LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
Money talks
Kick-start
Win
£50
top saving tips
your career
garden vouchers
Love to shop
Page 8-9
Page 11-12
Page 18
Page 19
Celebrating 72 years of marriage Read Mr and Mrs Thompson’s story on page 6 longhurst-group.org.uk
Welcome Welcome Hello and a warm welcome to your new Longhurst Group customer magazine, featuring stories from across all of our member companies – Friendship Care and Housing, Spire Homes and Longhurst and Havelok Homes.
Wishing all our customers a very Merry Christmas
Each quarter, we will be bringing you useful hints, as well as sharing with you the latest news and competitions! This is your magazine and we value what our customers have to say, which is why we are creating a Group editorial panel. So if you would like to be a member of our panel we would love to hear from you. Find out more on page five.
The first edition kicks off with a warm congratulations to Ken and Irene Thompson, who have recently celebrated an incredible 72 years of marriage. Plus, we have given you some top tips for staying well this Winter and there are also some great prizes to be won in this edition too and lots more! Look forward to seeing you soon and wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year.
Claire
Let’s get digital!
Are you a frequent user of the internet and our website?
In this issue... 4-5
News from around Longhurst Group
6-7
Home from Home
8-9
Money talk
10 - 11
page 2
Health and Well-being Matters
12 - 13
Just the job
14 - 15
Up your street
16 - 17
Around your way
18 - 19
Competition time
Yes – then we would love to hear from you. Next year we are planning to launch a new website, which will be even easier to use and will include many new features.
TAP
Longhurstgroup.org.uk
LIKE
/FriendshipCandH /LandHHomes /spirehomes
TWEET
@longhurstgroup
communications@ longhurst-group.org.uk
To ensure it is customer friendly, we are looking for a 10 customer volunteers to get involved and give us their thoughts and feedback to what you would like to see on the website. To get involved, contact Kerrie Doughty, Digital Communications Officer, by calling her on 01205 592007.
LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
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News from around Longhurst Group Possible partnership
Ringing in the changes at L&H
Longhurst Group is currently exploring an opportunity with Axiom Housing Association to look at ways in which we can work more closely together to be able to deliver more for you, our customers, in the longer-term.
To show we are a family of housing associations more clearly, we have recently undergone a makeover to our logos. Longhurst Group is the parent of the member association, so to highlight how everyone fits together, we have made the logos more consistent with one another.
L&H customers using the out of hours’ number, will now automatically speak directly with the contractor when calling about any emergency repair.
We have worked with Axiom for a number of years through the successful Blue Skies Consortium, where we develop homes together and believe working together more closely, would be of mutual benefit to everyone, especially you our customers.
The out of hours’ service will deal with emergency repairs only. Any other tenancy or repair enquiry will be dealt with by our Service Centre team during the hours of Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.15pm.
At present, this is just an exploratory exercise and should anything further develop, we will keep you informed. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, email questions@longhurst-group.org.uk.
As always, you can report your non-emergency repair, pay your rent, check your rent balance, complete a form and lots more using My Account at: https://www.landh.org.uk/myaccount – please let us know if you require your registration details.
****** Christmas opening hours ****** All of our offices and our customer call centres will be closed for the holidays from Friday, 23 December and will reopen on Tuesday, 3 January. For all emergency repairs, please use the out of hours’ telephone number.
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We are family… logos united!
Opening times from the 3 January, 2017 • Friendship Care and Housing 8am to 6pm • Longhurst and Havelok Homes 8am to 5.15pm • Spire Homes 8.30am to 5.30pm
Look out for new literature and signage.
Shout out to have your voice heard… Would you like to have your voice heard across the communities Longhurst Group serves? Yes, then we want to hear from you. We are looking to create a Group editorial board, who will help shape this customer magazine, filling it with stories you all wish to read about, recipes you want to eat, and competitions you will want to take part in.
LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
All it requires from you, is to be free every three months for tea, cake and a natter in an exchange for your great stories and ideas. We will travel to different locations, transport provided, which will also give you an opportunity to meet people from across the different areas in which we work.
Interested? Simply call Emily Westerman in the Communications Team, on 01205 592032.
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Home from Home It’s a full house! We have had some changes within Longhurst Group, so let’s find out who’s who and what has changed.
Homes Board The Homes Board takes care of all the official matters for Friendship Care and Housing, Spire Homes and Longhurst and Havelok Homes. We have combined the three associations Boards’, so we can make the right decisions faster, giving you in return better valuefor-money. Each of the Homes Board members have a passion for helping people and supporting the communities we work in – making sure you are a top priority. The Board is Chaired by Stephen Wenham.
Welcome to the new Executive Director of Housing A big welcome to our new Executive Director of Housing, Sharon Guest, who is responsible for all of the housing services we provide to you across our 19,000 homes. Sharon has more than 20 years’ of experience and is looking forward to meeting with many of you over the next few months, and improving our services even further. Sharon, said: “We’ve seen a lot of changes over the last few years that have affected all of you, the neighbourhoods where we work and us a business. “With budgets everywhere coming under pressure, we need to be more imaginative and cost conscious, so we can keep our fantastic services going, keep our homes in good repair, and continue to build new homes to combat the housing crisis. “Even though we are changing the way we work I’d like to take the opportunity to say your tenancy isn’t affected by what we’re doing. You still have the same landlord and the same friendly faces giving you support and advice, and we are confident these changes will improve the service you get from us.”
War-time sweethearts celebrate 72 years in a new home Spire Homes longest married couple are celebrating their 72nd wedding anniversary in their new home - even though they were separated by war for two and half years! Ken, 94 and Irene Thompson aged 91, from Oakham, first met in 1942 at RAF Allington when Ken was an airframe fitter and Irene a NAAFi girl. They married in 1944, but shortly after Ken was deployed to Bombay and Irene moved to London to care for her mother. They didn’t meet again for more than two years. Ken said: “We bought the ingredients for the wedding cake with ration vouchers and then that was it, I was gone.” The couple, who have three daughters, one son, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren, settled in Wisbech once reunited, where Ken worked in a butchery and Irene in a printing works, before moving to Oakham where they lived in Brooke Road for more than 60 years. Poor health has recently seen the couple move to a onebedroomed retirement flat at The Lodge in Oakham, which is run by Spire Homes, member of the Longhurst Group, giving them a whole new lease of life. Irene said: “We are really settling in and are grateful for the help we have had from Spire Homes and Housing Manager Andy Wright. We both have mobility issues, so together living here, we can now pop into town whenever we like. “We have had a great 72 years together and had a lovely big family celebration for our anniversary and hopefully there’s more to come.”
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LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
Do you have
an anniversary you would like to share with us or a special birthday or can you beat 72 years? If so, we would love to hear from you. Drop us a line at communications@longhurst-group.org.uk or call 01205 592032.
Your account - My Account My Account is the quick and easy way to manage your tenancy. It’s secure, free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Here are just a few of the things you can do in My Account: • View your rent statement • View and update your personal details • Pay your rent (using Allpay) • Report a repair • Complete a range of forms to help you manage your tenancy. Not sure what to do? Our ‘how to’ video shows you how to log in for the first time, change your password and what you can do using My Account. Simply visit:
L&H Homes - landh.org.uk Spire Homes – spirehomes.org.uk Friendship Care and Housing – fch.org.uk
“My Account” the quick and easy way to manage your tenancy online
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Money talks Top money saving tips for Christmas! 1. Prepare your present list Set a price list for family presents. 2. Make the most of vouchers Make the most of any reward points you’ve earned on loyalty cards, such as Tesco Clubcard, Boots Advantage or Sainsbury’s Nectar. 3. Switch your supermarket Buying the festive food can be an expensive business, so make the most of discount supermarkets such as Aldi or Lidl. 4. Don’t buy too much food – work out how many you are catering for Look at lovefoodhatewaste.com to work out your portion calculator! 5. Shop on E-Bay No, not to buy presents, to make room for the ones you will receive, whilst earning yourself some extra cash. Selling your old things could help with the Christmas kitty!
Understanding benefits - Visit gov.uk/browse/benefits 6. Get paid to shop! For those who prefer to do their Christmas shopping at home, there are ways to earn cashback from your online purchases, such as using cashback websites like Quidco.com or Topcashback.co.uk. 7. Save money on Twitter! Social networking sites are good for keeping in touch with friends, but they can also be used to save money. Type in “money saving” and connect with those who share their cost-cutting tips, like as @pennygolightly and @moneymagpie. 8. Leftovers Build recipes for leftovers into your menus for suppers and lunches over the holiday season.
WANT TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR WATER AND ENERGY BILLS? SIGN UP NOW FOR A FREE WATER SAVING HOME VISIT We are working with Anglian Water to help you save a few bob. A water saving expert will come and visit your home to give you advice and tips on where to make the biggest water savings, and where possible, fit FREE water saving devices. Did you know that around 25% of an average household energy bill is from heating your water? So by using less water, you’ll not only save on your water bill, but your energy bill too! Making small changes can make big money savings. Did you know that taking 2 minutes off your shower time can help you save up to £59 on your water and energy bills each year? Sign up for your FREE visit at anglianwater.co.uk/bitsandbobs. You can also apply by phone on 0345 070 2402
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A
Attendance Allowance Benefit paid to disabled people, who need constant help at home. Call DWP Attendance Allowance Service on 0345 605 6055.
B
Benefit Cap Limit on the total amount of benefits you can receive if you are of a working age. It will only affect if you receive Housing Benefit or Universal Credit.
C
Child and Working Tax Credits Child Tax Credits are paid to people who have a low income and are responsible for a child or children under the age of 16, or under 20 if they remain in full time education. Working tax credits are paid to people who have a low income. You are eligible if you are: • 25, single, work more than 30 hours a week and earn below a certain amount • 25, in a couple and work more than 24 hours or more, with at least one of you working 16 hours and earning below a certain amount • Between 16-24 and have children or a qualifying disability and earn below a certain amount.
D
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) You can claim if you need help with care or mobility costs. How much you receive depends on how much you need. For 1664 year-olds, DLA is being phased out and replaced with PIP.
E
Employment and Support Allowance Paid to people who are unable to work due to illness. You will need to provide a sick note to claim and you will have to attend a Work Capability Assessment.
H
Housing Benefit Paid to people on low income to help with rent and housing costs. The amount awarded is based on your income, how many bedrooms you need and if you have any non-dependent adults living with you. You may still be entitled to Housing Benefit, even if you start work.
I
Income Support Paid to people who have no or low income. You may be entitled if you are: • Between 16 and State Pension age • Pregnant or a lone parent with a child under five • A carer • A student • Sick or disabled.
J
Jobseekers Allowance Paid to people who are under State Pension age, unemployed or working less than 16 hours, available and looking for work.
P
Pension Credit Paid to people who have reached Pension Credit qualifying age and have income below the amount the Government says you need to live on. This is called Guarantee
LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
Credit. If you have reached qualifying age, and have savings or a private pension, you may qualify for Savings Credit, if your total income is below a certain amount. Personal Independence Payments This is paid to people between 16 and 64 who have a longterm health condition which affects aspects of their daily lives and mobility. You will have an assessment with a health care professional to decide how your daily living activities and mobility care are affected by your disability.
U
Universal Credit (UC) This new benefit is gradually replacing Housing Benefit, Job Seeker Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support and Child and Working Tax Credits. It will be paid direct to you in a single monthly payment and you will then be responsible for payment of your own rent. How much you receive is based on your circumstances and income. There is no limit on how many hours you can work and the amount of UC you receive goes up and down, depending how much you have earned. You can claim Universal Credit online when it goes live in your area. Visit gov.uk/universal-credit. Or call the Universal Credit helpline on 0345 600 0723 (textphone: 0345 600 0743) if you have any questions or your circumstances change.
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Health and well-being matters Cool ways to beat the Winter blues! Winter is in full force. As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, even the best of us can get a little down. The “Winter blues” are characterized by the mild depression, lack of motivation, and low energy that many people experience during this cold season. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do to both prevent the blues from coming on and get yourself back to normal if they’re already here.
1. Exercise
As if we needed another reason to get fit! Exercise isn’t only for maintaining your weight and staying healthy. It’s great for relieving the stresses of life. Plus, the effects of a good workout can last for several hours after you hit the showers. You’ll have more energy throughout the day, and your metabolism with stay elevated too. Exercise also helps your mind by releasing those “feel good chemicals” that improve your mood.
2. Eat a Healthy Diet
What and when you eat has a great affect on your mood and energy. Avoid refined and processed foods (like white breads, rice, and sugar). These foods are not only devoid of the nutrients your body craves, but they zap your energy levels and can
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affect your mood—causing depression, lack of concentration, and mood swings. Try to incorporate more complex carbohydrates (whole wheat breads, brown rice, veggies, fruit) and get your daily eight cups of water. These healthy foods provide your body (and mind) with nutrients, and stabilize your blood sugar and your energy levels.
3. Get Some Sun
Most people know that sunlight provides us with Vitamin D. But did you know that it also improves your mood? Winter days are shorter and darker than other months, and because of the cold weather, a lot of people spend less and less time outdoors. Lack of sunlight can cause many people to become depressed—without knowing why! Similar to exercise, sunlight exposure releases neurotransmitters in the brain that affect mood. Try to spend a little more time outdoors. Keep your shades up during the day to let more light in. Sit near windows in restaurants and during class. Try changing the light bulbs in your house to “full spectrum” bulbs. These mimic natural light and actually have the same affect on your mind as the real thing.
4. Act on your Resolutions
It’s easy to make a New Year’s resolution, but how many of us stick to them? Let’s see how many of us can. Let us know how you do and will publish your story later on in the year.
5. Avoid Binge Drinking
Staying in with a cold beer or a nice glass of wine may seem like the only thing to do in the Winter months, and many people who feel down also tend to turn to alcohol when they’re feeling down. But alcohol is actually
a depressant, and rather than improving your mood, it only makes it worse. Avoiding alcohol when you are already depressed is a good idea. Moderate drinking is fine for most people, but binge drinking (defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting) is never a healthy choice. The morning after will have you feeling sick, depressed, and even more tired, which will affect many aspects of your life. This will make your low energy and “Winter blues” even worse.
6. Treat Yourself
9. Get Social Support
Don’t underestimate the power of friends, family, mentors, co-workers, and neighbours. Who can you turn to when you’re down and need a pick-me-up? Keep a mental list of these special people and don’t be afraid to ask for help or encouragement when you need it. Something as simple as a phone call, a chat over coffee, or a nice email or letter can brighten your mood.
10. Catch some Zzzz’s
Having something to look forward to can keep anyone motivated. Winter seems endless! But if you plan something exciting, your mood improves when you’re anticipating it and when the event actually comes. Plan something that’s exciting to you.
7. Relax!
You’re busy! Work, family, friends, appointments, meetings—even if you enjoy being busy, everyone needs some time off. Don’t be afraid to say “No” to extra opportunities (covering a shift for a coworker, bringing food to your son’s class party). Try to spend a few minutes each day doing nothing! Read a book or magazine, sleep in on the weekend, go to bed early.
People naturally want to sleep a little bit more during the Winter. But with all we have going on, sometimes sleep is the first thing to go. With a little time management, and some self-discipline, you can meet your shut-eye needs. Aim for 7-8 hours each night, and try to keep your bedtime and waking time consistent. That way, your sleeping patterns can normalize and you’ll have more energy. Try not to oversleep— those 12-hour snoozes on the weekend can actually make you MORE tired. Don’t forget naps! A short (10-30 minute) afternoon nap may be all you need to re-energize midday.
8. Embrace the Season
Instead of always avoiding the cold and the snow—look for the best that it has to offer! . Staying active will boost your energy. Seeing Winter in a positive light, with all the fun activities that it has to offer, will keep your spirits high.
LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
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Just the job! Job, skills & training Kick-start your career A group of Northamptonshire students swapped their relaxing Summer holidays for busy work days after taking part in a community-focused work experience programme. The five-week Kick-start run by Spire Homes, saw eight 16-18 year-olds
taking part in work shadowing and training, finally putting their new skills into practice on a community project, where they converted a community centre in Higham Ferrers. Three local lads have since secured an apprenticeship which were offered by partners Aaron Services, Burleys and Keepmoat. Plumbing apprenticeships were awarded to Charley Smith who is
now working with Aaron Services and David Warren has joined Keepmoat Property Services, whilst Nathan Brown has started an apprenticeship in horticulture with Burleys. Sharon Boot, Customer Engagement Officer at Spire Homes, said: “Working in partnership we’ve been able to offer eight young people an opportunity to really get their careers off the ground and I’m incredibly proud of how well all of the students have performed. “The unsuccessful candidates will either be going to sixth form or onto college in September. Whilst they were disappointed in not being offered an apprenticeship they were positive that they had gained valuable work experience with our contractors and made contacts in the construction industry that will be positive for them in the future.”
Housing staff spell out the benefits of getting on-line with a few trick ‘n’ treats! Friendship Care and Housing staff welcomed customers at their Beechdale Office in Walsall to teach them the wizardry of getting online as part of Digital Online Week and Halloween.
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Customers from Beechdale Community Housing learnt how to surf the internet, make job searches and applications, set up an email account, social media training and picked up tips on how to use a mobile tablet. Jackie Harris, Customer Services Manager, for Friendship Care and Housing, said: “Today’s society is more and more being placed within a digital platform, with all sectors shifting towards an online first approach to customer service. “By signing up to one of the days, customers got to hear about the benefit the internet offers, including keeping in touch with friends and
family, looking for a new job, saving money and much more.” A digital workshop will also be run at the Beechdale office at least once a week, so customers can receive ongoing support to help them gain more knowledge and confidence when using the internet. For more information, contact Jackie Harris on 0300 123 1745.
Friendship scoop top industry award Friendship Care and Housing has scooped a top industry award for having the best training scheme. Friendship, took home the award from the 24 Housing Awards at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, for their programme which helped 28 long-term unemployed people into work. Beechdale in Walsall has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and in a bid to combat the problem, the housing group launched a Community Champions programme in 2015. The Preparing People for Employment Programme (PREP), is a short course designed to help customers of all ages find work, training or volunteering opportunities. Over a period of nine weeks, learners completed four accredited courses (including manual handling and emergency first aid at work) and took part in a variety of employment skills workshops. For some learners, these were the first qualifications they’d ever achieved. 28 learners took part in PREP; since completing the course nine people gained employment, 11 people started vocational training, and nine people found regular volunteering opportunities. Several of the learners who secured employment were previously claiming benefits and have been able to reduce their claims, saving the state more than £34,000.
LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
New Year, New Job! Retrain for free
Register with a job centre that works alongside sector based academics. They typically team up with companies which offer jobs to candidates who have been on a suitable training course.
Be upfront
If you have been out for work for a long time, it’s vital to explain why to employees. So whether you have brought up a family, been unwell, travelling, or simply been unlucky, just be honest.
Consider temping
This is often a good way of getting a foot in the door and securing a permanent post later on. It’s also an easy way to network and make contacts which can be beneficial in the future.
Get in the habit
Get used to working with other people and at someone else’s pace. Voluntary work will get you back in the habit of being at a certain place for a certain time. An essential skill for work!
Stay current
Reading industry trade publications will help you stay current, so you can understand the relevant practices and latest trends, which shows potential employers you are ahead of the game!
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Up your street Planting the seeds… Top tips from one of our contractors, Burleys
down for around 18 months – good things come to those who wait! If you don’t have a compost heap, try making one out of unwanted pallets. Ideally you want two bays so that you can turn the compost over easily – this speeds up the process. Finally, as we embrace Winter, there are some simple projects we can undertake to help the wildlife in our gardens. • Bird tables, bird baths and feeders will attract a wide range of birds to your garden – it is very important to keep feeders topped as birds will often travel to visit your feeder, wasting precious energy if its empty when they get there.
We may be moving into Winter, but now is the time to look ahead and to start planting your Spring bulbs to add a splash of colour before the Summer season gets going!
• Our hedgehog populations are falling all across the country. A simple yet effective hedgehog home can be constructed out of a cardboard box and some materials you should find in most gardens. A full guide can be found on the British Hedgehog Preservation Society Website (brithishhedgehogs. org.uk).
Tulips make a wonderful formal display when planted below Winter bedding plants. For a more natural look try planting some native woodland bulbs around trees or in the lawn, such as daffodils, snowdrops, Winter aconites and of course bluebells. Once established, these bulbs will flower year after year, spreading as they do. As the temperature drops and rainfall increases, we can now start to plant any trees or shrubs. This gives them plenty of time to establish a root network before next year’s growing season. Make sure you plant at the same level as in the pot – a few handfuls of compost in the hole will always help too. It is also perfect conditions to lay a new lawn or carry out repairs to an existing one that has been well used over the summer! To seed bare patches, scratch the surface area with a rake before sprinkling with a good quality grass seed. Cover the seed with a topdressing and water well, until the seed germinates. Keep your borders and beds tidy by collecting fallen leaves. These will make a fantastic mulch if left to rot
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LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
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Around your way Jemma & Emma ‘The Dora’s award’ Winners New home for Beechdale office Top Dogs and Cats Win Curling Championship! Residents from Caswell House came out victorious when they met up for a curling contest against rivals from The Limes in Waltham, Grimsby. Team Caswell, resplendent in orange and black T-Shirts proudly carried the trophy home after a comfortable 28-11 win. One of the event organisers, Susan Nash, and floating support worker at L&H said: “Our support teams organise lots of social events for customers. Meeting up at a coffee morning, craft club, or a trip to the cinema all helps to reduce the risk of loneliness and the feeling of isolation, and help to promote well-being.”
Nine flats which have been vacant for a decade have been given a new lease of life thanks to an £800,000 regeneration project - providing much needed homes. Work began work in May last year to turn the flats above the shops at Stephenson Square in Beechdale, Walsall, into 10 one bedroom apartments. Improvements to the building have included a new roof, additional insulation and installing double glazed windows. The flats have a secure entrance on the ground floor and each feature a new layout including bathrooms, or shower rooms on the ground floor, hallway, kitchen / lounge area, and a bedroom. Working closely with Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, the regeneration project has also provided new local office space for the housing association.
The outstanding work of Beechdale Community Housing Association’s Community Champions Jemma Betts and Emma Robins has been given some well-earned recognition after they won ‘the Dora’s award’. ‘The Dora’s’ (named after nursing heroine Sister Dora) celebrate Walsall’s unsung heroes, whose efforts improve the lives of others in the borough and make people proud of Walsall.
Brewing up for charity On Friday, 30 September, staff and residents at Castle Court held a coffee morning for Macmillan. With donations of cakes and supplies, plus the local Barclays Bank agreeing to match the amount raised £ for £ for the value of up to £1,000, they raised an amazing £2,123.48!
The pair were nominated by local Councillor Tina Jukes, and attended the Walsall Mayor’s Civic Awards at Walsall Town Centre where they were announced as this year’s winners.
Spire Homes celebrate National Housing Week As part of National Housing Week (19 – 23 September) Spire Homes, joined by their contractors visited residents at The Forresters and Smith Court, sheltered schemes for older people in Raunds. Teams from Spire, Keepmoat and Aaron Services were on hand to offer practical help and support during the morning and then in the afternoon joined in with a game of bingo!
Cranwell Harvest Cranwell Court held a Harvest Festival in October, organised by Pearl Grantham, Activities Facilitator. They had a fantastic turn out to the service, led by Major Fiona Partland from the Grimsby Salvation Army. Food parcels received were donated to the Rock Foundation, Harbour Place and the Salvation Army, all in Grimsby.
During the day, operatives set to work on sprucing up the boarders and planting low maintenance flowering shrubs, kindly donated by Burleys.
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LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
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Competition time Garden wordsearch... Win £25 of garden seeds
Cross word competition... Win £50 Love to Shop Vouchers!
Send completed entry to: Our Voice Competition, Longhurst Group, Communications Department, Endeavour Park, Gilbert Drive, Boston, Lincolnshire PE21 7TQ. Closing date: 16 January 2017.
Just simply fill in the crossword below and return your completed crosswords to: Our Voice Competition, Longhurst Group, Communications Department, Endeavour Park, Gilbert Drive, Boston, Lincolnshire PE21 7TQ. Closing date for entry: 16 January 2017.
C P A N S Y L M Z O U G N O C
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S O P D Y A A V P S I M I Y W
A V S P G R V A I A U R G N T
U L P M I H A O I I H E E O N
G O U G O C T J N S D W L E T
P S O D J S E A G H O O L P X
G L U I N U R J L C A L A W D
D O H A L E A L G U E F E I D
K H L L G Q L R N F N N Q C G
A D D C L E M A T I S U Y B X
S M U I L L A Q C V L S K Z N
A I G E L I U Q A A G G U Y T
Across Alliums Aquilegia Calendula Celosia Clematis Cosmos Fuchsias
1. African equine (5) 3. Artery (5) 5. Part of a circle (3) 7. Farm vehicle (7) 9. Embellished (6) 10. Break suddenly (4) 13. Plant support (4) 14. Lumber (6) 16. Household implement (7) 17. Make a mistake (3) 18. Awful (5) 19. Cacophonous (5)
1
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8
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10
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Geranium
Down 1. Avid (7) 2. Shrewd (6) 3. Slightly open (4) 4. Atmosphere (3) 6. Yield (7) 8. Well-founded (7) 11. Depict (7) 12. Stringed instrument (6) 15. Catch sight of (4) 16. Large vase (3)
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Lavatera Marigold
2
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Nigella Pansy
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Peony Poppy Sunflower
LONGHURST GROUP CUSTOMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016
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Longhurst Group 50 Newhall Hill, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 3JN
longhurst-group.org.uk
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FEBRUARY
4 11 18 25
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
7 14 21 28
Fri Sat 1 2 8 9 15 16 22 23 29 30