heartof the matter

Merry Christmas to you all

Winter 2011 | Issue 5 INSIDE Cover Story: Young people get creative Bryn Farm fun day Time banking is launched Equalities Panel news

facebook.com/taicalon @taicalon www.taicalon.org Contents Contact us If you would like to contact Tai z Cover story p3 Calon you can z Walkabouts in your area p4 phone us on z Time banking is launched p5 0300 303 1717 z Changes to housing benefit p6 If you wish to report a z Spooky day at Bryn Farm p7 repair, enquire about your z Internal Improvements p8 rent, or would like to speak to a member of staff from z How we are doing? p9 Tai Calon please telephone z Making strides forward p10 0300 303 1717 z Policies developed with tenants p11 Write to or visit us at: z Environmental monitors hit your streets p12 Solis One, z Tenants resource room news p13 Rising Sun Industrial Estate z The first annual general meeting p14 NP13 3JW Email us: [email protected] Keep me Articles: Information you may want to keep www.taicalon.org z Electrical safety over the Christmas period p15 z Asbestos advice p16 z Fire safety p18

Take a look at what’s on offer in Blaenau Sports Centres

We have something for everyone

2 Cover Story Young Open its Doors at Tai Calon

A ground breaking media mainstream education. It has Cre8 gives a real outlet for skills project for young been developed to engage 14 – 16 year olds with a creative people was officially young people through the talent to develop skills in a way launched on the 18th of creative industries – allowing that suits them – developing November at them to experience practical a talent through commercial Tai Calon’s Offices. learning and develop skills that experience that they just could lead to a career in the couldn’t get at school.” ‘Cre8’ is providing young creative sector. Aran Knight age 16 from people not in mainstream Young Wales is working said ‘I enjoy education with training with County working in the studio but opportunities in the graphic Borough Council’s Education prefer to be behind the design and media sector. Team. Nigel Young, Head of camera. I am interested in In September, Young Wales, the Behaviour Support & Individual learning how to video edit and social enterprise that manages Pupil Tuition Services at hope to become a trainer at the project, set itself up at Tai Blaenau Gwent LEA said, Young Wales in the future and Calon’s Offices in Blaina. “At Blaenau Gwent we always help other young people.’ Cre8 introduces young people aim to meet the needs of to the world of media and has children on an individual basis For more been providing alternative – be this school, college or information education programmes for work experience. Young Wales’ on the Cre8 those aged 14 – 16 from programme is fulfilling a big project contact Blaenau Gwent who aren’t in role in education provision. Hayley Selway on 0300 303 1717.

3 Walkabouts in your area

Do you want to make a difference in your Where to meet neighbourhood? Come and join us on a estate Estate Walks – all walkabout. Got an idea for a bit of waste ground meet at 10.00am on Tuesdays near your home? Let us know what improvements Georgetown – Peacehaven Court you would make to your neighbourhood. car park area St Georges Court & Tredegar Tredegar Valley Jan Feb Mar Town Centre – Outside block of Georgetown 14th flats 88 – 103 - Lower 24th Sirhowy Lower – St James Way Cefn Golau 10th 21st 27th Car Park area to side of 51 St Ashvale 31st 13th James Way Town Centre 28th Ysguborwen – outside shop / Ysguborwen 7th 20th 1 Ysguborwen Nantybwch & 17th 6th Cefn Golau – house Dukestown 3rd 87 Attlee Way Valley Jan Feb Mar Ashvale – Griffiths Square car park Beaufort Nantybwch & Tafarnaubach – Garnlydan 28th outside Nantybwch & Waundeg - Lower 13th Community Flat, 81 Waundeg Rassau - Upper 21st 27th Dukestown – near no. 1 Ystrad Deri Hilltop Upper 1 (Shakespeare Cres – 17th 6th Upper Tredegar Road) Ebbw Vale Estate Walks – all Hilltop Upper 2 (Darby Cres – Trenant) 20th meet at 12.00pm on Tuesdays Gwaun Helyg (Wordsworth Close – 7th Rassau Upper – Rassau Charles Court) Hilltop – Lower (Shopping Centre Community Centre 10th Flats – Islwyn Close) Newtown – Princes Court car park Briery Hill 3rd Rassau Lower – Outside Ty Bryn Newtown 31st Social Club Glyncoed 14th Gwaun Helyg – Parking area of Cwm 24th Wordsworth Close Garnlydan – Info Shop Ebbw Fach Valley Jan Feb Mar Twyncynghordy 5th Hilltop Upper 1 and 2 & Hilltop Gurnos Estate 8th Lower the Hilltop Shopping Brynfarm 2nd 22nd Centre Flats West Side, Blaina 15th Beaufort Estate entrance to Bryn Winchestown 26th Coch Coed Cae 9th 29th Cwm – meet near the school on Ffoesmaen 19th Canning Street (Llandafel Court Beaumont Close 23rd and Emlyn Road to follow) Roseheyworth 12th Glyncoed car park Glanffryd Court 16th Briery Hill entrance to RTBs Swffrwyd 1st Rugby Club

4 Abertillery, Blaina & all meet at 10.00am on Thursdays Twyncynghordy meet at Twyncynghordy shop Brynithel meet at car park near No. 1 Hafodarthen Bungalows Ffosmaen meet at Ffosmaen Inn West Side Blaina meet at car park entrance to Forgeside (Parry Jones Close) Brynfarm meet at entrance to estate Coedcae meet at Community Centre meet outside Swffryd Shopping Centre Winchestown – meet at Time banking entrance to Waunheulog Cwmcelyn – meet at car park Troed-y-Bryn Bungalows is launched – meet at Valley View TIMED – Tai Calon’s time banking scheme was Brynfarm – meet at entrance to officially launched on the 15th of November estate 2011 at our offices with tenants, Board Members Coedcae – meet at Community Centre and partners giving it their support. Roseheyworth meet at car Time banking is a scheme that recognises the time park rear of 42 Arael View at volunteers give to projects. For every two hours a tenant 10 am and Upper Arael View or community member works with Tai Calon they will be Beaumont Close meet at awarded a time credit e.g. if you attend an estate walkabout car park you will receive one time credit or if you give half a day to a community project you will be awarded two credits. Gurnos Estate – meet at entrance of estate Time credits can be used in Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s sport centres, Coleg Gwent’s Hair and Beauty Department, EVI (formerly Ebbw Vale Institute), Supertubes at the Festival Site in Ebbw Vale and for a range of day trips organised by Tai Calon. For more information on the Great For more information on TIMED please contact Chloe Williams Neighbourhoods’ on 0300 303 1717. scheme contact the Community Investment Time Invested Makes and Involvement Team Every Difference on 0300 303 1717.

5 Changes to housing benefit

The Government is From October 2013: planning to make • If you are of working age and Find out more significant changes living in a council or housing If you would like to welfare payments, association home that is larger than your household size more information including housing benefit. (e.g. a couple living in a two about the planned Many of the details have bedroom home) you will lose changes please contact not been finalised but, part of your housing benefit. Sarah Freeman, Financial Inclusion Manager on based on what ministers • The overall amount of benefit 0300 303 1717, Shelter have said they want to an out-of-work household can Cymru or your local do, this is what we would receive will be capped at the Citizens Advice Bureau. expect to happen if their average earnings of a working household (expected to be in proposals become law: the region of £500 per week). Take action Households with someone • Deductions from housing You can email or write to your benefit for non-claiming claiming Disability Living Allowance or Working Tax MP to raise your concerns adults in the household about these changes. have already been increased Credit, or with a war widow, will be exempt from the cap. Community Housing Cymru, and will continue to do so the membership body for each year to 2014. • New benefit claimants will housing associations in Wales, receive a single payment has produced a message you of Universal Credit instead can use which you can find of separate payments for here: www.chcymru.org.uk/ housing, income support, chc_dev_final//key-issues/ Jobseeker’s Allowance welfare-reform.cfm and tax credits. Existing claimants will be moved across to the new Credit between 2013 and 2017.

6 Spooky day at Bryn Farm

Children and adults alike had fun at Bryn Farm’s ‘Community Clean Up Day’ held on the 25th and 26th October 2011.

Tai Calon opened one of its houses as a base for fun activities which included face painting, a visit from the Fire Service and a live broadcast from Brynmawr FM.

The day was organised as part of the Neighbourhoods Together scheme, a project developed through partnership working between the community, the Similar projects will be Police, Blaenau Gwent County running throughout Blaenau Borough Council and Tai Calon. Gwent in the next few months. For more information Residents and young people on ‘Neighbourhoods of Bryn Farm and the Gurnos Together’ contact Bridget Estate in Brynmawr had access, Powell on 0300 303 1717. over two days, to community skips and worked with Keep Wales Tidy litter picking and clearing overgrown areas.

7 Internal improvements The second year of internal improvements is now well under way with tenants in Brynithel, Waunheulog, Nantybwch and Waundeg, Sirhowy, Peacehaven, Cwm and Newtown receiving new kitchens, bathrooms and rewires.

We have nine To support tenants when the • Explain how long work will contractors currently internal works are ongoing Tai take, the level of disruption Calon has four Tenant Liaison and contact details of the working on our estates Officers (TLO’s), Cath Griffiths, site staff working in your area throughout Blaenau Fernando Greco, Ceri Morgan • Provide boxes to pack things Gwent to improve and Emma Ridout. The TLO’s away if you need them role is to ensure tenants are the quality of tenants’ • Visit you just before works happy throughout the works start and regularly when homes and investing in process and the finished kitchen, works are being undertaken these communities. bathroom and/ or rewire. in your home How will the TLO support • Have a drop in surgery on On the technical side we’ve you if works are being site and be contactable got teams of Technical Officers undertaken in your home? by mobile phone if you working with our contractors have any issues when the to make sure the agreed works • Carry out a needs contractor is in your home are completed to the correct assessment to establish if • Carry out a satisfaction specification and quality. you need any additional questionnaire with you at the The Technical Officer will be support whilst works are end of the work to establish able to give you advice on the undertaken at your home if you were happy with the works as they progress. • Present kitchen and process and the finished bathroom choices to you kitchen/ bathroom or rewire.

PLEASE NOTE ALL OFFICERS AND CONTRACTORS WORKING FOR TAI CALON COMMUNITY HOUSING MUST PRESENT AN ID BADGE TO YOU. IF YOU ARE CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE MAY NOT BE WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE CONTACT OUR CALL CENTRE ON 0300 303 1717

8 How are we doing?

We want to improve the services we deliver to you. The following information Actual Actual Actual Target 2011/12 2011/12 2011/12 lets you know how we are performing. Aug Sept Oct

Responsive repairs - emergency repairs on target (%) 97.50% 96.74% 96.74% 96.55% Responsive repairs - urgent repairs on target (%) 95% 97.28% 97.32% 96.86% Responsive repairs - non-urgent repairs on target (%) 92% 76.72% 78.24% 79.97%

WHQS Items Installed (cumulative): Aug Sept Oct · Kitchens 800 88 154 223 · Bathrooms 640 77 120 186 · Rewires 300 26 50 92 · Roofs 300 79 140 195 · Heating 850 448 543 617 % tenants who rated the improvement works 90% 100% 100% 100% programme as good or excellent % tenants who rated the overall repairs process as 97% 97% 93% 93% good or excellent Percentage of ASB cases dealt with to the satisfaction 82% 100% 83% 50% of the complainant. % of tenants who are members as a percentage of the 8% 5.44% 5.44% 5.65% Tai Calon tenant population

% of complaints answered within agreed timescales 100% 100% 100% 100%

9 Making strides forward

This new method is currently help Tai Calon develop its Equalities Panel Member being trialled and tested service capability in order Ann Ingram gives an and, when available, will to meet the requirements of update on what the Panel tenants with specific needs. be a great help for tenants has been involved in on with hearing or speech behalf of tenants over It has come up with a number impairments, who choose the last few months. of innovative suggestions to SMS text as their preferred help all tenants make the most way of communicating on a The Equalities Panel, which of their individual relationship day to day basis. Full details has been in existence since with the Tai Calon organisation will be announced later this February 2011, continues to and its staff. year once the trial has been completed and any teething For instance, the Panel troubles ironed out before the suggested an idea which is official launch. This system will now being developed into a then be further developed by new method for tenants to Tai Calon to enable tenants report various problems by to access a wider choice SMS text using their mobile of services and improve phone. A special number communications between will, for example, be made tenants and landlord. available for repairs to be reported by text with an Between the 24th – 26th August automated response from 2011, a group of Tai Calon Tai Calon to confirm an staff carried out a selection appointment time for the process to choose a training repair to be carried out. company to deliver training in Equalities and Diversity to all Tai Calon staff. This course will

10 be delivered to small groups of staff comprising a cross section of tradesmen, front line officers and admin staff. Tai Calon Policies Board Members and members of the Equalities Panel will also developed receive this important training, which is aimed at providing with recipients with a greater understanding of equality and tenants diversity issues in our local and Tenants have been working wider communities. hard with officers to In October the Equalities Panel develop a range of policies. met to carry out an Equality Below are the policies Impact Assessment (EIA) of developed to date: Tai Calon’s Repairs Policy. • Rent Arrears The purpose of this • Service Charges assessment was to determine whether the policy would • Rent Setting indirectly discriminate against These action points will be put • Tenancy Agreements forward to be included in the any tenants with specific needs • Tenant Involvement or characteristics. Under the Annual Review of the Policy • Single Equalities Plan Equality Act of 2010, these due in January 2012. • Customer Care and specific needs are referred to The Panel will continue to Access as “Protected Characteristics” carry out Equality Impact and include: • Pets Policy Assessments on Tai Calon’s • Rechargeable Repairs • Race key policies over the next six • Age months, which will make a real • Gas Servicing • Gender contribution in shaping the way • Decant policy Tai Calon delivers services to • Gender re-assignment • Eviction policy all its tenants and leaseholders. • Disability • Domestic Abuse If you would like to help make • Mutual Exchange • Sexual orientation a difference by joining the • Religion or belief Panel, please contact • Starter Tenancy • Civil Partnership Andy MacDougall on • Joint Tenancy and Relationship Breakdown • Pregnancy and Maternity 0300 300 1717, who will be pleased to discuss with you • Decoration Allowance Several key action points how you could contribute to • Adaptations emerged from the assessment this lively and passionate group. process with the Panel If you would like recommending changes Ann Ingram information on how Panel member to the Policy and process you can get involved in necessary to prevent potential working with officers to discrimination to tenants with develop Tai Calon policies call Kelsey Watkins on “Protected Characteristics”. 0300 303 1717.

11 Facebook Environmental monitors competition hit your streets winners From October 2011 onwards volunteers across In August we asked you to Blaenau Gwent will be monitoring the cleanliness ‘like us’ on Face book and of Tai Calon estates and how well green spaces put the names of those who did into a prize draw are being kept. for a top of the range smart phone. The winner Tenants will be filling in short monthly questionnaires that contain of the competition was questions about litter, grass cutting and grounds maintenance Carla Jade from Blaina on Tai Calon estates. Information from the questionnaires will be (pictured below). Thanks used to improve services to tenants. to Dave Grainger Jones Our current team of Environmental Monitors are listed below: and Jen Griffiths who drew the winning entry Mrs R Watkins Wordsworth Hilltop Ebbw Vale (pictured below). Close Mrs Sandra Badham Arael View Abertillery To find out about the latest Mrs Elaine Bowen Attlee Way Cefn Golau Tredegar news and job opportunities Mrs Christine Smith Adams Square Newtown Ebbw Vale from Tai Calon ‘like’ us on Mrs Jean Gould Peacehaven Tredegar Facebook . Miss Yvonne Price Ysgurborwen Sirhowy Tredegar Mrs Janet Price Valley View Cwmtillery Abertillery Miss Julie Price Hafodarthen Brynithel Abertillery Estate Miss Jen Griffiths Tredegar Rd Hilltop Ebbw Vale Mr & Mrs Mike and Bevans Glyncoed Ebbw Vale Angela Roberts Crescent Mrs Jennifer Madden Bryn Celyn Cwmcelyn Blaina Mr & Mrs Borne Henwain Street Blaina Bungalows

Volunteers will be rewarded with ‘time banking incentives’ i.e. time credits that can be used in the local authority sports centres, beauty treatments at Coleg Gwent’s Ebbw Vale campus and a range of other activities.

If you would like to become an environmental monitor for your neighbourhood please contact Natasha Jones on 0300 303 1717.

12 Tenants Resource Room news

Within Tai Calon’s Offices All courses are informal, tenants have a dedicated informative and available to room to meet or work people of all ages. You can use from – The Tenants’ these courses to: Resource Room. • Learn for fun: or • Provide a stepping stone Over the last few months a to further education or group of tenants and young training. people have designed the room layout and are working with the Community For more Investment and Involvement information Team to put to together a contact Natasha timetable of activities. Jones, Community Look out for courses and fun Investment and activities on Tai Calon’s website Involvement Officer on which will include basic 0300 303 1717. computer training and festive arts and crafts. Does your community group need funding for a project? Tai Calon has set aside £50,000 for Who can apply? community projects and it can be The fund is exclusively for Tai Calon tenants and bid for now!!! groups in which Tai Calon tenants participate. How much funding is available for each project? Projects that could be supported include: A maximum of £3,000 is available per project. • Enhancements to community facilities Groups will be supported by Tai Calon officers in • Environmental improvements e.g. green preparing a bid. Bids will be reviewed by a group space makeovers of Tai Calon tenants. • Innovative schemes that aid local crime If you would like to receive an prevention and community safety initiatives application form or for more • Projects and events that bring the community information ring 0300 303 1717 and together ask to speak to one of the Community • Training and educational projects Investment and Involvement Team.

13 The first Annual General Meeting

Tai Calon held its first Annual General Meeting at the Beaufort Theatre on Thursday the 22nd of September. Members and non members were invited to hear the Executive Team’s report on how the organisation’s first year had gone.

The annual audited accounts The audience received the Board Member Fred Davies were presented by Tai Calon’s results of the tenant board chaired the meeting, in the external auditors, Haines Watt, member elections and absence of the Chair Phil who reported that Tai Calon were asked to endorse the Crozier who could not attend was in a good state of financial independent board member due to a bereavement of a health. selections. close friend.

The results of the elections for Tenant Board Members are as follows:

Reg Arnold Patricia Jones Roy Jones Margaret Retallick Elaine Townsend Void 957 546 916 774 931 8

Elected Board Members were The current Board membership therefore Reg Arnold, Elaine is as follows: Townsend and Roy Jones. It is sad to report however Peter Abbott that shortly after the Annual Andrew Bateson General Meeting, officers Philip Crozier were made aware that Mr Fred Davies Reg Arnold had passed away. Shirley Ford The Board, the Membership Julia Gregg Scrutiny Committee (in which Roy Jones he participated during 2010 and Nigel Perring 2011) and officers from Tai Calon Stephen Porter wish to offer their condolences to Mr Arnold’s family. David Rocke Godfrey Thomas Information Mike Roberts from the Elaine Townsend on Tai Calon’s Membership Scrutiny John Williams first year can Committee commented Philip White be found in the “Reg will be sorely missed. Margaret Retallick Annual Report which has He gave a huge amount of (filled as a casual vacancy been sent to all tenants. time and energy to Tai Calon due to the bereavement If you have not received and the Membership Scrutiny of Mr Arnold) your copy of the report Committee.” please contact Keith Chaplin and Bill Jayne Lewis on Voyce are co-opted 0300 303 1717. independent members.

14 Never • Use the lights outdoors unless specially designed for that use. • Connect different lighting sets together. • Connect lights to the supply while in the packaging. • Remove or insert lamps while the chain is connected to the supply. • Overload sockets and try to avoid the use of extension leads or adaptors. • Allow children to play with Keep Christmas lights. me! Electrical safety • Attempt to repair faulty lights • Use lights that are damaged over the festive period or faulty. The Electrical Safety Council recommends the use of “LED” • Replace failed lamps Your safety is our main over traditional “filament” immediately to prevent concern. Below are some Christmas lighting because: overheating – if lamps are tips to ensure you and not replaceable, the whole • They operate at extra low your family are safe over lighting product may need voltage which significantly the holiday period. to be replaced reduces the risk of electric • Ensure that plugs and shock. transformers are plugged-in • They use much less power, Always indoors, even if the lighting generating little heat and is suitable for outdoor use so reducing the risk of fire • Check that your Christmas and burns. This makes them lights are not damaged • Switch Christmas lights off safer to use. or broken before use and and unplug them before • They are estimated to use look out for loose wires. you go to bed or go out - 80-90%less electricity than Read and follow the Even Christmas lights need filament lamps so they are less manufacturer’s instructions, a break! expensive to run and typically and retain instructions for • Keep lights away from last up to 60 times longer. future reference flammable decorations and • They are more durable • Use only replacement bulbs other materials that can because LED lights are made of the same type and rating burn easily of a special plastic with no as those originally supplied • Keep the packaging for filament, there are no glass with the lights safe storage after use. bulbs to break or flake. • Ensure all outdoor lights are Avoid storage in damp or • They are a great deal more connected via a 30m A RCD excessively hot conditions. efficient to run and good at protected socket. An RCD saving energy so are more will provide added protection environmentally friendly. against electric shock

Keep me! Information you may want to keep 15 Keep me! Asbestos advice

What is asbestos? What are the risks? Where are ‘asbestos Asbestos is the name containing’ materials The Health and Safety Executive state that: given to a group of likely to be found? naturally occurring Here are a few examples: ASBESTOS IS NOT fibrous minerals. Due to its strength • Bath panels/ A RISK IF IT IS IN and fire resistance, WC cisterns GOOD CONDITION asbestos was used in a • Corrugated cement AND IS NOT wide range of building sheeting on sheds garages DISTURBED. materials and products • Soffits When asbestos materials between the 1930s and become damaged i.e. when the mid-1980s, and most • Guttering, down pipes drilled, sawn, scrubbed or extensively during the and soil pipes sanded, they can release fibres into the air. If you think that an 1960s and 1970s. • Boilers Asbestos Containing Material If your home was built or • Boxing to soil pipes may be damaged please refurbished during this period, and pipework contact us on 0300 303 1717. it may contain some form of • Plastic floor tiles asbestos. Homes built since DON’T TAKE RISKS! the mid-1990s are very unlikely • Textured decorative to contain asbestos in the coatings e.g. artex DON’T CARRY OUT fabric of the building. • Window cills WORK ON IT!

16 Keep me! Information you may want to keep What is Tai Calon What are my doing about responsibilities Asbestos? as a tenant?

Tai Calon is implementing Before you undertake any Would you like to an Asbestos Management DIY work on your Tai Calon gain a Customer Plan that sets out how we will home you should contact your identify and manage asbestos Housing Officer on 0300 303 Service qualification in our homes. 1717. You will not be permitted and experience to carry out any work until you Tai Calon has carried out a being part of an have been notified in writing management survey of all that it is safe to do so. office environment? communal areas and has • Free Transport undertaken a Stock Condition Our helpline staff will refer Survey which includes an your query to qualified staff • Free Child Care Asbestos Survey. who will then consider your • Free Training request. When undertaking The surveys to date have Come to Tai Calon and work to ‘asbestos containing’ highlighted that there is no contact other tenants on materials proper controls must significant problem in Tai Calon’s their opinion of Tai Calon’s be in place to reduce exposure homes. However you need to services. to you, your family and the be aware of the possibility of person carrying out the work. disturbing any materials that For more could contain asbestos. If you carry out any work or information permit others to carry out work please contact Tai Calon Community Housing without written approval, you will Louise Burgwin is also taking samples from be liable for any costs of dealing on 0300 303 1717 properties and carrying out with any asbestos incidents, as an analysis of materials that well as the cost of reinstatement. could contain asbestos. All this information will be kept Please remember that on an Asbestos Register. All changes to the structure or the ‘asbestos containing’ materials fabric of the property are not will be reviewed regularly. If permitted under the tenancy the material is damaged or is agreement with Tai Calon a high risk due to its location, Community Housing. Tai Calon will take immediate DIY work can result in brief action and deal with it in a safe to high levels of exposure to and appropriate way. asbestos fibres. If you think a material might contain asbestos.

GAS SERVICING To ensure that you and your family are safe please keep your gas servicing appointment. If the date we send you is not convenient we can rearrange. For more information contact 0300 3030 1717.

17 REMEMBER

Don’t smoke in bed.

Keep matches safe.

Don’t sit too close to a fire.

Don’t overload electrical sockets. Keep me! Fire safety

At Tai Calon we want our tenants to be safe Planning your escape in their homes. • Fire can start when you least expect it, often at night. • If your smoke alarm goes off Prevent a fire starting in your home while you are asleep, don’t investigate. Wake everyone • Never smoke in a chair if you think you may doze off, and get them out as quickly never smoke in bed. as possible. Never take for granted that it is a false alarm. • Do not leave a lit cigarette, pipe or candle unattended. • Dial 999 if you have time to • Use deep ashtrays so that cigarettes can not roll out, do so. and don’t throw hot ash into a waste paper basket. • Check closed doors with the • Keep matches and lighters well out of the reach of back of your hand. If they children. are warm this means there is fire on the other side. • Sit at least three feet away from heaters. Do not open. • Never put a heater near clothes or furnishings. • In the event of a fire very • Don’t overload electrical sockets. often the main cause of death is smoke and fumes.

18 Keep me! Information you may want to keep • If there is a lot of smoke • Use the fixed heating If a fire breaks out... present, get down as near system fitted in your home. to the floor as possible If this is not possible, only ...in your home where the air will be cleaner. use a convector heater in • If you are in the room where the fire is, leave straight • Don’t rush, keep calm and your hall or corridor. away, together with anybody get everyone out as quickly • Do not use any form of else, then close the door. as possible. radiant heater there, • Do not stay behind to try • Don’t stop to pick up especially one with either and put the fire out. valuables. a flame (gas or paraffin) or a radiant element (electric • Alert everyone else in your • If your escape route is bar fire). home about the fire and get blocked by fire it may them to leave. Close the be stay put until the fire • Do not store things in the door and leave the building. brigade arrives. Close the cupboard(s) where your door and use towels or gas and electricity meters • Do not use a lift. are fitted. sheets to block any gaps • Do not use a balcony unless to stop the smoke. Go to • Communal staircases, it is part of the escape route a window, call for help and corridors and balconies from the building. wait to be rescued. should be kept clear of all • Call the fire brigade. • You will only have a short combustible materials and time to get out, so plan your kept free from obstructions such as bicycles and prams, ...in another part of the escape route rather than building waiting for a fire to happen. all carpets, rugs, mats should be securely fitted to the floor. • Think of another way out • It will usually be safe to stay in case the normal one is • Rubbish and unwanted in your own home. obstructed. household goods should be removed to the appropriate • You must leave your home • Keep escape routes clear of refuse area immediately if smoke affects it. Close all obstructions at all times. and must not be stored in doors and windows. • Make everyone in the communal areas. property aware where keys • Do not block access roads are kept. to the building. • Keep valuable documents in • Do not change the flat a metal fire-proof box. entrance door without our permission. Fire instruction for flats

Blocks of flats have been built in such a way as to protect the people in it if a fire breaks out. The important thing to remember is that if a fire breaks out in your flat, it is up to you to make sure you can get out of it.

• Do not store anything in your hall or corridor, especially anything that will burn easily.

19 Puzzle Advent PESELUGWBAMR LIC Bells EOTVKSARB SSXCOP Candles HCYOOGBEYADILOH Cards Christmas Tree PHDMUNTANDC RRKJ Holiday GR LSTIRTDLHYARO Holly YIBTOK AHEVUARCT Icicles AS ZCZCDSOL EUWE L Merry Mince Pies TTEALOISELDNACL Mistletoe KMZASTTTNDLKTQE Noel T AUNLS IIUYUYPWU Reindeer Santa Claus OS ZOLDOR RRNYHPX Spirit ITREEDNIERKAOY Y Stockings ARDL BVSPBEAEEKC Tradition HEOT ELTS IMRSYJA Turkey Wreath SE IPECNIMX ABOGE Yuletide

Advent Mistletoe BellsAre you looking for a job? Noel Candles Why not try… Reindeerfun for all Cards Santa Clausthe family Christmas Tree Spirit If you live in Blaenau Gwent or , are Holidayunemployed and not claiming Job Seekers Stockings Allowance or Employment Support Allowance Hollyyou can join stepping stones. Tradition

IciclesThis could be…… Turkey

Merry• People who are carers Wreath • People who have been given notice of redundancy Mince• Young Pies people aged 16 to 17 who are not in education, Yuletide employment or training • People receiving Income Support • People with a work limiting health condition and/ or disability receiving incapacity benefit • People who work 16 hours or less • People who do not receive any benefits Come and try our new Winter Warmer A European funded project managed by Melin Homes menu at the Visitor and Tai Calon. Centre Restaurant

For more information Give us a call to find out more contact us on 01495 01495 745910 711816 [email protected] www.melinhomes.co.uk/melinworks www.facebook.com/melinworks @melinhomes