autumn our times 2009

STATUS SURVEYRESULTS

YOU SAID ...WE DID!!!

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M O R E T H A N

J U S T A

L A N D L O R D

Tenants’ Conference

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On 30th September 2009, Villages Housing held its very �rst Tenants’ Conference, at the Honeywell Centre in Oldham.

The day was a great success, with tenants from both Stockbridge Village and Fitton Hill attending.

Guests heard presentations from some of Villages’ Directors, including Ken Mason, who updated everyone on the Status Survey Results. The Neighbourhood Team told everyone about their Street Reps Scheme.

For more information and lots more photos please see pages 4 and 5.

Villages again took part in the Oldham Carnival Parade on 27 June. Our theme this year was ‘The Village People’. The crew danced all the way around the carnival route to their hit records of ‘YMCA’ and ‘In the Navy’ and other dance hits from the 1970s. See page 25 for more details

We’ve given away loads of brilliant prizes since the last edition of “Our Times”, including a Nintendo Wii, £250 cash and £100 of vouchers as part of the Status survey. Philip, from Stockbridge Village, won a prize for naming our own SuperLambBanana. Turn to page 4 to �nd out more!

Don’t forget, we give away prizes in every edition of Our Times so look out for the “Win A Prize” logo!

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In the last edition of “Our Times” we were recruiting new members to each of our Estate Management Committees.

In Fitton Hill Peter McGuin and June Higgs retired from the committe, and Bernie McConnell says “ We would like to thank them for their dedicated service and valuable contribution during their time on the Committee.”

We are pleased to welcome Glynn Palmer and Bev Scoltock who will �ll the two vacancies left at Fitton Hill for both a tenant member and an owner occupier.

When asked recently about why she applied to be on our Estate Management Committee, Bev said,

“I wanted to get involved. If you want things to change you have to get involved. Plus I am an Owner Occupier so was keen to represent the views of other owner occupiers on the estate.”

The new members of the Stockbridge Village Estate Management Committe are Liz Sharpe and Terry da Silva, who are both Villages tenants.

Liz has got involved because she “wanted the views and opinions of a vulnerable person to be represented. I have had some di�cult times in my life and hope that I can be a voice for others like me.

Jed Pearson says, “We are sure that all of the new members will provide positive input to the committees.”

Full details of our Board and Estate Management Committee members will be available in our reception areas and on our website, in the Estate Management section www.villages.org.uk

COMMUNITY NEWS INSTOCKBRIDGE

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You Said... We Did!INTRODUCING OUR NEW ESTATE

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS

STARTS 20th APRIL 1-3PM

STOCKBRIDGE VILLAGE

Getting Involved

FITTON HILL

We Value Your Suggestions on how we can improve our services to you. There are Suggestions Boxes in both Fitton Hill and Stockbridge Village reception areas or you can call your local Villages O�ce or email us at [email protected].

At our Tenants’ Conference this year, we discussed ways in which you can get involved and have your say. See pages 4 and 5 for more information.

YOU SAID

WE DID

We don’t like the new format of the calendar, we want it to have a hook.

We have changed the format of the calendar and will be going back to the old wire bound, with a metal hook. Look out for your 2010 Villages calendar which will be being delivered in December.

YOU SAID

YOU SAID

WE DID

WE DID

Tenants at Brandearth and Roughsedge asked for the skip to be placed outside of Roughsedge House so they could access it easier.

We arranged for the skip to be placed in car park of Roughsedge House in June 2009

We don’t like the look of the rent statements and sometimes �nd them confusing

We have now reviewed our rent statements and have changed the design and layout, which some of you will be receiving shortly


M O R E T H A N J U S T A L A N D L O R DA U T U M N 2 0 0 9 3

OurTimes

Police Put The Squeeze On Crime

AFTER HOURSWIN A NINTENDO Wii


SCRAMBLER BIKES CRUSHED IN CROFT CAR PARK

Recycling Service for Residents in Flats

Fitton Hill Consultation Bus

Building on the success of the grey bin recycling scheme launched last year, Knowsley Council introduced a service for residents living in all �ats – ensuring that everyone has the chance to do their bit for the environment.

Householders living in �ats in Stockbridge Village received Hessian bags to collect their waste for recycling. Recycling facilities have been installed on site for residents to empty their recycling bags.

Merseyside Police is stepping up a gear in its drive against gun crime and the anti social use of scrambler bikes in Knowsley.

Following dawn raids on the morning of Thursday, 24 September, seven men from the Knowsley area were arrested and cannabis with an estimated street value of £20,000 was recovered from one address and a cannabis farm at another. Several mini-motos were also seized.

A strong message was sent out later that morning in relation to the illegal use of scrambler bikes, when a number of scrambler bikes seized in recent weeks were publicly destroyed in Stockbridge Village, in the car park at The Croft.

Chief Inspector Claire Richards explained: "Activities such as this will be a regular feature of making the streets of Merseyside safe and transferring the fear of crime back on to the criminals themselves.

"We have been targeting those who use scrambler bikes to commit crime and anti social behaviour. In a number of shooting incidents we have seen o�enders using scrambler bikes and we are determined to tackle these o�enders through every legal power available to us. I am determined to improve the quality of life for residents and communities. Police o�cers are seizing illegally used bikes and they will be crushed.”

Anyone who may have information in relation to Scrambler Bikes is asked to call the Matrix Team on 0151 777 5699, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The ground level recycling centres and the Hessian bags can take everything from empty boxes, tin cans, glass bottles and jars to plastic bottles, paper, newspapers and phone books. Recycling in Knowsley is so easy! You can

play a big part in helping to increase the amount of waste that is recycled in Knowsley and in doing so will be helping KMBC to reduce the amount we send to land�ll.

To �nd out more, call the Environmental Helpline on 0151 443 2400 or log on to www.knowsley.gov.uk



OurTimes

Rechargeable RepairsAFTER HOURS

WIN A NINTENDO WiiSTARTS 20th APRIL 1-3PM

VILLAGES’ FIRST TENANTS CONFERENCE A SUCCESS

Cyclical Maintenance

Working With You To Make Things Better

Villages carries out a cyclical maintenance external repair and painting programme every 5 years to each road on our estate. The programme will include, where required, �agging, timber renewals such as fascias and so�ts, roof repairs and gutter and fencing replacements. The programme also includes external painting which will improve the visual appeal of our properties in Stockbridge Village.

This year’s programme is currently being carried out in Boodecroft and Hollowcroft and is due to be completed by December 2009.

Villages are determined to place customers at the heart of all that we do.

Building on two successful customer excellence conferences in November 2008 and April 2009 at St Alberts on Stockbridge Village, we held our �rst Tenants’ Conference at the Honeywell Centre, Oldham, on 30th September.

Speaking at the well attended conference, Jed Pearson, Villages’ Deputy Chief Executive, said, “This is an opportunity for our residents to speak to us directly about their concerns and an opportunity for us to listen to our residents and act upon what they tell us.”

Residents from Fitton Hill and Stockbridge Village were joined by sta� from our contractors, who had displays on the day, and many Villages sta� who led the workshops based on Antisocial Behaviour, Rent Arrears, Communications and Service Delivery. Other organisations such as “Healthy Eating, Oldham” o�ered people advice on how to lead a healthier lifestyle. They o�ered free fruit, recipes and the chance to plant herbs for people to take away and use in the recipes.

Andrew Greenhill, Chair of Villages Housing‘s Board,started the day, followed by Ken Mason who reported back on the recent STATUS Survey results. Bernie McConnell and Lyn Kelly’s presentation on Equality and Diversity got everybody thinking.

Fred Jones, Chair of the Tenants Forum, gave an inspiring speech about how his involvement has shaped how Villages works, and in turn, how they have helped him with training. Fred was even lucky enough to win Emanuel Whittaker’s Prize Draw! It wasn’t a �x, he was chosen completely at random!!!



OurTimes



WORDS AND PICTURES





We are particularly interested to hear from any residents who would be willing to get involved in the project, including helping choose the contractor who will deliver the programme of work and joining progress meetings. This will not take up too much of your time but will occur during o�ce hours.

For further information, please contact Bernie McConnell or Stephen Jackson, call 0161 633 4060.

Villages Tenants’ Conference Continued...The Neighbourhood Team, from Fitton Hill and Hathershaw NDC, also gave a presentation about how they got involved and set up “Street Reps”. They have seen a vast improvement in their areas and would encourage anyone to become a street rep, or even get involved in any way they can. For more information on street reps please see page 26.

As well as being fully engaged in all the activities residents really enjoyed the day as this feedback conveys.

“It was extremely well organised and the food was excellent. The stalls were really good, and the presentations were excellent. I’m glad I came!”

“I made a complaint on a recent survey so Villages contacted me to attend today because they wanted to know how to improve services.”

“It was a really interesting and enjoyable day!”



OurTimes

STATUS Survey Results

KEY FINDINGS


WORDS AND PICTURES



Services Important To YouThe survey asked tenants to prioritise the three areas which they felt were the most important to them. The details are illustrated below. The top three priorities are: Repairs and maintenance, Dealing with ASB and Overall quality of your home .

First of all, we would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who responded to the postal survey - in total there were 490 of you. STATUS is a national survey that all Housing Associations must carry out at least every 3 years. This gives us a snapshot of our tenants’ views at a particular time.

Overall this is a very positive survey that con�rms that our tenants are receiving quality services and concerns that were highlighted three years ago have substantially reduced. That being said, there are issues that we need to address and not be complacent about, and over the next few issues of ‘Our Times’ we will try to highlight the issues of most concern to you, and what Villages Housing are proposing to do about them.

In this article we are covering some of the key �ndings from the survey overall, and will then focus on Repairs and Maintenance, which you voted the most important service to you.

• 87% of tenants (almost nine out of ten) tenants are satis�ed with the overall service provided by Villages Housing Association, with 43% very satis�ed with the services provided;

• 83% of tenants are satis�ed with the overall condition of their home;

• 83% of tenants are satis�ed with the repairs service;



• 85% of tenants are satis�ed with the Estate Management Service;

• 89% are satis�ed with reception;

• 75% are satis�ed with landscaping and gardening services;

• 83% are satis�ed that their views are being taken into account;

• 76% are satis�ed that their rent represents value for money.



OurTimes



WORDS AND PICTURESFitton Hill Consultation Bus

Key messages for Villages HousingThe survey highlights that tenants feel that improvements to key services can be made in the following areas:

Satisfaction with maintenance & repairs Dealing with anti social behaviour (ASB) Value for money for rent Support for vulnerable tenants

We report on repairs below and will be reporting back on the other issues in future editions of “Our Times”.

The Repairs & Maintenance Service

Repairs and maintenance is a frequently used service and is the service highlighted as the most important to tenants. Indeed, in twelve months prior the questionnaire, three-quarters of the tenants (76%) who responded, had reported a repair to Villages, and a similar proportion (74%) have had a repair completed.

It is encouraging to report that the repairs and maintenance service provided by Villages is meeting the needs of the vast majority of its customers. Indeed, just over eight out of ten tenants (83%) express overall satisfaction with the service, whilst 12% are dissatis�ed.

It is also promising to note that the proportion of tenants satis�ed with the repairs service has increased compared to 2006 (76%).

Rating RepairsGiven the high level of satisfaction returned for the overall repairs service, it is perhaps unsurprising that ten-ants are also very positive about individual elements of the service -indeed, around nine in ten rate each aspect of their last repair as very or fairly good. A closer look at �ndings indicates that the strongest element is the attitude of workers -rated as very good by 94.14%. In contrast, customers tend to be slightly less positive about the time taken before work started (although it remains that this aspect is still rated as good by 82.74%.

Overall Estate Issues

The survey also asked questions about general estate issues. The results detailed in the table below show that the three main areas of concern are car parking, litter and disruptive young people. The trend in all areas compared to 2006 is very positive and progress appears to being made in dealing with all the issues which were previously highlighted as areas of concern by tenants. We will continue to work with partners to tackle these issues, especially around racial and other harassment.

VHA

% who think issue is a big problem 2006

% who think issue is a big problem 2009

Car parking n/a 33% RubbishRubbish or or litter litter 72%72% 31%31% Disruptive children / Teenagers n/a 30% VandalismVandalismVandalism 75%75% 26%26% Drug use or dealing 63% 26% OtherOther crime crime n/an/a 20%20% Pets and animals 61% 17% GraffitiGraffiti 61%61% 17%17% Noise from traffic 31% 16% DrunkDrunk or or rowdy rowdy behaviour behaviour 45%45% 15%15% Noisy neighbours 26% 12% AbandonedAbandonedAbandoned or or burnt burnt out out vehicles vehicles n/an/a 10%10% Racial or other harassment 18% 8%



OurTimes



Stockbridge Fishing News


What Villages Housing are going to do

It is interesting to note that though the association receives very high satisfaction scores for repairs and maintenance, 59% of tenants felt that it had some need of improvement.

So we are undertaking a major review value for money of the service at both Stockbridge Village and Fitton Hill, and will be inviting our tenants who helped us to de�ne the service and select the contractors in 2007, to come back and help with the evaluation. You have told us there is room for improvement and we are determined to achieve this, in conjunction with you and our contractors.

STATUS Survey Results Continued...

Once again we had a series of successful �shing events held at Greenhalgh Fisheries for our local young anglers. The competitions took place over three weekends and started with a barbeque, the draw for pegs (the area where you �sh!), the competition then �nished with a bu�et and prizes for all. The matches were very well attended and our anglers caught impressive �sh, some �sh weighing almost 20lb!

Well done to all who took part and once again you did yourselves proud. We look forward to next time.

A big thank you to Chris Foss from Broadgreen International School for the use of their minibus and to Villages Housing for funding the trips. Thanks to Sue and Leon from Greenhalgh Fisheries for organising a great event.

Lastly thanks to Tony Park and Peter Mercer for the rigs, bait, help and advice.

Peter Caine Stockbridge Village Fishing Club

Every year, one of the partners Villages works (MMHA - Manchester Methodist Housing Asscoiation) send volunteers to work in the Walk Centre in the Rift Valley town of Nakuru in Kenya.

Nakuru is home to some desperately poor orphans and families. Many of the homeless families live on a rubbish dump and sift through the waste to �nd things to eat and sell. The Walk Centre ensures that at least some of the local children get a basic meal every day.

The children also need to be supplied with uniforms, so Villages sta� at Fitton Hill responded to the request and supplied a large bag of socks in a variety of sizes and colours. We also made a donation of £100 towards the cost of things like paper, pencils, rubbers and pencil sharpeners that the children will need.

Sending Socks To Kenya!!

Given the high level of satisfaction returned for the overall repairs service, it is perhaps unsurprising that tenants are also very positive about individual elements of the service - indeed, around nine out of ten rate each aspect of their last repair as very or fairly good.

A closer look at �ndings indicates that the strongest element is the attitude of workers -rated as very good by 94.14%.

In contrast, customers tend to be slightly less positive about the time taken before work started, although it remains that this aspect is still rated as good by 83%.

Aspect of Last completed Repair % fairly or very satisfied Attitude of workers 94% Keeping dirt and mess to a minimum 92% Overall quality of repair work 88% Being told when workers would call 85% Speed with which work was completed 85% Time taken before work started 83%

Aspect of Last completed Repair % fairly or very satisfied Attitude of workers 94% Keeping dirt and mess to a minimum 91% Overall quality of repair work 88% Being told when workers would call 85% Speed with which work was completed 85% Time taken before work started 82%



OurTimes

Villages Sponsors Roma FC!!



WORDS AND PICTURES

Garden Competitions


Roma FC are 4 junior football teams that comprise of under 8s, under 11s, under 12s & under 13s. Roma play in the Belle Vale junior league and play their games at Belle Vale, Barnham Drive, Childwall and King George the V playing �elds and train at Cardinal Heenan on Tuesday evenings.

Roma already have quite a few lads from Stockbridge Village playing for them. Unfortunately the teams are not yet looking to sign any new players for this season but will be recruiting more players from Stockbridge next season. Look out for details in future Our Times.

Both Peter Mercer and Ian Smith from Roma would like to thank Villages for the funding provided and look forward to working with Villages to provide junior football to the Stockbridge Village community.

P�er Caine

A joint Villages and New Deal for Communities (NDC) presentation was held at The Honeywell Centre, Ashton Road, Oldham, on Wednesday 12 August, for the Fitton Hill and Hathershaw Gardening Competition Awards. Jed Pearson, Deputy Chief Executive at Villages, presented Fitton Hill winners with prize vouchers, including a prize of £100 for the overall winners.

STOCKBRIDGE VILLAGE

OVERALL WINNER Pauline and May

Boydell Close BEST GARDENFreda Pickles The Spinney

BEST PENSIONER Frances Morgan Little Moss Hey

BEST CONTAINERMrs Carr

Hollowcroft

FITTON HILL

OVERALL WINNER 2009 Carol Johnson Rosary Road BEST GARDEN Wayne & Carol Goulden Broadoak Crescent BEST PENSIONERS GARDEN Pat Bostock Sportsmans Drive BEST CONTAINER DISPLAY Laszlo Farkas Wildbrook Crescent

Overall Winner Stockbridge VillageOverall Winner Fitton Hill

The winner of the Villages Stockbridge Village Garden Competition also received £100 of vouchers awarded on the day by judges, Trish Fisher from Whiston Gardening Club and Neil Ditch�eld, Villages' Landscape gardener, who were both delighted at the standard of the gardens. The results of both the Fitton Hill and Stockbridge Village competitions are listed below. You can view more images of the winning gardens in our image gallery on our website www.villages.org.uk .

BEST NEW GARDENER Heather Lee St. Martin's RoadBEST COMMUNAL GARDEN Diane Maddison and Pat Breen Rosary Road



OurTimesCommunity Budget

Grants



WORDS AND PICTURES

Stockbridge In Bloom

Stockbridge WorkLow-Rise Update

Since 2005 Stockbridge Village has entered “North West In Bloom”, part of “Britain In Bloom”, a prestigious national horticultural competition. This year, twelve projects across Stockbridge Village have been nominated for Neighbourhood Awards at a ceremony to be held in the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre on 22nd October. Well done to all those nominated and green �ngers crossed they all win awards! We’ll keep you updated in the next “Our Times”!

The Community Budget aims to give �nancial help to any community group or individual who is committed to improving the quality of life for our residents. Whether it’s a �shing club, a gardening project, or a day out why not see if we can help?

Local groups, at both Fitton Hill and Stockbridge Village, who have successfully applied for a Villages Community Budget Grant in the last 3 months include:

Fitton Hill:- FH Youth & Community Centre (Fun For all Ages Group) for an intergenerational outing to Chester Zoo.Youth Inclusion & Eden Projects for a week long community clean up and hanging baskets project.

Stockbridge Village:-The Elms German School ClubCantril Farm Football ClubConcept Taekwondo

If you have an idea or are organising an event or need �nancial support for a community project please contact Barbara Murray (Stockbridge on 0151 480 1313) or Jan Taylor (Fitton Hill on 0161 633 4060) for an application pack and further details. You can also �nd out more information on our website www.villages.org.uk

If you would like to apply then the deadline for applications to be considered by the Estate Management Committees is Friday 6th November 2009 (for Fitton Hill) and Friday 13th November 2009 (for Stockbridge).

There are other sources of funding available to members of both communities and Jan and Barbara will support any group that needs help applying for these. In Oldham the Respect our Community Awards (ROCA) funds up to £5,000 for projects that aim to build con�dence and raise awareness. You can download the application pack from www.fcho.co.ukIn Knowsley more information and support is available from Knowsley Council for Voluntary Services www.knowsleycvs.org.uk

Continuing our investment in all of our properties, Villages is due to start our 2009-2010 kitchen refurbishment programme at the end of October this

year, meaning a p o t e n t i a l investment of over £400,000. We will be installing 111 kitchens and carrying out electrical upgrades in Stockbridge Village.

The tenants who are on this year’s programme have been consulted and are currently selecting their kitchens.

Bathroom Replacement Programme We will also be replacing 32 bathrooms in our properties on Stockbridge Village this year. The tenants involved in this programme have also been consulted.

Cyclical MaintenanceThis year’s cyclical maintenance programme of external repair and painting is in Boodecroft and Hollowcroft.



OurTimes

Gas Servicing



WORDS AND PICTURES

New Decorating SchemeVillages has partnered with B&Q DIY stores to o�er new tenants decorating vouchers to help them with the cost of decorating their home.

These vouchers can be used at any B&Q store to purchase paints, wallpaper, and the equipment needed to do the work and will give our tenants more choice as they decide how they would like to decorate their new homes.

The amount of money that new tenants will receive in vouchers will depend on the size and condition of the property.

The scheme, which has been operating since May 2009, has proven to be a great success with our tenants.

Sarah from Stockbridge Village recently moved in to her new home and was given vouchers for B&Q, she said,

“I’m made up! I wasn’t expecting this at all, I think it’s brilliant. I think it’s much better than Villages doing the decortaing for me. At least this way I can choose something which is my own style, which means I can have wallpaper, which Villages wouldn’t have put up. I didn’t think that I would get these because we’re a working family, so it’s good that anyone is entitled to them, not just if you’re on bene�ts.”

If you are one of the 99% of our customers who granted access for the annual Gas Safety check – thank you so much!

You and your family can be safe in the knowledge that your gas �re and central heating boiler have undergone vital safety checks. You will also have been entered into a FREE prize draw for a chance to win £50!

For those of you who have not had this vital work done – can we remind you that it is a legal obligation on the part of both Villages and you as a tenant that you allow us access to your home to carry out this check. If you have not had a gas safety check within the last 12 months please contact us urgently to arrange this vital appointment.

You may recall that some of Villages’ female sta� were running the Race For Life in aid of Cancer Research. The sta� from the Stockbridge O�ce ran at Knowsley Hall, whilst at Fitton Hill they ran at Alexandra Park.

We are very proud of everyone that took part, and would like to congratulate them on their achievement! They managed to raise £1000 between them, and Jackie Bradley from the Fitton Hill O�ce �nished 6th in her race!

It looks as though they all enjoyed themselves!!!



OurTimes

Affordable Warmth

THINK GLOBAL ACT LOCAL

DO WE HAVE YOUR CORRECT CONTACT DETAILS?


WORDS AND PICTURES

DO WE HAVE YOUR CORRECTCustomer Profiling

THINK GLOBALTHINK GLOBALTHINK ACT LOCAL ACT LOCAL ACTCut Your Energy Bills

Villages recognise the need for us all to be more energy e�cient. So our improvement programme includes installing energy e�cient boilers, UPVC windows and loft insulation. These measures will all help and could save you money. We also provide low energy light bulbs to every property that we re-let.

Most of you will know that we have been trying to update our customer information for several months.

If we currently don’t hold your full tenant details, e.g. Date Of Birth, NI Number, alternative phone numbers, your preferred method of contact, then we will be contacting you in October and November to get this information from you, so we can update our records.

We would appreciate your co-operation with this.

Villages are working in partnership with Knowsley Council to host an “A�ordable Warmth” event at the Space Building on 19 November from 10am - 2pm.

Come along to get some energy saving hints and tips, information on how to stay healthy in the cold weather, how to keep your home warm, fuel debt advice and other advice on which bene�ts you may be entitled to.

Other organisations that will be there include IKAN, Mersey Travel, Credit Unions, Age Concern, Knowsley Unemployed Centre and many more.

So come along and �nd out more, enter the ra�e, pick up a free goody bag and enjoy some refreshments too!

Villages have obtained nearly 7000 free light bulbs from E-On. Please call your local o�ce for more information on how to get your 2 free light bulbs.

• Don’t leave TV’s, DVD’s, computers, microwaves on standby • Switch o� the light when leaving the room and use low energy light bulbs • Defrost your fridge at least twice a year• Only boil as much water as you need in your kettle• Don’t dry clothes on your radiators• Keep furniture and curtains away from radiators

• Always draw your curtains at dusk to keep in the heat• Turn your thermostat down by 1°c and save £30 per year • Turn o� chargers on mobile phones and i-pods as soon as they are charged• Make sure you have a full load before you use your washing machine. If you use a 40°c cycle rather than a 60°c then you use one third less electricity.

If you need any help with managing your heating systems please speak to your Estate Management O�cer.

What you can do ?Small changes can lead to big savings. You could try these and save money :



OurTimes



WORDS AND PICTURES Status Survey Fitton Hill Consultation Bus

Following on from the successful refurbishment of Whincraig, we have now moved on to the refurbishment of Firscraig. Since May, we have replaced bathrooms, kitchens, windows, balcony frames and upgraded the electrics.

We apologise to residents at the Craigs for any inconvenience caused when accessing the multis or parking during these works.

The Project Team would like to draw your attention to the additional investment in the blocks which has now been agreed by the VHA board. Apartments will now also get new front doors as part of the refurbishment programme.

The doors have been designed with the police and Home O�ce to ensure they meet high security standards. Work on the doors has already commenced at Firscraig and Whincraig.

One tenant who has already had her new door �tted said, “The new front door to my home is fantastic. The keys to the door are easy to use and I feel very secure in my home. I am happy with the white colour of the door which is easy to keep clean.”

News From The Multi-Storeys

This programme has commenced in Firscraig and will then move on to Whincraig as the external painting programme for this block was postponed due to refurbishment works. After consultation with residents the agreed colour scheme for the �ats will be blue and white.

Lift refurbishment work will start in Whincraig at the start of October when all other works have been completed. The work will be programmed to ensure a lift is available for residents at all times. Residents will be advised of the details of the work schedule and lift availability via the Community Notice Board in Whincraig.

REFURBISHMENT AT THE MULTIS

NEW DOORS FOR APARTMENT BLOCKS

EXTERNAL PAINTING PROGRAMME

LIFT REFURBISHMENT

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for completing surveys to date. Also to stress the importance of completing surveys as this information is essential to VHA board when awarding tendered contracts.

We are pleased to announce these works were completed ahead of schedule, well ahead of the switch over on November 4th.

Feedback from residents shows a high degree of satisfaction with the completion of these works.

Residents have suggested that they would like an IT Café facilities in the blocks to access broadband and IT training. To this end we are currently exploring funding opportunities to establish a pilot café at Merecli�. If this proves successful we would hope to roll this provision to all apartment blocks.

IT CAFE

DIGITAL TV UPGRADE

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLETING SURVEYS

The Project Team would like to thank the Steering Group for all their hard work supporting sta� and residents during the refurbishment programme.

We are currently looking to increase the number of residents from Mosscraig before works move there in 2010. If you would like to be involved in the Steering Group please contact Barbara Murray on 0151 480 1313 ext 121 or call the Whincraig O�ce on 0151 449 1788

THANK YOU

HOUSING SURGERY

Whincraig O�ce Contacts (speci�c enquiries regarding apartments to let) tel. 0151 449 1788 m. 07802465280 or email: Project Leader [email protected]

Team Memberscolin.la�[email protected]

[email protected]@villages.org.uk

[email protected]

Most of you who make contact with our main o�ce regularly will have noticed that over the past 10 months Cath Casson has not been seen on the reception desk. She has been working with the multis project team dealing with various tasks and customer service issues.

NEW PROJECT TEAM MEMBERThe Project Team welcomed a new Project O�cer in September; her name is Rachel Tracey who has previously worked for One Vision Housing in Sefton.Read more about Rachel on page 21.

CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER



OurTimesSquash Nutrition



WORDS AND PICTURES

Recipe


PUMPKIN SOUP Serves 4 - 6

3lbs (1.4kgs) pumpkin �esh, cubed2 onions chopped2 cloves of garlic chopped2 carrots sliced2 medium potatoes cubed4 sticks of celery chopped2 tsps �nely chopped root ginger2 tsps grated nutmeg1 tsp ground corianderjuice of 1 lemon 1.2 litres (2 pints) vegetable stock1 tablespoon sun�ower oil fresh ground black pepper5 � oz / 150ml sour cream

1. Gently sauté onion, garlic, ginger, coriander & nutmeg in oil for 5 mins. 2. Add chopped vegetables + sweat them, covered with pan lid for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is soft. 3. Add stock, pepper + lemon juice. 4. Bring to boil then simmer for 20 mins. 5. Cool then liquidise in a blender – adding more stock if soup too thick. 6. Reheat gently. Stir in sour cream just before serving.Recipe courtesy of Squash Nutrition

The latest Squash Nutrition Course started on 25th September and runs until 23rd October. Sessions take place on Friday afternoons from 1pm to 3.15 pm in The Craig’s Community Centre. There will also be a café session on 17th October in the Croft Car Park from 11.30am - 3pm, to which the whole community is invited to attend. A future course will be based in the SPACE building on Friday mornings and Squash Nutrition are also hoping to run an evening course for dads!!

Squash Nutrition is a part of Target Wellbeing which aims to help people live healthier and happier lives. It is funded by £8.9m from the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund and is managed by Groundwork, for the bene�t of targeted communities across the Northwest.

For further information please contact Lucy Alcock, Project Manager, Cafe Society on 07791 455593 or [email protected]

The IKAN team (I know someone who can help) are here to help you! If you’re aged 55+ and live in Knowsley you can easily access the team with a simple phone call.

A team member will visit you at home at your convenience and ask you about a variety of factors that could be having an impact on your health & wellbeing.

This could range from loneliness, falls, bereavement, struggling to get into the bath, bogus callers / tradesmen, inactivity…the list could go on.

The IKAN team is part of Knowsley Council, they are a small friendly team who o�er information, advice, signposting and support. We can direct you to other services that could help improve your health and wellbeing, therefore, improving your quality of life.

Your IKAN representative for Stockbridge Village is Rachel Freeman, she can be contacted free on 0800 694 0270 (Monday to Friday 9am -5pm)

IKAN Can Help



OurTimes

Justice SeenJustice DoneCOMMUNITY CRIME FIGHTERS

SOME VILLAGES STAFF HAVE WORKED WITH US FOR OVER 25 YEARS


THE BIG FITTON HILL CLEAR-UP

SOME VILLAGES STAFF HAVE WORKED Did You Know?


We have some members of sta� who have been with us right since the very beginning, April 1983: Vernon Jackson (our Chief Executive) Alison Murphy and Sheila Rogers. Anita de Asha, Anne Porter and Ken Mason have been with us since 1984.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank those sta� for their many years of dedicated and loyal hard work.

From the 3rd until 7th 2009 August the Eden Project and the Youth Inclusion Project carried out a week long environmental cleanup across various parts of Fitton Hill, including litter picking, weeding, fence painting, and cleaning up the local skate board/basket ball park. They also planted hanging baskets and these are on display on The Green and The Spur, Fitton Hill. The project was partly funded by a Community Budget Grant from Villages.

All in all 40 young people were involved and 5 di�erent areas were transformed. Stephen Rimmer, one of the young volunteers who helped organise the event said;

“It was great to see so many young people joining in and doing something worthwhile with their time. It was tiring, but well worth it to see the results.”

THE BIG FITTON HILL CLEAR-UPLEAF Project

Back in June 2008 Louise Casey, the Government’s Crime Adviser, published her review “Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime”. 10,000 people took part in the review that looked at how police, local authorities, and other Criminal Justice agencies can work more e�ectively with local people to reduce crime and the fear of crime.

Many respondents said that they wanted to be better informed about, and involved in actions taking place at local level to reduce crime.

As a result the “Community Crime Fighter” programme has been set up. The programme will help create stronger links between the police, the local authority, courts, probation and the communities they serve. This will be done by o�ering the latest training and skills to become a community advocate.

Some of Villages’ tenants from Fitton Hill attended an event on 10th September in Bury, where they were advised about what services were available to them locally, how they can be accessed and what standards of service to expect and how to hold their local crime �ghting series to account.

Eileen from Fitton Hill said, “It was brilliant! I really felt like we were listened to and our opinions were actually taken on board. I felt as though some of the ideas that people came up with might actually be put in to practice. It was a good opportunity to ask Questions to people we would normally never get chance to speak to face-to-face.”

For Stockbridge residents, a one day workshop is being held on Tuesday 17 November, location to be con�rmed. For further information and to book a place please contact Louise Thomas, the Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Coordinator on 0151 443 3945.



OurTimes



WORDS AND PICTURES







Performance: How Are We Doing?We want to improve the services we o�er you, so we keep a constant check on how we are doing.

The tables below show you how we are performing against our targets. This information is gathered on a Monthly basis using information provided by our tenants and our contractors.

Villages Community Housing Association (VCHA), which is the charitable subsidiary of Villages Housing Association, has a portfolio of 165 properties.

Key Performance for the year to date is at or better than target

The trend over the previous three months is improving

Performance for the year to date is around the target figure

Performance is steady or there is no significant trend over the previous three months

Performance for the year to date is below the target figure

The trend over the previous three months is worsening

* = 1 specialist needs property

Villages Community Housing Association

April - June Q1

July - SepQ2

Target Year to Date

Trend

Average re-let times (The number of days it takes us to let out homes)

0 77(*) 50

% Emergency repairs complete within target time (The % of emergency repairs completed on time)

100% 97.4% 100%

% Urgent repairs complete within target time (The % of urgent repairs completed on time)

95.2% 95.1% 98%

% Routine repairs complete within target time (The % of routine repairs completed on time)

98.9% 95% 98%

% overall satisfaction with day to day repairs (The percentage of customers who were satisfied with their repairs)

98.6% 96.9% 100%

% of properties with a valid gas certificate. (The % of properties which have had their annual gas safety check)

98.7% 100% 100%

Rent collected as a % of net rent charged (The % of rent collected since April 2008)

96.8% 93% 100.2%

Average Phone Response time (secs) (The average amount of time it takes to answer a phone call)

10 9 10



OurTimes



WORDS AND PICTURES



Villages Housing Association has around 2583 properties, covering both Fitton Hill in Oldham, and Stockbridge Village in Knowsley



Villages Housing Association

April - JuneQ1

July - SepQ2

Target Year to

Date

Trend

Average re-let times (The number of days it takes us to let out homes)

39 32 37 % Emergency repairs complete within target time (The % of emergency repairs completed on time)

97.8% 97.4% 100%

% Urgent repairs complete within target time (The % of urgent repairs completed on time)

98.6% 96.9% 98%

% Routine repairs complete within target time (The % of routine repairs completed on time)

98.7% 97.2% 98%

% overall satisfaction with day to day repairs (The percentage of customers who were satisfied with their repairs)

98.6% 96.9% 95%

% of properties with a valid gas certificate. (The % of properties which have had their annual gas safety check)

98.9% 99.8% 100%

Rent collected as a % of net rent charged (The % of rent collected since April 2008)

95.9% 99.4% 100.2%

Average Phone Response time (secs) (The average amount of time it takes to answer a phone call)

10 9 10



OurTimes

Good Neighbours In Stockbridge



WORDS AND PICTURES

Shoeboxes For Soldiers

Bus Stop Re-Instated

Villages have been contacted by Hale Royal British Legion to ask our tenants and residents if they would like to donate items to be included in shoeboxes sent out to troops in Afghanistan.

A list of examples is available from reception, but Hale Royal British Legion ask that anyone who wants to donate items, drops them o� at Villages’ reception in plastic bags, as they already have the boxes. Please keep your packages less than 2 kilograms.

You may want to include items that the soldiers can �t

All those who were nominated as Good Neighbours during European Neighbours Day back in May, have now received their bouquets as thanks from the community for their sel�ess e�orts.

Residents nominated were:

Margo Egginton, Maureen Clunan, Lena Johnson, Olive Walters, Mary Hanson, Annette, Mrs Adeyemo and Mrs Dalton.

Well done to all our Good Neighbours!!!

into a small freezer, such as lolly-ices. You can send chewing gum, shampoo, conditioner, lip balm, playing cards, mints.....

You may include items that you think a female soldier may prefer and you can also include a letter to accompany your shoebox,

and you’ll almost certainly get a reply from a soldier.

No Alcohol, No Aerosols, No Chocolate, No GlassCall in to our reception for a full list of acceptable items or log on to our website www.villages.org.uk

After four years of attending Merseytravel meetings the Tenants Forum are delighted that the bus shelter at St Alberts is at last to be reinstated. Lily Earle said: “It’s been a long campaign but at last Merseytravel have agreed to bring back the shelter. This is great news for the school children and adults who go to the church club – no more getting soaked by the rain!”

Environmental Improvements

Funding from Local Solutions was used to install eight new steel benches around the estate. The money that paid for the benches came as part of a training scheme carried out on a Friday at the Craigs Community Centre and on a Tuesday at Round Hey, on Horticulture and Green Environmental Projects.

The members (all local people) agreed that these benches would be a nice public shared space.

Four benches and two new rockery borders are have been installed on Haswell Drive (pictured). Two more benches have been installed in St Albert’s and two in St Jude’s.



OurTimes

Aids & Adaptations



HELPING YOU TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN YOUR OWN HOME

Free Phone TSA UpdateThe TSA has now reported back on the outcome of the �rst phase on the National Conversation. Tenants highlighted a number of issues of importance to them and the top four issues are:

- Repairs and maintenance- Safety and Security- Reasonable a�ordable rents- The quality of accommodation

For more information about these �ndings phone 0845 230 7000 to request a Local Conversation pack. Villages’ Joint Tenants Forum have now participated in the second phase of the National Conversation and their con�dential views about the quality of accommodation, resident involvement, antisocial behaviour and tenant choice have been reported to the TSA.

Villages Housing o�ers a range of services to help our tenants live as independently as possible. We aim to help our disabled and older tenants stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible, because we respect our tenants’ need for independence and privacy.

Examples of adaptations we may carry out include grab rails, lever taps, ramps, stair lifts, and over bath showers. We may also help in �nding our tenants a more suitable place to live if necessary, such as ground �oor �ats and bungalows.

We aim to provide a high quality service, telling you about the options available and making the best use of our resources. At all times we will encourage our tenants to give their views and get involved.

Should you think that you may bene�t from this service then please don’t hesitate to contact your Estate Management O�cer who will be able to assist you. There are also lea�ets available in Reception Areas and on our website www.villages.org.uk which will provide you with more information.

In response to frequent requests from residents to use Villages phone to contact other agencies, we have set up a Freephone for residents in a private area within our Reception.

The Freephone is pre-programmed to contact the following organisations:-

•Knowsley Council – General Enquiries•Knowsley Council – Refuse Collection/Bulky Items•Housing Bene�t•Department of Work and Pensions•Citizens’ Advice Bureau•MABS – Money and Bene�t Advice Service•Merseyside Police•Crime Stoppers•Scottish Power•Age Concern

We hope that you will �nd this another useful service provided to you by Villages Housing.

Example of a level-access “walk-in shower” provided by Villages



OurTimes

Rechargeable Repairs

STOCKBRIDGE RESIDENT CELEBRATES 100th BIRTHDAY!


WORDS AND PICTURES

Kite Making


Getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun, and on 12 August a ‘charabanc’ full of some of Fitton Hill’s older residents – members of Young at Heart and Skills Swap Shop groups - enjoyed an action packed day out in the east coast resort of Scarborough.

Villages very own Customer Services O�cer, Lisa, went along as chaperone. Not really - Lisa actually went along for a day out, a piece of the action and a good laugh, just like the rest of the group!

Unlike a lot of the miserable days we have endured this summer, the outing was blessed with blue skies and sunshine and an enjoyable day out was had by one and all.

On 25th June, in the latest of a series of ‘House Party Tours’ around Oldham, tenants from a wide selection of landlords across the Borough came together at the Pakistani Community Centre in Glodwick for a day of kite making. Following on from this activity, artist Brian visited Fitton Hill where members of the intergenerational group ‘Fun for All Ages’ took part in two kite making sessions. As you can see, some of the kite designs were stunning.

The plan had been to �y the kites in Alexandra Park on 12th July but on the actual day, believe it or not, it was too WINDY!!

If you want to get involved in future House Party Events please contact Jan Taylor on 0161 633 4060.

A tenant of Villages in Stockbridge Village is celebrating reaching his 100th birthday. Victor Chinn has lived in Stockbridge Village since 1969, so Villages’ Chief Executive, Vernon Jackson, presented Mr Chinn with some birthday gifts on behalf of all the sta� at Villages Housing.

Born in 1909, Mr Chinn used to be a merchant seaman, travelling as far a�eld as New Zealand and Australia; from where he had to work his passage home aged just 17, before working on the docks in both Liverpool and Birkenhead.

He even managed to �t in a year’s work on the building of the Birkenhead tunnel, and during the recent celebrations to mark the 75th Anniversary of the tunnel, Mr Chinn was guest of honour and was driven through the tunnel in a vintage car. His appearance even featured on Granada Reports and BBC North West Tonight.

He and his wife, Winifred moved to Stockbridge Village in 1969. Of his time in Stockbridge Village, Mr Chinn says, “It’s been a happy time, and the house I’m in now, well, it’s nice and quiet, and I’ve got some good neighbours. I used to enjoy going in to see the girls at the desk at the Villages o�ce; I always used to make them laugh!”

A keen Everton supporter, who once knew Dixie Dean, Mr Chinn received a signed Everton shirt from the club with “CHINN 100” on the back!

So what’s his secret to a long and healthy life?“Don’t Drink, Don’t Smoke, but ALWAYS smile!”

A tenant of Villages in Stockbridge Village is celebrating

Chinn Hits A Century!

Getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop having

Didn’t we have a lovely time?



OurTimes

Colin Lafferty



WORDS AND PICTURES

Staff UpdateNew Starters

Marie is the new part-time Scheme Manager in Stockbridge Village.

Visitors to the Villages o�ce may recognise Marie as she worked for 4 years in the rent o�ce! Her role is the same as Mark Castellain’s above; to maintain the wellbeing of tenants residing in Roughsedge House, Brandearth House and Spruce Grove.

Marie works Mondays - Wednesdays 8.30 - 4pm.

Colin used to be the Project O�cer at the multi-storeys in Stockbridge, dealing with day-to-day housing management issues for multi storey residents, as well as supporting the Project Manager.

He has now been promoted to Project Manager; supervising and managing the Project Team in relation to the refurbishment and improvement programme at the multi-storey blocks.

Rachel Tracey

Stephen Jackson

Mark Castellain

Marie is the new part-time Scheme Manager in Marie Morgan

Rebecca Hester

Joanne Hopkinson

Stephen takes up the new post of Maintenance Manager at Villages, responsible for the management of all surveying and building functions both at Stockbridge and in Fitton Hill. He previously worked as Senior Surveyor at the Fitton Hill o�ce.

In his spare time he enjoys watching and playing sport and organises family sponsored walks in aid of charity.

Rachel is the new Project O�cer at the multi storey project in Stockbridge Village. She will be responsible fro the day to day management of tenancies at our multi storey complexes at the Cli�s and Craigs, and to assist the Project Team in the ongoing refurbishment programme and has previously worked for One Vision Housing.

Mark Castellain is a new part-time scheme manager Roughsedge House, Brandearth House and Spruce Grove. He will be working Wednesday-Fridays from 8.30-4pm.

Mark was a professional Thai boxer from 1997-2004 and fought in places such as France, Italy, Greece, Holland, and Australia; and currently coaches Thai and kickboxing on a part time basis.

Rebecca is the new ‘Environmental Programme Administrator’ at Fitton Hill. She will support and assist the surveying teams in contract administration and project management of Environmental Works at Fitton Hill during her 2 year contract.

Before Villages, she worked for Barclays Bank for just over 2 years as a customer advisor/ cashier.She plays netball 3-4 times a week and likes to watch Rugby League.

Joanne is a new Customer Service O�cer in Fitton Hill. She will help with any housing issues and o�er great customer service, take rent payments and deal with general enquiries. She has previously worked in Comet as a Personal

Assistant and Regional Co-ordinator.

During her spare time she bought a rusty old wheel-barrow, painted it and planted a herb garden in it which she uses in all recipes and salads.

Colin LaffertyPromotions



OurTimes



WORDS AND PICTURES







DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS OVER 55, OR OVER 50 WITH A DISABILITY?

Sheltered Vacancies

Would they like to move into sheltered housing?We currently have a few vacancies at Brandearth and Roughsedge House Stockbridge Village. The �ats are large, one bedroom with a new kitchen and bathroom.

If you, or someone you know is interested we can arrange for you to have a look around. If you like the look of our properties, then you may want to be considered for one.

If you would like more information or want to visit, please contact Mark or Marie (Scheme Managers) on 0151 480 3923 or Lyn Kelly at Villages Housing on 0151 480 1313.

Come and join us the second Friday in each month at 7.30pm up until the end of November, to learn more about the history of Huyton, Liverpool and surrounding areas.

Visitors are charged £1 to attend a meeting, which will give them a chance to see what the society has to o�er. The society also arranges outings and a two-day break once a year for members and friends.

The meetings are held in The Old School House, St John’s Road, Huyton. For more information please call 0151 480 0443.

Come and join us the second Friday in each month at

Huyton Historical Society

Stockbridge Village Golf Club

Stockbridge Village Golf Club is looking for new members, old or young, male or female. They play at Hoylake Golf Club most Sundays at 10am.

Membership is £60 per year running from March to March and green fees at Hoylake are £13.

They play in competitions most weeks, including the “Friends Across The Border” competition which is played against Golf Clubs From Scotland. A small competition fee sometimes applies at £2 per game.

For more information please contact Mike Rainsford on 07930471240.

A busy month in August at Brandearth and Roughedge House. Villages have employed 2 new scheme managers to take over the running of the scheme on a day to day basis. For more information on Mark and Marie see our “New Starters” on page 21.

Both have reported they have settled well and are really enjoying their new roles, the welcome from tenants has been amazing. Both are looking forward to developing various activities for tenants, and have already set up cinema trips and a sheltered housing committee.

Marie and Mark are looking forward to arranging Christams celebration events in December.

A busy month in August at Brandearth and Roughedge House. Villages have employed 2 new scheme managers to

New Scheme Managers

What’s On at Roughsedge House?TUESDAYS: Co�ee mornings from 10am, Armchair exercises from 2pm, Bingo at 7.30pmWEDNESDAYS: 9am-12.30: Hairdresser, Age concern - £3 per week, if spaces are available THURSDAYS: •Cinema Trips every other Thursday to Crosby Plaza, cost: £3 includes tea, biscuits, bingo and �lm; •3rd Thursday in every month, the local vicar comes to give communion; •Bingo at 7.30pmFRIDAYS: Once a month: Luncheon club (3 course dinner £3) provided by volunteers SATURDAYS: Afternoon TeaSUNDAYS: Bingo at 7.30 pm

The Summer University – the �rst if its kind outside London – was funded through a combination of fundraising by residents who received money from ROCA, Government O�ce North West, NDC, Villages Housing and Other partners.

Sheila Davis, a local resident, said, “It was fantastic! Without the funding from Villages many of the activities wouldn’t have taken place! It was great that these kids had something constructive to do during their summer.”



OurTimesVillages Supports Summer Uni



UPDATE ON PLANS TO START WORK ON SITE

Status Survey Fitton Hill Consultation Bus

Over 400 children & young people in the Fitton Hill , Hathershaw and Medlock Vale ward area of Oldham took part in an exciting programme of summer activities and fun over the long summer holidays. 105

courses were put on over 5 weeks of the holidays and gave children aged 8-19 the chance to take part in a wide range of activities. Some of the highlights of Summer Uni 2009 included multi sports, �rst aid, jewellery making, snowboarding, wild survival

skills, streetcheer, face painting and a ‘Ready Steady Cook’ style competition in which young chefs presented their culinary delights before a panel of hungry and appreciative judges.

As you will all remember, Knowsley Council shared initial plans for the regeneration of Stockbridge Village with residents at the end of last year. Since then, the Council has been working with our partners to develop these plans and secure the funding needed to make meaningful and signi�cant changes to the area.

Cllr Bill Weightman commented “Delivering a project of this size in the current economic climate is an ambitious challenge for the Council

and its partners. However, this project has the potential to transform

Stockbridge Village and, for that reason, we are grasping this opportunity and working hard to ensure we deliver the improvements that the community wants and deserves.”

The large-scale plans to regenerate Stockbridge Village include the provision of a new swimming pool and

Stockbridge Regeneration Plansleisure facilities, neighbourhood centre, library, primary school with family centre and nursery, outdoor play area, all-weather pitches, improved retail facility and a well lit and connected centre for the village. Work will commence on site this autumn, with a view to all facilities being open by September 2011.

Residents will be kept informed throughout the development process with regular newsletters, updates in Our Times and Knowsley News, information on Knowsley Council’s website www.knowsley.gov.uk and community consultation events. In addition, regular updates and information will be fed through to Community Association and Stockbridge Network meetings.



OurTimes



WORDS AND PICTURES

Garages For Rent


In the Spring edition of “Our Times” we told you that we were about to celebrate our club’s 25th Anniversary, and what a great night it was at St Albert’s club, with a fantastic turnout. A big thank you to Father Finton and to Jan and Anne-Marie, and the bar sta� for helping to make it such a memorable night. Also, thanks to Villages for their donation towards the cost of the celebrations.

Thanks to everyone who attended, we know from people’s comments that everyone really enjoyed themselves. It was really great to see Nick and Anne Edwards there, having come all the way from Devon. Nick was one of the founding members of our club when he was the vicar at St Jude’s back in 1984 along with Steve Rowley, Lenny Osbourne and Tony Carden.

There is no better way to see the countryside than on foot, as you drive past so many lovely places, and miss so much history, you would be amazed at what’s out there. Our favourite walks have been at Grasmere and Buttermere in the Lake District; Grasmere because of the beautiful scenery, the lake and the hills, and the history of the place. Wordsworth lived in Grasmere with his wife Mary from 1802 and his poems come alive when you actually see the places he may have been to, that may have been the inspiration behind many of his poems.

It’s been lovely to recall memories of our charity walks. Our �rst charity walk was in 1986, when we walked the 3 peaks to raise money for a CAT scanner at Alder Hey. We have also raised money for a Chron’s Disease charity, for a

hearing aid for a local child who was left deaf by meningitis and also for a special needs school in Huyton. Our most recent one was for CHICS – CHIldrens Cancer Support Group, when we walked from Southport to Liverpool. We have successfully raised over £4000 for charity.

We also take part in a monthly “Walking For Health” in conjunction with Knowsley NHS, which is a 30 – 60 minute walk around Stockbridge or the local area once a month on a Sunday at 10.30am. It just encourages people to be a little more active.

So if you are reasonably �t and fancy getting out and about, why not join our club? We meet every 2 weeks – on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month at St Albert’s, and then walk on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month. There’s a

good social side to the club, as it gets people out of the house, and meeting new friends. We also have our annual Christmas night out and travel all over the country to do some beautiful walks. For more information, please contact Gwen Osbourne.

Gwen Osbourne, Secretary, Stockbridge Village Ramblers – 0151 220 5837

Do you need a garage? If so, at Fitton Hill there are a few available for rent on Tanhill Lane.

The rent is £7.50 per week (plus 15% VAT where applicable).

If you would like details please speak to Sasha on 0161 633 4060 ore-mail [email protected]

In the Spring edition of “Our Times” we told you that we were about to celebrate our club’s 25th Anniversary, and

Ramblers’ Diary



OurTimes



WORDS AND PICTURES Status Survey

Another Successful TESS Event

For two weeks in January, sta� from the Fitton Hill o�ce together with our consultants, BCA landscapes, toured the estate on the Xpress youth bus and consulted with many residents regarding our initial proposals for the environmental works programme.

Many thanks to everyone who attended our consultation events and gave us views on what was most important to you.

Villages Housing’s Tenants Extra Support Scheme (TESS) held a service user day at Roughsedge House on Friday 17 July. TESS provides housing support to all Knowsley tenants, and hosts service user days every 3 or 4 months, each one focusing on a di�erent aspect of health and wellbeing.

This event was a great success, attended by 44 service users and a variety of di�erent agencies, such as Roy Castle Fag Ends, Age Concern, Credit Union, Squash Nutrition and various di�erent volunteering agencies.

After indulging in a delicious healthy, free lunch provided by Squash Nutrition, guests were treated to a short presentation by Terry da Silva on behalf of the Stroke Association. Terry su�ered a stroke 2 years ago, aged 37, and spoke of the di�culties he faced during his rehabilitation. Even though Terry lost the use of the right side of his body, he still managed to abseil down the Liver Building on Sunday 19 July. Jed Pearson, Deputy Chief Executive at Villages, presented Terry with a cheque for sponsorship of his amazing achievement.

Lyn Kelly, ‘Supporting People’ Manager at Villages, explained, “It was a proud moment for all the TESS Team who have worked so hard to set up this service user group, and to maintain their interest over the past 18 months. This event was relevant, informative and most of all fun for all who attended.”

National Tenant Voice is a new organisation for tenants of housing associations, housing co-ops and local authorities in England. It is being set up to give tenants a voice, in�uence and expertise at national level. The Government's aim is for tenants to have a greater in�uence over the services they receive. It is supporting the setting up of the National Tenant Voice to help achieve this. Vision and purpose The National Tenant Voice will enable tenants to in�uence national policy by engaging with the Government and other bodies (including the new social housing regulator – the Tenant Services Authority). It will be accountable to tenants, and aims to be inspirational and dynamic, re�ecting the views of tenants sought through consultation and research. It will celebrate the diversity of tenants and communities. National Tenant Council

At the heart of National Tenant Voice will be a National Tenant Council of �fty tenants that will meet to debate and discuss key housing policy issues. Twenty-four of the tenants on the National Tenant council will be nominated by existing tenants' organisations. The remaining twenty-six will be recruited. This web-site tells you how you can apply for one of these twenty-six places. To be really e�ective it will need to have on it tenants of di�erent ages, tenants from all parts of England, and tenants from a range of di�erent ethnic backgrounds. For further information please visit: www.hays.com/jobs/ntv or telephone 0800 917 7396

National Tenant Voice is a new organisation for tenants of housing associations,

National Tenant Voice



OurTimes

Street RepsKEEPING YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD A

SAFE, CLEAN PLACE TO LIVE


Prize Winners!

Following the high pro�le introduction of 5 Neighbourhood Agreements for Fitton Hill and Hathershaw, New Deal for Communities (NDC) and The Neighbourhood Team (TNT) have now launched a network of ‘Street Reps’ who will monitor the success of the Agreements.

The idea is that the Street Reps will look at a street, or streets (of their choice) on a monthly basis and put an x in one of four boxes – A, B, C or D to indicate whether things such as litter, gra�ti, damaged grass verges, houses, gardens, are either:

•No problem at all = A•A bit of an issue but level is acceptable = B•Problem becoming unacceptable = C•There is a really big issue which is unacceptable = D

The �rst group of Reps had their initial training on 12th September, and one Fitton Hill tenant who attended said, “It’ll be easy, you just inspect a street once a month , and you look for any rubbish, or any groups who are loitering, or any unslightly gardens, and make a record of it. All you’re doing is recording what you see every day anway. The trainers were really nice, very polite.”

Villages would love every street in Fitton Hill to be covered by a Street Rep, so the hope is that there are more people out there who will register an interest.

If you would be interested in knowing more about becoming a Street Rep contact Janet Taylor (Community Development O�cer, Fitton Hill) on 0161 633 4060.

In previous editions of ‘Our Times’ we have told you about ways you can win lots of di�erent prizes.

If you let our gas contractors in to your home on their �rst visit to carry out an annual gas service, then you will be entered in to a monthly prize draw.

If you sign up to pay your rent and/or service charges by Direct Debit then you will be entered in to a quarterly prize draw to win £50. Terms and conditions apply.

Our most recent Gas Draw winners were Mrs Kearney and Mrs Lyons both seen here being presented with their prizes by Villages’ Katie Miller; and our very �rst Direct Debit winner was Mr Howson, being presented with his prize by Carol Hart.

We recently conducted an Equality and Diversity questionnaire. The winner was Linzi Skelhorne, who won £50 of Asda vouchers.

Congratulations To Anne-Marie McCann Of Stockbridge Village who won the Prize For The Summer Sudoku!

Remember to look out for the Win A Prize logo, to see where there are opportunities for you to win a variety of prizes!

If you sign up to pay your rent and/or service charges by

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SOCKS?



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Farewell Father Fintan

Credit Union

Borrowed from

Weekly Repayment

Total Interest

Total Repayment

YOU SAVE

CREDIT UNION

£3.35 £3.73 £103.73 £51.27

Doorstep Lender

£5.00 £55.00 £155.00

The comparison between the two loan sources is even more dramatic the bigger the initial loan. For example in the case of £650 borrowed and repaid over 52 weeks, you would save £458.67 just by choosing the Credit Union as lender.

The parishioners of St Albert’s Parish bid a sad farewell to Father Fintan O’Driscoll at the end of August. He is to take up a new Parish commencing the beginning of November at St Mary Mother of God in Kirkby.

Fr Fintan had been at St Albert’s for the past 12 years and was involved in all aspects of parish life. He worked a lot with the young people of the parish and spent many hours in both St Albert’s and St Brigid’s primary schools.

Besides being Chair of Governors in St Albert’s School he also chaired the Governors at the local comprehensive school, Christ The King. He could be seen each morning at the school involved in helping along with other sta� on football, snooker, and more, and never tired of taking the pupils away on retreats and other school trips.

He travelled to Lourdes each Summer during the Liverpool Archdiocesan pilgrimage week together with the youth from St Albert’s Parish and other local Parishes.

He will be sadly missed by all at St Albert’s and we wish him every happiness in his new parish. Villages would like to add their support and best wishes to Father Fintan.

Oldham Credit Union o�ers a safe way to save money and you can save as little or as much as you can a�ord every week or every month. Oldham Credit Union is open to everyone who lives and works in Oldham.

Once you have been saving for a while you can also apply for a loan - the interest rates are a�ordable and the Credit Union lends to members on the basis of their savings history with the credit union, and not their credit score.

To �nd out more, ring Oldham Credit Union on 0161 678 7245 or visit them at their town centre shop in Albion Street, on the edge of Oldham Market Hall facing the Halifax Building Society. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 10:00am to 3:00pm.

The Oldham Credit Union is a member of the Association Of British Cedit Unions Ltd, and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, the same authority which also regulates all banks.

Telephone: 0161 678 7245Fax: 0161 678 7201Email: [email protected]: www.oldhamcreditunion.co.uk

Every year, one of the partners Villages works with (MMHA - Manchester Methodist Housing Asscoiation) send volunteers to work in the Walk Centre in the Rift Valley town of Nakuru in Kenya. Villages sta� at Fitton Hill responded to the request to supply a large bag of socks in a variety of sizes and colours, for the children to wear to school. We also made a donation of £100 towards the cost of things like paper, pencils, rubbers and pencil sharpeners that the children will need.

Every year, one of the partners Villages works with (MMHA - Manchester Methodist

Sending Socks To Kenya!!



OurTimes

Enough Is Enough!!!

AFTER HOURS

STOCKBRIDGE VILLAGE PARTNERSHIP GROUP


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Stockbridge Village Golf Club

Stockbridge Village Golf Club is looking for new members, old or young, male or female. They play at Hoylake Golf Club most Sundays at 10am.

Membership is £60 per year running from March to March and green fees at Hoylake are £13.

They play in competitions most weeks, including the “Friends Across The Border” competition which is played against Golf Clubs From Scotland. A small competition fee sometimes applies at £2 per game.

For more information please contact Mike Rainsford on 07930471240.

‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!’ That is the message coming from the newly formed ‘Stockbridge Village Partnership Group’.

The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) has joined together in partnership with Villages Housing, Merseyside Police and Knowsley Council to work from the street level up to tackle people who are committing o�ences ranging from nuisance and disorder to national or even international crime.

The group aims to tackle head on the people, places or groups that are having a detrimental e�ect on the area, whether the o�ences are causing a nuisance to residents or involve serious organised crime. The group will use the full range of powers, both civil and criminal, in order to improve the quality of life for those residents who want to be proud of their ‘village’ again.

All the agencies involved in this partnership are committed to the success of this group and are determined to demonstrate that by working together we can reduce the atmosphere of fear and intimidation on the estate.

It is no coincidence that this group has been set up at the same time as the publicised Regeneration Plans for a multi-million pound project to transform the village. The physical developments will be a fantastic opportunity for the residents and will provide much needed facilities to create a real ‘family’ village aimed at giving kids the best opportunities.

The purpose of the ‘SBV Partnership Group’ is to work alongside the project and tackle the social issues which undermine the development of the estate.

In order to do that we need YOUR help too! We want to know what you know - the information you have could make the estate a better place for everyone. Watch this space for details of the work the partnership is currently doing and the work it intends to do over the years to come.

If like us you believe ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’ and want to improve YOUR community please call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit on 0151 443 2000.

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Quiz Page

Fill the grid with numbers 1 to 9 so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9, without repeating any numbers.

Brain Teaser

Villages Wordsearch

What king can you make if you takethe head of a lambthe middle of a pigthe hind of a bu�aloand the tail of a dragon?

Fruity Friday

Communities, More, Than, Just, Landlord, Homes, Stockbridge, Fitton Hill, Oldham, Villages, Our Times, Flourishing, TESS, Local, Welcome, New, Deal, For.

Hints & Tips

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6 5

1 9 7 6

8

3 9 6

4

6 9 2 4 1

1 4 8 7

9 2

7 8 5 6

C F X V N O T T I F JO O T I X U H I L L UM R H L E R O M Z O SM G A L B T M Y L U TU V N A S I E L A R WN E W G H M S A N I EI D K E T E T C D S LT E S S F S G O L H CI A Y M A H D L O I OE L M J T U K Z R N MS T O C K B R I D G E

If you have di�culty opening jars and bottles keep a small square of sandpaper in a kitchen drawer and use it to grip the lids and bottle tops –now you’ll open them �rst time, every time!

Fill the grid with numbers 1 to 9 so that

Sudoku Corner

Send your answers to any of the quizzes on this page to Elena Lloyd at the Stockbridge O�ce, by 9 November, for the chance to win a £10 gift voucher!

Do you have any other useful Hints And Tips? If so, send them to Elena Lloyd at The Stockbridge O�ce and yours may feature in the next edition of “Our Times”!

19



OurTimes

Local LibrariesA SUMMER OF FUN AT STOCKBRIDGE LIBRARY


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What’s On

This summer, there have been lots of fun activities at the library. Such as Indian dancing, craft sessions, visits from clowns, to hawks and snakes. Everyone who came had a great time!

We have also been running the Quest Seeker’s Reading Challenge. Well done to all those who completed the challenge. All their names are now in a prize draw to win some book tokens. Names will be announced shortly!

FITTON HILL LIBRARYAt Fitton Hill Library, all children who had read 6 books as part of the Quest Seekers Reading

Challenge were invited to a party and received a medal, certi�cate and goody bag as a reward for their e�orts and achievements.

There was also a prize draw where one boy and one girl who had completed the Challenge won a book token. Winners were Daisy

Winspear and Craig Walsh. Well done to them and all the children who took part!

HOME LIBRARY SERVICEHOME LIBRARY SERVICEOldham Libraries

Oldham Libraries provide a free personal delivery service to people who are unable to visit their local library and are housebound due to age, informity or disability.

The van visits once every 4 weeks. It o�ers a selection of books in standard or large print, talking books and music on cassette and CD. Any item may be reserved and they will do their best to meet

any special requests. Priority is given to people who are unable to visit a library, and who do not have someone able to visit on their behalf.

If you would like to apply you can pick up an application form from all Oldham Libraries or by calling 0161 770 8073.

Stockbridge Village Library: 0151 480 3925Words and Pictures sessions for pre-school children: Every Monday during term time 10.00am – 11.00am. The session involves toys, games, crafts and a story. It is a great way to introduce your child to the library.

Family History course Mondays 1pm-3pmThe course is for beginners and is run over 11 weeks. Places are limited; so please book early to avoid disappointment!

Fitton Hill Library (0161 633 2011)Floral Design at Fitton Hill libraryEvery Monday from 16th November to 7th December 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

Fridays 12.30pm – 1pmSwitch on to Google – basic computer skills, e-mail address. Engine searches: for example holidays!

Wednesdays (during school term time) 4pm – 5pm, Arts and crafts.

First Monday of the month 10.30am – 11am, Rhyme Time.



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What’s On & Where



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Tenants Forum Christmas Grotto for children under 12 years of age (who must be accompanied by an adult) on 14th, 15th and 16th December,Santa will be in Villages Housing reception from 2pm to 4pm each day; £3 for a gift and photo with Santa.

Tuesday 8th December: The Villages Housing Sponsored Schools pantomime will take place in the SPACE Building for pupils from all local schools from 1.30pm to 3pm. This year’s production will be ‘Mother Goose and the Magical Golden Egg’.

The Annual Stockbridge Village Community Carol Concert (sponsored by Villages) will take place on 11th December from 1.30pm to 2.30pm in St Albert’s Church. Everyone welcome - please come and join us for this lovely seasonal occasion.

Citizen’s Advice Bureau is in the Villages Housing Reception, Stockbridge Village, every Tuesday and Thursday 10am-12.30.

October is Black History Month. This national celebration aims to promote and celebrate Black contributions to British Society, and to foster an understanding of Black History in general. National Museums Liverpool and Manchester Libraries are holding a series of events, performances, talks, dance and more across several venues. Full details will be available on the Villages website, www.villages.org.uk

FITTON HILLSTOCKBRIDGE VILLAGE Gallery Oldham, Oldham Cultural Quarter, Greaves

Street, OL1 1AL. Telephone: 0161 770 4653 www.galleryoldham.org.ukCreative family fun; 11am – 3pm, FREE, no need to bookSundays: 11 & 25 October, 8 & 22 November, 6 & 20 December.

Halloween crafts Monday 26 October 1-4pmGet crafty with witches, bats, ghosts, ghouls and spiders.

Creative collage Tuesday 27 October 1-4pmCreate a unique picture using paper, fabric, wools, buttons and found materials.

Plaster casting Wednesday 28 October 1-4pmMake a plaster cast of small objects then glue them onto a picture board.

The Big Draw Saturday 31 October, 1-4pmAn afternoon of creative Halloween activities for all the family.

Wedneday 9th December: The Villages Housing Sponsored Schools pantomime will take place at Medlock Valley Community School for pupils from all local schools from 1.30pm. This year’s production will be ‘Mother Goose and the Magical Golden Egg’.

Annual Christmas Tree Event in conjunction with NDC. Starting at 5.30 at the Villages O�ce, Fircroft Road, for the Fitton Hill Christmas Tree Switch-On, with entertainment, followed by a procession up to the Honeywell Centre, for the Hathershaw Christmas Tree Switch-On, with fun activities and a hot supper.

Spring Board to Learning, 41 Spring Street, Greenacres, Oldham OL4 2BD, 0161 624 2934*Free numeracy and literacy classes with the College tutors; *Gain quali�cations equivalent to GCSEEvery Tuesday 11.30am until 1.30pm

If you have an event that you would like us to promote in our reception areas and our website (which is updated weekly) then please contact Elena Lloyd at the Stockbridge O�ce by calling 0151 480 1313 or email [email protected]

Stop Press!Stop Press!As part of the celebrations for the Year of the Environment (2009), there will be a trail of over 100, 5 foot tall Penguins across Liverpool and the surrounding areas.

Villages Housing has managed to secure sponsorship of one of these penguins, and we are currently working with artists and community members in Stockbridge Village to design (and name) our penguin.

Our penguin will be a part of the o�cial “Winter’s Trail” that will run from Sunday 22 November - 10 January, so make sure you go on the hunt for our penguin!!!



OurTimes




Fitton Hill Consultation BusFor two weeks in January, sta� from the Fitton Hill o�ce together with our consultants, BCA landscapes, toured the estate on the Xpress youth bus and consulted with many residents regarding our initial proposals for the environmental works programme.

Many thanks to everyone who attended our consultation events and gave us views on what was most important to you.

Please note the skip service cannot take fridges, freezers, gas bottles or tyres. For free removal of these items phone Knowsley Contract Services on 0151 443 2400, or Oldham Council on 0161 770 6644 . Thank You.

The Skips will be sited on Thursdays, early morning, and removed around lunch time.

Skip Dates

Fitton Hill Address:2 Fircroft Road,Fitton Hill,Oldham,OL8 2QNTel: 0161 633 4060Fax: 0161 628 5920

Contact DetailsStockbridge Village Address16 The Croft,Stockbridge Village,Knowsley,Merseyside, L28 1NRTel: 0151 480 1313Fax: 0151 480 5189

email: [email protected]

Woodpark Close 15 October(to the side of No 60)

Fold View 22 October(on the grass across from The Ace)

Snipe Road & Bank�eld Drive 29 October(grassed area at the junction)

Dowry Street 5 November(on the car park)

St Cuthberts Church, Tanners Fold 12 November(in the grounds of the Church)

Sportsmans Drive 19 November (in the parking bay on the left)

Reins Lea Avenue 26 November

Southcroft 3 December(grassed central area)

Wildbrook Crescent 10 December(car park to front of Nos 59-85)

Rosary Road 17 December(opposite No 66) (grassed central area)

8 October - Car park opposite 8-10 Plumtree Close

15 October – Rosewood Close

22 October – Cli�s Car Park

29 October – Car Park to rear of 328 Boode Croft

5 November – Car Park adjacent to 135 Boode Croft

12 November – Car park opposite cul de sac Hollow Croft

19 November – Car park opposite 93 Custley Hey/ 64 Woodfarm Hey

26 November – Car park adjacent to open space Marled Hey

3 December – Car park 3 /4 Spruce Grove/ 53 Brandearth Hey

10 December – Car Park on corner between 33 / 34 The Spinney

17 December – To rear of 180 Round Hey

FITTON HILL STOCKBRIDGE VILLAGE

Website: www.villages.org.uk

autumn our times 2009

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