220 spring 2015

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SPRING 2015

Sing Yourself to Health

Tenant Tales

The Heart of Coastal Housing

to Encourage & Inspire

WIN

Great Prizes

Coastal People

Coastal Network

Coastal Life

Life Changing Event

Cwmfelin Community

Cricket Hero

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Spring 2015 COASTAL PEOPLE

COASTAL LIFE

COASTAL REGULARS

4 My Life - Chris Davies 24 Sing your heart out - the Recycled Teenagers 27 We want to hear from you!

8 Cwmfelin community 16 Time to Meet 18 Apprenticeships and volunteering 19 Tenant engagement 20 Tenant Story - Trevor Jones 26 Bev’s Story - how a book changed my life 28 Tenant Story - Mr Guard 32 Young people and Sexting

30 34 35 37 38

COASTAL NETWORK 6 Development news 10 Sustainable tenancies course 14 Our performance - how are we doing?

23 Recycling electrical items 35 Digital Inclusion 36 Fire safety in the home 40 Tell us how you like to communicate with Coastal

COASTAL MONEY 12 Welfare reform 13 Pay day loans - horror story

Food files What’s on Social media Dave’s dilemmas Insider information

COASTAL COMPETITIONS 25 Win Callabro’s album 31 Win a smoothie maker 26 Win a copy of ‘Overcoming Anxiety’ 34 Win tickets to Dynamic Rock 37 Competition winners 40 Free prize draw - win £100

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YOUNG PEOPLE AND SEXTING

30

REDUCE YOUR SHOPPING BILL

28

TENANT STORY MR GUARD

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The

220 is designed and published in-house by Coastal Housing Group Ltd 3rd Floor, 220 High Street, Swansea, SA1 1NW www.coastalhousing.co.uk Data protection Coastal Housing Group reserves the right to use competition participants’ personal data to inform them of future promotions. Once you have entered a competition you may receive other related promotional offers. If you do not wish for your personal data to be used for this purpose then you ‘opt out’ by contacting the promoter in writing by email.

The Promoter may not always be Coastal Housing Group and could be any one of a number of companies associated with providing prizes.

Accuracy We try to make sure that the information printed in 220 including prices and availability is correct at time of going to press, but readers should still seek independent advice before relying on any content. We cannot be held responsible for any changes. Colours may vary slightly due to the printing process. We reserve the right to edit any material submitted. We cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements.

Copyright No part of 220 may be reproduced in any format without prior permission from Coastal Housing Group.

Circulation 6,000 readers Tenants, Staff, Partners, Contractors and Consultants, Councillors, MPs, AMs together with a wide range of people and organisations who have regular contact with Coastal Housing Group.

Healthy Living issue This hearty edition of the 220 Magazine focuses on Healthy Living – we hope this will help put a spring in your step for the season ahead!

My Life features Coastal tenant Chris Davies, who tells us of his life changing transplant. Keen cricketer Trevor Jones lets us in on what his ‘good life’ looks like and Anita Hanney shares with us her love for singing and introduces us to the ‘Recycled Teenagers’!

We also highlight some very important topics like young people and Sexting, the dangers of pay day loans and fire safety tips.

Here at Coastal, we’re big on communities, so we’ve been out and about at Cwmfelin, finding out ‘what matters to you’.

There are some fabulous prizes to WIN - up for grabs are tickets to Dynamic Rock, a Breville smoothie maker a copy of Helen Kennerly’s self-help book ‘Overcoming Anxiety,’ copies of Callabro’s debut album and enter our free prize draw to win £100 if you complete our survey on the back page!

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FIRE SAFETY IN THE HOME

In every issue of the 220 Magazine, we love to inspire you with stories about you! If you have an achievement, or inspirational story to tell us, we invite you to get in touch. Without your contributions, this magazine wouldn’t be possible!

eam T 0 2 2 e Th SPRING 2015 220 COASTAL MAGAZINE

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My Life Tenant, Chris Davies Chris Davies is not your average 40 year old; he was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease when he was 15. For three years he was on dialysis treatment before finally getting the phone call that changed his life... A year ago Chris went through a kidney transplant, but before this his life was very different.

nherited from his mum, Polycystic Kidney Disease meant that Chris had to undergo regular dialysis treatment. Dialysis is often used to replicate the functions of the kidneys while a person is waiting to have a kidney transplant. But his life changed on 10th August 2013 when a donated kidney became available.

I

Since having his transplant Chris is now able to enjoy the things in life that he wasn’t able to do before, such as take long walks and have evenings out on the weekend.

Chris said: “It was very mixed emotions, as I was very aware what the donor’s family must be going through, the grief of losing someone and at the same time feeling elated that I was getting a second chance. I still get very emotional thinking about it and can’t believe someone could do something so generous at such a terrible time.”

Even his lowest point at being on dialysis, and not knowing whether he was going to get a kidney transplant, Chris remained positive and upbeat. His positive attitude towards anything life throws at him is really something to be admired. He now volunteers in Morriston Hospital giving advice and support to new patients who are receiving dialysis, and to offer them guidance on what to expect and alleviate any worries they may have.

I GET FREAKED OUT BY....

People drinking too much. People don’t realise that they have perfectly good kidneys that they are taking for granted and are unaware of the damaging effects alcohol can have

“The new kidney has completely changed my life, I have more energy and time for family and friends.”

I’m so proud that...

I’ve had a second chance at my life.

If I have time to myself I....

Like to take long walks to the Gower, Caswell or Mumbles.

This was something I was unable to do before the transplant so it makes it even more enjoyable now.

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I ONCE TRIED....

Dialysis at home. It’s not for everyone, as most people have it in the hospital, but I was very determined to teach myself and with the help of the staff at Morriston Hospital this was possible.

I am most known for..

Chatting and talking a lot. Also, dressing up in the renal ward to keep people entertained while they were having dialysis.

The thing I love about my home is....

I’M VERY BAD AT...

Being overly punctual.

I have to be on time for everything and even turn up really early for my appointments.

If I could give one piece of advice....

Be aware of how precious your life is; look after your body as you never know what’s around the corner.

I am so house proud, I take pride in cleaning and making sure I have a lovely clean place to live.

I’m very good at...

Helping people. I volunteer in Morriston Hospital, giving advice to new dialysis patients, letting them know what to expect when having dialysis. I offer support and talk to them about any of the worries or concerns that they may have. I think my friendly, outgoing nature helps with this.

Become a donor www.organdonation.nhs.uk Learn more about drinking safely: www.drinkaware.co.uk

Chris would like to give his thanks to the Renal Team at Morriston Hospital SPRING 2015 220 COASTAL MAGAZINE

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Development News It’s been a busy time for us in Development with all our sites progressing well and with plenty of other schemes in the design and tender stage. There’s always new challenges with each scheme changing and moving forward through each phase. As each site progresses we’ll try and keep you up-to-date.

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Green Park This scheme will see the regeneration of a brownfield site on the edge of Port Talbot town centre, and will provide a total of 21 houses, five bungalows and eight apartments, under a negotiated contract with Wates Living Space. This project will aim to create high quality living accommodation in an inclusive and inviting public realm. It is an exciting time now with demolition complete, with the archaeologists starting to carry out investigations on site recording the remains of the former tin plate works.

Leonard Charles This scheme will provide an opportunity for us to enter into a package deal development agreement with Morganstone to refurbish the existing Leonard Charles building at no 40 Oxford Street in Swansea, and develop 32 General Needs Apartments consisting of 23 one bedroom apartments and 9 two bedroom apartments. The building has a secure basement and will provide 16 car parking spaces. The ground floor will also provide a commercial opportunity with a unit of 550m².

The architects C2J, based in Cardiff, have produced an exciting proposal to greatly improve the appearance of the building which will bring it back into use, thereby enhancing the street scene in this location. The building is located on the edge of the Sandfields housing renewal area, close enough to access all the city centre amenities and its refurbishment will compliment the regeneration plans for the area. The development is a mixed use regeneration scheme that will completely refurbish and significantly improve the appearance of the building and street scene on the North Eastern corner of the Sandfields renewal area.

Morfydd House Demolition of the former Local Authority Social Services building, Morfydd House in Morriston went ahead autumn this year and the main construction works have now started with the foundations progressing well. Construction of the 26 one and two bedroom flats should be ready for letting late next year. The site is very challenging in terms of access and it’s shape, but Rio Architects from Cardiff have developed some very attractive designs which manage to both fit in nicely with the existing buildings. At the same time they have a very individual and quite continental feel to them, with the raised external corridors and by retaining the mature trees which are currently on the site. The main contractor Wates successfully carried out a Community Information Event back in November this year showcasing the proposed site layout which was very positively welcomed by all that attended.

Rhiw Car Park We are pleased to say that we’ve been given the opportunity to work with Bridgend County Borough Council and work on an exciting redevelopment in Bridgend. The programme will involve the demolition and replacement of the existing multi-storey car park on the Ogmore riverfront with 240 car parking spaces as well as constructing 28 new two bedroom socially-rented apartments and a large commercial unit along the Rhiw street curtilage, facing the market. The existing car park is dated and due to structural issues is no longer fit for purpose, yet occupies a prominent location at a key gateway to Bridgend town centre, so we hope that by modernising and making this building more attractive that it will form part of a wider strategic regeneration plan for Bridgend town centre.

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Those of you who live in Cwmfelin, Swansea, will know that Coastal have been out and about in your community trying to find out what matters to you.

Cwmfelin

Community What matters to you about how Coastal work with you includes:

The other things that are important to you are:

Knowing who to contact Having a quick response to repairs and emergencies Coastal listening to what you want Coastal being present in the community Having up to date information

Peace and quiet Safety and security Health Good relationships with family, friends and neighbours Independence Privacy The community - knowing everyone and getting involved

B

y working with you and getting to know you better, Coastal has been keen to play a part in helping you to develop and make connections in your community. We asked ‘What would make life better here?’; ‘What do you want?’ and, most importantly, ‘What do you have to offer?’ and discovered a dazzling array of skills, interests and experience ranging from gardening to glazing and building to beekeeping.

We also found out that lots of you wanted to do your bit to get involved.

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What you did: • Meetings were held to discuss how the community could get together; • Events were planned to act as a springboard for future events.

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“Knowing everyone and getting involved.”

Bonfire Night Fireworks The skies over Cwmfelin lit up this year with a fabulous community Fireworks party. James Pufal and Lucy Jones worked hard to get everyone involved and, if we can measure how much fun was had by the amount of hot dogs eaten (200!), a great night was had by everyone!

Halloween Disco Ghoulies and ghosties and witches galore enjoyed the Halloween Disco organised by parents from Cwmfelin.

Cwmfelin Woods An exciting half term event had already been planned to launch the nature trail at Cwmfelin and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get to know the young people in the community. There was plenty to do on the day such as building bird boxes and carving flowers out of branches.

At the heart of the action was a giant blackboard where kids could chalk up their great ideas for the future of the community at Cwmfelin. Hopefully, we’ll see some of their ideas influencing what goes on in the future!

If you live at Cwmfelin (or in the local area) and would like to get involved in what’s going on in your community, contact Scott or Mark and they will be able to point you in the right direction.

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“I hope this helps me secure a tenancy”

Tenancy

Skills Janet Gange, Coastal Housing Group’s Community Inclusion Manager, talks about Coastal’s newest Tenancy Skills Scheme, launched earlier this year.

Our new Tenancy Skills Learning Programme You can learn about all the skills to help you manage a tenancy • welfare reform awareness; • managing personal and household finances; • managing debt; • landlord and tenants rights and responsibilities; • anti-social behaviour awareness and how to be a good neighbour; • health & safety in the home; • fire safety awareness; and basic DIY.

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s a social landlord, we provide homes for people from a wide spectrum of socio and economic backgrounds. These include vulnerable and supported tenants, applicants who may be leaving care or prison and those who have been unfortunate to have lost their previous home.

Some have never lived independently before and do not know how to manage their tenancy properly whilst for many it is the first time they are required to budget. It is therefore inevitable that some tenancies will fail. This failure can take many forms from tenants falling into rent arrears to more problematic issues such as neighbour complaints and anti-social behaviour. So in order to provide our tenants with the skills and knowledge they need to be able to manage their tenancies and lead their lives as best they can we’ve recently teamed up with Open Communities and Welsh Tenants to launch a brand new two day ‘Sustainable Tenancy’ learning programme.

The first of its kind in Wales, the Sustainable Tenancy course is aimed at people who are looking to begin a tenancy for the first time as well as any of our existing tenants who may be experiencing difficulties managing their current tenancies.

"I found the two days training very enjoyable.

The financial information around budgeting skills and using Credit Unions was perfect."VALARIE STANTON We hope that this tailor-made course will help people avoid the pit falls that come with the responsibility of living in and managing their own home as well as addressing some of the issues resulting from Welfare Reform and Universal Credit. All those who successfully complete the course receive a Tenants Accreditation Scheme Award in Tenancy Sustainment and are offered an optional third day of IT Skills training.

The diverse range of sessions that tenants will be required to complete in order to gain their certificate will not only give the recipients the confidence to tackle day-to-day difficulties that they will face, but will also demonstrate to prospective landlords that they have the skills to satisfactorily conduct their tenancy and can be a fantastic bargaining tool when trying to compete within the rental market.

We have already seen the positive outcomes it has brought to people’s lives.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the course and I hope this helps me secure a tenancy in the very near future."RICHARD LEE

If you would like more information about our Tenancy Skills Scheme programme please contact Janet Gange on: 01792 479259 or email janet.gange@coastalhousing.co.uk SPRING 2015 220 COASTAL MAGAZINE

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Welfare

Reform It’s been rolling out around the country for a while, but now in 2015 it’s reaching South Wales…

Universal Credit!

When?

Who?

Neath & Port Talbot: Between February - March 2015 Swansea: Between May – July 2015

To begin with it will only affect NEW claimants of Job Seekers Allowance.

So what is Universal Credit?

Here's a quick reminder...

•

• •

Universal Credit is replacing: Jobseeker’s Allowance, Housing Benefit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and Income Support; Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit, which means the amount you get depends on how much income and capital you've got. Capital means things like savings and some kinds of property; It is a benefit for people of working age. This means you must be under the age when you can make a claim for Pension Credit.

How can I get ready for Universal Credit?

•

Go online…

Universal Credit is designed to be claimed online. Your claim starts on the day that you submit it to DWP. If you don’t have access to the internet, jobcentres have computers you can use. If you are not confident using a computer, the jobcentre can tell you about local services that can help you. Getting online and building your confidence in using digital services will also help you to access more job vacancies and get into work more quickly.

•

Sort out the best way to manage your money…

Universal Credit is paid monthly into a single account for you and your household. Your Universal Credit payment provides a month’s support for your household and may include an amount for your housing costs which means you need make arrangements yourself on how to pay your rent. If you have been used to managing your money fortnightly or having your rent paid directly from housing benefit, you may need to find new ways to manage your money: - Talk to your area housing manager to agree the best way to pay your rent - Set up a bank account if you don’t already have one - Get advice on budgeting

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If you need advice or have any questions about Welfare Reform, remember to contact your Area Housing Manager… they’ll be happy to help and talk to you about your options.

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Pay Day Loans

Sarah’s Story Pay Day Loans are a very expensive way to borrow money, and only work if you can repay the loan on time and in full. If you can’t, the cost of the loan will start to increase and before you know it you are paying a lot more money back than you originally thought.

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Coastal tenant, who we have called Sarah, wanted us to tell as many people as possible about what happened to her in the hope it will stop anyone else getting in the financial mess that she did as a result of a payday loan.

This is Sarah’s Story...

“I’ve always been really good with my money, but all it took was for one small financial emergency for all my troubles to start. I use my car for my work and one day it broke down... £832 worth of repairs to get it back on the road! I simply didn’t have that amount of money in the bank. Then I remembered the Pay Day Loan adverts, so I thought it was the quickest way to get back out there earning. The trouble was it was too easy! So, whenever anything else went wrong, instead of budgeting I’d take out another payday loan, but it soon spiralled out of control.

My health soon deteriorated, I was stressed and I couldn’t afford to eat properly. I was receiving letters demanding payments from five different lenders. This went on for months. My life had been turned upside down and I was now at risk of losing my home. I’d been using my rent money to take away the pressure from the lenders, but now my landlord was telling me they were going to start Court Proceedings against me.

My Area Housing Manager had arranged to meet me to discuss the situation and when we met I completely broke down in front of them and then told them everything. They were so sympathetic and did everything they could to help me, like making an affordable repayment plan for my arrears and working with me and a debt advisor to manage my other debts. In one appointment they lifted the biggest burden from me by simply listening and I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Six months on and I’m getting back to my old self and budgeting properly.

My advice to anyone would be to avoid any payday loan company. If you need money for a crisis, or if you’re struggling to juggle any debt you already have just speak to organisations like the Money Advice Service, Citizens Advice Bureau, Debt Advice Foundation or contact your Housing Manager… you’d be surprised how much help they can give, and more importantly don’t ignore your problem hoping it will go away… it won’t!“

Useful Contact Information : www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk T. 0300 500 5000

www.debtadvicefoundation T. 0800 043 4050

www.citizensadvice.org.uk T. 03444 772020 SPRING 2015 220 COASTAL MAGAZINE

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Our Performance Performance for December 2014 Performance area

Key performance indicator

Description

1

Complaints

The total number of complaints received each quarter.

2

Calls received

to 30th Sept 14

This is the total number of customer complaints received this quarter

4

5

Number of Calls Received

This is the total number of calls received by HST

25,512

21,679

3%

3%

3

Calls answered

% of Calls Abandoned

This is the percentage of calls which are abandoned before being answered by HST

4

Calls answered

Average Call Answered Wait Time

This is the average wait time for all answered calls by HST

7 secs

7 secs

5

Housing Management

Tenancy Turnover – Tenancies Ended

This is the total number of tenancies which have ended this month

33

56

6

Housing Management

Tenancy Turnover - % Tenancy Turnover

This is the percentage of the number of tenancies which have ended this month

0.64%

1.1%

7

Housing Management

Average Duration of Tenancies Ended

This is the average duration of the ended tenancies this month

4.3 yrs

4 yrs

Rents

Rent Collection to date - including current arrears expressed as a % of rent due

This is the percentage of rent collected against the amount due, including rent arrears

97.8%

95.6%

8

14

to 31st Dec 14

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Trend

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Our vision is to provide homes that enable our tenants to thrive and the communities we serve to prosper. We monitor our performance and continually look for ways to improve to provide excellent services in-line with that mission.

Performance for December 2014 Performance area

Key performance indicator

Description

to 31st Dec 14

to 30th Sept 14

99.62%

99.19%

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Health and safety and asset management

Gas safety

This is the percentage of homes which have gas, which have a valid gas safety certificate

10

Repairs and Maintenance

End to End Time for Repairs

This is the average number of days to complete a repair

5.53

5.66

11

Repairs and Maintenance

Speed of completion

This is the percentage of reactive repairs completed in one visit /same day

77%

75%

12

Properties available

% of properties that are empty and available for letting

% of properties that are empty and available for letting.

1.28%

1.35%

13

Properties unavailable

% of properties that are empty and unavailable for letting

% of properties that are empty and unavailable for letting

0.62%

0.52%

36.3 days

31.8 days

13 0.25%

38 0.73%

14

Time to let a property

Re-let Days Recorded

This is the average number of days it takes to re-let an empty property (excluding those undergoing major repairs or unavailable)

15

Properties to be sold

Properties to be sold by number and %

This is the number of properties to be sold and the % by total number of stock

Better than previous quarter

Worse than previous quarter

Same as previous quarter

Not applicable

Trend

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Coastal Housing work with a variety of different partners who support our tenants. Community Lives Consortium and the Walsingham support tenants with learning disabilities.

Time to Meet is organised by people with learning disabilities, their friends, families and staff. It is there to help members build stronger social lives with people around them by sharing, skills, interests and time.

With the assistance of a three year Lottery Fund, the tenants have teamed up to lead groups and workshops that they are interested in.

They can be as active and involved as they want to. They enjoy leading groups and working together, it has helped them to gain confidence, develop skills and meet new friends.

Here we meet some of the Team Leaders who share their experiences of Time to Meet.

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Avril Avril, who is a Group Leader helps out at the weekly coffee morning in Neath and makes the tea and coffee for everyone. Avril loves meeting people and having a job to do.

She is also busy leading the weekly bingo sessions, running an arts and crafts group and singing in the Choir. Avril said that since Time to Meet was set up she feels more confident, has made loads of new friends and she has earned credits which will give her access to the cinema and leisure activities in the New Year.

Clifford & Byron Clifford and Byron attend the coffee mornings members organise They live together in Aberavon in a Coastal house which they love. They said that the staff are marvellous there and assist them to do as much as possible for themselves.

Clifford said he loves the coffee mornings and the Bingo as he gets to see his friends and have a laugh together.

Clifford is also a season ticket holder with the Bluebirds and staff assist him to attend every home game in Cardiff.

The activities that are organised are chosen by the members, those interested in leading or being involved in other ways get the training they need such as ‘health and safety’ and ‘first aid’.

Time to Meet is an excellent example of active citizenship, supporting the community to develop activities and events that matter to them.

What’s On - Activities Include • • • • • • • • •

Coffee mornings; Bingo, board games, films, quizzes and raffles; Learn computer skills and play computer games; Darts, table tennis and pool; Karaoke, group singing and bands; Mates and dates; Arts and crafts; Walking; Camera club and many more...

Events and activities are held at various locations in Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot.

You can join Time to Meet if you: • • •

Get support yourself; Have a friend or a family member who has support; Provide support yourself either as a paid worker or volunteer.

If you are interested in joining Time to Meet visit www.time2meet.org.uk or ring Lisa Davies on (01792) 646640.

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Coastal’s Employment and Skills Manager, Clare Watkins, tells you how we have been supporting people into work

Apprenticeships

& Volunteering Dan’s Story Before Dan became a Coastal tenant, he was living in unsuitable, cramped accommodation and was working temporarily as a Big Issue seller.

I met Dan through our Support Team who were helping him settle in to his new home and sort a few things out. At that time Dan no longer had work, but really wanted to get back in to construction where he’d previously worked.

“I love my job.”

After some coaching with his interview skills and personal support from our Tenancy Support Worker Des, we arranged for Dan to spend some time with Dawnus, on our Castle Quarter development. Dan was only meant to be there for half a day, but happily stayed all day to help out. There were no jobs on site at the time, but Dawnus were so impressed that when a new job came up they contacted me to let Dan know and offer him a job.

Dan has now been full time with Dawnus for nine months and tells us that “I love my job”.

Job Title Change Both our Maintenance Apprentices have moved in to their third year. We have a new Carpentry Apprentice, Lewis, and an Electrical Apprentice, Mathew.

You may have noticed that my job title has changed.

I will still be working with our Contractors to make sure we create as many job and training opportunities as we can and I’ll also be looking at more employment and training support for our community.

They are both from Cyfle, the South West Wales Shared Apprentice Scheme. You can find out more at www.cyflebuilding.co.uk.

If you are interested in a work placement or training, keep an eye on our website for new opportunities www.coastalhousing.co.uk.

Apprenticeship Updates

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Tenant

Engagement Seasonal fe s

tivit

ies We got in to the spir it of Hallo goings on ween with at Cwmfeli some spoo n and Yny ky s Lee. Santa, his sleigh and bags of trea Harrington ts, visited Street, Wa Cwmfelin, unceirch a nd Ynys Lee .

Great Chri stmas part ie s at Henlly and the So s & Tower cial Circle’ Court s Annual C at the Villa hristmas b ge Hotel. ash held Transform ing a

garden At the Wil lows in Sw ansea, wit carried ou h a garden t by the Co makeover astal Care donations taking Tea from local m with suppliers.

Asking “w hat matte rs to A

t The Clois you?” ters and H enllys abo we found co u t Coastal H mmunicati ousing, on was the informed.

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Consultin g with ten ants of Em Walk, Nea pire th

On car pa rk security lighting co the lights nfirmed th to remain ey want on motion sensors.

In Ffordd

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nach Tenants w anted bou n dary arranged to carr y out th fencing moved, and we is work ea rlier this y ear.

At Golwg y

Gam

las Following a consulta tion with te CCTV. nants, we installed Regular su rgerie

s & coffee Are held to mornings talk about issues on si te with ten ants.

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If you ask Trevor Jones what the good life looks like, he’ll say ‘I have it now!’ Through his involvement in the cricket world he travels all over the place and enjoys his time spent in good company and describes himself as ‘a happy soul with a happy existence!’

Trevor Jones

T

revor was born in Hazelmere, Surrey in 1942 and as a youngster played hockey, rugby and cricket.

He started an administrative role in cricket about 50 years ago and was a cricket umpire from 1982 - 2010.

He loves keeping busy and, through his hobby, has recently been awarded the ‘Cricket Wales Award’ at the ‘Outstanding Services to Cricket Awards’ (OSCA).

In October 2014, Trevor was invited to the Official Home of Cricket: Lord's Cricket Ground where he was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the sport. His unsung tasks and countless hours spent volunteering were identified as essential to sustain participation in the sport and help nurture the next generation of club and village cricketers.

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“a happy soul with a happy existence.”

Cricketing on Glamorgan CCC St. Helen’s Pitch, Swansea • • •

•

• •

The earliest reference to cricket in Glamorgan is a match in Swansea in 1780; The formation of Glamorgan CCC took place on 6th July 1888; The St. Helen’s Ground in Swansea has staged 1st class cricket since Glamorgan joined the County Championships in 1921; St. Helen’s pitch is on a reclaimed sandbank and its sub-sandy soil make it one of the fastest drying soils in the country; Famous victories on the ground include the wins against Australia in 1964 and 1968; The ground is also home to Coastal’s Annual Tenant Fun Day

Trevor’s many achievements over the past 50 years include: • • • • • •

Assistant Secretary of South Wales Cricket Association; Secretary of Swansea and Wales Association of Cricket Officials; Secretary and Treasurer of West Glamorgan Regional Junior Development Committee; Committee Member of South Wales Junior Cricket League; Scorer for Wales over 60s; Coordinator for West Glamorgan Primary Schools Kwik Cricket.

Trevor says “I like keeping busy and like having a hobby. I’ve got emphysema but I haven’t got time to sit around a hospital and I’m too busy to go to the doctors.”

If you’ve been inspired by Trevor’s story, why not get in touch with your local cricket club and start volunteering now?

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Do you use a key or card meter for gas or electricity?

Switch today & save money!

Most electricity and gas suppliers only give discounts if you pay straight from a bank account with direct debit, but with Ebico: • Discounts are shared by ALL our customers - including key or card meter users and quarterly billed customers • Great savings are available - even if you don’t have a bank account

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Recycling Our top tips for recycling your old electrical items Is your toaster tired? Is your PC past it? Maybe your iPod has lost its voice! Did you know that these items can be reused or recycled rather than collecting dust in your cupboard or, even worse, being thrown out and harming the environment.

T

hese gadgets contain toxic chemicals, which we don’t want seeping out of landfills and into groundwater, or getting emitted into our air.

If you can’t sell all of your unwanted goods, you could swap them or donate to somebody who will make use of your items, saving you space in your house and protecting the environment at the same time. Try website such as ‘freecycle’ or ‘freegle’.

Large Electrical Items Swansea and Neath Port Talbot Councils operate a collection service for large household items such as fridges or freezes. However, they do charge for the collection and costs vary between the Councils.

Swansea Council expect collections to be booked and paid for in advance, and the cost is charged according to the number of items for collection.

Contact 01792 635600, or visit www.swansea.gov.uk Neath Port Talbot Council make a one-off charge regardless of the number of items. Collection can be booked on line at www.npt.gov.uk or call 01639 686868.

Your Local Recycling Centres Swansea

Neath

• • • • •

• • • •

Llansamlet Garngoch Clyne Penlan Tir John

Briton Ferry Industrial Estate Margam Street, Cymmer Millands Road, Neath St Mary’s, Car Park, Bus Station, Port Talbot

Turn trash into cash!

Start selling unwanted items - use websites such as ‘ebay’ or ‘gumtree’.

Car Boot Sales - find your inner ‘Del boy’ and sell your unwanted items at a car boot sale. There are loads of different venues in and around Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. www.carbootjunction.com will give you up-to-date information on venues, days, times to arrive and what it costs to sell.

Try Swansea High Street Car Boot Sale located at the multi-storey car park on High Street every Sunday. Sellers arrive at 9am to set up before buyers arrive at 10am. A single pitch is £5. Facilities include parking, toilets and refreshments. You must reserve a pitch before hand at www.highstreettraders.co.uk.

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Sing Your

Heart Out! Singing isn’t just fun, it’s good for your health!

Having a sing-song is an aerobic activity and it’s an excellent way to exercise your heart and lungs!

You’ll also get that feel good factor because of the endorphins that rush around your body while you sing away. Anita Hanney shares with us her singing experience.

Anita Hanney and the Recycled Teenagers

76 year old Anita Hanney lives at Ysbryd Y Mor in Aberavon, Port Talbot.

“I have always enjoyed singing and wanted to share my passion with others who wanted to give it a go. So when the BBC asked for versions of Calon Lan to advertise the Rugby Six Nations we dressed in red tops and filmed ourselves. We were thrilled when we appeared in every advert for three days! You had to be quick to see us but, with the help of the pause button, we all managed to see ourselves.

We call ourselves ‘The Recycled Teenagers’ although our combined age at the time was 1012!! I wrote a letter to Women’s Weekly and sent in a photo of us in our Recycled Teenagers t-shirts. It won ‘Letter of the Week’!

We just have a ball… we spend an awful lot of the time laughing, eating cake and drinking tea but we do get some singing done in between. Singing’s just got a feel good factor. It makes people smile and it helps with breathing problems.

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WIN

Win Collabro’s album Collabro are an English boy band who won the eighth series of Britain's Got Talent in 2014. Specialising in musical theatre.

For your chance to win their recent album just tell us the combined age of the Recycled Teenagers.

Send your answer to: Freepost Plus RSXA-CJHX-XUXE, Coastal Housing Group, 3rd Floor, 220 High Street, Swansea, SA1 1NW or by email to: ask@coastalhousing.co.uk Closing Date: 1st May 2015 Only one entry per household

Benefits of Singing • Maintain a healthy heart • Improve your sleep • Encourages a sense of community • Making new friends • It can help with anxiety and depression • Increase self-esteem and confidence And remember - you are never too young, or too old to sing!

We don’t need much to help us (although we could do with the help of Gareth Malone) and I use the computer room to download and print free lyrics. It keeps me busy, drives me crazy often but it’s worthwhile seeing everyone enjoying and forgetting their aches and pains for a while.

If anyone is thinking of starting something like this… go for it! Try getting a group enthused in something, anything, and keep thinking of something different to keep the interest going.

Who knows what is next for us. A film? Hollywood? Fame had better hurry as we’re not getting any younger!”

To Find out where your local Choir is, check out this website: www.choirs.org.uk/wales.htm

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Bev’s

Story

Bev had been struggling for a number of years with her mental health. She was crying all the time, sleeping all the time, not opening mail and getting angry for no reason.

This is Bev’s story...

A

fter things became too much, I built up enough courage to speak to my GP about how I was feeling. My GP said that I was suffering from depression and he gave me some medication. I had to see a psychiatrist who allowed me to talk about my worries and who gave me a prescription for a book. I wondered how was a book going to help me. The book they gave me was called ‘Overcoming Anxiety’ by Helen Kennerly.

The book says things that happen early in life can be taken into adulthood. I suddenly thought one of my problems could be when I was 13 years old. Both my mum and my aunty developed breast cancer. I was unaware how serious it was then. A year later my aunty passed away, but my mum survived. Around the time I felt this overwhelming feeling of not being loved.

From the age of 14 I became rebellious hanging around with the wrong crowd, I also turned to boys and by the time I was 16 I had to have a termination.

But at 18, I met the most wonderful man in the world, Kevin - he cared for me, loved me and was also my best friend. We had three children and they were our joy.

But at the tender age of 38, my husband became very ill and Kevin sadly passed away. Not long after my eldest child was diagnosed with IBS, and my youngest son was diagnosed with having a problem with his mobility, this all added to the stress in my life.

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Two years ago my mum passed away and this brought back the feelings of loss. I started having financial problems and my dad was also ill. I just felt ‘how can I cope with all this?’

I had been in a relationship with my current partner for a few years, and I found I was getting angry at him for no reason. The overwhelming feeling of despair was getting to me. I started to think of taking my own life.

The book ‘Overcoming Anxiety’ has allowed me to open up to myself and put my life into perspective. I still miss my husband and realise this is not my current partners fault. Turning my back on my mum all those years ago had filled me with guilt but I know she loved me and she knew I loved her dearly.

And my life now? Yes I still cry. Yes I still lack the energy of life and still have the feelings of loss and guilt, but now I am learning to understand why I feel this way. The book has given me the opportunity to start opening up more and be honest with those who are there to help me.

WIN

Win a copy of Overcoming Anxiety For your chance to win a copy of the book Overcoming Anxiety simply send your name and address to: Freepost Plus RSXA-CJHX-XUXE, Coastal Housing Group, 3rd Floor, 220 High Street, Swansea, SA1 1NW or by email to: ask@coastalhousing.co.uk Closing Date: 1st May 2015 Only one entry per household

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We Really Want to Hear

From You! You told us that one of the things you loved about 220 was reading others tenants stories as it’s real life…real people!

S

o… we want you to tell us about your achievements, interesting jobs, famous or inspirational people you’ve met, places you’ve travelled to, fears you’ve overcome, your interests and hobbies, groups you’re involved in, competitions you’ve won.

The list goes on!

Are you creative…? Send us in pictures of your work! However big or small, interesting, different, quirky, unusual it is we want to hear about it.

Whether it’s you or someone in your family or neighbourhood get in touch and maybe you’ll get the chance to read about it in the next edition of the 220!

If your story gets published you’ll get a £20 voucher.

Contact us: Email: ask@coastalhousing.co.uk Telephone: 01792 479200 Freepost Plus RSXA-CJHX-XUXE Coastal Housing Group 3rd Floor, 220 High Street Swansea SA1 1NW

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Stories to Inspire You

Cliff Guard Cliff Guard was born in 1923. A sprightly 91 year old who has lived an interesting life, shares some of his stories with us.

Born in St. Thomas, Swansea In the aftermath of WW1, Swansea was a place where money was tight and jobs were scarce. With an absent father in the Merchant Navy and the eldest of seven children, Cliff Guard took jobs selling firewood, newspapers and getting scraps from butchers to help his mum feed this big family.

Cliff was a founding member of the Swansea Boys Club which taught young boys sports and good citizenship. He attended naval cadets from age 12 and it was here that his love for the sea began. Leaving school at 14, Cliff hopped onto a Merchant Navy ship with his father and set sail to Canada.

Merchant Navy On his first trip to Canada with the Merchant Navy, word reached them that war was imminent. Cliff spent 3½ years in the Merchant Navy doing Atlantic and Pacific runs for vital supplies such as food, and medicines, but in 1942 his dad’s advice was, “Cliff, if you ever get a chance to go to America, stay there. There’s nothing for you here.” So this is exactly what he did.

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Yankee Army At 19, and living in America, Cliff joined the ‘Yankee Army’. He was assigned to the 23rd Armoured Engineers, 3rd Armoured Division, United States First Army, a regiment made up entirely of volunteers.

Cliff manned the gun on the front of the half-track tanks. This left him exposed to heavy German fire on the day they stormed Omaha Beach. Cliff still finds this difficult to talk about as he lost good friends that day and in the many days that followed. Describing this campaign as ‘sheer hell’, it was here that he sustained his first injury, leaving shrapnel in his knee and a hole in his nose. Cliff attributes his survival to his two best friends, Trix and The Greek, who fought alongside him. In his own words he describes this amazing feat of bravery as ‘not brave – stupid.’

After they had conquered Omaha beach, the 23rd went on to fight in four more major campaigns including the Falaise Gap and The Battle of the Bulge. Cliff temporarily lost his sight attempting to diffuse a faulty explosive device. During these campaigns, two concentration camps were liberated which Cliff described as ‘horrific places.’ Until the war was over, Cliff stayed in the Occupational Army to help the civilians.

An Education On returning to America, Cliff took advantage of the GI Bill which allowed serving soldiers to gain an education. He attended Perdue University and gained a Masters Degree in Psychology. Cliff worked as a faculty member, at a prison and at the US Government before retiring to Swansea where he met his ‘darling’ wife, Margaret.

Meeting the Queen Cliff is an active member of the Royal British Legion and American Legion. Cliff has met the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty asked “What is a little Welshman doing joining the American Army?” Cliff replied “Well I thought I’d give them a hand Ma’am!”

When asked what a good life looks like to him, Cliff replied “Enjoying life, my wife, walking, reading philosophy and playing chess. And not forgetting to have a good cup of Java!”

Cliff is having a book published in early 2015.

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Slash Your Weekly Shopping Bill

For the

Love of food

Don't be loyal to one shop. 'Back to basics' shops like Aldi, Lidl and Iceland may not stock your favourites, but you'll save money by shopping there.

Buy reduced items Supermarkets reduce prices on fresh items about to go past their sell-by date - you can freeze these foods to use later.

Make a shopping list Avoid overspending by planning your meals and writing a shopping list.

Supermarkets thrive on customers not knowing exactly what they want and buying items they don't need.

Zesty Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Shop at your local butcher, fishmongers, bakery, greengrocer, they can often work out cheaper, with more choice, a better service and you can call in on your way home.

Buy in-season food Buying strawberries in the depths of winter will cost you more because they've been shipped from sunnier climes.

30

Serves: 4 Cook time: 15 minutes This fresh, zesty pasta makes a tasty tea - you can save the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts 8 ounces shell pasta 1 head broccoli (washed, cut and steamed, left slightly crunchy) 1/2 cup red onion, diced 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped Salt and pepper 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted 2 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 tablespoon sour cream 1/4 cup Italian dressing

220 COASTAL MAGAZINE SPRING 2015

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan170C 2. Season chicken with salt & pepper and any additional spices of your choice.

3. Line baking sheet with foil and bake chicken for 35 minutes or until done.

4. Let rest 10 minutes or longer, then shred into large salad bowl.

5. Add to the bowl; cooked and cooled pasta, cooked and cooled broccoli, red onion, fresh herbs, salt and pepper, and toasted nuts.

6. In small bowl, for the dressing, mix pesto, vinegar, sour cream, and Italian dressing.

7. Pour dressing over salad and mix well.

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Morning Zinger Breakfast Smoothie

Slash Your Weekly Shopping Bill

Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 minutes The juicy melon, sweet pineapple and fresh ginger in this smoothie gives an exciting flavour that is sure to wake you up. Don’t let the spinach put you off, it tastes great and is packed full of goodness.

Get in and out quickly Supermarkets are deliberately designed to confuse. They are laid out in such a way that you are forced to walk past aisles of expensive goods, tempting you to buy more on the way.

Ingredients: 150g (5oz) honeydew melon Deseeded and roughly chopped 300g (10oz) pineapple, carved and roughly chopped 1 Celery stick roughly chopped 4cm (2in) piece ginger roughly chopped 30g (1Âź oz) Spinach

Eat before you shop Always avoid going shopping on an empty stomach as the sight of so much delicious food can be hard to resist.

Method: 1. Put all ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker and whizz together.

Want healthy skin why not introduce some:

Turkey

Sweet Potato

Avocado

Shop online Buying your weekly shopping online is a good idea as it reduces the risk of impulse purchases.

Green Tea

Sweetcorn Fritters: A Store Cupboard Staple Combine 100g of self raising flour with 2 beaten eggs and 2-3 tsp of milk. Season. Add a 198g tin of sweet corn, drained. Add 3 spring onions, trimmed and sliced. Warm 2 tsp of sunflower oil in a pan, add dollops of batter and fry for a couple of minutes on each side until golden. If you want some heat add red chillies.

Win a Breville Smoothie Maker For your chance to win a Breville Smoothie Maker simply send your name and address to: Freepost Plus RSXA-CJHX-XUXE,Coastal Housing Group, 3rd Floor, 220 High Street, Swansea, SA1 1NW

WIN

Drop a brand A supermarket's own-brand range of goods is usually the same quality as more expensive branded items.

Use discount vouchers Take advantage of discounts, vouchers, special offers and loyalty cards to reduce your outgoings.

or by email to: ask@coastalhousing.co.uk Closing Date: 1st May 2015 Only one entry per household

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Sexting What is sexting?

What are the dangers?

S

It is harmful Taking, sharing or receiving an image can have a lasting negative impact.

Young people may think sexting is harmless but it can leave them vulnerable to:

It is Illegal By sending an explicit image a young person is producing and distributing child abuse images and risks being prosecuted, even if the pictures were taken and shared with their consent.

•

exting is the exchange of selfgenerated sexually explicit images, through mobile picture messages or webcams over the internet.

Sexting, is an increasingly common activity, and often seen as flirting by young people who feel that it is ‘normal’ teenage behaviour.

Young people may also call it: • Cybersex • Sending a nudie, picture or selfie

It is easy to send a photo or message BUT the sender has no control about how it is passed on.

•

•

•

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Blackmail An offender may threaten to share the pictures with the child's family and friends unless the child sends money or more images.

Bullying If images are shared with their peers or in school, the child may be bullied.

Unwanted attention Images posted online can attract the attention of sex offenders, who know how to search for, collect and modify images.

Emotional distress Children can feel embarrassed and humiliated. If they are very distressed this could lead to suicide or self-harm.

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Tips for talking to your child about sexting Think about the best way of starting the conversation, tell your child what can happen when things go wrong. Don't accuse your child of 'sexting', but do explain the dangers,

You may find it easier to use reallife examples, such as television programmes or news stories, to help you explain the risks.

Ask them if they would want something private shown to the world. Explain that photos are easy to forward and can be copied.

For help and advice: Watch 'Exposed', a video by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), which shows the consequences of sharing images.

Talk about whether your child thinks that the person who sends a request is likely to be asking other people to do the same.

Call ChildLine on 0800 1111, visit their website and download zipit a resource to assist you to respond safely to sexting requests.

NSPCC provide resources and support on their website, www.nspcc.org.uk/sexting or call the helpline on 0808 800 5000.

Let your child know that you are always there for support if they feel pressured by anyone.

The Ray Project (Reduce Abuse in Youth) in Swansea at Info-Nation have produced a DVD 2Sext to raise awareness of the issues for young people.

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What’s On There is always lots going on in and around Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot throughout the year, so here’s just a little taster of what’s taking place March to June.

MAY 2015 MARCH

2015

ing mily ing Even all the fa Stargaz h , 7pm rc a M Free for . rafts. th c m 0 u ’s 2 e n s y Frida nt Mu childre g ro rf in d te a lu c W l in Nationa activities in-house f o ts lo t utt Stru og walk Spring M March, 11:00 nsored d o p s l a u 2 n 2 An Sunday Centre. . i Animal donation 5 £ . rk Llys Nin a P y tr n u Co at Gnoll nic ears Pic m-4pm n’s Teddy B rch, 12p a n, childre M th 9 2 m Froze y o fr rs Sunda te c s! rk. Chara Gnoll Pa of fun and game ts lo … s e rid

015 APRIL 2

aganza is ggstrav E r e -4pm t ay out th . s a E ril, 12pm eum. A grand d re p o A m rd d 3 fun an t Mus Friday , family aterfron s ft W l ra a c n y o Nati h quirk filled wit holiday um orkshop ea Muse pm.

Easter W l, Swans 2pm - 4 ri p & A m th p 9 1 y a m d a rs Thu een 10 ps betw Worksho Market 0am-3pm ed Marina l 2015, 1 utiful hand craft ri p A th 2 a 1 e b y a d d n Sun s food a Deliciou goods Rider Dragon h, 6th Marc n 2 y a Sund tatio ot Fire S Port Talb rider cle Motorcy ourse. c training

Win a Taster Session For your chance to win a Taster Session for two at Dynamic Rock, Clydach simply send your name and address to: 34

220 COASTAL MAGAZINE AUTUMN/WINTER 2015

Bank Holiday Movie Monday 4th May 2015, 2.

30pm National Wat erfront Museu m. ‘How to Tr Dragon 2’ 3D ain Your (PG 2014) Merry May’s Vintage & H andmade Em Sunday 10th porium May 2015, 10 am-4pm National Wat erfront Museu m. Nostalgic fashion and ac cessories from the 1930s - 1980 s.

Mumbles Fe stival weeke nd 23rd -26th M ay 2015 Oystermouth Castle. Family fun, music and ar ts.

Gower Chees e & cider wee kend 9th - 10th M ay, 10am till late Gower Herita ge Centre Llys Nini Dog Show & Fam ily Fun Day Sunday 31st May, Gnoll Pa rk, Neath

JUNE 2015

Street Scienc e 20 & 21 June , 12.30pm-3.3 0pm National Wat erfront Museu m.

Spaghetti & Marshmallow Challenge. Su itable for age 712 years.

Check out yo ur local libra ry for any even ts they’re ho lding such as NPT - Job Clu : b, Knit & natt er coffee mor managing de ning, bt, cuppa with Swansea - kn a copper. itting & croc het group, sc rabble club, family history, local history

Freepost Plus RSXA-CJHX-XUXE, Coastal Housing Group, 3rd Floor, 220 High Street, Swansea, SA1 1NW or by email to: ask@coastalhousing.co.uk Closing Date: 1st May 2015. Only one entry per household

WIN

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TOP APPS Garden Compass, Plant/Disease Identifier - If you have a plant, pest or plant disease you need identified look no further than this free app! Snap a photo and send it off to a team of horticultural garden advisors who will identify it for you and even give you tips on the plant!

Garden Mentor - This useful app is perfect for both professionals and

Use your Smartphone to seek out cheaper deals With an app for just about anything, we thought we would ask our colleagues what apps they are using.

Here are their top five.

gardening enthusiasts, for only £2.99. You can browse or search a detailed guide to trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, roses, climbers and bulbs. Use the monthly reminders of important care prompts for pruning and care to make gardening easy and make sure you never get pruning times wrong!

SkyView Free - Ever looked up at the stars and wondered what you’re looking at? With this free app you don’t need to be an astronomer to identify stars or constellations - just point your device at the sky and let it do the work for you! Great for getting outside a little more after winter!

Egg Dyeing from Martha Stewart - Go beyond the familiar this Join in the conversation…

Tweet us @coastalhousing Follow us on Facebook

Easter and create extraordinary eggs using this award-winning app for inspiration! Only £0.69 each design is fun to make for both children and adults and includes detailed step-by-step guides with photos and videos!

Green iSmoothie - Turn your blender into a source of delicious, healthy smoothies! For £1.49 you get over 90 recipes, HD guide videos, tips and FAQs so you can create smoothies that taste phenomenal!

Digital

Inclusion Nigel Lewis, Coastal’s Digital Inclusion expert, tell us how tenants at Llys Dewi Sant got on with their IT training.

I

attended a coffee morning at our Llys Dewi Sant scheme in Gorseinon. There was quite an interest from the residents to learn about Tablets, so I organised a FREE training course provided by Communities 2.0 Outreach Programme.

Eight Residents signed up in the first week and were all excited about learning and developing their IT skills.

They were shown how to use the tablet, its functions, how to use the internet, set up an email account and other fun topics revolving around their hobbies.

A professional tutor runs the class, but I assist the residents if they are struggling and also provide additional support in their homes in between classes if required.

If you are interested in learning how to use tablets or anything about digital, please contact me on 01792 479274, or email: nigel.lewis@coastalhousing.co.uk

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Most fires in the home can be prevented, by taking some basic and common sense precautions. Here, we can help you to inspect your home for anything that could cause a fire.

Fire Safety For Your Home Don’t Overload Sockets Replace block adaptors with a multi-way bar extension but don’t overload it! Some appliances plugged in together will exceed the maximum current rating and could overheat, causing a fire.

Fire Hazards •

• • •

Plug-in air fresheners have proven to pose a serious fire hazard. The liquid in them acts as a cooling agent and when it evaporates the plug can over heat and eventually catches fire.

Don’t leave washing machines, tumble driers or dishwashers running when you leave the home for the day or go to bed.

Chargers - turn off and unplug when not in use.

Candles - use carefully and put out properly.

Have a Good Bedtime Routine • • • • • •

Close all inside doors at night.

Make sure all exits are kept clear.

Turn off and unplug all electrical appliances (unless their designed to be left on, i.e. fridge freezer).

Check the cooker is off.

Make sure all candles and cigarettes are put out properly.

Keep all window and door keys where you can find them.

What to do in the Event of a Fire Make sure you and your family have an escape route in place.

Don't tackle the fire yourself.

Leave it to the professionals.

Keep calm and get everyone out as soon as possible.

Don't waste time collecting valuables.

If there’s smoke, then stay low where the air is clean.

Smoke Alarms

Get out.

Smoke alarms save lives, but only if they work. Follow these guide lines to keep you and your home safe:

Stay out.

• • • • • •

One per floor of your property.

Test weekly.

Clean monthly.

DO NOT REMOVE the battery.

Fire service fit smoke alarms for free!

(Call: 0800 169 1234) If you have hearing difficulties then the fire brigade can supply a smoke alarm which uses a strobe light and vibrating pads.

Call the Fire Brigade 999.

To find out more information about Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Services and to request a free home fire safety check you can log onto www.mawwfire.gov.uk

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Dave’s Dilemmas Dave The Sheep helps sort out your life

Q

HELP! I’ve had to change jobs because I couldn’t cope with the pressure in my old job. I love my new job but I’ve had to take a pay cut and now I’m struggling to manage. I’m already in arrears and I’m worried that I’m not going to be able to pay my rent next month because money is so tight. I was thinking of getting a pay day loan or another credit card to help me out a bit but I don’t know which one to choose.

What I should do?

Changes at work can have a big impact on your wellbeing as well as your finances. If you’re worried about paying your rent, your first port of call should always be your Area Housing Manager.

DAVE SAYS:

Before going down the route of a pay day loan, talk to Coastal about the money problems you are having. You and your Area Housing Manager may be able to agree on a way to clear your arrears that suits your budget or you may qualify for housing benefit if your earnings have gone down.

You may be surprised to learn about the ways in which they can help you and if they can’t do it, they’ll know who can!

If you’re worrying, please don’t keep it to yourself because they really are there to help!

Competitions In this edition we have five exciting competitions for you to enter.

Make sure you get your entries to us by 1st May 2015.

Competition Winners from Autumn/Winter 2014 edition Pantomime Tickets Mr Mcgillivray, Tycoch, Swansea Tablet Mrs Gilchrist, Treboeth, Swansea RSPB membership Lewis of Waunceirch, Neath

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Insider information HomeSwapper Want to move home then log on to: www.homeswapper.co.uk A free service for Coastal tenants, it will help you find potential swaps from a variety of social landlords – both local and across the uk.

Simple and easy to use, with no limit to the number of refusals you make.

Want to know more, then give us a call on 01792 479200

Making a comment or complaint If you have a problem with any of our services we’ll try our best to resolve it quickly and effectively. All complaints are logged and then passed on to the relevant person in the organisation to deal with it, who will become your named contact. You can also speak to the manager of the relevant team about your complaint.

If the problem is out of our control to fix, we will let you know. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, then you can write to the Chairman of our Board of Management, Kay Howell, at our Swansea office address.

Free Gas Safety Checks By law, all gas boilers and gas fires in housing association properties need an annual safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer. This will include: • • •

Annual servicing flue and ventilation check Carbon monoxide check Mains wired smoke alarms check.

You MUST allow the gas service engineers working for Coastal Housing into your home to do their work. If we try, and fail, to get access, we will take legal action against you.

“Carbon Monoxide can KILL, make sure you get your FREE gas check”

Public Services Ombudsman The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales will look into any complaint from a member of the public about the way they have been treated by a public body, including a housing association.

Public Services Ombudsman for Wales 1 Old Field Road, Pencoed, Bridgend, CF35 5LJ Phone: 0845 601 0987 Email: ask@ombudsman-wales.org.uk www.ombudsman-wales.org.uk

Address to Serve Notice Section 48(1) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 10987 requires that we provide you with an address at which notices may be served on Coastal Housing Group Ltd, your Landlord.

Coastal Housing Group Ltd, 3rd Floor, 220 High Street, Swansea, SA1 1NW

Out-of-hours emergency office number: 0845 680 8888 38

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How do I pay my rent?

There are lots of ways to pay your rent you just need to decide which way is best for you.

Paying your rent Direct Debit Set up a Direct Debit over the phone, or we can send you a form.

Housing Benefit Payments

Debit or Credit Card Debit or credit card payments can be made over the phone: 01792 479200 On-line Pay on-line at www.allpay.net Allpay Card at Paypoint Using an Allpay Card at Paypoint stations, or at a Post Office In person Pay in person at our offices in Neath and Swansea

What if I can’t pay my rent?

• • • • • •

Tell us why you can’t pay.

It is important that you contact us straight away if you are having problems paying your rent.

By talking to your Area Housing Manager, we will be able to help and advise you.

We will be able to agree a payment plan with you which will make sure you meet your rent payments and clear any rent arrears.

We can go through your budget to see if we can help you save money in other areas.

If you don’t contact us, and you don’t pay your rent, then you could end up losing your home.

What if I need to apply for Housing and Other Benefits?

To find out what benefits you may be entitled to you can contact.

Housing Benefit Dept Swansea Tel. 01792 635353

Housing Benefit Department Neath: 01639 686838 Port Talbot: 01639 76345

You may also want to get in touch with organisations who can help such as: Citizens Advice Bureau: Tel. 08444 77 20 20 www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Carmarthenshire County Council Tel. 01554 742277 www.housingbenefits@carmarthen shire.gov.uk

Shelter Cymru: Tel. 0845 075 5005 www.sheltercymru.org.uk Money Advice Service: Tel. 0300 500 5000 www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk Your Benefits are Changing: Tel. 0300 3031073 www.yourbenefitsarechanging.co.uk

Government Services and Information www.gov.uk

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WIN

Tell us how you want to keep in touch with us

We want to know how you’d like us to keep in touch with each other, so please spare a few minutes to answer our survey. Your answers will be used to improve how we connect with you. Plus, if you fill in our survey by 31st May you will be entered into a FREE PRIZE DRAW for the chance to win shopping vouchers: 1st prize - £100 voucher (1 winner), 2nd prize £50 (5 winners), 3rd prize £25 (10 winners).

1.

Name:

2.

What matters to you most about how Coastal communicates with you?

3.

How happy are you with how Coastal communicates with you?

Very happy Happy Neither happy or unhappy Unhappy If you are not happy, please tell us why?

4.

Address:

How do you like to contact Coastal? (tick all that apply) Face to face Telephone Email Text message Web Chat Other (please specify)

Letter

Very unhappy

Facebook

Twitter

5.

How would you like Coastal to contact you, or update you about our services? (tick all that apply) Face to face Telephone Email Text message Letter Website Facebook Twitter 220 magazine Other (please specify) If you would like to be contacted by telephone/text/email please provide your details: Mobile: Email: Home phone:

6.

How would you like to receive 220 magazine?

In print to my home Via email/e-newsletter Other (please specify)

View it on our website

I don’t want to receive it

7.

How do you access the internet? (tick all that apply) Computer Tablet/iPad Smartphone/mobile phone Smart TV Other I don’t go online/use internet (please continue to question 10)

8.

Where do you access the internet from? (tick all that apply) Home Work Friend/relative’s house Library Other

9.

Do you use any of the following social media? (tick all that apply) Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Youtube Flickr Whatsapp Other Don’t use social media

10.

If you don’t use the internet please tell us why?

No internet connection/wifi access No computer/tablet/smartphone Don’t know how to use it Can’t afford it Other (please specify)

11.

Would you like digital/internet training?

12.

Would you like us to contact you in Welsh?

13.

Do you have any other communication requirements?

If yes, please let us know what you require:

14.

Do you need any support or information about how you can keep in touch with Coastal?

Yes

No

Yes

No

If yes Yes

Written

Verbal

No

Yes

No

Thank you for your time.

Please return your survey to: Freepost Plus, RSXA-CJHX-XUXE, Coastal Housing, 3rd Floor 220 High Street, Swansea, SA1 1NW. Alternatively complete the survey online, visit: www.coastalhousing.co.uk/tenantsurvey 40

220 COASTAL MAGAZINE SPRING 2015