Wishing all of our Tenants and Families a very Merry Xmas and Happy New Year from Access Staff

Office Hours for Xmas and

New Year

Monday, December 23rd 9.00am- 4.30pm

Tuesday, December 24th 9.00am –12.30pm

Wednesday, December 25th Closed

Thursday, December 26th Closed

Friday, December 27th Closed

Monday, December 30th Closed

Tuesday, December 31st Closed

Wednesday, January 01st 2014 Closed

Thursday, January 02nd 2014 9.00am- 4.30pm

Friday, January 03rd 2014 9.00am- 4.30pm

REMEMBER

For those who are 2 weeks in

advance with their rent, the

draw for the XMAS hampers will

be on the 16th December.

Going away for Xmas?

Don’t make it obvious—Keep your yard tidy, have your mail

collected.

Rent

At Christmas time, don't leave yourself short.

Have your rent paid up to date.

Back Row: Dragan, Cheryl, Nicole, Yasminn, Wendy, Marg & Kylie Front Row: Jo, Ros, Jill, Phyllis, Litsa, Judy & Mike (Jaymee absent)

ACCESS COMMUNITY HOUSING

TENANT NEWSLETTER December 2013

Emergency Repair Contacts

If you have an emergency and require a contractor over the Festive Season please refer to your Tenancy Agreement for

any contact details but please use your common sense and ONLY use if you have a problem that is dangerous, a threat

to your health or may cause substantial property damage.

Corny Christmas Cracker Jokes!!!

Q:What are the wettest animals in the world?

A: Reindeer

Q:What do you call a little lobster who won’t share

his Christmas presents?

A: Shell-fish

Q:What is Santa’s favourite pizza?

A: One that’s deep pan, crisp and even.

Q:What kind of paper likes music?

A:(W)rapping paper.

A Cool Xmas Dessert!!!

Quick, Tasty, Easy and Healthy!!

Xmas Fruit salad

½ pineapple 1 ripe mango 1 paw paw 2 bananas Any other fruit you like!!!! Method

Cut the fruit into chunks and place the paw paw, mangoes, and pineapple in a

large bowl and add the juice from the pineapple. Put bananas in last. Cover and

refrigerate until chilled.

3 Ingredient Fruit Cake Recipe

Ingredients

Preparation Method Prep: 8 hours I Cook: 2 hours I Extra time: 1 day 14 hours

1. Soak the mixed fruit in the chocolate milk overnight in the fridge.

2. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C. Line the bottom and sides of 25cm square

tin with either baking paper/alfoil, with the lining coming over the sides

by about 5cm. Spray the paper/alfoil with some cooking spray.

3. Sift flour into the soaked fruit one cup at a time and mix in well after each

addition. Pour the mixture into tin. Cook for 1½ - 2 hours. Insert a skewer

after 1½ hours, test if centre of the cake is cooked.

4. Leave cake in tin until cooled and then put onto wire rack to fully cool.

ENJOY

Shopping Tip: Rusty’s Markets sell truck

loads of fruit and vegies normally cheaper

than supermarkets (entrance on Sheridan

St).

Rusty’s Christmas Opening Hours

Fri 20th Dec - Tue 24th Dec

5.00am to 6.00pm

Wednesday 25th - Closed

Needing to buy household goods ? Do not want to pay high interest?

You can apply for a No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS)

What is NILS

The No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) provides interest free loans for individuals or families on low income. It’s a community-based program that enables people to access fair, safe and equitable credit for the purchase of goods and services.

How does it work?

When a borrower makes a repayment to a NILS program, funds are then available as a loan for someone else in the community. This is called ‘circular community credit’ and is a real demonstration of the community action.

What are the loans for?

Generally for the purchase of essential household items such as washing machines, fridges, vacuum cleaners, televisions etc. NILS may also be provided to meet other essential needs like health aids or education costs.

NILS at the following agencies:

SHAC Ph: 4080 7400 Mon - Fri 9.00am to 4.30pm

Staff will talk you through it

St Vincent de Paul Society, Cairns Ph: 4038 8333 Mon – Fri 9.00am to 12.00pm

Pt Douglas Neighbourhood Centre Mowbray St, Pt Douglas - Friday Only 9.00am to 4.00pm(ask for Megan)

Ph: 4099 5518

Tenants’ Gardens

Many Access tenants have created beautiful gardens from nothing much before , including house , balcony, unit or

communal gardens. Here’s only a few and what tenants had to say about their gardens……..

Xmas pressie for your garden !!

Free Mulch Giveaway December 13th to 16th

Where & When:

Portsmith Transfer Station

(open 7 days 8.30 am – 5.15pm)

Smithfield Transfer Station

(open Mon – Sat 7am – 5.15pm, Sun 9am – 5.15 pm)

Gordonvale Transfer Station

(open 7 days 8.30 am - 5.15pm)

Killaloe Transfer Station

(open Mon – Sat 8am - 5.15 pm, Sun 9am - 5.15pm)

Newell Beach Transfer Station

(open Mon & Fri 7am - 11.45am, Wed 12pm - 5.45pm, Sat 7am - 5.45pm)

Babinda Transfer Station

(open 7 days 8.30am – 4.30pm)

For more information please visit Cairns Regional

Council website—Events Calender

“Before, all the plants had died– got washed out. It’s all come

from cuttings or grown from seed. 3 or 4 of us residents all

pitched in for an hour a day (over 2 years ago). Someone had

a shovel, someone had a rake. Did the drainage with help from

Access.

So now, the plants do not get washed out, they bring the birds

around, makes it cooler, and for the ground floor provides

privacy. We’ve also got chillies and passion fruit growing for

other residents”

Tenant from Mooroobool:

“I like to grow cassava, bananas and tomatoes. I love my

garden”

Maree from Trinity Park who lives

in a duplex:

“Before I moved here over 2 years

ago, there were only 2 trees. I love

my plants, they keep me busy, look

nice like the ‘jungle’ I love the birds

coming around.”

“There was nothing

here. Gardening has giv-

en me something to do.

It gives me peace.’

If you have a garden that you have created whether it is in a complex, house or balcony,

let us know. Tell your Housing Manager or call Ros (Tenant Engagement Officer) on 4031

6702 and we’ll put it in our newsletter

FEEDBACK from our Tenants Survey

Many tenants said they value communication from Access staff. This ranges from face to face

communication through to being notified quick-ly either by telephone or by letter of issues such as early identification of rent arrears; updates on repairs, and issues/changes they need to be aware of.

Access staff will continue to improve on these

services.

TENANTS Q and A

Have you any questions about your tenancy?

Send them in to us or call. We will print them in

the newsletter and do our best to answer them.

Tenants’ Advisory Group

update 15 tenants attended an information session on the 7th November to hear about setting up a Tenant Advisory Group (TAG) - a group that will provide input to board and management of Access. If you are interested in be-ing involved or want to know more about it, please ring Ros (Tenant Engage-ment Officer) on

4031 6702.

Repairs and maintenance reminder - Who’s responsible for what?

Some tenants think that Access will pay for all damage to their homes. This is not so. Under the Residential

Tenancies, Rooming and Accommodation Act, both Access Housing and tenants have shared responsibilities for keeping your home in

the same condition as when you moved in.

Access Housing Responsibilities

Maintaining your home in a good state of repairs and fit for the tenant/resident to live in.

Arranging for repairs to be carried out in a reasonable time.

Tenants

Looking after the property and keeping it clean and undamaged.

Telling Access as soon as possible if repairs are needed.

Paying for repairs if damage is caused by the tenant/resident or guest.

Avoid Scams at Xmas The holiday season is a time when people may want to buy presents and items for their homes. This is also the time when pushy sales people and scammers are about……. Be cautious with;

Door-to-door sales - You do not have to let them in, and they must leave if you ask them to.

Hoax emails (phishing) and texts (smishing) Often look like they´ve come from a legitimate bank or government agency and ask you to provide your personal de-tails or click through to a website.

Mobile phone plans Penalties can apply if you change plans before the contract expires and some contracts last up to 3 years.

Lottery scams A letter, email or SMS out of the blue claiming you have won a lottery which you never entered.

What’s on

Carols by Candlelight—11th December

Ravizza Park, Edmonton

Free kids activities from 5.00 pm—Stage show from 6.30pm

Christmas Carol Concert in The Northern Beaches

Saturday 14th December

The Beach Shack, Kewarra Beach Resort

80 Kewarra St, Kewarra Beach

All Ages/Family’s - Starts from 4.00pm

Cost - Free

Free Daintree Ferry—till 28 Feb 2014

Residents of Cairns, Cassowary Coast and Tablelands Regional Council are eligible for free use of the Daintree ferry,

application form at www.cairns.qld.gov.au

Contact Us Give us a call at the office

Tel: 4031 6702 Fax: 4051 0743

Access Community Housing Company Ltd .

31 Hannam Street

Westcourt 4870

Postal Address:

PO Box 7381

Cairns 4870

Send emails to:

admin@achc.org.au

Visit us on the web at www.achc.org.au

Office open hours:

Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri 9:00am– 4:30pm

Tues 9:00am—12:30pm

Access Community Housing Company Ltd

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