August 2014

JOHN’S BRIEFINGICELAND TRIP

SPOTLIGHT ON SMTSPORTING ACTIVITIES

AND MUCH MORE!

REMEMBER

Ebuzz is put together following John’s briefings every other month. This is your newsletter and it would be great to hear some of your stories!

If you have anything you want to share, please get in touch with Louise Davies via InHouse, 01495 761104 or email: louise.davies@monmouthshirehousing.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy this edition.

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John’s BriefingOperations Sub Group Meeting and Joint Finance and AuditMHA is considering purchasing An Ordnance Survey system to help determine exactly what land is ours and what works are required on the land at the push of a button, currently this information is on hard copy files and or PDF’s Staff will play a key role in deciding if it is useful enough to purchase it, to make your jobs more straightforward and tenant services better value.

Bowen Gardens UpdateThere are 12 houses for sale and 20 flats to let. The marketing of the houses is about to begin with the brochures now back from the printers and the website being put together, the first stage of the marketing campaign will start in

August. The profit on the houses will subsidise the development costs of the flats allowing MHA to charge social rather than market rents. Research carried out from MHA has highlighted the desire of older people to stay in their current accommodation as long as possible before moving to designated older person accommodation so it is a vital part of our role for the apartments to be as attractive as possible. MHA plan to sell the houses as quickly as possible allowing people time to ensure their mortgages are in place at point of completion of the houses.

Financial InclusionMatt and Sarah have worked hard over the last few years to raise their profile. It is pleasing to note that their referrals are nearly all self referrals which shows the marketing and work being put

into this scheme is working, hence allowing people to get help before they get into financial difficulties. As Welfare reform continues it is important our tenants are financially included.

Suits and Scrutiny PanelThe SUITS panel looks at what happens on the ground and ensures the procedures are adhered too whilst the Scrutiny panel assess whether the policies and strategies are working.

The board have been reviewing the work of the panels, the panels took a while to get going, but are now working through a well organised programme of work. Nevertheless, as with any other part of the organisation, the Board queried if the panel added value to MHA and if their efforts had improved processes and procedures and in

particular the quality of services to tenants. Later this year a report will go to Board highlighting what has been achieved.

Development Approval and UpdateCurrently there are 80 properties either on site or that are on the point of starting. Some of the developments, or redevelopments, need to be pushed forward to develop as soon as possible, with consultation taking place with residents as necessary. Older person/sheltered accommodation is of particular concern, as some schemes that were popular until recently are now slowly becoming hard to let causing MHA concern for the future.

Rule ChangesThere have been a number of proposed changes to the association’s rules, to ensure compliance with the proposed set of rules from Community Housing Cymru. The rule changes will be voted on at the AGM in September following a consultation with key stakeholders.

Regulatory Outcome 8: – “We manage our Homes Effectively”The Outcome looks at how we manage our homes. as it stands the evidence shows MHA is doing a good job in relation to this outcome. A new residents survey will be carried out in September to allow MHA to bring its results up to date.

Board AppraisalsChanges will be implemented regarding the appraisals, one of the changes will involve both

the CEO and the Directors being involved in the process. We will seek to build on strengths and develop weaknesses to ensure that eventually they become strengths.

Annual AccountsGenerally we are in a good position and will continue to be so providing the budget is used effectively and spent appropriately.

New Independent/Tenant Board MemberCurrently the recruitment and voting process is under way to elect two new board members, it is important the board members bring good experience and good knowledge with them. There is one independent candidate whose nomination was sent to the Board for approval, pending a meeting with the Chair and Vice Chair.

There are two tenant vacancies on the Board as Ken Bucknall and Lynette Bonar will stand down at the AGM. 5 Candidates have sought election for the two available spaces including the two members standing down.

Financial Business Plan UpdateThere are a number of new sites and opportunities on going. There was 10 planning approvals last year and the same for next year. The plan is performing as per forecast to date. Plenty of challenges for CAPSEL to meet income and profit objectives but we are currently looking at something in the region of £800k turnover for its first full year of operation.

Qtr 4/Ytd Performance ReportThe main concern is the level of long term sickness, this can leave a significant gap in the service and put other colleagues under stress. Short term sickness is also above target again. I have asked managers to be diligent and to support staff along with HR through their illnesses.

Pensions Auto Enrolment32 people were enrolled with 6 people opting out of the pension. MHA puts a significant amount of money into the pension and it is good to invest in the pension for the future of employees.

Management Accounts to May 2014The accounts are linked to the restructure within the DLO who carry out the majority of works, but occasionally external contractors are used. Overall the external contractor payments have decreased by over £50k in the last year. The costs are monitored and understood by the board.

Two members of staff have been made redundant from the DLO; further roles will be available in the near future but neither members of staff could fulfil those roles. Two apprenticeshave left the organisation to set up their own businesses. Another member of staff has left on sickness grounds , we wish them all well in the future.

USE OF THE SEALThere have been 6 uses of the seal.

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New PoliciesA review of our Right to Buy and Right to Acquire Policy and Procedure has recently been completed, along with a review of our Leaseholder Policy and Procedure.

• The Leaseholder documents outline how MHA aims to provide a comprehensive and responsive leasehold management service; this is in line with the lease, legislation, best practice and value for money. Key aspects in the policy and procedure include, how MHA recovers service charges and also informs and consults leaseholders.

• The Right to Buy and Right to Acquire policy and procedure provide the framework for managing requests from tenants who want to purchase their homes. The documents ensure that all applications are administered fairly, within the legal framework, and are completed using the statutory process, which MHA must adhere to.

All policies can be found on

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News In BriefAGMThe AGM will be held on September 24th at 12 noon in the Board Room, please check with your line manager if you would like to attend.

Congratulations to John DaviesJohn achieved an HNC in Building Technology and Management and graduated in July.

Congratulations on Lorraine Challenger & Gareth Denley’s Engagement

We got engaged on 21st June , as the sun rose on the day of the summer solstice, in Cyprus, Gareth proposed to me. Wedding is a few

years away, we haven’t really discussed that part.

MHA Group has been successful in retaining the Gold status of Investors in People following the assessment process in July.

Congratulations to you all on the commitment and hard work undertaken to ensure the continued achievement of this rigorous National Standard.

Staff Conference 2014The Staff Conference will be held on Thursday 6th November at St Pierre, Chepstow.

Staff Xmas Party

Friday 12th December

This year’s Christmas Party will be held at

The Manor Hotel, Crickhowell

Standard Rooms available for £70 per room,

£95 for better rooms - including breakfast

and use of leisure and spa facilities.

Please call the hotel on 01873

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Charity ActivityDalmatian ride

Karen Davies, Tim Adams and 5 others took part in the annual Dalmatian ride on June 7th in support of the St. Davids Hospice Care charity. We cycled 46 Miles from Brecon to Caerleon along the canal and Tony Clark can vouch we did it as he welcomed us at Goytre Wharf with Chocolate and Water which was very much appreciated!!! We raised £487.50!

Race for Life Update

The MHA girls raised approximately £400 for Cancer Research UK through Race for Life in Cwmbran. Maria Williams also took part on Race for Life in Hereford and raised £170!

Philippa Worgan and Louise Davies are looking to put together a team for a new event as part of Race for Life called “Pretty Muddy” being run in Cardiff next year – date to be confirmed. Pretty Muddy is a muddy obstacle course which is run or walked over 5km. Please see the attached link and if you are interested please let Philippa or Louise know, they will also be taking part in and looking for team mates for the 5km Race for Life in Cwmbran. www.raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org

Street Football Wales

Street Football Wales (SFW) aims to help get a Welsh men’s and women’s football team to the Homeless International World Cup.

Staff supported the charity donating £1 to wear their football shirts to work raising £38.75. MHA has also made a donation of £320 to the charity to help it reach its dream of making the Homeless World Cup in Chile in October 2014.

Over the 10 years that SFW has been involved in the HWC, they have never been able to secure external financial support for a Welsh team and therefore participation for Wales is dependant entirely on fundraising. SFW has only attended one Homeless World Cup outside of Europe and Wales are still the only home nation to have missed a Homeless World Cup Tournament.

Thanks to everyone who donated!

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Capsel’s new development Bowen Gardens will be launched in September. The 12 two and three bedroom homes are being built by Lovell and local estate agent Parrys Property will be managing the sales. A presentation home will be open at the end of October for potential buyers to view. Bowen Gardens sits on the former Trevor Bowen Court site in Monmouth, with the newly developed Trevor Bowen House providing 20 modern apartments for the over 60s.

Offer CompletedIn order to allow tenants to make a fully informed decision about the future management of their homes, Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) produced ‘Your homes, Your Future, Your Vote’. This offer document helped to provide MHA with its delivery of services and delivering the Welsh Housing Quality Standard until its completion in 2012/13.

As a result of the promises in this offer document now being completed, it is time to again consider how MHAs future services should look and create a further plan over the next five years. The recommendations will be formulated by a number of consultations events with tenants, carried out by staff and consultants from Miller Research.

YOUR RESPONSE AT THIS STAGE –

THIS IS NOT THE BALLOT

1. On the basis of the information you have received so far,

what are your views on the Council’s transfer proposal?

In favour of transfer

Not in favour of transfer

Not sure/need more information

2. Please use the space below to describe what you like or

dislike about the proposal and any views you have on how it

could be improved.

3. If you would like someone from the Council to contact you,

please write your name, address and telephone number below.

Name:

Address:

Telephone:

Please return this reply form to reach the Council by

6th October 2006

Remember, this is NOT THE BALLOT!

The Council simply wants to hear your views at this stage.

Important Information about your home

your homeyour future

your vote

Formal

Consultation

on Monmouthshire County Council’s

proposal to transfer its homes to

7567 Monmouthshire

Offer Doc Cover

17/8/06 9:25 am

Page 1

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BOXERCISEThe Boxercise class runs every Thursday evening between 5 and 6pm in the Board room. The class is suitable for all, with varying levels of exercise to suit everyones ability.

The sessions are a mix of exercises, from running, skipping, circuits, kettlebells, boxing using focus pads and floor work. All equipment is provided.

The workout uses the entire body. Cardio wise you burn more calories in an hour than using a stairclimber. You use your whole body your arms, your legs and the time flies as you work on body movement, agility and momentum.

Best of all, it’s fun and lets us get out all those work stresses!.

So don’t just sit there - get your gloves on!

Through September, for new members, the first class you attend is free after which it costs £20.00 for a six week block.

For further information please contact Philippa Worgan.

Tae Kwon DoAs a family my wife and two children (Isabelle 8 & Amelia 10) all do Tae Kwon Do. The girls started 2 years ago, and after 6 months of sitting and watching we decided it would be nice if we also joined in. 18 months later I am pleased to say that both the children, my wife and myself have all improved to a level where we were encouraged to enter the Welsh Tae Kwon Do championships.

In the competition, which was attended by clubs from all across Wales, my Isabelle won a bronze medal for sparring (fighting), My wife won a Silver medal for pattern, Amelia won Gold for sparring, gold for patterns and gold for synchronised patterns and not wanting to be out done I also won Gold for sparring and a gold for patterns and a Silver for team sparring. So we now have two Welsh champions in the family, one of which has recently turned 50!

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Caerphilly 10km RunOn Sunday 22nd June 2014, 3 employees took part in the Caerphilly 10km Run. The route was strenuous with numerous long, gradual inclines along with fast downhill sprints; the start and finish was to the side of the infamous Caerphilly castle. It was a baking day which encouraged thousands of people out to cheer them on, and their support was fantastic but the heat was crippling for the 3000 runners that took part in the race.

There was some fast times with the winner crossing the line in 31:22 and the first female finishing in 36:33.

Dean Phillips, Chris York and Sian Hughes all took part in the event and all gained Personal Bests in their category.

Dean said “I’ve been taking part in the Parkruns 5km to improve my fitness and got bitten by the running bug. I use the ‘Map my Run’ app to record my times and find it encourages me to increase my mileage. This was my first 10km, the atmosphere was brilliant and the crowd support helped me find the reserves to complete the course. It was great running with other runners and club runners and beat some of them!. After the race I enjoyed a few ‘refreshments’ whilst planning my next race which will be the

Cardiff 10k which I will be running to raise funds for the Velindre charity”.

Chris said “I took part in the race to see if I could complete 10k, it has made me realise I want to take part in longer races in the future. I listen to music whilst I run…and I run lots!!, To help me with completing the 10k I cut down on the beer and tried to eat healthier. I thought the atmosphere was great and it encouraged me to complete the race in a good time. After the race I went for ice cream with my son as it was a hot day and wanted to celebrate. I’m thinking of taking part in the Cardiff Half Marathon”.

Sian said “I’ve been gradually picking up my mileage and endurance in my wheelchair from 5km at Parkrun on a Saturday morning to 10km on quite flat routes; I wanted to challenge myself with a more undulating race. The atmosphere was brilliant from ‘running’ with 3000 people to the huge amounts of support from the crowds as the race progressed. The hills were difficult but I wasn’t giving up…I was quite pleased with my finishing time. After the race I enjoyed a ‘refreshment’ or two to celebrate. My next few races include the Cardiff 10km, Swansea 10km and the Cardiff Half Marathon – which I’m racing on behalf of Hospice of the Valleys”.

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Abergavenny Food Festival 20th - 21st SeptemberLast years’ festival ended on a high when the Festival was awarded ‘Best Event in Wales’ by the National Tourism Awards for Wales.

The five market venues in the centre of town are all accessed on a Stroller Ticket (wristband) with free entry to children under 16 if accompanied by an adult. Within these venues are over 200 carefully selected top-notch exhibitors, showcasing the best of Wales, The Marches and further afield.

There’s also a rolling programme of chef demonstrations in the Market Hall, a children’s Food Academy at the Castle, and plenty of other entertainment too.

www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com

Monmouthshire Show 28th AugustEvery year we provide fantastic entertainment, attractions and demonstrations throughout the day.

Come along for a magnificent day out to the Monmouthshire show situated on the banks of the River Wye in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The show is held on the last Thursday in August each year and remains committed to the support of agriculture and the drawing together of town and country. The Monmouthshire Show has something for everyone.

Usk Show 13th SeptemberOn the second Saturday in September, every year since 1844, Usk Farmers’ Club have held the Usk Show to celebrate the very best of Monmouthshire farming and rural life. Now in its 170th year its popularity is second-to-none and it has become one of the biggest one-day agricultural shows in the whole of the UK.

Usk Farmers Club members bring their cattle, sheep and pigs to compete in the agriculture section. There is a thriving Horse show and Show Jumping competitions, as well as Goats, Poultry, Rabbits, Horticulture, Homecrafts, a Companion Dog Show, Steam Corner and Vintage Tractors.

Over 300 traders will be outdoors and in the Food Hall, Craft Marquee or Shopping Mall.

Social Events

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Dean LannenSupport OfficerI recently jointed MHA in June as a Support Officer working on the 55 plus team based in the south of Monmouthshire. I recently moved back to Wales after living in Lincolnshire, I really missed everything there is about Wales and took it all for granted. I missed the mountains, rivers and beaches because at heart I’m a beach bum ha-ha.

I enjoy anything that involves outdoor pursuits or activities and in particular canoeing, walking or just meeting up with family and friends for a good social and a good laugh.

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why?Firstly, I hate lifts and prefer to take the stairs, I think Richard Branson, I admire him and think he’s a very interesting person, plus I may get an invite to his own private Island in the British Virgin Islands. But, I had better say my wife otherwise she’ll kill me!!

Gavin HowellsDevelopmentI’m Gavin, 30, originally from West Wales but now living in Newport with my wife. Scarlets and Ipswich town fan, but will generally watch all sports. Enjoy dog walking, cycling, surfing and have recently attempted to learn how to home brew (which, no doubt will be an absolute disaster).

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why?As for who I’d like to be stuck in a lift with – I was going to say someone like George Orwell or Charles Bukowski, but going with the old adage “never meet your heroes” I think I’d prefer to be stuck with someone from the lift manufacturer who could get us out of there pretty quickly!

Why not say hello to all the new starters on

Claire BrianHousing Management TraineeI am a busy Mum of 2 very beautiful children who constantly keep me on my toes.

My youngest starts school in September and this gave me the boost to leave my old job as a receptionist for 5 years to venture into something different and to think about a change in career.

I am enjoying my time here at MHA and I find everyone here very friendly and approachable.

I’m a positive person and always try to bring out the best in myself and more so my children.

If I get a child free evening (not often) then that’s my time to spend with good friends nattering away over a nice bottle of plonk (or 3)

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why?I would like to be stuck in a lift with Jason Stratham because, because, because, there are so many reasons... I’ll let you guess!

Julia Rice Web Wise Support AdvisorMy name is Julia Rice and I have just taken up the role of Web Wise Support Advisor. I love working with people and information technology so this is the perfect job for me. If you know of any residents who would like help getting to grips with their computers, tablets, laptops, smart phones, kindles, computer software, social media, online employment related forms etc. Please let me know – I’m more than happy to help.

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why?If I had to be stuck in a lift with someone – and George Clooney wasn’t available - I would like it to be Microsoft’s Bill Gates. Only so I could talk him out of their new subscription based charges for using Microsoft Office 365.

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Jessie SibthorpeSupport OfficerHi I’m Jessie and I joined MHA on the 11th July 2014 as the Tenant Engagement (Tenant offer) Project Intern for the next three months. I have recently graduated from Cardiff Metropolitan University with a BSC (Hons) Supported Housing degree, and I am now excited to start my career within housing and express my passion for it.

In my spare time I enjoy going walking with my partner and my dog especially when the sun’s shining. I am a serious shopaholic and you can most probably catch me shopping every week and buying new clothes to fill my already overfull wardrobe!

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why?I would like to be stuck in a lift with Gino D’acampo as I love his accent ;) and I think he could give me some delicious recipes to supply my passion for cooking!

Ray Mercer Programme ManagerFor those unaware, I have been rescued from a life of housework and dog walking to join Capsel in its infancy. I have been asked to co-ordinate and manage a cyclical painting programme that will hopefully in the near future be carried out by directly employed personnel. Prior to starting here I spent some time with Charter Housing managing their programme of kitchen and bathroom refurbishments as part of their WHQS commitment and before that I had some 25yrs managing the cyclical painting programmes for Newport City Council. For anyone who may have a painting query please feel free to ask, you may not get the answer you were looking for but I will do my best to make you smile.

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why?Having previously been stuck in a lift in Cyprus I would be happy with anybody as long as they had the means to get me out quickly. Celebrity wise it would have to be Muhammad Ali. He truly was the greatest in the ring and he stuck by his principals regardless of what America did to him.

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Trevor Barry Plasterer

Natasha Jones Administrative Assistant (DLO)

Owen CharringtonElectrician

Christina Nevines Community Project Officer

James BannisterCarpenter

Barbara Morris-BrownPayroll Officer

We wish them the best for the future.

COMPLIMENTSCOMPLIMENTS

Mrs Lee would like to thank Dafydd Evans for... “Being wonderful when dealing with her, she is very pleased with the service as he made her feel at ease.”

Mr & Mrs McDonough would like to thank Pat Doughton for... “Being absolutely brilliant. They have phoned up several times with some maintenance issues and said that Pat got everything sorted for them.”

Mrs Holt would like to thank John Davies for... “His help with the mobility scooter store at her home. Thank you John!.”

Mr & Mrs Hodkinson would like to thank Kerris Winter for... “Getting the trees next door removed. They will now have six months winter sunshine and light. Their quality of life will be improved thanks to your effort. Thanks once again.”

Janie McCarthy would like to thank MHA for... “Giving the outside areas a face lift, such as new paving and better security. The outside communal areas are a joy to behold, we have planted flowers and trimmed the lawns. Even the men who cut the grass have remarked how lovely it is. Our oldest gardener is in his 80s. It has brought our community much closer together.”

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Health & Safety

Near Miss reporting – Report it, don’t ignore it!Near miss is something that could have happened. The justification for near miss reporting is that ‘if we do not report it, we do not learn from it’. Some models suggest that for every accident there are approximately ninety near-misses (HSE website). If there is a good reporting system in place, the hazard could be dealt with before someone is injured. It can be difficult to get staff to report near-misses or minor slip accidents, as they are often seen as funny or embarrassing occurrences (until someone is hurt). It is therefore important that we report such incidents.

Examples of near misses can be:Object falling from a roof/scaffolding. Ladder positioned unsafely, faulty equipment that doesn’t result in an injury, van defect, incorrect or non use of Personal Protective Equipment, tripping over trailing leads, uneven ground etc.

A Near Miss form is available on the intranet. This must be completed and submitted to Facilities or alternatively this can be posted in the near miss post-box facility located next to the H&S display board on the ground floor at Headquarters or in the box located at construction sites.

If you need any further information then please contact one of the Facilities team.

Here are a selection of “Pickles” that you have awarded to your colleagues recently:

Domini Barnes has ‘pickled’ Levi Mineur for… “Covering the DLO plaster works for the last couple of weeks and doing an excellent job in the process.”

Neil Binnell has ‘pickled’ Andrea James for staying on till 6:40pm to contact tenants at The Reddings due to an alarm fault. You’re a star!”

Elaine Sollis has ‘pickled’ Barbara Morris-Brown for…”Giving me the heads up to a situation and going the extra mile to help resolve it.”

Cheryl Tracy has ‘pickled’ Patricia Jones for... “making our Caldicot Stay and Create session a success! The kids loved making puppets.”

Aileen Wallen has ‘pickled’ Alan Webber for…”Resolving a very difficult ongoing issue and for the complainant phoning to say what good work had been done.”

Rob Carey has ‘pickled’ Jessie Sibthorpe for... “being a cheerful helper in the setting up and clearing up at the Tenants’ Forum meeting.”

Do you think your colleagues should be recognised for their additional work efforts? Going above and beyond customer expectation and showing a good service. Then award them a pickle via InHouse.

A prize will be awarded to the employee with the most pickles during the quarter.

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Dads Can held its launch event in Caldicot on Sat 14th June to coincide with the Father’s Day weekend. The launch took the form of a Family Fun Day but with extra prizes, challenges and activities for dads – or for dads and kids to do together. Over 200 people joined the fun with many taking the offer of free professional photos of dads with their kids. There were bouncy castles, a fastest kick challenge, bush skills and messy play as well as an inflatable football pitch, archery, giant board games and an old style coconut shy. Local clubs provided demonstrations of their activities and music filled the air.

Dads Can is a project for ALL dads, so if you know a dad who’s under 26 – or if you’re a dad or a granddad and would like to have a voice about anything to do with fatherhood – then please get in touch.

You can follow us on Facebook & Twitter, look at the website www.dads-can.co.uk or contact jane.grayer@monouthshirehousing.co.uk 01495 761 092

by Rachael Hopkins

Iceland

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by Rachael Hopkins

Iceland It is on each of our bucket lists to visit every capital city in Europe so for Owains Big 3-0 I surprised him with a week long break in March to Reykjavik,the capital city of Iceland. The first thing we noticed on arrival was the weather - it was Baltic! The second thing was the real life Viking we literally bumped into at the airport - amazing!

It has become a tradition that on the first day of our holidays we take a trip around the city on Segways which helps us get our bearings. We now consider ourselves Segway professionals!

On the second day of the trip we decided to go whale watching, the ocean surrounding Iceland being one of the best locations in the world to spot whales, sharks and dolphins. We thought it was a little extreme that they handed us travel sickness tablets before we boarded the boat but nevertheless donned the flattering Michelin men suits to protect us from the freezing temperatures at sea. The crew run out of sick bags as there appeared to be a Mexican wave of vomiting people on board. Needless to say we saw no whales or dolphins on the entire trip despite the feeding frenzy! Owain even considered jumping overboard into the freezing waters below just to escape.

During the trip we also visited the Blue Lagoon, a large natural geothermal spa set in the lava fields of Iceland. This was by far the highlight of our holiday as we had a hour long massage in the Blue Lagoon itself covered in soothing silica mud.

The landscape of Iceland is awe-inspiring, the Gulfoss waterfall being one of the most incredible natural landscapes we have ever seen, especially in the snow.

We were particularly keen to visit Iceland to witness the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis phenomenon. We kept a close eye on the Aurora forecast throughout the trip and on the evening with ‘moderate’ chance of a sighting we booked on the Extreme Iceland Super Jeep tour. The Jeep, which I had to use a ladder to get into, took us on a 5-hour tour until 2AM of the mountain regions and Northern Lights hotspots of Iceland in search of the elusive lights. Although we didn’t see them we did have a thrilling ride in the super Jeep, not to mention the free Icelandic vodka - mmm tasty!

The traditional national street food of Iceland is what is known as the pylsur, a hot dog covered in ketchup, sweet mustard ,fried onion raw onion and remoulade. Our record was 10 in one day - delicious!!

Our final night in Iceland was spent at La Perlan - a revolving restaurant situated on a hill overlooking downtown Reykjavik where we watched the sunset. An incredible end to our amazing week in Iceland!

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Call RecordingThe telephone call recording system in HQ went live on Monday July 28th 2014. The system will record all external calls whether incoming or outgoing from/to all extensions. Internal calls will not be recorded. The recordings will be invaluable where disputes/complaints occur as a record of verbal conversations.

Please also note: Staff who take card payments (for rent etc.) have special software on their PCs which stops recording when the card payment is actually in progress. This prevents callers’ card details from being recorded and allows us to remain compliant with the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) which is crucial.

You should be aware of certain situations for your own protection:

1. MHA’s policies allow limited personal use of the corporate phone system. Please note however that, as all external calls are recorded, any personal calls made from your desk extension will also be recorded.

2. If you answer an external call on your desk phone, recording will start as normal. However, if you transfer that call to an external number recording will stop as the call is now in progress outside of our phone system and so cannot be captured by the recorder. The exception is if you stay on the line after transferring, i.e. in a conference call. In this situation recording will continue for as long as there is an ‘internal’ phone user involved.

3. If you answer an external call, recording will begin for your extension. If you then transfer that call to another internal extension, recording will pause while the transfer is in progress. It will resume on the extension the call is transferred to once the transfer is complete and the person transferring the call has hung up.

4. If you have setup an auto-transfer to your mobile, or another external number, then calls to your extension will not be recorded. (Reminder - you should of course not have an automatic transfer in effect while you are in the building as even internal calls will be transferred outside and incur call costs.)

Regulator Visits MHA to View Workings of our BoardThe Senior Housing regulator, Darshan Matheroo, recently visited MHA and sat through our June Finance and Governance Sub group. The visit forms part of a series of visits he is doing throughout Wales to gauge the performance and ability of Boards and whether they have the right skill set for the job. It was an interactive visit where the Regulator didn’t just listen but also participated in the meeting and was asked for and offered opinions on matters. The meeting went well, and although the Regulator is usually tight lipped on his opinions outside of formal reports, he will express negative ones if he sees a problem, so we can only assume it was a successful visit and one that would give reassurance to the regulator on how MHA is run.

Minister Makes not One but Two Visits to MHA!The Minister for Housing and Regeneration, Carl Sargeant, has made two visits to MHA over the past few months. One of the visits was to turn the soil at Trevor Bowen Gardens in Monmouth and to meet key partners. The second visit was to receive a presentation from John and Steve on how MHA governs its own affairs. The Minister takes a keen interest in Governance issues as he clearly understands the link between poor governance and poor performance. The Minister also got to meet our Chair Andrew and this will give added reassurance that such a competent person is leading the organisation. The Minister expressed his pleasure at the content of the presentation and how robust we are in making sure MHA is a successful organisation. So, well done to all, it’s a real team effort.

john

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Spotlight on SMTYou know who they are...but do you know what they get up to every other Tuesday?On a fortnightly basis, our Senior Management Team (John, Steve, Ian and David) meet to discuss business-critical issues, including the approval of policy changes, requests for additional posts, and consideration of updates and feedback from service reviews and outcomes from projects. Some of the regular agenda items include the Management Accounts and any particular under or over-spends, there is a Development update on progress with new build projects, and an update on other key projects such as the PV installations. Also, on the agenda are standard items for Health & Safety and Equal Opportunities so that SMT can discuss and agree any procedural changes or training.

They are also joined by Karen Williams who provides an input on HR issues including Sickness levels, Recruitment and Leaver updates, and advises on potential impacts our policy decisions have on employment matters. Also, at each meeting, the Directors rotate invites to middle managers within their directorates, for their development and input on all aspects. Where other employees have been involved in particular projects or reports that are included on the agenda, they are invited to present their input and views. John may well give all attendees thorough questioning about their report, but ‘thoroughness’ and ‘involvement’ are the name of the game and the basis of decision-making at SMT.

The Gems suggestions scheme is a chance for staff to put through suggestions on how services can be improved for staff or tenants. The winning suggestion gets decided at the staff communications group every quarter. Unfortunately there were no winners decided at the last meeting, but here are some of the suggestions that were put forward.

If you have a suggestion and to be in with a chance of winning £50, please complete a GEMS form via inhouse or using the cards and GEMS post box allocated around building.

Change in terminology from an officer being ‘pod cover’ to a Duty Officer system, perhaps similar to other services. Much more professional terminology and something we can promote to tenants ie if your NO is unavailable then someone from that team would be able to deal with your query. May help the CSA team as the duty officer each day could let Tania know, would save CSA having to work through lots of rotas/patch changes. It would help internally as well. The duty officer role could be one of reactive problem solving as well triaging less urgent queries.Neighbourhood Team have been asked to comment.

To have a different ring tone for each section or something similar as when listening out for phones it can be disturbing.IT has emailed instructions to all employees.

To have brown sugar instead of/as well as white, it is much better for you.Brown sugar has been ordered.

Reduce size of Twitter & Facebook icons on email signatures. It looks like we are sponsored by social media. Can we just have the twitter bird & facebook ‘f’ as icons along one banner, they are internationally recognised symbols. The size of the signature is huge the way it is at the moment.Corporate agree. As everyone is being migrated onto MS2013, now is a good opportunity to have a uniformed approach in place.

We have recently had two instances where we have held conferences for external delegates. On both occasions the car park has become very full and it has been difficult to park. This does not put MHA in the best light for external delegates and can also be frustrating for members of staff trying to park. My suggestion is that if there is

a conference or event with a lot external people attending for the day then we let staff know before the event and we promote / encourage staff on that day to car share, use alternative ways of getting to work or for managers to assess workload and see if working from home for some of their staff is appropriate. Facilities have emailed to explain to staff the importance of informing of any big events, so car parking can be organised. We have asked about the possibility of using the overflow car park (to the side of the building) but Johnsey Estates have declined our request.

Pool table & dart board in staff forum to help with staff morale and to encourage staff to leave their desks at lunchtime. Also could be used out of work hours socially.There were concerns about lack of space and potential for disruption for those working above.

A wi fi hotspot is fitted at both ends of the building. IT consultants come in to work with the DSO, using their laptop, but the wifi connection keeps dropping because the wifi connection is not strong at this end of the building. The consultants cannot work in another part of the building as the need to work work with the DSO to fix system problems.Expansion of the wi-fi network is already in progress. A repeater has already been installed in the staff forum and has increased coverage in the Raglan, Caldicot and Chepstow Suites, and a new wireless access point has been purchased and is currently being configured/tested for the 1st floor. It is due to be installed shortly.

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Suggestion Action

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CHILDCARE VOUCHERS Vs TAX FREE CHILDCARE

From autumn 2015, Tax-Free Childcare will be available to working parents.However, your existing childcare voucher scheme will continue to run as normal, so you can decide which works best for you and your family.

CHILDCARE VOUCHERS TAX-FREE CHILDCARE

• Save up to £933 per parent (£1866 per family)

• Available to children aged 15 and under

• Both parents can claim if divorced/separated

• Employers administer scheme

• Only one parent needs to be working

• Save 20% of childcare costs

• Available to children aged 12 and under

• Only one parent can claim if divorced/separated

• Both parents need to be working

• Parents administer scheme

Many families could be better off with childcare vouchers. Plus, if you sign up now you’ll still have the choice to change to the new scheme when it’s introduced.

Are you better off with Tax-Free Childcare or Childcare Vouchers?

*Based on a basic rate tax payer

• If you spend £100 on childcare you could save 32% / £32*

• If you spend £100 on childcare you could save 20% / £20*

It’s not too late to sign up. Speak to your HR department or visit mysodexo.co.uk

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Severn Bridge Half MarathonSunday 24th August

www.severnbridgehalfmarathon.co.uk

This is the inaugural year of having the opportunity to do a half marathon with a difference. The ‘old’ Severn Bridge is an iconic landmark - it’s a unique and exhilarating place to run - open to the elements on all sides and with fantastic views - you will be running between sea and sky.

This is also a unique opportunity to run across the bridge on the closed M48 main carriageway - your first chance to do this since the bridge opened in 1966.

Monmouthshire Walking Festival 25th October

www.walkinginmonmouthshire.org

Monmouthshire is a stunningly beautiful county, in this centenary year of World War I join us to commemorate the great war and World War II and pay tribute to the people and places of Monmouthshire who played their part in these events.

Monmouthshire has over a 1,000 miles of footpaths crisscrossing the county and 7 long distance trails which take you through a landscape of stark contrasts: flat coastal wetlands of the Gwent Levels; picturesque mountains in the north, Brecon Beacons National Park; the Wye Valley an AONB and the peaceful rolling farmland of the Usk and Monnow valleys.

The county also boasts 3 Walkers are Welcome towns, Abergavenny, Chepstow and Monmouth and the village of Tintern. These towns are supported by businesses and local people who offer a warm welcome to walkers.

SportsEvents

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Beginners Run Club

As a lapsed runner, Adele Aubrey has decided to try and get going again.

Adele is following the Couch to 5k app and wondered if any members of staff would like to join her.

The aim is to build yourself up from not running at all to running 5k in 9 weeks through running three times a week. The group runs after work on a Monday but you will need to do the other runs for that week either on their own or in little groups of people who live locally to one and other.

Details can be found here www.nhs.uk/Livewell

August is our physical activity month and this would very much support it.

Please contact Adele Aubrey on extension 2130 if you are interested.

Cycle to Work DayA number of employees chose to leave their cars at home and cycle to work along Cycle Route 49 taking in the scenery around the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal.

The day was organised and funded through the Life and Soul group who arranged a number of activities for cyclists to enjoy including a healthy breakfast, bike repairs carried out by a local bike mechanic and a lunchtime session on bike maintenance including puncture repairs.

A competition was also devised to award the staff member who cycled the furthest distance to work, with Neil Binnell, Housing Support Manager picking up the prize by cycling from Newport to the MHA headquarters in Mamhilad.

The Cycle to Work day was arranged to encourage staff to leave their cars, get on their bikes and enjoy the fresh air to increase health and wellbeing amongst staff.

PilatesPilates is run in the Board Room, every Tuesday evening 5-6pm and costs £27 for 6 sessions. The classes will resume on Tuesday 2nd September 2014.

If you haven’t tried Pilates before and you would like to have a go without any commitment to paying for block sessions; Tania has some vouchers available for the month of September.

We welcome all new members to the class and the instructor can accommodate varying levels of experience.

Some of the benefits of Pilates are:• A Refreshing mind-body workout• Gain long, lean muscles and flexibility• Improve Sports performance and prevent injuries• Learn how to move efficiently• Its gentle but most definitely challenging!

If you are interested please contact Tania O’Neil.

MY TYPICAL DAY06:20: Wake up to a cup of tea made by my partner and read yesterday’s paper. I then get up, feed the gorgeous Chloe – our cat and have my breakfast, before a shower.

08:30: Arrive at work, wherever that may be. It could be MHA HQ, at a conference, a partnership meeting or, on this day, to a board meeting for the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru (CIH) in Cardiff.

8:45: Test that the video link is working to interact with Board Members in North Wales and crack on with the agenda. We’re discussing housing policy issues across Wales, the impact on members and developing members’ training and support.

10:30: Have a coffee break, check emails and catch up with my teams. Then back to the meeting agenda.

12:00: Drive back to MHA, where I catch up with the Housing and Community Managers and deal with any outstanding topics of the day.

13:00: Have some lunch and go for a walk with colleagues – very much shoe dependant onwhere we walk; either around the industrial estate or onto the canal and back through the field.

13:30: Chair the Monmouthshire business, employment, skills and training partnership which is a group made up of organisations working in Monmouthshire, like the Job Centres, Coleg Gwent, Centre for Business and other housing associations. In the partnership we discuss training and employment opportunities, the business needs and bids for employment support work to develop our Work and Skills Wise Project.

16:30: Catch up on emails, paperwork and put reports together for SMT.

17:30: Head home and call in the supermarket for ingredients for supper.

18:00: Arrive home and demand a cup of tea, feed and cuddle Chloe and maybe talk to my partner

19:00: Cook supper and open wine

19:30: Watch Game of Thrones marathon from the TV planner.

22:00: Bed with the Kindle and do the Quick Crossword in the Guardian

HELLO! I’m Kath Deakin, MHA’s

Community Services Manager

SAY HELLO TO Kath... via

IN THREE-WORDS Inquisitive, Talkative, Funny

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1,032 TweetsFollowing 2941,464 Followers

On Twitter? Why not follow us @mon_housing

StreetFootballWales@sfootballwalesJul 11@Mon_Housing thank you this is awesome! Much appreciated :)

Thanks for your hard work making Let’s Explore a big success. Happy birds, bats and families @Mon_Housing @Keep_Wales_Tidy

Tweet (@Kimama76)

Bit sawdusty after making bird box kits for next week ‘Lets Explore’ session with @Mon_Housing @Kimama76 @Keep_Wales_Tidy

Tweet (@KWT_Monmthshire)

Money Saviour C.I.C.@MoneySaviourAug 4Fully booked. Specialist, independent debt advice in Caldicot, Newport, Abergavenny & Chepstow @NewportCityH @Mon_Housing @CharterHousing

Tweet (@MoneySaviour)

Our #FamilyFest events kicked off today. Don’t miss out on the activities planned in #Abergavenny & #Caldicot.

Tweet (@mon_housing)

MHA staff supporting @sfootballwales to the World Cup.

Tweet (@sfootballwales)

Looking for a new home in Monmouthshire? The #MonmouthshireHomesearch bidding cycle is now open until 28 July.

So proud of our Crafty Women today, feeling honoured to support such talented and inspirational women

Previous Competition WinnersFrom February 2014 EBuzz competition – Who Am I?

The winner was Barbara Morris-Brown for guessing the correct answer, who won a bottle of whiskey.

From June 2014 EBuzz competition – Who Am I?

The winner was Maria Williams for guessing Dewi Parry, Daffydd Evans and Lorna Wheater. Maria won vouchers for Cripple Creek Resturant.

The Lion King at the Wales Millenium Centre, CardiffPhilippa Worgan is organising a theatre trip to see The Lion King in Cardiff. The show is on Thursday November 27th at 7.00pm, with the tickets being £30.50 each.

If you are interested please contact Philippa on ext 2140

PRESS RELEASES

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CuIsine Corner

Welcome to Cuisine Corner! We all love food and it’s always good to get some inspiration from others about what to cook and where to go. Each edition, we want some tantalisingly tasty, tried and tested recipes and reviews to feature in Cuisine Corner.

Restaurant ReviewBenitos, RiscaBy Siân Hughes

As a family we like trying local small restaurants and as my parents live near Risca they regularly visit Benitos. Benito is always in the restaurant and always gives warm Italian welcome, with lots of hugs and kisses. Benito has been in the restaurant business for many, many years and has developed an extensive menu, many of the dishes are using ‘Mamas Recipe’.

The restaurant itself is a warm, inviting place, with all the staff (some of which are Benitos family members) as friendly as Benito. The restaurant has an ambience which takes you to Southern Italy.

After the very warm welcome Bentio shows you to your table and takes the drinks order- with many drinks on offer from soft drinks, through to fantastic Italian wines and beers…the choice is difficult.

The menu has many, many Italian dishes such as pastas with sauces, meat with Italian based ingredients, pizzas and a few British dishes – my favourite is the Polpette Napoletane, which is meatballs with pasta, as I’m gluten intolerant Benito will make this dish gluten free.

I very rarely have a starter as I know the main course is plentiful, but my husband always has 3 courses and finds it difficult to choose a starter as they are all his favourites. There is always a supply of breads, some GF and olives on the table and a limoncello after the meal. The puddings look delicious, and I think my dad has tired them all!.

If you can’t finish the meal, Benito will pack up the leftovers (and a bit more) so you can have them the next day and always gives the driver free drinks!

Frequently he hosts taster evenings, Mediterranean nights, wine tasting evening and Italian nights – these are great nights with excellent food, company, value for money and sometimes entertainment but book early!

www.benitosrestaurant.weebly.com

RECIPEThe Holy GranolaBy Domini Barnes125g/4½oz pecan nuts (broken in to pieces)

125g/4½oz flaked almonds

250g/9oz rolled oats

25g/1oz pumpkin seeds

25g/1oz sunflower seeds

1tbsp soft brown sugar

120ml/4¼floz groundnut oil

120ml/4¼floz maple syrup

1½tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 200c (180c fan oven). Combine the nuts, seeds, cinnamon and oats in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the maple syrup and groundnut oil.

Pour the oil and syrup mixture over the nuts, seeds and oats and mix thoroughly so that everything is evenly coated.

Line a large baking tray with tin foil and spread out the granola mixture so that it is in a flat thin layer. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, shaking the tray every few minutes to ensure that the mixture doesn’t stick (you may need to stir it a bit with a wooden spoon.)

NEW

If you would like to share your ideas with us, then please get in touch with the Corporate Services Team.

MHA0134

Don’t forget to tell our tenants that they can

use this page to keep up-to-date with all the

latest events and activities we have going on

within their communities.

www.facebook.com/Monmouthshire.Housing

www.facebook.com/MHACommunityBuzz

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