YOUR SAY MATTERS - NAME YOUR MAGAZINE!
We are updating your newsletter to be more resident focused and less corporate, we are also changing the name, which we want you to select! Just follow the link or scan the QR code to choose your new newsletter name: https://forms.office.com/r/X2wedj4SmS
RESID E N TS S U M M E R 20 2 1
NEWSLETTER
WIN A
£50
h Wales VOUCHER t r o N 0 5 £ a IN W her by attraction vouc graphy oto entering our ph Page competition
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DIY, gardening advice and your chance to claim FREE SEEDS
Could your pet win our cutest pet competition?
A chance for you to win £25 in Amazon vouchers
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20 Mae ClwydAlyn yn Gymdeithas Gofrestredig Elusennol ClwydAlyn is a Charitable Registered Society
YOUR WELCOME
Contents: YOUR WELCOME 3
Meet Your New Magazine Editor
3 Vaccination YOUR NEWS 4
MyClwydAlyn Portal
5 Get to Know Our Resident Committee Member 6 Book Folding to Raise Funds for ClwydAlyn Women’s Aid 7
The Power of Pets
YOUR COMMUNITY 8-9 Your Area, Local Attractions and Days Out 9 Competition... Pictures and Places. Your chance to win £50 North Wales attraction vouchers 10
New Development in Your Area
11 Applying For Housing - Find out the different options of applying for housing at ClwydAlyn. 12
Safer Streets
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Skip Day
YOUR HOME 14 Gardening Tips by Richard & your chance to claim some FREE seeds from #InfluenceUs. 15
Upcycle and DIY tips by Laura
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School Savings
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Our Environmental Strategy
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Resident Recipe
YOUR LOOK INTO... 18 Meet our Senior Project Worker Tom Humphriss YOUR VIEWS 19 Mailbag - Your Questions Answered YOUR COMPETITION 20 A chance for you to win £25 in Amazon vouchers
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YOUR WELCOME
Meet Your New Magazine Editor Laura Mckibbin
Hello.
I’m Laura Mckibbin your new Residents’ Newsletter Editor. I have worked for ClwydAlyn for nearly three years, having originally started in our customer Service team, where I spent most of the day talking to residents and helping them with their queries. I have just started an exciting new role as a Communications Officer, which has given me this great opportunity to revamp our resident newsletter, using everything I’ve learnt from my customer services days.
I’m passionate about turning this into something that you’ll find interesting and useful. We will be making it less corporate and more about you and your homes, by sharing DIY hacks, top tips, money saving ideas, job advice and we will always have some amazing prizes to be won.
on zero we journey to carb As part of our e newsletter le more peop th nd se to e lik ld wou tell us how know you can u yo d Di . lly ta digi ter and other ive the newslet ce re to er ef pr you to my ns by logging in communicatio .co.uk yn al ww.myclwyd clwydalyn - w
Keep up to date
with the latest news and events on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ClwydAlyn Discover what’s going on in your neighbourhood and find out what we are doing in your community. We post service updates as well as news from ClwydAlyn, new scheme developments, job vacancies and local events. Follow our social media channels.
Out of hours emergency repairs: 0300 123 3091
To make sure it’s all about you then we need your help, we will be asking you to share your top tips, advice and photos so we can feature them in future magazines. If there is anything you would like to see featured, then please don’t hesitate to drop me a message at communications@clwdyalyn.co.uk
Laura x VACCINATION
Have you had your Vaccination Yet? The COVID-19 vaccine offers individual protection as well as greater protection for our loved ones and communities. The more that are vaccinated could mean that in time restrictions could be eased and we can move further towards a return to more normal day-to-day life. Every adult in Wales has been offered a vaccine. If you haven’t had your invitation or you need to rearrange, please contact your health board gov.wales/getting-your-covid-19-vaccine
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YOUR NEWS
MyClwydAlyn Portal 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.
! e m co Wel
Why should I use MyClwydAlyn? You can use MyClwydAlyn anytime to: - - - - - -
View your tenant information View your rent balance View your account history Pay your rent Log a repair Report a concern
Here’s some feedback from some of our residents who are already using MyClwydAlyn. “MyClwydAlyn is really good and makes it more convenient for residents to check their rent account and report any problems”.
“Very happy with MyClwydAlyn, very simple and easy to use”.
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“I would highly recommend other residents to use MyClwydAlyn”.
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
our
YOUR NEWS
Get to know
Resident Committee Member Karolyn Lee
What made you want to join the ClwydAlyn’s Resident Committee? I had been a resident of ClwydAlyn for about two years when the opportunity came up to join the resident committee. I couldn’t pass it up, because I wanted to see how ClwydAlyn worked, and I knew there was more to it than just meeting their youth obligations. I was really interested in getting involved because I hope to become a support worker in the future, and since then my interest in ClwydAlyn and what they do has grown even more.
Have you sat on any Boards or Committees before? The closest I had been to being on a committee before was when I was back in school, when I was part of the school council as a child.
As a resident what’s the most important thing for you? With being a resident myself, the most important thing to me is making sure I am living in a safe environment where I am able to carry on growing as a person and develop more into life. I know how important that is for others too.
What are your hopes and ambitions for ClwydAlyn? My hopes and ambitions for ClwydAlyn is for the younger residents to have more of a say with even more ways on offer to help improve themselves and their communities in the future.
Was there anything that surprised you at your first meeting? My first meeting was very intriguing as I never knew how much ClwydAlyn did for all ages. I didn’t know that there were more types of care that was offered on a more equality-based manner. I also didn’t realise how much as a company you all want to carry on improving, and the ways you go about it - to always take each recommendation / complaint seriously to help you progress into a better company and to help grow as a community.
What are you interested in? I am interested in learning new things no matter how hard they may seem or become. I’m currently doing online courses to help myself become a support worker enabling me to help in all different types of care.
Is there any advice you would share with someone considering joining the Board or Resident Committee in the future? For anyone thinking of joining the committee or board, honestly do it, it’s such an eye opener to see how much ClwydAlyn do, and just to be part of that is such a big thing. It may seem intimidating, but everyone is lovely to meet and if you ever get stuck they will help you understand as much as possible and to the best of your ability. Everyone is working to the same goal to continue to improve ClwydAlyn as a whole, so there is never a silly question or wrong answer. Everyone’s input is valid and you get to see everyone’s experience whether you’re a resident or working for ClwydAlyn and it is such an eye opener.
If you would like to find out more about how to get involved in the work ClwydAlyn does then please contact Stuart Hughes, Resident Involvement Officer InfluenceUs@Clwydalyn.co.uk
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YOUR NEWS
BOOK FOLDING
to raise funds for ClwydAlyn Women’s Aid Fundraising for Domestic Abuse One of our extremely talented residents from Plas Telford has been book folding to raise money for domestic abuse.
ClwydAlyn Women’s Aid (CAWA) provides specialist, person centred, trauma informed services, to women and children, who are experiencing or who have experienced, all forms of domestic abuse, including emotional, psychological, physical, financial/ economic, sexual and/or coercive and controlling behaviours throughout West Flintshire.
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The resident has been shielding since last March and found that doing the book folding’s along with other craft work has helped to cope with the loneliness and selfisolation brought on by lockdown.
has helped raise these funds. All the money raised will go directly to ClwydAlyn Women’s Aid.
Message of thanks from the book folder herself;
The amazing book transformations have been a big hit, with donations flooding in, these have already made an incredible £216. Thank you to all the residents at Plas Telford for their support which
“By doing this I feel that even in lockdown myself and the residents can still be included in society. Thank you to all the staff and residents who have donated used books to me here at Plas Telford, this would not have been possible without these books. I would also like to say a big thank you to those who have already supported the charity. If anyone has any unwanted used clean books please can you drop them off at Plas Telford.”
ClwydAlyn Women’s Aid provides the following services:
• Training and awareness raising events,
• Emergency Safe accommodation (refuge/sanctuary)
• Active members of multidisciplinary teams (Early Help Hub/MARAC)
Our resident shared how seeing adverts on the news about domestic abuse and how it affects not just the individual but also all the family, resulted in wanting to help in some way.
• Initial crisis management. • Community-based outreach support. • Specialist Mental Health Support
• Out of hours 3 Tier emergency on call service, in conjunction with the Live Fear Free helpline
• Short term, solution focussed Counselling. • Dedicated support services for children and young people. • Facilitation of recovery programmes, such as the Freedom Programme, Own my own Life, and the combined Adult Child & Young People Recovery Tool Kit (DART),
CAWA Contact details: Phone - 01352 712150 Email womens.aid@clwydalyn.co.uk
OF PETS
When I was very young, I befriended a family of wild brown rats nesting in our garden shed. Sadly, my dad saw them off, smartly, but I remained fascinated with these ‘underdogs’ of the animal world who always got bad press. In 1990 I decided to keep Fancy Rats as they were growing in popularity and the National Fancy Rat Society had been founded in 1972. Fancy rats are domesticated brown rats bred for variety, colour, and temperament. They don’t carry disease. Pet rats became popular in Victorian times. One of Victoria’s rat-catchers, Jack Black, kept the Albino rats he caught and bred from them, successive generations becoming tamer. Beatrix Potter had a pet white rat about whom she wrote two tales, ‘The Tale of Samuel Whiskers’ and ‘The Tailor of Gloucester’ Today there are Fancy Rat societies all over the world, holding shows and events.
YOUR NEWS
THE
POWER My Fancy Rats
These cuddly furry critters are highly intelligent and become very affectionate, coming when called, learning tricks and always ready for play. They are very clean and will snuggle up to me while being groomed. It’s well known that interacting with and stroking pets is good for our physical and mental health, lowering blood pressure and reducing stress – just what I’ve needed during the last year! This last year has been distressing and challenging for all of us: some have lost loved ones, lost jobs, and lost our comforting routines. Many people have been prisoners in their homes, unable to meet family and friends. Loneliness and feeling isolated, especially for those of us who live alone, has been a very real issue.
WE WANT TO SEE YOUR PET PICTURES!
Pets have the power to lift our spirits and brighten our darkest days. With their cuddles, snuggles, mischievousness and playfulness my rats, Rosie and Seren, have given me companionship and comfort. For that, I thank them.
Please send us your cutest or funniest pet pics by the 18th August for your chance to win a prize! We know not all our residents are able to have pets in their properties, so if you don’t have a pet then you can send us your best wildlife pictures instead.
Liz Barnes, Swn y Mor
Please send any pictures to communications@clwydalyn.co.uk
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YOUR COMMUNITY
YOUR AREA... LOCAL ATTRACTIONS, AND DAYS OUT! Your Area - Getting outdoors is great for our health and wellbeing and we know North Wales has so many beautiful places to visit. Go North Wales have shared some top days out to venture to this summer! More details can be found at www.gonorthwales.co.uk
Conwy Water G a
rdens
Set in the pictur esque Conwy Va lley besides our Dutch Pancake House and fully licensed restau we offer:rant • 3 Fully Stocke d
Coarse Fishing
• An ever expand
ing Nature Wal
Lakes
k • Otters, Capy baras, lots of du cks, chickens and wildfowl • Aquarium with
over 70 tanks • Aquatic Cent re and Koi Pond • Children’s Play Area • FREE Admissio n
Adventure Parc Snowdonia
National Trust The National Trust look after some of Wales finest beauty spots including castles, glorious gardens, and mansions. Their website offers information on some stunning coastline and landscape that is definitely worth a visit.
The Welsh Mountain Zoo Go wild in Wales for a great day out – a friendly caring conservation zoo in lovely garden surroundings. • Free daily presentation of Chimp Encounter and Sea Lion feeding. • Animal experiences (Pre-booking required) • Restaurant: hot meals and snacks served • Jungle Adventureland • Visit the website to find out about special events.
Plas Menai
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Home to the world-first surf lagoon, Adventure Parc Snowdonia, set in the heat of Snowdonia is the perfect place for a guaranteed surf break. Also check out the brand-new indoor and outdoor activities including a brand-new adrenaline indoors facility and explore outdoors adventure.
Mostyn (Gallery, Sh
op, Cafe)
Wales’ foremost co ntemporary art gallery in the traditional seaside town of Lla ndudno. Six galleries, merging traditional and modern arch itecture, present exhibitions by artis ts and makers from Wales and ar ound the world. With friendly staff, activities for all ages, a lovely shop and cafe, there’s something for everyone.
unds, overlooking the seven acres of landscaped gro Epic Outdoor Adventures! Set in perfect destination open all year around and is the Isle of Anglesey, Plas Menai is adventure. The ding watersports and outdoor for anybody looking for outstan tion for up to 140 ern with residential accommoda Centre is purpose-built and mod the Menai Strait. the sheltered coastal waters of people and direct access onto
Gypsywood An Enchanting Day Out for all the Family! Ride on Woody’s train, find the fairies, meet the animals, fabulous adventure play areas, gift shop, cafe & much, much more!
Great Orme Mines Visit Llandudno’s world-famous Bronze Age mine.
£50
YOUR COMMUNITY
COMPETITION… Pictures & Places
WIN A
VOUCHER
£50 chance of winning a You can be in with a ur yo of on cti les attra voucher to a North Wa do is to ve ha u right? All yo choice. Sounds good s can thi , ea ar ur yo where in take a picture of some beach lk, a nature reserve, be pretty places to wa great a it’s nk thi u ings, if yo views, historical build all sm a th r way wi picture then send it ou ur snap was taken. yo ere wh description of ross lucky winners from ac We will be picking six ing ar sh s and will also be our local communitie . ter let our Autumn news your picture entries in across to: Send your pictures 6 n.co.uk or 0782433577 InfluenceUs@clwydaly y snapping! by 30th August, happ
Visitor Centre, introductory film, underground tour, amazing 3,500 year old cavern, 4,000 year old opencast, smelting display and viewing areas. A true wonder of the ancient world. Located in the stunning Great Orme Country Park. Follow the ancient mine signs from Llandudno.
Boathouse Climbing Centre
ndly and We encourage a frie nt where all me on respectful envir ge en all climbers can ch ginners themselves, from be es and nc rie through to expe . ers advanced climb holiday We offer instructor led come so activities for all ages, ste Ta r and try our Climbing Run Cave Sessions, Human Rat of Faith System or take a Leap our with us, Entrance to Climbing Bouldering Wall and e with Tower is in accordanc nt is registration, equipme available to hire.
The Great Orme
Tramway
Delighting visito rs since 1902, you can’t miss Llandu dno’s premier heritage attract ion and Britain’s only cable-haul ed road tram. The Tram takes yo u on a picturesque, brea th-taking onemile journey to th e summit of the Great Orme.At th e Halfway Station, you can learn about the remarkable hist ory of Victorian engineering and observe the powerful funicula r system in action. Once you reach the top, relax and take in the amazing views or explore the Great Orme and its many at tractions.
Greenwood Family Park GreenWood Forest Park is a must visit day out! Including the UK’s only Solar Powered Water Ride – Worlds first people powered Rollercoaster – BareFoot Trail – Sledge Runs – Moon Karts – LongBow Archery – Denbuilding – WildWEB – Indoor soft play – Tree Top Towers – enhanced river ride – Giant Jumper – Forest Theatre Fun (holidays only).
Anglesey Sea Zoo Bring the family along to visit Seahorses, Octopus, Lobsters and other exciting elusive British marine animals up close. Lose yourself in our moon jellyfish display or venture into the shipwreck. The aquarium also has its very own gift shop and a Rockpool Cafe which serves a wide selection of drinks, snacks and meals. If that isn’t enough , there’s a children’s play area, crazy golf and we’re right on Anglesey’s Coastal Path to guaran tee a splashing day out.
If you have any ideas for great days out that you would like to share with other residents then please send them to communications@clwydalyn.co.uk
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YOUR COMMUNITY
NEW DEVELOP IN YOUR AREA Working with Anwyl Partnerships, we have recently completed the build of 92 high quality, affordable homes in Flintshire and Conwy. The three schemes have provided lovely new, high quality, affordable homes and residents have already moved in or will be moving in very soon!
We wish you all the best in your new homes. • Boars Head pub in Ewloe, is now called Pen y Baedd, providing homes for people aged 55 years and over. There are 28 apartments in total, a mixture of 1 and 2 bedroomed apartments and 3 affordable homes. Residents have started to move in. • Albion hotel and social club site in Connah’s Quay is now called Plas Albion, providing homes for people aged 55 years and over. There are 30 apartments in total, a mixture of 1 and 2 bedroomed apartments. All residents have moved in. • Edelweiss hotel in Colwyn Bay is now called Plas Dingle. Plas Dingle provides 31 affordable homes, including 14 one-bedroom and 17 two bedroom apartments. All residents have moved in.
e t programm n e m p lo e v e us d new “ Our ambitio viding many ro p is s le a W across North riety needing a va le p o e p r fo homes s. pes of home of different ty t part of our n a rt o p im n cts are a rking “ These proje g, and by wo in s u o h w e n eliver leased strategy to d ips, we are p h rs e n rt a P l omes. with Anwy uality new h q 2 9 d re e v li to have de r ighlighted ou h o ls a e v a h rs ompletions cal contracto lo “ The three c f o e s u e e embrace th s us to provid w ambition to o ll a h ic h n tractors, w e constructio th and sub-con in s ip h s e apprentic ts.” training and d our residen n a le p o e p l a sector for loc ow Craig Sparr or of Development at ClwydAlyn ct Executive Dire
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92 NEW HOMELSETE
NOW COMPNTS AND RESIDE MOVE IN!
YOUR COMMUNITY
PMENT
APPLYING FOR HOUSING Fancy a change of home?
Would you like to move areas, or do you need to up/ downsize? You may be able to move by exchanging your home with another resident by using the national mutual exchange service. If you would like a mutual exchange, visit the Home Swapper website for more information: homeswapper.co.uk
Waiting list for rented accommodation for new residents The registration process is dependent on which location you are interested in and changes between local authorities.
If you’d like to move to the Wrexham area, then you would need to call us on 0800 183 5757 and we can send you an application pack. If you are interested in any other areas, then please go direct to the relevant County Council. The contact numbers for the various County Councils are as follows:
Anglesey County Council: 01248 752 200 Conwy County Council: 0300 124 0050 Denbighshire County Council: 01824 712 911 Flintshire County Council: 01352 703 777 Gwynedd County Council: 01286 685100 Powys County Council: 01597 827464
A BIG WELCOME TO CLWYDALYN…
we’d love to hear how you are settling in? Send your stories over to
communications@clwydalyn.co.uk We are committed to building lots of new, affordable and energy efficient homes, to meet a range of needs and our plan is to complete over 1,500 new homes by 2025.
We have some standard guidance for the application process here
clwydalyn.co.uk/media/documents/guideapplicants-rented-accommodation_en.pdf Affordable Homes
For affordable homes queries you can visit Tai Teg taiteg.org.uk/en/ for information on registering and the eligibility criteria.
Extra Care
To apply for one of our extra care schemes, please visit our website here
clwydalyn.co.uk/extra-care-information/ To request a call or see our brochures please visit our website here;
clwydalyn.co.uk/care-homes-information/
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YOUR COMMUNITY
SAFER Streets PARTNERSHIP WORKING IS MAKING THE STREETS SAFER IN WEST RHYL The group made a successful bid to the Home Office Safer Streets Fund and were allocated 517,000 to design and deliver crime prevention interventions, helping residents feel safer in their community. One of the projects this funding has enabled is the provision of security equipment for 600 homes in the area, including alarms, padlocks, external lights and CCTV cameras. ClwydAlyn committed to delivering and installing the equipment at the properties they own, with North Wales Police undertaking the work on the remaining properties. Staff volunteered to deliver the internal equipment to residents, whilst Travis Perkins provided the tools needed to install the external items, including stepladders, safety goggles and drills. Jenni Griffiths, Housing Services Manager at ClwydAlyn, said:
Crime prevention packs have been delivered to homes across West Rhyl, thanks to a new initiative aimed at reducing crime in the area. Last year, local housing association ClwydAlyn helped to form the Safer Streets initiative along with Denbighshire County Council and The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
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“This is such an important partnership initiative for West Rhyl. We really want to address the fact that the area has higher crime rates than other nearby towns and make a real difference to the people who live here.” Police statistics from March this year show that the number of crime incidents in Rhyl is more than six times higher than the next most problematic area. Jenni added: “Residents deserve to feel safe in their homes and we are committed to making that happen, along with the other partners in this scheme.
“We’d like to thank Travis Perkins for lending us the equipment we needed to install external security items, and all of our staff who volunteered their time to carry out the work.” Stephen Hughes, Chief Executive of the Office of the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner said: “Partnership working is very important in making our communities safer and this is a perfect example of how different groups can come together. “People have a right to safety and security in their homes and on the streets of their neighbourhoods and our work with ClwydAlyn and the County Council has borne fruit with over half a million pounds now going into preventing crime in West Rhyl.” Travis Perkins Queensferry branch was delighted to be able to provide ladders, drills, tools and PPE to support this worthy cause. Andy Craig, Account Manager for Travis Perkins Managed Services, the arm of Travis Perkins who support supply chain and procurement solutions for social housing, said: “Myself and the Managed Services team donated our time to assist volunteers in installing security items in over 40 properties. We are proud to be playing our part to help the residents of West Rhyl feel safer in their homes.” Residents of West Rhyl are invited to get involved with the Safer Streets initiative by becoming Community Champions. The role includes providing practical crime prevention advice, assisting with the delivery of a community watch scheme and actively participating in community initiatives.
YOUR COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY Skip Day
Last month we held a community skip day at Hafan y Ewyn & Llys y Castell in Rhyl. We love to work in partnership with residents and relevant agencies in our communities. This day was a great success, so a massive thanks to all of our staff and residents who took part in a community clean-up day. Great teamwork, it made a huge difference! If you are struggling to access recycling facilities, then please contact your housing officer who may be able to sign post to the correct agencies for support. If you are thinking of getting rid of old furniture or white goods there is a waste collection service available by your local council and is usually collected at a small fee.
To find your local council details on collection of large waste items you can head over to the government website here www.gov.uk/collection-large-waste-items Or, if your item is recyclable and can be sold on, it may be worth seeing if there are any local organisations that could collect these items free of charge from you; then they will hopefully go on to be used in a good home.
e these include: ganisations lik Examples of or rg.uk/refurbs/ knorthwales.o or dw un ro .g w ww erative.co.uk/ www.crestcoop
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YOUR HOME
GARDENING tips & YOUR CHANCE TO CLAIM SOME FREE SEEDS FROM #InfluenceUs
By Richard
FREE SEEDS
Summer Gardening Tips for Small Space Gardening
Richard Burrows our Health and Safety Officer shares his gardening expertise. I’m always drawn to small gardens where space is limited and things are much more challenging. Having worked with tenants and residents in Liverpool, Wirral and Chester over many years, I’ve been lucky enough to see the most amazing spaces and sanctuaries that people have created from next to nothing and marvelled at the love and dedication they’ve invested in their efforts. As far as gardens are concerned, it’s definitely not a case of the bigger the better! For those of you with a small balcony, terrace, or yard its still quite possible to grow a range of plants to brighten the place and to provide you with some tasty fresh fruit and veg. Many people start with window boxes, containers of various shapes and sizes and hanging baskets, raised beds are a great idea for those who find the bending and reaching a problem. The key to successful container gardening is not to skimp on compost – get the best you can afford, remember these have to sustain flowers and fruit for three months. Though these are a great introduction to gardening, they must also be kept watered and fed as they dry out very quickly, especially in the hot weather they can be difficult to re wet once dry. A length of hosepipe with a lance attached is a really useful tool. Watering and feeding is really important if you’re going to get the best out of these so a regular feed with a soluble fertiliser in your water is essential, if you’re growing tomatoes or strawberries then a twice a week feed is a good idea when they’re showing flowers.
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Don’t forget you can plant vegetables in containers too, French beans do very well in a tub in a sunny spot – they’re small, compact and easy to manage as are some of the first early potatoes which are a welcome addition to the dinner plate at this time of the year. Dead head spent flowers to encourage repeat flowering – this is the same for all plants unless you’re collecting seed of course. Now is the time to get all your bedding plants out of the greenhouse or off the windowsill and into their final places in the sun: geraniums, busy lizzies, salvia, marigolds, petunias and lobelia appreciate the heat and direct sun, look after them and you’ll be guaranteed fantastic colourful displays and some amazing scent especially in the evening. The insects will thank you for it too. There’s much to do in the garden at the height of the season but remember it’s all about your enjoyment, learning and trying new things, so go ahead, have a try, relax and let nature do its thing, you’ll be amazed at what you create. If you have a query or a problem you just cant crack, then please let us know by emailing Communications@clwydalyn.co.uk and we can try and help with some advice. Happy gardening.
.uk to get your @clwydalyn.co Us ce en flu In t Contac eds. FREE pack of se e; ing you would lik ch of the follow hi w s. ow ed kn Se l us t ra Le or or Gene , Veg/fruit Outdo or do In it fru g/ Ve us know if you lved too! So let der Kids can get invo n and we can or for your childre would like some . ck for them a fun special pa
YOUR HOME
UPCYCLE & DIY tips
LAURA MCKIBBIN OUR NEWSLETTER EDITOR SHARES ONE OF HER RECENT UPCYCLES.
Upcycle Love This trolley was advertised for free on Facebook Marketplace, yes you read it right FREE. Facebook Marketplace is a great place to find some treasures especially when upcycling. Upcycle Method.
Want to Give it a Try?
To complete this item, I started by sanding it down with sandpaper and washed with sugar soap. I purchased a small matt black tin of paint and a mini roller from Pound Land. The full process took just under one hour and cost under £5 an I am so pleased with the result. I have used this as a drinks trolley but this could be used for a tea and coffee stand, make up trolley, toy storage… The list is endless!
If you are thinking of upcycling then Facebook Market place is a great place to start, there is also charity shops and your local Crest. Crest offer a wide range of preloved household goods at affordable prices. They also offer brand new household items, to give customers a choice, and all of their pre-loved white goods come with a 12 month warranty, a very popular customer choice.
You can also purchase paint at some of the budget stores if you are trying to keep the project on a low cost. These include; Home Bargains, Poundland and B&M.
If you have been doing some DIY and have a hack you want to share then please send in to Communications@ Clwydalyn.co.uk or text a picture and content to 07880431004
SCHOOL FUNDING UNIFORM
Did you know that if your child gets free school meals and is about to start high school, you may be entitled to help towards their new school uniform?
The new scheme for 2021 to 2022 will be open from 15 July 2021. You can directly apply through your local council and get more infromation via this link:
gov.wales/pupil-development-grant-access
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YOUR HOME
Our Journey to
Check out our Environmental Strategy here:
Carbon Zero
A big part of our mission to tackle poverty, is looking at how we can reduce fuel poverty for our residents. A key part of this is helping to minimise the impact our less energy efficient homes can have on people’s health and wellbeing. We are on our Journey to Carbon Zero, and in order to get there we will be focusing on increasing the energy efficiency of our homes in the coming years. We will need your support if you are living in one of our less efficient homes. We are excited to embark on our mission to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable and we welcome you to join us on our journey
We have been busy working on a video to launch our environmental vision. We had a little help from children from Brynteg and Ysgol Maes y Mynydd, who interviewed our Maintenance Director Dave Lewis. They asked him what steps ClwydAlyn plans to take to help the environment… keep your eyes peeled for the video to find out what he said! We would like to say a massive thank you to all those involved as its been fun lots of fun and filming has been a huge success.
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YOUR HOME
Cooking delicious low cost meals.
GOŁĄBKI
(CABBAGE ROLLS IN TOMATO SAUCE)
INGREDIENTS: 1 medium /large white cabbage (savoy cabbage works well, too) 500-700g minced pork meat 1 onion (chopped) 1 bag of rice 1 stock cube Tomato puree Salt, Pepper
Our summer recipe has been shared by our resident Hanna… This is a polish dish and can be created by you for under £5
COOKING METHOD: Cook the whole cabbage in salted water in a large, covered pot until the leaves get slightly soft (about 5 minutes). Remove the cabbage from the pot taking care not to break the leaves. Allow to cool. Cut off the leaves from the bottom of the cabbage and gently peel off the head one by one. Gently flatten and cut off the thick stem of the leaf to make rolling over the meat easier. Fry the chopped onion until soft but not coloured. Cook the rice following the instructions on the pack. When cooked, cool down and mix with the meat and onion. Season with salt and pepper generously. Once the ingredients are evenly combined, you can start putting the stuffing on the cabbage leaves. Place the meat mixture towards the base of the leaf and wrap it like you’d fold an envelope, first folding the bottom, then the sides on top, finally rolling up towards the top of the leaf. Place with the top of the leaf underneath the roll.
Use any leftover cabbage to line the bottom of the pan. Then place the cabbage rolls inside. Cover with water to cover and add the stock cube, salt and pepper. If you have more cabbage leaves left, you can arrange them over the rolls, too. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to medium gas mark (3 or 4) and gently simmer for about 1 hour. Add the tomato puree (you can pour a little water into the packet to get it all out). Mix gently by pushing down on the rolls or moving them slightly to the sides. Cook for further 30 minutes. Best served with mashed potatoes with a generous serving of the tomato sauce poured over. The loose cabbage leaves cooked with the rolls can be served, too.
Do you h ave a recipe you wou ld like to sh are? Sen d in your rec ipe and pictures to Comm unicatio ns@ clwyda lyn.couk
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YOUR LOOK INTO...
A Day In The Life Of… Senior Project Officer Tom Humphriss My name is Tom Humphriss, and I am the senior project officer at Wrexham Foyer. I have worked for ClwydAlyn for 5 years and I have been in my current role for just over a year.
Each morning, residents attend a breakfast club to get them ready for their day ahead - they come together as a group along with staff, which makes for a great morning.
Wrexham Foyer is an 18-bed scheme, housing people aged from 16 – 24 years old - many from very complex and unique backgrounds.
I regularly meet with residents to hear any concerns they may have and what improvements they would like to see around
As we seem to be coming to an end of this long and very strange year, everything seems to be getting back to normal, which excites everyone here at the Foyer, although in supported living we have been lucky enough to continue supporting our young people, albeit socially distanced but supporting, nonetheless. We are now looking forward to starting up our great tenant participation events again, where we get our residents involved in cooking events such as fake-away Tuesdays, or a personal favorite of mine, make it Mondays, where residents create artwork that is proudly shown around our building. An average day in the life of a senior at Wrexham Foyer starts with a staff meeting to discuss what the day is due to bring, with a coffee, of course. We will discuss any issues, meetings or support sessions that may be due that day and then the project workers will go and do what they do best, and that is supporting the residents with anything and everything from calling Universal Credit to teaching them basic cooking skills.
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they seem to really appreciate the new modern living areas. I have done this to ensure they feel Foyer is a home and not just a hostel, after all, if the building does not match how, we want our residents to feel, we will not get the outstanding outcomes we have regularly. Unfortunately, in a town the size of Wrexham, a project such as Wrexham Foyer comes with a perception that is often ill advised or simply just wrong, and one of my aims since becoming the senior a short 13 months ago is to change that perception and to try to educate everybody about what an amazing job we do here and how great our residents are. As life gets back to normal, our plan at the Foyer is to speak with schools, colleges and, well anybody that will listen, to share what we do and to change that perception.
the building - one of which we have spent the last 12 months working on, and this is by improving the living spaces for our residents by decorating rooms to a better standard and upgrading furniture to match and simply changing the atmosphere around the building. It is evident in feedback from residents that
We work every day with the understanding that everybody deserves a second chance and having this mentality brings many rewards. There is nothing better than working closely with residents with the aim to support them into living independently and when the staff team achieve this, there is always a realisation in our office as to why we do the job we do, which is only bettered when we have ex residents coming back to tell us how well they are doing.
ga sted in becomin If you are intere ClwydAlyn or working for Project Officer page: our work for us then check out for-us/ yn.co.uk/workwww.clwydal
Mailbag Your questions answered Question
Why have my bins not been emptied on several occasions now? Colwyn Bay Resident
Answer This is a great question and one that we get asked often. We don’t manage the general waste collection at your home, this is a service provided through your local council. Each council has different guidelines, and each local authority has strict rules that you need to follow. Councils are not able to empty the recycling bins if they have been contaminated by general household waste such as food waste.
YOUR VIEWS
ld estion you wou If you have a qu r te in the newslet like answering ail us at then please em .co.uk ns@clwydalyn communicatio
It is really important that you make sure that the recycling bins are used only for recyclable items. It is particularly important to use communal bins correctly as it can have a massive impact on your neighbours who have to use the same bins. If you have any recycling issues or need further support then you can contact your local council or your housing officer who can advise on what items go into which type of bin. We have also been able to provide small recycling storage containers for residents in flats.
To find out the rules for your area please visit https://www.gov.uk/rubbish-collection-day
Small steps can make big changes! We want to share some small ways we can contribute towards fighting climate change.
Switch to LED lights
Eat less meat
If you have any tips on reducing waste or saving money, then please send them in to communications@clwydalyn.co.uk
Cycle or walk instead of driving
Replace single-use items for reusables
LESS IS MORE Unplug electronics when not in use
Eat locally grown food
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