October Edition | April - September 2019 Dacorum Community Matters

Community Safety Days Tenant Academy Waterside Centre

Read how we have supported Find out what courses we have Learn how we taught members how to Dacorum Borough Council over the been delivering for the residents of create plant reflectors summer in the Community Dacorum Page 11 Page 4 Page 6 3 Welcome to Dacorum Community Matters.

Hello,

It has been a busy few months for the Community Investment team and our partners. From free DIY workshops for residents to supporting local employment through community safety days, we have enjoyed getting involved in valuable In this issue... projects across Dacorum. I’ve enjoyed seeing the continued benefits for local people as a result of the Community fantastic services available across the borough and we are proud to have been part of them. Engagement I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our community partners for their Inflatable 5K Run 3 on-going support and to our people. We are only able to be successful due to Your Town 5K 3 people generously giving their time and talent.

Sunnyside Up Sports Day 4 We hope you enjoy the read and if you have any ideas for future projects, please get in touch. Community Safety Days 4

Swing Gate School Fête 5

Sprucing Up a School Garden 5

Southernwood Fun Raising 6

Community Funday at Highfield 6 Our Investment Sunnyside Rural Trust 7

Employment Creation and Skills Development

Tenant Academy 8

Apprentice Recruitment Day 9

Employability Days 9 3849 Local people engaged/ 56 benefited Education & Culture Initiatives supported/delivered Work Experience 10

Osborne wins Employment Awards 11

Celebrating Work Experience Success 12

Health & Wellbeing 3 Community facilities improved Singing Around the World 13 185 Creating Plant Reflectors 14 Extra staff hours

*These figures reflect our social value impact from April 1st 2019 to September 30th 2019 Community engagement

Yes we can!

The Osborne ‘Yes We Almost half of the children Can’ team took part in a 5k are under Great Ormond inflatable obstacle course Street Hospital. They cater on Saturday 22nd June in for 4 to 17 year olds and are Redbourne near St Albans. one of the lowest funded in . We supported The Blue Tangerine Foundation to Our enthusiastic team raise funds for children with bounced their way through special educational needs in the course to the finish line, Hertfordshire. raising a total of £1,450.00! Congratulations to all of our The Blue Tangerine volunteers! Foundation is made up of 2 schools; The Collett School Thank you to the Osborne Team: and St Lukes. Both are Stephen Greenfield, Harley Lewis, special educational schools Carley Manning, Nicky Wardle, attended by children from Daren Norris and Sarah Hodges. across Hertfordshire. All of the children have many Picture of the cheque presentation: syndromes including Down’s Adrian Hoole (Dacorum Borough and 50% of the children Council), Sarah Hodges, Nicky have Autism. Wardle, Gillian Lawton from Collet School and Daren Norris.

Your Town 5K

This year Dacorum The Osborne team joined Claire Foster, Thank you to the Osborne Borough Council held the local residents & other Community Marshals (from left to right): Laura first ‘Your Town 5k’. The service providers to Kerlin, Debbie Henson, Charlene event was a huge success, Marshall the event. 79 Partnerships at McKeating, Nicky Wardle and Carley raising £810.00 for two local residents of all ages Dacorum Borough Manning. local charities; DENS and (including a lady and baby Council said: Sunnyside Rural Trust. in a pushchair!) participated in the run. “Thank you for all of your help at our first ever Your Town 5k Run. We had great feedback about the marshals and are looking forward to next year!”

October 2019 3 Sunnyside Up Playgroup / Safer Community

Sunnyside Up Playgroup Helping to create a safer community

The Osborne team joined the The Osborne team joined staff, parents and children for Dacorum Borough Council Stephanie Bailey, the Sunnyside Up Playgroup at their Community Safety Housing Projects & Sports Day. and Fun in the Sun events over the summer. Engagement Officer The Sunnyside Community said: Playgroup is a registered The aim of a Community charity, providing childcare Safety Event is to engage “It was great working for children aged 2-5 years. with local residents and with you today, I had To enhance the children’s promote various council learning experience and services and initiatives. a great time and it provide the necessary shows how well as resources, the charity holds We also promote different teams and partners fundraising events every term. ways in which Tenants we can work Funds raised provide outdoor & Leaseholders can get equipment, learning resources, involved and help shape together”. sensory play equipment the councils services. This and improvements to their is a free event and has fun allotment area. for all with other service providers supporting such Osborne donated goodie bags as the Police and the Fire for those who took part and Brigade. the sub-contractor ‘ M. H Goldsmiths and Sons’ Team members from donated the main raffle Dacorum Borough Council Stephanie Bailey, Sarah Askey prize of a TV/DVD combo. were also on hand to inform and Dwain Daniels (Above) the local community of the Sarah Askey, Dwain Daniels and Amanda, who runs the many services the council Louise Ablitt (Below) Playgroup, said: provides, such as the Tenant Academy and Tenant Inspectors. “Thank you so much for supporting our Fun in the Sun is an annual fund-raiser today. free event for all local people. Children have the Everyone had a lovely opportunity to play on the time and inflatables whilst residents the kids loved their can hear about local medals. We raised involvement opportunities and forthcoming events. £608 which is great for a small playgroup like Sunnyside. Thank you also for the amazing Vicki Nash, Sarah Askey and Louise Ablitt (Below) raffle prize”.

4 Spring Fair / Sprucing up a school garden

Swing Gate School Spring Fair

sponsor their Hair & Osborne supported the Swing Nails stall at the Friends Gate School Spring Fair by sponsoring the Nails and Tattoo of Swing Gate School Art stand. Spring Fair. Money raised from the fair provides This enabled the school to essential resources provide the activities for free. The event was packed with young to improve children’s people and their families. learning experience with books and other Those who attended enjoyed equipment, thank you games, bouncy castle, tombola, arts, crafts and nail art. once again” .

Pupils of Year One kept people entertained with country dancing and the upbeat vocals of Year Two got people clapping along.

“Friends of Swing Gate were thrilled when Osborne agreed to

Sprucing up a school garden

Osborne Property Services for pupils to enjoy. work in the community in various ways. One of these has For the refurbishment of the been our work with Potten End garden to be a success, we Primary School. donated materials including fence paint to the group to use. The Friends of Potten School is an association of parents, staff and other people whose aim The PTA, Potten End is to promote the wellbeing of School said: their school.

Throughout the academic “We would like to thank year, the group organises a Osborne Property Services number of events to improve for their generous donation the school environment. An of materials. Without example of this was the garden refurbishment party project this, it would be doubtful which took place recently. that our benches and There were over 30 volunteers sleepers would survive who rolled up their sleeves another winter. Thank you and got stuck into weeding, planting, painting fences and Osborne!” generally giving the garden a good tidy up. The garden area provides a calm peaceful place

October 2019 5 Southernwood Fun Raising / Community Funday

Southernwood Fun Raising Community Funday at Highfield

As part of our commitment Sharon Frostick, The Osborne team joined local We also used the opportunity to supporting all of our Supported Housing residents of Highfields at the to promote different ways residents, we are always Officer said: Annual Community Centre tenants can get involved with getting involved in Family Funday. DBC such as learning new DIY fundraising for charities and Skills with the Tenant Academy, local organisations. “On behalf of myself The event was packed the Tenant & Leaseholder and the tenants with a variety of stalls and Committee and how to become We recently supported entertainment for local families. a Tenant Inspector. the local residents at at Southernwood Some of the attractions Southernwood Close, Close, we’d like to included: a petting farm, a a sheltered housing say a huge thank baloon artist, magician, raffles, complex in the community. you for all your tombola and various local The event was held to organisations. fundraise for the Watford support at the event. Peace Hospice with lively We managed to The Mayor of Dacorum also music, cakes, raffle and raise just over £260 visited the event and spent refreshments. which was delivered valuable time talking to local residents and stall holders. Thankfully, the weather was to the hospice by the lovely on the day so the residents. They were On the day we offered free event was held outside in overwhelmed with interactive games with a prize the communal garden. We such a generous for everyone who took part. Sarah Askey and Lorraine Dawe helped to set up the event, (Below), engaging with residents with our people also baking donation, thank you a number of cakes and so much, it means a helping to run the event on lot”. the day.

The event was a success, with a welcomed fundraising total of £260 for the Watford Peace Hospice.

6 Sunnyside Rural Trust Sunnyside Rural Trust

Over the last few months, we open its doors to all of the have been heavily involved in community. supporting the Sunnyside Rural Trust.

Sunnyside Rural Trust was founded in 1990 as a small, horticultural project for We are looking forward to young people and adults seeing the project develop and with learning disabilities. The open in the future to coincide Trust has developed into a with the Charity’s Birthday in sucessful charity and social 2020! enterprise, offering training and work experience for over 130 You can support this project in a vulnerable people in the local number of ways: community. • https://localgiving.org/ In July, the charity launched charity/sunnyside-rural- their biggest project to date, trust/project/Mayors- the Northchurch Allotments appeal/Volunteering Refurbishment Development. • Sponsor the animal rescue The charity secured a grant of shelter. £188,000 which is going to be • Donate equipment such as: used for the construction part of • Flooring the project only. • Lighting • Solar Panels For the next phase, the charity • Fencing is looking for support from local • Kitchen businesses to provide help with Equipment internal decoration, fixtures and • Paint fittings and landscaping. • Shop Fittings • Animal Care Tools We have helped to raise the profile of the project with our For more information, contact supply chain, local organisations Gemma Vine on 01442 and people in the area. 863364 or email: publicity@ Shadbolts, our supplier, agreed sunnysiderualtrust.org.uk to donate all internal wood fixings. Keely Siddiqui Charlick, CEO of Sunnyside Rural Trust

“Just wanted to say thank you for all of your help in the project so far, Osborne have been amazing!”

We also managed to donate a kitchen to the project and our supplier, Travis Perkins, kindly donated all sanitaryware including disabled toilets, tiles and taps. Having disabled facilities at the site will enable the charity to be inclusive and

October 2019 7 Employment Creation & Skills Development

From left to right: Keith Stonehouse, Stephen Greenfield and Natalie McCalman from Dacorum Borough Council

Tenant Academy

At Osborne, we are committed They were split into three to helping people gain new groups and were taught skills. skills including; unblocking drains, hanging a curtain pole, Launched in September 2017, installing a lock and changing the Tenant Academys’ vision is a plug. to encourage council residents to build social networks, The decorating course improve their skills and build entailed teaching tenants wonderful to see the confidence for employment skills in areas such as tiling, through a range of various wallpapering and decorating learning being put workshops and activities. preparation. into practice.” A Local Resident said: Over the summer, we have Jo Fletcher, Head Thank you to our operatives “The hints and tips from held a number of workshops of Engagement, for helping out on the day. including basic DIY skills and a trade perspective are Osborne Property a decorating course, both of To learn more about the priceless! The trainers were which were a success. Services, Tenant Academy, please very helpful and nice, I’ve commented: visit: At the DIY Course, our had a great time today qualified operatives were www.dacorum.gov.uk/ and improved my skills in “This was a great able to teach residents basic home/housing/current- decorating. Everything about skills, enabling them to carry workshop with tenant/tenant-academy the course was brilliant! “ out small repairs around their residents really home. being hands-on. It’s

8 Apprenticeship Recruitment Day / Employability Days Apprenticeship Recruitment Day Employability Days

We recently held our first Jo Fletcher, Head of Over the summer months Apprenticeship Recruitment Engagement said: we have been working with a The pupils came away with Day at our offices in Hemel number of local schools and a lot of helpful feedback Hempstead. “Providing organisations to improve the and advice, most of which skills and confidence of young was offered from a variety of As part of our commitment employment people as they enter the world Dacorum based employers. to recruitment locally, we opportunities in our of work. created an advertising local communities is Cindy Withey, from campaign aimed at a commitment that We first attended the Connect Connect Dacorum attracting young people Dacorum Employability Day, within the Dacorum we are proud of” held in June. Held at Hemel said: Borough. Hempstead School, 185 students took part in an array “Thank you so much West Herts College joined of activities throughout the for giving up your time the event to give advice on morning. entry level requirements for at both employability the many apprenticeships The morning started with days over the summer available. students splitting up into - the students got a lot smaller groups between out of it and thank you We were lucky to have two eight to ten and then began a photography students from workshop revolving around CV for your support”. the college come along to writing and application forms. take photos of the day! The students were taught many tips on how to ‘make Afterwards, we were their CV’ stand out. pleased to announce that we were able to offer apprenticeships to two local residents.

The next activity was for the students to interview the facilitators before reviewing their own CVs and getting careers and employment advice.

Next there was an activity on interview skills with mock interviews and a “speed interviewing game” which all of the students thoroughly enjoyed. In July, we supported the Employability Day at the . 48 students took part, benefiting from the same helpful advice and interactive sessions.

October 2019 9 Education & Culture

Work Experience

Over the busy summer months, work experience Tom gained one week, who spent time Another student, Harrison we have opened our doors to during his work placement, in a number of different Newbury spent three days a number of work experience he has gone on to gain an departments, saying: with us after finishing school. placements, all of whom are apprenticeship with a Plumbing He wanted to explore how looking for an introduction to Company in Heathrow. “Thank you for a great the office works and how all the working world. week, it was really the departments operate individually and contribute to Tom Calder, West good to learn about Across the borough, we work Herts College Student the overall business delivery. with a number of schools, and the working world and are able to provide bespoke said: what each team does We have already begun work experience programmes, at Osborne.” disccussions with local based on what the student “Thank you so much schools and colleges for work is interested in. This way, the for the work placement experience programmes for the programme really benefits the next academic year. student in their future career. at Osborne. I have just accepted an We had three students form apprenticeship and West Herts College, Terri-Lee having the Osborne Stent, Tom Calder and Bradley Smith join us for an eight week work experience listed placement, spending one day on my CV helped a week in a number of different massively! Thank you departments such as Planned for everything!” Works, Surveying, Community Investment and the Call We also hosted Dylan Brown Centre. As a direct response of from for

10 Employer Excellence Award Osborne wins 2019 Employer Excellence Award

We are really proud to be construction. recognised for the 2019 Employer Excellence Award from West Herts College, after working Jo Fletcher, Head in partnership to deliver a number of Community of work experience placements in Engagement said: the last twelve months.

The aim of the Work Experience This reward really would Placement Programme is to not be possible without support young people and help our amazing people who them to decide their career take the time to shaire paths after they leave full time education, whilst teaching them their experience and new skills and building their skills with the students. confidence. I would like to express my sincere thanks to We have held successful placements for a number of all for inspiring our next students from the College, and generation.” for each of these, created a bespoke programme, allowing each student to shadow a Sarah Askey being presented with number of our team members the award by Sue Hill, West Herts across various departments College tailored to best suit their career aspirations.

Students spent time with the following areas of our business; community investment, contact centre, assisting with the helpdesk, warehouse management and surveying. Chris Pearson, Director of

All of these have enabled the Corporate Affairs, West students to learn new skills and Herts college, said: gain confidence in a workplace environment. “It is vital that young people are ready for the modern Terri-Lee Stent one of world of work when they the students who took leave West Herts College. part in the programme, This is why partnerships said: with supportive employers “Thank you Osborne like Osborne are so for everything you’ve important. The workplace done over the past opportunities they offer eight weeks. It’s been are key to developing our really nice getting to student’s work readiness. know everyone and It has the power to inspire learn about all of the the next generation” opportunities available in

October 2019 11 Celebrating Work Experience

Celebrating the success of work experience

Bridging the gap between education and employment, the Osborne Property Services team have been instrumental in delivering a work-based learning programme for young people through Astley School in . Richard O’Brien, Apprenticeship Programme Co-ordinator at The We have had two students at our Astley Cooper School said: office three days a week for six months whilst the other two days are in school studying towards “The support of Osborne Property Services has been a key factor in their BTEC qualifications in Life the success of our unique pre-apprenticeship programme. Skills. Osborne has dedicated finances and manpower to give our young With the year coming to an end, we were invited to the Work- people a shot at a great career. Osborne is an exemplar business, Based Learning Awards Evening. forward thinking and people centred. Thank you!” The ceremony saw all students recognised and congratulated for finishing the programme.

Rebecca, who will be returning to Osborne to begin a Plumbing Apprenticeship, was one of the students, along with Mitch who worked with the electrical team.

Stephen Greenfield, Supervisor was awarded ‘Supervisor of the Year Award’ for his enthusiastic guidance of Rebecca Mullen over a six-month placement.

Rebecca Mullen, Plumbing Apprentice, said:

“Steve is my hero - he is so patient and has taught me so much in a short space of time - I will always be grateful!”

Special thanks and recognition goes to Anthony Banham, who has been Rebecca’s committed mentor. Anthony helped Rebecca gain confidence by encouraging From left to right: her to take a ‘hands on’ approach when on site. Well done Anthony, Rebecca Mullen, Stephen Greenfield and Anthony Banham. you are an Osborne Shining Star!

12 Singing along with the Showtime Players Singing along with the Showtime Players

We are passionate about working within the local community and contribute to it through participation and support with groups and individuals.

A great example of this is supporting The Showtime Players who are based in Hemel Hempstead.

The Showtime Players are a local group who have been performing for over 30 years and are made up of Dacorum residents who have a passion for singing and performing. The group concentrates on sing-alongs, including solos and amusing poems.

During the last 30 years, they have performed at many venues, small and large, for local groups, sheltered accommodation residents and various clubs, providing an uplifting and entertaining performance.

Osborne has supported the Showtime Players by printing their sing-a-long booklets that are handed out at their performances. They encourage audience members to join in the fun, proving a huge hit.

We recently produced new song sheets for their new performance, ‘Sing Along, Around the World’.

Colin Homer and Gary Coffey; who are both Resident Liaison Officers for our Dacorum Contract, went along to watch the latest performance at The Baptist Church, The Marlowes.

Several local residents attended the show, with many of those either with dementia, limited mobility or are housebound, so it was a great reason for them to join friends and be a part of the sing along.

We look forward to continuing to support the Showtime Players and local residents in and around Dacorum.

Jo Fletcher, Head of Community Engagement said:

“The Showtime Players are a true inspiration. Their enthusiasm to make their audiences smile is simply heart-warming and infectious!”

October 2019 13 Getting Green at Waterside Creating plant reflectors at Waterside

Osborne Property Services by encouraging healthy Volunteers at the Centre said: spent the day at the lifestyles, including exercise Waterside Day Centre and good nutrition. recently, teaching the day “Thank you to Osborne for popping in and centre users how to make a Once the plants are showing us how to make reflective seed plant reflector. established they will be planters! transferred to the Waterside The Waterside Centre Allotment. provides support for local We are looking forward to planting the residents with additional The produce once grown will beans out soon!” needs and has been running be used in the centre and will for 29 years. The Centre keep food costs down. delivers social, educational and training opportunities for adults with learning disabilities.

Using step by step guides, the centre users created plant reflectors and sowed peas which will grow in the next few weeks.

The planters will be kept in the potting shed at the newly revamped allotment which we and our colleagues from Infrastructure completed in February this year.

The session was really beneficial as it taught the day centre users to think about where their food comes from and how plants can grow. This links into our commitment to improving and promoting good health in the local area

14 Upcoming events

Upcoming events

30th October - Community Safety Day at the Spider Park in Tring

15th November - DENS Sponsored Sleepout 16th November - Quiz Fundraising Evening at the Waterside Centre 28th November - Hasley Gardens, Gadebridge Park Volunteer Day

4th December - Santa’s Sleigh Donation Collection with Connect Dacorum 6th December - Connect Dacorum Festive Lunch 10th December - Waterside’s Got Talent at the Waterside Day Centre

January - STOP Think with West Herts College

19th March - Tenant Academy DIY

Community Matters Contact us

Sarah Askey Community Investment Manager [email protected]

Osborne Property Services Fonteyn House, 47-49 London Road Reigate, RH2 9PY 0800 0258 008

www.osborne.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter @OsborneNews

October 2019 15