LINK newspaper by Joanna Meade

Link

Your FREE residents quarterly newspaper

Winter 2013

FEATURES • GOOD LIVING • YOUR COMMUNITIES • MONEY MATTERS • JOBS & TRAINING

Welfare Reform

Energy and your home

Pages 8-9

Page 12

Indoor garden Pages 7

The ins and outs of Welfare Reform

It’s a jungle out there G oing to the Gambia is a dream for many of us, but for one lucky resident it became a reality this year. We sponsored Angela Quan to do her Duke of Edinburgh award and, as part of that, she travelled to Africa with eight other young people.

The group, part of the DofE London’s New Leaders Programme, visited schools, enjoyed a home cooked meal and did some youth work training as part of the DofE programme. They got some fantastic experience, a recognised qualification and unforgettable memories from the experience.

“I thought the experience I had in Gambia was amazing. If it wasn’t for the DofE in London, I don’t think I would have ever ventured to Africa. The New Leaders Programme is a great way to get a qualification to become a youth leader, to give back to the community and to help others.” Angela said. Continued on page 2

After all the recent media coverage it is likely you already know that there are going to be significant changes to the benefits and tax credits system. It is really important that you find out about them as you could be affected. We’re dedicating our whole Money Matters section this issue to the Welfare Reform. While there are lots of changes ahead, there are a few keys ones that could affect you more significantly, so we thought we’d highlight those, break them down for you and clarify the immediate impact some of these could have on you. The amount and the way you receive your housing benefit might change, not to mention new factors being Request taken into account to a copy our judge what you’re Benefit Changes entitled to, such leaflet by calling as the number of 0330 123 0220 bedrooms in your home, or who is living there. For our full “need to know” breakdown of the Welfare Reform, see page 8-9

Features

FEATURES Note from the Editor Happy Easter from Viridian

Happy New Year As we welcome in the New Year, we also welcome you back to Link. We’ve had some great feedback on our new resident newspaper. The format seems to be a hit. Thank you to all the residents who got in touch with comments and feedback, not to mention those who took part in our focus group. We really value your input. This year is going to be challenging for some of our residents with the changes to benefit payments, and we want to make sure you have all the information you need. The last issue gave you a little insight, and you’ll find plenty more useful information in this issue. We also have articles on the big themes this month, such as energy cost saving, how to lose those Christmas pounds and how to navigate the January sales to keep you and your wallet healthy.

Winter 2013 Publisher: Viridian Housing, Colwell House, 376 Clapham Road, London SW9 9AR. Tel: 0330 123 0220 Fax: 0203 202 3601 Minicom: 0330 123 0221 Email: communications@ viridianhousing.org.uk

We want to make this newspaper something that you enjoy reading, so if you have any comments, ideas or feedback please do let us know by calling the Communications team on 0330 123 0220 or sending us an email to communications@viridianhousing.org.uk. Let us take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Easter, and we’ll see you in April.

This newsletter is printed on Cyclus Offset, 100% recycled paper. Manufactured using only post consumer de-inked waste produced without the use of brightening agents or chlorine. The production of Cyclus is based on the 100% concept: Not only is Cyclus manufactured from 100% recovered paper but the 100% concept means all residuals are reused for either cement production, fertiliser or district heating. In addition, Biofuel (woodchip) is used to make steam and electrical energy, which greatly reduces CO2 emissions during production.

Our new Editor, Jo Meade

What is the Duke of Edinburgh award? The DofE programme is a real adventure and is available to anyone aged 14 to 24. There are three different categories of award and loads of activities available to you, so there’s always something for everyone. The result is the world’s leading achievement award for young people, recognised by both employers and universities. How do I get involved? If you would like to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh awards, email the New Leader Programme Admin Officer, Jack Kirby on Jack.Kirby@DofE.org.

Copyright: All material published in Link is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with the permission of the editor. About us: Viridian Housing is a not-forprofit organisation that provides housing to over 30,000 residents in the Midlands, West Sussex, London and the south east. Our mission is to provide high quality, good value housing for mixed income communities.

Continued from page 1

Residents chip in to ensure we’re giving you the Link you enjoy reading

Do you have a story for Link? Send your ideas for the next issue to communications@ viridianhousing.org.uk by 28 February 2013.

Features

How very entrepreneurial

ne of our residents, Jacci Francis, has set up a registered Community Interest Company (CIC), called Chisel Kids.

Do you have that entrepreneurial flair? Contact your local Jobcentre Plus to see if your scheme can get funding.

Chisel Kids provides training and mentoring for excluded young victims and perpetrators of crime. With our support, Jacci managed to secure funding from Lambeth Jobcentre Plus to tackle unemployment amongst 18 to 24 year olds who are currently not in education, employment or training. We will also be providing Chisel Kids with access to training facilities at our Church Manor Community Learning Centre.

Helping those ‘Children in Need’ Children in Need is always a big fundraising initiative in the UK and residents of Catherine Court in Erdington, Birmingham were in on the action. They raised a fantastic £268.27 in November. Their fundraising events included a coffee morning, a cake sale and a jumble sale. Brenda Neal did a great job as the main organiser, as did the many other volunteers who took part. What a true inspiration.

Residents of Catherine Court get involved for Children in Need. Photography by Denis Holland.

If you would like to find out more about the scheme call Jacci on 07539 433 231

Paint-an-Icon

Mr Scaysbrook in his prize-winning garden

Pride and pergolas

e got a great response to our garden competition this year, and a lot of first-time entrants took part. It seems many of you take great pride in your gardens and do magnificent things. This year’s winner is Mr Scaysbrook of Kenilworth. His rear garden was packed with all sorts of perennials and bedding plants to make a fabulous display. He even installed a pergola covered in beautiful wisteria and clematis. We would like to say congratulations to him. Let’s not forget our second and third place contestants too, both from Perry Common. Miss Susan Astley for the display in her front garden, and Mrs Boomer for her back garden and hanging baskets.

Let us know if you’re getting involved in fundraising this year. Why not have a go for National Heart Month this February and take part in the “Rock Up In Red” campaign? See page 6

n celebration of Black History Month 2012, along with some external agencies, we ran an art workshop for our residents from Byrne Road on 18 October 2012 where they painted a black icon of their choice. The day was a real success and received some great feedback from residents and colleagues. The residents came to Colwell House for our Black History Month event and set up an exhibition of their work to give employees a chance to see their paintings. They answered questions for the attendees and paintings were kept on display for the remainder of the month. A resident from Byrne Road said “We would like to thank everyone again for their support and say a HUGE thank you to Seema Jassi for inviting us down to Colwell House and helping us to set up the exhibition.”

“I’m impressed by the work Viridian are doing with the young people. There was a true sense of inclusion and a nurturing environment which I hope continues.” Rashid Deen - Principal Social Worker (Wandsworth Social Services)

“I was really inspired by the positive interaction with the young people.” Terrance Smith - Director (Involve 2 Evolve)

Features

News in brief Stamping out subletting

Get your hands on a copy of our complaints leaflet.

For every person subletting a property, another person has been denied housing they need. We’re trying to stamp this out and you could help. If you suspect a property is being sublet then please report it to us on 0330 123 0220 or by email to subletting@ viridianhousing.org.uk. We treat all information in confidence, and if you contact us, you could be entitled to a £250 reward.

Subletting is the act of letting out a property that is in your name.

We learn from your complaints Many of you have contacted us with feedback about the way we schedule your repairs. We’ve taken it all on board and launched a new First Contact Resolution (FCR) pilot for repairs. The pilot will allow us to schedule appointments for repairs with you on your first call with us and this should speed up our service.

For more information please visit the ‘Learning from complaints’ pages on our website.

Techno-training The modern world is all about IT and being online, so we thought we’d help some of our residents get to grips with computers. Over the past few months we ran a series of IT training courses for our deaf residents from our Supported Housing, Outreach and Care homes. We want to thank Happy Computers for lending us all the equipment we needed and SHARE Communities for hosting the sessions. We got some great feedback from everyone involved. Find out more about SHARE by visiting website www.sharecommunity.org.uk

Supporting our students

e’ve been working with Middlesex University to give students the opportunity to win a year’s accommodation for free. This year we asked students to write us a 500 word essay explaining how they have made a difference. Yasmin Brenya was the lucky Yasmin Brenya, centre, with Viridian Chief student whose contribution to Executive Matthew Fox and National Operations her community was recognised Manager Linh Hawke with the award. Her essay impressed the judges and secured her as the winner. If you are thinking that next year you would like to get a degree and are thinking of going to Middlesex University, as a Viridian resident you could be in with a chance of winning the award like Yasmin. Go to our website for more information: www.viridianhousing.org.uk/residentsandcommunites/study

“I feel very honoured to be given the Viridian ‘Making a Difference’ award. This award has really help me financially; being part of a single family household I would not have been able to fund my student accommodation alone. I would like to encourage everyone to not give up and aspire for the best. Viridian has truly helped me to do this.”

Viridian says farewell to care homes

n April 2011 we announced that we had taken the strategic decision to exit from the direct provision of care services for older people so we could focus on our core housing services: general needs, retirement and supported housing. We are pleased to announce that we completed the transfer of eight of our care homes to Gold Care on 31 October 2012. Gold Care is a family owned business providing care homes for older people and we are delighted to have sold our care homes to them. They will be able to focus on developing the infrastructure that supports the individual care homes and maintain and improve the level of service provided to current and future residents. We are continuing the project to find the best provider to transfer our remaining four care homes for older people to and are aiming to have completed this by the end of September 2013. We will give you an update in the next edition of Link. We will continue to provide housing and support services for older people through our retirement housing schemes. We are actively developing new retirement housing schemes and will see over 300 new flats being developed for older people in 2013/14.

Features

Chef, Mark Borrell, with residents from Newstead House

Waste not, want not

T Second from right: Robin Lawler, President of The Chartered Institute of Housing, with Viridian employees Neal Ackcral, Birte Berlemann, and Karl Linder.

Viridian goes from Bronze to Silver

here are some great initiatives out there teaching people how to do their bit for the environment, and “Love Food, Hate Waste” is one of them. We partnered with the Local Borough of Havering on their campaign as part of “Recycle for London” and held two one-day training workshops at Newstead House in Romford to teach residents how to cook simple, inexpensive, tasty and highly nutritious meals.

Find out about our new dedicated Energy Advisor and how you can help to reduce energy emissions and costs on page 12

he Sustainable Home Index For Tomorrow, or SHIFT as it is known, gives Housing Associations awards for being environmentally friendly, and these can be either Bronze, Silver or Gold. This year, thanks to our work on energy saving, we went from Bronze, to Silver, which is a fantastic achievement. The SHIFT assessment looks at our environmental strategy and monitoring, as well as how green we are in our office, existing homes and new buildings. The assessor was really impressed with our work. Amongst other things we have: • installed cavity wall insulation in 1,018 homes in the last 18 months, saving our residents a total of over £100,000 per year on their energy bills. • fitted 397 homes with new loft insulation; saving the residents around £200 per home per year on their energy bills. • fitted additional insulation to boiler valves and pipe work in 43 housing blocks. As well as the financial savings, these changes have dramatically cut CO2 emissions in these homes.

The residents were lucky enough to learn some new techniques from three top London chefs, Mark Borrell, David Borrell and Robert Barham, who have over 60 years of experience between them. They have cooked for the Queen, with the “Two Hairy Bikers” on their TV cookery programme and have cooked for celebrities such as the cast of Eastenders, Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bill Clinton. Everyone had a great time and learned new skills, worked with the professional chefs, and found out about recycling, why we need to pay attention to how much we waste, and what we can re-use instead of throwing away.

“I didn’t want to leave (at the end of the session)” David Woods “Great (working with the chefs)” Philip Clarke Find out more about the

“Love Food, Hate Waste” campaign by visiting the website. www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Good Living

GOOD LIVING February is… National Heart Month Heart failure is one of the biggest challenges facing Britain today and can affect anyone. So what can you do to keep your heart healthy? Well first off, stay healthy yourself. Here’s our little guide to the top things you can do to help keep your heart ticking right:

To start planning your ‘Rock Up In Red’, visit www.rockupinred.org.uk.

Make sure you are getting your five portions of fruit and veg a day Get plenty of exercise Cut out cigarettes Keep an eye on your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels Try to make your life as stress free as possible, make sure you have enough time to relax • Don’t drink more than the recommended units of alcohol per week.

Have you heard of the big garden bird watch? It’s on 26 and 27 January, all across the country.

Basically, people count the birds in their garden and report the numbers to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). It’s an easy and fun way to learn about the local birds and it helps to keep track of bird populations nationally. There are usually a few events happening around it as well.

On 1 February we’ll be doing our bit to help raise awareness by ‘Rocking Up in Red’ to the office. And you can do it too. Whether you’ll be at the office, the gym, the local shops or staying in, make sure you wear something red and help raise awareness of Heart Disease.

Find out more at www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

Losing those Christmas pounds

March is… Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

e all know that post-holiday feeling. We’ve over indulged on food, drink and merriment, and who can blame us? It’s cold outside, and nothing warms us up quite like a plateful of turkey followed by mince pies and custard. All we’d like now is to get rid of that extra weight we’ve put on and sometimes it isn’t easy.

Often called the ‘silent killer’, ovarian cancer can progress to advanced stages before any obvious symptoms are noticed. And because the symptoms are so subtle, it is really important to be aware of what they are. Stomach pains that won’t go away, persistent bloating and finding it hard to eat, along with feeling full too quickly are all signs. Also if you are over 25 years it is very important that you have check-ups every three years with your GP.

You don’t have to join a fancy gym and spend all your holiday money on personal trainers. There are plenty of things you can do in your day-to-day life that’ll get you on the right track:

There are lots of ways you can get involved in raising awareness in March. www.ovarian.org.uk is full of ideas and ways you can help the cause.

March is also… National Bed Month

We do it for our cars, but have you ever thought of giving your bed an MOT? The Sleep Council’s website has a simple to use MOT form that’ll let you know if your bed makes the grade. www.sleepcouncil.org.uk

Robin

Big garden bird watch

• • • • •

The Sleep Council organise it every year to remind us all just how important a good night’s sleep is to our general health. They reckon sleeping in the right bed might just stop us tossing and turning and give us up to an extra hour of sleep every night making us more rested, happier and healthier. That sounds great to us.

Blue Tit

Call Smokefree: 0800 022 4 332, Mon to Fri 9am-8pm, Sat and Sun 11am-5pm or chat to an adviser online at www. smokefree. nhs.uk

• Use the stairs Forget that lift or escalator; make sure you climb those stairs. It will do wonders for toning those legs and glutes. • Walk Forget the bus/car for those short journeys. The weather is (hopefully) getting warmer, the smell of spring is in the air and a brisk 30 min walk every day will do you no end of good. • Sit-ups in front of the telly While you’re watching TV is a great time to do a little exercise. Whether it’s sit-ups, crunches, or press-ups. • Dancing When you’re deciding what to do with your Friday evening, don’t just settle for the pub. Head somewhere you can really let loose on the dance floor, it’s amazing how fast those pounds will fall off.

Good Living

Easter Recipes Start your own indoor garden

What grows best indoors? Leafy greens, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, peppers and herbs

hose post-holiday months are traditionally all about saving. December’s over-spending and over-eating makes January the perfect time to cut back on both for a while. So, in an effort to kill two birds with one stone, we thought we’d show you just how easy it is to start your own indoor veggie garden. With a little planning you can enjoy herbs for your culinary masterpieces, fresh salad greens, and other tasty vegetables all year round. • Let there be light Veg need about 6-8 hours of light per day to grow properly so make sure you find a spot for them by a South or West facing window, or use artificial light from a full spectrum fluorescent bulb. • Create the right climate You don’t want your veg overheating or catching frostbite, do you? Double check what temperatures they like before selecting the right spot for them to live. Also make sure the container is the right depth and has holes in the bottom. Leafy veg: lettuce, cabbage, spinach, etc.

Heat lovers: peppers, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.

Temperature 15 degrees celsius 20 degrees celsius Container

Shallow container

Deep container

• Don’t over-fertilise or under-water Avoid over-fertilising while your veg is growing. When it comes to water, it’s important to give your plants lots without overdoing it. Signs of over-watering can include mould on the soil and dropping leaves. • Bug control Indoor veg gardening has its challenges, but at least there are fewer pests to be concerned with, especially if you start with sterilised containers. If you do use any insecticide products though, organic or otherwise, make sure you wash your veg before you eat it.

Seasonal Fruit and veg January:

February:

March:

Carrots

Leeks

Green cabbage

Hot cross buns

e love our hot cross buns at Easter and traditionally eat them on Good Friday. But where did they come from? According to legend, they were originally eaten by the Saxons to honour their goddess Eostre, and are now marked with a cross because it is believed that the bun represented the moon, and the cross represented the moon’s quarters. To Christians though, the cross symbolises the crucifixion.

Ingredients - Makes 12 hot cross buns For the buns flour • 1lb 2oz (500g) strong, white bread • 2 oz (55g) muscovado sugar • 1 tsp salt • 2 tsp mixed spice • 1 tsp ground cinnamon ll pieces • 2 oz (55g) cold butter cut into sma • 3 ½ oz (100g) mixed dried fruits • 1 oz (25g) candied mixed peel

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 3 hours, 30 minutes Total time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Preparation: 1. Mix the flour with the sugar, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon. Rub the butter into the flour mix until it looks like bread crumbs then add the dried fruits and mixed peel and stir well. Sprinkle over the yeast and, finally, pour in the warm milk. Mix using a spatula until the dough is soft and sticky. 2. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes until the • ¼ oz (7g) dried yeast milk hot) dough becomes silky and smooth. Place it in • ½ pint (300ml) warm (not a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place For the crosses until it is double the size, (this should take • 2 ½ oz (75g) all purpose plain flour about 2 hours). es • 1 ½ oz cold butter, cut into small piec 3. Put your dough back onto a lightly floured surface, knock all the air from it and knead again for 2 mins. Divide the dough into 12 Glaze med and roll each into a bun shape. Place the • 1 ½ tbsp apricot jam, war buns on a lightly oiled baking sheet. With a sharp knife cut a shallow cross into the top of the bun. Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C/ Gas 7, and whilst waiting for the oven to pre-heat, cover the buns up with a clean tea towel and leave to rise again for about 45 mins or until well risen. 4. To make the crosses, rub the butter into the flour, add a little cold water (1/2 tbsp) and stir to make a thick dough. If it’s too dry add a little more water. Roll the dough into a ball, cut in half, then each half into 6 pieces. Place these in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so they go hard and are easier to roll. 5. Roll each small dough ball into a long thin sausage, cut in half and firmly press each ‘sausage’ half into the cross of the buns without knocking the air out. 6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until the buns are well risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the buns with the jam. Lift the buns onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

Money Matters

MONEY MATTERS You may already know there are going to be significant changes to the benefits and tax credits system. These changes will happen and you could be affected so it is very important you understand what they are. Please take the time to read this information as it explains the main changes that could affect your Housing Benefit.

Benefit Cap What is the Benefit Ca

The Benefit Cap is a limit The new limits are:

on how much you can rec

eive in benefits.

ROLL-OUT BEGINS IN APRIL

• £500 per week (£26,0 00 per year) for couples with or without children, and single paren ts

• £350 per week (£18,2 00

per year) for single peop

le without children

Who will be affected?

This change will affect ev eryone claiming benefits and receiving more than shown above. It is likely the amounts that families with more tha n two children will be aff most. If you add all your ec ted the benefits up, not forgetting those you don’t normall yourself, such as Council y rec eive Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit, which are paid dir landlord, this will help yo ec tly to your u see if you are going to be affected by the Bene fit Cap. The cap will not includ e Working Tax Credits, Di sability Living Allowance widows/widowers’ bene /PIP or war fits.

The Jackson

family story

Mrs. Jackson currently rece ives £589 in benefits per week for her and her family. As of April she will only rece ive £500 per w eek, that’s a loss of £89 per wee k, or £4,62 8 per year.

On page 1 find number money advice like to find out m also call Jobc 0800 055 6 Government line on 0845

Bedroom Tax What is the Bedroom Tax?

AS OF APRIL

rooms’ you have in your Bedroom Tax is a tax on any ‘spare bed by 14% per week for home. Your Housing Benefit will be cut for two or more spare rooms. one spare room and 25% per week So how does it work? the main resident and • You are entitled to one bedroom for er person over 16. partner and one bedroom for every oth ween children are expected to share, and bet • For children, under the age of 10, two share if they are the same gender. the ages of 10 and 16, children must the bedroom ever receives the child benefit will get • If you share custody of a child, who allowance for that child. poses so no part of the household for benefit pur • Foster children are not counted as these children bedroom allowance will be given to

Who will be affected?

The Sm ith fam

ily story

room flat in a three bed e liv hs it m S The , four, and hildren: Molly c o tw ir e th h wit rules, the nder the new U . o tw , n ha om Nat share a bedro to d te ec p ex children are droom. s one spare be ha ily m fa e th so ey will lose their home, th in y a st ey th nth. If enefit per mo B g in us o H ir 14% of the that’s er week rent, p 5 10 £ a n O week. £14.70 per

ociation home

and living in a Council or Housing Ass If you are aged between 18 and 61 m Tax. you could be affected by the Bedroo

at are my options?

These changes will affect me – wh

lower rent. rent, or move to a smaller home with a extr the pay and e hom ent curr r You can either stay in you look for other people to As a resident of Viridian you can also . live to e plac new a for look you apper.co.uk. We can help Home Swapper website www.homesw the ugh thro ties per pro find can swap your home with. You

The best way rent and pre into rent arrea a Direct Debit. to Direct Debit in with a chan £12,000. To fi please check o www.viridianh

Money Matters

10, you’ll rs to call for e, but if you’d more you could centre Plus on 6688, or the t information 5 605 7064.

y to pay your event getting ars is to set up . By switching t you could be nce of winning find out more our website on housing.org.uk.

Universal Credit it?

What is Universal Cred

instead system that means that t en ym pa w ne a is it ed Universal Cr benefits as ents, you will receive your ym pa us rio va ing eiv rec of payment will nthly payment. This one one single lump-sum mo kers Allowance, Income Support, Jobsee fit, ne Be ing us Ho e lud inc ng Tax ce, Child Tax Credit, Worki an ow All ort pp Su d an t Employmen ans and Crisis Loans. Credit and Budgeting Lo

ROLL-OUT BEGINS IN OCTOBER

Who will be affected?

this change will y of the above benefits, an im cla d an 61 d an 18 ans your Housing If you are aged between t this single payment me tha d an rst de un to nt rta ibility to pay affect you. It’s impo rd. It will be your respons dlo lan ur yo to tly ec dir paid Benefit will no longer be rd. dlo your rent to your lan

ent?

How will I get the paym

u don’t o a bank account so if yo int id pa be ll wi t en ym pa edit blems opening a Your monthly Universal Cr up. If you are having pro e on set to ed ne ll wi u so you can currently have one yo range of services to help a ce pla in ng tti pu is t en bank account, the Governm . receive your benefits

n family story

The Robinso

ome y rece ives inc tl en rr u c n o s Mr Robin eekly Credit, pa id w x Ta ld hi c d n support a esn’t ffice as he do O st o P e th to him at ousing ccount, and H have a bank a landlord. directly to his Benefit, pa id troduced al Credit is in When Univers of his will rece ive all Mr Robinson to a hly payment in nt o m e n o in d to benefits only will he nee ot n o S t. un o c bank ac need t, he will also un o c c a k n ba set up a he to make sure ey n o m s hi e g to mana bills. pays all of his

Non-dependent deduction What is non-dependent deduction?

Non-dependent deduction is a reduction to your Housing Benefit for any person living in your home (other than your partner) who is over 18, not in full time education and either working or claiming benefits.

Who will be affected?

ALREADY IN PLACE, NGES FURTHER CHA EXPECTED THIS YEAR

If you are claiming Housing or Council Tax Benefits and have an adult aged 18 or over living with you, (this does not include your partner) then you will be affected. There are a few exceptions, which include the registered blind, those receivin g the care component of Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance and those receiving Pension Credit

The deduction The council will take money from your benefits. The amount taken will depend on circumstances and ranges from £11.45 to £73.85, or slightly more if you have a 48-week tenancy.

The Williams

family story

The Williams’ cla im Housin g Benefit and live with their sons aged 18 and 19. One is struggling to find a job and cla iming benefits, while the other is w orking at a bank. Becaus e neither of th e boys is in fu time educatio ll n they will bo th n ee d to contribute to the rent. The council does collect this m not oney from Ca rl a n d O liv they take the er, money from th e Williams’ Housing Ben efit.

If the non-dependent moves out of your home, you need to remember that, if they leave a spare bedroom, there may be a deduction from your Housing Benefit for under-occupancy. Please refer to Bedroom Tax for more information.

To find our more about setting-up a bank account visit www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk

MONEY ADVICE Where to find the best information Manage money with The Money Advice Service

Access money with Turn2us

Manage debt with National Debtline

This site gives free advice on how to manage the money you have, and how to get the most out of it. You can get a personalised financial status, plan your budgets, and get useful advice on banks, savings and pensions.

This site helps people access money available to them through welfare, benefits and grants. You can also find appropriate sources of financial support, quickly and easily, based on particular needs and circumstances.

This helpline provides free confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems. The website includes budget calculators, sample letters, information about debt relief and lots of useful factsheets.

Chat with them online, book an appointment to see them (call 0333 321 3434 or check the website), or simply call them, Monday to Saturday:

Visit their website or call their Freephone Helpline, Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm:

Chat with them online using My Money Steps, or call their Freephone Helpline, Monday to Friday, 9am-9pm, and Saturday, 9.30am-1pm:

0300 500 5000

0808 802 2000

0808 808 4000

www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk

www.turn2us.org.uk

www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

Fun and Games

PUZZLES

FUN AND GAMES

How to navigate the January sales

Crossword 1

he sales are tempting for all of us and it’s easy to overspend on things you don’t really need. We’ve made a little list of pointers that hopefully will help you navigate those January sales.

• Set yourself a budget

However much you get for your money, you should always have a good idea of how much you can afford to spend. As soon as you exceed your budget, you’re not saving money any more.

• Make a list of things you really need

Check your wardrobe, do a quick tour of your home and write down the items that you need. Then, as a treat, jot down a couple that are not strictly necessary, but that you’d really like. Now you’ve got your list, it’s just a question of sticking to it.

• Go equipped

Wear comfy shoes and carry a bottle of water in your bag. It’s also worth having a break halfway through your shopping day, not just to save your feet, but to do a quick recap of your spending.

• Buy for the year ahead

It’s probably the last thing on your mind in January, but buying in bulk, or items that can serve you later in the year, will save you money.

• Do your research

Try a quick tour of the shops you like before buying anything; You never know which shops are offering the biggest sales discount.

• Shop online

Can’t face the crowds during the sales? Shopping online not only avoids the masses, you may just be able to grab that bargain before it hits the high street too.

It’s all about being disciplined, sticking to your budget and avoiding those impulse buys.

Solution for the crossword can be found on page 16. Enjoy!

Across 1. Diplomacy 5. Wings 9. Wives and concubines 14. Monster 15. Former Italian currency 16. Wear away 17. Horse color 18. Comes and ____ 19. He plays roles 20. Irritation 22. Subject 23. A doglike nocturnal mammal 24. First Greek letter

26. Registered nursing assistant 29. Not a borrower 33. Relating to precious stones 38. Wool source 39. Winged 40. Encounters 42. Radiate 43. An evening out 45. Unaffected by time 47. Consecutive 48. Mat 49. Secret meeting

52. Delete 57. Like some currents 60. Systemizer 63. Small African antelope 64. Teller of untruths 65. Wound by piercing 66. A strong tightly twisted cotton thread 67. Very imposing or impressive 68. Auditory 69. Glacial ridge 70. Adjusts 71. Apartment payment

Down 1. Pentateuch 2. Intense feelings of suffering 3. A long-necked wading bird 4. Part of a joint 5. Seaweed 6. King of the jungle 7. Betel palm 8. Artist’s workstand 9. Pagan 10. A highly-ranked angel 11. Learning method 12. Ancient Biblical kingdom

13. No more than 21. 3 feet 25. Gamma globulin 27. To wit 28. Exist 30. A hemispherical roof 31. Goddess of discord (Greek mythology) 32. Rodents 33. Young woman 34. Found in skin lotion 35. Duo 36. Cranky 37. Nevertheless 41. Gratuity

44. Not later 46. Biblical garden 50. Undersides of feet 51. Balderdash 53. Difficulty 54. An obsolete name for nitrogen 55. Small finch 56. Construct 57. Lacquered metalware 58. Colored part of an eye 59. Platter 61. Bearing 62. Circle fragments

Your Communities

YOUR COMMUNITIES Energy and your home Are you eligible for £130 towards your energy bills? Are you receiving a pension or benefits? If so, you may be eligible to receive £130 to go towards paying this winter’s fuel bills, thanks to the Government’s Warm Home Discount scheme. Visit www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discountscheme/overview to find out if you qualify for this helping hand.

We’re capping your energy bills for you We’ve all heard how energy prices are on the rise. Luckily we’ve managed to secure a fixed price tariff with a new energy provider – Scottish and Southern Energy - until September 2015 for communal energy supplies such as hallway lighting, etc. This means that all of your service charges will be protected from further hikes in energy prices.

Your go-to energy expert at Viridian

Easy steps to reducing your energy bills We’re well and truly into winter now and, unfortunately, still have a couple of months to go until we start feeling the warmth of spring. In the last edition of Link we gave you a few tips on how to save money on your heating bills; given the cost of the festive season this has become an even bigger priority for most of us now. In this issue we have more tips on how to stay warm whilst saving money. Try some of them, and do let us know how you get on. Do you have a room thermostat? Then try turning it down by a degree or two and see if you still feel comfortable. For each 1°C you turn it down you can save 10% on your heating bill. The recommended temperature range for you to be toasty and warm without overdoing it is 18°C - 21°C. How about the thermostat on your boiler or hot water tank? Try keeping that at an optimum 60°C. Are you on the best energy tariff? We recommend using My Home Energy Switch, the National Housing Federation’s free comparison service to find out. The team will search through all of the energy companies’ tariffs to find the best deal for you. They can then help you through the process, making it as smooth and hassle-free as possible. Visit www.myhomeenergyswitch.org.uk or call 0800 0014 706 for more information. They even offer a call back service. Do you have any dripping taps? If you do, it is worthwhile getting them fixed – a dripping tap can leak 5,000 litres of water a year, which is the equivalent to having 46 baths! That’s a lot of wasted water.

Hello, I’m Isabel If you have a draught coming in through the bottom of the front door, Wreford, the new buy or make a draught excluder – it will stop the cold air from entering Energy Advisor at your home. Viridian. I’m here to For instructions have a look at the “how to make a draught excluder help you save energy, and article on www.guardian.co.uk therefore money, in your home. That means making your homes more energy efficient and, most importantly, giving you Wear a thick jumper. If you’ve turned your room thermostat down to advice. Over the next few months you 18°C and are finding it a bit cool – try putting on a woolly jumper – that will be receiving more information on should help you to stay warm and cosy. If you have this but in the meantime, if you are any energy saving struggling with your energy bills or tips of your own, we’d love simply want to know more, then to hear them. Send them in please contact me and I can see to us, and we’ll publish the what Viridian can do to help. five best tips in our next issue For more tips and advice, contact the Energy Saving Trust. You of Link. Each published entry will receive a £25 can either visit their website: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or Call Isabel on 020 3202 0207 shopping voucher.* phone and speak to one of their friendly advisers: 0300 123 1234. or send her an email to isabel.wreford@viridiahousing.org.uk. *Terms and Conditions apply and can be found on www.viridianhousing.org.uk.

Your Communities

My Viridian Do it online

What’s this Green deal?

If you haven’t heard of it yet, you probably will do soon.

f you’re web savvy you probably already shop online, catch up on the football and chat with people on Skype or Facebook. All these things are simple and easy, just like our online My Viridian service. For those not so techno-friendly, don’t worry, we’ve made it so simple and easy , you can use it too.

The Government has developed a new scheme called the Green Deal that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of British homes and reduce energy bills. If you haven’t already, you may soon find a Green Deal representative on your doorstep as they are visiting many homes in the UK. Here are the basics you need to know about the Green Deal before you answer the door: • The Green Deal is a Government programme • It suggests improvements to your home that could save you money on your energy bills • If you decide to go ahead with the home improvement work you will have to pay for it • As soon as the work is finished the cost of your energy will go down • However, the savings you make will be used to pay for the works • This means you won’t see any immediate savings, but you won’t have to spend any extra either • It also means that in the long run, once the work has been paid off, your energy bills will be lower and you will see the benefit. However, please bear in mind: • There is no obligation to take part in this initiative • You’ll need to get permission from us for any work suggested through the Green Deal • We have plans to undertake some work on some of our properties over the next few years, so if a Green Deal rep does appear on your doorstep, give us a call. You never know, we may have been about to offer you the same improvements free of charge. Give Isabel Wreford a call if you have any questions, or are interested in the going ahead with home improvements under the Green Deal.

Next time you’re about to pick up the phone to contact our Customer Service Centre to check your account information, why not give My Viridian a go? It’s easy to use and available 24 hours a day. ‘My Viridian’ gives you access to lots of useful tools, from viewing statements and repairs status, to reporting problems. Helpful icons will guide you through the process, so why not get online and have a go.

My Viridian is a secure login area that can be accessed from our website. www.viridianhousing.org.uk/myviridian

Asbestos safety

You can find out more about asbestos on our website or the Health and Safety Executive’s website, www. hse.gov.uk/ asbestos

sbestos is a strong, fibrous material which is resistant to chemicals and heat. It was popular between the 1950s and 1980s because of its insulation, fire proofing and sound protection qualities. It was banned in the UK in 1999. However, a lot of our housing was built before this time and some properties still contain asbestos materials.

As long as materials containing asbestos are left undisturbed, there is no risk to you or your family.

It is our policy, in line with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Health and Safety Executive’s recommendations, to leave asbestos as it is. However, if it is in bad condition, is likely to be disturbed, or if maintenance work is taking place on or near it, we may remove it.

If you have any concerns about your property, please contact us. Contact: Customer Service Centre Phone: 0330 123 0220 Minicom: 0330 123 0221 Email: asbestosinfo@viridianhousing.org.uk

Get Involved

GET INVOLVED

e sent you a leaflet and reply card with the last issue of Link, explaining some new and exciting ways you can get involved with Viridian. We want to let you know that if you haven’t had a chance to get back to us, it’s not too late.

You could get involved with governance. We have regular Board and Committee meetings. These are highlevel meetings where big business decisions are made, including ones that affect you, our residents. If you would like to attend these meetings and help influence the decisions made, let us know.

Or you could get involved in improving services. We also have an Operating Board that meets regularly. You could come along to these meetings, take part in reviewing service performance information and help us to agree on how to improve our services.

Finally, you could get involved in scrutiny. Our Resident Scrutiny Board looks at what we are doing well and what needs to be improved. This helps us to identify what our inspectors need to look at. We’re looking for volunteers to join the Board to help us review performance For further information on how you information and can get involved, contact decide where our Customer Service Centre Resident Auditors on 0330 123 0220 or email customerservices@ and Resident viridianhousing.org.uk. Service Inspectors are best placed.

Our residents speak out. A day in the life of… … a Resident Service Inspector (RSI) “It’s great that Viridian has given me the opportunity to become a Resident Service Inspector (RSI). It sounds daunting, but actually I get to be involved in mystery shopping and carrying out estate inspections. This means I can gather feedback, help to act on it and make improvements for all residents. Being an RSI means I’ve received training, attended workshops and met other residents. I’ve also made some great new friends. There is an incentive of shopping vouchers, but that is not the reason I do it. I do it because I want to give something back and I know I can help other residents this way. Viridian employees have given me great support, they are easy to talk to and very helpful. If you have time to spare, I would definitely encourage you to become an RSI. You will not only be helping Viridian but other residents too. You’ll even get new skills – something for your CV!”

Faustina Asare – Resident Service Inspector (London)

… a Resident Auditor “A day in the life of a Resident Auditor is never dull. I go out and meet residents to get their feedback about the services they receive. I also get to interview colleagues at Viridian involved in delivering the services, so I see it from both sides. People are always willing to answer questions, and all the information we gather goes into one big final report that includes comments and recommendations for improvements. It’s a really rewarding experience and you learn a lot about different aspects of the services we get as Viridian residents. I work with a team of other resident auditors and this gives me a great support network. I get to meet so many new people and it’s really nice to give something back and help improve things for all residents.”

David Hill – Resident Auditor (Birmingham)

Come and join Faustina and David as a Resident Service Inspector or a Resident Auditor and you could: • help shape the services Viridian provides. • learn, or improve existing skills such as organisation, filling out forms, communications and team work. • interact with Viridian colleagues and residents in London, Midlands and West Sussex learning all kinds of new things along the way. • get free training. • make new friends. • Discover a fun and interesting way to spend some time.

Jobs & Training

JOBS & TRAINING Interview techniques

etting a job interview is great, but it’s only half the battle. Once you’re in that interview room there’s no turning back, so it’s vital to be well prepared. 1. Find out what kind of interview it will be, competency based, or a panel. 2. Do more than just check the company website. Find out who will be interviewing you and what they do. 3. Rehearse mock questions and presentation if necessary - it’s all about confidence and body language. 4. Aim for an interactive interview and make sure you ask questions. 5. Plan your day - you’ll want to make a good impression, so don’t be late. 6. Stay positive. Think about all the reasons you are the right person for the job. 7. Stay professional to the end but do let your personality show. 8. Dress to impress.

Job fairs London SOAS International Development and Volunteering Fair 21 Jan 2013 – 13.00-16.00 The fair is aimed at final year students, graduates, postgraduates and pre final year students. Call 020 7898 4114 or email careers@soas.ac.uk for more information.

Spring Graduate Fair, The University of London 20 March 2013 Over 50 top employers, 1000s of jobs, free cv advice and it’s free to attend. The fair is aimed at final year students, graduates, postgraduates, pre final year students and job changers. For more information, visit www.springgradfair.co.uk

West Midlands COMPASS Jobs Fair, Birmingham 4 March 2013 COMPASS jobs fair gives you information on latest employment, training and career development opportunities in social work and social care. Visit www.compassjobsfair.com/Events/Birmingham for more information.

Sussex The University of Sussex will be hosting a series of great events this year aimed at the young aspiring entrepreneur. If you have a great business idea, why not head down to the university and attend one of their seminars? You never know, you may just find the answers you need. Here are a few of the events taking place:

Introduction to entrepreneurship 29 January 2013, 14:00 - 14:45 19 March 2013, 14:00 - 14:45 Start-up Sussex ‘I might: have an idea for a business’ 7 February 2013, 15.00 - 17.00 21 March 2013, 15.00 - 17.00 Start-up Sussex - £2,000 Bursaries for entrepreneurs 19 February 2013, 11.00 - 13.00 For more information on all these seminars, visit www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/newsandevents/startupsussex All event and contact details were correct at the time of going to print.

The Back Page

SUBMIT YOUR STORIES The Communications team is already working on the next issue for spring 2013. Please get in touch if you have a story to share. The deadline is 28 February, 2013. You can tweet us your idea on Twitter @viridianhsg #story Post it on our Facebook page facebook.com/Viridianhousing1 Call us on 0330 123 0220, or email communications@viridianhousing.org.uk.

Request a translation This quarterly newspaper is packed with interesting news and information and subscription is 100% free. If you would like this magazine translated into your own language, please let us know!

20 years of texting

Want to contact us?

It seems now like they’ve been around forever, but text messages are only just 20 years old, and unfortunately it seems like they might already be past their prime. Since that fateful day in December 1992, the text message, or Short Message System (SMS), has done nothing but grow in importance in our lives, with people sending on average at least one text message a day. But the Smartphone, and our addiction to it, may be causing the good old text to die out as we slowly wed ourselves to instant messaging apps.

Phone: 0330 123 0220 Fax: 0203 202 3601 Minicom: 0330 123 0221 Email: customerservices@viridianhousing.org.uk

he world’s first ever text message was only two festive little words long. “Merry Christmas” was what Vodafone Director Richard Jarvis received, and it must truly have felt like a wonderful Christmas present to witness, first-hand, one of the biggest technological changes of the past few decades.

Colwell House 376 Clapham Road London SW9 9AR

Post any mail to us for free! Freepost RSSL-TTHU-SYSR Viridian Housing, Colwell House, 376 Clapham Road London SW9 9AR

20 years ago we never would have thought the whole world would be texting, and who knows how we’ll be communicating 20 years from now.

What do you think of the way we communicate through modern technology? It seems particularly appropriate to ask you to join the discussion on Twitter @viridianhsg, and on pinterest.com/viridianhousing

Solution for the crossword on page 11 T

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Calls to Customer Services

When you next call us you may be asked for some extra information about your household. This information is really important and will help us to keep our records up to date and give you a better service.

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Contact the Customer Service Centre Phone: 0330 123 0220 Email: customerservices@viridianhousing.org.uk

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