SUMMER 2011 THE SOUTH ESSEX HOMES NEWSLETTER

Insight hears from Mark Foster, one of Britain’s most successful professional swimmers, about the2012 Olympics, encouraging youngsters to get swimming and what he likes most about his home town Southend.(See page 3)

PAGE 2 | South Essex Homes equalsDecent Homes

PAGES 6 | Fancy winning vouchers by becoming a mystery shopper?

PAGE 12 | A day in the life of a sheltered housing officer

PAGE 15 | Kid’s Corner

> I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

It’s not long until the exciting annual CommunityTie-in family fun day event and we want to seeYOU there! Read more on page 5.

Summer has finally arrived and with it the breath of fresh air that isInsight Magazine, bringing you the latest news, information and entertainment from South Essex Homes!

Chats with the Chair

We havehad some fantastic feed-back to thefirst new-lookInsight whichwent out inthe spring andwe hope you

like this issue even more. The magazineis produced with the entire community in mind, with content tailored to different ages and interests.Community involvement is one of ourtop priorities and this summer is noexception with fun events such as themuch-anticipated ‘Community Tie-in’on 3 August.

Summer is a great excuse to get outdoors and apart from the ‘Tie-in’

event which is being held inSouthchurch Park for the very first time,there’s always lots to do during thesummer holidays – we’ll be keepingour events page on the website as up-to-date as possible, so if you know ofan event that’s going on let us know.

There are a few congratulations Iwould like to make, firstly to GreatMead for celebrating its Silver Jubilee(read more on page 5), which comessoon after it won a national housingaward naming it ‘Best RetirementHome in the UK’. I would also like towelcome our newly appointed boardmember Councillor Mary Betson andto say well done to Catherine Haycock,who keeps her seat as tenant boardmember for the next three years.

Because this magazine is produced

for our residents, we can only continue to improve it with your valuable feedback. Please do get intouch if you would like to comment onInsight, positive or constructive – whoknows, your suggestion might lead todirect changes or even a mention inInsight! Finally, let me wish all of you asafe and happy summer, which I hopewill be a bright and sunny one (foronce)!

Best regards

Phil LyonsChair of South Essex Homes

As South Essex Homes is committedto ensuring that our residents enjoy ahigh quality of life, we are delighted toannounce the completion of the lateststage of our Decent HomesProgramme, on time and on budget.The ambitious home improvementsworks across Southend saw £14 million spent on them up to March2011.

The national Decent HomesProgramme started in 2002, followingyears of under-investment causingmany council homes across Englandto fall into severe disrepair. Money was put into social housing refurbishments, with the aim ofbringing all properties in England up

to a minimum standard of ‘decency’. When we began our Programme, in

2007/08, only 39 per cent of Southendhomes reached that standard.

However, by March 2011, this hadrisen to 75 per cent - representing anextra 2,232 properties made decentand bringing significant improve-ments to tenants’ lives.

This financial year, South EssexHomes has provided residents with369 new bathrooms, 1,049 kitchensand 692 heating systems. In addition,132 properties were rewired, 4,787windows replaced and 185 new roofsfitted. These changes have been high-ly popular with residents, with satisfaction levels currently at 98.3 per cent.

Work is scheduled on a ‘worst first’basis, to bring properties up to thestandard. Subject to continuedGovernment funding, the programmewill continue over the next few yearsuntil all the council’s properties inSouthend reach the standard.

South Essex Homes equals Decent Homes

Get in touchTo send in your story ideas for future issues of Insight

Magazine, or to provide feedback on something you've read,contact the Editor via the following methods:

Insight Magazine, 49 Alexandra Street,Southend on Sea, SS1 1BW

Phone: 01702 214 254Email: insightmagazine@acceleris-mc.com

2 | CHATS WITH THE CHAIR

MORE COMMUNITY NEWS ON PAGES 4 ,5 AND 6...

Your Community, Your News

Southend StarsMark Foster, who was born and went to school in Southend, is one of Britain’s most successful sportsmen, having competed and won medals in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and WorldChampionships. As well as proving his worth in the pool, Mark has modelled for brands such asBraun and La Redoute and has also appeared in BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

When Insight caught up with Mark, who is an ambassador for the London 2012 Olympic Games, he was busy taking part in the search for Olympic Torchbearers.

How is it all going, Mark?It’s going really well – the search isfocused on our ‘unsung heroes’, individuals who make such adifference but otherwise may not berecognised. If I could personally nominate anyone, I would nominateMrs Anne Hardcastle, the lady whofirst taught me to swim and gave meso much encouragement!

Excitement truly is bubbling inthe run-up to the 2012 Games –what are you personally mostexcited about?Getting the whole country behindtheir athletes and motivating peopleto make sport part of their own lives.I know the Games are in London butit is a truly national event and Iwould like to see all schools seizingthe opportunity to run their own‘Olympic’-style events. The OlympicTorch Relay, which uses Torchbearersto bring the Torch within an hour of95 per cent of the country, isdesigned to raise awareness of theGames across the country, unitecommunities in their love of sportand inspire people of all ages, especially kids, to take part in a sportand reap the many health andlifestyle benefits.

Is promoting the health benefitsof sport very important to you?I am a big believer in preventionbeing better than cure, and sport,including swimming, plays such a bigpart in preventing obesity, heart disease and other serious healthproblems. Plus, exercise helps youfeel better in general.

Among your many projects andinterests you are an ambassadorfor Pools 4 Schools, a programmeencouraging young children toget in the pool. You also recentlyhelped open a shop in Londontaking on the long-term unem-ployed as apprentices. You seem

very passionate about maximising opportunities foryoung and disadvantaged people– is that right?Yes. I was unemployed for a whileand did any job I could to get by -that experience showed me howimportant it is that everyone, nomatter their background, shouldhave the chance to succeed. That’swhy I work with a number of charities who provide educational,training and sporting opportunitiesfor underprivileged people. I am verylucky to have achieved what I have,so try where I can to help othersalong the same route.

Are there any other charities yousupport?There are two others very close tomy heart. After a close friend of minedied due to an extreme nut allergy, I became patron of the AnaphylaxisCampaign, a fantastic charity whichhelps people with severe, often life-threatening, allergies. I must also mention the Dogs Trust – I have two dogs who I love butunfortunately there are many who are not so lucky and theDogs Trust is there to ensure they are cared for.

I understand you livein North London now but do you getchance to comeback to Southend?I come back regularly becausemy mum, nephews and other familymembers are still here – it’s still very much part of my life!

What do youlike best about Southend?Being by the sea.

People just seem to want to do more– whether it’s swimming, biking, etc.You can breathe and think better. Ofcourse being a water baby by natureI am biased but I just think beingbeside the water is just so muchmore liberating than when you’re landlocked. There are too manythings I like about Southend to listthem all, but I must mention theamazing cinnamon sugar donuts you can buy on the seafront –the best you’ve ever tasted!

SOUTHEND STARS | 3

Five-time Olympic Swimmer Mark Foster holds theLondon 2012 Olympic Torch during a photo call tolaunch the Lloyds TSB London 2012 OlympicTorchbearer Nomination campaign on June 9, 2011in London, England. The 70-day Olympic Torch Relaywill take the Olympic Flame on an 8,000-mile journey across the UK before arriving at the OlympicStadium on July 27, 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony. Nominatesomeone who's made a difference in your community at www.lloydstsb.com/carrytheflame(Photo by Jan Kruger / Getty Images for Lloyds TSB)

A survivor of the 7/7 London bombings was the keynote speaker at South Essex Homes’ first everDisability Conference in April, which aimed to raise awareness of the issues and challenges faced by tenants who have a disability - including hate crime.

Over 200 people attended the event at Saxon Hall,Southend, where they heard Daniel Biddle discuss lifebefore and after the bombing in 2007, when he sufferedserious injuries. These left Mr Biddle permanently disabled. However he has since become chairman of ateam that advises Southend Hospital on disability issues.Tenants also learned of the range of support available tothem. A number of organisations provided information,including Citizens Advice, Southend Borough Counciland South Essex Homes’ SMAART team.

Among other speakers was Clarence Adoo, a former

trumpeter whose career was tragically cut short afterbeing left paralysed from the neck down in a road accident. Despite his injuries, Mr Adoo has remainedpositive and very active in the community.

The conference followed hard on the heels of newsthat South Essex Homes had become the first ALMO inthe country to be assessed as operating at an ‘excellent’standard for its equality practices, which include promoting equality and opportunities for disabledpeople.

We are delighted to congratulatethe winner of this fantastic prize,Sarah Jones, who was nominated byher daughter Kimberley. “I feel myMum deserves the chance to havethis makeover for many reasons,”Kimberley said in a letter to InsightMagazine in March. “Despite greatchallenges, she has managed to lookafter the four of us really well. That’s

why she deserves to have just oneday where she can feel happy andpositive in herself and forget aboutall the bad times!”

Sarah had a great day receiving anew hairstyle created by Garrii andhis team. She said: “This has been anice pampering experience. Thankyou to my daughter, South EssexHomes and Garrii Bailey.”

Treat for Mum!In the spring issue of Insight, we announced a competition inpartnership with Garrii Bailey Hairdressing to find a devotedlocal mum and give her a pampering session!

Conference examines issues fordisabled residents

Great Mead, located on FrobisherWay, Shoeburyness, opened in 1986,has 46 flats and was recently named‘Best Care Home’ at a national awardceremony.

More than fifty people attended theprom night and residents enjoyed acake made especially for the occasion.Residents Mr Clifford Curzon and MrsLinda Bender were voted as ‘promking and queen’.

Great Mead offers older residents ahigh quality of life in secure surround-ings while having access to a widerange of services allowing them tomaintain their independence.

Residents enjoy a variety of facilitiesand activities organised throughSouth Essex Homes’ resident participation scheme run by sheltered housing officers.

Great Mead sheltered housing officer, Angela Wisken commented: “ The prom was a great success andeveryone had a lot of fun. We run various events and activities for ourresidents as it is important for them to remain active and by interactingwith each other they are able tomaintain a sense of independencewhilst enjoying being part of a close-knit and friendly community.”

Absolutely Great MeadAward-winning sheltered housing complex Great Mead hasrecently celebrated 25 years since its opening with a promnight organised for residents and their families.

4 | YOUR COMMUNIT Y, YOUR NE WS

Sarah Jones – after her hair makeover

Fun days outThe Peartree, Cluny and St Luke’sevents committee held their thirdEaster fun day at Cluny Square Parkin April.

The Easter egg hunt went extremelywell with 250 eggs donated by shopsand three ward councillors. The Easterbonnet parade was also a great success.

It was nice to see everyone having agood time and using the park throughout and after the event.

Trevett House residents will be ableto enjoy summer in style this yearthanks to landscaping work carriedout in May to improve communal garden facilities and accessibility forolder and disabled residents. This isthanks to 34 residents nominating theproject for £6,000 of additional funding through South Essex Homes’Resident Led Project scheme. New features of the garden include raisedflower beds for residents to plant andmaintain, a shed for tools, garden furniture and a lawn.

Trevett House resident, Pam Dobson,said: “Being able to go outside and

enjoy the new space has reallychanged the atmosphere and community spirit of our shelteredscheme. Now we can all sit together inthe evenings and weekends and enjoytaking turns to hone our horticulturalskills. We are so pleased with our newgarden and can’t wait to enjoy thesunny weather this summer.”

Improvements have also been carried out on other gardens adjoiningSouth Essex Homes properties thanksto successful bids for Resident LedProject funding. These include:

Saxon GardensVolunteers worked alongside the resident involvement teamto revamp the garden, includingshrub borders andthe grass, paint garden equipmentand tend to planters.

Norman HarrisshelteredschemeResidents wanted morepatio areas,attractive gardenfurniture and anawning toescape from thesun on very hotdays. This project was carried out atthe same time as DisabilityDiscrimination Act (DDA) works tominimise disruption to residents.

Cluny HouseIn partnership with Essex Probation,this project involved landscaping theback garden which was once used forclothes drying, transforming it into agrassed area with picnic benches andflower beds, providing a family-friendlyenvironment. A photo of the new garden can be seen on page 15 forour kids’ Spot the difference puzzle!

YOUR COMMUNIT Y, YOUR NE WS | 5

Transforming estatesResidents and South Essex Homes staff have been very busy transformingSouthend’s green spaces over the last few months.

Bouncy Castles & Fun Inßatables • Cheerleading Display • Live Band - The Sea Siders Dog Competition - various categories • Gang Show • See a RAF tornado up close

Catch a parachuting Teddy from the sky • See the RAF ’BattleÞeld Canines’ displayMeet some Disney characters • Face Painting & Caricatures

Essex Air Ambulance (weather depending)

Southchurch Park Wednesday 3rd August 2011, 11am to 3pm

Lots of fun activities and information for the whole family

6 | YOUR COMMUNIT Y, YOUR NE WS

Fancy getting high street shopping vouchers simply for inspecting and providingfeedback on the standard of service provided by South Essex Homes?

South Essex Homes needs YOU

If so, you may want to become one of our new mysteryshoppers and attend our next mystery shopper training session on Monday 7th November at 2pm at CheviotHouse. Following your initial training, we will invite you to a further meeting where we explain the area of servicewithin South Essex Homes that requires mystery shopping.

You will then be asked to make contact with that department by telephone, visiting Central Office and vialetter and e-mail, and monitor the response you receive. As a mystery shopper you are checking that we offer services to the standard that has been agreed and

suggesting how, in your opinion, the service can beimproved.

South Essex Homes will then use this information tomake improvements where necessary and also highlightgood practice. During each mystery shopping session the shopper can undertake up to a maximum of five mysteryshops. Plus, for each task successfully completed, you willreceive a £5 high street voucher!

If this is something you are interested in, please contact a member of the Resident Involvement Team on 0800 833 160 to book your training in November.

Whether you’re a water baby or a water phobe, we hope we can tempt you to register your interest in sessions being offered by South Essex Homes at the new swimming pool at Southend Tennis and Leisure Centre.

Have fun, get fit!

The following are currently available

FOR ADULTS:Swimming – perfect for those who want to learn to swim, improve their technique, or simply socialise and keep fit at the same time!

FOR CHILDREN AGED EIGHT TO 16:• Tennis lessons • Water walking (like ‘zorbing’, participants take to the

surface of the water in a giant inflatable ball!)• Inflatable fun.

If you are interested in signing up to any of these sessions, please contact Sam Elliott in theResident Involvement Team by phone:0800 833 160.

South Essex Homes would like toremind all residents that they shouldhave permission from the TenancyServices Team to have a pet in theirproperty.This is a requirement of the Conditions

of Tenancy and permission can berefused which would mean that residents could be in breach of their conditions of tenancy (item 14 in yourTenancy Conditions booklet). Actioncould be taken against you if you do not have the required permission.As South Essex Homes is keen to promote responsible pet owners, a Pet

Policy has been drafted and we are seeking resident feedback on its content. If you would like to be involvedin reviewing this document, please contact us on 0800 833 160.

In addition, we will be holding someevents in and around the borough about responsibility for pets. We will beproviding a free micro-chipping serviceand distributing certificates for residentsto neuter their pets at a reduced cost. We will also be providing advice andinformation on pet behaviour and generally being a responsible pet owner.

Where the symbol is green, this means that we havemet, or are better than our target. Yellow means that wehave not quite met our target.

We are pleased to see that many of these indicators areperforming very well, and are particularly pleased with the

turnaround time for empty properties. In May 2010 it was taking more than 30 days, so this is a very bigimprovement in performance.

Look out for more performance information in the next edition of Insight!

Our performanceHow are we performing? Key Performance IndicatorsIn each edition of Insight we like to give our residents some information about how we are performing against our targets.

The new reporting year always starts in April, so these are some early results for the 2011/12 year. We have chosen to report on these Key Performance Indicators because these are for many of our different service areas.

The figures in the chart below are for May 2011, except for Decent Homes which is for April 2011. This is because it takes much longer to collect and analyse all the information.

Pet peeves

INSIGHT INFO | 7

Revenue Services teamCollection rate for rents

Customer Contact CentreCalls answered within 30 seconds

Decent HomesPercentage of homes which do not meet the Decent Homes Standard

Service ImprovementComplaints responded to on time

Responsive RepairsResident satisfaction with completed jobs

Tenancy ServicesTurnaround time for empty properties

99.79% (98.62%)

94.9% (90%)

28.7% (28.1%)

100% (100%)

98% (97%)

19.9 days (25 days)

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR PERFORMANCE(TARGET)

ARE WE MEETING OUR TARGET?

✓✓

✓✓

✓✓

✓✓

✓✓

8 | INSIGHT INFO

We also post the results from all the completed inspections on our website: www.southessexhomes.co.uk If you would like to attend one of our inspections or require more information, please contact us on freephone 0800 833 160. The types of repairs carried out following inspections include works to pathways, entrance doors, graffiti removal and grounds maintenance issues.

What’s the state of your estate?In each edition of Insight, we list the inspections for the coming months.

27th July

28th July29th July

Delaware Road, Delaware Crescent, Blythe AvenueBunters Avenue - 9.30am

Fraser Close, Cunningham Close, Eagle Way - 9.30amAvon Way - 9.30am

1st Aug

2nd Aug4th Aug9th Aug

10th Aug11th Aug16th Aug

17th Aug18th Aug

23rd Aug24th Aug25th Aug31st Aug

AREA & TIMEDATE

Corner of Delaware Crescent and Armagh Rd

Corner of Fraser Close and Eagle WayCorner of Avon Way and West Road

Hornby Avenue, Purley Way - 9.30amAlton Gardens, Lakenham House - 9.30amMartock Avenue, Mendip Crescent, Treecot Drive - 9.30amGrampian - 9am, Brecon - 10am, Blackdown - 11amBeaver Tower - 9.30am, Riverstone - 2pmShannon Close - 9.30am,Eastwood Road North, Woodfarm Close, Leighwood Avenue, Bellhouse Lane, Little Fretches - 9.30amSnakes Lane - 9.30amHunters Lodge, Norfolk Avenue - 9.30amYantlets - 2pmCecil Court, Hardwick Court, Burr Hill Chase - 9.30amSaxon Gardens, Woolpack, Viking Court - 9.30amCluny House, Norwich Close - 9.30amBarringtons, Christchurch Court, Nursery Place - 9.30am

East Street, Sutton Road - 9.30amSt Mary's - 9.30amFairfax Drive, Cleveland Drive, Claremont Court - 9.30amBradfordbury, Rothwell Close, Eastwood Old Road - 9.30amEast Street Leigh, Eaton Road - 9.30amOlive Avenue - 9.30amLundy Close, Western Approaches - 9.30amNeil Armstrong Way - 9.30amCrouchmans - 9.30am, Kestrel - 11amGreat Mead - 9.30amLongmans - 9.30amAdams Elm House - 9am, Senier House - 11am

Corner of Rochford Road and Hornby Avenue

Corner of Manners Way and Alton GardensCorner of Charles Close and Exford Avenue Outside the main entranceOutside the main entranceCorner of Elmsleigh Drive and Danescroft Close

Corner of Broomfield Avenue and EasewoodRoad NorthCorner of Eastwoodbury Lane and Snakes LaneCorner of Middlesex Avenue and Blenheim ChaseAt the main entrance of YantletsAt the main entrance of Cecil CourtCorner of Delaware Road and Saxon GardensAt the Norwich Avenue entranceAt the car park entrance

Mussett House - 9am, Furzefield - 11amBishop House - 9am, Scott House - 11amBuckingham House - 9amBrambles, Mulberries - 9amThe Jordans, Maple Square - 9amTrevett House, Southchurch Rectory Chase - 9amKeats House - 9am, Nayland House - 11amNicholson House - 9am, Norman Harris House -11am

Steve McAdden House - 9amWestwood - 9am, Trafford House - 11am

6th Sept

7th Sept8th Sept

13th Sept14th Sept15th Sept20th Sept21th Sept22th Sept27th Sept28th Sept29th Sept

4th Oct5th Oct6th Oct

11th Oct12th Oct13th Oct18th Oct

19th Oct

20th Oct

25th Oct

LOCATION

Corner of Ennismore Gardens and Sutton RoadOutside number 1 St Mary's CourtCorner of Shakespeare Drive and Fairfax DriveCorner of Eastwood Old Road and Bradfordbury Corner of North Street and East StreetOutside block 113 Olive AvenueCorner of Western Approaches and Lundy Close

Outside entrances of Crouchmans & Kestrel HouseOutside the main entrance of Great MeadOutside the main entrance of LongmansAt entrances of Adams Elm House & Senier House

At entrances of Mussett House and FurzefieldAt entrances of Bishop House and Scott HouseOutside the main entrance of Buckingham HouseOutside the main entrance of The BramblesOutside the main entrance of The JordansOutside the main entrance of Trevett HouseAt entrances of Keats House and Nayland HouseAt entrances of Nicholson House and NormanHarris HouseAt entrance of Steve McAdden HouseAt entrances of Westwood and Trafford House

INSIGHT INFO | 9

In each issue of Insight, we include details about a couple ofthose residents’ associations. For more information, pleasecall the Resident Involvement Team on 0800 833 160

The West Road and Avon Way Residents’Association(WASH) was set up in December 2002 and represents residents living in 40 flats on West Road and Avon Way.

It was originally set up to work with the council to get security doors installed on all entrances and Perspex sheetingfitted to balcony areas to reduce access by youths andtherefore anti-social behaviour. Following this success, WASHwas asked to keep the association going.

Among its achievements to date, WASH has set up NoDrinking Zones to reduce public drinking and helped tackleanti-social behaviour in numerous ways. Before the associationwas set up, youths aged 13 to 14 had been causing nuisanceby playing football close to residents’homes and scrawling

graffiti on the walls. WASH helped solve both of theseproblems by erecting barriers on each side of a central accesswalkway between the blocks to prevent footballs being kickedagainst the wall and by creating a dedicated mural for youngsters to express their artistic abilities. Local organisationConnections now works with the kids to maintain the mural.WASH also holds regular resident meetings and social occasions, including monthly dinners, birthday celebrationsand quiz nights. It also organises a day out for residents once ayear. In the future, WASH’s major aim is to secure funding for aconservatory to allow more residents to join in with socialgatherings. WASH is awaiting a response to a grant applicationmade three years ago to the council.

The Bournes Green Park Area Residents’ Association wasset up in August 2010. We cover the area surroundingBournes Green Park which includes approximately 350properties.

As a new association we have worked to raise our profileand make the residents of the area aware of who we are andwhat we do. We have recently held a free Easter event whichwas well attended and all feedback received was positivewith requests to hold further events. Our next communityevent should be at Christmas and we plan to expand and do several more next year.

It is important to us to be approachable and provide arelaxed and friendly environment within which residents canmeet and discuss any issues or ideas they have, as well asmake suggestions about how we can help improve the area. We have informal coffee mornings once a month atWhittingham Avenue Methodist Church, where our community events are also held.

We are pleased with the level of support we have received

from local businesses which have donated funds and raffleprizes, and our local public services for working with us tomeet the needs of our area. We are determined to maintainthis and do even more in the future.

Your local residents’associationsSouth Essex Homes supports some fantastic residents' associations to help bring local communities together, discuss and resolve neighbourhood issues, and provide additional support to residents who need it.

W E S T R OA D A N D AV O N WAY R E S I D E N T S’ A S S O C I AT I O N

B O U R N E S G R E E N PA R K A R E A R E S I D E N T S’ A S S O C I AT I O N

Whose hat? Young residents enjoy Easter fun day held by the BournesGreen Residents’ Association

Skills for Life

COURSE TITLE DATE & TIME COURSE OUTLINE QUALIFICATIONS AVAILABLE WITH PROGRESSION

6th-29th Sept, 1st-24th NovFour-week course.Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. 10am-1pm

Friday 2nd SeptOngoing for five weeks.10am-1pm

Wednesday 5th OctOngoing for five weeks.10am-12pm

Thursday 3rd NovOngoing for five weeks.10am-12.30pm

Wednesday 23rd Nov Ongoing for three weeks.12-2pm

By appointment

Available on request

TENANCY SUSTAINMENT

ADVANCED ICT AND INTERNET SAFETY

PARENTING SKILLS0-6 years

DIY AND FIRE SAFETY AT HOME

PREPARING FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON

LIVING A SHELTERED LIFE

INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE

LiteracyNumeracy

ICT Qualification

Health and Safety

Want to learn a new skill, improve your knowledge of computers,or would just like to know more about being a South Essex Homestenant? Here is a calendar of popular courses held at Southend's Business Enterprise Skills and Training (BEST) Centre betweenJuly and December 2011. For more information contact Tenancy Sustainment on freephone 0800 833 160

Need a garage?We have garages available to rent in the following areas:

• Archer Avenue • Ashanti Close• Danescroft Drive • Purley Way

If you are interested in renting a garage or would like moreinfo, please call us on 0800 833 160.

1 0 | INSIGHT INFO

This course is available for candidates who need tips on how to keep a tenancy, rent arrears,ASBOs, finance and cooking on a budget, as well as planning for yourfuture goals

This course is designed for confidentusers of IT. The course includes internetsafety and online banking as well aschecking and updating your files. Thiscourse offers a recognised qualificationin IT.

Information on parenting skills, dealingwith tantrums and staying one step ahead

This short course covers fire safety tipswhilst carrying out basic DIY around the home

Making your own cards, wrapping giftscreatively and dressing your Christmastree

For people considering living inSheltered Accommodation. If you areinterested, please phone TenancySustainment

This session is for candidates who wishto find out more about educationalopportunities and volunteering work.This is held at Southend AdultCommunity College (SACC).

A new improved Dial-a-Ride service isnow available in Southend, making iteasier for people with disabilities to get on the move.

Working in partnership with the boroughcouncil, a local company called AccessAnyone runs a fleet of 25 wheelchair accessible vehicles, with plans to expandavailable booking hours to introduce a dedicated transport-to-work scheme andday trips.

Eligible users must have a current Dial-a-Ride membership and meet criteria covering a range of registered, permanentand non-permanent disabilities, which prevent them from using mainstream transport.

For more information, please visitwww.southend.gov.uk (search for Dial-a-Ride under ‘A-Z of services’) or contact Access Anyone on 01702 527992.

Access all areas

INSIGHT INFO | 1 1

NHS South East Essex is supporting the re-launch of theDepartment of Health’s memorable ‘Act F.A.S.T.’ campaign toraise public awareness about the signs and symptoms ofstroke and the need to act quickly if a stroke is suspected.

Every year around 110,000 people in England have a stroke. It isthe third leading cause of death and there are at least 300,000people in England living with disabilities as a result of a stroke.

There are two main types of stroke:• Haemorrhagic stroke: caused when a weakened blood vesselin the brain bursts. This produces bleeding into the brain, whichleads to damage.• Ischaemic stroke: caused by a clot or narrowing or blocking ofblood vessels, so that blood cannot reach a particular area of thebrain, this leads to death of the brain cells due to lack of oxygen.

A mini-stroke is called a Transient Ischaemic Attack or TIA. It issimilar to a stroke and has the same signs, but it gets better within24 hours. However it could be a warning sign of a more seriousstroke and it’s vital that it gets the same F.A.S.T. action. The ActF.A.S.T. campaign uses a simple checklist to help everyonerecognise the tell-tale signs of stroke and advises of the actionto take.

Prompt action after a stroke is vital as it can prevent futher damage tothe brain. A delay can result in major long-term disabilities; that is whyit is crucial for as many people as possible to learn how to act F.A.S.T.

The risk of having a stroke is higher amongst people in certain ethnicgroups, including South Asian, African and Caribbean. This is partlybecause high blood pressure and diabetes are more common in thesegroups.

Lifestyle factors may also increase the risk of having a stroke. Theseinclude: smoking; being overweight; lack of exercise; poor diet;exceeding the recommended daily alcohol limit (for women this isno more than two to three units a day and for men, no more thanthree to four units a day).

Are you confident you can spot the signs of stroke? Take theinteractive test online at www.nhs.uk/actfast

Act F.A.S.T. if you suspect a stroke!

Do Not Suffer in Silence - We Are Here to Help!

The main symptoms can be remembered easily with the initials F.A.S.T.

• Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?• Arms – can they raise both arms and keep them there?• Speech – is their speech slurred?• Time – it’s time to call 999 if you see any of these signs.

For residentswho are not insheltered housing, canyou explain atypical day onthe job,Angela?My working day isvery varied andstarts around 8-8.30am. My firsttask is to take overfrom Careline assoon as I arrive forduty. I check for an

update on any issues that have taken place overnight.I then check my welfare calls. Next I do my welfare visitsto each resident, particularly those who are poorly orhousebound. Afterwards, I make arrangements for the daysuch as doctor’s visits, referrals, repairs, any equipmenttests required such as pull cords and fire alarms, andreview residents’ support plans. I also do a security checkand note any caretaking issues. At lunch-time I usuallymeet residents in the lounge to ‘put the world to rights’over a coffee!

In the afternoon I complete my planned visits and thenspend time organising Great Mead’s regular social calendar, which includes residents’ meetings, bingo, bowls and other games, keep-fit classes, lunches andentertainers. We make a point of not letting birthdays andanniversaries go by without a celebration! Residents evenget me singing Happy Birthday to them in the morning,despite my awful singing voice! (Laughs)

Last but by no means least, sheltered housing staff areon-hand 24-7 to respond to any unforeseen emergencysituations that may arise.

It’s great to see residents remaining independent andenjoying themselves. Great Mead has a great sense ofcommunity and I get a real kick out of seeing themhappy and secure.

How did you become a sheltered housingofficer?When my Nan moved into a sheltered housing scheme, Ididn’t know much about what they do. When I learnt thatsheltered housing gives people the extra support theyneed to remain independent, instead of institutionalisingthem, I was an instant fan. I was thrilled when I got my firstpost at Nursery Place. I have since worked at Great Meadfor over 20 years!

What would you say are the essentialqualities you need to do your job?Multi-tasking, flexibility, the willingness to listen and learn,diplomacy, the ability to cope in a crisis and good peopleskills.

What is your favourite part of your job?The variety!

What are the biggest challenges that face youon a daily basis?Keeping residents motivated and being prepared for whatthe day might have in store. You plan your day but thingscan change very quickly sometimes.

What do you do to unwind outside of work?My partner and I love the outdoors and photography sowe often get out in our caravan and take the dog! We also enjoy live music and eating out. To keep fit, I gopower-walking three evenings a week (with two of myresidents) as well as ‘Boxercise’ once a week. I also read,watch movies and try very simple cooking (I’m not reallygood but I’m learning!)

Do you have any plans for holidays this year?Yes, we are going to Thetford Forest and the famousTowersey Village Folk Festival.Clare – I love meeting new peoHow would you describe Southend in threewords? Cosmopolitan, busy and improving! Clare – I love meeting new peoplIf you had to do any other job what would itbe?I really wouldn’t want to do another job. If I had to I’d liketo do nursing or work with animals.

What is your hot beverage of choice?Hot chocolate

Who was the last famous person you saw inthe street and what they were they doing? I met the Holby City actor Roger Griffiths while he washaving coffee on the seafront with a relative!

Thank you Angela for taking part in this interview!

If you can think of a person you'd like to nominate foran interview in future issues, please contact us via thedetails on page 2.and the

A Unique Insight into……a day in the life of sheltered housing officer Angela Wisken

1 2 | UNIQUE INSIGHT

In every edition of Insight, we speak to key employees or tenant representatives of South EssexHomes about their day-to-day role and how their contribution and hard work benefits the residents of South Essex Homes and the wider community.

For this issue, the Insight editorial team met Angela Wisken for a chat about her role.

Mike Gatrell, our Chief Executive, was recently put on the spot for a magazinearticle about the issues most important to South Essex Homes residents.

From the desk of the Chief Executive

With the government's ending of tenancies for life, will we at SouthEssex Homes have secure tenancies or will we have to movein four or five years time?I can reassure all our tenants that thegovernment has made it clear that,even if local authorities do introducefixed-term tenancies, existing tenantswill be protected for life as they arenow.

Under the proposed measures, anew tenant's circumstances would bereviewed after a fixed term, perhapsfour or five years, at which point thetenancy could either be extended orthe tenant could be assisted to moveinto more appropriate accommodation if their circumstanceshave changed. But I stress this doesnot apply to existing tenants.

At this stage Southend BoroughCouncil has not taken any view onwhether fixed-term tenancies will beapplicable in Southend.

Could you ever see us getting anopen budget to counter ASB?Unfortunately we're not able to provide an open ended budget forASB.

However because tenants put theirsecurity and ASB issues at the top oftheir priority list when South EssexHomes was created, we have alwaysinvested significantly in ensuring wedeal with these issues as effectively as possible.

As well as our own ASB team withinSouth Essex Homes, we also have twofull time officers seconded to the localmulti-agency team based at SouthendCentral Police Station. This deals withoverarching ASB across the wholetown.

Any incidents of ASB are unacceptable and we will always do asmuch as we can to deal with incidents

effectively and promptly.

I know the council has cut its management fee so will this have aknock-on effect on South EssexHomes? Will the budget cuts affectthe ASB team because they do amarvellous job?While our management fee has had tobe reduced because of the overallfinancial pressure on councils, we havebeen able to protect all our frontlineservices into 2011/2012 whichincludes all our ASB related activity.

On a recent choice-based lettingslist, there were three shelteredplaces on offer and 60 people put inbids. This shows the need for moresheltered housing. If the councildoes build more sheltered housing,would South Essex Homes tenderfor the right to manage - asopposed to other neighbouringhousing associations - and howwould this work?With long waiting lists across thecountry there is clearly a need formore social housing both shelteredand otherwise. However, demandacross South Essex Homes variesbetween properties with some morepopular than others.

Should new affordable housing bebuilt, sheltered or otherwise, I believeSouth Essex Homes would be the natural choice to manage these properties as a result of our localknowledge and track record of delivering high-quality services.

We are in the process of havingDecent Homes work carried out.With these, and the repair contractscoming up for tender, how do youguarantee that the residents willget a high standard of service?South Essex Homes was successful in

the recentbid, alongwith theCouncil,forDecentHomesfundingwhich willsee a further£10.5

million provided over the next twoyears, which is on top of the £24 million we have brought in and invested over the past two years.

This funding is now guaranteed andwill enable us to bring 90 percent ofhomes up to the Decent Homes standard by March 2013. The moneyto complete the final 10 percent ofDecent Homes and for continuingmaintenance of properties will comefrom the new financial regime due tobe introduced in 2012.

Over the next two years, work willcontinue to be delivered by some of the existing Decent Homes contractors who have been deliveringthe project over the past four yearsand to the same high-quality standards.

The services our contractors provideare regularly monitored by SouthEssex Homes and also by our tenantswho have been involved in the decision making process from thestart. Our tenants have certainly beenvery effective in monitoring the worksand providing feedback on the servicewhich has helped drive standardsupwards.

If you have a question which youwould like to put to Mike, please sendit in and we will try and fit it in to afuture edition of Insight.

Asking the questions was South Essex Homes tenant Carol Thipthorpe, 67, Secretary of Southend Tenants& Residents Federation. She lives in part one sheltered accommodation which means she is “totally independent with my own front door”. Some of the key questions asked by Carol are reproduced below.

FROM THE DESK OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE | 1 3

1 4 | JUST FOR FUN

What’s on in Southend?Summer’s here and there’s plenty of varied and entertaining events going on in Southend over the next few months. Here are just a few of them. More information on most of the events below can be found at: www.visitsouthend.co.uk

WHAT IS IT?

Live the DreamExperience Olympic sports, craft activities and greatfun for the whole family!

Great Pier Swim This annual fundraiser for Havens Hospices consistsof one competitive 3K swim and one non-competitive swim for all levels

Leigh-On-Sea Fishing FestivalPopular annual event to learn about the fishingindustry, sea safety, fishing methods and the journeyfish make from the sea to our dinner table!

Circus WeekendRoll up! Roll up! The circus is rolling into town atAdventure Island, with free live entertainment suchas jugglers, stilt walkers, balloon modellers andmagicians

Community Tie-in (South Essex Homes event)Annual family fun day

Art on the Railings at Pier HillThis open-air art exhibition by local artists alsofeatures live art demonstrations, entertainment andchildren’s workshops

Italian Festival at Southend Town CentreThe market will be offering a fantastic variety ofauthentic Italian produce

Polish FestivalBoasts the best in Polish culture and artFireworks Spectaculars at Southend Seafront

Tudor HalloweenIncludes pumpkin carving demonstrations, ghostlystorytelling and treats for those in fancy dress!

26th-30th July Central Museum and Planetarium

Sat 30th JulySouthend Seafront

Sun 31st July 11am-4pm Bell Wharf and Victoria Wharf in Old Leigh Town

30th-31st July Adventure Island

Weds 3rd Aug 11am-3pmSouthchurch Park20th-21st Aug and 3rd-4th Sept10am-4pmPier Hill

Sat 27th Aug 10am-4pmSouthend High Street

2nd-4th Sept Southend Seafront

Every Sat 8th Oct-5th Nov Starts at 8pm

Sat 29th OctSouthchurch Hall Museum

Free entry

More information can be foundwww.havenshospices.org.uk

Free entry. Suitable for whole family

For more information, please visit: www.adventureisland.co.uk

Free admission. More details on page 4.

If you are interested in exhibiting yourartwork or photography, please visit:www.artontherailings.co.uk

Most events are free

Free entry. Off Jubilee Beach

Perfect for children

WHEN CAN I GO?WHERE IS IT?

ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW?

B A N O F F E E P I EThis is a sweet that is absolutely guaran-teed to wow your guests, but they don’thave to know how easy it is to make!Serves 6-8 (depending on portions served!)Ingredients:• One full pack of digestive biscuits• 2 small tins of condensed milk• Fresh cream, whipped or ‘squirty’• Bunch of bananas (between four and six)• A little butterTo serve:• Chocolate sprinkles (a broken up CadburysFlake also works well and is delicious!) or anything else of your choice (e.g. small pieces of fruit, marshmallows etc)

Method1. In a large pan, bring 21⁄2 to 3 pints of waterto the boil.2. Once boiling, carefully place the unopenedtins of condensed milk into the pan. Ensurethere is enough water to cover the tops ofthe tins. Lower the heat to a steady simmerand leave for 2 hours.3. Meanwhile, make the biscuit base. Crushup the biscuits in a blender or by using arolling pin and to help solidify the biscuitbase, melt a little butter in the microwave or apan and combine with the biscuit mix.Spread and flatten out over the bottom of along shallow dessert dish.4. Five minutes before the tins of condensed

milk have finished boiling, slice the bananasand layer them over the biscuit base.5. When you’re ready to take out the tins ofcondensed milk, carefully drain the water outof the pan and using an ovenglove (the tinswill be very hot), lift the tins out. Leave themunopened for five minutes to let them cool alittle. When opening the tins, cover the topwith a dishcloth or some kitchen roll (toprevent the hot toffee squirting out). Pour thecontents into a large jug and stir well. Leaveto cool for a while, and then pour the toffeeover the bananas.6. To serve, cover with a layer of whipped orsquirty cream and sprinkle with chocolate ora topping of your choice. Eat and enjoy!

Cheat at summer sweets!The Insight team has a real sweet tooth, so we couldn’t resist featuring one of our favourite desserts in this summer issue – Banoffee Pie. Perfect desserts don’t have to be pricey and super-fiddly – they can be cheap, easy to make AND impressive. Plus, this classic is full of healthy fresh fruit, making all that sugar slightly less guilty!

KIDS’ CORNER | 1 5

We are holding a competition to find a talentedyoung local writer to contribute to the next issueof Insight! So get writing for a chance to haveyour article read by 12,000 residents acrossSouthend!

The theme is simple: Why do you enjoy living in Southend?

Your article should be no more than 200 words

and should reach us via the details on page 2 by30 September 2011.

The competition is open to two age groups: 12-15 and 16-18, who must be residents of SouthEssex Homes. The winner in each age group willhave their article published in the Winter 2011/12issue of Insight. In addition, the winning writerswill have their article specially framed and presented to them by South Essex Homes.

Send your answers to South Essex Homes with yourname, age and address (our address is on page 2). This competition is for children under the age of 10.

Spot the difference!Can you find and circle the five differences betweenthe beautiful pictures of new gardens at Cluny Houseon the left? You will then be entered into a prize drawto win a £10 gift voucher!

Wordsmiths welcomeDo you enjoy writing? Would you like to be a journalist orreporter when you grow up? Want to see your work in print?

Weird facts!Insight loves learning fun and weird things, which is why we wanted to share these oddities with you:

• The sentence ‘The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog’uses every letter in the alphabet• Every day more money is printed for monopoly than the US Treasury• Ketchup was sold in the 1830s as medicine• Elephants are the only mammals that can’t jump• The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, and can pull 30 times its own weight

Do you reckon your friends and family know about any of these? Go and ask them and find out!

Congratulations to the winner of last issue’s Spot the difference, Finlay Chapman, aged 5, who won a £10 gift voucher.

If you have a compliment, suggestion or commentyou would like to feature in the next issue of InsightMagazine, please send it through to us using one ofthe ‘Get in touch’ methods on page 2.

There’s a fantastic £10 gift voucher upfor grabs for our favourite letter.

Your Insight...

Since South Essex Homes launched on Facebook and Twitter in January,both pages have gone from strength to strength.

Both pages are updated regularly with useful information, news and surveys andlocal businesses and tenants have already got involved and had conversations with us online!

We are running a competition to get residents signed up to Twitter andFacebook so you can start benefiting from up-to-the-minute updates straight toyour PC or smartphone!

You only need to do two things: follow us on Twitter or ‘like’our Facebook pageand send us a message containing the phrase ‘Insight Summer 2011 Competition’.Those who do this before 30 August will all be entered into a prize draw to win a£25 voucher. You don’t need to provide any personal details when you sign up –we will send the winner a message direct via Facebook and Twitter to let themknow they’ve won and to get in touch with Insight magazine to claim their prize.

To find us on Twitter, visit this link: www.twitter.com/SouthEssexHomes You can also find us on Facebook here:www.facebook.com/pages/SouthEssexHomes/171744876187375

This dedicated section of Insight gives residents the opportunity tohave their letters and feedback published. This issue’s Star Letter wassent in by Amanda Hadden – she wins a £10 gift voucher.

Online Insight- Competition

“I think the spring issue of the new-

look Insight Magazine was a very

good read and very informative.”

Mr Newman

If you would like a copy of thisnewsletter in large print, on

audio tape or CD, in braille or on a CD-rom, please phone

the number above

0800 833 160

There are now 130 followers on Twitter and 34 members who 'like' our Facebook page (figures correct as of 23 June) - we want to see

these numbers grow even further!

Reading through your spring edition of Insight, I noticed the story about local resident Vicky Acquilina getting her poetry published and this made me very happy as I too am a published poet. In total, I have had 28 poems accepted by different publishers, including United Press, which published Vicky’s work.

I have been a South Essex Homes tenant for a year, so of course I’m delighted to hear of another local poet who is published in the same book as me: ‘Power of Poetry’. This leads me to wondering if there’s a local poetry or writing club in Southend?

Amanda Hadden

Star LetterH

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