SUMMER 2013
Customer Carnivals are coming. See pages 4-5 for details
From the editor... Welcome to the Summer edition of Heartbeat With the summer fast approaching it made sense to get our editorial group on board to write a couple of articles about staying safe in the sun and a great summer recipe. As you will see they did a great job! In this edition we have highlighted some key information about ‘Universal Credit that will begin in October 2013. If you will be affected by this you can find out more on pages 10-12. There are lots of reminders about the customer carnivals in this issue, so don’t forget to note down when the Carnivals will be coming to your area and enjoy some free family fun this summer. As always you can read all about what’s been happening in your local community in the pages towards the back of the magazine. Remember, if you have something to contribute you can get in touch with us by emailing heartbeat@midlandheart.org.uk but in the meantime we hope you enjoy this jam packed edition.
Nat Natalie Hannam Heartbeat Editor
Midland Heart 20 Bath Row, Birmingham B15 1LZ tel 0345 60 20 540 heartbeat@midlandheart.org.uk 2
Getting online: using email This quarter our editorial group talked about getting an email address. This can be a really useful way to manage monthly bills and cut down on the amount of paper that we use. Editorial board member, Sandra Clarke, told us about her experience of getting an email account:
@
“I got my email account two years ago with Virgin Media, they offered a very good deal on phone and internet access and the email address was easy to set up. Now I use it most days, receive all my bills online, get newsletters about my favourite places and shops sent to me and book travel tickets online. I really think that I would be lost without it.” There are lots of websites that allow you to set up free email accounts: l Yahoo – www.yahoo.com l Hotmail (from Microsoft) – www.hotmail.com l Gmail (from Google) – www.gmail.com Once you’ve registered an email address with one of these providers, you will be able to send and receive emails on any computer with internet access.
All have similar features, are constantly being developed to make them as easy to use as possible, and have a degree of built-in safety features to filter out any unwanted emails (called spam). Why not log-on and visit the links above and have a look at each of the providers to find out more information.
In this issue...
Employment & Skills Customer Carnivals How we’re doing Staying safe in the sun Welfare Reforms Fly Tipping / Waste Management Service Standards update Where you live and much more...
3 4-5 6-7 8 10 -12 13 14 15 -23
BUILDING PROSPECTS UPDATE
YOUR employment and skills, OUR priority This year Midland Heart has made the employment and skills of our customers a corporate priority. From April 2012 to March 2013, 126 people were able to access employment with Midland Heart support. We achieved this by helping: l 26 Pathways employees into permanent jobs in Midland Heart l 26 people into a Midland Heart job with support l 74 people into external jobs with support A number of you have also taken part in events aimed at supporting you into employment, education and volunteering since the last issue of Heartbeat.
Every Wednesday we hold Employment and Skills Workshops at The Snow Hill, Birmingham, from 5-7pm. These are proving really popular and are a great way for you to get help with your CV or receive guidance with a job application. If you would like to attend a workshop call Manjit Sehmar on 0845 850 1020 ext 6101.
I had a great opportunity to talk to the managers. They gave me a good idea on how to write an application form
out I have found V w to do a C o h t u o b a e r mo n. and applicatio
“The customers were very keen and enthusiastic” Income Officer for Care and Support, Marique Bailey said: “The customers were very keen and enthusiastic and engaged with the workshops. Some of them received one to one support which they really appreciated.” If you would be interested in attending the next Employment and Skills day please contact Amy Walden on 0845 850 1020 ext 5624 or email amy.walden@midlandheart.org.uk.
Check Miller
Wolverhampton
Birmingham Foyer customer, Victoria Jordan with Support Worker Wayne Reid and Yvonne Roberts from Merlin Venture
We also held an Employment and Skills day in April giving you the opportunity to find out about what it is like working for Midland Heart. The event went very well with 35 customers attending throughout the day.
Check, 46, was one of the first to arrive at the Em ployment and Skills Event at Bath Row beca use, in his words, he wanted to be on e of the first in lin e to hear abou t the opportunitie s at Midland Hea rt. Currently unempl oyed, Check has found a way that can turn his love he of drawing and painting into a ca reer. Check says “the feeling I get whe n I finish a pain and decorating ting project is almos t exactly the sam as when I finish e a drawing, it’s th e sense of completing and achieving somet hing while doin something I love g .” After hearing ab out the opportun ities we have with our Property Ca in re team, Check is really excited future prospects. for his 3
C
a
R
N
i v
L
a
FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY!
Customer Carnivals FRE B E
BQ
FREE Raffle
Face Paintin g
FREmE ent Employ and Skills advice
4
e m o c l e w s i e n o Every
Each year we hold Customer Carnivals in Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Staffordshire and Wolverhampton, so pop the dates opposite in your diary and join us for some FREE family fun, lots of prizes, games and some fantastic food this summer! The Carnivals are most importantly about fun, but this year the Government has changed the rules on benefits, because of the impact that this will have on some of our customers the carnivals will give you the chance to meet with Midland Heart staff and other agencies to discuss any issues you are concerned about.
For more information please call 0345 6020 540, otherwise we will look forward to seeing you there.
Join us!
E FRESE HMENTS REFR
FREE
Fun Activities
LOTS OF PRIZES
Something for all ages
2
0
1
3
RECIPE
DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES ! Birmingham Carnival, The Light House, 100 Alma Way, Aston, Birmingham B19 2LN, Saturday 6th July, 11am – 4pm Coventry Carnival, Broad Horizons Enterprise Ce ntre, 161 Broad Street, Foleshill, Coventry, CV6 5BN, Saturday 22nd June, 11am – 4pm Leicester Carnival, The George Ward Centre, Church Lane, Barwell, Leicester LE9 8DG, Saturday 13th July, 11am – 4pm Staffordshire Carnival, Essington Community Cent re, Hobknock Road, Essington, WV11 2RF, Saturday 22nd June, 11am – 4pm Wolverhampton Carnival , Dunstall Hill Community Ce ntre, Dunstall Avenue, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, WV6 0HN, Saturday 13th July, 11am – 4pm
WELFARE
REFORM ADVICE AND GUIDANCE ON THE DAY
Find out if you’re affected
This recipe was submitted by one of our editorial board members, Sandra Clarke, here is why she chose to share it with you: “I enjoyed making this great spring recipe as it is quick and easy to prepare and nutritious. I found it in a free supermarket booklet about using tinned salmon, but there are lots of ways you can change the recipe to suit you.”
Creamy Salmon and Pea Pasta Prep: 5 mins. Cook: 10 mins. Serves 4 Approx cost per portion: £1.20
What you need 1 Teaspoon Oil 1 Onion, chopped 150ml Crème Fraiche or Sour Cream 100g Spinach, washed and well drained 350g Pasta shapes 150g Peas 210g Tinned Salmon, drained, skin and bones removed You can use fresh salmon with the skin and bones removed or packs of frozen fish often work out cheaper
How to make it 1. Heat oil in frying pan over a low heat; add the onion and cook for 5 mins until soft and golden 2. Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 5-7 mins until soft, add peas for last few minutes 3. Drain pasta and peas 4. Add the spinach and salmon to onions, cook for 4 mins, turn off the heat 5. Add drained pasta and peas, and crème fraiche and mix together 6. Serve on its own or with salad and/or garlic bread If you would like to share your recipe with our readers please email heartbeat@midlandheart.org.uk.
5
How we’re doing Every month we ask more than 1,000 customers what they think about our repairs, new lettings, environmental and complaints services.
Complaints performance: Percentage of customers that are very or fairly satisfied with how we handled their complaint:
Jan 2013 61.54%
Feb 2013 36.84%
At the end of January 2013: 61.54% At the end of February 2013: 36.84% Target: 65%
The average for other social housing providers is 63%
Repairs performance: Customer Service Centre performance:
Percentage of repairs completed during the first visit from our contractor:
The total number of calls we answered:
Jan 2013 96.73%
Feb 2013 97.27%
At the end of January 2013: 96.73% At the end of February 2013: 97.27% Target: 95%
Jan 2013 76.57%
Feb 2013 80.65%
At the end of January 2013: 76.57% At the end of February 2013: 80.65% Target: 90%
The average for other social housing providers is 80% The percentage of customers very or fairly satisfied with the repairs and maintenance service: The total number of calls we answered within 20 seconds:
Jan 2013 78.5%
Feb 2013 81.96%
At the end of January 2013: 78.5% At the end of February 2013: 81.96% Target: 80%
Jan 2013 91.6%
Feb 2013 88.94%
At the end of January 2013: 91.6% At the end of February 2013: 88.94% Target: 92%
The average for other social housing providers is 85% 6
Customer Involvement performance: Customers who are very or fairly satisfied with opportunities for participation:
Jan 2013 83.78%
Feb 2013 78.4%
At the end of January 2013: 83.78% At the end of February 2013: 78.4% Target: 87%
Overall satisfaction: Customers who are fairly or very satisfied with Midland Heart’s overall service:
Jan 2013 85.3%
Feb 2013 83%
At the end of January 2013: 85.3% At the end of February 2013: 83% Target: 85%
You said...we did SAID: You wanted to hear more about u YOU opportunities to work or volunteer at Midland Heart. WE DID: We are holding a number of Employment and Skills events for you to find out about what it is like working for Midland Heart and further workshops where you can get job application and CV support. (see page 3). SAID: You wanted local contractors u YOU providing local services, rather than several large contractors across all our regions. WE DID: We have reviewed our environmental services contracts and our contractors are now made up of local businesses, small social enterprises, family run businesses and larger national organisations, ensuring value for money and passing any cost savings on to our customers. SAID: You wanted an opportunity to u YOU give feedback about issues that regularly affect your area.
If you would like more information on how we are doing please contact us on 0345 60 20 540
WE DID: We’re offering customers the chance to become a Customer Inspector empowering you to maintain your home and surrounding areas, for more information see page 13. 7
Staying safe in the sun Hello everyone! My name is Nazia: I’m a member of the Heartbeat Editorial Board and as a mother of two I wanted to give you a little advice about staying safe in the sun this summer.
86
Fire safety in communal areas how will you get out? It’s important if you share communal spaces within a property to think about how you would escape in the event of a fire, you must always remember to: l Keep hallways, stairs and fire exits clear. l Keep bikes, pushchairs, buggies and mobility scooters out of communal areas.
Here are my top 5 tips:
Smoking
1. Wear sun cream with SPF 25 or higher. Apply plenty all over yours and your children’s bodies, keep babies under 12 months old out of the sun altogether.
Smoking is not permitted in shared areas within our schemes. Make sure you discard lit cigarettes safely and put them right out.
External fire risks – report them!
, 2. Use waterproof sun cream and re-apply often every ately after you get out of water, or approxim two hours and don’t forget your ears, eye lids, . lips, nose, hands, feet, and the top of your head
l Flammable liquids such as petrol or engine oil should not be stored in your home, if you think a neighbour might be doing this, report it.
this 3. Choose sun cream labelled broad spectrum; means that it protects against two types of harmful rays UVA and UVB. UVA rays cause wrinkling, lathering and sagging of the skin and UVB rays are the main cause of sun burn.
l If you think a neighbour might be taking part in criminal activity e.g. the cultivation of drugs, you need to tell us as they may be creating a fire risk if electrical circuits are being overloaded.
and 4. Seek shade or avoid the sun between 10am 3pm, because this is when the sun is at its strongest even on cloudy days.
l We encourage our customers not to carry out electrical alterations to their properties, this may create faults and cause fires.
e 5. If you are going to spend time in the sun mak sure you use other methods of protection: wear a wide-brimmed sun hat and loose clothing, choose sunglasses with UV filters to protect your eyes and don’t stay out for long periods.
l Have you seen evidence of vandalism or arson? Report it, we can help!
Think: Are you or is someone around you creating a fire hazard? Contact us on 0345 60 20 540
a guide to payment options A colour TV licence currently costs £145.50 and black and white licence costs £49 You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence to watch or record television programmes as they are shown on TV. This is the case whether you are watching the programmes on TV or any other device, such as a mobile phone or a PC. Anybody who is not correctly licensed risks prosecution and a possible fine of up to £1,000. How can I pay for my TV Licence? Some people may struggle to pay the licence fee in one go, so TV licensing offer a number of different ways to pay, including: Payment Card: This card allows you to spread the cost of your licence in to weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments. Payments can be made by cash or a debit/credit card at any PayPoint outlet, or over the phone. To find your nearest PayPoint, visit www.paypoint.co.uk/locator or call 0300 790 6137. Savings Card: This card is ideal for people who want to save in advance in a secure way. You can make small, manageable payments at any time, online or by text, at any PayPoint outlet or over the phone. Call 0300 790 6078 for further information. Other payment methods: l Direct Debit where payments are made annually, quarterly or monthly, l Via their website www.tvlicensing.co.uk using a credit or debit card, l Or simply pay over the phone.
To find out more about the payment options available, call 0300 790 6115 or visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk/communityinfo.
Did you get your Gas Service done first time? Did you know that you could be in with a chance of winning a £50 voucher, jus t by being at home to have your Gas Safety Check carried out at your first appointment with one of our contractors? Here are the lucky winners for December, January and February: – 1st time access winners
Miss Read, Northamptonshire Ms McPherson, Birmingham Ms Garland, Birmingham Ms Baxter, Birmingham Mr James, Birmingham Miss Arnold, Nuneaton
– 1st time access winners Miss Luke, Wolverhampton Mrs Perks, Lichfield Mr Smith, Stourbridge You can't see it, smell it or tas te it, but carbon monoxide poisoning can kill qui ckly without warning. If you have any con cerns please contact us on 0345 60 20 540 immedi ately. 9
Update WELFARE REFORM UPDATE
Universal Credit The government is changing the rules on benefits. Benefits to working age people will be replaced with one single benefit called Universal Credit, it will be paid directly to you and will replace many of the means tested or income assessed benefits.
Universal Credit Changes being made to the different working age benefits start from October 2013 they will be replaced with a new single benefit called, Universal Credit. Universal Credit will start for new claimants from October 2013 and existing claimants will start to move to the new system over a four year period.
The workshop provides an in-depth understanding of: l How to draw up a budget l Make a food budget to last you a month l How to sort out priority and non priority bills l How do deal with rent, council tax, water bills and TV license l How to keep control of a bank account, use direct debits and standing orders and keeping out of the red l How to make decisions on saving and borrowing at affordable rates Lunch and refreshments will be provided on the day. Places need to be booked by contacting the Money Advice Team on 0345 60 20 540.
What you need to do next When Universal Credits are introduced, payments will be paid directly into your bank account. The government would like to encourage individuals to be more responsible for their own money. So in order to receive Universal Credit, you must have a bank account, so the money can be paid into it. It’s important that you do set up a bank account if you haven’t already got one. On pages 11 and 12 we have provided you with information about the different types of bank accounts available to you so that you can decide which would suit you best.
Set yourself a budget Setting a budget each month is a great way to keep track of your money and expenses.
BEDROOM TAX UPDATE In the last issue of Heartbeat we took an in depth look at the Bedroom Tax. Since that magazine went to print the government have made some further changes. Foster carers will now be able to have an additional room as long as they have fostered a child or have been given permission to become a foster parent in the last 12 months. And a disabled tenant or partner who needs a non-resident overnight carer will be allowed an extra bedroom.
Need some advice about budgeting?
We're holding free workshops to help you keep control of your budget. Join us at our Birmingham office, 20 Bath Row, B15 1LZ from 9.30-3.30pm on Thursday 27th June. 10
For more information you can visit our website or you can call our Customer Service Centre on 0345 60 20 540.
NT E M ERNED THE S V O G T THE CHANGBENEFI HAS ES ON R UL www.midlandheart.org.uk/welfarereform
BANKS Bank branch counter access
Free access to cash machines (ATM’s)in the UK
No
Yes (for withdrawals over £300 only)
Free to use Bank of Scotland ATM’ s only. Charges elsewhere.
£8
Visa Debit
Yes
Yes
Yes
£35
Maestro
Yes
Yes
16
Yes
£15
Visa Debit
Yes
Yes
First Trust Bank
16
Direct Debits only
£35
No
No
Free to use First Trust Bank ATM’s only. Charges elsewhere.
Halifax (Easycash)
16
Yes
£10 max. 3 charges per day
Electron
Yes (for withdrawals of £300)
Free at any LINK ATM
Lloyds TSB (Cash Account)
18
Yes
£10 max. 3 charges per day. Unplanned overdraft £6
Visa Debit
Yes
Lloyds TSB ATM’s only. Charges made elsewhere.
Nationwide Building Society
18
Yes
£15
Visa debit
Yes - for withdrawals of over £100
Yes
Lloyds TSB Classic Account
18
Yes
From £10 (max 3 charges per day). Unplanned overdraft £26 - £86.
Visa debit
Yes
Yes
Northern Bank (Northern Personal Access)
14
Yes
No
Maestro
Yes
Yes
Santander (Basic Current Account)
16
Yes
£25
No
Yes – withdrawals over £300
Yes
Secure Trust Bank
18
Yes
No
No
No
50p at ATM’s displaying the Master card logo. £12.50 set up charge and monthly charge of £12.50. 4% reward scheme at high street retailers.
The Royal Bank of Scotland (Basic Account)
18
Yes
£6 (max. of £60 Visa debit in a charging period)
Yes
Free to use Bank of Scotland ATM’s only. Charge to use others.
Ulster Bank (Step Account)
18
Yes
Visa debit £10 (max if £100 in a charging period)
Yes
Yes
Yorkshire Bank (Readycash)
16
Yes
£35
Yes
Yes
Bank Name and any special name for the account Minimum
Minimum Age Limit
Direct Debit or Standing Order
Charge for unpaid direct debit or standing order
Debit Card (Solo, Electron, Maestro or Visa debit)
Bank of Scotland (Cash Account)
16
Yes
£10 max. 3 charges per day
Barclays (Cash Card Account)
18
Yes
Clydesdale (Readycash)
16
Co-operative Bank (Cashminder)
Maestro
Pre-payment Card
Yes
11
CREDIT UNIONS Credit Union Name Minimum Age Limit
Fees
Bill Payment Scheme available
Inner Circle 8 Credit Union Birmingham
18
£2 per year
Yes
Citysave Budget and Bill Paying Account
18
£2 per week
North Birmingham Credit Union
18
Wolverhampton Credit Union
Savings Accounts
Prepayment Card
Yes
Yes
Alto card
£1.00 at ATM. £0.50 per transaction.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Alto Card
£1.00 Load funds onto Alto card 50p Unpaid direct debit £5
£1 per week
Yes
Usually within 7 days
Yes
Abcul Card
ATM 75p. Abcul card top up 50p
18
£5 per month for a Bill paying account. Standard account £1 to join
Yes
Yes (min age 18 )
Yes
Alto Card
£1.00 at ATM. £0.50 per transaction.
Coventry – New Central Credit Union
18
One off £5 joining fee
Yes
Yes
Yes
Alto Card
£1.00 at ATM. £0.50 per transaction.
Leicestershire, Rutland and Northampton Clockwise Credit Union
18
£4 one-off Joining fee £4/month if taking current account
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes – ABCUL prepaid
Free for current account card £0.75 for prepaid ATM use
£1 per week
Yes
Yes
Yes
Debit card
£0.15 per transaction
Six Towns Credit Union
Emergency Loans available
Free use of cash machines (ATM’s) or cost per transaction
Bank and Credit Union information obtained directly from www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk and was correct at the time Heartbeat went to print.
Money worries? Don’t know where to turn for help?
We can help you by: lAdvising you on how to deal with financial problems lHelping you negotiate with the people you owe money to lMaking sure you are receiving all the benefits you should lOffering ongoing help and support.
Your Money Advisors are: From left to right Front row - Tracey Chisholm, Lucy Mosedale. Middle - Helen Zamorski, Danielle Lewis-Rogers. Rear - John Jackson, Joanne Burns, Sarah Golding 12
Call 0345 60 20 540 and ask to speak to a Money Advisor.
Don’t let fly-tipp ing Just like you, we are proud of our neighbourhoods and we want to keep them clean and tidy. While we have contractors who visit the sites that pay a service charge to keep the grounds neat and well kept, we expect all of our customers to be vigilant when it comes to fly tipping . Facts and figures l Fly-tipping costs local authorities almost £74m a year to clear l 50% of fly-tips involve household waste l In one year alone local authorities carried out 1,871 prosecutions and 95% achieved a successful outcome What do I do if I spot fly tipping where I live? l Make a note of the dates, times, items and anything about the person l Write down vehicle details, such as: registration, make, model and even colour then call us on 0345 60 20 540 to report it l If it is not on Midland Heart’s land, contact your local council who will arrange to deal with this in line with their own policies and procedures What happens next? l If its on our land we’ll call Sitex Orbis our new contractor who will arrange to visit the site and collect the waste l With the information you provide we’ll set up an investigation with the support of the local council to identify the person/s involved and report them where possible
Our new contractor:
go unreported! WANTED: Customer Inspectors We’re looking for custo mers who are willing to become customer inspe ctors.
Customer inspectors will rep ort back to Midland Heart on how well our envir onmental contractors are performing. You can do this in your own area and in your spare time. Yo u can also do as little or as many estate inspection s as you choose. You will be asked to: l Look at the level of servic e that you receive from environmental contractor s l Report back on your fin dings Benefits include: l Receive free training fro m Midland Heart l Receive an endorsed cer tificate at the end of your training l Use as a platform into employment or further education l Improve your soft skills including confidence, communication and organ isational skills Do you think you could be part of the Midland Heart customer inspecto r team? Please call Beverley Hardy in our Cu stomer Involvement Team on 0345 60 20 54 0.
Sitex Orbis make collections in marked vans and branded uniforms, so you’ll always know who they are. The company has over 25 years experience and they’re committed to being environmentally friendly and recycling the product of fly tipping in a safe and beneficial way. 13
SERVICE STANDARDS UPDATE
What you can expect from us We have been working with customers asking for your views about our Service Standards. These standards give you our commitments on how we intend to deliver our services to an agreed standard, quality and frequency to customers from the 1st April 2013. We've listened to what customers think when setting the standards, and we are implementing a programme of review to set the standards we expect our staff to keep to when working with our customers. We are also committed to making sure we deliver services in the most cost effective way. This is known as ‘Quality Assurance’. To achieve this we have started a continuous programme of service reviews.
In these reviews we:
l Look critically at how we do things; l Compare our performance with other housing associations; l Consult with our customers; l Develop plans for improving the service.
We would like to thank all our customers who got involved and contributed to the development of our new Service Standards. If you would like to find out more about our Service Standards, how they have been developed or what they will mean for you please visit www.midlandheart.org.uk 14
BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM
Street Pride At the end of March 2013 residents of Wright Road, Birmingham joined together with West Midlands Police, the Fire Service, Birmingham City Council, Arch East Addictions Service and Midland Heart to take part in a community clean up day. Free home safety checks, Crime prevention information and guidance on the welfare reforms were also made available during the day, while also renewing everyone’s pride in the local area.
Recycled Teenagers
The Recycled Teenagers are a group of sen citizens who li ior ve on the Wry ley Birch Esta The name RC te . T was though t up by the gro who felt as th up ough they we re teenagers a gain.
They meet ev ery 1pm until 3pm Friday from at the Phoenix centre on Falk ners Farm Driv e.
The do a rang e of activities and go on outi to places like th ngs e Black Countr y Museum an Cinema and h d old weekly bin go games with great prizes. T he group use re cycled materia wherever and l whenever they can.
If you would like to get inv olve please contac t Violet William d s on 07771 764 59 3 15
BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM
Burglary initiative success! Police officers from the Lozells and East Handsworth policing team have been working on a new burglary initiative which has seen them visit more than 90 local homes to mark people’s valuables with special DNA liquid. The initiative has been setup in partnership with Midland Heart and Birmingham City Council, and saw officers visit previous burglary hotspots to DNA mark televisions, mobile phones, laptops and other valuable items.
Some of our customers have been out on a training day and visited a Mosque and a Gurdwara so that they could understand Equality and Diversity first hand.
Officers spoke to residents about crime prevention and home security tips and also encouraged them to share concerns or information with police, housing officials or the council.
The group gained a better understanding of the two religious places of worship, and what was taught there. Eight customers attended and were very pleased that they had taken part in the training.
Members of the Lozells youth forum assisted the team by translating advice as and when necessary.
Some customers left us feedback on Facebook:
Inspector Karen Geddes, responsible for policing across the Perry Barr sector, said: “The burglary reduction initiative launched in Lozells and East Handsworth last week has already had positive impact within the local community. “Hundreds of residents have had their property marked at these addresses and we have also been able to speak with residents and share some valuable crime prevention advice”.
r e m o t s Cu 3 1 0 2 l a Carniv
ay, Alma W 0 0 1 , e s ht Hou N, The Lig B19 2L n Asto , - 4pm
y, th Jul 6 y a d tur
Sa 16
Understanding other cultures
11am
ere! h t u o y See
“I just want to say that l really enjoyed our visit to the Birmingham Central Mosque and also the visit to the Sikh Temple Handsworth it has been a very interesting day, many thanks again Zaheda and also Midland Heart.” James Brennan “What a great day we had today, visiting central mosque and a temple how nice to be so welcomed by both and to try and understand there culture thank you midland heart.” Paula Ritchie
BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM
What’s on in Handsworth and Lozells The Lozells and East Handsworth Heritage Trail
Birchfield, Cherry Tree and Lime Tree Children’s Centres Do you have children under the age of 5? The following opportunities are available at your local children’s centres: Stay & Play is for children and parents who can play and learn together, sessions are for children from birth to 5.
Legacy WM has been successful in obtaining Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to develop a heritage trail for Lozells and East Handsworth. Their aim is to help raise awareness of the trail and teach 15 volunteers about the areas heritage and then invite them to give guided tours to the local community and visitors to Birmingham. If you would like to get involved please contact Aftab Rahman on aftab.rahman1@yahoo.co.uk.
Birchfield Harriers Sporting Tales A new project called ‘Birchfield Harriers Sporting Tales’ delivered by the Beth Johnson Foundation and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, aims to record the personal experiences of a wide variety of people associated with Birmingham Athletics Club. These memories will be collected and used as part of an exhibition, online materials, a DVD and as a resource for schools, and community members.
Looking for work, training or volunteering opportunities? One to one support is available on CV support, application forms and interview techniques.
Let’s Cook Together You and your child can explore new recipes to promote a healthy lifestyle. Thursdays 9:30–11:30am or 12:30–2:30pm at Cherry Tree Children’s Centre
Want to learn about your children’s centre and make new friends? Join our welcome group every Monday 1-3pm at Birchfield Children’s Centre. Please call 0121 675 2530 or drop in for more information and to book a place at one of the following centres: Birchfield Children’s Centre, 1 Haughton Road Handsworth, B20 3LE Cherry Tree Children’s Centre, Graham Street, Lozells, B19 1QY Lime Tree Children’s Centre, Heathfield Road, Handsworth, B19 1HJ
To carry out this project, the team needs as much help as possible. They would love to hear from people with memories of the club or stadium, and anyone interested in volunteering to help collect these memories. If you are interested contact Joe Twilley, the Project Coordinator by email: joe@bjf.org.uk. 17
C OV E N T RY C OV E N T RY C OV E N T RY C OV E N T RY
Celebrating Women’s week in Foleshill
Helping you get SORTED
ce in March at A three day event took pla awareness the Foleshill library to raise celebrate to of the welfare reforms and ek! International Women’s we ed the event where Over 250 local residents attend ation from a range of they were able to get inform art and the CAB, who agencies including Midland He lfare reforms and were giving advice on the we NEA offered energy budgeting, Groundwork and delivered healthy saving advice, the local NHS local Cook and Eat well lifestyle information and the , and gave out recipes Project served healthy snacks lthy meals on a budget. and tips on how to make hea d and Zumba dance The event featured Bollywoo thers and their children sessions, art and crafts for mo and free health checks. register their interest Local residents were invited to ployment support in attending future I.T and em ivered from the library programmes which will be del and other local venues.
r e m o t s Cu 3 1 0 2 l a Carniv
entre, prise C BN r e t n E , CV6 5 ns y o r t iz n r e o v H ill, Co pm Broad , Folesh t e 1am - 4 e r 1 t S , e d a n o Ju 161 Br y 22nd
a
Saturd
18
ere! h t u o y See
Sorted Money saving expert Martin Lewis visited Coventry to open SORTED, a scheme launched by Coventry Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), together with Midland Heart, Groundwork West Midlands, Whitefriars Housing and Coventry City Council to help customers manage their money. The three-year project - the first of its kind in the Midlands - is funded by a £1 million Big Lottery Grant. It is targeted at first time tenants, young people under the age of 25 and people that have experienced changes in their financial circumstances. Specialist trainers and volunteer coaches deliver one-to-one and group sessions on subjects including budgeting and banking, understanding the benefits system, the rights and obligations of tenants, how to heat the home and eating healthily on a budget. A tailored programme of support is created for each customer referred to SORTED by their housing association. The programme is delivered from the new SORTED flat, a replica flat and training centre, on Little Park Street in the city centre. The training sessions are brought to life in the flat through the use of working kitchens, meters, heating systems and affordable home furniture. The aim of the sessions is to help people to cope with the introduction of the welfare reforms. In addition, the programme supports young and vulnerable people in the early stages of their tenancies to help them develop the independent living skills they will need to be successful.
C OV E N T RY C OV E N T RY C OV E N T RY C OV E N T RY
Coventry Boot Camp creates opportunities Eight unemployed young people and five unemployed adults have been given access to jobs, after taking part in a Coventry boot camp. This is the third time that local organisations including Midland Heart have clubbed together to help young NEETs (not in education, employment or training) to become job ready and give them the opportunity to create better futures for themselves.
February 1, when all of the young people who completed the course found out that they had been awarded a work placement. Five scooped paid job opportunities and three are going for final interviews for paid positions, after successfully completing the programme.
Midland Heart, Orbit Heart of England and Whitefriars Housing worked with West Midlands Fire Service, CSWP, Coventry City Council Entry to Employment Team, Midland Hearts Open Door Employment Programme, the Youth Offending Service, West Midlands Police and Coventry City Youth Services to run the two-week session.
This year, an additional team of five mentors were recruited to help the boot campers. The mentors, who range in age from 19 – 49, are all unemployed people who were selected via the Job Centre, because of previous experience. The mentors’ eight-week placement began in December, when they undertook training and helped to plan the boot camp. Now the course has been completed, the boot camp partners are working with each mentor to help them to find a job.
All who attended the boot camp were NEETs aged from 16 to 19 years old. The course came to an end on Friday,
For further information about getting involved in any of the above please contact Elaine Shirley: 0345 60 20 540. 19
EAST MIDLANDS EAST MIDLANDS EAST
A tribute to Beryl... Leicester office recently bid a fond farwell to one of Midland Heart’s longest standing customers, Beryl Durrance who passed away recently at the age of 82.
Beryl was a tenant of both Midland Heart and one of its legacy organisations Coventry Churches for over 28 years, living in the Highfields area of Leicester. She was a vocal member of the Leicester Customer Panel who loved to share her views and opinions on the services that she received. As such she was well known by staff, contractors, neighbours and fellow involved customers. In receipt of housing support from the Leicester Floating Support Service since April 2010, Beryl was also the Secretary for the ‘Monday Allsorts’ Floating Support Customer group. Beryl’s family have expressed their thanks to Midland Heart for helping to support Beryl throughout her tenancy and also more recently the support given to her whilst she was very ill.
Erskine Street family homes
Midland Heart are working in partnership with Leicester City Council, the Homes and Communities Agency and Westleigh Developments to regenerate Erskine Street in the centre of Leicester. This affordable family housing in the city centre will consist of 23 units in a mix of; 6x1 bed flats, 9x2 bed house, 5 x 3 bed, 2 x 4 bed and 1 wheel chair adapted unit. Completion is anticipated for December 2013 and fits with a wider regeneration plan for the city. 20 20
Leo Daniels, Housing Management Team Leader says: “Erskine street looks like a great development in a corner of the city centre that needs development and will really benefit local people. We are really excited to be involved in this development.”
r e m o t s Cu 3 1 0 2 l a Carniv
e, rch Lan u h C , e d Centr DG ge War r o e r LE9 8 e G t s e The ic , Le m - 4pm Barwell y, 11a
l 3th Ju 1 y a d Satur there!
See you
STAFFORDSHIRE
STAFFORDSHIRE
tre: n e C g n i imb l C x r o w Kiln CTIVE!
A G N I T T E G
urch in Burslem, A disused Methodist ch rgone a major Stoke on Trent has unde converted into a refurbishment and been climbing centre. fun and exciting indoor ys a week to the public The centre is open 7 da and exciting challenges and offers a range of fun g. It’s a great place for from climbing to abseilin s to test their climbing young people and adult ideal for beginners where skills safely. The centre is ailable, and there are training and support is av bing routes for skilled various challenging clim climbers a Sandhu says “It’s been Director of the centre Jin gan. It’s great to see real success since it all be themselves and learn people come in and enjoy new skills.” le for birthday parties, The centre is also availab le packages. The centre and offer great affordab ers weekly sessions for has a kids club, which off 0 per session. They are 6-16 year olds for £11.5 esday, Saturday and held every Monday, Wedn Sunday. r adults and £4 for unde Prices start from £5 for from 10am-10pm on 6’s. The centre is open m on weekends. weekdays and 10am-4p
the website For further details visit ll 01782 940 223. www.kilnworx.org or ca
Getting green fingered Customers at Birchfield Court, Meadowbrook Road have been getting green fingered to help raise funds for their communal garden and engage the estate in its maintenance. Keith and Lee who have both been helping to maintain the garden for the past few years organised a Hanging Basket Competition for the whole estate in 2012 with all proceeds going to the communal garden. Through Midland Hearts Environmental Bid Project they have been able to install a fence to stop people using the garden as a walkthrough and hope to hold a BBQ for all residents this summer. We would also like to congratulate Keith who has now successfully gained employment as a Landscaper; we hope you’re enjoying your new job!
r e m o t Cus 3 1 0 2 l Carniva
, Centre y t i n u 2RF mm WV11 ton Co , g n n o i t s g s E ssin -4pm Road, E k c o n k ob e,11am
nd Jun 2 2 y a aturd
H
S
ere! h t u o y See
21
W O LV E R H A M P T O N A N D B L A C K C O U N T R Y Do you live in Wolverhampton?
Would you like to see a walkabout in your area?
n lose o e C c i e f Of th Midland Heart has opened a satellite office on the Tamworth Close estate at number 19. The office will be open two/three days a week and will offer a number of services to customers when it is open.
What is a walkabout? A walkabout usually involves your Neighbourhood Services Officer and your Customer Involvement Officer for the area. On a given date they will carry out regular walkabouts on your street, estate or block to identify repairs and communal estate issues that need to be resolved. Customers are invited to take part and tell us about issues in your area. Walkabouts can take place during daylight hours and we can arrange to meet somewhere nearby.
22
If you think a walkabout could benefit your area then get in touch with Anikah Miller-Ryan on 07767 474 361. This is your opportunity to get involved and improve where you live!
The initial services available will be: l Freephone repairs and reporting l Access to Homes Direct the new transfer waiting list system l The ability to bid for vacant Midland Heart properties There are also plans to run a number of workshop sessions from the meeting room on subjects like basic DIY repairs with our contractors MEARS. The new office opened earlier this year and is being trialled for 12 months.
r e m o t Cus 3 1 0 2 l a Carniv
ue, ll Aven a t s n u tre, D 6 0NH ity Cen n u m on, WV t m p o C m l a il h ll H olver pm Dunsta eans, W R 1am - 4 e r 1 o , m y l it u h W h J
ay Saturd
13t
ere! h t u o y See
W O LV E R H A M P T O N A N D B L A C K C O U N T R Y
New homes unveiled The local community got a first glimpse of a former pub site which has been transformed into a new affordable housing development in Wolverhampton. The grand tour was hosted by Midland Heart staff and building contractor Seddons and guests had the opportunity to walk around the development, view a show home and enjoy some refreshments, whilst meeting the team. The housing scheme on Hurstbourne Crescent is the former Dan O’Connell pub site opposite East Park Junior and Infants school. The site has been redeveloped into 5 one bedroom and 12 two bedroom apartments for affordable rent. Local youngsters from Deansfield High School have been involved in the development and taken part in a ‘Community’ art competition. The winning entry will be unveiled and installed at the scheme next month. Corren Black, development project manager at Midland Heart said “We are delighted with the turn out for our sneak preview event. The feedback from the local community has been great – they were really impressed with the quality and finish of the apartments." "Our team along with our partners are looking forward to working with local residents and organisations to carry on the good community work.”
The team is expanding! The housing management tea m at our Wolverhampton office is chang ing and we are delighted to welcome Kevin Tig he to the team. If you live in Wolverhampton or the Back Country these changes may affect you as the patches that the team will be covering are changing slightly. Your Customer Involvement Off icer, Anikah Miller-Ryan will be arranging ‘Meet and Greets’ in your area, when you will get a chance to meet your housing officer and find out how customers can get involved with Midland He art. For more information on ho w to get involved please contact Anikah on 07 767 474361 or email anikah.miller-ryan@midland heart.org.uk 23
TION I T E P M O C N O PETITI M O C N O I T I T Wi n COMPE L M M A E R C N U S V U B H £20 L I L B V E N I H S N U S O E
P
M
J
I
C
E
R
E
A M G
N
D
B
A
L
U
I
Z W H
C
A
E
F
I
M
I
W
S
S
U M M
E
R W W B
S
L
T
X
U
G
X
L
V
E
D
A
H
S
A
A
S
E
S
S
A
L
G
N
U
S
E
C
E
V
U
F
C
A M
P
I
N
G
H
S
D
S
I
U
B
Q
B
B
Y
T
A
H
A
P
B
P
N
S
S
T
R
O
H
S
B
N
R
E
D
P
R
H
O
L
I
D
A
Y
D
Q
E
U
Z
C
A
R
A
V
A
N
N
A W N
K
Q
U
X
C
Y
I
D
O
N
L
C
I
N
C
I
P
U
X M
R
A W
S
N
Y
T
U
C
C
B
C
B
BBQ, SEASIDE, BEACH, SHADE, CAMPING, SHORTS, CARAVAN, SUMMER, CARNIVAL, SUN CREAM, HAT, WARM, SANDALS, CRICKET, SUNGLASSES, HOLIDAY, SUNSHINE, ICE CREAM, SWIM, PICNIC. Answer and winner published in the next issue of Heartbeat.
YOUR magazine NEEDS
YOU! Would you like to get involved in editing or contributing to Heartbeat?
CALL US ON 0345 60 20 540
Cert no. SGS-COC-003585
WORD SEARCH
Hig h Vo Stre uch et er!
For your chance to win a £20 High Street Voucher just find the missing word! All but one of the words are hidden in the grid. Find the missing word and you could be the winner. Words can be vertical or diagonal, backwords or forwards. Once you have found the missing word fill in your details and missing word below and send to Heartbeat Summer 2013, Midland Heart, 20 Bath Row, Birmingham B15 1LZ or alternatively email your details and missing word to heartbeat@midlandheart.org.uk
Name Address
Post code
Telephone
Missing word:
If you would like help to access or understand any of our information call us on 0345 60 20 540 or email us at customer.servicecentre@midlandheart.org.uk