OpendoorThe magazine for Magna Housing Association residents

Spring 2011

It’s all about you

Leaseholder info

Rehousing standard

Rents compared

Gardening competition

Opendoor is produced for all residents of Magna Housing Association. Opendoor aims to keep you informed about housing issues and your dealings with Magna.

Enlarged or taped versions of Opendoor are available on request. If you would like Opendoor in another format, please contact the Communication & Marketing department at the address below or telephone 01305 214047.

All competitions in Opendoor are for Magna residents only.

In Opendoor the abbreviations MHA, MWS and MHGL mean:MHA is Magna Housing AssociationMWS is Magna West SomersetMHGL is Magna Housing Group Limited

Opendoor Magazine, Hollands House, Poundbury Road, Dorchester, Dorset. DT1 1SW. www.magnaha.org.uk

Opendoor spring 2011

Contents:Page 3 Gardening competition Page 12&13 Community Connections

Page 4 Housing Cheats Page 14 Resident profile

Page 5 Make your own... Page 17 Cartoons!

Page 10 Rent comparison Page 19 Story for bedtime

Welcome to the spring edition of Opendoor.

As I write this, the frost has returned and summer seems a million miles away. However, it’s not too early to start thinking about this year’s gardening competition. The details are on page 3, please do enter as we’d love to see more gardens this year.

This year we will have three editions of Opendoor rather than four. We don’t think this will impact on the service we provide you, but it will save the organisation several thousand pounds. At just over 20p per copy, we still believe you are getting good value for money. Do please let us know what you think about the change.Happy reading. The next edition will be with you at the beginning of August.

Catriona FountainHead of communication

Rent free weeksIf you are on a 48-week rent cycle, the 28 March and 4 April 2011 are this year’s rent collection free weeks.

If you are under a court order, or an arrangement to reduce arrears, please continue to make payments through these weeks.

Remember, direct debit and standing order payments are normally divided into 12 equal instalments, so if you pay by these methods, the rent collection free weeks have already been taken into consideration.

Editor’s Letter

For the past year, our non-emergency repairs line has been open for an extra two hours every Monday and Tuesday evening between 5pm and 7pm to see if it’s what you wanted, but we only had a few calls.

So, after consulting with residents through our working groups, we have decided to end this service.

You can report a non-emergency repair by calling freephone 0800 358 6025 between 8.30am and 5pm from Mondays to Thursdays and 8.30am-4.30pm on Fridays. We operate an emergency repair service (on the same number) outside normal working hours if you have something that can’t wait until the next working day.

Magna Careline picks up accreditationMagna Careline is now accredited under the new code of practice of the Telecare Services Association (TSA), the UK’s telecare industry’s regulator.As well as helping people retain their independence in their own homes, Magna Careline handles calls for commercial customers, providing business continuity and protection for lone workers.

Reporting repairs

Opendoor spring 2011 3

Magna Gardens of the year 2011We appreciate your love of gardening and ask you to share with us all your hard work by entering our competition.

As always, we saw so many wonderful gardens during 2010. It was a pleasure to see, but a hardship to judge!

To keep improving on the success of our annual garden competition we asked all entrants to let us know what they thought of the competition and make suggestions on how we can continue to make this a great event!In response to the comments we received following last year’s competition, the categories for this year will be:

Small garden, large garden, vegetable garden, patio & containers,

communal garden

As always, gardeners can aspire to win the John Foot Challenge Cup

Prizes are:

1st Prize £65 gardening vouchers of your choice2nd Prize Subscription to Gardeners’ World Magazine for a year3rd Prize Family ticket to Abbotsbury sub-tropical gardens

Judging will take place during July, entrants will be notified of the date nearer the time to try and combat the battle against our British weather!Please complete the form and return to the address below by Friday 17th June 2011 to enter your garden.

Name: ________________________Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Day time tel:________________________email: ________________________

Please send your entries to: Lisa Wagg, quality assurance co-ordinator, Hollands House, Poundbury Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1 SW or call 01305 216041 before Friday 17th June 2010.We look forward to seeing you and your gorgeous gardens!

Small garden

Large garden

Vegetable garden

Patios & containers

Communal garden

For handy help and hints on what to do in your

garden now spring has sprung turn to page 17.

Opendoor spring 20114

Customer First Housing cheats: an updateCustomer

FIRST In our autumn edition of Opendoor we had an article about how cheats were abusing the housing system. Housing cheats can operate in different ways.

They can be involved in unlawful subletting, obtaining housing by deception or moving out and passing the property to friends or relatives. This means people with a genuine need have to wait longer to get housed and it’s simply not fair.

This isn’t a big issue for MHA, but never the less, since the article was published, we’ve received lots of calls. As a direct result of your help we have taken court action against three residents and have taken back three properties that have now been let to people in real housing need.

Several tenants have been contacted and have either moved back in or voluntarily given up their houses. We are also working with the housing benefit department investigating several possible fraudulent claims.

We still need your help to stop the housing cheats because you can see what is going on in your neighbourhood. If you suspect someone is a housing cheat, let us know. It could make a real difference. Contact us on 01305 216060 or email stuart.martindale@magna.org.uk

We’re managing it well but need your help too.

All reports are treated confidentially and reports can be made anonymously.

Members of the Customer First team have put in place their plans for the next sixteen months and there are exciting times ahead.

The Customer First Champions work within a variety of departments across Magna and have all given their time to get together and discuss ways of improving the service we give to everyone we work with and for.

The group has identified a number of projects that they believe will improve the service customers receive both in house and externally.

Some of the first tasks that the group will be tackling this year are a customer commitment statement and the launch of a staff suggestion scheme.

Along with residents, the group developed a Customer First Procedure in 2008. The procedure details the levels of commitment that Magna staff are measured by. For example, the procedure states that if you send in a letter, we will respond within five working days of receiving it. However, the procedure is lengthy and administrative.

By delivering a short, sharp summary in the form of a customer commitment statement, we will be showing you what we will do and how we will do it.

The staff suggestion scheme is due to be launched in April and will encourage staff from all across Magna to draw on their experience to come up with ideas to improve our levels of service.

There are a variety of other interesting schemes in the pipeline. If you would like to know more about these or think you can help please contact Chris Meadows, customer first co-ordinator, on 01305 214049.

Don’t pay over the odds for your gas and electricity

The National Housing Federation and uSwitch have launched a new scheme to help you save money on your energy bills.

My Home Energy Switch lets you compare all energy suppliers simply and quickly to make sure you’re getting the best price for your gas and electricity.

The process is simple, fast and effective and can be easily completed in a few minutes via a dedicated webpage or the free customer helpline. Visit www.myhomeenergyswitch.org.uk or call 0800 051 5346 today and compare prices from all UK energy suppliers today!

Energy switch

Opendoor spring 2011 5

Now that spring is upon us, it’s time to get growing!Get the kids involved with making these very easy, fun and cute ‘friends’.

You will need:

Old nylon stockings - knee highs and pop socks work great. You can also use regular old socks, but the grass sometimes has trouble poking through.Grass seeds - you could use a ‘lawn repair kit’ which has seeds pre-mixed with slow

release fertiliser, but you can use whatever seeds you’ve got handy. Cress seeds also work well.Sawdust or potting mix - for stuffing or just some soil from your garden. Small yoghurt potDecorations - goggly eyes and fabric scraps for the heads, coloured paper for the bodies, pipe-cleaners for spectacles... get creative!Water-proof glue - for sticking on the eyes, lips etc. You can use any sort of glue as long as it doesn’t dissolve in water. Step 1: cut off an 8” (20cm) section of stocking that includes the toe.

Step 2: stretch the stocking over a large cup or mug and spoon in about two teaspoons full of grass seeds.

Step 3: Pack in some sawdust or potting soil. Aim for the head to be roughly tennis ball-sized.

Step 4: Tie a knot to close the end. No need to cut off the dangly bit.

Step 5: You can make a bulbous nose or ears by grabbing a bit of stocking and twisting. Fasten the base of the nose with some thread or a small rubber band.

Step 6: Decorate! Use fabric scraps or permanent marker to decorate the face, and coloured paper to make the yoghurt container into a dress or a suit or whatever you like. Just make sure that any glues or markers you use for the head are waterproof.

Grass heads

Dear Editor

I would like to thank my friends here at Crossways Court, Dorset.

Lynette Peglar, Sylv and Chuck Berry and Maggie Lambert without whose help I would not have managed over the past few weeks while I have been unwell.

Not only with shopping and picking up prescriptions but giving me comfort when the constant pain was getting me down.

Also my thanks to Jenny Harrington (our warden) for going above and beyond her duties to help and comfort me.

They all deserve medals for their caring attitude.

With thanksJennifer Lampard (Mrs)

Dear Editor

I would like to say a big thank you to Lin Smith, (Dorchester VSO) for all the help she gave me with a problem I had recently.

Yours sincerelyMargaret Stafford

When you’re ready to grow your head, give it a good dunking in a bowl of water to moisten the sawdust/soil. Half-fill the yoghurt container with water, and put the head on top, with the excess stocking dangling down into the water. Put your creation on a windowsill or somewhere with plenty of sunlight. Check every day to make sure the

head is moist - you might need to dribble a few drops of water onto the head now and then. ‘Hair’ takes about one week to sprout. A full head of hair takes three to four weeks to grow, and lasts about six weeks. Experiment with different hairstyles too. You can make mohawks, ponytails or crewcuts.

Growing your grass head

Your letters

Opendoor spring 20116

Service StandardsWe are committed to providing you with excellent services that are relevant and meet your needs. Our service standards let you know the level of service you can expect from us.

We have set our standards with you and you have said these are the things that matter most. You have been involved in agreeing our standards and you will be helping us monitor them, to make sure we deliver what we have agreed.

We have 11 service standards covering our different services. All our service standards are available form any office and on our website. We are featuring one service standard in every edition of Opendoor. For more information on our service standards, please contact Mark Best on 01305 214075.

We welcome your views and we would like you to tell us when we get things wrong or right. We will use the feedback to improve our services.

In this edition we will look at our rehousing standard.

When a home becomes empty, we will:•carry out essential repairs to the property•arrange and carry out accompanied viewings at a time agreed with you•verbally offer the property to you and confirm the offer in writing within one working day•arrange a meeting with you to handover the keys and to sign the tenancy agreement for your

new home

When you tell us you are moving out, we will:•arrange and carry out an inspection of your property before you move out•let you know of any repairs you have to do before you move out and also the amount you will be

recharged if you do not•prepare a property fact sheet that includes a photograph of the property, room dimensions and

information about local services such as post offices and bus stops •market the property to find a new tenant within one day of you telling us that you are moving

out.

We will monitor these standards by:•carrying out a monthly satisfaction survey after the new tenant moves in•monthly monitoring of formal complaints received •reviewing five percent of all allocations made to ensure that meets our policy, procedure and

these standards•regularly reviewing any appeals that have been made.

Rehousing

Did you know..?

Rent Collection Free Weeks for 2011 are 28th

March 2011; 4th April 2011; 26th December

2011.

Did you know..?

over 2830 people are registered for housing in

West Dorset!

Opendoor spring 2011 7

More than £40 million has been spent on your homes over the past five years to bring them up to the Government’s Decent Homes Standard.

An ongoing programme has seen big improvements to key parts of our properties, such as kitchens, bathrooms, roofs, windows and doors.

The work means that, as at 31 December 2010, our properties met the Government’s Decent Homes Standard.

“This is good news for the association and good news for our residents,” says director, David Aldwinckle.In 2000, the Government gave social housing landlords like us 10 years to bring all their homes up to the standard.

For the past decade we have been working our way through thousands of our homes to make sure they meet the standard.

We also took the standard one step further by developing our own Magna Standard.

This raises the bar on the minimum standard of the homes we provide.

In an ongoing programme, we have installed kitchens and bathrooms in more than 2,500 homes, replaced 2,000 boilers, installed 420 new central heating systems and put in 2,250 external doors and new windows to more than 1,800 homes, the majority of which are in West Dorset.

And over the next five years, some £30 million will be spent on improvements to our properties.

If you think your home should be included in this programme, take a look at the five-year plan on the repairs and maintenance section of

www.magnaha.org.uk

Queries can be emailed to 5yearplan@magna.org.uk

Decent homes updateBusiness from homeDid you know that people living in social housing are less likely to be employed than those with a mortgage or who own their own home?

According to statistics, they are also even less likely to be self-employed.

The government has set a challenge to create a decade of enterprise – and Magna is backing it.

Making it easier to run a business from your home could offer employment opportunities to a significant number of people who want to work, particularly those who are looking after their family and home or have a long-term illness. Working from home on a self-employed basis offers far more flexibility.

We think many residents believe there is a blanket ban on working from home, or that it is only allowed in specific, and often very restricted, circumstances.

This is not necessarily the case.

The latest version of our tenancy agreement states: “You must not run a business from your home without our written permission. We will not refuse permission without good reason.”

We’re very happy to let you run a business from your home, as long as it’s legal and doesn’t affect your neighbours.

We have given consent for a number of home-based businesses, including hairdressing, childcare (pictured below) and a taxi business. We have also refused some, such as a dog breeding business. Any residents who are thinking of running a business from home should contact their housing officer in the first instance.

go to www.magnaha.org.uk to find your housing officer to ask for permission

Opendoor spring 20118

We all know how important it is to look after heating systems, especially the need to have gas and oil systems serviced and tested.

All the appliances we own are serviced annually. Safety checks on privately-owned appliances in your homes are also carried out.

April is the time we start the annual gas service inspections. You’ll shortly receive a letter with an appointment, please keep it.

We would recommend that residents in leasehold or shared ownership homes have their appliances maintained and checked as per the manufacturers’ instructions at least once a year by a competent gas safe registered engineer.

It is also important for us to know if a gas or solid fuel

appliance has been installed in any of our tenanted homes, as we have a legal duty to ensure they are safe.

If you have had a gas heating appliance installed and we don’t visit you for a check, please contact us so we can.

We would like to thank all our residents who help us complete safety checks in their home. We appreciate your time and effort to help us meet our legal duties.

Gas safe

Magna has drawn up a new policy to tackle hate crime and harassment.

The policy reiterates our commitment to treat all residents with fairness and respect and recognise that people have different needs.

Harassment and hate crime are extreme forms of anti-social behaviour. Anyone can be targeted, although those most at risk are individuals and minority groups who are seen as being different because of their race, faith, ethnicity, culture, colour, gender, age, sexuality or disability.

Head of housing, Elaine Crooke, said: ““Safety and security are important issues for our residents and for us as a landlord.

”We deal with incidents in a number of ways, including acceptable behaviour contracts and injunctions. As a last resort we will take legal action to end the tenancy of a perpetrator.”

Last October, we signed up to a scheme where victims of hate crimes can report abuse without having to visit a police station.

Anyone who wants to report a hate crime can go to our offices and ask to speak to someone in the anti-social behaviour team.

Magna tackles hate crime

Money to help fund an innovative scheme to combat crime has been presented to Bridport’s police chief, Caroline Naughton.Some £2,500 was awarded to the Bridport Local Community Justice Panel from MHA’s Community Initiative Fund.

MHA is working with Bridport Town Council, local police, the district council, Raglan Housing and Mediation Dorset on the restorative justice scheme which sees offenders making amends to their victims.

The panels, which have already heard a number of cases, are initially dealing with anti-social behaviour and low level crime.Neigbourhood Inspector Naughton said: “The panels aim to increase victim satisfaction and reduce re-offending. The panel facilitators are members of the local community, so there are clear opportunities to help resolve problems that affect the quality of life for West Dorset people.”Volunteers have been trained in mediation and conferencing skills as part of the pilot project.

Pictured are, from left: Magna community representative, Cilla Burdess and her husband, Gerald Burdess, who is a Magna Board member; Magna community development manager, Ken Bodycombe; housing manager, Ruth Ashdown, Neighbourhood Inspector, Caroline Naughton and Councillor Dave Rickard, leader of Bridport Town Council.

Community Initiative fund donation

Opendoor spring 2011 9

We received a complaint about car parking from a resident who lives in a block of flats near a town centre.

The complainant said friends and family of residents were using the car park when they wanted to go into town and not when they were visiting relatives.

We wrote to all residents of the flats, stating that no car parking spaces were allocated to individuals and that parking was on a first-come first-served basis for people who live there and relatives who were visiting them.

The situation has improved since we sent the letter. But it will always be a problem because the flats are so close to town.

We will continue to monitor the situation and take action when we need to.

ComplimentComplaint

money money money...

For more compliments, please see page 5!

Since April 2009, our tenancy management team have gone on more than 350 walkabouts around our properties.

They take place twice a month.

Local residents receive a letter inviting them to come along.

Among those who take part are residents, Magna staff from other departments and other organisations including police, RSPCA and councillors.

Please come and see us if we are walking about your area – it’s your chance to identify things in your area you’d like improved. It’s also a chance for you to give us feedback on performance and report any problems. We can also visit you in your home if you prefer.

Walkabouts allow us an allotted time to concentrate on a particular area where we can look at that location, taking into account everything from repairs to the larger projects.

Larger projects we’ve identified from walkabouts include white lining; installing disabled bays; lay-bys and turning circles; refurbishing car parks; large scale work to trees; improving drying areas; seating; patio and barbecue areas; replacing windows, doors, soffits, eaves, gutters and roof work.

Day-to-day items include abandoned cars, graffiti, repairs, abandoned properties, general condition of estates, litter and anti-social behaviour.

Details of walkabouts are on our website, www.magnaha.org.uk/myarea

Going walkabout

Did you know..?‘from the 1 May 2011 our

Bridport office will be at

Mountfield, which we will

share with Bridport Town

Council and West Dorset

District Council.’

We received a compliment about our Money Matters Service.

The happy resident emailed us to say

“the help I was given was more than I expected and your advisor was an excellent representative for Magna. I can’t thank her enough”.

If you want to know more about the service call the rents team 01305 216067.

Did you know..?‘at the end of July or early August 2011 we will be starting work on

refurbishing our head office at Hollands House, Dorchester. This means that

there will be no reception facilities or staff available at this office, reception

will be at our High East Street office, Dorchester during the building work. We

are aiming to provide the same high level of service throughout the duration

of the work. We will send you more information with your rent statement in

mid to late April.’

Opendoor spring 201110

Average rents in West DorsetWe are committed to providing you with information to help you assess our services and performance. The tables below allow you to compare the average net rent that MHA tenants paid last year with the average net rent paid by tenants of other landlords. All information is for the 2009/10 financial year, as at 31 March 2010, and is for the West Dorset area.

To make it easier for you to compare different rents, they are all calculated as if they were paid weekly over 52 weeks. This is regardless of whether you pay over 48 or 52 weeks of the year, so you may not recognise the actual rent that you pay within the information shown.

If you live outside the West Dorset area we will be sending you a separate letter with the information relating to your local area.

‘Net rent’ is the amount you have to pay us, less any service charges, which pay for things like grass cutting, cleaning in communal areas or sheltered housing services.

‘Bedspaces’ are rooms in shared properties where there are communal amenities and ‘n/a’ means the council or housing association does not have this type of accommodation.

Local Authority/HA Bedsit One bed Two Bed Three Bed Four Bed Five Bed Six Bed All sizes

Bournemouth Churches n/a 66.34 n/a n/a 137.00 n/a n/a 74.19

The Guinness Trust n/a 70.80 83.58 101.19 109.47 n/a n/a 91.53

Hanover n/a n/a n/a 87.36 n/a n/a n/a 87.36

Hastoe n/a 63.02 77.58 83.02 90.87 n/a n/a 78.31

Knightstone n/a 66.82 81.77 91.68 91.98 n/a n/a 82.22

Magna 56.43 68.18 77.92 91.41 99.65 108.59 n/a 83.09

Raglan n/a 69.66 84.25 98.00 107.06 n/a n/a 85.52

Sanctuary n/a n/a 80.62 85.26 91.42 n/a n/a 83.77

Signpost n/a 69.03 77.93 93.90 100.00 130.36 n/a 81.87

Sovereign n/a 70.47 83.74 95.54 99.10 n/a n/a 91.47

Twynham n/a n/a n/a 92.37 n/a n/a n/a 92.37

Weymouth & Portland n/a 67.55 81.39 90.86 97.63 n/a n/a 84.00

West Dorset av/total 56.43 68.29 78.83 92.08 101.17 119.48 n/a 83.64

General Needs Housingnet rent

Sheltered & Supported Housingnet rentLocal Authority/HA Bedspaces Bedsits One Bed Two Bed Three Bed Four+ Bed All sizes

Abbeyfield £41.22 n/a £38.29 n/a n/a n/a £41.07

B/mouth Churches £77.65 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a £77.65

Hanover n/a n/a £84.67 £97.15 n/a n/a £87.14

Housing 21 n/a n/a £72.02 £77.53 n/a n/a £72.30

Knightstone £71.17 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a £71.17

Magna £60.70 £60.85 £71.02 £81.86 £91.73 n/a £73.11

Raglan £69.32 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a £69.32

Weymouth & Portland n/a n/a £67.96 £67.43 n/a n/a £67.86

West Dorset av/total £62.58 £60.85 £71.79 £82.46 £91.73 n/a £73.38

West DorsetDid you know..?

‘we will be holding our Gardening

Competition in July this year. To enter,

fill in the entry form on page 3.’

Opendoor spring 2011 11

Magna’s Community Initiative Fund (CIF) gives away £150,000 a year to projects not already included in our budgets. £30,000 of this is given to other organistions, which provide services beneficial to our residents.

Supporting your community

Children at Westend Pre-school, Sherborne, are looking forward to being able to play in their revamped outside area.Magna resident and pre-school committee member, Val Trice, applied to the CIF after reading about it in Opendoor. The pre-school wanted to tidy up the area next to the community hall to make it a better place for the children to play.The pre-school was awarded £1,500 from CIF and Val is now seeking more funding to create a patio area.

Pre-school children with David Neate-Stidson of Avant Gardens, Yeovil.

A new service point for the First Dorset Credit Union has been set up at LymeNet in St. Michael’s Business Centre, Lyme Regis, thanks to a £1,000 donation from CIF.The service point means people can now access Credit Union services in Lyme Regis without having to travel to Dorchester or Bridport.The Credit Union is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and provides an ethical banking service. Members can save money and apply for low cost loans from £50. It is a safer and cheaper alternative to high street banking and doorstep lenders.The service point will be open between 10am and noon on Tuesdays. For more information contact Heather Prior on 01297 445021.

From left: First Dorset Credit Union’s Heather Prior, Lyme Net manager Lucy Campbell, Magna community development manager Ken Bodycombe, and residents’ forum member Martin Kendrick. Picture by The View from Lyme Regis

Money from CIF has helped Home-Start West Dorset create their new website - www.homestartwestdorset.co.ukThe local charity gives friendship, advice and practical support to families in the West Dorset District Council area.Through a network of trained parent volunteers, Home-Start helps parents with children under five to discover or rediscover the joy and fun of parenting.Last year, we gave Home-Start £1,500 to help with the new website. This year, we have donated £500 for leaflets to promote the service to local families.For more information about Home-Start West Dorset contact Helen Horsley on 01305 755603 or email office@homestartwestdorset.co.uk

Home-Start senior organiser Helen Horsley, left, and organiser Tammi Gale.

We’ve teamed up with Bridport’s Local Food Links to dish up freshly-prepared meals at monthly lunch clubs.They’re being enjoyed in community rooms across West Dorset. We’ve also helped Food Links set up a lunch club at the Baptist Church in Lyme Regis.Suzie King, Food Links community development worker for older people, said: “We are keen to work with local communities to set up more lunch clubs. Anyone who is interested can contact me on 01308 428924.”Food Links, working in partnership with Agincare Cuisine, started a meals-on-wheels service in Bridport, Beaminster, Lyme Regis and surrounding villages on February 28, just as the county council's meals service in West Dorset came to an end. The service is available to anybody aged 50-plus. Contact Mark Baker on 07971 648722 for more information

Pictured are Dan Staple and Cheryl Hunt from Local Food Links dishing up food at Fullers, Broadwindsor.

If you would like to know more about the fund or have a project you would like to discuss, contact our community development manager, Ken Bodycombe, on 01305 216095 or email ken.bodycombe@magna.org.uk

Opendoor spring 201112

Community Connections

Connecting with the community

Are you getting your five a day?

If not, come along with your family to

The Dorford Centre, Dorchester, Friday 15th April 2011between 1.30pm to 4pm

for fun, games, displays and freebies to mark our AGM.

Nigel Long, head of policy with the Tenant Participation Advisory Service, is our guest speaker.

Our theme is five-a-day – but not the essential fruit and vegetables you need to keep you fit and well.

The event focuses on you as a resident and how you can be involved, your home, your community, your landlord and the wider housing world.

All residents are welcome.

You should have received an invitation in this edition of Opendoor, if you haven’t got one, please call Marianne Fendle, resident involvement manager, on 01305 216094.

Community Connections is a group of residents who are working in partnership with MHA.

Community Connections’ meetings take place all around the area, using community rooms and halls in our sheltered schemes

Dates for future meetings are:

• 17 March• 15 April• 10 May• 10 June• 13 July

If you would like to come and see the meetings in action please contact Anthony Preece, chair designate on 01935 816737 or Marianne Fendle, resident involvement manager, 01305 216094.

We’d love to see you there!

A year on...Community Connections has achieved a great deal since it was established last year.

Members, along with our community representatives, have been working closely with Magna to shape services.

They’ve been involved in a variety of activities which include agreeing and adopting a constitution back in May, looking at formal complaints, policies and structures, undergoing training, updating procedures and reviewing strategies.

Anthony Preece, Community Connections’ chair, said:

“We’ve contributed to and influenced the MHA board decisions, we’ve asked questions and challenged assumptions, we’ve consulted other residents and brought our own ideas and items for discussion.

“We are now looking forward to the end of our first year with our annual general meeting on April 15.”

Opendoor spring 2011 13

Community ConnectionsThe things that matter to youResidents have been asking fellow residents to list the things they think we should be spending our money on in the coming year.

Community Connections held two sessions in Dorchester to gauge views after the residents’ survey was sent to all our households last summer.Called the STATUS survey, it is carried out at regular intervals as required by the housing regulator, the Tenant Services Authority.

Anthony Preece said: “The survey asked residents what they thought of Magna. Their responses were put together in a report which Community Connections went through very carefully.

“We flagged up 13 areas where residents said ‘yes, we’re happy, however there’s still scope for doing things better.’

“The aim of the sessions was to ask people invited along by our community representatives to pick the areas they think Magna should be concentrating on in its corporate plan.

“The priorities chosen by residents were incentives for paying rent, having a mobile office and the time taken before work starts on a property.

“These recommendations will go to the Magna board – which includes three residents – who will decide where the resources should go.

“Very often, we hear criticism like ‘why bother? They don’t listen’.

But Magna is listening and wants to know residents’ views to help decide its priorities for the coming year.”

Mr Alvin House, of Crossways, right, receives £150 worth of vouchers from Community Connections after winning a prize draw at our event in Dorchester to gauge residents’ views. Mr Michael Fogle, of Poundbury, was also a lucky winner.

Electricity suppliesWe will soon be looking for a new contract for the electricity supplies to our offices and the communal areas of our housing (areas like communal hallways, stairs and landings).

Currently, British Gas supplies most of our electricity under a contract that runs out at the end of September. We used the services of an energy consultant, Inenco, when we entered into this contract. We also have some electricity supplied by other companies such as Scottish and Southern Energy and EDF Energy.

From October we would like to agree a new contract for all our supplies. We want to get the best deal we can. This will ensure we get value for money, both for our office costs and also for residents, helping ensure residents’ service charges are kept at a reasonable level. If you have any comments relating to our electricity supplies or if have any preferences as to which supplier and/or broker we should consider using, please let us know, call 01305 216125.

Opendoor spring 201114

Equality and DiversityA profile of MHA residents

Magna sends out questionnaires to residents that ask about their age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, gender and whether or not they consider they have a disability. The reason we ask these questions is so we can make sure no group feels they are getting a worse service.

If we find a particular group feels this is the case we can establish why and do something about it. It’s important to ask these questions, not just because it is a government requirement but also because it helps us to improve our service to our customers.

The gender of our residents is predominantly female at 59% with males at 41%. The older our residents get, the more are female. In sheltered housing 60% of you are female and 40% male.

For ethnicity just 2% regard yourselves as from an ethnic background and 98% white British. This is slightly less than the 3% of people in the local area who consider themselves to be from an ethnic background.

Unsurprisingly, there are more younger people in supported housing because much of this accommodation specifically caters for this group. Under-21s in supported housing totals 31% compared with only 2% of residents being under 21 in our general needs housing.

Older people are more likely to live in sheltered housing, with 88% of you being over 60.

In general needs housing ,there is a fairly even split between people between 21–40 (37%) and 41–60 (38%).

The number of you who consider yourself to have a disability is around 17%, which is higher than the local population as a whole. The majority of residents with disabilities live in our sheltered housing accommodation with 33% of those in sheltered housing considering themselves to have a disability.

Residents in sheltered housing are more likely to be Christian, with 85% informing us that they have this belief. This drops to 63% in general needs housing and 39% in supported housing.There are very few residents who tell us they have other religions, with only 0.4 % of residents overall being Buddhist or Muslim and 20% having no religious beliefs.

We have been monitoring the sexual orientation of our residents for the past two years. Unsurprisingly, there are a high number of residents who say they prefer not to tell us about their sexual orientation, with 20% of residents overall declining to answer this question. 77% of our residents tell us they are heterosexual and 3% telling us they are ‘other’.

If you would like to know more about equality and diversity at Magna please call Sally Huggins on 01305 216009.

Helping people to live safely and independently

MHA has given £500 to a scheme to help vulnerable people get support and services.

Safe and Independent Living (SAIL) is led by Dorset Fire and Rescue Service and the county’s Partnership for Older Peoples Project (POPP) and involves 17 organisations.

When the partner agencies in SAIL carry out their normal business activities, they ask clients to fill in a short referral form to identify which services, support or information they need.

Successes include:

• a lady awarded backdated attendance allowance who can turn up her heat more often and not worry about large fuel bills;

• an emphysema sufferer who now has central heating, a new shower and a carer to do washing and shopping.

Helping Hands!

For more information contact POPP project manager Sue Warr t: 01305 225920 or e: sue.warr@dorsetcc.gov.uk

Opendoor spring 2011 15

Homemade Chocolate TrufflesMakes approx 30 Truffles (depending on how much of the mix you eat during cooking!)

You will need:

150g Philadelphia plain cream cheese (supermarket own brand cream cheese would work just as well) 300g Oreo biscuits (or other brand chocolate cream biscuits)1 x large bar milk chocolate cake covering1 x small bar white chocolate

To make the truffles:

• Using a food processor crush the biscuits to fine crumb.• Combine the softened cream cheese & biscuit crumbs to make a

creamy dough (there should be no traces of the white cheese)• Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls (approx 13g each) & place

on grease proof paper on a baking tray.• Place the tray of truffles in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

To coat in chocolate:

• Melt the milk chocolate in a small but fairly deep bowl. This can be done in the microwave or over a bowl of hot water.

• Coat each truffle separately by dropping it into the melted chocolate & using a fork to turn the truffle to ensure even coverage.

• Use the fork to lift the truffles out of the chocolate, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl.

• Place the coated truffles back on the baking tray & return to the fridge for a further 30 minutes.

To decorate:

• Melt the white chocolate using the same method as before. Then using a teaspoon drizzle the white chocolate over the truffles in a random zig-zag pattern.

• Return to the fridge for a further 30 minutes.

• Before the white chocolate sets completely you can also add other decorations such as sprinkles, chocolate curls or sugar flowers.

Leaseholder Info

A leasehold valuation tribunalA leasehold valuation tribunal (LVT) is a public body that can help resolve issues between landlords and leaseholders, if they are unable to resolve things between themselves.

An LVT will usually be made up of three independent experts, such as a lawyer, solicitor and a surveyor. They will be able to help settle any disagreements you may have with your landlord or vice versa.

The meeting will be held somewhere close to you (normally a town hall). You can represent yourself - you don’t have to be legally represented - but you will need to prepare a case if you want to challenge your landlord.

There is a fee to make an application to the LVT, which is between £150 and £500.

The types of issues that an LVT can resolve are:

• reasonableness of service charge, rent and major work costs;

• the price to be paid by a leaseholder for the cost of extending or renewing a lease;

•valuation of the cost of the freehold to your home;

•helping with breaches and forfeits of a lease;

•varying a lease. You can find out more information from their website www.rpts.gov.uk or by calling 0845 600 3178

Before making any application to the LVT, you should always try and resolve things with your landlord first.

For more information on Leasehold, please contact Carla Macqueen 01305 216153.

Opendoor spring 201116

It’s all about youThis is the second in our series of articles all about you. In this issue we talk to Sarah, Stephanie and Kara, who live at Knowles Close, Honiton. They are pictured below with Julie Harvey who heads the team of staff.

Sarah’s airy flat has views across the allotments and rooftops to the hills and trees. She has been living there for four years. “I can nearly see the church clock, it’s really nice - it’s my home,” she says.“I really like it, the staff are helpful and will help with anything like shopping and money and stuff. There are people around when you need something and if they’re not here we’ve got a Careline. We can press a button and someone will come straight away if we’ve got any problems.The property, built by Magna in 1998, comprises nine flats for people with learning disabilities and five bungalows for people who have physical disabilities. They are supported by a small team of staff.Sarah, 24, says: “Everyone is really friendly and everyone gets on really well.”“I’m a mealtime assistant and help with special needs children,” she says. “I do that five days a week and at weekends I go to my mum and dad’s to see my family and friends. I’ve got a little cat called Cheetah. I look forward to seeing him. He always comes up to me.”

Kara, 36, who has lived at Knowles Close for eight years, is passionate about animals, with posters of dogs plastered around her flat.She is also very fond of Bramble, the Knowles Close rabbit which now lives outdoors after trying to eat the curtains and carpets.

“I like going to Westcott Mill day centre and I go walking on a Wednesday,” she says. “I love shopping and going to charity shops and getting things like CDs.”I do like it here and the best staff I like of the lot is Jo.”

Stephanie, 23, works in a local charity shop two days a week.

“I serve customers and sort clothes and things,” she says. “I really enjoy it.”

She’s lived at Knowles Close for three years and loves karaoke, cooking, music and is a Liverpool football fan.Stephanie gets involved in the weekly lunch group and the monthly tenants’ meeting, where recycling has dominated the agenda recently.Devon is very strong on recycling. Knowles Close residents appreciate its importance but are frustrated by the amount of different bins and bags they have to fill.“We’ve only got a small bin shed and it’s a bit confusing,” Stephanie says.

It’s nice – it’s my home

The things that make us happyKnowles Close resident Stephanie’s picture (right) has been gracing the pages of a national organisation’s website and featured in a major exhibition.Stephanie entered a competition to mark the 10th birthday of the magazine, Learning Disability Today. The competition organisers were looking for budding designers, who have a learning disability, to send in their pictures about what makes them happy. Stephanie didn’t win but her picture was on display at the exhibition and on the website - www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.ukHer picture showed a person thinking about all the things that make them happy: love, money, home, friendship and a job.Stephanie said: “I like drawing and wanted to put forward what a lot of adults with learning disability want from their life, as they are no different to any one else.”

Opendoor spring 2011 17

Here Comes Spring!It’s nearly April and things are getting going in the garden! So if you haven’t cut down the dead growth on deciduous grasses yet, don’t delay, or you’ll risk damaging the new shoots.

The same goes for late-flowering clematis, the ones that are often referred to as ‘Group 3’ clematis. These should have been cut back around the end of February to 30-45 cm (12-18 in) from the ground, so do it now before the new growth really gets going.

March is a good time to prune bush and shrub roses, while early spring-flowering shrubs such as forsythia should be pruned once flowering finishes in April. Cut back the flowering stems; next

year’s flowers will be formed on the growth made this year.

Deadhead daffodils and tulips as they go over, but leave the foliage for about 6 weeks before cutting it back; this way you’ll get better bulbs next year.

By Patti O’Dawes.

Thanks again to Mr Conway for these brilliant cartoons.

Discretionary decoratingIf you’re a Magna resident and over 65 or in receipt of certain benefits, did you know you could be eligible for our free discretionary decorating scheme?The service is for people who have problems decorating their own home. Through the scheme, you can have one room of your house redecorated. This includes stripping wallpaper, preparation work to walls and woodwork, painting, hanging wallpaper you’ve supplied and even moving heavy furniture and appliances if necessary.The scheme is also available to residents who are under 65 and receive one of the following: disability allowance, housing benefit, incapacity benefit or a small pension. One grateful resident, who had a room decorated in her home last year, said: “It means so much to me as I am a carer for my husband who has dementia and I can’t do decorating any more. Thank you so much.”You can make only one application per year and you have to meet certain criteria to be considered. To find out if you qualify, call us on freephone 0800 358 6025. The closing date for applications is 31 May 2011.

Opendoor spring 201118

Competition PageSpring is here!Well done you!We had a huge amount of responses to the last word search, the first 5 lucky winners drawn from the Magna hat are:Mr N Mollison, DorchesterMs J Christopher, Lyme RegisMrs T Pulman, BridportMiss P Larcombe, CrewkerneMs B Tancock, Lyme Regis.

There are 11 words listed, that preceed the word spring. Only 10 of those words appear in the wordsearch, so you have to find which is the odd word out.

Send your entry to: Opendoor Magazine, Hollands House, Poundbury Road, Dorchester, Dorset. DT1 1SW

You could be a winner!!

W A T E R T Y H N M F D Y O P

P L I N W Q A F G Y B N J F V

A S D C V H B R O L L M K E E

W G E G H M O L N B O H F V C

Q S C V B U U T R C A N K E K

P L M B S V X D E T D Y U R N

P O I U N Y T G H J E L J G F

D S A Q O E R Y U M D B V C X

Q T I O I K J H G F D S A Q E

Z X C V N B N M N L O I U Y T

E D F B O K H J A N B V C X S

R F V Y H N I K E I O K P L M

S F H K L O I U L T R E W D G

G R E E N O K I C H I C K E N

M N H F D C I O R S C Y U T E

Bok, chicken, clean, fete, fever, greens, loaded, onions, roll, tide, water.

Prizes all roundMaiden Newton vicar, the Rev Graham Perryman, pulled out the tickets for a grand raffle at Webber’s Piece as residents enjoyed refreshments and a get together.

Pictured, from left are some of the winners: Jo Holdsworth, Diane Minty, Dave Swatridge, Caroline Wood, Joan Beck, Del Goddard, Tish Hilton.

Opendoor spring 2011 19

Ronnie’s story by Emily Fearn

‘Just stroke her head gently Ron, see, she’s not scared.’Auntie Claire put the lamb back on the stone floor.‘Why is she on her own Auntie Claire?’ Ronnie asked, her eyes still on the sad white face staring up at her.‘She lost her mummy, darling, in all the big snow. They got separated and she couldn’t find her again.’Ronnie looked at Auntie Claire and then back at the tiny lamb, her eyes filled with tears. How awful to lose your mummy!‘What will happen to her Auntie Claire? Will she be ok?’‘Oh yes, of course. We’ll keep her inside until she’s old enough to manage on her own. She’ll be fine Ronnie, don’t worry.’Every day for two weeks Ron went down to the stable to look at the lamb she had named Patches.She helped feed her and clean her stall. She told Patches stories and taught her to nod her head in time to music, it took a long time but eventually Patches could bop along to baa baa black sheep almost on her own.As soon as Patches heard Ronnie’s wellies slapping against the cobbles in the yard, she would run to her door and tap her hoof in excitement. Ronnie made a lead from some soft rope she found in the stable and took Patches for walks in the fields. She told Patches all about her bedroom and the Hello Kitty toys she had just got for Christmas. She told Patches what she wanted to be when she grew up and how much she would like a puppy to have as her very own pet.They became inseparable and it felt as though Ronnie’s heart was breaking when she had to say goodbye to Patches and go back home.‘I’m so sad Patches; I’ll miss you so very much.’ The little lamb shook her head as her fleece became wet with Ronnie’s tears. She twisted around on Ronnie’s lap so she could look up at her and bleated softly. Ronnie pressed her face to Patches scratchy coat, she smelt like lanolin and milk, she was warm and cuddly and Ronnie would always remember the feel of hugging Patches, her very own little lamb.

‘Ronnie will you get a wiggle on!’ Ronnie tried to hurry but the snow was up to the top of her wellies, her hands were hurting because they were so cold and she had to keep touching her nose to make sure it hadn’t fallen off.All around there were sheep, calling out to each other in the deep snow. Ronnie, her dad, her aunts and uncle Peters (she had two!) were all struggling in the snow to collect the flock and bring them to safety.‘That’s about it I think.’ Auntie Claire rubbed her arms to try to warm up, ‘let’s get back before we turn into snowmen!’As they started the long walk back to the farmhouse, driving the sheep ahead of them, they suddenly became silent and Ronnie heard a long low bleat from the left, just near the cliff edge.‘Oh no, we must have missed one.’ Uncle Peter G turned and strode out toward the sound. ‘Oh heck,’ he called back, ‘Claire, I think we have a problem.’Just on the cliff, almost sliding over the edge, a terrified sheep huddled against the wind. She was so scared that as soon as Uncle Peter G made a move towards her she scuttled back and one hoof stepped into nothing. He let out a cry and stepped back. ‘Oh dear, she’s so scared, I don’t think I can get to her. If I try again she may fall!’ Just then, the sheep seemed to spot something just behind him. She tilted her head and baa’d. Then she took a tentative step forwards, and baa’d again.‘Patches!’ Ronnie’s voice was so loud in the still air that everyone jumped, everyone except the sheep! She took another step towards Ronnie and then stopped. ‘Go on Ron, call her to you.’ Auntie Penny nodded encouragingly, ‘you can do it Honey, she knows you.’ ‘Patches, come here, good girl, come to me.’ Patches took another step away from the cliff edge, and then another, and another until she was trotting through the deep snow as fast as her legs would carry her.

‘Here’s your hot chocolate Ronnie, goodness knows you earned it! Ron? Where is she?’‘Where’d you think Nanna, in the stables with her mate!’ George grabbed a biscuit and walked into the lounge.

Ronnie and Patches sat together on the floor of Patches’ stall, in the twilight, both so happy to have found each other again and both so grateful that the other was safe!

If you have a story for bedtime, or even just an idea that you would like a story to be about, please contact us and our artistic types will do their best write one for you! t:01305 214047, e:emily.fearn@magna.org.uk

Magna noticeboardCommunity RepresentativesDoug Felt Trent, Sherbornee: dougjofelt@gmail.comt: 01935 850679Doreen Palmer Halstocke: palmer_doreen1@sky.comt: 01935 891585Katrina Parry Cattistocke: katrinaparry222@hotmail.comt: 01300 320902Trish Cooper Sherbornee: trish.cooper@tiscali.co.ukt: 01935 817910 (call before 8pm)Cilla Burdess Beaminstere: tillydelsur@btinternet.comt: 01308 863341Carol Carpenter Toller Porcorume: carol-carpenter@hotmail.comt: 01300 320484John Coombe Holwell, Sherbornee: johncoombe@tiscali.co.ukt: 01963 23017 Martin Kendrick Lyme Regist: 01297 442495Denise Meyers Charmouthe: denisemeyers@btinternet.comt: 07919 090656Brenda Bartlett Bridportt: 01308 459696John Bussell Bridporte: JBussell31@tiscali.co.ukt: 01308 424208Neale Hallett, Martinstowne: nealefortysix@googlemail.comt: 01305 889835

Who’s my housing officer?If you live in...

Your housing officer is:

Call them on: Or email:

Bath Jill Brighouse 07977 175 222 jill.brighouse@magna.org.uk

Beaminster Janet Rowan 01308 428406 janet.rowan@magna.org.uk

Bournemouth Denise Jones 01305 216124 denise.jones@magna.org.uk

Bridport Kerrie Brook 01308 428405 kerrie.brook@magna.org.uk

Bristol Jill Brighouse 07977 175 222 jill.brighouse@magna.org.uk

Charminster Victoria Letten 01305 216115 victoria.letten@magna.org.uk

Charmouth Janet Rowan 01308 428406 janet.rowan@magna.org.uk

Chideock Janet Rowan 01308 428406 janet.rowan@magna.org.uk

Chickerell Denise Jones 01305 216124 denise.jones@magna.org.uk

Crossways Denise Jones 01305 216124 denise.jones@magna.org.uk

Dorchester Bob Roberts 01305 216012 bob.roberts@magna.org.uk

Exeter Andy Bellchambers01308 428414 andrew.bellchambers@magna.org.uk

Lyme Regis Janet Rowan 01308 428406 janet.rowan@magna.org.uk

Poole Denise Jones 01305 216124 denise.jones@magna.org.uk

Portland Denise Jones 01305 216124 denise.jones@magna.org.uk

Puddletown Denise Jones 01305 216124 denise.jones@magna.org.uk

Sherborne Jill Brighouse 07977 175 222 jill.brighouse@magna.org.uk

Weymouth Denise Jones 01305 216124 denise.jones@magna.org.uk

Yeovil Victoria Letten 01305 216115 victoria.letten@magna.org.uk

Did you know you can use the postcode

search on our website to find more details

about the area you live in? Just go to

www.magnaha.org.uk and click on residents’

info for more details.

Useful numbersAnti-social behaviour 01305 216090Bridport office 01308 428412Sherborne office 01935 389687Customer complaints & research 01305 216070Garage allocations 01305 216062Leasehold management 01305 216153Visiting support 01305 216156Rehousing, empty properties & transfers 01305 216062Rents, rent arrears & other debts 01305 216067Repairs 0800 358 6025Resident involvement 01305 216079Service charges payments 01305 216067Service charges enquiries 01305 216118Tenancy management & mutual exchanges 01305 216060

Community Connections MembersAnthony Preece, chaire: ap@btinternet.comt: 01935 816737Lynne Coombe, vice-chaire: lynnecoombe@yahoo.co.ukt: 01963 23017Kevin Parry, events officere: Kevin12553030661@hotmail.co.uk t: 01300 320902Annette Redshawe: mail@anniebell.plus.comt: 01308 424865Brian Bloomfielde: beb23982369@hotmail.co.ukt: 01935 815591John Kimber (Kim) DavisKimber_davis@hotmail.com01305 213426

So… you’re interested in working with us? Please contact Anthony Preece or Marianne Fendle, resident involvement manager, on 01305 216094 or by email: residentInvolvement@magna.org.uk

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