JRHT News: Summer 2015

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JRHTNEWS

RESIDENTS’ MAGAZINE SUMMER 2015

In this issue: Residents’ news; How JRHT can help you to make ends meet; Changes to repairs policy; How did we do in 2014?

FRIENDLY ROBIN

by Frank Brown Rose Tree Grove, New Earswick

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WELCOME TO JRHTNEWS CONTENTS JRHT News is your magazine from the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust. It’s not just about what we’re doing – we want to hear your news too!

This issue is bursting with a real variety of stories. We’d love to hear much more from our residents about their news, fundraising and social activities. Please do get in touch and keep sending us your stories and photos.

Contact Sarah Charlton, sarah.charlton@jrht.org.uk, 0800 5870211 or submit articles and printed photos to her at the Garth, White Rose Avenue, New Earswick, York, YO32 4TZ.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY? SPEAK TO SHANNA Project Assistant. I am mainly based in New Earswick and love working with our amazing community groups, such as Café NELLI, NELLIVision and Friends of Willow Bank.

Hello, my name is Shanna.

I started at JRHT as an intern last September and was given the project to look at Access to Customer Service and worked closely with the JRHT Resident Scrutiny Panel. I was very pleased in December to learn that I would be kept on for another year and now work in the community team as Community Development

In my spare time I really love to bake! I am constantly trying out new cakes and buns on my colleagues (which they tell me they don’t mind at all). I am so keen that I am part of the Clandestine cake club in York.

If you would like to ask me anything about my role or you would like information about the groups and how you can get involved, please email me at shanna.lennon@jrht.org.uk or telephone 0800 5870211.

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Introducing Dementia Friends How did we do in 2014?

3 4&5

How JRHT can help you to make ends meet 6 Modernisation programme Residents’ news

7 8&9

Memories of New Earswick

10

Puzzle time

11

How to contact us

12

TIME FOR A CUPPA? On Thursday 5 March at Hartfields the Dementia Project Group held a Time for Tea event with the proceeds going to Dementia UK in support of Admiral Nurses.

Dementia UK believe all people living with and affected by dementia should receive compassionate, expert care and support to enable them to live as positively as possible.

Their solution is Admiral Nurses, specialist dementia nurses who provide families with an understanding of dementia and give them the tools and skills to deal with challenges effectively, whilst also providing psychological support to help family carers carry on caring for their family member. Admiral Nurses make all the difference.

Every Thursday Hartfields Residents’ Association hosts a coffee morning and, with the Friday night Knit & Natter club, they kindly let the project group share their coffee morning. They donated all their proceeds from the morning to the fundraising event. The Residents’ Association provided tea and coffee and the Knit & Natter club sold marmalade, cards and knitted goods. The Dementia Group provided cakes to raffle and sell and a wine and cheese hamper was given as a prize to guess how many cookies were in the jar.

The event was well attended and residents, staff and visitors were very generous in supporting them.

The total raised for Dementia UK was an amazing £367.11. Well done everyone!

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JRHT SECURES NATIONAL SKILLS ACADEMY FOR CONSTRUCTION (NSAFC) STATUS JRHT is keen to ensure that where we are delivering construction activities through new-build work, such as Derwenthorpe, or maintenance work on residents’ homes, we include training and employment initiatives. The NSAFC status, awarded by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) was marked with an official launch event last autumn at the Super Sustainable Centre at Derwenthorpe.

By including training and employment opportunities when we carry out construction activities, which include offering work placements and apprenticeships, we can make a larger impact on people’s lives.

If any residents are interested in finding out more information or enquiring about how you might be involved, contact us on 0800 587 0211.

JRHT’s Clare Harrigan (second from left) with partners from across the construction sector

INTRODUCING DEMENTIA FRIENDS

Hello, my name is Natalie Gordon and I work at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). Since September 2014, over 180 staff at JRF and JRHT have signed up to become Dementia Friends, including

many of our electricians, receptionists, customer services advisers, directors and trustees. In my role as a Dementia Friends Champion, I’ve organised and delivered over 30 one-hour Dementia Friends information sessions to date. So, what is Dementia Friends?

Dementia Friends is a national programme that aims to increase understanding about dementia. JRF and JRHT are trying to raise awareness about dementia

amongst staff and are working towards becoming Dementia Friendly, supporting people affected by dementia as employees, as residents and in our services.

Dementia is an umbrella word – there are many different types. It is not a natural part of ageing – 1 in 14 people over 65 has dementia, and it can affect young people too – 5 per cent of people with dementia are under 65.

Dementia often affects people’s short-term

memory first while earlier memories are often held on to for much longer.

If you have any concerns, the Alzheimer’s Society National Dementia Helpline 0300 222 1122 can provide information, support, guidance and signposting to appropriate organisations. If you are interested in finding out more about what I’m doing, attending a session or getting involved in other ways, please contact me on 01904 752936 or by email at natalie.gordon@jrht.org.uk

JRHT News | Summer 2015 | Page 3

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HOW DID WE DO IN 2014?

We monitor our performance every month and we like to keep you up-to-date on how we’re performing in the different areas of our service, like repairs and rent collection.

We’ve pulled together the figures for 2014 to show you how we’re doing overall, what we’re doing well, and where we want to improve.

Repairs In 2014 we carried out just over 11,000 repairs. This is slightly more than in the two previous years, with an increase in the amount of planned work we carried out.

In 2014 we made:

1,630

emergency repairs

2,903

To help improve our performance, we have introduced mobile working for all our operatives. This means staff will be sent jobs direct to a handset/phone whilst they are out on site, which will make the repairs process more efficient and means more jobs will be completed.

We now get all our materials from a single supplier, which we hope will make us more efficient and bring cost savings.

Appointments All urgent and routine repairs are now done by appointment, so you know when we will call. As well as being a better service for you, it helps us to plan where our staff need to be and when.

In 2014:

planned repairs

96.2%

2,854

urgent repairs

3,648

of appointments were kept

routine repairs

How many repairs did we carry out in time?

We have set timescales for repairs, and it is important that we carry out repairs within those timescales. We did not do as well as we expected in 2014 and we will make sure our performance improves this year.

93% 93% 92%

of emergency jobs were completed within timescales

of urgent jobs were completed within timescales

As a landlord, we have to do an annual safety check of all properties that have a gas supply.

All occupied properties had an up-to-date gas safety certificate by 31 December 2014.

100%

of routine jobs were completed within timescales

We would expect these figures to be between 95 and 100 per cent.

Page 4 | JRHT News | Summer 2015

Gas servicing

of occupied properties had an up-to-date gas safety certificate by 31 December 2014

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CHANGES TO OUR REPAIRS POLICY

Rent collection and arrears Performance was not at the level we wanted it to be in 2014, so this is a service area we are working hard to improve in 2015. See the graph below.

Total value of current tenants arrears 500

Thousands

400

Our new repairs policy has been introduced, following a review last year.

300

Here’s a summary of the main changes: 200

We will deal with essential repairs as emergency repairs and will respond within 24 hours, but will prioritise those repairs that need a very quick response.

100

Dec 14

Nov 14

Oct 14

Sep 14

Aug 14

Jul 14

Jun 14

May 14

Apr 14

Mar 14

Feb 14

Jan 14

2013

0

Management of empty properties In 2014 there were 179 empty properties, which were then let or sold.

Of these, 62 homes were completed at our new community at Derwenthorpe – 51 of these homes were for sale and 11 were available for renting.

The average time a property is empty can depend on whether or not major repairs are needed.

In 2014: The average time a property was empty 30

Number of days

24 18

13.8 DAYS

6 0

Including major repairs

We will give clearer information about programmed works, including when you can expect works to begin.

We will provide better information to residents about the Right to Repair. We will make it clearer which repairs we are responsible for, and what residents are responsible for.

We will continue to fit additional security items at no cost to tenants, apart from the cost of materials. In some cases, where there is a risk of violence or vulnerability, the resident will not have to pay for materials. We will look at each case individually.

We are no longer installing replacement kitchens, bathrooms or extractor fans free of charge. You’ll now need to find and pay for your own installations.

We are reviewing our policy on aids and adaptations with the council’s social services department to offer an improved service for residents waiting for adaptations to be carried out.

27.3 DAYS

12

Urgent repairs will be completed within five working days.

We will review this target within 12 months. Routine repairs will be completed within 20 working days.

excluding major repairs

In cases where there is wilful damage to property and persistent breach of tenancy or lease conditions, we will recharge residents for the work.

We propose to increase the number of inspections we carry out to ensure better quality control and a more accurate cost for repair work.

The total rent loss on empty properties was £8,855, which is an average of £205 per property.

We will renew our service standards and code of conduct, monitor them more regularly, and report on how we are meeting these.

For more information about our performance, please contact Sally Houghton on 0800 5870211.

• We’ll be publishing more information on our website and in leaflets about how these changes will affect you.

JRHT News | Summer 2015 | Page 5

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HOW JRHT CAN HELP

YOU TO MAKE ENDS MEET In York (since 16 February) if you are single with no children, working age and looking for work, you now need to apply for a benefit called Universal Credit. This replaces Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Housing Benefit (HB). The changes don’t apply if you are already receiving JSA. These changes will take effect in other areas later in 2015 and begin to replace other benefits like Employment Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support (IS) and Tax Credits over the next few years.

I have a job but am still struggling to make ends meet – what can you do to help?

One in three of us will experience a period of low income every four years and 6.5 million of us lack the paid work we want.

JRHT advisers can:

There are some key changes:

• provide a full income check and ensure you receive the income you are entitled to;

• What would have been JSA and HB will now be paid directly to you in one payment of UC.

• help you find ‘better jobs’; • provide information about child care costs;

• Rather than being paid weekly, fortnightly or four-weekly this will be one monthly payment.

• provide advice on saving on fuel costs and switching providers.

• You can only apply online.

• You will need a bank account to receive payment.

The changes do not apply to older people. So, if you are an older person who receives Pension Credit or Pension Credit and Housing Benefit, there is no need to worry.

I’ve lost my job, can you do anything to help?

It’s a fact that nearly five million different people had to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance in the two years up to April 2013. If that happens to you or a member of your family, let us know straight away – there are a number of things that we can do to help.

• A JRHT advisor can make sure you receive all the benefits and allowances you are entitled to and help complete claim forms.

• We may be able to let you know about job vacancies with Living Wage (£7.85 per hour) employers in York or with contractors linked to JRHT developments.

• We can help you to get online to apply for jobs or benefits.

Paying off debt is one of my biggest outgoings, what can I do?

You are not alone. One in ten UK households experience problem debt. It can be the cause of stress and anxiety as well as a strain on your prospects. JRHT can provide access to debt advice that is free, impartial and nonjudgemental. We can also look at options for reducing the cost of debt or access to more affordable sources of credit that might help with peaks in what you need to spend (for example, a broken washing machine or new school uniforms).

JRHT can also support you to open new bank accounts and provide money advice.

If you are concerned or would like more information on anything stated above, please get in touch with JRHT on the freephone number or call Dave Potter (dave.potter@jrf.org.uk), Rebecca Naylor (rebecca.naylor@jrht.org.uk), Paul Rose and Kathryn Wordsworth on 0800 5870211.

• We can connect you to other agencies in York that will be able to support you.

IMPROVE YOUR DIGITAL AND COMPUTER SKILLS! Get help using: iPads, iPhones, laptops, PCs, smartphones and Kindle Fires.

Page 6 | JRHT News | Summer 2015

Get help online with: Emails, CVs, saving money, socialising, job searching, benefits, banking and more.

Contact Rebecca Naylor on 0800 5870211 or by emailing rebecca.naylor@jrht.org.uk for information.

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MODERNISATION PROGRAMME

IMPROVEMENT TO HOMES FOR 2015 We are currently finalising our programme of work on JRHT properties for this year.

WINDOW REPLACEMENTS (*Planning permission granted)

The schemes listed on this page are included in our proposed programme, but this may be subject to change.

Some work will commence towards the end of the year and will therefore not necessarily be completed by the end of the year.

*Sycamore Place

For more information on our improvement plan, and how we will communicate with you, please see our leaflet ‘Modernisation of your home’ at: www.jrht.org.uk/helpand-resources/modernisation-and-improvement.

CYCLICAL PAINTING

We will contact all residents who are included in this programme to discuss the scope and timing of the work.

We can’t finalise individual programmes until we have fully evaluated the work to each property and scheme, but the schedule below gives an idea of when work may start. We will be able to confirm more exact information about the timing of work to your home when we carry out a technical inspection around four to six weeks before work begins.

Charles Court

MODERNISATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS ( Replacement of kitchens, boilers or bathrooms – not necessarily all 3.

It does not include windows or doors) ACOMB Teal Drive

INDICATIVE START

*Chestnut Grove *Sycamore Avenue Clementhorpe Court (PENDING CONSULTATION)

May – August 2015

New Earswick Sports Pavilion St Ellens Court (flats) Clementhorpe Court Court Green Close (flats) Hartrigg Oaks, The Oaks Bonnington Court & Hillary Garth James Backhouse Place Lamel Beeches Victoria Geldof Plaxton Court (flats) Quaker House

Sandmartin Court Sherringham Drive Wenham Road

Sherringham Drive May – August 2015

North Yorks properties City of York Council NEW EARSWICK White Rose Avenue

Almond Grove Alder Way

Rowan Avenue

BLACKSMITHS CLOSE, ELVINGTON

July 2015

QUAKER HOUSE, LEEDS

July 2015

Hawthorn Place

DALBY CLOSE, SCARBOROUGH

July 2015

Sycamore Avenue

CARR LANE, EAST AYTON

August 2015

Chestnut Grove

BEECH GROVE, SELBY (PENDING CONSULTATION)

August – October 2015

LAMEL BEECHES, HESLINGTON (PENDING CONSULTATION)

August – October 2015

SANDACRE COURT, YORK (PENDING CONSULTATION)

August – October 2015

FIRE COMPARTMENTATION WORKS

August – October 2015

SANDACRE COURT, YORK (PENDING CONSULTATION)

April – October 2015

ACOMB Heron Avenue

Wenham Drive

NEW EARSWICK Hawthorn Terrace

July – September 2015

Rowan Place

Sycamore Court Willow Bank bungalows Station Avenue Poplar Grove Western Terrace Maple Court Lime Tree Avenue Hawthorn Close Magnolia Grove Conifer Close

JRHT News | Summer 2015 | Page 7

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FUNDRAISING HEROES AT DANES DYKE Here is a picture of the residents of Danes Dyke and Keld Close handing over a cheque for £500 to Lisa-Jane Vickers from the charity Help for Heroes.

The residents have raised money through their coffee mornings and other activities, which shows that they have a fantastic community spirit.

This year they are raising money for another charity and they also knit hats for the baby unit at Scarborough District Hospital.

GARDENING TIPS… My name is Ken Gill from JRHT Danes Dyke, Scarborough. I have been in the garden business for more than 60 years, with my own nursery, landscape and market garden business for over 32 years.

This is the time for sewing seeds including broad beans and runner beans. It will also be time for planting winter vegetable seeds such as carrots, lettuce and beetroot.

It is always good to be hoing weeds off at this time of year so that they don’t get out of hand.

Dwarf French beans and marrow can be put out from your greenhouse now.

With daffodils, take seed pods off the top of the flower so that the bulb can continue to grow and you

will have nice spring flowers next year.

Watch out for greenflies as there are many about this time of year. I use a spray to get rid of them. There are lots of different ones on the market.

Gooseberry bushes can suffer from sawfly that always start at the middle of the plant and can take every leaf off.

Some of the annuals are very easy to grow from seed, such as Alyssum, Cosmos, California Poppy, Eschscholzia, French Marigolds, Candytuft, Stocks, Tagetes, Nemesia and Godetia.

Happy gardening!

If you have any questions for Ken then do feel free to email them to sarah. charlton@jrht.org.uk

Page 8 | JRHT News | Summer 2015

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ST ELLEN’S COURT

ENJOYING AFTERNOON TEA A super effort was put in by our small organising group at St Ellen’s Court, mostly funded by a donation from JRHT, who continue to arrange great social events regularly. Whilst enjoying scrumptious food, conversation abounded, amongst a diverse mix of residents.

NELLIVISION

Mr Les Cleal thanked JRHT and our organisers and proposed a toast, heartily seconded by Scheme Manager Jean.

NELLIvision is the latest venture for NELLI (New Earswick Less Loneliness Initiative). Our aim is to bring a wide selection of films to The Folk Hall in New Earswick at very reasonable prices in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

We work in collaboration with Cinem@, who provide the technical expertise, amazing cinema spec equipment and have advised us on how to set up a Community Cinema for residents in the local area.

The seating arrangement is relaxed and informal, giving everyone the opportunity to chat to friends and, hopefully, make new ones. There are hot drinks, snacks and a bar serving alcoholic drinks available at every screening, making it a real night out at the movies.

We hope to have Sunday afternoon matinees as well as 7.30pm showings, family films and special screenings on certain topics.

WOODLANDS PLAY AREA

Ticket prices are £4.00 per adult, £2.00 for a child and £6.00 for a ‘family ticket’ which allows 2 adults and two children (or 1 adult and 3 children).

We would love to see you one evening and you can be assured of a warm welcome. To find out what films are coming soon, buy tickets, become a member and much more head to www.nellivisioncinemayork.com or ask at reception at the Folk Hall, New Earswick – 01904 769621.

Do you love Cinema?

Would you like to get involved in Community Cinema?

Want to learn new skills such as film projection?

Want to be part of a friendly and enthusiastic group?

NELLIvision needs YOU!

The Woodlands play area has been reopened after work was done last year to improve it. We are hoping that the community will get

plenty of enjoyment out of using the equipment and using the space for leisure activities, especially now the weather is getting warmer.

JRHT News | Summer 2015 | Page 9

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MEMORIES OF NEW EARSWICK Mavis Hall recalls: I was born at 7 Cherry Tree Avenue in 1933 and was the first newborn baby at the welfare, which was held at the Folk Hall at that time.

In 1935 on a Friday afternoon I went to the Play Centre, which I think was in Mrs Ridges’ house. Mrs Ridges and her family lived next to the primary school in Hawthorn Terrace and later they moved to Western Terrace. During the war the Ridges had a German Jewish boy to stay called Wolfgang Krebbs.

My parents moved into 8 Sycamore Avenue in 1938.

My mother then left and I went with my uncle to live in Scarborough. Later I returned to live with other family members in Chestnut Grove. My father was working 12-hour days at Halls Leather Works so was unable to look after me but he always came to see me every day and took me out on a Saturday for tea and then to the pictures.

Then came the war in 1939.

My father had to be a Fire Watcher at work so it felt like he was always at work.

My aunt cooked my father’s Christmas dinner and I would take it to Halls between two plates and sit with him in the boiler house until he had finished.

Children from Hull and Middlesbrough came as evacuees to the village and I was so jealous that we couldn’t have one because they had airmen billeted with them from Shipton.

1947 was a horrendous winter; I had to walk to school because there were no buses. My childhood friends were Harry Pawson, Malcolm Winfield and Tony Daniels. This was the year when I was the Rose Queen and went to Switzerland with youth club.

In 1949 I left school and worked at York’s goods station in the offices. I was also involved in the Dramatic & Operatic Society when I was 19 years

old at the Folk Hall in 1952.

The following year was when I got married and in 1954 I gave birth to my son Gary. In the years that followed I had three more sons and one daughter and I remember all the games that they played; kicky-off ball, trolley rides, hide and seek, sledging, marbles, whip and top, hopscotch, ice skating on the bog. I also enjoyed watching the cricket match on the Joseph Rowntree field.

I remember a bonfire in the sycamore where two bungalows had to be demolished, and the allotments dig for victory, where neighbours would share their produce. Every house had fruit trees, apples, pears or Victoria plums.

From 1964 until last year I was an Avon rep and also worked at the village newsagent from 1976 until it closed.

Page 10 | JRHT News | Summer 2015

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PUZZLE TIME

1 4 2 3

Sudoku

4 2 3 1

1 4 3 4 4 13 3 2 13 14 1 3 1 Community word search

M N N P H Q N G G G S B T R A

L U E M L T N P J Y K O D U E

N F I S Q A É Z P G N U G O W

N R G M D F Y R Y H K N S B G

C B H X A N N G T Y I E T H C

K Y B C X A E K R N W O R G W

L V O D T Z T I E O K R E I B

P G U U E M G D R K U R E E W

Y Q R X M J R C S F J N T N S

B E H K O A J A Y H G F D P Y

D U O Z G Y M F Z T O Y R V N

T T O N W L O Y U R H P K K X

U G D G L D D G J H J O S E L

L I S T E N I N G P L A Y H J

G N I K L A T H Q X V H O O Q

CAFÉ GARDENING NEIGHBOUR PLAYGROUND TALKING FRIENDS LISTENING NEIGHBOURHOOD SHOPS FUN NATURE PLAY STREET

JRHT News | Summer 2015 | Page 11

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HOW TO CONTACT US Our customer service team is available between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, on freephone

0800 5870211

For out-of-hours emergency repairs, call this number and you’ll be transferred to our on-call supervisor.

The Garth offices at New Earswick are open for dropping in between 8.30am – 5.00pm, Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. 10.00am – 5.00pm Weds.

For care enquiries, contact

01904 750700 For Hartfields in Hartlepool, contact

01429 855070

Calling all residents! Would you like to input into the next edition of JRHT News?

Send us your stories, gardening tips, cookery ideas and thoughts on what you would like to see in the next edition. Either forward the information to your local reception area before the end of July, or send it direct to sarah.charlton@jrht.org.uk

Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust The Garth White Rose Avenue New Earswick York YO32 4TZ www.jrht.org.uk