At Home Summer 2014

/PooleHousing

INSIDENew look PHP website NICE projects Mend It Mike Winter warmers| | |

www.YourPHP.org.uk

Home86 | Summer 2014

/PooleHousing

INSIDESelf serve online Tackling ASB Discover sheltered living Fire safety| | |

www.YourPHP.org.uk

The magazine for Poole Housing Partnership residents

Make a splash!Your guide to looking andfeeling good this summer

It’s our birthdayWe celebrate 10 years of

working with residents in Poole

WIN!Two weeks’free rent!See page15

ONTHE UP!New homestake shapeSee page 8

Alternative formatsWe can supply this information inlarge print, on audio CD or in yourlanguage. We can also send you amagnifier. Please call 01202 264444to discuss your requirements.

2 At Home | Summer 2014

At Homeis produced for Poole Housing

Partnership residents.

We would like to include your own news,views and articles in future issues of

. Please send them to theaddress below, call 01202 264436 oremail .

Poole Housing Partnership LtdBeech House28-30 Wimborne RoadPoole BH15 2BU

Designed by PerceptionPrinted by The Print AgencyDistributed by Postcare

[email protected]

At Home

At Home

The copyright of is owned by

Poole Housing Partnership and the

content should not be reproduced

without permission.

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At Home

Home

MEET THE PHP PUP!There’s a new character in town – and he’s taken over this issue

of !

www.yourphp.org.uk

We’ve created the PHP pup to help you get the most out of PHP’s

online services. You’ll notice him as you flick through the magazine,

giving you links to more information about

the stories we’ve covered. When you type

the address into your web browser, you

will automatically be taken to a

corresponding page on the PHP

website.

Look out for the PHP pup online and in

lots of literature coming your way soon.

We’ll also be running a competition to give

the pup a name, so make sure you keep an

eye on for more

details!

At Home

WELCOME...to the Summer

edition of

It’s the summertime… the sea is getting

warmer (or it was at the time of writing!) and

our drinks are getting colder - I very much

hope you are all enjoying the great weather.

Welcome to our summer edition, which we

hope you will find informative and enjoyable.

It is also our 10th birthday and there’s lots

going on that we’re excited to share with you. From new homes being

built to fundraising events being held in your communities - the

magazine is packed with news, pictures and updates.

So get yourself a long, cold drink, sit back and enjoy !

Joe Logan

Chief Executive

At Home

At Home

Eric Peel (1919-2014)

We are all deeply saddened by the recent

passing of one of Poole’s longest-serving resident

representatives. Eric Peel lived in Waterloo and

was devoted to helping his community and

making things better for people across the town.

We will all miss you, Eric.

3

WHAT’S IN Home

It’s easier when you

heads West

Introducing... the

Get help weighing up

upon... a tree!

Making it easier to

Celebrating

Inside

for you and your family

Better

Top ways to

something new

Spotlight on...

do it online!

New Roots

Sustain Team

your options

Wish

pay your rent

centenarians

sheltered life

Fire safety advice

Beech House

tackle ASB

Grass roots

Learn

Flexible Credit

Mend It Mike

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..........................................................................................................................7

............................................................................................................10

......................................................................................................11

...............................................................................................................................14

..........................................................................................................15

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.......................................................................................................................................23

Improve your healthand well-being ........4

An inside view on ournew-build projects ..8

Your chance to win twoweeks’ free rent ......15

At Home | Summer 2014

Baby Ayla’s firststeps......................11

Residents raise moneyfor charity ..............17

PHP celebrates tensuccessful years.....12


Put your best foot (or arm!)

forward

If the thought of joining a gym sends

shivers down your spine, don’t sweat –

there are plenty of other activities you

can join in with to improve your fitness.

Swimming is a fantastic way to keep fit

at a pace that suits you. The Everyone

Active leisure centres in Poole, Canford

Heath and Rossmore offer great value for

money, with swimming sessions costing

as little as £1.30. The centres also offer

lots of other water-based exercise

programmes, which cost a bit more but

are well worth exploring. Check out

for

more details.

www.everyoneactive.com/poole If getting out and about is more your

thing, you could join one of a number of

‘healthy’ walks across Borough of Poole.

Walks are run from different locations

and are all set at an ‘easy’ or ‘easy to

moderate’ level. They offer a great social

opportunity to keep fit and have fun with

like-minded residents and run

throughout the year.

To find a walk near you, visit

.www.walkingforhealth.org.uk

An alternative to the routine of going to

the gym is to try the outdoor fitness

equipment dotted around Poole Park,

Baiter Park, Hamworthy Park and several

other locations. It’s free, fun and

something different to do with your

friends the next time you’re visiting!

Visit for a full

list of locations.

www.pooleprojects.net

The Everyone Active centres offer lots

of water-based activities.“SWIMMING IS A FANTASTIC WAY TO KEEPFIT AT A PACE THAT SUITS YOU.”

Fitness stations can be used by

anyone and are fun in the fresh air.

Health walks take place at locations

across Poole.

Learn how to cook some quick, healthy, budget-busting meals

www.yourphp.org.uk/health

DIVE INTO A HEALTHIER ANDLonger days, lighter evenings and sunnier skies –summer is a great excuse to warm your body up andbroaden your horizons so you’ve got the energy toenjoy the best of the season. It’s easier than you thinkto improve your and your family’s health, with lots ofactivities and resources available locally. Just take alook at some of these tips...

5At Home | Summer 2014

recipes, meal plans, nutritional

information and a host of practical tips

and tricks to keep everyone (including

your bank balance and your waistline)

happy.

It’s easy to cook healthy meals that all

the family can enjoy.

You’re never too old (or too young) to

learn new skills. The great thing about

setting yourself a challenge, and going

on to achieve something new, is that it

gives you confidence and access to loads

of other opportunities along the way.

For example, why not consider studying

for a qualification that could boost your

Learn something new

HAPPIER YOU

employment prospects? Bournemouth &

Poole College ( )

offers both academic and vocational

courses which you can study on a

full-time or part-time basis.

Or, if you struggle understanding the

ins and outs of your tenancy, sign up for

one of the TRUST (see page 21) training

events. PHP takes residents to the local

sessions throughout the year to learn

about housing-related issues – see

for

more information.

Getting up to speed with IT could help

you improve your health and well-being

by giving you access to a world of

information and interactive experiences.

PHP's IT Champions can point you in the

right direction if you feel lost.

Don’t forget your local library is a hive

of activity, offering not just books but

reading clubs, coffee mornings, practical

activities, access to computers and more.

.

www.thecollege.co.uk

www.yourphp.org.uk/training

Call 0844 586 1962 or email

[email protected].

www.boroughofpoole.com/libraries

We all know that eating a varied,

balanced diet keeps you healthy,

improves your energy levels and makes

you less likely to gain weight. But it’s

often a challenge keeping to a budget,

particularly if you’ve got some fussy

eaters in your household!

These websites offer some clever ideas

for creating dishes that are cheap, healthy

and easy to share round the family (some

are ideal for freezing too). For recipes

culled from Jamie Oliver’s

TV show try visiting

If you’re a mum (or dad) who’s in need

of some creative spark, check out

.

The website offers advice for cooking

family friendly meals on a budget and

making the most out of your trip to the

supermarket – all submitted from mums

who have been there, done it and

probably earned the t-shirt.

And if you really want to test yourself,

take a look at

and see how you could feed your family

for £1 per person per day! There are

www.jamieoliver.com/savewithjamie

www.net-mums.com/family-food

www.thriftylesley.com

Eat well for less

Money Saving

Meals


We’ve added some great new features to PHP’swebsite to help you sort out many of your tenancyissues at the click of a button.

Need some help when the PHP office is closed?Find the answer on our website

www.yourphp.org.uk

Get quick andconvenient accessto our services

The best thing about our website is

that you no longer need to wait for

the PHP office to open to access the

information you require. The website

is packed with useful news, advice,

support and links to local agencies to

help you get the answer you need

with a few clicks of the mouse.

So whether you need to report a

repair, find a home, pay your rent or

email your housing officer, you can do

this whenever you need to simply by

going online.

Keep up to datewith the latestdevelopments

As well as news and events listings, we

post the most up-to-date information

about building works, neighbourhood

improvements and chances for you to

get involved on our website. You’ll see

more than just text too – there’s lots of

colour, pictures and videos to enjoy

when you visit. What’s more, there are

links to our Facebook and Twitter

pages, which we monitor throughout

the working day, so if you’d like to send

us a message that way, please feel free!

We post lots of photos and

community news on our website.

Surveyor JP has been blogging about

the Sterte improvement works.

Reporting a repair has never been

easier thanks to the PHP website.

IT’S EASIER WHEN YOUDO IT ONLINE!

Need some help when the PHP office is closed?Find the answer on our website

www.yourphp.org.uk

Find PHP online at www.yourphp.org.uk

Have your sayabout PHP’sactivities

We want you to be able to get involved

in what we do, so we’ve made it even

easier for you to comment on our

activities. Our discussion forums enable

you to interact with other residents on

the issues that matter to you – from

neighbourhood improvements to

finding work. You can also comment on

our blog entries, which have featured

entertaining updates from our building

surveyors, Your Money advisors and

resident involvement team!

Check them out at

–

we think you’ll find them interesting.

www.yourphp.org.uk/blog

NEW ROOTS HEADS WEST

Poole now boasts not one, not two,

but three community gardens

following the launch of another

PHP-backed food-growing project.

Inspired by the success of projects

at Turlin Moor and Poole Town, the

Residents of Alderney West (RAW) have

been closely involved in the development

of the Alderney West Community

Garden, which is now open to the public.

Residents initially expressed an interest

in setting up a community orchard, with

various meetings taking place between

the community and PHP in late 2013.

But with Housing Officer Emily Watts’ and

Over the last few months, PHP has been helpingresidents in Alderney West set up their very owncommunity garden

Take a look back at the first year of Poole Town Community Garden

www.yourphp.org.uk/newroots

New Roots Co-ordinator Clare Sutton’s

help, the plans quickly escalated and a

full-blown community food-growing

project was soon on the cards.

Clare helped residents identify a suitable

location at the bottom of Bedford Road

North, which the team felt would

encourage people living on either side

of Canford Way to come together.

Clare said: “RAW is a pretty amazing

bunch of people and they’ve done an

incredible job. I’m really looking forward

to working with them on future plans,

including expanding the growing area

and planting up a community orchard.”

Although the growing area is quite small,

the garden boasts potatoes, tomatoes,

beans, carrots, onions, garlic, herbs

and lots of lovely flowers. Members of

Alderney West Youth Club have painted

the welcome sign, and at least 60 people

of all ages have been involved in one way

or another so far.

Secretary of RAW, Donnamarie French,

believes the garden is a test for the

community. She said: “Are we ready for

this and can we look after it? We thought

we’d give it a go and see. And so far, so

good!”

Want to get involved? Come along to

the garden every Thursday, 4-5.30pm.

Residents get together to enjoy the new community garden at Alderney West.



PHP is making great progress with the developmentof eight brand new homes in Poole. Read on to findout what’s happening on site.

There’s never been a greater need for

affordable housing in Poole, so we’re

pleased to report that work is well

underway to build new homes at two

sites in the town.

Both sites are being managed by C.G. Fry

& Son, a Dorset-based construction firm

with extensive experience developing

new-builds across the south of England,

including Poundbury near Dorchester.

The team is responsible for building six

three-bedroom family homes, which are

rapidly taking shape at King John Avenue

in Bearwood. The previously underused

plot of land was identified as having great

potential for redevelopment, particularly

as it provides excellent access for new and

existing residents.

Each new home will benefit from high

levels of insulation and air source heat

pumps for heating. The properties will

also adhere to a high level of sustainable

homes’ criteria, meaning they will be

energy efficient and produce low levels of

carbon emissions.

Over at Old Farm Road in Oakdale, work

has started on two more three-bedroom

properties.

These homes will have solar thermal

heating and hot water systems. The

systems heat up water in the roof covering

and stores it underground for later use.

All the new homes will come with parking

and back gardens and are due to be

completed early next year.

Work to build six new homes in

Bearwood is moving along quickly.

NEW HOMES ON THE WAY

Watch the builders in action as the new homes start to take shape

www.yourphp.org.uk/newhomes

How long have you been working on

the project? Is it going well so far?

Tell us about your average day…

We started on site in March and so far so

good! Everything is going to plan with

our programme of works.

My day starts at 7.45am with a cup of

fresh coffee! I then walk the site

checking boundaries and talk to the

trade guys about the project’s progress

and any requirements they have. Next,

I order materials, arrange quality checks

and deal with any issues that have arisen

on-site. And more coffee!


Is the project on track?

Have you needed to make any

changes as work has progressed?

It is at the moment – we had some

pretty awful weather at the start of the

job but thanks to the efficient ground-

workers and bricklayers, we’ve managed

to make the time up. The bricklayers are

in full flow and we’ll soon be ready for

the roofs to go on.

The plans for the job have

essentially stayed the

same, but there have

been small

alterations to

things as we’ve

progressed. One

of the benefits of

working for C.G.

Fry & Son is that

we have an in-house design team,

meaning we can quickly react to any

situations that arise.

I'm pleased to say there haven’t been

any problems yet! Fortunately, we’ve

been able to use our experience of

constructing large bespoke buildings for

the private sector, as well as schools and

refurbishment of historical buildings, to

benefit this project. The only issue we’ve

had at King John Avenue is having

appropriate access for large lorries but

we’ve tailored our delivery times to

better accommodate them.

Personally, it’s knowing that I’m building

much-needed affordable housing.

This is also my first role as site manager,

having spent several years as an

assistant, so I’m enjoying being the

person in charge! I can make sure

the site is run productively, kept

clean, and most importantly,

that everyone who works

here is kept safe.

Have any problems cropped up along

the way?

What have you most enjoyed about

working on the project so far?

Site manager Darrylis looking after thenew build project atKing John Avenue.

Meet... Darryl

Cursley, site manager

at King John Avenue

We asked Darryl about

progress on this exciting

new-build project.

“WE’LL SOON BEREADY FOR THEROOFS TO GO ON.”


We don’t just manage homes – we offer a range of support services too!

www.yourphp.org.uk/support

INTRODUCING...THE SUSTAIN TEAM

As part of our commitment to helping residents maintain sustainable tenancies, PHPoffers a range of support services, including Sustain – a group of support officers whoprovide help not just to PHP residents but people living across Borough of Poole.

When am I likely to see the Sustain Team?

How can I get in touch with the Sustain

Team?

Clients are usually referred to the service and will have a named

Support Officer who will visit them on an agreed basis to help

them resolve their problems. The officers create ‘support plans’

which detail what help will be provided and for how long; when

the support is no longer required, it is offered to another client

who may need it.

To speak to an advisor call or

or email . Alternatively, the team

operates a drop-in facility at Poole’s Civic Centre every

weekday between 9am and 12pm.

01202 633800 0800 052 3900

[email protected]

Who is in the Sustain Team?

What does the Sustain Team do?

The team is made up of seven support officers: Sandra, Helen,

Rosie, David, Lalani, Kathryn and Gemma. Donna manages the

team. The officers are all based at PHP’s Beech House HQ but

spend their working days out and about in Poole visiting

residents and working alongside partner agencies to deliver

practical support.

Sustain provides free housing-related support for people

aged 18-64 years who are experiencing housing difficulties.

This includes help with crisis intervention, budgeting, claiming

benefits, accessing healthcare and social services, developing life

skills and guidance during transitional periods. The team support

clients all around Poole on a relatively short-term basis (up to 34

weeks) but can refer residents on to PHP’s Volunteers Service for

further support if necessary.

Donna

HelenDavid Lalani

Kathryn

Rosie

Sandra


BABY AYLA’SFIRST STEPSAyla Hirsh’s mum and dad have quite astory to tell about how their daughtercame into the world.

If you’re a young person living in Poole

and you want to talk to someone

about your future options, read on!

The Young People’s Information, Advice

and Guidance team provides free,

independent and impartial information to

young residents who are not currently in

work or learning and offers appointments

and drop-in services in a number of

locations throughout the week.

GET HELP WEIGHING UPYOUR OPTIONS

Young people can get involved in PHP’s activities too!

www.yourphp.org.uk/youth

Borough of Poole’s Young People’s Information, Adviceand Guidance team is on hand to help 16-19 year-oldswith support and careers advice.

The Quay Advice Centre is located

on Hill Street, behind the High Street,

in Poole town centre.

You can visit the team at Quay Advice

Centre, 18 Hill Street, Poole BH15 1NR

any weekday between 1.30pm and

4.30pm.

Alternatively, you can contact an advisor

by telephone on .

The phones are manned Monday-Friday,

8.30am-5pm.

Find out more at:

01202 262291

www.boroughofpoole.com/

familyinformation

Simon and Cherish Hirsh proudly introduce their new

daughter – who didn’t waste any time taking her first baby

steps!

When Cherish’s labour began early one morning, the couple

hastily prepared to travel to the hospital, including arranging for

a family member to take their five-year-old son Jayden to school.

But just as they were getting ready to leave, Ayla decided to

make an early appearance, right outside their Turlin Moor home.

The couple made it as far as the stairwell when Cherish felt the

baby coming. With the ambulance still a few minutes away, the

job fell to Simon to deliver his daughter on the stairs.

Simon told us: “It was about 8.30 in the morning so it caused a

bit of a stir among our neighbours! Everyone was really good

though and helped out with pillows and towels.

“We didn't even need to go to hospital, so as soon as Ayla was

born we were able to go back to the flat.”

Ayla was born a healthy 6lbs 6oz. We were delighted to meet the

family and present them with a bouquet of flowers with our

congratulations.

Turlin Moor residents Cherish and Simon show off the

new addition to their family.

Want to hear news from your communityas it happens? ‘Like’ our Facebook page or‘follow’ us on Twitter for the latest updates.

PHP is ‘excellent’ at saving money

PHP has twice been inspected by the AuditCommission and assessed as “excellent”

each time, making it one of the highestperforming housing organisations in thecountry. Achieving value for money is one

of our key strategic objectives andensures we continue to protect the

public’s purse when we plandifferent projects.

We even have a ‘VFM’ wallwhere staff can display

their work-relatedsavings!


HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY PHP!PHP started life in 2004 and in the decade

that’s passed, we’ve modernised andimproved thousands of homes, raised

standards of management, and built a strongand representative residents’ organisation

which has given Poolecommunities a strong

voice in the waythings are

done.

As a result of our performance, Borough of Poole

has awarded PHP with a 30-year agreement to

secure the long-term management of the council’s

housing stock. So we thought it

was a good opportunity

to look back at some of

the highlights of the

last 10 years (as we

look forward to

the next 30!)

New homes on the way

It’s an exciting time for PHP as construction work ontwo new-build projects advances in Oakdale andBearwood (see page 8 for more details). In 2013,Borough of Poole and PHP secured governmentfunding to develop an extra care scheme; the 54

unit Trinidad Village will provide much-neededhousing to help adults with varying levels of

care to live independently in their ownself-contained homes.

Gardens get residents involved

More than 300 residents from across the town areinvolved in ensuring PHP remains customer-focused.We run resident engagement activities throughout the

year – from scrutiny meetings to family fun days –where we gather feedback and consult over

community developments. The New Roots schemehas been a big success and Poole now boasts

three community food-growing projects.

PHP is ‘excellent’ at saving money

PHP has twice been inspected by the AuditCommission and assessed as “excellent”

each time, making it one of the highestperforming housing organisations in thecountry. Achieving value for money is one

of our key strategic objectives andensures we continue to protect the

public’s purse when we plandifferent projects.

We even have a ‘VFM’ wallwhere staff can display

their work-relatedsavings!

Want to find out more about the history of PHP?

www.yourphp.org.uk/about

People love working for PHP

We think PHP is a great company to work for. But don’t justtake our word for it – the Sunday Times has placed us in the

Top 100 Companies to Work For during each of the last sixyears. Hundreds of UK-based companies take part in the Best

Companies survey, which encourages employees to rate thecompany they work for through in-depth questionnaires.

We’re top for customer service

For five consecutive years, PHP has beenawarded with the Government’s Customer ServiceExcellence accreditation. The award acknowledgesour focus on delivery, timeliness, professionalism and

staff attitude when dealing with our customers.We put residents at the heart of our activities and

hold a strong belief that our customers’ needsare best identified and met on a local level.

Solar power to the people

Over 1,500 households have benefited from solartechnology, which has helped reduce residents’

energy use and bills, as well as reduce harmfulcarbon emissions. The programme of

photovoltaic (PV) installations has also beenrecognised nationally, having been

shortlisted in the National Federation ofALMOs (NFA) Awards and Inside

Housing’s Sustainable HousingSustainable Housing

Awards.

Money know-how from PHP

The Your Money Team, PHP’s financial inclusionservice, was established in 2010 to help residents

prepare for changes to the benefit system. Sincethen, the team has supported over 500 residents by

offering finance checks and budgeting advice.The average household income has risen from

£13,000 to £17,000 after the visit – animpressive feat considering there are

just two people inthe team!

Poole’s high-standard housing stock

Buoyed by £35m of government funding, all ofBorough of Poole’s housing stock has been

brought up to the ‘Poole Standard’. Since 2004,PHP’s comprehensive investment programme

has resulted in the installation of 3,638 newbathrooms and 2,960 new kitchens – not

bad going! We’ve also continued ourcourse of re-wires and re-roofing

so that the quality of homesremains high.


Have your say about how we involve residents in our activities

www.yourphp.org.uk/involve

WISH UPON... A TREE!PHP joins forces with Borough of Poole as residents have their say on plans toimprove open spaces in Newtown.

Artist’s impressions

show how Haskells

Recreation Ground and

Turner’s Nursery could

look once the areas

have been re-developed.

natural play are likely to feature in the

plans.

Haskells Recreation Ground, one of the

open spaces identified for improvement,

provided the location for the fun day.

As well as lots of activities for the kids,

residents were able to visit PHP’s stand

to leave their suggestions on our special

‘wishing tree’.

Resident Involvement Co-ordinator

Sandra and Housing Officer Lesly were on

hand to talk to visitors, give them more

information about the proposed re-

developments and discuss PHP’s work in

the area.

Sandra told us: “The wishing tree was full

of people’s suggestions, which we’re

going to pass onto the project team for

their consideration. It’s brilliant that

residents are so keen to contribute to the

future of the open spaces in Newtown.”

The next step is for Borough of Poole to

gather all the consultation feedback and

finalise designs in time for the autumn.

The works are likely to start in late 2014 or

early 2015.

As well as Haskells Recreation Ground,

Branksome Cemetary, Turner’s Nursery,

Hartford Road, Worbarrow Gardens,

Dustan’s Lane Woodland and Uppleby

Road will also benefit from improvement.

Make sure you keep an eye on the

Poole Projects website at

for more news

on the project later in the year!

www.pooleprojects.net

Sandra and Lesly from PHP talk to residents during the consultation event.

People living in Newtown were

encouraged to leave their ‘wishes’ for

the future of their local parks during a

specially organised public consultation

event.

As reported in the last issue of ,

Newtown is set to benefit from major

investment in its parks and open spaces.

New paths, trees, benches and areas for

At Home

HaskellsRecreation Ground

Turner’s Nursery

At Home | Summer 2014 15

Would you benefit from a Your Money Team finance check?

www.yourphp.org.uk/yourmoney

Residents tell us they want quick and simple ways ofsettling their rent accounts, so we’ve made it eveneasier to pay.

The traditional methods of paying your

rent – over the phone, or by visiting us

in person – are often viewed as time-

consuming and inconvenient,

especially when these options are only

available during specific times.

0800 052 3900

At PHP, we are always trying to find ways

to make life easier for our residents.

So the good news is you can now make

a payment whenever you need to, by

Direct Debit, over the internet, or by

using our automated telephone system.

Give us call on and

we can send you a form, or create your

monthly Direct Debit there and then over

the phone. Once you’re set up, no further

action is required by you and you won’t

need to contact us when your rent is due.

We’ll notify you in plenty of time if we

need to change the monthly amount.

Set up a Direct Debit

MAKING IT EASIERTO PAY YOUR RENT

Make a payment online

Call our automated

telephone system

Simply head to

and click ‘Make a payment’. Under

‘Ways to pay’ click ‘Over the internet’,

which will take you to Borough of

Poole’s website. Scroll down to ‘What

services can I pay for online?’ and click

‘Housing Rent’. Remember to have

your Rent Account Number and a

credit or debit card at hand.

You can make a payment 24 hours

a day, seven days a week, by calling

. Again, you’ll need

your Rent Account Number and a

method of payment.

www.yourphp.org.uk

01202 672932

Terms & conditions

1. This competition is open to PHP residents only.

2. One entry per household.

3. All transactions, including setting up a DirectDebit, making an online payment and making anautomated telephone payment, up to Friday3rd October 2014 will be counted.

4. One winner will be selected at random and theeditor’s decision is final. No correspondence willbe entered into.

5. The winner’s rent account will be credited withthe value of two weeks’ rent. There will be nocash equivalent.

6. The winner may be asked to participate in furtherPHP promotional opportunities, if and when theyarise.

WIN!Fancy a break from paying your

rent for a couple of weeks?

Any PHP resident who uses one of the

payment options on the left between

now and Friday 3rd October will be

entered into a prize draw to win two

weeks’ rent on us! Don’t worry, if

you’re already paying your rent in one

of these ways, we’ll automatically

enter you.

It really is like Christmas coming

early, so to be sure your name is in

the hat, select your new payment

method today!

Two rent free weeks!

‘app’ening soon!Watch out for more information

about a payment ‘app’ which will

enable you to pay your rent via your

smartphone or tablet. We’ll let you

know when this becomes available.

Need some help?If you need help making a payment,

please call us on .0800 052 3900

There are some great ways to help you pay your rent on time.

There was tea, cake, balloons,

sing-a-longs and distinguished guests

as Phyllis Seabright and May Harris

both celebrated their 100th birthdays.

Selby Close resident Phyllis enjoyed

three days of celebrations, including a

coach trip to Portland with her friends,

and received a visit from outgoing Mayor

of Poole Cllr Phil Eades – who said it was

“a pleasure” to meet Phyllis during his

very last duty as Mayor.

Rather than receive gifts and cards,

Phyllis asked that friends and family make

donations to the Lewis Manning Hospice. In

total, she helped to raise over £500 for the

charity! Well done Phyllis!

A big celebration also took place at

Belmont Court, where May Harris was

treated to afternoon tea, music and a

specially baked cake, with which she

was delighted!

Earlier in her birthday week, May was joined

by Mayor of Poole Cllr Peter Adams at

Poole’s Salvation Army Home League base.

CELEBRATINGCENTENARIANSFriends and neighbours have gathered to markspecial birthdays for two PHP sheltered residents.

Want to learn more about life at our sheltered schemes?

www.yourphp.org.uk/sheltered


Over 100 members of the public enjoyed

free tours, access to information and

refreshments during our annual Discover

Sheltered Living event.

Current residents at Creekmoor, Oakdale

and Parkstone allowed visitors to look

INSIDE SHELTERED LIFEPHP’s ever popular open days attract visitors tosheltered schemes across Poole.

around their homes, while members of

staff were on hand to answer questions

and show people the communal areas

and gardens.

We were also joined by a host of local

partners, including Borough of Poole,

Age Concern and Poole’s Safer

Neighbourhood Teams, who provided

help and advice about support available

to older residents.

PHP runs over 30 sheltered schemes

across Poole, offering purpose-built

accommodation for people aged 55

years and over. The mixture of flats and

bungalows enable independent living in

a safe and secure environment with the

support of a dedicated sheltered housing

officer and sheltered support officer.

Visitors enjoyed guided tours as part of their visit to Millfield. The event offered free information and advice about sheltered housing.

Cllr Phil Eades congratulated PhyllisSeabright on her 100th birthday.

Belmont Court resident May Harrisreceived a special birthday cake.

Find out about what’s going on in your community

www.yourphp.org.uk/events17At Home | Summer 2014

CHARITYFUNDRAISERS

EAT CAKE ANDRAISE MONEY!Residents at Waterloo House will once

again be inviting people to dig deep as

they raise funds for Macmillan Cancer

Care on Friday 26th September.

The coffee morning and raffle takes

place between 10am and 12pm in the

common room.

Please contact Doreen Boothman on

for more information.01202 695882

Residents bake cakes,brew tea and draw rafflesin aid of good causesduring two speciallyorganised events.

Sheltered residents have been busy

collecting money for charity by

running fundraising activities in

their local neighbourhoods.

Ralph Jessop Court residents donated

the proceeds from their summer fair to

Forest Holme Hospice in Poole. Charity Manager Anne Currie joined everyone for a

celebratory afternoon tea after the event to accept a cheque for £350, which will help

enhance the quality of life for patients with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses at

the hospice, which is based in the town centre.

Bob Hann House hosted a tea party to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Rather than charge residents for each item, the organisers – who included Marie

Ager, Molly Stevens and Robert Stevens – simply asked their neighbours for

donations and collected an impressive £400 for the charity.

Well done to everyone involved!

Marie Ager, Molly Stevens and RobertStevens helped to organise afundraising event at Bob Hann House.

Anne Currie from Forest HolmeHospice accepts a cheque from

residents at Ralph Jessop Court.


Recent fire incidents have thankfully not

resulted in any casualties, but they have

highlighted issues that can be easily avoided

by taking a few sensible precautions.

www.housing.org.uk

Some of the causes have included leaving

candles unattended, not paying proper attention

to items in the oven/on the cooker, and the

inappropriate disposal of cigarette ends.

We spoke to a resident whose home was affected

by a fire, who said:

“The fire wasn’t that big but I couldn’t believe the

amount of damage the smoke caused.”

Firstly, it’s worth remembering that while PHP

insures the building you live in, this doesn’t apply

to your personal belongings. It’s therefore your

responsibility to arrange your own home contents

insurance.

There are several companies that can provide

home contents insurance, and many allow you to

pay the premium in instalments over 12 months.

The National Housing Federation

( ) has created a Home

Contents Insurance scheme, which enables you

to access premiums at lower rates than you might

pay elsewhere.

Homing in on contents

insurance

Learn more about the importance of fire safety in your home

www.yourphp.org.uk/staysafe

PROTECT YOURHOME FROM FIREFollowing a number of small-scale fires in residents’ homes, we’veupdated our Fire Safety Policy with the help of the Dorset Fire &Rescue Service. Resident safety is our highest priority, so we’ve puttogether some advice to help you protect your home and its contents.

We strongly recommend shopping around before

making your final choice – if you need any help or

advice please call us on .

Dorset Fire & Rescue Service offer home safety

checks, which include fitting or replacing smoke

alarms, identifying overloaded sockets and

providing advice on escape routes and much

more, all for free.

If you or a family member would like to benefit

from this service, please call .

The new Fire Safety Policy also covers the

management of communal areas to flats. Over

the next 12 months, Trevor Hughes, PHP’s new

Estates Officer (Fire Safety), will be inspecting all

communal areas, ensuring there is clear signage

to indicate what action should be taken in the

event of a fire, and that all escape routes are

clear.

Trevor will also be making sure that communal

areas are welcoming and safe places. We would

appreciate your help by not storing household

items in these areas.

01202 264319

0800 038 2323

If you have any questions at all about PHP’s

Fire Safety Policy, or fire safety in general,

please contact us on 01202 264319.

Give your home the once over

for free

Keep an eye on your

communal areas

At Home | Summer 2014 19

Meet... Trevor

Hughes, Estates

Officer (Fire Safety)

We asked Trevor for

some advice about fire

safety in the home.

What is the most common cause of a house

fire?

If I discover a fire in my home, what should

I do?

According to government statistics, the

main causes of house fires is the misuse

of equipment/appliances – that could be anything

from a faulty mobile phone charger

to the most common of misuse of the cooker/

oven/grill. Almost 15,000 fires started in this way in

2011/12.

The Fire Service’s advice states that if there is a

fire, you need to get out, stay out and call the fire

brigade out. This means knowing your escape

route. If you are unable to leave your property, you

should go to one room, shut the door and line the

bottom of the door with towels or similar material.

Open the window, call for help and await rescue

by the fire service.

How much does home contents insurance

generally cost?

How will residents benefit from PHP’s Fire

Safety Policy?

It varies depending on the value of the items in

your home. As a general figure, £40,000 worth of

contents could cost you less than £100 per annum,

or around £2 per week, which is great value.

The purpose of the policy is to give residents

peace of mind about the action PHP will take

to minimise or remove hazards in communal

areas. You shouldn’t notice any major differences

or experience disruption – it’s all part of making

sure that your living environment is safe, clean and

comfortable.


Work is underway to develop the vacant floors of Beech

House so that residents can access even more services

when they visit PHP.

www.facebook.com/poolehousing

Discussions were still ongoing at the time of writing, but you can

look forward to even better support from a variety of services,

including Coastal Credit Union, which looks likely to open its first

Poole branch at Beech House this summer.

The idea is that our Wimborne Road HQ will become a ‘one

stop shop’ for you to access financial assistance and consumer

advice, as well as all the usual over-the-counter services offered

by PHP. You will also see a re-designed and better equipped

Residents’ Resource Centre, which is more suited to providing

IT training and support. The refurbishment costs are being met

by our landlord or from savings on the rent that we have

negotiated.

Our new lobby area will showcase the beauty of Poole and

the diversity of its residents – and this is where you come in!

We’re giving you the chance to design your own piece of

artwork and the very best entries will be displayed in the new

Beech House reception. Take a look at our Facebook page

( ) to find out more!

BETTERBEECH HOUSE

Got an appointment at Beech Housebut not sure how to find us?

www.yourphp.org.uk/findus

PHP’s main Poole office is setto receive a mini make-over as itbecomes a new and improvedcommunity facility.

Beech House at Wimborne Road in Poole town centre.

TOP WAYS TOTACKLE ASB

The best way of dealing with instances of ASB is to follow

some simple, but very important, steps – as recommended

by one of PHP’s Local Community Representatives.

Chris Moody, who represents Christopher Crescent, knows

first-hand how ASB can affect victims. Chris has the following

advice for residents if they are experiencing issues such as

noise nuisance, verbal abuse, or harassment:

when problems start, don’t wait until you are at

the end of your tether

of any incidents

from friends and family so you know you are

not alone

Speak to your Housing Officer or Sheltered Housing Officer

what’s happening once you have

reported a problem

ASB Co-ordinator Claire Hollard said: “Chris’s feedback is

really valuable, and helps us understand what is

important to our residents. I fully support his

‘top tips’ and urge any resident suffering

from ASB to report it to us at the earliest

opportunity.”

Get in early

Make diary notes

Get support

as soon as possible

Don’t be afraid to ask

•

•

•

•

•

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is anybehaviour that causes, or is likely to cause,harassment, alarm or distress to otherpeople living in your neighbourhood.We take it very seriously, and with yourhelp we want to keep it out of ourcommunities.

Reporting an incident in your neighbourhoodis quick and easy online

www.yourphp.org.uk/incident

It’s important to report instances of ASB when problems start.


If you have difficulty managing your garden, help is at hand thanks to a new

partnership between PHP and Bournemouth-based gardening service Roots.

Roots is an established supported Volunteer Placement Scheme for people recovering

from poor health. Through Roots, volunteer trainees assist people who struggle

maintaining their gardens. Each day, Roots supervises up to five volunteer trainees as

they deliver services such as lawn mowing, strimming, planting bulbs, trimming hedges

and pruning trees and shrubs.

The service costs just £19 per hour. In addition, we offer a further service to qualifying

elderly or disabled residents who may be able to receive a one-off, free-of-charge ‘tidy’

of their garden. Your Housing Officer will be able to help you find out if you qualify.

Please remember that it is your responsibility to look after your garden. It should be kept

clean, tidy and free from rubbish and weeds. If you have a tree in your garden, please do

not destroy or remove it, or remove any branches from it without written permission.

GRASS ROOTSPHP has joined forces with Roots to offer avalue-for-money – in some cases, free – gardeningscheme to residents.

Roots provides an affordable

gardening service to PHP residents.

LEARNINGSOMETHINGNEWEight PHP residents have benefitedfrom free tenancy-related training.

TRUST – a group made up of local landlords who

provide help and advice to residents – recently ran a

successful training event which was attended by a

group of PHP residents.

The purpose of the training was to help residents

understand different types of tenancy, know how changes in

circumstances can affect tenancies, and to understand more

about the action a landlord can take if there is a breach of

tenancy.

PHP is a member of TRUST, which stands for ‘Tenants R Us

Training’, along with Bournemouth Borough Council, East

Boro Housing Trust, New Forest District Council, Sovereign

Housing Association and Spectrum Housing Group.

PHP residents Gill and Sally said: “We really enjoy the

TRUST training events and meeting residents from other

organisations. The topics are interesting and everyone can

learn something new from attending.”

The next TRUST training event, ‘Customer Service’, takes

place on Friday 3rd October 2014. If you would like to

attend, please contact Resident Involvement Co-ordinator

Sandra Willson on .01202 264422

PHP residents Gill and Sally enjoy a break between sessions

at the TRUST training event.

Find out more about PHP’s garden maintenance scheme

www.yourphp.org.uk/gardens

Don’t succumb to high-cost payday and doorsteplenders – Coastal Credit Union is here to help!


If you need a small loan of up to £50,

you could benefit from Coastal Credit

Union’s Flexible Credit scheme.

Coastal Credit Union allows residents

to borrow money on a rollover basis,

without the massive extra cost that

some other companies charge.

For example, if you borrowed £50 from

Coastal Credit Union, you would pay

back the initial amount plus just £1 in

interest (2% APR). However, if you

borrowed the same amount from a

payday lender you could pay back the

initial sum plus a massive extra amount –

as much as £22.15 (5,853% APR),

depending on the interest rate.

To qualify for Flexible Credit, you will

need to:

Become a Coastal Credit Union

member. If you are not already a

member, there is a £5 membership

fee, which PHP will pay for, plus an

initial £1 saving, which you will be

expected to commit.

Have your wages or benefits paid into

your Coastal Credit Union account.

•

•

To open an account, simply take along

proof of your identity (such as your

passport or driver’s license) and proof

of your address (a utility bill).

If you’d like to make an appointment,

please contact Coastal Credit Union on

or call into PHP’s Beech

House office.

01202 682510

SPOTLIGHT ONFLEXIBLE CREDIT

Stay up to date with the latest money crunching advice

www.yourphp.org.uk/yourmoney

“COASTAL CREDITUNION ALLOWSYOU TO BORROWMONEY ON AROLLOVER BASIS.”

MEND IT MIKEPHP’s Director of Technical Services helps you get togrips with issues around your home.

Cut

out

and

keep

this

pag

e-

yo

unever

kno

ww

hen

yo

um

ight

need

it!

There’s lots more tips and bigger pics online!

www.yourphp.org.uk/menditmike

1. Turn off the water supply to the dripping tap, then turn on the tap to release anywater in the system feeding it.

2. Before you start to dismantle the tap, lay the plug in the sink – this will preventany small items you may drop from going down the plughole!

3. Use a small screwdriver to lever off the insert to expose the screw(see images A/B).

4. Remove the screw. The handle should lift off (see images C/D).

5. With the correct sized spanner, loosen the tap valve, as shown (see image E).

6. While doing this, firmly hold the tap spout with your hand to prevent the body ofthe tap turning on the basin of the sink.

7. If the tap turns, the connection under your basin may be loose – check under sinkfor a leak.

8. Unscrew the valve completely to remove it.

9. Undo the nut or screw to release the older washer, or prise the old washerover the lug (see images F/G).

10. Replace the washer and, if appropriate, replace the nut or screw (see image H).

11. Re-assemble the repaired tap by reversing the stepsyou took to dismantle it.

Finishing off

Dismantling the tap

Handy hint

Most modern taps have a small red or blue ‘insert’ on top. As well as indicatingif the tap is hot or cold, these inserts usually hide the screw which holds the taptogether.

Not all taps have detachable valve jumpers:• Some valves have a small retaining nut or screw for the washer• Others have the washer simply pushed onto a central lugRemember each type of tap uses the same style of replacement washer.

Mike/

A

C

B

D

E

G

F

H

At Home Summer 2014

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