PCH In Touch Newsletter Summer 2016

make it happen

InTouch Issue 27 Summer 2016

Focus on being a good neighbour

Have you seen your new rent statement yet?

Page 4

Inside this issue Solar panels latest Page 14

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Our independent shops Page 10

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Feedback on new homes Page 6

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Happy Birthday Ma’am Page 3

Hello In Touch

Call us on 0808 230 6500

llow e P e n i Ela f the Board

Hello!

Hello and welcome to this special issue of In Touch which contains a few big changes.

Firstly, if you rent one of our homes, you’ll notice you’ve received your quarterly rent statement with this mailing.

By posting In Touch and the rent statements together, we can save money – money which can be spent better elsewhere.

We’ve got a focus on our city centre shops on pages 10 and 11.

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Chair o

You’ll soon notice this edition of In Touch is a themed one – with the theme centred around Being a Good Neighbour.

There are lots of stories and features throughout on the subject of And if you’ve signed up to receive neighbours. I’d love to hear what you your rent statement in large print, we’ll think being a good neighbour means. be sending you a magnifier instead so you can still read it – and In Touch Let me know by emailing news@ – easily. plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk I’d like to say a special welcome to tenants who rent our shops around the city – you’re getting In Touch for the first time.

You’ll now be able to keep up to date with everything that’s happening at PCH.

Being a good neighbour

You can also email this address with any comments on the changes in this issue, or anything else you read.

We returned to Granby Green this year to hold another R Devonport event.

R Devonport is a celebration of equality and diversity with music and street dancing, foreign food and stalls and stands set up by local residents and partner organisations.

Street dancers from the Street If you’d prefer to phone, call 0808 230 Factory body popped while traditional 6500 and ask to speak to dishes from Romania, Georgia and Communications.

Moldova were served.

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Inside 3 Happy Birthday Ma’am 4 Have you seen your new rent statement yet?

5 Making friends with the neighbours in brand new homes 2

8 Keeping your neighbours happy 9 What’s on at Plumer House?

10 Our independent shops

12 Universal Credit 14 Solar panels latest 19 News in brief

Happy birthday Ma’am

You’ve been busy holding parties in honour of the Queen’s landmark 90th birthday. Here we take a look at some of your events from the past couple of months.

Eva’s crown was adorned with pictures of the Queen and costume jewellery. She said: “I had to break up three necklaces and a bracelet to make this! It took me a week in total.”

Residents at Plympton St Maurice gave their royal party a competitive edge by holding a design-a-crown competition.

Candles were stuck to Penny’s crown to resemble a birthday cake. She said: “I also put coins on it as they’ve got her head on them. I had to raid my piggy bank to make this.

The Housing with Support tenants wore their crowns to coincide with the Queen’s birthday event at Windsor Castle.

They held a bring and buy sale, raffle and cream tea but the crowning glory was the announcement of the winners of the best homemade headwear.

Resident Barbara Brooks, who helped organise the event, said: “We asked everyone to make their own crowns and we had a competition to decide the best one.”

“We’re very lucky to have a royal family. The Queen has been around for such a long time and I think she’s done a great job.”

Eva said: “The country would be rubbish without her. I’m a royalist but I wouldn’t want to be her. I wouldn’t like her job. Having said that, I was the coronation queen in Stonehouse when I was 11.”

Parties were also held at Balfour Terrace, Pembroke Street and Morley Court.

Eva Willcocks and Penny Frost were named first and second place winners.

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Let the football do the walking North Prospect PCH resident and football fan Tony Dawes has created an opportunity for walking football to be opened up to include people of all ages with disabilities.

Every Friday local people from different communities come together to have three 15-minute matches and though the pace may be slightly slower, they have lost none of their competitive edge!

Walking football is football played at a slower pace than the traditional game.

Tony said: “Walking football is traditionally aimed at those over 50, but I wanted to expand on this and make it inclusive for those of all ages who may be interested in playing football – perhaps those recovering from an operation or those with mental health issues.”

time was being run by Alan Taylor.

Alan sadly passed away last year and Tony took up the running of the team, and they called themselves ‘AT’s Warriors’ in honour of Alan.

They started off without a permanent home and tried several different Tony first heard about walking football venues before choosing the Goals Soccer Centre in Outland Road as while recovering from an operation their home ground. and joined a local team that at the

Goals charge the team a subsidised fee to play as part of their commitment to encourage people of all ages and abilities to take up sport.

If you’re interested in taking part in walking football then email: news@ plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk or call 0808 230 6500 and ask for Leigh Ferguson.

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Have you seen your new rent statement yet?

Tenants will receive their quarterly rent statement with this issue of In Touch for the first time.

The rent statement tells you whether you are in credit or arrears.

By sending the statement and newsletter out together, we’re saving thousands of pounds in postage costs – money which can be spent on services for tenants.

The statement looks different from what you’re used to but don’t worry, we explain what everything means and how you can pay.

A small number of people will also be receiving magnifiers with their mailing. This A4-sized plastic sheet is placed on top of a document and enlarges the type size, making it easier for those with sight problems to read.

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As well as being used for easily reading the rent statement and In Touch, it can be used to view any other document – it’s worth keeping it handy.

If you’re a leaseholder, you’ll still continue to receive In Touch as usual. And for the first time, we’re

sending the newsletter to people who rent shop premises off us – welcome!

If you have any suggestions or feedback on the rent statements or magnifiers, please get in touch by emailing news@ plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk.

Being a good neighbour

Making friends with the neighbours in brand new homes

Residents who’ve moved in to our shared ownership schemes are enjoying their new communities – and getting to know the neighbours.

“I’m comfortable here and the house is energy efficient – I don’t need the heating on here much so I’m saving money.”

Moving house can be tough and it’s even harder when it’s a completely new part of town.

Lisa Weeks moved from Crownhill to Grassendale Avenue in April with her husband and young daughter Georgia-Mae.

But two families who’ve relocated to North Prospect haven’t looked back.

Bill McCarthy moved to Hope Close, off Ham Drive, in February after selling his park home in Glenholt.

She said: “My older daughter’s mother-in-law lives in Foliot Road.

She’s in shared ownership too. I really liked her home.

Other schemes due to come online soon include Southern Gate (North Prospect Phase 3), Southway “These houses are so spacious.

Campus in Southway and Bodmin He said: “It was looking impossible for There’s a big kitchen and everything’s Road in Whitleigh. me to get a mortgage at my age but brand new. The whole process of shared ownership made it happen for moving in was easy too. Vicki from We’ve recently launched our SO me. the SO Living team gave us details Living website, which gives lots of of mortgage investors and it all went information about shared ownership “I grew up in North Prospect itself through really quickly. and includes descriptions and photos many years ago. It’s great to come of homes currently for sale. back to an area where you were “We say hello to our neighbours brought up. My sister lives nearby and my husband’s got friendly with Go to: www.so-living.co.uk. too. the man from next door. Everybody seems really nice around here. I can’t “I’ve got to know my neighbours on fault it. It’s been a godsend moving one side. We say hello and have a here.” chat over the fence.

Under our SO Living brand, we’ve “It’s well connected and near to all the sold more than 70 homes in the North facilities like my doctor’s surgery and Prospect area on a part-rent, part-buy the chemist. basis.

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Feedback on new homes A year after residents move into their new homes we ask them to tell us what they think of them.

This year, we’ve had mixed feedback.

Almost all who responded to our survey were happy with the design of their homes with people particularly loving the size, layout and storage.

However, some weren’t so happy with how we fixed snagging issues such as inadequate paintwork, dents and badly-applied sealant.

Andrew Lawrie, Head of Development, said: “We’re pleased that the majority of residents love the design of their homes but we’re sorry that the finish isn’t quite up to standard in others.

“We’ll be working closely with Barratt to improve our service.”

Leanne Colwill, of Temple Walk, was this year’s winner. Leanne moved into her home in October 2014 after leaving her previous home in Grassendale Avenue when the regeneration started.

All residents who return a completed survey are entered into a prize draw for a £50 high street shopping voucher.

Mum-of-four Leanne is loving the extra space in her new home – the only drawback being she has more to clean!

She said: “It’s ideal. We’ve got two showers which is important when there are six people in the house.

“There’s enough space for a big dining table so we can all sit down and have dinner together. We’ve also got a garden which is a good size and a sun trap.”

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Southway Campus and Passivhaus Whitleigh Our plans to develop new homes at Southway Campus have moved on since we last gave an update.

The mobile phone mast that sat at the centre of the site was relocated a couple of months ago and PCH has built a number of additional parking spaces on land owned by the city council.

With this completed, work recently started and will see 67 new homes (42 for rent and 25 shared ownership) developed for PCH by Galliford Try. It looks like this is going to be a popular scheme as we’ve already had a number of enquiries.

(Plan is for Passivhaus Site)

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Meanwhile the Passivhaus scheme in Whitleigh is a 72 unit eco-scheme consisting of 49 homes for rent and 23 for shared ownership.

The project will deliver very high levels of air tightness, thermal comfort and insulation and includes triple glazing.

We’re currently reviewing the design and subject to various cost savings we hope to start on site very soon. It will complete in early 2018 and new residents can expect very low energy bills.

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Adaptation makes life easier for young resident or an iPhone app – so even if the shower’s mounted higher on the wall, every family member can reach and use a set of controls.

Work has also been done to the family’s garden to make it easier for Kacper to get in and out of his house and play with his stepsister.

Kacper’s mum Justina Iwanow said: “Things are much easier now.

Kacper’s much more independent and I don’t have to lift him.

A new type of shower has helped one of our younger residents become more independent.

Kacper Siwinski, seven, has a disability which means getting around on his own and doing things like showering are more difficult.

We work with occupational therapists, suppliers and builders to provide

adaptations for residents who need them, and one of our suppliers, AKW, thought Kacper would be an ideal candidate for a new model of shower.

The shower has large buttons which are easy to use, and the shower’s temperature is limited so the water will never scald. Importantly for Kacper though, it can also be controlled using a remote control

The garden was too dangerous for him before and now he can use it whenever he likes. Soon he won’t want me around – he’ll want to do everything on his own!”

And what does Kacper think of all the work that’s been done? “The shower’s good, it’s nice and easier to use. The garden is the best because I get to play in it.”

We’ve launched our new website!

We’ve launched our new website, a place where you can find out about the homes we have available and the new developments we have planned. Within the website you can find out more about our SO Living team and find answers to the most common questions we get asked about Shared Ownership.

So to find out about the latest homes and developments available for shared ownership in Plymouth, visit so-living.co.uk or find us on Twitter and Facebook. so-living@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk so-living@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk

0800 748 080007778 0778 748

so-living.co.uk so-living.co.uk facebook.com/solivingplym facebook.com/solivingplym twitter.com/SOLivingPlym twitter.com/SOLivingPlym

Can you help an important garden animal?

Being a good neighbour

One of our more cuddly neighbours is the hedgehog.

• Ensure netting is kept at a safe height

‘hedgehog runs’ into our new developments.

There are lots of ways we can make sure the prickly creatures stay safe this summer.

• Check compost heaps before digging the fork in

This means we leave a small gap in the fence for them to move about easily.

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) offers this advice: • Make sure there is hedgehog access in your garden – a 13cm x 13 cm gap in boundary fences and walls • Move piles of rubbish to a new site before burning it

• Reduce the amount of pesticides used • Cover drains or deep holes

Going forward, all new developments will have this feature in the gardens.

• Ensure there’s an easy route out of ponds and pools.

We’re already doing our bit for hedgehogs – we now incorporate

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Keeping your neighbours happy Now that summer’s here, we’ve all got our windows open more – which means we may be able to hear lots more from our neighbours than we’d like.

Area Housing Manager Sarah French discusses some of the most common noises we hear complaints about and suggests some solutions: Loud music • With amplified sound, try and keep the volume down. It’s best not to put speakers close to party walls, ceilings or floors.

• If you have a bedroom TV, lower the volume at night – especially if your bedroom adjoins someone else’s.

• If playing an instrument, practice where and when it will have least impact on neighbours. Play without amplifiers, use headphones and use mutes for wind instruments and pads and brushes on drums.

• If you really want to listen or play at loud volume, why not use headphones – but be aware that turning it up could damage your hearing.

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People • Take care when closing doors – particularly if you live in a flat with a shared entrance. Make sure doors are shut or wedged open to avoid banging in the wind.

• If you’re having friends round and you think it might get noisy, talk to your neighbour in advance to warn them and ask them to let you know if there’s a problem.

Pets • Dogs bark – but only a lot if they’re not happy. If you have to leave your dog alone, make sure it’s well exercised and fed. Some dogs like

a radio for company, or get a friend or neighbour to look in.

If your dog continues to bark, consider dog training.

How can we help?

It’s always best to talk to your neighbour first but contact your Housing Officer if you’re really worried about noise nuisance.

To report a noise nuisance out of working hours call 0800 0287 377.

If you think there’s been a breach of the peace or someone is being violent or threatening, call the police on 999 or 101 if it’s less severe.

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Getting in touch with us We encourage you to make contact with us about any query or complaint directly.

have to contact Angie EdwardsJones, our Head of Customer Experience and Assurance, who then looks into the enquiry with the correct department.

they now take the majority of calls coming in to PCH. This also means that you will quite often be able to get an answer to your query at your first contact.”

Our Complaint Policy means we must respond to all initial enquiries or complaints within ten working days, and this timescale also applies to requests that we receive from an MP or councillor.

Angie said: “People should always feel they can come to us – through whatever means suits them. If they don’t feel comfortable picking up the phone or can’t make it in to one of our offices, they can write a letter, email or send us a message on Facebook or Twitter.

Our Contact Centre advisors have received training to be able to deal with queries covering most of what we deliver.

As part of our councillor and MP contact protocol, elected officials

“We have extended the service that our Contact Centre provides, and

Many of our residents approach their MP or councillor before getting in touch with us about their issue.

Did you know?

In the first quarter of 2016, we welcomed 3,436 visitors through the doors of Plumer House.

For the full list of contact options, see below: T

0808 230 6500/01752 237990

E

info@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk

twitter.com/PlymCommHomes

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plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk

facebook.com/PlymouthCommunityHomes

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What’s on for free at Plumer House?

Sam Scanlan and Teresa Roach work in our Plumer House reception. They welcome customers and introduce them to duty rent or housing officers.

They can also provide forms – for example mutual exchange forms, rent refund forms and garage applications to name just a few.

Computer Club every Wednesday from 1pm to 4pm Craft Club every Tuesday and Thursday from 12pm to 3pm Gym facilities every Tuesday and Thursday from 9.45am to 11.15am

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Independent shops offering great products and top customer service PCH businesses will be at the heart of an area of the city which is in line for a major revamp.

We own around 50 shop premises in the West End of Plymouth, often referred to as the city’s Independent Quarter.

The area is about to undergo big changes.

One of our biggest neighbours – Plymouth City Market – is due for a £3.5m external and internal upgrade.

And a brand new bus station will be built on the site of the demolished Mayflower West multi-storey car park.

As the bus station is close to the independent shops they are likely to benefit from increased footfall.

Meanwhile a major improvement scheme is planned for Frankfort Gate which includes repairs, maintenance work and clearer space and seating while the footbridge across Western Way is due to come down.

And the City Centre Company recently announced the area will be rebranded with a new identity and feature more events around Frankfort Gate.

Small businesses will also hopefully be helped by changes to Small Business Rate Relief, which come into effect next year. From April 2017, businesses that have a rateable value under £12,000 won’t have to pay rates. This is currently set at £6,000.

The investment in this part of the city proves that the West End is a

great place to shop – as many of our business tenants acknowledge.

The city centre businesses are among just under 200 commercial properties we own across Plymouth.

Apart from the West End, we also have units in Whitleigh, Southway and Efford and in other neighbourhoods.

They bring in revenue of £1.2m a year, money which is invested back into services for our residents.

Frank Corbridge, Commercial Premises Manager, said: “These developments are really positive and will have long-term benefits for the area. People are starting to feel more confident.”

Final Frontier Julian Shelford owns the Final Frontier comic book shop in Cornwall Street and along with his wife, runs the successful DEVCON comic convention held at the Guildhall twice a year.

He said: “I like the West End – it’s always been a vibrant part of town.

Retail is a competitive business though, especially with competition from the top end of town like Drake Circus and online shopping.

“Drake Circus does bring a huge amount of people into the city but it’s important to get some of them down to this part of town too.

“But we have a good customer base.

We are a niche business and we work hard. We know our regulars really well.

“It’s important to get the right mix of shops in an area. And it’s also down

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to the shop owner. I’m optimistic though.”

Julian’s optimism will soon see him open a vintage room at the back of the premises which will sell toys from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Pictured: Sam Gardner, who works in Final Frontier

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Plymouth Foot Care “We are a niche service so people find us but it’s more difficult for retailers.

“I think they should turn the market into a shopping village. Markets nowadays have an outdoors, Continental atmosphere.

“There are good, niche businesses in there. A shopping village would be more modern.

Pictured: Lawrence Griffiths of Plymouth Foot Care Karen and Lawrence Griffiths run Plymouth Foot Care, which includes a clinic and shop. They previously had a stall in the market but are now exclusively based in premises in Cornwall Street.

Karen said: “We were in the market for ten years but moved here last July so we could expand the foot clinic side of the business. We also did reflexology and it’s quite noisy in the market for treatments!

“Market traders should also have the opportunity to showcase their wares up in the piazza from time to time.

It would also be good to have more events down here.”

Vinyl Grooves are the independent traders. We sell some diverse and unusual products.

“We also offer good customer service – we stop and talk to people and ask if they need help. That’s not something you tend to get in the big chains at the top end of town.”

Pictured: Stuart Read of Vinyl Grooves

Donna Read of Vinyl Grooves record shop added: “We have loved being here but it can be a bit of a struggle.

“The building work to the new coach station has blocked off Market Way but hopefully when it’s finished it will bring more people in.

“There are events in the city centre but they usually seem to be near Armada Way and if there are stalls they can create a barrier between the

top end and the independents.

“I started my business in Plymouth Market and it gave me the opportunity and confidence to build up my business. It’s always full of so many great stalls and great personalities and I feel they deserve all the financial support they can get concerning the remodernisation plans.

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE

Get in touch by contacting news@plymouth communityhomes.co.uk

“The best part of this part of town

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Helping you understand Universal Credit

When a Tamerton Foliot resident applied for Universal Credit, he was told he’d have to wait an additional seven days for his payment to be made.

We knew this wasn’t the case as the seven-day wait only applies to people making fresh claims – the tenant had previously received Housing Benefit.

The 56-year-old man, who didn’t want days. Since then, the payments have to be identified, said: “I was the third gone in on time.” person to go on Universal Credit in Plymouth.

Fiona Renfree, who works in our Income Recovery and Financial “The Job Centre said they hadn’t had Inclusion team, said: “It was important a lot of experience with Universal to help our tenant with this. It wasn’t Credit. They told me I’d have to wait just that his rent wouldn’t have been more than six weeks (45 days) for my paid; it would have meant he would first payment. not have been paid anything for the first seven days and then he would “I knew that was wrong. It was a have to wait a further 38 days before week too much. Even when I called receiving a payment for one month’s their Helpline they seemed unaware. money.

“The whole experience was one of chaos. I’m fortunate; for someone who was poverty stricken, I would imagine it would be horrendous.

There will be people who can’t afford to wait that long.

We confirmed that he should not have to wait the extra seven days and provided the evidence for him which “PCH were very helpful. Fiona he showed to the Job Centre. confirmed I didn’t need to wait seven

“As soon as we hear of someone going on to Universal Credit, we offer them a visit and support through the process. We’ll speak to the Job Centre and Universal Credit with them if necessary. We can also help people get online.” If you need help with Universal Credit, call us on 0800 028 0350.

It costs from just 86p a week to insure your belongings – less than the price of the average loaf*

Call 01752 or 388336 to out find more out more about our contents insurance insurance Call 0808388333 230 6500 to find about our contents 12 * According toONS ONSdata data June *According to June 20152015

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Feeling safe and staying independent in sheltered housing

We’ll be installing brand new high-tech telecare alarm units in all our sheltered housing properties.

Telecare alarms enable tenants to be quickly connected to help.

The alarms will also be connected to smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and in our blocks they will be linked to door entry systems to enable access in an emergency.

Jackie Day, Housing with Support Officer, said: “The existing system is getting quite old now. This will give a much better level of service. It’s all part of us keeping tenants safe with the most modern equipment.

“We researched the different systems and consulted with tenants to determine their needs. A number of them also helped us during the tendering process.

“We started out looking at five providers then narrowed it down to two. These two then showed their alarms to tenants so they could see it being used in practice.

“The alarms are also future proofed.

As and when new technologies come about, they can be installed as add ons.”

Tenants activate the alarm either by a pendant that can be worn around their neck, wrist or waist, or with a pull cord in their bathroom. Activating the pendant connects the tenant to a Housing with Support Officer when they are on site, or a call centre that can contact emergency services and the tenant’s next of kin at all other times.

Keith Saunders, a sheltered housing tenant in Plymstock, took part in the consultation exercise. He said:

“I found it interesting and useful meeting the different companies. I am a diabetic and I asked them if they could add on a button that could alert someone if I had a hypo attack.

They thought a modification could be made.”

Helen Ryan, Head of Communities and Housing with Support, said: “Moving into sheltered housing is a choice that some people make as they get older. Every sheltered scheme is different and appeals to different people, although the one thing that all our sheltered properties have in common is that they help tenants stay safe and remain independent as they get older.

The installation of the alarms is an important milestone for our sheltered properties.”

PCH has 427 sheltered properties in 11 different city locations.

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Solar panels latest

We’ve installed more than 2,000 solar panels on homes across Plymouth to help reduce fuel poverty and make homes more energy efficient.

There have been changes to the Feed-in Tariffs which helped us fund the panels, so we’ve stopped installing them on our homes for now.

sun’s rays and turn it into electricity you can use in your home. If people use larger appliances like washing machines during daylight hours, they should find they save money on their electricity bills. Any extra electricity goes back into the grid so it isn’t wasted.

However, households that already have the panels will continue to make savings.

Solar energy also produces less CO2 – this gas contributes to the greenhouse effect and increases the global temperature.

The panels take energy from the

David and Sue Wellington were

Over the past year, the panels saved CO2 equivalent to 52 billion kettles being boiled among the last residents to have PV panels installed.

Sue said: “We have a key meter so we can see we’re already saving more per week – I had my doubts but it’s working already, I’m amazed.”

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North Prospect update

At the end of March we entered into a contract with Kier to build 159 new homes (81 for rent, 31 shared ownership and 47 open market sale) in Phase 3 of North Prospect.

will be known as Southern Gate – taking inspiration from the former Southern Railway line which ran on land just to the side of the site.

Phase 3 also has a new name and

The geography of the area means that it’s quite a challenging site –

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Wordsworth Crescent for example, sits on a large outcrop of rock and while this makes for a very stable foundation, it’s not easy to dig into for rainwater attenuation tanks that will be included in the scheme.

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Do you want to move home?

You can now download an app to help you look for a new home.

operator data charges may apply (check with your phone provider).

The app allows users registered with Devon Home Choice to view and bid for properties.

To download the app, go to plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk/ getting-a-home/getting-a-home-withus/.

It’s available to download to either Android phones or tablets or Apple iPhones or iPads.

The app is free to download, although

The Beacon Awards

Have you had great service from our staff?

Our Beacon Awards recognise PCH employees who’ve gone the extra mile.

We’ve got two awards you can nominate our employees for: The Beacon People’s Choice Award and The Beacon Customer Service Award.

We’ll also take into consideration any of the compliment letters, emails and social media messages we receive.

We’ll create a shortlist towards the end of the year. All of those shortlisted will be invited to an awards ceremony at our Plumer House headquarters, where the winner will be announced.

If you want to make a nomination, use the form opposite to let us know who you’d like to nominate and why.

We’ll let you know the winners at the end of the year.

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Beacon Awards Lots of our staff do exceptional work across the city, and we want you to tell us all about it.

We’ve got internal awards called the Beacon Awards to recognise those PCH staff who have gone the extra mile, and we want you to let us know who deserves one.

We’ve got two awards you can nominate PCH staff for: The Beacon People’s Choice Award and The Beacon Customer Service Award.

I would like to nominate: For the award:

The Beacon People’s Choice The Beacon Customer Service Award

Reason:

Your Details Name Address

Post Code

Contact Number

Thank you—post your form in the special post boxes in our City Centre Shop or Headquarters at Plumer House, or send it to: The Beacon Awards, Plymouth Community Homes, Plumer House, Tailyour Road, 15 Plymouth, PL6 5DH

Being a good neighbour

Don’t let bees ruin your fun this summer to the local branch in recognition of all the rescues they carried out on our behalf last year.

For information, go to bbka.org.uk/ or email sustainability@ plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk.

If you think there’s a neglected park, road verge, community garden or unused patch of grass in a public space which could benefit from wildflowers, the Urban Buzz project wants to hear about it.

If you come across bees this summer, to be rescued and relocated wherever don’t panic. They want to find a new possible. nest, not attack you.

Daniel Shelton, Environmental Here are some top tips: Performance Officer, said: “Bees are in decline all over the world. They • It’s still important to keep your pollinate so many of our food crops distance from swarming bees, we’d be in real trouble without them. because if they feel threatened, they may sting.

“We’re keen to do all we can to help conserve bees by increasing the • If the swarm is on your property or wildflowers across our estates and nearby, shut all doors and windows rehoming swarms where possible. and keep pets inside.

It’s great to work with and support members of the local British Bee • Don’t attempt to move or destroy Keepers Association who have the the swarm. skills and expertise to rescue and rehome swarms.”

• Give us a call on 0808 230 6500 and we’ll try to arrange for the swarm We recently made an £800 donation

It’s creating around 100 sites for pollinating insects across the city. You can submit your ideas on the Urban Buzz website: buglife.org.uk/urbanbuzz/plymouth/submit.

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Rubbish and your belongings in stairwells

Now and then we receive complaints about stairwells. It’s really important to keep them clear.

It’s best if you don’t store belongings like bikes, mobility scooters, pushchairs, toys and furniture in stairwells.

They should be kept inside your home or locked away in sheds if you have one. Bikes can be chained up outside the block.

If you have bulky waste items for rubbish collection, you’ll need to

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make your own arrangements to get them to the tip. The city council offers free collections for people receiving Housing Benefit.

Some organisations and charities will also pick them up for free. Call us on 0808 230 6500 to find out more.

Lynnsey Shannon, Assistant Housing Officer, said: “These items often get in the way of other residents and rangers when they are trying to clean or access electrical cupboards.

“They are also a massive fire risk –

not only could they be set alight, they could also cause an obstruction to the emergency services.”

Fascinating stories of our residents If you’ve been on our website recently, you’ll have seen our Resident History stories. Each month, we’ve been featuring a monthly case study of one of our tenants. We want to hear the stories of people who live in our homes and how social housing has improved their lives. To read these stories in full, go to: plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk/news/resident-history/.

Bill told us of his wartime memories of the Plymouth Blitz and his time at sea. Bill joined the navy at a young age and spent his service in Palma rescuing evacuees during the Spanish Civil War. During the Second World War, he was stationed in Scapa Flow where he witnessed the famous sinking of British battleship the Royal Oak where 833 men lost their lives.

Bill talks us through his experience of seeing parts of the city razed to the ground during the Blitz, and later being part of a gunboat crew that took part in a raid on St Nazaire docks. Bill tells us all about his time after the war, what Plymouth looked like in the following years and how much he loves living in Devonport.

Bill Bannister

The next story featured Master Mariner John Cannock who spent his early childhood in Africa before coming home to the UK. He recounts his memories of living through air raids in the Second World War and the fearful sound of the doodlebugs.

John found his calling at sea where he worked on both military and civilian ships becoming a Master Mariner in Nigeria. John then spent time with the ARF Marine Branch and was summoned to help with the oil spill of the famous SS Torrey Canyon off the Cornish coast. After his naval career John ran a successful satellite television business in Saltash and spent many a Christmas as the resident Santa at Chaplins.

John Cannock

The third story featured Pearle Sheppard who was born in Cape Town and spent most of her life in Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe. Pearle had two sons who spent time in the army and excelled in IT careers, while the Unilateral Declaration of Independence shaped the destiny of many in the country.

Pearle tells us about how her boss was killed in 1978 in a plane crash and the remaining survivors were massacred by the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army.

Pearle Sheppard was born in Cape Town

With the economy of Zimbabwe shrinking and people facing tough sanctions from the United Nations and the International Money Fund, Robert Mugabe essentially froze accounts in national banks and Pearle was flown to England by the British Government where she is now able to live a quiet peaceful life with her cat Pepper.

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Being a good neighbour

“People are keen to get together” different to normal estates. You’re constantly on top of each other.

Most people here understand this and go out of their way to help their neighbours.

Being a good neighbour can just involve a friendly wave or asking if someone needs help with their shopping.

But across many of our estates, there are more formal ways of getting to know your neighbours – through residents’ associations.

Ian Harley is Chair of the Mount Wise Towers Residents’ Association, which represents Tamar, Tavy and Lynher tower blocks.

He said: “Tower blocks are very

“People tend to get upset about what are comparatively minor things but it can become an issue if it doesn’t get sorted quickly.

“We have a fair amount of support for what we’re trying to do.

“We have a garden project and we produce a newsletter to keep residents up to date.

“We’ve got babes in arms right through to 80 and 90 year olds living here. They all mix fairly well.”

The Pembroke Street Estate Management Board (PEMB) oversees all 160 properties on the estate, in Devonport.

PEMB Manager Christine Watts said: “We began as a self-help group campaigning for improvements to our flats.

“We’ve got strong community cohesion here. We do get a good amount of involvement. Some have been here years and others are new faces.

“People are keen to get together.

We have a summer programme of events.”

For more information about residents’ groups, call 0808 230 6500 and ask for Deborah Beadle or Hazel Alexander.

• The Mount Wise Towers’ garden club meets Wednesdays from 1pm in the community room behind Tavy House, Duke Street. Call 01752 562457 or email brendajohns24@ gmail.com for details.

Learn for Free Training Courses If you are interested in finding out more, please call 0808 230 6500 and ask to speak to the Communities Team or visit plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk/how-to-get-involved We’ve run courses in first aid, computers and hairdressing to name a few

News in brief Our readers have been sending in photos of their pets. Here are the latest...

Poppet PCH’s dedication to resident and staff safety has been rewarded with a clutch of awards in recent months.

Cats in window

We scooped three awards at the British Safety Council’s International Safety Awards 2016.

We were awarded the prestigious Sector Award in the Local Government, Defence and Public Services category against 34 other organisations due to the high standard of the BSC merit awards we picked up – one for PCH as an organisation and one for our Building and Technical Services Team.

Jazzie

We also achieved two gold awards at the prestigious Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Awards last month.

They recognise organisations which have shown commitment to accident and ill-health prevention.

We were shortlisted as a finalist at the South West Building Excellence Award 2016. We were nominated for our scheme at Hope Woods on Ham Drive for Best Social or Affordable New Housing Development along with Kier.

Thank you!

We held a celebration event to thank over 50 of you who have helped us make a real difference to the services we offer.

One attendee said: “It was a pleasure to meet some old friends and make some new acquaintances as well.”

If you’re interested in taking part in the future, check the Get Involved pages on our website.

If you have any suggestions or story ideas for In Touch, please email news@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk

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Contact numbers

Plymouth City Council contacts

Repairs: 0808 230 6500 / 01752 237990

Enquiries (including waste and out of hours) 01752 668000

Out of hours repairs: 0800 917 9459 (5pm to 7am) Debit/Credit Card Payment Line: 0844 557 8321 Head Office: 0808 230 6500 / 01752 237990 City Centre Shop: 01752 389778 Anti-social behaviour out of hours hotline: 0800 028 7377

Report fly tipping 01752 204147 Housing options 01752 305496

Newsletter Translations English This information is available in other languages and formats - Please contact: 0808 230 6500 Arabic :‍هذه Ř§Ů„Ů…ŘšŮ„ŮˆŮ…Ř§ŘŞ Ů…ŘŞŮˆŮ ŘąŘŠ بلغات ŮˆŘľŮŠŘş أ؎عى – يع؏ى Ř§Ů„ŘŞŮˆŘ§ŘľŮ„ مؚ‏

0808 230 5600 Chinese Mandarin čŻĽäżĄć Żĺ?ŻäťĽäťĽĺ…śäť–čŻ­č¨€ĺ’Œć źĺź?ć??äž›â€”â€”čŻˇč ”çłťďźš

Czech Tyto informace jsou k dispozici v jinĂ˝ch jazycĂ­ch i formĂĄtech. Kontaktujte, prosĂ­m: 0808 230 6500 Farsi ‍ ﯽ اﺪﺡﺎﺑ ŘŞďşŽďť‹ďťźďťƒŘ§ ﺑ ﺎﺎﺑز Ůˆ لﺎﺡا ﺎد ﺰ ﺑﺎ ďŻ˝ďşłďşŽďş˜ďşłŘŻâ€Ź. ‍سﺎﺗﺪﺋﺎ  ﺎďť&#x;Ř§ďťŚďť”ďť ďş— ﺎﺑ‏ ‍ﺝﺎﺣ‏: 0808 230 6500 French Ces renseignements sont disponibles dans d’autres langues et formats – Veuillez contacter: 0808 230 6500 Hindi य༇ ŕ¤œŕ¤žŕ¤¨ŕ¤•ŕ¤žŕ¤°ŕĽ€ ऌस ༠रༀ भञजञऔं और परएंऌ་ं ऎ༇ं भༀ उपलएऌ ŕ¤šŕĽˆ ༤ ककरपञ इस नंऎएर पर ऍ་न करༀŕ¤?: 0808 230 6500 Hungarian Ez az informĂĄciĂł mĂĄs nyelven ĂŠs formĂĄtumban is elĂŠrhetĹ‘ – kĂŠrjĂźk, vegye fel a kapcsolatot: 0808 230 5600 Kurdish ‍ه Ů… ﺎعﺎاز ه ن ﺑ ﺎز ﯽﺎآ ﺜﺎﺗ ďşˇŮˆó˛ €ďŻźŘ˛Ř§ďťŽ ŘŚďťŞďťœďťłŘŻâ€Ź-‍ ďťŞďťłďşŽďťœďş— ďťŞď­˜ ه ﯟﺪ ďťŞďťœďş‘ ﺑ‏: 0808 230 6500 Kurdish Badini

:â€Ťâ€ŒŘŞŰŽÚŠŮ„ŰŒŰŽâ€ŒŘ¨ÚŠŮ‡â€ŒŮ†â€ŹŘŒâ€Ťâ€ŒŘ¨ŰŽâ€ŒŘ˛Ů‡â€ŒŮ‡Ů…Ů‡â€ŒŘŞâ€Ź.â€ŤŘŚŮ‡â€ŒÚ¤â€ŒŘ˛Ř§Ů†ŰŒŘ§ŘąŰŒŮ‡â€Œâ€ŒŘ¨â€ŒŘ˛Ů…Ř§Ů†â€ŒŮˆâ€ŒŮ Ű†ŘąŮ…Ř§ŘŞŰŽŘŞâ€ŒŘŻŰŒâ€ŒÚ˜ŰŒâ€ŒŰŒŰŽŘŞâ€ŒŮ‡Ů‡â€ŒŰŒŮ†â€Ź

0808 230 5600 Lithuanian Ĺ i informacija prieinama ir kitomis kalbomis bei formatais – praĹĄome kreiptis: 0808 230 5600 Nepalese य་ ŕ¤œŕ¤žŕ¤¨ŕ¤•ŕ¤žŕ¤°ŕĽ€ अनŕĽ?य भञडञ र ढञञठचञचर༂ऎञ पनन उपलएŕĽ?ध रच༇ क་ छ - ŕ¤•ŕĽƒŕ¤Şŕ¤Żŕ¤ž सऎŕĽ?पकक गनच नक ་स ŕĽ?: 0808 230 5600 Polish Ta informacja moĹźe być dostÄ™pna w innych jÄ™zykach i formatach. ProszÄ™ kontaktować numer telefonu: 0808 230 6500 Portuguese A informaçao aqui apresentada esta disponivel noutras linguas e formatos, por favor contacte: 0808 230 6500 Russian Đ­Ń‚Đ° инфОрПациŃ? Đ´ĐžŃ Ń‚ŃƒĐżĐ˝Đ° на Đ´Ń€ŃƒĐłĐ¸Ń… Ń?Сыках и фОрПатах – Đ&#x;ĐžĐśĐ°ĐťŃƒĐšŃ Ń‚Đ° Ń Đ˛Ń?ĐśĐ¸Ń‚ĐľŃ ŃŒ Ń : 0808 230 6500 Spanish Esta informaciĂłn estĂĄ disponible en otros idiomas y formatos; por favor, pĂłngase en contacto en el 0808 230 6500 Turkish Bu bilgi baĹ&#x;ka yabancÄą dil ve formlarda mevcuttur - Bu numarayÄą arayÄąn: 0808 230 6500

Plymouth Community Homes Plumer House Tailyour Road PL6 5DH T

0808 230 6500/01752 237990

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Plymouth Community Homes is a registered provider under the Co-operative and Community Benefits Societies Act 2014.

Registration no: 30637R.