LMH winter newsletter 2014

INSIDE YOUR CHRISTMAS EDITION:

HOUSING NEWS

WINTER ENERGY SAVING

OLDER PEOPLE’S AWARDS LIVERPOOL GARDEN COMPETITION

COMPETITIONS & MORE

Head Office @ The Observatory, 1 Old Haymarket, Liverpool, L1 6RA.

info@liverpoolmh.co.uk

www.liverpoolmutualhomes.org

Eco friendly My LMH - Would you like to do your bit for the environment and receive your copy of My LMH by email? If you’d like to ‘go greener’, and receive your copy by email, please send your name and address to info@liverpoolmh.co.uk or call the Communications Team on 0800 678 1894.

This newsletter is printed on FSC® Mix paper, using vegetable oil based ink and is 100% recyclable. It is sourced from a printer that is fully FSC® certified and is working towards ISO4001.

Please consider the environment and recycle.

A Christmas Welcome

Spot the Christmas Trees

As 2014 draws to a close and people are preparing for Christmas and New Year, as well as wrapping up presents I’m busy putting the final touches to some exciting projects before I sadly leave LMH at the end of December. LMH has been a fantastic place to work and is an organisation that is going places as you will see as you read through this edition of My LMH. This edition is packed full of articles about the great work that is being done by LMH and the amazing things our residents are doing as demonstrated at the Older People’s Awards and with the Liverpool Garden Competition, well done to everyone!

There are some top tips to keep you safe over Christmas – avoiding too much ale and asking you to be wary of bogus callers. Also LMH asks that you keep an eye out for a neighbour who might be vulnerable or lonely over Christmas. LMH ran its fourth Winter Warmth campaign, giving out special packs to our increasing number of residents who are over 80. There are competitions to enter with a chance to win some fabulous prizes and help for residents to get into work.

Partnership working with residents’ associations, Liverpool City Council and Knowsley Council is highlighted.

Working closely with partners is one of the great ways of getting good things to happen. LMH has organised various events to promote healthy activities such as themed walks and children’s activity camps - with much more planned for next year including Fun Days, cooking events, yoga and a ‘pramathon’ to get new mums out and about and active. There is even a walk to promote Heart health in Stanley Park on Valentine’s Day which is sure to be romantic!

The Keep Warm and Healthy message is supplemented by some wise advice not to spend beyond your means over Christmas and to prioritise rent and bills. You can read about LMH’s ambitious development activity – building 1000 homes, the planned refurbishment of Marwood Towers on Great Homer Street and the award winning Prescot House in Old Swan.

I’m sure 2015 will be another amazing year for LMH! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at LMH. Maggi Howard, Director of Assets.

Paying Your Rent this Christmas Please ensure you keep your rent account up-to-date over the holiday season. We understand that the holiday period can bring additional financial pressures. It is important that you do not default on paying your rent over the holiday season. If you fail to keep up to date with your rent you are putting your home at risk.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties with maintaining your rent payments don't ignore the problem. Please contact the Income Services Team or Welfare Reform Team.

Making contact could not be simpler 1. Telephone LMH Connect: Freephone from a landline on 0800 678 1894 or from a mobile on 0300 123 2300 and ask to speak to the Income Services or Welfare Reform Team.

2. Pay us a visit: LMH Head Office: The Observatory, 1 Old Haymarket, Liverpool, L1 6RA LMH North Office: Clubmoor Community Centre, 181 Townsend Lane, Liverpool L13 9DY LMH South Office: Unit One, Montrose Business Park, Off Edge Lane, Liverpool, L7 9NB 3. Ask for a home visit: We will make a convenient appointment to see you in your home.

ISSUE 12 DEC 2014

We’ve hidden six Christmas trees (like the one shown here) amongst the articles in this newsletter. When you find them, pop the page numbers on a piece of paper (with your full name, address, age and contact details) and put it in an envelope addressed to Freepost LMH (no stamp required) before the 16th January 2015.

The winner will be picked at random and will receive a £10 gift voucher.

Competition for under 12s only

Competition Time Christmas Word Search Put your completed word search in an envelope. (with your name, address, age and contact details) and post to Freepost LMH (no stamp required) and return by Friday 16th Jan 2015. We will pick one lucky winner at random to receive a £10 gift voucher courtesy of LMH. Competition for under 12s only

22 Words to find PUDDING RUDOLPH SANTA PRESENTS SNOW TINSEL YULE

SNOWMAN

ELF

DANCER

IVY

DONNER

BLITZEN COMET DASHER CUPID VIXEN BAUBLE HOLLY PRANCER TREE

MISTLETOE

My Young LMH

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Com petition Win n er!

Congratulations to:

Christm as Openin g Time s Th

o won Mary Shields from L4 wh leting the mp a £10 voucher after co dback Your News, Your Views fee letter. Her form in our Summer News t of a hat. name was then drawn ou

COMPETITION

WINNERS

e LMH o close at ffices will 1pm o 24th De cember n the and re-o at 9am pen on 2nd January 2015 Merry C & Happ hristmas from e y New Year veryon e at LM H

CHRISTMAS CAN BE A VERY LONELY TIME OF YEAR!

LMH was very proud to sponsor the Anthony Walker Foundation Gala Dinner and Awards Evening.

LMH ran a competition on the website, Twitter and Facebook to offer tickets for the Gala Dinner to customers. The lucky winners were Mr and Mrs Rose from Anfield and Mrs and Ms Escoffery from Allerton.

If you have an elderly neighbour, just pop in and check that they are okay? offer to do a bit of shopping or just have a natter. A friendly face can make such a difference when you’re all alone!

If you are feeling vulnerable and alone, then please check out the useful numbers section (page 20) where you will find someone who you can talk to.

Get Involved in a Drier January ‘Drop a Drink size’

Alcohol misuse is a big problem in Liverpool; we are currently ranked 13th highest among 326 local authorities for alcohol related admissions.

Fewer Units = More Happy hours in terms of improved physical health, better concentration and more quality time at home and in the workplace.

Department of Health guidelines state that men should not drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol per day, while for women it is 2-3 units.

3 Pints of beer is like having 2 burgers. 3 large glasses of wine is like having 3 donuts.

To get involved in your local neighbourhood contact LMHRegeneration@liverpoolmh.co.uk or call LMH Connect and feel the benefits of a healthier new you!

Notice board

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Operation Banger As part of Operation Banger on Saturday 25th October and Saturday 1st November, 96 tons of rubbish in 12 x 8 ton skips and 2 caged vehicles of scrap were removed, which could potentially have ended up on a bonfire causing ASB. This was a jointly funded project by LMH and Allerton & Hunts Cross Ward Councillors.

Many residents took part and saw it as an opportunity to talk to neighbours they may have seen but never spoken to. Residents were pleased with the outcome and asked for the skips to be a regular occurrence as many don’t have vehicles of their own to take rubbish to the tip.

Let’s keep it Green Residents received advice on clean, green initiatives, including recycling, refuge disposal and composting during the Summer at the Greenheys Community Garden event in Liverpool 8.

The event was supported by a local Councillor, the Council’s Neighbourhood Team, Granby Toxteth Development Trust and LMH staff, who provided skips for rubbish disposal and a community cleanup.

Local resident Sky Glover, the Managing Director of “Happy Go Cook” who won the Young Entrepreneur Woman of the Year Award, facilitated workshops on low cost healthy meals and food shopping on a budget with free taster food.

This was well received by the community. Residents said “she was brilliant with a fantastic and engaging personality who made cooking on a budget great fun”. Sky is looking forward to working in partnership with LMH again in the future.

Customer Forum Review We are currently undertaking a review of our quarterly Customer Forums which give customers the opportunity to drop in and discuss any issues affecting them in relation to their home or the services LMH provides. Unfortunately due to the low turnout at several events a decision was taken to suspend the North and South Area Forums on 9th and 10th December whilst we conduct the review. We would welcome your views about how we can improve this area of customer involvement.

All res will be ponses ent a draw ered into to win a

£20 shopp ing vouch er

You can contact us with your views via email at LMHSouthteam@liverpoolmh.co.uk , call us via LMH Connect or drop into your local housing office and ask to speak to your Customer Involvement Officer.

South Housing

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Oh we do like to be beside the seaside This time it’s for a coach trip to Southport for the Christmas fairs and a bit of shopping. No swimming costumes in sight for this trip!

The newly formed Leta Tenants and Residents Association has organised its first event after the very successful Impact Day held in early summer. With support from local shops in the area they are also able to provide older residents with packed lunch bags and a trip to Southport in December for the older residents. They will have time to look around the markets and pick up some festive goodies and still have time for a bit of tea and cake, before heading back after a delightful day.

The group, less than a year old, has already started to make a huge impact in its area, and with the help of a grant supplied by LMH this hopefully will be one of many events they will be holding.

Anyone interested in getting involved with the group can contact John or Joan at 18 or 20 Leta Street. The next general meeting will take place in February 2015.

Fright Night at the Flowers A night of spooks and ghouls, tricks or treats - was it a Thriller? NO, it was a frightfully good night. Halloween is a great time for children, costumes, sweets and a chance to scare your mates.

The Flowers Tenants and Residents Association opened up their devilish doors to the children of the estate. They were greeted by skeletons, witches and flying pumpkins. But were they scared?

NO. They came in some great outfits that scared the group members instead. A great time was had by all at the spooktacular event and the turnout was fantastic. No tricks, just all treats.

The Flowers Tenants and Residents Association is constantly working hard to keep the community and children active and engaged. They are based at 1 Citron Close, so to find out more, pop along on a Monday morning between 10 and 12.

Next up is a pensioners’ Christmas shin dig followed by a children’s Christmas Party.

The fun never stops.

North Housing

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Mobility Scooters in Your Home It is increasingly common to see people of all ages and abilities using mobility scooters.

Thinking about Purchasing a Mobility Scooter?

If you are thinking about purchasing a mobility scooter it is useful to ask yourself a number of practical questions before you make the decision. This article highlights the key practicalities to consider. If you have any queries please come and talk to us and we can help you resolve any concerns. LMH wants its residents to be able to use, store and manage such equipment safely and securely.

Access and Storage In terms of general needs flats, LMH do not permit the storing or charging of scooters in the internal communal areas and so generally they will need to be stored within your home unless you have a shed or store externally where it can be safely kept. If you are bringing a scooter into your home you will have to check that you will be able to get it into your property and it will not cause a safety hazard.

Alterations to your Home Should you need to make any alterations to your home to accommodate a mobility scooter this would be at your own expense and you must first obtain written consent from LMH. Consent would not be unreasonably withheld but would be conditional so for example any work would have to be done to the required technical standard and satisfaction of LMH. If you leave your tenancy you will have to reverse these alterations.

Sheltered Housing In Sheltered Housing, mobility scooters must be stored in a designated storage facility where provided and not in any other communal area. All Sheltered Housing Schemes will have such a facility in the near future upon completion of improvement works.

Useful Questions Here are some useful questions to help you decide the type of scooter you should consider.

• Will your Scooter fit through the gate?

• Will it fit through your front door if you need to use it, or store it inside?

• Will you need to fold, or dismantle your Scooter for storage?

• Does your outside store have power, or will you have to remove the batteries for charging inside?

• Will you need a ramp?

• Can you manage driving the scooter?

• Can you store your Scooter safely outside?

For further advice please contact your Local Housing Officer who will be happy to assist with your enquiry.

Housing

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Community Initiatives Fund LMH’s Community Initiatives Fund was set up a number of years ago to support community projects that help improve quality of life issues and make a real difference within LMH neighbourhoods.

Projects have been wide ranging and have included gardening and environmental projects, target hardening to reduce anti-social behaviour, community projects such as youth engagement, community events and celebrations, activities for older persons, health and wellbeing projects and supporting residents to develop skills to access training or employment.

The fund has supported many successful projects with grants from £100 - £5000. All applications are considered by two panels of tenants in LMH’s North and South Neighbourhood Housing Management areas.

We are currently seeking two tenant panel members to join us on the South Area Panel, so if you are interested and are an LMH tenant living in any of the following Wards please contact Jan Calland for an informal discussion or email LMHSouthTeam@liverpoolmh.co.uk No experience needed!

We are continuing to accept grant applications for 2014/15 so if you are interested you can download an application from our website or request one from your customer involvement officer below who will be happy to assist you.

SOUTH AREA NORTH AREA

Karen Cox 07850987582 Dot Fowell 07850987525 David Pye 07595651345 Shirley Gales 07850987543

Footy Skills at the Florrie Everton in the Community continued its fantastic work in breaking down barriers across Merseyside when it delivered youth engagement activities in L8 during October half term.

Funded by LMH’s Community Initiative Fund, the official charity of Everton Football Club brought together teenagers from Dingle and Toxteth at the Firefit Hub in Toxteth to deliver football coaching sessions focusing on skill work and also formed Florrie Under 16’s. The half term break culminated in the young men playing Manchester in a friendly match.

The work carried out by Everton in the Community and LMH is yet another fantastic example of how using the power of football in our local communities can help to tackle social issues and break down barriers.

Housing

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LMH’s Winter Warmth Campaign As part of LMH’s fourth Winter Warmth Campaign our staff were joined by colleagues from our repairs and maintenance company Housing Maintenance Solutions (HMS) to deliver 1,450 Winter Warmth Packs to residents aged 80 and over and to check that they are prepared for winter.

The packs included practical items such as a fleece blanket, gloves, a thermos cup and a dynamo torch as well as information on health and financial matters. This should help to make use of often limited financial resources and let older tenants know how to access help and support.

Community Alarms Our new Community Alarm Service gives you peace of mind knowing that you can call for help in an emergency at any time, day or night.

FREAE TION

INSTALL UNTIL FEB 2015

We can easily install an alarm unit in your home. The unit comes with a pendant for you to wear. When the button on the alarm unit or the pendant is pushed a call will go through to our control centre. Our operator will speak to you, offer reassurance and take immediate action to provide whatever assistance is required, whether it be an ambulance, a doctor or calling a relative.

The service currently costs £1.49 per week and installation is free for anybody who applies by 31 January 2015. An installation charge of £25.00 is payable for applications after this date.

If you want any information on the Community Alarm Service please contact: LHM Connect on 0800 678 1894 or email: communityalarms@liverpoolmh.co.uk

Winter Assistance Campaign LMH staff joined volunteers from 11 other organisations at Local Solutions offices to help pack 750 Winter Assistance bags which were then distributed to vulnerable residents. The Winter Assistance Campaign provides practical support to vulnerable people at the start of winter to help them keep warm and ensure that they have food and drinks.

LMH donated £2,000 towards the campaign and distributed 79 bags to vulnerable LMH tenants which was supported by the Lord Mayor Councillor Erika Kemp Sheltered Housing

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Equality & Diversity Look out for LMH’s new equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, which is coming soon!

Why do People Matter?

Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We take our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion very seriously and always try to tailor our services to meet our customers’ diverse needs.

Our staff of almost 600 employees enables us to run our business and provide the best possible, highest quality services. We invest in learning and development to help them achieve and excel.

Our contractors provide many key services. We train contractors on equality, diversity and inclusion to ensure they are aware of important factors such as disabilities and religious and cultural requirements when delivering services to our customers.

Our partners include community and voluntary groups, all of which contribute to LMH’s success. We hold regular community impact days with other organisations and groups to ensure a “holistic” service approach and strong partnerships.

Our stakeholders are individuals, communities or organisations that are affected by LMH or have an interest in our activities. By partnering with our diverse communities and staff, we offer everyone the chance to get involved and have their say.

TENANTS AND RESIDENTS DISABLED IN SOCIETY

Are you an LMH Tenant?

Are you interested in improving services for tenants who have a disability or are you a carer?

T•A•R•D•I•S will be arranging a consultation event in Spring 2015 to help shape the services available. If you are interested in getting involved or giving us your thoughts please contact: Lyn Bowker on 0151 235 2550 Equality & Diversity

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Y E W AR E N EVENTS DON’T MISS OUT IN 2015!

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COMPETITION TIME

WIN CHRISTMAS DINNER ON LMH! Suggest a new name for LMH’s Fruit and Veg van, which delivers fresh and affordable produce across your neighbourhoods daily.

Send your suggestions to lmhregeneration@liverpoolmh.co.uk or call LMH connect on 0800 678 1894

The lucky winner will receive a fruit and veg parcel and ÂŁ100 worth of Asda vouchers to purchase your Christmas Day food shopping Competition Closing Date: Thursday 18th December NEW SERVICE LAUNCH

WETRA JOB SEARCH SESSIONS

Westminster Tenants and Residents Association is launching free online job searching sessions from January 2015 with the first session to be held on the 9th January.

LMH is offering free Universal Job Search training to LMH residents who are looking for work. We are also offering employment advice and other training to help build your CV and your confidence if you have been out of work.

In January we will be launching our Volunteers Into Placement Programme (VIP); this is a programme that offers people 6 months voluntary training and on completion an opportunity to move to a paid placement for a further 6 months on a 15 hours per week contract. We are now taking names for this programme. For more information on these sessions please contact our Community Regeneration team via LMH Connect.

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Working in partnership to support our communities Four local tenants and residents associations in the Knotty Ash and Old Swan areas are working together to support their communities. At a joint AGM Vensall and The Green Tenants and Residents Associations have now merged into one, and Dalemeadow and the Highfield Tenants and Residents Association are having regular meetings to discuss joint projects.

The groups have office bases funded by LMH, which they have turned into successful internet hubs providing free IT training sessions with a qualified trainer.

Children’s Christmas parties are planned this month and pensioners’ lunches are taking place every Friday at the Highfield Club in Old Swan from 12pm – 2pm.

To get involved with the many activities taking place drop into one of the offices on the above days or contact Bob Tipper for Dalemeadow on 07818214704, Val Rogers for Vensall on 07597098991, Francis Warburton for Highfield on 07570769930 or Karen Cox at LMH on 0151 235 2499 mobile 07850987582.

So why don’t you come along and get involved on Tuesday afternoons from 2pm – 4pm and Thursday evenings from 5pm – 7pm at 48 The Green or Friday mornings from 10.30am – 12.30pm at 54 Dalemeadow Road.

Community activities have been organised throughout the year such as trips to Safari Parks, Alton Towers, Markets and plenty of fun days.

Working with partners - the key to success A cross border community day and clean up event took place between Liverpool and Knowsley. Our Mobile Exhibition Vehicle was situated on Marled Hey and covered Cantril Farm and Stockbridge Village.

Advice was available from all local partners including LMH (on housing and Welfare Reform), Merseyside Fire, Merseyside Police, Villages Housing Association, Liverpool City Council/ Knowsley Council and Local Councillors.

Free community skips were provided with HMS and the Community Payback team there to assist people with large items for the skips and do a general clean up of the area.

Housing

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An Energy Efficiency Officer was also on hand to give advice about how to save money on utilities, with help to get back to work and access free internet training also available. Customers received free dog chipping and dog health checks, free hanging baskets and the chance to win a free Samsung Galaxy Tablet.

FREE CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY CAMPS!

THE UK MILITARY

SCHOOL

LMH and The UK Military School have delivered yet another successful activity camp during the October Half Term holidays to our tenants’ children.

The programme ran for 5 days from our Clubmoor office sports hall and reached 50 children each day aged 6 - 11 providing a free lunch.

Activities included: Military Survival Rounders Football Arts & Crafts Film Making Team Building Team Games If your children and young people would like to get involved in free healthy activities then get in touch with the Regeneration Team at lmhregeneration@liverpoolmh.co.uk

SPOOKY WELLY WALK

The Spooky Welly Walk was held at Sefton Park on Saturday 25th October with Roy Castle LCF in partnership with LMH. It was estimated that 5,000 walkers took part on the day.

Well done to the 112 Liverpool Mutual Homes Tenants who took part. It was lovely meeting some of you on the day; hope you enjoyed our Juicy Apples!!

4 WALKS 4 PARKS Thank you to everyone who came along to our 4 walks 4 parks sessions in September and October, and made them such a success.

The walks took place in the beautiful surroundings of Stanley, Calderstones, Sefton and Croxteth parks, and focused on the health benefits of walking just 30 minutes a day. More walks are planned for 2015!

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Anti-social Behaviour Focus on Community Safety LMH continues great work with residents in tackling ASB. With the new ASB, Crime and Policing Act 2014 coming into force in October, we are working with communities and all agencies to ensure our neighbourhoods remain safe and desirable places to live.

LMH takes all reports of ASB seriously. We have performance targets to respond to serious ASB issues within 1 working day and within 5 working days for general ASB. LMH’s experienced and dedicated Community Safety and Customer Involvement Teams continue to work closely with Housing and Supported Living staff in building strong and resilient neighbourhoods where ASB is tackled.

Over the past year, LMH has had a number of successful outcomes in court against those few people who do not care about causing nuisance to their neighbours or ASB in the community. With your help, we continue to ensure people causing ASB are challenged and dealt with.

How you can help us tackle ASB You can be confident in reporting ASB to LMH. We encourage all residents to work with us in tackling nuisance and ASB issues. Cases where we have to take legal action are greatly strengthened at court when we have witness reports and evidence.

Dangerous Dogs

Tackling irresponsible owners

The ASB, Crime and Policing Act 2014 also covers dangers from dogs and irresponsible dog ownership which can include fines of up to £2,500 for individuals and £20,000 for businesses. This is not restricted to dogs on the dangerous dogs list. This legislation was brought in with the protection of the public and particularly young and vulnerable people in mind.

As an example, a community protection notice (CPN), which can be issued by the police and local authority, provides a solution to dealing with complaints such as owners failing to control their dog(s) or simply having too many dogs in their home and they present a danger. Dogs being used to threaten people or other animals in public spaces, chasing people or running loose around the owners/tenants property or communal areas are also covered by the new act. Fines for non compliance and orders to have dogs neutered or micro-chipped can be imposed. In 2016 legislation is due to come into LMH held a series of dog action days force that all dogs must be micro-chipped.

Dog Action Days

Concerns and complaints about dogs can / should be reported to the local authority or police by residents or third parties such as housing & maintenance staff.

Being alert to the issue and working together, we can help tackle irresponsible dog ownership and minimise risk of harm, particularly to vulnerable and young people.

ASB Update

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in partnership with Liverpool City Council, PDSA, the Dogs Trust and the RSPCA in 2014.

Days involved free health checks, micro chipping, neutering vouchers, advice and support for all dog owners.

Look out on LMH’s website, Facebook and Twitter for more events in 2015

Think safe & secure this Christmas Remember to keep your home secure throughout the Christmas period. Make sure you close your curtains or blinds and lock up every time your go out. Don’t tempt thieves by leaving presents and electrical goods like flat screen TVs, laptops and tablets such as iPads on show.

BOGUS CALLERS – KEEP THEM OUT! Although bogus callers pretending to be ‘officials’ from utility or maintenance companies are quite rare, they can be particularly upsetting so always check the following: • Are you expecting their call; if in doubt keep them out • Don’t be persuaded by ‘clever sales patter’ • Always ask to see and check their identification • Before you let them in, call the number on their id card if you have doubts about them being genuine • If it is a salesman, builder or gardener check to see that they have a van with a proper address marked on it, including a true postcode and make a record of these details • Check their sales leaflet has a landline phone number, not just a freephone or mobile number If you suspect you have been visited by a bogus caller, let your landlord, police or local council know – you could help prevent other neighbours falling victim to the bogus caller. The best defence against a doubtful caller is to have a viewer or spy hole and a door chain fitted to your door.

If you witness a crime dial 101 (non emergencies) or if you have any other information ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 and quote ‘Neighbourhood Alert’.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES, REMEMBER TO CALL 999

“Peace” of mind this Christmas Christmas can be a stressful time ensuring that everything goes to plan for the big day. However, sometimes things that are out of your control can scupper such plans. Burst pipes due to periods of cold weather leading to flooding, Christmas tree lighting causing fires or your property being burgled are sadly incidents that many people suffer over the festive period. Currently hundreds of LMH tenants/leaseholders who have taken advantage of the Home Contents Insurance Scheme operated in partnership with RSA know they have the peace of mind that if such incidents happen to them they only need to call 08456 718 172 in order for their loss of personal belongings to be dealt with immediately. All LMH customers who take out a policy have their insurance cover automatically increased by 10% during religious festivals at no extra cost.

If you would like to take advantage of this insurance cover where everyone pays the same premiums no matter what part of Liverpool you live in, please contact LMH Connect to request an application form.

LOW S CO T HOME CONTENTS E INSURANC ASB Update

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WINTER ENERGY SAVING TIPS Turn your thermostat down. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent and typically saves around £55 per year.

Don’t put curtains, furniture or dry clothes in front of radiators. This will stop the heat being released into your room and wastes energy.

Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.

Don’t leave appliances such as TVs, DVD players, stereos, computers and games consoles on standby and remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily. This could save you between £50 - £90 per year!

If possible, fill up the washing machine. Avoid washing only half a load.

Washing on 30°C could save you around £13 per year.

Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you’re using an electric kettle). This can save you around £8 per year!

A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they’re fully turned off!

A shower uses less than half the water needed for a bath. Saving gas and water.

Use energy saving lightbulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs; using one can save you around £40 over the lifetime of the bulb.

For a full list of winter energy saving tips please visit the ‘your home’ section on our website.

STAY HEALTHY IN WINTER There are things you can do that will reduce the risk of illness and protect you against the cold.

Get an annual flu jab. You can get a free jab if you: • Have serious heart, lung or kidney disease or diabetes • Have a weak immune system, caused by disease or medical treatment • Have had a stroke or TIA (transient ischaemic attack) • Are aged 65 years or over • Are pregnant Contact your GP or talk to your pharmacist if you think you might qualify for a free flu jab.

Winter Tips

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Builds Repairs Maintains

Your local Building & Maintenance Company FREE HANDYPERSON SERVICE Are you over 50 or have a disability and are a Liverpool resident?

If you have answered yes to the above you can benefit from the Liverpool City Council Handyperson service for FREE*.

The service provides help with household maintenance, gardening and repairs to enable people to live more independently in their own homes.

To enquire about this service or to book a job call 0151 295 6102 The Liverpool handyperson service is delivered by HMS and Riverside Housing.

SPORTS TEAM SPONSORSHIP HMS for the second year running has sponsored 5 North-West U16 sports teams for 2014/15.

This sponsorship is part of our corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme supporting the communities that we work in.

Each team has received £500 in sponsorship funding in return for HMS brand awareness. The teams we sponsored are: • Litherland Remyca Football Club • AC Atletico • Berkley Juniors Football Club • Liverpool Fed Girls Football Club • Liverpool St Helens Minotaurs

CHRISTMAS OPENING TIMES HMS will be closed for business on the 25th & 26th December with normal weekend cover on the 27th and 28th.

HMS reopens for business as usual on the 29th December and will close once more on the 1st January.

Normal service will resume on 2nd January 2015.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at HMS!

* The service is free - you just pay the cost for materials.

HMS News

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At this year’s awards evening held in October at the Devonshire House Hotel, our green fingered tenants scooped 10 of the 36 awards!

The joint project supported by Liverpool City Council and the majority of housing associations in Liverpool is also part of the “Make Liverpool Sparkle” campaign.

3rd

1st

3rd

Best Container Garden

Best Communal Garden

Diane Howard

1st Best Individual Garden - Over 60s

Alan Riley

1st

Best Grow Your Own

Charlie Griffiths and Alice Doyle

Vensall TARA

2nd

1st Best Individual Garden - Under 60s

Best Individual Garden - Over 60s

Anthony Ellison

1st

2nd

LMH Individual Landlord

Best Unique Garden

Best Unique Garden

James Bragg

Elaine Patterson

James Singleton

Garden Competition 2014

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William Murphy

2nd Best Grow Your Own

David Mcmurrie

To take part in next year’s Garden Competition please look out for the application form in your Spring My LMH newsletter and remember you have got to be in it to win it! Well done to all this year’s winners.

“Liverpool’s older people

are leading the way!”

LMH customers and partners scooped 8 of the 33 awards given out at this year’s Liverpool Older People’s Awards held at the Devonshire House Hotel. The awards are a joint partnership event sponsored by the majority of registered social landlords in Liverpool, Liverpool City Council and partners who work with older people in the city. The Awards evening was hosted by Ricky Tomlinson and also sponsored by the Green Room, Liverpool. The entertainment was provided by singer Asa Murphy and comedian Mickey Finn.

Outstanding Neighbour

Joan Johnson

Life Long Learning Life Long Learning

Agnes Luker

Life Long Learning

Eileen Larsen

Val Rogers

Outstanding Agency Outstanding Active Person

Rosemary North

Special Judges awards

Bobby Hodgson

Proactive Housing Outstanding Initiative

Positive People’s Platform

Next year’s awards will be launched in January. Look out for your nomination forms and don’t forget you have got to be in it to win it! For more information on the awards please contact Karen Cox on 0151 235 2499.

Older People’s Awards

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The Development Team Over the next three years the Development team will be developing 1,000+ new high quality homes and bringing a further 1,000 back into use. Additionally LMH has recently been appointed as the Strategic Housing Delivery Partner and will be working with Liverpool City Council and Redrow Homes to bring lots of exciting housing developments forward across the city! Watch this space....

Sustainable Housing Award Our radical work overhauling an Old Swan housing block has won a national sustainability award.

LMH won the Chartered Institute of Housing’s Sustainable Housing Award in the Transformation category after turning around Prescot House from a rundown 1950s housing block riddled with crime and anti-social behaviour into a vibrant place to live.

Judges praised our project saying: “This scheme has been transformed into somewhere people want to live. It has changed lives, and looks amazing.”

Director of Assets at LMH, Maggi Howard, said: “Winning a national award of this magnitude for such an important scheme is great reward for the tenants and community groups who worked so hard with us throughout. It is a transformation in every sense of the word. It has changed the outlook of people living in and around Prescot House and the way local businesses and the wider community now views the Old Swan area. It is now a safe, attractive, in-demand place to live.”

Development Team

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Marwood Towers The Marwood Towers development has recently been submitted for planning approval marking a key stage in the scheme’s future! The development will revitalise a local landmark, create a gateway into the city centre and put LMH on the Liverpool skyline!

The development will include the refurbishment of the 15-storey tower block, which is currently vacant, and development of 24 new build apartments in the grounds of the building complete with landscaped gardens and parking.

The tower will be refurbished and reclad in its entirety to provide a total of 81 homes for over 55s.

The development will maximise opportunities for energy efficiencies and renewables to create a truly sustainable development.

The outcome of the application is expected early in the New Year!

LMH secures £4.2m contract

LMH has won a £4.2m contract with Cheshire West and Chester Council to deliver home improvement services to their residents.

The 5 year deal will see LMH, along with its repairs and maintenance company HMS, manage the new Home Assistance Hub. Under the contract LMH will manage and provide disabled facilities grants, minor work adaptations, handyperson services and decent homes loans for owner-occupiers. Director of Landlord Services,

Angela Forshaw, said: “Home assistance is a crucial area of work and we will bring previously fragmented services together into a unified and easy to understand system for residents.

“Anyone living in the area can benefit and we will be providing a very personal service to make it as easy as possible for people to get the extra help they need to live more comfortably in their homes.

Residents will have one point of contact and a high level of service that is easy to understand and follow.”

Development Team

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Useful Numbers LMH Connect 0800 678 1894 / 0300 123 2300 Childline 0800 1111 Crime Stoppers 0800 555 111 Emergency Gas Leaks 24 hour 0800 111 999 Emergency Water Leaks 24 hour 0800 330 033 Drugs helpline / Alcohol helpline 0800 776 600 / 0800 917 8282 NHS Advice 111 Liverpool Direct (Bins / Bulky Bob / Environmental Health) 0151 233 3000 / 3001

My role is to manage the work of the Leasehold and Sales team. The daily activities of the team include dealing with Right to Buy applications and enquiries, consulting and liaising with leaseholders when improvement works are being carried out, dealing with lease queries and dealing with leaseholder service charge accounts.

When someone buys their flat under Right To Buy they become a leaseholder and still receive services from LMH. The work is very varied and always interesting and involves checking historic leases to ensure that we are complying with the terms. The job is also to drive up standards of customer care for leaseholders and to see that leaseholders receive a good service from LMH.

A WINTER RECIPE

United Utilities 0345 672 3723

Cottage Pie with Parsnips & Mash

RAISE 0151 291 7850 Housing Benefits 0151 233 3009 Council Tax 0151 233 3008 Samaritans 08457 909090 RSPCA 24 hours cruelty line 0300 1234 999 National Domestic Violence 24 hour helpline freephone 0808 2000 247 P.20

Hi, my name is Paul Needham and I’m Team Leader for the Leasehold and Sales Team based in Income Services.

I have worked in social housing for over 25 years and joined LMH in August 2014.

Age Concern 0151 330 5678

Careline 0151 233 3800

Useful Contacts

Focus on an Officer

Please cut here

Ingredients: 1tbsp oil 1 large onion chopped 2 medium carrots, chopped 560g/1 ¼ 1b beef mince 400g/14oz can tomatoes 290ml/10fl oz beef stock 2 tbsp tomato puree Salt and black pepper

For the topping: 740g/1 ½ 1b potatoes, peeled and chopped 225g/8 oz parsnips, peeled and chopped 75g/2 ½ oz butter 55ml/2fl oz milk

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 190 deg C / 375 deg F / Gas mark 5 2. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add onion and carrot and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft 3. Add the minced beef and cook for 3 minutes to brown 4. Add the tomatoes, puree and beef stock 5. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

6. Make the mash: boil the potatoes and parsnips in water until soft. Drain and mash with the butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper 7. Spoon the meat into an ovenproof dish. Top with the mash and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown

A Christmas Welcome

Spot the Christmas Trees

As 2014 draws to a close and people are preparing for Christmas and New Year, as well as wrapping up presents I’m busy putting the final touches to some exciting projects before I sadly leave LMH at the end of December. LMH has been a fantastic place to work and is an organisation that is going places as you will see as you read through this edition of My LMH. This edition is packed full of articles about the great work that is being done by LMH and the amazing things our residents are doing as demonstrated at the Older People’s Awards and with the Liverpool Garden Competition, well done to everyone!

There are some top tips to keep you safe over Christmas – avoiding too much ale and asking you to be wary of bogus callers. Also LMH asks that you keep an eye out for a neighbour who might be vulnerable or lonely over Christmas. LMH ran its fourth Winter Warmth campaign, giving out special packs to our increasing number of residents who are over 80. There are competitions to enter with a chance to win some fabulous prizes and help for residents to get into work.

Partnership working with residents’ associations, Liverpool City Council and Knowsley Council is highlighted.

Working closely with partners is one of the great ways of getting good things to happen. LMH has organised various events to promote healthy activities such as themed walks and children’s activity camps - with much more planned for next year including Fun Days, cooking events, yoga and a ‘pramathon’ to get new mums out and about and active. There is even a walk to promote Heart health in Stanley Park on Valentine’s Day which is sure to be romantic!

The Keep Warm and Healthy message is supplemented by some wise advice not to spend beyond your means over Christmas and to prioritise rent and bills. You can read about LMH’s ambitious development activity – building 1000 homes, the planned refurbishment of Marwood Towers on Great Homer Street and the award winning Prescot House in Old Swan.

I’m sure 2015 will be another amazing year for LMH! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at LMH. Maggi Howard, Director of Assets.

Paying Your Rent this Christmas Please ensure you keep your rent account up-to-date over the holiday season. We understand that the holiday period can bring additional financial pressures. It is important that you do not default on paying your rent over the holiday season. If you fail to keep up to date with your rent you are putting your home at risk.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties with maintaining your rent payments don't ignore the problem. Please contact the Income Services Team or Welfare Reform Team.

Making contact could not be simpler 1. Telephone LMH Connect: Freephone from a landline on 0800 678 1894 or from a mobile on 0300 123 2300 and ask to speak to the Income Services or Welfare Reform Team.

2. Pay us a visit: LMH Head Office: The Observatory, 1 Old Haymarket, Liverpool, L1 6RA LMH North Office: Clubmoor Community Centre, 181 Townsend Lane, Liverpool L13 9DY LMH South Office: Unit One, Montrose Business Park, Off Edge Lane, Liverpool, L7 9NB 3. Ask for a home visit: We will make a convenient appointment to see you in your home.

ISSUE 12 DEC 2014

We’ve hidden six Christmas trees (like the one shown here) amongst the articles in this newsletter. When you find them, pop the page numbers on a piece of paper (with your full name, address, age and contact details) and put it in an envelope addressed to Freepost LMH (no stamp required) before the 16th January 2015.

The winner will be picked at random and will receive a £10 gift voucher.

Competition for under 12s only

Competition Time Christmas Word Search Put your completed word search in an envelope. (with your name, address, age and contact details) and post to Freepost LMH (no stamp required) and return by Friday 16th Jan 2015. We will pick one lucky winner at random to receive a £10 gift voucher courtesy of LMH. Competition for under 12s only

22 Words to find PUDDING RUDOLPH SANTA PRESENTS SNOW TINSEL YULE

SNOWMAN

ELF

DANCER

IVY

DONNER

BLITZEN COMET DASHER CUPID VIXEN BAUBLE HOLLY PRANCER TREE

MISTLETOE

My Young LMH

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INSIDE YOUR CHRISTMAS EDITION:

HOUSING NEWS

WINTER ENERGY SAVING

OLDER PEOPLE’S AWARDS LIVERPOOL GARDEN COMPETITION

COMPETITIONS & MORE

Head Office @ The Observatory, 1 Old Haymarket, Liverpool, L1 6RA.

info@liverpoolmh.co.uk

www.liverpoolmutualhomes.org

Eco friendly My LMH - Would you like to do your bit for the environment and receive your copy of My LMH by email? If you’d like to ‘go greener’, and receive your copy by email, please send your name and address to info@liverpoolmh.co.uk or call the Communications Team on 0800 678 1894.

This newsletter is printed on FSC® Mix paper, using vegetable oil based ink and is 100% recyclable. It is sourced from a printer that is fully FSC® certified and is working towards ISO4001.

Please consider the environment and recycle.