Heartbeat Winter 2011 Issue 20

Winter 2011

IN THIS ISSUE: CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TIPS, SAVE ENERGY-SAVEMONEY. JOB OPPORTUNITIES, GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOURAREA, HOW WE’RE DOING, YOUR LOCAL NEWS, PRIZE COMPETITIONAND MUCH MORE...Cover picture: Community cabin transformed. See page 17.

Welcome to the Winterissue of Heartbeat

From the editor...

Calling us? Just one number for you to remember

0345 60 20 540

Claire

This is the season when we haveto put on the extra layers andturn up the heating. This year,with rocketing fuel costs andfalling household incomes, it isgetting more and more difficultto keep warm.

Therefore we have devoted one of the features in this edition to heating yourhome and have come up with some useful tips about staying warm.

Christmas is also on the way and so wehave included some other hints aboutbudgeting for the expenses of the festiveseason.

There is an article about customer involvement and what we are doing toencourage more people to have their sayabout our work. We want more of you toplay a part in managing your homes andneighbourhoods and making sure that ourservices meet your needs, so make sureyou read this story and get in touch.

Of course Heartbeat includes all the localnews pages too so you can catch up withwhat is happening in your area.

We wish you a happy Christmas and apeaceful 2012.

Claire WilsonHeartbeat Editor

Midland Heart20 Bath Row, Birmingham B15 1LZtel 0345 60 20 [email protected]

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As Midland Heart celebrates its most successfulyear ever, Chief Executive Officer Tom Murthahas announced that he is to stand down inearly summer 2012.

Tom has headed up Midland Heart and its main legacy operations,Keynote and Midland Area, since 1996. He was instrumental inestablishing it as one of the top ten organisations in the countryand has an outstanding career history spanning 36 years within thehousing industry.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the privilege of leading Midland Heart”

Speaking about his decision Tom said: “I have thoroughly enjoyedthe privilege of leading Midland Heart and being part of a teamwhich has delivered such exceptional results in the last few years.Now it is time for me to have a change in focus.”

Lord Bill Morris, Chair of Midland Heart, added: “We will be verysorry to see Tom leave us. He has achieved a great deal and hasinspired the team to aim high and deliver.

“I know that he is departing at a time when we have never been inbetter shape, with exciting developments secured and many otherplans in store. This makes it an exceptional and exciting challengefor his successor.”

The search for a new CEO has begun and Tom will remain until2012 to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.

Handing over the helm

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Borrowing or avoiding paying rent and bills may seemlike the short term answer but many people who do thiswill find themselves suffering a Christmas credit hangover.

Dealing with soaring interest rates, bank charges or having your power cut off isn’t the nicest way to welcomethe New Year.

To help you combat the financial pressures of the festiveseason, our money advice team have put together 10top spending tips. Remember if you have any moneyworries you can call and speak to one of our friendlyadvisors on 0345 60 20 540.

Top spending tips at Christmas:

l Plan ahead. Work out how much you can realistically afford before you start spending.

l The worst way to do your Christmas shopping is at the last minute, in a panic, with a pocket full of credit and store cards.

l Don't overspend! Decide on a budget and stick to it. Set a limit on how much you are going to spend on each person. You'll regret it afterwards if you don't!

l Try shopping with cash only - that way you can't spend more than your budget.

l Remember that Christmas is an expensive time ofyear for everyone. With close friends and adults in the family you may be able to make a 'no presents' pact. Or agree to exchange only token gifts with a fixed limit on what you spend.

l Try not to feel pressurised by children into buying expensive toys or other items you can't afford. Explain the situation to them and don't be tempted to buy toys from home catalogues unless you've no other option - they can often work out more expensive.

l Don't go overdrawn without telling your bank in advance. You will be penalised quite heavily, often with an initial £20 fine and interest of up to around £5 a day.

l Whatever the deals, whatever the temptation, don’t buy from unofficial traders and don’t borrow from unauthorised lenders. The initial savings and convenience may prove to be a false economy.

l If you do find yourself needing to borrow money, make sure you understand the terms and conditions, interest rates and what the final payback amount will be. We recommend using My Home Finance if you do find yourself in this position. www.myhomefinance.org.uk

l Finally, if you do run into debt problems, don't ignore them and hope they'll go away - they won't. Get advice as early as possible. Contact the money advice team on 0345 60 20 540or contact your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau for free, confidential, independentmoney advice.

For many of us the festive season is a financially stressful time of year. The temptation to keep hold of our cash for spoiling

loved ones or treating ourselves can be overwhelming.

Tis’ the season to be spending!

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ARE YOU INTERESTED INWORKING IN A CARE ANDSUPPORT ENVIRONMENT?If the answer is YES, Pathways could help!

Pathways manage a temporary staff bank for MidlandHeart and are always looking for enthusiastic peoplewho are interested in working within the following areas:

HomelessnessLearning disabilitiesMental healthYouth servicesMultiple needsOlder people’s services

The advantage of working through Pathways is thatyou will be able to work flexible hours, receive competitive rates of pay and there is the potential for temporary assignments/shifts to become permanent employment.

Midland Heart operates all over the Midlands. To find out about the roles available in your areaor for further details please call the PathwaysRecruitment Team:0121 666 5356/53630121 654 6694/6695email: [email protected]

Midland Heart: yourone stop job shop!

At Midland Heart our team of specialists are here to help you find full, part time ortemporary employment, as well as trainingcourses to enhance your skills and real workexperience. We have a number of serviceson offer including:

SUPPLIER JOB OPPORTUNITIESWe've teamed up with contractors Glendon PropertyServices and Thomas Vale Construction to provide arange of newly created jobs across the Midlands as partof our on-going property improvement programme,which will run until 2014.

The jobs cover many areas including kitchen and bathroom fitting, painting and decorating, electrical,plumbing and carpentry work, cleaning and warehousemanagement.

VOLUNTEERINGVolunteering is a great way to gain real work experience.We have training vacancies in a number of locations incare and support, administration, our cupcake bakeryand more. Volunteer Co-ordinator Chrissie Morris canhelp find the right opportunity for you.

ADVICEOur one-stop-shop in Coventry - Foleshill 396 - can helpyou develop or improve your CV, brush up on interviewskills and increase your confidence through a range ofprogrammes.

To find out about current opportunities please visit our jobs and careers webpage www.midlandheart.org.uk/jobs-and-careersor contact one of our advisors.

For enquiries about volunteering call Chrissie Morris on 024 7668 0110.

For enquiries about the one-stop-shop callDonna Jarrett 024 7670 8502.

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New skills, new startl Do you want to learn

new skills and gain confidence?

l Do you want to gain learning credits that could later contribute to a qualification?

At Midland Heart we’ve developed an accreditedtraining programme to help customers whowant to help improve services, understand howwe work, how we are regulated and the challenges we face. Courses include; TenantInvolvement in Social Housing, UnderstandingSocial Housing and Tenant Estate Inspectors.

The courses are held at the beautiful Fircroft College, anEdwardian stately home and formally the residence ofthe Cadbury family in Selly Oak, Birmingham. We run thecourses over a weekend giving you the chance to get away,relax and focus on learning and achieving. The coursesare FREE, include all meals and we offer a crèche onsite.

If you would like to take part, please contact Shaun McCaulsky on 0845 850 1020 ext 6135 mobile: 07771 676 773 or email [email protected]

Feedback from past courses:

“The course was excellent, it has given me moreinsight into social housing and how it works”

“Everything was great, well organised and tutors wereexcellent”

“Well rounded, positive course with good objectives,well run… happy atmosphere”

“The college was so friendly and the course was put ina way everyone could understand”

This is the number you should call ifyou want to contact your local police

with a problem that is not urgentand doesn’t warrant a 999 call.

Circumstances when youshould use ‘101’ include:

l If your car has been stolen l If your property has been damaged

l If you suspect drug use or dealing in your local area l To report a minor traffic accident l To give information about crime in your area l To speak to the police about a general enquiry.

The 101 service will automatically connect you toyour local station and is available 24 hours a day,seven days a week. To find out more information onthe 101 changeover, please go to www.direct.gov.ukand click on ‘crime and justice’.

Reporting non-emergency crimesBy the end of January 2012 the non-emergency contactnumber for police forces will change to ‘101’ nationally.

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With gas and electricity prices continuing to rise and incomefalling, the number of people livingin ‘fuel poverty’ is on the increase.

A household is said to be in fuel poverty when they cannot afford to keep adequately warm at reasonablecost. Government figures show that the proportion of people living this way rose by 22 per cent to 5.5 million last year – a fifth of all UK households. With this in mind, we’ve come up with 10 top energysaving tips to keep you warm and your purse happy.

Energy saving tips

l Turn your thermostat down. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent and could save around £60 per year. Set your heating and hot water to come on only whenrequired rather than all the time and your water cylinder thermostat should be set at 60°C/140°F.

l Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows and check for draughts around windows and doors.

l Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.l Don't leave appliances on standby and remember not

to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily.

l If possible, fill up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher: one full load uses less energy than two half loads.

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Friday 23rd December 2011

Monday 26th December 2011

Tuesday 27th December 2011

Friday 30th December 2011

Monday 2nd January 2012

Tuesday 3rd January 2012

Warm Home Discount Scheme

In response to soaring energy prices,the government launched the WarmHome Discount Scheme for winter2011/2012 meaning that participatingenergy companies will provide a rebateof up to £120 for eligible customers.

The government and participating suppliers willshare some information about their customerswhich will allow them to give the energy rebateautomatically to customers who qualify. The WarmHome Discount will not affect any Cold WeatherPayment or Winter Fuel Payment you may receive.

To find out more on the discount and which suppliersare involved please visit www.directgov.gov.uk

l Only boil as much water as you need in your kettle.l A dripping hot water tap wastes enough hot water to

fill half a bath so fix leaking taps and make sure they're fully turned off.

l Use energy-saving light bulbs which last up to 10 times longer and can save you around £55 over the lifetime of the bulb.

l Shop around to find the cheapest energy provider. Using a comparison website won’t take long and could potentially save you pounds!

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYCLOSING TIMES

Our offices will be closed on the following daysover the Christmas period

If you need an emergency repair when our offices are closed please phone our customer

service centre on 0345 60 20 540 where you will be able to access the out-of-hours repair service.

Save energy and money this winter

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Changes to NeighbourhoodManagement will have positive impactA letter from Neil Whittenbury, Head of Housing (Midlands)

Hello,You may have noticed that the Midland Heart Neighbourhood Management team has been restructured.

We are committed to ensuring you get the best possible support and service from our team and feel the

changes will improve communication and response times. So, what will the changes mean to you, the customer?• Neighbourhood Services Officers (NSO) are now called Neighbourhood Housing Officers (NHO). This

follows customers’ comments that NSO was confusing, with most asking to speak to their ‘housing

officer’. The word neighbourhood remains, as the role is about more than managing properties and

tenancies. It’s about creating great neighbourhoods in which to live.

• We have significantly increased the number of NHOs from 39 to 43, who are divided into eight

teams, and the average number of homes each manages has fallen from approximately 550 to 500.

• NHOs will now conduct viewings and signing up of new tenancies, replacing a role previously carried

out by Lettings Officers. By doing this the NHO will have or develop better local knowledge of the

area and properties, for example how the heating system works or where you can go for money

advice. New customers will also get to know the face of who they can speak to for help.

• Each of the eight teams of NHOs has a team leader who will work closely with officers and customers,

with greater levels of support and quality checks over services provided.

• The eight team leaders are managed by four operations managers who will drive service improvement

and ensure we work with customers and key partners more closely.If you would like to see who will be working where you live, please go to your relevant regional

page for details. In future Heartbeats we will tell you more about the experience and skills of

some of our new faces in Neighbourhood Management.We hope the changes have a positive impact on our service to you and the area you live in.

Regards

NeilNeil Whittenbury

Midland Heart’s customer involvementteam are here to support you in getting themost out of living in your area.

We offer help in many areas including:

l Setting up and support for resident groupsl Organising our annual Customer Carnivalsl Support for Customer Panels in Birmingham,

Wolverhampton, Leicester, Staffordshire and Coventryl Support for Service Improvement Groups for finance

(rents and service charges), Customer Involvement (neighbourhoods and communities), Your Home (repairs and planned maintenance) and allocations and lettings.

How we invest in customer involvement

Our customer involvement team has representativesacross the Midlands and to show you what they spendmoney on see our pound coin below:

A few facts and figures

l Number of customers involved in the last 12 months: 2,636

l Number involved since April 2010: 2,992

l Numbers involved in Service Improvement Groups in the last 12 months: 57

l Numbers involved in Panels in the last 12 months: 89

l Numbers attending a residents group in the last 12 months: 411

Carnivals: £40,450

Training for customers: £2,065Reimbursement of customer expenses for attending meetings (eg. travel and childcare):£18,188

Refreshments for customer meetings: £6,071

Customer Involvement Activity: £64,726(includes resources for meetings, events and activities held both centrally and locally).

Getting the most out of your area

TOTAL SPEND:£131,500

Our customer involvement team: Anikah Miller Ryan, Gail Gavan,Mary Jane Gunn, Violet Williams, Zaheda Vaid, Judith Rowe, Martin Hall, Shaun McCaulsky, Cameron Whyld and Gareth Hopkins.

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This spend occurred between April 2010-March 2011

Midland Heart wasshortlisted frommore than 240

entries at the prestigious 2011 UKHousing Awards. The awards recognise outstanding work in housing which improves the lives ofpeople in their communities.

Midland Heart was one of six organisations poised to scoop an award in the Involving and EmpoweringCommunities category, for an innovative project whichengages customers and empowers them to regulateMidland Heart’s services.

Despite not taking home the gong, Michelle Musgrave,Customer and Communities Director said: “We areabsolutely delighted to be recognised at the awards ceremony for our innovative Tenant Involvement inSocial Housing project. We are immensely proud andpassionate about our customer focused approach toprovide skills to customers, supporting them to getinvolved and shape our services. It’s very pleasing togain recognition for the hard work of the team, partnersand customers who have worked together on this.”

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Midland Heartshortlisted for tophousing awardCustomer Panels are a great way of finding out what

is happening at Midland Heart…whether good or badand also give you a chance to voice your opinions and implement ideas for improvements. As a Panel member, Midland Heart’s customer involvementteam will support you by providing:

l Organised meetingsl Refreshmentsl Expensesl Feedback on what you’ve achieved l Training opportunitiesl Good fun and a friendly atmosphere.

What do our involved customers think?

“The Customer Panel has been reallyuseful for finding out more aboutwhat Midland Heart are doing in myneighbourhood and across theorganisation and also for scrutinisinghow they are performing. I help to

ensure that the customer voice is heard at the verytop of the organisation. Initially I was cynical and didn’t think this was my sort of thing but the staff arereally supportive, expenses are reimbursed and trainingprovided. Getting involved really can make a difference,” Sam Raddie, East Midlands customer.

“I enjoy getting involved as I meetother people and I try to make areal difference in the community.The events have helped us get toknow younger residents who used tohave very little to do in our small

village. The funding and support Midland Heart providesis crucial and has helped the group develop,” AlbertGibbons, of the Upper Sneyd Road, Kitchen Lane andHigh Hill Residents Association in Staffordshire whichorganises regular community events.

If this has inspired you to get involvedplease contact your local Midland Heart involvement officer. Contact details canbe found on your area pages.

Customer Panels - Midland Heart needs you!

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A whole host of events was held as partof the National Housing Federation’s(NHF) ‘Supported Housing Month’ inOctober.

Midland Heart joined in by arranging activities across itscare and support schemes to raise awareness of the services on offer, from learning disabilities, older people,mental health, worklessness and inclusion services.

Events included breakfast at supported housing schemessuch as St Eugene’s Court in Digbeth and evening soupat Helen Dixon House in Moseley, plus a ‘speed dating’event for customers, staff and key stakeholders wherethey learnt about all service areas by spending a fewminutes with each team. Around 200 people gotinvolved by attending the events.

Highlights were decorating the delicious Frost and Snowcupcakes, the social enterprise organisation supported byMidland Heart that helps former homeless people getback on their feet.

“I’m proud of the difference ourservices make to the lives of someof the most vulnerable people in

our communities”

Chris Munday, Director for Care and Support at MidlandHeart, said: “I’m proud of the difference our servicesmake to the lives of some of the most vulnerable peoplein our communities and am pleased that so many peoplegot involved to see for themselves what we offer.”

Over 130,300 people rely on support services in the West Midlands alone. Supported Housing Month is acampaign aimed at showcasing the work of the sector and promoting the impact services are havingthroughout the East and West Midlands.

To find out more about our care and support services visit our website www.midlandheart.org.ukor call us on 0345 60 20 540.

Care and support services celebrated

L-R Customer David, Chris Munday, Steve McCabe MPand Craig Finch

This winter at Midland Heart wewant to keep our customers betterinformed, so we have introduced a new procedure for our repairs service in the form of service escalation levels. The following levels will be used when you call.

For more information on therepairs service please read theenclosed leaflet.

Repairs procedureover the wintermonths

Level 1: Normal service and attendance withinpublished service standards.

Level 2: Due to events beyond our immediatecontrol, or due to extreme weather forecast it is probable that our service will be affected.

Level 3: Exceptional events including severe weather causing major disruption. Our repair partners are suffering disruption with both the volume of repairs and reaching affected areas andattending to them.

Level 1

24 Hours

5 working days

20 workingdays

24 Hours

Responsive Repairs

Emergency

Urgent

Routine

Emergency

The £39m contract is part of the government’sAffordable Homes Programme through the Homesand Communities Agency and is its largest allocation in the midlands.

Tom Murtha, Chief Executive Officer of Midland Heart,said: “This is a fantastic result for Midland Heart and forthe region. We believe that every customer should be ableto live in an environment that they can afford and wehave a track record of developing award-winning homes.

“What is significant is the investment that the programmewill bring to the region - boosting the local economy by

around £200 million through inward investment and thecreation of thousands of jobs and training opportunities.This really is good news for all.”

The first exciting new development will be in Coventry,above. Work has already started and will provide 45much-needed new affordable homes for the city. See theCoventry page of this Heartbeat for more information.

This is one of many new schemes that will span acrossthe whole of the east and west midlands, includingBirmingham, Leicester, Stoke-on-Trent and Northampton.

£39 million boost for affordable homesMidland Heart has been awarded £39 million to build 1,685

new affordable homes across the east and west midlands

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Level 2

48 Hours

8 WorkingDays

25 WorkingDays

48 Hours

Response Times - Gas Repairs

Response Times - Responsive RepairsLevel 3

72 Hours

14 WorkingDays

30 WorkingDays

72 Hours

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Complaints performance:

Percentage of customers that are very or fairly satisfied with how we handled their complaint:

The average for other social housing providers is 63%

Repairs performance:

Percentage of repairs completed during the first visitfrom our contractor:


The percentage of customers very or fairly satisfiedwith the repairs and maintenance service:


At the end of August 2011: 96.3%At the end of September 2011: 96.3%Target: 95%

Customer Service Centre performance:

The total number of calls we answered:

The total number of calls we answered within 20 seconds:

Aug201196.3%


Aug201178.4%

Sept2011

77.49%

At the end of August 2011: 78.4%At the end of September 2011: 76%Target: 90%

At the end of August 2011: 50%At the end of September 2011: 33.3%Target: 60%

Sept201133.3%

Aug201150%

At the end of August 2011: 89.8.%At the end of September 2011: 86.4%Target: 88%

Sept2011

86.4.%

Aug201189.8%

Sept201176%

Sept201196.3%

How we’re doingEvery month we ask more than 1,000customers what they think about ourrepairs, new lettings, environmentaland complaints services.

Aug201178.4%

YOU SAID:you wanted tobe involvedin the recruitmentof staff

WE DID:all interviews for staff now involve customers too, so far over 100 staff at all levels have beeninterviewed by around 50 customers.

YOU SAID: you wanted employment adviceand opportunities

WE DID: our worklessdivision helps customersto findwork, training, education andvolunteeringposts. Find outmore on page 4.

YOU SAID: you wanted more training as partof our customer involvment activities

WE DID: we now provide accredited trainingcourses in a wide range of activities to help youget the skills you need.

Sept201180.9%

Aug201179.7%


Customers who are very or fairly satisfied with beingkept informed:

Overall satisfaction:

Customers who are fairly or very satisfied withMidland Heart’s overall service:

Sept201177.4%

Aug201176.1%


If you would like more information onhow we are doing please contact us on 0345 60 20 540

Sept201177.3%

Aug201177.2%


Customers who are very or fairly satisfied with opportunities for participation:

Customer Involvement performance:

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You said...we did

Do you have a good neighbour?Do you want to see them get the recognition they deserve?If so, then why not nominate them for our roll of honour?

We are looking to recognise and thank customers that have:

l Helped make their community a place wherepeople get on with each other

l Given up their time to volunteer and improve the lives of other people

l Kept a neighbourhood clean and tidyl Been helpful to their neighbours.

We know that many of our customers are great neighbours andwe want to show our appreciation for their hard work. We’llbe awarding certificates to every nominee.

To nominate a neighbour fill in the form below and postit back to: Customer Involvement,FREEPOST RRAL-ZTXB-SJXT 20 Bath Row, Birmingham, B15 1LZ. No stamp required.

Please send your nomination to us by 31 May 2012 and the person you have nominated will be recognised for their good work at the Midland Heart customer carnivals in summer 2012.

You can also fill in this form online at our website: www.midlandheart.org.uk/good-neighbour

If you would prefer to talk to us instead of filling in the form,please call 0345 60 20 540 and ask for a Customer Involvement Officer.

Your name:

Your address:

Your phone number:

Good neighbour’s name:

Their address:

Their phone number:

Why have you nominated your neighbour (in 150 words or less):

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This flagship project is part of a £100 million regenerationmaster plan which is breathing new life into this area ofthe city.

Midland Heart has worked with Birmingham CityCouncil, the Homes and Communities Agency, UrbanLiving and contractor William Davis to transform the former factory site into affordable housing.

A total of 126 apartments and 42 townhouses for rent,outright sale and rent to home buy have been developed.In addition, the project has provided 23 work placementsto local people wanting to gain construction skills or taketheir first step into employment.

Lord Bill Morris, Chair of Midland Heart, said: “CrocodileWorks brings together the history, the present and futurein a way that meets the needs of the local community. Developing and sustaining communities is essential tothe regeneration of this area and we are delighted thatour partners and local people, who have played such anintegral role, are here to celebrate the opening with us.”Around 100 people attended the event and were invitedto tour the scheme to see first hand the remarkable

redevelopment of the building. They were also treated toentertainment including a display from the local bhangradance group.

Community groups and partner organisations came together to celebrate theopening of Newtown’s flagship £25 million housing scheme, Crocodile Works.

Celebrations as CrocodileWorks opens its jaws!

WHO’S WHO IN YOUR AREA?To contact your local Customer Involvement officer orHousing Team Leader, please call 0345 6020 540and ask to be put through to the relevant person.

Customer Involvement OfficersMartin Hall - Inner BirminghamJudith Rowe - South BirminghamViolet Williams - North BirminghamZaheda Vaid - West Birmingham Outer

Housing Team LeadersMichael Wood - Inner BirminghamChristopher Luke - South BirminghamPete Sandilands - North Birmingham Valerie Hamilton - West Birmingham Outer

B I R M I N G H A M B I R M I N G H A M B I R M I N G H A M

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Birmingham members of the Home ServiceImprovement Group have been given aninsight into exactly how their home repairsare carried out.

The group attended an away-day organised by MidlandHeart and Mears - one of the contractors who help tomaintain, repair and upgrade the homes of hundreds ofcustomers.

They were given a presentationabout how the Mears business isrun and were then paired up withan operative and went out on realrepair jobs around the Midlands.

The feedback from the event hasbeen very positive and all customersthoroughly enjoyed the day.

Ripton Gordon commented: "I was impressed with thetracking and operating systems that Mears use. The operative I was with was very courteous and professionalwhen dealing with the customers. It was a good day."

We hope to run a similar event in the future. If this is something you would be interested in attendingplease contact Judith Rowe by [email protected] call 0345 60 20 540.

An insight intohome repair work

Residents at Centenary Drive have recently spent the day taking action againstunruly bushes and trees in the area.

The consensus was that residents wanted bushes cutback for security, and trees trimmed as they wereblocking light.

Everyone helped each other and appreciated anopportunity to get together and spend time togetheroutside socially, some of the residents said it was agreat opportunity to speak to their neighbours as wellas to sit outside and enjoy the open space.

Pinnacle donated the use of their operatives and toolsfor the whole day and worked very hard alongside residents to clear the area. Their tree surgeon alsoshowed the residents how he worked using climbingskills.

The day was a huge success and future plans arebeing discussed to make further improvements suchas clearing overgrown bushes and helping each otherto tidy their personal gardens and the sharing of gardening tools.

Clean up time

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Local community groups and school children celebrated the opening of a newly-refurbished community space at Harvills Hawthorn Primary School in West Bromwich.

Cutting the ribbon at the new community cabin are Mr H McNeil,Headteacher for Harvill Hawthorns School, Michelle Musgrave,Customer and Communities Director Midland Heart, Chris Thacker,Branch Manager for Mears.

Community cabin transformed

The refurbishment of a cabin at the school was organisedby Midland Heart, which is developing a former industrialsite in nearby Bagnall Street into 106 affordable homes.

School children, parents and teachers, along with housingcontractor Mears who carried out the work, attended theunveiling of the new facility, named Heart of Harvills,which the school and local groups can use.

“The cabin will provide a fantastic venue and much neededspace for meetings and events,” said Michelle Musgrave,Midland Heart Customer and Communities Director.

Mr McNeil, Headteacher of Harvills Hawthorn PrimarySchool, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Midland Heart - we both see ourselves at the centre of the community and by working togetherwe can succeed in improving facilities for all.”

Midland Heart has ensured strong local involvement withits Bagnell Street development by holding a health andsafety masterclass and visit and a street naming competition.The development will provide a range of two-bedroomapartments and two, three and four bedroom houses.

Aquarius Birmingham andSolihull Gambling Service

Do you need any support with problems caused by gambling?

Are you worried or concerned about someone else’s gambling?

Aquarius has recently launched a new gambling support service for people living within the

Birmingham and Solihull area.

We can offer you two appointments to discuss your gambling and practical steps you can take toreduce the amount of money or time you spend

on gambling.

There is also an option of a third session withBirmingham Law Centre to support you with any

debt or arrears you may be struggling to cope with.

For free confidential advice, informationand support for problems caused by gambling please call us directly on:0121 622 2165 and ask to speak to

Rosemary or Tracy, or visit our website www.aquarius.org.uk

Aquarius - overcoming the harms caused byalcohol, drugs and gambling.

Cover picture: Holding the plaque to mark the opening of the newcommunity cabin are Clarissa Smith (9), Michelle Musgrave, Customerand Communities Director Midland Heart and Kira Cheatle (8)

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The trip involved customersfrom Ley Hill and ChathamGrove who enjoyed icecreams, donkey rides andstrolling along the newpier in the sunshine.

The coach journey wasjust as much fun, being packed with competitions, gamesand prizes to keep

everyone entertained. The dayalso gave residents the chance to speak to Midland

Heart staff and provide feedback on a range of topicsrelating to their housing needs.

Judith Rowe, Customer Involvement Officer at MidlandHeart, said, “The day was a huge success and it wasgreat to see two communities coming together andspending precious time with their families.

Residents wrote poems about the day, here are a few for youto enjoy!

I’m off to the seasideCan’t wait for my donkey rideLooking forward to my ice cold CornettoSold by an Italian man called JapettoAll the quizzes on the wayMakes me enjoy my dayNow I feel clever and smartI would like to thank Midland Heart.

By Mark Greaves

Go to Western Super Mare if you dareThere is sun, sea and lots of landThere is lots of space to run and to have funSo take our advice and go to Western Super Mare, if you dare!

By Chelsea, aged 12

9 o’clock on the coach we shall beGoing all the way to the seaWestern Super Mare here we comeAll the way from Brum!

By Brent

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It’s not often Brummies get a glimpse of thesea so when Midland Heart planned a daytrip to Western Super Mare for someNorthfield customers, they jumped at thechance for a day at the popular coastal town.

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside

COVENTRY COVENTRY COVENTRY COVENTRY

The aim of the initiative is to create the largest andlongest running game ever, involving as many people aspossible. Cadbury are also giving away Olympics ticketsevery week in the run up to the games.

Over the summer Midland Heart Coventry residents fromJoe O’Brien’s Close, Willenhall; Morey Street, Kirby Close,Cash’s Lane and Iden Road Hillfields had an opportunityto get involved in this exciting programme.

Customers had great fun playing all sorts of gamesincluding sack races, egg and spoon races, skittles, hulahoop, giant jenga and ludo.

Elaine Shirley, Regeneration Project Officer from MidlandHeart, said: “The Spots v Stripes games days were a hugesuccess with many residents taking part and havingcompetitive fun with all the activities on offer.”

Elaine is working with Gail Gavan on arranging moreSpots v Stripes activities for customers in Coventrythroughout 2012 in the lead up to the Olympics so lookout for events in your area.

To find out more information on Cadbury’s Spots vStripes campaign and how you can enter the weeklydraw for tickets, please visit www.spotsvstripes.com

Are you a Spot or a Stripe?In the run up to the Olympic Games, West Midlands charityGroundwork has joined with Cadbury to help bring theirSpots v Stripes campaign to communities across the UK.

WHO’S WHO IN YOUR AREA?To contact your local Customer Involvement officer or Housing Team Leader, please call0345 60 20 540 and ask to be put through to the relevant person.

Customer Involvement Officer Gail Gavan Housing Team Leader Anita Kapdia

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Cash’s Lane

Joe O’Brien’s Close

Morey Street


Work has now started on a multi-millionscheme which will provide much-neededaffordable homes for Coventry people.

Westleigh, who have a track record of building high quality properties, have been chosen to develop the former Midland Heart office site in Whitley Village.

When complete in autumn 2012 the scheme will comprise of 45 new three and four bedroom houses andone and two bedroom apartments - all for rent.

Carl Larter, Director of New Business and Development atMidland Heart, pictured below with Ian Jones - of Westleigh,said: “We are delighted to have Westleigh on board asthe contractor for this exciting project which will transformour old office site. Their appointment marks an importantstep in providing affordable homes for local people.”

A group of Coventry customers beat othersfrom across the countryto pick up a prize of£500 to help improvetheir neighbourhood.

Morey Street Residents Association won the cash awardfrom Midland Heart contractor Pinnacle PSG, who inviteda range of residents groups to bid for the ‘Pinnacle PiggyBank’ prizes at a housing conference this year.

Two organisations wenthead to head each day ofthe conference with teamssubmitting presentationsto highlight the meritsof their scheme, with an

audience of delegatesvoting for the one they liked the best.

The Coventry group showcased their communal gardeningproject, based inEdgwick, Foleshill.Residents have alreadyraised funds toimprove their estateby organising fundays and plantingprojects and byremoving graffitiand fly tipped rubbish which has created a cleaner, happier street.

The cheque was presented to the residents by SimonGibson of Pinnacle and the £500 will ensure improvements will continue and make the estate one to be proud of.

Morey Street wins Piggy Bank funds

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New homes to be provided


The green-fingered efforts of Coventrycustomers have been rewarded.

The Growing Paradise project, which encourages residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables, hasreceived two awards recently.

It was given first prize in the Coventry ‘CommunityCohesion Awards’ voluntary and large community organisations category for successfully bringing neighbourhoods together and was commended at the‘Compact Awards’.

A Compact is an agreement between the governmentand independent voluntary organisations, charities andcommunity groups and the awards raise awareness andcelebrate partnerships working between sectors in thetoughest of times.

Growing Paradise was created two years ago with thecharity Groundwork and local customers who are encouraged and trained to cultivate communal spaces.

Elaine Shirley, Midland Heart’s Coventry RegenerationProject Officer, said: “We are delighted with the awards.Residents have worked really hard in the growingspaces and harvested some tasty fruit and veg! It’sa great way to bring the community together.”

Gardening project grows with two awards

From left to right: Simon Lieberman – Orbit, Judith Harris – GroundworkCraig Galvin – Paradise resident, Elaine Shirley – Midland Heart,Dave Walton – Assistant Fire Officer for West Midlands & Chair of theCoventry Partnership, Sally Child – Paradise Resident, Andy Littlewood –Coventry City Council, Ravinder Kaur – Whitefriars

Your Money Advisors are: Sarah Golding (Birmingham),John Doyle (Wolverhampton and Staffordshire) and John Jackson (Coventry, Leicester, Tamworth and South Midlands).

Our expert money adviceteam offer free, unbiasedand confidential adviceand information aboutany debt or benefit problem you may have.We help you by:

l Making sure you are receiving all the benefits to which you are entitled

l Advising you on how to dealwith financial problems and helping you to negotiate with the people you owe money to

l Offering ongoing help and support.

Call 0345 60 20 540and ask to speak to a Money Advisor

Celebrating 25 years of Money Advice

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E A S T M I D L A N D S E A S T M I D L A N D S E A S T

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WHO’S WHO IN YOUR AREA?To contact your local Customer Involvement officer or Housing Team Leader, please call0345 6020 540 and ask to be put through to the relevant person.

Customer Involvement Officer Cameron Whyld Housing Team Leader Leo Daniels

Green-fingered volunteers wantedCould you help to make Leicester a greener, cleaner city?

The city council’s parksservices teamare recruitingan army ofvolunteers to undertake basic horticultural tasks, clean–ups andplanting. They are looking for individuals orcommunity groups to come forward for thebig spruce-up.

As well as helping maintain the appearance of the localparks, gardens and open spaces, the initiative will

enable communitygroups to have a sayin keeping their neighbourhoodscleaner, safer andgreener.

The council is alsolooking to recruit

keen and interested people to become 'Green Hats’ who will lead

other volunteers. Basic training on how to overseeteams, as well as on personal safety and horticulture,will be provided.

If you’d like more information please contactVictoria Hudson, Senior Park Officer atLeicester City Council, on 0116 229 3637 [email protected].

Alternatively contact Cameron Whyld, Midland Heart’s Customer Involvement Officer for Leicester, at [email protected] or call 0345 6020540.

Pictures show Nelson Mandela Park following a ‘spruceup’ by volunteers.

Because Midland Heart’s Leicester office manageshomes right across the region - including MiltonKeynes, east Northamptonshire, Nottingham andWarwickshire - staff wanted to find a method ofreceiving feedback from as many people as possible.

The blog page will enable customers to read reportson our performance, add their voice to debates andmake suggestions about services.

The customer panels continue to meet every twomonths to look at how we’ve been performing andhelp us to make improvements.

You can find the blog at: http://midlandheartleicesterpanel.wordpress.comand can also subscribe to it to receive notificationswhen the site is updated.

GET BLOGGINGEast midlands customers now have a different way of having their say.

S T A F F O R D S H I R E S T A F F O R D S H I R E

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A new initiative which is helping customers to get back into work hasbeen launched in Burslem.

The Work Group was set up inSeptember in response to theGovernment’s Job Centre Plusinitiative to introduce a seriesof work clubs around thecountry.

Midland Heart’s Stoke officejoined forces with the local

Workers’ EducationalAssociation to establish the

group, with the aim of supporting unemployed people to get back into paid

work, training or volunteering.

The group meets at Duncalf Street every Wednesdayfrom 12.30pm for two hours in an informative, supportiveand enjoyable atmosphere. It focuses on supportingmembers to overcome worries about interviews, personal confidence and application skills.

John Webbe, RegenerationManager at Midland Heart, right,says: “Although the Work Group isstill new we’ve developed a strongcore group of people attendingeach week who want to secure ajob. Joining the group is a majorstep towards doing so - we havealready helped people with gettingboth volunteering and paid employment positions.”

If you are interested in getting back in to work and would like more informationplease call John on 07831 590 806.

Customers goback to work inBurslem

Two green fingered Staffordshirecustomers have been working hardto brighten up their housing schemethis year.

Keen gardeners Timothy Birch and Keith Lee, above,have created flower beds and vegetable patcheswithin the communal grounds at Birch Tree Courtin north Lichfield. Neighbours regularly help themselves to some of the produce - includingapples.

Earlier this year Midland Heart held a ‘Plants andPots’day for customers at the scheme to makehanging baskets and get gardening tips. The baskets were later judged and the customers whocreated the best ones received gardening vouchers.

Keith was very pleased to be a winner and said hisvoucher would go towards improving the communalgarden area further.

He added: “The area now has more colour andboth myself and Timothy have enjoyed working onthe garden and creating something for all residents to enjoy.”

A compost bin was also donated and gardeningcontractors Pinnacle empty grass cuttings into it.

Plants and potsbrighten up

BirchTree Court

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A Burslem customer who is one of the country’s most exciting young illustratorshas just returned from an exhilarating weekat a living museum and arts developmentproject in America.

Nicola Winstanley is based with other creative professionalsat Midland Heart’s live-work units in Queen Street.She was invited to the US for a one-month residency atthe museum centre in Greensboro, North Carolina, called‘elsewhere’.

“The experience was immersive - the people and theplace itself lived and breathed creativity, but ran like awell oiled machine,” enthused Nic.

The museum houses a collection of things that wereoriginal to a thrift store run by a woman called Sylviaand the items are treated like artefacts and preciousobjects despite in most cases being what might be called'tat' or 'stuff for the car boot'.

Nic continued: “It has got me thinking about how localartists and communities could seek out such spaces containing 'junk' materials to create an ‘elsewhere’ over here. My work at elsewhere was exhibited on 'First Friday’.

“This is something that happens all over America whereon the first Friday of the month shops, galleries andrestaurants open up their spaces and put on events andthe whole community comes out to experience it.

Nic’s big American adventure“We must have had 300 people come through the museum on this evening. It was a great opportunity forthe community to come out and meet their local businessowners and each other in a party atmosphere in theirtown. This is a practice I'd like to see more of in this country.”

Nic is a professional freelance designer and illustratorwho trained at Hereford College of Art and Design. Since2008 she has worked for national and international clients,producing artwork for branding, advertising campaigns,promotional materials, books and magazines.

Her particular passion is conceptual illustration, which relieson everyday themes to create fresh and vibrant imagery.

Her clients include Stoke on Trent Sixth Form College,Newcastle Borough Council and the British CeramicsBiennial, as well as architects and creative agencies.

You can read Nic’s blog at http://niciselsewhere.wordpress.com



Customer Involvement Officer Gareth Hopkins Housing Team Leader Sue Caley

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Around £80,000 has been secured byMidland Heart and The North LichfieldInitiative to improve the shopping areaon Dimbles Lane which has suffered fromyears of under investment.

Current problems have been identified by the local community as:

l Poorly maintained car parking facilities which discourageresidents and shoppers to use the shopping area

l Inadequate lightingl Lack of greenery l Inadequate seating l General feeling that the shopping area is not safe.

An event was held at JIGSAW, the community hub andhome to the North Lichfield Initiative where facepainters and balloon artists encouraged a continuousflow of people to comment on the draft plans on howthe money will be spent.

Volunteers at the centre, as well as staff from MidlandHeart, Bromford Living, Lichfield District Council andStaffordshire Police, spoke to local people about theirthoughts, ideas and concerns regarding the project.

Ms Sharon Salt, who lives above the shops, said: “Theimprovements are long overdue and will really help tomake the area more pleasant and safer. I am lookingforward to seeing the final work completed.”

For further information please contact GarethHopkins on 07824481760. For more details on theNorth Lichfield Initiative please contact Jigsaw on01543 253666 or email [email protected]

A huge thank you goes to the Abelia ResidentAction Group, Tamworth and Upper Sneyd Roadand Kitchen Lane Resident Action Group,Essington for arranging ‘Spooktacular’Halloween events for their communities.

These informal get-togethers were a big success andallowed us to get to know a variety of customers whowould not usually attend more formal activities.

Denise James, chair of the Upper Sneyd Road andKitchen Lane Group, said “The Halloween events werefacilitated through the hard work of committeemembers and other residents. Each year they bringresidents of all ages together in a fun and friendlyenvironment.”

Sue Smith, committee member of the Abelia ActionGroup, commented: “This was our first Halloweenevening which was a real success. The group wereable to showcase the new community wildlife gardenin a very interesting and scary way!”

The events also raised valuable funds which will be usedto provide Christmas parties for their local communities.

Facelift planned for Dimbles Lane

How Dimbles Lane looks at presentA plan of what Dimbles Lane will look like

Spooktacular!

W O L V E R H A M P T O N A N D B L A C K C O U N T R Y

The workshops are being jointly run with Mears, one ofthe contractors who help to maintain, repair andupgrade the homes of hundreds of customers.

Can you DIY?

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The first of Midland Heart’s ‘Helping Hands’workshops has taken place in Wolverhampton.


Time for tea atLangton CourtCustomers of Langton Court in Lichfieldenjoyed getting together at a tea partyrecently.

The event was arranged by the ResidentsAssociation which works with Midland Heart toimprove the local area.

The tea party was an opportunity for residents -many of whom live on their own - to have a chatand admire the communal area which the group hasimproved with a new lawn and plants.

Group members have successfully campaigned for avariety of improvements over the past couple of

years, including new windows and heating system whichhave been installed.

Chair Audrey Owen said: “It was a great afternoon whichbrought people together - everyone enjoyed themselvesand we hope to organise similar events in the future.”

Residents at Langton Court admiring the communal area

At the event experts explained how to deal with simpleplumbing tasks such as how to deal with blockages andfitting tap washers. Future workshops will deal with wallpapering, putting up shelves/curtains and how toassemble flat pack furniture.

Customer Jenny Philips from Dudley said: “It was a fantastic workshop and I really enjoyed the day.”

For information on future events please contact Joan Gooden, Regeneration Officer,[email protected] or call 0345 60 20 540.

From left to right those holding a certificate are Rod Phillips, JennyPhillips, Tracey Leatherland and Marcia Martin with Mears & MidlandHeart staff who also attended the day.

Wolverhampton customers Mr and MrsRead have been rewarded for their devotionto the royal family.

The Read’s became great fansof the monarchy in the run up tothe wedding of Prince Williamand Kate Middleton in April.They kindly sent a card andlucky horseshoe to the couple congratulating them on their big day and were delighted toreceive a letter of thanks backfrom Buckingham Palace.

“I really like Prince William and Kate - they will always bemy favourites and I was so pleased I got to see them getmarried,” said Mrs Read

Since the wedding she has continued to send birthdaycards to other members of the family including theQueen, Prince Harry and the Duke of Edinburgh and nowhas quite a collection of thank you letters from the royal household.

She has also starteda collection of royalmemorabilia whichshe proudlydisplays in herhome.

W O L V E R H A M P T O N A N D B L A C K C O U N T R Y

Royal family fans rewarded


Customer Involvement Officer Anikah Miller-RyanHousing Team Leader Dawn Finnan

Help with managingyour money

The important issues of money and managing finances were discussed whenWolverhampton customers came togetherfor a one-off focus group meeting.

The group was jointly led by Regeneration ProjectOfficer Joan Gooden and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau(CAB) who are bidding for Big Lottery funding aimedat helping social housing customers.

If the bid is successful it will fund a new initiative to: l improve access to financial servicesl improve skills and confidence to use financial

products and servicesl engage customers most in need.

Anikah Miller-Ryan, Midland Heart’s CustomerInvolvement Officer who attended the event, said:“It was a good opportunity for Wolverhampton customers to get involved in a discussion aroundfinances as this is always a matter close to most people’s hearts. It was nice to hear the differentways customers would improve financial serviceswithin the region.”

Joan commented: “This is the second consultation Ihave organised on money and it’s interesting to notethat the views of our mature customers are very similar to those of our younger customers. Both haveasked that services around money advice are providedon a one-to-one basis and at a neighbourhood level.I will feed back this information to the CAB who arebidding for resources in Wolverhampton.”.

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If you would like help to access or understand any of our information call us on0345 60 20 540 or email us at [email protected]

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Send your entries to: Communications Team, Midland Heart, 20 Bath Row, Birmingham, B15 1LZby January 31st 2012.

The competition winner from the last Heartbeat is Mrs S.Kausar of Balsall Heath, Birmingham.

Heartbeat Winter 2011 Issue 20

Documents

Transcript of Heartbeat Winter 2011 Issue 20