Keeping in Touch
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The newsletter for South Yorkshire Housing Association residents Summer 2013
Work with us Paid apprenticeships at SYHA. Page 4
Check in on the go SYHA website goes live www.syha.co.uk Page 6
Feeling the squeeze? We’ve got some top tips inside to help your money go further. Turn to page 12
News
We celebrate success!
Claire Sockett & Daniel Morton
Daniel Morton wins Sheffield Apprenticeship Award! In March, Daniel, an apprentice in our Computer Services team, proudly received his award at the special celebration held at Sheffield Hallam University. The awards are about recognising the achievements made by young people during their apprenticeships.
Sheila, Daniel’s assessor said, ‘Daniel is a true apprentice, he makes sure his assignments fit around the work he does. He plans ahead; in fact he is usually ahead of me and has decided his targets before I see him for our monthly reviews. He is an outstanding apprentice and it is a pleasure to assess his work.’ Claire Sockett who works with Daniel in the Computer Services Team said ‘Daniel shows interest and eagerness in every task he undertakes. He strives for perfection
and takes pride in his work. We are proud to have had the privilege of supporting and working with Dan’. Daniel saw the SYHA apprenticeship advertised online, he applied and was successful beating off a number of other applicants. 10 months into his apprenticeship Daniel has become a really valued member of the team, Daniel said, ‘I don’t know what the future will bring but I am really passionate about technology and keen to carve out my career path in the IT industry.’
Work with us - Find out about the paid apprenticeships on offer at SYHA by turning to page 4. 2
News
Dignity in Care Awards – Lindsay’s a winner Congratulations go to Lindsay Caul, one of our Key Workers, who has been awarded “Highly Commended” in the Practice Category of Sheffield’s first Dignity in Care Awards.
‘Lindsay is a great example of how an individual can make a positive difference. In this instance Lindsay supported a family through a complex assessment process by making it clear, offering support, and making sure that the best possible outcome was The awards were created to celebrate the achieved’. great work done by staff while showing dignity and respect in the work they do. Lindsay works at the Lister Project, supporting people with long term mental health problems. She has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to promoting the dignity of her customers. Lindsay’s role is to help people get the most out of their personal care budgets by support planning with them. Lindsay The awards presentation took place at receiving her the Dignity Forum at the Town Hall in award Sheffield on the 21st March.
Turn your business idea into reality Have you got a great business idea and want help to get started? If you are a budding entrepreneur and want some support, contact us now! We can put you in touch with the right local business support agencies and make sure you get the help you need. A local partner, Yorkshire Housing, have recently received funding from the European Regional Development Fund to employ two enterprise coaches to work with social housing residents in the Yorkshire region.
She’s a GEM and a rising star Sarah Morton is one of our GEM’s (Graduate Employment Mentoring Officer), in February she entered the ‘Rising Stars’ competition run by the Chartered Institute for Housing. Anyone who works in housing can enter the competition which is about generating ideas for how to promote careers in housing to 16 and 17 year olds. Sarah’s idea is about linking housing and citizenship classes which are already part of the National Curriculum. Sarah also set out her ideas to help schools create
opportunities for young people to volunteer in housing, developing their skills and show the different types of careers that are available. To Sarah’s surprise she made it through to the final - one of three - so it really is a great achievement! We wish Sarah good luck in the finals. If you’d like to find out more about Sarah’s idea and show your support, go to www.cih.org/risingstars Voting closes on 23rd June and we’ll let you know how she gets on.
The Business Enterprise Coach offers: to one support and advice, from exploring your idea and researching your market, to raising finance l Confidential support throughout your journey into self-employment l Workshops and training courses l Networking opportunities l One
If you need some support and would like to be put in touch with an enterprise coach, please give us a call today on 0114 2900200 and ask for Milena Galisi, Enterprise Officer. 3
News
Work with us become an apprentice at SYHA Last year we had a great response to the apprenticeships we advertised and found some fantastic young people who were eager to get stuck in and learn new skills. Ryan, an apprentice joiner in the Home Maintenance Team, has been busy learning his trade since starting at SYHA last September. Kevin Noone, Housing Officer (Involvement) caught up with him when he was out and about working in Sheffield to find out what it was like applying for and starting an apprenticeship at SYHA. Ryan - I didn’t really know what to expect - coming along to the open day at SYHA gave me lots of information and helped me to know this was right for me. I enjoyed school but knew I didn’t want to stay in the classroom, I wanted to do something hands on. Kevin - What happened after you applied for the apprenticeship? Ryan - I had to do some tests in English, maths and general knowledge but they weren’t too difficult and it wasn’t like doing my exams. I found out I’d been shortlisted and got a date for an interview. Kevin - And the day of the interview, how did it go? Ryan - I was nervous, but they made me feel really relaxed. Since starting at SYHA everyone has been great.
Kevin - So staying in the classroom wasn’t for you and now you’re on the job learning new skills and gaining hands on experience but you have to go to college too. How does that work? Ryan - Yes, I still have to go to college because I do block release. Kevin - Block release. How does that work? Ryan - I spend most of my time at work and some time at college. I go back next week for three weeks. It’s different to being at school, it’s much more laid back and you get to call the teachers by their first names. Kevin - What are your plans for the future? Ryan - This is my first year of a two apprenticeship. I’d love to carry on and possibly do a third year. I really like the maintenance side, getting out and about, doing the job and meeting people.
Want to know more?
Apprenticeships on offer: Plumber in the Home Maintenance Team Gardener in the Neighbourhood Environmental Action Team Repairs Administrator in the Property Services team Customer liaison assistant in the Performance Team Customer Services assistant in the Customer Services Team
Come along to our Apprentice Open Day on Friday 28th June. Call into our head office on Wellington Street in Sheffield, at any time between 10am and 12.30pm and meet the team who’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have. Know you can’t make the Open Day but don’t want to miss out – visit 28 the website www.syha.co.uk, give our Customer Services team a call on JUNE 0114 2900 200, or email enquiries@syha.co.uk 013
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If you think an apprenticeship could be for you, or you know someone who is aged 16 - 18 and looking for work, this year we have more opportunities across more teams and departments at SYHA.
Apprentices will receive £2.65 per hour, plus a travel allowance of £50 each week to help with getting to and from work and will study towards a recognised qualification and apprenticeships will last for 2-3 years.
Community Impact Awards the final
Rotherham teenagers learn how to stay safe online and on the street In April, SYHA helped fund an event where a group of teenagers from Rotherham learnt practical lessons about how to stay safe in their homes and on the streets.
In the winter newsletter we told you our basketball RESPECT project had won the regional prize in the National Housing Federation’s Community Impact Awards. The project goes into primary schools with Sheffield Sharks basketball players, the police, fire service and staff from SYHA to give basketball coaching and educate children on things like personal safety, bullying and crime prevention. As well as being about fitness and having lots of fun there is a serious message too. Sharron Dyett, Housing Services Director at SYHA explains; ‘By working with the children we are focusing on our tenants of tomorrow. We are introducing them to positive role models and leading the discussion around good behaviour, what is respect, and know they had a fantistic time while learning.’ It was with great excitement that staff from SYHA and Sheffield Sharks made the journey down to London, in February to attend a parliamentary reception in the House of Lords and find out who had won the overall Community Impact award. Out of two hundred projects that entered, we were one of the final 9 projects that judges selected the overall winner from. So we didn’t win but we are really proud that we got into the final 9 and we’re proud of the RESPECT project. We would like to thank our colleagues at One Health Sheffield Sharks, our local schools, South Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Fire Service. Most of all we would like to thank the children and young people who have taken part with such enthusiasm. If you are wondering who did win it was a Housing Association called Curo. They are based in the South East of England and over the last 18 months their Independent Living Service has helped 500 people to live independently in their own homes. Congratulations to Curo.
Around 25 young people aged between 12 and 16 took part in a full day of safety awareness training at the new Lifewise Centre in Hellaby, Rotherham. The centre provides a realistic but safe setting of specially built shops, houses and streets where young people can learn important life skills. Rotherham United Community Sports Trust and South Yorkshire Police organised the training which covered subjects like, internet safety, the risks of getting involved in gangs, knife crime and other types of anti-social behaviour. This was followed by a mock trial at a Magistrate’s Court complete with a local Justice of the Peace and a simulated prison experience!
Rob Chapman, SYHA Neighbourhood Team Leader said: “the training was excellent and really interactive and all the young people who came along got really stuck in. By the end of the day, they were a lot more aware of how to stay safe and how to handle difficult situations, especially when they are away from home. They also learnt about the consequences when crime and anti-social behaviour is committed.”
Twelve year old Troy from Wath said: “It was a really good day. I learnt what to do if I got approached by someone looking for trouble and how the Police handle public order offences. We also had a session on how to stay safe online.”
The young people who attended the event were from Eastwood, Holmes, Wickersley and Wath. The day was so successful SYHA are keen to continue to work in partnership with Guinness Northern Counties Housing Association to make sure more young people also benefit from the safety awareness training.
Got a story to tell? Each spring, summer, autumn and winter, a copy of Keeping in Touch drops through your letter box. We hope you enjoy reading it and we are always on the look out for interesting articles. Perhaps you are setting up a group, want to tell us about something amazing you’ve done or just want to share an experience… if you’ve got a story to tell get in touch so we can include it in Keeping in Touch. You can find our contact details on page 15. You give us the idea or story and we can put together the article. We’d love to hear from you – it’s your newsletter!
The Customer Improvement Panel work with SYHA to produce this newsletter
EASY READ Customer Improvement Panel 5
News
Win an iPad at www.syha.co.uk As you know we have been busy working on the new SYHA website. It has taken a little longer than we hoped but we wanted to get it just right. We think it looks great and it’s now much easier to find out all about SYHA and the things that matters to you. Don’t take our word for it, here’s what a customer, Dahlia, said when she recently came in and took a look at the new site...
“You don’t need to learn anything; just click and you can find every-thing you want”
Here’s a taster of what you can now do l
Apply for jobs online – no more endless piles of paper!
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Share your stories online – a news hub where you can quickly share your news.
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Now it’s your chance to get involved. Visit www.syha.co.uk to complete the survey and tell us exactly what you think, and you’ll be in with a chance of winning an iPad! For another chance to win - turn to page 15 and have a go at the website wordsearch.
Check in on the go
Check in on the go – the website is now fully accessible from smartphones and tablet devices like iPads.
Squeezed bottoms and pinched middles Many people are feeling the impact of rising prices and extra expenses – it means we all have to find ways to make our money stretch a bit further. 6
So it’s understandable that household insurance can be seen as yet another thing to pay for – but can you afford to be without cover?
our customers to think about the benefits of taking out home contents insurance. It can be a bit of a minefield trying to find the best deals, that’s why SYHA teamed up with Crystal insurance SYHA does not insure your furniture, belongings or decorations to offer you a range of household insurance cover and different ways against theft, fire or damage. to pay to suit you. That’s why we encourage all
Use this QR code on your smartphone and it will instantly take to our new look website
If you’d like some more information about this scheme give our Customer Service team a call on 0114 2900 200 who’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and can pop you some information in the post.
Gardening competition 2013 Get busy growing and win prizes or nominate a neighbour whose garden brightens your day!
Think it’s too late to create a glorious garden? Don’t worry there’s still time – all you need is a bit a motivation and an eagerness to get your hands dirty. To help you get started we’ve got a free giveaway offering a pair of professional topiary shears kindly donated by Burgon & Ball. All you have to do is spot the odd one out Which of the following hasn’t presented the TV programme Gardeners’ World? a. Geoff Hamilton b. Monty Don c. Simon Cowell d. Alan Titchmarsh
Mr and Mrs Cheeseborough, 1st prize, most improved garden 2012
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It’s been a long time coming but spring has finally arrived and I’m sure everyone’s gardens are romping away playing catch up after such a long, cold, drawn out winter. We know from last year’s gardening competition there are plenty of people who have green fingers and we saw the fantastic results of all your hard work.
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We hope that there are even more of you who are going to enter this year’s competition and with a selection of categories we’re sure there’s something for everyone. Whether you’ve been tackling some full on landscaping or have planted up a cheery window box - what are you waiting for - get busy in your gardens and enter!
There are five categories in this years competition, they are: l Best communal garden l Best grow-your-own l Most impressive frontage l Most improved garden l Best overall garden There will be first, second and third place prizes in each of the categories winning £75, £50, £25 respectively.
Prizes will be given in High Street Vouchers to give the winners a choice of how they’d like to treat themselves. To enter or to nominate a neighbours’ garden call our Customer Services Team on 0114 2900 200 or email the details of the garden, including a name, address and contact phone number to involving_you@syha.co.uk with the subject Gardening Competition 2013.
Closing date for entries is 4pm Friday 5th July and entries will be shortlisted by a small panel of judges – to help us to shortlist please send in a photo. You can do this by email, or post. Haven’t got access to a camera or don’t have a camera on your phone? Please get in touch and we’ll see if we can help.
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Send your answer to enquiries@syha.co.uk including your name and address or complete the section below the competition on page 15. Closing date for entries Monday 8th July. The winner will be drawn at random.
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Sharon (left) shows Marie some helpful ways to balance her energy costs
Home energy health checks Our team of Energy Doctors have been out and about helping SYHA customers throughout South Yorkshire to save money on their energy bills. Recently, SYHA resident Marie, contacted the team to book a home energy health check as she was worried about the rising prices of gas and electricity and paying the bills was becoming an increasingly difficult balancing act.
“It was refreshing to have a one to one session with an energy expert in the comfort of my own home. I felt Sharon, the Energy Doctor, really understood my situation and she gave me some excellent tips on how to save money on bills. I am looking forward to receiving my energy action plan and I know the Energy Doctors are just a phone call away if I need any more support�.
The Energy Doctors offer FREE home energy health checks to SYHA residents, helping them to live in warmer homes for less money. The check includes a one hour visit to look at how you currently use energy in your home followed by a second visit to talk you through a personalised energy action plan, which shows the steps you can take to lower your energy bills. The Energy Doctors can also offer advice on switching supplier and getting the most out of your energy provider.
If you would like to book a FREE energy health check please call the Energy Doctor team on 0114 2702 648.
Help us to help the environment Please recycle this newsletter when you have read it 8
It’s good to talk Service charges 2013 - 2014 It was great to see so many of you at the meetings we held to talk about the service charge budgets for 2013 - 2014 and to answer your questions.
The Green Deal You might have seen in the papers or on TV that the Government has launched The Green Deal.
This is a new way to lend people money to help pay for improvements to homes and businesses that will save money on fuel bills and reduce carbon emissions. LiveGreen is part of SYHA and we have been involved with The Green Deal for over two years so we know all about it. We are working to find the best Green Deal for as many of our customers as possible. We want to help you make your home as warm and as comfortable as possible and to keep your costs down. As with most other improvements to your home you will need to get SYHA’s permission to sign up to the Green Deal. Until we are able to make a Green Deal offer, we will not be giving permission for any Green Deal work. If you are contacted by anyone making you a Green Deal offer please do not sign up to anything. We will be in touch again when we have a good offer for you. In the meantime, remember, LiveGreen is offering free Home Energy Healthchecks to all SYHA customers. If you’d like one of our Energy Doctors to visit we can look at a range of other ways to help reduce your fuel bills. Call Anna Cooper on 0114 2900648 to find out how to book in a visit.
If you weren’t able to come along to your meeting and you have a question about your service charge please get in touch with Karl Drabble on 0114 2900 260 or Lizz Cadman on 0114 2702 688. We are continuing to work on the service charge accounts for 2012 - 2013, so if you pay a variable charge we will be sending you the accounts for your scheme by the end of September 2013. The accounts you receive will show if there has been an over or underspend and whether or not your account is in credit or arrears. If you have any questions about the accounts we will be holding meetings and drop-in sessions later in the year to explain the service charge accounts to you in more detail and answer any questions you have about them.
Tell us what you think and be in with a chance of winning ! This year’s Leaseholder Satisfaction Survey will be posted out to all leaseholders in August. If you fill it in and return it to us you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win £25 in high street vouchers. Letting us know what you think really does make a difference – when Miss N, from Rotherham, told us that the bin area was dark and could be slippery after it had
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been raining, she said it would be really helpful if there was better lighting. We got in touch with our electrician to see what improvements could be made. We have now installed a light in the bin area to make it feel safer and reduce the chance of someone slipping if the ground is wet.
Home Owner Handbook We are updating the Home Owner Handbook that people receive when they buy their home. Your comments really help us to make sure that the Handbook contains the information you think is important and gives the answers many of the questions new Leaseholders have. We are going to make it easier to read by having clearer sections, make sure that the information applies to all types of leasehold properties and explain the differences between flats and houses. If you have any thoughts about how we can make the Handbook even better we’d love to hear from you. Give Karl or Lizz a call on the telephone numbers above 9
LiveWell … with SYHA LiveWell is the new name for our Care, Support and Wellbeing services and it describes what we want to deliver for all our residents and communities.
With our services you can settle at home and be sure that your property is safe and warm, but what about your life style and opportunities? We work with many clients to support them reach their goals in life, and we are developing what we do to reach more people than ever! Over the Summer months
we will be holding a number of consultations with our customers, to hear from you about what we can offer to help you LiveWell in your home. Everyone is different and we want to hear about what activities, services, learning and social activities different people enjoy.
If you would be interested in talking to us, either in an informal group or oneto-one about what gets you out of bed in the morning and makes you feel good, please contact Helen Sims, Enterprise and Marketing Manager on 0114 2900 200.
Volunteering with SYHA Idaya Osman Ali was our very first volunteer and she has been volunteering with us now for nearly a year.
What made you want to volunteer with SYHA? ‘I wanted to volunteer because I’d heard good things about the organisation and this volunteer position was recommended to me She helps run a variety of activities including through my SYHA key worker.’ bingo, a slimming group and beauty therapy What’s the best thing about sessions at Westmeads, one of our Extra volunteering? Care Schemes for the over 55’s. ‘Being able to help people, learning new Idaya is an SYHA customer and is studying Health and Social Care at Barnsley College. things and meeting new people. I think I have a caring nature so enjoy helping We interviewed Idaya and asked her to tell us about what made her volunteer and why others.’ she enjoys it. Do you have any advice for people thinking about volunteering? Where do you volunteer and how ‘Yes; do it, it will help them to gain regularly? ‘I volunteer weekly with at Westmeads Extra experience, help them build confidence and improve their communication skills.’ Care Scheme in Royston, Barnsley.’ 10
If like Idaya, you would like to meet new people, learn new skills and help others then why not sign up to volunteer with SYHA?
Call our Volunteer Coordinator, Anthony on 0114 2900 286 for a friendly chat or you can email a.larsen@syha.co.uk
Well done!
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Two residents of the Rotherham te mporary accommodation project, Saleem Ud -Din and Abdul Qayyum , together with ot her members of thei r group - MKA Sh effield UK (Majlis Khuddam Ul Ahmadiya Shef field UK) did a charity walk at Willen Lake in Milton Keynes and raise d an incredible £2 2,000 for Weston Park Hospital in Sheffie ld!
tra Court, ex Stonelow nfield, ro D e in m e h c s re ca and red noses don their y n n ing fu do someth on Comic y for mone stic ing a fanta is ra f e li e R £234.00!
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The Meadows, extra care scheme in Sheffield, had a tremendously successful ‘Great Pie & Peas Up’ event raising £360.00 for St. Luke’s hospice in Sheffield.
The Challenge Group start their first exercise The Customer Challenge Group have been really busy over the past months getting to grips with what it means to be part of the group and challenging what we do at SYHA. They have undergone training to help them develop their skills to really get under the skin of what we do at SYHA, to ask probing questions, find answers and suggest better ways of working by coming up with their recommendations. They are now ready to get their teeth into their first exercise and we will be keeping you up-to-date with what they are up to and what they find out.
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It’s good to have friends Picture this, a park, a garden, a patch of land - unloved, uncared for, overgrown with rubbish blowing around. Add a handful of local people, a splash of motivation and a sprinkling of time, energy and ideas, and you’ve got the basis of a friends group. We are actually taking about a real area known by locals as Philadelphia Gardens and we have been working with the group, the Wildlife Trust and Sheffield City Council to help make things happen. It’s early days but the friends are keen to get started and are already arranging clean-up days to banish the rubbish and show that some people really do care about the area. They are hoping to build
on this over the coming months and achieve great things. If you live in the Netherthorpe area of Sheffield and would like to know more about how to get involved, why not get in touch and we can give you some more information about what they’re up to and what they have planned. You can find our contact details on page 15. If you’re not local to this area but have an idea for turning an unloved patch of land into an urban oasis, get in touch we’d love to hear of any ideas you might have and how we can help you to get going. 11
Front cover story At the beginning of April the government brought in some changes to the way benefits are paid.
The new Government rules do not allow a bedroom for: l A
child whose main home is elsewhere, i.e. a child who comes to stay a number of nights per week with a parent they do not live with full-time. For many of you this will have reduced Only one parent can be classed as the the money you have to pay your rent, ‘main carer’. bills and all the other things it takes l A couple who sleep in separate to run a household and look after your rooms, even if this is for medical or family. other physical reasons. First of all, the government has brought l Visits from family members. in new guide lines for the number of bedrooms each household needs. This is l Pregnancy; but when the baby is born the child will count towards your knows as ‘Bedroom Tax’ bedroom allowance. If you have: If you’re under-occupying and have been l One ‘spare’ bedroom – your Housing finding it difficult to make ends meet Benefit will have been cut by 14%. don’t panic! We have a team here who l Two or more ‘spare’ bedrooms – your can help make sure that you’re making Housing Benefit will have been cut by the most of your money and tell you 25%. about other options you might want to The new Government rules think about such as moving to a smaller home or swapping your place with allow one bedroom for: someone who also wants to move just l every adult couple (married or like Sharon did. Read about her swap unmarried). story on the next page. l any other adult aged 16 or over. l any two children of the same gender aged under 16. l any two children aged under 10. l a carer (or team of carers) who do not live with the claimant but provide them or their partner with overnight care.
It’s really important that you get in touch and let us know that you’re finding things difficult. It will help make sure you get the right support before things get too stressful. Even if you’re not affected by the Bedroom tax, it’s likely that you now have to make a higher contribution to your Council Tax than you did before. There are some really simple changes you can make today that will help you take control of your money and make sure you’re making the most if what you have for you and your family.
Before you spend money – whether it’s £1.00 or £100 ask... Do I need this, or do I want it? l Is there an alternative that’s cheaper? l Can I afford it? These questions are not meant to spoil your fun, just give you space to consider how you’re spending your money.
Apps on your phone 2 a week at 69p per app.
Per month £5.52 Per year £66.24.
One less drink on a night out. £4.00 twice a month - £8.00.
Per year £96 Magazine – £2.00 a week
£104 per year
Costa coffee £3.00 once a week
£156 per year
Pizza at the end of a night out £7.00. Twice a month £14
Per year
£168
Buy lunch instead of packed lunch £6.00 twice a week £48
Per year
Public transport instead of walking (Travel pass at £13 a week)
£676 £576 per year
Go over your overdraft limit once a month - £30. Per year - £360
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Feeling the squeeze?
Small changes can make a big difference!
Cigarettes (based on smoking 20 a day) £7.50 a day.
£2520
per year
Carbon Monoxide The silent killer Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can be fatal or cause permanent damage to your health. CO is produced when carbon fuels don’t burn completely. It has no smell or taste and, in large quantities, it can kill very quickly. Anyone can be poisoned by CO. However some people are more at risk than others. These include young children, the elderly, people with anaemia and those with heart and lung diseases. Pregnant women risk damage to their unborn child from CO.
3. If you have an eye level gas grill, make sure you have your cooker checked. Older cookers can cause problems so use the electric toaster instead. It’s a good idea for you to get your cooker regularly serviced. 4. Make sure that air bricks and trickle vents on windows are not blocked.
Symptoms of CO poisoning
Unexplained illnesses such as tiredness, muscle pains, upset stomach, dizziness There are a few things you can do to check: and headaches can be signs that you are experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning. 1. Keep an eye on the colour of the flame If you think you might be experiencing on your appliance - it should be blue. If it is orange it could indicate a problem? the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning contact your doctor or call 111 the new Get in touch with us straight away? NHS helpline. 2. Make sure your chimney flue isn’t blocked. If you think birds may have If you have any concerns about your nested in there then let us know and we gas appliances or don’t remember will fit guards to stop them. If you have having them serviced in the past 12 plants growing up the walls of your home months, give us a call on make sure they don’t block the flue. 0800 1380 380.
How to check for CO leaks
Gas Safety & Awareness As you will know SYHA takes the servicing of your gas appliances very seriously. You must have all gas appliances supplied by SYHA serviced each year and within 28 days of your service taking place you will receive a copy of the certificate for your records. We take your gas servicing so seriously because faulty gas appliances can give off carbon monoxide. This year we have made a donation to Carbon Monoxide Awareness a charity that helps to raise awareness about Carbon monoxide and the effects it can have on you or your family. To find out more about the charity, the work they do and the dangers of carbon monoxide visit www.covictim.org
Big changes can make a bigger difference Sometimes a chance conver- there were no problems. Staff at SYHA were very professional and sation can bring a piece of it was all sorted out within five good fortune your way. This is what happened to Sharon, a resident at SYHA for 13 years. Whilst visiting a friend she started to talk about how she was looking to downsize her property for a smaller one. By chance her friend knew someone who had outgrown their one bedroom flat and needed to upsize to somewhere bigger. ‘The bedroom tax was coming and even though I loved where I lived I knew I needed to move somewhere smaller. I went to see the flat which was in a really nice area and as soon as I walked through the door it knew it was prefect for me’. Swappers - Geoff, Toni, Willow and Sharon
On the exchange process Sharon said, ‘it all went really smoothly -
weeks.’
Why wait for the fickle hand of fate – increase your chances of finding your ideal swap by registering with HomeSwapper the UK’s largest web based swap site. Visit www.homeswapper.co.uk It’s free and easy to register.
Need help to get registered or want to talk to someone about moving? Call our Customer Services team on 0114 2900 200, or visit www.syha.co.uk click on ‘SYHA and You’ and go to, ‘want to move.’ We’ve also put together a handy leaflet containing all the information you need to know and some top tips to help you find your perfect swap partner so just let us know if you’d like a copy. 13
Kid’s Competition
Summer Sudoku It’s a colouring in picture puzzle – it’s summer Sudoku! Why not have a go at solving the puzzle? Each lot of four squares, and each row and column, needs to contain a different picture. Can you solve the puzzle by cutting out the pictures below and sticking them on the blank squares?
Extra points for the most colourful pictures! So grab your colouring pencils and felt tip pens and get colouring in. Good luck!
WIN £
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HIGH S VOUCH TREET ERS
Kid’s competition Name:
Age:
Address: Postcode: Telephone No: 14
Send to: South Yorkshire Housing Association Ltd, FREEPOST, SF1336, Sheffield, S1 1AY. The closing date for entries is the Friday 12th July 2013
Competition winners Congratulations to the lucky winners of the Spring newsletter competitions drawn by our Customer Improvement Panel.
Mr Pearson from Chesterfield won £25 for completing the Home Insurance word fill, and well done to Ebony from Sheffield, aged 9, for winning £10 for getting creative and colouring in all the people on the front cover of the last edition of the newsletter.
The £50 winner, for giving us their praise or grumble, was Mrs Abdi from Sheffield.
Adult’s competition
Website word search To celebrate the launch of the new SYHA website we’ve created a special website word search. To solve it you will need to log on to www.syha.co.uk, answer the six questions below and find these answers in the word search. We’ve given you some clues to help you get started. Good luck! 1. What is the name of the service that helps you to pay your rent online? Clue: click on ‘I want to pay my rent’
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5. What was the surname of SYHA’s founder? Clue: click on ‘who we are’ and go to ‘our history’.
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6. How many editions of Keeping in Touch can you find on the website? Clue: click on ‘news hub’ and go to ‘keeping in touch newsletter’
2. What’s the new name for Disability Living Allowance? Clue: click on ‘how will welfare reform affect me?’ 3. What’s the name of the company where you can buy a home? Clue: click on ‘I’m looking for a home’. 4. We have a scheme to work with young graduates. What is it called? Clue: click on ‘work with us’ and go to ‘other employment opportunities’.
If you want to enter the adult’s competition and fill in the praise or grumble form overleaf, all you need to do is detach the whole page, send it to us and we will make sure your competition entry and praise or grumble are both entered in the prize draw.
Name: Address: Postcode: Telephone No:
How to contact 0114 2900 200 enquiries@syha.co.uk SYHA, 43 – 47 Wellington Street, Sheffield S1 4HF.
Text keyword SYHA to 63333 If you text during office hours we aim to call you back by 5pm the same working day.
WIN £
25
HIGH S VOUCH TREET ERS
Repairs Freephone 0800 1380 380 Out of office hours emergencies 0800 1380 580 Repairs@syha.co.uk Text keyword Repair to 63333 If you text during office hours we aim to call you back by 5pm the same working day. 15
Praise or Grumble Your comments are very important to us.
Please use this form to let us know your praises, grumbles, comments, suggestions or to nominate a staff member or team that you feel has given not just a good service but a great service. We will respond to every form that is returned and enter you in to a prize draw to win High Street Vouchers worth ÂŁ50. We will draw the next prize on Friday 12th July 2013.
I would like to: Praise
Grumble
Comment
Nominate a staff member or team for a Good to Great Award Tell us about how staff have gone out of their way to help you
Details:
Suggestions:
WIN ÂŁ
HIGH 5O VOUCSTREET HERS Name
Date
Address
Postcode
Contact number Email address
If you would like to make a Praise or Grumble please call us on 0114 2702 685 or email praiseorgrumble@syha.co.uk
South Yorkshire Housing Association Delivering quality local living
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Freepost to: Praise or Grumble, South Yorkshire Housing Association Ltd, FREEPOST SF1336, Sheffield S1 1AY