Transcript Seal of approval - West Kent Housing Association

Winter 2014
Issue 67
www.westkent.org
The newsletter for residents of West Kent Housing Association
neighbourhoodNEWS
Seal of
approval
Youth Commissioner Kerry Boyd visits
House at the Eden Centre to find out
about West Kent Extra’s work with
young people.
See the full story on page 5.
Bike recycling scheme is
three times a winner.
See page 8
Get ready for winter.
See our checklist on
pages 10 and 11.
Benefit claims made easier.
See page 14
Inspired residents provide
inspiration for others.
See page 16
Neighbourhood News
Winter 2014 Issue 67
Tell us your news in 140
characters or less…
Neighbourhood News is getting up to
date with a brief summary of what’s been
happening on social media site Twitter.
Tweet us YOUR news to @West_Kent or
#westkent.
West Kent (@West_Kent)
Members of West Kent’s Executive Team
are excited to attend the @placeshapers
conference this Thursday #placeshapers14
West Kent (@West_Kent)
We are now able to text tenants
to help them avoid rent arrears
#yourrentyourresponsibility
West Kent (@West_Kent)
If you’re shortlisted and offered one of
our homes, you must have the 1st week’s
rent ready or the home could be allocated
to someone else
West Kent retweeted SevenoaksDC
News (@SDC_newsdesk) SDC and @
West_Kent today penned an agreement
setting out how we’ll work together for
the benefit of our communities
Looking to the future
The clocks have gone back, so to brighten up the
dark evenings, I suggest we put our energies into
something positive.
In the run up to the General Election, the Homes for
Britain campaign is calling on all political parties to
make a commitment to ”end the housing crisis within a
generation”.
At West Kent we are excited to be supporting the
campaign, together with organisations from every
corner of the housing world.
Many people worry about their own housing situation,
or their children’s or their parents’, but housing is still
low down on voters’ election priorities. So, when any
political candidates come knocking on your door, talk to
them about the importance of good housing.
Also on a positive note, you can read in this edition
about three of our
residents who took part
in our ‘Pop Up Business
School’ in Swanley this
summer. They attended
an event at the House
of Commons where
they talked to an
audience, including the
Employment Minister,
about the businesses
they had set up.
Mears Group (@mearsgroup)
Mears 24/7 contact centre to handle outof-hours calls for @West_Kent from 5pm
today http://ow.ly/C7iVl
Resident Involvement (@
westkentvoice)
Reconditioned bikes for sale at our
Abacus Strood store from £10. All sizes.
#IWantToRideMyBicycle
West Kent (@West_Kent)
We’re thrilled to get a Gold Footprint
Award in the Community Animal Welfare
Footprints scheme @RSPCA_official @
LennyRolles #CAWF2014
2
Christmas
closing dates
Our offices in Sevenoaks and Swanley will close at
3pm on Wednesday 24 December and re-open at
8.45am on Friday 2 January 2015. In an emergency
please call 0800 1691122.
Find us
West Kent
Follow us
@West_Kent
We’d
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to hear
- email [email protected]
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likeyour
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Neighbourhood
News in a different format, perhaps
We’re changing lives
Young people whose lives were changed by
an ambitious support programme took time
out to tell Kent’s Police and Crime
Commissioner Ann Barnes about the help
they had received.
The teenagers took part in the No Bother
programme designed and run by West Kent Extra
to help pupils who were thought to be at risk of
exclusion from local schools.
The hard-hitting project includes a visit to a prison
as well as other sessions with prisoners who are
brought in to tell the youngsters about the future
they can expect if they don’t change their ways.
Mrs Barnes’ visit followed her decision to provide
£4,000 from the county’s Youth Diversion Fund so
that another group of young people could benefit
from the scheme, which has been running for the
past two years.
As well as meeting three pupils from The Oasis
Academy in Hextable who had been through
the scheme, she sat in on a session with seven
youngsters from The Orchards Academy in Swanley.
She told them: “You are our future” and talked to
them about what they had learned in the session,
during which project worker Andy Watson spoke
about anger management and coping strategies.
One offender who is currently serving time in HM
Prison Blantyre House, gave the teenagers a stark
warning about the future they might face if they
failed to change their ways. “I wouldn’t want
anyone to go through what I have been through,”
he commented.
Mrs Barnes painted a similarly bleak picture when
talking to the three Oasis Academy students who
had already been through the ten-week course
and were now back at school and making good
progress.
Speaking about her time as a prison visitor, she
described a young offenders’ institution as “the
most depressing, soul-destroying place I have
ever been to”, adding that her visits had been
“heartbreaking”.
Also present for the visit, coordinated by the man
behind the project, West Kent Extra’s youth work
manager Keith Rowell, was Orchards Academy
head Natalie Willbourn.
Sitting in for a short time on the session with her
pupils, she reinforced the message that they had
to listen to what they were being told and think
carefully about the consequences of their actions.
Mrs Barnes said she was pleased that she had
been able to support the No Bother project and
said it was important that young people were
helped to understand how the choices they
made now could have such a big impact on their
futures.
“Once young people get into the criminal justice
system it is really difficult for them to get out
again,” she said.
On the positive side, she added, looking critically
at their own behaviour and exploring what they
wanted to achieve out of life was something
many adults would not have the courage to do.
“We are dealing with strong characters here, so if
they can be helped to turn their lives around then
there is a good chance they will put the same
strength of purpose into making that positive
change,” she said.
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at www.westkent.org
3
Peppercorns will bring seasonal cheer
Wellfield, near Hartley, will be
able to enjoy some seasonal
cheer when Peppercorns,
a drama group for people
with learning difficulties,
presents its Christmas
production of Annie in the
community hall on Saturday
13 December.
Tickets are just £5 and include
Christmas nibbles, soft drinks
and tea or coffee. Anyone
who wants to drink alcohol is
welcome to bring it. There will be a raffle to
raise cash to help Peppercorns buy a muchneeded new sound system.
For tickets call Veronica McGannon on 01474
709023 or 07825 311000.
Joining up
public services
Work is continuing on
the £1 million scheme to
transform the library in
Swanley into a Gateway
which will provide easy
access to Kent County
Council and Swanley
Town Council services as well as to our
own housing services.
As well as a refurbished library and direct
access to council services the Gateway
will have self-service computers for public
use and telephone hotlines to partner
organisations. Many voluntary organisations
have already expressed an interest in being
part of the town centre hub.
The library and information centre is
operating from the Junction, in nearby St
Mary’s Road while the work is being carried
out. The new building is expected to be up
and running by mid-2015.
4
SOMETHING EXCITING IS
HAPPENING IN SWANLEY! Swanley Library
is being turned
into a new
Gateway for
public services,
and we want
you to help us
name it.
We are launching
WHAT’S IN A
NAME?, a competition inviting local people to
name the building.
Three names will be shortlisted by January 2015 and
the community will be asked to vote on their preferred
name.
We will be letting you know how you can take part at
the end of November. Look out for details in the local
press or follow Talk2Gateway on Facebook or Twitter.
We’d love
to hearupdate
your stories
- email
[email protected]
Our quarterly
performance
is now on
our website
- please have a look to see how we’re doing
Kerry’s in the HOUSE
Our fame is spreading! In the space of
less than two weeks we welcomed
the police and crime commissioner
and the youth commissioner to
West Kent Extra (WKE) projects.
After Ann Barnes spent time in
Swanley talking to young people on the
No Bother project, youth commissioner
Kerry Boyd dropped in on the Eden Centre
in Edenbridge to find out more about the
House project.
While there she met Ben Reynolds, who
has been a prominent member of the
youth scene in Edenbridge since joining the
town’s youth forum at the age of 14.
Ben, now 19, volunteered to help with the
House project and was involved in setting
it up before recently taking on a role as
sessional youth worker.
“More importantly,” explained WKE’s
youth work manager Keith Rowell, “Ben
is very valuable to other young people in
Edenbridge as a mentor and role model.”
Kerry, who was looking at the work of the
Sevenoaks Community Safety Unit, also visited
the Swanley detached youth work hub as well as
the skate park, Swanley police station and House
in the Basement in Sevenoaks.
which has a well-equipped recording studio as
well as games consoles, a television and plenty of
space to chill out and chat with friends. Leader in
charge Cheryl Banks also organises a number of
trips out during the year.
Over lunch at the eAt@Eden
café, Keith explained the
thinking behind the House
project and explained that
local young people had been
involved in the ‘look and feel’
of the venue, which is open
between 6pm and 9pm on
Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
House focuses on health and well-being,
with advice available on drugs and alcohol
and on sexual health and contraception as
well as on crime and staying out of trouble.
Young people also have fun at the centre,
Check out our great website at www.westkent.org
5
Dementia friendly
Eight dementia champions have been
appointed within West Kent Lifeways to
provide support to people living with the
condition.
With the number of people with dementia
increasing as the population ages, Lifeways
wants to make sure West Kent is recognised as
‘dementia friendly’.
The champions plan to raise awareness of
dementia across West Kent by delivering
‘dementia friends’ sessions, first to all our
employees here in West Kent and then to the
wider community from 2015.
We support two memory cafés that provide a
meeting place for people living with dementia
Sad death of supporter
Well-known West Kent
resident Roy Smithers,
perhaps best known for
his work on our annual
golf day, died suddenly
in August.
Roy was an active, positive
and committed resident
who had been involved
in a range of community
and resident involvement
activities over a number of
years. He was chairman of the tenant representative
committee, a member of the scrutiny team, residents’
golf day organiser and a great advocate for the work
of West Kent and West Kent Extra (WKE).
“Roy worked tirelessly for the organisation and
added a great deal to community life. He was liked
and respected by residents and staff alike and will
be greatly missed,” said WKE managing director Will
Campbell-Wroe. “As well as organising the golf day, Roy was passionate
about the residents’ gardening competition and from
next year a trophy in memory of Roy will be awarded
to the garden that most impresses the judges.”
6
and their carers.
The cafés run
in the Wellfield
Community
Lounge in
Hartley every
first Thursday of
the month from
10am to noon
and in White
Oak Court in
Swanley on the
second Friday of every month from 2pm to 4pm. To find out more about West Kent’s dementia
friendly plans contact Emma Kent, service delivery
manager, on 01732 749481.
Alzheimer’s & Dementia
SUPPORT SERVICES
Volunteers wanted at our Memory Café
We are looking for volunteers to help
out at our Memory Café in Swanley.
The café is held on the second Friday of
every month, between 2pm and 4pm at
White Oak Court sheltered housing scheme.
Volunteers are needed to:
• welcome people when they arrive
• help settle and introduce new people
• serve refreshments
• chat with, and listen to, the people who
come to the café
All volunteers receive full training, support
and travel expenses.
To find out more call Ross on 01474
533990 or email [email protected]
We’d love to hear your stories - email [email protected]
Our complaints process is changing
A new complaints process
going live in the new year
is designed to be easier and
quicker and focus on first time
resolution in line with our
customer strategy. When you first contact us to tell
us about a problem we will be
focused on trying to solve the
issue rather than simply logging
it as a complaint. If we don’t
manage to resolve the issue and
you are still not satisfied you
can ask for a review and the
department responsible will be
asked to investigate and respond. If you are not
satisfied with the
response from the
department, we’ve
introduced a new
element that will
allow us to be
flexible and tailor
what happens next.
Review
• We will try to resolve
your complaint
when you first tell
us about it
• Your complaint will
be reviewed by the
relevant department
• We will use a flexible
and tailored approach
on how your complaint
is handled next
Making it
right
We may ask a more
senior member of
staff to look at your complaint or we could move
your complaint straight onto a complaints panel. On occasions we may feel that we are unable to
Appeal
take your complaint any further. If this happens we
will talk to you about it and you will still have the
option of contacting the Housing Ombudsman if
you wish to do so.
Helping you to help yourself
In the autumn edition of Neighbourhood News we
inserted a handy DIY leaflet telling you about the videos
we have created to help you with your basic DIY problems.
We hope you found the leaflet helpful and we also hope you
will check out the videos when you need a bit of help. There
are seven videos looking at some of the problems we are called
about most frequently.
To watch these videos please visit westkent.org/DIY or go to our
YouTube channel at youtube.com/user/1WestKent
Check out our great website at www.westkent.org
7
Pedals, prisoners and partnership
West Kent Extra has led the way in setting
up a unique partnership that is protecting the
environment, supporting low-income families
and giving prisoners new skills.
including the prisoners. I have a
really good feeling about doing
something positive and making a
contribution to society.”
Our charity arm is working with FCC Environment
and offenders at YOI and HM Prison Rochester
to keep old cycles out of landfill and have them
restored so that we can sell them through our
Abacus social enterprise store in Strood.
The scheme followed Medway
Council’s challenge to waste
contract companies to divert
materials into the charitable sector
by ‘rescuing’ them at household
waste recycling centres.
In just a few months, more than 100 bikes have
been restored, repaired, cleaned up and made
available to a new owner.
As one prisoner, working on the bikes,
commented: “This is a really good scheme and has
the potential to keep growing, particularly if it was
copied across the country.
“It’s good for the environment to be recycling as
much as possible, the fact that we are turning out
reasonably-priced bikes is good for families and it
is good to be encouraging
people to cycle and enjoy
some fresh air.
“Everyone is
benefitting
from this
scheme,
FCC Environment began talking to WKE’s Keeley
Atkinson about the idea of reusing unwanted
cycles and agreed to segregate bikes that could be
repaired, made safe and put back into use.
Keeley then got in touch with the prison, which
agreed that the project would be a useful addition
to its range of workshops and could provide
prisoners with new skills. They are also paid a small
amount.
Prison officer/instructor Darren, who runs the
workshop, completed an intensive seven-day City
and Guilds course in cycle maintenance and now
trains a team of enthusiastic offenders who turn
unloved old bikes into smart, nearly new-looking
machines.
When Neighbourhood News visited, one of the
prisoners was doing a 24-year sentence and all of
them were due to be inside for at least six months.
“It takes time to give people the right skills so I
only take those who are likely to be around for
a while,” said Darren. “If they want to learn,
though, I have all day, every day to show them.”
Michelle Jarman-Howe, deputy director of custody,
who visited the workshop during a tour, described
the scheme as “a really good example of
8
We’d love
to hearupdate
your isstories
email
[email protected]
Our quarterly
performance
now on- our
website
- please have a look to see how we’re doing
Estate Walkabouts
Come and join us on an estate walkabout, where your
local knowledge can help us work together to make a
real difference to your neighbourhood.
Our Neighbourhood Housing Officers (NHOs) join forces with
our residents, resident groups and partners to look at the
local area every three months. They aim to identify areas of
concern or areas for improvement such as:
• Health and safety issues
• Repairs that have not previously been reported
• Abandoned or illegally parked vehicles
• How well grass cutting and other estate services are being
delivered.
NHOs spend most of their time out and about managing
tenancies, showing homes to applicants, organising mutual
exchanges, dealing with anti-social behaviour and carrying
out estate inspections. Each NHO covers a selection of homes
including general needs, leaseholder and shared ownership
properties.
prisoners making a positive contribution
to the community by doing valuable work
that gives something back as well as
teaching the prisoners useful skills.”
Keeley Atkinson added: “This is an
exciting collaboration between the
public sector, a private company and the
charitable sector and it is helping lowincome families at the same time. This
is three visions coming together for the
good of the community.”
While the prison is considering offering
offenders the chance to earn a formal
qualification in bike maintenance, another
potentially useful development is that
both FCC and WKE are working on the
idea of offering placements for prisoners
when they are released at the end of
their sentence.
We welcome all our residents on our regular estate
inspections, so please contact your NHO to find out when the
next one is taking place. If you do not know who your NHO
is then you can find out at westkent.org/Residents/My-WestKent
All the planned estate walkabouts will be on our website
events page at westkent.org/About-us/Publicity-centre/Events
Reminder
Don’t forget we are now taking
prompt action on people who
get into rent or service charge
arrears by writing or phoning
sooner, sending text message
reminders, visiting those who
don’t pay and giving advice to
those who need it.
If you pay your rent on time, or are keeping to an
agreement you have made to pay off your arrears, we will
not contact you, but if you run up even a small debt we
will be in touch to see what can be done. If you don’t pay
or keep to an agreement we will take appropriate action,
which could include taking you to court.
Unfortunately evictions do happen. We’ve evicted 13
people this year for not paying their rent or other charges.
For help or advice visit westkent.org/moneyadvice
Check out our great website at www.westkent.org
9
Winter maintenance
After months of sunshine and a warm dry
autumn, we expect our heating systems to
click back into action at the flick of a switch
or a twist of a thermostat – but what if they
don’t?
Here are some tips on avoiding a cold start to the
winter – but don’t leave it until it’s too late to carry
out the checks.
•Bleed your
radiators and
check for
leaks
•Turn the
boiler off and
check your
immersion
heater still
gives you hot
water
•If you have a
combination
boiler or a
pressurised
system, check
the pressure is
between one and one and a half bar.
Checking now means you will be able to get any
problems sorted out before the Christmas and
New Year break.
Going away?
Cold weather over the holidays can mean burst
pipes, extensive damage and a miserable welcome
when you return home to your water-damaged
property. Follow these tips to avoid it happening –
and make sure you are insured just in case it does.
•Leave the heating on low and set the room
thermostat to 12 degrees
•Ensure there is enough gas and electricity on any
key or card meters you have
•Make sure radiator valves are fully open and all
radiators are turned on
•Set the heating programmer to “constant” or
“24 Hour”
10
•Turn off the
water at
the mains
stopcock
•Open the
loft hatch to
allow air to circulate while you are away
•Let a neighbour know how to contact you in an
emergency.
Whether you are staying at home or going away,
make sure outside taps are wrapped in an old
towel to keep the frost off the pipes and stop
them freezing.
Remember, this is a good time to check that you
have up to date contents insurance to protect your
belongings. As the landlord we only insure the
property, not your contents.
My Home Contents Insurance is a low cost
insurance package designed specifically for
housing association tenants. For more information
call 0845 3372463.
Our response to bad weather
If there are heavy snowfalls, our grounds
maintenance contractor will grit priority locations.
Residents can help by spreading salt from salt bins
on local paths. Salt bins can be checked at any time
so don’t wait for severe weather before calling our
customer services team if yours is running low.
During severe weather we will provide regular
updates via Twitter, Facebook and on the West
Kent website.
During severe weather such as gales or
heavy snow, West Kent will focus on dealing
with emergency response and so planned
appointments may need to be postponed.
If this happens, we do not pay the £20 missed
appointment compensation. These events also
put high demand on our phone system so you
may experience delays. If you enquiry is not
urgent please consider phoning later or emailing
[email protected]
We’d love to hear your stories - email [email protected]
Get ready for the cold weather
Winter has a beauty of its own, and it can be nice to sit inside in the warm and watch the
snow drift down. For some people, though – particularly the elderly - it can pose challenges.
Please keep an eye on your neighbours and friends and follow this checklist to stay safe.
Flooding:
Flooding can become a problem very quickly. Help prepare for it by:
•signing up to the Environment Agency’s free flood warnings at
environment-agency.gov.uk. The website can also tell you if you
live in an area at risk of flooding.
•finding out if there’s a nearby community flood group or learning
how to set one up at www.nationalfloodforum.org.uk
Snow:
Even when snow looks safe it can hide dangers such as black
ice. It is much easier to clear snow when it is loose and fresh and
before it becomes hard and compacted. Never use water to melt
snow as it can refreeze and turn to black ice. Use ordinary table or
dishwasher salt instead. For more advice on clearing snow visit
www.gov.uk/clear-snow-road-path-cycleway
Driving in snow:
Always prepare your car for ice and snow. Make sure you have
an ice scraper, a can of de-icer and a bottle of windscreen washer
fluid handy, but always avoid driving in the snow unless you
really have to.
Keep the heat in:
• Draw your curtains at dusk to help keep heat inside your rooms;
the thicker the curtains, the better.
• Make sure your radiators are not covered by curtains or furniture.
• Close the doors of any rooms you are not using.
• Keep wrapped up when you are indoors; pop a jumper and some
socks on.
Power cuts:
Make sure you are prepared for power cuts. Keep candles,
matches and torches somewhere you can get to them easily (and
remember to check the batteries).
Check out our great website at www.westkent.org
11
Switch suppliers and save
One of the simplest ways of saving money is
to switch your gas and electricity suppliers to
those offering a cheaper tariff. According to Ofgem (the Office of Gas and
Electricity Markets) more than four million people
switched their energy supplier last year and cut
their energy bills by around £150 per year each.
In January, West Kent is partnering with the
Citizens Advice Bureau’s Energy Best Deal
campaign and My Home Energy Switch to make it
easier for you to switch and save money. At our switching sessions,
listed below, we will have
professionals on hand
to help you through the
process. All you need
is your most recent bill
from your current energy
providers and we will be
able to tell you what deals
are available. It`s then your
decision.
Switch and
Save is easy
to use – all you need to do is enter your postcode
- and it is impartial, comparing prices from all UK
energy suppliers, not just the biggest players.
If you don’t have internet access you can still benefit
from the service. Just call free phone number 0800
410 1147 or 01732 227111 from a mobile.
The commission that the council receives from
the companies involved will be invested in energy
efficiency and fuel poverty initiatives.
Paying more then
you need to?
It is now easier then ever to choose the
best energy deal. Find out how...
For more details, or to
book a time slot on the
day, contact our Financial
Wellbeing Manager Mark
Faithful on 01732 749910.
If you can’t get to a
session you can get
similar help from a new
website designed to help
people and businesses in
Sevenoaks get the best gas
and electricity deals.
Visit one of our free, impartial sessions for expert help on switching to the
best energy deals on the market.
Monday 12 January:
The Alexandra Suite, St Marys Road, Swanley BR8 7BU - 9.30am to noon
The Fusion Centre, 4 Parkwood Parade, Maidstone ME15 9HL - 2pm to 4.30pm
Wednesday 21 January:
The eAt@Eden cafe in the Eden Centre, Edenbridge TN8 6BY - 10am to 12.30pm
West Kent Offices, 101 London Road, Sevenoaks, TN13 1AX - 2pm to 4.30pm
A new website backed by
To book onto a session, ring 01732 749910 or email
the district council promises
[email protected]
to be quick, impartial
Please bring along your most recent gas and electricity bills.
and straightforward and
lets homeowners and
businesses compare tariffs
to find out how they could
save money.
Find out more at www.sevenoaksswitchandsave.co.uk
12
We’d love to hear your stories - email [email protected]
Resident
Involvement
Update
Our three-year resident involvement strategy
sets out West Kent’s vision, aims and
objectives for keeping residents at the heart
of everything we do and providing a choice
of ways in which they can be consulted on
our plans. The strategy aims to widen the number of
residents we consult by using a range of
communication methods so that everyone can get
involved in a way that suits them.
Over the past few months we have consulted
more than 1,000 residents face to face, in focus
groups and online about a range of policies and
services that affect them.
We have also been reviewing our resident groups
and exploring ways that we can expand them and
encourage more residents to become involved.
The strategy also sets out the new way in which
we will invite residents to help us carry out our
scrutiny function by giving them a choice of three
ways in which they can be involved.
Resident internal auditors will take part in the
Our PULSE is strong
There are few better ways of relaxing after a
meeting and making new friends than singing
together in a choir.
Many of those in The Pulse – one of our service
groups that discuss the way we help supported
clients – now stay on as part of the Pulse Choir
after the monthly or two-monthly group meeting.
internal audit process and feed directly into the
services we provide.
Our auditors, Mazars, will provide training and
supervision for the auditors throughout the
process. They must have good IT skills and be
willing to complete further training as necessary;
all reasonable expenses will be refunded. This is a great opportunity for residents to
influence our services while learning new skills and
building confidence and communication skills. A complaints review group will meet quarterly
to look at any trends in complaints and identify
potential areas for mystery shoppers to look at. Our mystery shoppers are fully trained and after
carrying out a specific task they will provide an
account of their experience that will be used to
help the business improve.
For more information about any of our resident
involvement opportunities contact Karen Grainger
on 07718 209033 or Redmond Hartop on 07515
064404 or email [email protected]
About a dozen service users
and staff get together
to learn and sing songs
including Oh happy day,
When I’m 64 and Those
were the days.
At the moment the choir sings just for fun, but
there is the possibility that one day they might
put on a concert for us all to enjoy.
Check out our great website at www.westkent.org
13
New online housing benefit service
A new service for housing benefit and council
tax support claimants has been launched by
Sevenoaks District and Dartford Borough
Councils.
www.sevenoaks.gov.uk or
www.dartford.gov.uk and following
the link to the housing
benefits pages.
It means claims can now be made online via the
councils’ websites and also allows some of the
evidence needed to support a claim to be updated
electronically.
We expect other councils
to offer similar services
soon and will keep you
informed. Sevenoaks
District Council runs
a joint benefit and
revenues service
with Dartford
Council so
residents need
to make sure
they go into the
correct website. The service also allows people to update their
claim when their circumstances change, perhaps
because someone moves into, or out of, the
household.
People can continue to use conventional paper
housing benefit forms if they prefer to make a
claim that way.
The service is available by logging on to
A seat on the board
We currently have vacancies on both the West
Kent and West Kent Extra boards for tenant
board members who will help provide strategic
leadership and successful governance.
We anticipate that new board members will be
enthusiastic and committed and able to attend
approximately 12 meetings and other events
during a year.
We find out what skills our board members have
to make sure they are equipped to do the job,
and we provide a full training and personal
development programme.
As a tenant board member you will bring a
personal perspective to the development and
future of West Kent and help us reach decisions.
There is an annual payment for being a West
Kent tenant board member which reflects the
level of responsibility required for the role,
although the West Kent Extra tenant board
member role is voluntary. Expenses are paid for
both roles.
For further information or an informal discussion
contact Illa Scopel, Resident Involvement
Manager on 01732 749951.
14
We’d love to hear your stories - email [email protected]
Montgomery Court extra care scheme
tenants enjoyed an exercise class
without having to leave the comfort of
their chairs.
Their chair-based class took place in the communal
lounge of the Wainscott scheme and was enjoyed
by all.
Medway Council, working in partnership with The
Right Step Dance Company, has funded a 12-week
series of Thursday afternoon classes for all the
tenants who wish to take part.
Many wheelchair users attended the class and
enjoyed being able to improve their fitness while
making new friends and socialising with their
neighbours.
Dorothy (Doff) Gomme said: “It was very enjoyable,
relaxing and good fun - and free for now - and I
shall certainly be attending the next session.”
Scheme Manager Amanda Fairman said it was “a
wonderful opportunity for our tenants to join in
such a great project.”
She went on: “Thanks to Medway Council, this
programme helps to reduce isolation for some
tenants as well as helping them to have fun, which
is just what they need.”
Check out our great website at www.westkent.org
15
Quite an audience...
Two of our residents who took part in the
Swanley Pop Up Business School earlier this
year shared their experiences with others at a
high profile event at the House of Commons.
Caroline Bruce and Cherise Cheney each told the
audience about the business they had set up after
being inspired by the course. In doing so they
demonstrated how much confidence they had
gained as well as sharing their experience.
The House of Commons event, which was
attended by Employment Minister Esther McVey,
was designed to show how housing associations
support their tenants into self-employment.
It was
organised
by the Give Us A Chance
Consortium, which used
to focus on employment
opportunities for young people but has now
broadened its focus and works in partnership with
ERSA (Employment Related Services Association).
The Swanley Pop Up Business School had 164
attendances from 38 different Swanley residents,
with a core group of around 16 taking full
advantage of the ongoing support from the tutors
by attending almost every day.
Caroline attended because she had a strong
creative interest in dressmaking and wanted to
build her confidence and skills. She has also been
on the New Enterprise Scheme and six months
down the line has her own online bespoke
dressmaking business at carolinebruce.weebly.com
Both Caroline and Cherise, who has set up
a cleaning business called Cherise’s Sparkle,
emerged from the course with enough confidence
to get up at the West Kent Extra Annual General
Meeting – as well as in the House of Commons and share their stories.
It was while coping with a bereavement and
clearing out a home that Cherise realised
she enjoyed cleaning, found it therapeutic
and was very good at it. She said the Pop Up
Business School had given her “motivation and
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confidence”. Her website is at cherisessparkle.
weebly.com
Caroline and Cherise were joined by Terry Wilcox,
who was inspired to register as self-employed,
win a grant to buy reclaimed wood and set up
a business making office pods. His website is at
podlivingrooms.weebly.com/
West Kent worked with Swanley Town Council,
Sevenoaks District Council’s business team and
MOAT Housing to organise and run the free, tenday programme, which ran across weekends and
weekdays to allow more people to attend.
Follow up evaluation showed that at least 15
businesses were created, and there was a clear
increase in skills and wellbeing when participants
compared their happiness, confidence, business
and computer skills before and after taking part.
The scheme was a mix of group support,
confidence building and motivational
presentations as well as specific workshop-style
sessions that saw people building their own
websites, producing promotional materials and
identifying their local markets.
We’d love to hear your stories - email [email protected]
Make an APP-ointment
A new mobile phone ‘app’ is available to
help you find the right treatment for health
problems, especially when you are not sure
what to do or who to contact.
Whether you have a baby with a high
temperature, a teenager who is feeling low, or
you have sprained your ankle and for many other
health problems, the ground breaking Health Help
Now web app can guide you to the service that
will help you best.
Developed by Medway and Kent GPs,
hospital doctors, paramedics and other health
professionals, Health Help Now - online at
www.healthhelpnow-nhs.net - is free to use.
It lists common symptoms and helps you find the
best place for treatment for them in Medway,
north and east Kent. The suggestions are tailored
to five different age groups: baby, child, teenager,
adult and older adult.
Health Help Now shows the nearest services
and is time sensitive, showing whether services
are open or closed and providing a map of their
location, and directions.
Why not save it now so you have it readily to
hand when you need it?
For urgent health advice 24 hours a day, or if you
don’t have internet access, phone 111.
Providing a lifeline
Swanley tenant Jo Frawley is giving up her time
to help other people by working voluntarily
with The Silver Line, a telephone befriending
service set up nearly a year ago.
The Silver Line was an inspirational idea from
television personality and campaigner Esther
Rantzen, who saw it as a way to help combat the
loneliness and isolation of older people.
“I became a Silver Line volunteer friend several
months ago, and I really enjoy chatting to the two
older people I’m matched with every week,” said Jo.
I find it incredibly rewarding and would definitely
recommend it as a worthwhile and satisfying way of
helping an older person feel less lonely.”
Volunteers are vital to help The Silver Line achieve its
aim of reducing loneliness and improving the lives
of older people. Jo explained that volunteers were
“the charity’s link to communities and older people
across the UK”, as well as providing the organisation
with the skills and capacity it needed to make a
difference. She said The Silver Line still had almost 800 callers
waiting to be paired up with someone who could
help them just by calling them once a week for a
chat.
“The charity is in desperate need of more volunteers
to meet the demand for this very popular and much
needed friendship service,” she added.
There is more information available at
www.thesilverline.org.uk.
The helpline number for older people is
0800 470 8090.
Check out our great website at www.westkent.org
17
FIRE SAFETY at Christmas
With winter nights drawing in and
Christmas just around the corner,
this is the time of year when people
start to think about extra lights,
candles and, of course, Christmas
trees.
Your personal safety and that of your
neighbours should be paramount when
thinking about these things, so here
are a few measures you should take to
make sure you and your home stay as
safe as possible:
• Test your smoke alarms weekly
• Check your electrical appliances
regularly
• Make sure you don’t overload plugs
or extension leads
• Turn off/unplug appliances when not
in use
• Use battery candles rather than wick candles
• Ensure you have a clear exit route from your home in case you need to escape.
We want you to be able to decorate your homes during the festive period and we hope you have a very
happy Christmas but make sure you do so safely.
Don’t be a drip
Leaky outside taps have been making a
splash – and West Kent wants to make
sure tenants know the rules around
repairing them.
West Kent is not responsible for repairing
outside taps on its oldest homes – those that
were transferred to the housing association
from Sevenoaks District Council in 1989 –
and when they drip or leak it is down to the
tenants to put it right.
West Kent will, though, repair outside taps
installed by the builder on our newer homes –
those that have been built since the initial transfer.
Please note, though, that if a tenant decides
to install an outside tap at their home it is their
responsibility to keep it maintained, regardless of
whether it is one of the original transferred homes
or one that has been built more recently.
18
If a tap is running or dripping constantly, West Kent
has a duty under water regulations to stop the
leak, but in the case of older, transferred homes, it
will remove the tap, cap the pipe and recharge the
tenant for the work. You can avoid this happening
by calling in a plumber.
We’d love to hear your stories - email [email protected]
Helping those in crisis
West Kent’s Lifeways team continues
to change lives by responding to calls
for help from people who are at a
crisis point.
Among the people helped recently
was Carol, who came to the team’s
attention after three years of severe
domestic abuse during which she was
continuously controlled, isolated,
belittled, threatened and terrorised by
her violent partner.
Carol only managed to escape the
man’s tyranny after he viciously attacked her,
stamping on her chest and face and breaking
her jaw.
Lifeways put Carol into emergency housing
as soon as possible and supported her in
adjusting to a life free from crippling fear
and low self-esteem while also bringing up
two young children. She accepted counselling
and underwent cosmetic surgery for her facial
injuries.
Carole is now
happily settled
with her children
in a different part
of the country and
is looking for part-time work.
Her partner stayed in custody until his trial, at
which he was charged with attempted murder
and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Don’t miss out
Would you like to gain a
qualification and real work
experience at the same time?
If so, an apprenticeship could
be just right you.
We are currently working in
partnership with Mid Kent College
in Maidstone to run a number of
apprenticeships. We have already
hired several young peope and
still have some more vacancies
available.
Our housing management
apprentice Hannah Bridger, who started in
September this year, has told us how welcoming and
supportive West Kent staff are.
“So far, I am really enjoying the experience. I
think the opportunity to work within West Kent,
especially in the housing management department,
is a brilliant one. I’m looking forward to what the
coming year has in store.”
If you are interested in becoming an apprentice
within West Kent or for more information please
contact Clare Firth on 01732 749436.
Check out our great website at www.westkent.org
19
Paws for thought
West Kent has been named as one of the
leading supporters of animal welfare after
achieving a Gold Footprint in the RSPCA’s
Community Animal Welfare Footprints
(CAWF) scheme for the second year running.
We were one of 11 housing providers to achieve
the top award in the Housing Footprint category.
The award recognises our positive pet policy
and our clear strategy to support responsible
ownership because of the benefits pets give in
terms of companionship and promoting a healthy,
active lifestyle.
We are running several schemes to improve
animal welfare, including micro-chipping, and
the Gold Footprint rewards the extra effort our
staff make to ensure high standards of care for
animals.
Lenny Rolles, the RSPCA’s senior parliamentary
advisor for local government, said it was “pleasing
to see that in spite of the tough economic climate
faced by housing associations, West Kent has
demonstrated a commitment to animal welfare.”
Neighbourhood
Support Officer
Mandie Stallard
said the housing
association
was delighted
to have won
the award for
the second
year running,
adding: “We
have continued
to work in
partnership
with Sevenoaks District Council
and have been able to deliver
a monthly surgery in different neighbourhoods
throughout 2014.
“Many residents have used this service to get
their dogs micro-chipped and for advice on being
a responsible dog owner.”
West Kent won bronze awards in 2008 and 2010
and a gold award in 2013.
Getting in touch
Housing Options
(waiting list, bidding for homes) 01732 749433
Customer Services
Contact our Customer Service Advisors to pay
your rent, report a repair or for any other
housing related question. Telephone 01732
749400 Email: [email protected]
Worried about your debts or struggling to
pay your rent?
Contact us as soon as possible for help and
advice - 01732 749400 or visit www.westkent.
org/payrent
Report a repair: Abacus Furniture Project
Sevenoaks: 01732 743365
Medway: 01634 296662
Maidstone: 01622 620464
Call 01732 749400 or 0800 169 1122 between
8am and 5pm. In emergencies at other times
call 0800 169 1122. You can also email
[email protected] or use the form on the
website at www.westkent.org
Lifeways (support and sheltered housing)
01732 749451/749452