We did! - Broadland Housing Association

doortodoorContents4 Around the HousesResident’sgroup goesfrom strengthto strengthMundesley summer fetehailed a great success.7 Involvement ZoneGetting involvedAll the news and updates on Area Forums, theVision Club and Out and About, plus news aboutThe National Conversation and a chance to meetour new team.5 Around the HousesSports day atLisbon CourtTenants, staff and their families enjoyed a sunnysports day in King’s Lynn.50s day atDell Rose CourtChildren from Bluebell Primary School joinedresidents and staff at Dell Rose Court in Norwichfor their annual open day, which this year wentwith a wartime theme.10 Meridian EastChangingLivesThe story of Sergio Lapaand how he found workwith help from one of ourour Training andEmployment Consultants.12 GardeningCompetition 2009Without further ado the winners can now berevealed...14Tenant publishes bookSteve Brusselen of Sorrel House has publisheda book called “The Escape”.6 Your Green SpaceTenants redesign theirenvironmentTenants of Joseph CloverCourt in Aylsham improvetheir communal courtyardusing a grant from theEnvironmentalImprovement Budget.Money MattersHelping you save moneyGreat deals from Bennetts Trade on white goods.15 Mears UpdateAn update on the transition to Mears and aninsight into the working day of a Mears TraineePlumber.Page 2 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 200916 You said we didAction we are taking following your feedback atthis year’s Tenants Conference.20 Customer ServicesManagers UpdateChanges to Allpay telephone numbers, yourchance to enter a special Christmas colouringcompetition and more...22 SeniorTenant’sNewsFocus onthe ForumOulton Court Feteand the Highgate planting project.23 Resident’s AreaA Harry Potter film review and recipe from Shane,more top tips, plus a poem and local art in thecreative corner.24 Kid’s CornerColouring competition!Colour in the seal and win a fantastic prize.25 PuzzleBack to SchoolWordsearch!Complete the wordsearch and return to us foryour chance to win a £10 shopping voucher.26 Service SatisfactionYour views on our performance.Are you up to date withyour rent account?You could win £100 in our rentreward scheme. See page 27A word from yourEditorial TeamWelcome to the Autumn edition of Door to Door.This month includes a special report on the serviceimprovements we are making as a result of yousharing your views at this year’s TenantsConference. The 2009 Gardening Competitionwinners are revealed and we have loads of newcompetitions for you.We are always looking for fresh ideas, so if youwould like to have your say on what we shouldinclude in the magazine or wish to contributesomething, please get in touch on the details below.To contribute in any edition of Door to Door,call 01603 750208, email marketing@broadlandhousing.org or send any photos orarticles to: Chris Andrews, Broadland HousingFreepost RRBC-GYGZ-XYEE, NCFC, Jarrold Stand,Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1HUEditorial Panel: Chris Andrews, Sarah Mortimer, SarahCook, Moll Robb, Heather Angell, David Empson, IanRobertson, Adam Clark.Contributors: Julia Crook, Jean Best, Heather Angell,Ian Robertson, Charlie Conley, Margaret Bryant, CeliaNorris, Jane Dove, Darren Broughton, Shane Smith,Stephani Davis, Ross Bangs, Kay Arnold, AngelaBullock, Kate Fielder, Florence John, Anne Brighton,Suzi Heybourne, Louise Archer, David Empson.www.broadlandhousing.orgCustomer Service: 0303 303 0003Out of hours emergency repairs 01732 781974Head Office: NCFC, Jarrold Stand, Carrow Road,Norwich, NR1 1HU.Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 8.30am -6pm. Friday 8.30am - 5pm.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 3

doortodoorAroundtheHouses - Lisbon CourtSports Day at Lisbon CourtThe tenants, staff, families and friends of Lisbon Court in KingsLynn enjoyed a sunny sports day on Saturday 15 August, whichincluded an array of interesting events.A wheel chair race, where tenantsshowed nerves of steel being pushedby energetic staff. An exciting gameof rounders was had, in which nippygrandchildren runners produced a fewhome runs, despite the best efforts ofhelp from Labrador fielders. Therewas also a ‘wheel chair pick up anddress up race’ which produced someodd outfits and a number of highlycompetitive sack races.The Sack RaceTwo tenants hadthe difficult taskof choosing awinner for thepet competition,after deepdeliberation thejudges chose thebearded dragon;the competitionJake with his awardwinning reptileincluded a snake, a chicken andwaggy tailed dogs, very tough!Everyone had fish and chips for lunchand for those watching theirwaistlines, the kitchen staff madedelicious salad platters.A great day was had by all, thanks tothe hard work of the staff and fantasticsupport from the tenants, their familiesand friends, who were all willing toparticipate to make it a memorableand fun day for all.AroundtheHouses -Sorrel HouseBroadlandTenant gets firstbook publishedIt has come to our attention thatwe have an author living in ourmidst at Sorrel House inBowthorpe.The title of his first bookto be published is THEESCAPE by SteveBrusselen. The story isset in Thailand andsee’s an ex-SASsoldier race acrossseveral continents torescue the daughterof a wealthybusinessman from a lengthy prisonsentence after being set up andsentenced for drug smuggling. Willhe make it?Buy the book and solve yourcuriosity.AroundtheHouses - Dell Rose Court50s Day at Dell Rose CourtSchool children from Bluebell PrimarySchool and residents of ShelteredHousing schemes joined residents andstaff at Dell Rose Court in Norwich fortheir annual open day, which this yearwent with a wartime theme.All that attended enjoyed an entertainersinging wartime classics as well as abuffet lunch which included food anddrink from the period, with some staffand residents also choosing to sportcostumes from the era.The event was a great success andprovided an excellent opportunity toshow older people, their families andhealthcare professionals how Housingwith Care can help older people to liveas independently as possible within aPage 4 • www.broadlandhousing.orgsafe and supportive environment.If you would like to know more aboutHousing with Care, for you or someoneclose to you, call our manager of OlderPersons Services, Ross Bangs, on01603 750217.

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009AroundtheHouses - MundesleyResidents Group goes fromStrength to StrengthYou may remember we reported in the last editionon the formation of a new Residents Associationin the Mundesley area, well, only a few monthsinto their existence and they were ready to stagetheir first summer extravaganza. Their summerfete took place on 5 August and was hailed agreat success.Local residents came together to put on a great numberof stalls, but by far the most popular with the childrenJonathan Wills personally congratulated the residents “forthe amazing work you are doing in the town” andeveryone at Broadland would like to say well done too!The fete is not their only success as many children fromthe local area took part in the Community East 5 a-sideFootball Tournament at Bowthorpe, with a group of boysin the under 14s, winning all their games to take thetrophy and a mixed team of boys and girls came runnersup in the under 10’s category.We look forward to celebrating your next achievements.was the giant inflatable slide and trying out the police car.Jonathan Wills from Anglia TV very kindly opened the feteand he was also willing to go in the stocksand have wet sponges thrown at him.The aim of the fete was to bring thewhole community together, which wasdefinitely achieved and a grand totalof £312.35 was raised, which will beused to provide further activities forlocal children.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 5

doortodooryourgreensp ceTenants redesign their environmentJoseph Clover Court is situated in theheart of Aylsham and holds 21 onebedroom maisonettes located off acentral courtyard. Tenants approachedtheir Neighbourhood Officer, MargaretBryant about making someimprovements to the communalcourtyard and an application was madefor a grant from the EnvironmentalImprovement Budget.Tenants and Broadland staff met tooutline the proposals and the grant wasapproved. The design features astunning pagoda style structure whichwill have plants growing around it withthe feet of the pagoda mounted in largeboxes filled with plants. Also, all homeshave window boxes and the overalleffect has really brightened up the area.This will provide a communal area forall the tenants of Joseph Clover Court,with benches for them to enjoy thesummer evenings. This was a trulyjoint effort with staff and tenantsworking side by side and the resultswere fantastic.Area Manager for the East regionCharlie Conley said ‘The great thingabout this project was the fact that thetenants designed the changesthemselves and were also able to getinvolved with the works.One tenant remarked ‘There is a realsense of community pride here today’and another told us that we had‘exceeded their expectations’.If you think your area could beimproved in any way, you too canapply for funding from theEnvironmental Improvement Budget.Contact your Neighbourhood Officerand set the ball rolling.Help us save the environment withthe way you receive Door to DoorBoth of the initiatives below will help us to save the environment, reduceour carbon footprint and give us more resources to fund fantasticschemes like the Joseph Clover Court transformation, described above.Door to Door by EmailDo you have access to the internet andregularly use email? Do you like to be the firstto know what’s going on?Would you be willing to receive your copy of Doorto Door by email rather than a printed copy in thepost?If so, email marketing@broadlandhousing.org with yourname and address. We willremove you from the postalmailing list and you will receive allfuture editions straight to yourinbox.DeliveryVolunteersDo you like to get out ofthe house and meet yourneighbours?We appreciate that some people do not have accessto the internet or prefer to receive printed documents,so we are therefore asking for volunteers who wouldbe willing to distribute the magazine to the otherresidents where they live. This could be as few, or asmany properties as you wish.If you think you could help emailmarketing@broadlandhousing.org or contactChris Andrews on 01603 750208.Page 6 • www.broadlandhousing.org

iz involvement zoneworking together to make positive changes!areaforumsBelow are the dates and times of the next meetings:Greater Norwich – 27 October, 6.15pmGreat Yarmouth – 19 October, 6pmKings Lynn - 1 December, 6pmDereham – 10 November, 6pmWaveney – 30 November, 6pmAn opportunity to meet with fellow tenants and members ofstaff to address issues that effect all tenants and residents.Help shape and influence the decisions Broadland makethrough your local Area Forum.The Elms, Unthank RoadChristchurch, Great YarmouthSt Katherines Court, Dodmans CloseBroadland Office, Aldiss CourtOulton Court, LowestoftWe have also set up a new repairs and maintenance forum. If you would like to attend contact the ResidentInvolvement Team on the details below.Help us find real solutions to the issues that affect you.New Resident Participation Team!We would like to welcome our new ResidentParticipation Team, Sarah and Adam toBroadland Housing Association.Sarah Cook, ResidentParticipation Manager, joined uson July 1st and had previouslyworked as Team Leader in theCentral area for Meridian East.Sarah said: “I am very excitedabout my new role as ResidentParticipation Manager within theBroadland Housing Group andam looking forward to visiting theschemes and meeting as many tenants as possible in thecoming weeks. We would very much like to encourageand facilitate tenants to get involved and have an importantsay in the things that affect you most. There are a numberof ways to get involved and we hope to hear from you allsoon”.Adam Clark, Resident Participation Assistant, joined us onJuly 13th and had previously worked as a Crime andIncident Auditor at Norfolk Constabulary. Adam said“Having previously worked in an office based role I amlooking forward to getting out and meeting tenants andtrying to assist them in becomingactively involved with theBroadland Housing Group. Iwould particularly like toencourage Broadlands youngertenants to participate in theopportunities that are availableand have their opinions heard.”If you would like to get involved, there are many ways tocontact us. You can text the Resident Involvement Team on07781 482725, email tp@broadlandhousing.org or alternativelytelephone Sarah on 01603 750236 or Adam on 01603 750295.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 7

izinvolvement zonevisionclubVision Club members have recently reviewed the CustomerComplaints and Compensation Policy, which will help to shape thefuture standards you can expect from us, when handling yourcomplaints. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback onthe policy.The Vision Club is there for you to share your views in a way that suits yourlifestyle. You can choose the areas and services you are interested in andhow you would like to be consulted with i.e. through email, text, in writing,face to face or over the telephone.If you would like further information on the Vision Club please contactthe Resident Participation Team on the details on page 7.tenantsonlineDid you know you cannow access your rentaccount online or contactthe Association directly ona number of issues? Go towww.broadlandhousing.organd click on the ‘tenantsonline’ logo.NationalConversationUpdateThe Tenants Services Authority(TSA) is the new regulator for socialhousing and it is their job to ensurethat housing organisations providequality services, which are well runand financially viable. Their goal is toraise the standard of services thattenants receive and in order to dothis, they need to understand whatmatters to you.The first phase of the NationalConversation took place betweenJanuary and March 2009, duringwhich time 27,000 participatingtenants told the TSA about their keypriorities required from a landlordand the things they want the TSA tofocus on.What Tenants SaidThe tenants who took part listedtheir top priorities as being:• repairs and maintenance• ensuring homes are up to dateand in a decent condition• tackling Anti-Social Behaviour(ASB)• being consulted with by theirlandlordsThe TSA ProposalsThe TSA published their discussiondocument on the 9 June which setthe proposed areas for standardsetting which both landlords andtenants have the opportunity tocomment on to help the TSA shapethe future framework by whichlandlords will be monitored andimprove services for tenants. Thestandards are focused around sixthemes:• The Service Offer, e.g. Quality ofAccommodation, ASB andSecurity• Empowerment and Involvement• Tenancy Agreement• Governance• Viability• Value for MoneyPhase 2 of The NationalConversationThe second phase of consultationwill ensure that tenant priorities areincluded as part of the newstandards.Broadland Housing held four LocalConversation meetings throughoutJuly and August, enablingparticipants to have their say on theproposals. The feedback gatheredforms part of a report beingsubmitted to the TSA in September.Your feedback will also be sharedwith staff teams, so we cancontinue to improve our services.We would like to say a big thankyou to everyone who attended thesessions.If you wish to know more aboutthe TSA, visit the TSA website:www.tenantservicesauthority.orgor alternatively you may wish tocontact Sarah Cook, ResidentParticipation Manager on 01603750236 or Anne Brighton, DeputyDirector (Housing) on 01603750214.Page 8 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009Out & About Campaign 2009It’s been great to meet so many ofyou in your local communities overthe summer months. We have hadsome excellent feedback and we willbe producing feedback sheets for theEast, West and Central Area’s, to letyou know what we are doing aboutyour comments.Play Afternoons in the EastThe East Team have visited fourschemes after school to meet withthe children, play games, do someface painting and generally chat toparents about any issues they mayhave.Each session was well attended withapproximately 20 children andparents at each location.streetvoiceWe asked Ian Robertson of Howard Terrace to tell usabout his experience of being a street voice.How long have you been a Street Voice?I’ve been a Street Voice for almost a year now.How did you become a Street Voice?I heard about the Street Voice scheme and wasinterested, so volunteered because I saw it as a goodopportunity to give something back to my community.What is involved in being a Street Voice?Basically it’s about being available to listen to people. Iintroduced myself to neighbours and told them about myrole. I liaise between tenants and Broadland Housing toreport things that are happening in the area or concernsthat tenants have and give feedback to Broadland, bothpositive and negative.How do you get feedback from local residents?When I’m walking around near my home I speak toneighbours and ask whether they have anything theyneed to report to Broadland and I see what I can do tohelp.What is good about being a Street Voice?It brings out my natural talents and has given meconfidence because it gives me an opportunity to dothings I wouldn’t normally do! It allows me to get out andtalk to people. It’s nice to be part ofsomething and allows me to givesomething back to my community. Iwould say if you live alone it’s agood opportunity to reach out toother people, because you neverknow when you might need helpfrom other people yourself.If you would like to find outhow you can become aStreet Voice pleasecontact the ResidentParticipation Teamon the details onpage 7.Street VoiceIan Robertsonof Howard TerraceContact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 9

doortodoorMeridian EastBroadland Tenant begins a newlife with the help of Meridian EastFollowing Meridian East’s merge with Broadland Housing a pilotscheme was launched earlier this year to help Broadland tenantsget back into employment.Many tenants started to seek helpfrom Meridian East and for onetenant in particular, enlisting the helpof Meridian East was a life changingexperience.Following the success of the pilotproject, we now hope to help evenmore of you access employment andtraining through our partnerorganisation Meridian East.Sergio’s StorySergio Lapa became a tenant ofBroadland Housing when through nofault of his own, he found himself tobe simultaneously unemployed andhomeless, when he lost his job ofPage 10 • www.broadlandhousing.orgseveral years, which also provided hishousing. He moved into temporaryaccommodation at St James Lodgeand was referred to Meridian East byhis Tenancy Support Worker. He soonmet with friendly, Training andEmployment Consultant, DarrenBroughton to discuss his aspirationsand discover how Meridian East couldhelp him.When Sergio first joined his traininggroup he was very quiet and did notparticipate. Because English was hissecond language, Sergio foundcommunicating and engaging difficult.“Sergio undertook various skillssessions to boost his self-confidenceand started working towards anationally recognised ConstructionSkills Certification Scheme, anessential qualification for his chosenarea of work and he also joinedMeridian East’s job club to get helpwith searching for employment in hislocal area.At this point, Sergio developed a newfound confidence and began to join inmore with group discussions, hiscommunication skills improved andonce his confidence grew his Englishimproved a lot. Sergio began to takethe lead in some group discussionsand was more than happy to voice hisopinion.He completed further qualifications inLiteracy & Numeracy and becamemuch more confident about applyingfor jobs and added more informationto his existing CV which said moreabout him and his personality.The OutcomeFollowing the completion of hisprogramme, Sergio applied for aposition with Norfolk County Councilas a Hygiene Technician and followinghis two week probationary period, hebecame employed on a full time basis.I am very happy with the help and supportI got from the team at Meridian East”Sergio proudly announced to histraining group that he had beenoffered a job and added “I am veryhappy with the help and support I gotfrom the team at Meridian East”.Sergio has since proved himself to bea hard worker and has been offeredmore responsibilities by his employer.Nigel First, Norfolk County Counciladded “Sergio is a very good worker”.Meridian East - Top training and support!Meridian East has beenrecognised as one of the toptraining and support providersin the countryIn a recent Performance Reviewcarried out by the Department forWork and Pensions (DWP), MeridianEast was recognised as the topprovider of the Government’sWorkstep Programme in the EasternRegion and one of the top providersin the country.Work Step is a national programmefunded by the DWP and is designedto help people with disabilities moveinto and sustain, supported andopen employment.Between April 2008 and March 2009Meridian East found jobs for 28people and managed to progresspeople into training and employmentat twice the rate above regional andnational averages.

Out ofWork?Need helpaccessing:EmploymentTrainingAnd SupportWe can help!Call Meridian East now on01603 667525 or speak to anymember of Broadland Housing StaffMeridian East Open Days - Coming soon!Would you like the opportunity to learn new skills, such as ICT or improve your employability skills?At Meridian East we offer training in small groups, within a friendly and supportive environment.We offer a variety of tailored courses to suit your individual needs. The courses are offered in a range of levels suitablefor beginners and those wishing to improve their skills. They are FREE to anyone receiving qualifying benefits.Look out for open days in your local area coming soonor call us for further information!Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 11

doortodoorGardeningCompetition2009Well done to everyone whoentered this year’scompetition, without furtherado the winners can now berevealed...Overall Judges Comment“A very high standard of entries which made judgingdifficult and in some cases only one point between firstand second place. The interest in growing vegetables isnotable across all competitors however the mostimportant aspect was the enthusiasm and knowledge ofthe entrants. Well done to everyone”.Mr and Mrs Bridges, WatlingtonBest Garden WinnersMr and Mrs Raymond, MildenhallBest garden Runners UpPage 12 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009Janet Moore, Great YarmouthInnovation of Space AwardJulie Roche, Dereham, Best NewcomerWoodcote, Hethersett, Best Community GardenRobert Kett CourtWymondhamBest Community GardenRunner UpMaurice Fellows, Aylsham, Best Balcony/Window Box WinnerJoan Salzedo, AylshamBest Window Box Runner UpJanice Simons, Kings Lynn, Best Courtyard / Small Garden WinnerShirley Kenton Barnes, NorwichBest Courtyard Runner UpContact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 13

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Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009Mears Updatennual Gas ServicingYour Safety is our priority. TheAssociation has a legal obligation tocarry out an annual gas service andsafety check to all properties, wherethere is a gas supply. It’s reallyimportant that you allow access intoyour home for this work to be carriedout.You will be contacted by MearsGroup plc giving you a date onwhich they intend to call. Thisappointment will be before theexisting gas certificate expires at yourproperty. If you are unable to makethe appointment, you will be askedto contact the telephone number onthe letter. Please use this! We wantyou to be safe!All operatives have now been provided with full uniform and all carrya Mears ID, as do our Supervisors, Inspectors, Managers, andCustomer Care Officers.At this year’s Tenants Conference, we asked for your ideas on how we shouldre-brand our maintenance vans. We received many good suggestions and‘Broadland Housing Repair Service’ was the final name chosen from acombination of your ideas.We would like to say a big thank you to all who took part in the competitionand as we were unable to have one clear winner, each of the tenants whotook part will be receiving a £10 High Street voucher. We will also be askingfor your comments on the new van logos through your local Area Forummeetings.Mears are also attending Coffee Mornings at all of Broadland’s ShelteredHousing Schemes and if we have not been to your scheme yet, we will bethere soon! The purpose of these mornings is to share up to dateinformation regarding repairs and also to find out what you would like us tocontribute to your scheme. This could be a morning involving a shorttalk/discussion or something of a more physical nature. On a recent visit toOulton Court, one resident was keen to learn Pole Dancing, but we settled fora slightly less energetic ‘movement to music’ class.Help with community projectsThis really is your chance to have your say about what you think of Mearsand what we can do to help. Please contact Customer CareOfficer, Cynthia Proctor on 07825 326381 for further details.We also want to hear about any community projects we maybe able to help with. Any ideas are welcome. If you feel youhave a project in mind please contact me directly on 01953713034.Julia Crook - Partnering ManagerA Day in the life of a Trainee PlumberMy name is KayArnold, I am atrainee plumber withMears Plc. I haveworked for thecompany since dayone of the contractwith Broadland Housing. I work withthe Kitchen Installation Team andtravel all over Norfolk and NorthSuffolk, helping to fit the kitchens,ensuring that all properties meet the‘Decent Homes’ standard.As a team we have to complete twonew kitchens every three to four days,so I’m under constant pressure to getmy work done on time! The first dayof the installations are always mybusiest as I have two new sinks toplumb in by the end of the day, toensure the residents have runningwater to use that evening and to allowthe carpenters to get on the followingmorning. There are always extraplumbing duties to carry out; such asmoving radiators to allow new units togo in, or re-routing pipe-work toenable washing machines to berelocated.After the first day I get involved withother duties, such as; preparing unitdoors for fitting, collecting materialsfrom suppliers and even tiling thewalls! When the kitchens arecomplete, I have to ensure thatwashing machines and dishwashersare reconnected and plumbed inproperly ready for use. It’s never dull inthe kitchen team, we have developeda good understanding of each othersroles and have to work well as a teamto ensure we complete the kitchenson time. Working with severaldifferent tradesmen has given me theopportunity to learn many differentskills that would not have beenpossible if I worked on my own. Ihope this gives you an insight into myworking day.KayContact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 15

doortodoorYou said We DidBelow are details of the views you expressed at this year’s Tenants’ Conference and the action we aretaking as a result. The feedback focuses on the three main areas of: Planned Repairs and EnergySaving, Housing Management and Meridian East.Feedback about Planned Repairs and Energy SavingYou Said: Can we reviewheating systems and windowsin the cyclical maintenanceprogramme?You Said: Can we invest in loftand wall insulation?We Did: We are currently reviewing the type of heating systems we use whencarrying out replacement installations. We have been investigating greenerapproaches to heating, including both air and ground source heat pumps, wherethis is suitable.We are concentrating on properties that have a low energy performance ratingand in those homes we are assessing how to make improvements. Windows willbe part of this assessment, including the provision of secondary glazing to singleglazed windows.We Did: Properties with electric heating systems need 200 mm of loft insulationand ideally also need their cavity walls filled. We are currently carrying outsurveys to ensure that we are achieving this on all applicable homes. We haveso far completed this programme of work to 71 properties and are prioritisingthese improvements when setting maintenance budgets.You Said: When bathroomreplacements are carried out,can showers rather than bathsbe provided and can extractorfans also be provided?We Did: We plan to provide showers overbaths within properties that are built from2010 onwards. We are currently assessingthe costs of providing extractor fans and thisinformation will be fed into the 2010/11budget debate.You Said: Can investment bemade in water butts andgarden waste bins?We Did: We retain a budget for community led environmental improvementschemes. We encourage bids for this money from tenants and, subject tohaving the funds available, we normally support projects such as compost bins,water butts, raised planting beds and anything with anenvironmental theme. We will investigate whether wecan secure any grant funding from other organisationsfor compost bins and water butts, but at present wehave not found any.You Said: Can we promotewhat people can dothemselves to save energy andimprove their environment?We Did: We will continue to promote anything that people can get involved inthemselves in our ‘Door to Door’ magazine, forexample: Energy saving tips, how to apply forthe Environmental Improvement Budget andevents such as the gardening competition andlitter picking. You can also visit the ‘Your GreenSpace’ page of our website to find out more.Page 16 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009You Said: Can there be moreconsultation about kitchendesigns?We Did: We have begun to hold maintenance forums which give you a chance tofeedback on the type of kitchens available, who supplies them and the design andlayout of kitchens. There will also be a chance to talk about other maintenanceissues at the forums. To find out when the next Maintenance Forum is, contact ourResident Participation Team on 01603 750236 or 01603 750295.You Said: Can the periodsbetween bathroomreplacements be reduced?We Did: We will consider this issue, however, if we were to replace bathroomsmore frequently it would increase the amount of money we spend on bathroomsand might mean that costs would need to be cut in other areas, for example,kitchen replacement. This is one of the issues that will also be discussed at theMaintenance Forums mentioned above.You Said: Can there be moreinspections of planned works?We Did: At the moment our maintenance contractor, Mears inspect all theplanned works for us. Broadland Housing surveyors check 10% of those andfeedback any findings to Mears. We always welcome any feedback from you onplanned works that have been carried out. This issue will also be discussed atthe Maintenance Forums.You Said: Communicationneeds to improve.We Did: In order to give you anopportunity to talk to us directly aboutany issues that are concerning youwith planned repairs, we have startedholding the Maintenance Forumsmentioned above. If you are interestedin coming along to one of the forums,contact our Resident ParticipationTeam on 01603 750236 or 01603750295.Feedback about Housing ManagementYou Said: We don’t know whoour Neighbourhood Team areand what the mainresponsibilities of TenancySupport Workers,Neighbourhood Officers andIncome Recovery Officers are.We Did: We will be sendingout information in eachedition of our Door to Doormagazine with details ofwho your local teams areand what they do. The firstteam to be featured will bethe team that looks after theWest area followed by theEast, Central andSupported Teams in futureeditions. We will also bemaking all this informationavailable on our website.www.broadlandhousing.orgContact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 17

doortodoorYou Said: Can wecommunicate where and howyou can pay your rent better.Many people who attended theconference didn’t know thatyou could pay your rent onlineor over the telephone.We Did: As a result of the feedback fromthe conference our staff now advisecustomers who telephone us about thedifferent ways to pay. We are alsolooking at how we can includeinformation about how to pay your rentin our letters, and have already includeddetails about rent payment in yourquarterly printed rent statements.You Said: You also requestedthat we improvecommunication regarding rentincreases.We Did: We sent a leaflet out with the rent increase letters for 2009/10 and wealso put an article in the spring edition of Door to Door, however we dounderstand that we do need to do more to explain how rents are set before wesend out the rent increase letters. There will be an article in the winter edition ofDoor to Door explaining how rents are set and comparing our rents with otherlocal landlords.You Said: We need to improvefeedback available from theTenant Forum Meetings andResident Associations.We Did: In future we will publish the minutes from all forums held on our website(www.broadlandhousing.org). If you would like to be involved in the Tenants Forumsor you would like to be sent a copy of the minutes of a forum meeting please contactAdam Clark our Resident Participation Assistant on 01603 750295.The work of the various Resident Associations is promoted in Door to Door, tosee an example of this go to page 5 of this edition to read about the work of theMundsley Residents Association. If you would like to find out more about settingup your own Residents Association please contact Sarah Cook our ResidentParticipation Manager on 01603 750236.You Said: We should providecrèche facilities whilst meetingsare being held.You Said: Sheltered Schemetenants want to see office staffat regular scheme meetings.We Did: To help you to attend events andmeetings we do already pay costs to help withtransport, carer and child care costs. We dowant to continue to try and enable everyone,who would like to, to get involved. If you haveany issues that are making it difficult for you tocome along to meetings or events do pleasecontact our Resident Participation Team to findout more about the help we can offer.We Did: In the future Team Leaders willattend the quarterly meetings held at allsheltered schemes (this began on 15thJuly at The Cedars).You Said: You were not awareof our Tenancy SupportService.We Did: We will be sending out information in each editionof our Door to Door magazine with details of who your localTeam are and what they do. In this edition we haveintroduced the West Team including their Tenancy SupportWorker, Katie Docherty and the work that she does. Wealso promoted the service on our recent ‘Out and About’campaigns. You can also find out more about our TenancySupport Service in the customer section of our website.Page 18 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009You Said; The TenancySupport Service should notonly be more involved withhelping both the victims ofproblems such as Anti-SocialBehaviour (ASB) but also workwith the perpetrators to helpchange their behaviour andprevent future problems.We Did:We will carry out a full review of the TenancySupport Service in order to identifyareas that can be improved.You Said: Tenancy SupportWorkers should providesupport to help customersreduce debt and workproactively with agencies topromote credit unions.We Did: Staff on the ‘Out and About’campaign visiting our customers areactively promoting the Credit Union, and are leaving information on howto apply to the credit union with any customers who are interested in finding outmore. We also advertise the Norfolk Credit Union in every edition of Door toDoor and leaflets on managing debt and avoiding loan sharks are displayed at allour offices.Feedback about Meridian EastYou Said: You would like aleaflet, separate to the Door toDoor magazine, on theservices Meridian East (ME)provide.We Did: We are currently producing a leaflet explainingthe training services Meridian East (ME) offer which willbe available to all our tenants and we are working onthe ME website to ensure that details of all the coursesME run are available.You Said: We are veryinterested in IT training,especially for older people.We Did: We are currently looking into how we can provide this type of trainingfor our tenants and are talking to organisations such as the Learning and SkillsCouncil and UK.Online which may be able to help us fund it.You Said: There is a lack ofservices in Suffolk with regardto support into employment.We Did: At the moment ME are investigating increasing service provision inSuffolk. Broadland Housing and ME staff can give out information on othersimilar organisations that maybe able to help.You Said: Some people do notassociate the name MeridianEast with employment, asthere is nothing in the name tosuggest this.We Did: We are holding focusgroups with Broadland Tenants,ME customers and staff toinvestigate this further and willtake feedback into accountwhen we are reviewing themarketing of ME.You Said: You would likeMeridian East to come and visitindividuals in order to offer aservice and hear moreinformation, rather than havingto visit a branch.We Did: Meridian East staff havebeen taking part in our ‘Out andAbout’ campaign, visitingBroadland Housing tenants intheir homes and leavinginformation with any customerswho are interested.If you would like to find out moreabout the services that ME offer call01603 667525 or emailenquiries@meridian-east.org.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 19

doortodoorCustomer Services Managers UpdateChange oftelephonenumbersAllpay are changing theirnumbers to the 0844prefix to make calls cheaper for customers.The new numbers are in place with immediate effectand will run alongside the existing linesuntil the end of October 2009.After this date any calls made tothe old 0870 numbers will beautomatically diverted with amessage explaining the change.This will ensure there is nodisruption to services.The new numbers are as follows:General enquiries: 0844 225 5729Fax: 0844 557 8350Telephone payments: 0844 557 8321Or visit www.allpay.net/contact.ComplaintsSwine FluOur Management Team recently met to discuss theoutbreak of swine flu and it’s potential impact on ourservices. We have put suitable measures in place toensure we can continue to provide your servicesshould the outbreak escalate.FeedbackWe always take your feedback seriously and will alwaysdo our best to solve your problems, but it is also nicewhen you give us praise (see letter opposite).Number ofcomplaints resolved(April – June 09)28Outstandingcomplaints as at30th June 0921Telephone Performance– 0303 303 0003% of callsanswered within18 seconds1008060April May June74% 80% 81%4020What lessons have we learned as a result?Improved quality of letter writing through staff training.Ensure customers are kept informed of complaintprogress.% of callsanswered –target 95%10080604020April May June96% 95% 97%Page 20 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009Design the Broadland Housing Christmas CardWe know it’s a bit early to be thinking about Christmas but for this edition we have a special drawing /colouring competition that we need to tell you about now! This is open to everyone, adults andchildren alike. We would like you to come up with a Christmas Card design, which incorporates aBroadland Housing theme.The winning entry will have their design published as our Christmas E-card, which will be sent out to all our partner organisations. The winnerwill also receive a special prize and there will be colouring sets up forgrabs for two lucky runners up.If you would like to enter, send your designs to: Christmas ColouringCompetition, FREEPOST RRBC-GYGZ-XYEE, Broadland HousingAssociation, NCFC, Jarrold Stand, Carrow Road,Norwich, NR1 1HURemembering to state your name, age and address.The deadline for entries is Friday 27 November.So what are you waiting for, get your creative festive hats on and get cracking!Letter from acustomer atDell Rose CourtDear Broadland,T hank you to all atBroadland Housing foryour help and support.All your efforts arevery much appreciated– i couldn’t havemanaged without you.You are a very closeknitteam andcompletelyprofessional but havemanaged to retain thepersonal touch which isbecoming so rarethese days. You careand it shows.Magnifiers!We have recently distributed readingmagnifiers to all our Sheltered andHousing with Care schemes. If youhave trouble reading small print andwould like a free Broadland Housingmagnifier please call CustomerServices who will be happy to postone out to you.Call 0303 303 0003 to get yours now!Did you know?New TenantHandbookIf you have not received a copy of your newrevised tenants handbook, please call amember of the Customer Services teamwho will happily send one out to you,along with the new Customer Charter.Copies of both are also available fromeach of our offices.The Tenant Resource Centre at The Elms, Unthank Road, Norwich isopen every Thursday from 10am to 4pm.You can access the internet for free and get help with any housingrelated matters. Why not give it a try or call Customer Services forfurther information.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 21

doortodoorsenior tenant’s newsOulton Court 2nd Annual FeteOulton Court held their 2nd AnnualSummer Fete on Saturday 18 Julyand it was another great success.Neighbours and friends were able totake part in a grand raffle, with someprizes gratefullyreceived from ourrepair partnerMears. Therewas a bouncycastle and face painting for the children, along with aTombola stall, home made cakes and refreshments to name a few. Althoughthe weather this summer has been very hit or miss, the sun just aboutmanaged to stay out. The residents of Oulton Court would like to thankeveryone who helped make it a success.Highgate Planting ProjectResidents of St Katherine’s Court in Kings Lynn were invited by the BoroughCouncil to participate in the Highgate Community Planting Project.Chairperson, Margaret Kettlewell, Social Club Secretary, Sadie Rose, Resident,Edna Chinnery and Scheme Manager, Florence John, volunteered theirservices and headed down to thegreen area between Wyatt Street andHighgate to scatter some wild seeds.As you can see from the pictures wedid more than just scattering seeds.Our involvement with the projectcame about following a coffeemorning visit from NeighbourhoodSupport Worker, Andy Chu. The ideaof these partnerships is to empowerresidents to get more involved withtheir local community. We would urgeother Sheltered Housing groups tolook out for similar initiatives in theirarea, that they can get involved withand we hope to start our owncommunity fete in the future.Focus on the ForumThe next meeting of the Senior Tenants Forum will take place onThursday 15 October at Woodcote, Firs Road, Hethersett, from 11am.If you have any items for discussion that are a common issue for all olderpersons then please raise your concerns with your scheme representative.The minutes and action plan will be posted on all older person schemenoticeboards.Broadland Recipe CardShane’s Pasta Salad RecipeThis is a recipe my good friendCraig Molden sent me. It’s aproper American recipe, sincehe lives in Philadelphia!Boil 500gms of a pasta of yourchoice (Penne, Fusilli etc.), thendrain and let pasta cool. Add twocups of your favourite type ofcheese, sliced pepperoni, onegreen pepper (chopped fine), onecan of sliced olives (black orgreen), two tomatoes (chopped),one cucumber or zucchini(chopped). Add one bottle ofItalian salad dressing, a sprinklingof salt, pepper and oregano, stireverything together and serve.Heathers Top Tips• Adding a teaspoon of lemon juiceto the cooking oil when frying fish,not only improves the taste, butmakes the pan easier to clean.• Tea lights in jam jars make veryeffective lighting/decoration foroutdoor events.• Line kitchen scales with cling filmbefore weighing out stickyingredients.• Save small pieces of soap in anold nylon stocking to hang near anoutside tap to use after gardening.• Jazz up light cords by threadingthem with beads.• If space is short in your kitchen,use stacking or folding chairs anda table with a drop down leaf.Page 22 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009ResidentsAreaThis month see’s Shane come up trumps with a film review and recipe, along with another poem fromIan, a painting by our resident artist David Empson and some more great tips from Heather. If youwould like to contribute anything from film, game, book or CD reviews, to poems, recipes and top tips,please get in touch on the details on page 3.Film ReviewHarry Potter and theHalf Blood Prince (12A)By Shane SmithThis is the sixth andpenultimate movie inwhat has become a multimillion pound franchise.Eventually it will becomean eight part set (as‘Deathly Hallows’ will bea two parter) telling thestory of Harry, Hermioneand Ron, and their(mis)adventures atHogwarts school ofwitchcraft and wizardry.The movie begins almostexactly where ‘Order ofThe Phoenix’ left off. The Battles between Voldemort andDumbledore, the Students and the Death Eaters, and thedeath of Harry’s Godfather, Sirius Black are all but amemory, leaving Harry under the scrutiny of the wizardworld equivalent of the Paparazzi. The only people he isable to turn to are his friends and the tutors themselvesas nobody believes him!There are many moments in this film that do make yougiggle (there is a scene where Harry has just drunk someliquid luck and is describing the pincers on a spider withcomic effect) and some that are quite upsetting (a majordeath occurs in this movie. If you’ve read the book,you’ll know who I mean, if not, READ THEM!!!)I have to say, I review this as a fan of the books and thefilms, and I left feeling very disappointed. The writershave cut a lot out of the book in order to make the moviean accessible two and a half hours and they have madethe mistake of cutting out some parts very important tothe plot. There are scenes which should be in the filmand aren’t and some topics raised in the book are onlyvery briefly touched on in the film. I actually rate this asthe worst movie of the franchise and therefore only give ita disappointing 2½ out of 5.Creative cornerSummer SongThe sun is out!So lets get out!And have some funIn the sunA little work to start the dayThen evening comes lets get away!In the park when its not so darkKicking ballsHanging aroundWhere shouts of joy and laughter soundAt the seasideFish and chipsWith Stevie BoyOh what a joy!Sitting in a pub gardenSoaking up the sunshineWhats yours?PARDON?Arms entwinedStaring at the night skyEverywhere in silenceTwo lovers kissOh what summer blissBy Ian RobertsonDavids PictureThis picture is David Empson’s painting of the RedRoaster Coffee Bar and Libbys Florist on Grove Road.Residents living in the local area may well recognise it.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 23

doortodoorkids cornerAUTUMN Colouring CompetitionWell done to Chloe Warner of Norwich, aged 3½, forher colouring of Willow andcongratulations to Tyrese BarnesGrant of Mildenhall, aged 8, forPickles, both were winnersof our SummerCompetition.Colour in the picture of theseal, don’t forget to givehim (or her?) a name andsend to us at the address belowby Friday 23 October 2009,stating your name, age and address.As before; we will pick winners for 5years and under, and 6 and over,both will win acolouring set and gettheir pictures in thenext edition of Door toDoor.Colouring Competition,FREEPOST RRBC-GYGZ-XYEE, Broadland Housing Association,NCFC, Jarrold Stand, Carrow Road,Norwich, NR1 1HUCheck out the special Christmas Colouring Competition on page 21 too!Page 24 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009puzzle - Back to School WordsearchI Y D U T S E P T E M B E R N U R S E HS L I C N E P A V C H A L K B O A R D ED B N E G N I N R A E L V E R L M E T SO E M Y O S E I D U T S L A I C O S S TO L C C L H C O U R S E S O O L O C E RR L F I D H I S S L R L S N N P R L C AS J I K F G O M C E A T L E I E H A N EE A R C R F A M K H N P W A N N C S E GL N S A I X O C E E O F I T C S N S I AU I T P E E O L M W R O S C R L U R C UR T D K N L C N O I O U L M N I L O S GF O A C D E G A E O B R O Y N I S O R NS R Y A S I K N F L H O K T A E R M R AY E P B S L D C O E R C E E C R W P I LA S Z S E S I O O H T R S R T H D M Y EW A A Z D N H B T L C E E T N E D U T SL R D E I C R A R O C T R R E H C A E TL E S U S U B O M A A M U I S A N M Y GA K H T A M Q C L R R A T I A R E P A PH B I N D E R O Y L N Y N O T E B O O KFor your chance to win a £10 gift voucher, find andcircle all the school related words hidden in the grid.The remaining letters spell a Mark Twain quotation.ASSIGNMENTS, BACKPACK, BATHROOM, BELL,BINDER, CAFETERIA, CHALKBOARD, CLASSROOM,CLOCK, COURSES, DESK, DOORS, ENROLL,ERASER, EXAMS, FIRST DAY, GYMNASIUM,HALLWAY, HOMEWORK, INTERCOM, JANITOR,LANGUAGE ARTS, LEARNING, LIBRARY, LOCKER,LUNCHROOM, MATH, NEW FRIENDS, NOTEBOOK,NURSE, OLD FRIENDS, PADLOCK, PAPER, PENCILS,PENS, PRINCIPAL, QUIZZES, ROLL CALL, RULES,SCHOOL BUS, SCHOOL OFFICE, SCHOOLYARD,SCIENCE, SECRETARY, SEPTEMBER, SOCIALSTUDIES, STUDENT, STUDY, TEACHERAll entries to be returned by Friday 30 October 2009.Please remember to include you name and addresswith your completed puzzle, we have beenreceiving some with missing contactdetails.Wordsearch, FREEPOSTRRBC-GYGZ-XYEE,Broadland HousingAssociation, NCFC, JarroldStand, Carrow Road,Norwich, NR1 1HU.Congratulations to Mr Halesworth of Worlingham for his winning entry in the last edition.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 25

doortodoorservice satisfaction feedbackBelow are the results of your service satisfaction from January to March 2009. We monitor our performance closelyand are working hard to ensure we address any areas where our performance has dropped. It is important for you toprovide us with feedback, so that we can ensure you receive the highest standard of service possible.If you would like further performance information you can view full reports and action plans for all service areas on ourwebsite www.broadlandhousing.org or call 0303 303 0003 to request paper copies.% of tenants satisfied with the service provided ■ Q3 2008-09 ■ Q4 2008-09 I TargetAids and adaptationsAnti social behaviourComplaintsEnd of tenancyGas servicingNew tenancyReceptionno data available0 20 40 60 80 100% of tenants very or fairly satisfied with their new property ■ Q3 2008-09 ■ Q4 2008-09 I TargetOverallQualityDesignLayoutno data availableno data availableno data availableno data available0 20 40 60 80 100Please note there were no new properties completed in quarter 3% of tenants who were satisfied with the quality of the repair ■ Q3 2008-09 ■ Q4 2008-09 I TargetAll repairsResponsive repairsMajor repairsCyclical - external decoration0 20 40 60 80 100% of tenants who were satisfied with the repairs service ■ Q3 2008-09 ■ Q4 2008-09 I TargetAll repairsResponsive repairsMajor repairsCyclical - external decoration0 20 40 60 80 100Page 26 • www.broadlandhousing.org

Broadland Housing Association Tenant’s Magazine • Autumn 2009Are you up to date withyour rent account?These people are, and they have all received£100 in shopping vouchers as winners of ourrent reward scheme.This couldbe you!Every three months we hold a prize draw foreveryone with an up-to-date rent account.The lucky winners from the Summer Editionare: Mrs Franklin of Oulton Broad, Mr andMrs Bolton of Dereham, and Ms Gorrod andMr Gooda of Bowthorpe.There are 3 x £100 of vouchers to be wonin every draw.The scheme is open to all residential tenants,including tenants who receive Housing Benefit andentry will be automatic.Entry is limited to one per household.To qualify, entrants must:Hold a Broadland tenancy in the three monthsrunning up to the prize draw.Maintain a rent account that is free from arrears ormaintain an agreement, without fail, to reduce arent arrears debt, for six months before the prizedraw.If you are a lucky winner then we would like to useyour photo in future editions of Door to Door.A list of prize winners from the Autumn prize draw willbe contacted directly and announced in the nextedition of Door to Door. The winners list will also beavailable from Broadland’s Head Office, NCFC, JarroldStand, Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1HU.This publication is our quarterlytenants newsletter. If you wouldlike this document or any otherBroadland document in largeprint, Braille, on audiotape/audioCD or in another language please telephone 0303303 0003Portuguese/PortuguêsEsta publicação é o nosso boletim informativotrimestral dos inquilinos. Se desejar obter estedocumento ou quaisquer outros documentos deBroadland em impressão grande, Braille, gravaçãode áudio ou Disco Compacto (CD) ou em outroidioma, por favor ligue 0303 303 0003Lithuanian/LietuviškaiŠi publikacija yra kas tris mnesius leidžiamasnuomininkų informacinis laikraštukas. Jeinortumte šį dokumentą ar bet kurį kitąBroadland dokumentą gauti dideliu šriftu, Brailioraštu, audiokasete/audio kompaktinio diskoformatu ar kita kalba, prašome skambinti 0303303 0003Door to Door is printed onrecycled material; pleaserecycle this magazine after use.Contact us on 0303 303 0003 • Page 27

We know it can be hard to keep the kids entertained in theschool holidays, which is why we are offering you...Free Cinema Ticketsfor you and your familyAt our exclusive viewing of the bigscreen adaptation of the RoaldDahl classic...Thursday 29th October 9.45amOdeon, Riverside, NorwichCall to reserve your tickets!Every child will receive a free drink, sweets and popcorn, withother great competitions and prizes on the day.All that we ask in return is your participation in a brief interactivequiz, before the film starts. This offer is open to BroadlandTenants and their children only.Places are limited and will be allocated on a ‘first come firstserved basis’ and MUST be booked in advance.Call Customer Services on 0303 303 0003to reserve your tickets now!This is a new pilot initiative being trialled in Norwich and will potentially be rolledout to other cinema’s across the region, dependant on its success.The Association will consider payment of reasonable travelling costs for those families on limited income (in receipt ofbenefits such as Income Support, or Employment Support Allowance) living outside of the Norwich City, BroadlandDistrict and South Norfolk District Council Area. Please contact the Resident Participation Team to discuss further.Please note that travel costs cannot be refunded on the day without prior agreement.The film advertised is subject to it’s release date and we reserve the right to show an alternative film.