Plymouth Community Homes News Issue 13 (1.3mb)

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News in Brief PCH News 4 Housing with Support service Following lots of consultation with sheltered housing tenants and staff, two new job roles have been introduced in our Housing with Support service, previously known as Sheltered Housing. These two new roles are Housing with Support Officer and Housing with Support Manager. We have a number of Housing with Support Officers and their Manager is Charlotte Schraibman. The Housing with Support Officer role replaces the Sheltered Housing Officer role. The new posts will allow us to provide the service our tenants want in a more flexible way, giving support where it is needed and ensuring tenants have someone to hand when they need it. This means residents can contact a member of staff between the hours of 8am and 5pm. This will improve access to the service as staff will be available to answer calls and make visits for a longer period during the working day. This will be made possible by staff working in small teams. The teams will be more mobile and contactable during these hours. Housing with Support Officers will still be supporting social activities for residents. Our residents have told us how much they value living in supported housing and we want to make sure our service is of the highest standard both now and in the future. The team will have an office base, allowing more close working with other PCH staff, for example Housing Officers, Repairs colleagues and Rangers who now provide the grounds maintenance for many of the schemes. This will help to improve communication, providing a more responsive service for residents. The new team visited all the sheltered schemes during November to introduce themselves and listen to residents’ views. Keep reading future issues to find out how the service will continue to improve. Cooking up a storm in the kitchen Devonport tenants have been cooking up healthy budget meals. PCH’s communities team, along with public health workers and the Marlborough House Residents’ Association, have been chopping, slicing and sizzling their way to nutritious eating. Hayley Kemp, Communities Worker for PCH, said: “Earlier this year we consulted with residents at Marlborough House to see what activities they would like to do to bring them together. “They said cooking healthy and inexpensive food would be a great idea – and then eating the fruits of their labour together!” Hayley worked with Housing Officer Gavin West on the consultation and is now working with Trained Nutritionist Fay Brereton, from the Plymouth Health Improvement Team (NHS), on the project. Hayley, Fay and the residents’ association launched the cookery group in October and it will be running twice weekly until mid December. The sessions began with a curried pumpkin soup and the group has already got their future menus lined up – kedgeree, risotto, jalfrezi, stew and carbonara are just some of the tasty treats they’ll be whipping up. Hayley added: “At each session, the group also does a price comparison with a ready-made version of what they are cooking as well as a taste test. The home-made versions raise the fruit and vegetable consumption, reduce food waste and demonstrate that better food choice is not, as perceived, more expensive. “Not only are the home-made versions healthier but they are also cheaper Anti-social behaviour surveys More than 80 per cent of people were happy with the support PCH gave them when they complained about antisocial behaviour, according to our latest customer satisfaction survey. September’s survey shows 82 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the help and tastier. We pick up tips from each other – apparently wearing contact lenses stops your eyes watering when chopping onions!” The cooking group has proved popular and residents have really taken the lead on encouraging their neighbours to join in. It’s hoped that once the course has come to an end the residents will continue running it themselves. The residents’ association has already applied to PCH’s Money Tree Fund for a cooker for their community room so that they can continue cooking and eating together. they received during their case – a ten per cent rise on August’s figures. The questionnaires also revealed that 71 per cent felt they were kept up to date with what was happening and 76 per cent of those questioned found it ‘fairly’ or ‘very’ easy to report a complaint.
plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk Award PCH News Bid to get people talking proves a winner for mum Cath Mum Cath Britton’s efforts to get her neighbours talking to each other and working together to improve their community have paid off. Morley Court resident Cath has won a Plymouth Community Homes VIP Award 2012 for her work. Cath helped to set up a residents’ committee at Morley Court and has given up much of her free time making it a success. Cath said: “I was really shocked when I found out I’d won. It gave me a really warm feeling. “I’ve managed to get residents to work together to solve problems. We’re all working together as a team at Morley Court. I don’t want people shutting their doors to neighbours – I want people to know each other and to be friends. “When we first came here we had nothing. It was dull and grey and there was nothing to look at. We’re hoping to get a roof garden by next year and are applying for Money Tree Funding for it. “I’ve managed to get residents to work together to solve problems. We’re all working together as a team at Morley Court.” “We’ve also installed gates – we’d been having things stolen. We’ve had a shed put in and fencing. It also keeps the kids safe. We’ve also started a neighbourhood watch group and the local PCSOs have been fantastic. We’ve had a great deal of help from PCH too.” Cath was nominated by her housing officer, Stephanie Hann. Stephanie said Cath always went the ‘extra mile’ in anything she did. She added: “Cath is always the first person to volunteer to assist with anything involving her community and she does so with so much energy and always with a smile on her face. “Most recently, Cath has been actively involved in the Morley Court Roof Garden Project and has assisted me and others in consulting with the residents at Morley Court on their views and opinions.” Cath celebrated her win alongside two other VIP winners at a special lunch at the River Cottage Café in Royal William Yard. Bernard Clark was nominated for his work on a range of sheltered housing groups while Bob Norris won for his success in founding a residents’ association at Helen Fox House. VIP Awards are given by PCH’s Customer Focus Committee to tenants and leaseholders who have contributed in a special way to involvement. Their involvement will have had a positive impact on their neighbourhood or community and something will have changed for the better as a result of their involvement. 5
Page 1 and 2: make it happen PCHNews Issue 13 Win
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Page 7 and 8: plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk Helpin
Page 9 and 10: plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk Money
Page 11: plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk Succes
Page 14 and 15: Leaseholders PCH News Call us on 08
Page 16: Contact numbers Repairs 0808 230 65

Plymouth Community Homes News Issue 13 (1.3mb)

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