the communicator - summer 2015

THECOMMUNICATORWWW.SWAN.ORG.UK | SUMMER 2015 | WWW.WEB4RESIDENTS.ORG.UK

3Repairs reviewupdate

5Residents'Conference 2015

uGunk potgiveaway!

iSummer ActivityScheme

fWork experienceopportunity

Welcome

Welcome to the Summer edition of yourCommunicator newsletter. Inside you can read all about our annual Residents’ Day wherewe all discovered just how much residents get out of beingpart of the Swan Team! Whether through taking part in ourtraining programmes, becoming an apprentice or gettinginvolved in other ways, positive outcomes were achieved bylots of our volunteers. It’s not too late to volunteer to join us,call the Resident Involvement Team on 01277 844242 if you'dlike to know more!

Also in this edition, you can find out how the changes we’ve introduced to the Repairs Service have made a realdifference in the way residents are kept informed about their repairs.

If you’ve got green fingers and care for a garden or greenspace don’t miss your chance to enter our Gardencompetition! There are great prizes and the more residentsthat get involved the more Swan will bloom!

Finally, the Summer holidays are fast approaching so, if youare wondering how to entertain your children, it is not too lateto register them for Swan’s free successful Summer ActivityScheme – see page 16.

Have a lovely Summer!

If you’d like to learn moreabout getting involved atany time, please call theResident Involvement andCommunity DevelopmentTeam on 01277 844242 oremail

[email protected]

Or Text INVOLVE to07860 021752

ContributorsDiane HammondEstate Services Manager

Irene FergusonService Improvement Manager

Beverley FordEducation, Training and Employment Officer

Nicolas KyprianouHead of Partnership andCompliance

Stephen McCarthyIncome Services Manager

Elaine NavinNeighbourhood ServicesManager

Liz RobinsonService User Involvement Officer

Caroline RichardsonHead of Resident Involvementand Community Development

Kari-ann WaldonResident Involvement Officer

THE COMMUNICATORPAGES 1/2

Jo March, Editor

Everything was awesome at Swan's AnnualResidents' Day where residents and staff came together to celebrate a successful yearand to work together to help shape servicesfor the future.

For more on this story, turn to page 5.

Awesome Residents' Day


Repairs reviewYour feedback

In the last issue of The Communicator we told youabout the changes we’ve made to improve our RepairsService. We now actively contact every resident whohas had a repair by a text message or telephone call.Here are some of the things you have told us:

“We are more than

happy with the repair

that was done. On time

and with no fuss.

Many thanks.”

“The guy was veryfriendly and helpful.Definitely a validmember of your team"

“Had respect for

my home. Wore

shoe protectors

and cleaned

up well.”

“Identified the problem immediately, repair completed within 10

mins in a professional manner.”

"This guy was extremely good. Knew what he

was doing. Did a great job."

“The repair man was

friendly, polite and very

efficient. Very pleased

with the results of repair.”

“Good and friendly also made a point of clearing

up mess afterwards.Thankyou”“He was

absolutelybrilliant.”

We promised to provide afollow-on receipt for repairworks so you know whatis going to be done next.Here is Axis operativeAndy Clarke handing afollow-on receipt to aresident to let her knowwhat works are going tohappen next.

Keeping you informed and compensatingyou quickly when we get it wrong

We promisedto simplifyand speed upthe process of sendingout compensation cheques inseven working days for missed repairs

appointments. Mr. O from London said

"I was surprised how quickly I receivedthe cheque in the post without havingto request it.”

Mr. BloggsTwenty Pounds

£20.00

24/6/2015

Swan HA

Our adaptations make life easier!

At Swan we understandthat life changing healthissues can make living inyour home difficult. TheAids and Adaptationsservice, carried out inpartnership with Axis,can help to make livingin your home a little biteasier! Communicatoreditor Jo March visitedsome families who haverecently had anadaptation in their hometo find out more:

Henry, aged 9 fromLaindon is a lively andtalkative boy who loveskarate and Minecraft! Hetold me that he has a“catalogue of things”wrong with him. Hismother, Kelly, expanded onthis to say that his variousmedical conditions meanthat he has to showernumerous times every day.

He also has a severe formof epilepsy and she had tosupervise him every timehe showered in case hehad a seizure.

Henry wanted a little moreindependence and privacyso, when Kelly contactedSwan, we worked withAxis to convert the family’straditional bathroom into awet room.

Kelly said:

“Henry’s new shower and wet roomhas been life changing for him andme. I can now leave him to showerin private as there is less of a risk ifhe has a seizure. This means that Ihave more time to focus on the restof the family and Henry gets theprivacy he needs.”

She added:

“I would like to say a massive thankyou to Vince, the surveyor from Axis.He has personally helped to see thisproject through to the end and hemade Henry's, and my needs, a firstpriority. Vince has been trulyamazing and supportive and he hascommunicated throughout. I justwant him to know how gratefulHenry and I are.”

Mr. Rubbins lives in Laindon. His son isdisabled and uses a wheelchair. Therewas a step up to the front door whichmade it difficult for the family to push himin and out of their home as they had to lifthim over the threshold. After contactingSwan, Mr. Rubbins couldn’t believe thespeed at which the Aids and Adaptationsservice worked. He said:

“When I spoke to them they were ableto schedule the work around the needsof my family. We arranged for thework to be done whilst we were onholiday so it was all completed withabsolutely no disruption to us. Thisadaptation means that we can nowwheel our son, straight into thehouse before getting him out of hischair.”

He added:

“I have never had any problems withSwan and have always experienceda good service.”

If you, or someone in your family, could benefit from an adaptation to make living in your home easiercall your Neighbourhood Officer on 0300 303 2500.


135 residents, boardmembers and staff fromSwan and Axis recentlycame together at WestHam's Football Groundto celebrate Swan'sResidents' Day. Thisannual event celebrateshow Swan has workedwith you, our residents,over the last 12 months.It also lets us consultwith residents on ourservices and thank themfor their contribution.

This year, the eventopened with a look back atthe successes of the past12 months. Highlightsincluded a report on therepairs service review andthe changes we’ve madeto improve the service youreceive. We also celebratedthe outcome of the £20KSwan Foundationfundraising challenge thatSwan’s Chair Valerie OwenOBE, set staff last year.

Staff and some residentsBungeed, selfied andbaked their way to afantastic total of £29,745which is now being used tofund a variety of SwanFoundation projects (seewww.swanfoundation.org.ukfor more information).

The theme of the day wasbeing “part of the team.”Tabatha Mills (who lastspoke at the Residents’ Dayin 2013) spoke about howgetting involved as a Swanresident has had a lastingimpact on her life and howshe is now employed bySwan as a Support Workerin the Foyers.

Another resident, JoAlphous, Chair of theScrutiny Panel, later revealedhow, by being part ofSwan’s team, she has had adirect impact on scrutinisingand improving the servicesresidents receive.

Everyone who attended theevent became part of theteam and helped to makekey decisions about thenew tenancy handbook thatis given to residents whenthey sign up for a Swantenancy. This work is on-going and we will reportback on it in the next editionof The Communicator.

Residents enjoyedperformances from the BowCross Dance Group andthe Vange Dance Group;both groups are supportedby Swan's ResidentInvolvement andCommunity DevelopmentTeam and by CommunityGrants. With Swan’ssupport the young dancershave all had new dance kitsthis year.

Maria from Open Doorsspoke about Swan'sResident Digital Championsand the support they

provide to residents whoneed help to get online. Sheled an interactive sessionwhich demonstrated howbeing online can be usefuland help everyone savemoney.

After lunch, and a tour ofthe ground, Swan staff (andformer Foyer residents) Sianand Antony took part in afun session celebrating thesuccess of Swan'schallenge to recruitapprentices. Theirapprenticeships have had alasting impact on their livesas they have gainedvaluable skills and workexperience.

The fun Techie Tea Partyafternoon session sawresidents using tablets andmobile devices to discoverthings such as the cheapestholiday available. This led todiscussions about thetechnology residents have

2015 Residents’ Conferencea huge success!

We’ve had many fantastic comments fromresidents, here are just a few...

and use at home. Theinformation gathered at theconference will be used toguide Swan's digital policy.

The conference ended on ahigh with the legendaryraffle – this year prizesincluded Hudls and otherhigh tech items donated byour generous partners andsuppliers including Hera,NU living, Office Needs,Stifford, Puttock Brown PRand Bellenden. Our repairspartner Axis also gave us£2,000 sponsorship for thisevent - thank you!

One of the most important parts of

the day is when we askresidents to become partof our team. It's not toolate to sign up, call theResident Involvement andCommunity DevelopmentTeam on 01277 844242for more information.

“Had a fantastic time once again. Thanks to

all the Swan staff.”Jessica

I had a fabulous day

at the conference,

you certainly create

a good vibe at your

conferences,

I am impressed!

Ian

“Lovely day, staff were all

very lovely especially Pete

our table host and Jo.

Thanks for a lovely

informative day :-)”Claire

Must thank all the staff, particularly

Resident Involvement Officers, for all

their hard work in making Resi-day

2015 such a great success.Pearl


Swan welcomes new residents

Swan is dedicated tocreating exemplarycommunities and hasbeen busy regeneratingtwo large estates, one inLondon and one inEssex.

In Tower Hamlets, theRobin Hood Gardens estateis an estate that the close-knit, local community wantto see regenerated. Swan,working in partnership withthe London Borough ofTower Hamlets, the GreaterLondon Authority and theHomes and CommunitiesAgency have been workingon a new vision for theestate since 2011. Theregeneration is calledBlackwall Reach and thenew homes are nearly readyfor their first residents, soCommunicator Editor JoMarch went to meet one ofthe families who are aboutto move into their newhome.

Mrs. Bibi and her husbandhave lived on Robin HoodGardens for 17 years. Theyhave three children aged19, 14 and 4. They willshortly be amongst the firstresidents to live on the newBlackwall Reach estate.

Mrs. Bibi said:

“I love this area and theclose-knit community. Iam looking forward tohaving much more spacein my new home. Iespecially like the newbalcony which can beaccessed from themaster bedroom.”

Mr. Bibi added:

“I like the securitymeasures such as CCTVand the secure entrancesin the new buildings. Itwill be much safer formy family.”

In Basildon, Essex Swan isworking in partnership withBasildon Borough Counciland the Homes andCommunities Agency toregenerate the Craylandsestate. The regenerated areais called Beechwood Village.Swan has recentlywelcomed nearly 150 newresidents to newly builthomes on the estate.

Debbie has lived on theCraylands estate for 24

years and will be one of thefirst to move onto the newBeechwood Village estate.She has two adult childrenliving at home with her.

Debbie said:

“This is not just a newhome for me; it is also anew start for my familynow that they havegrown up! I feel like thehouse has everything youcould want and more –there are even TV aerialsockets in the bedrooms!My sons are so pleasedto have more plugsockets everywhere, wewon’t have to useextension leadsanymore.”

She added:

“I really like the way theestate has a number ofdifferent looks to it, thishelps the new bits blendin with the existinghouses. I am lookingforward to meeting mynew neighbours andseeing the newcommunity grow.”

Swan is delighted to bewelcoming so many newresidents over the comingweeks and we lookforward to them gettinginvolved with Swan.

Mr & Mrs Bibi

Debbie

New garden unveiled atDove Cott House

Mo Larkin, Mayor ofBasildon, Carol Sizeland,Chief Executive ofHarlow Health CentresTrust, residents andSwan staff recentlycelebrated the openingof a new, multi-purposeparent and child gardenat Dove Cott House. Thegarden has beenspecifically designed tohave a positive impacton the health anddevelopment of theyoung (mostly pre-school) children who livewith their parents in theFoyer. Residents areamazed at the garden’stransformation and arelooking forward toenjoying the outsidespace with their childrenthis summer.

Work on the garden wasfunded by Harlow HealthCentres Trust and startedin early 2014. It nowboasts a multi-purposeplay area for the children, asensory garden and avegetable patch. Thevegetable patch will bemanaged and maintained

by the young parents wholive at Dove Cott Houseand it will be used topromote healthy cookingand eating to them andtheir children.

Mary Gibbons, ExecutiveDirector Strategy andSupport, said:

“Today is a celebrationof the fantastic gardenarea that has beencreated here at DoveCott House. We wouldlike to express ourthanks to HarlowHealth Centres Trustand its board membersfor the funding whichhas enabled us toinvolve so manySupported Housingresidents in a varietyof activities and for thecreation of the newgarden, which has hadsuch a positive impacton the well-being ofthe young parents andtheir children who livehere.”

Carol Sizeland, ChiefExecutive Officer, HarlowHealth Centres Trust said:

“Dove Cott’s newgarden is a great newspace where the youngchildren can spendquality time enjoyingnature and theoutdoors with theirparents. We arepleased that thefunding from HHCT hasleft a legacy which willbe enjoyed by all of theyoung people who livethere.”

Cobbie Rickard, Dove Cottresident said:

“The garden is veryimportant to us, as it isa safe place for us toplay and learn aboutnature with ourchildren. The fundsspent to redesign thegarden will make suchan importantdifference to us all andwe are really lookingforward to spendinglots of time in it!”

Innovativ

e

Able to come up

with new ideas

CollaborativeSomeone who can

work well with others

C

DiverseWe want our panelto be representative of all our residents

EnthusiasticWanting to learn

and get involved

in new initiatives

Enthusiastic

n

Commun

icator

Able to get your

point across clearly

DrivenAble to motivate

yourself and others

PassionateWanting to improve services for all residents

Pas i

CommittedHave you got sparetime that you wouldlike to invest insomething new?

ARE YOU interested in learning more about Swan?WOULD YOU like to investigate and help us shape our services?

DO YOU want to add experiences to your CV?DO YOU have the time to help?

If so, you’d probably be a fantastic Scrutiny Panel member and we’d like to hear from you

We are recruiting for new Scrutiny Panel members and will be holding a meet and greet event on the morning of the 14th of August at West Ham Football Ground. It will be an opportunity to

meet panel members, speak to staff and learn what the role is all about. For more information and to book a space at the event please contact the Resident Involvement

and Community Development Team on 01277 844242

Join our team!THE COMMUNICATORPAGES 9/10

Residents recentlyattended a Fire Safetycourse as part of theResident Trainingprogramme. During thecourse they learnt aboutthe dangers of fire andpractical things theyshould and shouldn't doto help prevent a fire intheir home.

After the course they said:

"I now understandthe importance ofmaintaining mysmoke alarm”

Its not too late tosign up for a

course on the ResidentTraining programme visithttp://web4residents.org.uk/training-2015 to signup for a course today orcall the ResidentInvolvement andCommunity DevelopmentTeam on 01277 844242for more information.

A Swan resident wasrecently sentenced to 28days in prison for failingto adhere to the terms ofan injunction obtained bySwan followingcomplaints aboutdangerous dogs living atthe property.

The resident had severaldogs in the property andone attacked and killed adog belonging to aneighbour. The dogs wereoften outside the resident’shouse without leads whichfrightened and intimidatedother residents living in thearea.

Swan’s ASB officerobtained an injunction

which ordered the residentto rehome the dogs andrepair damaged fencing sothey could no longerescape. Despite severalwarnings and attendancesat court the residentrefused to rehome thedogs. The judge ordered aprison sentence andgranted Swan permissionto enter the property toremove the dogs.

Swan takes allcases of ASB

seriously so, if you havea problem withdangerous dogs or otherissues with ASB in yourneighbourhood, call yourNeighbourhood Officeron 0300 303 2500.

Swan successfully takes on adangerous dog

Fire SafetyCourse

THE COMMUNICATORPAGE 11

Eleven residents recentlylearnt how to cook ahealthy meal forthemselves and theirfamily at the HealthyEating course held atWest Ham Football Clubas part of the ResidentTraining Programme.

During the day residentswatched West Ham's ChefMichelle demonstrate howto prepare and cook twohealthy meals before theyhad the chance to getbehind the stoves andhave a go themselves.Residents prepared herbcrusted cod, which theyenjoyed for lunch and achicken and wholewheatspaghetti dish that theywere able to take homeand enjoy with theirfamilies.

The residents said:

Michael:

“Chef was very friendlyand I loved learning howto use kitchenappliances I have neverused before”

Paul:

“Everyone was reallyfriendly and the cookinginstructions were veryclear to read”

Kathleen:

“Most enjoyable – cannot wait for the nextcourse/event, willdefinitely attend moretraining as everyone sovery friendly. The foodwas good too!”

Swan residents learn tocook healthy food

We know that our Resident Trainingprogramme changes lives and it’s not too

late to sign up for the free courses on offer. Sign up online at web4residents.org.uk/resident-training-2015 or call the Resident Involvementand Community Development Team on 01277 844242.

Try for yourself!Herb Crusted CodServes 4 people

You’ll need

4 cod fillets

100g (3½oz)breadcrumbs

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Finely grated zest 1 smalllemon

1tbsp chopped freshchives

1tbsp chopped freshflat-leaf parsley

1tbsp chopped freshbasil

60g (2¼oz) butter,melted

1 lemon, quartered, toserve

1Heat oven to 220°C(gas mark 7). Place

the cod on a largegreased baking tray andseason with salt andfreshly ground blackpepper.

2Combine thebreadcrumbs,

garlic, lemon zest andherbs, and season well.Pour in the butter andmix with a large fork oryour fingers, untilcombined. Cover thefillets with the crumbs,pressing down on each.

3Transfer to theoven and roast for

about 20 minutes, oruntil the crust is golden.

4Serve with a greensalad.

ESSEX LOCAL NEWS PAGE 12

THECOMMUNICATORESSEXYour “local” section!

Swan in Bloom - enter now!Essex Flower Power

Why not enter your gardenfor Swan’s Best GardenAwards taking place inlate summer 2015?

We all know thatneighbourhoods lookbetter when residents takepride in their gardens.Following the success ofthe garden competitionsheld in Basildon andChelmsford the ResidentInvolvement andCommunity Developmentteam are extending ourbest garden awardscompetitions for allresidents in Essex.

The judges will be touringEssex estates during thenext month and will belooking for loved frontgardens, back gardens andhanging baskets. There iseven an award for greenfingered children in thechildren’s award category.

The winner from eachcategory will receive a £50shopping voucher and apersonalised framedcertificate.

To enter: If you would like to enter your garden or nominate a neighbour’s garden, please call theResident Involvement and Community Development Team on 01277 844242 or [email protected]

ESSEX LOCAL NEWS PAGES 13/14

Swan recently finalised a deal to regenerate LaindonShopping Centre and will nowbe working with BasildonBorough Council and localresidents to bring about thelong overdue regeneration ofLaindon Town Centre.

Swan is committed to bringabout a regeneration whichwill leave a legacy in Laindon.We are currently working onplans for the regeneration but our teams are alsofocusing on how they canmake an immediatedifference to improve theshopping experience forresidents and retailers.

Look out for further updatesin future editions of TheCommunicator.

A brighter future for LaindonShopping Centre

Geoff Pearce, Executive Director of Swan Commercial Services said:

“Swan has a long term commitment to the regeneration of the Laindon and Basildon area. Swanrecently celebrated its 20th anniversary and throughout that time Swan has worked in the Basildonarea, bringing quality regeneration and building communities that people want to live in.

We’re looking forward to working with Basildon Borough Council, existing retailers, and, critically,local people, who we know are passionate about the regeneration of Laindon, to finally bring Laindonthe central facilities it needs.”

The Vange Dance Group,supported by Swan,recently won a trophy ina regional dance-offcompetition held in Grays.The dancers performed amodern routine in thecompetition against otherdance groups in the area.

The group also once againwowed residents whenthey performed at theResidents' Day at WestHam. They performed theiraward-winning routine andwore their new Swanhoodies. Residents weredelighted by their poiseand the skillful use ofchoreography which madeuse of all of the dancers inthe group, regardless oftheir age or ability.

The Vange Dance Groupmeet every week and isfree for anyone living in theVange area of Basildon.

Dancing to success

If you would like more

information about thedance group pleasecontact the ResidentInvolvement and CommunityDevelopment Team on 01277 844242.

ESSEX LOCAL NEWS PAGE 15

Local children fromWillowbank nurseryrecently received a SwanCommunity Grant for avisit to the Gruffalo Trailin Brentwood. Thechildren had a lovelytime at ThorndonCountry Park hunting forthe characters in thisclassic children’s story.They made a wonderfulcard to thank Swan forthe funding!

The Swan CommunityGrant programme givesgrants to community,voluntary or residentgroups. For example,grants have also beenawarded to dance groupsto help them take part in

competitions and tocommunity groups to fundcommunity fun days.

Grants of up to £500 areavailable so why not gettogether with yourneighbours and see whatyou could do with aCommunity Grant fromSwan?

You can apply for aCommunity Grant

online atweb4residents.org.uk/involving-you/community-grants#form

or call the ResidentInvolvement Team

on 01277 844242 formore information.

Willowbank nursery children goon a Gruffalo hunt with a Swan

Three hundred and The community

fifty pounds only £350.00

21/6/2014

Swan HA

THECOMMUNICATORLONDONYour “local” section!

LONDON LOCAL NEWS PAGE 12

Need money to get your business ideaoff the ground?Start Up Loans Available for Small Businesses

Do you have a brilliantbusiness idea that needssome funding? SwanFoundation inpartnership with Swan,Poplar HARCA, TowerHamlets Homes,Housing Associations’Charitable Trust (HACT)and the CommunityDevelopment FinanceAssociation (CDFA) areoffering micro-financeloans to localentrepreneurs.

Loans of between £1,000and £10,000 are availableto support entrepreneurswho require funding to gettheir business ideas off theground and for businessesregistered within the past18 months to progress tothe next level. The loansare managed by theLondon Small BusinessCentre and are part of agovernment initiative toattract social investors.There is a total fund of£150,000 to assist thegrowth of micro-enterprises - that's smallbusinesses to you and me!

To qualify for a loan youmust be over the age of 18

and have a viable businessidea (or a business thathas been trading for nolonger than 18 months).Terms and conditions canbe found online athttp://www.swan.org.uk/home/news/business-boost-for-east-london-entrepreneurs.aspx

Loans are available to fundbusinesses in every sector.Successful applicantsreceive more than justfunding! They also receiveaccess to a mentor, invitesto free training andnetworking events andexclusive business offers.

For more information please contact PerrynJasper, Swan Foundation Project Manager

on 01277 844753 or email [email protected]

LONDON LOCAL NEWS PAGES 13/14

Twelve children fromBow Cross recentlyenjoyed learning aboutroad safety when theyattended an eventhosted by Swan’sResident Involvement andCommunity Developmentteam working with SwanSafe. During the activity,the children learnt aboutthe importance of beingroad aware and choosinga safe place to play. Thechildren toured theirestate where they put

their learning intopractice and identifiedthe different types ofroad signs and also thetraffic-calming measureswe have on Bow Cross.

The children were alsoreminded about theimportance of crossing theroad safely and beingaware of the differentvehicles that can be foundon the estate.

Thank-you to all the youngpeople who attended!

Bow Cross Road Safety Event

The Exmouth Residents’Board (ERB) and Swan’sResident Involvementand CommunityDevelopment Teamrecently hosted a FamilyFun Day for the Exmouthestate. The event was ahuge success andattended by manyresidents who enjoyedthe fantastic Springweather, and the foodand activities on offer.

The arts and craft activitiesproved to be particularlypopular as residents wereoffered the chance tocreate their ownpersonalised canvas bagand a community muralwhich will be displayed inthe estate. Thanks to theERB for their support ofthis event!

Exmouth Estate Fun Day

LONDON LOCAL NEWS PAGE 15

Trade School success in Havering

Swan Foundation haspartnered with Barkingand Dagenham Collegeto offer school leaversfrom Havering, Barkingand Dagenham theopportunity to get a tasteof what it would be liketo attend college andlearn a building trade aspart of the successfulConstruction TradesSchool project.

The young people, who willall be leaving school in thecoming months, attendedthe sessions on Saturdayafternoons and duringschool holidays at thecollege's Rush Greencampus. They got to trytheir hand at a variety oftrades including Dry Lining,Plumbing, Electrics andPainting and Decorating.

Every young person whoattended more than 80%of the sessions received afree tool box with basicequipment and a place tostudy at the college. Theyalso received advice andguidance on how they canapply for an apprenticeshipto work on Swan HousingAssociation’s developmenton the site of theOldchurch hospital.

Funding for this projectcame from the Big Lottery,Awards for All programme.

THECOMMUNICATORSUPPORTED HOUSINGYour “local” section!

SUPPORTED HOUSING LOCAL NEWS PAGE 12

Have you got the (flower) power?!

Swan is blooming this summer andresidents are being encouraged to getgrowing and enter their garden (or nominatetheir neighbours) for the Swan Best GardenAwards 2015.

Catagories include best communal garden,best front garden, best back garden and besthanging basket. The winner from each catagorywill receive a £50 shopping voucher.

If you would like to enter or nominate aneighbour's garden please call the

Resident Involvement and CommunityDevelopment Team on 01277 844242 oremail [email protected]

SUPPORTED HOUSING LOCAL NEWS PAGES 13/14

Fundraising Open Day atNeave Crescent

Friends and family of18 residents living inNeave Crescent, aSupported HousingScheme in Romford,recently raised£425.90 at an OpenDay where home-made cakes, booksand games were onsale for visitors. Themoney will gotowards a gardenmakeover.

Special thanks go toKellie Ball and herteam from Outlook

Care, Henry (the chairof the carers group)and Louise Pitt,Supported HousingOfficer who all helpedto organise the day.Jane Daniels and SallyLewis, from Swan’sFinance team alsodonated their time tohelp out at the eventas part of Swan’s CSR“Get Involved”scheme. Thanks alsoto the LearningCentre, Romford whowere proud sponsorsof the event.

Tim Brooks, Supported Housing TeamManager said:

“It was a great afternoon and I really enjoyedchatting to the residents, staff and peoplemanaging the stalls. It was a good opportunity tomeet the Chief Executive of Outlook Care andhave a few goes on the tombola.”

Jessica from Harlowhas had a busy andsuccessful year andcouldn't wait to tellSwan's Residents'Conference all about it!

She spoke about herjourney which involvedattending lots ofdifferent trainingsessions offered bySwan and how thesmall changes she hasmade in her life haveseen her gainconfidence, lose twostone and secure apaid job.

If you wouldlike to get

involved and attendtraining like Jessicaspeak to LizRobinson, ServiceUser InvolvementOfficer on 0300 303 2500 tofind out more.

Jessica speaks at the Swan Resident Conference!

Residents' Day Photo Booth!

SUPPORTED HOUSING LOCAL NEWS PAGE 15

Harlow Health Centres Trustgrant funding celebrations

Liz Robinson,Service UserInvolvement Officerwas recently invitedto attend the HarlowHealth Centres Trust(HHCT) AGM toreport back on theprojects that weremade possible by£24,500 grantfunding from HHCT.

The HHCT said thatthey would like tocontinue workingwith Swan and moregrant fundingapplications arebeing made. Ifsuccessful, thegrants will furtherimprove the facilitiesfor young peopleliving in the Foyers.

At the event, Carol Sizeland, Chief Executive Officer of Harlow HealthCentres Trust said:

"We would like to thank Swan and Liz Robinson for making sucha difference to people’s lives in Harlow and across Essex. Thepowerful accounts from residents who had taken part in theseprojects was fantastic and emotional. The Trustees wereimpressed with the feedback they received from Swan Housingand the work being undertaken with the grant.”

THE COMMUNICATORPAGE 16

During the long summerholidays children get thechance to have a break fromschool and play outside in thefresh air. Many estates havegreen spaces, play areas andball courts for children to playin so please encourage yourchildren to use these or yourlocal parks wherever possibleas this helps them to growinto healthy, independentadults.

Children playing sensibly andconsiderately outside is notAnti-Social Behaviour but pleaseremind your children that beingconsiderate means respectingyour neighbours – not damagingproperty or using bad language!

Swan is working withAnglian Water to supportthe Keep It Clearcampaign to raiseawareness of the issues,costs and misery thatsewage blockages cause.Blockages can causeinternal and externalflooding and potentiallycause pollution and harmthe environment.

UK water companiesreported 362,000 sewerblockages between 2013and 2014. 70% of thesewere avoidable. Onaverage, Anglian Waterdeals with a blockage

every 15 minutes . It isestimated that dealing withblockages costs £80mmillion annually across theUK. As so many blockagesare avoidable it is timeeverybody is encouragedto make some smallchanges to help stop thebuild-up of fatbergs.

The key culprits causingblockages and fatbergs arewipes (including babywipes, cleaning and make-up wipes) and sanitaryproducts flushed down thetoilet and fats, oils andgrease poured down thesink. Even products marked

‘flushable’do notbreakdown in thesewer in thesame way astoilet paper.Wipes shouldalways be thrownin the bin, not downthe toilet. In the sewers,wipes mix with food scraps,congealed fat and oil, andcan combine to causeblockages. Someblockages are very largeand its estimated that oneweighed as much as 15tonnes!

In London,Thames Water are alsorunning a campaign called‘Bin it, don’t block it’ andhave similar products toencourage people to think twice about flushingunwanted items down the drain.

Play nicely!

Swan’s Youth Activities in Essex and London continue during thesummer holidays so contact the Resident Involvement and CommunityDevelopment Team on 01277 844 242; or [email protected] to find out more.

We have 10 gunk pots to give away to the first ten people who send an email (don’t forget toinclude your name and address) to [email protected] with the word ‘Gunk’ in the subject line.

Fat Busters gunk pot giveawayKeep it Clear- Anglian Water!


Get on board! It's Summer Activity time!

It’s not too late to sign your children up for the Summer Scheme! Register online atwww.web4residents.org.uk or call the Resident Involvement and Community Development Team on 01277 844242

Swan’s action-packed two-week Summer Activity Scheme gives children aged 8-16 the chance to make newfriends and try out a wide variety of different activities.

Held during the school summer holidays, the free two-week scheme is run in London and Essex. This year the childrenwill be visiting Adventure Island in Southend, playing bubble football, going bowling and taking part in a large numberof other fun activities.

Malcolm O'Brien, Executive Director -People andCommunications said:

“I am delighted thatSwan HA has afresh, modern logoand look forward toseeing its useacross thebusiness.”

We’re looking forResident Inspectors tojoin our team

Are you, or is someoneyou know, looking forsome voluntary work toadd to your CV? Have yougot a few hours a month tospare? Do you have aneye for detail and likethings to be neat and tidy?At Swan we take pride inthe appearance of ourblocks and estates and wewant to ensure that ourestate services offer youvalue for money. ResidentInspectors are valuablevolunteers who carry outindependent estateinspections and

give us honest feedbackabout the standard ofcleaning, gardening,repairs and Anti-SocialBehaviour in the area.

Resident Inspectorsreceive a uniform,comprehensive trainingand a bonus paid ontotheir STARCARD. Allexpenses are fullyreimbursed.

If you areinterested in joining

our team and becominga Resident Inspector callDiane Hammond, EstateServices Manager on01277 315220 or [email protected]

Resident Inspectors

Have you noticed Swan'snew logo? Designed in-house, the new logo isinstantly recognisableand replaces thecelebratory logo used tocommemorate Swan’s20th Anniversary last year.

The new logo will begradually introducedacross all areas of thebusiness, as and whenpublications are updated.Accessibility was a primeconsideration during thedesign process and thefont has been updated sothat it is easier to read.

Swan Housing Association introduces a new corporate logo


We are here to help you

We want all of ourresidents to enjoy thecomfort of their ownhome. Swan recognisesthat some people areunable to decorate theirhomes themselves so wehave a service agreedwith our Partneringcontractor Axis toundertake these worksFREE for the followinggroup of residents:

• Over 65s

• Those in receipt of aDisability LivingAllowance

To ensure the works areundertaken for those inmost need we can onlyprovide the service if you

have no other relative(even if they do not livewith you) who could assistand it was more than 7years since the lastdecorations undertaken bySwan.

This service will bedemand-led and we maynot reach everyone thisyear.

If you feel thisservice could

benefit you and you haveeither two rooms (e.g.bedroom and bathroom)or hall, stairs and landingthat need decoratingplease call yourNeighbourhood Officeron 0300 303 2500 formore information.

If you are affected by these changes you can contact the Welfare Benefits Team on 0300 303 2500 for help.

Swan is always on thelookout for resident’ssuggestions for howwe can make ourservices better.Resident’ssuggestions help usto improve ourbusiness.

Your Big Idea mayalso be useful for usto share with otherresidents! Help usshare usefulinformation with otherresidents and deliverthe services you reallywant.

If you have anysuggestions or ideasdon't delay; sendthem to us today!

Want to win £50 to spend in Argos?Tell us your Big Idea! We will award £50 on your STARCARD for any ideas that wecan use.

So, tell us what you think about how we can:

• Improve services;

• Offer new services; and

• Save money or reduce waste.

All suggestions are considered by ourResident Consultative Committees. Anywe implement will be published in TheCommunicator.

Send us your idea by post usingthis form or online at

web4residents.org.uk or swan.org.uk or by [email protected]

My big idea is...

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................

Your name

...............................................................................................................................

Address

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................

Return your suggestion slip to:The Customer Feedback

Co-ordinator, Swan HousingAssociation, FREEPOST ANG10361,Billericay CM12 9ZZ

My big idea...


Disability LivingAllowance (DLA) claimsin Swan’s postcodeareas are being re-assessed and replacedwith awards of PersonalIndependence Payment(PIP).

The introductions havebeen staggeredthroughout the areas inwhich Swan operatesand you can find outwhen your postcodearea will be affectedonline at:www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/422328/timetable-for-pip-

replacing-dla-may-2015.pdf

If you have a DLA awardyou will not be able to askfor it to be looked at again(supersession request) ifyour condition has changedor deteriorated after the PIPre-assessment date. Anyrequests for revision will beconsidered as requests for aclaim to PIP.

If you have been contactedfor a DLA to PIP re-assessment we advise youto seek advice andassistance in making thenew PIP claim.

Guide to Personal Independence PaymentDLA changing to PIP

£? ???? ??£

£ ??

How did we do?Year End 14/15

Stage 1 complaintsresponded to within

10 working days(Target 98%)

97.3%complaints receivedin this period

671

Emergencyrepairs donewithin time(Target 99%)

99.5%Standard repairsdone within time

(Target 99%)

99%

Properties with a validgas safety certificate

(Target 100%)

100%People satisfiedwith the repairsservice(Target 80%)

65.8%

Current arrears as a% of rent due(general needs)(Target 3%)

2.59%

_CALENDAR

XXXXXXXXXX

pay

rent

Ab


SuggestionsWe always want to hear your ideas about the wayswe can improve. Fill in the suggestions schemecoupon on page 20 or do it online atweb4residents.org.uk for your chance to win £50 on your STARCARD.

ComplimentsWe received 201 compliments during the year. Hereare some of the examples of what you have said:

“I would like to thank Kellyfor all her assistanceduring my mutualexchange!”Mr. H

I'd just like to thank you forall your help with the saleof my property. You've beenamazing!”Mrs. O

“On several occasions wehave had the pleasure ofdealing with our HousingOfficer James Cowell, whata credit he is to you!Nothing is ever too muchtrouble for him and hisattention to detail isexcellent!Mr. H & Mrs. W

If you have a complaint or a complimentabout our services, please call our Business

Improvement Team on 0300 303 2500.

People satisfied withhow their ASB report

was dealt with(Target 76%)

78%

Average number ofdays taken to re-let

an empty home(Target 16 days)

17.1

Repair appointmentsthat were kept

(Target 95%)

97%

People satisfied withthe complaintsprocedure (Target 70%)

74.8%+

bove target Slightly below target Significantly below target

You can find more detailedperformance statistics onwww.swan.org.uk


Do you, or wouldsomeone you know, beinterested in gettingwork experience in abusy communicationsteam?

Swan’s newCommunications team isoffering work experienceplacements for individualswho are interested incommunciations, writing,photography, social mediaand graphic design.

Successful applicantsneed to have good IT skillsas they will have a pivotalrole in helping Swancreate a new media vault.

This role is based atSwan’s Head Office inBillericay. All travel costswill be reimbursed.

Communications workexperience opportunity!

Have you or someoneyou know been a victimof a hate crime or hateincident?

Hate crimes and incidentscome in many differentforms. It can be becauseof hatred on the groundsof your race, religion,sexual orientation,transgender identity ordisability. Hate crime in anyform is wrong. So, if ithappens to you orsomeone you know it isimportant to report it.

Examples of Hate Crimes include:

• Physical attacks –pushing and shoving toserious assaults

• Verbal abuse – usingderogatory or insultingwords

• Threatening behaviour,bullying and intimidation

• Damage to property –including offensive graffiti

• Harassment

• Maliciouscommunications -threatening or offensivemail, texts or emails

Hate Crime

What to do if you are a victim?

In an emergency, dial 999.

In a non-emergency, dial 101 and ask to speakto your Community Safety Unit about a hatecrime.

Call or visit any Swan office. You can speak toyour Neighbourhood Officer or there arespecially trained Hate Crime Ambassadors whocan help you.

Report it online (anonymously if you wish) via theTrueVision website: http://report-it.org.uk/home

In London, you can also report online directly tothe Metropolitan Police on:https://online.met.police.uk/ocr.html#hatecrime

For more information call 0300 303 2500 and ask to speak to a member ofthe Communications Team. To apply simply email your CV [email protected]

STAFFSTAFF

STAFF

Joint London and Essexresidents’ meeting

London and EssexResident ConsultativeCommittee (RCC)recently met for a specialjoint London and EssexRCC meeting at Swan’sTramway office inStratford. The meetingwas chaired by bothChairs, Stella Damm(London) and CarolFranklin (Essex).

Valerie Owen OBE, Chairof Swan Board attendedthe meeting along withSandra Fawcett, ExecutiveDirector - Housing. Thiswas the first meetingCaroline Richardson, thenew Head of ResidentInvolvement andCommunity Developmentattended and she wasintroduced to everyone atthe beginning of themeeting.

After the meetingmembers commented thatit was very informativemeeting with each other

and how they would like tohold further joint meetingsin the future, possibly twoa year!

“It was a very goodmeeting and I enjoyedhearing what membersof the Essex RCCthought abouteverything wediscussed.”Stella

“It was anexcellentmeeting. Itwas lovelytowelcome

Valerie and I enjoyedmeeting Caroline. Ilook forward to thenext joint meeting!”Carol

If you would like to get involved with the RCC and help shape Swan’sservices call the Resident Involvement Team on 01277 844242.

WelcomeCarolineRichardson

Caroline recentlyjoined Swan as Headof ResidentInvolvement andCommunityDevelopment and islooking forward tomeeting as manyresidents as possiblein the coming months.Caroline spoke at theResidents'Conference abouthow, in previous jobs,she has been verysuccessful in securinggrant funding forcommunity activities,something she hopesto continue at Swan.

Samantha Wait,formerly Head ofResident Involvementand Communications,has now moved to a new role as Swan's Head ofCommunications,supported by a new team.

Stella

Carol

If you qualify just answer the questions and cut out the coupon for each prize you wish to be entered for.Then post all entries in ONE envelope to: Swan Housing Association, FREEPOST ANG10361, Billericay, CM12 9ZZ or email us at [email protected] quoting 'Swan Reward Scheme competition’ with youranswers, name and address. Winners may be asked to appear in the next edition of The Communicator.

Swan RewardsOur way of saying thank you


Here is your chance to win some fabulous prizes as part ofthe Swan Reward Scheme. Please check that you qualifyby visiting web4residents.org.uk and then just choosewhich of these great prizes you would like to win. Theclosing date for entries is 31 July 2015.

Nintendo Wii &Mario KartWhat sport is famously played atWimbledon?

nRugby nCricket nTennis

Name .........................................................................

Address....................................................................

.........................................................................................

iPad AirWhat is the name of the Snowmanin the Disney film Frozen??

nTim nOlaf nDerek

Name .........................................................................

Address....................................................................

.........................................................................................

Phone no. ..............................................................

Bush 32” TVWhich food would you cook on aBBQ during summer??

nSausages nCereal nChips

Name .........................................................................

Address....................................................................

.........................................................................................

Phone no. ..............................................................

1 x prize of £100decorating voucherSwan's new regeneration site inLondon is called Blackwall ______?

nReach nTunnel nYard

Name .........................................................................

Address....................................................................

.........................................................................................

Phone no. ..............................................................

Bush Fridge FreezerWhich item of clothing would beseen at the beach??

nSwimsuit nWaistcoat nGloves

Name .........................................................................

Address....................................................................

.........................................................................................

Phone no. ..............................................................

1 x prize of £100 tospend in ArgosComplete this popular song lyric -'Everything is awesome, everythingis cool when you're part of the ____’?

nClub nGroup nTeam

Name .........................................................................

Address....................................................................

.........................................................................................

Phone no. ..............................................................

KIDS’ ZONEColouring competition

Colour in the drawing belowand you could win a £10Argos Voucher. The three runners up will wina Kids’ Zone Activity Book.

When you have coloured in thedrawing cut out your entry andreturn it with your name, ageand address to Kari-annWaldon, Swan HousingAssociation, FREEPOST ANG10361, Billericay. CM12 9ZZ.Entries will be drawn on 31 July 2015.

This competition is only opento residents aged 16 or under.

Your Name

..................................................................

Your age

..................................................................

Address

..................................................................

..................................................................

..................................................................

Winner - £10 ArgosVoucher

Yusef AhmedAge 9 - Stratford

Winners of Colouring Book

Habibah HussainAge 7 - Bow Cross

Scarlett HarrisonAge 5 - Basildon

Kayla EminAge 10 - Chadwell Heath

Colouring in competition winners

WINNER

Habibah

Scarlett

Kayla

Find us on social media

Facebook www.facebook.com/swanhousing

Twitter www.https://twitter.com/swanhousing

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/swan-housing-group

Google+ plus.google.com/+SwanOrgUkSHA/posts

YouTube www.youtube.com/user/SwanHousingGroup

Text messaging service

If you would like to contactSwan via the text service,add Swan Housing as acontact, adding the mobilenumber 07860 021752then choose the relevantdepartment and text theirdedicated word.

Supported Housingsupport

Resident Involvementinvolve

Allocations and Lettingslettings

Essex Rentsessexrents

Essex Neighbourhoodessexneighbours

London Rentslondonrents

London Neighbourhoodlondonneighbours

Leasehold Servicesleasehold

Estate Serviceestate

In your language

Please call 0300 303 2500if you would likesomeone to explain anyof these articles to you.

Polish

To report a repair via textmessage send amessage to 07477 959235. Don't forget toinclude your name,address, brief details ofwhat's wrong and thelocation of the repair inyour message.

Visit us or post:

Essex Regional Office:Pilgrim House, High Street, Billericay, Essex CM12 9XY

London Regional Office:Cygnet House South, 10 Chrisp Street, Poplar,London E14 6LL

We are open Monday-Thursday 9.00am-5.15pm

Friday 9.00am-5.00pm

Call us to find out whereyour local neighbourhoodoffice is.

Useful numbers

Swan HQ 0300 303 2500

Repairs number (24 hour)0800 783 2768 or 020 3597 2067 from a mobile

ASB office hours 0300 303 2500

ASB out-of-hours 0800 075 6699

Online

Swan website www.swan.org.uk

Residents’ websitewww.web4residents.org.uk

General [email protected]

NU livingwww.nuliving.co.uk

Swan Foundationwww.swanfoundation.org.uk

Vivowww.vivosupport.co.uk

Herawww.heramanagementservices.co.uk

Somali

Punjabi

Bengali

Arabic

Urdu

the communicator - summer 2015

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