Reachout Spring 2013

NOW HAND IN HAND WITH

reachout

YOUR TWICE YEARLY MAGAZINE FROM FAMILY MOSAI MOSAIC

SUMMER 2013

GARDENERS WITH GUSTO Fort Road gardening club celebrates with a cake.

Read the story on page 8

editorial

EDITORIAL PIC: CRISPIN HUGHES

HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER 2

Welcome to the latest edition, rounding up the news and events of the past six months. We have had a real focus on health and wellbeing over the past few months. We know that when people are healthy and feel well that they can achieve so much more. So it's great to see so many activities going on across our regions that help with this. I hope they inspire some of you to get active, take up a hobby or just try something new. We are planning to hold some health and wellbeing conferences either later this year or early next year, depending on when we can find venues. So keep your eyes open for details. Have a great, active summer.

YVONNE ARROWSMITH, GROUP OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Thanks to the Maisie Sheed Trust Many of the activities reported in this issue of Reachout were very kindly funded by the Maisie Sheed Trust fund.

They include: the Cranbrook Road wellbeing group, the Heather Court graffiti project, the Chelsea Court glass jewellery course, Merle Court's chick rearing and the trip to Drusilla's Park for Gochers Court and Orlando House.

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news and events

FAMILY MOSAIC

CALL THE POLICE!

ESSEX General enquiries ✆ 01268 498 500

Visiting support services

Thurrock, Basildon, Castle Point, Rochford, Rayleigh ✆ 0800 288 8883 Southend ✆ 01702 445 870 Havering ✆ 01708 776 770

Hate crime on local buses was the big issue raised by customers of the Southampton Disabilities Service at their January DIG forum

LONDON General enquiries ✆ 020 7089 1000

Visiting support services

Hackney, Islington ✆ 020 7241 7940 Hammersmith & Fulham ✆ 0800 123 1991 Redbridge ✆ 0800 970 8401 Kensington & Chelsea ✆ 020 7351 2522 www.familymosaic.co.uk enquiries@familymosaic.co.uk

IN TOUCH

General enquiries ✆ 01273 468 010

www.in-touchsupport.co.uk talktous@familymosaic.co.uk

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The development involvement group (called DIG) meets at In Touch’s Southampton office once a month to talk about new ideas and how we work with our customers. But they also talk about things they've experienced recently.

There has been a worrying rise in abuse against people with disabilities in the past year. We call this a hate crime.

Our group wanted to talk about abuse directed at disabled people on local buses.

Ranjeev Pathak from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner was at the meeting to talk to our customers and he wanted to hear what they wanted the police to do about this abuse.

Before the meeting, housing support manager Sue Mitson asked each member of the group to fill in a questionnaire.

It asked what they knew about hate crime near their home and on public transport.

Did they have any worries about going out on dark evenings or about anti-social behaviour by other people?

Ranjeev explained the job of the new Hampshire Police Commissioner. He said the police would carry on protecting the public. He also asked the group what they thought were the most important jobs for the police.

Most agreed that they wanted more police out on the streets and talking to people. They also wanted more done about people who threaten disabled people in public places.

Ranjeev said confronting abusive people was risky.

Always call the police if you have any trouble, he said.

The group has since agreed it would like to invite a police or community support officer to another DIG meeting to talk about keeping safe.

EDITORIAL PANEL reachout, Family Mosaic Konut Kurumu’nun Doğu Londra yöresindeki kiracıları için çıkardığı bir dergidir. Bu derginin Ingilizcesini okuyamıyorsanız ve herhangi bir bölümünün Türkçe’ye çevrilmesini istiyorsanız, lütfen ✆ 020 7089 1069 numaraya telefon ederek ya da internete bağlanıp enquiries@familymosaic. co.uk adresine mesaj göndererek bizimle iletişim kurun.

reachout

Warsidahan goboleed waa mid loogu talogalay ijaartayaasha, reachout. Hadii aadan warsidahan ku akhrin karin Ingiriisi, isla markaana u baahato in qeybo lagugu soo turjubaano luqadahan halkan ku xusan, fadlan nagala soo xiriir enquiries@familymosaic.co.uk ama soo wac ✆ 020 7089 1069.

Este es su boletín de noticias regional reachout. En caso de que no pueda leer este boletín en inglés y necesita que alguna parte de éste sea traducido a una de los idiomas que aquí se indica, le rogamos se ponga en contacto con nosotros a través de la dirección de correo electrónico enquiries@ familymosaic.co.uk o llamando al ✆ 020 7089 1069.

Voici reachout, le bulletin régional des locataires. Si vous ne pouvez pas lire ce bulletin en anglais et s’il y a des articles qu’il vous faudrait faire traduire en l’une des langues mentionnées ci-dessous, veuillez nous contacter à enquiries@familymosaic.co.uk ou téléphoner au ✆ 020 7089 1069.

Our thanks to the editorial panel for its help putting this edition of Reachout together.

Katrina Harmer Matthew Pickard Allan Winstanley Brian Harrington

Mother nature: we've dug up some fascinating facts about the natural world - check them out on each page!

Cover story: Fort Road's gardening club has created a thriving vegetable garden, from lawn, in mere months.

Find out more on page 8.

CRANBROOK ROAD SISTERS DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Women customers at Cranbrook Road in Ilford have set up their own wellbeing group to encourage each other to eat healthily, get exercise and enjoy days out together.

Positive move

Their group has already attracted members from two other local Family Mosaic schemes that, like Cranbrook Road, support people with mental ill health.

The women have so far held a singing workshop, practised yoga, aromatherapy and massage, held a DVD showing, tried their hand at healthy cooking and, pictured right, taken a trip to Covent Garden.

 There are more ants on earth than any other animal!

Self-helpings: Cranbrook and Mansfield roads and Plaistow Grove have set up their own, now flourishing, wellbeing group

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welfare benefits

CHANGES TO YOUR BENEFITS You may be aware that the government is making some big changes to the way they pay welfare benefits. It is very important that you know about these changes and how they might affect you.

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The changes are starting at different times, depending on where you live. Some rules may also change again so between us writing this and you reading it, some might now be a little different.

To find out more about what is happening to benefits where you live and to get up to date advice, we strongly suggest you speak to your support worker, support manager or the local council.

How these changes affect you will also depend on your age. Most of them affect people aged between 16 and 64. Older people will not be affected in the same way.

Very few of these changes affect pensioners.

You can find lots more information on our website www.familymosaic.co.uk

UNIVERSAL CREDIT The main change is a new payment called Universal Credit, which is replacing the benefits that lots of you may have been getting.

Universal Credit is paid as a lump sum to people who are looking for work or on a low income. It is being brought in between now and 2017.

Universal Credit aims to help people and their families by making the benefits system simpler. Instead of lots of different benefits there will be one single payment.

Among the benefits it is replacing are: ● income-based jobseeker’s allowance ● income-related employment and support allowance l income support l child tax credits l working tax credits l housing benefit.

How is it different?

The main differences between Universal Credit and the old benefits payments are: l Universal Credit will be available to people who are in work and on a low income, as well as to those who are out of work. l People can apply online and manage their claim through an online account. l If you are in and out of work because, for example, you take a lot of small jobs, you’ll get ongoing support from Universal Credit. This will hopefully make it easier to take jobs that are for a short period only. l Most people on a low income will still be paid Universal Credit when they first start a new job or increase the part-time hours they work.

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Universal Credit will be paid in one monthly payment, straight into a bank account like a monthly salary.

The money that you get to help with the cost of your rent will be paid to you as part of your monthly income rather than going straight to your landlord, unless everyone agrees this will cause serious problems with your rent payments.

 The hottest British summer on record is still 1976, when average temperatures were 17.8˚C

WHAT’S HAPPENING TO OTHER BENEFITS? DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE GOES Disability living allowance is going to be replaced by the personal independence payment (PIP). It will first affect anyone making a new claim from June 2013. If you get DLA and tell the benefits people your condition has changed, you could be asked to apply for PIP instead, from October this year.

HELP PAYING COUNCIL TAX HAS BEEN CUT Council tax benefit has stopped. Instead your council now gives some help with a new grant called council tax support, but if you are of working age and were on full council tax benefit, you will now have to pay at least some council tax. How much depends on what your council has decided and you should have had a letter telling you what you now have to pay.

THE ‘BEDROOM TAX’ You may well have heard in the news about the bedroom tax. It is now in force.

Very simply, if you are between 16 and 65 and have an ‘extra’ or ‘spare’ room in your property the housing benefit part of your Universal Credit will be cut by:

14% if you have 1 spare bedroom l 25% if you have 2 or more spare bedrooms.

If you lose this money, you will now have to pay us the amount you have lost because your full rent is no longer being paid by ‘benefits’.

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Do you have what they call a ‘spare’ bedroom? l

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Two children under the age of 10 are expected to share a bedroom.

If you have a boy and a girl they cannot have their own bedroom.

If you have two girls under 16, or two boys, they have to share a bedroom. They cannot have their own room.

Children over 16 can have a room of their own – until they reach 18.

Once they turn 18, they are called ‘non dependents’ and are expected to contribute to your rent.

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A carer who does not normally live with you can have their own room, if you or your partner need and get overnight care.

These rules have been followed by new advice from the government, saying the tax also won’t apply to: l foster carers l armed forces personnel l severely disabled children.

PENSION CREDIT CHANGES Pension credit will be changed from October 2014 to include help with eligible rent and any dependent children.

COMMUNITY CARE GRANTS AND CRISIS LOANS GO Community care grants and crisis loans have stopped.

They have been replaced with local assistance. What sort of help that will be has been decided by your local council.

BENEFIT CAP The total amount any one household can get in benefits, where no one is working, is now limited (capped) to £500 per week (£26,000 per year) for families, and £350 per week for single people without children. That includes the amount you can get to help pay the rent.

The cap does not apply to pensioners and it does not apply if you or your partner get DLA or PIP, working tax credit, a war widow or widowers pension or employment and support allowance with the support component.

Bedroom tax: children and some teenagers are now expected to share their bedroom

 Super strong ants can carry or lift more than three times their own weight

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youth enterprise

FUN DAY TRIP TO DRUSILLA'S PARK

IN THE CAN HEATHER COURT STREET ART

Young families from Gochers Court and Orlando House in Brighton recently came face to face with monkeys. Customer Katrina reports

BRINGS OUT HIDDEN TALENT A graffiti art project for young people at Heather Court has produced fantastic artwork, and a valuable lesson in perseverance.

Helped by Scott from Brave Arts, a group of the tenants planned and designed artwork to decorate the hall walls at Heather Court.

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Graffiti skills

Spraying power: Heather Court street artists Verity (above), Aaron (below) and Nash (below right)

Brave Arts was set up by graffiti artist Brave 1 to run projects for young people, teaching them graffiti techniques. With Scott’s help they came up with designs that mirror how they feel about their lives and where they live.

Everyone on the team had to learn to negotiate and talk openly about ideas and thoughts with each other and the artists.

Each had some input into designing or creating the images so they can now look at them with pride and say, ‘I did that part'.

Their brilliant work is on display at Heather Court.

 Hedgehogs are good runners and can even swim and climb

Young people at Pioneer House in Essex chose to spend a welcome £150 from Chelmsford Cathedral on an evening out 10-pin bowling. The Christmas donation gave two tenants their first taste of the game and they soon got the hang of things. John even won the first game after racking up the most points! A great time was had by all.

MOVE ON WITH APLOMB! VOICE OF EXPERIENCE GIVES ONLINE ADVICE I moved into Tate House in May 2011 from my supported lodgings and in March 2012 moved to my own flat with Basildon Council as part of my Child in Care nomination.

Family Mosaic was always there for me when I was at Tate House. My best and most favourite memory was of last Christmas Day. I was the only tenant left on Christmas morning and support worker Georgina Daniels could have gone home to spend it with her family but decided to spend Christmas Day with me until I was picked up in the afternoon by my relatives.

I don’t need further support from Family Mosaic. It was offered but I didn’t think I needed it and I still don’t.

Instead, I’ve created Living Alone Online.com, a website

to give young people like myself and others free help and support while in care and then when they move onto living independently.

I want to help others because it’s easier and simpler coming from someone like me who has been in that situation, than it is coming from someone who's doing it because they are paid to do it.

(No offence to anyone intended!)

Living Alone Online.com is solely based on my personal experience and to know it may help others has to be the best feeling ever!

Ryan Cavalier, Editor www.livingaloneonline.com Facebook/livingaloneonline Twitter/livingalone

The support workers at our young families scheme put together an outing to Drusilla’s Park. We took a minibus, setting off at 10:30am. The support workers had managed to get enough funding for us all to have lunch as well.

Me, my husband and our son River had fun looking at the monkeys and penguins and stroking the ponies, and our son had lots of fun riding the Thomas train around the park. There were so many animals we had never seen before, and it was a lot of fun telling River about them.

We were very pleased at the end when the workers got on the minibus we were going home in with a little bag of goodies for each child.

It was only a toy snake and chocolate buttons, but it was a very nice thought and was one thing extra to keep as a souvenir of the day.

It was a very fun day out, for us and River. Even better, other residents came as well, and we don’t get to meet them very often. It was nice to go somewhere brilliant for the day, with all expenses paid, and good to socialise with other young parents and their children.

 Every spring there is a brief spell when we have equal hours of light and darkness

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gardening

PIECE OF CAKE FOR GARDEN CLUB Earlier this year Fort Road's garden club and Greening Communities celebrated some truly inspirational success with cake and certificates

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As part of their marathon effort to turn the Fort Road lawn into an edible oasis, Fort Road tenants shifted three tonnes of soil in just two hours last year.

The garden group was set up late last year, working with Greening Communities on the redesign of their garden.

Already the group has built two raised vegetable beds with railway sleepers, planted an apple orchard, helped by the London Orchard project, fixed nesting boxes and feeders for birds and installed a small greenhouse.

The group has also had cooking sessions, learning how to make meals with the plants they grow, taken a lesson in using power tools, and members have been trained to manage and care for the garden at Brockwell Community Greenhouses.

Their achievements were celebrated with cake and certificates at a special event in February, with each member getting a certificate.

Paul Hensman, our number one garden contact, said: ‘I can’t believe how much we’ve done. Growing food, meeting other garden volunteers, and now I have a certificate which I hope will help me find work as an assistant gardener.’

'To hear them say what the club means to them and how much they've gained from the experience has been inspirational,' said Moira Griffiths, care and support director for London & Essex.

Proof: Fort Road's garden club members show their certificates

GARDEN CENTRE JOB FOR KEEN GARDENER ROSEMARY Keen gardener Rosemary lives in a supported living scheme for people with learning difficulties in Colchester.

Rosemary enjoys keeping busy, especially gardening.

She has a placement at the Redhouse day centre in Colchester where she works in the garden, which she really enjoys. She looks forward to going there every week.

Success comes

The tenants at 100 Barlby Road in west London have for the third year running won FIRST PRIZE in the Brighter Kensington and Chelsea scheme for community group plots. The tenants use their plot to grow vegetables and fruit, and it is their third win in a row, having also come first in the competition in 2011 and 2012.

• plc • qrz • hf

One of Rosemary’s goals was to get a voluntary job at a garden centre and Redhouse keyworker Lucy has helped.

It has taken a while but Rosemary now has a job at Barn Plants in Colchester.

At first Rosemary was offered just a few hours one day a week, with Lucy supporting her. But Lucy was only able to do this for six weeks so she asked staff at Rosemary’s scheme if they could accompany her.

Luckily staff were able to help because Barn Plants is so pleased with Rosemary’s work that they have offered her an ongoing voluntary role with them for as long as she can be supported.

This is a great opportunity for Rosemary to learn more about gardening and, of course, it also keeps her busy.

 Toads can live for up to 40 years

THIRD TIME WINNERS FOR BARLBY ROAD GARDENERS

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Seasonal guests: the winter snow brought with it two newcomers to Britannia Court Gardens in West Sussex.

Our tenants wanted to enjoy the snow just as much as the local children so built a snowwoman and had a snowball fight! It was such fun they were back outside the next day building a snowman to give their snowwoman a bit of company. They also helped clear the snow from the paths so a disabled resident could safely get to the main part of the building.

INTRODUCING PIPPA: YOUR NEW GREENING COMMUNITIES WORKER On Fridays Pippa Grey serves as our new part-time Greening Communities project worker for Hampshire.

Pippa has already worked on gardening projects at some of our supported housing schemes and is also a support worker for our older persons service.

Hampshire's new Greening Communities worker Pippa Grey

Greening Communities gives you a chance to take part in projects that are good for your community and your wellbeing. They can help you: l feel healthier and happier l learn work skills l learn communication and life skills and team building l start voluntary work l become more independent l train for work or find a job.

Each project is tailored to your personal and group needs and we encourage you to make your own decisions.

If you live in a Hampshire scheme and want to improve your outdoor space or live in Southampton and want to grow vegetables on our new allotment, please call Pippa Grey on J07508 875 200.

 In summer the iron struts of the Eiffel Tower expand in heat, making it grow by up to 17cm

Senior service

THE MERLE COURT 'PEEP PEEP' SHOW 10

Older residents at Merle Court Gardens raised some very fluffy babies after taking part in Living Egg, a scheme that gives older people and school pupils a chance to raise chicks from eggs Merle Court's eggs arrived early one Monday, in a Tesco ‘free range eggs’ box of all things. After three days in an incubator the pipping started, as the first four chicks

broke the shell of their eggs.

Some residents watched them hatch, which one said was a very touching moment.

By Saturday we had 13 beautiful fluffy chicks.

SIX GET CONNECTED, WITH HELP FROM IT WIZARDS Six older residents at In Touch’s Catley Court have been given expert teaching in computer skills by two young women from Rotherfield Avenue, a nearby support scheme for people with mental health issues.

The two women, both highly skilled in IT, have agreed to become digital mentors for their Get Connected ‘pupils’ in Bexhill. Feedback on their knowledge and teaching skills was first class. All we need now is the go-ahead following a CRB check.

Meanwhile, over at Knowlton Gardens in Maidstone, one very experienced resident kindly shared his IT expertise with three other residents, with a little help from the local support worker.

The two Get Connected courses ran from October last year to Christmas. The idea behind Get Connected is to get people with excellent IT skills, usually young, to teach other tenants wanting to know the basics of using a computer and the internet.

 Children grow faster in the spring months

Comfort zone It wasn’t all cute, as tenant Ray found out. Good care means getting rid of chick poo, which is very good at sticking to fluffy new feathers.

Ray carefully soaked each chick before picking it off!

Everyday our tenants came to check the chicks and have a cuddle. It brought everyone together and for a lot it brought back fond memories of their childhood.

Living Egg had given us all the information we needed about caring for the eggs and young chicks, and supplied equipment. The chicks will be sorely missed, but it was a great experience.

MY FIRST CONCERT: JLS

By Stephen Weatherby I would like to talk about my trip to a JLS concert I went to in March this year. I first heard about this concert in the Evening Gazette.

Newsquest was advertising an opportunity for me to go and watch my favourite boy band JLS play at the O2 arena in London.

One of my support workers called Will researched the advert.

At first it was all very straightforward. I was able to pick where I wished to sit on the coach and at the O2.

I could even look at the seating plan on the internet.

I then went to Newsquest's office in Colchester with Karen and paid my ticket in advance to avoid disappointment. I was very excited about going!

Two days before my trip to London I bought some sweets and packed my CD player in my rucksack along with my JLS music. On the day of my trip, Will and I travelled to Colchester North station where the coach was waiting for us.

We were greeted by the lady from Newsquest, who gave us our tickets to the concert and we were on our way, with JLS on my CD player all the way!

When we arrived in London at the Millennium Dome, which was very big, I asked Will to take some pictures of me. Then I wanted to buy some souvenirs, so we went to the shops there and I bought a JLS calendar, poster, programme and T-shirt. I put the JLS T-shirt on and had some more pictures taken.

We then found our seats and waited for JLS to come on the stage. It wasn’t long before the lights went dim and JLS came down from the ceiling dressed in their costumes onto the stage and started singing.

I danced throughout the whole concert with Will.

It was one of the best nights I have ever had and my first experience of being at a music concert. I would definitely like to go and watch JLS again!

The three residents at Jimilda in Essex now have two new sofas in their lounge, plus a clean, comfy armchair each. The new furniture replaces torn and shabby sofas and a single armchair. 'When I first started at Jimilda there was only one armchair and it appeared to belong to one customer,' says new manager Sandra Merrygold.

'As soon as he left the other two would jump into it!'

Sandra approached landlord Orwell Housing about some free replacement furniture and was overjoyed when they not only said yes but sent brochures. Now with new cushions, pictures and plants as well, visitors, family and staff are all saying how ‘nice’ the room looks.

 Bees never sleep - and they have hair on their eyeballs

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TICKET!

T-SHIRT!

TEEN IDOLS!

CHELSEA COURT'S N JEWELLERS Glass jewellery making has really taken off at Chelsea Court in Kensington & Chelsea, since we found a talented jeweller in our midst.

Our tenant started making her own jewellery after taking classes in the art locally. And it looked so good we organised a session for everyone.

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Young volunteers helped with some of the fiddlier tasks and the workshop was so popular we now have a second one planned.

‘It's good that you can come to a class like this because if you enjoy it you can then sign up to go to the one at the college,’ said tenant Gloria.

WAXING POETIC OVER WINTER Southampton area customers recently enjoyed a winterthemed day of art, poetry, yoga and meditation, led by life coach Shelley Edwards.

Starting with poetry, the group split into two and, told to forget about rhyme, instead came up with a wordstorm of wintery words. With their imagination fired, two poems followed telling unique stories.

One group then set about cutting and pasting symbols

from magazines while the other used colourful pens to ‘walk through’ the poems.

The afternoon began with gentle yoga that can be done sitting, lying or standing.

Among other techniques for calming down, we were told to remember a stressful incident as a knotty rope that slowly unravels into a silky thread.

It was a very relaxed and creative day and it was greatly appreciated by all!

SPRING PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED BY COUNTRYWIDE PUBLICATIONS ON PAPER FROM SUSTAINABLE SOURCES ✆ 01502 725 832

WORDSEARCH

Get HAPi! HAPi is a new way to help you learn about keeping healthy and different ways to get and stay fit.

Under HAPi you will spend: O one hour learning about things that make you healthy and feeling good O one hour trying different types of exercise at a local leisure centre O eight weeks practising the exercises that you find suit you best.

If you complete the course, coming to every session, you'll win a free gym pass.

HAPi is for customers in Hampshire, Sussex and Kent.

To find out more, call social inclusion officer Ann-Maree Purnell on J07785 724 983.

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