Spring 2011 - Broadland Housing Association

doortodoorBroadland Housing Association Tenant’s MagazineServing the needs of our neighbourhoods Spring 2011Win prizes in theBroadland EasterEgg HuntPage 16GardeningCompetition 2011on pages 14 & 15Play XBox on thecinema screenSee back page for details.New Competitions!• High Street Vouchers• Chocolate Easter Eggs• Colouring SetsLook out forthis icon WIN!insideCustomer Services: 0303 303 0003www.broadlandhousing.org100% recycledPlease recycleafter use

doortodoorContents4 Around the HousesNew community roomfor Dowson residents11 Your Green SpaceBroadland Housing Group’s Chief Executive,Michael Newey, was joined by Cllr SteveMorphew, Leader of Norwich City Council andTony Tomkinson, Chairman of Norfolk CountyCouncil to officially open the new communityroom on Larners Way, Norwich.6 New Office for Residentsin the EastWe have been looking for a place to provide jointservices for customers in the east. We will beproviding both Housing and Training andEmployment Services from a new central office inGreat Yarmouth.Herringswell Road in Kentford is the latestdevelopment to go eco-friendly afterreceiving grant assistance.Switch to email and help us deliver for agreener Door to Door and earn vouchers.WIN!12 Meridian EastFree adviceInterested in training, volunteering or getting intowork, Meridian East are here to help. Find outmore about free courses.7 Involvement ZoneGetting involvedResidents Participation update, news on AreaForums, Broadland on tour, our upcoming BoardMember vacancy and news on our CinemaEvents.14 GardeningCompetition 2011WIN!Your chance to enter this years competition.Page 2 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 201116 CustomerServices UpdateHave a go at the Broadland Housing ‘Door toDoor’ Easter Egg Hunt! and read the firstinstallment of Nick's News.WIN!Hello from the Editorial TeamIn this issue we reveal details of our new GreatYarmouth Office, Free Training opportunities fromMeridian East (page 12) and our 2011 GardeningCompetition (page 14). There are also great prizes tobe won in the Broadland Easter Egg Hunt (page 16)and a chance for our younger residents to play Xboxon a cinema screen (back cover), not to mention allthe regular competitions, news and features.We are always looking for fresh ideas, so if you wouldlike to have your say on what we should include in themagazine or wish to contribute something, please getin touch on the details below.18 Housing MattersA day in the life of a Neighbourhood Officer,helping switch to Digital, and information on ASBand rent increases.21 Senior Tenants’ NewsBenjamin Court in Cromer nominated for anaward plus the Senior tenants forum update.22 ColouringCompetition!Colour in the Easter holiday picture foryour chance to win a colouring set.23 PuzzlesWordsearch andSudoku!Complete the wordsearch and return to usfor your chance to win a £10 shopping voucher,plus a new Sudoku puzzle, just for fun!24 Residents’ AreaA Hot Cross Bun recipe, Top Tips, andLetters, plus you can win prizes bygetting involved!WIN!WIN!WIN!To contribute in any edition of Door to Door,call 01603 750208, email communications@broadlandhousing.org or send any photos orarticles to: Chris Andrews, Broadland HousingFreepost RRBC-GYGZ-XYEE, NCFC, Jarrold Stand,Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1HUEditorial Panel: Chris Andrews, Sarah Mortimer, SarahCook, Moll Robb, Heather Angell, Ian Robertson, BobPatel, Rebecca King.Contributors: Heather Angell, Paula Strachan,Anthony Moxey, Louise Archer, Kate Fielder, NickBunn, Jo Soanes, Peter Brown, Adam Clark, MaureenMcDonald-Cooke.www.broadlandhousing.orgCustomer Service: 0303 303 0003Out of hours emergency repairs: 0303 303 0003(press option 1)Head Office: NCFC, Jarrold Stand, Carrow Road,Norwich, NR1 1HU.Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 8.30am -6pm. Friday 8.30am - 5pm.26 Our PerformanceWe report your service satisfaction.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 3

doortodoorAroundtheHouses - Dowson, NorwichNew community room for Dowsonresidents officially openedOn a cold December morning, Broadland Housing Group’s Chief Executive, Michael Newey, was joinedby Cllr Steve Morphew, Leader of Norwich City Council and Tony Tomkinson, Chairman of NorfolkCounty Council, to officially open the new community room on Larners Way, Norwich.The community room forms part of alarger development on the site of theformer Dowson School in Mile Cross.The new scheme of 47 properties wascompleted in September 2010 andcomprises a mixture of houses, flatsand wheelchair accessible bungalows.Carved into the bricks of the newcommunity room are the names of thechildren who were the first Dowsonpupils in 1926, identified when theschool’s register was discovered at thestart of demolition work in 2009.Photographs of the old school nowdecorate the walls of the newcommunity room, along with some ofthe memories of former pupils.Commenting on the opening, GroupChief Executive, Michael Newey said:with local residents as to the activitiesand groups they would like to see usethe room. We would like to thankeveryone who took part in the survey.We received some excellent ideas andresidents should look out for news ofactivities at the room over the comingmonths. The winner of the surveyprize draw was Carrie Vincent ofDarlington Mews.If you are interesting in finding outfurther information about hiring theDowson Room for any communityevents or groups, please contact theResident Participation team on 01603750236.“This housing initiative is a greatexample of how the needs of acommunity can best be served. Thesite’s original purpose was to educatechildren within this area and now ithas evolved to meet the housingneeds of this community. One of thekey purposes of this community roomwill be to continue the links with youngpeople by acting as a hub to hostlocal activities for youngsters.”The room has already been used asSanta’s Grotto and we have consultedAbove: The former Dowson School. Inset: The new Dowson Development.Page 4 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011Mrs Wharton, a former pupilof The Dowson Schoolremembers her time thereMrs Wharton attended the schoolaround the time of the war andremembers: “There was a big bombdropped somewhere close by, ateacher got hold of my arm and weran across the ground to get into ashelter and it turned out to be notfar away from where this bomb haddropped, in the woods I think,somewhere on Boundary Road. Weall had to go into the shelter whenthe siren went, we used to sing asong or sing altogether or someonewould stand up and sing alone orsomething like that to keep usamused. Then when the all clearwas given we could all file back intothe classrooms.School classes were very different inthe 40’s. There was more emphasison practical work rather thanacademic subjects but we did doEnglish and Maths and so forth. Iremember doing ballet, everybodydid I think. I was best girl in classfor housewifery. We were taughthow to clean things more, how toMrs Whartonthen......and now.keep a house clean, we used tobring mats to school to clean andall sorts of things. I enjoyed that”.Remembering her time atthe school Mrs Wharton said “I likedit very much, yes very much”.Dowson SurgeriesCalling all Residents of Dowson School Site!We are holding drop in Housing Surgeries6.00 – 7.30pm on the following dates:Wednesday 18th MayWednesday 17th AugustWednesday 16th November• Your opportunity to chat with your local Housing Team• Seek advice• Give suggestions for the new community room• Raise any concerns you may haveContact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 5

doortodoorAroundtheHouses - Great Yarmouth and The East.New Office for Residents in the EastBroadland Housing and Meridian East have been providing services in Kings Lynn and Dereham from ajoint base for some time. We have been looking for a place to provide joint services for customers inthe east and are proud to announce that from 9am, Monday 7th March, Broadland Housing andMeridian East will be providing both Housing and Training and Employment Services from a new centraloffice in Great Yarmouth.Hall QuayBridge Road A12Great YarmouthBorough CouncilYare Valley andDistrict CABHall PlainStonecutters WayGreatYarmouthBus StopRegent StreetOpens for business 9am,Monday 7th MarchMeridian East are there tosupport all Broadland tenantsand keen to provide FREEadvice and guidance to anyonenot currently in training oremployment that needs theirsupport (full details page 12).The Former Post Office Building,Hall Quay, Great Yarmouth,Norfolk, NR30 1HGCustomer ServicesBroadland Housing 0303 303 0003Meridian East 0300 111 1450South Quay A12Future serviceprovision for residentsin LowestoftThe new Great Yarmouth office is mostdefinitively a positive step as our Lowestoftpremises were no longer fit for purpose, butwe do want to ensure that we still provide anadequate level of local services for tenants inthe Lowestoft area.Approximately 370 letters were sent toresidents within the Waveney District Councilarea, asking for their views on the level ofservice provision they require locally. In totalwe received 39 responses, representing10.5% of tenants in the area.As a result of this consultation, we will beoffering a satelite office at Orwell HousingAssociation (see details opposite).Commencing 8th March 2011.Raglan StreetCathcart StreetGranville RoadKatwijk Way A12Alexandra RoadGordon RoadMilton Road EastLowestoftBus StationGordon RoadTuesdays and ThursdaysOrwell Housing Association22 Gordon Road Lowestoft NR32 1NLTescoArtillery Way A12Old Nelson Street9.00am – 1.00pmPage 6 • www.broadlandhousing.org

izinvolvement zoneworking together to make positive changes!Resident Participation Update!We have held a number of eventsover the last three months. Thecinema events continue to be asuccess and in December we heldour first cinema event in Cromerwith a guest appearance fromFather Christmas. This event furtherconfirmed that our tenants wouldlike to be involved in an informalway, with social media being one ofthe preferred methods ofengagement.We held a number of Christmasevents throughout December,including a joint carol singingevening in Milecross with CotmanHousing and a special trip by Santaand his reindeer to St. James’Lodge in King’s Lynn.We held an event at the newcommunity room on the DowsonSchool Site, which Santa alsoattended, to encourage parents andchildren to come and have a look atthe excellent resource available tothem. The event was a greatsuccess and as well as the childrenreceiving gifts from Santa, it gavefamilies a chance to get toknow each other and providesuggestions on the futureuse of the room. It is hopedthat the room will be used foractivities to benefit the wholecommunity.We have also been supporting aTenant Focus Group involved with agroup project to review all ServiceCharges over the next two years.Tenants have received training andwill be providing feedback onvarious elements that make up yourService Charges. If you would likefurther information about theService Charge Focus Group,please get in touch on the detailsbelow.We are also launching some excitingnew initiatives to engage with ouryounger tenants (please see backcover for details) and as we getunder way with preparations for thisyears Tenants Conference, pleasenote the date for your diaries ofSaturday 7th May.Look out for yourinvitation in thepost!We are currently in the process ofreviewing all of the area forums. Wehave seen a drop in attendance atthese quarterly meetings, particularlyin the East area, and in consultationwith tenants, a decision was madethat due to the lack of attendancewe would no longer hold the EastForum and instead look atalternative ways of gaining feedbackfrom tenants in the local area.In January at the Greater NorwichArea Forum, we had a veryproductive meeting where wediscussed the future aims of theforum and how we could worktogether to achieve some positiveoutcomes. It was decided that wewould pilot a new EstateManagement Forum which willcover a broad range of subjectsincluding scheme environmentalissues and neighbourhood safety.The first Estate ManagementForum will take place at 6pm onTuesday 26th April at The Elms inNorwich. If you would like anyfurther information about this forum,please get in touch.Other Forum Dates:Repairs, Maintenance andRenewals Forum –Wednesday 16th March at 10am,Carrow Road, NorwichDereham Area Forum –Monday 10th May, 6.15 - 7.15pmDereham Office.If you would like to get involved there are many ways tocontact us. You can email the Resident Involvement Team:tp@broadlandhousing.org, telephone Sarah on 01603 750236or Bob on 01603 750295, text us on 07808 329118 or get intouch through the Broadland Housing Facebook Page.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 7

izinvolvement zoneScrutinyPanel Update?Tenant members of our Scrutiny PanelSteering Group have been working todevelop the remit for the new Scrutiny Paneland have provided support for the recruitmentprocess. We held a number of open days overDecember and January in each of the area offices.The closing date for applications has now passed andinterviews for the positions on the panel will be takingplace during March. It is hoped that the panel will beformed by 1st April 2011.The Scrutiny Panel will be a fantastic opportunity forthe successful applicants to be part of a core team oftenants whose role will be to review and makerecommendations to help us to improve our services.The panel will receive training before their first Scrutinyactivities and will be providing regular updates on theprogress made.If you would like any further information about theScrutiny Panel, please contact Sarah or Bob from theResident Participation team on: 01603 750236/295 oremail: tp@broadlandhousing.orgPage 8 • www.broadlandhousing.orgMaintenance Forum UpdateThe first meeting of the Maintenance Repair, and RenewalForum met on the 23rd September 2009.The group identified 18 different area of interest thatcovered everything from Repairs to Walk Abouts to identifylocal problems.It was agreed at this meeting that the group needed aCode of Behaviour and a Tenant Chairperson; both ofthese objectives were achieved.The meetings have gone from strength to strength. One ofthe first objectives was to address the satisfaction formstenants are required to complete for work carried out ontheir properties. Having highlighted the areas of concern,Broadland staff have taken our feedback on board, andare working to make the forms more user friendly andrelevant.The ideas brought forward by the group are many andvaried, and a subject that arises again and again is that ofService Charges, and communication between Mears,Broadland and tenants. We have many topics to discuss in2011 and look forward to helping and influencing Broadlandto make the right choices for tenants.One of the most important will be that all properties new andold should meet the Decent Homes Criteria.The Chair – Maintenance ForumOut & About - Broadland on TourWe are pleased to report that Out & About has now been running weekly forover 40 weeks! This means 40 different staff teams have been out knockingon doors and discussing with tenants their homes and communities. Thenext programme of Out & About visits is detailed below.Thursday 3rd March 2.00pm-4.00pm Howard Terrace, Sussex Street and Oak Street, NorwichTuesday 8th March 2.00pm -4.00pm Euston CourtThursday 17th March 2.00pm -4.00pm Cley, Blakeney, WellsWednesday 23rd March 2.30pm-4.30pm Elizabeth Fry Road / Gould Road / Avenues / Bacon RoadThursday 31st March 2.30pm-4.30pm Metamac Drive, DerehamTues 5th April 2.00 – 6.00pm Cadge Rd / Roe Drive / Field View /Old School Close - NorwichWed 13th April 2.00 – 6.00pm Brahams Court / Church Court, Great YarmouthThurs 21st April 2.00 – 6.00pm Anmer Terrace / Portland House, Kings LynnTues 26th April 2.00 – 6.00pm Wellington Green / Ten Bell Court NorwichWed 4th May 2.00 – 6.00pm Castle Green / Burnt Lane / Compass Terrace /Recreation Cottages / Alpha Road - Great YarmouthThurs 12th May 2.00 – 6.00pm Dobby Drive, Kings LynnTues 17th May 2.00 – 6.00pm All Thorpe Marriot schemesWed 25th May 2.00 – 6.00pm Haileys Court, LowestoftWe write to all tenants in the local area in advance of each Out & About, however if you’re not around, or wedon’t have any visits planned in your area and you’d like us to visit, call the Customer Services Team on 0303 3030003 to arrange a visit from your Neighbourhood Officer. Look out for the Broadland Bus in your area and comeout to say hello.

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011Upcoming Tenant Board Member Vacancy forGreater Norwich Constituency – Now RecruitingBroadland Housing Group has fourTenant Board Members whocontribute to the strategicdevelopment of the organisation.Individuals are elected from thefollowing constituencies and thecurrentrepresentativesare as follows:Peter Goodrick- Rural EastAnglia(Breckland,Forest Heath,North Norfolk,Broadlandand SouthNorfolk)Moll Robb -Yarmouth andKings Lynnand West Norfolk)Maurice Fellows -Greater Norwich(Norwich,Lowestoft (GreatYarmouth andWaveney)RichardHawthorne -Sheltered Housing/ Housing withCareAfter six years of dedicated service,Maurice Fellows will be retiring asthe elected Tenant Board Memberfor the Greater Norwichconstituency at the Group’s nextAGM in September 2011. As such,potential candidates to fill this postare invited to come forward andparticipate in the forthcomingrecruitment process.Roles and responsibilitiesBoard Members attend quarterlyBoard Meetings and participate in atleast one of the Group’scommittees relevant to theirexperience, knowledge andskills. Group Board and Panelmeetings take place at 5pm andusually last approximately 2hours. Participation in corporateevents such as the AGM,Symposium, stock tours, thetenants’ conference and strategyawaydays (including an overnightstay) are also required.Induction programmes areorganised for Tenant BoardMembers to help them understandthe Group’s mission andcorporate strategy, thecommunities we serve and toprovide an insight into theactivities of the otherorganisations within BroadlandHousing Group. This isorganised and planned to suitthe individual, but will be withinnormal working hours.What’s in it for youTenant Board Members receive£3,000 remuneration per year andtravel expenses. There are alsoplenty of training opportunities, runboth in house and externally. Ourpartnership with the CharteredInstitute of Housing also providesopportunities to extend your ownpersonal knowledge, but to alsokeep abreast of key issues andinnovations within the sectorsrelevant to the Group’s operations.Training may also be available tohelp improve a tenant boardmember’s existing skills and enablethem to better fulfil their role on theboard.This is a great opportunity to shapethe future role of the organisationand take the Group onto the futurefor the betterment of all tenants.Tenant Board Members contributerelevant experience, expertise andinsight to add value in the creationof strategy and policy to ensure thelonger-term viability andsustainability of Broadland HousingGroup. They help ensure thatbusiness decisions are made toachieve the organisation’s strategywhilst ensuring that the views andinterests of all stakeholders arerepresented at strategic level.Election ProcessAnyone interested in applying forthe position must be nominated inwriting by tenants or a bodyrepresenting tenants from theGreater Norwich constituency (forexample a tenant forum). Oncenominations have been received,candidates will be interviewed (dateto be confirmed), and shortlistedcandidates will stand for election atthe Group’s next Annual GeneralMeeting in September 2011. AllBoard Members serve for an initialterm of three years, and ifappropriate, may stand for reelectionto serve for a further threeyears taking them up to themaximum term of service of sixyears. Candidates must be willing toregister as a shareholder of theAssociation before they are putforward for election.If you are interested in applyingfor the Tenant Board Memberposition or require any furtherinformation, please contact PaulaStrachen 01603 750283.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 9

doortodoorCinema EventsizA cold winter morning set the scene for the December cinema event which this time took place inCromer. Over 100 people braved the snow and attended the screening of Megamind, starring WillFerrell. Our photographer was there to photograph families as they arrived and all the pictures from ourcinema events can be viewed on our Facebook page.As with all our cinema events, wesupplied a free ‘Film Feast’ of a drinkand popcorn just to make the dayeven more enjoyable.Those that attended took part in ourbrief interactive quiz using a ‘WhoWant’s to be a Millionaire’ style votingkey pad. Your responses are key inhelping us understand what servicesyou would like to see more of andthe ways we can best communicatewith you.Alongside the film and ‘feast’ we alsooffered a film quiz with a top prize offour free cinema tickets.Congratulations to the winner, KeeleyPeacock. Runner up prizes ofMegamind vinyl posters went toStephen Crabb and CalmanPeacock.At the time of going to press our HalfTerm event at Norwich Odeon willhave just taken place and thepictures should now be onFacebook. We received anabsolutely overwhelming demand fortickets to the Norwich event and arevery sorry to those families whomissed out. We will be holding asecond Norwich event in the EasterHolidays for everyone who appliedfor tickets in February, but wasunable to attend and our nextcinema event in the west of theregion will take place in King’s Lynnon Tuesday 12th April. If you live inthe surrounding areas, an invite willbe making its way to you shortly, sokeep an eye out.To keep up to date with details of allfuture events, why not become a fanof our Facebook page!Page 10 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011Residents in Kentford feelthe benefit of Grant FundingHerringswell Road in Kentford isthe latest development to goeco-friendly after receiving grantassistance, towards the cost ofBroadland installing newenvironmental heating systems.The scheme of 11 two and three bedproperties originally had electric nightstorage heating which was difficult tomanage and control. Residents feltthat with the rise in fuel bills, an ecofriendliermethod of heating would bemuch more cost-effective.An application for grant assistancefrom The Department of Energy andClimate Change’s (DECC) ‘LowCarbon Buildings Programme’ wassuccessful and the residents arealready feeling the benefits from theinstallation of air source heat pumpsand solar thermal panels.Anthony Moxey, Senior ContractSurveyor for Broadland Housingsubmitted the application on behalfof the residents and said “Thetenants were delighted with theinstallation. If managed correctly, theair source heat pumps will provideheating which is much more costefficient to run than their previousnight storage heaters and moreyourgreensp ceenvironmentally friendly. Grantfunding under the ‘Low CarbonBuildings Programme’ means thatwe were able to install a far moreefficient low energy heating system,for only a slightly greater cost,compared with replacing the originalinefficient systems, like for like.If you are interested in finding outfurther information on grantassistance, please contact theCustomer Services department inthe first instance on 0303 303 0003.Switch to receivingDoor to Door byemail for your chanceto win £25!David Freeman from Norwichdid and was the winner of ourWinter Draw.Email communications@broadlandhousing.org and you could getyour hands on £25 in high streetshopping vouchers, whilstdoing your bit for theenvironment andhelping us to save WIN!resources.Earn yourself a High Street GiftVoucher and help us to save theenvironment and our resources!We are looking for Delivery Volunteers todistribute Door to DoorYou can deliver to as many or asfew properties as you wish, justyour block or street, the wholeestate, or anything in between.The value andfrequency of yourgift voucher willdepend on howmany youdeliver, but youwill earn 10p perproperty.If you would be willing to deliver Door to Doorto other properties where you liveplease email: communications@broadlandhousing.orgor call 0303 303 0003.If you have any green idea’s for where you live, write to us at theaddress on page 3 or email communications@broadlandhousing.orgContact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 11

doortodoorMeridian EastBright Future for BroadlandTenants and Meridian EastA year has passed since the opening of Meridian East’s new centralbase on St Benedicts Street in Norwich. To mark the occasion staffwere joined on January 21st by previous clients and partnerorganisations for an anniversary celebration.Group Director of Training andEmployment Services, Dave Goodacongratulated staff and clients ontheir achievements so far and gave aspeech on his aspirations forMeridian East over the year ahead.The event provided a greatopportunity to showcase some of theexcellent work that Meridian Eastdoes, with craft workshops takingplace throughout the day. To help theparty get into full swing, ex MeridianEast client, Jason Martin, providedthe music and performed a song hehad written, dedicated to the staff atMeridian East that had helped him.No party is complete without a cakeand this was provided by MarkPalmer, another previous client, whohas started a new career in cakemaking with the help of MeridianEast’s services.All staff are very excited about theopening of the new Great Yarmouthoffice in March (see page 6), whichwill be an excellent base to provideboth housing and training andemployment support to tenants livingin the East of the region.We will also be having a big pushthis year on encouraging allBroadland tenants not currently inemployment to try one of our FREEInformation, Advice and Guidancesessions. Whether you’re ready tostart thinking about employment ornot, these sessions can provide agreat stepping stone to a host oftraining and employmentopportunities, so please do makeuse of the service.UK Online in North NorfolkWe are currently running UK Onlinecourses at the North WalshamCommunity Centre.No matter what your understanding of computers, there is a courseavailable for you. For those with little or no knowledge there are coursesavailable offering advice on using a keyboard and mouse, understandingyour home computer and using the internet safely. For those with a greaterunderstanding, there are courses available on using digital photography,tracing your family history and understanding socialising online.The courses are totally FREE to any age group and you do not needto be in receipt of benefits to be eligible. The courses are currentlyrunning on a Wednesday morning from 9.30 – 12.30 and we alsolooking to set one up in Sheringham too.To find out more and book your FREE place at any of UKOnline Centres across Norfolk please call 0300 111 1450.Page 12 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Do you wantto talk?IAG SessionsInformationAdviceGuidanceAbout work,life, anything...Try a free IAG session with Meridian EastIAG sessions is short for Information, Advice and Guidance sessionsWhen it comes to questions about work…sometimes it’s just really good to talk things throughThe IAG sessions provided by Meridian East are a good way for you to discuss work plans or problems that are on your mind.You get to speak to a Training and Employment consultant from the Meridian East Team, which is part ofthe Broadland Housing Group.Each session is• 1 hour long• Informal• Fully confidential• FreeIt’s a chance to discuss• Your work requirements• Your training needs• Your career aspirations• And anything elseYou can• Improve your job searching skills• Get help with your CV• Get ongoing advice and support while searching for workThis is how we can help• Together we can work out if you want to take action• Decide what that action should be• Your consultant can also make appointments and enquirieson your behalf• Make a planIt’s easy to book your sessionPlease call to arrange an appointment.01603 750135Your session could take place at our offices in Norwich, Kings Lynn, Great Yarmouth or Dereham.Call us or visit our website www.meridian-east.orgWe’re here to help and listen …and we look forward to meeting youMERIDIAN EASTMeridian EastContact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 13

GardeningdoortodoorCompetition 2011Enter Broadland’s 6th annual gardeningcompetition for the chance to win £50!There are four main categories for this year’scompetition, along with a special award for ‘bestinnovation of space’. The categories are as follows:• Best garden (houses or bungalows)• Best courtyard or small garden• Best balcony or window box – for people withouttheir own garden, e.g. flats• Best community garden – groups of tenants whocollectively maintain a communal gardenSo, who will be crowned 2011 winners? Entrantswill have to wait until August to find out. Thedeadline for entries is Friday 24th June and theWIN!As always, we were very impressed with the standard of all of last year’sentries and look forward to an even bigger and better competition this year.judging panel hope to view all entries on July 6thand 7th (subject to change).We are delighted to confirm that Broadland tenantand ‘allotmenteer’ Jane Graham (member of theSustainable Living Initiative) will yet again beheading up our judging panel and this year she willbe joined by our very own keen gardener, JoSoanes, from our Norwich Reception Team.If you would like to enter this year’s competitionplease complete the entry form below and return itto us by Friday 24th June 2011.Good luck to all the green fingers!Gardening competition entry formNameAddressTel.I / we would like to enter the competition in the following category:Best garden ■Best courtyard or small garden ■Best balcony or window box ■Best community garden ■All entries must be received by Friday 24th June. Please post to: 2011 Gardening Competition, BroadlandHousing Association Ltd, Freepost RRBC-GYGZ-XYEE, NCFC, Jarrold Stand, Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1HU.Send back the form or call 0303 303 003 to enter nowPage 14 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011Designing your garden is a verypersonal thing. While some peoplemeticulously draw up a plan onpaper, others (myself included),prefer to make things up as theplants begin to grow, continuouslychanging my plans as I watch someplants flourish and discover othersare not what I expected. This givesyou the opportunity to grab bargainsthroughout the season andunplanned plants that you just likethe look of.There is no getting away from theinitial preparation though. Diggingthe soil, clearing weeds, removingroots and large stones are all tasksthat can be done now providing theground is not too hard or wet. Justbefore planting, sprinkle somegeneral purpose fertiliser (such asblood, bone and fishmeal). This willsupport young and tender plantsgiving them a good kick start and abetter chance of survival when firstplanted out.If you are lucky enough to have agreenhouse or even room onwindowsills, big savings can bemade by starting your plants fromseed. It is great fun and satisfyingto watch the seedlings emerge.Some great successes for me lastyear was ‘Cosmos’ which grew overfive feet tall and flowered throughoutthe whole summer, there were stillsome flowering in mid-October.The varieties I planted were ‘Purity’which as the name suggests is allwhite, and a variety called‘Sensation’ (mixed colours). Thesewere certainly worth the money.The gardening competition may seem a long way off, but theweeks are sure to fly past. So whether you are planning toplant flowers or vegetables now is the time to begin planningand preparing the garden, dusting the cobwebs off the gardentools and shaking the spiders out of your wellies! This seemslike a good time to remind all tenants that there is a full set ofgarden tools for loan, free, to help you with the ground work.All you need to do is call the Customer Service Team on 0303303 0003 who will be happy to give you the details.Nicotiana (Tobacco plants) andSunflowers are generally reliable.Nicotiana has a wonderful fragrancein the evening and Sunflowers,(especially the giants) alwaysdominate the show.If you prefer to grow vegetables, it isworth considering what time youhave to care for them. Tomatoesare tasty and rewarding as long asyou have enough time to feed andwater them. They need wateringdaily in hot weather and a weeklyfeed of a general tomato feed.Tomato varieties that worked for melast year were ‘San Marzano redplum’ ‘Orange berry’ and ‘Tigerella’.These varieties jazz up any saladwith their varied colours.If on the other hand you want aneasy life. Courgettes, Runner beansand Pumpkins when planted just geton with growing and require littlemaintenance. A little feed every sooften will produce more Veg.There is nothing stopping youmixing flowers and vegetables, evenwith a few herbs thrown in. Awigwam of Runner beans,surrounded by a mid-height flowerwith some towering Dill looksstriking. Just remember to leaveenough room to allow you to pickyour Runner beans.The gardening competition will soonbe here and the high standards oflast year will be hard to beat. Iremember when on a tour of theSheltered Housing Schemes lastyear how impressed I was at theknowledge and creativity shown inpeoples’ garden ideas. With this inmind I’m confident this yearpromises to be a strongcompetition. So, ‘Happy Gardening’and I look forward to seeing somecreative and bold gardening entrieslater this summer.Jo SoanesJo pictured with residents at St Katherines Court, after the introductionof the Garden Tools Loan SchemeWe have sets of basic garden tools for loan, free to all tenants, so if you have theinspiration for your garden but not the tools, call our Customer Service Teamon 0303 303 0003 for more information.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 15

doortodoorCustomer Services updateOur PerformanceBetween October andDecember 2010 the teamanswered 12,622 calls!The average time for us toanswer your call was 37seconds!96% of calls were answered forthat period, our target is 95% -target hit! ✔Broadland Easter Egg HuntYou may have noticed us on the front cover clutching ourEaster chicks. For your chance to win a £25 High StreetVoucher or one of 5 Chocolate Easter Eggs in ourEaster Prize Draw just find the 5 Easter Eggs hidden inthis edition of Door to Door. List the page numbers theyare found on and either write to us at: Easter Egg Competition,FREEPOST RRBC-GYGZ-XYEE, Broadland HousingAssociation, NCFC Jarrold Stand, Carrow Road, Norwich,NR1 1HU or email eastereggs@broadlandhousing.org. Don’tforget to state your name and address. We contact thewinners on Tuesday 26th April and publish theirnames in the next edition of Door to Door. What areyou waiting for?WIN!Did you know?The busiest periods for theCustomer Service Team are onMonday and Friday mornings.Remember we are open from8.30am to 6pm Monday toThursday and 8.30am to 5pmon Fridays, should you need tocontact us.In the unlikely event you have towait in a queue to be answered,you can now leave us amessage and we will call youback within the hour72% of all our callsare regarding repairs!Missing repair appointmentsWe have mentioned before about the number of repairappointments that get missed because customers are not inwhen our contractors call round. We have tried to makesure that our contractors call or text you before they arrive tohelp you plan your day but we are still finding lots of peopleforget or pop out on the day the repair is expected to becarried out. As you know the geographical area we cover asa Landlord is vast and it can take up to an hour to reach anappointment, therefore it is frustrating when we arrive andno one is home! If we can ask all our customers to give usa quick ring on 0303 303 0003 (local rate call) if they areunable to make an appointment then we can do our best toreschedule at a time more convenient for everyone. Pleasebe advised that you can be charged £10 for a missed repairappointment, should you not contact us.Light bulbsWe are seeing an increase in calls relatingto replacing light bulbs in properties.Unfortunately, replacement of light bulbsis a customer responsibility and theseneed to be replaced by you.We do stock a supply of 3 pin 15w lowenergy bulbs in our offices as we knowmany of you have these fittings in yourhomes, we are able to sell these for£3.98 plus vat per bulb. Other bulbs weget called about are kitchen strip lights, outside lightsand bathroom 4 pin lights. These bulbs can bepurchased from all major DIY stores and online.Page 16 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011Planned Maintenance – Frequently Asked QuestionsMy neighbour is having a newkitchen fitted, but mine is not beingdone, why not?We inspect all our homes to identify thework required in order to meet the‘Decent Homes Standard’*. Resultsoften show that different work isrequired in each home depending onthe age and condition of the kitchen.We also find that some do not requireany work at all to meet the standard.Where we need to schedule work, wecontact everyone in writing in advance.So, if we haven’t been in touch aboutworking on your home, it means we’venothing planned in the near future.My neighbour’s property is newerthan mine but their home is beingimproved and mine is not. Why isthis?Inspections often reveal varyingdegrees of wear and tear to properties.As each property is measured againstthe Decent Homes Standard, this oftenmeans different work is required foreach one. Therefore, the age of aproperty isn’t always the best indicationof the amount of work required. Welook at the overall condition of differentareas within the property to find outwhich need to be improved, this maymean that one part of your property isdue for renewal but does not need tobe replaced because overall your homemeets the Decent Homes Standard.What are the timescales for thereplacement of kitchens &bathrooms etc?We expect replacements in ourproperties to last at least the number ofyears shown in the table below. Youcan see from the comparison that wereplace all elements well withinGovernment timescales.Element BHA GovernmentLifetimes LifetimesKitchen 17-20yrs 30yrsBathroom 30yrs 40yrsWindows 30yrs 40yrsDoors 30yrs 40yrsBoilers 12-15yrs 15yrsUnder normal circumstances wereplace a kitchen every 20 years.However, if the budget allows, we aimto do it after a period of 17 years.Nick’s NewsHi, I’m Nick, Customer Service Advisor at BroadlandHousing. Every quarter you will be hearing from me givingyou an update on all things customer service in Nick’snews. The content will contain information on what is goingon in the team, along with useful and helpful information.It’s also worth pointing out thatsometimes, when a home becomesempty, dependant on the condition thekitchen is left in when the tenants moveout, we may replace earlier. Thereforenot all kitchens are replaced at thesame time scheme by scheme.We do all we can to deliver on thetimescales shown, but sometimes, dueto events outside our control we haveto allow for a degree of flexibility. Weregularly review the programme tomake sure that those homes in mostneed are improved first. It’s alsoimportant to ensure we only makechanges based on making correctinvestment decisions resulting frombudget constraints.We realise this list may notcover all your questions. Ifyou do need to call ourCustomer Services teamthey’ll do all they can to help.* For further information about the DecentHomes Standard please visit:www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/138355.pdfOur team is made up of a mix of full and part time staff.Angela, Jason, Caroline, Neil and myself are full time, Meand the boys have just completed our first six months,after starting in July. Anne, Debbi, Amy, Sarah and Hannahmake up the rest of the team. Our lines are open from08:30 to 18:00 Monday to Thursday and 08:30 to 17:00Fridays. If you have an emergency repair out of these timesplease dial 0303 303 0003 and choose option 1.Over the past couple of months, the Customer ServiceTeam have seen an increase in calls regarding smokealarms. If the smoke alarm is bleeping this may be anindication to change the battery. We would ask you to trythis before calling. If the smoke alarm does need its batterychanging and our contractors have attended, you could berecharged (a lot more than the price of a battery!).However, if there is a continuing problem please do nothesitate to call, we take health and safety very seriouslyand don’t want your house to burn down!With the new year and lots of resolutions to keep to,including getting fit and active, Broadland are looking intostarting up a youth football team to help youngsters getinto the game and keep active. If you have children whoyou think could be the next Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo orGrant Holt we would love to hear from you. Please contactme on 0303 303 0003 or emailnick.bunn@broadlandhousing.org for further information.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 17

doortodoorHousing MattersA day in the life of aNeighbourhood OfficerAdam Clark has worked for Broadland Housing Group as aNeighbourhood Officer, based in Norwich, since April 2010. Initiallyjoining Broadland in July 2009 as a Resident Participation Assistant,Adam previously work at Norfolk Constabulary as an Internal Auditor.Adam says his job is “very rewarding and is a challenge at times, it isa job which can be filled with great satisfaction. The days are alwaysbusy but never the same.” We spent a day with Adam to see whata typical day in the life of a Neighbourhood Officer is like.8.30am: I arrive at a scheme inNorwich to conduct a few earlymorning checks. We have receivedreports of fly-tipping and I need tocheck the exact location for any cluesof the culprits before getting thisremoved. Fly-tipping is very costly forBroadland in terms of time and money,so it is important to try and identifythose responsible.9.00am: I attend an appointment witha tenant to discuss the condition oftheir property. We work closely with ourrepairs contractor, MEARS, and theyhave highlighted concerns about thecondition of the property and welfare ofthe tenant in question. Keeping theproperty in good order is a condition ofthe ‘tenancy agreement’ butimportantly, a property in poorcondition can tell us a lot about atenants welfare and how they arecoping with particular challenges intheir life. We are able to providesupport and make referrals toappropriate organisations to get thehelp and support they need.9.30am: I attend another property toconduct a welfare check on a tenantwho is also receiving support from oneof our Tenancy Support workers.9.45am: I drop a rent card through adoor on behalf of our Income Team,requesting the tenant to get in contactand prevent court action being takenfor their rent arrears. I knock on a fewmore doors at this scheme beforeheading off.10.00am: Drive to another scheme onmy way back to the office to collectsome keys for an empty property readyto conduct a tenancy sign up latertoday.10.20am: On arriving back at theoffice, I check my emails andvoicemails. It is important to prioritisethese messages in order to deal withthe most serious issues quickly.10.30am: Carryout a tenancy sign upfor the empty property. I enjoy theinterview and sign up process, this is agood opportunity to meet and chat toour incoming tenants and find outabout who lives with Broadland.11.30am: Make a phone call to asupport agency to discuss a familyabout whom I have concerns. Wediscuss making a referral to this agencyto try and support the family with theright kind of support.11.45am: I catch up with my Managerto discuss the ongoing cases of AntiSocial Behaviour (ASB) I’m currentlyworking on. We discuss the progressof these cases regularly as it’s a goodopportunity for me to get advice andguidance about any aspects of thecases I am unsure about and helps totry and keep things progressing.12.15pm: Attend an appointment tooffer housing advice to a tenant who iswants to move. We discuss thetenants reasons for why they want toleave to ensure there are no hiddenproblems with neighbours or thescheme generally. If the customer washaving problems with ASB the localauthority would want to know thatBroadland is taking action to deal withthe problems. The tenant advises thatthey need to move to a more suitableproperty because of the specific needsof their family. I advise that there aretwo main ways of moving, through theNorwich City Council Home Optionsscheme and because this tenant hasan assured tenancy, they can alsoregister for a Mutual Exchange whichWe are able to provide support and makereferrals to appropriate organisations to getthe help and support they need.would mean they can try and find aperson to swap their home with. Isuggest that I will write a welfare reportexplaining to the council the exactcircumstances of this tenant needing adifferent property, this ensures thecouncil have all the facts when theymake a decision about what priority toaward our tenant.13.00pm: Carryout a viewing at anempty flat and interview theprospective tenants to save time andPage 18 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011hopefully get them moved in quicker.14.00pm: I return to the office andspend an hour responding to theemails and messages that have beenleft since I went. The nature of my rolemeans we get lots of enquiries about awhole range of issues. I return onetenants phone call about ASB. Thistenant wished to report that theirneighbour had been playing loud musicuntil the early hours of the morning.This was the first time this hadhappened so we discussed how bestto respond and they agree tocompleting ASB log sheets of anyfurther incidents in the next 14 days. Iexplained this may have just been aone off incident and from time to timethis may happen. I advised that if Ireceive any more reports I will contactthe alleged perpetrator and tried toreassure the tenant not to get tooworried about it.15.00pm: I begin to write the welfarereport relating to the tenant I visitedearlier in the day whilst the situation isstill fresh in my mind. The welfare reportallows us to expand on the informationthe tenant will give to the council whenthey register for the Home Optionsscheme and if successful may help toget them the right property for theirneeds. The report will be discussed bya panel at Norwich City Council whowill make a decision based on all thefacts.15.50pm: I take a phone call from aHealth Visitor in Mile Cross who hasheard that we have a community spaceavailable at our new Dowson Schooldevelopment. The Health Visitor is reallyinterested in running some of theirclinics and groups in the room. I book ameeting with them to discuss thisfurther. This is a really excitingopportunity and may mean that we canbegin to offer different services from theroom. I intend to try and establish theroom as a real hub for the community.17.30pm: I leave the office and headfor home; it will be a quick turnaroundbecause I’m playing football with thelads from work tonight against one ofour partner agencies, can’t wait.Helping people to makethe switch to digital TVYou probably know that TV in the UK is going Digital. Theexisting analogue TV signal will be switched off and replaced witha new stronger Digital TV signal, meaning that Freeview coveragewill be extended to those who currently can’t get it.For your information the switchover in our region is taking place in two phaseson the following dates: 3rd / 17th August – King’s Lynn Area9th/23rd November – Rest of Norfolk and North SuffolkDoes someone you know need help switching to digital TV?Switching to digital can be relatively straightforward. But for some older anddisabled people, making the change to digital TV may be quite daunting. If youreally want to help someone who is 75 and over or eligible disabled, the bestway may be to recommend the Help Scheme.What is the Switchover Help Scheme?The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC under and agreement withthe Government to help older and disabled people make the change to digitalTV. Every eligible person will be offered practical help to convert one of their TVsets to digital in the run-up to switchover in each region.We can provide:• Easy to use equipment• An approved installer to supply and install the equipment for them• A check on their TV aerial and replacement if necessary, where we can.• A 12 month aftercare service including a free helplineWho is eligible?People are eligible if they are aged 75 or more, if they have lived in a carehome for six months or more, or if they are registered blind or partially sighted.All eligible people who get (or could get) disability living allowance, attendanceor constant attendance allowance, or mobility supplement.This service is available for £40 all inclusive or free if they’re eligible and oncertain income-related benefits.Everyone who is entitled to our help will automatically receive an informationpack in the post.If you know someone who is eligible, either through work, or a friend,neighbour, or family member, you can help make sure they get the help theyare entitled to by telling them about the scheme, asking whether they havereceived a pack, or by helping them to fill out their application form. You canalso just simply tell them to give the Help Scheme a call free on 0800 40 85900 or visit helpscheme.co.uk to find out more about the help that is availableto go digital.Where can I get face-to-face advice onswitchover?Digital UK has been working closely with charities toorganise local advice points during switchover.These will be staffed by trained volunteers andare open to everyone. To find out where yourlocal advice point or roadshow will be, visitwww.digitaluk.co.ukContact us onContact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 19

doortodoorInsight: Anti Social BehaviourWe know that how we tackle Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) is an area of great interest and concern formany residents. Tackling ASB is always a top priority for our Neighbourhood Teams and we will alwayscarry out a full investigation of any reported instances. To demonstrate some of the actions we can taketo prevent ASB, we thought we would share some real life case studies of recent cases we have beenworking on. For legal reasons all names and locations have been omitted.Anti Social Behaviour on aStarter TenancyWe have recently brought a StarterTenancy to an end due to excessiveand prolonged Anti Social Behaviourcaused by the tenant. From thebeginning of the tenancy theperpetrator was offered TenancySupport to help with sustaining thetenancy. Unfortunately, the tenantchose not to take the help offered bythe Association. Most of thenuisance was caused by loud musicbeing played during the day andnight, and also included harassmentof his neighbour and criminal activityin the area. With the help of theGreat Yarmouth EnvironmentalHealth Department and NorfolkConstabulary we were able to gatherenough evidence to be able to servetwo months notice to end thetenancy.Issue of Notice to curbNoise NuisanceA tenant was experiencing noisenuisance from the neighbour thatlived above them in a block of flats.The noise disturbances were mainlyin the form of loud banging andshouting in the early hours of themorning and were linked to thebehaviour of visitors to the property.Letters and visits to the perpetratorwarning them that their behaviourwas not acceptable and in breach ofthe terms outlined in the tenancyagreement did not resolve thesituation. After working with thecomplainants and installing soundmonitoring equipment BroadlandHousing were able to gather enoughevidence to issue the perpetratorwith a NOSP. This is a Notice ofIntent to Seek Possession of theProperty and is the first legalstage of Broadland takingpossession of a property. Oncea NOSP is served and fourweeks has passed BroadlandHousing can apply to court totake back possession of theproperty.Since the NOSP has beenissued the tenant has taken fullresponsibility for theirbehaviour and there have beenno further complaints. Thiscase shows that the processesthat Broadland Housing hasare effective and can deterfurther anti-social incidentswhen put into practice.Dog fouling resulted in anotice being issuedA number of tenants contactedBroadland Housing to advise that aneighbour was allowing their dog torun off its lead and foul in communalareas. In addition to being a breach ofthe tenancy agreement this wascausing obvious hygiene issues, whichwas especially concerning as there arechildren living in the area.The perpetrator was visited andadvised that this situation mustimprove and the dog must not beallowed to roam freely in thecommunal areas and if the dog fouledin the communal areas this must beremoved and disposed of in theappropriate bin with any stainingwashed away. Despite a visit andseveral letters to the perpetratoradvising that Broadland Housing werestill receiving complaints about thefouling the perpetrator allowed this tocontinue.With complainants recording incidentsand returning log sheets to us, we hadenough evidence to issue a Notice ofIntent to Seek Possession. Since theNOSP was issued there have been nofurther complaints about this matter.These types of situations can becostly, particularly around cleaning andstaff time in responding. However, webelieve that it is important that wework with the community and otheragencies such as EnvironmentalHealth to address environmental crimeand ensure that pet owners arebehaving responsibly.If you are ever put in danger as a result of Anti Social Behaviour then you should alwaysdial 999 in an emergency. For further information on how we tackle ASB or to request acopy of our leaflet please call Customer Services on 0303 303 0003.Page 20 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Could a rentincrease qualify youfor Housing Benefit?Every year landlords are required toreview the rent that they charge fortheir properties. This can result inan increase or, like last year, adecrease in the amount tenants areexpected to pay to rent theirhomes.This year, rents are likely to go upand all tenants should have receiveda letter from BHA’s Finance teamoutlining any changes to their rentand the reasons behind the change.If rents do rise then the increasemay mean you are entitled to someextra help with your rent.• Are you on the border line forHousing Benefit?• Maybe you have been assessedand awarded a nominal sumwhich you have decided not toclaim?• Have you never applied but feelyou should be entitled to somehelp with your rent?• Do you struggle to pay your rent?If you have answered yes to any ofthe above questions then you mightbe entitled to help from your localauthority with a payment of housingbenefit or another benefit.What should I do next?You can visit a website called ‘TurnTo Us’ which will take details of yourincome and give you an indicationof whether you should be gettingany benefits. The address iswww.turn2us.org.uk or you can callthem on 0808 802 2000.You can also visit your localauthority’s website for details of howto make a claim for housing benefit.Alternatively, you can call yourIncome Officer via BHA’s CustomerServices Team and ask for guidanceon how to claim any benefits youmay be entitled to. Call 0303 3030003 to speak to a member of theteam.Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011Senior Tenants’ NewsBenjamin Court entered forNational Housing AwardHousing with Care tenants atBenjamin Court in Cromer nominatedtheir scheme for the EAC’s (ElderlyAccommodation Council) NationalHousing for Older People Awards2011.A card and question pack wasobtained which required participantsSenior Tenants’ Forum UpdateThe Senior Tenants’ Forum is stillgoing strong following the successof last year’s out of hour’s serviceprovider selection panel andfeedback from the staff conference.This year members of the forumhave volunteered to be part of afocus group investigating ‘ServiceCharges’. One of the main aims ofthe group is to look at achievinggreater tenant involvement andconsultation in respect of theservice provided.At the last Senior Tenants Forum inJanuary members were pleased towelcome Robert Cooper fromSupporting People - a program tofund and ensure cost effective andreliable housing support services.Robert talked to members of theforum about potential changes inhow they manage the support into play a game which involvednumbered cards with questions anda score sheet to give feedback onvarious aspects of where they liveand the services they receive. Somequestions were discussed by thewhole group and others answeredindividually.Unfortunately we didn’t make thefinal shortlist but it did provide anexcellent opportunity for residents toshare their views on the services theyreceive and we will be encouragingall Sheltered and Housing with CareSchemes to take part next year.Sheltered Housing. Robert gainedvaluable feedback from forummembers about the support theyfelt should be on offer for tenants inSheltered Housing. If you wouldlike any further informationregarding Housing SupportServices please call us on 0303303 0003.Finally, pre-empting the success ofFebruary’s Senior Tenants’ Event,The Forum have decided to lookinto arranging a Summer SeniorTenants Event potentially to be heldin September. This will bediscussed at the next meeting sowatch this space for moreinformation to follow.Next Senior Tenants Forum –Thursday 21st April, 11am at The Elms, Unthank Road, NorwichContact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 21

kids corner - EASTER Colouring CompetitionWell done to Chloe Warner, age 5, fromNorwich, winner of the 5 and under prize inWIN!our Christmas Colouring Competition. Wereceived several excellent entries in the 6 andover category and could not decide between them, sowe decided to call it a draw and award a £5 gift voucherfor each entry. The winners were as follows; Laura-RoseMatless, age 9, from Norwich, Holly Cooper, age 10, fromGorleston, Levi Whitehair, age 8, from Dereham, OliviaMullins, age 10, from Rockland St Mary, Amelia Ranger,age 6, from Halesworth and a special well done toShernice Prins, aged 9, from Norwich, who scooped theprize for the Mears quiz in addition to winning thecolouring competition. Well done to you all!For your chance to win colour in the picture of the EasterRabbit and send to us at the address below by Friday15th April 2011, stating your name, age and address.As before; we will pick winners for 5 years and under, and6 and over, both will win a colouring set and get theirpictures in the next edition of Door to Door.Colouring Competition, FREEPOST RRBC-GYGZ-XYEE, Broadland Housing Association, NCFC JarroldStand, Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1HUWinners pictured left to right: Chloe, Laura-Rose, Holly, Levi, Amelia and ShernicePage 22 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011Puzzle PageWordsearchWinnerCongratulations to Mr K Martinfrom Norwich for the winningentry in our Autumn WordsearchCompetition.For your chance to wina £10 gift voucher,find and circle all ofthe hidden words inthe Easter Wordsearchbelow and send it to us atthe address below, along withyour name and address.Win£10!Wordsearch Competition,FREEPOST RRBC-GYGZ-XYEE,Broadland Housing Association,NCFC Jarrold Stand, CarrowRoad, Norwich, NR1 1HUAll entries to be returned byFriday 15th April 2011.Puzzle - WordsearchJ R Q E E S R F E K Q A X B OL I D T Z T L N V B M A L H SE B N A E E G E O P Y F N K UU B L L E K N T H D A N A T NC O V O X S I I K C D G R E DL N X C C A T B Z E I N C N AI F Z O I B N B E L L I I N YD L Q H T G A A H E O R S O SO O R C E R L R Z B H P S B UF P E I M O P W V R B S U M CF R T E E W D C Q A R U S G OA B S M N I V T H T V K N R RD O A M T N I N F I H Y E N CV W E C C G H U J O C U S V YV S S G G E T H E N F K D F NCHOCOLATEHUNTCROCUSLAMBBASKETDAFFODILNARCISSUSBONNETEASTERPLANTINGBOWSEGGSRABBITBUNNYEXCITEMENTRIBBONCELEBRATIONGROWINGSPRINGCHICKHOLIDAYSUNDAYMore Sudoku -Just for fun!Lots of you said you enjoy filling in theSudoku Puzzle, so here’s another one.You don’t need to send these in, they are justfor fun! If you have any comments about themagazine, or have something you would like usto include, please write to the communicationsteam at the address above, or emailcommunications@broadlandhousing.org8 5 12 636 728 9 6 44247 868 499 33 7 1Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 23

doortodoorResidentsAreaThis issue see’s the re-launch ofour letters page, more top tipsfrom Heather and a great Easterrecipe. This is your magazine,so why not send us an article,letter, poem, anything you like,using the contact details onpage 3.HeathersTop Tips• Spraying curtain rails withpolish will make curtainseasier to move.• Make scented drawer linersby adding a couple ofdrops of essential oil tosome wrapping paper.• Adult cyclists - if you insistthat your children wearcycle helmets, as theyshould, make sure youwear one as well, otherwiseit sets a bad example.• Use cardboard egg boxes,filled with compost to sowseeds. The sections canthen be divided and plantedstraight into the groundwhen the plants are ready,without disturbing the roots.• If the light levels are lowwhere your seedlings aregrowing, stand them onkitchen foil to help reflectthe light.• To stop a garage freezerbecoming rusty, wipe withfurniture polish.Easter Recipeyour very own Hot Cross BunsWhat you need:450g/1lb strong plain flour1 1 ⁄2 tsp fast action dried yeast200ml/7 fl oz milk1⁄2 tsp of salt1 level tsp mixed spice75g/3 oz caster sugar50g/2 oz melted butter1 medium egg25g-50g/1-2 oz currants25-50g/1-2 oz chopped mixed peel (or extra dried fruit)What to do:Put all the dried ingredients including the yeast into a bowl. Stir in themelted butter.Mix the egg and milk in a jug, and gradually mix into the dried ingredientsa little at a time. Knead well until you have a smooth, but not stickydough. Add a little more flour if needed.Knead the dough on a floured surface until perfectly smooth, put backinto the bowl and cover the bowl with cling film. Leave in a warm placeto rise for an hour.Alternatively, make in a bread maker using the dough setting. Add thedried fruit at the raisin beep.Grease and flour two baking trays and preheat oven to 200C/gas 6.Divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape into buns. Set the buns wellapart on the prepared trays and leave them in a warm place untildoubled in size. Make two cuts on the top of each bun to form a cross.Bake just above the centre of the oven for 15-20 mins. Leave the bunsto cool on a wire rack; while still warm brush them with a glaze madefrom 40g caster sugar dissolved in 2 tablespoons water.The above recipe was taken fromNetmums.com. For more greatkitchen ideas whynot visit their website.Page 24 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011LettersDear BroadlandI am writing with reference to your Tenant’s magazine, Spring 2010, ‘Money Matters’ feature.As I was 60 years old on 6th October ’10, I started to receive my occupational pensions.I wrote a letter to Waveney District Council (WDC) on 6th December ’10 and I have now received a letter from themdated 17th December ’10.Now, people who are aged over 60 will be affected, if they have savings between £6,000 and £10,000, becauseWDC will still be taking income from capital until they get their State Pension.I can’t understand why the amount of savings you can have before it affects your entitlement has risen from 2ndNovember 2009, from £6,000 to £10,000 and then the State Pension Age went up in April 2010.It is not good news for people aged over 60! I am writing to just let you know and your tenants over 60.Yours faithfullyMiss V M FortingThank you for your letter. Anyone can find out what they are entitled to by logging on at www.entitledto.co.uk.Alternatively ring our Customer Servieces Team on 0303 303 0003 and ask to speak to your Tenancy SupportWorker.Dear Broadland,I am writing to thank you for the 2 free tickets we were given, for the viewingof Megamind, at Cromer cinema, on the 21st December.Although my son is 14, it gave us a rare chance, to spend quality timetogether, and was a lovely pre Christmas treat.Many thanks,Mrs. S. FryettThank you for your letter. Its great to hear that tenants are enjoying ourcinema events and we have had a lot of positive feedback. Be sure tocheck Door to Door and join our Facebook page if you are online fordetails of future events.Win£10!■ Win Prizes for sharing your point of viewWhy not review a film, book, CD, computer game or a gig you’ve recentlybeen to, and send it to us (contact details page 3). If we like it enough topublish it we will reward your efforts with an appropriate gift voucher,depending on what your review is about.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 25

doortodoorHow are we performing?Following your feedback we have revised the format of this page to make theinformation easier to interpret. All figures are based on the service satisfactionforms you return to us and in this case, relate to the period of (July 1 2010 –September 30 2010). Your views are very important to us and we know thatsome tenants are frustrated by the number of surveys we send out. If you havehad any repairs carried out recently you will have noticed that Mears now giveyou the option to complete the survey electronically using a handheld deviceand the survey does not ask you for any of your personal information. Carryingout the survey in this way has increased our response rate and is helping us tolimit our impact on the environment. Paper surveys can still be provided shouldyou prefer to share your views in this way. We are also calling tenants who have recently had repairscarried out to hear first hand how you found the service when initially reporting the repair, whether thework was carried out on time and the service our contractors provided. We appreciate yourcomments and encourage you to be as honest and frank as you wish!Your satisfaction with the following service areas is currently as follows:Anti SocialBehaviour(ASB)No DatacurrentlyavailableNo surveys relating to ASBwere returned in this period.Complaints100%While these figuresshow we arecurrently performingwell with respect tohandling your complaintswe would like to assure youthat we take all complaintsvery seriously and carry outfull investigations until wereach a satisfactoryconclusion.NewTenancy100%End ofTenancy100%GasServicing99%NewProperties100%RepairsService97%While we are aboveour own target of 95%tenant satisfaction with allrepairs there is always roomfor improvement and ourtenant led Repairs andMaintenance Forum (detailspage 7) continue to workclosely with Mears to makefurther improvements.Aids andAdaptations100%Page 26 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Spring 2011Gas ServicingIn recent months we have been forced to take two ofour tenants to Court due to their lack of cooperation inallowing access to their property for the Annual GasService to be carried out. In each case we wereawarded over £450 in costs from the Court, which theywill have to pay. Please bear this in mind when youreceive letters regarding your gas service as we takethis matter very seriously and will resort to legal action ifnecessary.We do not like to take this action, butour priority is to keep you safe!gambling?It needn’tbe a problemNORCAS offers free help on behalf of GamCarehelping problem gamblers and anyone affected bya problem gambler in a non-judgmental way.Encouraging clients to see a brighter futurewithout problem gambling.Anyone seeking help can contact NORCAS at01603 660070, www.norcas.org.uk or GamCareprovides free help by phone and online, for anyoneaffected, through the national telephone and onlinehelplines at 0845 6000 133 andwww.gamcare.org.uk (8am to 2am).Please note this service is not currently available totenants living in Suffolk or CambridgeshireThis publication is ourquarterly tenants newsletter.If you would like thisdocument or any otherBroadland document in largeprint, Braille, onaudiotape/audio CD or in another language pleasetelephone 0303 303 0003Portuguese/PortuguêsEsta publicação é o nosso boletim informativotrimestral dos inquilinos. Se desejar obter estedocumento ou quaisquer outros documentos deBroadland em impressão grande, Braille, gravaçãode áudio ou Disco Compacto (CD) ou em outroidioma, por favor ligue 0303 303 0003Lithuanian/LietuviškaiŠi publikacija yra kas tris mnesius leidžiamasnuomininkų informacinis laikraštukas. Jeinortumte šį dokumentą ar bet kurį kitą Broadlanddokumentą gauti dideliu šriftu, Brailio raštu,audiokasete/audio kompaktinio disko formatu arkita kalba, prašome skambinti 0303 303 0003Door to Door isprinted on recycledmaterial; pleaserecycle thismagazine after use.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 27

Are you aged between11 & 18?Get in touchand make something happen!Do you have a brightidea about a new eventor activity?We want to helpyou launch it anddevelop new projectsFinding a venue can be hardWe have space! Community rooms and halls. Putting together an event oractivity can help you develop your CV for future jobs and courses becauseyou are working as part of a team, volunteering and being creative!Whatnext?Simply get in touch with usBy phone 01603 750236/01603 750295By text - 07808 329118By email tp@broadlandhousing.orgBy Facebook through our pageDate for your Diary:Saturday 7th May 20112011 TenantsConferenceDunston Hall, NorwichLook out foryour invitation,coming soon!Play Xbox on a fullsize cinema screen!Enter our prize draw to play Xbox on the cinema screensat Norwich Odeon: Email your name, age and address toxbox@broadlandhousing.org or text 07808 329118.Winners will be drawn on the 15th April 2011 andcontacted with further details.WIN!Page 28 • www.broadlandhousing.org