At Home Winter 2013

/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

Designed by PerceptionPrinted by The Print AgencyDistributed by Postcare

[email protected]

At Home

At Home

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


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.”


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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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.”



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.


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:


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.”


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.


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


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.”


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

[email protected]

INTRODUCING...THE NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM

5 4 2

1 3


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

[email protected]

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


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.”


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.


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!


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.


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

Documents

At Home Winter 2013