Our Independent Community Living Plus scheme –Swallowtail Place officially opens Pages 10-11
I Introducing our Inspiring Saffron Strategy Page 5
Customer Satisfaction survey results
Pages 12-13
You may have heard about the regulation of social housing becoming more ‘tenant focussed’.
Subject to legislation passing through parliament, the Regulator of Social Housing will regulate providers of social housing, including Saffron, against new consumer standards by April 2024. The regulator will be consulting with us on the details of the new standards, which are likely to include safety, quality, neighbourhood, transparency, engagement and accountability, and tenancy.
It is expected that the standards will focus on outcomes for tenants – including new Tenant Satisfaction Measures - which we will begin to collect from April this year.
Our compliance with existing regulation is currently inspected every 4 years by an in-depth assessment carried out by the regulator.
Our last in-depth assessment was undertaken by the regulator during the winter of 2019/2020 and resulted in Saffron restoring its highest possible grade for the way the organisation is governed (G1). It is expected this 4-yearly in-depth assessment will be extended to include the new consumer standards.
At Saffron we welcome this new regulation, but we are not waiting for it.
During 2022 we launched our new Inspiring Saffron Strategy and supporting Saffron Community Membership, more information can be found on pages 4-5.
The strategy and Community Membership were created with tenants, and ensures you and your communities can influence how services and homes are improved as well as the longer-term direction and focus of Saffron. We are thrilled that 359 of you are now Saffron Community Members.
The strategy also sets out how over time we intend to improve the value for money you receive for the rent you pay, aiming to double the number of pennies in every pound of rent that is used to improve the quality of homes.
As well making improvements that are good for the environment, this is so we can make a sustainable difference to the big challenges you have talked to us about during 2022 – such as the cost of heating and instances of damp and mould in your home.
In support of this aim, during 2022 we brought almost £2 million of grants into Saffron to improve the quality of homes. We also worked with our existing and new lenders and investors to reduce the amount of interest we pay each year by £1 million –all of which will also be used to improve the quality of homes.
We acknowledge it will take time to reach every home, so if there is anything you wish to raise with us now about the quality of your home, the service you are receiving from Saffron or support we might be able to provide with the cost of living (more on pages 6-7), please email info@saffronhousing.co.uk or call 01508 532000.
Wishing you all the very best for 2023.
JamesKey dates and keeping up to date
Keep an eye out on our social media channels below, for useful tips, information and ways to get involved.
Facebook page - Saffron Housing Trust Twitter page - @saffronhousing Instagram page - saffronhousingtrust
February
6th - 12th - National Apprenticeship Week
March
6th - 11th - National Careers Week
April/May
9th - Easter
New issue of Saffron E-News
May
15th -21st - Mental Health Awareness Week
1st - 7th - Volunteers Week
July/August
New issue of Saffron E-News
September
11th - 17th - Gas Safety Week
Our Your Voice membership has recently closed, and all members have been given the opportunity to become Saffron Community Members.
This means they will still receive surveys and updates on events and activities, but they will also now be able to get involved in lots of other exciting ways. They will be able to attend meetings with our Board and Executive Team twice a year, and attend Community Triangles in their local area along with Saffron staff, Board Members, and local councillors.
Would you like to become a Saffron Community Member?
Not only could you get involved in all of the above, but we also have two really exciting volunteer opportunities that might suit you:
• Be a member of our Tenant Scrutiny Group. With the support of Saffron, you will scrutinise and influence performance, processes, and policies. There is a direct link to our Board so they can hear the tenant voice.
• Be a member of our Tenant Communication and Support Group. With the support of Saffron, you will oversee, monitor, and influence communication between Saffron, its tenants, and residents, and help with tenant-to-tenant support and communication.
Visit our ‘Be a Saffron Community Member’ website page to find out more.
It is really important to us that we hear what you have to say. The feedback from our tenants and community leaders can help shape Saffron going forward.
Last year we were excited to launch our ambitious new ‘Inspiring Saffron’ Strategy.
Our strategy for 2022 and beyond is for Saffron to be known for Inspiring Communities and Inspiring Trust by being an Inspiring Organisation.
At the heart of our strategy is working side by side with our tenants and communities to improve homes and services. Value for money has never been more important and this strategy will require us to invest more pennies of every rent pound in improving homes. We want to create an inclusive environment for everyone, and wherever possible make sure reducing our carbon footprint also reduces the cost of living.
Each Inspiring element includes its Purpose and key Priorities for 2022/23. The strategy also introduces our 12 Vital Signs, measures of how we are performing. Tenants and staff will be involved in updating our Priorities and Vital Signs every year. It is important to us that we are open and transparent about how we invest our tenants’ rent and this is summarised in the ‘How every rent £ is spent’ chart.
Our CEO James Francis said: “This strategy is about both understanding and continuing to improve the way tenants and their communities feel about Saffron. Saffron was created for the benefit of the community and current cost of living means it’s more important than ever that we commit to increasing the proportion of every pound of rent that is invested in the things that will make the greatest difference to our tenants and their communities.
“Being an inclusive organisation to work for and with is essential to turn our plans into reality.”
Visit our ‘About us’ website page to view our our strategy in full and watch our strategy video.
The cost of living crisis is affecting many people who are struggling to pay their bills. We are working with our partners to help our tenants secure extra funding and support, where possible.
Our dedicated ‘Extra help with living costs website page has details of funding and workshops which may help.
We have included a few below:
• Tenancy Sustainment Fund – created by us, to offer financial help to tenants who get little or no Housing Benefit/Universal Credit Housing Element towards their rent.
• Government Cost of Living Payments - the government are providing a Cost of Living Payment between spring 2023 and spring 2024. These payments are:
o up to £900 for people on an eligible low income benefit
o £300 for pensioner households
o £150 for people on an eligible disability benefit
• Norfolk/Suffolk Assistance Scheme - is available to help those facing hardship during the cost of living crisis.
• Your Own Place Cost of Living workshops - these workshops are free for anyone to attend and provide advice on things like budgeting, dealing with debt and paying bills.
• Community hot spots - a welcoming space, where you can meet with friends and family while having the option to access services to make this winter more bearable.
If you are facing money worries or you are struggling with your mental health, you can find further support on debt advice as well as mental health issues via our Tenant Support & Wellbeing Service (TSWS). It offers free confidential advice 24/7.
To access the service, call 0330 094 5593 or visit www.tsws-access.co.uk, where you will need to log in with the below details:
Username: saffronhousingtrust
Password: tenantsupport
Our TSWS are now offering a really great free app to help with your mental health – MyMindPal.
The Mental Fitness App gives you access to simple exercises, tools, and techniques to help you reduce stress levels and enjoy life more. The benefits of the app include:
• Cope with life’s daily stress – by managing negative thoughts and reducing body tension
• Relax more often – with calming techniques for your mind and body
• Boost your positive thoughts – by creating a range of helpful thinking styles
• Enjoy the present moment – with easy to follow mindfulness practices
• Build habits that are good for you – by following simple tips and challenges to keep you on track
The app is available to download on the Apple App Store and on Google Play. You will then need to add a personal invite code during your registration process.
To find out more, including how to receive your invite code, visit our ‘Tenant Support & Wellbeing Service’ website page.
If you are struggling, we might be able to help in another way. Please contact your Neighbourhood Officer or Wellbeing Co-ordinator or if you have any concerns about paying your rent, please contact your Income Officer.
They can be contacted by calling 01508 532000 or emailing info@saffronhousing. co.uk.
Damp, condensation or mould issues in your home can be a real issue and can come about in many different forms and for many different reasons. We have included some useful hints and tips on how to help manage this within your home.
Mould is a fungi that can grow on a range of materials that can absorb moisture such as furniture and carpets. Mould needs moisture to grow and thrives in areas with high levels of condensation.
Water vapour can be produced through every day activities, did you know:
You can help reduce condensation by taking the following steps:
Cover boiling pans when cooking.
Where possible, open windows for a short while each day or keep the window trickle vents open.
Ventilate the kitchen and bathroom when in use by opening a window or using the extractor fan.
Avoid drying clothes indoors where possible. If clothes must be dried indoors put them in the bathroom with the door closed and open the window or put the fan on.
Wipe down surfaces where moisture settles.
Unless you have an condenser tumble dryer, please make sure you vent your dryer to the outside when in use.
Allow air to circulate around furniture. Over furnished rooms can be prone to condensation if not properly heated and ventilated.
Do not block air vents.
Where possible, heat the property consistently. Quick blasts of heat for short periods of time will normally not be as efficient as running at lower temperatures for longer periods.
It is unlikely a home can be condensation free, however, the above advice will help to control it.
It’s important to treat mould straight away. If you have concerns about damp and mould in your home, contact us on 01508 532000 or email info@saffronhousing.co.uk.
We will:
• Work together to resolve the issue and may request photographs of the affected areas.
• Any work that we are responsible for will be identified and rectified.
We have more information on our dedicated ‘Damp & Mould’ website page. We not only have our own tenant helpsheet on there but also a useful video from UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings and helpful leaflets from the NHS and Envirovent.
The Housing Ombudsman Service, who look at complaints from landlords including Saffron, has recently updated its Code of Conduct.
This outlines what complaint policies need to include and is a guide to best practice. As a result, we have updated our own Complaints Policy so we’re fully compliant with the changes.
Visit our ‘Complaints’ website page to find all the changes, including our updated Complaints Policy.
We hosted an open day in November at our brand new Independent Community Living Plus scheme in Acle ‘Swallowtail Place’ giving members of the public an opportunity to see the facilities on offer and ask any questions.
One potential tenant said: “I love the modern feel it has when you walk in. I think it’s great they are called apartments and you can still be ‘Independent’. I’m exciting to be part of a community.”
Another said: “When we first walked, we thought wow. I didn’t think you would have the bistro and bar here as well. This will really suit my needs.”
41 of the apartments are available for rent and 17 to buy on a shared ownership basis. On-site care and support are available 24/7, giving residents and their families peace of mind that support is close to hand if needed. There are communal spaces such as a lounge, activity room, bistro space and a hair salon as well as outside areas to help residents stay connected to the local community.
The shared ownership apartments can be bought by those who meet certain criteria, regardless of whether they have a current care need, but they
can enjoy all of the facilities on offer at Swallowtail Place.
Also on the day partners and other key stakeholder marked the opening of the scheme with a ribbon cutting ceremony. They had the chance to tour the building and view the facilities, built by Norfolkbased R G Carter.
Swallowtail Place has been funded and developed in partnership with Norfolk County Council and Homes England. Care support will be provided by NorseCare.
Our CEO James Francis said: “We are excited to officially open the doors to the public and show them the fantastic new apartments and facilities. The first tenants will also be moving in during the next few weeks which is a great demonstration of positive partnership working.
“Swallowtail Place will help reduce social isolation and give residents a real sense of community. We are providing not only much needed housing, but a place for tenants to live safely, with care if they need it, whilst retaining their independence.”
Councillor Bill Borrett, Norfolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “The
Council is investing £29m in Independent Living schemes like the one at Swallowtail Place. This means that people can continue to live in a home of their own and enjoy their independence, whilst also having the reassurance that care is on hand if they need it.
“People tell us that this kind of accommodation can also prevent the need for them to move into a care home, it also reduces the time residents stay in hospital and keeps them healthier and independent for longer. I am looking forward to the first residents moving in in the next few weeks.”
Justin Galliford, Chief Executive Officer at Norse Group, said: “We a proud to be working in partnership with Saffron Housing, Norfolk County Council, and Broadland District Council to offer 58 new affordable homes to our senior community who wish to stay independent for longer.
“Our excellent care team, led by the Care Manager,
Hayley Forbes, is excited to provide on-site care, giving residents and their families peace of mind that support is close to hand if needed.
“Many have worked tirelessly to prepare for this exciting day. I look forward to the journey ahead for Swallowtail Place and growing our partnership with everyone involved.”
Councillor Fran Whymark from Broadland District Council said: “This is a wonderful example of partnership working at its best. It is a priority of the Council to improve our residents’ lives and there is little more important to people than
having a home to call your own. Somewhere where you feel safe and secure. Swallowtail Place will give its residents the dignity of their own front door with the security of knowing help is on hand if needed.”
Each month we carry out Customer Satisfaction surveys which are a great way of gaining feedback from our tenants so we can see where we are doing things well or perhaps where we can improve. The surveys ask questions about our key frontline services, such as our Customer Contact Centre, Anti-Social Behaviour and Housing Management.
In the table below there is some of your feedback from those surveys and the actions we have taken as a result. We always like to hear from our tenants, so if you would like to send us feedback, including a compliment, please fill out the feedback form on the ‘Get in touch’ website page.
Improve information regarding Right To Buy on website.
Very supportive with a past Domestic Abuse case, helped with restraining order, new locks on door, the support was amazing and helped so much.
Our Sales Team have reviewed and updated the information on our website making it easier and clearer to navigate.
Our Neighbourhood Team work alongside partner agencies to ensure we identify and meet the support needs of survivors of Domestic Abuse. The team have completed Specialist Domestic Abuse Training and can refer victims to support services including a free, fast emergency injunction service.
As part of our Domestic Abuse Service Saffron’s Community Foundation has funded Personal Safety equipment for the team to issue to any tenant, to help them feel secure in their home. The equipment includes door jammers, window alarms and door handle alarms.
When repair appointments are cancelled by Saffron or follow on works are needed, tenants do not believe they are prioritised and therefore have to wait months for their issues to be fixed. Similarly, Tenants said follow ups for jobs are not quick and completed.
Shorter wait time.
A new follow on process has been implemented, as part of the Repairs Review. This means tenants who require further works should get called within 48 hours of their initial appointment, with a new appointment date.
Throughout the year our Customer Contact Team have reduced their call waits by 5 minutes 27 seconds with the average call wait to speak to an advisor being 2 minutes 17seconds.
Additionally, with our emails now going through our call system, we can accurately report on wait times. We currently state we will respond to an email enquiry within 10 working days but with the new system in place we have found the average response for any email enquiry received by info@saffronhousing.co.uk is 16 hours.
The Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) policy needs a complete overhaul, it is biased toward the perpetrator and does not support the victim.
The ASB policies and procedures has been reviewed and since we conducted the survey, a more thorough process has been put in place.
The ASB Team are continuously reviewing their qualifications, with four members of the Neighbourhood Team currently completing specialist training in Community Safety. The training will really help to improve the team’s specialist knowledge in key areas of Community Safety and ASB to further support tenants.
Communal Cleaning (flat block corridors etc).
This is something that can be looked into however there will be a cost for this service.
Would like to have the grass left, to allow our wildflowers to grow.
We have piloted a project for wildflower areas over the last two summer seasons without any significant issues being raised. It is therefore expected that this project could be rolled out to other areas (where appropriate) over the coming years. A current review of the service will assess the feasibility of introducing wildflower areas across the land that Saffron owns.
Poor communication continues to be an issue.
As part of our Repairs Review, we are continuing to review the appointment process, taking on board tenants’ feedback and looking at ways we can improve.
We have also amended our Complaints Policy to ensure it is compliant with the new Code of Conduct issued by the Housing Ombudsman Service (they look at complaints about registered providers of social housing) in April 2022.
Since we centralised the complaints process there has been a significant increase in satisfaction with the way complaints are being handled, up from 50% at the start of 2022 to 68% in October 2022.
We know how important our repairs service is for our tenants and it’s essential we provide safe and suitable homes for you to live in. To continue to improve our service, a Repairs Review was set up at the end of 2021 with the aim of increasing tenant satisfaction, office staff and craftworker efficiency and, fixing repairs first time.
We have held tenant focus groups to capture your thoughts on the current service and what improvements you would like to see in the future.
Taking that feedback on board, we made some changes, including:
• Reviewing our current software to help our Customer Contact Team diagnose tenant repairs.
• A new ‘further works’ process, where you can expect to receive a date for your follow-on appointment within 24 hours of a craftworker attending your initial appointment.
• Reduced wait time for parts which are needed for the follow-on appointments.
• Improved reporting of repairs by staff who are ‘out and about’ in the community.
We have also had our policies and processes reviewed and approved by our Service Quality Committee*, who provided invaluable feedback to the services we deliver.
We will provide you with further updates in future Saffron E-News editions. If you would like to be involved in making a difference to the services we deliver, please email getinvolved@saffronhousing.co.uk.
*Their purpose is to receive feedback from Saffron Community Members (including the Tenant Scrutiny Group and the Tenant Communication and Support Group), and to monitor and oversee continuous improvements to the quality of our services and our tenants’ experience.
We are excited to be supporting the Norfolk Jubilee Trails. Five new and improved walking and cycling trails are due to open across the county in the Spring. There will be improved rights of way on existing routes as well as new trails created to open up parts of Norfolk which previously had no public access. The trails will be from:
• Heacham – King’s Lynn, The Elizabeth Way (this route borders the Sandringham Estate and is named in honour of the late Queen)
• Gressenhall – Dereham, The Wendling Way (this route is mostly pre-existing, so is already named)
• Gayton – Castle Acre, The West Acre Way (an entirely new route, mainly through the West Acre Estate)
• Loddon circular, The Chet River Way
• Great Yarmouth – Lowestoft, The Eastern Maritime Way
The Norfolk Jubilee organising committee is in the process of recruiting teams of volunteers from scouts, guides, local business and other community groups to help keep the trails litter free. We are proud to be supporting this work and will be proving high vis jackets for the volunteers to use while they litter pick.
Our CEO James Francis, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Norfolk Jubilee Trails to celebrate the late Queen’s historic 70-year reign. The trails will be a great way of bringing communities together whilst enjoying the great outdoors.”
Each trail will have a unique Jubilee marker and information sign located at the start and finish of each trail. You can find out more on the ‘Platinum Jubilee Norfolk’ website.
In October, we hosted a workshop for tenants who had volunteered to help us with our new website project, with the aim to make our site more user friendly for everyone. During the session, we talked through different website examples, our current website and they had a look at the draft design.
We have received some honest and constructive feedback about the design and how the pages will fit together. The content for the website is due to be added to the new site soon and during February we will start User Acceptance Testing (UAT), which will involve our staff, board and tenants test specific parts of the new site and provide any general feedback.
Keep an eye out soon for further updates.
Your safety is important to us and, in line with the new Building Safety Act 2022, we have made two short videos and updated our fire safety leaflet. They are for our tenants who live in blocks of flats and our Independent Community Living schemes as these properties will have fire doors and protected escape routes. Fire doors will save your life and those of your neighbours if there is a fire.
You must never tamper with a fire door and report anything faulty to us straight away. It is also vital that all corridors and stair wells in communal areas remain clear of rubbish, to remove the risk of fire, prevent any trip hazards, and to give the emergency services space to work if there is a fire.
We also have an important safety leaflet from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service which all tenants should read, and a new help sheet with important electrical safety advice.
To view the videos and leaflets please visit our ‘Fire Safety In Your Home’ website page.
We have replaced our Tenant Handbook with a number of Help Sheets which we hope you will find useful.
They cover all areas of the business, including:
• How to report a repair
• Repair responsibilities
• Support and advice
• Your tenancy
• Energy efficiency tips
You can find all the Help Sheets on our ‘Tenant Help Sheet’ website page.
Don’t forget we have a tenant portal ‘My Saffron’ which allows you to do lots of things quickly and easily.
You can view your live and completed repairs (responsive), message us direct about your repair from the portal, and receive updates about it.
We now have over 2,100 sign ups to My Saffron – if you haven’t yet registered, it’s really easy to do and comes with lots of benefits, such as:
• Being able to pay your rent
• Amend your personal details when you need to
• Raise an enquiry and receive updates over a secure link which has advantages over sending an email
• Have access to our Tenant Support & Wellbeing Service
For more information about My Saffron and details on how to register, go to our ‘Do more online’ website page.
We have some short ‘how to’ videos to help you carry out simple repairs in your home, without the need for expensive or specialist tools.
The topics are ‘how to’:
• Change your shower head and hose
• Change your toilet seat
• Unblock your sink
• Change a lightbulb in an enclosed fitting
• Change the batteries in your smoke alarm
All the videos can be found on our new ‘How to videos’ website page.
Four members of our Neighbourhood Team are completing specialist training in Community Safety. The training will help to improve the team’s knowledge in key areas to make communities safer and reduce antisocial behaviour (ASB) so they can further support tenants.
The training is being run by Community Safety Professionals Training Ltd, who also work with the police, local authorities, and other housing providers.
Jennifer Hoye, Neighbourhood Manager, said: “Tackling ASB is a priority for Saffron. The BTEC training will ensure we are using the best tools and powers available to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour.
We want our homes and communities to be places where people feel safe and want to live.”
Our Neighbourhood Team are now offering free safety equipment to survivors of Domestic Abuse (DA) to install in their homes. The equipment is there to help improve your safety and give you peace of mind.
The equipment that is available includes:
o Door handle alarms
o Window alert alarms
o Door braces
Our Neighbourhood Officers have all completed specialist Domestic Abuse training and can help tenants with referrals to specialist Domestic Abuse services. Please contact your Neighbourhood Officer for more information or visit our ‘Domestic Abuse’ website page.
Don’t forget we also have a free, confidential Tenant Support & Wellbeing Service available 24/7 for all of our tenants offering lots of information and advice. To find out more visit our ‘Domestic Abuse’ website page.
We are working together with South Norfolk District Council to help fund renovations of two empty properties previously due to be sold off.
Extra ‘commuted sums’* funding has been made available to deliver two high-quality three-bedroom homes available to rent, one in Wymondham and one in Stoke Holy Cross. The council is providing over £80,000 and we are providing another £36,000 towards the work. The homes will be improved so they have lower running costs for future tenants.
The works on the property in Wymondham will include:
• A new main roof
• New frontage, overhang of a roof, and guttering
• The extension flat roof will be removed, the ceiling height raised, and a new roof fitted with updated insulation
• New windows
• A new front door
• A new bathroom
• A new kitchen
• The ground floor will be lifted and insulated
• Solar panels and battery storage fitted
• Many general repairs including all internal doors replaced
Director of Sustainability Jason MacCormick said: “These properties were going to be sold because they were in poor condition and had high maintenance costs. This extra funding will ensure the properties are brought up to a high standard and they will be much cheaper to run and maintain. With the rising costs of energy,
we know how important it is to offer energy efficient and well insulated homes.
“We are very grateful to South Norfolk District Council for the extra funding. Work has begun in Wymondham and we’re in the process of agreeing the new specification for the property in Stoke Holy Cross. It’s an exciting project and one that will benefit two families very soon.”
South Norfolk Council Cabinet member, Alison Thomas said: “The Council understands how important it is for people to have an affordable home that is safe and warm. Investing in these properties has brought two previously derelict homes back into use and enabled two families to have a key to their own front door.”
* Commuted sums are a payment by an individual, authority, or company (developer) to the highway authority, local authority, or other body, as a contribution towards the future maintenance of the asset to be adopted or transferred. Both properties were transferred to Saffron from South Norfolk District Council in 2004.
One of our tenants has praised the decarbonisation works carried out at his home as 100 other properties are set to benefit from the investment.
Last year the Government awarded £1.9m to South Norfolk and Broadland District Council to upgrade social housing provided by us. The money is being spent on improving the standard of 100 of our lowest energy rated properties between April 2022 to March 2023, making them more energy efficient and cheaper to heat. Improvements are being made to bring the properties up from an energy performance ‘E rated’ to ‘C rated*’ home, to significantly improve the heating demand of the property.
Mr and Mrs Mayhew live in a 2 bed bungalow in Harleston. The full programme of upgrades they have had includes:
• New windows and doors
• A new air source heat pump
• Improved ventilation
Mr Mayhew said: “It has made a huge difference to us. Before we had storage heaters and they were so expensive to run that we could only afford to heat one, and even then, it didn’t get very warm. Now the bungalow is lovely and warm. The windows are amazing, and the new heating system is fantastic technology. We are well impressed.”
Mrs Mayhew added: “The workers were very good and cleaned up after themselves.”
Director of Sustainability, Jason MacCormick, said: “This has been a huge project with a lot of learning for both ourselves and our contractors as we work with the latest technology to provide
quality and sustainable homes for our tenants. To make the properties as efficient as possible, the homes need to have the whole package of improvements. Once the works are completed a property’s efficiency will be monitored for a year so we can see how much energy is being used and how much money is being saved on household bills.”
We are now bidding for a second wave of funding as part of Independent East, to continue the decarbonisation programme. Independent East is an informal alliance of like-minded community focused Housing Associations in East Anglia, including Saffron Housing, Broadland Housing Association, Freebridge Community Housing, Havebury Housing Partnership and Orwell Housing.
Jason MacCormick added: “If we’re successful then we will expand the programme to include improvements on up to 434 D, E, F and G rated properties over the next two years. As the cost of living continues to rise, this will benefit hundreds more of our tenants and families, giving them warmer homes, which will be cheaper to heat.”
We are due to hear whether they have been successful for the next wave of funding by March 2023.
*Properties are rated between A-G, with the A rating being extremely efficient while G ratings are given to very energy inefficient buildings.
We recently planted 13 trees as part of the late Queen’s Green Canopy tree planting initiative, created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
Our Grounds Maintenance Team planted the saplings across our Independent Community Living and Independent Community Living Plus schemes. All have a commemorative Queen’s Green Canopy plaque, created by the Royal British Legion Industries.
Grounds Maintenance Team Leader Paul Bunce said: “We are proud to plant these trees as part of the late Queen’s Canopy. We hope as they grow over the coming years our tenants will enjoy them as part of their community.”
To find out more about the initiative, visit the official ‘Queens Green Canopy’ website.
