Issue 04, Autumn 2018 SHELTERED HOUSING NEWS SHELTERED HOUSING AWARD SUCCESS Sheltered housing tenants and staff took Transforming Lives and Communities - home a number of awards at a recent Individual Award Homes celebration event; held at Winner - Mike Barugh, Maesteg. Llancaich Fawr on 13th September. 2nd place - Gary Pritchard, Alexandra Court, During the event, winners were announced . of both the Tenant Gardening Contest The Extra Mile Employee Award and Transforming Lives and Communities Winner - Older Persons’ Housing Team. Awards. There were sheltered housing winners and runners up in a number of Congratulations to you all! categories, including: Best sheltered housing communal garden Winner - Maesteg, Pentwynmawr. 2nd place - Ty Melin, Crospenmaen. 3rd place - Highfield Court, Newbridge. Best hanging basket / pot / container 2nd place - Colleen Phillips, Castle Court, Pontywaun. 3rd place - Steven Perkins, Glynsyfi, New .

Award winners.

Cartre Caerli Caerphilly Homes THE FUTURE OF OLDER PERSONS’ HOUSING

On 12th September the remodelling of Ty Melin, of bedsits. We often have council’s Cabinet approved Crospenmaen to provide 23 a large number of empty plans for the future of older units of accommodation and properties in these schemes persons’ housing in the carry out WHQS improvements. which we are unable to fill. As county borough, including Ynyswen in will a result of these issues, and several of our sheltered also be remodelled, providing difficulties in remodelling some housing schemes. 13 units of accommodation. of the schemes, a decision Cabinet approved officers’ Cabinet approved a was made by Cabinet for the recommendations to recommendation to reclassify programmed closure of St incorporate Britannia Court, Hafod y Bryn, from Mary’s Court in Risca, Castle Risca into the current Welsh sheltered housing to Court in Pontywaun and Housing Quality Standard designated older persons’ and Waunfawr House in . (WHQS) improvement general needs accommodation A new build alternative will be programme with completion subject to investigating developed within the locality to by March 2020 and, if feasible, the technical feasibility and replace the three schemes. decommission the external consultation with tenants. Tenants in all affected schemes blocks of flats at Britannia A decision was made to remove have been informed of the Close (this means that the flats the extra care classification from decisions and meetings will be would no longer form part of Tredegar Court, Crosskeys. held at each of these schemes the sheltered housing scheme This means the scheme will to provide more detail on what and could be designated as revert back to sheltered will happen and when. Tenants older persons accommodation). housing. with questions or concerns Further investigative work and can contact the Older Persons’ tenant consultation will be We currently have a large Housing Team on carried out initially to see if this number of sheltered housing 01443 811431. is feasible. schemes in the Risca and Crosskeys area, with several Officers’ recommendations containing a large number were also approved for

UPDATE ON SERVICE CHARGES Letters containing details of this year’s service charges have now been sent out and all tenants should have received their copy. If you have not received your letter or if you have any queries, please contact the Older Persons’ Housing Team on 01443 811431.

SHELTERED HOUSING NEWS: ISSUE 4 What can I recycle?

Paper Plastic Cans Cardboard Glass

If you have a brown bin for recycling - please place items loose in the bin and refrain from placing items in bags. DO NOT place items listed below in your recycling container: x Textiles Nappies x Animal excrementx Crisp packets x Toys & hard plastic x Carrier bags x Garden waste Black bags & plastic x x film/wrap Electrical items xFood waste x The following items can be taken to one of our household waste recycling centres:

small appliances discs scrap metal plastics

garden batteries tetrapak textiles waste

Failure to recycle or placing inappropriate materials in your recycling container may result in prosecution. www.caerphilly.gov.uk for Caerphilly Tel: 01443 866533 IF IN DOUBT, KEEP THEM OUT The door entry system fitted at your scheme is there to protect the safety of you and your neighbours. Do not allow anyone access to the scheme unless they are visiting you and you’re expecting them. Visitors should only be given access by the tenant they are visiting. This helps protect you and your neighbours from unwanted callers. All council staff or contractors who have been appointed by us PETS IN should carry identification and will not mind if you ask to see it. Also be aware that you should never be asked for payment SHELTERED by any of our staff or contractors for repairs or improvements carried out at your home. HOUSING If you’re concerned about any callers to your home or sheltered In sheltered housing schemes housing scheme do not allow them access and contact the where there are no communal Older Person’s Housing Team on 01443 811431. corridors, for example bungalows or walk up flats where each property has its own front door, tenants can keep one domestic pet. For tenants living in sheltered homes adjoined by communal corridors they must ask their local housing office for landlord’s consent to keep a pet. Pets are not allowed to roam freely in any communal areas, including gardens, and are not permitted in communal lounge areas, other than guide or assistance dogs. Dogs must be kept on a short lead when entering or leaving any communal garden and accompanied at all times. Owners must take full responsibility for cleaning up after their pets and must ensure that they do not cause any nuisance or annoyance to other residents or visitors.

SHELTERED HOUSING NEWS: ISSUE 4 MIKE IS TRANSFORMING LIVES AND COMMUNITIES Over the past two years worked with other tenants commitment to helping Mike Barugh has raised over in Maesteg to transform the others. £2,500 for cancer charities scheme’s communal garden. If you have an amazing through a number of events Their dedication has been neighbour who goes over he’s organised at Maesteg rewarded with first place, and above to help others sheltered housing scheme for two consecutive years, contact Kelsey Watkins, in Pentwynmawr, where he in ‘Best sheltered housing Communications Officer, lives with his wife Glenys. communal garden’ category on 01443 864262 to include Together Mr and Mrs Barugh at our annual tenant them in a future edition of have held afternoon teas, gardening contest. this newsletter. table top sales, raffles and This year’s ceremony also competitions with the saw Mr Barugh presented proceeds benefitting cancer with the Transforming Lives charities Macmillan and and Communities Individual Velindre. Award. He was nominated Mr Barugh became keen by Tenant Liaison Officers to fundraise for these from our Welsh Housing charities after his own cancer Quality Standard team diagnosis in 2013. Despite who were so impressed his health issues Mr Barugh by his never ending is also a keen gardener. He’s positivity, enthusiasm and Mike Barugh FREE HOME EYE TESTS If you’re unable to make it out to an optician, you could have an eye examination carried out in the comfort of your own home. Home visits are carried out by fully qualified optometrists and dispensing opticians and all eye tests are free to patients aged 60 or over and those on eligible NHS benefits. Patients with a reduced visual acuity of N6 or worse can also receive a Low Vision Assessment free of charge. A low vision dispensing optician will talk to each patient individually about what they would like the most help with – this could be reading, looking at photos, paying bills, dealing with medicine or even working on hobbies. The patient can then try out a selection of low vision aids such magnifiers and task lights, and any aid that is found to be beneficial to the patient can then be provided on loan free of charge. Contact @Home Eyecare on 0333 335 0068 to find out if you’re eligible for a free NHS funded home sight test and to book your appointment. USEFUL CONTACTS Older Persons’ Housing Team Tel: 01443 811431 Email: [email protected] LOCAL HOUSING OFFICES: Eastern Valleys Tel: 01495 235974 Email: [email protected] Upper Valley Tel: 01443 873535 Email: [email protected] Tel: 02920 860917 Email: [email protected] Graig-y-Rhacca Tel: 02920 853050 Email: [email protected] Trips Report a Repair Tel: 01443 864886 Lots of you came along Email: [email protected] on a number of trips that WHQS enquiries Tel: 01443 866497 were organised over the Email: [email protected] summer, including trips to Rents / Tenancy support Tel: 01443 811450 Tenby, Barry, Weston and Email: [email protected] Porthcawl. Out of hours emergencies Tel: 01443 875500 Trips planned for the rest of this year: If you suspect a gas leak call and West Utilities 14/11/18 - McArthur on 0800 111 999 Glen Designer Outlet, FUNDRAISING UPDATES Bridgend 05/12/18 - Gloucester Congratulations to tenants Jean Sheldon, our Senior Christmas at Woodland View, Floating Support Officer, Market whose recent sponsored also raised a huge £880 for walk raised £196 for the Macmillan cancer support We’re also planning a British Lung Foundation. by bravely shaving her hair number of talks over the Tenants who took part off! coming months including would like to thank crime prevention, members of the WHQS fire safety and falls team and The Crosskeys prevention. pub, Swansea for their For more information sponsorship. on any of these trips, or Well done also to tenants at if you have suggestions Castle Court in Pontywaun for future places to visit who raised £101.85 for the contact Victoria Roper, Stroke Association at their Activities Co-ordinator, recent coffee morning. on 01443 866449.

SHELTERED HOUSING NEWS: ISSUE 4 WELSH HOUSING QUALITY STANDARD (WHQS) IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME UPDATE The sheltered housing WHQS Mrs Vaux’s home benefitted Schemes scheduled to begin programme is continuing to from a new kitchen, bathroom, receiving improvement this progress very well, we have and electrical rewire. She year include Ty , now completed works in 8 said “I’ve had my kitchen and Pontllanfraith and St Gwladys schemes including Horeb bathroom completely re-done Court, . Court in , Waunrhydd through the programme and in and The Willows, I can’t fault any of the work. . I’m particularly happy with the Works are currently taking new flooring that’s been fitted. place at Gwyddon Court All the staff that worked here in , Maesteg in were really helpful.” Pentwymawr and Oaklands, Improvements in Mrs Dalton’s Bargoed. Works are also flat included a new kitchen, ongoing at Woodland View works to the bathroom and in Wattsville. Hazel Vaux and electrical rewire. Mrs Dalton Gloria Dalton are both tenants commented “I’m really pleased at Woodland View who with the WHQS work that’s have recently had internal been carried out so far here, at improvements completed by Woodland View. I sent a card our in-house team as part of to thank the workforce; they the programme. deserved it for all their hard work.”

IS YOUR HOME SAFE? Did you know that you could have a free Safe and Well visit carried out in your home by firefighters from your local Fire Station and Fire and Rescue’s Home Safety Team. The visit takes around 30 minutes; during this time your home will be inspected for fire safety, you’ll be given life-saving advice on fire hazards, what to do in the event of a fire and how to make a fire escape plan. To find out more visit www.southwales-fire.gov.uk, speak to your Sheltered Housing Officer or contact the Older Persons’ Housing Team on 01443 811431. 50+ Forum news Members of the Caerphilly 50+ Forum are currently out and about visiting older persons’ groups in the county Date for your borough to provide information on what the Forum has to offer people. diary… If you belong to an organisation, society, club or group The next Caerphilly Over interested in finding out more about the 50+ Forum 50 ‘Share a Smile’ event contact Mandy Keenan on 01443 864277 or email is being held on 1st [email protected]. November at Lewis Boys’ As well as telling you about the Forum, the things they School in . This have been doing and what they might do in the future, is a free event featuring they would also love to discuss what you would like them entertainment, dancing to do. The Forum also now has regular meetings with and afternoon tea; to book council officials and the council’s Older Persons’ Champion, a place contact 07561 Cllr Barbara Jones, to 826972. look at where there are joint goals that could be achieved together.

Word search Find the Caerphilly county A N E W B R I D G E R borough place names in B R L M E N I O P T H the word search. E A C R D A L S M N Y Words to find: R C A G W Q H Y C E M Risca D R T W A U L Y D A N Newbridge I E K I S F D R G J E Abercarn N B A R G O E D E Z Y Bargoed E A R H B I W U Q N M Blackwood R Z P C R G H R B K Y Rhymney P U D O O W K C A L B Bedwas S I A F M L P Q V B S

SHELTERED HOUSING NEWS: ISSUE 4