Melin News Edition 34 Summer 2017
www.melinhomes.co.uk
Celebrating 10 years See how you have helped make your neighbourhoods a great place to live
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Fit and Fed
We took part in a project to make sure children in our communities are ‘fit and fed’
Universal Credit
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We explain the big changes from this July
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Melin News
Better ways to stay in touch
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ur customer contact team receive on average 7,000 calls a month. The top five reasons for calls over the last three months were:
1 Money advice – money matters, rent, help and advice. 2 Asset management – repairs, planned works, requesting a surveyor visit. 3 Neighbourhood housing – including housing queries and estate management. 4 Independent Living – calls from people interested in viewing our properties and rent queries. 5 ASB – anti-social behaviour concerns. There will always be someone at the end of the telephone but there are lots of other ways to get in touch with us from 9–5:
● Email: enquiries@melinhomes.co.uk ● Live chat: chat to us using the box in the corner of our website. ● Type your message in the contact form on the right hand side of every page of our website (except the home page). ● Find us at www.facebook.com/melinhomes ● Join us on Twitter @melinhomes ● Text: 07860 027935 ● Tel: 01495 745910 ● For emergencies outside of our normal hours of 9am–5pm, please call 01495 325333.
Later opening hours
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fter listening to your feedback we are now offering later opening hours every fortnight. You will be able to tweet, message, call or live chat with our Customer Contact Team until 7pm. Check the back of this magazine to see all the dates coming up for late night opening. Please note on these the phone lines will open at 10am, due to essential staff training.
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In this issue… p4 Help us reach 10,000 hours We’re aiming to pledge 10,000 volunteer hours to help our communities as part of Vol10.
p10 Payment Line Our 24 hour rent payment line is live and we take you through the simple steps on how to use it.
p13 Meet the team We introduce you to our Communities Team and how they can help you get the most out of Melin.
p15–16 Ten years of Melin Facts, figures, and quotes from the past 10 years and how we’ve made a difference.
p27–28 STAR survey results The results of the satisfaction survey that you completed are published.
Let us know! Is there something happening in your community that you would like to see covered in a future edition of Melin News? If so send your stories to news@melinhomes.co.uk or call 01495 745910.
Melin News accessibility If you need this newsletter in large print, Braille, on CD, or explained in a different language, please email us at news@melinhomes.co.uk You can read this issue online at www.issuu.com/melinhomes
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Melin News
A welcome from Paula to your summer issue
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elcome to this edition of Melin News. Back in April we celebrated turning 10! Many of the stories you will read about in this issue reflect some of the work we have done in the past decade. You will also find our headline figures and some of the feedback we have had from you throughout this edition. They are marked with the Melin 10 stamp. We have grown and developed over the last 10 years and wouldn’t be the organisation we are without your input. On the centre pages there is a rundown of some of our greatest achievements. You might spot yourself in photos at some of the great events that you have been involved in. You are at the heart of everything we do and your views and stories are really important to us.
Paula Kennedy
Paula Kennedy Chief Executive
Summer 2017
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We need you! Can you help us? V
ol10 is our volunteering initiative where we aim to get 10,000 hours pledged to help out around our communities. We’re taking pledges from our staff, stakeholders, residents, and anyone else who is willing to get involved.
Thinking of joining Vol10 with a pledge of your own? Great! It’s simple to do, all we need is for you to fill in the short form at www.melinhomes.co.uk/vol10 with what you can pledge and how much time you can give. Don’t worry, we won’t keep tabs on you, we’ll mark our progress on this page, so you can visit often to see how we’re getting on.
How many hours can you pledge? We’re targeting a total of 10,000 hours. If everyone taking part pledges at least 10 hours over the next year then we should be able to reach our target.
What kind of things we’re looking for You can keep up with our progress at www.melinhomes.co.uk/vol10
Some of our sign-ups so far have promised to visit elderly neighbours, take part in their school PTA, lending a hand in community gardening, helping out with youth sports teams, Volunteer in your local charity shop, joining a local befriending service, or pledging to run charity races. There are plenty more ideas at the Volunteering Wales website, www.volunteering-wales.net/landing
We’ve put over £2m back into residents’ pockets
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ur Income & Inclusion team has put over £2 million back into the pockets of our residents in the last year. We’ve done this by helping you access the correct benefits, take control of your debts, reduce energy bills, and represent you in tribunals. By offering advice across these key areas the teams aim to bring about positive changes in people’s lives. One resident was represented by our money advisor Gavin. Thanks to Gavin’s help he is now £68k better off after a backdated payment on his retirement pension.
“ Gavin came to visit me in my home and helped me; I didn’t even know I was entitled to the money, it’s life changing” said our resident. “ High quality money advice can change lives, and the £2 million back to residents shows how we are helping residents directly” said Claire Pearce-Crawford, Income & Inclusion Manager. “ Maximising household income improves health and wellbeing, which means residents are able to deal with the forthcoming Welfare Reform changes far better.” She added. All residents needing help can contact our Income & Inclusion team by emailing moneyadvice@melinhomes.co.uk, or calling 01495 745910 or by or text on 07860 027935.
Make sure to budget for the summer holidays Don’t take a rent holiday
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he summer holidays are here and it’s important you plan your budget for the kids being home for six weeks. Before you begin planning activities for the holidays, it’s vital you don’t take a rent holiday. Make sure your rent and other household bills are paid first. Remember your rent should be paid in advance.
Here are some more top tips to help you save money during the summer: ● Supermarkets such as Tesco, offer Clubcard holders tickets for free entry to many attractions; ● Contact your local council to see what free play schemes are available; ● Many cinemas offer deals for kids to watch films at discount prices; ● Welsh Water Assist Scheme – visit the Dwr Cymru website to find out more and apply for a reduction in your water bill. Get in touch with our Income & Inclusion team who can help you apply. ● Food parcels – we can help, don’t go hungry. Get in touch with us to see how we can help. ● Debt – do not suffer in silence! The earlier you get in touch with us, the more we can do to help. We can give you advice on saving money, debt and budgeting. ● Switching energy suppliers could save you money, call our energy advisor who can help. Your Income & Inclusion team is here to help – call us on 01495 745910 or send us an email moneyadvice@melinhomes.co.uk
Universal Credit – Big changes from 12th July
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f you are or, intend to claim any ‘in work’ or ‘out of work’ benefit, you may be affected by Universal Credit. From 12th July Universal Credit Full Service, will be live in Torfaen.
The biggest changes: ● All applications need to be done online; ● Any changes to your claim must be reported online; ● Help to pay your rent will be included in your UC claim (no more housing benefit!); ● One system, one claim (no separate claims for children, etc); ● You will receive one payment, once a month, in arrears. If you are, or intend to claim UC, you may not receive a payment for up to six weeks, please contact our Income & Inclusion team, who can help you with:
● An advance payment; ● Budgeting advice; ● Alternative payment (housing costs paid to landlord); ● Getting online. If you are claiming UC or need any advice about UC, please contact the Income & Inclusion team urgently, as your rent is payable weekly in advance on a Monday. Other local authorities will follow:
● November 2017 – Newport ● March 2018 – Monmouthshire ● April 2018 – Blaenau Gwent ● June 2018 – Powys
Other welfare reform news Important notice – Using GOV.UK Verify
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f you intend to claim Universal Credit, you will need to have signed up to ‘Verify’ on GOV.UK, this will help you claim UC more quickly. You will need an email address. Please contact the Income & Inclusion team for help with this. Visit govuk-verify.cloudapps.digital for more information.
Council Tax Support (previously Council Tax Benefit) If you’re a UC claimant, you will need to claim help to pay your Council Tax from your local authority. A claim for UC doesn’t mean you will automatically receive help with paying your Council Tax. Do not miss out, contact our Income & Inclusion team today, who can help you make your claim.
“ Melin have been amazing, I wouldn’t be where I am now without the support I have received. If you need money or energy help just give them a call. I am so glad I did.” — Tracy
a looking 9Are you Melin News for a job, training or a placement? Get in touch with Melin Works on 01495 745910 or visit www.melinhomes.co.uk/melinworks
Case study – Pawel A
Cwmbran resident got help with finding a job and a lot more when he approached our Melin Works team. All he wanted was some help finding work, but we also helped him with money and energy advice. Pawel Lazowski lives in Cwmbran and now has a full time job as a car valeter at the Vauxhall garage in the town thanks to help from Melin Works. The team helped him set up an email account, develop a CV, job search, and got him an invite to an event to see about opportunities for working in care, which he is keen to do in the future. They also paid for him to get his bicycle repaired and serviced so he can go back and for to work. In addition our Income & Inclusion and Being Greener teams helped him save money on his fuel bills and manage his budget.
“ I didn’t realise all the help that was available, but I am so grateful for it” Pawel said. “It’s made a huge difference to me not only in finding work but also with my finances. Many thanks to all the teams who helped me”. Our Melin Works team is here to provide you with practical advice, support and help with finding a job or developing new skills. We care about building your confidence and helping you into work. We have years of experience securing employment, work placement and training opportunities for people of all ages. To speak to the team, email melinworks@melinhomes.co.uk or call 01495 745910. The team are also on Facebook and Twitter.
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Payment Line is live O
ur 24 hour rent payment line is live. When you call us you will get the option to press 1 to pay your rent at any time of the day. It’s a quick and easy way to pay your rent and all you need is your tenancy reference number and a debit or credit card. Payments will be on your account by the end of each day – any payments made after 4pm will be posted the next working day. If you want to pay your rent using the payment line, simply call 01495 745910 and choose option 1. We also offer many other ways to pay as well as advice on budgeting to make this as easy for you as we can. Our Income and Inclusion team is on hand to help if you need help with budgeting or finances. Please contact them to see how they can help. You can email moneyadvice@melinhomes.co.uk
How to pay your rent using our 24 hour payment line
Call 01495 745910 and press 1 to make a payment …You’ll find it on any letter we’ve sent you
Have your tenancy reference number ready to input…
1…7…8…2…1… The tenancy reference number will be repeated back to you…
…if it’s correct then press the star (*) button. You will then hear your balance and be able to make a payment.
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Melin News
Fit and Fed W
e were part of a fantastic pilot project to make sure children in some of our communities are ‘fit and fed’. The #Fitandfed project which took place in Somerton, Newport was developed in light of findings which showed children can be inactive and don’t always get a proper meal during the school holidays. Our Communities Team worked with the Hope Centre, Communities First, Newport City Homes and Street Games to provide youngsters with a free lunch and the chance to try a range of sporting activities. The project ran for three days during the Whitsun half term holiday. It was great to see a few of you there helping us to beat #holidayhunger. The project will start again in the summer holidays. For more details please contact communities@melinhomes.co.uk The first day was a huge hit with nearly 40 children from Somerton Primary school going along to eat some great food and enjoy playing football, tennis, netball, and basketball. Hollie, aged eight said; “This is the best day of the holidays so far, I love all the cereals!”
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Volunteer disability groups meet M
embers of our Disability Group recently met with their counterparts at Newport City Homes. Both groups are made up of resident volunteers whose aim is to support residents and help them find useful services. The groups met to discuss the projects that they are both working on and how they can work together in the future. They also discussed the recent TPAS Disability Network meeting and the feedback that they gave to Welsh Government. In the future the group will be looking at disability access in our properties; they will be visiting three of our Independent Living schemes during the summer and, if necessary, making recommendations for improvements to Melin. If you would like more information on the Disability Group please contact caroline.morgan@melinhomes.co.uk
Brush strokes A
ll our staff volunteer in some way at some time to make your communities better. As part of a recent ‘Give A Day’ initiative we joined some of our residents from Pontypool to brush up the streets. In a couple of hours we had helped to spruce up the area.
“ I think you ladies are doing a really good job and thank you for it.” — A Pontpool shopper
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Melin News
Meet the team We introduce you to our Communities Team
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ou may well have met some of our Communities Team as they spend a lot of time out and about. In case you haven’t, here is your chance to get to know them and find out how they can help you. The team exists to help you get the most out of Melin and gives you the chance to have your say in the services we provide enabling them to have a say in the services that are provided to residents and supporting the communities within which they live.
Here’s some of what they plan to do for you ● Boost the number of ways you can get involved and speak to us; ● Listen to you and help you to have a say in the services that we provide; ● Work with you and your community groups to promote health and wellbeing; ● To support the work of schools in Melin communities; ● To encourage staff to ‘Give a Day’ of volunteering hours within our communities; ● Measure the impact of what we do.
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The charity team, made up of Stuart Pitt, Mike Watkins, Peter Crockett, Andy Pollard, Dave Cook, and Ian Hall with organiser Lyndon May (inset).
Event scores big for charity A
Torfaen resident has organised a fun sporting event which has scored big for a Welsh cancer charity. Panel and Melin Board member Lyndon May’s annual Walking Football tournament netted £1,700 for Velindre Prostate Cancer Fund. The tournament took place at Tranch Football Club and was won by Tranch Old Boys for the third year in a row! Our Deputy Chief Exec Peter Crockett led a team of Melin Maradonas who came in second place. Well done Lyndon on another fab event. Have you organised a charity do? Do you want to raise money for a good cause? Then let us know, maybe we can help you to promote it. Email news@melinhomes.co.uk
Ten years of Melin Over the last 10 years our Communities Team has organised over 1,000 events and spoken to over 14,000 residents within our communities. Our Care & Repair team has helped over 4,000 older people remain independent in their own homes since 2012. They’ve also secured over £51,000 in benevolent funding. We’ve taken around 172,500 calls over the last ten years. Our contact centre staff have answered your calls about money advice, repairs or anti-social behaviour. We have invested £130m into building new homes. The number of homes we own or manage has gone from 2,720 to over 4,000.
Over the last 10 years you have told us some lovely things about how we’ve made a difference… “ We keep having to pinch ourselves that this is real! Our new home to us means security, and we can build our future here.” — Liz and Jack Jeffries
“ Having the financial help and support to pass my driving test was so important to me as not having a licence was often a big reason I couldn’t take up job opportunities.” — Amy Williams
“ We feel so blessed to have this home that we will always look after it; it feels like we have won the lottery.” — Melin resident, Mr David Thomas, pictured with his wife, Councillor Hunt, and Paula Kennedy from Melin Homes
“ Some parents may not have been able to afford added extras like these sweatshirts and now with help from the Jump Fund all the kids are the same.”
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Melin News
Wheely good experience D ouble Olympic silver medal-winning cyclist Becky James kindly agreed to attend a visit to Newport Velodrome with Communities Officer Georgina James and eight pupils from Abersychan School, who are part of the 10 Steps Project which aims to boost young peoples’ skills and confidence. The pupils were treated to cycling tips and were given the chance to zip around the track with expert tuition from Becky. She said that some of the youngsters showed some real potential. “ Everyone had a great day and learned a lot from Becky about determination and the importance of believing in yourself.” Georgina said.
Brain food O
ur Communities Team and health & wellbeing group Zest recently joined forces to fund bottles of water and bananas to help exam students to keep calm and carry on concentrating. The students at West Monmouth School, Pontypool were given a bottle of water and a banana on the morning before they sat their summer exams in a bid to help them focus and give them the best chance of success. One student told us: “I like having the banana and water in the morning before my morning exams as sometimes I forget to eat breakfast and having that banana stimulates my brain and gives me more energy. I also like being given water as it keeps me hydrated and I can focus more.”
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It’s ‘bin’ magic
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e recently answered a request from a local and very entrepreneurial school council to buy them a litter bin for their playground. School council member Blue Holman wrote in saying: “We are an eco-school and try hard to keep rubbish off our yard and field. We have found some very nice bins to encourage people to stop dropping things and to pick up any litter.” Our Chief Executive Paula Kennedy presented the very special bin to pupils at Goytre Fawr Primary at a special assembly. We took the whole Melin magic package and called on some of our partner companies to bring a whole range of benefits to the pupils. The Newport Gwent Dragons brought along their inflatable rugby pitch and pupils were able to try the sport and got some expert tuition. The charity Growing Space has also been working with the school and have helped the school grounds to blossom. Kathryn Edwards Chair of Governors at the school said: “Melin has become part of our extended community family and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the future”.
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Melin News
Keeping your home in tip top condition Reporting repairs – send us your pics!
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hen reporting repairs, it can be really helpful for us if you can send us a photo. A photograph can help us understand the problem before we get to you, it also means sometimes we can order materials needed before we come to carry out the repair and you will only need to wait in for one appointment. You can either email your pictures to us or send us a message on Facebook including them. In future you can…
…Snap it, Send it!
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eep an eye out for our new smartphone app that will make reporting repairs quicker and easier. Snap it, Send it will be available for free from the App Store for iPhones or Google Play for Android phones from September. In the meantime, we are looking for residents who would be interested in testing the app out over the summer – it’s a great opportunity for you to see how the app works and tell us what you think of it. If you are interested, please contact news@melinhomes.co.uk
Electrical testing
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very five years we have to make sure that the electrics in your home are safe. We do this by carrying out a test. When your test is due, we will tell you and ask you to book it when it’s easiest for you. It’s very simple to book yours. There are plenty of ways to get in touch and they are all on the inside front cover.
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No DIY when it comes to electrics
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f you are considering having electrical work carried out in your home, for example new light fittings, you should always write to us for permission beforehand. If we give permission for the work to go ahead we will need to see certification that the work has been carried out by a qualified and registered electrician, this is to ensure your safety.
Beware! Fake electrical chargers can be dangerous
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e ask you to not use fake or sub-standard chargers in your home, as they can be deadly. We have seen an increase in the number of incidents being reported about fake, cheap and unbranded chargers – many of which don’t meet safety regulations and can lead to electric shock, injury and cause fires. Last year we had a fire in one of our homes that was caused by a fake charger – please do not use them. For further information on how to stay safe visit www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
Send us your email address and win £50!
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f you send in your email address to us, you will be entered into a prize draw to win £50 of Love2shop vouchers! You can either email us, send us private message on Facebook or Twitter or call with your email, name and address. Winners will be randomly selected at the end of August. Please be aware we may use your email to contact you about your home and our work.
We have improved existing homes with an investment of over £25.5 million
You could win £25 in high street vouchers!
The Summer Quiz You could bag yourself £25 in high street vouchers. Have a go at our quiz (by 25th August), kindly written by Newport resident Bill Fouweather. If there are a number of correct entries the winner will be drawn from a hat. Good luck!
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What is the collective name for: a. A _______ of sparrows? b. A _______ of kittens?
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Which country of the world has the oldest flag?
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What was the date of the Battle of Towton?
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Which month of the year contains the shortest day?
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Who wrote the novel ‘Adam Bede’?
6 What was King William II’s nickname? 7
In which country is Vaasa airport?
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Which cricket club play their home games at the Rose Bowl?
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Which island is also called the George Cross Island?
10 How many hours are there in a week? 11 Montevideo is the capital of which country? 12 The zodiac sign Pisces covers which two months? 13 What was the name of Cardiff City FC’s previous ground? 14 Which Welsh actor was Grace Kelly’s co-star in Dial M for Murder? You can post your answers to Melin News Quiz, Ty’r Felin, Lower Mill Field, Pontypool, Torfaen NP4 0XJ or email them to news@melinhomes.co.uk Don’t forget to include your name and address and we’ll announce the winner in the next issue.
Check www.melinhomes.co.uk/news for last issue’s answers
Your answers 1a
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Summer 2017
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Plea for a party F
ollowing a plea on our Facebook page, we helped Sarah from Burton’s Place organise a street party to help bring families together after new families had moved in. Everyone in the street was invited to the event and more than 20 people went along. There was plenty of food and lots of fun, with a bouncy castle and a surprise visit from Anna from Frozen. Everyone had a great time. Sarah commented: “Wow, all I can say is thank you so very much for today. It was an amazing day. Thanks for making us a strong community.�
If you would like the chance to bring your community together with an event of some kind, from an afternoon tea, or a coffee morning, to a full on street party, why not get in touch? Our Communities Team may be able to help you get it off the ground. Share your ideas with them by emailing communities@melinhomes.co.uk or give them a ring on 01495 745910.
We have worked with communities and partners to organise over 1,000 community events, including resident fun days, information days, partnership events and scheme consultations.
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Melin News
Coping service success B
e Me, our counselling service, offers a way of helping you cope better with many of life’s difficulties and can help resolve problems caused by anti-social behaviour. Recently we received some excellent feedback from a resident in Monmouthshire who had been referred for sessions by one of our Community Safety Officers.
“ The sessions have left me on top of the world. The counsellor was amazing and helped so much. I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel and would recommend the service to anyone” she told us. If you are interested in accessing the Be Me service, contact Community Safety Team Leader Michelle Kent on enquiries@melinhomes.co.uk or call 01495 745910.
Award winning advice O
ur Income & Inclusion team has won a national award at the ‘Housing Hero Awards’. The team won the ‘Frontline Team of the Year’ award, fending off stiff competition. The awards are the largest European Housing conference and awards ceremony, with nearly 1,000 people in attendance, and thousands of entries. The award recognised the work the team do with our residents in helping you with all things money and finance.
“ Having only been in existence for four years, it’s an amazing achievement, and one we are really extremely proud of. The team makes a huge difference to our residents lives during tough financial times and I am over the moon it has been recognised on a national stage.” Said Income & Inclusion Team Manager Claire Pearce-Crawford. The Income & Inclusion team are here to help every single one of our residents. Get in touch with them to see how.
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Castle Court enjoys a wellbeing event R
esidents from Castle Court in Usk enjoyed a healthy lunch and got a taste of therapeutic massage and Reiki recently at a Zest-funded event. With the help of scheme manager Diane and health and wellbeing group Zest representative Laura, residents from the scheme, many of who were in their 80s got together to enjoy the afternoon. They had a healthy lunch of salmon and new potatoes all prepared for them. Anna Gilbert said: “It was lovely – being healthy doesn’t have to be boring.” They also took the opportunity to try Reiki, massage, and a guided meditation. 88-year-old Pat Brown used to do Yoga and Tai Chi and told us: “The mindfulness was marvellous, very relaxing I would recommend it to anyone.” She said she had been a ‘sickly child’ with scarlet fever, rheumatic fever and a leaking valve in her heart. Doctors had even advised her parents not to send her to school when she was younger. Maybe this challenging start explains her attitude to health and wellbeing now. “ Some people think it is all mumbo jumbo,” she said. “ I say give it a go. I don’t want to sit around and do nothing, I make sure I get out every day whenever possible.”
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Melin News
Cracking down on ASB O
ur community safety team’s job is take any reports of ASB seriously but there are a few things you can do yourself to try and sort out any issues out before you get in touch with us. The first thing is to look at what our team can and won’t deal with.
Our Community Safety Team will deal with: ● Anti-social behaviour from the mis-use of drink or drugs ● Misuse of communal areas or public space; ● Criminal behaviour (where there is police evidence); ● Noise nuisance, e.g. barking dogs or loud music ● Hate-related incidents. ● Verbal abuse/harassment/threats ● Physical violence
We won’t deal with: ● Children playing in the street or arguing; ● Everyday household events such as; flushing toilets, cooking smells, smoking in own home, washing machines, babies crying or playing; ● Staring or looking at someone; ● Pets straying across your garden; ● One off noise nuisance such as a one-off party or BBQ; ● Personal disputes where no breach of tenancy can be proven; ● Problems arising from a conflict of lifestyles, such as shift work.
You can report anti-social behaviour to us in the following ways: ● Fill in the form on our website (choose the ‘Report anti-social behaviour’ option from the drop down); ● Use the chat facility on our website;
● Email us at enquiries@melinhomes.co.uk ● Call us on 01495 745910
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Book with us to keep your home gas safe K
eeping your home’s gas appliances in top condition is very important to us and we have to carry out annual checks to make sure things like your gas cooker are well maintained and safe. If gas appliances are not fitted and serviced correctly they may cause problems. All our engineers are on the Gas Safe Register; a list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas appliances. It is important for you to book your annual gas service with us in order for you to stay safe in your home. You will receive a letter from us when it’s time for your gas service to be carried out, so that you can contact us to book it in. You can get in touch via telephone, email, live chat, text or Facebook. Once you have booked your service, please make a note of it and make sure you are available to let us in at the agreed date and time. You can then leave the rest to us. If you are not going to be available, please let us know so that we can find another date that’s suitable for you.
One of our Gas Engineers Nathan
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Melin News
This year’s STAR survey
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ome of you took the chance to have a say on all of the services we provide you with by completing our STAR survey. We really value the feedback that you gave us in the survey and have been busy making changes based on what you told us. Here is a bit more about what you told us this year and a comparison with how you thought we’d done in previous years.
The overall quality of their home
Their neighbourhood as a place to live
That their rent provides value for money
Summer 2017
Upper quartile Middle upper Median Middle lower Lower quartile
The service provided by Melin
89.2% satisfied
Last year
90.1 %
2014/15
83.6 %
That their service charges provide value for money
The way we deal with repairs and maintenance
That we listen to their views and acts upon them
*Benchmark groups based on 2016/17 Housemark data All England and Wales RSLs Stock Size 2,500–5,000 (excluding London)
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Melin News
Georgina takes to the bus with members from The Volume
Pump up The Volume! Y
oung volunteers from our youth forum The Volume pushed themselves to the limits of their bravery recently when they visited Crickhowell Climbing Centre. The group had a fantastic time taking on the challenges of climbing, caving and zip wires while getting to know each other. The youth forum exists to allow young people in and around our communities to grow and develop, giving them the best head start in their future and career. The Volume leader Georgina James said: “We want to change the view of young people, and get them interacting with the community and its members!
“ The youth are our future, they’re our future workers, our future residents, and our future supporters so by engaging with them from a young age, it allows them and us to reach our potential.” The group meets monthly for a couple of hours and at the meeting, the first hour is dedicated to training followed by an hour of project planning. If you or someone you know is interested give Georgie or Alan a ring on 01495 745910 or email 01495 745910 or email communities@melinhomes.co.uk Don’t miss out, make your voice heard and turn up The Volume.
Volunteer Jan up for award T
he Chair of the Residents Panel has been awarded third place at the TPAS Welsh Tenant of the Year awards. The announcement was made at the TPAS Cymru Participation Awards ceremony on 4th July. Jan was put forward because of her commitment to the work of the Residents Panel and she gives a tremendous amount of her time to prepare for and attend meetings and training to improve her knowledge. She encourages others to get involved and makes a difference to the lives of residents. In entering her submission we wrote “Jan is professional, well respected, warm, friendly and hardworking� Congratulations Jan!
Would you like to join the Residents Panel? A
re you interested in applying to be a Panel member? If you are interested you can register your interest by Facebook, email, phone or in writing. Everyone who expresses an interest will be sent a Register of Interest application form which will need to be completed and returned to us by 1st September. If more than 10 residents express an interest in sitting on the Panel an election will be held. The results of this election will be announced at the Resident Panel AGM. If you would like more information about the Panel please contact caroline.morgan@melinhomes.co.uk or call her on 01495 745910.
After listening to your feedback we are now offering later opening hours every fortnight. You will be able to tweet, message, call or live chat with our Customer Contact Team until 7pm. — Wednesday 19th July
Wednesday 4th October
Wednesday 2nd August
Wednesday 18th October
Wednesday 16th August
Wednesday 1st November
Wednesday 30th August
Wednesday 15th November
Wednesday 13th September Wednesday 29th November Wednesday 20th September Wednesday 13th December — Please note on these days our phone lines will open at 10am due to essential staff training.