Gold Corporate Health Standard for Monmouthshire Housing

Monmouthshire Housing (MHA) are thrilled to announce they have been awarded the ‘Gold’ level of the Corporate Health Standard. This is a Welsh Government mark of quality for health and well-being in the workplace. The Standard is one of the Healthy Working Wales programmes to target the key preventable ill-health issues and supports businesses to take active steps to protect and promote the health and well-being of their staff. MHA are one of only 29 employers that have achieved the ‘Gold’ level of the award. The Assessors commented on the culture of support within the association and the consistency of employees’ comments about the superb morale. This recent accolade for MHA comes just 6 months after being awarded Investors in People ‘Gold’, and only four years since the creation of the organisation, demonstrating their commitment and achievement in being an exemplar employer.

Around the Houses

April 2012

‘Around the Houses’ is published monthly to showcase the excellent work members are doing in a wide variety of different areas. If you have any stories you’d like to include

in the next edition, please send them to bethan-samuel@chcymru.org.uk. All stories received will also be put up on CHC’s website.

Cadwyn and Coastal Chief Executives in job swap

In a new and innovative way of sharing best practice, the Chief Executives of Cadwyn HA and Coastal Housing Group recently swapped jobs for a week. Cadwyn and Coastal recognised that while they have many similarities, there are things that they do differently and job-swapping seemed the perfect way to share knowledge and gain new ideas. Chris O’Meara, Chief Executive of Cadwyn said: ‘It’s been great to spend some time in another housing association and learn about some of the things that Coastal do which we are yet to explore. I’ve got some great ideas about new projects that we can take forward and it’s also been reassuring to know that many of the challenges we face are shared.’ Tim Blanch, Chief Executive of Coastal commented: ‘I would definitely recommend job-swapping to any of my colleagues - it’s been a really useful experience. The staff at Cadwyn were very welcoming and I’ve learned a lot during my short time there. I have returned to Coastal with some great new ideas and I look forward to putting them into action.’

Around the HousesApril 2012Pupils prepare for Eisteddfod with art

project

Ysgol Llandwrog youngsters and a local artist have joined forces to prepare a colourful welcome for visitors to the Urdd Eisteddfod in June. With less than eight weeks until the festival opens at Glynllifon, pupils have been hard at work with artist Catrin Williams and Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd (CCG) Warden, Christian Hughes, creating a master piece to be displayed at the Eisteddfod entrance. The project is funded by CCG as part of their community work in the run up to the Urdd Eisteddfod. This is a great opportunity to work with a professional artist, and the children will visit the maes to see their work with Catrin. The theme for the project is ‘Family’ as the children have been studying the history of the Glynllifon family in the run up to the event. Christian Hughes from CCG said: ‘It’s great to be working with the youngsters at Ysgol Llandwrog, they have been really keen to get involved. As an organisation it is important to us that we work closely with the communities we serve, and with the Urdd National Eisteddfod on our door step this is a great opportunity.’

Green House competition winners revealed

Huw Lewis, Minister for Housing Regeneration and Heritage welcomed two families to their new eco-homes in Ebbw Vale this month. The families won a competition run by United Welsh and partners to live rent free for 12 months whilst taking part in an environmental monitoring project. Larch and Lime House are situated on the site of the former Steelworks which is undergoing an extensive regeneration programme. Built as prototype social housing, the eco-homes have won multiple national sustainability awards. Nyree and Anthony Jones and their two daughters were selected to live in Larch House, the UK’s first zero carbon passivhaus. They said: ‘We are so excited to have won this competition and be given that chance to live in this eco-home. We cannot wait to have a garden where the girls can safely ride their bikes and have the space to grow as a family. We will share all that we learn about energy awareness and eco-living.’ The couple moving to The Lime House are Chloe Thomas and Stuart-Carl Barnes. The couple have been living with their parents to save for their own place, and they are expecting their first child. Huw Lewis AM said: ‘Many Welsh households are feeling the pinch of the economic climate and some are facing real fuel poverty, so making ends meet is as important as ever. This is a fantastic opportunity for two lucky families to experience how living in a low carbon property, developed with Welsh Government support and built using local expertise and sustainable local products, helps protect the environment while cutting down on household fuel bills.’

Borrow that tool!

Summer is fast approaching and while some of us enjoy gardening, it can be a chore for others, particularly when they don’t have the right tools for the job. However, tenants of Tai Calon Community Housing can now borrow everything from spades to lawn mowers thanks to a £500 award from the Heads of the Valleys Capital Assistance Grant Scheme. The Community Tool Chest project is being run by Green Earth, which looks after Tai Calon’s green spaces. A member of the team will deliver the tools and collect them afterwards. Johanna Reames of Green Earth said, ‘It’s about making it as easy as possible for people to keep their gardens neat and tidy. We will also show tenants how to use specialist equipment like hedge trimmers and provide them with the necessary safety equipment.’

Lysaght institute due for Autumn 2010 opening

Linc-Cymru’s Redevelopment of Lysaght Institute is underway. The redevelopment of the Newport landmark is part of Linc-Cymru’s regeneration at Lysaght Parc, which includes 76 new social homes. The ‘Stute will open in the Autumn. Run as a social enterprise, there will be employment and training opportunities at Lysaght through the childcare and catering enterprises that will be set up in partnership with Newport Social Enterprise Ltd. A ‘Lysaght Institute Focus Group’ has been set up to help deliver the project, which has played an integral part in obtaining the support of Tata Orb Electrical Steels (the original Lysaght Steelworks) to sponsor the IT Suite, which will enable free use of IT. Linc’s Social Enterprise Project Manager, Alun Harries, commented, ‘It is intended that Lysaght becomes a vibrant community hub and pro-active social enterprise centre for Lliswerry, and beyond. The creation and support of the community group and the early commitment of Tata Orb Electrical Steels and Newport Social Enterprise Ltd, plus the many community enquiries, show that this vision is already starting to be delivered.’

Melin helps youngsters get on the road to success

Six young people from Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen are set to benefit from free driving lessons from Melin Works. They have signed up to Stepping Stones, a Melin Works project in partnership with Tai Calon, giving people who are unemployed a helping hand to find work. Participants will be given a free provisional licence, and will have their Theory and Driving tests funded by Stepping Stones. Learning to drive will help improve their employment prospects. Being able to drive is an important requirement when applying for jobs and could be the deciding factor in whether an applicant is successful or not. Mark Gardner, Melin Homes Chief Executive, said, ‘We are really excited about this opportunity to remove another barrier to work for these young people and help improve their job prospects. I look forward to seeing them on the road very soon.’

Extra £600,000 of funding for Tai Ceredigion

Tenants in rural areas are seeing their homes transformed with an extra £600,000 awarded to Tai Ceredigion from the Welsh Government’s Arbed scheme at the beginning of this year. The housing association received the extra money to externally insulate its homes across Ceredigion. The first homes to benefit from the extra funding have been in Penparc where the Burry Port based contractor, Celtic Rendering Systems, has moved quickly to insulate the properties with Welsh produced Rockwool external wall insulation after Nolan Windows renewed the windows and doors. Mrs Angela Eagles, a mother of three and a tenant in Penparc, Cardigan said: ‘The external wall insulation, with the new windows and doors, are already to making a huge difference to our fuel bills. Our bungalow is lovely and warm and we are hardly using any oil to heat it. Our fuels costs have been halved already.’ Llyr Edwards, Tai Ceredigion’s Director of Property Services said: ‘This is the second phase of external wall insulation onto homes after last year’s successful projects in Aberystwyth, Ponterwyd and Pontrhydfendigaid. Tenants in Penparc, Bow Street, Croeslan, Gorsgoch, Prengwyn, Silan, Llys Deri in Lampeter, Ysbyty Ystwyth and Dihewyd will benefit from cheaper heating and electricity bills due to their homes being better insulated. We are also proud to be employing Welsh companies to apply the Welsh Rockwool product during the project and the funding has also provided training opportunities and ensured that jobs are retained.’

Around the HousesApril 2012

Cantref raises more than £300 for nurses

Staff at CT Cantref have raised over £300 for Macmillan with the help of donations from businesses and residents. Macmillan provide support through its nurses, who are trained and funded by Macmillan to provide guidance about cancer or palliative care. Cantref has sought support from the charity for the last 3 years since a former staff member died from the disease. The money was collected from hosting a charity lunch with fundraising games and a raffle. Lynne Sacale, Chief Executive at Cantref said: ‘It is a great pleasure to be able to hand over the money we’ve collected for a cause that’s so close to our hearts. For years now our staff, their families and friends have benefited from the work that the nurses to do to support and advise people about a disease that touches so many. We wanted to give something back to them, as a humble thank you for the great work that they do.’

Y Gorlan book swap brings residents together

Residents at an elderly housing scheme in Bangor have taken part in a Book Swap to raise money for charity and bring the community together. Organised by North Wales Housing, the event was a huge success with almost half the residents attending. The scheme is made up of independent flats and the event was designed to encourage more engagement between residents. People were keen to recommend books, with groups mingling throughout the event. Dale Rose, North Wales Housing said: ‘This event was a success and really bought the community together. It was a great opportunity for people to mix and meet their neighbours, who they may have seen regularly but never spoken to.’

Around the HousesApril 2012

Raising vital funds for Velindre

First Choice HA recently held a coffee and cake morning to raise money for Velindre Cancer Centre. The event raised over £300 for Velindre, the Association’s charity of the year. First Choice has held a variety of events to raise money for the charity with the current total standing at £1,210. Staff are in training for the next event which will be a ‘virtual’ bike ride around their properties in Wales and Shropshire. Staff will cycle 540 miles on three static bikes within 35 hours. Hilary Ryan, Chief Executive said: ‘Velindre is a charity that is close to the hearts of our staff and they have made every effort to raise as much money as possible for this worthwhile cause. The generosity of those that attended our coffee morning was overwhelming and we raised far more money than we could have hoped for.’ If you would like to donate, please visit one of the following sites:https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/fcha? http://www.justgiving.com/FCHA-BikeRide

Health and Housing Event

Cynon Taf Community Housing Group recently co-hosted a Health and Housing Event with Cwm Taf Health Board and Merthyr Housing designed to raise awareness of the relationship between health and housing. Collaborative working between both will help maintain happy, healthy communities. The event was opened by Antonia Forte, Chief Executive of Cynon Taf CHG. Antonia explained the importance of embracing this partnership: ‘Housing professionals have a unique and ongoing relationship with those in our most deprived communities – often vulnerable, hard to reach individuals – and we should be using these contacts to reinforce the preventative health initiatives of Cwm Taf Health Board.’ Delegates welcomed Huw Lewis, Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage and Assembly Member for Merthyr and Rhymney Valley, who gave a passionate speech stressing the opportunities offered by the size and culture of Wales to support the difference we can all make by working in synergy, connecting and strengthening the bridge between housing and health.