Viridian link spring 2013

Credit.

Your FREE residents quarterly newspaper

Link Spring 2013

Features • Healthy Living • Your Communities • Money Matters • Jobs & Training

Welfare Reform

Cake in a cup

Coming up this spring

Pages 8-9

Page 7

Page 10

Welfare Reform is here Violet, congratulations to you on your 100th Birthday, you are a GREAT lady and loved by all.

You will probably have seen on the news, in the paper, or heard on the radio about the changes to our benefits system that started this month.

This is a huge change that is going to affect around 660,000 people.

In the last issue of Link we laid out r rent y you a p the basic rules for the Benefit Cap, o t How Bedroom Tax, Universal Credit and non-dependent deduction. Since then, there have been some changes to these rules.

Bedroom Tax.

For our full “need to know” breakdown of the Welfare Reform, see pages 8-9.

Violet Heslop has felt safe and secure and much less isolated since our Midlands Reinvestment Team arranged for the installation of a stairlift for her. She is really happy with the standard of work that was carried out and feels as though she has got a bit of life back again. Her scheme manager, Sarah Flaherty, is thrilled to see such a big difference in Mrs Heslop since the work was done. “Violet was getting a bit down being indoors, she is a lady who is used to being out and about every day and over the last couple of years she became very limited. It’s great to see her interacting and being a part of the scheme again”. We’re thrilled to have been able to help her in this way, particularly in light of her most recent achievement, her 100th Birthday!

Congratulations Violet, from everyone at Viridian!

Benefit Cap Universal Credit.

Welfare

r e fO r M

Check out this edition’s inserted leaflets How to pay your rent and Welfare Reform.

Mrs Heslop in her new stairlift

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Features

Features Note from the Editor

Making Mrs West’s life a little easier…

Hello again, and welcome back to Link. Hopefully you have all had a good start to the year, despite some very cold weather, and are ready to make the most of the spring. We’ve had a cracking 2013 so far, taking part in fundraising activities for National Heart Month and Red Nose Day, and going all out for Climate Week – which you can read more about on page 5.

Do you have a story for Link?

Send your ideas for the next issue to communications@ viridianhousing.org.uk.

Spring 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

The year has got off to a bit of a rocky start for some, what with the changes to the benefits system in the UK. With more changes still on the way throughout 2013 and into next year, we want to make sure we’ve given you plenty of information about what to expect. As such, you’ll find our Money Matters section full to the gills with useful info and contact details on Welfare Reform. We’ve also got loads of ideas on how to save money and energy as the weather gets warmer, and some fun outdoor activities for the early summer. The lucky winners of our winter competitions also get a mention in this edition.

As ever, we’d love to hear your views on what you read in Link, and always enjoy your comments and feedback. So, if you do have anything you’d like to share with us, or a story you would like to tell, 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 say we hope you’ve had a lovely Easter, and we hope that by the time we next see you in July we’ll all be bathed in glorious sunshine.

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.

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.

bake-off Our teams organised a for Red Nose Day

£500 for the We raised over undation British Heart Fo

Teams got invo lved in Come Lunch w ith Me

Colleagues got involved to promote our new green plan

Our Editor, Jo Meade

O

Our team in the Midlands has been busy the past few months. They helped Mrs West who, after slipping into a diabetic coma, was luckily found by friends in her flat.

The team fitted a release system in her home, with a monitor right by her lounge chair. Now, rather than having to throw her keys out of the window to let friends in and avoid the stairs, she can just buzz them straight in.

If you’re interested in having your Viridian home adapted in any way, please contact the team at aidsandadaptations@ viridianhousing.org.uk.

Features

Giving students a helping hand • Are you a resident of Viridian Housing?

• A re you thinking of applying, or have you already applied, to Middlesex University?

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Olive Social Project

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esidents in supported housing have set up a local group called the Olive House Project. The aim of the project is to encourage people to get together and socialise with others in similar situations. It’s a great way to prevent isolation and create community spirit. All the group participants have either mental health issues, learning difficulties or physical disabilities, and are often dependent on Supported Housing Officers to encourage them to live a more independent lifestyle. The Olive Social Project does a great job of helping people who don’t have the confidence to go out and try new things, and in If you would like to some cases don’t know how to go about finding interesting things to do. The get involved or find out group meets regularly on Tuesdays at John Morris House 164 St Johns Hill, more, drop Carla Christian Battersea, London, SW11 1SW from 10am to 2pm.

a line on 07590 048372 for more details.

• D o you play an active role in your local community?

If you have answered yes to all of the above, we may be able to help you.

2013 to 2014 Scholarship

Study4Success is a pilot scholarship set up

by Viridian Housing to provide one lucky Viridian resident with support in education and training. We have partnered with Middlesex University to offer the one successful applicant, who has made a positive social impact in their community, help towards their accommodation fees, so that successful student will have their accommodation in Usher Hall, which costs £5,328.40, paid Visit our website for one full academic year. for more information: www.viridianhousing.org.uk/ Study4Success is open to a students.

Viridian resident who has been offered a place on a first year degree course at Middlesex University starting in September 2013.

Why not drop in and see them?

Makeovers for the Pretty Women

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e have resident groups in many of our schemes, and we do our best to put on events that you’ll love to take part in. The Pretty Women Group was set up mainly for women being supported by our Deaf services, care home residents and outreach service users.

The ladies are in full control of the activities and events in the group and, in February, decided they would like to invite a Deaf hairdresser to come and give a workshop on how to care for their hair and communicate effectively with hairdressers. The ladies also got a taster styling session which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

Feedback from the day was really positive and the advice from the hairdresser has gone down well.

Kim Baker and Sharon James

If you would like more information about our Pretty Women Group, contact Laura Brown on laura.brown@viridianhousing.org.uk or Sonia Jenner on sonia.jenner@viridianhousing.org.uk.

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Features

News in brief Climbing the Stonewall index Every year we enter the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index which showcases Britain’s best employers for LGB staff. We’re really pleased to say that our hard work has bumped us up another 37 places since last year and we are now ranked 224th for 2013. We have made big leaps in this area, as in 2011 we were 315th, but there is still a lot of work to do and we’re developing an action plan to implement the feedback from this year’s results.

is a charitable organisation that supports the rights of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals (LGB).

We celebrated this excellent achievement, and LGB History Month, on 22 February in our offices. We invited a great speaker from the Albert Kennedy Trust to talk to us about the work they do with young and homeless LGB people. It was such a success that we’re now exploring opportunities to increase support in this area for all of our residents.

If you have any questions about equality and diversity or how Viridian can support you, please contact us at equalities@viridianhousing.org.uk and keep an eye on the next issue of Link for further details on new and exciting projects.

West Sussex move Our West Sussex office has moved to a new location. You can now find us at: The Victorian Barn, Victorian Business Centre, Ford Lane, Ford, West Sussex BN18 OEF We’ve also centralised our phone number, so you can reach the West Sussex office on our standard Customer Service Centre number: 0330 123 0220.

Sustainable City Awards We’ve won a few awards in the past few years, but we’re particularly proud of this one. In March we brought home the Sustainable City Award trophy for 2013. Our name is now firmly engraved on the trophy, alongside past winners, and some of the UK’s largest companies, such as Sainsbury’s, BT Group and Marks & Spencer.

The award, in the Climate Change category, was won following the work we have undertaken on our properties and offices in an effort to increase our energy efficiency. Several lucky colleagues attended the glamorous ceremony at the Lord Mayor’s residence in London, and walked away with the prestigious award presented by the City of London Corporation.

To find out more about the Sustainable City Awards, please go to www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/sca.

Going green

W

e’re always trying to be more ‘green’, and have made some huge steps in the right direction recently.

But, to push ourselves even further, we’ve developed a whole green plan, and made a film to prove it! It’s all about getting colleagues and you, our residents, to make more environmentally friendly decisions in day-to-day life and work, and have some fun in the process.

Not to mention save a bit of cash. There are loads of ways we can live greener lives, such as walking, gardening and healthy eating. We kicked off our new green plan in March with Climate Week. Read a bit more about what we got up to on Page 5, and check out some of our energy, and money, saving tips from our Energy Advisor on page 12.

Why not take a peak at our green film?

You can watch it on our website at www.viridianhousing.org.uk/green, or on Facebook /viridianhousing1 If you have any questions about any of this, please contact the Green Team on green@viridianhousing.org.uk

Features

5

Fundraising for the British Heart Foundation

I Eat your way green T his year Climate Week was 4-10 of March and was Britain’s biggest ever environmental campaign. Over 3,400 events were registered and they were attended by about half a million people, showing a real appetite for action on climate change across the UK. Viridian celebrated Climate Week with food, or should we say, educating colleagues about how they can eat greener, and it really was delicious.

Healthy eating and climate friendly diets have a lot in common. Eating less meat and dairy is a healthy change and also a climate-friendly one, because the production of meat and dairy involves the emission of large amounts of greenhouse gases.

n the last issue of Link we talked about National Heart Month and so, in February, all of our Viridian colleagues made a huge effort and set about raising money for the British Heart Foundation. We Rocked Up In Red on 1 February, ran competitions, and we’re really proud to say that we raised an incredible £507 for the cause.

Have you done any fundraising recently? Write to us at communications@ viridianhousing.org.uk with your stories and we’ll publish them in the next issue of link.

To make the week even more fun, we ran a “Come Lunch with Me” event. We got together in teams of five and took turns in preparing lunch for each other, each of us trying to outdo the others with a more environmentally friendly (and more tasty!) meal.

We also showed colleagues how to make a fantastic cake in a cup - with organic ingredients - which takes 2 minutes in the microwave and is delicious - check out the recipe on page 6 - and we showed our green film daily.

Viridian colleagues preparing their Come Lunch with Me meals.

If you did anything to celebrate Climate Week, why not let us know on Facebook /viridianhousing1.

Our nail bar in Colwell House raised £32

6

Healthy Living

HEALTHY Living Recipes

Cake in a cup

The winning recipe from Climate Week Thai green curry

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e had plenty of activities going on throughout Climate Week, but possibly the biggest was our “Come Lunch with Me” environmentally friendly cook-off. Much like the TV show “Come Dine with Me”, colleagues formed groups and cooked for each other all week. Congratulations to our London winner, Nicolas Degrandy, for this fantastic environmentally friendly recipe. Try it out!

1. Get the curry paste cooking

• 1tbsp sunflower oil • 1tbsp green Thai curry paste Cook over gentle heat for a few mins. Add a little water if the curry paste starts to catch at the bottom of the pan (when the fumes start to tingle the back of your throat the spices are cooked – approx. 5min)

2. Add some flavours

• 4 tins of coconut milk • 1tbsp palm tree sugar • 3-4 kaffir lime leaves • 2tbsp fish oil Cook for another 5min

3. Throw in your vegetables

• Add mushrooms, broccoli and courgettes Cook for a further 5-10min

4. Final touch

• Add mixed seafood (if you use meat like chicken, you will want to pre-cook the meat) • Add more fish oil, sugar or kaffir to taste Cook until your seafood/fish/meat is well cooked.

Throw all the ingredients into a mug, give them a good stir, and pop the mug in the microwave for 2 minutes on full power. You’ll be amazed at the result. We were!

Ingredients • 4 tablespoons flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 tablespoons cocoa

• 1 egg

• 3 tablespoons milk

• 3 tablespoons melted bu tter or veg oil • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla (or pe ppermint) extract • 1 tablespoon choc chips • 1 large mug

Healthy Living

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Get fit for the summer

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he spring weather can be a great motivator to drop your winter weight gain and improve your health. Follow these simple diet and exercise tips and you’ll be in swimsuit-ready shape in time for summer.

• Eat five meals a day. It’s better to have five or six small meals a day than to skip meals or eat only two or three larger ones. You’ll keep your energy levels up and your metabolism working.

• Make healthy choices. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again no doubt, but make sure your plates are stacked high with those fruits and vegetables.

May is Mental Health Week

Mon 13 May - Sun 19 May 2013 Every year, for a week in May, people in the UK dedicate themselves to the education and awareness building of mental health issues. This year Mental Health Week will take place from 13 to 19 May. As well as building awareness, the week aims to promote better mental health and raise funds for the Mental Health Foundation (MHF). The MHF is a UK charity that researches, promotes and campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with mental health. They are committed to reducing the suffering caused by mental ill health and to help everyone lead mentally healthier lives.

There is loads of advice on the website, and lots of ideas for ways you can get involved and fundraise during Mental Health Week.

Find out more about how you could get involved by visiting the MH website on: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/mentalhealthawarenessweek/.

• Plan a little. It’s so much easier to eat well when your fridge is stocked right, so plan your week and get that healthy food in.

• Get outside. The weather’s getting warmer, the leaves are getting greener and more and more outdoor activities are popping up as the summer approaches. So, get outside, get some fresh air and stretch those muscles after the long winter.

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Money Matters

Money Matters

Bedroom Tax – what is changing?

The new rules mean that, from 1 April 2013, families the Government have deemed to have too much living space will receive a reduced Housing Benefit payment. This will affect anyone aged between 18 – 61 years, and means that you will have to pay tax on any ‘spare bedrooms’ in your property.

There have been some changes to the criteria for Bedroom Tax since the last edition of Link.

Under the updated rules, you will now not be affected if: • you are a foster carer and have fostered a child, or become an approved foster carer, in the last 12 months. Foster carers will be exempt whether a child has been placed with them or not, or they are between placements.

• you have an adult child serving in the armed forces who is away on duty as they will be deemed as still living at home.

What if I do have a ‘spare room’ but can’t pay the difference in rent?

There is a range of support and advice available, including moving to a smaller home, getting back into work, and assessing if you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to. If you need advice, it is important that you contact your Housing Officer as they will be able to give you the information you need.

Benefit Cap The Benefit Cap affects everyone claiming benefits and is a limit on the amount of benefits you can receive. If you are over the relevant threshold, your Housing Benefit will be cut to bring you down to the allocated limit.

When does the Benefit Cap start?

From 15 April 2013, the Benefit Cap will initially affect people in 4 council areas: Bromley, Croydon, Enfield, and Haringey. The Benefit Cap will be introduced in all other council areas between 15 July and 30 September 2013.

How much is the Benefit Cap? • £500 a week for couples (with or without children living with them) • £500 a week for single parents whose children live with them • £350 a week for single adults who don’t have children, or whose children don’t live with them If you would like details on the benefits included in the Benefit Cap, please see our website at www.viridianhousing.org.uk/ welfarereform.

Discretionary housing payments What is a discretionary housing payment (DHP)?

DHP is a payment that you could be entitled to if you claim housing or council tax benefit, but are having trouble paying your rent. Each local authority or benefit department has a set pot of money that these payments come from.

The payment covers a range of things, but primarily covers the shortfall between your Housing Benefit and your rent, after the introduction of Bedroom Tax.

How can you claim DHP? Your local council has forms you can fill in to submit a request for the payment. Along with the submission, you should provide details of your income and outgoings, copies of relevant bills or bank statements, and also any information about your circumstances that make things difficult for you financially. However, the council only have a limited amount of money per year and when it runs out no more payments can be made.

Have a look on our website for more details on how you can open a bank or building society account.

Money Matters

9

How will you pay your rent?

From 2013 onwards, Housing Benefit - and many other benefits - will be phased out and replaced with Universal Credit. If your rent is being paid directly to your landlord, this will stop. Instead, your monthly Universal Credit payment will include the money for your rent and you’ll need to arrange to pay it yourself.

To receive Universal Credit payments, you’ll need to have a bank or building society account. If you don’t already have one you will need to open one up.

Support and advice available Talk to your Housing Officer 0330 123 0220 Manage money with - The Money Advice Service

Make rent your top priority Because of the way Universal Credit will be paid - in a single monthly payment to each household - you’ll probably need to make some changes to the way you budget.

Ensuring you home is paid for is extremely important, so always make your rent the top priority. If you’re used to having your rent paid directly to your landlord this might take a bit of getting used to.

At the beginning of each month you’ll have more money in your account than you did under the old system. It’s really important not to let this tempt you into spending money that you can’t afford.

0300 500 5000 www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk The best way to pay your rent and prevent getting into arrears is to pay by Direct Debit. By switching to Direct Debit you could be in with a chance of winning £12,000. To find out more, please check our website on www.viridianhousing.org.uk.

There are a few things you can do to make this easier: • Ask us to move the day your rent is due so it is closer to your benefit payment day – and set up an automated payment, like a standing order or a Direct Debit for your rent payment. That way as soon as the money comes in, the rent goes straight out again.

• Open a separate account just for your rent and set up an automatic transfer so that as soon as your Universal Credit payment goes into your main account, your rent goes out to the separate account and sits there until rent day.

• If you think you’ll be tempted to use your rent money for other things, try to come up with an arrangement where you don’t have access to it, for example by asking someone else to look after it for you.

Access money with - Turn2us 0808 802 2000 www.turn2us.org.uk Manage debt with - National Debtline 0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

We’ve recruited three new Welfare Benefit Advisors to help us help you.

Look out for the latest changes to your Disability Living Allowance (DLA), now called Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

For full details on all Welfare Reform changes, please see our website on www.viridianhousing.org.uk/welfarereform.

Fun and Games

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FUN AND GAMES What we’re looking forward to this spring Royal Chelsea Flower Show

21-25 May

T 4-6 May

Canalway Cavalcade 2013

he year 2013 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital, and greenfingered folk will delight at the horticultural show’s return.

Over 11 acres, the event invites visitors to explore a wide range of spectacular gardens and floral exhibits with a variety of themes.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show is strictly advance-booking only, with no admission on the gate. The first two days are reserved for Royal Horticultural Society members and it’s probably worth joining just to see everything at its freshest. On the final day the show closes at 5.30pm and from 4pm there are great bargains to be had when exhibitors start to sell off their plants – watching people carry their horticultural treasures home by bus and tube is itself something of an annual spectacle.

Find out more at www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/ rhs-chelsea-flower-show/2013

H

ead along to Little Venice and watch the picturesque canal boats glide by.

The event, organised by volunteers from Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is about as English as you can get, complete with real ale, morris dancers and loads of fun activities for the kids.

Little Venice between Blomfield Rd, Warwick Avenue and Warwick Crescent, London W9 2PB

Find out more at www.waterways.org.uk/events_festivals/ canalway_cavalcade_2013

Court on Canvas, Barber Institute of Fine Arts 27 May

A

-18 Sept

his year’s Greenwich and Docklands International Festival of outdoor arts, theatre, dance and family entertainment is directed by Bradley Hemmings, co-artistic director of the Paralympic Opening Ceremony, and takes as its inspiration the democratic spirit of outdoor theatre. Events, most of which are free, take place at different sites in Greenwich; see the festival website nearer the festival’s date for the full programme.

little known fact about Birmingham is that it is the home of the oldest lawn tennis club in the world. Known as The Archery, it was founded in 1860 in the leafy suburb of Edgbaston.

Less than half a mile away from the site, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts is putting on an exhibition exploring the subject of tennis in art. Meanwhile, from 9 -12 June, the 30th AEGON Classic tennis tournament at Edgbaston’s Priory Club will feature past winner Maria Sharapova.

Find out more at www.festival.org

Find out more at www.barber.org.uk/court-on-canvas

Greenwich and Docklands International Festival 2013

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21-29 June

Fun and Games

11

BookClub

Birmingham National Sea Life Centre

A legend in words

‘Montaro Caine’

By Sidney Poitier - April 30, 2013 Spiegel & Grau

The Waters Edge, Brindley Place Birmingham, West Midlands, B1 2HL Telephone: 0871 423 2110 Admission Prices

Type

General admission

Walk Up price

Individual (Adult or Child)

Loyalty Programmes

Online price from

£19.20

£10.00

Type

SEA LIFE Birmingham + Warwick Castle SEA LIFE Birmingham + Warwick Castle SEA LIFE annual pass SEA LIFE annual pass

Sidney Poitier is best known as an actor and director, but he has also published two autobiographies.

Now, at the age of 80, Sidney Poitier is publishing his first novel, and we can’t wait to read the work of a Hollywood legend.

Online price from

Adult (15+ years) Child (3-14 years) Adult (15+ years) Child (3-14 years)

£25.00 £15.00 £40.00 £30.00

Books that inspire TV

Opening Hours Last entry 1 hr prior to closing, Monday - Friday 10am-5pm, Weekends 10am-6pm

‘Dead Ever After’

*All information was correct at the time of going to print.

By Charlaine Harris - May 7, 2013

The series of books that inspired the hit TV show, True Blood, is coming to an end. The thirteenth and last instalment in Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire series is set for release in May, so keep an eye out for it.

Sudoku HARD

EASY

8 1 2

6 9

3

3 1

5 7

4

5

5

8

5

1

4

1

4 5

9

9

3

9

3 3

2 9

3

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9 5

5 6

1

3

8 5

7 9

7 4

2

2

Books that go to Hollywood

6 3

2

6 2

1

2 1

7

8

4

9

6 8

4

9

3

4 5

Solutions for the sudokus in this issue can be found on page 16.

Enjoy!

‘Safe Haven’ If you loved The Notebook and Message in a Bottle, you’ll love Nicholas Sparks’ latest endeavour.

Safe Haven, which is a beautiful book, will be hitting cinema screens in May.

12

Your Communities

your Communities Your energy saving tips

Remember our Energy Advisor: I am here to help you to save

I

I

n the last edition of Link, Energy Advisor Isabel Wreford gave you some great tips for reducing your energy bills, and set you the challenge of coming up with some advice of your own.

Save energy and water…

Congratulations to Denis Holland in the West Midlands, who submitted an excellent tip to our energy saving competition… “to save electricity or gas, also water when making a hot drink, If anyone else fill the mug with cold has another good water, then pour it into energy-saving tip, then the kettle to boil. The please share it with us! The slight loss of volume best tip will be published in will be compensated our next issue and will receive by the addition of the a £25 shopping voucher*. milk to the drink. This Please post or e-mail is our most common your entries to cause of waste and over Isabel Wreford.

12 months the difference should be quite marked.”

am here to help you save money on your energy bills. If you feel you could benefit from some energy-saving advice then please call me on 020 3202 0207 or send an e-mail to Isabel.wreford@viridianhousing.org.uk. You can also write to me at Freepost RSRX-JRRX-KATT, Viridian Housing, Colwell House, 376 Clapham Road, London, SW9 9AR.

Think about switching…

Karen in Wandsworth was with the energy company, EDF, for years. When she compared her tariff with others on the market she realised she was paying too much. She has now switched to another provider and is going to save £200 a year!

Karen says I realised I could save some money by changing my energy supplier and being more aware of how much energy I use, but I hadn’t realised quite how much difference it would make.

I’d highly recommend everyone take some time to look into it.

Pay monthly…

1 2 3 6 7 8 9 10 13 14 15 16 17 20 21 22 23 24 2 27 28 29 30

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

Ayshe in South London switched from paying her energy provider every two weeks, to paying by monthly Direct Debit and now saves £25 a month.

Ayshe also recommends blocking draughts coming in at the base of external doors – she has found that a towel works very well!

Many thanks, Denis, for this excellent tip!

Think subletting sounds like a harmless idea… think again!

T

he Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013 has now become law, which means that subletting your property without our permission is a criminal offence. Residents who sublet their home can be prosecuted and ordered to pay Viridian Housing all of the profit they have made.

Even if you move back into the property you will still lose your security of tenure and face the prospect of possession proceedings, which means you will lose your home that is being illegally sublet.

A worthy winner

W

ith the last edition of Link we offered you the chance to win an iPad mini if you liked us on Facebook. We had a fantastic response and we are very pleased to announce that the winner of the competition is Eliana Ingegneri (pictured). On receiving the prize Eliana said, “I’ve been a Viridian resident for 16 years and this is the first time I have ever won anything. I’m absolutely delighted with my iPad mini.”

Like us on Facebook. /viridianhousing1

*Terms and conditions apply and can be found on www.viridianhousing.org.uk

Within the last 12 months Viridian Housing has obtained possession of 40 properties that were subject to tenancy fraud.

For every resident subletting a property, another is denied access to a social home. We’re determined to stamp this out and your help is so valuable that we are offering a reward of up to £250 for information that helps us recover a home that is being illegally sublet.

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. Alternatively, complete the enclosed reply card. You don’t have to tell us your name but if you would like to be considered for the £250 then please fill in your contact details. All information received will be treated in confidence.

Your Communities

13

Did you know…

Light bulbs If you are replacing bulbs or electrical appliances, what looks like the most expensive option can actually work out to be the cheapest over time.

Energy efficient appliances

M

any appliances have labels on that indicate just how energy efficient they are. The greener the rating, the better.

You can find labels on the following items:

Traditional incandescent bulb: 40W

Unit Price

Lifetime

Cost of light bulbs over 24,000 hours

Carbon Fluorescent Lamp (CFL): 8W (equivalent to a 40W incandescent bulb)

*Light Emitting Diode bulb (LED): 4W (equivalent to a 40W incandescent bulb)

£1

£4

£13

1,000 hours

10,000 hours

24,000 hours

£24

£10

£13

Electricity costs for this light bulb over 24,000 hours

£130

Total cost over 24,000 hours

£154

£28

£38

£13

£26

Best choice

*Please note, LED bulbs are not yet available for all types of fitting, but their range is improving all the time.

If a bulb lasts for 24,000 hours, it will last the average person around 8 years.

• Refrigerators, freezers and fridge-freezers • Washing machines, tumble dryers, combined washer-dryers • Dishwashers • Light bulbs • Electric ovens • Air conditioners • Televisions In future, even more products will have an energy label including vacuum cleaners, boilers and water heaters.

What do the ratings mean?

The higher the rating, the greener it is, the more environmentally friendly and the cheaper it will be to run. As of February 2013 some of these items have reached new heights of environmental friendliness. Here’s a quick guide to the latest highest ratings you should be looking out for: Refrigerators, freezers and fridge-freezers

A+++

Washing machines

A+++

Dishwashers

A+++

Televisions

A+++

Light bulbs

A

Electric ovens

A

Air conditioners

A

Tumble dryers, combined washer-dryers

A

Visit www.sust-it.net, where you can easily compare the energy performance and running costs of different models.

Step Change provides expert, tailored advice and practical solutions for debt and money problems.

Gingerbread provides expert advice and practical support for single parent families.

If you would like to contact Step Change, their help line number is 0800 138 1111 (this is free including from mobiles).

If you would like to contact Gingerbread, their help line number is 0808 802 0925.

Further information about Step Change can be found on their website

Further information about Gingerbread can be found on their website

www.stepchange.org.

www.gingerbread.org.uk

When calling helplines or making online enquiries, please make sure you mention that you’re a Viridian resident.

Jobs & Training

15

JOBS & TRAINING Get involved…

T

here are always ways to get involved with Viridian, taking part in groups and panel discussions, and helping us to keep our work as customer focused as possible. But should you be compensated for your time?

Earlier this year we asked you for your views and we got a fantastic response so thank you to everyone who filled in a questionnaire for us.

One lucky resident from Great Barr, Birmingham, won the £200 prize draw for Love2Shop vouchers, so congratulations to them.

We’ll be analysing all the responses, so watch this space for further details. However, initial analysis shows that just over half of you think you should be compensated in some way for getting involved.

We’re working on finding a way for this to happen.

For further information on how you can get involved, contact our Customer Service Centre on 0330 123 0220 or email customerservices@ viridianhousing.org.uk.

We have various ways you can get involved, and we’re holding a series of information events to tell you all about them Region

Venue

Dates

Time

West Sussex Worthing

Worthing Foyer 52 Shelley Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 4BX

Tuesday 7 May 2013

2pm - 7pm

West Sussex Ford

The Victorian Barn Victorian Business Centre, Ford Lane, Ford, West Sussex, BN18 0EF.

Thursday 16 May 2013

2pm - 7pm

London South

Colwell House, Clapham Road, Wednesday London, SW9 9AR. 8 May 2013

2pm - 7pm

London South

John Morris House Community Centre 164 St John’s Hill, Battersea, London SW11 1SW

Friday 24 May 2013

2pm - 7pm

London North

Avenue House, 17 East End Road, London N3 3QE

Thursday 9 May 2013

East Midlands Milton Keynes

Christ the Cornerstone Church Tuesday 300 Saxon Gate West Central 14 May 2013 Milton Keynes. MK9 2ES

3pm - 7pm

East Midlands Northampton

The Guildhall, St. Giles Square, Thursday Northampton NN1 1DE. 23 May 2013

2pm - 7pm

West Midlands Leamington Spa

Royal Pump Rooms The Parade, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 4AA

Friday 17 May 2013

3pm - 7pm

West Midlands Birmingham

Bampfylde Place, Thornbridge Tuesday Avenue, Great Barr, 21 May 2013 Birmingham, B42 2SL

2pm - 7pm

Job fairs London Brunel 2013 Summer Careers Fair Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex Mon 20 May 2013 – 1pm-4.15pm For final year students, graduates and postgraduates, in the Placement and Careers Centre. Call 01895 265751 or visit http://www.brunel. ac.uk/services/pcc for more information.

Not For Profit Sector Careers Fair South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London Thur 13 June – 5pm-7.30pm Fair aimed at final year students, graduates, postgraduates, pre final year students and job changers. Call 020 7594 8024 or visit http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/careers/ employers/promotion/careersfair/notprofit for more information.

London Graduate Fair from The Careers Group and TARGETjobs.co.uk, Business Design Centre, Islington.

Wed 19 and Thur 20 June – 12-5pm Fair aimed at final year students, graduates, postgraduates, pre final year students and job changers. Visit the Facebook page on /TheLondonGraduateFair.

West Midlands Birmingham City University Postgraduate Open Evening City North Campus, Birmingham City University 24 April 2013 – 4pm-7pm Birmingham City University is hosting a Postgraduate Open Evening at the Thinktank (Events Suite) at Millennium Point.

Visit http://www.bcu.ac.uk/student-info/open-days for more information.

All event and contact details were correct at the time of going to print.

3pm - 7pm

Independent Facilitator appointed

I

t’s good practice to ensure that resident scrutiny is independent and unbiased. As such, we’re really pleased to announce that we’ve recruited Richard Tomkinson as an Independent Facilitator to work with the Resident Scrutiny Board.

Richard has extensive resident involvement experience, and is a freelance housing consultant/trainer and senior associate with the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS). He was also part of the National Tenant Empowerment Programme which provided training to over 1,300 residents to equip them with the skills necessary to carry out effective scrutiny.

16

The Back Page

Submit your stories What is the one thing that Homer Simpson, the Norwegian Army and Manchester City FC all have in common?

Answer: the Harlem Shake – the newest dance craze taking the world by storm. Forget Gangnam Style, if you want street cred, simultaneously shake your arms, wiggle those hips and don’t forget the silly costume. And make sure your contribution goes viral for the latest internet phenomenon.

Similar to the flashmob sensation, groups, from students to firemen, will suddenly start dancing “Harlem Style” to a track that has already gone to number 1 in the US and number 3 in the UK. But where did it all start?

It all began as a drunken escapade by one Albert Leopold Boyce, or Al B to his friends, who wandered onto a New York baseball court in the 80s. In his prime, he was known for creating the Harlem Shake as a part-time treat for basketball fans at Rucker Park, New York.

Friend Tony Arias said: “He would be drunk, and when you went to get him off the court he would start laughing and performing the shake.”

On 2 February of this year, the first video featuring five Australian teenagers dancing wildly to “Harlem Shake” was uploaded to YouTube and was watched by more than 700 million people around the world in the first

month. In their 30-second video, known as the Sunny Coast Skate, one of the boys starts his shake while his friends sit around oblivious until the second beat drops and a voice tells them to “Do the Harlem Shake”. At this point, they all join in dressed in a variety of costumes.

Musician Bauuer who has had a worldwide hit with his track, is reaping the rewards of Al’s legacy: “It’s gotten absolutely insane. All I did was make the song…”

Al B couldn’t have predicted the impact of his drunken dance, but with 100,000 imitations and counting, it’s safe to say the Harlem Shake is here to stay.

If you have a Harlem Shake video, why not post it on our Facebook wall? /viridianhousing1

Solutions for the sudoku puzzles on page 11

HARD

EASY

The Communications team is already working on the next issue for summer 2013. Please get in touch if you have a story to share. The deadline is 14 June, 2013.

Want to get involved?

You can contact our Customer Service Team anytime to get involved at Viridian

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!

Contact us anytime for any of the above Phone: 0330 123 0220 Fax: 0203 202 3601 Minicom: 0330 123 0221 Email: customerservices@viridianhousing.org.uk

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