PCH In Touch Newsletter Spring 2017

make it happen

InTouch Issue 30 Spring 2017

Our biggest competition ever!

Pages 8 and 9

Learn for Free is award winning Page 14

Inside this issue Changes to bin collections Page 10

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Your rents and service charges Page 7

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Priorities in your neighbourhood Page 6

Food for thought Page 13

Hello In Touch

Call us on 0808 230 6500

Hello!

llow e P e n i Ela f the Board

TPAS are national experts in tenant engagement and it shows that we have our residents at the heart of our organisation. Well done to all involved – read more about this on page 14.

I’m looking forward to seeing our new PCH website, which is due to be unveiled very soon. As well as a fresh look, it will also provide you with the ability to view your account online, report repairs and change your contact details. You’ve told us you want this so I’m really pleased we’re making it happen for you.

Residents have also been making their feelings known about the way we communicate with you. Our Resident Scrutiny Team has spent the last few months reviewing PCH’s written communications and you can read their findings on page 7.

There will be big changes to the city’s bin collections this spring, with Plymouth City Council moving to fortnightly collections. Make sure you’re prepared for this by reading our guide on pages 10 and 11.

Finally, a warm welcome to our new residents in Little America. We’ve been speaking to you and I’m happy to hear you’ve got good things to say about us.

Don’t forget if you want to nominate a member of staff for a Beacon Award, you can do so now. Call us or go on our Facebook or Twitter page - details on the back page.

If you’ve got something to say that would be suitable for a future issue of In Touch, please contact us. Email your news story ideas to news@ plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk or call 01752 388082.

Elaine Pellow Chair of the Board

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I’m so happy to see PCH has been recognised by TPAS for the fantastic work we do providing tenants with training through our Learn for Free programme.

Chair o

Changes to gas servicing All the gas servicing we carry out is now being done by our in-house gas team.

The changes, which took place at the end of last month, offer good value for money.

Annual gas checks were previously carried out in the south of the city by our contractor Liberty while our in-house team did the work in the north.

All will now be carried out by our own gas team which means any letters you receive will be from PCH and any visits will be from PCH operatives.

If you smell gas, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

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Inside

4 Quilt unveiled 2

5 Shared Ownership dream

10 Changes to bin collections

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New tenants optimistic Universal for the future following transfer Credit could affect you this year Our staff have been out and about interacting with the new tenants, who are looking forward to their future with PCH. New PCH residents who have transferred over to us have been saying how happy they are with what they’ve seen of us so far.

We took on almost 100 homes in Little America, near Efford, at the end of last year from Stonewater Housing Association.

Mum-of-two Jo-Anna Westlake has been a Little America resident for nearly 12 years.

She said: “I think PCH is brilliant so far. I can’t fault you in any way.

You’ve probably heard about Universal Credit which is part of the government’s Welfare Reform Act. Universal Credit is a single monthly payment for people in or out of work.

It replaces some of the benefits and tax credits that you might be getting now:

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Our staff have been out and about Allowance interacting with the new tenants, who “The guys came out and did the • Income-related Employment and are looking forward to their future with electric tests straight away. They were Support Allowance PCH. very well mannered and friendly.

• Income Support • Child Tax Credit Hayley Murphy, pictured, was a “My fusebox wasn’t working and they • Working Tax Credit Stonewater tenant – and Jephson ordered me a new one. They also put • Housing Benefit before that – for 15 years. a new smoke alarm in the kitchen and did an asbestos check.

Universal Credit has been live in She said: “I’ve seen the Plymouth since January 2016 but this improvements you’ve made around “I had a radiator hanging off the wall was only for single people.

Efford to the homes there and I’m and they took it off for me. They were really hoping our flats are brought into worried about it falling on one of the However, Plymouth will be moving the 21st Century. children. I asked them to leave it by to the full (digital) Universal Credit my car so I could take it to the tip but service, for all claimant types “I can really see the difference in the they took it away with them.” including couples and families in homes that have been taken over by October (for claims made through PCH. Our homes desperately need a As part of the sale, we’ve also taken Plymouth jobcentreplus) and spruce up. on estate management November (for claims made through responsibilities for a further 100 Devonport jobcentreplus).

“I’ve got friends with PCH and they privately-owned properties in the say you’re really good for repairs and area.

You may also be switched to new kitchens and bathrooms. I’ve Universal Credit if you have a change only heard good things.

The transfer by Stonewater is part of of circumstances. their plans to streamline their “Already I’ve had a leak under my national property portfolio and focus For any queries about Universal sink and within an hour and a half the their efforts in areas where they own Credit, contact our Welfare Reform plumber came round and fixed it.” the largest number of homes.

Transition Team on 0800 028 0350.

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Quilt celebrating women unveiled Women from across the city gathered on International Women’s Day for the unveiling of a special quilt they all had a hand in putting together.

Over the past six months women from across Plymouth have worked together to create ‘Joyce’s Quilt’ to celebrate their fellow females using traditional textile crafts.

Joyce Vincent died alone in her flat in north London and lay unmissed by anyone for more than two years.

After seeing a documentary about Joyce, our Communities Worker Hayley Kemp was inspired to create a project that would address social isolation.

Hayley said: “I wanted to do something that would symbolise Joyce and bring women across Plymouth together, each of whom could contribute a patch to a quilt that tells their own story.”

The project travelled around the city

to many different communities and has seen a wide range of women get together to sew and share stories.

The quilt is 2.5 meters high by 2.9 meters long and contains 56 individually-decorated squares. In the centre is a square dedicated to Joyce.

The quilt contains 56 individuallydecorated squares

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We’ve been talking to you about our plans for North Prospect planning permission, which we hope to get this autumn.

residents who are being moved out of Phase 5.

Existing residents are expected to have moved out by March 2018 at the latest and it’s hoped demolition work can begin soon after.

Kier continues to build in Phase 3 which will contain 81 homes for rent, 31 for shared ownership and 47 for open market sale.

Local resident Jenny Furzeland attended the consultation. She said: “I wanted to come along because I’m part of the community and we should come and make comments.”

The first affordable homes in this scheme are expected to be ready by Autumn 2020.

We’ve leased an empty home in Phase 4 to Plymouth Access to Housing (PATH) who have refurbished it into a shared house to support young people.

The phase is a mix of one, two, three and four bed homes – 37 for affordable rent and 30 for shared ownership.

The property is the seventh house to be leased in the phase, enabling us to use the empty houses on a The scheme comprises of 118 homes short-term basis before the demolition for rent, 56 for shared ownership and starts.

173 for open market sale.

We’ve been consulting with residents about our plans to build new homes as part of the regeneration.

Last month we held two open days at the Beacon to showcase our plans to build homes in Phase 5.

There will also be 66 properties for open market sale, meaning Phase 5 will have an anticipated 133 new homes when complete – subject to

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Meanwhile, Phase 2 of the regeneration is coming to an end, with the final homes due to be handed over in June.

Many of the new tenants due to move in to the rented homes include

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Shared ownership helps woman’s dream come true

A woman’s dream of moving to Plymouth has finally come true – more than 30 years after she first considered it.

Clare Stewart wanted to move to the city to be nearer her sister but she met her husband and her life took a different path.

Now looking for a fresh challenge, she’s just moved into a SO Living shared ownership home in North Prospect.

Clare tells her story: “After 30 years of moving around living in different places I explored the prospect of finding a home through a shared ownership scheme near some family.

“The thought of moving again looking for a new home and filling out forms was a daunting prospect, but this was no time to be complacent. I got to grips with the task in hand and was accepted by Help to Buy South West in the summer.

“I had looked at other different new builds over the past months in the Plymouth area on the shared ownership scheme but PCH stuck out in my mind.

“The house is a great size. There was really nothing on the market that compared.

“I think the homes are great value for money. Mine comes with parking which is also good for when utility firms, friends and family are visiting.

“I like the community feel to North Prospect and that there’s infrastructure like the Beacon. I want to feel part of a community.

“The home I viewed last year with a wider staircase to accommodate a stair chair or lift to support people as they get older, along with solar panels for energy efficiency really made an impression on me. I particularly like PCH’s commitment to building communities and your ‘home for life’ ethos.

“In December I was fortunate to secure a shared ownership home with PCH and spent my first night in my home on 9 January.

“I have finally made it to Plymouth – albeit 30 years later – and fast approaching retirement age, but I am looking forward to the summer months planning my garden and to starting a new chapter in my life being part of a community and having a

sense of belonging.”

All our SO Living shared ownership homes in PL2 (Phase 2) of the North Prospect regeneration have now been reserved. However, we will have more available soon in Southern Gate (Phase 3).

We will also have shared ownership properties available in Porsham Heights (Southway) and Primrose Park (Whitleigh), where work is well underway.

To learn more about SO Living and how to register your interest, go to: www.so-living.co.uk.

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What are the priorities Our new in your neighbourhood?

Resident Involvement Co-ordinator

Our housing officers are looking forward to putting into action our revised neighbourhood plans.

The 15 plans, which cover most of our neighbourhoods, provide a snapshot of important information including: If you like getting involved with your community, you may soon start to see a bit more of this woman.

Jill Palmer is working in our Communities Team as our new Resident Involvement Co-ordinator.

Jill will be supporting our community groups as well as working with involved residents like our Mystery Shoppers, who make sure our services are up to scratch.

She’s also passionate about making sure residents from all sections of our community are represented and keen to explore new ways for people to get involved.

Find out more about Jill’s work or get more involved by contacting her on 0808 230 6500.

• Statistics about the backgrounds of residents (for example age and ethnicity) • Local facilities, schools and places of worship • Maps and street names • The names of your housing officers • Your priorities and plans for the neighbourhood.

We consulted with you last year about what you wanted the priorities to be.

Steve Ford, Head of Neighbourhoods at PCH, said: “We’ve listened to what you’ve said and will be delivering the plans throughout the year. They support the housing officer to provide what the community says they want.

“We’ll be updating them every year.

Each year, we’ll be asking you again your priorities in readiness for the following year.

When you read the plans, you may notice your housing officer and

We’ve listened to what you’ve said and will be delivering the plans throughout the year.

assistant housing officer has changed.

Steve added: “Some of the Housing Management team have recently changed neighbourhoods so they can gain experience of areas which have different types of housing stock.

This provides staff with variety in their work and new challenges.”

Many of those housing officers, as well as staff in Housing with Support, Housing Choices and our Incomes and Communities teams, have also recently completed training with health organisation Livewell South West.

They’ve been learning how to identify many health issues and how to direct any tenants who may have them to organisations that may be able to help.

As part of this we’re looking at including information about health services in the welcome packs new tenants recieve.

Steve said: “We want to support residents to make positive lifestyle choices.”

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Your rent and service charges

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We’re listening to what you’ve told us

By now, you’ll have heard from us about the level of rent and service charges for your homes that will apply from this April.

All tenants will see a 1% reduction in their rent from April under Government rules announced in 2015, a reduction due to continue until 2019.

Clearing out junk email folders and not using technical words in letters are just two of the ways we can improve the way we communicate with you.

Those are the findings from the Resident Scrutiny Team, which has spent the last few months reviewing our communications.

The scrutiny team looked at all our communications with tenants – whether it be phone calls, emails, letter writing or text messages.

They spent time speaking to other residents as well as our staff as part of their review.

They’ve come up with a series of recommendations, which we’re going to be implementing over the coming months.

Scrutiny members Joanne Bowden and Bridget Bimha presented their findings to the Customer Focus Committee, who approved their recommendations.

Bridget said: “Some letters written by staff had a lot of legal terms that tenants would not necessarily understand. Other letters would refer to previous conversations so be one in a series but wouldn’t refer back to earlier letters so there was no context.

“We’d also like to see PCH take

into account people’s preferences for the best ways of contact. For example, some prefer text messages while others prefer email or large print. When someone makes these preferences, the information needs to be stored centrally so all staff can see it and act on it.”

Joanne added: “We also looked at emails and found some from tenants go straight to junk folders. IT are going to be looking at this.

“Also, many staff send text messages to tenants. We recommend they communicate in a way that doesn’t include lots of jargon. We’re not saying we want people to write ‘LOL’ in texts – it just needs to be appropriate.”

The Resident Scrutiny Team is made up of residents who review our standards, policies and procedures.

They interview tenants and staff and visit areas where a service is provided.

The role includes attending meetings, reading documents, reviewing performance data and considering how improvements could be made.

To find out more about the team, call Leanne Eastwood on 0808 230 6500 or email leanne.eastwood@ plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk.

In addition to rent, almost half our tenants pay service charges – therefore what you pay will vary according to the amount and cost of the services provided.

PCH rents are collected over 50 weeks. If you were previously a Stonewater tenant, your rent would have been collected over 52 weeks so you will need to change to 50 weeks if you pay weekly.

This means that if your rent account is in credit or up to date you will not have to make a payment for the rent-free weeks.

If you pay your rent by monthly Direct Debit, your rent for the year is paid in 12 equal instalments. However you pay, the total for the year will be the same.

If you’re in arrears, have a court order or have another arrangement in place to clear arrears, you’ll still be expected to make payments during the rent-free weeks.

If you have any queries about paying your rent, please contact us on 0800 028 0350 or go to our website: www. plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk/ your-home/making-payments/ where you can read our Frequently Asked Questions.

We’re making exciting changes to our website which means you’ll soon be able to view your rent account and make payments online. Read more about this on pages 8 and 9.

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Our new website is on its way!

This summer we will be launching our new website featuring a 24/7 self-service function.

You will be able to view your rent statements, make payments and report repairs online from the comfort of your own home.

WIN A TABLET*

As MyPCHTo doesn’t liveself-service until the summer,system we’re asking peopleittogoes register their usegothe when interest now so we can email you as soon as you are able to open an account. Go to:

live register your interest now by going to www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk. www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk/mypch *You’ll be entered into our exciting prize draw to win a tablet once you have completed the registration process (once the new website is live)

facebook.com/PlymouthCommunityHomes

twitter.com/PlymCommHomes

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The summer of web!

You told us you wanted a better website so that you can do more things online. This summer you’ll have one as we launch our new website and self-service account called MyPCH. We’re giving six lucky residents a Samsung S2 9.7 inch 32 GB tablet to celebrate the launch of our new website and online self-service system.

But most importantly, it will be the doorway into PCH’s new online self-service system called MyPCH. Think online banking or shopping.

Every time 500 of our residents open an account we will give away a brand new tablet to a winner picked at random. So the sooner you sign up the more chances you have of winning.

You won’t need a flashy computer to use our new website or MyPCH. You’ll be able to do it from your mobile or tablet because we’re making it really quick and easy to use.

The new-look website will be easier to navigate so you’ll be able to find things quickly. It will be clearer and look fresher. It will have the most popular topics on the homepage so the information you want most should be no more than three clicks away.

Look out for more details about the launch this summer, but in the meantime, if you are interested in being one of the first people to open a MyPCH account register your interest on our current website at www. plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk/ mypch

Do it in the comfort of your own home!

Here’s a really quick look at what you will be able to do online: - View your rent balance - Pay your rent - Report a repair using one simple form – picking most suitable times for you - Update your personal information including contact details - Make a complaint or compliment

The My PCH account will be secure, as you will need to set up a login and password to use it. You will need a valid email address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .to. .open . . . . an . . .account, . . . . . . . along . . . . . with ....... your PRN (Payment Reference Number) which can be found on your rent statement. want to be compared to where we are now.”

How you’ve helped make it happen Rachel Clancy was one resident who took part in our workshops.

Pictured: Bob Furzeland Angie Scott, Head of Strategy and Communications, who is leading on the development of the new website, explains: “I want to say a huge thank you to all those people who have helped with the new website project so far. We’ve had a great response from residents interested in improving our online services and their suggestions have been brilliant.

She said: “I found the workshops helpful. We generated a lot of good ideas. The people who were running the sessions were very responsive to what we were saying and listened to our ideas.

“I’m looking forward to creating my own account and being able to pay my rent online.”

Bob Furzeland also got involved by completing a survey about the website and was the lucky winner of some vouchers.

He said: “I use the PCH website from time to time. I completed the survey and gave them my views and was lucky enough to win the prize. I hope “We asked what you wanted to be that mine and others’ feedback on able to do online and then looked the website will help PCH to create a at what was annoying or frustrating better and more user friendly site for about our current website. That way we got a really good idea of where we people to use.”

What you told us, What we’re doing You told us you can’t find things, we’re going to make the most searched for the first thing you see on the homepage.

You told us the website is too busy, we’re going to put less information on the homepage making sure there is less text and more space.

You told us some of the pictures we use are random, we’re going to use only relevant pictures.

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Changes to bin collections begin next month Over the next few months, there will be some changes to the way Plymouth City Council collects your waste, and your help is needed to make Plymouth cleaner and greener.

From May, the city council is moving towards alternative weekly collections, which means that in most cases, on one week your recyclables (green bin) will be collected and on the other week your non-recyclable waste (brown bin) will be collected.

What goes ? e r e wh

This system has already been running successfully in a number ofother cities across the UK for many years and the council’s aim is to increase recycling rates but also run a smoother and more efficient, cost-effective service for local residents.

Green bin or bag Cans and metal Cardboard Glass jars and bottles Paper cards Plastic *Full list available on page 15 10

There will also still be additional household collection services for garden waste, large bulky waste items and healthcare waste.

Before May there will also be a number of other minor changes to a few household collections to support the change in service – there will be further updates as and when these are due to take place at http://plymouth.gov.uk/ binsrecyclingandwaste/.

For more information about the changes call 01752 668000.

You can also follow @plymouthcc on Twitter and the hashtag #PlymouthTeamGreen to find out more.

Brown bin or bag Household and food waste and anything that can’t be recycled

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Flytipping We want to do our bit to rid our estates of flytipped rubbish – but we need your help.

We often hear reports of furniture, household appliances and builders’ materials dumped on our estates or left in stairwells.

We don’t offer a bulky waste collection service for our tenants.

Our Rangers are spending time clearing it away which is taking them away from carrying out other jobs.

Dave Walley, Housing Officer, said: “We know residents hate flytipped rubbish near their homes – it’s an eyesore and it’s potentially dangerous.

“As well as looking unsightly and posing a health risk, it’s expensive to clear.

“We’ve had asbestos dumped before and that’s really serious. The last thing we want is children climbing all over it.”

“The majority of our residents don’t flytip but there are some individuals who think it’s acceptable to leave their unwanted belongings in communal areas – it’s not.

“You can help by giving us information about anyone you see flytipping. By helping us catch people, you’ll be keeping costs down.”

Our housing officers will be door knocking on homes in certain neighbourhoods this spring to raise awareness of the issue.

How can I get rid of bulky waste?

You can take your unwanted items to the recycling centres at Weston Mill or Chelson Meadow.

If the item is too difficult for you to move, Plymouth City Council runs a

Bulky Waste collection service – call 01752 304750 for details.

There are also a few places in Plymouth where you can pick up good quality second hand white

What if I see flytipping happening?

Flytipping is punishable by a fixed penalty notice of £400 or a fine of up to £50,000 or 12 months imprisonment. It could also be a breach of any tenancy or lease.

goods.

Ask your Housing Officer about these, including the St Luke’s Furniture Clearance Shop, as you may be able to get a discount.

We wan t to do our bit to rid o ur estat es of flytipp ed rubb ish but we nee d your help.

You can report incidents to Plymouth City Council – which has the power to prosecute – by calling 01752 668000.

You can also call us on 0808 230 6500

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Meet the Board Member: Jane Filby see things have moved in a completely different direction. I can see how open PCH are to ideas, change and getting residents involved in decisions.

With a background in social housing spanning more than 30 years, including setting up her own business, you would think that Jane is thinking about slowing down. With her wedding to long term partner Brian imminent, it seems that Jane is just getting started…

Jane Filby was born in Derby, and ended up in Plymouth at eight years old, where she attended Manadon Vale School followed by Devonport High for a year.

Jane harboured hopes of becoming a fashion designer at school and went away to start her degree. After beginning her degree, Jane says: “It became quite apparent early on that I had limited amounts of talent and didn’t actually like the fashion industry.”

Jane joined Shelter, becoming a full-time adviser on housing issues, before becoming a manager and then an area manager. In 2006, Jane left Shelter and set up business with her partner Brian. The partnership took on the management of projects for charities and not-for-profit organisations in crisis. A significant project was ten months of work with Plymouth Domestic Abuse Services overseeing the transfer from the charity that set up the service to a social landlord who took on the operation. Jane and Brian

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successfully managed the reshaping of the service and its transfer to another organisation.

Jane was part of the team that set up Plymouth Access to Housing (PATH) and became their first Chair. She stepped down when working away from Plymouth. She resumed contact when PATH set up a new company, Plymouth Homes 4 Let, a social letting agency designed to ease access to the private rented sector for people that private landlords might not normally consider.

Jane says that she and Brian both discussed applying for the role of Customer Focus Committee co-optee: “Brian’s a bit of maverick and hated the idea of going to meetings and reading reports, and I thought it was a fantastic opportunity to input my experience to Plymouth’s largest social landlord.” Jane is passionate about providing high quality housing and ensuring that residents’ rights and responsibilities are the key driver for social landlords.

She has now been in post for over a year. What were Jane’s first impressions of PCH once she became a co-optee on the CFC? “The changes I have seen are impressive. I remember how social housing had been run in Plymouth but even over a short period of time I can

“I’m especially impressed with the Resident Scrutiny Team and their process. It’s really heartening to hear that the people that receive our services are able to tell us what we should change and then we put them into practice. (Read more about our Resident Scrutiny Team on page 7).

“Speaking to the Chief Executive John Clark is really exciting because of the way he talks about PCH’s future.

“The Board itself has such a good mixture of skills and ideas; it feels like very well rounded Board. Elaine is completely focussed on the job in hand and is what a customerfocussed Chair should be. She doesn’t take her eye off the ball and ensures everything is done through the eye of the customer.

“Then you get to the staff on the ground. I remember how uninspired people working in housing were in the past. Talking with PCH staff is so positive as they all speak with passion and enthusiasm.”

“I’d like the approach to housing to change and what I want to bring to that is that burning desire to bring about that change and provide good quality housing.

“I think there will be many opportunities for PCH, its tenants, staff and stakeholders, due to demographic, economic and social changes, and hope PCH can take advantage of these creatively, always keeping an eye on the quality of service.”

Food for Thought Rice Porridge Congee, as it is known throughout Asia, is often eaten at breakfast as the flavours are gentle. This one is from the Philippines and is known as Lugaw. The proportions of rice to water to stock cubes seem odd but work.

One chicken breast feeds four to six people.

1 cup of medium grain rice* 10 cups of water 4 stock cubes, chicken or vegetable 1 chicken breast, thinly sliced.

Fresh ginger, about an inch, finely chopped Combine rice, water and stock cubes.

Bring to the boil and stir for 10 minutes. This is important to break down starches. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes then add chicken and ginger for another five minutes. You can make it the day before and reheat for breakfast. It also freezes well.

Finishing touches include thin slices of lemon, chopped spring onions, coriander, hard boiled eggs, garlic chips**. Pick what you like and stir in.

It’s feel good comfort food. * I’ve used Sainsbury’s basics white rice, sushi rice and brown rice. All work well, just don’t use long grain. **Thinly slice peeled garlic cloves and saute in a little oil. Keep an eye on them, they can burn quite quickly.

Tom Kerridge, a popular TV chef, is pushing his new book. I read a recipe that listed 20 ingredients and went on to a full newspaper column of instructions. I could have made scrambled eggs on toast by the time I’d finished reading it. Another recipe calls for “four lamb shanks, about 200g each, French-trimmed (get your butcher to do this for you)”.

Right then, I’ll get my butler to ring my butcher.

We watch TV chefs and we even buy their books. I’m guilty of a few Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall’s. To be fair, his books do touch base with reality and I only buy them when they’re down to £5 at WH Smith.

Meanwhile, we continue to buy ready-meals and take-out.

We can start by using non-recipes.

Freehand cooking. Smell it, taste it, look at it. We have senses; we should use them. When I had the bakery, I came back in from picking herbs to a smell of burning. My assistant was standing by the oven and said “the buzzer hasn’t gone off yet”. Her nose apparently wasn’t working either.

I have been a rubbish cook. When I decided that food could be more than fuel I went on an adventure to discover food. I have tried everything offered to me, except monkey brains.

You have to draw the line somewhere. I still don’t like oysters, tofu and beetroot. Unless you’re vegetarian, chicken is a pretty safe bet; a good starting point.

Put a chicken in the oven. They now come in bags with seasoning or Recipes are scary. Pounds and stuffing. All you have to do is switch ounces seemed to have a solid, hefty the oven on and set a timer. Let it bulk to them. Grams, however, seem cook slowly. The aroma will start to a bit flimsy and precious, they’re stir your appetite. Think of the sides to down to such little bits. I prefer the US go with it, perhaps beyond potatoes. cup system, it’s bold and you can spill Have you tried kasha with chicken? a bit without disaster. Poundland sells It’s buckwheat, and you can buy it cups/spoon measures. “boil in the bag” at Polish shops. Add a vegetable, fresh or frozen, and you So how should we go ahead and have a simple, easy meal with far less get better at feeding ourselves and than 20 ingredients. our families? There is a middle way between daft and mundane.

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Our tenants have helped us to win an award for our Learn For Free programme Learn For Free has been running for more than five years and has delivered hundreds of courses in that time, courses requested by residents.

These have covered a variety of topics from First Aid to Cooking Healthy Meals for Kids.

As part of the programme, we’ve also offered dozens of people the chance to gain their CSCS card to enable them to work in the construction industry.

Tenant Andrea Castro is just one of hundreds who has benefitted from one of our Learn for Free courses – which has now been hailed a regional winner.

Excellence in Employment Skills and Training Southern Award which means we will have the chance to compete with the other regional winners at the national final later this year.

Ryan Huws, PCH Communities Worker, runs Learn For Free. He said: “It’s such a privilege to help people learn new skills and see them grow and develop. We’ve had so many success stories with this programme; people really get a lot out of it.”

John Clark, PCH Chief Executive, said: “I’m really proud of everyone involved in this programme. To win the regional award is a great Learn For Free is a resident-led reflection of the aspirations and programme which offers free training Andrea said: “I was a waitress where values that we have as a business courses and skills improvement to our I worked, and through PCH I was able and the individuals doing the work residents with the aim of improving to take advantage of free courses that every day.” their lives and helping them find work. gave me a First Aid certificate and a Food Hygiene certificate which have We were awarded the 2017 Tenant enabled me to become a Supervisor Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) in my job.”

Learn for Free Training Courses

We’ve run courses in first aid, computers and getting a CSCS card to name a few 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

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#OurPCH

Lots of you have been telling us what you think....

Need to report a repair?

If you have to report a repair to us, call 0808 230 6500 or 01752 237990.

For out of hours calls (5pm to 7am), ring 0800 917 9459.

You can also report on our website using our online reporting tool. Go to: www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk/your-home/ repairs/

Clowance Street update Work to refurbish a block of flats which were devastated by a major fire is due to finish during the summer.

Around 100 residents had to be evacuated from the block at Clowance Street, Devonport, nearly two years ago.

We’ve been hard at work restoring the block and adding some enhancements – for example external cladding. There will also be a new communal entrance door.

Work at the block, which contains 24 flats, is being carried out by our contractor Laker and the windows and doors have been made and fitted by PCH Manufacturing.

Angie Edwards-Jones, Head of Customer Experience and Assurance, said: “We’ve been working closely with our insurers to carry out this refurbishment.

“All the tenants who were living there have been rehoused and are now settled in new homes.

“Once the refurbishment is complete we’ll be looking forward to welcoming new tenants.”

Our regeneration team will be looking to begin a programme of maintenance on nearby blocks.

PCC

@plymouthcc Great project in Whitleigh on one of our #PlanForHomes sites, led by @PlymCommHomes

Plumer House

@plumerhouse In just 5 years we have gone from empty building to thriving business centre #Plymouth @PlymCommHomes

Items that can go in your green bin  Cans and metal Aerosols (empty cans with plastic lids removed), aluminium foil tins, biscuit and sweet tins, drink and food cans and tins  Cardboard Cardboard tubes, food packaging such as cereal boxes, egg boxes, pet food boxes, sleeves from ready meals  Glass jars and bottles  Paper cards, catalogues, envelopes (including window envelopes), junk mail, magazines, newspapers, shredded paper, telephone directories, wrapping paper  Plastic Butter and margarine tubs, cosmetic bottles (such as shampoo), detergent bottles, drinks bottles (tops removed), egg boxes, fruit containers, yoghurt pots

Top gardening tip from resident Shirley Knibbs Strawberries can be grown in a terracotta pot as used for growing herbs. It keeps them out of the way of slugs.

Always deadhead your roses for more bloom – and sit back and smell them!

Following the fire, a huge fundraising drive began to help affected residents get back on their feet, with donations pouring in from across the city.

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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

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

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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info@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk

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plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk twitter.com/PlymCommHomes facebook.com/PlymouthCommunityHomes

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

Registration no: 30637R.