Wokingham Area Housing Society Ltd – A member of the National Housing Federation Co-Operative and Community Benefits Societies Act 2014 No.13176R HCA Registered Provider / L0276

Registered Office: 22 Broad Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1BA Secretary for correspondence: 1 Fernhill Cottages, Toutley Road, Wokingham, RG41 1QJ

Newsletter DECEMBER, 2015

WAHS

Secretary:

Barbara Hunter

07816 590537

New E-mail

info@wahs.co.

uk

www.wahs.co.uk

Housing Solutions Take Centre Stage

Housing Solutions would like to introduce you to your new Tenancy and Neighbourhood Officers, Adam Massingham and Becky Wray.

Adam and Becky are responsible for supporting you from the start to the end of your tenancy. They will manage the tenancy of your new home, making sure that your rents are paid in a timely manner so that all services provided will run smoothly. They will be involved in a monthly inspection of communal areas. This is to ensure that you are safe and that the area in which you live is pleasant and enjoyable. They would welcome you to join them on their inspections, so if you are interested you can find out more by visiting Housing Solution’s website or by emailing your new Tenancy and Neighbourhood Officer once you have moved in. As part of the monthly visit to Warren Close by Becky and Adam, you can discuss matters such as payment of rent, eligibility for benefits and financial budgeting. They will also be able to help with familiarisation of your new home as you settle in. You can contact Adam or Becky by calling 0800 876 6060 or email them at: Adam.Massingham@housingsolutions.co.uk Rebecca.Wray@housingsolutions.co.uk

Wokingham Area Housing Society Ltd – A member of the National Housing Federation Co-Operative and Community Benefits Societies Act 2014 No.13176R HCA Registered Provider / L0276

Registered Office: 22 Broad Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1BA Secretary for correspondence: 1 Fernhill Cottages, Toutley Road, Wokingham, RG41 1QJ

Next Tenants Open Morning

The next Tenants Open Morning will take place in Wokingham library cafe

On: Friday 12th February 2016 Time: 10.30am

We would love to see as many of you who can make it for a chat and coffee.

Thank you Jean!

Jean stood down at our last Committee meeting after many years of being a member and Chair of WAHS. Jean will remain a shareholder.

We bought Jean an Olive Tree as a thank you for all her hard work. We wish Jean all the best in any new ventures!

Wokingham Area Housing Society Ltd – A member of the National Housing Federation Co-Operative and Community Benefits Societies Act 2014 No.13176R HCA Registered Provider / L0276

Registered Office: 22 Broad Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1BA Secretary for correspondence: 1 Fernhill Cottages, Toutley Road, Wokingham, RG41 1QJ

The Future of WAHS by Maureen I thought it would be a good idea to try and answer the question that I have heard posed by many of you; the question is “what will now happen to WAHS?” WAHS has really started out on a brand new journey, having come from being a friendly landlord to 15 tenants, we are now moving forward in a new direction. WAHS has learnt a huge amount about providing affordable housing in its rich history and we are keen to continue doing just that. We have a vision which states that we aim to provide affordable housing to those in need. As you are well aware it is not just the elderly that struggle to afford to live within the Wokingham Borough, the same could be said for many key workers (care workers, policemen, teachers, etc.,) and it is those needs that drive our current activity. WAHS is collating all of its knowledge and contacts that can be used to help us continue to supply affordable housing into the market place. A Special Project Group has been convened for the sole purpose of finding out how we can best meet this objective. It may be that we buy land, or potentially a building needing renovation, or it could be bringing others together who can make these things happen. The experience around the WAHS Board table is immense and we are only just beginning to realise what a force we could be if we find the right partners. So far from sitting on our hands, we are now actively moving forward, looking for opportunities and openings that would allow us to see more people having access to the affordable housing market. So “what will happen to WAHS” can be best answered by saying “lots!!” We invite you to watch this space…

Wokingham Area Housing Society Ltd – A member of the National Housing Federation Co-Operative and Community Benefits Societies Act 2014 No.13176R HCA Registered Provider / L0276

Registered Office: 22 Broad Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1BA Secretary for correspondence: 1 Fernhill Cottages, Toutley Road, Wokingham, RG41 1QJ

Warren Close latest picture!

This is the latest picture I have of Warren Close, taken on the 13th January.