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Annual Report SummaryTenants’ Annual Report summary 2011/12We published our tenants’ annual reports in October 2012. This year’sreports again are available online at www.adactushousing.co.uk and youcan request a printed copy by contacting us on callconnect 0845 505 3355mobileconnect 0300 111 1133 or info@adactushousing.co.ukTo support the launch of this report and help you,as our customer to get an idea of our work and performanceduring the previous year, we have put together a summaryin this edition of the newsletter.There are two themes that run through this year’s report:Theme 1:The refinement of customer servicesSince its introduction in 2009, the ‘Connect’ contact centrehas become the hub for much of what we do for ourcustomers every day.With well trained contact centre staff in place, three out ofevery four calls that came into Connect in the year wereresolved there and then.During the same period, 95% of customers told us that wecouldn’t have done more to serve them right first time.We continued to expand and improve the work of Connectduring 2011/12 and began in style by being awarded theCustomer Contact Association’s Global Standard followinga four day assessment. This is a fine accomplishmentconsidering it was achieved in just two years from thelaunch of our contact centre.Theme 2:Focus on Value for MoneyIn essence Value for Money can be boiled down toanswering two simple questions:1) What do our customers think of us?2) How much are we spending?The big story for Value for Money in 2011/12 is how we havebeen able to continue to reduce our costs but also improveon the quality of our services. Our audited accounts showthat our Operating Costs throughout the year have reducedand yet our customers hold us in higher regard than manyother successful companies.CONTINUED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES - - - - - >inhouse | 3

Annual Report SummaryTenants’ Annual Report summary 2011/12What are we doing withthe money we are saving?• We are using it to build much-neededaffordable housing through ourdevelopment programme. 2011/12 wasa busy and challenging year; we built 51new homes, providing a mix of two andthree bedroom properties, housing atotal of 126 residents.The Association provided a number ofdifferent housing options, ranging fromAffordable Rent properties, which offergood quality affordable accommodationat rent levels below the market rate, toour shared ownership initiative, whichhelps first time buyers secure a propertythat they can eventually own.• We have created new services forcustomers such as the caretaker service.Seemingly simple jobs like changinga light bulb may be easy for somepeople, but for others it might as wellbe climbing Everest. Not all retirementhousing tenants have close familyaround that can do these tasks quicklyand they are too small for the repairsteam, therefore there was an obviousneed for additional services.A Group wide review considered theseadditional services and the deliveryof repairs, cleaning and groundsmaintenance to the schemes. It wasconcluded that all of these servicescould be delivered by a caretaker basedat each retirement housing scheme; thiswould improve but also enhance thelevel of service tenants received.On balance, the service should provegood value for money. There will be noneed for the repairs team to be tied upwith jobs such as fixing a door handle;especially if the retirement housingscheme is off the beaten track.• For the second year running we havesupported projects that improve ourneighbourhoods through the tenantcontrolledNeighbourhood Fund. April2011 saw the launch of round two ofthe Neighbourhood Fund. £250,000was available to support communityand neighbourhood projects across allour areas of operation.Finally, by carefully controlling ourcosts we are also making sure that weremain financially sound.Times will remain tough for many yearsto come and we must make sure thatwe have the resources to deliver ourmission as a housing association.inhouse | 5

Ut enim ad minim veniamLorem ipsum dolor sit ametRecruitment ModuleNew careers page from Adactus...A new way to apply for jobs with the Adactus Housing Group.careersCareers > Job opportunities>> Job Opportunities>> Log in / RegisterJobsProject Sign Manager InReference:In orderLoremtoipsumapplydoloronlinesit amet,for ourconsecteturvacanciesadipisicingyou needelit,to firstsed doregistereiusmodwith ustempor incididuntwith a fewut laborekey benefits.et dolore magna aliqua.Careers > apply for current opportunitiesLocation: Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eufugiat nulla Username: pariatur.>> Job OpportunitiesCareers > apply for current opportunities>> Job Opportunities>> Log in / RegisterDetails Qualifications Training References Personal Info Equality ActDetails Qualifications Training References Personal Info Equality ActSalary: £29,388 Password: –£36,056>> Log in / RegisterDescription: Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui Sign officia In >>deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sitvoluptatem Forgotten accusantium your doloremque password? laudantium, Click here>> totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae abillo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enimipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit.Closing Date:Or Create18th AugustNew Account:2012Create Account >>QualificationsLorem ipsum dolor sit ametUt enim ad minim veniamIf you would Register like to apply to apply for this for jobs role by online. post, or for further guidanceApply Online >>please click hereThis will allow you to save partway through an application process and return toyour application at a later date and review your application before submitting.Lorem ipsum dolor sit ametUt enim ad minim veniam nostrudSave Progress>1 2 3 4We have improved the careers page onour website to make it easier for peopleto apply for jobs available with AdactusHousing Group.The new careers page providesprospective applicants easier navigationand the option to save a form part wayand complete at a later date.With over 600 staff in more than 150different job roles across the Group,opportunity is always knocking atAdactus. If you are looking for a new jobor a career change, go online, registerwith Adactus careers and start applyingtoday!Registering is quick and simple andhas many advantages. Once you haveregistered you will be able to:• Search and apply for jobs online• Get new vacancies sent directly to youwith Jobs-by-emailSave Progress• Save your application form at any stageand complete it at a later date• See a list of your previous applications• Follow your job application progressvia emails....Good Luck!Next >>1 2 3 4New mobile app launched!Own a smart phone?Check out our new mobile site.We have developed a mobile versionof our website to provide an enhancedbrowsing experience for customers usingtheir smart phones to access our servicesonline.Works on all modern smartphones including Android,iPhone and Blackberry devices.There is no need to visit an appstore - if you visit our websiteswith your phone you willautomatically be shown themobile version.Key features:• Access to your rent account balanceand rent statements• View the progress of your current repairorders and past repairs history• Pay rent and report repairs on the go -attach a photo to help us understandthe problem• View our latest blog posts, comment onthem and share through social media• Access our six-year news archive• Access hundreds of customerinformation articles using predictivesearch• View properties that are available torent or buy• View our current job vacancies• See what we are doing near you usinglocation based services.6 | inhouse

STAFF STORIESA Very Busy Stork!Last Christmas the ‘baby stork’ was busy flyingover Rhys and Tracey Marcelsanca’s house andnine months on, behold the birth of his firstdaughter Olivia Rose. Both Tracey and Rhys aredelighted.In typical Rhys style he celebrated the birth ofhis daughter by having a kebab.Rhys was presented with an Asda voucher andsome gifts for baby Olivia from all the staffwho work with him.Fish & ChipsAppeal ResponseWe have had a massive response fromour blog about fish and chip babies;the fish and chip babies appeal waslaunched by The Ladies of Wigan andLeigh Soroptomist Society to help newborn babies in Africa born with “Antibody Immune Deficiency” (AIDS) thatare wrapped in paper because theydon’t have access to suitable clothes.(hence the name).The appeal was for knitted jumpers andhats to keep these vulnerable babieswarm. Adactus staff managed to knitover a 100 jumpers and hats and as aresult of our blog we have just taken adelivery from a lady who travelled upfrom Rochdale to personally drop ofjumpers made by her knitting group.We also had an enquiry from a lady inDurham whose name has been passedonto the soroptomist society branchmanager in her area; Louise also took acall from a lady in Spain!The jumpers and hats have alreadybeen sent to Africa and we would liketo say a big thank you to all those whocontributed.Louise Atherton & Family, IwonaConstant, Lorraine Newton & Family,Karen Caunce, Kay Stevens, LynseyHooper and Chantel Jones.All White on the night!Sarah Leather got a surprise present onChristmas day 2010 when her boyfriend PaulWhite asked her to marry him.The wedding was planned over the next 18months and the happy couple got marriedon 21st April 2012 in front of 100 friends andfamily members at St Michael’s Church inAtherton.The wedding reception was held at TheMarriott Hotel in Worsley where 180 guestsdanced the night away. It was a trulywonderful day!Charity ChallengeThanasisGets EngagedOur Marketing & PR manager, AthanasiosProtopapas, recently got engaged tohis beautiful girlfriend Joanna. Theengagement was celebrated with theirfamily and friends in his picturesquehome town village of Erithre, Greece.On 30th June, Jacqueline Phieffer took part inan endurance challenge with a few friends tohelp raise money for the following children’sHospices: Dorian House, Claire House andFrancis House.The challenge involved a 3.5 mile canoe,followed by a 30 mile bike ride and then a 6mile hill climb, in and around Coniston watersin the Lake District.They managed to raise over £500.Krispy Kremes success!One of our staff member’s daughter Claire climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for the charityChildreach International in July of this year; Mount Kilimanjaro is the world’s tallestfree standing mountain at over 19,000ft.Prior to her climb Claire came round the Adactus offices selling Krispy Kremedoughnuts and assorted healthy snacks to sell help raise money.Childreach International are a charity that works with communities in India, Nepal,Bangladesh, Cambodia and Tanzania to provide children with essential healthcare,education and protection services that they wouldn’t have access to otherwise.Just £2 pays for a mother & child to receive life saving vaccinations and £5 pays foran orphan to attend a vocational training centre & work towards qualifications. Inthe poorest countries, the smallest amount of money makes a massive difference.inhouse | 7

WINTER ADVICEFor further advice on keepingwarm this winter visit theAdactus website www.adactushousing.co.uk or theEnergy Saving Trustwww.energysavingtrust.org.ukWinter Warning AdviceAs you are aware winter is fast approachingand we would like to share a few hints andtips that could help you carry out some basicwinter maintenance.Stopcock Location: Make sure you arefamiliar with where the stopcock is locatedin your home and how to operate it.Should you find yourself with a plumbingemergency this will help minimise anydamage caused by the escape of water.Heating Instructions: It’s really importantthat all tenants make sure that their heatingeither remains on constantly on a very lowtemperature or ideally use a timer switch soWhat is The Green Deal?Keep cosy this winterKeeping your home warm throughout autumnand winter is important but with ever increasingenergy prices, it can be expensive.Making small changes can have a big impact onreducing your energy bills. See our suggestionsbelow to help keep your bills down and keep yourhome cosy.Switch to Save• Firstly make sure you are paying the cheapesttariff possible for your energy. Switching to acheaper supplier is easier than you think. Thereare various comparison web sites availableincluding the Adactus Billscutter tool availableon our website.Save gas• Learn how to use your heating controlseffectively. Use a timer to turn your heating offbefore you leave the house and to come onagain half an hour before you return, instead ofleaving it on all day.• Turning your thermostat down by 1ºC could cutyour heating bills by up to 10% and save youaround £100 per year.• Turn radiators down in rooms which you only useoccasionally.it comes on regularly during the cold spells,even if they are going to be away for a fewdays over the Christmas period. This willhelp reduce frozen / burst pipes and boilerdamage.Condensation: This can damage paintwork/ decoration, fixtures and fittings. To reducethe risk of condensation causing damageto your property or contents make sure therooms in the property are properly ventilatedand an even temperature is maintainedthroughout the building in order to reducecondensation.Fires: Do Not leave candles, cigarettes or lit• Move furniture away from radiators or heaters tolet the heat into the room.• Keep your outside doors shut and add draughtcovers to the letterbox and key holes.• Is your water too hot? Your thermostat shouldn’tneed to be set any higher than 60 º C/140 º F,which is a comfortable temperature for mostpeople.Save electricity• The range of efficient light bulbs available hasimproved greatly over the past few years. Theyare now available in a range of sizes and levelsof brightness. They can save you up to £78 ofelectricity per bulb, and last up to 12 timeslonger than ordinary light bulbs.• Switch off your electrical appliances at the wall,not just with the ‘standby’ button, as this stilluses almost as much power as when they arefully turned on.• Unplug mobile phones, shavers and electrictoothbrushes when they are fully charged,otherwise they will keep using electricity.• You will ALWAYS save energy if you turn the lightout when you leave the room, even if it’s only fora minute or two.flames un-attended this can cause seriousfires and always check your smoke alarm is infull working order.Remember should you be unfortunateenough to suffer any damage through anyincidents your contents are not insured byAdactus and will not be covered. Shouldyou feel that you might like to take out somebasic contents insurance that would help toput your mind at rest then please contactWessex on 01962 892 086 cover starts from£4.64 a month (£3.09 for over 60’s) Standardcover + Accidental Cover from £5.81 (£3.87for over 60’s).The Green Deal is a new Governmentprogramme launched in October 2012. Itallows energy efficiency works to be carriedout to homes and businesses at no upfrontcost. Payments for the works are spread out(up to 25 years) and added to the electricitybill. The ‘golden rule’ of this repaymentmodel is that the savings made from thereduced energy bills will cover the cost of theloan repayment and therefore energy billsshouldn’t be any higher.How will it work?A Green Deal Provider will arrange and carryout a home assessment before offering apackage of works and a repayment modelthat should meet the ‘golden rule’. Therepayment agreement is then assigned tothe electricity meter. This means that when aresident moves out, the new occupier takes onthe re-payments. A Green Deal arrangementrequires permission from both the tenant andthe landlord. Green Deal providers are likely toinclude energy companies, retailers etc.Can it work for Adactus tenants?Many of the works included in the Green Dealhave already been delivered or are due to bedelivered as part of our existing programmeof works at no extra cost to tenants. We willcontinue to track the development of theGreen Deal, but at the moment it does notappear to offer tangible benefits to tenants.What next?We expect a wide range of Green Dealproviders to start promoting the Green Deal.If you are contacted by a Green Deal provider,our advice is to let them know that you are anAdactus/Beech/CCH tenant and refer themto connect on 0845 505 3355. Please feel freeto call connect yourself if you are contactedby a Green Deal and have any concerns. Atpresent, the Green Deal does not appear to bethe best financing option for improving theenergy efficiency of our homes and we willcontinue to explore other options.8 | inhouse

SAFETYGas Safe New LegislationGas Safe have announced a change of legislation within the Gasindustry, everyone must comply by the end of 31st December2012. The change relates to boiler flues that run through ‘voids’.A ‘void’ can be anything that obscures the ‘flue run’ e.g. a purposemade duct; including timber boxing in.Adactus Housing Group is a Gas Safe registered company and in orderto comply with the new legislation we need to ensure that any of ourinstallations that fall into this category are modified.The team will have to inspect each flue to ensure that it complies withthis new legislation and if it is boxed in (if it has a ‘void’), a permanenthatch will be fitted that will allow access to all the joints throughoutthe length of the flue.If your flue does have a ‘void’, we are legally bound to make thesemodifications and if we are not given access to carry out the necessaryalterations, this could result in your boiler being shut off until the workshave been carried out.If you think your flue has a ‘void’ and may needan access hatch, or if you have any furtherquestions please call the connect team on0845 505 3355 or 0300 111 1133.Fire safety in your homeAdvice for residentsThe first thing to remember is that fires in thehome are extremely rare and following thesesimple guidelines will help you and yourfamily to remain safe.Preventing firesDangerous materialsThings like paper, cardboard, plastics,clothes, will burn very easily if they catchfire. Make sure that you store these itemsaway properly.The kitchenMost home fires start in the kitchen. Chippans are especially dangerous – makesure they are no more than one third full,and never go out of the kitchen when thepan is on. Don’t leave towels over or nearcooking rings.Reporting faultsIf you have an emergency repair thatcould be a fire risk (such as faulty wiring)report it immediately to callconnect ormobileconnect, day or night.At nightSwitch off and unplug electrical items thatdon’t run permanently. Empty ashtrays,and shut all internal doors to stop a firespreading quickly. Don’t smoke in bed!Preventing deliberate firesUnfortunately there are some people whowill start fires deliberately. You can helpprevent this by keeping the outside ofyour house and communal areas clear ofrubbish. Also, be careful about who you letin the building if you have an intercom andalways report people acting suspiciously tothe police.Smoke alarmsAlthough your home is fitted with a smokealarm you still need to test the alarm everyweek to make sure it’s working properly.If fire does break outIf you are in the same room as the fireget out and get everyone else out. Don’ttry to put the fire out. Close the door. Telleveryone in your home about the fire thenget them out of the property.Close the front door and leave the building.Use the corridors and stairs, not the lift.Call the fire service.CALLING THE FIRE SERVICE1. Phone 999 (this call is free).2. Give the operator the telephonenumber you are ringing from andask for FIRE.3. When the fire service answers, tellthem clearly the address where thefire is.4. Don’t put the phone down untilthe fire service repeat the correctaddress to you.inhouse | 9

Planned MaintenanceBIG BuildIn July this year members of the Adactus PlannedDLO Department dedicated some of their time toassist a very worthwhile BBC “Big Build” project inManchester.The project was in aid of a young Manchesterfamily, which includes sixteen month old tripletswho had been living in severely damp anddangerous conditions in their own two bedroomterraced property. With the help of the AdactusPlanned DLO Department and the help of otherlocal tradesmen and companies the familyhave been provided with a much needed loftconversion, new kitchen, third bedroom and asingle storey extension, turning their small chaoticand unsafe home into a welcoming and organisedspace with room for all of the family.Neil Pickup, Project Manager for AdactusPlanned Works, said: ‘When we heard about thisworthwhile project we knew that we just had toget involved, helping to provide a safe and childfriendly space by offering a few hours labour andsome much needed materials was the least thatwe could do’.The project was a huge success and will be airedon the BBC later in the year.Planned DLO ExpansionIn our last issue we reported that the Planned DLO department wason the increase and we are pleased to announce that new teamshave been established to cover the following areas:• Bathroom adaptations• Roof replacements• Roofline replacements• Internal door replacements.These new teams will be responsible for over 90 bathroomAdaptations across the group, over 300 properties will receive newinternal doors, over 450 properties will receive roofline replacementsand over 140 properties will receive brand new roof replacements.These teams have joined the Planned DLO department who are alsoresponsible for delivering the following this financial year:• 500 kitchens and bathrooms• 400 central heating installations• Over 700 external and internal decorations.With all of the scheduled programmes Adactus have created over 60new job opportunities over the last 18 months within the PlannedDLO department alone.In addition to the new teams the department has also seen theintroduction of a senior programme co-ordinator.The growth of any department is very exciting and in order toprogress and expand further we have to make sure the qualityof service we provide is second to none; the best indicator onhow we perform is feedback from our customers in the form oftenant satisfaction questionnaires and the newly appointed SeniorProgramme Coordinator views every form that is submitted andconstantly monitors these to ensure we provide the best servicepossible.The Senior Programme Coordinator has also developed our customerengagement strategy which allows us to be involved in communityprojects in the areas we are working in. A vital part of customerengagement is ensuring that the activities we carry out are appropriateand bring value to our customers and the wider community.10 | inhouse

Miles Platting Planned Maintenance UpdateAdactus Housing Association being part of the Renaissance Consortium has the contract tomanage and maintain the homes in Miles Platting.Adactus are committed to maintaining the quality of homes in the neighbourhood throughan annual investment programme. This year in Miles Platting our programme includes:• Roof Replacements• External refurbishment of rooflines, including gutters, soffits and fascia boards• External redecoration including boundary timber fencing• Internal door replacements.The programme started in May 2012 and the feedback we have received so far has beenextremely positive, our joiners have fitted internal doors at over 150 properties and ourdecorators have completed over 80 properties on the external decoration programme –despite us having the wettest June since 1910!We understand that to maintain and improve the condition of tenant’s homes and thecommunities in which they live, we must do this in a considered and proactive way, that’swhy we aim to involve tenants in everything we do and listen carefully to their needs.Our dedicated Programme Coordinator Amy Davis and Site Manager Andrew Broomhead arealways happy to hear from tenants.PlannedDLO HeatingTeam spot“Room forImprovement”Planned DLOrevitaliseentrance toWoodwardCourtWoodward Court is a multi-storey blockproviding 60 units of furnished, selfcontained,temporary accommodation tohomeless couples and individuals and issituated in the heart of the Miles Plattingestate.Whilst working in the area we noticed thatthe front of this building was in need ofsome attention.Woodward Court, like any other charity, hashad a reduction in funds while still aimingto maintain a high level of service. One areathat suffered because of reduced fundingis the ground maintenance to the block.First impressions are very important and thescheme had very little kerb appeal.Peter Woods, Senior ProgrammeCo-ordinator and Zoe Turner, ProgrammeCo-ordinator for the Planned DLOdepartment at Adactus visited the schemewhilst working in the Miles Platting area andmet the Scheme Co-ordinator who advisedthem of their kerb appeal dilemma.Following this meeting it was establishedthat the poor condition of the front of thebuilding was a concern and Planned DLOoffered their assistance to give the entranceof the building a face lift. Greg Cain, AssistantGrounds Maintenance Manager at Adactusreleased two members of staff, Andy Pollardand Christian Grundy, who cut back thebushes to the frontage and gave the area ageneral “tidy up”. Flowers and bulbs werepurchased by the Planned DLO Team andwere planted in the entrance flower bed tobrighten things up.Peter Woods, Senior Programme Coordinatorsaid “It is extremely important forthe Planned DLO department to get involvedin community projects within the area’swe work, this worthwhile charity neededsome assistance because funding hadbeen reduced. With the hard work of thoseinvolved and a few plants and shrubs theentrance has now been transformed”.Whilst carrying out a heating survey at arespite facility for young disabled adultsowned by Chorley Community Housing,Gas Manager Alan Alexander andProgramme Coordinator Michelle Nuttalldiscovered that some of the space in theproperty was very underutilised and inmuch need of an upgrade.They immediately hit the phones andwith the help of our suppliers sourcedsome kitchen units and worktop toprovide much needed storage forresidents to store medication.On the day of the Gas Central HeatingInstall all of the team pulled together toensure that the heating and new unitswere completed to a high standard.Karen Whittle, Service Manager for theMavis Drive scheme said “They arrivedon time, prepped the house to ensureno soiling and worked quickly, efficientlyand pleasantly to get the job done withthe minimum of fuss. They moved theboiler and fitted new worktops andcupboards. We are really pleased withthe results”.inhouse | 11

Service standardService StandardsA lot has changed since we last reviewed ourcustomer contact standards: we have put in placeconnect, developed the website as a method ofinteraction and, truly moving with the times, begunregular communication by Facebook and Twitter. Inestablishing a new set of standards we needed totake account of these changes and how they haveaffected customer expectations.The Adactus500 were invited to provide views on how swiftly theywould expect a response to queries raised using the full variety ofways we can be contacted. These results informed the new set ofstandards which were approved by Boards early in the summer.Speed, of course, isn’t everything. As well as how quickly we respondto you, we continue to aim to provide you with right first time answersand treat customers fairly and politely. The Right First Time survey (seearticle on page 2) enables you to let us know how well we are doingand where we need to do better.Contact Standard TargetTelephone responseCallbackE-mailWeb contact (enquiry facilityon website, blog comments,contributions to informationrequiring feedback)Letter15 secondsNext working day (or agreed time)Next working dayNext working dayNext working day80% within 15 seconds98% within 60 seconds100% within 120 seconds90%100% within 2 working days80%100% within 2 working days80%100% within 2 working days80%100% within 2 working daysSocial media (e.g. Facebook,Twitter)Initial response within 2 hours(working day)If required, full response or directcontact (if public response notappropriate (within 24 hours)100%100%TextSame working day if received before3pm; by 11am on next working day ifreceived after 3pm100%12 | inhouse

Rent AdviceDon’t be a casualty of evictionOur new ‘positive payment’ culture is starting to see positive results. Rent arrears were reduced by £200k duringJune / July and between April – July we took 203 tenants to court for non payment of rent. 16 tenants lost theirhome after being evicted and a further 4 are waiting for an eviction date.Legal action is taken more quickly with those tenants who fail to pay their rent on time, fail to maintainagreements or simply ignore our attempts to discuss their accounts. Help is available but tenantsneed to talk to us.We are also taking a firm approach on payments in advance. The tenancy agreement saysthat rent is due on a Monday in advance. So if you pay on a Wednesday or Thursday ata Paypoint the likelihood is that your payment will not reach us until the followingweek. This means you will always be a week in arrears. To stop this happeningyou should make sure your rent is on your account by Friday, before your rentis due, to avoid any unnecessary letters or action.CALL US TODAY TO DISCUSS WAYS TO PAY.ONE CALL TODAY COULDKEEP THE BAILIFF AWAY!Callconnect 0845 505 3355 or mobileconnect 0300 111 1133Get ready for new benefits system.Change is around the corner.The Governments new benefits system affects all working agetenants claiming welfare benefits and housing benefits.There are a number of ways that you could be affected bythese changes but the three main changes are:UNIVERSAL CREDIT.ALL YOUR BENEFITS ROLLED INTO ONE.How will you receive benefits in the future?• By a single payment for all the different benefits you receive• Paid monthly in arrears• Paid directly into your bank account• Includes your housing benefit costs so tenants receiving this will haveto pay their rent direct to us as we will no longer receive housing benefit• All claims will have to be made on-line.WHEN IS IT HAPPENING?• April 2013 – New claimants living in Tameside, Wigan & Leigh and Cheshire• October 2013 all other new claimants will receive Universal Credit.• Current claims will be transferred to Universal Credit between April 2014 and April 2017.BENEFIT CAPS. LIMITING the MONEY YOU RECEIVEFrom April 2013, the overall amount of benefit you can receive will be capped.These caps will include your housing allowance for your rent.The maximum amount of benefits you will receive from April 2013 is• £500 per week for single parents• £500 per week for couples with or without children• £350 per week for single people without children.Under Occupation (bedroom tax) – See our ‘Right Size’ article on page 16.For more information on allthe Welfare Reform changesgo to our website:www.adactushousing.co.ukand click on ‘Welfare Reform’.Or call us on:callconnect 0845 505 3355mobileconnect 0300 111 1133inhouse | 13

Rent AdviceStruggling to get a bank account?Want to be in control of your finances?Want to take advantage of our Direct Debit incentive?Don’t want to fall into rent arrears?NEED A BANK ACCOUNT?If you have answered yes to the abovequestions then we may be able to help.Adactus Housing Group are working withthe Royal Bank of Scotland to assist you inopening a bank account and with two CreditUnions Unify in Chorley, Wigan & Leigh andManchester Credit Union for homes in theGreater Manchester area. We are also workingwith Preston to develop links to a CreditUnion in the remaining North West area. Ifyou want to know more call us today and wecan discuss your needs and point you in theright direction.Free money...When you switch to paying your rent viadirect debit or standing order!time every time.Therefore we want to encourage automatedpayment methods such as direct debit andstanding order; with this in mind we aregoing to increase the incentive payment wecurrently offer if you set up a direct debit topay your rent from £30 to £50. All conditionsthat currently apply to incentive paymentsremain the same.Also, due to the improvements that we havemade with the way standing order paymentsare processed, we will now offer you a £25.00incentive if you switch from either paying bycash or cheque.For advice on opening abank account, joining a CreditUnion or switching to DirectDebit or Standing Order simplycall us on :callconnect 0845 505 3355mobileconnect 0300 111 1133Due to the forthcoming changes to theWelfare System and the introduction ofUniversal Credit, we need to ensure that it isas easy as possible for you to pay your rent on14 | inhouse

Rent AdviceAlternative benefit payment methodThe Government haveintroduced a new SinglePayment Card.Citibank, working with PayPoint, has beencontracted to provide the Simple Paymentservice across the UK from late summer 2012.The Simple Payment service has beendesigned specifically for those people whoare unable to make use of mainstreamaccounts or the Post Office card account. It isnot meant for people who already have anaccount or would be able to open one.For more information go to www.direct.gov.uk/simplepayment or call 0845 6000046 (textphone 0800 032 5864). Lines areopen Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm.Check this out:A free app for your phone!Adactus tenants will now be able to pay theirrents on the move with the release of a newsmartphone application.Released by payment services companyallpay, the application is a free download foriPhone and Android.Once downloaded, tenants can access theiraccounts via the app and make a payment -with their payment reference numbers, bankcard details and payment amounts handilyremembered by the software for ease of use.The app couldn’t be simpler to use. Oncethe account is set up, tenants can also createa four digit PIN number to access the appso they don’t need to go through a lengthylogin process every time to use it.Being able to make a rent payment from yoursmartphone must be the quickest and mostconvenient way to pay.This is in addition to the many ways thattenants can already pay their rent, fromcalling into our offices to pay cash through toringing our contact centre and paying overthe telephone.inhouse | 15

Rent AdviceAdactus is helping tenantsbeat the ‘bedroom tax’Adactus launches its RightSizescheme to help tenants whoare under-occupying and facehaving their housing benefitreduced next April.From April 2013, the government will reducehousing benefit to tenants who have morebedrooms than the new under-occupancyrules say they need.We estimate that around 2500 of ourtenants could see their housing benefitreduced as a result of these changes. Withso many tenants facing a reduction in theirbenefits Adactus has been working hard todevelop an action plan to help our underoccupiers.In March this year we carried out a surveywith our Adactus500 members to see howmuch our tenants knew about the newunder occupancy benefit rules. The resultsshowed the majority of our tenants wereunaware of the changes and unsure howthey would affect their benefits.To rectify this, under-occupiers will becontacted via sms, letter and email toinform them of the changes and will beoffered help and advice depending on theirindividual situation. Tenants who would liketo speak to someone in person can requesthome visits or book an appointment at theirlocal office.Any tenants who need to downsizewill receive help to find them a suitableproperty and will be fully supportedthrough the moving process.If you think you are going tobe affected by the new housingbenefit rules and would liketo discuss your optionsfurther you can contact ourOccupancy Officer Lisa Leatheron 0845 505 3355.Who will be affected?The new rules will affect all our working age tenants whocurrently receive full or part housing benefit payments andhave one or more spare bedrooms.Any tenant over the qualifying age for state pension will beexempt (In April 2013 this will be 61 years and 6 months).Tenants are also excluded if they live in one of our sharedownershipschemes or in one of our sheltered or supportedhousing schemesWhat is a ‘Spare’ Bedroom?Under new rules you will be allocated one bedroom for:• each adult couple• any other person aged 16 or over• two children of the same sex under the age of 16• two children under the age of 10 regardless of their sex• any other child• a carer (who does not normally live with you) if youor your partner need overnight care.What does this mean to under-occupiers?Your housing benefit will be reduced by:14% if you have one empty bedroom25% if you have two or more empty bedroomsFor ExampleMr and Mrs Smith aged 46 & 52 live in a two-bedroom house.Their rent is £80 per week and they currently getfull housing benefit. Under the new rules they will haveone spare bedroom so their benefit will be reduced by£11.20 (14%) to £68.80. They would need to pay this extra£11.20 per week towards their rent.For further information on the new under-occupancy rules please see our website.16 | inhouse

ASB ACTIONPeace at last forMarcer Rd residentThe Miles Platting team recently secured aninjunction against a tenant of Marcer Rd. Hehad been playing loud music in the earlyhours of the morning, having loud visitors,banging doors and running up and downthe stairs at all hours of the day and night.This disturbance regularly kept his neighbourand his neighbours grandchildren awake atnight. The tenant had been warned abouthis behaviour but unfortunately the noise didnot stop so the team had no choice but toseek an injunction.The tenant did not attend court to contestthe application. Housing Officer Billy Hoylesaid ‘The tenant clearly did not take mywarning seriously but he knows to take thisinjunction seriously; if he carries on disturbinghis neighbour, he could go to prison or evenlose his home’.Housing officer Billy HoyleLiverpoolMan AssaultsNeighbourMan In Rat Insult GetsSuspended SentenceA 23 year old Coppull man was handed a suspended prison sentence after breachinga court injunction obtained by CCH.He was given a three month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after callingour tenant a “rat” and entering an area of Longfield Avenue, where he is excludedfrom.The injunction order was originally granted in September 2011 after our tenantcomplained that he had threatened to “smash her face in” and grabbed her by herhair.The injunction also remains in place. He is banned from Longfield Avenue untilSeptember 2013; if he breaches the order he could go to prison.The Chorley Team obtained an injunctionagainst a Liverpool tenant after one of hisvisitors threatened a neighbour and thenassaulted him, punching him in the face. Theassault happened in front of the neighbour’s15 year old son. An emergency injunctionwas sought against our tenant (as a tenantyou are responsible for the behaviour of yourvisitors), and he was banned from allowingthe perpetrator to visit him again at his home.The tenant later gave a two year undertakingto the courts, promising that he would notcause a nuisance or allow the perpetratorinto his home. The perpetrator was latersentenced to 22 weeks in prison for theassault.Consequences for starter tenantsThe Tenancy Enforcement Team recentlyterminated the tenancies of five startertenants after they caused anti-socialbehaviour within months of taking theirtenancies up with Adactus and CCH.One tenant on York St, Blackley, had allowedher father and brother to use the propertyas a cannabis farm weeks after moving in.When the police raided the property theyfound the tenant and her baby living on theground floor with all the bedrooms full ofcannabis plants.Two Gorton tenants had both beendisturbing their respective neighbours bycausing excessive noise and by having visitorsto the property who were intimidating otherresidents.In Chorley, three tenants had their tenanciesended due to complaints ranging fromloud domestic arguments and fighting ata property in Adlington, noisy argumentsat a flat on St Gregory’s Place and youthscongregating and holding parties at aproperty on Stump Lane.Starter tenancies are a probationary tenancywhich lasts for the first 12 months of thetenancy and if you disturb your neighboursor engage in criminal activity you can expectus to take action to evict you.inhouse | 17

MILES PLATTINGMiles Platting You Decide is back for another year!Grants of up to £2,000 are available to localresidents, groups or agencies working in theMiles Platting PFI area. Groups or agenciescan bid for funding to support their existinggroup or to develop a new project which willbenefit Miles Platting residents.The Miles Platting You Decide Applicationsdeadline was Friday 19th October.A voting day will be held on 17th Novemberat St Georges Community Centre, BothwellRoad, Collyhurst where local residents areinvited to listen to a short presentation fromeach bidder and then cast their vote forthe projects or groups they believe shouldreceive funding.For more information or to findout how to apply for futurefunding please contact VickiGreer or Issie Richards on 0800234 6826 or 0161 203 2600.MilesPlattingSummerFestivalWealth of Time – A newTime Bank for MilesPlattingMiles Platting residents are being invited to joinWealth of Time - a new time bank for the Miles Plattingarea.A time bank is a way of helping others and beingrewarded for it. On becoming a member you can startto earn ‘time credits’ for every hour you give helpinganother member of the time bank – perhaps by letterwriting, dog-walking, befriending or sewing – thepossibilities are endless!You can also earn time credits by coming along toresidents meetings or volunteering at communityevents. The credits you earn can then be spentgetting others to help you, on activities or events, ordonated to someone who needs them. Simple!Adactus Housing worked in partnership withthe Canal and River Trust to create a fun filledfamily day in Miles Platting back in July.The event consisted of a range of activitiessuch as:• face painting• bouncy castles• stalls• static bikes from theNational Cycling CentreThe Canal and River Trust had theopportunity to unveil their newly createdwildlife noticeboard that was put upalongside the canal. Adactus launched theirMiles Platting timebank ‘Wealth of Time’ andhad the first participants sign up that day.All in all it was a fabulous day which broughtthe whole of the community together.If you are interested or would like to hear more and you livein the Miles Platting area contact Vicki at 0800 234 6826 oremail victoria.greer@adactushousing.co.ukVolunteers needed for Juniorfootball teamAdactus has been awarded Sport England funding to help set up anew junior football team in Miles Platting.The funds have provided free football coaching sessions in the area. We are nowlooking for dedicated volunteers to help in all aspects of setting up and running a newjunior team in Miles Platting. If you think you could help please contact Vicki on 0800234 6826 or email Victoria.greer@adactushousing.co.uk – we’d love to hear fromyou!The free coaching sessions for 7-11 year olds run from 10am to 12pm every Saturday atParkview Community School. No need to pre-register – just turn up and play.18 | inhouse

BHAADACTUS LEASEHOLDREFORMED RESIDENTS ASSOCIATIONOrme Close is located in Urmston Manchesterand is a small Leasehold estate of some21 properties consisting of flats and somebungalows and was built in 1994.It was agreed to reform the ResidentsAssociation ‘Orme Close Resident Group’;the group aims to improve the quality of lifefor all residents and provide and promotea consensus when dealing with Beech andAdactus Housing and other outside agencies.One of the first things the residents group didwas to have a Garden Party for the Queen’sJubilee. Everyone who attended had a goodtime and the weather was unusually kindfor once.Benefits ofleaseholdretirement livingfor tenantswho are 55 andover...Retirement living provides an independent lifestyle with support you can depend on and careif you need it, other advantages are:• Living amongst people with similar lifestyles.• Choice of flats to suit your needs e.g. self contained studio flats, 1 bedroom flats andbungalows (those willing to accept a studio flat can find themselves housed more quickly).• Many schemes provide laundry facilities, a resident’s lounge, garden and guest rooms.• Social activities and organized events on site e.g. regular coffee mornings, bingo, whist drivesetc.To cover the cost of running the retirement living scheme, all residents pay a service charge,whether they own their home or are renting. This service charge includes the cost of thescheme manager and the alarm system, as well as building repairs, maintenance, gardeningand most of the other services provided.The amount residents have to pay will vary, so always ask how much the service charge willbe if you are interested in a scheme. Find out how it is calculated and how you can pay it. It isalso essential to check what the service charge does not include: for example, heating, lighting,telephone or ground rent. Most charges are on a variable charge.If you are an owner-occupier you may also be asked to pay one-off sums of money to cover,for example, the cost of unexpected repairs to the building. Check what your lease covers. Youhave a right to be consulted before the work starts if you are asked to pay.However all service charges and budgets are subject to monitoring and preparation and thecosts are usually recovered over a 12 month period to help assist with spreading payment.Flexible TenureShared owners/leaseholders have the rightto purchase additional shares in their home(known as stair casing). Flexible Tenureworks in the opposite direction, allowingdownward stair casing for any shared owner/leaseholders who are experiencing financialdifficulties.Beech Housing may be able to purchaseshares back and increase the amount of rentyou pay to correspond with the new reducedlevel of your ownership. This process is nota right and is not available for leaseholdersor shared owners who wish to sell theirproperties.Eligibility will be assessed on a case-by-casebasis and is entirely subject to the discretionof BHA. To be eligible, you need to showthat you are in financial hardship and allother solutions, such as loan reschedulingand other payment negotiations, have beenconsidered. Flexible Tenure is a last resortoption to be considered only once all otheroptions have been explored. All valuationsare carried out by an independent qualifiedsurveyor. As a condition for approval anyoutstanding rent arrears must be cleared infull. Also, please bare in mind that dependingon the valuation of your property, theincreased rent may or may not be less thanyour mortgage repayments.How do I apply?Once you have contacted us you will bereferred to our Leasehold and Service ChargeTeam who will complete a full benefit checkand financial assessment. This will need tosupport the case forFlexible Tenure to show that there is noalternative solution. You will also need toapproach your lender to ensure that theyagree to the proposal (BHA would alsocontact your lender to put forward anyproposals).In the past 2 years we have had 8 successfulcompletions, which have now been relievedof the mortgage payments and are nowfinancially stable and happy to be a tenantpaying rent.If you are interested in exploring this furtherplease contact our Leasehold Team on08455053355 or servicechargeleasehold@adactushousing.co.ukinhouse | 19

ManchesterAdactus at Caribbean Carnival 2012Adactus took part in OurMoss Side’s contributionto Manchester’s CaribbeanCarnival on Saturday, 11 August2012.Our Moss Side is made up of local housingproviders including Adactus, Manchester CityCouncil and local residents. It is about makingMoss Side safer, cleaner and greener, and abetter place to work and live.The teams handed out information aboutthe benefit changes, helping people preparefor welfare reform. The general public alsoEx-offenderschange theirenvironmentA team of ex-offenders are helping tobrighten up North Manchester!The group, called Your EnvironmentalTeam, is a rapid response service setup to tackle the area’s environmentalneeds.Adactus are working with seven otherhousing providers to give jobs to ecofriendlyex-offenders (all from the localarea) to get themselves back on theirfeet. The aim of the project is to improvethe local environment and stop thecycle of crime.Tenants in North Manchester havealready benefited from this scheme,with Hillcroft Close in Crumpsall andKeeley Close in Newton Heath receivingimprovements to their gardens.The service also helps to get exoffendersback into paid employment;giving them valuable experience andhelping them regain their confidence.If you are a tenant in North Manchesterand have a suggestion for some workthat the team might be able to do,please contact the Adactus ConnectTeam.had the opportunity to enquire about homeownership schemes, job and apprenticeshipopportunities in the area, and how to searchfor local jobs.Samantha Hornsby who attended the dayfor Adactus said ‘it was great to see so manypeople involved and interested in makingMoss Side a better place’.112 people who live or work in Moss Sidemade promises about what that they willdo to improve the neighbourhood. We alsoreceived feedback on a comments board, andpartners in the Our Moss Side initiative will beusing the information to plan ahead for thenext year.Vine StreetSummer, Autumn, Winter, Spring at VineStreet ParkAs reported in the lastnewsletter Adactussupported the Residents ofGordon Street and Friendsof Vine Street Park witha Lottery bid and won£50,000 to invest in thepark.Birch Housing Co-operativeThe Birch Housing Co-operative, consisting of 15 propertiesin the Longsight area of Manchester, is thinking of joiningthe Group. If you have any queries regarding the proposedtransfer, please contact a member of the Internal AffairsTeam using callConnect 0845 505 3355 or mobileconnect0300 111 1133.The work to install an orchard, planta wildflower garden and improve theentrance ways is now complete. Adactushave helped secure a further £5,500 toattract local people to the park withevents and activities to reflect thedifferent seasons.Over August Adactus and the residentsgroup organised activities for childrenand families to learn about the wildlife,take part in play activities and FC Uniteddelivered football coaching on the park.Events were well attended and furtherevents in Autumn, Winter and Spring aregoing to be organised.Anne Corrigan, Adactus NeighbourhoodDevelopment Officer said ‘after theinvestment in the park by the Lottery andthe hard work of the residents’ groupit’s great to see the park used by localpeople’.20 | inhouse

MANCHESTERAdactus Housing AssociationOpen New Miles Platting OfficeManchester MoveThe NEW place tolook for a homeManchester City Council Deputy Leader Cllr Jim Battleand Adactus Chief Executive Paul Lees.A new housing office to serve Manchester City Council tenants in Miles Platting has beenopened by Adactus Housing Association.The new office was officially opened by Councillor Jim Battle, Deputy Leader ofManchester City Council, and Adactus Group Chief Executive Paul Lees.Baker House replaces the 1960s built Varley Street office that has been home to Adactusstaff for the past five years and which is now to be demolished.More than 60 staff will be based at Baker House, providing services to more than 1,500Manchester City Council tenants in Miles Platting and Adactus tenants across Manchester.Adactus Housing Group Chief Executive Paul Lees said: “This is a fantastic new buildingthat will not only provide a high quality environment for our staff and customers,including meeting facilities, but one which will also reduce our carbon footprint. Theoffice has a photovoltaic power generation system and various other renewable energysystems which will help to keep running costs down.”The building will also include a shop on the ground floor and discussions with a potentialcommercial tenant are ongoing.Cllr Jim Battle, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “I’m delighted that BakerHouse has opened and that we now have a housing office that matches the excellentquality of the improvements that have been carried out on Miles Platting by theRenaissance Consortium.”The £160m Private Finance Initiative (PFI) partnership between Manchester City Counciland Renaissance Miles Platting Limited has seen almost 1,500 homes fully refurbished, 31new Council homes for rent provided and environmental improvements including sevenpocket parks. Another 1,000 homes for sale are still to be built by Renaissance partnerLovell Partnerships Limited.Getting to know youAdactus Housing Association held a Meet and Greetevent at the City View Apartments, Siding Close,Lancaster.The event provided an opportunity for residents toget acquainted with their new neighbours and alsomeet the neighbourhood development team fromAdactus.City View is a brand new apartment block andthe important social event enabled residents to meet in a relaxed, informal environment.Residents were also encouraged to sign a good neighbour agreement, which is writtenvoluntary promise that promotes positive behaviour in the neighbourhood. Whenresidents respect their neighbours, their environment and their homes it ensures that theneighbourhood is a safe, secure, peaceful and happy place to live.Congratulations to everyone at City View and we hope you enjoy your newhome.Are you looking for a home inManchester? Look out for a greatnew rehousing service comingto websites, housing offices andlibraries early 2013!Launching in December 2012, ManchesterMove is a web-based service, backed by helpand support from expert advisers and otherways to look for a home.Nine out of ten homes available fromnot-for-profit landlords in the city will beadvertised through Manchester Move. It willinclude properties from Adactus, ManchesterCity Council and the city’s biggest housingassociations and housing trusts.Manchester Move will tell you about all yourhousing options. You could consider privaterenting for a quick and easy move; or lowcosthome ownership and exciting part-rent/part-buy schemes that may be cheaper thanyou think.How to use Manchester Move1. On the websiteThe Manchester Move website’s easy-touse features will include a handy ‘How to’animated guide; sit back while our friendly‘Manchester Mover’ takes you through theprocess step-by-step.2. By automated phoneWe can supply a list of homes you are eligiblefor. Phone the number on the list and followthe simple instructions.3. By textWe’ll give you a list of homes, and a guideabout how to send bids by text.Need more help?Don’t worry if you’re not sure how to usethe new service. We’ll talk you through thedifferent options, and tell you how to gethelp in person.If you are vulnerable or have special needsyou can sign up for a posted list of suitableproperties instead of looking on the web. Goto www.manchestermove.co.uk to find outmore. Or simply call the connect team.inhouse | 21

Neighbourhood fund 2012-2013Neighbourhood Fund 2012/13The Neighbourhood Fund is now in its third year and is made up of money thathas been saved through the more efficient running of our business.The Adactus Housing Group developed the fund to give money back to thecommunities where we have homes and it is available to tenants of AdactusHousing Association, Chorley Community Housing and Beech HousingAssociation.This years fund has benefited 105 community projects so far with more tofollow.These projects cover Cheshire, Manchester, Wigan & Leigh, Sefton, Chorley,Preston, Morecambe and Lancaster.The projects incorporate a range of themes from environmental improvementsand healthy living through to community cohesion and youth diversionaryactivities.Applications for the fund are judged by panels made up of our tenants andsnippet of some of the projects funded for 2012/13 is included below:-Health and well-being daysAmount awarded - £1,460Fingers BurntAmount awarded - £408Community Food GrowingAmount awarded - £1,000‘Health and well-being days’ is an initiativeaimed at older residents who reside inour sheltered schemes. Sefton Opera, theorganisation who delivers the projects onbehalf of Adactus, have delivered similarprojects in our Sefton schemes for sometime and due to the sheer success andpopularity of the days, the project has beenintroduced in Chorley.There are a number of activities on offerincluding arm chair exercises, tai chiand meditation and to top the day offcomplementary therapies such as hand,foot and back massages. The activities arefocused on improving personal healthand mobility and to raise awareness of thebenefits of keeping active. The activitieswill hopefully encourage participants tocontinue to utilise the techniques in theireveryday lives.The project has been funded by theNeighbourhood Fund and a session willbe delivered in the near future for Coppull,Heapey and Whittle Le Woods residents.“Fingers Burnt” is a initiative that hasbeen developed by Altru Drama anddelivers a powerful message througha drama performance & workshopabout friendship, peer pressure and thepotential dangers of anti-social behaviour,specifically dealing with issues associatedwith the Halloween/mischief period andbonfire night.Altru Drama have been commissioned,through the Neighbourhood Fund, todeliver sessions to over 60 Year 5 & Year6 pupils at Gillibrands Primary School inChorley.A large number of these pupils live on orfrequent the Chorley Moor area of Chorleywhere Chorley Community Housing has asignificant amount of housing stock.This project will benefit the pupils whoattend the event by raising awareness ofthe issues covered and also the peoplewho live in the Chorley Moor area byway of supporting a reduced number ofincidents during the Halloween/mischiefperiod and bonfire night.Chorley Community Housing andLancashire Wildlife Trust have formed apartnership to develop a community foodgrowing project at the former site of TheWillows on Milton Road in Coppull.The project will see part of an emptyplot of land transformed through theinstallation of a number of large raisedplanters and footpaths to increaseaccessibility as well as the provision of soil,compost, seeds and tools.Local residents have been consulted onthe project and are keen to get involvedthrough both training and by gettingstuck in at the plot.It is hoped that the whole communitysurrounding the community food growingarea will get involved and will benefitfrom learning new skills associated withgardening and growing your own produceas well learning about how to lead ahealthy lifestyle which will be encourageby the fresh fruit, vegetables and saladsthat will grown.22 | inhouse

Neighbourhood fund 2012-2013AAA’s Parent Support GroupAmount awarded - £1,200Neston Fun DayAmount awarded - £500Nacro Bronze Art AwardAmount awarded - £1,672A play scheme project in Moss Sidehas been able to offer 70 places to 7-14year olds, thanks to support from theNeighbourhood Fund. The scheme isoffering a variety of activity sessions suchas art, dance, health and fitness and circusskills, as well as the chance to visit placesof interest.The scheme aims to help develop newskills in young people, building confidenceand self esteem.The AAA’s Parent Support Group havereceived funding through the City Councilin the past but due to large scale cuts, thishas not been possible this year.The Scheme held an end of programmeBBQ in August which Zaki Mohamed,Neighbourhood Development Apprentice,attended. He said: “The BBQ party wasa great success and the kids had reallyenjoyed the 2 weeks play scheme. Theparents were also very happy with thetrips provided by the Power House. Thechildren, their parents and the widercommunity have really benefited from thisproject”.Thanks to the Adactus NeighbourhoodFund residents of Mayfield Garden andnearby residents in Neston were given agrant to hold a successful fun day whichtook place in August 2012.The highlight of the event was the bouncycastle and face painting, attractingchildren from the community despitethe rain! Parents were able to enjoy thetime meeting other parents from the areaand watching their children enjoying theactivities.Resident Involvement Officer LauraMcKelvey said “These fun days really liftthe community spirit and the kids loveit. Despite the weather, the turn out wasfantastic, the rain even added to the fun ofthe bouncy castle!”Nacro, an organisation reducing crime bychanging lives, have developed a projectto offer a group of 8 young people at riskof exclusion, aged between 13 and 17, theopportunity to be accredited the BronzeArt Award.The programme will offer learning in afun and inclusive way and the workshopswill provide both arts skills and social skillsdevelopment. It will provide opportunitiesfor young people to examine issues thatare important to them and investigate thebigger picture and their own vital place init.Structured into the weekly sessions,young people will act out role playsaimed at them taking on the role ofdifferent members in their communitiesand dealing with anti-social behaviour,drug misuse and youth crime. This willencourage our young people to see otherpeople’s points of views in the communityand encourage them to think about theirown behaviour and how it impacts on thecommunity.Engaging in this activity will offer youngpeople a structured safe way of spendingtheir leisure time, helping to buildresilience and self-confidence. Whilstkeeping them away from engaging indrug misuse, anti-social behaviour andyouth crime.inhouse | 23

CCHCCH RENEW MAGPIES SPONSORSHIPChorley Community Housing (CCH) haverenewed their sponsorship of home townfootball club Chorley FC and completed anotable hat-trick in the process!CCH have become gold sponsors of ChorleyFC for the third year in a row. The dealfollows on from the two organisationsworking together on a community footballpartnership over the past year, which aimedto encourage more children to take part inhealthy exercise.CCH are delighted to be sponsoring theMagpies again. After they won promotiontwo years ago and missed out on the playoffs by just a fraction last season, everyonewill be cheering the team on to more successthis time round.Chorley FC’s Chairman Ken Wright said:Chorley FC Chairman Ken Wright, CCH’s Director of Operations Richard Houghtonand Chorley FC manager Garry Flitcroft.“We’re very grateful to CCH for renewingtheir sponsorship of Chorley Football Club.It’s great to have the backing of a localbusiness like CCH, and their backing willhopefully help Garry and the lads on topromotion by the time May comes around.”CREDIT UNIONS HIT 1,000,000 MEMBERSTenants of Chorley Community Housing(CCH) are being urged to join theirlocal credit union following news thatnationally over a million people are nowcredit union members.The figures released by the FinancialServices Authority (FSA) reveal that thecredit union sector now serves morethan a million people with 887,000 adultmembers and 121,000 junior savers.The low cost savings and loansco-operatives, which are run bytheir members, have been a big hitinternationally for many years, andnow residents of Chorley will be able tosave with their local credit union via acollection point at the Council’s offices onUnion Street, at the CCH Community Hubat 163 Longfield Avenue between 10.30amand 11.30am and at the CCH CommunityHouse at 8 Liptrott Road every Thursdaybetween 12.30pm and 1.30pm.Almost fifty people from Chorley havealready signed up to be credit unionmembers, with CCH one of the firstemployers to allow its staff to pay into thecredit union by payroll deduction.The credit union sector has expandedrapidly over the past decade withmembership more than doubling andassets more than tripling in value.The Government is backing the creditunion sector to double in size in the nextseven years. Membership of Unify is opento anyone who lives or works in Chorley.Telephone 01942 701706, email unifycu@aol.com or go to www.unifycu.org formore details.CCH GARDENCOMPETITIONA BLOOMINGSUCCESSMore than £400 in prizes was given outat the awards ceremony for ChorleyCommunity Housing’s annual gardencompetition for residents.The ceremony, which was held at BirkacreNurseries and Garden Centre, was attendedby the majority of the 30 competitionentrants.There were winners in four categories,including best individual garden and bestuse of a small space, with the much covetedGarden of The Year award going to AngelaSwindley of Rothwell Road in Anderton.Winners were given a framed certificate andgift vouchers of up to £50.The competition was sponsored byBirkacre Nurseries and Garden Centre andthe competition was judged by CharlotteWareing from the Chorley & LeylandGuardian.We were delighted that so many residentstook the time and trouble to enter thegarden competition despite one of thewettest summers on record.The photograph shows Sheila Southern,from Arcon Road in Coppull, who collectedprizes in both the best individual and bestcommunal garden categories.24 | inhouse

CCHFUN FOR ALL ATCHORLEY MOORButtermere Green attracted over 600 peoplewhen Chorley Community Housing (CCH)in partnership with Hope City Lancashirehosted the Chorley Moor Fun Day; their free,family friendly summer festival of fun.The event featured live music, bouncy castles& slide, bungee run, assault course, gladiatorduel, giant sumo wrestling, face paints, nailart, crafts, bric-a-brac sale, information &advice stalls and much more.With the washout of a summer that we’vehad so far, it was feared that the Augustshowers would continue. However, as thesun came out for the day and temperaturessoared, children were able to make themost of the fun activities and take part ina mini sports day while parents visited theinformation stalls or relaxed on the green.The event was officially opened by TheMayor of Chorley, Councillor June Molyneauxand Adactus Housing Group Chief Executive,Paul Lees.Greenside gets a face liftWork has been completed on a project toimprove the Greenside Estate in Euxton.Chorley Community housing (CCH) whomanage the former council homes in thetown, is spending in excess of £250,000 onthe external improvements.The dated estate has experienced some antisocial-behaviourover the last few years and ithas become increasingly difficult to maintainthe communal areas. The improvementworks are being carried out by BullockConstruction Ltd and Arcus Consulting and isexpected to take 10 weeks to complete.Whittle Le Woods Clean up dayA number of improvements are being carriedout on the estate including:• the creation of larger gardens• new fencing• better external lighting• improved parking and access routes.A total of 49 households will benefit fromthe project. Cath Sheridan a resident atGreenside said “It’s great to see the workthat CCH are doing at Greenside. All of theseimprovements will make tenants feel proudof where they live and lead to a better qualityof life.”It’s been over a year since CCH completedthe internal upgrades; residents will now beable to see the investment in the externalappearances of the estates. Hopefully theproject at Greenside will have a positiveimpact on the whole neighbourhood bymaking it a nicer place to live.A clean up of Whittle le Woods has been carried out by CCH with support from the parishcouncil and Chorley Borough Council.During the event, which was run as part of the “Keep Britain Tidy – Big Tidy Up” campaign,the streets were litter picked, gardens and ginnels were cleared and numerous skips werefilled to the brim with waste from the neighbourhood.It was great that so many residents and local councillors were actively involved in makingsuch a great improvement to their local community.STUDENTS GETSET FOR LIFE!Four local students have completed anemployability award with Chorley CommunityHousing (CCH).The employability course formed part ofthe ‘Get Set For Life’ project launched inpartnership by Holy Cross High School’sIndependent Careers Advisor, MyerscoughCollege and CCH.The course was aimed at school leavers whoneeded to be kept motivated during thesummer holidays and was created to helpbridge the gap between school and college.The students, three of whom were fromChorley, attended CCH’s offices at Ann JamesHouse for two days a week throughout thesummer to complete the employability course.CCH supported them by funding travel andlunch allowances and offering gift vouchersto everyone who successfully completed thecourse.Three of the students have now started collegecourses whilst the fourth has secured anapprenticeship with Lancashire County Council.The course helped the young participants gainadditional practical skills that can enhance theirchances of employment later in life. One studentsaid that the interviewing skills helped him toget his job and all the students said they wouldbe willing to persuade other students to take thecourse because they have really enjoyed it and itkept them busy during the holidays.Course participants who completed an onlineself assessment rated their self confidence andself esteem as having increased as a result of thetraining.inhouse | 25

RETIREMENT LIVINGBenefits ofemergencyalarm pendantsAlarms have moved on a greatdeal since the model picturedabove was manufactured andwe need to take full advantageof the benefits they afford us.There are many reasons why vulnerabletenants should wear their pendant alarm,the most important being, it could savetheir life.It is easy for tenants to forget to put theirpendant alarm on and some tenants whosealarm may have gone off accidentally haveleft them off on purpose to avoid thishappening again, if you have a pendantalarm, please don’t do this. We wouldrather several false call outs than onemissed emergency.Even if you have a pull cord in your home,what if you had a fall and couldn’t reach it?Treat your pendant alarm like an importantpiece of clothing, you should feel nakedwithout it.Pendant alarms can provide tenants thathave poor mobility with the confidence tomove around; secure in the knowledge thatif they do fall then they can summon help.Pendants should be used by:• Tenants who have visual impairment andwould find it difficult to use pull cords• Tenants unable to use the pull cords dueto severe arthritis or other movementlimiting conditions - (pendants onlyrequire finger tip touch)• Tenants prone to falls or with poormobility• Tenants who need the re-assurance thatthe pendant alarm provides• Tenants who have seizures (the ‘Fall’spendant).If you are in retirement accommodationand don’t have a pendant alarm but feelthat you do need one, please talk to yourscheme co-ordinator.Glenmay court garden transformationDuring the past year the residents ofGlenmay court have been working totransform their patch from what wasa pretty uninteresting and uninspiringgrassy area into a mixed floral displaywhich has provided a tranquil oasisin an urban area. They have done thisin an eco friendly way which has alsoencouraged a variety of wildlife to thegardens such as bees, butterflies andsquirrels. This will be maintained by theresidents who have shown great interest andenthusiasm and they are very appreciative ofthe neighbourhood funding Adactus haveprovided for their project.All the hard work put in by the tenants ofGlenmay paid off, because they won firstprize for the best communal garden in theAHA and BHA Garden competition. Pleasesee page 2 for more information on thecompetition.The Fields Winter FayreThe residents association are organising aChristmas fayre to raise funds to subsidise activitiesfor residents who are less able to get out.The event will take place on Saturday 10thNovember 2pm-4pm. There will be refreshmentsthroughout the day, Christmas hamper raffle,tombola, cakes and preserves stall and a visit fromFather Christmas. Residents are working hard tomake this day a success and we would like thewider community to come along for the afternoonand show their support.26 | inhouse

SUPPORTEDHardybutts: Then and NowIn 2008 the chairperson of theScholes Resident’s Associationwas quoted in the WiganObserver saying, “we once hada lad who was opening fire witha shotgun upstairs”.How times have changed...4 years has been a long and productive timefor the Hardybutts project. We have movedon from those dark days to a period wherewe can be proud of what we do.Community is a powerful word and onewe are now proud to use in relation toHardybutts today.Hardybutts is home to five young adultsaged between 16 and 25; they are eachstriving forwards to improve their skillsand future prospects. One has started anapprenticeship training program, another isdeveloping joinery skills and a third has beenoffered a position with St John’s AmbulanceService. They are tenants we are proudof, tenants that we can hold up as shiningexamples of the difference Adactus can maketo even the most disadvantaged of people.We also deliver life skills and a recentapplication to the Neighbourhood Fundnetted £500 to repair damaged walls,repaint the yard, install a rockery and putup a mosaic. The Repairs team could havedone this, but tenants wanted to do it forthemselves.We grow a variety of our own produce, teachtenants how to prepare these into healthyhome-cooked meals, and recent projectsincluded a “Fruit of the Week Club”.What a difference 4 years canmake!Housing Support Access PointFrom Monday July 30th 2012, Housing Support Access Point run byWigan & Leigh Housing became the single point of access for peoplewanting accommodation based housing support in the Wigan &Leigh area. Only one form needs to be completed for referrals toa range of projects. This includes those run by Adactus and thoseprovided by other organisations. HSAP covers referrals to supportedaccommodation at:• Hardybutts -Wigan, Leigh and Orrell (Young People aged 16-25) provided by Adactus• Brecon Close, Platt Bridge (Young People aged 16 -25)• Coops Foyer, Wigan (Young People aged 16 -25)• Railway Road Project, Leigh (aged 18 – 65)• Teenage Parents Project, Hindley (single mums with childrenup to age 4 or pregnant aged 16 to 25) Provided by Adactus.Agencies can complete a referral form on behalf of the people theyare working with and e-mail (or send by post) to the HSAP team atHSAP@walh.co.uk . If a person wants to apply themselves they alsohave to apply using the referral form.The referral system has changed in order to simplify theprocedure. The benefits to both us as providers of the supportedaccommodation and those applying are:• The Assessment process is faster because a lot moreinformation is provided at the referral stage• People are matched to the most appropriate accommodationfor their needs• One referral form for all means less paperwork.The new system has been running now for 2 months, Carol Bagshaw,Support Manager said “the new system is running well; we are nowconsidering using HSAP for floating support referrals.”If you know anyone who would like to be referred for supportedaccommodation you can either ring the Housing Support AccessPoint on 01942 486603 or email HSAP@walh.co.uk or if you would likemore information contact Carol Bagshaw:e-mail carol.bagshaw@adactushousing.co.uk or call the connectteam.THE BIG TODDLEat BAMBER COURTResidents at Bamber Court mother andbaby unit took part in the National Barnadoscoutrywide Big Toddle Event 2012 onThursday 20th September. Parents andchildren did a sponsored walk to raise moneyfor both Barnados and Bamber Court. 75%of the funds raised will go to Barnados andBamber Court will use 25% to help towardsfuture resident involvement projects.Six residents and their children walked intreacherous rain from Bamber Court to thelocal Sure Start centre in Hindley and back.When they returned staff provided a teaparty as a thank you for participating.Nuala Ward, support worker who organisedthe event said “It is fantastic to be able tohelp such a good cause with the addedbonus of making a difference on our owndoorstep. I’m so pleased that they stilltook part even though the weather was sodreadful.”At the time of going to press £100 hasbeen raised but if anyone would like tocontribute further please contactGemma Hewitt on 01942 263656 or emailgemma.hewitt@adactushousing.co.uk.inhouse | 27

Adactus Head OfficeTurner House, 56 King Street, Leigh, Lancs, WN7 4LJFor the out of hours emergency service please use the connect numbers.0845 505 3355 0300 111 1133Miles Platting Neighbourhood OfficeBaker House - 542 Oldham Road, Miles Platting, Manchester, M40 8BS T (0800) 234 6826 F (0161) 203 2600For the out of hours emergency service please call 0800 234 6826.Chorley Head OfficeChorley Community Housing Ltd, Ann James House,32-34 St Thomas Road, Chorley, PR7 1HRFor the out of hours emergency service please use the connect numbers.T (01257) 244 800 F (01257) 277 166www.adactushousing.co.uk28 | inhouse