Thursday 27 February 2014

Cycle4Nik... it's almost time!

On 10 October 2013, I received an email from Gareth Cole, Head of Continuous Improvement at the Seren Group. He had an idea to raise funds for one of Seren’s former employees who has a very rare form of cancer. She is an amazing person with two young sons. Tragically, because of where she lives, she can’t access funding for treatment.

'Let’s cycle from North to South Wales and raise funds for her,' he suggested. And so Cycle4Nik was started! Little did we know then how much this ride would captivate, inspire, unite and bring together so many people from across the whole of Wales. We roped in Sean Davey from UES Energy as we knew he was an excellent cyclist who liked a drink and a laugh... all great qualities for a race planner.

We had our first planning meeting in November where we hoped that maybe we could attract 12 cyclists from within the housing sector to cycle the 200 or so miles from North to South Wales during St David’s Day weekend. We took a stab at wanting to raise £5k for Nik, her treatment and her family. However, this week we have planned the last minute arrangements and we amazingly have 16 full cyclists and 23 cyclists taking part in individual stages. We are already well over the £5k total and hope that money still continues to pour in after the ride.

The hotels have been booked, transport and logistics sorted, Tshirts all printed, and the team has put in a tremendous amount of time and effort training every weekend since the end of December through rain, sleet, snow, gales and yes... sometimes, some sun.

We have been so touched and moved by the response and support of the housing sector. Led by Community Housing Cymru, Seren Group and UES Energy, the team has also been helped on its way by:

North Wales Housing, CT Clwyd, Mid Wales HA, CT Eryri, RCT Homes, Taff HA, Newydd HA, Wales & West HA, Tai Calon and Melin Homes.

The journey to get here has been hard. It’s taken lots of man hours in planning the ride and the fantastic race night to generate more money for the fund, promoting and ensuring that everything is covered.

We’ve had falls, bikes falling apart, loads of punctures, tears, hangovers, tantrums and were all devastated when Tony Clark had to pull out after fracturing his ball joint in his hip with a very bad fall on black ice two weeks before we left. And only on Tuesday, Sean Davey had to pull out due to a serious medical condition. We are all devastated for him and wish him well over the next few months.

However, there have also been massive highs too...

Highlights for me so far include:

1. Receiving all the cyclist’s profiles and finding out what they were most (and least) looking forward to on the ride and why they were cycling for Nik... Truly moving.

2. Writing a personal intro to every one of the cyclists... what an honour.

3. Seeing the race night packed out and feeling the love and support in the room.

4. Training, bonding and being inspired by the other team members.

5. Seeing the money that has been donated online on our go fund me page which has been growing on a daily basis... http://www.gofundme.com/Hope4NikkiCycle

6. And just the feeling of knowing that very soon we are going to be a part of something very special and life changing.

So, as we set off on our journey today, I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of Cycle4Nik of thanking everyone who has made this possible. And to our fellow cyclists, whether you are doing the full route or just the one, you are doing an amazing thing and you are amazing people. Have fun, enjoy every mile, stay safe and whoever gets in first... gets the first round.

Phillipa Knowles
Director of Central Services, CHC Group 



Tuesday 25 February 2014

Return of the magnificent seven

Cycling's a tough sport for tough dudes. But it's in the mountains when riders learn most about themselves. Do they have the character? Do they have the bottle? Last Sunday's training took the team up a notch. As befits a man known locally as 'King of the Alpen', Rich Snaith had again enjoyed a good hearty breakfast and was ready for the challenge. He knew he had the bottle. If only his team mates had kept up, he'd have been willing to share it with them.

Our intrepid band of heroes were once again the Magnificent Seven owing to the absence of Shelley. She'd arrived early in Rowen, rapidly becoming the team's spiritual home, and simply followed the crowd. She found herself in the third row of the Sunday Service and was too embarrassed to leave. It was only when the choirmaster asked her if she was part of a Supremes tribute act that she decided to leave, with her teammates long gone. Oh, how the people of Rowen long to see the day when the might of the Full Eight is unleashed on the local hills.

With the big day less than two weeks away, the route had been designed to stretch. And it did. On the uphill stretch towards Nebo Andrea's wheels were spinning but only just. As she reached deep into her dwindling reservoirs of energy to propel the bike onwards and upwards, Gethin, who had dismounted to walk uphill, comfortably kept pace alongside. Still, it's miles in the tank and that’s what counts. Those resources will be vital on the day, although it was several days before she could walk normally again.

This second training event saw the long awaited introduction of Phil the Farmacist, who made an impressive entrance by mounting a brand new bicycle. It so sparkled and gleamed in the Conwy Valley sunshine that mutterings were overheard that he might be better known as Phil 'The Power' Danson. That was until the hills. At one point he appeared to be cycling backwards as the whole team quietly passed him. In his defence, he hadn't been out on the bike since before Christmas. Which Christmas was the question on everyone's lips. He'll be better for the race practice and there'll be no rust next week.

It was important to ensure that there were no injuries on this run. So when Nathan started his jumping tricks Andrea was on it like a car bonnet. As for Andrea herself, apart from having to learn to walk again after the hill climb, she was merely left to rue the absence of sun tan cream. Indeed, on the run back to Rowen several vehicles pulled over when they saw her glowing face in the mirror, believing that it was the emergency services.

The dry, sunny conditions were a welcome change from the previous week's torrential downpour. Having layered up their clothing to contend with the colder temperatures at the top, they soon found that the effort required meant that those layers were peeled off at frequent intervals. The team are in good nick. Shelley actually cycled home from Plas Blodwel last Friday, all the way to Abergele, racking up a few more miles training. Gethin had been knee-capped playing hockey the day before but survived training to be confident of his form and fitness. Special mention must be made of Bill Greenwood, Clare's husband, who rode to support the team.

Cutting to the chase, they’re looking for your money. This is for Cycle4Nik and why would we not help? Colleagues from the housing sector, supported by Community Housing Cymru, are undertaking a cycling challenge from North to South Wales to raise funds for a former housing association member of staff who has two young children and a rare form of cancer. Nik needs financial support to receive specialist treatment and care. The cycling ride will take place from 28 February until 2 March. Our guys are riding the first leg, which takes place on 28 February, starting in Colwyn Bay and finishing in Dolgellau. To put in context the effort that people are putting in, one of the South Wales crew had an accident in training and broke his hip, requiring an urgent operation on Sunday night. We wish him well in his recovery. Clearly this is not an easy ride!

You can either collect all your donations or donate directly to the fundraising website: (http://www.gofundme.com/Hope4NikkiCycle).

You can follow the progress of the cycling team on the group’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cycle4nik

The Twitter hashtag for the cause is #cycle4nik.

Thanks for your support – they need the encouragement of seeing the donations rising!

FOOTNOTE: Phil ‘The Farmacist’ Danson wishes it to be made clear that his nickname reflects only his association with agricultural pursuits and does not in any way imply the use of illegal substances which may enhance performance (or in Phil’s case, for treating a cold). He did once read a book about Lance Armstrong though.


Paul Diggory
North Wales Housing





Saturday 22 February 2014

Warmer homes, better health

We may not want to admit it, but as we get older we face an increased risk of health problems. But how many of us recognise how important a warm home is to our health and wellbeing?

Indeed, research has shown that cold temperatures can increase your heart rate, blood pressure and risk of chest infections. Keeping the most used rooms in your home warm could help to prevent your health being adversely affected by the cold. The recommended temperatures are 21°C for the living room and 18°C for the bedroom, but can be higher depending on personal preference, your age and level of mobility.

At npower Health Through Warmth, we work closely with Care & Repair Cymru to help vulnerable older people stay warm at home by, for example, replacing broken boilers or installing heating systems and loft and cavity wall insulation.

That’s why we’re supporting Care and Repair Week and reminding people, both clients and caseworkers, that help from npower Health Through Warmth may be available to vulnerable homeowners who have a long term cold-related illness, a low income with little or no savings and who are unable to fully fund the work required. You do not have to be, or become, an npower customer to benefit from the scheme.

To date, through our work with Care & Repair Cymru, more than 200 older people in Wales have been referred to us for help with heating and insulation. As a result we have levered more than £150,000 to help fund the work required, which includes £130,000 from the unique npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund.

For more information, or to find out if you or someone you know could be eligible for help, contact your local Care & Repair Agency on 0300 111 3333.


Elaine Midwinter
Scheme Manager
npower Health Through Warmth
www.healththroughwarmth.com

Friday 21 February 2014

Helping clients to surf the information superhighway

The aim of Care & Repair is to enable clients to remain safely and independently in their own homes. Part of the service we offer is for caseworkers to visit clients at home - many of whom are socially isolated, live in rural areas or where there is limited public transport. Some find it difficult to get out and about and rely on family and friends for support, and other clients’ families and friends live too far away to be able to offer the support needed. However, many of the things our clients find harder to do can all be done online - shopping, chatting to family and friends, sending and receiving photos.

Not everyone wants to be online! However, often people are unaware of the benefits or just need extra support to get online. Sometimes the cost of getting online can also be a major barrier.

It is important that we as caseworkers help clients to understand how the internet can be relevant in their everyday lives. One way we do this is by explaining how convenient the internet is. Like all my colleagues across Wales, I use an iPad for work as part of the Care & Repair myPad project. This means I can show clients the benefits of using digital technology and explain the importance of being ‘digitally included’. Once clients see how easy the tablets are to use, it breaks down one of the biggest barriers – the fear of using IT.

I explain how money can be saved by shopping online, as many items are cheaper and price comparison websites can help find the best deals. Some of my clients now order their prescriptions online, have shopping delivered, and speak with family and friends. Some have contact with their social and church groups (through Skype and face time), and use social networking sites to keep in touch and to learn new skills. One client is doing a degree course online, others download reading and audio books, some do their banking online and many enjoy games and puzzles.

The majority of these new skills also improve the client’s self-esteem, confidence and wellbeing, and ultimately help to reduce a feeling of social isolation.


Beverley Evans
Caseworker, Blaenau Gwent Care & Repair 



Watch our video for Care & Repair Week here. Helping nannies and grampies all over Wales!


Thursday 20 February 2014

Only the lonely...

On a wild windy day, only 50m from the crashing waves of Cardigan Bay, Sarah Rochira (Older People’s Commissioner) and her colleague Kelly came to visit Mrs Jones in Aberystwyth, whose terraced house nestles snugly against the castle walls.

We have been helping Mrs Jones to reduce her eye-watering £318 per month Direct Debit from Scottish Power. Mrs Jones had reached the end of her tether in trying to contact Scottish Power since August, when her payments went up to this incredible figure. We hit the same impenetrable brick wall, and only found a way through by using the Welsh language service. Having given the helpful Scottish Power officer the updated meter readings, we have reduced her Direct Debit to a still painful £192 per month. We are working with the client to tackle her inefficient heating scheme.

The Commissioner’s conversation with Mrs Jones, however, uncovered a wider and far more personal issue, common to far too many older people, even in close knit urban areas. Loneliness and isolation was her real heartache. 'I've always been such a sociable person, I loved going out... I've only been out of the house once in the past year, and that was only up the road to St Michael's Church for a funeral.'

The house is accessed via numerous steep, uneven, and varying height steps and, whilst a handrail has been fitted, Mrs Jones still sees the climb back up as an Everest too daunting to face.

Why doesn't she find a more suitable property? A flat or a sheltered scheme?

Herein lies the problem. This is not Mrs Jones's house, it is her home! Her home, which was bought nearly 50 years ago when she was newly married. 'We put in an offer on it and were worried sick all night, but it was the best thing we ever did.... We’ve raised our children and grandchildren here and my grandson still lives with me. I do not want to leave my home.'

The third sector, including us at Care & Repair, must continue to work together to help older people in all aspects that affect their ability to remain independent. That means far more than repairs and adaptations alone, it's all about the 'Care'.

Lesson relearned!


Dafydd Pugh-Jones
Rheolwr Gofal a Thrwsio / Care & Repair Manager



Wednesday 19 February 2014

Why the Care & Repair Service is essential to Occupational Therapy intervention

Being discharged home from hospital can be an anxious and worrying time for some individuals. At times people are concerned that they may be unable to get around their home and care for themselves as they did previously, and individuals are often concerned about how they are going to meet the financial burden of not only maintaining their home but also for funding essential care services. The Care & Repair service has played an integral role in enabling occupational therapists to discharge people home from hospital efficiently and safely and in alleviating some of these concerns.

Care & Repair is a reliable and efficient service that, through the installation of small adaptations such as handrails and stair rails or through major building work such as adapted bathrooms, allows people to live in their own homes independently. The comprehensive service that Care & Repair provides enables smooth transition from hospital to home, reducing their length of stay in hospital and preventing readmissions.

Work is consistently completed to a high standard and in a timely manner by qualified technicians who understand the needs of the patient.

As well as providing practical assistance with repairs and adaptations, Care & Repair also provides advice and information regarding benefits, home safety and security.

Without the Care & Repair service, occupational therapists would be unable to address many of the concerns and needs of their client group.


Rachael Gdesis
Advanced Practitioner Occupational Therapist

Princess of Wales Hospital

Tuesday 18 February 2014

We can help you

During Care & Repair Week, we want to get a simple message out to the many thousands of older homeowners in Wales who live in poor housing. That message is: 'We can help you'.

If you are having difficulty getting up the stairs, if you can’t get in and out of the bath, if you are cold but afraid to turn on your heating because it costs so much, if your roof leaks, if your walls are damp, if your house is in disrepair, if you’re scared of falling on the steep steps to your house… whatever your housing problem, we can help you.

Last year, we helped 30,000 older people with their housing problems, 12,000 of whom lived alone. Most of the people we help are aged over 60 and their average age is 75. 10% of the people we help are over 90. Last year, 20 of our 22 Agencies helped people aged 100 years old or more.

We provide our services across the whole of Wales so wherever you live, we can get out to you, assess your housing problem, make sure you are claiming everything you are entitled to, talk to you about what you want, find out what grants or other funding is available to help you, find you a reliable builder, supervise the work, or do the work ourselves with one of our in-house handy-persons.

Our services are important. Not only do they help improve older people’s quality of life by keeping them safe, warm and independent in their own home, but they also keep them out of places they don’t want to be - ambulances, hospitals, GP surgeries and residential care homes. And we work with others to get it right, such as important partners like Welsh Government, occupational therapists, local authority housing staff, housing associations and health professionals.

But for older people, our biggest message for Care & Repair week is… We can help you! If you would like to contact us, you can call 0300 111 3333 anywhere in Wales and be connected to your local Care & Repair Agency.


Chris Jones
Chief Executive, Care & Repair Cymru 



Help us to generate maximum exposure for Care & Repair Week on Twitter by signing up to our Thunderclap campaign... click here for further information! 


Monday 17 February 2014

Care & Repair did my forward thinking for me!


In September 2013 I slipped and badly tore the ligaments in my ankle. An X-ray showed no fracture and I was given crutches and codeine by A&E!

No thought was given as to how I would cope at home. I live alone in a house with an upstairs bathroom and it was ENORMOUSLY difficult. I was in pain++ and trying to manage stairs on my bottom!

I felt very vulnerable. Not a good feeling for a fiercely independent 69 year old!

Care & Repair came to my aid quickly and fitted rails up my stairs and in my bathroom so I could access my shower. However, my injury was so bad that in spite of rails etc, my daughter whisked me off to London for 5 weeks. Whilst there, Dafydd (C&R) emailed me to check if I needed any more help, and on returning home he convinced me to have a step and rails at my front door. Little did I know that I would really need them soon.

January 2014, in the wars again! An acute knee problem necessitated another two nights in hospital. You cannot believe how grateful I was that all the aids to help my mobility at home were already in place. With a painful and stiff knee, I was still able to cope at home on my discharge from hospital with my C&R rails.

Care & Repair did my forward thinking for me! I am so grateful to them and have recommended them to friends, and retweeted their posts on Twitter. Perhaps we could all try to prepare for the worst that could happen, whilst hoping that the need will not arise.

THANK YOU Care & Repair!


Penny Murfin 
Client of Gofal a Thrwsio Ceredigion 


This is the first in a series of five blog posts published during Care & Repair Week. Pop back tomorrow to read the next post!







Wednesday 12 February 2014

#LoveEmptyHomes – a call to action for the housing sector

Empty Homes Wales is a project set up by United Welsh to help owners of Empty Homes to find bespoke solutions to bring their properties back into use. We offer signposting to finance, expert advice, referral to relevant services, full tenancy management, project management and so on. Anything that makes it harder for the owner to leave the property empty and unloved!

We work proactively with Local Authorities to offer services that mean we are able to get involved before enforcement action is taken against the owner.

This week I am busy promoting #LoveEmptyHomes – a timely campaign primarily aimed at reminding those owners of Empty Homes that their houses need love. Working with Local Authorities in Cardiff, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent, I am sending over 300 Valentine’s cards to ask them to work with us for the sake of the community (if not their own bank balance!).




At the same time, over on Twitter we are stimulating discussion about the future of Empty Homes. Why not head over and join in, using the hashtag #LoveEmptyHomes. Please donate a tweet to the campaign via Thunderclap.

For me, this Empty Homes campaign has really highlighted that while there are many partners and supporters, what we really need to see in order to make a difference in the numbers of Empty Homes brought back into use is more housing associations getting their hands dirty along with United Welsh.

I’ve been asked regularly 'What do United Welsh actually get out of this? Is it just for show?' Well, in short: no, it’s not. Working in this sector, and as members of CHC, our bread and butter is 'investing in communities and changing lives'. And when I see a previously abandoned property that has been refurbished and has a family living in it, I genuinely feel that I am achieving that. But strategically this project helps us to meet our business aims and objectives - it’s not loss making, and it’s not a charity. The financial viabilities stack up. They have to, at the Board's continued insistence!

But we can’t do it alone. When United Welsh set up the Empty Homes Wales project it was always with the intention of encouraging more housing associations to get involved to cover more diverse geographical areas. I am in early talks with proactive housing associations in other areas of South Wales, who are tentatively looking to start working in the same way as us in their own zoned areas. We are keen to share any information and give the necessary support to get the Empty Homes Wales message out there.

So, if you have anything to contribute, any ideas or comments, then please get in touch using #LoveEmptyHomes to see what we can achieve together.




Michala Rudman, Empty Homes Project Officer
United Welsh


Friday 7 February 2014

Digital exclusion - a tackling poverty issue


Having internet access within the home is fast becoming a necessity, not a luxury. The divide between those that are with broadband and those that are without because they cannot afford it is creating a social divide. Digital exclusion is therefore a tackling poverty issue.

Twenty per cent of social housing tenants who are not online cite that it is because they cannot afford home broadband. This equates to over 40,000 tenants across Wales who cannot afford to use the internet and take advantage of:

  • Saving money through purchasing products/services online
  • Searching and applying for jobs 
  • Accessing online education and information services 
  • Improved, fast communication with family and friends 
  • Accessing online public services, including health services and remote monitoring

Having online access also leads to improved wellbeing and mental health, especially for the elderly. A study at the Phoenix Centre found that internet use leads to around a 20% reduction in depression classification and, compared with the digitally excluded, internet users feel less lonely and their personal wellbeing is enhanced.

Having access to the internet can mean the difference between work and unemployment, inclusion and exclusion, and happiness and depression.

Helping tenants to get online involves supporting them with developing online skills, helping them to realise the benefits of using the internet, and enabling them to have access to the internet. Community hubs currently provide a fantastic resource to up-skill the community through online training courses and some also provide free internet access. However, not everyone is able to access these facilities, especially those isolated or housebound. Of those that are online, 84% prefer to access the internet within their own home.

‘Fighting Poverty’ is about tackling the root causes of deprivation and enabling those in poverty to have the same opportunities as others. It is one of our five key aims in our CHC Corporate Plan and we therefore support our members to impact positively on the economic, environmental and social circumstances of tenants, leaseholders and communities. Our Your Benefits are Changing campaign and Moneyline Cymru service have done just that, and we are now looking to further support our members to raise the benchmark and help tenants to get online in the comfort of their own home.

To find out more about the work we are involved with on digital inclusion, contact Hayley MacNamara on hayley-macnamara@chcymru.org.uk .


Hayley MacNamara
Regeneration Officer