at home winter 2013
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ÂTRANSCRIPT
/PooleHousing
NEW LOOK!
INSIDENew look PHP website NICE projects Mend It Mike Winter warmers| | |
www.YourPHP.org.uk
See page 8
New
Extra Care
scheme
for Poole
Alternative formatsWe can supply this information inlarge print, on audio CD or in yourlanguage. We can also send you amagnifier. Please call 01202 264444to discuss your requirements.
2 At Home | Winter 2013
WELCOME
HELP US TO GET TOKNOW YOU BETTER
At Homeis produced for Poole Housing
Partnership residents.
We would like to include your own news,views and articles in future issues of
. Please send them to theaddress below, call 01202 264436 oremail .
Poole Housing Partnership LtdBeech House28-30 Wimborne RoadPoole BH15 2BU
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The copyright of is owned by
Poole Housing Partnership and the
content should not be reproduced
without permission.
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At Home
future budgets that money is set
aside to carry out adaptations
and/or any works required.
So, if you receive a letter from us,
please take the time to fill it in and
return to PHP in the pre-paid
envelope.
Thank you in advance for your help.
To help us plan ahead, and
ensure our services meet all
residents’ needs, we aim to hold
a limited amount of information
about your household.
In the new year, we are going to
be seeking information about
residents that might be missing
from our records including age,
ethnicity, needs and contact
preferences.
If you get a letter, we can promise
we’re not being nosy, but having
all the facts helps us to deliver a
better service to you. If we know,
for example, how many of our
residents have disabilities, we can
ensure within our current and
...to the Winter
edition of
We have been working with the
Residents’ Editorial Panel to freshen
up and to improve the
appearance and usefulness of the
magazine.
Residents on the panel have asked us to
include more hints and tips, details of
our current activities, and stories of how
residents are helping their communities.
We hope you like the result in this issue.
If you have a story to tell, or a neighbour who deserves to be recognised
for what they do for their community, please let us know.
With the magazine, you will also receive the 2013 PHP Calendar and a
copy of our Annual Report. We hope you find them all useful.
I wish you a Happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.
Joe Logan
Chief Executive
At Home
At Home
3At Home | Winter 2013
WHAT’S IN Home
Spotlight on
evicted
Be
Satisfied with
Warm Home Discount
Winter warmers
Nuisance neighbours
gas safe
Spectrum
Food ‘n’ fun at
Introducing the
losing your home
and each other
Do something
Turlin Moor
Neighbourhood Team
Don’t risk
Look after yourself
NICE
Mend It Mike
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19
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New Extra Carescheme for Poole .......8
Make 2014 a newyear for a new you.....4
Residents do theirbit for charity...............10
The new PHPwebsite goes live ....12
Kids collectpoints for prizes........18
Use up your Christmasleftovers...........................20
4 At Home | Winter 2013
MAKE 2014A NEW YEAR FORA NEW YOU!
Get fit, get healthy
Regular exercise, combined with abalanced diet, is crucial to maintaininggood health and well-being, whateveryour age. You don’t have to go fruitand veg crazy or take up a gymsubscription – although your localsports centre may be running specialpromotions in January – but you’ll finda little effort goes a long way.
Try walking or cycling to work, eatingfresh fruit instead of a fatty pudding orjust keeping an eye on your portionsizes at dinner time. If you’re asheltered resident, there are lunchclubs and stretch-and-balance classesthat take place every week at differentschemes.
Drinking less alcohol also has severalpositive consequences: it will help youlose weight, make your mind morealert and help improve bloodcirculation around your body. Evenbetter, why not make 2014 the year youfinally give up the demon weed?The Bournemouth and Poole StopSmoking Service can help improve yourchances of going smoke-free – just call0300 3038 038.
Volunteer your time
Are you likely to have some spare timeon your hands in the new year?Volunteering can be mutuallybeneficial – it will help others in needof some extra assistance, and help youlearn new skills that could enhanceyour CV and employment prospects.It will encourage you to do somethingmeaningful with your time, and makeyou feel good too.
Our Volunteer Support Worker schemematches potential volunteers withclients who have differentrequirements, from needing help withtheir weekly food shop to supportcompleting paperwork. Contact ourVolunteers Co-ordinator on 01202264317 for more information.
Learn something new
It’s exciting to set yourself a newchallenge; it will give you the chance tomeet other people and could open up awhole world of opportunities. If you’veyearned to learn a foreign language orbe able to play a musical instrument,now’s your chance.
You’re never too old to learn new skills orstudy for a qualification. Things likebeing able to use a computer or takenotes in a meeting are skills that arevalued by employers and could help youget a job, or move on with your career.
Your learning could even help you takeyour life in a different direction, whetherthat’s work, travel or in your personal life.
With the festive season almost upon us and 2014only around the corner, now’s the time to thinkabout what you want to do differently next year.Here are some suggestions for achievable new year’sresolutions...
“REGULAR EXERCISEIS CRUCIAL TOMAINTAININGGOOD HEALTH.”
5At Home | Winter 2013
Use energy wisely
PHP put a lot of effort into making sureall homes are insulated and as energyefficient as possible. Radiators are fittedwith individual controls and thermostats,and installed in the right places, to helpyou to use your energy more wisely. Whynot set yourself a challenge next year andsee if you can reduce your energy use? Try:
“YOU’RE NEVERTOO OLD TOLEARN NEW SKILLSOR STUDY FOR AQUALIFICATION.”•
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Setting your thermostat no higher thanyou need
Using draught excluders by your doors
Turning your appliances off; don’t leavethem on standby
Reducing the temperature of your hotwater
Energy prices continue to rise but we canall use energy more wisely!
Start saving
When you can, put a bit of money awayin a bank or savings account. Avoiddoorstep lenders and pay day loanswhich are very expensive. Why not talkto Coastal Credit Union about how theycan help you manage your finances?
Coastal Credit Union can offer you afull banking service but with no hiddencharges. Credit unions are supportedby the government and savers are fullycovered by the Financial Service Actprotection.
Head tofor more information.
www.coastalcreditunion.co.uk
Find out if you’re eligible for help paying your electricitybill with this government-run initiative.
“YOU COULD GET A £135DISCOUNT ON YOURELECTRICITY BILL.”
For winter 2013 to 2014, you could
get a £135 discount on your
electricity bill through the Warm
Home Discount Scheme.
You qualify for the discount if, on 20th
July 2013, your supplier was part of the
scheme, your name (or your partner’s)
was on the bill and you were either:
75 or over and getting the Guarantee
Credit element of Pension Credit
(even if you get Savings Credit)
under 75 and only getting the
Guarantee Credit element of Pension
Credit (you won’t qualify if you also
get Savings Credit)
If you don’t qualify some suppliers can
offer the discount to vulnerable people
(e.g. those on a low income). Each
supplier has their own rules about who
else can get this help.
Check with your supplier if you meet
their rules for Warm Home Discount
and how to apply for it.
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Pre-pay or pay-as-you-gometers
You can also qualify for the discount if
you use a pre-pay or pay-as-you-go
electricity meter.
Your electricity supplier can tell you
how you’ll get the discount if you’re
eligible. For example, you could get a
voucher to top up your meter.
SPOTLIGHT ONWARM HOME DISCOUNT
If you qualify for thediscount
If you qualify for the discount, you’ll
receive a letter informing you that you
either:
Don’t have to apply for the discount –
you’ll get it automatically, or
Must apply for the discount before
the deadline – the letter will tell you
why and how
Letters are sent between mid
September 2013 and January 2014.
Contact the helpline if your letter
doesn’t arrive by February 2014.
The deadline to claim for winter 2013
to 2014 is 14th March 2014. Please be
aware that late claims won’t be
accepted. If you have a general query
regarding the scheme or think you may
be eligible, simply call 0845 603 9439.
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6 At Home | Winter 2013
Heating costs are top of everyone’s worries over the winter months but with just afew small changes you can keep warm without overspending.
WINTER WARMERS
Tip 1
Tip 2
Layers are your friend.
Get out of there!
One bigjumper may look like the warmer optionbut if you really want to stay warm, lotsof thin layers will keep you toasty. Airgets trapped between the layers andwarms up, keeping you insulatedagainst the frosty outside.
If your living room istoo cold and you’re worried aboutheating it for a whole day, you canalways head off to a public place toenjoy their heating for free. Thinklibraries, museums, community centresand you won’t go far wrong.
Tip 3
Get baked. Ovens generate a massiveamount of heat when in use so if youhave enough space and you’re cookingyourself something tasty and warming,why not set up a seat in your kitchen toenjoy some of the cast-off energy? Onceyou’ve finished cooking and turned youroven off, you can leave the door open tolet the residual heat warm your kitchenwithout a thermostat in sight! Take carethat any children or pets are kept awayfrom the open oven until it’s fully cooled.
Tip 4
Tip 5
Move it.
Eat, drink and be warm!
It’s amazing how quickly a coldroom can feel warmer if you movearound in it. Exercise will get your bloodpumping so even if it’s too cold to gooutside, grab a duster or a vacuumcleaner and get working. Not only willyour house look spick and span but it’llfeel like a sauna before you know it!
Make surethat you eat at least one hot meal everyday and drink hot drinks at regularintervals, especially before bed. If youare unable to cook your own meals as aresult of a disability or health condition,you may be able to claim a benefit tohelp you pay someone else to help –call 01202 264400 for more details.
“LOTS OF THINLAYERS WILL KEEPYOU TOASTY.”
7At Home | Winter 2013
8 At Home | Winter 2013
FUNDING SECUREDFOR EXTRA CARE SCHEME
Borough of Poole and PHP have been working onproposals to develop a modern Extra Care schemefor older people called Trinidad Village.
Poole is set to benefit from a new 54-
unit housing development which will
offer round-the-clock support services
and personal care for some of the
town’s older population.
The work, which will be financed through
£1.7m government funding and £5.5m
from Borough of Poole’s Housing
Revenue Account, is likely to commence
next summer, transforming Trinidad
House in Rossmore.
Extra Care offers enhanced support and
facilities to enable older people and
adults with care and support needs to live
independently. It also provides a safe and
secure environment where a sense of
community and well-being is actively
encouraged.
Trinidad Village – the name for the
proposed scheme – could add a three-
storey building to the existing Trinidad
House site. New, modern facilities could
include a residents’ lounge and tea bar,
restaurant, activity room, hairdresser,
laundry, garden and terraces.
“ROUND-THE-CLOCK SUPPORT ANDPERSONAL CARE FOR OLDER PEOPLE.”
A view of Trinidad House as the
site currently looks.
9At Home | Winter 2013
The team leading the project has already
run a number of consultation events
where Trinidad residents and those living
in the locality have had the opportunity to
view the plans and find out more about
the proposals. Feedback so far has been
extremely positive, with many residents
showing their support for the scheme.
A Resident Liaison Officer has been
appointed to support residents affected
by the works. Sarah Florio, previously a
Sheltered Housing Co-ordinator, will help
minimise disruption to residents by
providing practical support and advice as
the project gathers pace.
The project also has the co-operation of
NHS Mental Health Services, Alzheimer’s
Society, Housing & Community Services
(HCS) and Poole Council for Voluntary
Service (PCVS).
Artist’s impressions of what Trinidad Village could look like once the development work is complete.
“THE NEW TRINIDAD VILLAGE WILL ALLOWUS TO ACCOMMODATE MORE RESIDENTSWITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF NEED.”
Cllr Peter Adams, Cabinet Portfolio
Holder for Health and Well-being at
Borough of Poole, told
“The current facility at Trinidad House is
in need of refurbishment and providing
a new community facility will allow us to
accommodate more residents with
different levels of need.”
At Home:
10 At Home | Winter 2013
PHP residents have been busy setting up charitable events in
their local neighbourhoods, all to help causes close to their
hearts.
At Baiter Gardens, Local Community Representative Les Robson
was joined by friends, family and neighbours as he made the
ultimate sacrifice (top right) – losing his hair in front of a packed
common room!
Les asked for donations to Cancer Research UK and in exchange,
agreed to have his head shaved by ‘Flash & Harry’s’ hairdresser
Mandy, who gave up her time for free.
Never one to do things by halves, Les approached local businesses
and organised a raffle to further support the cause, with prizes
including dinner for two at Banana Wharf and a boat trip to
Brownsea Island. The whole event raised £700.
DOINGTHEIR BIT!Heads are shaved and cakes are baked asPHP residents raise money for charity.
Les, who has lived at Baiter Gardens for five years, is a dedicated
fundraiser and last year completed a 25-mile sponsored cycle ride in
aid of the same charity.
“Cancer has affected several members of my family so I do what I
can to raise awareness of the cause,” said Les. “I’m really grateful to
everyone for giving so generously and to the PHP staff for helping
me run the event.”
Meanwhile, Doreen Boothman and Joy Rockingham, residents at
Waterloo House, organised a bake sale (middle right) in aid of
Macmillan Cancer Support. The event raised £760.
Doreen said: “We ran the event in memory of Denise Richards, a
former Waterloo House resident who died earlier in the year. We
would like to thank everyone who attended and all who donated
raffle prizes and baked cakes to sell.”
The Residents’ Drop-in Centre at Sterte Court also played host to a
Macmillan coffee morning (bottom right), which raised £110.20.
“PHP RESIDENTS HELPED CAUSESCLOSE TO THEIR HEARTS.”
11At Home | Winter 2013
Fifty local people have turned out to
harvest crops at the latest New Roots
event organised at the PHP-backed
community garden.
Residents got the chance to pick
potatoes, onions, courgettes and other
crops to take home and enjoy. They also
sowed seeds and planted new crops
ready for the next season of growing.
Children enjoyed painting some of the
raised beds, which were turned into
brightly coloured spaces for growing
vegetables, and making delicious green
tomato chutney.
FOOD ‘N’ FUNAT TURLIN MOORFamilies gather to celebrate the annual harvest atTurlin Moor Community Garden.
COMMUNITYORCHARDPLANNEDWould you be interested in helping us set
up a community orchard or planting a
small fruit bush or tree in your back
garden? Please contact Clare on 01202
264316 or email [email protected]
After a hard morning’s work, everyone
tucked into free homemade soup and
vegetable curry.
The New Roots scheme is designed to
help and encourage residents to grow
their own food locally. Turlin Moor
Community Garden was one of the first
projects to be set up in Poole, and now
boasts its own resident-led committee
which manages the project
“It was fantastic to see so many people
turn out on such a cold day,” reported
Clare Sutton, who helps to organise
New Roots events on behalf of PHP.
“Everyone took home a bag of freshly
harvested crops and seemed delighted
with the newly decorated raised beds!”
Marc Collins, chairman of the
management committee added:
“We’d like to say a big thank you to
everyone who helped on the day and for
the donations we received. If anyone else
is interested in getting involved with the
project, we’d love to hear from you.”
For more information please contact
Clare Sutton on 01202 264316.
Children show off the fruits of their
labours at the Turlin Moor harvest.
SURF YOURNEW WEBSITEPHP’s website has undergone a makeover!The site has been given a fresh new look and ispacked with exciting features to help you get themost out of your tenancy.
12 At Home | Winter 2013
Why have we got a
new website?
How do I get to the
PHP website?
What are the main
differences between
the old website and the
new one?
Our old website simply wasn’t meeting
the needs of residents. You told us you
wanted to be able to access our services
quickly and at a time which is convenient
for you, so we decided to completely
review the information we provide online.
Through a mixture of focus groups and
feedback sessions, residents have helped
us develop a website which, we hope,
is up to date, user-friendly and easy on
the eye.
The website address hasn’t changed.
As it’s your website, we’ve kept the name:
. Just enter this
into the address bar when you open up
your internet browser. To make sure you
can get to it quickly each time, just save
it to your list of favourite websites.
The first thing you’ll notice is the
homepage looks completely different.
www.yourphp.org.uk
We’ve split the page into sections to help
find the information you need and added
splashes of colour throughout (rather
than just one colour) to help bring the
site to life. There are more interactive
features, including moving menus and
videos, more pictures and more content.
Overall, the website has a much better
look and feel about it, which we hope will
encourage residents to go online for help
more often.
The menus at the top of the homepage
are where you’ll be able to access most of
the information you require. Everything
related to your tenancy is listed under the
‘Residents and Leaseholders’ menu,
including details about maintenance
works, ways to pay your rent, what to do
in an emergency and how to contact us
for advice. If you need to contact your
housing officer, for example, you can find
their details here. On each page, there’s
a ‘Contact us’ panel so you can get help
from a particular team if you need it.
The links on the right-hand side of the
homepage allow you to go straight to our
most popular services. One click and
you’ll be able to report a repair, report an
incident, make a payment, request a
form, find a home, or find an answer to a
question.
What sort of features
are there?
Find PHP online at www.yourphp.org.uk
Also on the homepage, you can stay up
to date with the latest news and events,
find information related to supported
living (sheltered housing, adaptations,
money advice and other support
services), plus discover what we’re doing
to build strong, sustainable communities
around Poole.
The Residents’ Hub area is your one-stop
resource for ways to get involved with
PHP, read past editions of and
sign up for free training courses.
At Home
13At Home | Winter 2013
GET ONLINE FOR FREE
Cinnamon Lane residents are the
latest group who can now access the
internet remotely thanks to a new wi-fi
hotspot, which has been set up at the
scheme. We’re looking at making
similar facilities available in other
areas – if you’d like to benefit from
free wi-fi, please contact your
sheltered housing officer.
Can I get involved with
PHP via the website?
Yes! We’d love to hear from you via
our Facebook and Twitter pages,
which you’ll find links to on the
homepage. You can also have your say
on how we engage with residents by
completing our ‘Involving you in what
we do’ survey.
Is there more to come?
There is indeed. As well as regularly
updated news and events information,
we’re planning to launch a set of
online forums to enable residents to
exchange views on different topics.
You’ll also be able to search via area
or road to find out what works are
planned in your neighbourhood.
Watch this space!
“THE NEW WEBSITE IS UP TODATE, USER-FRIENDLY ANDEASY ON THE EYE.”
14 At Home | Winter 2013
Who is in theNeighbourhood Team?
We have five full-time Housing Officers,
each with their own ’patch’ which covers
an area of our housing stock.
looks after Oakdale,
Canford Heath, Millfield, Waterloo and
Bearwood. is the
Housing Officer for Bourne, Alderney
East and Alderney West.
is the main point of contact for residents
in Poole Town, while looks
after Hamworthy and is
responsible for Turlin Moor.
Kirstie Ellis (1)
Emily Watts (2)
Lesly Curtis (3)
Sally Ross (4)
Claire Vincent (5)
PHP delivers its services via a number of different teams, many of which you’llcome into contact with during your tenancy. In the first of this new series, weintroduce you to the people who support the development of strong,sustainable communities in Poole.
What does your HousingOfficer do?
It is your Housing Officer’s job to
help PHP deliver a comprehensive
neighbourhood management service.
They encourage active resident
participation, lead on estate planning
and strive to make your local environment
safe and pleasant to live in. They also
work with PHP’s caretaking team,
contractors and other agencies to ensure
neighbourhoods are kept in a clean and
tidy condition.
A big part of the Housing Officer’s role
is to work with residents to help them
understand their tenancy obligations.
This includes developing neighbourhood
agreements and tackling anti-social
behaviour in your locality.
When am I likely to see myHousing Officer?
How can I get in touch withthe Neighbourhood Team?
Our Housing Officers spend the majority
of their time working in their patches (not
drinking tea!), undertaking estate
inspections and helping residents with
tenancy queries. They regularly carry out
home visits, meeting both new and long-
standing residents to monitor our services,
identify where residents need support, and
check that residents are complying with
their responsibilities too.
Please call us on and ask to
speak to your Housing Officer.
Alternatively, you can email
.
01202 264444
INTRODUCING...THE NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM
5 4 2
1 3
15At Home | Winter 2013
DON’T RISKLOSING YOUR HOMEA new act which cameinto effect in Octoberthis year means thatsocial housing fraud isnow a criminal offence.The law applies to PHPresidents with securetenancies – read on formore information.
Sub-letting your home couldcarry a two-year jail term afterthe government introduced thePrevention of Social HousingFraud Act.
There are two offences of unlawfulsub-letting. You will have committedthe first offence if:
You have broken a term of yourtenancy agreement by sub-letting allof your home. Sub-letting part ofyour home (e.g. getting a lodger)also counts, but it only applies if youdidn't get PHP’s permission first;
You no longer live in the property asyour only or principal home, and;
You sub-let the property knowingthat you were breaking your tenancyagreement.
The second offence is similar to thefirst one. The main difference is thatfor the first offence it is enough forsomeone to know that sub-letting isagainst their tenancy agreement.The second offence requires theperson to have acted dishonestlywhen sub-letting.
This generally means that if you havemade money from sub-letting yourhome then you’re likely to have acted
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“SUB-LETTINGYOUR HOMECOULD CARRYA TWO-YEARJAIL TERM.”
dishonestly. This is a more seriousoffence and carries greater penalties.If a court finds you guilty of the firstoffence of unlawful sub-letting, you canbe fined up to £5,000 in the magistrates’court.
You can be tried for the second offenceof unlawful sub-letting and actingdishonestly at the magistrates’ court orthe Crown Court. At the magistrates’court, you can get up to six months inprison or a fine, or both. At the CrownCourt the maximum penalty isimprisonment for two years or a fine, orboth.
If you think this may affect you orsomeone you know, please talk to usbefore the situation gets out of hand.Call or email
.01202 264411
Words from the Citizens Advice Bureau.
PHP residents may take in alodger, but you must informus first. Please contact yourHousing Officer before yourmake arrangements.
LODGERSALLOWED
ARE
16 At Home | Winter 2013
PHP’s successful partnership work with HamworthySafer Neighbourhood Team has seen evictionnotices served on residents who “made lifeunbearable” for their neighbours.
A female resident was evicted from her propertyfor failing to adhere to the terms of her tenancy,including using excessive bad language, playingloud music, allowing her dog to disturb otherresidents and not keeping her garden in a goodcondition.
Despite numerous warnings and attempts tointervene, PHP could not secure long-termengagement and the resident was served with apossession order in April this year. She failed toattend the court trial and was finally evicted inNovember.
In his summing up, District Judge Avis said:“The defendant made only half-hearted attempts tomodify her behaviour, with no prospect of long-termimprovements. [She] ignored warnings and herbehaviour was appalling.”
PHP pursued a second case against a male residentwho in 2012 pleaded guilty to production of a ClassB drug at his property.
After serving a suspended sentence, a condition ofwhich was not to use his home for any drug-relatedactivity, quantities of cannabis were found during ahouse search in March 2013.
This, combined with being in rent arrears, helpedPHP secure possession, and the resident has sincebeen evicted.
Jo Mare, Housing Manager at PHP, said that whileeviction is always a last resort, it is sometimes themost appropriate action. “If residents use theirhomes for criminal activity and continue to make lifeunbearable for their neighbours, their homes shouldbe made available for others who need them,” shesaid. “These are excellent results for PHP, the Policeand the local community.”
Two PHP residents have beensubject to court action followingmonths of anti-social activity intheir neighbourhoods.
NUISANCENEIGHBOURSEVICTED
At Home | Winter 2013
LOOK AFTER YOURSELFAND EACH OTHERThe nights are getting darker and the cold weather is setting in. Some of us copebetter than others when it comes to the changing seasons, so it’s important to keepsafe and take care of your neighbours during the winter months.
travelled areas, like main roads, avoid
dead ends and generally take more
notice of your surroundings.
Don’t be tempted to get your mobile out
when you’re walking around, as this
could make you a target for theft. Keep
your belongings close to you and secure
money and other valuables in zipped
pockets or bags. Also dress sensibly,
maybe even in bright colours so you’re
visible to motorists and other
pedestrians.
Stay safe when you’re outand about
You shouldn’t let the darker evenings
stop you going out, but you should
remember to be aware and use your
common sense when you’re in unlit
areas.
The best way to protect your personal
safety at night is to travel with at least
one other person. Stick to frequently
Look out for yourneighbours
Small gestures like offering a helping
hand or a friendly face can show great
community spirit and make a real
difference to your more vulnerable
neighbours during the winter.
Check to see if your elderly neighbours
need anything from the shops or other
small errands being run. Make sure their
17
heating is working and advise them to
wrap up warm if they’re going out.
If you’ve cooked a meal for the family
and have some food left over, consider
taking it round to your neighbour.
Even popping in for a quick chat could
provide some welcome company,
particularly when the weather is bad and
leaving the house could become a
challenge. Give them your phone
number so they can contact you if they
need to.
Be prepared for severeweather
Put together a homeemergency kit
The weather has the potential to go from
one extreme to the other, so it pays to be
prepared for every eventuality. Severe
weather can disrupt our lives in many
ways, affecting power supplies and
causing damage to properties.
Things you can do to stay ahead include
getting your heating system checked,
making sure your water tank and pipes
are properly protected, knowing where
the water stop cock is and how to turn it
on, and checking your smoke alarm is
working.
If you have any maintenance issues,
PHP’s Helpdesk can be contacted on
.
By collecting a few household items in
one place, you’ll have everything you
need to hand in the case of an
emergency. We recommend the
following:
A torch and spare batteries
Candles and matches
A thermos flask
Bottled water and ready-to-eat food
Any essential medication
A list of emergency numbers
01202 264444
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“CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR ELDERLYNEIGHBOURS NEED ANYTHING FROMTHE SHOPS OR OTHER SMALL ERRANDSBEING RUN.”
18 At Home | Winter 2013
Youngsters got the chance to ‘top up’ their points,and move closer to winning a free day out to atheme park, during the latest Dreamscheme activity.
CANFORD HEATHKIDS CLEAR UP
Young PHP residents in Canford
Heath have made the most of
their school holiday by volunteering
some of their time to support one
of their neighbours.
The children, aged between 10 and 14
years old, helped clear an area of
overgrown land near Maureen Epton’s
home to enable her to have a new
shed installed on the site.
Supervised by PC Barry Gosling and
PC Sean Murphy from Canford Heath
Safer Neighbourhood Team, the group
got stuck into uprooting the bushes
and cutting back the overgrowth.
The activity formed part of PHP’s
Dreamscheme, a new initiative
designed to get more young people
involved in community projects. The
initiative encourages youngsters to
volunteer their time and earn points
that can be converted to free day trips.
Previously, the group took part in a
litter-picking exercise for which they
were awarded 20 points each.
With another 20 points won during the
latest exercise, the kids need only 20
more before they reach their prize – an
all-expenses-paid trip to Thorpe Park.
“I’m really grateful to the children for
helping to clear the site,” said
Maureen. “They worked really hard
and thoroughly deserve to be
rewarded for their efforts.”
Housing Officer for Canford Heath
Kirstie Ellis, who organises the
Dreamscheme activities said:
“Dreamscheme is a great way for
young people use their free time
constructively and give something
back to their communities. We’re
looking forward to our next activity
and the trip to Thorpe Park!”
Children who live on Canford Heath
helped neighbour Maureen Epton
as part of the Dreamscheme.
19At Home | Winter 2013
DO SOMETHING NICEWould you like to make some visual improvements to the areas surroundingyour home? We can help by providing funding for seating areas, improvedsecurity or storage facilities.
Examples of some of our recent projects
include new fencing, railings,
landscaping and planting in communal
areas, improving the layout and
demarcation of car parks, and working
with partners to provide facilities for
children and young people.
At PHP, we’re always keen to support
community-based improvement
projects that benefit your
neighbourhoods.
The NICE scheme – which stands for
‘Neighbourhood Improvements for
Communities and Estates’ – enables
residents to make improvements to their
communal areas and outside spaces.
Residents may apply for up to £3,000 per
project for communal improvements
such as seating areas, new security
measures, lighting and work on shared
gardens.
“I would definitely recommend residents
find out more about the NICE scheme,”
said Sue Hawkins, resident at Simmonds
Close, which recently benefitted from
new garden storage facilities. “Everyone
here loves the new sheds and makes use
of them. They look really good too, so
we’re very happy.”
If you have any suggestions about
environmental improvements you would
like to see in your neighbourhood,
please contact your Housing Officer to
discuss your ideas.
Residents applied for NICE scheme funding to erect shared storage facilities at Simmonds Close.
“RESIDENTS MAYAPPLY FOR UP TO£3,000 PER PROJECT.”
USE UP YOURCHRISTMAS LEFTOVERSChristmas has been and gone and you’ve still got lots of food left over. Butdon’t throw anything away. Instead, save yourself time and money with theseingenious recipe ideas, which are great for getting the kids involved in cooking!
20 At Home | Winter 2013
Turkey stirfry
Ingredients:
1 onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
Cooked turkey
Lemon juice
Soy sauce
Vegetables
Noodles
Method:
1 Soften a chopped onion by
frying gently in a couple of
spoons of hot olive oil
(include a couple of crushed
garlic cloves and some
black pepper to taste).
2 Cut the turkey into small
strips and gently fry with the
onions for a further five
minutes until the meat is
heated through. Squeeze a
little lemon juice over the
mixture.
3.Add in strips of carrots,
broccoli, baby sweetcorn or
any other vegetables you
have left over and a splash
or two of soy sauce. Stir fry
until the vegetables are
cooked.
4 Serve with egg noodles.
Sprout soup
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 diced large potato
1 glove garlic
200-300g cooked brussell
sprouts/any other left over
vegetables, e.g. potatoes,
carrots, broccoli
1l chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1 Heat oil and cook the onion
and garlic until soft.
2 Add the potato to the pan
and cook, stirring occasionally
for a few minutes.
3 Add the stock, bring to the
boil, then reduce the heat
and simmer for 10 minutes
or until the potato is soft.
4 Add the sprouts/other
cooked veg, salt and
pepper and herbs.
5 Simmer for a further
5 minutes.
6 Let the soup cool slightly
and blend until smooth.
7 Reheat until piping hot and
serve with croutons.
Turkey and stilton pot pies
Ingredients:
50g butter
1tbsp olive oil
3 medium potatoes, cut into
chunks
225g mushrooms
400g leftover cooked turkey,
cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed or
finely chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or a
small pinch of dried Thyme)
100ml chicken stock
150ml double cream
75g stilton crumbled
375g of ready rolled puff pastry
1 small egg beaten
Pinch of salt
Method:
1 Preheat oven to 180°C/
Gas Mark 6.
2 Heat butter and oil in frying
pan and fry the potatoes
over a low heat for 8-10
minutes until just beginning
to soften.
3 Stir in the mushrooms,
cooked turkey, garlic and
half the thyme. Cook for a
further 4-5 minutes.
4 Add the chicken stock and
cream and warm through
gently. For a really festive
taste you could use a splash
of brandy at this point.
Remove the pan from the
heat and stir in the stilton.
5 Unroll the pastry and cut
four pastry lids slightly
larger than your individual
pie dishes. Divide the filling
between your four small
dishes or ramekins and wet
the rim of each dish with
water before laying your
pastry circles over the top.
Press them to the rim firmly.
Brush with beaten egg and
scatter with salt and the
remaining thyme. Bake for
20 minutes until golden.Recipes adapted fromwww.netmums.com 21At Home | Winter 2013
Christmas pudding ice cream
Ingredients:
150ml chilled ready-made
custard
150ml whipped double cream
125g crumbled Christmas
pudding
Method:
1 Mix together the custard
and whipped cream.
2 Stir in the crumbled
Christmas pudding.
3 Put the mixture into a
freezable container and
place in the freezer for six
hours.
4 Remove and give it a stir.
5 Put back in the freezer until
it’s the consistency you
want.
22 At Home | Winter 2013
Each year we ask that residents allow us to access their
boilers so we can perform essential safety checks.
We rely on your co-operation to avoid any dangerous situations
arising from faults with the boiler. Did you know that:
• Using a defective gas appliance that hasn’t been serviced
places you, your family and your neighbours at risk
• Over 30 people die each year from faulty gas boilers
• Young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people
with respiratory problems are most at risk from carbon
monoxide poisoning
We are required by law to carry outgas appliance servicing and ensureall gas fires are installed properly inPHP properties. It’s all part ofkeeping you safe in your home.
BE GAS SAFE
You should also be aware that only Gas Safe engineers,
authorised by PHP, should install gas fires in your home. If you
fit a gas fire without permission, you will be in breach of your
tenancy and you could be recharged for the cost of any work
we have to carry out to ensure it is safe.
You can make a request from and
hitting the ‘Request a form’ link. Alternatively, please call us on
.
www.yourphp.org.uk
01202 264444
Our contractors at Spectrum have continued working hard on responsive repairs,carrying out re-wires, electrical tests and more across the PHP housing stock.And you have great things to say about their work and their people!
SATISFIED WITH SPECTRUM
We regularly receive feedback from satisfied residents who
are happy to recommend re-wiring to others. Here’s a few
examples of what you’ve been saying...
Miss Biggs, Oakdale
Ms Cooper, Turlin Moor
Mr & Mrs Brown, Turlin Moor
“I would rate Spectrum 310 on a scale of 1-10. They were
courteous when they were here. They treated me and my home
with respect which I really appreciated. I have no complaints.”
“The men were wonderful, so considerate and perfect
gentlemen. They always turned up on time and told me what
was happening. I wish they were doing my kitchen too!”
“Initially we were a bit concerned about the disruption a re-wire
could cause, but it was absolutely fine. The men were very tidy
and nothing was left lying around.”
MEND IT MIKEPHP’s Director of Technical Services helps you get togrips with maintenance issues around your home.
If you have any maintenance problems you’d like solved please email us at
[email protected] and we’ll forward them to Mend It Mike!
As part of our rewire and bathroom/kitchen refurbishment programmes, Lo-Carbon
extractor fans have been fitted in homes across Poole to ensure adequate ventilation
of rooms where moisture is created.
Proper maintenance of these fans is crucial, particularly during the winter when
people are less likely to open windows when cooking or using the shower.
The fans are designed to run continuously to provide ‘trickle’ ventilation, with a built
in boost facility which you can operate by a pullcord or light switch in the room.
The humidistat senses the moisture levels in the air and boosts the fans output,
dropping back to trickle mode once the moist air has been extracted.
Please take the time to ensure your fans are working prior to the onset of cold
weather.
1. Switch on the light or pull the cord. The fan speed and volume should increase.
2. Check outside to ensure that the vent outlet is not obstructed.
3. Run a dry duster around the fan intake to improve its efficiency.
A Lo-Carbon extractor fan consumes an extremely small amount of electricity,
costing less the 1.5p per day but has a huge effect on limiting excess moisture in your
home and preventing damp and mould problems.
Mike/
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Lo-Carbon extractor fansneed proper maintenanceduring the winter