruity and chocolatey flavours. All ice creams are made in their kitchen downstairs. Behind the serving area there is a pretty seating area with crisp white Ikea tables and chairs, bare wooden floors and smart grey walls. The cone options are presented in old milk bottles, one advertising Cardiff City in Bloom 1990. The owner very helpfully offered to look after our dogs outside while we went in to choose. They let you test before you buy and I tested the peanut butter and jelly flavour which was delicious but I thought may be a bit too much for a whole ice cream so I opted for Crunchie flavour in a cone. David had a fig and mascarpone in a cone and Maisie chose mango sorbet with a fudge stick and a flake in a tub. We all thoroughly enjoyed our selections. The dogs looked on hopefully but fruitlessly. Prices start at £2.50 and all addons are extra, so it is a good place for an occasional treat. They also serve coffees and cakes. www.greenandjenks.com
RECIPE Slimming World Quarter Pounder (Serves 4) Ingredients • 1 Garlic clove, roughly chopped • ½ tsp yellow mustard seeds • ½ tsp salt • 500g lean beef mince (5% fat or less) • ½ small onion, finely chopped • ½ tsp ground black pepper • ½ tsp tomato puree • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce • ½ red chill, de seeded and finely chopped Method • Preheat the grill to medium • Grind the garlic, mustard seeds and salt to a paste using a pestle and mortar (or the end of a rolling pin • Put the garlic paste in a large bowl along with the beef, onion, pepper, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and chilli. Mix well with your hands, divide the mixture into four portions and shape each one into a patty. • Put the burgers onto the grill pan and grill at the furthest point away for the heat for 20 minutes or until cooked through, turning halfway. Reduce the heat if the burgers are cooking too quickly. • Serve in a delicious wholemeal roll with salad.
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Abergavenny Food Festival is the biggest and best-loved food festival in Wales. Established in 1999, it was set up to celebrate the craft, diversity and culture of food from across the country. The award winning festival now exhibits over 200 of the finest food and drink producers, a variety of expert demonstrations and a line-up of outstanding and well-known chefs, welcoming over 30,000 visitors to the beautiful market town each year. This year Raymond Blanc OBE and Tom Kerridge will be among the special celebrity chefs headlining the event! Saturday Adult: Advance £9.00 / On the day £12.00 Sunday Adult: Advance £7.00 / On the day £10.00 Weekend Adult: Advance £14.00 / On the day £18.00 Group discount: Advance 10% / On the day n/a
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