3504 SHA Your Voice 15 - Spectrum Housing Group

The Signpost residents’ newsletter Issue 15 • Spring 2009Homeswapperis launchedGreat news for residents wishing to move to another property –Signpost has signed up to Homeswapper, a mutual exchangeservice for tenants and landlords. This means that all Signpostresidents who wish to use the Homeswapper service can do so free ofcharge. Another improvement to our services.Resident Forum members from east and west were invited to the launch ofHomeswapper on 24 February. The launch was unique in that it took place attwo sites: Hawthorn House in Exeter and Signpost House in Blandford. Thosewho attended were connected by videolink and Homeswapper was launchedby Chris Sledge, Chairman of Signpost Housing Association. Ian Thompson ofHomeswapper gave a presentation of the benefits to residents of using theHomeswapper service. Homeswapper provides an easy-to-use service forresidents wishing to move to another home that is either a local authority orhousing association property without needing to register with a local authority.To find out more visit www.HomeSwapper.co.uk If you do not haveaccess to a computer and you live in the North Dorset area, why not use thecomputers located in the Resource Centre at Signpost House in Blandford?Alternatively, you can contact Kerry Harvey on 01258 484830.Early learners benefitfrom Community FundSignpost ResidentsCommunity Fund waspleased to present PimpernePreSchool with a cheque for £500after their application for fundingwas given the thumbs up.Evelyn Carter, a committee memberof the fund presented the cheque toSam Hillyard, Chair of the Pre-School Committee.Sam Hillyard said “The money willallow us to purchase a new climbingframe for the children, giving themfurther opportunity to develop theiragility. I’d like to thank thecommunity fund on behalf of thepreschool committee, staff, thechildren and future generations ofchildren that will benefit.”Applications to the SignpostResidents Community Fund arewelcomed from groups working in allareas of the community. For detailsplease contact The Resource Centre,Signpost House, Sunrise BusinessPark, Higher Shaftesbury Road,Blandford Forum, DT11 8SA.Office closures The offices at Hawthorn House, Exeter, Signpost House,Blandford and Mainstone Avenue, Plymouth will be closed for the annual staffconference on Wednesday, 29 April.Inside ... Colouring competition 6 ... Letters to the Editor 8Environmental wordsearch 9 ... Recipe 12 ... and much more!Look carefully inside this newsletter and see if you can find these Easterchicks and puppies (don’t count those on this page)...1Sam Hillyard with Evelyn Carter

Equality and diversity: raceLaws to offer protection from racial discrimination first came intoeffect in Britain in 1976. Since then, the UK has become muchmore ethnically diverse with 8% of the population now belonging tominority ethnic communities. As this figure is set to grow, it isimportant that race equality issues are addressed and policies are inplace to support emerging and established groups.EditorialAs I write this, all I can think about is allthe terrible stuff that is in the newspapers.How come we only hear about the badstuff? Surely good stuff happens too.Why do the newspapers always lookon the down side? Perhaps they shouldbe like me and look out the good ineverything. That way you feel good andI think you go about life differently.Maybe you have had some goodmoments that you could tell me aboutin a letter or email and cheer me up?One thing that I think about to cheermyself up is when I was a teenager andbabysat some children in my schoolholidays – the little boy asked his mumwhat dinosaurs were like as she was old!Spring is hopefully here now and newlife is popping up everywhere, whichreminds me, I’d better buy some seedsas I intend to have flowers in mygarden this year. You see, I’m notgreen fingered and I seem to killeverything by over watering orforgetting to water it. The one plantthat does well in my house is a cactus!I like this time of year. The days aregetting lighter and longer, it’s not darkwhen you get up and dark when you goto bed. Oh, by the way, my husband hasa new project – a tractor. He says thechildren talked him into it. So I am backto the familiar black patches on mytowels and oily handprints everywhere.Thank goodness for the person whoinvented washing machines, although Ialways seem to end up with a sock inthe whites, which changes them to anoff white!Alison Moors, EditorWhile many ethnic minority groups thrive, contributing to society and theeconomy, many more do not despite significant progress. Barriers to thissuccess have been identified as being poor schooling and other institutionalissues that bar the gateway to opportunity.The Race Relations Amendment Act (2000) came into force following theinquiry into the tragic death of black teenager Stephen Lawrence. It outlined ageneral duty to all public authorities to promote race equality and ensure thatthey consult with representatives from minority ethnic communities and totake account of policies which impact on minority ethnic groups.As part of Signpost’s commitment to embedding equality and diversity, a newRace Equality Action Plan has been developed for Signpost HousingAssociation and Signpost Care Partnerships. The Action Plan covers manyissues such as access to services, involvement in decision making andmonitoring of satisfaction with services for our black and minority ethnicresidents. If you would like to see a copy of the Action Plan please contactPauline Watts, Housing Services Manager (West) on 01392 361122 or email atpauline.watts@sha.co.ukGet set for digitalTV switchoverTelevision transmission changesare on their way, with theswitchover to digital starting inthe south west this year.If you are in the Westcountry TVarea, you will be switching over todigital in May. If you get West TV itwill be in 2010, and it’s 2012 forMeridian viewers. Followingswitchover, analogue television setswill no longer pick up televisionsignals unless they have adigital receiver box. If youhave any questions abouthow the switchover willaffect you, call the DigitalUK help centre on08456 50 50 50 or go towww.digitaluk.co.uk• If you have a TV with the‘digital tick’ logo, it willautomatically pick up thedigital television channelsduring switchover.• Older analogue televisions will notbe compatible, so you will need tobuy a Freeview digibox.• Look out for the ‘digital tick’ logowhen buying digital TV products.• If you are over 75, receiving certaindisability benefits or registeredblind or partially sighted you maybe able to get help with theswitchover through the BBC HelpScheme. To find out more contactDigital TV.2

Christmas Lights Competition winnersThanks to those of you who sent in your photos and tookpart in the Christmas Lights competition. Judging took placeat the Residents’ Forum meeting in January and the resultsare as follows:1st place: Michelle Strong of Blandford, North Dorset2nd place: Mrs Corfield of Blandford St Mary, North Dorset3rd place: Mr Everleigh of Sturminster Newton, North DorsetCongratulations to all of the residents listed above who willreceive £50, £30 and £20 respectively.We have decided to make some changes to the ChristmasLights Competition.We think that we need to do our bit for the environmentand make the competition greener. Perhaps the competitioncould be for the best decorations made from recycled items.Maybe you have some ideas how we can make thiscompetition greener. Have you had some great creations inthe past? Why not contact us with your ideas? You will findour contact details on page 8.Repairs and Maintenance attractsM residents’ attentionembership of the Planned &Response Repair Review(PARRR) Group is still expandingas yet more residents join the livelyand informative sessions, led byAsset Manager, Yogesh Vadgama.The meetings, which are held six timesa year at Bryanston Court, Blandford StMary, North Dorset, involve residentsin decision-making on a number ofrepair and maintenance issues. Fifteenresidents attended the meeting at theend of January and topics ranged fromdigital television reception to the renewalof the grounds maintenance contract.It is hoped that we will be able to establisha similar group in the West Area.Members of the West Area Residents’Forum are keen to see this happen.If you would like information abouthow you can become involved in thePARRR Group, please contact Liz Bakeron 01258 484879 or emailelizabeth.baker@sha.co.uk3

Stakeholder eventsDuring December and January, Signpoststakeholders in North Dorset, Exeter andPlymouth were invited to attend events hosted byManaging Director, John Wright. A stakeholder is aperson or group of people that is affected by thework and decisions made by the organisation.These events were an opportunity to speak to otherorganisations who work in partnership with Signpost andwho have an interest in our services. During the sessions,there was an opportunity for feedback and forstakeholders to have their say about what they felt thepriorities should be for the future. This information will beput together with other feedback from Residents and staffand used to help formulate the business plan for2009/2010.The North Dorset stakeholders at the Langton Arms in DecemberEaster Holiday tips:things to do withyour children forlittle or no cost• Visit a museum or gallery – manyhave free entry• Go for a walk in your local park orwoodland• See if your nearest Cinema has acheap session• Visit a local play area and maybetake a ball to add to the fun• If you have access to a computerjust type in free activities in thearea where you live• If weather is bad then have a videoor DVD time at home, making itlike the cinema by drawingcurtains and having low lights• If you live near the seaside why notgo to the beach for a bracing walkor run about• Look out for Easter Egg Hunts inyour area – some have free entry• Organise your own Easter EggHunt in the home or garden• Go for a picnic – alternatively, if theweather is bad, have an indoorpicnic.Spectrum leads the way with TSAOn 14 January, SpectrumHousing Group head officein Christchurch hosted one of thefirst National Conversationevents for the new TenantServices Authority.By being chosen as a trailblazerorganisation, Spectrum residents wereinvolved at the very beginning of anexciting and groundbreaking projectwhich promises to make life better formillions of social housing tenantsnationally.Residents were invited to take part indiscussion and feedback exercises andalso complete a short questionnaire for4the Tenant Services Authority that willbe used to influence the servicestandards they put in place forHousing Associations by Autumn2009.At the beginning of March, Signposthosted 3 local conversation events inNorth Dorset. Other organisationshave set up local conversation eventsacross the south west. All commentsand suggestions are to be with the TSAby the end of March. If you have notyet been involved and would like tohave your say, visit the TenantServices Authority website atwww.tenantservicesauthority.org orcontact us on 01258 484800.

New Plymouth ChampionFar left: Debbie Martin. Above: Len Hudson, Rosa Kay andTony Kay. Left: Maisie Curtis.Signpost has a new overallCommunity Champion for2008-2009, Debbie Martin ofPlymouth.The judging panel, made up ofSignpost residents from across thesouth west, met by telephoneconference and had the difficult taskof deciding on the overall Championfrom the excellent winners of theprevious three rounds.Maisie Curtis of Durweston, NorthDorset was the winner of the villagesround for the huge amount of timeand effort devoted to social andfundraising events in her localcommunity.Len Hudson, Rosa Kay and Tony Kayof Sturminster Newton, North Dorsetwere joint winners of the townsround for their hard work inarranging regular social events fortheir neighbours at Friars MoorCourt, the Independent Livingscheme where they live.Debbie Martin of Plymouth was thewinner of the cities round for hercommitment and support to residentson the Colwill estate where she lives.Voting was exceptionally close, withonly five points between all threenominees but Debbie came out infront for the way in which she hasworked with the police and otherorganisations to resolve problems forher neighbours.Congratulations to Debbie, who winsshopping vouchers worth £100.Signpost would like to thank themembers of the judging panel forgiving up their time to make this acompetition run by residents forresidents. Their consistent approachto the nominations and thethoughtful group discussions, havemade the telephone conferencemeetings a real pleasure.5If you would like to be part of theteam that judges the nominations forthe Community Champion Awardsin the coming year then we wouldlove to hear from you. The panelmeets four times a year by telephoneconference which means that youcan sit in the comfort of yourarmchair without having to leavehome and Signpost pays for the costof the call. You will be sentinformation about the nominees inthe post to look at in advance andthe meetings are very relaxed andfriendly. If you would like to find outmore, please contact Liz Baker on01258 484879 or emailelizabeth.baker@sha.co.ukWe now move on to a brand new yearof Community Champion Awards andwe are looking for nominations for theCities/large settlements category (thisincludes Christchurch/ Bournemouth/Poole, Weymouth, Plymouth, Exeterand Salisbury).If you know a Signpost resident wholives in a city or large settlement andcarries out voluntary work in theircommunity then we would love tohear from you. Please contact KateWeeks at the Exeter office on 01392354636 or Liz Baker at the Blandfordoffice on 01258 484879 and let usknow. We look forward to hearingfrom you.

An overjoyed Signpostresident, Mr Lynch ofShaftesbury, North Dorset waspresented with a £250 cheque. MrLynch was one of the thousandsof you who entered Signpost’sresident profile competition bycompleting and returning yourresident profile form.Mr Lynch, a resident at IndependentLiving Scheme, The Pavilions, said “Itwas a great surprise to hear I’d won.The timing couldn’t be better as my TVis broken and needs replacing.”Signpost will use the information gatheredthrough the profile forms to furtherimprove their services and to ensure thatthe work they do in the future meets thespecific need of all of their residents.Members of the Customer ServicesTeam will continue to telephone thoseof you who have not completed yourprofile forms and Housing Officers willbe making doorstep visits to gatherprofile information when they go out todeliver your new Guide to your Home.If you do not wish to complete a profileform, please contact the CustomerServices Team on 01258 484800 andthey will remove you from their list.Mike Cawte, Support Liaison Officer at Signpost and resident profile winner Mr Timothy LynchPicture competitionTake part in our Picture competition andyou will have the chance to win a prizeand also get your picture included in the2010 Signpost calendar.The theme for this edition is SPRING. The rulesare very simple: send in a picture that you haveproduced yourself. Your picture can be apainting, drawing, collage – whatever you likeprovided you can post it. The picture must be ona spring theme, for example spring flowers orwildlife – anything that reminds you of spring.There is no age limit, this competition is open toresidents of any age. Please put your name,address, age and telephone number on the backof your picture. Unfortunately, we won’t be ableto return any pictures sent in, but the best willbe included in next year’s calender.We will be repeating the competition in the nexttwo editions of Your Voice when the themes willbe SUMMER and AUTUMN.Many thanks to Emily Read of Stratton, Dorsetand Natalie Butt of Stourpaine for their lovelywinter pictures which will be included in the2010 Signpost calendar.6Poet’s cornerA SmileThis world is full of darknessIt’s also very sad,There’s sometimes lots of goodnessAnd sometimes lots of bad.Money cannot buy you friendsBut it can buy a lot,So few of us have cash to spareA smile is all we’ve got.We all have got our troublesBut stop and think awhileAnd next time that you meet someoneThen give them your best smile.If everybody did thisOn every single dayThe world would be a better placeAnd darkness go away.Mary Gregory, North Dorset

Children’s pageColouring competitionThank you once again to Mike Ruddy for designing this lovely animalpicture. Why not have a go at colouring it for our competition? Send yourpicture to The Editor, TRC, Signpost House, Sunrise Business Park,Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8SA by Friday, 24 April. Winning entrieswill receive a prize. Don’t forget to include details of your name,address and age with your picture. So get colouring, and good luck!Signpost Youth ForumA flyer went out with the last edition ofYour Voice to ask young Signpostresidents aged between 11 and 18 to takepart in the Signpost Youth Forum. We hadan excellent response with 40 youngpeople from across the south west puttingtheir names forward.Those young people have been sent aquestionnaire to complete asking themwhat their needs are in their localcommunities and what they think wouldimprove things. In return they will receivefree cinema tickets. They have also beenasked how they would like to be contactedin the future as there will be a number ofways in which they can be involved in theYouth Forum:• Receiving surveys and informationthrough the post or via email for them tocomment on• Taking part in telephone conferences• Small local meetings7At Signpost we are listening to what ouryoung residents are saying and theircomments and opinions will have a biginfluence on how we shape our services inthe future. If you are aged between 11 and18 and didn’t complete the initial form sentout, it’s not too late to take part.For further information please contact KateWeeks in Signpost’s Exeter office on01392 354636 or Liz Baker in Signpost’sBlandford office on 01258 484879.

Letters to the Editor...I am a volunteer with Dorset Blind Association andregularly visit Gloria, a Signpost resident, and read YourVoice to her, which she enjoys. Gloria has asked me towrite to you:Some years ago I was living locally and had an unhappyand violent marriage. I moved several times and am now ina cosy flat in an Independent Living scheme where I havefriends and am happy and settled. I enjoy seeing Carolwho visits weekly and we go to a social, arranged byDorset Blind Association on a monthly basis.I record on cassette a weekly newsletter and Dave atResources for Dorset Blind Association puts it onto a CD.I enjoy the magazine Your Voice and hope youmight consider this letter for publication.GloriaThe Editor replies...It was lovely to receive your letter and I am glad that youenjoy Your Voice. Did you know that Signpost will producea spoken version of Your Voice on cassette tape for thosewho request a copy. To make a request, telephoneSignpost’s Head Office on 01258 484800.I personally did not know that there was a BlindAssociation in Dorset, I even found out that they have awebsite www.dorsetblind.org.uk which gives details ofevents and information. Thank you for your letter, whichhas taught me more about the challenges of being blind.I would like to thank everyone connected with my newkitchen at Stalbridge Close and congratulate them all onthe great job they have done. I am in my element with agreat view and everything to hand. I am very grateful.Thank you to all involved.StarletterAs our Star Letter, Gloria will receive £25 gift vouchers.I thought I would write to you and ask how everybody’sNew Year’s resolutions are going? Mine has started welland by writing this letter I hope it will keep me strong.I decided it was time for me to take a step back from mychildren and make them stand on their own two feet. At18, 16 and 15 they are at an age were they can takemore responsibility for themselves. I am having to take alot of harsh words from children but I will stand myground.It would be great to hear about your New Year’sresolutions and how you are doing. Why not write toAlison – you may win £25 gift vouchers for the star letter.Jean TaylorMarnhull, North DorsetYour Voice –Your ViewsWe have made a good and positive start to this ‘contactthe Editor’ feature.We are looking for Signpost Residents with views toshare or a tale to tell. Perhaps you have a question thatyou would like to be answered, or you might like toshare your views and experiences on any subject withother readers. If you would like to share your views,then we would like to hear from you. There will be a£25 gift voucher for the sender of the Star Letter.You can write to the Editor at:The Resource Centre, Signpost House, Sunrise BusinessPark, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 8SAor email: YourVoiceEditor@sha.co.uk.Rita Hamilton, Stalbridge.Look out for your letter in future editions.Competition winnersCongratulations to Chris Strudwick of Exeter, who is the winner of theprevious Short Quiz competition. Chris wins a £20 gift voucher.Congratulations to Sarah Braddick of Gillingham, who is the winner of theprevious Wordsearch competition. Sarah wins a £10 gift voucher.8

Lulworth Court residentsResidents of Lulworth Court, a Signpost CarePartnerships scheme in Bournemouth, weredelighted to receive cash boost of £863 to theirfundraising efforts from the Signpost Residents’Community Fund.The residents set up an Association last year called theRose and Petal Group, with the aim of organising socialevents and raising some money to buy a computer fortheir communal lounge and furniture and a barbecue fortheir garden. The money from the Community Fund willbe added to the funds already raised by the group.Resident Shaine Singer said, “We are very grateful to theCommunity Fund for giving us this generous donation.We can now buy the computer which is great as it meanswe can all brush up on our computer skills. The furniturewill also allow us to use our garden in the summer.”Car link schemeGillingham Area Voluntarycar link scheme has beenset up in response to demand fordoor-to-door transport in theSP8 area of Dorset.It is organised by a group of peoplesupported by volunteer drivers andco-ordinators, and offers assistanceto people in the SP8 postcode areawho need help with transport. TheEnvironmentalWordsearchSee if you can find the 14environmental words hiding inour puzzle for you chance to win acompost bin.Send your completed entries byFriday 24th April to: The ResourceCentre, Signpost House, SunriseBusiness Park, Blandford, DorsetDT11 8SA.The winner will be the first correctwordsearch to be drawn.Name:Address:service operates through a coordinatorvia the contact telephonenumber, on which requests for helpcan be made. If the co-ordinator isnot available a message can be lefton an answer phone.Users will be given an envelope tomake donations towards therunning costs of the service. Thisservice is not just available forhospital appointments – it may beyou would like to visit friends orthe hairdressers, collect shopping,library books or prescriptions, orperhaps go on a social outing.It is advisable to make yourbooking 48 Hours before yourjourney by ringing 07599311443.Fund raising events will take placeover the coming year so donationswill be very welcome to keep thescheme going. If you have sparetime and would be interested inbecoming a volunteer driver pleasecontact June on 01747 823684.E C O T O W N S Q A T Y K O PC O T K L C Y U M D V U Q E JF M H C V S U S T F G W M N LT P L W I N D T U R B I N E SQ O D F N B C A Y L A L L R UR S B S X P L I E J W D Q G QA T B W J N C N X G H L T Y TI L O S A C A A E N J I L E XN C V M E P A B U I Q F N F SF H G I R Q C L S H J E H F IO P J A H I G E T C E A J I OR A L T E Q X N T L S J K C HE O E O R A B Y B U I X L I WS J L T U X Q A O M U Y S E TT Z C F T R W Q E U D G H N PD F Y T A E U G X K W R M T GA T C Y N R N O I T U L L O PQ X E E U K Z Y S G R W A L IC A R B O N F O O T P R I N T9

s... independent living news... independent living news... indepenFunding gives mobility tothe disabledDisability Action Group (DAG) based inNorth Dorset has seen its fleet of mobilityscooters extended this month with the help ofSignpost Residents Community Fund.The community fund run by Signpost residentsawarded DAG a massive £1,195.00 topurchase a new mobility scooter that will helpup to 500 disabled people during its life time.Michael Underwood, Chair of SignpostResidents Community Fund, presented thecheque to Alan Dunn, Chair of DAG. MichaelMembers of DAG at the presentationUnderwood said, “It’s been a privilege to beable to award this funding to such aworthwhile cause. Many of us take theindependence mobility gives for granted and Iknow that this scooter will give those that useit a lifeline to society and independence.”Applications to the Signpost ResidentsCommunity Fund are welcomed from groupsworking in all areas of the community. Fordetails please contact The Resource Centre,Signpost House, Sunrise Business Park, HigherShaftesbury Road, Blandford Forum, DT11 8SA.Further infoThe Disability Action Group in North Dorset, isa group that provides electric wheelchairs andscooters on a short term loan basis to needydisabled persons. The provision of thesevehicles really helps both the long term andshort term disabled people maintain theirindependence and assists them to integrateinto society. We have often been told by ourclients that the loan of the vehicle has changedtheir lives. The running of this service andfundraising is solely done by a dedicated groupof volunteers, some of whom are disabledthemselves. E-mail alan-dunn@talktalk.netChristmasDecorationcompetitionWell done to all theschemes that took partin the Christmas Decorationcompetition. Thephotographs you sent inshow that you enjoy makingthe communal areas lookspecial at Christmas. Judgingtook place at the Residents’Forum meeting in Januaryand the results are as follows:101st placeWessexCourt,Blandford,NorthDorset.2nd placeFriarsMoorCourt,SturminsterNewton,NorthDorset.3rd place The Pavilions,Shaftesbury, North Dorset.Congratulations to all wholive at the winning schemes.£50, £30 and £20respectively will go to theResidents’ Associations atthose schemes.

dent living news... independent living news... independent living nThe Pavilionsopens its doorsAvery successful day was had by all at theIndependent Living promotion at thePavilions, Shaftesbury, North Dorset, inFebruary. Residents and family members ralliedtogether with assistance from the LiaisonOfficers and welcomed the many people thatcame along with various stalls, ranging fromthe Fire Service and Disability Action Group, tocakes and knitwear. The success of these stallsraised £30 for the Marie Curie Cancer Fundand £30 for the Dogs Trust at Newton Tony,Salisbury. A special thanks go to all those thatmade the event such a success.The Pavilions Open Day was one of a series ofeight Independent Living scheme Open Daysorganised by staff and residents to give thepublic a chance to see what IndependentLiving is really like. If you would like to find outmore about Independent Living but missed theOpen Days you can contact the IndependentLiving co-ordinators on 01258 484873.Cooking for oneSarah Rampton of the Dorset Food andHealth Trust is running a series ofcookery classes for older people atRawson Court, Gillingham, NorthDorset. The aim is to motivate andinspire with simple, nutritious andeconomical recipes for one.The course is fully booked, but Sarahhopes to run further classes at RawsonCourt or in the local area. For moreinformation, contact Sarah on 01202849111.11

SpectrumResidents’ GroupAletter and leaflet went outto all Signpost HousingAssociation and Signpost CarePartnerships residents at thebeginning of February askingfor expressions of interest forthe new Spectrum Residents’Group. Ways to be Involvedforms were also included inthe mailing and we have had aterrific response with morethan 60 sending in their forms.The selection process for membershipof the Spectrum Residents Groupon behalf of Signpost HousingAssociation and Signpost CarePartnerships will take place duringApril. The panel making the selectionwill be made up of resident Boardmembers, Michael Underwood, TonyKay, John Davies and Helen Lawson.You will be informed of the fullmembership of the Group in thenext edition of Your Voice.For further information about theSpectrum Residents’ Group orother ways of being involved, pleasecontact Liz Baker on 01258 484879,email Elizabeth.baker@sha.co.ukor Kate Weeks on 01392 354636,email kate.weeks@sha.co.uk.Improving our websiteWe are making improvements to ourwebsite and would like to know whatyou think would make it better. Whatinformation would you like? Would youlike to report repairs or view your rentaccount online? These are just some ideasbut we are sure that you have plentymore! You can contact us via a link onwww.sha.co.uk, drop us a line or phone –see our contact details on page 8. All takingpart will be put into a prize draw for £50.Alison Moors, Your Voice editor, is workingwith us to develop the site and is actingas your Resident Website Champion.For the cake110g/4oz butter or margarine110g/4oz soft brown sugar3 eggs, beaten150g/5oz plain flourpinch of salt½ tsp ground mixed spice (optional)350g/12oz mixed raisins, currants and sultanas55g/2oz chopped mixed peel½ lemon, grated rind only1-2 tbsp apricot jam1 egg, beaten for glazingMethodRecipe:Simnel cakeFor the almond paste(Marzipan)125g/4oz caster sugar125g/4oz ground almonds1 egg, beaten½ tsp almond essence1. To make the almond paste: place the sugar and ground almonds in abowl. Add enough beaten egg to give a fairly soft consistency. Add the almondessence and knead for a minute until the paste is smooth and pliable. Roll outa third of the almond paste to make a circle 18cm/7in in diameter and reservethe remainder for topping of the cake.2. To make the cake: Preheat oven to 140C/275F/ Gas 1. Cream the butterand sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until wellincorporated and then sift in the flour, salt and spice (if using) a little at a time.Finally, add the dried fruit, peel and grated lemon rind and mix into themixture well.3. Put half the mixture in a greased and lined 18cm/7in cake tin. Smooth thetop and cover with the circle of almond paste. Add the rest of the cake mixtureand smooth the top leaving a slight dip in the centre to allow for the cake torise. Bake in the preheated oven for 1½ hours. Once baked, remove from theoven and leave to cool.4. When you are ready to decorate the cake, preheat the oven to180C/350F/Gas 3. Brush the top of the cooled cake with the apricot jam.Divide the remainder of the almond paste into two; roll out a circle to coverthe top of the cake with one half and form 11 small balls with the other half.5. Place the circle of paste on the jam and set the balls round the edge. Brushall the top with a little beaten egg.6. Return the cake to the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or long enoughfor the almond paste to brown.Garages availableDid you know that Signpost Housing Association has over 600 garagesacross the North Dorset area and they are available to residents and nonresidentsof the Association to rent?If you would like to rent a garage please contact us on 01258 484800.12

Christmas in KingsbridgeResidents at Westville Flats – a supported housing project inKingsbridge, enjoyed a Christmas buffet on 17th December 2008.The event was jointly funded by the Cornelius Trust and the SignpostResident Involvement department, which enabled a Christmas tree anddecorations to be purchased for the communal area, giving the project afestive atmosphere. Following generous donations from staff and TheCornelius Trust, there were enough raffle prizes for everyone.Jan Scott from the Cornelius Trust attended to talk to residents about theirrent deposit/advance scheme for when people are ready to move on intoindependent tenancies.Residents and staff thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get together and abig thank you goes to Paula Westbrook for organising the event.WelcomeAPacksreview of re-letting voidproperties has beenundertaken by Signpost’sHousing Services Manager in theEast.Following the review, an action planwas put together and one of theactions was to introduce givingWelcome Packs to all new Signpostresidents.This is common practice amongstother Housing organisations who usea variety of inexpensive but useful‘gifts’ to welcome people to theirnew home.Forum members in the East andWest were asked to consider whatthey felt would be useful and suitableitems to include in our WelcomePack. On 4th February they then metby video link to discuss their ideas.Some of the feedback includedsuggestions of information toresidents on local services andamenities in their area, cleaningproducts and materials, children’scolouring books and crayons, sachetsor tea and coffee as well as energyefficient items such as light bulbs andenergy consumption meters.The next stage of the plan is to producea mock up of packs and carry outwider consultation with residents andstaff.13Community FundThe West Area Residents Forumhas had success with recent articlespromoting their good work beingpublished in local press. The newsstories focus on the CommunityFund and the Residents of PenroseHouse and Laurel Court inPlymouth have both featuredfollowing successful grantapplications. The publicity has alsoencouraged other communitygroups to get involved and theWARF secretary has been busysending out applications forms andleaflets. If you would like moreinformation on the Community Fundor the West Area Forum, contactKate Weeks on 01392 354636,email kate.weeks@sha.co.uk. Welldone to all the groups who have sofar received funding for theirprojects!Focus Groups updateThroughout the course of the last year,Signpost has run a number of projectswith the aim of getting to know ourresidents better. Part of the processhas been to hold a series of focusgroup meetings with residents’ groupsthat we generally have little contactwith. These groups were; people withfamilies, people from black andminority ethnic groups, disabledpeople and their carers, homeowners,and young Signpost residents.We have held meetings by telephoneconference, sent and received surveysas well as conducted personal visits togather information on what residentsthink and feel about our services aswell as opinions about theircommunities and homes.Through that work and theinformation we have collected, wehope to increase resident involvementand tailor our services to better suitpeople’s needs. If you would like to beinvolved, please contact either KateWeeks (Exeter office) on 01392354636, or Liz Baker (Blandfordoffice) on 01258 484800.Community Fund members at the presentation

FinancialChanges toIncapacity BenefitFrom 27 October 2008 the Incapacity Benefit wasreplaced by Employment and SupportAllowance (ESA) for customers who are applyingfor the first time.When customers apply for this new ESA by phoning thenearest Jobcentre Plus office, they will be placed on anAssessment Phase for the first 13 weeks and will be paid£60.50 per week, if over 25 years old.During this assessment phase they will need to provide acertificate from their doctor confirming that they are unable towork. Also, within the first few weeks of this 13 week phasethey will be required to attend a Work Capability Assessmentmeeting at the Jobcentre Plus office. This face-to-facemeeting, which will explore how the customer’s illness anddisability affects their ability to work and it will assess whatsomeone is able to do, rather than what they cannot do.The assessment will determine whether the customer hasa limited capability for work or a limited capability for awork-related activity or if they are in need of access to ahealthcare professional to discuss their views aboutmoving into work, or to identify their need for any healthrelated support.Basically, it is thought that without work, people canquickly lose confidence, become depressed and sociallyisolated and that work is therefore important for people’shealth. Employment and Support Allowance aims to helppeople to reach their full potential through work and itwill ensure that their individual needs are recognised andprovide them with personalised support to help them ontheir path to a suitable job.For customers who were receiving Income Support and/orIncapacity Benefit before 27 October 2008, they will stillcontinue to receive it for the time being.For further information visit www.dwp.gov.uk/esa orcontact 0845 6088 564.Financial advice available onlineThe recession is having an impact on a number ofus, with reduced working hours or redundancyfor some and increasing levels of debt for many. Forthose who have access to the internet, help is at hand.Turn2us is a charity that exists to help people access thefunds they need that are available to them – throughbenefits, grants and other financial help.Their free, accessible website – www.turn2us.org.uk – isa comprehensive and invaluable resource designed tohelp individuals find appropriate sources of financialsupport, quickly and easily, based on their particularneeds and circumstances.Features of the website include:A Benefits Checker that helps people ensure that theyare receiving all the welfare benefits they are entitled toA Grants Search database containing the details ofhundreds of grant-giving charities (national, regional andlocal) that may be able to provide financial support andother servicesA confidential ‘My Turn2us’ account that can be usedto make online enquiries and applications to grant-givingcharitiesInformation and interactive tools covering a widerange of subjects on welfare benefits, grants andmanaging money.Their service is: comprehensive and reliable; all in one place;based on highly credible sources; confidential; secure; free!If you are seeking help for yourself or someone close toyou, Turn2us aims to help you access the money availableto you. For the first time, in one place on their website,you can find information and tools to help you find thesupport, based on your specific needs and circumstances.You can also register for a personal ‘My Turn2us’ account,which allows you to make confidential enquiries andapplications directly to many of the grant-giving charitiesthat you identify using the Grants Search database.Visit the website: www.turn2us.org.uk or email:info@turn2us.org.uk. You can also now access thewebsite from the Signpost website: www.sha.co.uk14

Inclusionpening a bank account is an important way ofgaining independence for young people. It isalso important that we are clever with our moneyand understand about making the right choices in ourteens to prevent being in debt when we get older.Choosing the right bank or building society is importantbecause we trust them with our money – this might befrom pocket money to EMA allowance, benefits or wages.Things to consider before choosing an account are:• Where can you pay money in and where can youwithdraw it?• How regularly do you want or need access to yourcash?• What type of account do you need?• Do you want to be able to check your money situationonline?Signpost is working towards the financial inclusion of its residents so that access to free face-to-facemoney advice, banking and bank accounts and affordable credit options are available to all.Young people’s financesOTry asking Parents or friends which bank or buildingsociety they use and why. They might be able to helpand give you information based on their experienceand opinions. Also visit some banks and buildingsocieties. They will have leaflets for you to readthrough or visit them online. Try to see a few thoughbefore you decide.Whichever you choose you are likely to needidentification to open an account and if you are under16 you may need an adult to be with you. Anotherimportant tip is to keep your PIN (or PersonalIdentification Number) a secret if you have a card towithdraw cash from a machine!For more information on money mattersfor people aged 13 to 19, contact Connexions on080 800 13 2 19or visit them online atwww.connexions-direct.comThe Credit Crunch Conference in North DorsetSignpost Housing Association, Signpost Care Partnerships andNorth Dorset District Council are jointly hosting a Credit CrunchConference at the Exchange in Sturminster Newton on 25 March.Representatives of a number of organisations and voluntary groups fromacross North Dorset, including Signpost Residents’ Forum members, CAB andJobcentre managers will be invited to the event to work with us to find waysto help North Dorset’s residents tackle the recession.The aim of the conference is to share information and look for ways in whichwe can work in partnership to beat the Credit Crunch. We hope to have realand achievable outcomes from the day which will be fed into a joint actionplan for those who take part and will also form the basis of Signpost’sFinancial Inclusion Strategy.If you would like further information about the conference or would like toknow more about our Financial Inclusion Strategy please contact Liz Baker on01258 484879 or email Elizabeth.baker@sha.co.uk.Tacklingworklessness event –Exeter 24 June 2009On Wednesday 24 June, theDevon Tenant Participation Groupwill be hosting their first trainingday looking at the issues ofunemployment, training andfinancial inclusion. The event willtake place in Exeter between10am and 2pm and support can beprovided to help with transport orchildcare. If you live locally andwould like to attend, pleasecontact Kate Weeks on 01392354636 or emailkate.weeks@sha.co.uk15

Who is your Housing Officer?Housing patches westJane Passmore01392 354647Torridge: All propertiesWest Devon: Elms Meadow, WinkleighNorth Devon: Grange Court, Regency Court,The Fernery, Verona CourtExeter: Camilla Court, Longbrook TerraceJane LegowskiEast Devon: All propertiesMid Devon: All properties in CreditonExeter: All Supported HousingMagdalen Bridge Court, Marwood House,Parkside CourtIan Cullen temporarily seconded –post being covered by Neil Goatman01392 354657Mid Devon: All properties in TivertonSedgemoor: All propertiesNorth Devon: Properties in WitheridgeExeter: Ashmore Court, Augustus House,Buckingham Road, Clover Avenue, Coburg Green,Culm Close/Grove, Eveleighs Court, Fleming Way,Fore Street, Geneva Court, Heraldry Walk,Lavender Road, Lister Close, Marcus House,Musgrave House, Russell Seabrook Mews,Turnworth Court, Walsingham Road/Place,Willow Way16Cath Parker01752 306586South Hams: All propertiesWest Devon: Pheonix Close, HorrabridgePlymouth: All Supported Housing, Astor Court,Beech Avenue, Cattedown Road,Colwill Road/Walk, Desborough Road,Junction Gardens, Penrose House,Miscellaneous properties in PL4.Claire Sharrock01392 354631Torbay: All propertiesTeignbridge: All propertiesPlymouth: Alma Road, Butt Park, Carew Gardens,Charles Clarenden House,Exmouth: High Glen Drive, Laurel Latitude 52,Tailyour Road, Wantage Gardens

Housingpatches eastClive Wathen01258 484718Also Gillingham: some areasPaul Harris01258 484715Also Gillingham: some areasAlso Mendip District Council areaNicola Stafford01258 484714Also South Somerset District Council areaDonna Stenner01258 484716Blandford: some areasVanessa Dibben01258 484826Blandford: some areasWest Dorset District Council areaRachel Irvine01258 484845Weymouth & Portland Borough Council areaJulie Mills01258 484827Blandford: some areasPooleBournemouth: some areasPurbeckAlan Winter01258 484766Blandford: some areasBournemouth: some areasSarah Wall01258 484828Salisbury District Area17

Facts aboutSturminsterNewtonNewton refers to a new farm or estateand Sturminster to a church on theStour. The Town was recorded in theAnglo-Saxon charter in 968 as Nywetoneat Stoure. In the Domesday Book theTown was recorded as Newentone.Originally the two parts of the namereferred to the settlements on thenorth and south of the river, butwere combined to distinguish thetown from Sturminster Marshall andthe other Newtons.The town is situated at a historicfording point on the Stour. The fordwas replaced in the 16th century witha six-arch stone bridge, and a quarterkilometre embankment crossing theflood plain. The bridge was widenedfrom 12 to 18ft in 1820. The bridgecarried the penalty of Transportationfor life for anyone who damaged it.There are ruins of a small castle onthe Newton side of the river. A reportfrom 1865 says there was originally aRoman structure on the site anddescribes the ruins as a keep within avallum and ditch seated on a hill.Sturminster Newton was home topoet and author William Barnes.Thomas Hardy also lived inSturminster Newton and he wrote apoem called On Sturminster Bridge.The parish church was rebuilt in 1486by one of the last abbots of Glastonbury.There has been a market since 1272,sadly the cattle market which was thelargest calf market in Britain closedand was demolished in 1998. On thesite today stands ‘The Exchange’(the new town hall, which thecommunity raised funds towards).Alison Moors, Your Voice Editor,provided the information about herhome town. Why not share someinteresting facts about your homecity, town or village? You will findour contact details on page 8.New Representativesfor Signpost residentsThere is good news forSignpost residents living inthe Dorset areas of Morden nearWareham, 1-4 Dellsmead inTarrant Rushton, Addison Closein Gillingham and Child Okeford.Four residents have volunteeredto become brand new OpenRepresentatives. This means thatthey will represent you and yourcommunity at Signpost Residents’Forum meetings and you can approachthem if you have concerns that youwould like them to raise with us.Terry Rance lives in Child Okeford,North Dorset, and was recently highlycommended in the CommunityChampion Awards for his voluntarycontribution to his local community.He is a member of the Planned andResponse Repair Review (PARRR)Group at Signpost and has a keeninterest in both his local community andalso the services provided by Signpost.Trixie Lye lives in Morden nearWareham, Dorset, and has recentlybecome involved with a number ofgroups at Signpost – PARRR, thejudging panel for CommunityChampion Awards and the SignpostSignpost Residents’ ConferenceSignpost residents from all corners of the south west got togetherat Cricket St Thomas Hotel at the end of November for theirannual Residents’ Conference. Members of Signpost Residents’Forum and the West Area Residents’ Forum met with Boardmembers and staff to share information and news with one another.John Wright, Managing Director of Signpost Housing Association and SignpostCare Partnerships presented delegates with an overview of the operatingenvironment and Julie-Ann Foster, Director of Housing Services gave apresentation entitled The year so far and into the future.After a hearty lunch, residents had the chance to have their say with feedbacksessions on The Environment, Community Involvement and FinancialInclusion. This was followed by a question and answer session with WayneMorris, Chief Executive of Spectrum Housing Group. Suggestions andcomments from residents have been made into a report which will informnext year’s business objectives for Signpost.18gardencompetitions.She is keen tokeep her localneighbourhoodlooking its best.Nigel Wardlives in Dellsmead, Tarrant Rushtonnear Blandford, North Dorset. He iskeen to keep his local area clean, tidyand well maintained. Nigel also has aninterest in the work of Signpost and isa member of the PARRR Group.Stella Turner lives in Addison Close,Gillingham, North Dorset. She washighly commended in the CommunityChampion Awards for her voluntarycontribution toher localcommunity. Stellaworks hard tokeep her localarea looking good.If you would likethe contact detailsof your OpenRepresentatives,please telephone The Resource Centreon 01258 484748.If you are interested in becoming anOpen Representative for your localarea, please contact Liz Baker on01258 484879 or emailElizabeth.baker@sha.co.uk

Housing Officer Alan Winter attended a PACT meeting in Blandfordon 28 January. The top three priorities in Blandford were:• Speeding on the estate to the east of Shaftesbury – Police to continue withspeed checks• Scooters causing nuisance in the same area – Police to establish thosecausing the nuisance and look at prevention methods such as bollard acrosspedestrian gaps• Uneven pavements in the High Street – the council will indicate whichpavements they are intending to fix.Housing Officer Sarah Wall attended a PACT meeting in Shaftesbury on 14January. The top three priorities in Shaftesbury were:• Anti social behaviour in Salisbury Street. A meeting was held between theNorth Dorset District licencing and Anti-Social Behaviour Officers. ThePolice are deploying additional patrols of the area.• Dog fouling in St Leonard’s Avenue and East Street. Police will prosecute ifoffenders are identified.• Anti-social behaviour in Shorts Lane. Actions the same as for Salisbury Street.Signpost getstough on drugsSSafer Communitiesignpost Housing Associationhas been successful in takingpossession action against aconvicted drug dealer living in aSignpost Care Partnershipsproperty.The property, a one bedroom flat inColombia Road, Bournemouth, wasoccupied by one tenant but police advisethat at least three other individualsgave the address as their home.The property had been subject to tworaids by Police who discovered anumber of stolen goods and aquantity of class B drugs. Neighboursadvised that there were numerousvisitors at all times of day and nightwho caused a major nuisance topeople in the local area.Signpost Housing Association, DorsetPolice and Bournemouth BoroughCouncil working together were ableto obtain a Premises Closure Order inthe Bournemouth Magistrates Court.This order more commonly knownas a “crack house closure” meant theproperty was sealed for three monthsand no-one including the tenant wasallowed to enter the property,19The Blandford PACT TeamChoice based lettingsChoice based lettings is a system forallocating social housing, which isdesigned to offer more choice andinvolvement when selecting a newhome. It is a much more open,transparent and customer-basedapproach in the allocation ofproperties. Available social rentedhousing is let by being openlyadvertised, allowing customers to ‘bid’or ‘register an interest’ in those homes.The emphasis is very much onenabling applicants to makeinformed decisions on the choice oftheir future home and moving awayfrom being the responsibility of thelocal authority.Choice based lettings is already inplace in Bournemouth, Poole, EastDorset, Weymouth and Portland. Ithas recently been introduced inSouth Somerset and Purbeck.Salisbury is due to launch Choicebased lettings in April 2009 and theDevon regional scheme is due tolaunch in May 2009. We arewaiting to be advised of launchdates for North Dorset, West Dorsetand Christchurch.If you require further informationabout Choice based lettings pleasecontact your local authority.granting welcome relief to theneighbours of the property.This action was followed by asuccessful application by theAssociation for a possession orderagainst the tenant which was grantedon 23rd February 2009. Mr Kelly aproperty owner in the area said “weare grateful that these people havegone, our street is transformed andwe don’t worry about what horrorswe will have to endure next.”Signpost is committed to tacklingAnti-Social behaviour. If you suffernuisance behaviour you can contactthe following agencies for advice,support and action.Signpost Housing Association: 01258484800Dorset Police: 01202 222222Or your local council whose numberwill be listed on your council tax bill.

Short quizCan you answer the following questions? If you look closely, youwill find the answers hidden inside Your Voice.Please return your answers by post or email, using the contact details onPage 8 by Friday 24 April 2009. The first correct quiz drawn will win a £20voucher. Answers will be in the next edition of Your Voice. Don’t forget toput your name, address and telephone number on your entry.Chairman’s bookhelps Residents’Community FundFor every copy of his novelAnother Mouth has Passedwhich is sold in the HousingAssociation sector the author,J.C. Sledge, who is Chairman ofSignpost Housing Associationwill donate £2 to the SignpostResidents’ Community Fund.The book tells an entertaining storyabout events in the attractive villageof Horton Fence, where there is aproposal for a social housingdevelopment. To some, this is awelcome initiative; to others, it is abetrayal of the essential character ofthe village.David Wells, Chairman of SpectrumHousing Group, said: “I loved theway the characters are built up. Itreads just like village life, with theauthor’s own humour overlaying.The Housing Association activitiescontribute to the story withoutoverpowering it.”Another Mouth has Passed is pricedat £7.99 (including postage).Copies can be purchased onlinedirect from the publisher’s websitewww.brimstonepress.co.uk1 Name the winner of the Christmas Lights competition.2 In which city does the new overall Community Champion, Debbie Martin live?3 What will Pimperne PreSchool buy with the £500 from the Community Fund?4 How much money did Lulworth Court receive from the Community Fund?5 What sort of course has been running atRawson Court?6 Approximately how many garages doesSignpost have in the North Dorset area?7 Name the charity providing financial helpto people online.8 What kind of conference will be takingplace in North Dorset on 25 March?9 What is DAG short for?0 How many times do the Easter chicks andpuppies appear in this newsletter?Answers to the Winter edition’s short quiz were: • Athelhampton House • VeronicaCrompton • Tenant Services Authority • 65% • Maisie Curtis • Monthly • WessexCourt • Social Services • 01258 484844 • Torbay • Steve Jones • 12New skillsAs part of our Resident Involvement action plan, we have been helpingResidents take part in free training to build capacity, learn some new skills andhopefully have some fun! Courses suggested have computer literacy, using theinternet and email, committee skills and learning more about the role of theHousing Association Board. If you have a training request, please contacteither Liz Baker on 01258 484879 or Kate Weeks on 01392 354636.www.spectrumhousing.co.ukBlandford Office:Signpost House, Sunrise Business Park, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 8SATelephone: 01258 484800 Fax: 01258 484840Exeter Office: Hawthorn House, Emperor Way, Exeter Business Park,Exeter, Devon EX1 3QS. Telephone: 01392 361122 Fax: 01392 361125Plymouth Office: 4 Mainstone Avenue, Plymouth, PL4 9NBTelephone: 01752 306586 Fax: 01752 306526Email: CustomerServices@sha.co.ukOut of hours Emergency Number: 0845 600 3574Callers living outside the 01258 code should use our lo-call number0845 606 0800 during office hours. Callers with an 01258 code, please call 484848For heating enquiries (gas, solid fuel and oil) please call 01258 48470220Embracing diversity