STREETS AHEAD - freebridge.org.uk · PG 4 FREEBRIDGE COMMUNITY HOUSING • STREETS AHEAD • WINTER...

THE MAGAZINE FOR FREEBRIDGE COMMUNITY HOUSING TENANTS

STREETS AHEAD

DEVELOPING HOMES AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIESFOR PEOPLE WITHIN WEST NORFOLK

WINTER 2019

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM FREEBRIDGE!

PG 2 FREEBRIDGE COMMUNITY HOUSING • STREETS AHEAD • WINTER '19

Freebridge's offices will be closed at: Midday on Tuesday 24 December - Christmas Eve

and all day on Wednesday 25 December - Christmas Day and Thursday 26 December - Boxing Day

and at: Midday on Tuesday 31 December - New Year's Eve

and all day on Wednesday 1 January - New Year's Day

otherwise, we will be open as usual.If you have an emergency while we are closed, you can call our usual number 03332 404 444 which will divert

to our 24-hour emergency service.

We wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS

WELCOME TO THE WINTER ISSUE OF STREETS AHEAD!

The Placeshapers put on their annual Halloween parties see page 16!

Welcome to the December issue of Streets Ahead - the final one of 2019.In this issue, we have details of the rent changes that will happen next year, as well as our regular update on Universal Credit. Also in this issue is our usual update from our Tenant Panel, some tips on how to look after your home in the winter and some great pictures from the Halloween parties that were held by our Placeshaping team earlier this year.

FREEBRIDGE COMMUNITY HOUSING • STREETS AHEAD • WINTER ‘19 PG 3

At Freebridge we have always put the views of our customers at the heart of what we do. In the last few months we have been looking closely at how we can give customers a greater say in how we work and have decided to introduce a new Customer Service Committee.This new Committee, which will include up to five customers and two Board Members, will work directly with the Board. Its work will include reviewing our performance, looking at what our customers tell us about our services and helping ensure Freebridge meets the requirements of the Customer Involvement and Empowerment and Neighbourhood and Community Standards set out by the Regulator of Social Housing.The Committee will work alongside the Tenant Panel meaning we can do more in looking at how well we meet our customer’s needs.

The Committee will operate, initially, for a nine-month pilot period. In that time we will be looking at how the Committee works with the Board and the Tenant Panel and how effectively it meets its terms of reference.

We are now looking for customers to join the Committee. We are looking for people who want to become part of Freebridge’s governance and have around six days a year to commit to improving Freebridge’s services.

The most important skill will be a curiosity to ask questions:Why are Freebridge’s services the way they are? What is Freebridge doing to improve performance? How can Freebridge learn from customer feedback?

If you would like to get involved with this exciting opportunity please give our Governance

Team a call on 03332 404 444 or email at [email protected] they will send you through a role profile, the Committee's terms of reference and an application for you to complete.You don’t need any particular qualifications to apply, just a good understanding of Freebridge, common sense and a desire to help improve the lives of our customers. Being part of the Committee will help enhance your skills and, if you are looking for work, is great experience to include on your cv.If this sounds like a challenge you want to be part of then don't delay - give us a call, as the first meeting is due to take place on 30th January between 10am and 12 noon - and we need you to be there!

WE NEED YOU!NEW!

THE FREEBRIDGE CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMITTEE

Freebridge's Chairman, Andy Walder, at a joint Board/Tenant Panel event held earlier in the year to discuss increased engagement with our customers.


TENANT PANELTENANT PANELTHE FREEBRIDGE

The Tenant Panel at work, interviewing for new members.

Hello and welcome to the latest report from the Freebridge Tenant Panel!Since the last issue of the magazine we've had a number of Panel meetings following our break in August, attended Freebridge's AGM and have also managed to book some interviews in with a handful of tenants who, if successful, will

be joining us in our efforts on the Panel. Hopefully we'll be able to introduce you to some new faces in the new year. In September the Panel met with Simon Smith, Vice Chair of Freebridge's Board, who came along to provide the Panel with his quarterly update on what the Board had been working on in the last few months. This included information on finance, development, customer satisfaction, shareholding, homelessness and the work at Hillington Square.Next up was the Company Secretary who gave an update on Freebridge's plan to set up a Customer Service Committee,

a group that will help to strengthen tenant engagement, which we'll be telling you more about in the next few months. And then Freebridge's Support Manager gave a short presentation about the work his team does, which you'll have read about in the last issue of Streets Ahead.A couple of weeks after the September meeting the Panel once again attended Freebridge's Annual General Meeting. In recent years the Tenant Panel has been invited to take this opportunity to tell those who come along to the event about the work we do.

As we've said in previous issues of Streets Ahead, Tenant Panel members will now provide you with an update on what they've been working on over the last few months. This issue's overview comes from David Harrison.


Over £2000 has been raised across Freebridge’s sheltered housing schemes to support Macmillan Cancer Support.Four events were held as part of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in September. This included £240 at Waterside in North Lynn, £475 at Windsor Park near the Walks, £740 at Neville Court in Heacham and £700 at Orchard Close in Dersingham. June Elyard, who organised the Windsor Park event told us: “We’ve held one here for the last seven years and every year it’s just grown and grown and we’ve raised more and more money. There are 36 flats here and the money raised

MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING

has all come from residents and their friends and family.”Dorothy Beales lives on Waterside and told us it’s a cause close to her heart and the coffee morning isn’t the only way they raise money: “We hold bingo here regularly and whenever I win, the money goes to Macmillan”.The coffee mornings are held every year across the country with guests at each donating the cost of their cuppa to the charity. At all of the events we’ve mentioned, cakes and treats were either made or donated by those attending.David

This year saw Frances Fox and I (on behalf of Charlotte Beck) present to those in attendance about the work the Panel does, hopefully encouraging some further interest in what we do from those who came along.In October Freebridge's Placeshaping Manager joined us to provide an update on what activities the Placeshaping team has been involved with in the past year. The Panel has seen some of the good work that the team have been doing at the two centres, so it was good to hear what else they've done. Following that the Tenancy Manager gave us an overview of the work the Tenancy Team do, continuing the ongoing round of updates being provided by all the teams throughout Freebridge.In November Tony Hall, Freebridge's Chief Executive, gave us a general update of what's happening within the business of Freebridge including details of the Business Plan.And we heard from Alex Dixon, the Director of Property, on the efforts being made to improve how repairs and maintenance are carried out at Freebridge. And finally the Lettings Manager provided us with a short presentation on the work of their team.Thank you for reading my quick update on what the Tenant Panel have been up to. On behalf of the Panel I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!

The ladies from all four sheltered schemes that held coffee mornings in September.


Over the last year our employees have been visiting you across West Norfolk as part of our Out & About programme.The Out & Abouts are a great way for us to get out into the community, to meet with you, to make sure we have your details correctly noted on our records and to check everything's ok with your home.

We'll be back Out & About in the new year so when we have details of when and where we'll be visiting we'll let you know more in a future issue of Streets Ahead.

Over Over 1500 homes 1500 homes visited in visited in 20192019

OUT & ABOUT IN 2019


Two of Freebridge’s more unusual properties have been in the spotlight recently as we’ve been finding out more about the Memorial Cottages in Clenchwarton.The pair of almshouses on Church Road, were built in 1924 as a dedication to those who lost their lives in the First World War and are currently leased by Freebridge.A dedication stone is located in the centre of the properties, between two of the front windows, and details 23 local servicemen who lost their lives on active service during both World Wars.Freebridge provided a poppy wreath for Remembrance Sunday this year, as we have done since the lease began in 2012.The memorial was created by the Clenchwarton Almshouse

charity and they continue to be trustees.

The idea of the almshouses was one of three initially suggested at a meeting back in May 1919. And the building of them was favoured over a standard memorial or fund allocated to the ‘needy poor’ of the parish, with the homes being orginally designed for widows and older people in the parish as well as providing a permanent memorial to the ‘fallen’.

The houses were opened on 26 July 1924 by Major and Mrs Bagge, who were supported by the Mayor and Mayoress of West Norfolk, having cost a total of £400 to build, including a government grant of £75 per house.

Freebridge Community Housing Chief Executive Tony Hall said: “The location of this memorial is an unusual

one, so I’m pleased that over the last few years we’ve been able to support the trustees in providing a wreath for it, from Freebridge, in order to honour those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars, and we look forward to continue doing so in the future.” Rev'd Sheila James, who lives in the village and has placed the wreath on the memorial for the past ten years said: “I was born as the Blitz began in London so I’ve always felt a connection to the memorial. I knew a lot of the families whose names are on the cottages and it’s important to take just two minutes every year to remember what they did for us.”

WE WILL REMEMBER

THEM

The Rev'd Sheila James at the Clenchwarton memorial.


Universal Credit can only be claimed by people of working age. If you are of Pension Credit age this will not apply to you, unless you have a partner who is of working age.

Need to claim Universal Credit? Don’t Delay!

If you are told you need to claim Universal Credit DO NOT DELAY submitting your application. You can claim Universal Credit on any day of the week, and your claim starts from the date the claim is submitted.Do not delay submitting your claim – backdated requests for Universal Credit claims are only considered in very exceptional circumstances.

How do non-dependents affect my help with housing costs? – Universal Credit verses Housing BenefitA non-dependent is someone aged over 18 who lives in your home and is not a member of your family for benefit purposes (ie is not a partner or dependent child) and is not a boarder or lodger. Non-dependents are usually other family members such as an adult child or elderly relative.It is assumed that, depending on the non-dependant's circumstances, they can contribute towards the claimant's rent. This means that if you have a non-dependent living with you, it is deemed that you do not need as much financial support to pay

your rent and your Housing Cost Element / Housing Benefit award will be reduced accordingly.

UNIVERSAL CREDIT UPDATE

Our Universal Credit Advisors Sarah and Kelly.


If you have questions about Universal Credit or about how or when it will affect you then please get in touch on 03332 404 444. We have three specialist Universal Credit Advisors who can assist you with any queries or concerns

Why can’t my Housing Cost Element be paid directly to Freebridge, like my

Housing Benefit used to be?Universal Credit is paid monthly and is paid directly to

the claimant; this includes the element for your Housing Costs. There are exceptional circumstances where the

Housing Cost Element can be paid directly to Freebridge.It is our preference for Universal Credit claimants to pay their rent by regular Direct Debit. These can be easily set

up over the phone or by visiting the office.If you ask the jobcentre to pay your Housing Cost

Element directly to us, we will not receive the payment when it is deducted from your payment. The money is

held in a holding account at the DWP and it can be as long as 8 weeks before they send the payment to us. During

this time your rent account will fall further into arrears.

Are you working and claiming Universal Credit?

Do you understand the impact on your Universal Credit entitlement if you receive

your wages either weekly, fortnightly or 4-weekly?

Our Universal Credit team can help you to understand how and when your payments will be affected. Please get in

touch for help and advice around this.

Non-dependant deductions work very differently under the Universal Credit rules to the Housing Benefit rules. If you have a non-dependent living with you and you are currently claiming Housing Benefit, you may be better off claiming Universal Credit instead.Under Universal Credit, where a deduction applies for a non-dependent it is a set monthly amount of £73.89 per month that is taken from the Housing Cost Element of the Universal Credit award; this is regardless of the non-dependent’s income.Under Housing Benefit, there is a sliding scale for the deduction taken from the Housing Benefit award depending upon the non-dependent’s income; this sliding scale ranges from £16.90 per week to £109.04 per week.If you have a deduction to your Housing Benefit claim due to a non-dependent in your household, take a look at entitledto.com to see if you would be better off claiming Universal Credit instead. Please be aware there are other factors that may affect you by switching from your existing Benefits/Tax credits to Universal Credit, so please take advice before deciding to change your claim.

ANY QUESTIONS?that you have, along with offering practical support to get you online so that you can make and manage your claim. Your Income Advisor will also be able to help with any queries that you have.


RENTSIn 2015 the Government announced that rents for those living in social housing would be reduced by 1% a year for the following four years beginning in April 2016.From April 2020 the way your rent is calculated returns to the way it used to be before 2016, which means that they are now calculated by using something called the Consumer Price Index* (plus 1%). This means that from April 2020 your rent will be increasing by 2.7%In February of next year, we’ll write to each of you telling you exactly what your new weekly rent will be, which will be charged from 6 April 2020.We do understand that an increase in your rent will be a real concern for many of you so if you do have worries about paying your rent, or managing your finances in general, please do not hesitate to contact us.*The Consumer Price Index is a way that governments and others calculate how the costs of various things have increased and the impact that has on people’s finances.

RENTS AND SERVICE CHARGES IN 2020

SERVICE CHARGESBack in the summer we wrote about the Service Charges that some of you who live in a home with a shared communal area already pay.We said we were in a position to continue the roll-out of service charges made, to cover more of the existing services we provide in the communal areas of the blocks of flats we own, however before we did that, we wanted to consult with those affected.We wrote to each of those tenants in July and have now received feedback from a number of you which we'll use when planning and shaping the services we provide in the future, including making sure you understand what the services we're charging for includes. Because we know these service charges will bring an additional cost to you, following your feedback we have decided to introduce the charges more slowly over a longer period, starting in April 2020 with 25% of the cost of cleaning and grounds maintenance.We'll let you know about the additional charges being made in later years nearer the time, and as ever if you have any concerns or queries please don't hesitate to contact us.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?IF YOU RECEIVE HOUSING BENEFIT: We will notify the Borough Council of the change, so you don’t have to. Your Housing Benefit will automatically be recalculated and the Borough Council will notify you of any changes to your payments.IF YOU RECEIVE UNIVERSAL CREDIT: You will need to update your Universal Credit online account on (or soon after) 6 April with details of the changes to your rent and service charges.IF YOU PAY YOUR RENT BY DIRECT DEBIT: We will change your payments automatically to your new rent.IF YOU PAY YOUR RENT BY STANDING ORDER: You will need to contact your bank immediately to change the payment amount once we’ve confirmed your new rent.IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE HOUSING BENEFIT: You will need to continue to pay your rent and any relevant service charges.

Freebridge is a non-profit organisation - all the money we receive through rents and service charges is invested back into much needed housing and the many services we provide our tenants.


At Freebridge we work with a variety of partner organisations in order to support a better West Norfolk. One of these organisations is Norfolk Police, who we have worked with on Operation Gravity - work which has seen them target what are known as 'county lines' drug dealers. ‘County lines’ describes where urban criminal gangs travel from London to smaller locations like Norfolk to deal drugs. As part of this work Norfolk Police have published some things to look out for in your neighbourhood: • Do you know someone who has started having more connections with London?• Do you know someone who has started to have more access to cash, clothing or phones?• Do you suspect someone is dealing? If so you don’t need to give the Police your name – calls will be dealt with anonymously.• Do you know someone whose house or flat has been taken over by drug dealers?

OPERATION GRAVITY• If you suspect someone is transporting drugs or being exploited to do this let the police know, you may save a life.• Do you know someone who is being asked to deal drugs?• Do you know someone who is saying they have a drugs debt?• Have you seen something you think could be drug related but are not sure? Just tell them what you know - even the smallest amount of information could be the piece of the puzzle they need in order to take further action.

If you have information about drug dealing in your community call Norfolk Police on 101. Alternatively, you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. If you need help or support with alcohol or drugs then contact Change Grow Live on 01603 514096.


• to replace electric blankets immediately if they show wear and tear

• to use just one plug per socket rather than using adaptors or extension leads. High powered appliances such as portable heaters should always have a single plug and plug socket to themselves

• to look for signs of dangerous or loose wiring such as scorch marks, hot plugs and sockets, flickering lights, fuses that blow or circuit breakers that trip for no obvious reason, and

• to turn portable heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.

PREPARING FOR THE WINTER MONTHSAs we enter the Winter months we thought we'd share some quick advice with you, to help keep you safe until the weather improves. One of things that happens as the temperatue drops is that people start using additional or alternative heating - so remember:• to keep portable heaters away

from curtains and furniture and never use them for drying clothes

• to try and secure portable heaters up against a wall to stop them falling over

• to unplug electric blankets before going to bed if they do not have a thermostatic control for safe all night use

Avoiding Burst PipesIn severe weather, or if severeweather is forecast, set the heating to come on at regular intervals or leave on at a constant low temperature. By doing this you'll reduce the potential of pipes becoming


PREPARING FOR THE WINTER MONTHS

frozen. And make sure that you know where your stop tap is, and that it works, so that you can turn off the water supply if needed. Also consider asking a friend or relative to visit your home every day if you are away. This will mean that, if you do suffer a burst pipe, it will be detected as soon as possible. Make sure they know where the stop tap is located too.

If you do experience a burst pipe:• turn off the main stop tap• switch off your immersion heater (if you have one)• switch off the time clock on the boiler• turn on all your taps to drain off as much water as possible making sure all the sink plugs are out• try to find out where the water is coming from and contain it if possible using rags, a bucket, containers and so on• do not use lights if water is dripping through a light fitting• report the problem to us on 03332 404 444.

Your Fuse BoxWhile you may know where the fuse box is, keep a torch somewhere handy so that if there is a blown fuse or a switch trips, you can find your way to it easily without having an accident.

High WindsIf high winds are forecast, make sure objects such as garden furniture or ladders are fully secured.

EmergenciesFreebridge recognises that emergencies can arise any time, day or night. You can report an emergency repair by calling us on 03332 404 444.

We also have an out of hours service which tenants can access after the main office closes on an evening and at weekends. This out of hours service is for emergencies only. To access the out of hours service you can simply dial our main number 03332 404 444 and you will be transferred through to them.At Freebridge we define an emergency repair as "Repairs to remedy any defect which puts the health, safety or security of a tenant or third party at immediate risk or which affects the structure of the building", with examples of this including:

• a blocked flue to an open fire or boiler

• a blocked toilet which will not flush (where there is no other toilet in the property)

• a blocked foul drain, soil pipe or toilet (where there is no other toilet in the property)

• a total loss of heating or hot water during the heating season from 31st October - 1st May

• a serious water leak• unsafe electrical fittings e.g.

exposed wiring• an unsecure external

window, door or lock• unsafe stairs• a serious roof leak.


Project said “We are delighted to receive funding from Freebridge towards our domestic abuse conference for professionals. This event is very popular with local agencies and offers the opportunity to learn more about the support available for women and children affected by domestic abuse while promoting a more joined up approach to working. We are delivering workshops, speakers and networking and through backing from our sponsors the event is free for agencies to attend”Simon Smith, Freebridge’s Vice Chair, said “It’s always rewarding to meet with representatives from groups that are doing such valuable and much-needed work in the area, particularly given Freebridge’s vision of supporting a better West Norfolk.”Norfolk Community Foundation manages the fund on Freebridge’s behalf.

Any community or voluntary group wishing to find out more about the Freebridge Community Fund can visit www.norfolkfoundation.com/Freebridge-Community-Housing-Fund or telephone 01603 623958 or email [email protected]

FREEBRIDGE SUPPORTS SEVEN SPECIAL CAUSES£5000 has been handed out to seven community groups in West Norfolk through the Freebridge Community Fund, all of whom make a difference to local communities.The annually awarded funding supports community groups who promote health and wellbeing, the environment, supports residents or brings communities together through applications of up to £1000 for projects that have a positive impact within West Norfolk.Representatives from this year’s successful groups were invited to meet with Simon Smith, Vice Chair of Freebridge’s Board, alongside the judging panel made up of Freebridge employees and tenants, where they had the opportunity to talk about the plans they have for the money they have now received.Tracy Mahoney, Service Manager at the Pandora

This year's successful groups with Freebridge Vice Chair of the Board Simon Smith and employees from the judging panel.

This year the recipients of funding were:• South West Norfolk Youth Opportunities Project - who received £500 towards the purchase of furniture at it's main centre.• Downham Market Arts - who received £750 towards helping the group establish themselves in a new location.• King’s Lynn Winter Night Shelter - who received £1000 towards providing clean laundry to their guests.


Sessions are run at Providence Street at ????? and Discovery Centre, Columbia Way on Wednesdays 6-7.30pm. Suggested donation of £2 a session.

One of this year's successful applicants to Freebridge's Community Fund, as detailed opposite, was The King’s Lynn Woodcraft Folk group - who were awarded £750 to set up a new base at the Discovery Centre in North Lynn. To find out a bit more about what the Woodcraft Folk get up to we caught up with Rosie Woolgar, the group’s development officer...Q: So, what exactly is The Woodcraft Folk?A: Well, we're a children’s charity that promotes education for social change. We want children to get involved, build their confidence and self-esteem and be a bit more aware of the world around them.Our aim is to help them realise that as well as being our key to the future, they also have a voice and views that matter right now too!

Q: Is it just about getting outdoors and doing practical things?A: Lots of it is practical, so we will go off and do nature trails or learn a new skill – we’ve learnt how to make friendship bracelets and talked about the importance of being a good friend. But we also do ‘sit down and think’ things, we've done debates about social issues, we recently had someone come in to talk about how parliament works. We want them to get enthusiastic about the fact that they’ve got a voice and that they'll eventually be able to democratically vote. We will often have debates to agree on what activity we are going to do and we’ll talk about how we came to that decision. So it’s a real mixture!Q: What kind of children is the group open to?A: Everybody is welcome at our Woodcraft Folk group. At the moment we have a good mix of children, with half attending a traditional school and the other half home educated. We’ve a number of youngsters with additional needs and learning disabilities as well, but it’s open to absolutely everyone! Q: Are you after volunteers too?A: Definitely, the group wouldn't continue without our volunteers. adult members of Woodcraft Folk running each session and we're always looking for people who can help, either on a weekly or monthly group night, and

people who can come along to share a skill with the group.If you'd like to get involved with the Woodcraft Folk then you can find them at their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KingsLynnWCF or email them at [email protected]

• Pandora Project - who received £750 towards helping support their annual domestic abuse conference.• Woodcraft Folk - who received £750 towards setting up a Woodcraft Folk group at the Discovery Centre in King’s Lynn.• North End Trust - who received £595 towards making space available for community groups to use.• West Norfolk Deaf Association - who received £655 towards running deaf awareness sessions for local organisations.

A WELCOME TO THE WOODCRAFT FOLK


The Placeshapers from Providence Street and Discovery Centre hosted Halloween parties for children from across West Norfolk this autumn.Skeletons, monsters, ghosts and even princesses made the most of the spooky fun and games provided at Freebridge’s two community centres during the October half term. The events included a range of crafts, games, music and face painting. Homemade cakes from the Community Café on Hillington Square and other Halloween-themed treats were also provided. Prizes were given out for the best costume and best craft.

HALF-TERM HALLOWEEN HIGH JINKS IN KING’S LYNN

Birgit Lenton, Director of Corporate Services and Culture said: “Events like these are a great opportunity for families to relax and enjoy themselves, as well as meet friends and neighbours. It’s so important that young people in the local neighbourhoods have spaces to enjoy and we are proud that our centres can be those places.”The two parties were organised by Freebridge’s Placeshaping team who run the centres as real community hubs.

The Placeshaping Team will be back with their annual Christmas grotto, this year holding it at the Discovery Centre in North Lynn. The grotto will take place on Friday 20 December at 11am - 1.30pm and then open again 2pm - 4pm. Entry is 50p, with all money raised going to the King's Lynn Foodbank.

SANTA'S CHRISTMAS GROTTOIS BACK!

See their facebook pages for more details - links can be found on the opposite page.


01553 667777

[email protected]

www.facebook/providencestreetcommunitycentre @ProvidenceSt1

Freebridge's Placeshaping team hosts a number of events for children throughout the year. If you'd like to find out more about what the Placeshaping Team are up to then follow or contact them as below:

www.facebook/discoverycommunity centre

If after the festive period you find yourself with unwanted smellies, toiletries you’ll never use or even open packs of nappies your child has grown out of, then Freebridge can now help you donate them to somewhere where they’ll make a difference.The Hygiene Bank, which helps people who are in hygiene poverty, now has drop off points at three Freebridge locations. The baskets are at our main Juniper House office in the town centre, the Discovery Centre in North Lynn and the Providence Street Community Centre near Hillington Square.All the items will stay within the local area and they are looking for donations of new, un-used and in-date toiletries, hygiene basics, beauty and personal care essentials.For details of exactly what you can donate visit the The Hygiene Bank website at thehygienebank.com

#ITSINTHEBAGAs the next Streets Ahead magazine won't be with you until the Spring we thought we'd give you an early heads-up on the next Love West Norfolk day, which is planned for Valentine’s Day 2020 - as the team working on this project, that Freebridge are supporters of, are keen for as many people as possible to get involved.Friday 14th February 2020 will be your opportunity to shout loudly and proudly about West Norfolk and show people, both here and further afield, what’s so great about where we all live.

More information about exactly what is planned will be available on the Love West Norfolk social media accounts over the coming months. So if there is something you’d like to do to show off your love for West Norfolk then get in touch with the team via their twitter account @LoveWestNorfolk, their instagram account at @love_west_norfolk or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LoveWestNorfolk/

LOVING WEST NORFOLK


HOW WE PERFORMEDWe hope that the services you receive from us are of the quality you would expect. We realise there will be times when you may want to complain, tell us how we can improve our services, or perhaps compliment us on something we have done well.Your complaints, comments and compliments are important to us as they help us improve our services.In the last quarter we took action in a number of areas as a result of complaints we received. This included ensuring that:• removal dates for skips

and scaffolding are scheduled in so that they are not left on site for long periods of time after work is completed,

• any health and safety issues are prioritised to avoid the risk of injury, and

• our scheduling team liaise with contractors to ensure joint appointments are attended as needed.

Further details on complaints and compliments, and the learning from them, can be found on our website at: www.freebridge.org.uk/complaint.html

SATISFACTION SURVEYEvery month our First Contact Centre calls 100 of our tenants to ask them how they think we are performing.

79%of our customers are satisfied with our repairs service

£ of our customers are satisfied with rent and service charges

of our customers are satisfied with their home

of our customers are satisfied with their neighbourhood

of our customers are satisfied with how they are kept informed

COMPLAINTS & COMPLIMENTS

of our customers are satisfied with the overall service we provide

67%83%68%84%82%

2019/20 Target

Year to date

Overall satisfaction 88% 85%

Satisfaction with repairs service 80% 74%Satisfaction with rent and service charges 85% 87%

Satisfaction with home 80% 74%

Satisfaction with neighbourhood 85% 84%

Satisfaction with being kept informed 88% 85%


Streets Ahead is sent to you because you are a tenant of Freebridge Community Housing.We send the magazine to all our tenants every few months so we can tell you about the services we provide and the work we're doing as a registered provider of social housing.If you no longer want to receive your copy of Streets Ahead please let us know, and

A STAKE IN FREEBRIDGE BECOMING A SHAREHOLDER

we will arrange for you to be removed from our mailing list.In order to opt out of Streets Ahead, you can either call us on our main telephone number 03332 404 444, email your name and address to [email protected] or complete the form below and send it to us at Freebridge Community Housing, Juniper House, Austin Street, King's Lynn, PE30 1DZ.

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DURING JULY, AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2019

Freebridge Community Housing is inviting its tenants to become shareholders. Shareholders have the right to attend the Annual General Meeting and vote on major issues in the running of the organisation.Shareholding is designed to increase tenants’ stakeholding in their housing provider and is

a way to become involved in what Freebridge does.If you need more information about how to become a Freebridge shareholder or just want to know more contact the Governance Team on 03332 404 444 or email [email protected]

DEVELOPING HOMES AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIESFOR PEOPLE WITHIN WEST NORFOLK

The views expressed in this publication are those of contributors, and not necessarily those of Freebridge Community Housing. This entire publication is under copyright, and is not to be duplicated or reproduced in any way without permission. Designed by: Danielle Warman | Printed by: Barnwell Print | Circulation approximately: 7,000

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WRITE TO: Juniper House, Austin Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1DZTELEPHONE: 03332 404 444

We've recently been made aware that some mobile phone providers now charge for calling numbers beginning with 0333, if your provider is one of these you can also contact us on 0800 1691694 - which is free from all numbers.

Out of office hours our main number diverts to our 24 hour emergency service.EMAIL: [email protected] US AT: Juniper House, Austin Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1DZWe're open between 8:45am - 5.15pm (Monday-Thursday), 8:45am - 4.45pm (Friday). And closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.WEBSITE: www.freebridge.org.ukFACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/freebridgeTWITTER: @freebridge

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Date post:	13-Jul-2020
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STREETS AHEAD - freebridge.org.uk · PG 4 FREEBRIDGE COMMUNITY HOUSING • STREETS AHEAD • WINTER...

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