H MATTERSME YOUR CLWYDALYN RESIDENT MAGAZINE SUMMER 2022 IN THIS ISSUE A CHANCE TO WIN Amazon Vouchers with some fun competitions • DIY • Saving money • Safety tips CHECK OUT what our new residents said on their moving in day at their new home TOP Tips ClwydAlyn is a Charitable Registered Society
WELCOMEYOUR Contents: YOUR WELCOME 3 Editor’s Welcome YOUR NEWS 4 Meet ClwydAlyn’s Annie Jackson and Laura Mckibbin 5 Resident stories: 5 - Celebrating Pride 6 - My Journey Across America YOUR COMMUNITY 8 Community Round Up 10 Queens Jubilee 12 Welcome to your New Home YOUR HOME 14 Upcycle with Laura 15 Gardening Tips 16 Home Safety 16 - Electricity 17 - Carbon Monoxide 18 Your Top tips for saving money YOUR LOOK INTO... 20 Asset Team Member Rebecca Elder 21 Asset Management Officer (AMO) - Career Development Pathway 22 Mailbag - Your question answered 22 MyClwydAlyn Portal YOUR UPCOMING EVENTS 23 The Big Sleepout YOUR RECIPE 24 Recipe 25 Stop Food Waste Day YOUR COMPETITION 26 Spot the difference and Colouring Competition for a chance to win 2
backwelcomeallHelloand to your Home Matters ClwydAlyn resident magazine. It’s officially summer and wow what a difference the sun can make! I hope everyone is managing to enjoy some outdoor time and nature as it’s good for our wellbeing. I’ve had a busy but exciting few weeks here, Annie Jackson has recently started with us, she will be working beside me to ensure that your voices are heard, you can read more about Annie and her new role within the magazine, and we recently attended the TPAS Cymru Good Practice Awards where we were proud to come second place in the Communicating with our Tenants and Residents category. We’ve also been busy working behind the scenes to arrange a number of exciting events during the next few months, one of which is this year’s Resident Fun Day! We hope you can all join us for this exciting and fun Rememberday! this magazine is created for you, and I’d love to know what you’d like to include in any future issue, we want to ensure the magazine is useful and enjoyable for you. Please email any ideas over to Laura.McKibbin@clwydalyn.co.uk
Welcome WELCOMEYOUR • Homely Kitchens • Nutritious home cooked meals • Fully accessible rooms with ensuite Spacious gardens and grounds • Full-time activities coordinator • 24 hour specialist dementia care • Set in a quiet, safe and secure conservation area. @ClwydAlyn ClwydAlyn is a Charitable Registered Society Chirk Court Care Home Where life is for living... CHIRK COURT Maes-y-Waun, Chirk, Wrexham. LL14 5ND 01691 774 286 | admin.chirkcourt@clwydalyn.co.uk | ChirkCourt.co.uk We are specialists in dementia care, providing personalised care with dedicated key workers supporting each resident. Your family is our family Where friendships flourish Purpose built facilities for excellent dementia care delivery We eat cake to celebrate
• Food Poverty
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NEWSYOUR
•
ClwydAlyn’s Annie Jackson and Laura Mckibbin
Hello, I’m Laura Mckibbin, ClwydAlyn’s new Resident Involvement Officer If that doesn’t mean anything to you, in a nutshell it means that I will listen to what our residents think about our services and feedback to the rest of the team, so improvements or changes can be made. I will also run the #InfluenceUs service, which is a great way to get involved and get your voice heard as a resident. If you would like to get involved with our #InfluenceUs group, you can sign up and read more on our websitewww.clwydalyn.co.uk/Influence-Us We want our residents to shape the services we provide, ensuring our residents are included in our decisions. We want to offer a service that fits in with our mission to beat poverty with our key priorities, which can be seen in our Resident Involvement Strategy here: resident-involvement-strategy_en.pdfwww.clwydalyn.co.uk/media/documents/
Meet
I’ve worked for ClwydAlyn for over six years and I’m really excited to get stuck into my new role.
I’ve a huge passion for making a difference to our communities and I can’t wait to start getting out and about to meet our residents and see how I can help. I’ll be your “go to” person for fundraising, partnership working and measuring social value. ClwydAlyn’s mission, Together To Beat Poverty, focuses on our four poverty priorities Digital Inclusion
Hi, I’m Annie Jackson –newClwydAlyn’s EngagementCommunitySpecialist .
• Fuel Poverty • TheseEmployabilityarethefourareas where I will work with partners, residents and colleagues to create opportunities that make a real difference within our communities. Measuring the impact of initiatives and interventions delivered within our communities will be key to my role, ensuring we are always linking the value back to the four priorities. If you have any questions about my role – please feel free to get in touch! �� Annie.Jackson@clwydalyn.co.uk
Terry and Colin are residents at Tan Y Fron Extra Care scheme in Llandudno and have been together 53 years and counting. They made the decision to move to ClwydAlyn’s Extra Care facility earlier this year.
“I’m so happy that we made the decision to move to Tan y Fron, we’ve adjusted well here, and that’s been made a lot easier due to the fact that the staff have been so caring and that the residents have been incredibly welcoming. It’s like a community in itself, meeting other residents in the scheme for lunch, and attending various fun activities throughout the week. We’ve even made friends with three other residents that were previously flight attendants, giving us the chance to talk about the past and reminisce on our amazing memories.”
Terry said: “We made the decision to move into Tan Y Fron following Colin’s dementia diagnosis. We wanted somewhere that would adapt as we got older, and this is exactly what this facility offers us. Honestly, moving here was the best decision for us. So far, the scheme has provided us with an amazing support network, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere
Pride for Terry and Colin means seeing how equality for the LGBTQ+ community has come such a long way in the time they’ve been together. As Terry says: “We’ve never had any issues and it’s so good that people can be open now. We’ve had the most amazing life together and I would say just do what you can do, and most of all, enjoy what you’re doing!”
NEWSYOURCELEBRATINGPRIDE 5
The happy couple tied the knot in 2006, and throughout their longstanding relationship they’ve enjoyed seeing the world, relishing the calm seas and warm temperatures by going on annual “We’veColincruises.added:livedan
This year marked the 50th anniversary of the first Pride march in the UK – a day when hundreds of LGBTQ+ people and their allies arrived in London to protest a society where we were not safe to be ourselves. 50 years on, we can take pride in a United Kingdom where the majority of the public are supportive of their LGBTQ+ neighbours, work colleagues, family and friends.
Theelse.”couple
amazing life, travelling world together and seeing amazing things. However, life has caught up with us and it’s time now that we slow down a little.
first met when they were both working as Flight Attendants for British Airways in the 1960s, initially meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, then New York, then getting together in Manchester. Colin comes from Llanfairfechan and Terry from London, and they lived together from their early 20s in Heathrow while continuing to work for the airline.
Their future careers saw Terry move to a job as PA to a Chairman of a large American company, while Colin enjoyed a happy 32 year period, working in appliances for Iceland foods.
NEWSYOUR RESIDENT STORIES...
JANE SWINTON IS ONE OF 70THCELEBRATEBYANDCOASTACROSSAEMBARKEDANDSCHEMEEXTRARADDINGTONATRESIDENTSOURLLYSCAREINFLINT,IN2019SHEONSOLOTRIPTHEUSA,TOCOASTBACKAGAINTRAIN,TOHERBIRTHDAY.
I booked sleeper berths, known as roomettes, and enjoyed silver service food in the restaurant on each train. I began my trip by flying to New York then took the train to Chicago, travelling up the Hudson River, south of the Canadian border, which takes 19 hours. This was the first leg of my trip, and it was great to be mixing with all sorts of people in the upper compartments and observation lounges of these double decker Amtrak trains.
Jane has shared her amazing story with us and how it felt to be andindependenttakingon such an exciting and big challenge! Here’s Jane’s story: I decided, before Covid, to give myself an early 70th birthday present and planned the entire trip myself on my phone!
Once I’d got to San Francisco I spent five days there, and it was very hot. The city was picture, and as it was ‘Fleet Week’ the Navy was out in force, and I was lucky to see the Blue Angels – the American equivalent of the Red Arrows – flying above the city performing their incredible display. I booked a trip around the Bay, before getting a short flight to LA where I joined the Southwest Chief, the train that would take me back across the country to Chicago again, on another three-day eventful journey.
NEW YORK I then spent four days in Chicago, visiting Lake Michigan and going on various tours. It was the first time I’d visited such a beautiful city, and I would definitely go again.
I caught the Californian Zephyr to San Francisco - these great, long-distance trains have names - and I was on it for three days, travelling from Chicago, crossing the mighty Mississippi, then to Emeryville, right through the centre of America. I saw the huge wheat fields of Kansas, and went through the Moffat tunnel that leads up into Denver, crossing the continental divide and the Fraser and Colorado rivers that flow into the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Jane Swinton - My Journey Across America
KEEN TRAVELLER
6
It was all absolutely breathtaking and was luck to meet such fascinating people, a large number enjoying their retirement travelling alone like me or with
There are huge contrasts, and it was an amazing country to criss-cross and see such variety.
I saw different cultures such as the Amish people in the mid-west, and wildlife such as huge herds of deer and cattle running alongside the train and eagles landing in the Colorado river to catch their lunch!
The world stopped with Covid in 2020, and if I’d left it until then, I never would have done it. My advice to anyone planning a similar trip is do it! I covered over 8,000 miles, and it was worth every single penny and every single mile. As I’ve said, the people were so welcoming; so enquiring and friendly, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
NEWSYOUR
£20VOUCHERS 7
The country is so big, you can sit for hours going through fields of maize crops, and you also see the Indian reservations. I also went through Utah and saw the red sandstone rock formations, and even travelled past where the film ‘Thelma and Louise’ was filmed, which was fabulous.
Congratulations to our residents, Liz and Anita who both won a £20 shopping voucher each for sharing their pictures of North Wales Elizabeth Barnes – Rhyl Anita Bromilow – Deeside
CONGRATS!
GRAND CANYON
This leg of my trip took me through Las Vegas and round the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, then through Albuquerque, back up through Colorado, Kansas City, Iowa, Illinois then into Chicago.
I then went onwards from Chicago to my starting point of New York through the mountains covered in amazing tall foliage.
Thefriends.American people were so friendly; they shared with me their story and were really openminded. It was the people, the vastness of the country and the way the scenery can change so quickly; from high sierra, steep gorges, huge plains to vast mountains with their fall colours, that made it for me.
COMMUNITYYOUR
RIVER CLEAN-UP A big shout out to the team of staff that took part in the recent river clean up around Llys Alarch. The team of volunteers collected lots of rubbish out of the stream, removed non-native species from the riverbank (this was confirmed by the Council as an invasive species) and collected litter from around Llys Alarch. The craziest find goes to Tom who found a Christmas tree! All the rubbish will now go to be sorted and recycled where possible by Travis ThePerkins.amazing volunteers were Jennifer Toner, Erin O’Donnell, Ami Jones and her daughter, Andy Frazer, James Howsam, Tom Boome, Ellen Wharton and Amy Teodorescu. Well done and thank you to all of you!!
Carol Quinn, resident committee member held a colouring competition at one of our estates in Flint. All the children that took part won a Easter Egg each and the two winners also won an Amazon voucher. All pictures were displayed at our Extra Care scheme, Llys Raddington.
TALACRE BEACH CLEAN-UP Summer has finally arrived and as we welcomed the warm weather Cameron Hughes from the Quay project and ClwydAlyn staff got hands on again and recently helped remove old shrubs from the coastline. Our tenants will also be attending Talacre once a month until the autumn to help the environment, learn about nature and meet others who are passionate about nature. Thank you for all your hard work!
COMMUNITY ROUND UP
WELLDONETOALL
Community has never been so important, so it is good to highlight some of the great work that our staff and residents do within our communities. If you’d like to share a story or an event, send it over to communications@clwydalyn.co.uk
FLINT COMPETITION Kael Badger 11 Maddie Edwards 7 8
Look at
refugees in need. It’s great to see how many are appreciated!willitemssureandhelpingwe’reallthedonatedbereally WELLDONETOALL 9
some even taking place at our
for us,
EASTER Many of our schemes celebrated Easter by coming together to enjoy andcompetitions,Easterraffleseasterparties.
There is always something to enjoy here in
have a calendar where you can discover all events taking place in the cities,
or at our
and
was
SCHEME FUN Residents at Chirk Court also enjoyed some Easter activities. these amazing Easter bonnets they made! CYMRU At the beginning of July staff and members of the resident committee attended the TPAS Cymru Good practice conference and awards. It a great day where we shared ideas with fellow landlords showcased some of the incredible work we do here at IN NORTH WALES North Wales, go North Wales towns villages of North Wales, historical castles range Ukraine
TPAS
COMMUNITYYOUR
and
and
of amazing beaches! Check it out www.gonorthwales.co.uk/whats-onhere UKRAINE DONATIONS We have been collecting donations to help the
ClwydAlyn. WHAT’S ON
Here are just
The Queen’s Jubilee not only offered an extra bank holiday for us to enjoy, but it really brought us all together to celebrate within our communities. a few snaps of our residents celebrating.
Queens Jubilee
Hafan Cefni
COMMUNITYYOUR
Erw Groes Hurst Newton 10
COMMUNITYYOUR Llys Marchan Chirk Court Tan Y Fron Sheltered Housing Umbrella Group (SHUG) Fun celebrations& 11
“ROSEIneeded to down-size and where I lived had no parking and it was really hard, because I have to take my daughter to the hospital regularly. So I need some where to park my car close to the house. “ It’s reassuring to know your home is efficient, I’m very much on the recycling and I’m looking forward to living in a home with solar panels and greener heating. I still can’t believe it really, I’m excited and my daughter will be over the moon, and my mum who is 91 hasn’t been able to come to my house in seven years because it wasn’t access friendly for her. This will be the first time she can actually come and have a cup of tea with me for years which is nice.
“LIZZIEWejumped at the chance to move here because the layout is more open plan than what we’ve got now and because we’ve got two little ones, and this has a massive garden compared to what we’ve got. They’d not long finished adapting the back where we are now, and they made our patio into a car parking space and put in patio doors to the garden.
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COMMUNITYYOUR
“ You don’t realise how hard access is until you don’t have it, my daughter’s future with Cystic Fibrosis is a rare one, and every couple of years there’s something different happening. So just knowing that I have wheelchair access, a downstairs wet room and knowing that I’m covered for the future if anything does change with her is amazing. Even the lounge has had all the structural work done for a floor to ceiling lift if we ever need to adapt it in the future, which is great. It’s still not really sunk in.”
LIFETIME
TO YOUR NEW HOME!
TO YOUR NEW HOMETO YOUR NEW HOME
“ This has so much more space and it’s easy to get around. Here all the threshold has been done so it’s easy access, the hall and doors are wide, there’s a big garden, a downstairs wet room and we’re moving our stair lift in today. My two-year-old is full of energy so this house will be great. Having double doors onto the garden is brilliant I can get out into the garden really easy here. “ Where we live now the parking is atrocious, and they just park over the flat curbs and the pavement so I can’t get off the road or I can’t get past in my chair. This is good we’ve got parking right outside and it’s ours and nobody can park here apart from us which means I can get in and out so much easier.” HOMES
EXCELLENT QUALITY LOVELY
We loved that we got to choose the carpets, we picked grey and they’re really nice, we’re just so excited.”
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COMMUNITYYOUR
SAMMI “CALLUMANDWe’resoexcited,wecouldn’tbelieveitwhenweheardweweregettingit,ourhouseislikesosmall.We’vegottwolittlegirlsandoneofthemisstartingtheschoolovertheroadnextyear.
Congratulations to our residents who moved into their new homes at Glasdir in Ruthin, Denbighshire! With phase one complete, 18 residents moved into their new homes at the beginning of July. All 63 homes will be completed in spring 2023. RESIDENTS…
LIFE CHANGING HOMES FOR SOME OF OUR
“CHARLOTTEAssoonasIgottold
I was really excited especially as it was brand new. To be honest I’d kind of given up. I was on the council list for ages, and they basically told me to go private as they didn’t have anything for me and then I changed my number last year. But when these came up Sharon chased me and chased me and chased me… her last resort was she found my email address on one of my forms and she managed to get me through my email, otherwise I wouldn’t have it. If she hadn’t have carried on, I wouldn’t be here now. Lots of people would’ve given up but Sharon kept going and tried her hardest and I’m so grateful. I was able to pick what flooring I wanted and it’s lovely to have a choice of colour. I love it. “ My children go to the school over the road and honestly they are so excited too. I bet they’re watching out the window now as we’re moving in, they can’t wait to get home later.”
happinessyouWishingeveryinyournewhome. AREA
£30upcycleDenbighshire,toCONGRATULATIONSBethanBarrfromBethan’spicturewonheraAmazonvoucher!
UPCYCLERESIDENTS WINNERCOMPETITION VOUCHERS£30 14
Happy spending Bethan and thanks for sharing. The finished look is great! “ The little table and three chairs were being thrown out, so I rescued them, fixed a few wobbles with wood glue, sanded them down, and painted them in shabby-chic pastel colours. My kids loved them!”
& DIY TIPS
HOMEYOUR UPCYCLE
STEP 1 You will need pallets. You will need to have enough pallets to create the size of furniture you want, there is many assorted designs depending on your space and desired look. STEP 2 Once decided on the desired design you will need to secure these, I personally used a drill and screws.
Seems as it’s summer, and we’re hopeful for some sunshine I am sharing a garden upcycle that I recently completed. Now, pallets can be reused in many ways, but I decided to create some outdoor seating. Follow my simple steps to create this outdoor seating set:
BY LAURA Do you want to improve your home with limited cost? In each edition I’ll be sharing a low cost upcycle which I have completed myself.
STEP 3 Now the seating is secured, sand down the wood to ensure they are smooth to reduce the risk of splinters. STEP 4 Paint to your chosen colour, or you can seal the paint for a more natural look. I used wood stain to get my finished look. You can add some waterproof cushions for comfort.
If you have any gardening tips you would like to share, contact Laura.Mckibbin@clwydalyn.co.uk
ANOTHER RESIDENT’S TOP TIP ON HOW ORANGE PEELS CAN HELP YOUR GARDEN. If cats are ruining your garden, you can scatter orange peel on flower beds where you do not want them to pass, they don’t like this so will stay Orangeaway!peels can also help with any slug issues. If you cut an orange in half, scoop out the flesh (eat it) and put the empty half on a flower bed (you will need to place this dome side up where you are having problems with slugs) and by the morning there should be some slugs underneath. Collect them and dispose of them. Leave the skins for a few days.
Plant perennials so you have flowers every year. Use containers/plant pots to grow your plants and flowers, this is so you can move them around to change the flower displays you see. Also, you can change the position of plants i.e. light / shade / dark spaces, this will help optimal bloom!
One of our residents form Penrhos, Pwllheli is a keen gardener and shared some top tips for your garden this summer
HOMEYOUR
TIPS
MR SOLEK, SHAREDSOMETIPSONHOWYOUCANCREATEBEAUTIFULDISPLAYS.
GARDENING
15
SEEDSFREE Free Seeds, contact InfluenceUs@ClwydAlyn.co.uk to get your free pack of seeds. Kids can get Involved too. Don’t forget to share your gardening photos with us.
7. Unplug charging devices when not in use, and only charge on a solid surface when you are present.
I wanted to share my top tips with other residents:
8. In the event of a fire, immediately raise the alarm to warn others, do not search for belongings, GET OUT & STAY OUT, dial 999, and do not return into the property until told it is safe to do so by the senior Fire Officer.
Paul one of our Welshpool residents, is an ex-Emergency Ambulanceman E.M.T, Author and Safety Advisor with IOSH qualifications in Health & Safety.
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2. Check that power strips carry the UK or European safety kitemark and are fitted with the correct fuse.
HOMEYOUR SAFETYYOUR
6. Unplug all electrical items when not in use or you are going out or away, unless designed to be left on such as a fridge.
5. Use laptops/tablets on a solid tray and not on soft furnishings or bedding
Paul is also passionate about home safety and wants to raise awareness of the risks of overloading sockets in a world where we often need more power outlets than we have fitted in our homes. “ Many of us rely on power strips to provide the extra sockets around the house, and many of these power devices are not fitted with a fuse. The wall socket can only handle 13 amps, yet these power strips can overload this by up to 10 times, causing overheating and fire risk. I’m happy for residents to contact me via email, contact@woo-uk.com, to ask any questions, however qualified help and assistance should always be sought.”
3. Regularly check for frayed or broken leads, damaged plugs, or damage to the casing of your devices
4. Keep devices clean and frequently check for blocked up ventilation holes.
1. Do not overload sockets, and never daisy-chain (link) power strips.
Paul set up www.woo-uk.com/info.htm as an information portal which has a wide range of useful information on home and personal safety. It also covers contact details for emergency services, charities, online safety, and many other topics like wellbeing. The free to use, not for profit website, is safe, it doesn’t track or store any of your information, and it has no advertising.
HOMEYOUR CAN’T BE SEEN CAN’T BE SMELLED CAN’T BE HEARD You can’t see it, taste or smell it, but CO can kill quickly without warning. Every year around seven people die from CO poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly installed, maintained or that are poorly ventilated. To protect our residents against this hidden killer we are installing Carbon Monoxide alarms into all our properties. Here are some important checks to keep your alarms in a good condition • Test your alarms weekly, it is good practice to do this for your smoke/heat alarms at the same time • Keep your alarms clean – the alarms may be cleaned externally with a narrow nozzle of a vacuum cleaner and wiped down with a clean damp cloth • Do not paint the alarms. This may cause false alarms, impair performance and may damage components inside the alarm CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM CARBON MONOXIDE Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels such as gas. CARBON MONOXIDE / HEATSENSORSENSORHEATALARMCOBUTTONTESTRED LIGHT COFIRE TEST BUTTON 17
and see
COULD YOU BE MISSING OUT ON SUPPORT? According to
JOANNE
•
•
• Previously a Welfare Rights Officer for five years at Conwy County Council then RNIB before joining ClwydAlyn eight years ago
• Best part of the role is improving the quality of people’s lives so they can remain independent in their own homes and being a voice for the most vulnerable navigating our complex welfare system entitledto.co.uk £15 billion UK the average household WASTE Visit entitledto.co.uk what can Ireneclaim.didn’t know which one she liked the most£470 Pension Credit ClwydAlyn had her free TV licence she way, Love Island wasn’t going watch
JANICE PETERSON Previously a Housing Officer with extensive experience of Universal Credit and how this works with the newstyle JSA & ESA benefits Six years’ experience with disability benefits Best part of the role is getting people the benefits they’re entitled to, especially if they’ve been struggling to get by BEST
• Previously Tenancy Support Officer for ClwydAlyn and prior to that was a housing officer for 28 years
you
the
- meaning
get, or the
to
goes unclaimed in benefits each year in the
helped
LISA
•
got because of this. Either
could be missing out on £1,020 by not claiming what’s rightfully theirs. WHAT A
• Best part of the role is helping our most vulnerable clients access benefits and other sources of local funding ARKSEY
• Extensive experience of legacy benefits & disability benefits
itself. YOUR TOP SAVING TIPS Meet our Welfare Rights Team and see how they can help you and your finances. CONTACT JOANNE, JANICE OR LISA FOR A FREE PENSION CREDIT CHECK 0800 183 5757 HOMEYOUR 18
• Extensive experience of specialist external agencies
HOMEYOUR SAVE UP TO £230 Are you a family receiving free school meals? With the cost of living still increasing some of our customers may struggle to afford essentials over the summer period. We are here to help, with up to £230 off your water bill. If you’re in receipt of any of the following benefits you could be eligible for financial help: Pension Income-basCredited Jobseeker ’s Allowance Income(JSA) UWChildandIncome-rSupportelatedEmploymentSupportAllowance(ESA)TaxCreditorkingTaxCreditniversalCredit Housing Benefit Council Tax Reduction/Support Our advisorfriendlysare ready when you are to talk in confidence. Call us to talk through your options 0800 052 0145 Visit us online for more information dwrcymru.com/HelpWithBills 19
YOUR LOOK INTO THE DAY OF…
MEMBER
I joined ClwydAlyn nearly nine years ago, after deciding upon a career change from childcare. I applied for their traineeship within Development and after nearly three years of intense learning, I applied my knowledge of construction, refurbishment, and maintenance of houses, to secure a role within the Asset team.
ASSET
It’s a very rewarding job which allows me to apply my skills and knowledge to solve problems, to help residents in their homes and to ensure I’m contributing towards ClwydAlyn’s mission of ‘Together to beat poverty’.
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The Asset team are responsible for looking after all of ClwydAlyn’s buildings and land. We work hard to ensure we are providing safe and secure homes for our residents. We are a very busy department and not one day is the same. I progressed within the team and have now been working as an Asset Management Officer (AMO) for four years. I am one of six AMOs and look after a patch of nearly 1,000 homes. The main part of my role is to carry out inspections of the houses, to ensure they are safe, secure, warm, and affordable. If a resident was to report an issue with their home which falls beyond general maintenance repairs, it is likely they will have an inspection from an AMO. The AMO will decide how best to resolve the issue and if needed, arrange for works to be Therecompleted.isno‘typical day’ for me, some days I find myself visiting a number of residents houses and carrying out inspections; some days I am inspecting all communal buildings or empty properties within my patch, and then there are some days where I am responding to emergencies such as a fire or flood damage. This job certainly keeps me on my toes and as the saying goes, every day is a school day. I enjoy the freedom my job offers, and that I’m not stationed to one location or in front of computer every day. I love the variety of the work I cover as an AMO; I enjoy meeting new people and working with our residents, ClwydAlyn Property Maintenance, and external contractors. There is a great sense of teamwork, and we are all working towards achieving the same goal.
Rebecca Elder - Asset Team member
INTO...LOOKYOUR TEAM REBECCA ELDER
INTO...LOOKYOUR PACKAGEBENEFIT If you would like to work for ClwydAlyn we regularly update our work for us page here www.clwydalyn.co.uk/work-for-us We offer a benefits package including membership of pension scheme with employer matched contributions up to 8%, cycle to work scheme, eye care vouchers and a financial wellbeing package, 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays leading up to 30 days, life assurance, EAP programme and a comprehensive training package, all in a values-based organisation with a great culture. PATHWAY TO Asset Management Officer (AMO) AIM: To develop and grow during the pathway placement to become a competent Asset Management Officer LEARN HOW TO • Assess and inspect properties and carry out Home Health Checks • Discuss the needs of residents in relation to their properties • Maintain the company’s housing stock and property assets to a high standard and in compliance with the Welsh Government requirements. • Update the inhouse IT packages for stock condition management • Follow & Implement Health & RegulationsSafety •TRAINING: Enroll onto a HNC in Construction • Attend appropriate Health & Safety training ASSET MANAGEMENT OFFICER (AMO) SCOPE OF ROLE: • Providing a comprehensive Responsive, Planned and Cyclical maintenance service to ClwydAlyn residents and clients and to provide technical support, as appropriate, to the Maintenance Delivery team. TRAINING/QUALIFICATIONS• HNC Building or equivalent • Membership to CIOB • Ongoing Health & Safety training • Ongoing continuous professional development 21
Resident.Question Do I have to call to pay my rent or is there an easierYourway?questions answered Mailbag If you have a question you would like answering in the newsletter then please email us at communications@clwydalyn.co.uk JamesClwydAlynAnswerCozens, Marketing Officer The MyClwydAlyn resident portal has been running now for over a year and offers ease of access for any of your housing needs. It’s now the most popular way to pay your rent! Head over to MyClwydAlyn here www.myclwydalyn.co.uk/ You can pay your rent anywhere anytime and even log and track repairs for your home. Thank You INTO...LOOKYOUR MyClwydAlyn Portal For more information on MyClwydAlyn, including how to create an account and for answers to some frequently asked questions, visit: clwydalyn.co.uk/MyClwydAlyn Hopefully you’ll find everything you’ll need there. Save time and start managing your tenancy anytime, anywhere. www.myclwydalyn.co.uk Welcome! You can now manage your tenancy online! We know you’re busy so we want to make things quick and easy for you to manage your tenancy; That’s why we’ve launched MyClwydAlyn, a free, safe and secure online service to manage your tenancy, anywhere, anytime. Why should I MyClwydAlyn?use You can use MyClwydAlyn anytime to: - View your tenant information View your rent balance View your account history - Pay your rent - Log a Reportrepairaconcern 22
THE
08OCT EVENTSUPCOMINGYOUR 23
This year will be our 10th anniversary of The Big Sleepout and we’re inviting everyone to get involved. Over the last 9 years our staff, residents, and partners have raised over £50,000 by swapping their warm comfy beds for a sleeping bag and cardboard box. The funds are raised to support our homeless services and the life-saving North Wales Air Ambulance.
BigThe Sleepout
The Big Sleepout will take place on Saturday 8th October 2022. Keep your eyes peeled, over the next few months we will be sharing more information on how you can join in on the fun and help raise some funds! BIG SLEEPOUT
Perhaps the poshest way to plate up your spuds but don’t be fooled by their outer appearance - they’re no more difficult to produce than your average homemade wedges but have ten times the flavour.
1. Preheat your oven to 200° C / 180° C fan/gas mark 6.
Our Partners Wellfed – Can Cook share a summer light recipe for you to try, its low cost and healthy. You can see more of there recipes, or purchase their low cost nutritional meals here www.cancook.co.uk
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7. Finally add a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
2. To start. place your first potato on to a large-ish or wooden spoon. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice into the potato until the knife meets the spoon - this will ensure you do not slice all the way through the potato. Start at one end of the potato and continue to slice until you reach the other end.
9. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until they are golden and crisped to your liking.
3. Repeat this process with all of your potatoes.
6. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes. and top with the smoked paprika.
4. Once your potatoes are sliced, add to a roasting tin.
EQUIPMENT: Large spoon Sharp OvenRoastingknifeTin
INGREDIENTS: 12 24potatoessmall-mediumclovesgarlictspSmokedPaprika OlivePepperSaltOil
RECIPEYOUR
5. Peel your garlic cloves and throw in along with the potatoes.
Hasselback Potatoes Serves 4SIDESSUMMER
8. Toss the potatoes well, making sure they are thoroughly coated in the oil. paprika, salt and pepper.
We understand the cost of living has had a huge strain on many of us. We believe no one should ever have to worry where their next meal will come from, but sadly this is not the case! The Trussell Trust is a nationwide network of food banks and together provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, you may need to access this support or may know someone else who might. For information on your local food bank, follow this link: www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank Be creative and alreadywithexperimentwhatyouhave If you ayouhandgrowingarefood,outthefoodwon’tusetoneighbour Use leftoversFreezemakevegetableleftovertosoupsany Plan ahead by making a list of meals for the week before going shopping TOP TIPS #STOPFOODWASTEDAY 25
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