Photo competitionPage 19

WIN £100

Cartoon winners!Page 13

Chase residents have their sayPage 7

Voices Issue 18 Spring 2010

2

WelcomeContents

Radian wins another awardRadian has won the Sustain Magazine Award for Energy for our refurbishment of homes in Highfi eld Road, Petersfi eld. The homes have been refurbished to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 85%!

Jo fi rst became involved with Drum by taking part in one of our resident involvement ‘walkabout’ projects, to identify any local issues that we could help solve. Jo was feeling annoyed about the amount of litter on the estate and decided to join the walkabout:“I thought this was a good opportunity to complain about it. It was. The Housing Offi cer made notes and shortly afterwards more bins were provided and the litter problem dwindled.

It was a very constructive fi rst taste of involvement with Drum.”Jo decided to become involved in Drum’s Continual Improvement Group and became more and more interested in how residents can help shape Drum's service. Jo became a Resident Board Member and sits on committees with Drum and Radian Executives.

Jo is appointed to National CouncilCongratulations to Jo Reid, one of our own residents, who has been selected from over 1,200 applicants nationwide to stand on the National Tenant Council (NTC), which debates housing policy for the whole country.

Voices Spring 2010

Welcome 2Your questionnaires 3Repairs 4Benefi t changes 5Resident involvement 6–7Housing 8–9Performance 10Community 11Update 12Competition 13 Choices 14–15Youth pages 16–17Your voice 18–19Estates wardens 20

Hi,I am Sandra Theckston, Director of Drum and have great pleasure in introducing the

Spring Edition of Voices.I am always thrilled to see the

breadth of information within each edition of this magazine which would not be possible without the dedication of the residents and staff who form the editorial team and coordinate everything so professionally.This edition gives you more information on the formation of the Area Panels in line with the Governance Review and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all of you who have shared your views with us and to those who have attended the drop-in sessions. I hope you found them both informative and inspiring!I would also draw your attention to the articles on affordable warmth, receiving the right benefi ts and how to report a repair on line.

3

Your questionnaires

We had a fantastic response to the questionnaires we sent out in recent

editions of all three Radian magazines

– Voices, Contact and Swaythlink.

The feedback we receive from you is central to how we plan and select articles and also how we design and develop the magazine. Your feedback has resulted in some immediate changes that we hope will improve it.

How did we decide on changes? Having received the questionnaires, members of staff from the magazine editorial panels digested the comments and then met with the magazine designers and copy editors. We were delighted with the many positive comments, but we also needed to address some of the issues that were raised. So we took these to a meeting with residents in Basingstoke and asked them

what they thought. The result is what you are now reading – a magazine that is easy to read, covers local issues as well as wider ones, gives advice and help about day to day issues and focuses on you – the reader.If you have strong feelings about this new format please contact us using the details below. We welcome feedback and we are always looking for people to join the various editorial committees.

ContributionsWe are always looking for contributions from residents. Whether it is a letter about something you feel strongly about, a complaint about our service or an incident you wish to report, a story or poem, an interview with someone you feel has had an interesting life, memories of your childhood or an amusing short story, we would love to hear from you!Contact radianmagazines@radian.co.uk or call 01730 403031

Making changes

Residents and staff from Windsor, Drum and Swaythling got together at a hotel in Basingstoke to discuss the Radian magazines. We worked hard but there was also a lot of laughter and some great ideas for future editions.

Between us, as Radian, our magazines go to 17,000 residents across seven counties. We all agreed that there are plenty of articles that would interest everyone and we will look to share these in future editions. There were plenty of ideas including bigger

prizes for competitions across the group and a guest editor to be invited onto the magazine for each edition. The day was a great success and we hope to hold these combined meetings on a regular basis.

The BIG magazines meeting

Want to get involved?Contact radianmagazines@radian.co.uk or call 01730 403031

4

Repairs

Voices Spring 2010

Responsive repairs – when residents or housing staff report a fault and we attend to fi x it. Cyclical repairs – arranged on a regular basis by the housing provider (Drum) to carry out work or inspections. An example of this is gas central heating boilers.Planned repairs – includes kitchens, bathrooms, windows and roofs. Using information we hold, a programme of works is drawn up for properties that are due replacements during the coming years.We will publish updates to planned works in future editions of Voices.

Do you know what recharge repairs are? They are repairs that you need to pay for. When you call us to report a repair, we will let you know if it may be your responsibility, we will tell you the cost and also discuss the options. Some examples of a rechargeable repair are broken windows, being locked out and needing us to enter your home, losing keys or blocking drains from inappropriate items being fl ushed. We will always advise you when a recharge repair may apply.

3 Types of repair

Repairs you pay for

Gas – the silent killerImportant gas information: A qualifi ed Gas Safe engineer must fi t all gas appliances installed into your home. It is your responsibility to ensure that your appliances are safe and properly fi tted. If you have installed any gas appliance without

using a Gas Safe engineer please act now to get it checked. Your DIY could

be putting the lives of your loved ones at risk!

It is your responsibility to ensure all gas appliances are installed by

a Gas Safe (formally Corgi) qualifi ed technician. You can fi nd fi nd your local

Gas Safe technician by visiting www.gassaferegister.co.uk

Struggling to get around?We can fi t handrails and other adaptations to help you!

If you need a little help getting around the home, we can make minor adaptations,

such as fi tting grab and handrails, lever taps, keysafes, half steps and small access ramps. The service is part of our commitment to help those in greatest need. This scheme is open to all residents in need of assistance

and who currently receive a full repair service from us.

To take advantage of this free service please telephone Customer Services on

01730 403200 or email: info@drumhsg.co.uk

5

State pension changes What? Here are the main changes:New weekly credit to help carers qualify for state pension.Removal of pension increase for a dependant (usually a wife or husband).Change in rules to allow husbands, wives and civil partners to get a pension based on their partner’s national insurance contributions.More people are able to buy additional voluntary national insurance contributions to increase their pension.

Gradual increase in the state pension age for women born on or after 6 April 1950 to bring it in line with the state pension age for men by 2020.Gradual increase in the state pension age for men and women born after 5 April 1959 so it rises from 65 to 68.Gradual increase in the minimum age that you can claim pension credits and winter fuel payments, in line with the rise in women’s state pension age. Decrease in the number of years national insurance contributions needed to obtain a full basic state pension.

When? Changes come into effect from April 2010 onwards.Who needs to take action? Anyone reaching state pension age on or after 6 April 2010 may be affected. A few people who have already reached state pension age may also be affected.How? Check the State Pension Profi ler on www.direct.gov.uk/pensions to fi nd out how the changes affect you. Alternatively, contact the Benefi ts Adviser on the contact details below.

What? The help with mortgages and other housing costs such as service charges has been increased so more people can qualify sooner.When? From 5 January 2010.Who needs to take action? If you are a home owner and have been refused income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or income-related employment and support allowance because your income was considered too high,

you should check whether the new rules help you.

How? Contact the Jobcentre Plus offi ce that deals with your claim, or contact our Benefi ts Adviser for

more information.

What? The allowances for children are increasing.When? April 2010.Who needs to take action? If you already receive tax credits your claim will be adjusted automatically. If you are responsible for one or more children and your income has previously been too high for you to qualify for child tax credit, you should consider putting in a new claim.How? Contact us if you would like to check your entitlement, or contact the Tax Credit Offi ce on 0845 300 3900 or www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits to make a claim.

Watch out for benefi t changes – they may affect YOU! The pension information is particularly important for those who are NOT yet of pension age.

Benefi t changes

Home owners:increase in benefi ts

Tax credit increase

This advice is for information only. Viewpoints should not be taken as a statement of the law or regulations. Contact your local benefi t advisor by email keaston@drumhsg.co.uk or telephone 01730 403200

6 Voices Spring 2010

Diggin’ it – for SpringMake A Difference Day (MADD) in Froxfi eld

Over a period of 2 days in September, fi ve residents came to Drum and inspected our Estate Management Service. This included looking at the tidiness of our estates, communal areas in blocks of fl ats and how we work with other agencies such as the District and County Council. Their job was to identify any areas of weakness, suggest solutions and also highlight areas of strength within the service. Here are some of the things that we plan to put in place as a direct result of the inspection:

• Feedback and actions from estate walkabouts to all residents living on the estate e.g. through estate newsletters and mail outs.

• Set up a monitoring/feedback process with other agencies to ensure they have dealt with issues that are their responsibility e.g. moving abandoned cars from East Hampshire District Council land.

• Information on how to report infestations of mice, rats, wasps etc., publicised through an article in Voices and on the website.

• Information on how residents can apply for dropped curb access through an article in the spring edition of Voices and on website.

Would you like to take part in future Resident Inspections? Are you inquisitive and have good observation skills? By taking part, improve your personal development and maybe get that job you’ve been after! We plan to organise another 2 inspections during 2010. Comprehensive training will be given on how to be an effective resident auditor and on the service being inspected.

Residents from Petersfi eld Housing

Association (PHA) and Drum Housing

Association took part in a local Make

A Difference Day (MADD) at Deans Dell and Dellfi eld in Froxfi eld. As part of the activities they planted hundreds of bulbs to brighten up the area for Spring.Residents rolled up their sleeves for an early spring clean, dumping any unwanted items into skips provided by Froxfi eld Parish Council.

PC Baker and representatives from both the Housing Associations and East Hampshire District Council were on hand during the day to discuss community issues with residents.The main event was the planting of hundreds of spring bulbs, which were kindly donated by Mr Rawlings of Hillers Garden Centre. A BBQ lunch provided by RKdia catering, kept everyone going throughout the afternoon.If you would like further information about holding a Make A Difference Day or establishing walkabouts in your area, contact Drum on tenantparticipation@drumhsg.co.uk or telephone 01730 403200 for further details.

R E S I D E N Ti n v o l v e m e n t

Resident Auditors inspect Estate Management Service!

Interested?

Contact the Customer Focus Co-ordinator on 01730 403200 or email tenant.participation@drumhsg.co.uk

7

We are keen to involve everyone in the ongoing process, and have set up a number of opportunities for residents:• We have a development Continuous

Improvement Group (CIG) to make recommendations and scrutinise our procedures.

• We have regional panels, and we are always looking for more members to sit on them (particularly from our Black, Minority and Ethnic residents). We provide training and support, and we thoroughly involve you in the process!

Our Design Strategy

Radian designs homes and creates local environments that improve peoples lives and locations. We are asking people how we can improve the way we design our homes and using the answers to create a Design Strategy.

Cranford Estate Residents Association

Stop pressOur involvement with Street Watch has helped reduce anti-social behaviour problems being reported to the Police – The red telephone box, at the end of Borough Grove, now belongs to ‘CERA’. We plan to use it as a local advertising space as well as the Street Watch member’s meeting place.Our AGM will be on 25th May 2010 at The Petersfi eld School at 7pm. All welcome.

Chase residents have their sayResidents from the Chase came along to an open event to discuss local issues. Three working groups have been established to look at anti-social behaviour, allotments and the need for play equipment on the site.

NEWS IN BRIEF

R E S I D E N Ti n v o l v e m e n t

Would you like to get involved?Thank you to everyone who has been involved so far. Please do come forward if you would like to get involved or fi nd out more contact Jonathan Rickard on 0238 062 8367 or email jonathan.rickard@radian.co.uk

Jonathan Rickard Head of Design and Compliance

8

Jason Kivett is a construction worker with two children. Jason was renting a single room in a shared fl at but desperately wanted to get his own place to share with his two children, Beth and Anthony.On the advice of a friend Jason looked into HomeBuy scheme. He found out about a new development just outside of Salisbury in Amesbury, called Archers Gate. Swaythling Housing Society, part of the Radian group, offered a mix of properties on the development through New Build HomeBuy.“Archers Gate was in a great location for me and the children, as their school and friends are all near by. I arranged a viewing and went along to fi nd out what was on offer”.

Swaythling Housing had a 3 bedroom house that was ideal for Jason and his family. Jason purchased a 40% share of the 3 bedroom house for £72,000. His total monthly outgoings are now about £800 for a brand new family home, something he couldn’t have been able to buy without the help of the New Build HomeBuy scheme.

Jason’s HomeBuy success

Crackdown on sublettingHousing Minister, John Healey has launched the fi rst-ever national crackdown on tenancy cheats, to recover up to 10,000 council and housing association homes from

fraudulent subletting and release them to those in real need.

Housing

For further information contact New Build HomeBuyArchers Gate, Swaythling Housing.Part of Radian www.radian.co.ukTel 023 8062 8004

If you suspect fraudulent subletting, please contact your Housing Offi cer in confi dence on 01730 403200.

As with other housing associations and councils we follow government guidelines when setting the rents each year. The guidelines are based on a ‘target’ rent for each property calculated using local property prices and earnings. Each year this rent will change by a set formula based on the Retail Price Index (RPI) which follows infl ation. Last year infl ation was negative and so target rent has gone down.

For 2010 this will mean a decrease for most tenants as they were paying a rent which is now above the new target rent. There will be some tenants who are currently paying a rent slightly below the target rent for their property. For those tenants we will add up to an additional £2 per week to bring their rents into line. This only applies to social rental housing NOT shared ownership and it does not affect service charges.

If your rent has changed – Here’s why…

Voices Spring 2010

9

Reporting repairs onlineHousecall is our online service for reporting repairs that are not emergencies. Housecall can be found on our website at www.drumhsg.co.ukTo report a repair, you simply visit the website and follow the on screen instructions. It’s simple to use and means you are able to report non-emergency repairs at any time of day. Your request is forwarded from the website to the Customer Services team, who will contact you to arrange an appointment with one of our tradesmen.

Housing

SPRING EDITION WEB TIPCheck out Supercook.com a new recipe search engine that fi nds recipes you can make with only the ingredients you have at home.

We have a new website at www.drumhsg.co.ukAlong with our Radian partners, we now have a great new site that is easier to use and can be used to make life easier for you as residents. You can report a repair, pay your rent and leave us feedback about our services and other issues – all online. There’s lots of advice and information, as well as contacts to help you resolve any issues quickly.Check out the new website at www.drumhsg.co.uk

You can soon pay your rent online through the website. This will mean that you simply enter your rent account number and are taken to a secure server to make an online payment. Keep an eye open for this service!If you have a paypoint card you can use this for online payments now.

Pay your rent online

Visit our new website

10

If we’re on target then the face will be green ☺ if we’re within 10% of our target it will be amber ☺ and if we’ve got more work to do to reach that target the face will be red .

Target 1st QuarterApril to

June 2009

2ndQuarterJuly to

Sept 2009

3rdQuarterOct to

Dec 2009

How are we doing compared

to our targetHow many complaints have we received? – 16 14 26 –

What % of calls does the Customer Service Centre successfully answer?

95.00% 95.00% 94.00% 94.00%

How much money do people who rent properties from us owe us in rent at the end of each quarter?

– £644,792 £614,220 £599,993 –

What % of the rent that we could collect is not collected at the end of each quarter?

4.00% 2.75% 2.23% 2.54%

How quickly do we let empty properties? 21 days 26 22 23

How quickly do we let Housing for Older People properties?

32 days 60 78 68

What % of repairs do we complete on time?Emergencies 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Urgent 98.00% 95.67% 95.78% 97.13%

Routine 96.00% 97.00% 94.96% 93.13%

% of properties with a Gas Safety Certifi cate at the end of each quarter.

100.00% 99.98% 98.93% 99.60%

Percentage of overall satisfaction with the maintenance service.

95.00% 93.15% 92.40% 93.00%

Percentage of overall satisfaction with the planned repairs service, e.g. fi tting new bathrooms & Kitchens.

95.00% 99.70% 99.40% 99.70%

☺

☺

☺

☺

☺

☺

☺

☺

☺

Voices Spring 2010

Performance

Where we need to do betterDealing with your phone calls: We successfully answered 94% of calls in the last quarter. That’s still slightly below our target of 95%. Letting empty properties: The turnaround time between one tenant moving out and the new tenant moving in to our general needs properties was 23 days in the quarter ending December. That’s very good compared to most organisations but we do have a problem with letting some of our properties in sheltered housing schemes. All our empty properties are now advertised through choice based lettings which covers the districts of East Hampshire, Havant and Winchester.Carrying out repairs and maintenance: Our urgent and routine repairs completed on time were below target at 97.13% and 93.13% against targets of 98% and 96%. We understand that repairs is an important issue for our residents and will continue to work closely with Radian Services to improve on this fi gure.Rent arrears: We are currently owed around £600,000 in rent which although a signifi cant amount represents 2.54% of out total rental income and puts us well within target. Drum has invested in an additional benefi ts advisor to assist our residents in maximising their income and help reduce rent arrears.

Drum, Swaythling and Windsor are all united as Radian, and whilst we may be bigger we are still thinking locally! This is why we are introducing new Area Panels, made up of local residents, who will help us to set local priorities and standards for their areas. You may already have been to one of the many drop-in sessions that have taken place across the south coast. We will soon be sending out a leafl et to tell you what ideas and actions have come out of our drop-in sessions. In the meantime, look out for information on our website www.drumhsg.co.uk or call FREEPHONE 0808 141 0042

Still thinking locally

Radian is made up of:

• Drum Housing Association • Longwood Park• Portal Housing Association• Swaythling Housing Society• Turnstone Support • Windsor Housing

Community

11

Culture in the Park Sunday 4th July from 11am.Queen Elizabeth Country Park.Great event for the whole family to experience different cultures.The CITP team are working with local schools to deliver multicultural workshops in the Summer. If you would like to be involved call Tony McCarthy at EHDC 01730 234187 or email tony.mccarthy@easthants.gov.uk

May Fayre 2010 St Mary’s, Fratton, PortsmouthMonday 3rd May 10am–4pm. If you would like a stall please telephone 023 92 293020 or Father Bob White on 023 92 822687.

EVEN

TS

12

Update

Voices Spring 2010

The ‘Residents’ Business Plan (2008–2010), was compiled and produced by residents to identify areas you felt we should prioritise. Twelve months on, here is how we are performing against some of the key issues you identifi ed:Anti-social behaviourDealing with anti-social behaviour (ASB) – nine ASB grants have been awarded, worth about £20,900, to projects helping to reduce local ASB problems. Referrals to mediation and victim support agencies have increased by 20%.Estate managementEstates that are clean, tidy and attractive – Estate Wardens now make more regular inspections, using checklists to record problems and make sure actions are taken. Six Environmental Improvement Grants have been awarded to make improvements such as lighting and communal grassed areas.Family homesIncreasing the number of family homes available – we have completed Phase one of the three

to four bedroom extension project in Alton. Phase two, which will extend two properties in Petersfi eld, one in Headley, one in Liss and two in Bordon should also be complete by the time you read this.Independently livingThe Homeless Offered Mentoring Empowerment (HOME) project run by RKdia has helped over

100 vulnerable people, giving them support and advice.

Repairs serviceRadian Services has now been in operation since April 2009. The new service has resulted in repairs being completed on time increasing from

94.01% to 96.18% and customer satisfaction rising

from 92.09% to 93.09%.

Residents’ update – what have we done?

NEW

S IN

BRI

EF

Work started on site in December 2009 with the demolition of St Mary’s Arms public house in Fratton, Portsmouth and the construction of 32 new fl ats. Ten homes will be made available for shared ownership purchase and the remaining 22 for social rents.

For the last 12 months voluntary and statutory organisations have been discussing ways to help older people living in rural communities, who may face social isolation. Issues that were raised included the need for better information about local transport options, also

information about driving assesments and courses for older people.

To fi nd out more contact Julie Manchip email jmanchip@drumhsg.co.uk or call 01730 403200

Alliance house Social isolation of older people

If you would like information about progress on all of the priorities identifi ed within the Residents’ Business Plan please contact the Customer & Community Focus Team on 01730 403200 or via emailtenant.participation@drumhsg.co.uk

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Cartoon winnersCompetition

Congratulations to Andrew Oates, our cartoon competition winner chosen by our joint editorial panel, and a big thank you to all the people who entered – we had over 70 entries! Andrew wins the £100 fi rst prize and a commission to produce three further illustrations at £100 each. In second place is Michael Durrell and in third Lauren Gardiner.

Highly commended entries were Adam Dunford, Emma Hardiman, Emily Reagan, Wai-Yi Lee, Suzanne Saunders, and Nick Robson.The competition challenged entrants to use four illustrations to show an anti social behaviour incident being resolved.

2nd

The winner

Lauren Gardiner (Salisbury)

Michael Durell (Southampton)

Andrew Oates (Basingstoke)

LaLaururenen GGardidiner

3rd

O ( )

Computer club

Fundraising for Haiti

Learn to lip read

the sheltered housing pages

Alton’s ‘Silver Song Club’ celebrated their fi rst birthday at Orchard House. ‘Sing for your Life’ was started last January and includes people with dementia and adults with learning disabilities and their carers from the local area, as well as volunteers from Alton Operatic & Dramatic Society. The Alton Silver Song Club is held once a week on Friday morning with coffee and tea from 10.00am and singing from 10.30am at Orchard House, Orchard Lane, Alton. For further information contact Barbara Rayner on 01420 80445 / 07889 442660

Oak Lodge held a computer taster session, which was attended by eight residents. The session was very productive and Scheme Manager, Maxine Ford is now hoping to organise a six-week block session.

We are running a ‘learn to lip read’ course at Oak Lodge on Wednesday mornings from 10am until 12pm. The cost is £3 per session. All welcome.If you are interested please contact Maxine Ford 01420 475399.

Orchard House and Ramscote raised money for the Haiti earthquake fund at specially organised events. Orchard House raised £674 and Ramscote £262. The money was raised by holding bring and buy and bric-a-brac sales, selling cakes and teas and holding a raffl e. Well done to you all!Rother House also raised £624.80!

Silver Song Club birthday bash

14

choices

Causeway Farm’s Christmas Cracker!Residents and staff at Causeway Farm put on a wonderful Christmas show, full of energy and humour. Well done to everyone involved!

A Merry Siward ChristmasSiward residents enjoyed a very pleasant Christmas, which included a Christmas lunch at The Seven Stars and a visit from Winton Playgroup.

Is your motorised scooter approved?

Birthday girls

Tops of the tables

the sheltered housing pages

Causeway Farm won the Silver Award for ‘Retirement Housing with over 60 units’. The award was made at the fi rst event of its kind, hosted by the Elderly Accommodation Council (EAC) at Lords cricket ground. Well done to everyone at Causeway, a wonderful achievement!

Residents at Siward House organised a table top sale, which raised over £200. Siward was a buzz of activity as tables were set up, goods displayed and punters welcomed. As well as a wide variety of goods on sale, residents also sold teas and coffees. All in all it was a very rewarding event!

Congratulations to Phylis Lee, of Oak Lodge, who was 100 on 9 November last year and to Ivy Ward, of Siward House, who was 90 on 10 December.

Drum now has policies to cater for the safe keeping and use of motorised mobility scooters and wheelchairs. The policy covers storage, charging and the health and safety of residents and staff. Written permission is required to keep a mobility vehicle on site but this will not be unreasonably withheld.For full details of the policy please ask your Sheltered Scheme Manager.

Congratulations Causeway

15

choices

Causeway winter imagesHere’s what the residents of Causeway Farm got up to during the heavy snow we recently had – they happily admit that they are a bunch of kids really!

Snow problemAt Siward House we all pulled together when the snow came. Neighbours kept an eye on each other ensuring everyone had food and warm drinks. Thanks to everyone who helped!

InterviewInterviewwith Nanwith Nan

Write in with your stories or interviews and you can win £20!

Congratulations Georgia you win!

onswin!

£20£20

Georgia Curtis sent us this wonderful roving reporter interview with her Nan. Congratulations Georgia you win £20!Nan, when you were a child what was it like?I was born just before the war so most of my childhood was in the war. Times were quite diffi cult but we just had to get on and take things day by day.Now-days you have a good supply of food but when I was younger most things were rationed so we had little supply.

Where was your dad?My dad was in Palestine.Why was he in Palestine?He was in the military police.Tell us more about the things he sent you.My dad sent home sweets like Turkish delight and sugared almonds. I loved the Turkish delight but not the sugared almonds but I liked the sugar so I used to suck the sugar and then spit out the almond.Do you remember your time at school?Yes, I went to the local school and liked it a lot because it was something different to do.What was different?A lot of things – nowadays you have PE but we had sport recreation – this is where we went to the park opposite the school and did games. I loved doing sport and I was a good runner and I ran for Surrey in a competition. I didn’t win but taking part in something I enjoyed was good.You said you were brought up in the war, what was it like?It was hard, not so much for me because I was quite young and

didn’t really understand but I imagine for my parents it must have been diffi cult. I remember hearing the planes that bombed fl y over but luckily we lived in an area that wasn’t bombed.What things didn’t you have?We had no holidays, hardly any cars and no TV only the radio but there were less stations on it. What did you do to entertain yourself?We played games like Ludo and Snakes and Ladders. We also played card games like Happy Families and Snap. My mother also taught me to knit and I still do till this day.Do you remember when the war fi nished? Yes, down the street I lived at we had a big celebration and had a big bonfi re in the middle of the road. All of the adults were relieved and my dad came home safely. Thank you for letting me interview you.Georgia,Age 13 years

We are in our fi nal year at Horndean Technology College and, like all schools, friendship problems and teasing do arise sometimes. When it does happen, it is always dealt with quickly. We are helping to give strong support to people going through bullying.One of the most successful approaches has been peer mentoring. This has been running for two years now and students use this of their own accord. Peer Mentoring is where Year 10 and Year 11 students (including ourselves!) are available for students to explain their problems to at lunch time in a private room. All of the peer mentors have been to Winchester University on a course

to learn how to deal with certain problems. Everything that is said is strictly confi dential and the peer mentors are only permitted to tell a teacher what is going on if the student is in danger. The problems that do arise can be simple like helping with homework. However, some other students do have more serious issues which the peer mentors help with. Another scheme is the library anti-bullying box; this is where a student writes on a note what their problem is and then they will be assigned a peer mentor who will best suit them and the situation. They won’t need to see a teacher and will have someone who is comforting and open to speak to,

they will not judge anyone and are very kind and positive towards any and every situation.We were the fi rst school in the country to sign up to the National Anti-Bullying Charter and we always take part with presentations and activities in anti-bullying week. Hannah and Salma

Cutting�out�bullying��

Dear ReaderDrum housing board chair, Margaret Scott, hosted a wonderful Christmas party on Thursday December 17th at Petersfi eld Community Centre.First a steel drum band played a mix of songs and then the Gosport Gospel choir performed a mixture of religious and Christmas songs.Whilst the others were performing, a Charlie Chaplin look-a-like, performed in front of us. He did magic tricks and tricks with his walking stick. When he went to shake my hand his walking stick fell on my arm and then he took it back and his hat fell off!

We ate food from around the world and there was a raffl e and I pulled my own ticket out! When we left, as we were walking to the car, a blizzard began and my family and I were absolutely amazed by it. My Mum drove home in the snow!Many thanksAlisha,Age 8

Voices Christmas eventChristmas event

Get your story published in Voices for the chance to win £20. Email entries to voices@drumhsg.co.uk

£20£20

rtain said

£20£20

18

Your voice

Voices Spring 2010

WIN £20 in vouchers if your letter is picked as our star choice.

Resident, Paula Stacey sent us these wonderful memories of her father George.George Stacey knew several Romany words and phrases and I often used to get him to tell me their

meaning. George grew up in Hambledon and

was used to Romanys or Gypsies living close

by. He saw them round their campfi res, cooking hedgehogs

baked in clay – better to pull the prickles off. As a ‘chavi’ (child) he would have played in the fi elds and hedgerows of Hampshire. George Stacey was a proper ‘Hampshire Hog’, accent and all. He had a walnut tan, and a hooked nose, was short, lithe, and as strong as they come. He could out-race the fastest walker, and we sometimes had a race.

Here are some of the words I have recorded, some might not be spelled correctly, and I might have mixed up the meanings, but the essence is there.

• Bawdy per – big belly, pregnant• Bawdy gongkapuche – big?• Bawdy chavi – big child• Bawdy gevelle – big woman• Moi – mouth • Cushti – easy• Te che comande lest e pen doval – the man’s

a fool and doesn’t know it• Bawdy perils – big feet• Muche – man• Canny up a rooker – pheasant in a tree• Vonger in his putsel – money in his pocket• Jel down the tobie and have some lipnel –

walk down the road and have some beer• Toni/bock – night, luck.

Paula Stacey, resident

Memories

r

Wins a £20

voucherMy wife and I entered the ‘Alton in Bloom’ 2009 and won two Golds for our Hanging Baskets and Small front garden. As a result I was asked to sort out one of the two raised gardens we have close to the parking area. Having been turned down for small funding I approached Notcutts Garden Centre in Bagshot and Forest Lodge Garden Centre in Holt Pound – the result? Over 600 bulbs donated and planted.

On behalf of the residents I would like to say thank you through the pages of Voices. Sincerely Derrick and Joan Wood The Garth, Alton.

Our reply Congratulations for the wonderful work on this piece of land, which by all accounts was just an overgrown patch before your hard work.

With regard to the Environmental Initiatives bid, we apologise for not getting back to you directly, as I understand it your bid did not meet the criteria on this occasion, but worth trying again in the next round of bids.Keep trying!Mike Fitzpatrick,Assistant Director of Housing

Golden Blooms

s I understandt meet the ccasion,again inf bids.

k,or ctor

WIN £20

19

Your voice

Enter your photos for our competition. Whether they are shots of people, places, objects or action, we would love to see them. It may be a picture you took on holiday, a landscape you captured in a good light or a special moment you snapped. Entries: You can send in your entries as high resolution jpegs by simply emailing them to competitions@radian.co.uk Any images sent as hard copies should be duplicates as we cannot guarantee their return. Postal entries should be sent to Voices Editorial, Drum Housing Association, Drum Court, The Spain, Petersfi eld, GU32 3NG.Please include your name, age and contact details with your entry.The closing date for all entries is 31 May 2010.See our website for terms and conditions.

In our 2010 Photo competitionWIN £100

When Choice Based Lettings was introduced it was heralded as a system that would give transparency and a greater choice to the applicant about where they wanted to live. As the website states, it advertises all vacant social housing in three council areas.Sadly this has proved not to be the case. Not only are the recent lettings reports woefully bereft of information, but not all properties are advertised. Three properties in Alton have recently been vacant and let, whilst circumventing the Choice Based Lettings system. How can this be? When you are waiting patiently for a property and believe that the system is working, this is a hard pill to swallow.So, if you are on the housing register and believe the system is working for you, be aware!Maria Burr, resident, Alton

Our replyMaria, thank you for emailing us about the Choice Based Letting system, I am sorry that you have found it frustrating. The website is managed by a central organisation (Arbitas). 145 of Drum’s properties have been let through the system since it was set up in April 2009. Most properties are advertised on the website, but there are some exceptions in cases which have been agreed with the local authority:

• A household needs to move for their safety• Development plans effect the allocation• The property is nominated as temporary

accommodation• The local authority do not have 100%

nomination rights. A questionnaire will be sent out in the next couple of months to people who have used the system. The feedback will be used to help us make improvements.If you would like to discuss the service in more detail please do call our Customer Service Team on 01730 403200 and they will be happy to help. Joyce Murphy, Lettings Manager, Drum Housing Association

Choice Based Lettings

Mike Merrell, Estate Warden SupervisorResponsibilities: Overseeing estate warden team,

paperwork, and meetings.Locations covered: All areas covered by estate wardens.Something you wouldn’t know about me just by looking: I have had several short stories published.

Brian Rees, Estate WardenResponsibilities: Service, clean, and maintain company

properties to customer satisfaction.Locations covered: Alton, Bordon/Whitehill, Liphook.Something you wouldn’t know about me just by looking: Active member of PJC, now preferring the challenges of off road runs as I am too old to race!

Sam Bream,Estate Warden Responsibilities: Assist tradesmen and residents and keep

areas clean and tidy.Something you wouldn’t know about me just by looking: I love food!

Chris DoughtyEstate WardenResponsibilities: Inspection of all areas, removal of bulk items

(fl y tipping), proactive repairs, key fob programming and maintaining sheltered schemes and hostels.Locations covered: Bordon, Whitehill, Lindford and Headley Down.Something you wouldn’t know about me just by looking: I used to live and work in Moscow.

Mark Glendenning,Estate WardenResponsibilities: Bulk and fl y tipping removal, inspections

to all areas.Locations covered: Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport, Chichester, Horndean.Something you wouldn’t know about me just by looking: I enjoy working on a farm in my spare time.

Nina Warren,Estate WardenResponsibilities: Inspections, cleaning, gardening, and

customer care.Locations covered:REEMA estate.

Something you wouldn’t know about me just by looking: I was an animal trainer for 15 years.

Jeff Emerson, Estate WardenResponsibilities: Communal areas, vehicle removal,

building inspections, improving the areas which residents live in.Locations covered: Petersfi eld, Buriton, Greatham, East Meon, Liss, Steep, Steepmarsh, Horndean, Clanfi eld, Froxfi eld.Something you wouldn’t know about me just by looking: Between 1984 and 1999 I buried more than 3000 people… (as a gravedigger for the London Borough of Lambeth).

Mike Patrick,Estate WardenResponsibilities: Keep areas tidy, deal with untaxed cars,

inspections, and weed spraying.Locations covered: East Alton, Ropley, Monkswood, Four Marks, East Tisted, East Worldham, Kingsley, Binsted, Lower Froyle, Bentley, Upper Wield, Medstead.Something you wouldn’t know about me just by looking: I used to be a special constable.

Meet your local Estate Wardens

Voices can be produced in Braille, large print or on audio tape and can be translated into any language on request

Drum Housing Association, Drum Court, The Spain, Petersfi eld, Hampshire GU32 3NGTel: 01730 403200 Fax: 01730 403140 Email: info@drumhsg.co.uk www.drumhsg.co.uk

How to contact your Estate Wardens: Call Drum Housing Customer Services on 01730 403200

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