Waving the banner in Bournemouth Celebrating Housing Awards Community Play Days

SUMMER 2019

Photography Competition: Nature in your Neighbourhood Win one of four £20 Love2Shop vouchers

N E W S L E T T E R F O R S A N C T U A R Y H O U S I N G R E S I D E N T S

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Welcome to your latest edition of Voice magazine.

I would like to update you on some projects we are working on which will greatly benefit our residents in our high-rise properties. As mentioned on the next page, a new ‘Community of Interest’ is being set up to review building safety and piloting an approach to

resident engagement, in particular focusing on our high-rises. The pilot will finish by the end of this year and we will keep you up to date in future editions of this magazine.

Those of you who live in our highest buildings will also know that we are planning to install a sprinkler system within your blocks to improve fire safety in those buildings over the next 12 months. Resident safety is our number one priority and I’ m sure you’ll agree this is a really positive step for you, your families and your neighbours.

Another thing to point out in this edition is that we have a new communal repairs tool on our website where you can check the status of an outstanding repair by entering your full postcode. I hope all our residents who live in buildings with communal spaces will find this tool helpful. You can read more about it on page six.

It’s a great time of year to get out and about and get involved with Sanctuary. You can read about our new ‘What’s your Game?’ project in partnership with Sport England, which aims to help families to build networks and provide activities to get involved with. We have also introduced a photography competition on the back cover and are looking forward to seeing all the nature photos you send in from your neighbourhood.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition.

Best Wishes

Daren NowlanOperations Director - Housing

SPRING 2019

Together with tenants

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SUMMER 2019

Front cover: Craig Moule, Group Chief Executive with resident and Chair of Rochford Committee Trish O'Shea on a recent visit to Rochford, Essex.

Working with National Resident Scrutiny Panel (NRSP), we responded to National Housing Federation consultation on the Together with Tenants plan.

As an early adopter of Together with Tenants, we strongly support the commitments to help ensure tenants and residents are listened to and have greater opportunities to influence decisions made about their homes and the services they receive.

NRSP will be discussing an action plan at their next meeting in August as to how we are addressing the Together with Tenants Charter and we will include updates on our progress in future editions of Voice.

Building a Safer Future

Fire Safety Resident Engagement Strategy Project

Two years have passed since the fire at Grenfell Tower which resulted in 72 people losing their lives and the government has now published their plan to implement the proposals for future building regulations and fire safety. It proposes fundamental reform of building safety requirements so that residents are safe, and feel safe, in their homes.

The government is proposing that the new building safety regime will include all buildings that are lived in by multiple households and six storeys or more. Over time, more buildings may be included. The plan is to introducenamed people or organisations who will have clear responsibilities throughout a building’s

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As mentioned in the spring issue of Voice, Sanctuary is already working with residents to design how resident engagement around fire safety could work.National Residents’ Scrutiny Panel (NRSP). Led by resident Peter Hedges (pictured left).

We will be exploring what information works best for residents so we can provide it in a useful format.

The pilot will be completed by the end of 2019 and will focus on different types of buildings and involve a diverse range of residents. We’ll be starting the conversation with residents on these estates shortly, listening to how they want to be communicated with about aspects of fire safety that affect their home, and addressing the recommendations.

What we learn from the pilot will put us in a strong position to roll-out the approach nationwide during 2020. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact scrutiny@sanctuary-housing.co.uk

Communal Repairs Our website now has a communal repairs page where you can check the status of an outstanding repair by entering your full postcode: www.sanctuary-housing.co.uk/communal-repair-updates

If your search returns no results, you can contact us in the usual way to check on progress or to report a non-urgent repair by using the online contact form.

If a repair is urgently required, for example, a gas leak, electrical fault or a security issue such as an external door that cannot be closed, please call the Customer Service Centre on 0800 131 3348 or 0300 123 3511 (open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including public holidays).

design, construction and occupation and be legally responsible for ensuring the building is designed and built to be safe. When people are living in a building, there will be an “accountable person” who will be responsible for managing and minimising fire risk.

An important part of the proposals is ensuring that residents have a stronger voice, better access to information about their building and more say over the decisions made about safety. Residents will be able to take their urgent concerns to a new building safety regulator and there will be tougher enforcement when things go wrong.

Staff and residents are celebrating wins for six housing for older people schemes.

The schemes, in various parts of the country, were regional winners at the Elderly Accommodation Council (EAC) National Housing for Older People Awards.

The EAC Awards programme celebrates the best specialist housing for older people and is voted for by members of the public, staff and residents.

Sanctuary’s winners were as follows:

South WestHoegate Court, Plymouth – Gold award (under 25 units)

Compton Leigh, Plymouth – Bronze award (25-30 units)

Mill Court, Barnstaple – Bronze award (31-36 units)

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West MidlandsCorbet Court, Market Drayton – Gold award (25-30 units)

East of EnglandWedgwood Court, Rochford – Silver award (37-43 units)

Yorkshire and the HumberIveson Lodge, Hull – Silver award (under 25 units)

Daren Nowlan, Operations Director, said: “Providing good quality social housing is at the heart of what we do, and we’re thrilled that our housing for older people schemes across the country have been successful in the EAC Awards.

“It shows that residents, visitors and staff are really happy with the housing we provide and it’s great to have our schemes recognised as some of the very best.”

Celebrating six Housing award wins

Five-year lift replacement programme

Following resident feedback, Sanctuary’s Group Board has approved substantial funding for a new planned lift replacement programme over the next five years.

The programme will see more than £8 million additional ring-fenced funding to replace 248 lifts in social housing across England, with a further 57 across our supported living schemes, student accommodation and care homes. The schedule for the work is still in the planning stages, but we hope to provide an update on timings and areas in the next issue of Voice.

L-R: Housing Officer Harjeet Garcha, Scheme Manager Lynn Fenlon, resident Hilary Smiles, Scheme Manager Ali Thompson, resident Rachel Ramouche and Daren Nowlan, Operations Director - Housing

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Get sporty in your communityLove Sport was a five year partnership between Sanctuary and Sport England, which aimed to encourage people to be more active and grow a passion for sport and fitness. Love Sport activities were open to anyone aged over 14 and took place in some of Sanctuary’s larger neighbourhoods including Banbury, Chester, Hackney, Rochford, Sheffield and Torbay. More than 3,300 took part in 2,831 activity sessions at 135 individual projects over five years, throughout England.

If you live in Sheffield, Hull, East Cambridgeshire or Torbay and would like to find out more about the project, email community@sanctuary-housing.co.uk to be put in touch with your local facilitator.

We are pleased to be working in partnership with Sport England for the next four years on a brand-new project called ‘What’s Your Game?’ The project aims to support families with children aged five to ten to improve and increase levels of physical fitness in four areas – Sheffield, Hull, East Cambridgeshire and Torbay.

More than ‘just’ another sport project, What’s Your Game? is all about building networks and working together to shape your community. At the heart of the project will be the facilitator; chosen in partnership with a local employer because they have a passion for reaching out, connecting and building relationships. You may

see them at pop up events or out and about asking for your views and opinions.

You might have some skills that you want to share but don’t know where to go. Some activities might come out of the conversations. You might be interested in organising something yourself for your children. There isn’t a timetable of activities because it’s about the community co-designing and delivering the activities.

Wedgewood Court in Rochford recently hosted a Dementia Awareness Day. The event saw residents, staff, family members and partner agencies take part in dementia-friendly activities run by the Dementia Action Alliance. The sessions involved learning about the condition, increasing awareness and how to get help. There were two sessions including one in the evening when the local Girls Brigade joined in planting Forget-Me-Not seeds and painting rocks with messages for the residents.

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Supporting Dementia Awareness in Rochford

Your stories

Children in Hackney have been learning about air pollution and what can be done to help protect the environment.

With funding from Sanctuary Housing, environmental education charity EcoACTIVE delivered a series of workshops and interactive sessions for pupils at Kingsmead Primary School.

The children learned how to use air pollution monitors and carried out a survey of local pollution levels, as well as making their own waterwheels and learning about sustainable energy sources. They were also encouraged to think about how they could lead more sustainable lifestyles, with their ideas including using fewer electronic devices, wasting less paper and riding their bikes more often.

Sanctuary will be funding EcoACTIVE to carry out a further project at the school and there are also plans to hold further workshops for young people in Hackney, focusing on climate change.

Hackney pupils tackle air pollution

Waving the banner for St George John Pound House in Bournemouth was a sea of red, white and blue when they held their St George’s Day event.

The residents worked hard to decorate their communal lounge for a special buffet lunch, decorated the room with bunting and enjoyed singing old songs with an entertainer.

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SHARE YOUR STORYIf you have a story you’d like to share in the next edition of Voice, please email voice@sanctuary-housing.co.uk or call 0800 131 3348 / 0300 123 3511 by Friday 13 September 2019.

Stafford residents Kate Saarinen and Alex Marks are proud to have a place to call home. Just five years ago, following a series of health and financial problems, the couple were homeless and living in a small old caravan. Their daily lives saw them living hand to mouth and showering in motorway service stations just to get by.

However, a chance job opportunity for Alex led them to Stafford where Sanctuary was able to offer them a flat in Milton Grove through their local council.

Kate has recently self-published a short memoir about their experiences, ‘Oh My Life’, which is available to buy on Amazon and

Kate’s tale of bouncing back from the brink

Playing the day awayPlay was the order of the day when the Playbox came to Concord Park in Shiregreen, Sheffield.

Described as a ‘big roving box of tricks’, Playbox provided a host of exciting activities to entertain families over five days from circus tricks and den

building to outdoor games and arts and crafts.

Residents in Bretch Hill, Banbury also headed outdoors recently to enjoy a fun-packed Play Day together making lunch, face painting and trying out the smoothie and Tricky Trail bikes

(left).

Both events were part-funded by Sanctuary Housing in partnership with a range of local

organisations and charities.

includes her own humorous sketches and even some easy recipes from their caravan menu.

She said: “I think the book gives hope to those going through a rough time. It’s also funny with some of the situations we got into. It’s had a really good reaction from everyone”.

Part of the proceeds of each book sale will go to Stafford’s House of Bread charity, which provides services for vulnerable and homeless people including a free café, food bank and access to professional advice and support.

Photography Competition Nature in your neighbourhood

Spring Voice competition winnerThe winner of the prize draw in the spring issue of Voice is Denise Swift from SW London. Her name was drawn at random from all the postal and online entries to receive £20 in Love2Shop vouchers. Congratulations Denise!

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Sanctuary Housing Email us: contactus@sanctuary-housing.co.uk Call us: 0800 131 3348 (landline) or 0300 123 3511 (mobile)Write to us: Marybone House, 2 Marybone, Liverpool, L3 2BY

This newsletter can be translated into other languages, large print and Braille or recorded on to an audio CD. Please contact your local office for details.

Sanctuary Housing@HelloSanctuary

Are you a keen amateur photographer? We’re looking for your best photos of where you live. You could win one of four £20 Love2Shop vouchers and the chance to see your photo featured in the next issue of Voice and on the Sanctuary Housing Facebook page.

The competition theme is ‘nature in your neighbourhood’ which could mean capturing anything from a butterfly on your window box to wildlife in your street, a view of your estate, local park or somewhere nearby. Your photo can feature buildings, animals, plants or landscapes in some form. It can also include people or figures, but you shouldn’t be able to see faces as we would require the person’s written consent to use these.

There are four categories, open to Sanctuary Housing residents and anyone in their household:Rural - Children (under 16) Urban – Children (under 16)Rural – Adult (16+)Urban – Adult (16+)

How to enterYou can enter the photography competition in one of three ways. When submitting your photo, please make sure you include details of which category you’re entering, where your photo was taken, your full name and location.

Like the Sanctuary Housing page on Facebook and send your photo by private message.

Email your photo as a high resolution jpeg ( jpg) file (no less than 1MB) to voice@sanctuary-housing.co.uk

Print a copy of your photo and post it to the following address, including details of which category you’re entering, where your photo was taken, your full name and contact details: Voice Photography Competition, Housing Communications Team, Sanctuary House, Chamber Court, Castle Street, Worcester WR1 3ZQ.

Direct Debit prize draw winnerThe summer 2019 Direct Debit draw winners are Mr & Mrs Hoggard from Hull who have received £100 in Love2Shop vouchers by paying their rent by Direct Debit.

WINone of four £20 Love2shop vouchers

Children entering the competition online must send their entry via their parent/guardian’s Facebook or email account with the adult providing permission and contact details on their behalf. Postal entries should include a parent/guardian’s signature and contact details attached to the back of the printed photo. Unfortunately, we are unable to return postal entries.

The closing date for entries is Friday 13 September 2019.We’ll award a £20 Love2Shop voucher to our favourite photo received in each category and publish the winners’ images and a selection of our favourites online and in the winter issue of Voice. Good luck!

Competition Terms & ConditionsThe ‘Nature in your neighbourhood’ photography competition is open to current Sanctuary Housing residents or anyone in their household including children/wards under 16. Only one entry per household is permitted. All images must be suitable for viewing by all ages and taken by the person entering the competition. Winners in each category will be selected by the Housing Communications team from all entries received by email, online or post following the closing date. The team’s decision is final. By entering, you give permission for your image to be published online and in the winter issue of Voice together with your name and location. You will retain full copyright of your photo, but by entering, you give Sanctuary Housing your permission to use your photo, credited to your name, for a period of up to two years.