Summer 2015
The magazine for Great Places Housing Group residents
Flourishing communities Our communities are in full bloom thanks to Shared Spaces and Residents’ Fund grants
Home improvements How Great Places is investing in great homes
in the home
and your family safe
o resolve er, we against
Fire safety Top tips to keep you safe this summer
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Anti-social behaviour Protecting our communities
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22/08/2014 15:36
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Repairs
Numbers you need to know
Phone our Customer Access Team from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday. It’s local rate. Call us on:
0300 123 1966
07797 870 734 or email us at cat@greatplaces.org.uk
or simply text us on
For all Great Places residents you can call us between 8am and 6pm weekdays on:
0300 123 1966
& press 1 for repairs
You can also use this number for out-of-hours emergencies. Or you can email us about a repair at
repairs@greatplaces.org.uk Oldham office
Office addresses Blackburn office
Barnfield House (Suite 4 and 5) Groundfloor, Accrington Road Blackburn BB1 3NY Open Monday, 9.30am-5pm & Thursday 9:30am-12:30pm Appointment only at all other times.
Cheshire office
106 Longridge, Knutsford, WA16 8PD Opening hours: Monday only, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Fylde office
Salford office
336 Talbot Road, Blackpool, FY1 3QU Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
4th Floor, St James’s House, Pendleton Way, Salford M6 5FW Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Sheffield office
Great Places head office
The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield SS9 4WG Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Southern Gate, 729 Princess Road, Manchester M20 2LT Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Write to My Great Place at:
Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/GreatPlacesHousing
Communications Great Places Southern Gate 729 Princess Road Manchester M20 2LT
Email:
119 Union Street, Oldham OL1 1TE Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Tweet us @MyGreatPlace
Access for all
communications@greatplaces.org.uk
We’ve already sent a magnifying sheet to our visually impaired residents. Let us know if you need one. An audio version of My Great Place is also available.
Summer 2015
FSC AND WORLD LAND TRUST LOGOS
Cover stars: Residents Janet Cantrill with her mum, June, and Diane Absalom.
The magazine for Great Places Housing Group residents
Flourishing communities Great Places’ communities are in full bloom thanks to Shared Spaces and Residents’ Fund grants
Home improvements How Great Places is investing in great homes Fire safety in the home Top tips on keeping you and your family safe
Fire safety Top tips to keep you safethis summer
Who are we?
Safety first!
A dedicated team who work across your neighbourhoods to tackle unacceptable behaviour, supporting you, our residents. We work alongside our neighbourhood staff and other agencies to put you first!
It’s all about early intervention and prevention. We want to resolve issues and work to keep people in their tenancies. However, we know it’s important to you that appropriate action is taken against those responsible.
www.greatplaces.org.uk
How can you contact us?
What we do? Investigate incidents of: • Anti-social behaviour • Domestic violence • Neighbour issues
• Crime and nuisance • Hate Crime
We want you to feel comfortable about approaching us. We’re a friendly team and we’re here to help. We will listen without judging you, and offer advice. Our staff are fully trained and you will be treated with complete discretion. If you need the help of an interpreter we will arrange this for you. If we visit you, we will always show an identity card and will respect your home, privacy, customs and culture.
community_safety_leaflet.indd 1-3
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Anti-social behaviour
Protecting our communities
Please use the contact details on the back of this leaflet.
22/08/2014 15:36
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Welcome to
YOUR MAGAZINE! A quick introduction as the new editor of My Great Place… In the few months that I’ve been with Great Places I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a number of residents and have seen lots of examples of wonderful community spirit in action across Great Places neighbourhoods. See pages 6–7 for one heart-warming example of how the Great Places Residents’ Fund is helping our communities to blossom. We’ve also caught up with some of the residents who have benefitted from the millions of pounds Great Places invests into improving homes each year (pages 12–13). Plus, check out the fire safety info on page 14 – we’ve two iPod Shuffles up for grabs! Have a great summer!
Kirsty Hogarth, Editor
What’s inside? Features
Regulars 8-9 16-17 18-19 20-21
News Neigbourhood news My money in:team: how you can give feedback to us
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23 My green place 24 Competitions
10-11 How we’re doing a step-by-step guide 14 Fire safety in the home 15 Getting online with Len: The real cost of broadband
! WoIdN Shuffle
an iP e 14 on pag
Protecting our communities
Flourishing communities
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pages
page
Grapevine (Elderly services news)
22/08/2014 15:36
6-7
Home improvements pages
4 My voice
12-13
myvoice!
We want to give you every opportunity to tell us your thoughts, ideas and comments. As you know there are new ways you can contact us via Facebook and Twitter as well as by letter. Whatever way you choose to contact us, we want to hear from you. Tell us about your neighbourhood or give us your thoughts on anything Great Places-related! One of your letters/emails/social media messages will be made Star Letter and you’ll receive a £10 voucher.
Write to us at:
My Great Place Communications Great Places Housing Group Southern Gate 729 Princess Road Manchester M20 2LT
Email us: communications@greatplaces.org.uk
Tweet us: @mygreatplace
Facebook us at:
facebook.com/GreatPlacesHousing Place, suffering a drop Dear My Great paying rent after e bl ou tr in f el ys erwhelmed by When I found m ner and I felt ov rt pa y m at th t e poin letters), I was rent reminder in income (to th ay aw g in w ro th ornley. d were nator, Sarah Th di the situation an or co d oo rh cal neighbou visited by my lo e stayed for t I was saying. Sh ha w to d ne te dged or tually lis on. She never ju ati And wow, she ac tu si le ho w y e explain m hours and let m questioned me. t floating suppor , Great Places’ et nn Be ntly n ca Ja ifi to gn me and si Sarah referred e out my debts ur fig e m ed lp e he to sort out som coordinator, who well as helping as ts en ym pa re reduce my in my home. ntenance issues ai m ng di an st long and more ancially secure fin e or m lt fe I s e in year For the first tim on life. and my outlook f el ys m in e tiv posi brought on all your worries t ou ab lk ta to to be able these things to It’s really good etimes we keep m So it! others. of ck la e med in front of ha as el by money, or th fe to t – they were be we don’t wan ourselves. May tioned or judged es qu r ve ne aff aces st Great Places! But the Great Pl helpful. Thanks d an , ly nd ie fr , approachable
Editor: It’s always encouraging to hear examples of how Great Places has helped an individual to make positive changes in their life. If you find yourself in a situation similar to Michelle’s please speak with your local neighbourhood coordinator or call Great Places on 0300 123 1966 and speak to speak the financial inclusion team. We’re here to help!
wn Michelle McKeo
Kids’ Competition Want a fancy new iPod?
Thanks so much for you responses to the ‘find Margaret Plaice’ competition – She was hiding behind the flying pig. Congratulations to Isabella Griffiths from Urmston who was the winner! If you don’t already know, Margaret Plaice, our little fishy friend whose name is inspired by this very magazine, is hiding again somewhere. Can you find her? If you can, just email or write and let us know exactly where she is (make sure you put the page number) at the above addresses, making sure you put your address and phone number of the entry. The winning entry will get their hands on a cute little iPod, so get searching!
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COMPETITION RULES To enter you must be 16 or under and a Great Places resident Entries must be in by 21 August 2015
Protecting our communities
Feature
The community safety team work across Great Places neighbourhoods to tackle unacceptable behaviour. We work alongside our neighbourhood staff and other agencies to put you first. What do we do? We investigate incidents of: • Anti-social behaviour • Domestic abuse • Hate Crime • Crime and nuisance • Neighbour issues Safety first! It’s all about early intervention and prevention. We want to resolve issues and work with you. We know it’s important to you that appropriate action is taken against those responsible. We work closely with the police and other agencies to reduce crime and nuisance in your neighbourhoods. How to get help We want you to feel comfortable about approaching us. We’re a friendly team and we’re here to help. We will listen without judging you, and offer advice. Our staff are fully trained and you will be treated with complete discretion. If you need the help of an interpreter we will arrange this for you. If we visit you, we will always show an identity card and will respect your home, privacy, customs and culture. We will always show an identity card and will respect your home, privacy, customs and culture.
Contact information Please call 0300 123 1966, email cat@greatplaces.org.uk or visit www.greatplaces.org.uk and search for ‘community safety’. If you need to call us out of office hours, please use our ASB reporting line 0845 250 4626 which is also open 24 hours on bank holidays and weekends. You can also get information on our community safety team, anti-social behaviour, hate crime and neighbour issues 5 by visiting our website www.greatplaces.org.uk. Look out for our eye-catching leaflets and video on Youtube.
Funding to help communities flourish
The Shared Spaces Fund and Residents’ Fund provide a pot of money to help the people and places in your community to shine. Whether you’d like to start up a social or sports club, gain a qualification to help boost your career, or spruce up a communal space for you and your neighbours to enjoy – Great Places can help.
The space also features a fairy garden for the neighbours’ grandchildren to enjoy, a Japanese inspired garden, and an up-cycled bench, which has been passed down Janet’s family for several generations.
Kindred spirits, Janet Cantrill and Diane Absalom, were successful in securing a Great Places Residents’ Fund and, with additional support from their neighbours, have transformed their communal car park into a green haven for all to enjoy.
They now plan to create a flowerbed filled with bright, fragrant flowers for their neighbour Helen, who is partially sighted and deaf, to enjoy.
The green-fingered friends have spent hundreds of hours over the last two months gutting the flowerbeds, which surround their communal car park at Thomas Gibbon Close, Stretford, and adding a flower power touch to each of the flat entrances. As part of the Residents’ Fund project, Great Places has installed a water butt to provide an eco-friendly water supply to the garden, created raised flower beds lined with sleepers and provided plants, compost, bark and a screen to hide the bins.
Janet, who submitted the Residents’ Fund application, said: “We wanted to create a space that would bring all the neighbours together. “Before we started the project we asked each of our neighbours what their favourite plant is and we’ve made sure that each of these plants are included in the garden somewhere. “It has taken a lot of hard graft but we were so determined and we spur each other on and have a laugh as we’re doing it.”
Great Places Shared Spaces Fund update!
Great Places Residents’ Fund update! 25
Resident Fund applications assessed by the panel
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Resident Fund applications approved
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£20.7k
Shared Spaces Fund applications received
Total funds given out
We’ve got £25,000 to award for projects that help:
Total funds given out
• To increase safety and security of shared spaces • To improve the appearance and usability of shared spaces
You can apply via any of the following ways: Collecting it from your local housing office Calling 0161 925 7928 Emailing maria.morris@greatplaces.org.uk Visiting www.greatplaces.org.uk and searching for ‘Great Places Residents’ Fund’
£118k
We’ve got £125,000 to award for projects that help:
• To support employment • To build sustainable neighbourhoods • To promote health and wellbeing
• • • •
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Shared Spaces Fund applications approved
To apply, contact the Great Places customer access team on 0300 123 1966 or email cat@greatplaces.org.uk.
For further information go to www.greatplaces.org.uk and search for ‘Shared Spaces Fund’
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News Matt’s message Spending money on maintaining your homes is one of our key priorities and it’s great to see the smiling faces on p12. This financial year we plan to spend around £17m on improving our homes so that will mean new bathrooms, kitchens and windows for some of you. How we decide who gets what is explained in more detail in the article on p12. Day-to-day repairs are important so I am pleased satisfaction levels with our repairs service have increased to 89 per cent. We’ve restructured the repairs and asset management team and we’re moving in the right direction but we’re not complacent and continually look for ways to improve the service we offer you. We’re also keen to help improve the communities we work in and that’s why we’ve set up the Shared Spaces Fund and the Residents’ Fund. If you want to establish a sports club or gain a qualification to benefit your career, please see page seven for more information.
Elsewhere we are still waiting to see how the recent general election will affect us. More welfare reform is planned and this will no doubt influence benefits. Whatever policies are decided over the next few months, we will be doing all we can to help you. There is also the possibility of ‘right to buy’ for housing associations residents. We don’t know any details at this stage, for example which properties might qualify and what the rules will be, but as soon as we know more we’ll update you. Finally, we are all ready to (hopefully) enjoy the summer weather and no doubt a few barbeques will be getting dusted down. One thing I would ask for everyone is to keep safe when using them. We’ve launched a fire safety campaign across Great Places after several serious incidents which have happened to residents and we want everyone to stay safe during the sunny weather.
Installing CCTV in your property The laws around CCTV in your property have changed and may be subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.
For more information visit https:// ico.org.uk/for-the-public/cctv
If you have a camera and it is only recording within the perimeter of your property the images captured are not covered by the Data Protection Act.
If you wish to install your own personal cameras on your property you must first seek the written permission of Great Places Housing Group.
However, if the camera covers any areas beyond the boundaries of your property then it may be subject to certain requirements of the Act.
If you have any queries about CCTV at Great Places contact datamanagementadvicegroup@greatplaces. org.uk.
Career opportunities Great Places is committed to not just creating great homes, but also supporting great communities and great people too. As part of this, we keep our fingers on the pulse of apprenticeship and career opportunities relevant for our residents. Check out the ‘Great Places Housing Group’ Facebook page for the latest career opportunities.
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Show your pride this summer! Great Places will once again be painting rainbows in Manchester and Blackpool this summer in celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life. Come and see the Great Places float and show your support for this legendary event.
Blackpool Pride – Saturday 13 June Manchester Pride – Saturday 29 August
News ONE GREAT NEIGHBOURHOOD Our One Great Neighbourhood team have visited over 1,000 residents in Seedley, Langworthy, Coppice, Northmoor, Knutsford, Claremont and Wybourn over the last couple of months to find out how we can make these neighbourhoods even greater. All of the feedback received from residents will be looked at and the key issues that are important to residents will be included in a series of action plans. You will soon be able to view these action plans on the Great Places website and Facebook page (‘Great Places Housing Group’) and the key highlights will also be featured in a future edition of My Great Place. Alternatively, contact your local neighbourhood coordinator for further details.
Working together to stamp out tenancy fraud What is tenancy fraud? When somebody living in a Great Places home rents it to another person(s) without permission or obtains a home through providing false information, then they are guilty of housing fraud. Tenancy fraud is a criminal offence, which an individual can be prosecuted for.
Its impact on the social housing community With thousands of people on the housing register, it’s very important that we make sure our homes are allocated in a fair manner. All the money lost to fraud is money that could be spent on building more homes, improving neighbourhoods, and providing important support services to our tenants.
What you can do to help You can help by reporting any cases of suspected fraud to the Great Places CAT team on 0300 123 1966.
#OneGreatNeighbourhood
All the information you give to us will be treated in the strictest of confidence. You do not have to give your name or reveal any details about yourself if you wish to remain anonymous.
Excellence in Equality and Diversity Awards Great Places is thrilled to have been shortlisted at the first ever Excellence in Diversity Awards – coming second place in the Diverse Company of the Year category. From its commitment to provide equal employment opportunities in order to create a diverse workplace here at Great Places to the many employment and training initiatives it provides to tenants – Great Places is passionate about empowering people in order to create great communities.
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HOW WE’RE DOING Customer care We strive to provide you with the best possible services and customer care; however, we understand that sometimes things go wrong. When things do go wrong we really want you to let us know so that we can not only put things right but also learn from the experience and ensure that the same situation doesn’t occur again.
Lodging a complaint You can inform Great Places by telephone, email, in person or by post and one of our frontline staff will try to resolve your issue. We call this ‘nipping it in the bud’ (NIP) and staff have five working days to identify the best possible course of action to put things right.
They will then investigate your issue, discuss why you are unhappy with our initial offer to put things right and provide you with a final, formal offer to put things right. We call this process ‘right first time’ (RFT). We aim to resolve your complaint within 20 working days. If you are still unhappy with our response you have the option of referring your complaint for independent resolution. This independent resolution could be any of the following: • A local councillor • An MP • The Housing Ombudsman
If you are not satisfied with how we propose to put things right then you have the option of requesting that your issue is looked at in more detail by one of our service managers.
Number of RFT complaints
January
Number of NIP complaints
March
42
March
28
February
January
30
28 Compliments
February
32 January
March
36
36 February 10 10
38 www.greatplaces.org.uk www.greatplaces.org.uk
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Overall performance Great Places sets itself a number of key goals, which are important to ensure that it continues to build great homes and great communities, supported by great people.
Overall satisfaction with Great Places’ services
Satisfaction with repairs service
(2013/14 = 84%)
(2013/14 = 83%)
86%
89%
£ Amount of rent collected
99.9%
(2013/14 = 99.0%)
Surplus – additional money which can be invested into building new homes
£10.7 million
(2013/14 = £9.5 million)
Rent not collected due to empty properties
0.8%
(2013/14 = 1.1%)
New homes built
730
(2013/14 = 576) 11 11
Home improvements
Feature
Great Places plans to invest over ÂŁ17 million during the next year in order to improve the comfort, energy efficiency and safety of our homes and communities. This is in addition to the everyday smaller repair jobs, which Great Places takes care of as and when a resident reports a repair matter to our in-house repairs team. My Great Place met with some of the residents who have recently benefitted from a touch of home improvement magic in their home. How is the money allocated?
The improvement work is planned using a database, which records the age and condition of the major
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elements of each Great Places home, such as the bathroom, kitchen, boiler, roof, gutter and windows. We also make planning decisions based on the feedback that we receive from customers and Great Places staff regarding the condition of a property or communal space. This information is constantly refreshed by our ‘stock condition surveyors’ who complete a review of 2000 individual properties a year. For more information about home improvement please contact us by emailing investmentenquiries@ greatplaces.org.uk or call 0300 123 1966 and ask to speak to the investment enquiries team.
Feature
Mr and Mrs Palmer
Maureen Davies
A new kitchen, bathroom, and Rointe heater system has totally transformed Stuart and Hazel Palmer’s home on Grange Avenue, Oldham.
Maureen of Shaw Drive, Knutsford, is enjoying her new kitchen and flooring, which she selected to suit her personal taste.
George Varghese
Barbara Charlton
George of Shaw Drive, Knutsford, said of his new kitchen: “I love to cook and as a family we spend a lot of time in the kitchen – it’s the main social room in the house so we’re really pleased to have had the room brought upto-date.”
Great Places removed Barbara Charlton’s old tariff heater system at her home on Clifton Grove, Old Trafford, and replaced it with a new energy-efficient Rointe heater.
Mr and Mrs Highfield Stanley and Joyce Highfield are thrilled with the new windows fitted at their home in Ainsworth, Bolton. Stanley said: “The new windows have sealed the house up and stopped the draughts so its made our home a much more comfortable place to relax. The work was completed very quickly and the workmen were very pleasant.”
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Fire safety in the home Sadly, there’s recently been a number of serious fire-related incidents among Great Places residents. Here’s some top tips for keeping you and your loved ones fire safe.
Never smoke in bed!
If you’re feeling drowsy, have been drinking alcohol or are taking prescription drugs, take extra care when smoking. It’s really easy to fall asleep and not notice that a cigarette is still burning. Don’t light up if you need to lie down and never smoke in bed.
Chip pan fire safety
Around 16,000 domestic fires every year are started by chip pan fires. Use a deep-fat-fryer instead or, better still, use oven chips. If you have a chip pan fire never put water on it, don’t tackle the fire yourself. Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so. Get out, stay out and call 999.
Safe summer BBQs
Ensure your barbecue is positioned on a flat surface and well away from a shed or trees, never leave the barbecue unattended and make sure the tap is turned off before changing the cylinder. It’s also a good idea to keep a bucket of water or sand nearby for emergencies. If you suspect a leak to the cylinder or pipe work, brush soapy water around the joints and watch for bubbles – tighten to fix but do not over-tighten.
Fit a smoke alarm
A smoke alarm could save the lives of you and your family in a fire. All Great Places homes are fitted with a fire alarm. Check the batteries regularly if you believe there is a problem with your alarm or call the CAT team on 0300 123 1966.
Don’t leave cooking unattended
More than half of accidental fires in the home are started in the kitchen. It is easy to be distracted while cooking and leave things unattended. Avoid cooking if you’re tired, have been drinking alcohol or taking medication that can make you drowsy.
Get a free home-fire-safety check
Did you know you can get a free home-fire-safety check? Call your local fire service on their general enquiries number and they will visit to fit smoke alarms and give safety advice on keeping your home and family as safe as possible.
GET CREATIVE AND HELP SAVE LIVES! We’re calling for all budding artists to page to help you design your poster. design their own fire safety poster to be featured in Great Places’ receptions across Designs can be done by hand or using a the north west and Yorkshire. computer. Two designs will be selected. The winners will receive an iPod Shuffle. Use the fire safety information on this
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Both adults and children are invited to partake but to enter you must be a Great Places resident. Deadline for entries: 5pm, Monday 3 August 2015. Any entries received after this date will not be considered.
Send your entries to FREEPOST, RLSC-HLLJ-EZRZ, My Great Place, Great Places Housing Group, Southern Gate, 729 Princess Road, Manchester M20 2LT.
Getting online with Len! The real cost of broadband We see adverts all the time telling us we can get broadband for a few pounds a month but is this really true? Most internet providers don’t include the monthly line rental when they advertise their low cost deals, which normally adds on about £16 per month. This means the real cost of getting broadband usually works out at over £20 per month. Our digital trainer, Len, has found two low cost packages that can really cut down the cost of getting online.
BT Basics + Broadband This seems like a fantastic deal but not everyone can get it. It’s only available to people on low incomes and in receipt of either: Income Support, JSA, ESA, Pensions Credit or Universal Credit with zero earnings. There are also limits on the amount of data you get, which means if you want to use the internet to watch TV or videos this £9.95 per may not be the best deal for you. month including line Call BT Basics on 0800 800 864 to rental request an application form.
Are there other cheap deals out there? Yes, there are lots of low cost broadband packages to be found by looking on the internet but these are two of the simplest and the cheapest. Are there any hidden costs? If you don’t already have a phone line, most companies will charge you for installing one and connecting you. Don’t forget to ask them how much this will be! You’re already paying line rental but don’t have the internet? Then you really should be able to get online for just a few extra pounds per month by talking to your service provider. You can still consider switching to another provider to get a better deal but make sure you ask about any installation costs.
SSE Everyday Broadband + Talk Weekend Anyone is entitled to get this deal but you will need to sign up to an 18-month contract and after two years the price will increase. This gives you unlimited internet and also uses BT lines so your connection should be just as good. Call SSE on 0800 197 1928 to find out more. Offer is scheduled to end September 2015.
£12 per month including line rental
What about mobile internet? If you don’t use the internet a lot then this might be a good option but first you need to make sure that you can get a signal where you live. If you don’t want to enter into a contract you can also ‘pay as you go’. For average users though, this may work out to be more expensive in the long term.
If you need any more advice about getting connected, buying a computer or tablet, or taking your first steps to using the internet or a computer, then just call 0300 123 1966 and ask for help to get online.
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News neighbourhood
What’s going on where you live...
Morecambe kids jumping for success! Great Places has teamed up with Lancashire Sport to offer free sports sessions including, trampolining, free running, climbing and archery, at Regent Park Studios, Morecambe as part of a Positive Together programme. Positive Together provides young people aged 8–16 years with an opportunity to build new talents, have fun, and make new friends in a safe and secure environment.
Positive Together goer, Louis Fitton, aged 12, said: “I really enjoy the sessions at Regent Park – they help with my fitness and I enjoy learning new skills. I would like to obtain more awards in trampolining and to look at becoming a coach when I’m older.” For further information on taking part in the Positive Together programme in Morecambe contact katherine.michaels@greatplaces. org.uk or call 07792 801 928.
Winning residents! Congratulations go to: Ethan Evans, of Salford, for winning Young Tenant of the Year at the Northern TPAS (Tenant Participatory Advisory Service) Awards 2015. After overcoming several lifethreatening illnesses, Ethan is now on the road to becoming an Olympic swimmer and has raised thousands of pounds for various children’s charities in the process. All those involved in the digital inclusion project, BernersLee, and Levenshulme Youth Project, which were both shortlisted at the Northern TPAS Awards 2015. Memona Shahid, of Northmoor, who won The Manchester Student’s Home Community Project of the Year at the Manchester University Students’ Union Awards after she set up a successful revision project for young people. Community Spirit, a residents’ group in Knutsford, which
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has been successful in securing a grant from Awards for All to recruit a part time volunteer and activity coordinator: Great Places resident, Kane Gunter, from Longridge. The aim of Community Spirit is to develop a range of volunteering opportunities to provide health and wellbeing services to the Longridge and Shaw Heath community. Leah Dean, 16, of Patton Court, Salford, who has raised over £1,000 for Cancer Research UK after pledging to shave her waist-length hair in honour of her favourite teacher, Michelle Holding, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. To sponsor Leah go to JustGiving.com and search for ‘Holding’s Henna Heads’. Photographed from left to right: Ethan Evans, Kane Gunter and Memona Shahid (centre).
Northmoor wardens We’re changing how we deliver services in Northmoor to provide more support for residents so that they can lead on projects to improve the lives of people living in the area. We will no longer operate our wardens’ service and instead we will expand our caretaking operation. There will be some familiar faces in the new set-up with two former wardens, Martin Stubbs and Nicola O’Brien, taking jobs as caretakers. Sarah Riley, who has been working in the area for a number of years as part of our housing management team, has been appointed as a community development co-ordinator to help manage the changes in the neighbourhood over the next year.
Chairobics! SHEFFIELD: Come and join in this gentle exercise class – Mondays, 2–3pm at Richmond Park Community Centre.
Housing drop-in service SHEFFIELD: The current drop in will change from Thursdays at Wybourn Children’s Centre to Mondays, 2–4pm at the Corner House, 333 Manor Oaks Road. For further information on these changes or if you would like to speak to a housing officer about your tenancy please call 0300 123 1966.
Patton Court in bloom thanks to star resident SALFORD: Angela Lindsay of Patton Court, Salford has rolled up her sleeves and worked her magic on the communal gardens. Angela said: “There used to be no flowers and it looked totally different to how it looks now. I love to get out in the fresh air and take care of the garden on a daily basis. It has gone down very well with the other tenants.”
Levy Grant Scheme SHEFFIELD: If you’ve got an idea for a community event, activity or project that could benefit local people in Wybourn and you would like to apply for a grant please contact Philip Walker on 0300 123 1966 for more information and an application form.
National Citizenship Service If you are aged 15–17 years then you can sign up to National Citizenship Service – a chance to challenge yourself and create lasting friendships and unforgettable memories along the way. The programme is available at locations across the north west and Yorkshire and will include a four-day outdoor pursuits trip, three days spent at a local football club completing first aid training and a Sports Leaders Award, and a group community project. For more information contact: sadar.uddin@greatplaces.org.uk
Fundraising volunteer for Coppice Sporting Alliance OLDHAM: Volunteers are needed to help with a range of fundraising activities to raise money for Coppice Sporting Alliance. Volunteers will help to: • Organise and run fundraising and sponsorship events to raise money for the Coppice Sporting Alliance • Develop ideas for new events and fun ways to raise money To register your interest, please contact Naseem Ahmed on Naseem.Ahmad@greatplaces.org.uk or call 0161 484 3221/07815 311125.
Join the club! BLACKPOOL: Do you live in Claremont or Bispham in Blackpool? Would you like to get involved in a free golfing programme for beginners? Great Places have teamed up with Tee Time Golf and the Positive Together Partnership to bring you this exciting chance to learn a new skill, meet new friends and exercise at the same time. We are looking for residents who might be interested in getting involved in the eight-week pilot and then potentially a full 26 week course. If you would like to get involved please contact katherine.michaels@greatplaces.org.uk or call 07792 801 928.
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my money Ways to pay your rent Here are seven easy ways in which you can pay your rent Direct debit: call the Customer Access Team on 0300 123 1966 (option 2) for more details. Online: log on to www.allpay. net and click on ‘make an online payment’
Over the phone: use your debit or credit card to pay; call the Customer Access Team on 0300 123 1966 (option 2)
24 hours a day: call 0844 557 8321 to access Allpay’s 24-hour automated telephone service. You will need your rent card topay this way – please call us if you haven’t got one
Over the counter: Pay with an Allpay rent card at any Post Office or Paypoint outlet
Allpay app: this is available on all smart phones
Text message: use your payment card and debit card to register at www.allpaynet
How to eat well for less Cut out the junk: Evaluate how much money you are spending on items such as fizzy drinks, biscuits, and prepackaged meals. Limit or completely cut out these unhealthy foods. Your wallet and your body will thank you. Learn to love your freezer: Takeaways and fast food may seem convenient but they’re not very convenient for your bank balance or body. Instead, batch make your favourite mid-week meals and freeze them – it’s cheaper to buy food in bigger batches and means you have a delicious dinner ready to go whenever you need it.
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Stick to your shopping list: The more prepared you are when you get to the shop the less impulse purchases you will make. Shop the fruit and veg aisle first: This way you will fill your trolley with healthy fresh foods.
Our Financial Inclusion team work hard to help residents save money. Last year, they helped put £1m back into your pockets!
How to avoid unwanted sales calls There is a way you can reduce the number of unwanted calls you receive by registering with the Telephone Preference Service (also known as TPS). It’s completely free to register your phone number with TPS, so you don’t need to pay your telephone service provider to do this. Once you have registered your number with the TPS, it is a legal requirement that all organisations (including, voluntary organisations and political parties) do not make sales-related calls to your number unless they have your consent to do so.
How to register with TPS
What about unwanted texts?
Go to www.tpsonline.org.uk. Alternatively, you can register by writing to Telephone Preference Service, DMA House, 70 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SS.
If you’re with EE, O2 or Vodafone then just forward unwanted texts to 7726. This will help the mobile companies to stop you from receiving these texts.
Discretionary housing payments (DHP)
Universal credit update
If you receive Housing Benefit but it does not cover your full rent then you may be able to apply for a DHP. If your Housing Benefit is reduced because of: • The bedroom tax • The benefit cap • You have a non-dependant living with you then you may be able to get an extra payment from your local authority. If the reduction in your Housing Benefit is to recover a previous over-payment then you will not be awarded DHP. If you are presently receiving DHP then you can re-apply when your present payment stops. However, there is no guarantee that you will be awarded another DHP. Local authorities have had the amount of money they receive reduced by the government, and so they will be refusing more applications this year than in previous years. If you would like further information regarding DHPs please contact the Customer Access Team on 0300 123 1966.
The government has rolled out Universal Credit to all job centres in the North West and Chesterfield, Derbyshire. It’s a benefit for people who are aged between 18 and 60 years and six months and you may be asked to claim. If you’re asked to claim Universal Credit then you’ll be expected to make your claim online. When completing the online claim form ensure that you tick ‘YES’ under the question ‘do you pay your rent?’ – otherwise the rent element will be missed from your Universal Credit payment. If you don’t have access to the internet, your local Job Centre can point you in the direction of the nearest organisation that can give you online access to complete your claim. Alternatively, you can contact Len Rice, Great Places’ digital trainer, for advice on getting online: 0300 123 1966. Important: although Universal Credit replaces Housing Benefit, it doesn’t replace Council Tax Support. If you’re claiming Universal Credit and want help with your Council Tax bill you must contact your local authority to claim the help.
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Could you help our residents gain ‘Insight’? RUTH
‘Insight’ is a group of eight residents who work together to inspect services delivered to Great Places residents. The investigations involve reviewing performance, interviewing staff and managers, consulting with customers and reviewing other landlords’ services. They then present their findings and make recommendations to the Great Places Board. Customer scrutiny is a fantastic chance for residents who would like to volunteer or are looking to learn new skills. Each scrutiny review lasts between 8–12 weeks and the group consists of a number of full-time as well as part-time members, who contribute from home or attend a limited number of meetings. If you are interested in finding out more about scrutiny reviews or joining the insight group, please contact Tracy Gregory on 0161 925 7918 or email tracy.gregory@ greatplaces.org.uk. We spoke to Insight team members Ruth and Carol to find out more about their work with us. What’s been the best bit so far? Carol: “The best thing of all is that we can make a real difference and we are listened to by Great Places and the Board.”
CAROL
Why did you decide to volunteer for Insight? Ruth: “I have always taken an active interest in my neighbourhood and generally around what Great Places does, how it functions and what it promises. Being involved with Insight will enable Great Places to improve in both its service to and its relationship with customers.” What exactly does it involve? Carol: “We work together as an independent team to decide what service area to test. Once a service has been chosen we learn as much as we can about that service then speak to customers and staff to compare their experiences with procedure. The findings and recommendations of the review are written in a report, which is presented to Board.” Would you recommend being on the Insight committee? Ruth: “I would very much encourage other tenants to become involved – not only are you influencing the quality of the service provided to you currently, but also the shape of it in the future. Involvement enables you to use existing skills and develop new ones.” If you are interested in joining ‘insight’ contact Tracy Gregory on 0161 925 7918 or email tracy.gregory@greatplaces.org.uk.
Call audits — reviewing services Great Places has a team of customer auditors who monitor and provide feedback about calls made by Great Places residents to our repairs and customer access teams and we’re looking for more volunteers to take part. What’s involved?
Each month a customer call auditor listens to a random sample of five customer calls and uses a short checklist to record their findings about the calls.
Their feedback is a valuable contribution, which helps Great Places to monitor the standard of service it offers and identify improvements. Get involved: If you are interested in volunteering with the customer call auditor team contact Tracy Gregory on 0161 925 7918 or email tracy.gregory@greatplaces.org.uk.
And the survey said... In the last edition of My Great Place we asked if you are happy to communicate with Great Places by email. Results from the 129 responses received: 47% of residents were happy to receive email communication by Great Places, 43% of residents don’t use email, and 10% of residents would prefer to be contacted by other communication methods. We’ll use the information you gave us to update our records regarding your communication preferences.
For more information on the in:team please contact: cat@greatplaces.org.uk or call 0300 123 1966
How you’re helping to improve services We catch up with the two main resident-led Great Places groups to find out what they’ve been doing to make our services better for you. Customer Service Voice (CSV) is the main resident advisory group which
provides feedback to Great Places directors regarding Great Places performance, policies and reviewing improvements to the services we offer you as a resident. During the first two meetings of 2015 the CSV have discussed over 30 matters relating to Great Places services and policies, including:
Great Places r Custome Services Voice
• Agree how we respond to customers who use social media • Monitor Great Places’ progress against the Insight Complaints Service Action Plan • The effect of welfare reform on customers and what Great Places are doing to support residents affected • How Great Places perform in different service areas including how quickly we let our empty homes, how satisfied customers are with services received, how we manage complaints and how we collect rent • The successful Shared Spaces and Residents’ Fund applications, funding during 2014/15, and proposals to improve these funds further. • The ongoing improvements to the repairs service Would you like to come and see the CSV in action? The CSV meet six times a year. If you want to find out more about what the CSV do or would like to come and see them in action, call Pauline on 0161 925 7938 or email pauline.heron@greatplaces.org.uk
Community Safety Review ‘insight’, the customer scrutiny group, has been extremely busy during the last few months testing the community safety service.
The group has looked at community safety service policies and procedures to understand what the service offers customers and how it helps customers who may be experiencing issues relating to community safety such as anti-social behavior. insight has: • Looked at satisfaction feedback and complaints received from customers • Interviewed staff and customers • Reviewed other landlords’ community safety services to see how Great Places compares.
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We would like to thank customers who have helped by providing valuable feedback of their experiences during this review. insight is now preparing a report to set out the key findings of the review and suggest recommendations, which will be presented to Great Places Board in July 2015.
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GRAPEVINE
Elderly services news
Summer celebrations! Residents from St George, Douglas Leatham and the Willows got together for a summer fair which included a raffle and bric-a-brac, food and clothes stalls – all washed down with plenty of cream tea of course!
Senior Tenants Voice
John Atkinson Court – What’s on
Senior Tenants’ Voice (STV) Group members represent residents from all our sheltered and extra-care schemes and help to ensure that Great Places continues to improve resident services.
Kurling group (at John Atkinson Court) – Wednesdays 11:30am–12:30pm Healthy hips and hearts – Thursdays (at John Atkinson Court) – 2–3pm Walking group (meet at Buile Hill Park – side gate off Seedley Road) – Mondays – 1:30pm–2:30pm
Matters recently discussed by Senior Tenants’ Voice: • Sheltered scheme guest rooms – what facilities should be included, what is value for money, and what circumstances should free accommodation be granted. Their feedback has enabled the development of a new guest room guidance document.
For further information please contact Melody Barber on 0161 737 2502 or speak with your scheme manager.
• What services are important to residents and what services may become important in the future. • How Great Places can improve marketing to scheme residents. This has enabled the development of scheme noticeboards. • The allocations and lettings process and how we can reach a wider customer-base who may require extra care or sheltered accommodation. If you want to know more about Senior Tenants’ Voice you can speak to your scheme manager or call Pauline Heron on 0161 925 7938.
Cream of the crop!
New look for Openshaw Court Openshaw Court residents, Great Places staff and the investment work contractors, Kier, celebrate the completion of major refurbishment work at the scheme. The investment works saw 24 new kitchens and 32 new wet rooms installed for 37 residents.
A cream tea event with residents at the Willows saw £400 being raised to purchase plants for the local area in advance of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Wyre in Bloom competition which is being judged in July 2015. Lilian Makin, senior tenant rep at the Willows, enjoying a slice of the good life.
Hawkshaw Court gets tech savvy Len Rice, Great Places’ digital trainer, hosted a quiz with a digital twist for Hawkshaw Court residents.
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my
green place
Feature Advice, tips and ideas on staying green and saving money!
Summer in bloom Summer is here and now is the perfect time to get out in the garden. Make sure you are feeding, watering and deadheading any bedding plants. It is also the perfect time to think about which perennials you want to see in the garden next year. Even though it is the beginning of summer some vegetables can still be planted from seed to give you a bumper crop from the garden. Great Places have some free seeds to give away. Please call our Customer Access Team on 0300 123 1966 and let them know if you would like runner beans, spinach or peas. First time grower? Don’t worry, all the seeds come with full instructions on how to plant them and how to help them grow.
Pedal Power in Oldham St George’s Day saw the opening of two new bike sheds at Wood Park Court in Oldham. Residents celebrated with a community cycle ride around the beautiful Daisy Nook Park. As part of the launch event, which was supported by Transport for Greater Manchester, residents were provided with bike locks and maps showing cyclist and walker-friendly routes around Oldham.
One of Wood Park Court’s pedal power residents, Luke Shaw, with Great Places’ environmental manager, Sarah McClelland.
Go Green success for Claremont! The Go Green Project has recruited three resident volunteers who have been provided with training to assist other residents with money saving tips, employment and training opportunities, and energy saving products. The volunteers, Marion Donnelly, Lianne Horrocks and Mark Stephenson, have made contact with over 100 tenants. A Go Green resident event was also held at Claremont Community Centre earlier this year – with 40 local people attending.
Marion Donnelly said: “The project has had a positive impact on the Claremont community and helped open up communication between residents and Great Places. “I have learnt a lot more about the environmental and money saving benefits of energy saving products such as draft excluders and timers. Hopefully the Claremont community will now put this into practice and reap the rewards.”
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Competition time Complete the word search, spot the difference and survey questions, cut them out and post them to us, along with your full name and address, to be entered into a prize draw to win a £20 shopping voucher. Six winners will be selected. Make sure you include your survey questions with your entry.
Word Search!
Send your entries by post to: FREEPOST, RLSC-HLLJ-EZRZ, My Great Place, Maria Morris, Name: Date: Great Places Housing Group, 4th Floor St James’ House, Pendleton Way, Salford M6 5FW. Find and circle each of the words from the list below. Words may appear
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horizontally, vertically or diagonally, but forwards only.
All entries must be in by Friday 21 August 2015. Remember, you don’t need a stamp!
Wordsearch
C G E D U S U M M E R H O O
O A O P A O A P M U Y R A W U R G T W K A S E G N A O B
Words to find are: SUMMER FLOWERS SUNSHINE GARDEN ICECREAM
BEACH PICNIC STRAWBERRIES SHORTS HOLIDAYS
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S N W Q C R P S S R
SANDCASTLE SUITCASE
H U C O N X I
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S K E
Congratulations to last issue’s winners: Wordsearch: Amy Grew – Morecambe, Diane Spotswood – Sheffield, Neil Julyans – Manchester
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Spot the difference: M Donnelly – Blackpool, Arshad Iqbal – Rochdale, Mary Howker – Bury
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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE There are five differences – can you spot them? Circle the five differences on photo two.
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flowers strawberries holidays summer sunshine sandcastle suitcase icecream beach picnic garden shorts
Copyright ©2015 WorksheetWorks.com
Please circle one answer for each of the below questions and send it along with your competition entry in order to be entered into the prize draw. Do you know how to make a compliment or a complaint to Great Places?
Yes / No
How would you make a compliment or a complaint to Great Places if you needed to? post / phone / email / text message / in person / any of these Name:................................................................................................................................................................................... Address:............................................................................................................................................................................... 24 www.greatplaces.org.uk Telephone/Mobile: ...............................................................Email:....................................................................................