vision SummER 2011 - Riverside

VISION
n e w s l e t t e r o f
Issue 19 Summer 2011
Junior
Wardens
spring into
action
page 3
£3 million
housing
development
underway
PAGE 4
Credit where
credit is due
PAGE 5
Mural brightens
the Black Path
Youngsters from Colshaw Farm unveiled
their original 3D mural on the walkway
known locally as the Black Path.
Manchester-based LIME Art worked with
17 young people to create the public art
display – centrepiece of a larger project,
commissioned by Cheshire East Council’s
Arts Heritage and Museums Service,
to encourage youngsters to get creative.
LIME met young people on the estate,
attending youth clubs, before setting up an
art club on Wednesday nights.
During this time they designed, planned,
created, sanded, painted or weaved their own
art installation with the letters COLSHAW.
Clair Edwards-Steele, Local Engagement
Officer at Cheshire East Council, said: “The
idea of the project was to introduce young
people to art and encourage them to
get involved in positive activities to build
confidence, self-esteem and aspiration.”
Young artists from Colshaw Farm, with Trainee
Warden Stephen Shaw
Riverside’s Trainee Warden, Stephen Shaw,
helped out with the workshops at Colshaw
Farm’s Open Arms community projects building.
Your Jobs… 2 • Help to net loan sharks… 2 • Want to know more?… 4 • Family fun on Colshaw Farm… 4
Credit where credit is due… 5 • Meet the staff… 6 • News in brief… 6 • Best deals for energy supply… 6
Handy hints… 7 • Stamping out anti-social behaviour… 7 • Brainteaser… 7 • Riverside recognised for
energy efficiency… 8 • Out of your pocket… 8

vision summer 2011 page 2
Your Jobs
Phil McNabb (centre) with recruiters from Blue Arrow
A new project, to help unemployed
people in Langley find work, held
its first event at Bowlee Park Sports
Centre in May.
Around 70 people attended the
Riverside Your Jobs day, where
residents and agencies involved
in getting people back to work
got together.
Phil McNabb is leading the project.
He said: “We are helping people
develop their own personal plans
to get the job they want. This first
event was a great opportunity to
meet local people and
bring lots of different
agencies together, such as
Mercedes-Benz and Blue Arrow.”
For further information about
getting back to work, contact Phil
on Tel: 0845 111 0000
or Tel: 0345 111 0000.
Help to net loan sharks
“It’s caused disruption to my whole life.
Had to relocate, change kids’ schools
and start afresh. The experience has led
to depression and I now have to take
medication to sleep.”
With around 310,000 families using loan
sharks, situations like this are becoming a
familiar tale. Many victims thought their
lender was a friend, but were shocked when
they became intimidating or violent.
Loan sharks prey on the most vulnerable,
charging extortionate interest rates – the
highest – a whopping 131,000%. They rarely
offer paperwork, so ‘customers’ are in the dark
about how much they owe. When people are
unable to pay, rent and bills can fall by the
wayside. This is when loan sharks resort to any
means to reclaim what they believe is theirs.
We are working closely with the Trading
Standards illegal money lending teams to
make a difference. The team has secured over
107 years worth of custodial sentences and
helped 16,000 victims of loan sharks to turn
their lives around.
Speak to somebody who has been in your
position, contact the Brian Shields Trust,
which supports victims of loan sharks on
Tel: 03333 554 545, or contact the
Illegal Money Lending Team
on Tel: 0300 555 2222
text: ‘loan shark’ + your message to 60003
email: reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.
gov.uk
visit: www.direct.gov.uk/stoploansharks

page 3
Junior Wardens
spring into action
to help Age UK
Woodland walk for Junior Wardens
During the Easter break Langley Junior
Wardens took part in the annual spring
bank walk to raise money for Age UK.
Putting their best feet forward, they set off
from the Resource Centre on Lingmell Close,
heading for Alkrington Woods.
Despite some of the younger ones feeling the
strain, they soldiered on, and their sterling
effort raised the grand total of £98.50.
During half-term break, the Junior Wardens
took part in a sports day at Hollyhedge Park in
Wythenshawe.
Neighbourhood Manager, Jeff Allen,
said: “It was great to see the Junior
Wardens take part in a sports event that
was inspired by them. The annual event
originated after we hosted a study visit for
the Wythenshawe Wardens. As a result,
they established their own junior warden
scheme based on our model.”
Around 70 children took part, including Junior
Wardens from Rochdale.

vision summer 2011 page 4
Want to
know more?
£3 million housing d
underway
We are holding our first
conference for Riverside
tenants and residents living
in the Greater Manchester,
West Yorkshire and
Cheshire areas.
The conference will be held on
Wednesday, 21 September,
at Bowlee Park Community
School in Langley, from 10am
until 4pm.
We will be holding workshops
focusing on a range of
subjects, from how we tackle
anti-social behaviour and
carry out repairs, to health
and well-being, becoming a
tenant inspector and saving
energy in the home.
This is your chance to have
a say in how we deliver our
services and to find out more
about Riverside in your area.
Lunch will be provided, as
well as free transport. Places
are limited, so if you are
interested in attending,
please book early by
contacting Sharon Thomas
or Tracey Evans on
Tel: 0845 111 0000 or
Tel: 0345 111 0000 before
14 September.
A sod-cutting ceremony marked the
start of the construction of a £3 million
affordable housing development in
Wakefield.
Riverside colleagues joined Wakefield Council
and constructors, Mansell, to celebrate the start
of building work, with the first patch of earth
cut from the site between Painthorpe Terrace
and Crigglestone All Blacks ARLFC ground.
The 25 properties are a mix of three-bedroom
family homes and two-bedroom bungalows.
Of these, 17 will be for social rent with the
remaining eight available to buy through
shared ownership.
Riverside’s Neighbourhood Manager Jeff Allen
said: “The current economic climate means
there is a high demand for affordable housing
in Crigglestone. The new development will not
only address this need, but the local economy Jeff Allen joins An
will also be boosted in terms of job creation.” Stevenson of Man
Riverside took over the management of 70
properties in Crigglestone in 2007. Since then, we have
transformed the estate by tackling anti-social behaviour.
A year later the Home Office singled out Riverside for our
family-friendly housing and community schemes, as well as
our contribution to a sizeable drop in crime.
The Home Office praised our partnership approach to
Family fun on Colshaw
Farm
Families from Colshaw Farm managed to dodge
the summer showers to enjoy a fun day at the
Oakenclough Day Centre.
Riverside colleagues were on hand to offer advice
on housing issues, alongside Cheshire Fire and
Rescue Services and other community partners.
A magician and face painters kept the kids
occupied, in between bouncy castle capers and an
obstacle course.

evelopment
Credit where
credit is due
page 5
n Pittard of Wakefield Council, Riverside’s Alan Malley and Andrew
sell
improving tenants’ quality of life – citing parenting
programmes, community action weeks and sporting
activities throughout the summer holidays as key factors
in the drop in crime.
For more information visit:
www.riverside.org.uk/crigglestone.aspx
Fun on the Farm
Middleton residents can
now access Manchester
Credit Union (MCU), which
encourages people to save and
offers affordable loans.
The Credit Union has extended
its services to include people from
Rochdale, alongside a partnership
agreement and financial support
from Riverside and Rochdale
Boroughwide Housing.
Christine Moore from MCU said:
“We have been established for 20
years and Rochdale has been a part
of our growth strategy for some
time now. The financial support
from social landlords means we can
start our Rochdale operation sooner
than we anticipated.”
Unemployment in Rochdale is
higher than the regional and
national average, which means
there is a great demand for
affordable credit.
MCU provides a range of savings
options, affordable loans, budgeting
and bill payment accounts, family
protection plans, loan protection
and life savings insurance, as well as
offering money guidance sessions
and debt advice.
Sharon Thomas from Riverside
added: “We are pleased to be
able to help bring much-needed,
affordable credit to Rochdale. MCU
will offer an accessible
service to everyone
living and working in the
borough, operating at
key locations each day.”
For more information,
call in to our
housing office on
Lingmell Close.
© iStockphoto.com/Nick Jeacock

vision summer 2011 page 6
Meet the staff
Charlotte Kimber, Temporary
Operations Administrator, based
at the Middleton Office.
What do you most enjoy about
your job and why?
I really enjoy the variety of my job.
My colleagues have made me feel so
welcome and every day is different.
What is your biggest work-related
achievement so far?
This is a tough one. Haven’t been in this role long, so it
would probably have to be when I previously set up my own
graphic design business.
What would be your one desert island item and why?
A toilet roll. How could you live without that?
What is your favourite book or film and why?
Kevin and Perry Go Large! No matter how many times I watch
it, it’s still hilarious and probably about as immature as me.
Who would play you in a film about your life and why?
Angelina Jolie, because I’m a daredevil and always push
myself to the limits.
News in brief
According to the results of
this year’s tenant survey,
you are more satisfied than
ever with the quality of our
services. This year, 84% of
you are satisfied with your
overall services, compared
with 62% in 2007. For
more information about
the survey results, see the
tenant annual report to be
delivered with your next
Vision newsletter.
A series of events in Middleton
highlighted the single biggest
cause of accidental death
in older people. Age UK’s
National Falls Awareness
Week focused on simple
interventions to reduce the
risk of falls, such as having a
health check and taking part
in regular exercise.
Best deals for energy supply
Consider these options and you could save
£100s on your bills.
Switch energy supplier
Over 10,000 people change energy
suppliers or tariffs every week. Use a
comparison site such as www.uswitch.com
or call them on Tel: 0800 404 7908 and you
could save over £200.
Pay by monthly direct debit
You could save up to £300 per year. Nearly
one-third of energy tariffs offer a cheaper
deal, if you pay by direct debit.
You can save time and better manage your
finances, as you will know how much you will
be paying monthly.
Direct debits are based on an estimate of
your use. Make sure you take regular meter
readings and check which tariff you are on.
Take a regular meter reading
Every time you receive a bill, take a
meter reading. Don’t rely on your energy
provider’s estimate. If they’re underbilling,
you may have a large amount to
pay at the end of the year. If they’re overbilling,
then they are holding on to your
money unfairly.
If your direct debit looks significantly different,
call up and request that it is checked.
Visit: www.moneysavingexpert.com for more
information.
Switch to an internet tariff
You can save over £200 a year and make the
most of competitive prices, by switching to an
internet tariff. You will receive your bills via email,
and you can make changes to payment details
at any time and input accurate meter readings.
Grab £1,000s of grants
There’s a range of grants for improving
home heating and insulation.
Visit: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

© iStockphoto.com/Amanda Rhode
Handy hints
If you have CDs that
are sticking,
rub with
lip balm
and wipe
off the
excess
with a soft
cloth.
The easiest
way to open a vacuumsealed
jar is to gently tap
the top on its edge on
any hard surface, such
as a work top. The jar
should open easily.
To remove the smell of
bleach from your hands
and that slimy feeling,
pour a little vinegar or
lemon juice over your
hands, then rinse.
To remove crayon
marks from a wall use
a hairdryer to heat the
crayon and it can be
easily wiped off.
Use bread or a dry cotton
wool ball to pick up
broken glass pieces. The
shards should stick, even
if you can’t see them.
Remove stains on white
shoes with nail varnish
remover.
If you have made your
curry too hot don’t panic.
Just add boiled potatoes
and lemon juice to take
the heat away and
absorb the curry.
When stacking tinned
food, place the tins
upside down. When
you open them the
contents will come
out more easily.
Stamping out anti-social
behaviour
page 7
Over recent months, there has been a significant reduction
in your anti-social behaviour complaints, thanks to our
partnership approach, working with local Neighbourhood
Policing Teams.
Over the last two years, we have issued 109 warnings to young
people found to be causing a nuisance, and only 5% have gone
on to cause further trouble.
In extreme cases, we have been forced to take legal action, including
five injunctions, two evictions, and one Anti-Social Behaviour Order.
The two evictions relate to the same family. Grandmother Norma
Deakin was evicted from her property on St Bees Walk in Langley.
Mrs Deakin breached a former ruling not to allow her teenage
grandsons – whose behaviour escalated from anti-social to
serious criminal activities – to visit or stay at her home.
This followed the eviction of Mrs Deakin’s daughter, Joanna
Deakin, and her partner Ian Tibble, in January. The couple were
evicted from their property in Gable Drive after failing to control
the behaviour of their sons.
This second eviction sends out a clear message that we will
not allow anti-social behaviour to simply move from one
property to another.
Brainteaser
Hidden in the grid are 10 summer sports, but can you find
them all?
tennis sailing show jumping golf surfing
rafting athletics rowing hiking cycling
S A I L I N G O Y X S G
B H C A L D W F L A N A
m G O L F K P T R I D T
E V N W E L K C W F Z H
R T Z P J M Q O T U O L
V U W A S U R F I N G E
P B H C G S M N E A D T
G N I T F A R P R S M I
C H K L Y C J O I D X C
P V I A E Q T E N N I S
u S N L C T R M O J G Y
H J G N I L C Y C H A R

vision summer 2011 page 8
Riverside
recognised
for energy
efficiency
Out of your
pocket
We have once again been
recognised as one of the most
environmentally-friendly housing
associations in the country.
Hot on the heels of a silver award
in the prestigious Sustainable
Homes Index for Tomorrow
(SHIFT), we have scooped the
Energy Efficiency gong at the
Housing Excellence Awards.
The judges were impressed with our
commitment to reducing carbon
footprint and our environmentally
friendly practices.
David Jepson, Riverside’s Deputy
Chief Executive, who collected the
award, said: “We are delighted to be
acknowledged once again for our
dedication to making our communities
cleaner, greener and safer.
“We pride ourselves on energy
efficiency improvements to existing
homes and high eco-standards to
new properties.”
We are making changes to our charges for
repairs. From March 2011 we began recharging
some types of repair caused by tenants’
deliberate misuse or negligence.
We are doing this because we don’t think it’s fair for
all our tenants to pay for damage caused by a few.
From now on, those who cause the damage will be
the ones who pay for it.
This doesn’t affect repairs caused by normal wear and
tear. These will still be done for free in the usual way.
Examples of the type of repair we will recharge
include, replacement locks if keys are lost, and
damage to doors and windows.
To find out more, call our Customer Service
Centre on Tel: 0845 111 0000 or
Tel: 0345 111 0000, or visit our website.
If you require this magazine in another format e.g. large print or audio cassette or in another
language, please telephone % 0845 111 0000 or 0345 111 0000
We are happy and able to accept Typetalk calls.
business for neighbourhoods
The Riverside Group Limited: Registered office: 2 Estuary Boulevard, Estuary Commerce Park, Liverpool, L24 8RF
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