Grapevine - December 2018

Latest News from Tai Tarian
THE
GRAPEVINE
Page 4 - Tai Tarian and Police Working Together
Page 6 - New Homes Open
Page 18 - Discover Haven at Tai Tarian
1

In this issue...
3
4
6
8
9
10
12
14
16
17
18
20
21
22
23
24
End High Cost Credit
Campaign Continues
Tai Tarian and Police Working
Together to Make Communities
Better
New Homes Open
Universal Credit – One Year On
Hard Work Pays off for Kyle
Dean’s Day
Handyperson Service
Talbot Reds – More than
just rugby
Domestic Abuse – Help is
at Hand
Mobility Scooters
Discover Haven at Tai Tarian
Community Challenge
Buglife
On the Board
Christmas Recipe
Christmas Opening Hours
GO GREEN
AND WIN!
If you want to receive future editions of the
Grapevine via e-mail rather than through the
post then please let us know.
Everyone who gets in contact with us before
Friday 4th January 2019 will be entered into a
draw to win a shopping voucher.
To enter, just contact us with your name,
address, phone number and an e-mail address
where you’d like future copies sent to.
E-mail: media@taitarian.co.uk
You can view this edition of the Grapevine at
www.taitarian.co.uk
GAS SAFETY WINNERS
Carrying out annual gas safety
checks is extremely important
and could save your life.
Tenants who keep their annual gas safety check
appointment are entered into a monthly prize
to win a £50 gift card courtesy of Westward
Energy Services.
For the latest news from
Tai Tarian, follow us on
social media.

END HIGH COST CREDIT
CAMPAIGN CONTINUES
Our work with actor Michael Sheen to help
people in the local community who are struggling
with debt is picking up pace.
Earlier in the year we became key members of
an organisation called the End High Cost Credit
Alliance which was founded by Sheen and aims
to tackle the unfair targeting of high cost credit at
those who can least afford it.
This work is being driven locally by the recently
launched Wales Affordable Credit Action group.
This is led by our organisation and includes
partners such as Credit Unions Wales, Principality
Building Society, Public Health Wales and Neath
Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service.
We are committed to working with communities
to come up with solutions to the problems of
high cost credit and as part of this work have set
up a confidential group called Making Money
Work Better.
This group, which is made up of tenants and local
members of the community, have been bravely
sharing their stories of struggling with debt to help
us understand the reality of their experiences.
Together we hope to find ways of helping people
to manage their money better and provide
financial advice and support to those in need.
Two members of the group recently shared their
stories at the Wales Talk Money Conference, led
by the Money Advice Service, at Cardiff Castle.
The event was part of a special Talk Money
Week that aimed to encourage everyone to have
an open conversation about money so people
can feel more in control and know that help is
available.
Another area of progress that is being made is the
launch of a new training programme that will help
our staff to have the confidence to talk to you
if you have any financial worries, offer support
and signpost you to services that can offer debt
advice.
For more information on the
work of the Alliance please visit
www.the-alliance.org.uk
3

TAI TARIAN AND POLICE
WORKING TOGETHER TO
MAKE COMMUNITIES BETTER
Tai Tarian and South Wales Police have got
together to help combat anti-social behaviour
in our communities. Frontline staff from both
organisations got together back in September to
discuss ideas and to come up with a plan on how
to tackle the problem.
Following a day of discussion, three priorities
were identified. These were:
• More visible joint patrols
• Community drop in sessions
• Better sharing of information between
both organisations
So, with the new priorities agreed, one of our
first joint patrols took place in the Melyn and
Cimla areas. Staff from our Tenancy Relations
team and community police offers visited
communities where anti-social problems had
previously been reported. They spoke to residents
and gave advice on what to do if problems reoccurred.
This new joint working partnership is already
bearing fruit with two people losing their flats due
to anti-social behaviour.
Speaking about the new closer working
arrangements, PC Rhys Thomas from the
Neath Community Policing team said:
“Working in partnership with Tai Tarian is
important. We might have information that’s
useful to Tai Tarian and they may have
information that’s useful to us. Sharing this
information and working together sends a
strong message to the community that we
are here, we are doing what we can and we
will fight back against anti-social behaviour.”
Tai Tarian’s Tenancy Relations Manager is
Claire Michael. She said:
“We are aware of the problems in our
communities and we are working hard to
resolve them. We are being pro-active and
by working with the police we will get
problems solved. The closer the relationship
we have with them the better.
We can’t work in isolation, we can’t tackle
anything on our own. We need to work together.”
4

COMMUNITY DROP-IN OFFICE OPENS
As part of this new partnership, Tai Tarian and
South Wales Police have opened their first
community drop-in office.
The office is situated at Flat 36, Bush Row,
Melyn. It is designed for locals to pop in and
have a chat with our Tenancy Relations Officer
or local police officers about any housing,
policing or safety issues you may have.
The office is open on Mondays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays between 11am-3pm. Pop in
and say hello, no appointment is necessary.
More drop-in centres are planned for other
areas of Neath Port Talbot in the new year.
Keep an eye out for details of when they’re
coming to your community.
If you wish to report anti-social behaviour in your community please contact your
Tenancy Relations Officer on 0300 777 0000 or contact the police by calling 101.
In an emergency call 999.
5

NEW HOMES OPEN
It’s been an exciting couple of months for us with
the opening of three new housing developments.
Back in September, two new bungalows on
Moorland Road in Sandfields were let.
Amongst the first tenants to move in was Mrs
Siimei Hui, husband Tatkwong and son Siwai.
She said she was thrilled with her new home:
“Our new home is perfect for my husband who
has recently suffered a stroke. It’s all on the
ground floor so is really easy to get around. I’m
so happy, we all are, it is so lovely both inside
and outside, and I know we are going to enjoy
living here.”
Following on from Moorland Road, we opened
up four new flats at Wembley in Melyn. Tenants
moved in there in October.
Our biggest development was on the site of our
old Cartref flats in Skewen. Following demolition
of the old complex, 12 new flats, four houses and
a bungalow were constructed.
Tenants started moving into their new homes last
month.
Elsewhere, construction is continuing on
building eight new homes at Llys Wern in
Caewern, Neath whilst we will also be converting
an old office block into flats at Llansawel
Crescent, Briton Ferry.
School Competition Winner
Our new properties at Cwrt Cartref were built
by local firm, Hale Construction.
During the work, they ran a competition in
conjunction with nearby Coedffranc Primary
School, asking pupils to design a safety
poster to warn of the dangers playing on
building sites.
After sifting through all the entries, Tilly Myatt-
Cook’s design was chosen as the winner. She
was presented with a digital camera, with
the runners up receiving book vouchers. The
school was also presented with a laptop as
a thank you for putting pupils forward to take
part in the competition.
David Harrhy, Hale Construction’s Managing
Director said: “As a local company we believe
strongly in engaging with the community in
which we work and asking the children of
Coedffranc Primary School to design safety
posters allows us to do just that. It also
reinforces the very important message that
building sites are dangerous places.”
Tilly’s poster will now be displayed at all Hale
Construction sites across Wales.
6

7

UNIVERSAL CREDIT ONE YEAR ON
It’s over a year since Universal Credit started
being rolled out across Neath and Port Talbot
jobcentre areas. During this time, our Universal
Credit team has helped hundreds of tenants
claim this new benefit and over the next four
years, will be helping many more claimants.
Universal Credit replaces six benefits and tax
credits; Income-based Jobseekers Allowance,
Income-related Employment and Support
Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credit,
Working Tax Credit and Housing Benefit.
It’s for working age people and is paid to those
in or out of work, to carers, and those too ill to
work. It’s a means tested benefit so entitlement
depends on income, savings, and personal
circumstances.
Payment is made once a month, paid directly into
a bank account. It is paid one month in arrears
based on income and circumstances during
an assessment period. So far, only people who
have had certain changes in their circumstances
have had to claim Universal Credit. This is called
natural migration.
However, it is expected that from July 2019
until 2024, the Government will start a rolling
programme to invite those in receipt of the six
main benefits to claim Universal Credit. This is
called managed migration.
It’s important that you know that Universal Credit
has to be claimed online and is managed in an
online journal.
An advance loan can be applied for in the first
month to help claimants manage their essential
bills. This includes an amount for housing costs
which you must use to pay your rent. This will
help to reduce the money you owe us.
If you have any queries or concerns about
Universal Credit please contact our team
for advice on 01639 315000.
Reporting Changes
If you are on Universal Credit and have any
changes in your circumstances, then it is your
responsibility to notify the Department of Work
and Pensions. Failure to report a change ‘on time’
can result in underpayments and overpayments -
and a Civil Penalty or Sanction can be imposed.
Changes to report
• Changes to the household
• Changes in income/savings
• Finishing and starting work
• Rent changes
• Becoming sick
• Caring responsibilities
• Moving home
Jargon Busting
Universal Credit brings with it a lot jargon which
can be tricky to understand! Here’s a snapshot of
some common terms.
• Claimant Commitment – the agreement you
sign prior to receiving money
• Journal – your online UC account
• Alternative Payment Arrangement (APA) –
a managed payment of UC where rent money is
paid direct to landlords
• Advance – a sum of money paid at start of
a UC claim to help you manage until your first
payment. This has to be repaid.
• Personal Budgeting Support – help to budget
monthly UC payments
• Digital Support – help to claim UC online and
to manage online claim
• Third party deductions – deductions from UC
payment direct to a landlord for rent arrears
• Work coach – Jobcentre employee who will
help with claims
• Case manager – the person responsible for
managing UC claims
• Natural Migration – being moved to Universal
Credit when making a new claim due to a
change in personal circumstances
• Managed Migration – When existing benefit
claimants are moved on to Universal Credit
8

HARD WORK PAYS OFF
FOR KYLE
Local people are being given opportunities
to develop their careers, thanks to one of our
initiatives. Special clauses included in contracts
ensure that any company working with us
must provide a benefit to the community. This
can include a commitment to employing local
people or contributing to local projects.
One company who has committed to this
scheme is SERS Energy Solutions, who install
wall insulation. Having won the contract
to carry out the external refurbishment of
properties in the Sandfields area of Port Talbot,
the company committed to employing local
people.
Kyle Johnson, 27, is one of the workers
employed as a result. Having joined SERS
via an agency earlier this year, Kyle has now
secured a permanent, full time position with the
company.
Speaking about the role, Kyle said, “I’m really
grateful for the opportunity SERS and Tai Tarian
have given me. I started as a semi-skilled
roofer, but I’ve now been able to learn new
skills and develop my career.
“I’m continuing to develop thanks to SERS’
training plan and am looking forward to the
future.”
Mike Roberts, Managing Director of SERS
Energy Solutions said, “As a leading external
housing refurbishment contractor, we
recognise the importance of giving back to
the communities in which we operate and fully
support Tai Tarian’s initiative.
“We are delighted with the progress Kyle has
made since joining us and is now an integral
part of the site team.
“He shows a tremendous attitude and
commitment, and his work is of the highest
standard. This has been noticed by tenants,
who regularly tell us what a pleasure it is to
have him work on their homes.”
Tai Tarian’s Senior Liaison Officer, Steve Grey
has been heavily involved in the refurbishment
work.
He said, “Our social clauses are an important
part of our contracts and show that we invest in
people as well as our properties.
“This means that the wider community benefits
from our investments and can contribute to
solving long-standing social issues affecting
Neath Port Talbot.
“We are thrilled that Kyle has seized this
opportunity and we wish him a long and
successful career.”
9

DEAN’S DAY
If we’ve ever carried out a repair at your
home, chances are you will have met one of
our inspectors.
We have 10 of them plus two assistants based
around Neath Port Talbot and they are the ones
who will visit your home to take a look at what
needs fixing and arranging for any work
to be carried out. They’ll also oversee the work
and keep you updated on what’s happening.
One of our most experienced inspectors is Dean
and we recently spent the day with him to get an
idea of what his role involves.
Like all the other inspectors, Dean has a particular
area which he oversees. His covers the Skewen,
Longford, Cadoxton and Caewern areas of
Neath.
Originally a carpenter, Dean became an inspector
five years ago. Talking about his job, he said:
“It’s quite a hectic role but one I enjoy doing as
it allows me to get out and about and meet our
tenants. I have to mix inspecting properties with
supervising staff whilst also being alert to any
problems or issues our tenants may be facing.
We meet Dean at 8am at Tai Tarian headquarters
where he’s going through the list of visits he has
to make that day.
Once those calls have been loaded on to his iPad
we jump in his van and head to the first property
of the day in Skewen.
The tenant has reported a leak from her shower
coming in to the kitchen below. After a quick
investigation, Dean spots where the leak is
coming from and makes and adjustment to
stop it happening again. He also arranges for a
plasterer to visit and repair the damaged ceiling.
Our next call is to a house on an adjoining street.
The Tai Tarian Housing team have asked
Dean to carry out an inspection of a property
where the tenants have applied for a house swap.
He takes a look around and can’t see any issues.
He reports back to the team that he is happy with
the condition of the house and that the swap
can go ahead.
The next call is to our Godrecoed Haven scheme
in Cadoxton. Dean has received reports from the
tenants of a communal door not closing properly.
Dean quickly identifies the problem and repairs it
himself. He says:
“If I come across a job like this, that can easily
and quickly be fixed, it makes sense that I
repair it myself rather than booking a carpenter
to come out to do it. It means there is less
disruption for our tenants and the problem
gets sorted quicker.”
He reports what he has done to one of the
tenants. Whilst there, she makes him aware that
the lino on the central staircase is coming away.
Dean takes a look and decides that this could
be a potential trip hazard. As he isn’t carrying
the necessary equipment to fix it himself, he
immediately calls one of team who’s working
nearby to come around straight away to fix it.
10

From Cadoxton, we make our way to Bryncoch
and the final call of the day. The tenant has
reported the ceiling in her living room has been
damaged. Dean takes a look and decides that it
needs re-plastering. Before booking in a plasterer,
Dean must check the asbestos register. Properties
of this age can have asbestos in their ceilings, and
although he doesn’t think it is present here, he
needs to make sure.
He calls our asbestos team who check our
register. They confirm that there is no asbestos
present and so Dean goes on to book the
plasterer in.
Whilst at this address, the tenant alerts us to a
problem with the floor in her daughter’s bedroom.
Dean takes a look and sees that some of the
floorboards have come loose and so books for
a carpenter to come and fix them. He arranges
for both the plasterer and carpenter to attend on
the same day so disruption to the tenant is kept
to a minimum.
On our way back to the office, Dean tells us how
his role has evolved over the years.
“Technology has improved a lot over the past
five years. We all carry iPads, so when we
come across a job that needs doing, we can
book it in there and then. We can see instantly
who is available to do the job and liaise directly
with the tenant about what day or time suits
them the best. We can also book any materials
needed and take pictures to show exactly
what needs doing. It has freed up a lot of time.
In my opinion, one of the most important
aspects of my role is good communication.
We’re going into people’s homes and so it’s
important that I clearly explain to them what
work we’re going to be doing and when we
will be doing it. Hopefully, by doing this we can
really help to make a difference to our tenants
and their homes.”
Meet the Repairs team
Our inspectors are part of our Property
Maintenance team who all work together
to help fix any problems in your home.
The team is made up of our inspectors, assistant
inspectors, planners and our tradesmen and women.
11

TIME CREDITS PAY
FOR GARDENING WORK
Did you know you can now use Time Credits to
pay for our Handy Person service?
It is a scheme designed by staff and tenants to
reward you for your involvement with Tai Tarian.
‘Credits’ are earned based on the time you
volunteer with Tai Tarian which can then be
exchanged for a range of services or activities in
the community.
One tenant who has been collecting Time
Credits is Hilary Blundon from Crynant. They
were earned through volunteering on various
Tai Tarian projects and used them to pay from
gardening work, courtesy of Melvyn, Tai Tarian’s
Handy Person.
12

13

TALBOT REDS:
MORE THAN JUST RUGBY
14
When Becky Watt decided she wanted to take up
rugby but couldn’t find a suitable women’s team
to join, there was only one thing to do - set up
her own.
So, in November 2017, after many months of
hard work, dedication, meetings and phone calls,
the Talbot Reds were born. Becky explains how it
all came about:
“When I decided to take up rugby I was shocked
to find that the only two established women’s
teams in the area were in Morriston or Seven
Sisters - that was too far me to travel.
Also, I’d never played rugby before and had no
idea if I’d be any good at it, so the thought of
walking into a team of established, experienced
players made me a feel little bit nervous.
“That’s when I had the thought that if I wanted
to play, but couldn’t find a suitable team, then
there must be others in the same boat as me. So
I started looking in to how I could set up a brand
new team.
“I spoke to some friends at Cwmafan RFC who
said they would help us, and then got the backing
of the Welsh Rugby Union to set one up.
“A friend of mine then sent out a Facebook
message asking who might be interested in
playing. We had about seven responses initially,
but from there word started to spread.
Within 24 hours of setting up our Facebook
group, we had 48 followers. Within a week that
number had grown to 90, with 30 of them saying
they wanted to play.
“We recruited a coach, and held our first training
session, and from there things have gone from
strength to strength.”
The new club prides itself on being open and
welcoming to all, whether or not they have played
rugby before. It attracts both experienced players
and women who are totally new to the sport.

Becky said:
“Of the girls who turned up to the first session,
only six had any sort of rugby experience. The
rest of us were totally new to the sport and had
never touched a rugby ball before. They were
nervous and lacked both confidence and the
most basic of rugby skills. It was tricky for our
coach to plan training sessions that kept the
experienced players interested but weren’t too
daunting for our newcomers. But just a year later,
they’re all getting stuck in and there’s no stopping
them now.”
Next season they hope to enter the league
system, but have to play 10 friendlies first:
“We put off playing games initially as we wanted
to get all the girls up to a certain standard first.
We didn’t want
to rush in, injure
people and put
them off. We’ve
now played
four of those 10
games with the
rest scheduled for
later in the season.
Getting into the
league would be a
huge boost for us.
It would give us
greater exposure
and find it easier
to attract players
and sponsors.”
For Becky though, setting up this team was about
far more than just rugby. She wants it to be a hub
of the community and be a place that gives social
opportunities to those who otherwise might feel
isolated:
“Part of the reason for setting this team up was
to get girls with little or no social life out of the
house and to meet new people. We want the club
to evolve into a community initiative, whether it’s
to help to tackle isolation, support people with
mental health problems or simply giving people
the opportunity to get fit. I have lots of ideas,
including setting up a walking rugby team aimed
at older people. We can do so much more than
just play rugby.
The club continues to go from strength to
strength and is continuing to attract new players.
“We welcome anyone over the age of 18 – any
ability, any fitness level, any experience. They can
join at any time, there’s no need to wait until the
start of the season. We can also help arrange lifts
to training for anyone who can’t get there or lend
each other kit if needed. It’s a proper team effort
and we all support and help each other.
“Anyone who feels nervous about joining just
needs to remember that most of us were in their
position this time last year, so you’ll get plenty of
support and encouragement from us.
“We’ve come so far in just over a year. Looking
back when we started we had no pitch, no
coach, no kit, no clue! We’ve come so far in such
a short space of time and if we continue in the
same vein then the future for women’s rugby in
Port Talbot is looking very bright.”
Anyone interested in joining the Talbot Reds can
find out more information by searching for Talbot
Reds on Facebook.
Give us a try!
Tai Tarian tenant, Lauren, is just one of the
girls to have joined the Talbot Reds. She said:
“It’s such an exciting time to be part of the
Talbot Reds team. I’ve made so many new
friends since joining and I really enjoy getting
stuck into the training and playing in the games.
I would say to anyone thinking about joining
to just come and try it out. We welcome
anyone, of any ability and there is always
someone on hand if you need any help or
advice. Come and give it a go.”
15

DOMESTIC ABUSE
HELP IS AT HAND
One in four women and one in six men, will experience
domestic abuse at some point in their life.
There are different types of domestic abuse, including
physical, psychological, sexual, financial and
emotional abuse, and being cut off from your family
and friends. It is one person taking control of another
and using their power over you. Once domestic
abuse has started it often becomes more frequent
and more violent.
Domestic violence is not acceptable. If you are
affected by domestic violence then help is at hand.
If you are in immediate danger then call the police.
You can also seek advice from your Tenancy Relations
Officer or contact one of the organisations listed here.
Talking about domestic violence helps. Talk to
a trusted friend, family member or professional.
Remember, you are not alone!
Who can help?
If you are affected by domestic abuse or sexual
violence, or are worried about a friend or relative
who is, you can call the Live Fear Free Helpline
for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The helpline provides confidential support and
information on domestic abuse, sexual violence
and violence against women in Wales.
Call them on 0808 80 10 800
You can also call into the One Stop Shop in
Neath for support and advice.
Where - No 17, Victoria Gardens,
Neath, SA11 3AY
When - Open Monday – Friday, 10am – 3pm
Call 01639 622 350 for more information
16
HOARDING
Hoarding is when someone collects a large number of
items and stores them in a cluttered and disorganised
way in their home. It is considered a problem when
the amount of possessions clutters the living spaces
and stops the person from using their rooms as they
were intended. It can also adversely affect their ability
to undertake day-to-day activities.
Estimates suggest that serious hoarding problems
affect around 100,000 people in Wales. If not tackled,
it’s a problem that will probably never go away. It can
also lead to mental health problems and can pose a
fire risk.
Signs of compulsive hoarding can include:
• Difficulty getting rid of items.
• A large amount of clutter in the office, at home,
in the car, or in other spaces.
• Making it difficult to use furniture or appliances
or move around easily.
• Losing important items like money or bills in
the clutter.
• Feeling overwhelmed by the volume of possessions
that have ‘taken over’ the house.
• Being unable to stop taking free items, such as
advertising flyers or sugar packets from restaurants.
• Buying things because they are a “bargain”
or to “stock up”.
• Not inviting family or friends into the home due to
shame or embarrassment.
• Refusing to let people into the home to make repairs.
Usually hoarding begins with a smaller number of
possessions but as time goes on, more items are
collected and the situation spirals out of control.
This often results in piles of possessions spread
throughout the home.
If you want help with hoarding or are worried about
someone who is, then get in touch with your Tenancy
Relations Officer who will be able to refer you to
our team of specialists who will be able to help. We
recognise that dealing with hoarding can be a lengthy
and difficult experience but we will work jointly with
you to build up trust and agree step-by-step actions
which will show the progress being made.
You can find out more about hoarding by visiting
hoarding.iocdf.org

MOBILITY SCOOTERS
Mobility scooters are a great asset
to many of our tenants. They can
support you to live more
independently and improve
the quality of life, allowing
you to get out and about.
However, if you’re thinking
about buying one, there are
several things to consider first. As a responsible
landlord, we must balance your need for a scooter
with our duty to maintain a safe living environment
for everyone.
So before you buy one, please think about these
important points:
• Check the scooter is the right size
It needs to fit through doorways, narrow corridors
and entrances. Is there sufficient space so you do not
damage doors or frames whilst entering and leaving
your home?
• Check your home has enough room
to store a scooter
Can the scooter be stored safely? Does it cause an
obstruction should you have to evacuate your home
in an emergency? Scooters must not be stored in
communal areas of flats.
• Check access is suitable
Can you safely move the scooter from the street
to the storage area?
• Think about charging the scooter
Where and how – scooters or their batteries must be
charged within your home unless a specific provision
for charging has been made within a
storage area.
• Cost
You must meet the costs of purchasing, running and
maintaining the mobility scooter as well as charging
and storage costs.
• Insurance
We recommend you have appropriate insurance in
place for any mobility scooter. This should include
liability insurance in case of damage to the building or
injury to other people.
• Driving the Mobility Scooter
Are you competent and confident to drive the mobility
scooter safely?
• Our Permission
If you live in a flat with a communal area or in Haven
accommodation you must seek our permission
BEFORE buying a Mobility Scooter. You will also need
our permission BEFORE installing a shed or altering
your home or outhouse building to store a scooter.
If you have any questions or queries then
contact our Tenancy Relations Team on
0300 777 000.
TENANCY RELATIONS OFFICERS
Our team of Tenancy Relations Officers is here to help you with any tenancy
related queries you may have.
They can offer support in managing your tenancy and refer you to other
Tai Tarian departments or external organisations if you need more specialist
help. They are also responsible for dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour issues
and can offer help and support to you in dealing with any problems.
Our Tenancy Relations Officer team cover the whole region,
with each officer responsible for a particular area.
You can find out who is responsible for your area by
visiting www.taitarian.co.uk/tenant-area or calling
0300 777 0000 and asking to speak to our
Tenancy Relations team.
17

DISCOVER HAVEN AT TAI TARIAN
Exclusive living for the over 55s
Our Haven developments are the perfect place to enjoy an exciting new chapter in your life. There are 15
schemes to choose from, located throughout Neath Port Talbot. These self-contained rental apartments
offer you independent living at its best.
The developments offer:
• Modern one and two bedroom apartments
• Stylish kitchens and wet rooms
• Lounge and outdoor space for socialising
• Lift access to all floors
• Secure access
• A manger to look after the development
• Maintenance free living
Why Choose Haven?
We spoke to some of the residents to find out what they love about living in a Haven scheme.
Peter Jenkins:
“I enjoy the peace and quiet of living at Haven. We’re situated on a quiet
cul-de-sac and have a beautiful garden. We’re also just a stone’s throw from the
canal, perfect for relaxing, country walks.”
Shan Nicholas:
“The flats are beautiful. They’ve all been recently refurbished and have been
brought right up to date. The living areas are light and airy whilst we all have lovely,
modern kitchens and walk-in showers. It really is a pleasure to live here.”
Jill Cuggy:
“The best thing about Haven is the sense of community we have here. We enjoy
coming together for social activities such as coffee mornings and lunches. We all
get on really well together and there’s a real friendly atmosphere here.”
For details of current availability at Haven or to find out more, call our lettings team on 01639 506082
18

Haven Housing News in Brief
Love is in the Air
Congratulations to Keith Evans and Maralyn Thomas, both
residents of one of our Haven Housing schemes who got
married earlier this year. The couple had been engaged for
many years before tying the knot back in the summer.
They were married at Neath Register Office before enjoying a
reception and party with friends, family and fellow tenants. They
then embarked upon a two week cruise for their honeymoon.
Many congratulations to them both.
Macmillan Cancer Fundraising
Tenants across our Haven Housing schemes have been
holding coffee mornings and cake sales in order to raise
money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Throughout October their efforts raised almost £560 for the
charity. In addition to this, our staff also held a cake sale
and raised a further £170.
Well done to all those who contributed.
19

COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
In previous years our Community Challenge took
on the tasks of refurbishing community facilities
such as schools, village halls or foodbanks.
However, this year we took on a new focus as
we looked to improve outdoor spaces in our
communities.
The first event of the new look Community
Challenge was held in Croeserw in May, with
tenants and members of the community sharing
their ideas and thinking of great ways to better
use our land. We also worked with Buglife
Cymru, an environmental charity that encourages
the survival of bees and bugs by planting
native flowers.
Eco Team
To promote the challenge and to encourage
participation, our Tenant Empowerment team
have met with the Eco team at Glyncorrwg
Primary school. They delivered bee building
workshops and helped with community
litter picks.
Following that initial meeting, it was decided to
create wildflower gardens and nature trails in the
area and our Tenant Empowerment team are
working with the community to bring these plans
to life. Work on creating the gardens began in
October and will be fully open by the Spring.
If you live in the Croeserw area and wish to
get involved in this project, please contact
the team on 01639 508455.
20

BUGLIFE
Tai Tarian are working with Buglife Cymru to
create wildlife friendly gardens on our land. So
far, we have planted bee-friendly flowers at our
head office in Baglan and at some of our Haven
Housing schemes.
Tenants have been helping our Neighbourhood
team to design the garden, prepare the land and
sow the seeds.
If you would like more information on the project
or get involved then get in touch with Amy on
01639 508455.
GARDEN COMPETITION
As a way to promote our Community Challenge
and our work with Buglife, a new category was
introduced into our annual garden competition
this year - Best Bug-Friendly Garden.
The winners in this category were Mr and Mrs
Morgan from Briton Ferry, who had a garden
full of fruits trees, pollinator- friendly plants and
flowers and a bee hotel. Mr and Mrs Morgan
were presented their award by Clare Dinham from
Buglife Cymru.
She said:
“It’s really great to see this new category
introduced in the garden competition as it
encourages residents to not only make their
gardens look great but also to provide an
important habitat for our pollinators. We look
forward to seeing more bug friendly gardens
in the future and working with Tai Tarian on the
Community Challenge.”
If you would like to create a bug-friendly garden,
please let the team know and they can provide
you with information on simple ways to do this.
Getting Involved on Facebook
Did you know our Tenant Empowerment team have their own “Getting Involved” Facebook
group? The group has been set up to give our involved tenants information about upcoming
events and opportunities.
If you would like to join, you can find us at www.facebook.com/groups/taitarianinvolvement.
Alternatively, contact Alex on 01639 508436 or involved@taitarian.co.uk.
21

ON THE BOARD
Value for Money
As a not for profit organisation, delivering value for
money is crucial for us – it runs through everything
we do here. Every £1 we spend on our homes
and services has to work for our customers and
communities.
To ensure we do this, the Board has recently approved
our Value for Money statement. This document shows
how our costs and performance are measured and
how we deliver Value for Money in all areas of our
business.
If you are interested in viewing our Value for Money
statement, it can be found on our website www.
taitarian.co.uk
Thank You Rosalyn and Alan
New legislation introduced this year requires us to
limit the number of Councillors on our Board to two.
This resulted in Councillors Rosalyn Davies and Alan
Lockyer leaving the Board back in October. They had
been with us for seven and six years respectively.
I would like to thank Rosalyn and Alan for their time,
commitment and hard work and to wish them well for
the future.
Paying Board Members
Following approval from Welsh Government last
year, we have taken the decision to start paying
our Board members.
Up until now, our Board has consisted of highly skilled
and experienced volunteers who give up their time
freely. As we grow as an organisation and due to
the increasingly complex environment in which we
operate, demands on their time and expertise are
growing. Therefore, to ensure we retain and attract the
right people for the Board, we have taken the decision
to pay them. This decision was taken following a very
thorough process which included consultation with
our staff and tenant members.
We are not alone in deciding to pay our Board. Other
housing associations in Wales are either considering
paying Board members or are already doing so.
Payment in public and voluntary sector organisations
is becoming more common and can help strengthen
their governance.
I am sure that this decision will only help Tai Tarian to
continued success in the future.
22

Recipe - Christmas Pizza
An ideal way to use up your leftover turkey.
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 10-12 mins Serves: 2
Ingredients
• 145g pizza base mix
• 6 tbsp tomato pasta sauce
• large handful (about 100g) leftover
stuffing (a sausage stuffing works well for this)
• large handful (about 100g) leftover cooked
turkey, shredded or finely chopped
• 100g mozzarella, sliced
• small pack sage, leaves picked
• 1 tbsp olive oil
Method
1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
2. Prepare the pizza base mix following pack instructions.
Once rolled out, leave to rest for 10 mins, then top with the pasta sauce.
3. Scatter over the stuffing and turkey, then top with the mozzarella.
4. Toss the sage leaves with the oil, then scatter over the pizza,
drizzling over any remaining oil.
5. Bake for 10-12 mins until the crust is crisp and the cheese has melted.
Recipe from www.bbcgoodfood.com
FOLLOW US
Our teams are always snapping
away when they’re out and about
in the community.
Follow us on Instagram to see what
we’ve been up to. You can also follow
us on Twitter and Facebook.
23

Christmas Opening Hours
Our offices will be closing on Friday 21 st December for our Christmas break. We
will re-open with a limited service on Monday 31st December before closing again
for New Year’s Day. We will fully re-open on Wednesday 2nd January.
If you need to report and emergency repair during this time,
then please call our Out of Hours number – 0300 777 3000
24