Feeling squeezed? - Hyde Housing Association

Kent 

The magazine for Hyde residents in Kent 

Living 

Winter 2009 | Issue 3 

SPECIAL FEATURES 

News and pictures 

from Leybourne Park 

Medway Youth 

Parliament 

INSIDE 

LOCAL 

NEWS AND 

STORIES 

Santa is coming 

to town! 

Feeling squeezed? 

Is the credit crunch making things tough? 

See page 12 

WIN PRIZES 

in our great competitions! 

south east

Kent 

Living 

Contents 

SPECIAL FEATURES 

page 05 

Just what I needed 

New directions for residents 

page 06 

An Inspector calls... 

get involved with the new Hyde 

Group inspections programme 

and earn vouchers for your 

efforts! 

page 10 and 11 

News from Leyborne 

Find out what has been 

happening at Leyborne and see 

all the fun in pictures 

LOCAL KENT NEWS 

page 04 

Meet the neighbours 

How well do you know the 

people you live near? 

page 09 

Santa Claus is coming 

to town! 

Find out when he will be 

coming to your area! 

page 12 

Feeling the 

credit 

crunch? 

We can help 

you over the 

festive period 

page 17 

Medway Youth 

Parliament 

Run by young people 

for young 

people 

page 20 

Do something amazing 

for charity 

Sleep out in a box to help the 

homeless 

NEWS FROM HYDE 

page 07 

You speak we listen 

Find out how you can help 

shape the future of Hyde 

useful information 

page 08 

Quick family recipes 

For the winter months 

page 14 

Free theatre tickets 

For under 26’s 

page 15 

A peaceful New Year 

ASB in our communities 

COMPETITIONS 

pages 18 and 19 

Winter puzzles 

Wordsearch and 

fun quizzes 

Kent Living is produced quarterly by staff and 

residents of Hyde South East, Chaucer House, 

Knightrider Street, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6ND 

Kent Living Editor: 

John Barned, Kent Community Engagement Officer 

Telephone: 01622 356475 

Kent Living Editorial Co-ordinator: 

Tina Nixon, London Community Engagement Manager 

E-mail: 

Communityengagementkent@hyde-housing.co.uk 

This magazine is printed on environmentally friendly 

paper. Elemental chlorine free – fully recyclable and 

bio-degradable, produced at a mill that holds ICO 

14001 certification and contains fibre from managed 

forests meeting FSC criteria. 

02 | Living | Winter 2009


HELLO - From resident Donna Smith, a 

Kent Living editorial panel member 

Welcome to the autumn edition 

of Kent Living. Sadly this is the last 

edition of the magazine in its present 

format but I am very happy to tell you 

that Hyde will be producing a bigger 

magazine for all residents throughout 

all of the areas where Hyde operates. 

The new magazine will be packed with 

information and news from around the 

Hyde Group. 

I have been a Hyde resident in Kent for 

over seven years and for the past four 

years I have been involved with the 

Kent Living magazine, formally known 

as Kent Focus. I attend the editorial 

panel meetings at the Maidstone office 

every three months, which is where 

the magazine comes together and 

we discuss new ideas for articles. We 

look for local stories and issues that 

we can report on, that are relevant and 

interesting to Kent residents. 

To make sure that the new magazine is 

full of stories from all of its areas, Hyde will 

need residents to send in our stories and 

photos. So if you have a story to tell, or 

want to share some local news, information 

or tips with other residents, please get in 

touch with the External Communications 

team at Hyde. One big decision yet to 

be made is the title of the new magazine 

and Hyde would like us to pick the name. 

Please vote for your favourite from the 

list below and send it back to the External 

Communications team at Hyde. 

• Hyde Life • Hyde Beat • Hyde Rise 

Please vote by 15th January 2010. 

External Communications Team: 

email: peter.courtney-fitch@hyde-housing. 

co.uk or telephone: 020 3207 2733 

We hope you enjoy this final edition of 

Kent Living and we look forward to bringing 

you the new Hyde magazine in the spring. 

Merry Christmas, 

from Donna Smith 

Customer Services – Here to help 

By Rachel Lowe | Customer Services Officer 

My name is Rachel Lowe and I am a 

Customer Service Officer based at the 

Canterbury office - so when you call 

Hyde South East you may well speak to 

me. I wanted to say a big “Hello!” from 

Customer Services and tell you a bit about 

how our team operates. 

I am one of fifteen Customer Service Officers in Hyde South 

East and for most of us this is a new role. We are based 

across four offices and when you call Hyde South East you 

will come through to the next available Customer Service 

Officer, no matter which office they are based at. We have a 

service standard that states calls should be answered within 

30 seconds. We collect statistics to monitor that this standard 

is met, as it is very important to us that our customers 

experience the best customer service possible. 

So that we can answer as many of your queries as possible, 

we are taking part in workshops held by the specialist 

departments, namely Income; Temporary Housing; 

Neighbourhoods; Lettings and Allocations; Hyde Plus; 

Community Engagement and Repairs. The workshops that we 

have attended so far have been very informative and it has 

been very useful to meet our colleagues from other offices. 

There is so much to learn and we don’t profess to know 

everything, so if there’s anything we don’t know or aren’t 

qualified to answer we’ll find you someone who can help. 

As part of my ongoing training, I have attended a sign-up with a 

Housing Officer and a new tenant and I have visited a number 

of Hyde properties, which was great. I am excited to learn more 

and more so that I can help as many residents as possible. 

I look forward to speaking to you soon! 

Just a reminder 

our phone number is 0800 389 3598 

Living | Winter 2009 | 03

news 

Meet the Neighbours 

By Steve cable | HYde 

Karen Reddington is a Hyde resident who three years 

ago moved from London to a three bedroom house in 

Woodcut, Penenden Heath, Maidstone. 

This summer she helped us out by 

judging the Kent Gardening competition 

and also organised a ‘Big Lunch’ in the 

street where she lives. When I met up 

with her recently we spoke about this 

and about the big change she made 

when she decided to move with her 

family to Kent. 

SC “So tell me what life was like for 

you in London” 

KR – “I was born and grew up in 

London and we lived in a Hyde property 

in Bermondsey, I come from a big family 

with lots of friends and I loved living 

there. When we moved to Maidstone 

my biggest fear was that I was on my 

own and didn’t know anybody but the 

neighbours were fantastic. There was a 

time early on when we lost our power, 

but they helped us out by providing us 

with electricity by using extension leads 

from their homes. 

SC – “Do you like living in Kent” 

KR – “I love it, when I first drove into 

Woodcut and saw the fields and hills it 

was amazing. The neighbours are great, 

the schools are great and I love the 

shopping in Maidstone. In London I may 

have been able to see Tower Bridge 

from my window but it was through the 

middle of two tower blocks, Kent is so 

beautiful” 

SC - “Tell me about your family” 

KR – “I live with my partner and my 

three children the oldest is 17 and at 

college and I have two young children 

aged 5 and 4” 

SC – “This year you helped to judge 

the Kent Gardening competition, 

was that something you enjoyed?” 

KR – Very much so. I love gardening 

although I’m not very knowledgeable. 

I saw some fantastic gardens and they 

inspired me to work on my own which 

I’m going to do once I’ve finished the 

decorating!” 

SC – “Ah, you enjoy D.I.Y as well? 

KR – “Yes, I’m in the middle of 

decorating at the moment, upholstering 

furniture and putting some new lights 

up” 

SC – You organised a ‘Big Lunch’ 

event at Woodcut in August, how 

did that go” 

KR – “I saw an advert for ‘The Big Lunch’ 

which is a national event they even 

have a website www.thebiglunch.com . 

Although the weather wasn’t great our 

event was brilliant; everyone came out 

and had a great day. The neighbours 

helped to organise it and a lot of the 

mums baked cakes and treats. The 

fire brigade turned up and Maidstone 

borough council provided us with large 

rubbish bins. At one point we had a 

giant tug of war where it seemed the 

whole street was outside pulling on the 

rope.” 

SC – “are you planning on 

organising it again next year?” 

KR – Yes we’ve already started talking 

about what we are going to do next 

year it’s so good to see adults talking to 

the children and I think it helps children 

learn respect when they see adults in 

those circumstances. 

SC – One last question, what advice 

would you give another resident 

who might be thinking about 

organising a community event or 

big lunch where they live?” 

KR – “Just go for it. Start the ball rolling 

by talking to your neighbours and if you 

get enough support do it, don’t just think 

about doing it. You can talk to Hyde who 

will help. After all everyone loves getting 

together and having fun – Don’t they! 

Hyde open 

doors for 

learners 

The Hyde ‘Open Doors 

to Learning’ grant is 

available to all Hyde 

residents over 18 who 

would like to sign up to 

a course being run by 

Kent Adult Education. 

KAE offer over 4,000 courses 

annually at over 700 learning 

centres across Kent. So far 13 

Hyde residents have taken up the 

opportunity to apply for the award 

receiving up to £100 discount from 

Hyde off the course of their choice. 

Just some of the courses residents 

have enjoyed include yoga, pottery, 

pilates and jewellery making. 

Whether you’re looking to gain a 

qualification, or just try something 

new, whatever your reason KAE 

courses are a great way to learn at 

a level that’s right for you. It’s also a 

great way of meeting new friends. 

You can find out more about what 

courses are available by going to 

www.kentadulteducation.co.uk 

Hyde Open Doors to Learning funds 

are limited so if you’re thinking 

about signing up for a course don’t 

wait too long. For more information 

or to receive a course brochure call 

Steve or Victoria on 01622 356463 

or email talkkent@hyde-housing. 

co.uk 


Just What I Needed 

By ALEXANDRA SPRINGER | HYDE RESIDENT 

NEWS FROM 

FEATURE 

HYDE 

I’ve changed my life through the ‘New Directions’ project 

and now my confidence is boosted and I’m going to college for the first time. 

Jason Colyer, the New Directions 

adviser from Hyde Plus, helped me 

decide what I wanted to do with my 

life. He encouraged me to look at 

job websites and helped me to get a 

volunteering placement at Mencap. I 

also applied for the Jobs Plus Bursary 

to contribute towards the cost of a 

laptop which I now use for course work 

and to research jobs on the internet. 

I always felt that I wasn’t clever 

enough to go to college but now I am 

there doing a counselling course and 

it’s been a real eye-opener for me. I 

have made friends, and get positive 

feedback from fellow students and 

tutors and now feel really good about 

my future. When I first started the 

course I saw it as a way to help me 

gain skills but now I am determined to 

take my counselling qualifications all 

the way. 

When I first moved into my home 

I felt isolated and reached a point 

where my confidence was very 

low. I saw an article in the local 

Hyde Magazine about Hyde’s 

New Directions service to help 

residents into work and training 

and knew that it would be a good 

idea to ring and see what they 

could do for me. 

When I rang Hyde for more 

information the staff were really friendly 

and Jason arranged to come and see 

me. He has been a great support- he 

understands me and listens but he also 

encourages me to do things for myself 

and is always there if I need help. 

I would encourage other Hyde 

Residents to take up the New 

Directions service - its free, takes a 

little of your time for a lot of reward! 

New Directions in 

SE London and Kent! 

Our New Directions service is a 

FREE confidential and impartial 

service to help you get the jobs and 

skills that are right for you. 

Last year this service helped 9 residents to get jobs, 

with another 7 starting volunteering and 15 accessing 

training! In all, over 90 Hyde Residents were helped last 

year, many of whom have not worked for a long time or 

needed help to build their confidence and gain skills. 

You may also be eligible for a bursary of up to £200 to 

help ease the cost of starting work or training. This can 

pay for items such as the cost of a laptop, equipment and 

books for studying. 

If you are interested in taking advantage of New 

Directions please ring 07918057873 for Jason Colyer 

(New Directions Adviser - Kent) 

07918057325 for Suzanne Bingham 

(New Directions Adviser - SE London) or contact the 

Customer Services Freephone number on back page. 

Hyde Young Pride Award 

Are you 

16 or 

under? 

Hyde can put £200 towards 

something you really want to do! 

• Improve your swimming or football 

• Learn to play your favourite instrument 

• Make school work easier with extra tuition 

Call freephone 0800 030 4424 

or visit www.hyde-housing.co.uk 

youth 


SPECIAL FEATURE 

An Inspector calls… 

Get involved with the new Hyde Group inspections programme 

and earn vouchers for your efforts! 

The Hyde Group wants to make 

sure that it provides the same high 

quality services to all its residents 

wherever they 

live. You can 

help and get 

rewarded for 

your time. 

£100 

Shopping 

Vouchers 

The Hyde “Service Promise” sets out the standards of service that 

residents can expect from us. These standards cover all parts of 

the service that matter most to residents. We want to carry out 

inspections on our services to make sure that we are meeting the 

standards set out in the Service Promise. 

If you would like more information about the Service Promise or 

would like to receive a copy of the Service Promise leaflet contact 

your local Community Engagement team. 

Become a Resident Champion and make a real difference! 

You don’t need any previous experience 

to become a Resident Champion. 

Training and on-going support will 

be provided before and during the 

inspection. All you will need is an 

interest in improving services and to 

enjoy talking to other residents. 

To apply you will need to complete a 

short application form which is available 

by contacting us on the number (right). 

If your application is successful we 

will invite you to attend an informal 

interview along with other applicants. 

What will you get in return? - Resident 

Champions receive £100 in shopping 

vouchers as a thank-you for carrying 

out each project. All reasonable travel 

expenses will be paid and childcare 

where applicable. 

So, if you are interested in improving 

services for all residents and would 

like to be rewarded with £100 

vouchers, contact your Community 

Engagement Team or Susie Birch - 

Service Delivery Compliance Manager 

on 0203 2072759 or Email her on 

susie.birch@hyde-housing.co.uk 



Residents are set to plot the course for the future 

as Hyde’s largest ever consultation gets underway. 

We want to get to know you better and for you to help us 

re-shape and improve the services that you receive in order 

for us to get things right first time, every time. “We want 

to provide quality services that make you proud to be a 

Hyde resident” said David Eastgate, The Hyde Group Chief 

Executive. 

The ‘You Speak, We Listen’ consultation puts our residents 

in the driving seat and we are calling upon you all to have 

your say. Lee Robinson, Chair of Hydewide Residents Voice 

says “It is so important that you take advantage of this 

opportunity to feedback your views to Hyde. I urge every 

one of you to take part” 

You should have received your information pack about the 

consultation and details about how you can get involved. 

Please remember to fill in and post back your census form 

and ‘You Speak, We Listen’ card. 

For up to the minute information visit our website at www. 

hyde-housing.co.uk and click on the ‘You Speak, We Listen’ 

button. Keep your eyes open for further information on 

‘You Speak, We Listen’ throughout the new year. 

This is your community - let your 

voice be heard. 

Join the Hyde 5000 and improve our services 

Hyde needs 5000 residents to join a panel looking 

at how to improve services and their delivery. 

So, if you care about your community and the range of services provided by 

Hyde then be part of ensuring we are getting it right on issues such as estate 

management, regeneration, service charges, employment and training. 

You can join the Hyde 5000 panel at 

www.hyde-housing.co.uk/hyde5000 

or by calling Sarah Hyde on 

Tel: 0203 207 2767. 


ecipes 

Quick fix family recipes 

We love cooking in our spare time and wanted to share some healthy, simple and low cost recipes 

that everyone can enjoy. Why not try these recipes out on your family, over the cold winter months? 

By Naomi WOODCOCK CUSTOMER SERVICES AND INEZ BRITZ ACCOMMODATION OFFICER 

Sweet potato and 

cumin soup 

There is nothing better than a hot and 

delicious soup - try this one to keep you 

warm on the cold winter nights. 

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 onion, 100g carrots, 900g sweet potato 

1 lt chicken stock, 1½ tsp cumin 

Salt and pepper, Fresh coriander 

Serves 4 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cook time: 25 minutes 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan 

and add the onions, fry until soft, add the 

cumin and cook for a minute. 

2. Add the peeled and chopped carrots 

and sweet potato. Fry for 2 minutes. 

3. Add the stock and cook until the 

potato and carrots are cooked, adding 

seasoning to taste. 

4. Blend the vegetable mixture until 

smooth. 

5. Serve soup with a sprinkle of coriander 

or croutons. 

Cottage Pie 

Why not make this dish in bulk, pop in 

the freezer and heat when you you don’t 

have a lot of time to cook? 

Ingredients: 

500g Mince, 4 Baking potatoes 

2 onions, 3 carrots, 100g green peas 

1 tin chopped tomatoes 

250ml beef stock 

50ml semi-skimmed milk 

25g butter, 50g cheese (grated) 

Salt & pepper to season 

Serves 4 


Cook time: 40–50 minutes 

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C, fan 170˚C, 

gas 4. 

2. Peel and quarter 4 baking potatoes 

and boil in salted water until tender. 

3. Meanwhile, fry 2 peeled and chopped 

onions in a little oil, add 3 peeled and 

diced carrots, until tender. Add 500g beef 

mince and cook. Once cooked through, 

season with salt and pepper and add 

250ml beef stock, chopped tomatoes and 

peas. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes. 

4. Whilst this is simmering drain and 

mash the potatoes, adding the milk and 

butter. Place the mince mixture in an 

ovenproof dish, cover with the mash, 

sprinkle the mash with the grated cheese 

and cook in the oven for 25 minutes until 

the pie is piping hot throughout and the 

top is golden. 

Devil’s Food Cake 

A delicious treat to serve on it’s own or 

drizzled with melted chocolate - milk, 

dark or white. 

2¼ cups (540ml) cake flour 

½ cup (120ml) unsweetened cocoa 

powder 

1½ teaspoons (7.5ml) baking powder 

1 teaspoon (5ml) salt 

½ cup (125g) butter 

1 cup (240ml) white caster sugar 

1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla flavouring 

3 eggs, separated 

11/3 cups (320ml) cold water 

¾ cup (180ml) white caster sugar 


Cook time: 40-50 minutes 

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Butter and 

lightly flour two 25cm/10” baking tins or 

a large ring tin. Sift together flour, cocoa 

powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

2. Beat butter on medium speed for about 

30 seconds. Gradually add the 1 cup of 

sugar and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Add the 

yolks one at a time, beating on medium 

speed for 1 minute after each addition. 

3. Add the dry ingredients and the cold 

water alternately to the beaten mixture, 

beating on low speed until just combined. 

4. Wash and dry bowl and beaters 

thoroughly. Whisk egg whites until soft 

peaks form; gradually add the ¾ cup 

sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. 

Fold into batter. 

5. Turn into prepared tins; even tops with 

spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or 

until done. Cool for 10 minutes: remove 

from pans onto cake rack to cool 

completely. 

08 | | Living | | Winter 2009


Santa Claus is 

coming to town! 

Santa and his elves are visiting 

selected Hyde locations again this year 

and invite everyone to come along for a 

magical treat. 

After travelling from his home in the North Pole, Santa 

and his helpers will make their grand arrival in the 

magical mobile grotto. Santa will say hello to all the 

children and present each child with a free chocolate 

treat. Then with a final Ho Ho Ho and a Merry 

Christmas to all he’ll fly off back to Lapland for his final 

Christmas preparations. 

Remember Santa loves to receive your Christmas letters 

so don’t forget to write and give your letter to Santa 

personally. 

Tuesday 22nd December 

TIME ESTATE AREA 

10.00am Watchmans Terrace/Village View Chatham 

10.30am Mercury Close Borstal 

10.55am Empire Road Strood 

11.35am Clarence Row Gravesend 

12.00am Gouge Avenue Northfleet 

12.20pm Camden Close / Haldane Gardens Northfleet 

12.45pm Wakefield Road Greenhithe 

1:05pm Read Court, Ingress Park Greenhithe 

1:40pm Wodehouse Road Dartford 

3:00pm Laurel Road Tunbridge Wells 

3:45pm Turner Avenue Cranbrook 

Wednesday 23rd December 

TIME ESTATE AREA 

10.00am Clover Court Ashford 

10.35am The Waltons Folkestone 

11.25am Pullman Close Ramsgate 

11.50am Argyll Drive Ramsgate 

12.30pm Old School Gardens Margate 

2.00pm Rowland Drive Herne Bay 

3.00pm Abery Drive, Leybourne Lakes Larkfield 

3.40pm Drawbridge Close Maidstone 

4.10pm Pevensey Court Maidstone 

Please note that all times are approximate and subject to change. 

Pictures from last years Santa visits 



Leybourne 

The last few months have been a 

In the summer we had the open day of the new 

Settling-In Resource Centre at 106 Abery Drive. The 

day was a great opportunity for residents to see the 

flat and meet the partners who are working together 

in the area, including Hyde, the local Children’s Centre, 

Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, Larkfield Leisure 

Centre and the Police. There are a number of services 

being delivered from the Resource Centre. East 

Malling Children’s Centre are running weekly sessions 

including a Baby & Toddler Group and Messy Play 

days. Jacqueline and her daughter Matilda have been 

attending the Messy Play on Wednesdays: 

“It’s excellent; Messy Play is brilliant because Matilda 

can do things she wouldn’t be able to do at home! It’s 

a perfect opportunity for her to meet other children 

her own age and for parents to mix. Everyone is really 

friendly. I think the Resource Centre offers a really 

valuable service to the estate.” 

The Resource Centre is also being used by Jason 

Colyer, Hyde’s New Directions Worker, to deliver 

workshops on confidence building and selfdevelopment. 

The local PCSO uses the flat as a regular 

drop-in surgery for residents and the housing officer. 

Most recently, Hyde Plus and the Community 

Engagement Team delivered two weeks of fun 

activities from the community flat for residents. During 



Park News 

busy time at Leybourne Park. 

the first week, activities included pamper sessions 

and healthy cooking for young parents, a visit from 

Kent’s Community Chef, and an Adult Education 

day where residents took part in taster sessions in 

jewellery making and learning head massage. St 

John Ambulance also gave a really interesting talk on 

emergency first aid for parents. 

The second week of events was half-term, so young 

residents were able to join in with lots of activities, 

including magic skills, pop singing, first aid and healthy 

cooking. There were also spooky Halloween themed 

crafts and food and a visit to Leybourne Lakes Country 

Park for families to try their hand at pond dipping. 

Hyde staff were supported by KCC youth workers and 

the week was a great opportunity for us to find out 

what young residents on the estate want and what 

other activities could be run from the flat. 

The two weeks of activities were well attended and it 

was great to see so many new faces at the Resource 

Centre. We’re looking forward to working closer with 

residents to run more sessions from the flat and to 

develop new projects. 

If you’d like more information on Leybourne Park or the 

Settling-In Resource Centre, contact Louise Thompson, 

Regeneration Officer, Hyde Plus on 07918 057909 or 

louise.thompson@hyde-housing.co.uk 



Winter Poem by Glenis Hayes 

When the long hours of light become limited 

And the coldness bites the air 

Autumn changing trees gold to amber 

And the gardens look quite sad and bare 

When the garden mower is left to rest 

In amongst our discarded pots 

And the summer plants safely stored away 

Or perhaps left alone in sheds to rot 

Some winter pansies and cyclamen 

Splash some colour amongst the green 

An odd rose might bloom and delight us 

Spreading its jewel out like a Queen 

It gazes out through the golden Acer Tree 

Looking soft and pink and lush 

For a day things look like summer again 

Till the winter winds blow and crush 

Snow won’t be long coming here again 

Turning our gardens virgin white 

Displaying Christmas Bells and Decorations 

In our windows with twinkling lights 

Gardens and seasons are a spectacle 

What ever the skies decide 

And a gardener really a creator 

Something enjoyed by all world wide 

Is a cross government programme 

to address public concerns about 

crime and justice. 

Central to this is the Policing Pledge 

which sets out the service local people 

can expect from their police force, how 

crime is being tackled and how justice is 

being delivered. This includes improving 

communication links and providing 

opportunities for the public to suggest 

what work and projects offenders should 

undertake throughout the year as part of 

the Community Payback scheme. 

Feeling squeezed by the credit crunch? 

According to the Department for Work and Pensions large 

numbers of people are still not claiming the benefits they are 

entitled to. Why leave the money in the government’s bank 

account when it could be in your pocket? 

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit 

are available to people of all ages and 

circumstances. A lot of people think 

that they are only for the retired, the 

unemployed or those unable to work, 

but this is not the case. Those in paid 

employment may be eligible depending 

on the exact circumstances of their 

household and the amount of money 

they have coming in each week. More 

and more people are now working fewer 

hours to save their companies and their 

own long term job prospects. This may 

make them eligible for Housing Benefit 

and Council Tax Benefit. It may also mean 

that they could be entitled to claim, or 

receive increases in other benefits or 

credits, such as Working Tax Credit and 

Child Tax Credit. 

Another advantage for those claiming 

certain state benefits is that they can get 

help to make their homes more energy 

efficient through insulation grants. This 

can reduce heating bills and save even 

more money. 

Kent Benefits Partnership (KBP) gives 

advice to customers about benefits that 

they may be entitled to. Not everyone is 

aware of the service, so we want to make 

sure all Kent residents know what they 

are entitled to. KBP can be contacted by 

phone, email or in person. The phone 

number is 0845 345 0310, email address 

kentbenefitspartnership@kent.gov.uk 

or you can arrange a visit from KBP in 

person. Alternatively, you can call KCC’s 

24 hour helpline on 08458 247 247 for 

more information. 

It is now possible to find out your 

neighbourhood policing team’s contact 

details and 24/7 non emergency details 

via the internet www.kent.police.co.uk 

and by text - simply by texting PLEDGE 

and your postcode to 66101. 

For more information about the 

campaign visit http://campaigns.direct. 

gov.uk/policingpledge/index.html 

Mobile Gateways 

advice on your doorstep 

Gateways are on the move! KCC’s 

mobile Gateway, staffed with experts 

from a range of agencies, will offer job, 

debt and benefits advice in advertised 

surgeries held throughout the county. 

This range of services is also available 

in the five high street Gateways where 

people can access a range of public 

services. They are currently up and 

running in Thanet, Ashford, Tenterden, 

Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone and 

will open soon in Tonbridge and Dover. 

For more information on your local 

mobile and Gateway services, please 

call 08458 247 247. 


MONEY MATTERS 

If you can’t pay rent 

we will help you. 

If you won’t pay 

we will evict you. 

If you are having difficulties paying your rent or 

have arrears we can help you. 

You can call us on 0800 389 3598 and speak to an 

Income officer. 

We also have specialist debt and advice workers 

who you can speak to in confidence. So don’t delay 

and call us today. 

Remember! 

If you can’t pay rent we will help you. 

If you won’t pay we will evict you. 

Freephone 0800 389 3576 

email incomehse@hyde-housing.co.uk 

Convenience at 

your fingertips 

A new and easy way to make payments has 

been launched for customers with mobile 

phones. It’s called All Pay and it’s a simple 

way to text a payment on your rent account. 

75% of adults now own a mobile phone and 5000 

text messages are sent every second in the UK and 

to text a bill payment is now, for many customers the 

height of convenience 

How it works... 

If you have a UK registered mobile phone, a valid 

All Pay swipecard or barcoded bill and a current debit 

or credit card you can sign up today. Just register online 

at https://wwww.allpayments.net/textpay and you can 

then pay your bills anytime, anyplace, anywhere. 

So if your looking for a quick and convenient way to 

settle your rent account why not give it a try. 

If you would like more information or help in 

registering you can call All Pay on 0844 557 8321or 

give the income team a ring on the freephone number 

on the back cover or email incomehse@hyde-housing. 

co.uk 

Payment by Debit Card 

over the telephone 

now an option. 

All residents can now pay their rent 

over the telephone using their debit 

card via the Callpay - payment method. 

On the 1st of November 2009 we introduced this new payment 

method to make it more convenient for our residents to pay their 

rent. Residents can use this payment facility by contacting their 

Customer Service or Income teams through the normal office 

number or directly. If you would like more information give the 

income team a ring on the freephone number on the back cover 

or email incomehse@hyde-housing.co.uk 

To make a payment 

over the telephone you 

will need your debit 

card and the 19 digit 

number from your 

swipecard or your rent 

account pay reference 

- making this a quick, 

easy and convenient 

way to pay your rent. 

Once you have made 

your payment it will be 

credited to you rent 

account on the next 

working day, ensuring 

that your rent account is 

up-to-date. 



Swap stuff for free! 

John*, Carol* and their three young 

children recently moved from their 

small two bedroom flat into a larger 

three bedroom flat in New Cross. 

The family are on a low income 

and could not afford to buy all new 

furniture for their new home. Pam*, 

their Housing Officer informed them 

about The Freecycle Network. 

Free theatre tickets for young 

people under the age of 26 

Free theatre tickets for under 26 year olds are up for grabs at six Kent and 

over 30 London theatres. Free tickets to shows, tours and talks will be on 

offer as part of the Arts Council’s theatre initiative ‘A Night Less Ordinary’. 

The national launch took place with 

‘Spooks’ star Rupert Penry-Jones - recently 

appearing as DI Joseph Chandler in the ITV 

drama series ‘Whitechapel’ - and actress 

Sheridan Smith, star of ’Two Pints of Lager 

and a Packet of Crisps’ and ‘Grownups’. 

They attended the Donmar Warehouse 

theatre in Covent Garden to celebrate 

more than half a million free theatre tickets 

being given away to young people all over 

England over the next two years. 

Rupert said: “Live theatre at its best is a 

magical experience – it sucks you in and 

makes you forget everything around you. 

So I’m all for a scheme that encourages 

more young people to share that magic. 

A Night Less Ordinary is exactly what they 

need at the moment – with the recession 

making nights out more of a luxury, here’s 

something really different young people 

can enjoy for free. It’s great to see so 

many theatres across the country working 

together to make it happen.” 

The scheme will run alongside the 

successful reduced price schemes for 

young people which many theatres 

already operate. Results of the pilot will 

be carefully monitored and, if successful, 

it is hoped that the initiative could be 

extended to other art forms. 

Free tickets are available to anyone under 

26 years of age by logging on to 

www.anightlessordinary.org.uk. 

Just enter your postcode to find a list 

of participating venues in your area and 

details of shows. 

Carol registered her membership 

at the local library and spent the 

afternoon looking for items to 

furnish their home. Within a month 

they had a dining table with 6 

chairs, wardrobes and desk for the 

children’s rooms and even a training 

bike for Aaron*! 

Carol said “I don’t know what we 

would have done if Pam hadn’t told 

us about Freecycle, everything is so 

expensive these days so we wouldn’t 

have been able to afford to buy 

everything. Although the stuff isn’t 

new, it’s all in really good condition 

and the kids are really happy with all 

the toys we got”. 

What is Freecycle? 

The Freecycle Network allows the 

exchange of many items, including 

household items for FREE! Anyone 

who wants to use The Freecycle 

Network must sign up to a Yahoo 

internet group. These groups are 

locally based and moderated by a 

local volunteer. Membership is free. 

To find your local group use the 

search bar on the homepage of the 

internet site: www.freecycle.org. 

Once you have joined a group, you 

can search for items advertised on 

the website. You will need access to 

the internet to be able to use The 

Freecycle Network. Please also be 

aware that it is the responsibility of 

the person receiving the items to 

arrange transport. 

The Freecycle Network could help 

you in your situation today whether 

you would like to give something 

away or if you need some household 

items. By using The Freecycle 

Network you are helping make a 

positive impact on the environment 

we live in. 

*Names have been changed for confidentiality 

purposes 


HYDEWIDE RESIDENTS VOICE Whats new! 

Your regular update from the Hydewide 

Residents Voice 

Making services better for you 

Hyde are planning improvements to your services and the 

Hydewide Residents Voice (HRV) will be making sure that as 

many residents as possible get a chance to have their say. 

HRV have agreed plans to include residents in future changes 

to repairs and customer services. See page 7 for more 

information about the ‘You Speak, We Listen’ programme. 

Recognition for residents 

HRV have been looking at an awards scheme to celebrate 

the achievements of residents who take a lead in improving 

communities or improving residents’ services. Watch this 

space for more information. 

Getting the message 

HRV have been making sure that information is given to you 

in a way that is clear and easy to understand. Recently this 

has included reviewing the letters that are sent to you annually 

about Gas Service checks because we think your safety is 

important. 

Who are the Hydewide 

Residents Voice? 

The HRV is a forum that brings together resident 

representatives from across the Hyde Group. Our objective 

is to ensure a good quality service for you by making sure 

that you are at the heart of service delivery. We are consulted 

about changes to service and make sure your views are heard 

at the highest level. 

Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year 

At any time of the year anti-social behaviour can affect our quality of life. 

We are committed to work hard with the police and other agencies to act 

against any form of ASB in our communities. 

We will take action against anyone who 

engages in ASB, whilst ensuring that any 

victims and witnesses remain supported. 

We value the support we receive from 

residents, who both report ASB and 

provide important evidence which helps 

us to act against those responsible. We 

know it can often be difficult 

and take courage to come 

forward but we will provide 

support by keeping residents 

informed of the progress of 

their report and working with 

them to identify the best 

solutions. 

The following letter was 

sent to us by a young Hyde 

resident whose community 

was suffering anti-social 

behaviour. By working with 

local residents and the police 

together we were able to 

bring this problem to an end. 

“When I first moved to a new house in 

a new area it was quiet and only a few 

children about. Then a family with two 

older girls moved into a Hyde Housing 

home. At first the girls were quiet but as 

more children decided to play with them, 

the girls became more anti-social by 

getting drunk, swearing and staying out 

late, this was only the beginning. The girls 

then started being abusive to children and 

their parents, they even attacked a young 

girl. They didn’t seem to care even though 

the police got involved. 

Their behaviour led to my family 

constantly reporting them to Hyde and the 

police. I also wrote a letter and started a 

petition that other children could sign and 

send to Hyde. They took the girls to court 

and my mum was a witness. They were 

given a temporary injunction which then 

turned into a Consent Order, which meant 

that they weren’t allowed to visit the estate 

any more. 

It’s been quite a few months since the 

girls have been gone and children 

including myself and 

my brother are happily 

playing, getting on with life 

and not having to worry 

that there could be trouble 

around the corner. It’s been 

peaceful and safe to be 

out, no one is scared and 

children that have never 

been out have been coming 

out to play. I can now get to 

sleep better as there is no 

one out past 9 o’clock. l just 

want the peace to stay.” 

This is just one example 

of what can be done 

by working together 

with your support. 

Please don’t suffer in silence… 

If you are experiencing anti-social 

behaviour you can contact our free 

phone number 0800 389 3598 


NEWS 

Keep safe. 

Fire safety advice from The Hyde Group. 

Keep your family safe from harm. Follow this simple but 

important advice to protect your home from the effects of fire. 

Government figures indicate around 400 

people die per year in accidental fires. 

It has also been shown that people living 

in rented or shared accommodation are 

seven times more likely to have a fire. 

By carrying out some easy checks, tenants 

can tackle potential snags that could lead 

to the outbreak of a fire in their building 

and can help to keep their community 

safe. 

In preventing a fire, residents should; 

• Fit smoke alarms on every level of the 

home 

• Test smoke alarm batteries every week 

• Avoid leaving children in the kitchen 

alone when cooking 

• Take care when cooking with hot oil 

• Never overload extension leads, 

adapters or sockets 

• Dispose of cigarettes carefully 

• Make sure candles are always secure 

in a safe location 

• Plan an escape route and make sure 

everyone knows it 

• Close inside doors at night to stop fire 

from spreading 

As your landlord, The Hyde Group has a 

number of obligations to keep your home 

safe from fire. 

These include making sure all gas and 

electric services are safe and in good 

working order, and that any furnishings 

provided are fire resistant and meet safety 

regulations. If you are concerned that 

these safety checks are not being carried 

out, please contact your Housing Officer. 

For further information on how 

to keep you and your house safe 

from fire, please visit: http:// 

firekills.direct.gov.uk/fire-safetyin-the-home.html 

Greener Homes 

mean cheaper bills for you 

By Alan Mortimer | Stock Investment Manager 

Hyde South East 

residents are set to 

benefit from warmer 

homes and reduced 

energy bills thanks 

to a new and costfree 

home insulation 

programme currently 

taking place across 

London and Kent. 

Hyde, with the assistance of local 

insulation company Dawsetway and 

our energy experts, JDT, are providing 

tenants with the opportunity to ensure 

that their homes are well prepared for 

cold weather with free loft and cavity 

wall insulation. Dawsetway Heating will 

visit homes to check the levels of loft 

and cavity wall insulation present and 

will arrange for any necessary work to 

be carried out, resulting in hassle free 

installation for residents. 

Currently, the UK’s 21 million 

domestic houses are responsible 

for 27 per cent of the nation’s total 

CO2 emissions, with non-insulated 

homes losing up to 40 per cent of 

energy through its walls. Furthermore, 

Government figures suggest that 

houses with loft insulation of 270 

millimetres can save homes up to 

£250 a year, a significant saving. 

To find out if your home can benefit 

from this free scheme contact 

Dawsetway Freephone 

0800 328 8279 



by Heather Calveley | (Vice Chair of Medway Youth Parliament) 

Medway Youth Parliament 

Medway Youth Parliament is a group for young people run entirely by young people. Our job is to 

represent the 60,000 young people living within Medway aged between 13-19 and to give them a voice. 

Although young people don’t have a vote we make sure they 

have a voice. The Parliament, that has just celebrated its 10th 

birthday in April of this year, has many functions. It is not only 

a consulting group for many different organisations such as 

the Medway Council, Medway Youth Trust and also Medway’s 

World Heritage Fund, but a group with clear goals of their own 

that they set out to be achieved. 

We have representatives from all schools in Medway and 

some from youth clubs and other youth organisations, but 

always encourage more participation from anyone who wants 

to affect change within Medway. 

We make changes year after year with things such as getting 

subsidised bus fares for young people under 16, creating 

a ‘bog standard’ report to make sure your toilet facilities at 

schools are up to scratch. We also host an Annual Youth 

Conference and the Try Angle Awards, which are awards for 

young people aged 10-18, every year. 

We make a change, so you can too! 

If you are interested in making a positive change to the future 

of your area or have an issue you would like your local Youth 

Parliament to take up, you can contact KCC on 08458 247 

247 for your representative. For further information or to 

join the Medway Youth Parliament, contact medway_youth_ 

parliament@hotmail.com or by phone 01634 338748 

The Orchestra performs at Mote Hall, which is part of Maidstone 

Leisure Centre. Hyde’s Community engagement team have two 

season tickets on offer free to residents who would like to attend 

any of the last three Concerts in the season. If you would like 

to attend an evening of great classical music just call Steve on 

01622 356479 before the 15th January, stating what concert/s 

you would like to attend. A draw will be held and the lucky 

winners will be informed the following week commencing 18th 

January. You can find out more about the Maidstone Symphony 

Orchestra by visiting www.mso.org.uk 

F R E E conc e rt TI C K ETS 

Maidstone Symphony Orchestra is 

one of the UK’s leading community 

orchestras, with a regular membership 

of over 70, performing an annual 

series of five concerts in a season from 

October to May. 

06 February 2010 Soloist: Ben Hancox (Violin) 

Brahms - Tragic Overture 

Vaughn Williams - The Lark Ascending 

Brückner- Symphony No. 2 

27 March 2010 Soloist: Ching-Yun Hu (Piano) 

Elgar - Overture, Cockaigne 

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.1 

Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 6 “Pathétique” 

22 May 2010 Soloist: Silvia Chiesa (Cello) 

R. Strauss - Till Eulenspiegel 

Lalo - Cello Concerto 

Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique 


winter COMPETITIONS 

WIN £100 of Thomas Cook vouchers! 

Pictured below are four close-ups of 

images throughout the magazine. 

Can you guess which article they are from? 

You will need to complete the entry form 

and return to the address in the ‘HOW to 

enter’ panel (p19). 

1 

2 

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

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

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

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

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

Postcode............................................................................................... 

E-mail ..................................................................................................... 

Contact number................................................................................. 

Under 17 ❏ 18-25 ❏ Over 25 ❏ 

Would you like to join the Kent Resident Panel and 

receive a free copy of the CE newsletter Yes ❏ No ❏ 

Picture 1.............................................................................................. 

3 

4 

Picture 2.............................................................................................. 

Picture 3.............................................................................................. 

Picture 4.............................................................................................. 

Sudoku Brainteaser 

Another Sudoku for all the puzzle fans: 

Correctly complete the brainteaser below, send in your answer and 

you could win £30 worth of gift vouchers! 

9 1 4 8 3 

2 6 1 

8 2 3 6 

4 2 5 7 3 

8 5 

3 8 2 7 4 

5 4 3 2 

2 7 9 

3 6 2 1 7 

Each line up, down, left, right and each grid box, should 

contain the numbers 1 to 9 without duplication. 

You will need to complete the entry form and return 

to the address in the ‘HOW to enter’ panel (p19). 

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

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

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

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

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

Postcode............................................................................................... 

E-mail ..................................................................................................... 

Contact number................................................................................. 

Under 17 ❏ 18-25 ❏ Over 25 ❏ 



3 


winter COMPETITIONS 

C H R I S T M A S W O R D S E A R C H 

U E R K W H S L S S Z G X S O 

A U S B O A O A F N R M C T E 

B E Q L H U U J M E O L M F P 

Y U L E T I D E E T V W Z I P 

S Y R R E M H D S I S J M G Q 

L B Q C Y W N H A Z Z I W A E 

E G Z F T I W A C T H A R N N 

I N D A E R B R E G N I G H T 

G I D R J L B V J N F A R I C 

H K Z J L Z U R M C G B S V B 

R C Y E V R J I K V K D V Y H 

Z O B U U W F M X M W T D H L 

R T X O X S E W T Q E T R O C 

H S E E Q L N B Z C A G N E K 

K J A W F N X V C W S T A R E 

BELL 

CHRISTMAS 

ELF 

GIFTS 

GINGERBREAD 

HOLLY 

IVY 

MERRY 

REINDEER 

SANTA 

SLEIGH 

SNOWMAN 

STAR 

STOCKING 

TREE 

YULETIDE 

Can you find the 16 festive 

words contained in the puzzle? 

If you can, you could win £30 

worth of gift vouchers. 

Please highlight the words, fill out the entry form and 

send to the address in the ‘How to Enter’ panel (below). 

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

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

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

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

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

Postcode.............................................................................................. 

E-mail .................................................................................................... 

Contact number................................................................................ 

Under 17 ❏ 18-25 ❏ Over 25 ❏ 



HOW TO ENTER 

All entries must be received by 1 February 2010. 

Winners will be notified by letter. Please note all 

competitions in this magazine are open to residents 

of Hyde Housing Association only. Please return your 

completed entry form to: 

Victoria Banfield, Community Engagement Facilitator, 

Hyde Housing Association Ltd, Chaucer House, Knightrider 

Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6ND. 

Congratulations! 

Our Team Talk competition winners, Mrs Bushi and 

Mrs Nifton, both from Maidstone. They have each won 

£30.00 of gift vouchers for correctly completing the 

soduku and wordsearch puzzles. 

Hyde 

Dragons! 

On Sunday 4 October a team of staff 

from Hyde South East bravely competed 

in the first Medway Charity Dragon Boat 

Race, organised by the Kent Messenger 

Charity Team. Sixteen teams, many of 

them in fancy dress, took part in a series 

of races at the Arethusa Water Sports 

Centre, Medway, cheered on by a crowd 

of 500. 

Each dragon boat contained 16 rowers 

and a drummer and competed against 

other teams from around the county 

in an attempt to be crowned the 

Dragon boat champions. A testament 

to team work, each and every Hyde 

Hero worked hard to improve our finish 

times, race by race. After coming 16th 

in the first race, we upped our game 

and rather astonishingly found ourselves 

coming 2nd place in the Maidstone final! 

The Hyde Heroes team have raised 

£950 for the Kent Walking Bus charity 

which provides funds to encourage road 

safety initiatives for schools and children 

across Kent. 


Do something amazing for charity this year 

MHS Homes is yet again holding a sponsored ‘Sleep Out’ in the 

grounds of their head office at Broadside, Leviathan Way, Chatham. 

The event, which will take place on 30 

January 2010, has been planned to raise 

awareness of the plight of homeless 

people and to coincide with Poverty 

and Homelessness Action week, which 

is Saturday 30th January to Sunday 7th 

February. The money raised will be split 

between local homelessness charity 

Caring Hands in the Community and the 

MHS chosen charity for 2010. Despite the 

serious message MHS will, as in previous 

years, have a party feel up until midnight, 

with a good supply of hot drinks, food 

and music for you to enjoy. MHS will also 

be holding a best box competition, as 

well as the highest individual and group 

sponsorship, with prizes to be won. 

If you would like to join a Hyde team and 

sign up to become a sleeper or would like 

further information please give Steve a 

call on 01622 356479. 

Christmas Greetings 

On behalf of everyone here at Hyde involved in the production of Kent Living, we 

would like to wish all of our readers a very merry Christmas and a happy, peaceful 

and prosperous new year! 

GENERAL ENQUIRIES 

Customer Services 

Maidstone and Canterbury 

FREEPHONE: 

0800 389 3598 

This is now the number to call to 

contact your Housing Officer, if you 

wish to discuss your rent, to report a 

repair or any other queries 

MAIDSTONE OFFICE 

maidstone.enquiries@hyde-housing.co.uk 

Chaucer House 

Knightrider Street 

Maidstone 

Kent ME15 6ND 

Telephone: 01622 356490 

or Freephone: 0800 389 3598 

Fax: 01622 356491 

Minicom: 01622 623640 

CANTERBURY OFFICE 

canterbury.enquiries@hyde-housing.co.uk 

Suite 3 Orchard House 

Orchard Street 

Canterbury 

Kent CT2 8AJ 

Telephone: 01227 825200 

or Freephone: 0800 389 3598 

Fax: 01227 825223 

Minicom: 01227 825215 

REPAIRS AND EMERGENCY REPAIRS 

REPAIRS FREEPHONE: 0800 389 3598 

For gas central heating appliances and radiators call SWALE HEATING FREEPHONE: 0800 7311886 

The repairs freephone numbers can be called 24 hours a day. 

Calls made out of office hours will automatically transfer to the emergency service. 

If you would like a copy of this magazine in large print, braille, audio cassette or CD, 

or if you would like a translation please call 01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463 

01622 356463

Feeling squeezed? - Hyde Housing Association

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