Progress

Issue 64

A proposed merger with Reside Housing Association page 2

Major works inside homes pages 4-5 Virtual Scarecrow Festival 2021 SignLive; new online page 2 sign language service page 7

Visit us online at www.progressgroup.org.uk A proposed merger with Reside Housing Association

In the winter, we wrote to you You can do this by: to let you know that Reside Sending an email to community@ Housing Association is progressgroup.org.uk thinking about joining Progress Housing Group. Phoning us on 03333 204555 Or, if you need assistance, please ask Progress Housing Group is your landlord. your support worker or family member We provide homes all over the country for to help you contact us people who have a support need. What happens next? Reside Housing Association is like us and also provides housing to people Over the next six weeks, we will listen with support needs. Since we last wrote to your comments. We will then use your feedback to help us decide about to you, Reside, and Progress Housing Progress Housing Group and Reside Group have been learning about each No matter what we Housing Association joining together. other. decide, your home We will write to you again in the summer to and the support you If you have any questions, you can ask tell you what is happening. receive will not change. us. We would love you to tell us what you think about Reside joining Progress You can also read updates on our website, So you don’t need to Housing Group. www.progressgroup.org.uk/support worry about anything.

Following a suggestion from one of our tenants, Virtual Scarecrow we are excited to announce our first Virtual Festival 2021 Scarecrow Festival.

We would like to invite you to get creative and make your own scarecrow. You can use anything you have at home to make it, like old clothes, gardening gloves, plant pots, garden canes, straw, or things from your recycle bin. You might choose to make a traditional scarecrow or one inspired by your favourite character like the scarecrows in these photos made by members of the Progress Involvement Team and their families. Share a photo of your scarecrow and send it to community@ progressgroup.org.uk to enter or post it to our Facebook page. All entries received between now and 30 August 2021 will be shown in our newsletters, social media, and website. There will be The Minions Gangsta Granny prizes for the 10 most creative entries. We can’t wait to see them all!

2 Progress Can you help us make the next three years in Bloom count even more? Entries are now open for our annual ‘Progress in Bloom’ We are looking for enthusiastic, gardening competition creative and committed people or sunflower growing who live in our communities competition. to help us shape our future You can enter online at www. organisation. progressgroup.org.uk/ You will join the second group of our bloom, email community@ award-winning two-year part-time board progressgroup.org.uk or call trainee programme. 03333 204555. “We believe it is important to tackle The closing date is 30 June 2021. inequality and promote diversity. Our board developed this programme to Judging will take place on 13 July enable underrepresented people to 2021, with an awards event and gain access to non-executive board presentation on 23 July 2021. training and opportunities. Helping to ensure a wider representation of our Find out more by calling 03333 204555, society and communities and build using live chat www.progressgroup.org.uk strong governance for the future” or emailing [email protected] Jacqui De-Rose, Chief Executive, Progress Housing Group.

Customer through each of the six areas, looking at what Progress Housing Group can do differently to make improvements. scrutiny This is a huge task, so we are looking at one area at a time. The Scrutiny Pool has completed its review of the first three areas and will complete the full update review over the next few weeks. Once each area is complete, a report will be produced detailing the findings of the Scrutiny Pool and their recommendations. You can find out more about the Our tenant-led Scrutiny Pool has been very busy over Together with Tenants Charter here the last couple of months. www.progressgroup.org.uk/together. The Scrutiny Pool comprises tenants In our last update, you may remember Tenants Charter: that the current scrutiny review is tenant who volunteer their time to get involved; engagement and involved looking at Relationships we are always looking for more people the National Housing Federation’s Communication to join the Scrutiny Pool. Together with Tenants Charter. Voice and influence Accountability If you would like to find out more For the Scrutiny Pool to carry out about this group or if you would like to their scrutiny review, teams from Quality suggest an area to be reviewed, please across Progress Housing Group have When things go wrong contact the Progress Involvement completed a self-assessment of their This work has now been completed. Team on 03333 204555 or email tenant engagement activities, using the The Scrutiny Pool is working its way [email protected]. six areas set out in the Together with

3 Visit us online at www.progressgroup.org.uk Investing in your home

April 2021 was the start of this year’s of each element of every property in a Every year we carry out a package maintenance and improvement database. We continually update our of necessary major internal works, programme. We plan to spend £9 records using information collected from including the following: million on improving and repairing your our property inspections. We will contact Kitchen replacements homes over the coming year. you if we need to inspect your home and advise you when we will be attending. Bathroom refurbishments Looking back to last year, despite the Heating system renewals restrictions of COVID-19, we carried out How will I find out if any work is being Electrical rewiring £10.5 million worth of improvements. carried out to my home? We will tell you in advance if we are The major planned programmes run planning to carry out improvements throughout the year (starting on 1 April This is how the money was spent: to your home. We will usually let you and ending on 31 March). Planned improvements know by letter at least four weeks before We only carry starting any work that may affect you. Bathrooms, kitchens, electrical out those We will explain the works planned and rewiring, heating systems, etc. works that are the level of disruption you can expect. If required in Planned £1.4 million you live in a scheme, we will also work each property. improvements Cyclical maintenance closely with the care providers to ensure For example, everyone is aware of the work being one house Gas servicing, electrical testing, undertaken. £1.4 painting, energy efficiency works, etc. may have had million £4.6 million Planned maintenance and a new kitchen improvements installed more Responsive repairs Every year we carry out a programme recently than Day-to-day repairs, empty of planned maintenance and neighbouring properties and so may property repairs, etc. improvements to replace or repair the not need a replacement at this time. £2.8 million parts of your home that need to be Before any major internal works and external painting work, we will need Miscellaneous updated. This year, we will carry out the following works to your homes. Most of to carry out an asbestos survey at Environmental improvements, the work will be delivered by our chosen your property. You will be told if your major repairs and partner contractors. We will make sure home is part of the planned works maintenance, etc. the work is of a high standard and that programme, and an asbestos surveyor £0.2 million quality products are used. All the work will contact you in advance of the works to carry out the survey. If you TOTAL £10.5 million will be monitored and managed closely by our Progress Contracts Team. refuse to have an asbestos survey carried out, we will not be able to Types of work Number continue with the This year we will be investing more planned works. money into improving your homes, Major internal works with a repairs and maintenance budget Aids and adaptations of £9 million. This includes planned Kitchens and electric 65 Every year we carry out aids and improvements, repairs and maintenance upgrades adaptations work to help those with a and ensuring you are safe in your home. Bathrooms 61 disability enjoy their homes. Demand We will also make sure that if you were for these works is high, so we carefully Major external works on a planned improvement programme assess every request. last year and we were unable to carry Roofs 13 We have a health and wellbeing officer out the work, you will be on our priority Double glazed windows 11 who can advise on making the best programme this year. External Doors 52 use of your home. If you think that you would benefit from an improvement of How is the work planned? Heating systems To help us plan our future maintenance this type, email us at enquiries@ Gas heating 48 programmes, we record the condition progressgroup.org.uk or phone 03333 204555.

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ 4 ProgressStreetTalk Major works inside homes

Painting the assist you if you need help. in communal Miscellaneous areas of our outside of your Electrical testing home Responsive supported £0.2 We have increased the number of living schemes, We will spend million repairs electrical tests we undertake by and disinfecting over £120,000 reducing the frequency of these water storage painting the £2.8 tests from every 10 years to every tanks. We outside of your million five years. The electrical test is always try to minimise disruption to homes this year. for your safety, to ensure that tenants, and, in most cases, you will Often this will everything is working safely. not know that they are happening - involve carrying but where you do need to know, we out minor repairs to rotten or damaged It is very important that we carry out will contact you in advance. We must timber before the painting is carried these checks every five years (and carry out regular health and safety out. All tenants will be notified if their sometimes more frequently), so checks. This year, we have increased property will be painted within the next please try to keep to the appointment our investment to ensure the safety of few months. we have made with you. If you are our tenants and residents. not available on the day of your Gas servicing appointment, please contact us Day-to-day repairs Every year we need to check the immediately to rearrange. This helps Every year, we carry out thousands safety of all the gas appliances that to reduce the number of ‘no access’ of day-to-day repairs at the request we have provided in your home. This visits we carry out and means we can of our tenants. We also repair and service is for your safety, to ensure rearrange an appointment to suit you. carry out improvements to empty that everything is working safely and properties and prepare them for new efficiently. If an electrician calls at your property and has been unable to gain access, a tenants to move into once the old We must carry out these checks card will be posted through your door tenant has every year if you have gas in your to tell you that someone has called to moved out. property, so please try to keep to the do your inspection. The card will have Customer satisfaction appointment we have made with you. a phone number, and it is important for If you are not available on the day of We have received some fantastic your own safety that you contact us to feedback from our customers over your appointment, please contact us make a suitable appointment. If you immediately to the last year. For example, you told have a support worker, they will be us that our operatives were following rearrange. This able to assist you if you need help. helps reduce COVID-safe working practices. This the number helped give you the assurance you Cyclical of ‘no access’ needed at a difficult time. We are You must allow us access to your always delighted to hear from our maintenance visits we home to carry out these checks. carry out and customers. Please let us know if we Gas servicing and electrical testing get it right, as we’ll keep on doing £4.6 means we can are carried out to keep you safe rearrange an the things that you appreciate and million in your home. We will do our very let us know if we get it wrong so we appointment to best to schedule an appointment suit you. can look at ways of improving our convenient for you. It is important services. So if you have any feedback If a gas engineer calls at your property you allow us access to your on any part of our repairs and and has been unable to gain access, a home before the date of your last maintenance service, please don’t card will be posted through your door certificate. hesitate to contact your Supported to tell you that someone has called to Living Housing Officer or our Property do your inspection. The card will have Services Continuous Improvement our phone number on it. It is important Other health and safety works Manager, Diane Strickland. You for your own safety and to comply with We have many other maintenance can reach Diane at enquiries@ the law that you contact us to make programmes running all the time. progressgroup.org.uk or by calling a suitable appointment. If you have These include servicing all lifts and fire 03333 204555. a support worker, they will be able to alarms, testing electrical appliances

5 Visit us online at www.progressgroup.org.uk Fire safety in your home

Fire safety here at Progress However, you can reduce the risk of fire in your home by following these Housing Group is a high basic rules: priority. Our employees work extremely hard to ensure that Regularly test Extinguish our buildings are maintained your smoke cigarettes as safe as possible. alarms and carefully and Fire risk assessments are carried out at report any faults never smoke in properties managed by the Group that bed have common means of escape, such as:

• Community centres Keep all exits clear of Keep candles • Blocks of flats obstructions so in secure and non-flammable • Houses of multiple occupations that people can escape quickly holders • Shared houses identified as and never supported accommodation (more leave them than one tenancy) unattended • Houses with support staff sleep rooms or offices identified as Take care in supported accommodation the kitchen and never leave cooking Do not overload The fire risk assessment identifies unattended electrical actions and recommendations to be sockets carried out to keep all our properties safe and protect you from the dangers associated with fire. Any significant Never leave findings and recommendations are electrical Do not leave a recorded by the Group and monitored appliances fire door open, through to completion of the action. switched on and never when no one is remove an Unfortunately, fires are common and at home automatic door can cause serious injury and damage closer to your home and possessions.

Always keep matches and Do not store lighters out anything of reach of flammable such By following these simple tips, it children as petrol in your will keep you safe in your home. home

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ 6 ProgressStreetTalk Project SEARCH interns SignLive join Progress! The Group is now using an online sign language The ten young people will take part We now have ten young people service, SignLive set to join us in September in a mix of classroom-based learning as part of our partnership and workplace experience within SignLive is an online video British with DFN Project SEARCH. one of our departments. Look out for Sign Language (BSL) interpretation further updates about Project Search service available for free for our Project SEARCH is a project to in our future newsletters and on our tenants and customers. help people to find work and was Facebook and Instagram pages. launched in South Ribble with partners To use this service, you need including Progress Housing Group, to register on the SignLive Runshaw College, Lancashire County website www.signlive.co.uk Council, South Ribble Borough and either download an Council and a national charity app or access it via called Hft. Hft provides services for the internet on your people with learning disabilities. computer or The project will help young people smartphone. with a learning disability or autism (aged18-24) gain workplace skills.

Once registered, you can Are you ready for changes search and look for Progress Housing Group in to online payments? the online community directory. Banks are starting to add You can prepare for these changes by: Then, by clicking on the phone more checks to keep you safe Making sure your bank has your number, you will be connected to when using your bank card correct contact information, such an interpreter who will support you online to buy things or make as your telephone number throughout the call using BSL via a payments to organisations. live video link. Alternatively, you can call our Progress Housing Group is not Progress Connect Team on  Karen Cookson, Customer Contact bringing it in, but it might make it 03333 204555 to find out about Manager, said: harder for you to pay your rent to us if other ways to pay your rent or you use our online payment service. speak to your housing officer. “We hope that using this new service will make it easier for British Sign Language users Lisa with her to contact us; particularly at fabulous the moment when face-to- Easter Easter card face appointments are limited, and deaf or hearing impaired cheer customers may not be able We received 21 entries to have the support they to our Easter card usually use from family or decorating competition friends.” which we ran across the Group. Congratulations to our ten winners, we received some fantastic designs. A special Philip’s entry mention goes to Lisa, who won for her design and thank you to Philip for his wonderful entry.

7 Visit us online at www.progressgroup.org.uk Competition time! ✂ Useful addresses and Congratulations to Debbie, who lives in Lancashire, telephone numbers who is our competition winner. Debbie participated in our creative activities in the last edition of Progress Due to coronavirus, our offices are People and drew this fantastic self-portrait. Your £20 currently closed to visitors. One4all voucher is on its way to you! You can still contact us in the If you would like to be in with a chance of winning a £20 One4all voucher, please complete the spot the following ways: difference below and either take a photo and email it to Write to us at: [email protected] with your name Progress Housing Group and address. Or you can send your entries with your Sumner House, 21 King Street, contact details to Joanne Hodson, Progress Housing Leyland, Lancashire, PR25 2LW Group, Sumner House, 21 King Street, Leyland, Lancashire PR25 2LW. Good luck!  03333 204555  Live chat with us on our website at The deadline for entries is Friday, 30 July 2021. www.progressgroup.org.uk [email protected] Find 10 differencies Leeds office Progress Housing Group New Pudsey Court, 101 Bradford Road, Pudsey, Leeds, LS28 6AT LiLAC tenants  0345 241 6041 Progress Housing Group tenants living in Cambridgeshire, Durham, Essex, North Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Scottish Borders, Suffolk, Yorkshire.  0345 241 0208  Live chat with us on our website at www.progressgroup.org.uk

Online tenant account Visit our website www.progressgroup. org.uk/activate to set up and activate your tenant account. If you have already set up your tenant account, you can log on to it via the website.

Repairs There are now several different arrangements for repairs, so please check with your Supported Living Housing Officer to find out about the correct telephone number to ring.

Remember: Repairs lines are usually Brain-teasers 4: Which famous road bridge links the very busy first thing in the morning. Houses of Parliament to the London If your repair is not urgent, please try Questions: borough of Lambeth? phoning after 11am. You can report 1: What small flat tool is used by repairs online 24 hours a day! 5: In the UK we call it a curriculum vitae stringed instrument players to pluck or CV. What is it called in America? or strum while they’re playing? 6: Ant Middleton is the author of the This newsletter is available in 2: Which married couple created the newly published motivational book audio CD, large print, Braille or an Sci-Fi TV series ‘Thunderbirds’, ‘Zero Negativity’. On which Channel alternative language. ‘Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons’ 4 show is he the Chief Instructor? and ‘Stingray’? To request your alternative format 7: In Thunderbirds who was the pilot of 3: Who succeeded Jimmy Carter please contact the Progress Thunderbird 2? as US President in the 1980 US Involvement Team on  03333 presidential election? 8: Which former Charlton Athletic and 204555 or write to us at our Head Newcastle United player is now the Office address (details above) or manager of Fulham FC? email enquiries@progressgroup. Answers: 1: A plectrum, 2: Gerry and , 3: Ronald Reagan, 4: Westminster org.uk Bridge, 5: A resume, 6: SAS: Who dares wins, 7: Virgil Tracy, 8: Scott Parker

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