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Spring 2014
Nominations OPEN
for COMMUNITY
AWARDS
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Get ready for spring Help with noise nuisance Find us on Facebook
2
Hello
Front page: We helped Alex Bedding get an
apprenticeship - if you’re between 16 and 24 and
interested in applying for one, go to page 5.
After such a wet winter, it’s lovely to
welcome the spring sunshine. The improving
weather is particularly welcomed by our
residents in Basingstoke and Newbury whose
homes were flooded in February. I am sure
you will join me in wishing them well as we
begin the long process of drying out and
repairing their homes, and supporting them
to get their lives back on track.
As you’ll see on the opposite page, we’re
launching our first ever Community Awards.
If you know someone who’s done something
great to help you or your community, why
not put them forward. It’s really easy to
nominate, and the closing date is 31 May.
Finally, our Residents’ Council, who work
with senior staff and the Board to scrutinise
services and the business are looking for new
members. Full details are on page 11.
As always, we love to hear your feedback
about this magazine so please do get in touch
to let us know what you think.
In this
edition...
3 Know someone
amazing?
Enter them into our new
Community Awards
4 & 5 Apprenticeship
opportunities
Earn while you learn
7 Welfare Reform
Find out how things are
one year on
8 Free internet access
New touch screen computers
available at our six main offices
9 Annual Residents’
Conference
Celebrates another successful
year
Happy Easter!
Heather
Heather Bowman
Housing and Communities Director
10 Chair of the Residents’
Council
Talks about his thoughts for the
year ahead
13 So how have we done?
The results are in following our
survey of tenants and residents
Contact us
17 Noise nuisance
What can you do?
reign&you,
The Editor, sove g Association,
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Sovereign Housi Street,
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m
90 Bartholo
5EE
Newbury RG14
18 & 19 Spring is here
We’ve got some great gardening
and spring cleaning tips
23 The wordsearch is
back!
n.org.uk
editor@sovereig
With a £25 prize up for grabs
book
Find us on Face
nha
ation @sovereig
Join the convers
mber.
r local phone nu
r you
See back page fo
3
Who do you think
is amazing…?
Sovereign’s Community Awards are
your chance to thank and celebrate the
remarkable people who make your world a
better place to live in.
If you know a person, group or organisation
rganisation that goes the extra
mile in your community, why not put them forward?
Maybe someone you know runs a youth club in their spare
time or volunteers regularly, or you know of a local group
that fundraises for charity. Or perhaps there’s a young person
who helps out an elderly neighbour, or a school project that’s
improved the local surroundings. It could even be someone who
helped out during the floods earlier this year – there’s no limit.
We want to hear about anyone who does something good in
your community.
It’s really quick and easy – simply tell us the name of the person
or group you want to nominate, with a few sentences telling us
why. We’ll then contact everyone who is put forward to find out
more about why they’re so special.
Our judging panel, which is made up of staff and residents,
will then pick up to three winners from each region (Berkshire,
Oxfordshire, Hampshire, West of England, Dorset and Devon).
Winners will be announced in June, and will be invited to a
special dinner in October where they will receive their award.
We may also be able to help them access funding for their group
or good cause.
Don’t delay – there
are three simple
ways you can make
your nomination:
All
ions
t
a
n
i
nom reach
must y
us b
y
31 Ma
2014
1. fill out the enclosed form and return it Freepost to us by 31 May
2. go online to www.sovereign.org.uk/communityawards or
3. call us using your local number (see back page)
4
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learn with an
Apprenticeships are a way of combining working with studying, so you can
earn while you learn and pick up some real qualifications as you go.
Last year we welcomed 15 new recruits who’ve been getting stuck in to
their new roles in a variety of departments across the business, including IT,
customer service, administration, maintenance and housing.
18-year-old Jessica Livings is a trainee Housing
Officer, and is studying for an NVQ Level 2 in
Housing through Swindon College. Jessica says:
“Most jobs require experience, but without a
job you can’t gain the experience. Working at
Sovereign has given me a newfound confidence.
I particularly like working in lettings. It’s very
rewarding showing a prospective resident their
new home and being able to share in their
happiness.”
At 16, Alex Bedding is one of Sovereign’s
younger apprentices. He lives in Ringwood,
Hampshire, with his family who have been
Sovereign residents for 15 years. Alex
is training with our Response team as a
Multi-skilled Operative, where he’s gaining
valuable, on-the-job experience while
studying for an NVQ Level 2 in Maintenance
Operations at Bournemouth and Poole
College.
Looking ahead, Alex would like a full time
job with Sovereign. “I would definitely
recommend Sovereign as a great place to
work to my friends and tell them about any
vacancies,” he says.
decide what to do
If you’re trying to
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next, there’s lots m
online:
5
Our Employment and Training Team can also sometimes secure an apprenticeship with one of the
many companies we work in partnership with. Gez Bentley, Employment and Training
Co-ordinator, helped Cohen Goodgame, 20, from Newbury in Berkshire to get a painting and
decorating apprenticeship with Novus Property Solutions.
Cohen says: “Gez helped me to think about my choices and I decided an apprenticeship was right
for me. He helped me fill out my application, which is something I find difficult with dyslexia, and
when I was accepted for an interview he helped me prepare. I have since started my college course
in painting and decorating, which is one day a week. The rest of the week I’m learning on the job,
doing things like decorating empty homes and the exteriors of houses.”
Last year Sovereign was awarded the ‘certificate of excellence’
by West Berkshire Training Consortium, which recognises
exceptional employers who have consistently demonstrated
high standards in the field of recruiting and training
apprentices.
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6
Shoppers at our temporary pop-up market
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Peter Church has lived in a Sovereign home since
1975 with his wife, Val. After 35 years of working
in a sheet metal factory he retired, and was
looking for something new to turn his hand to. His
idea for a new enterprise ended up taking him all
the way to a pop-up market set up by Sovereign in
Newbury.
“My younger brother had originally started to
make jewellery, but sadly passed away, so I bought
his equipment and beads to carry on what he’d
been working on,” Peter tells us. “I’d never done
anything like it before on my own. When I received
a flyer for Sovereign’s pop-up market I thought it
would be a great opportunity to see if I could make
a go of selling my homemade jewellery.”
The pop-up market was set up by one of our
Employment and Training Co-ordinators, Tahira
Kulsoom. We had an empty shop space in Newbury
and Tahira thought it would be a great chance to
give our budding entrepreneurs some experience
and help them to grow their businesses.
‘”Tahira was fantastic and talked us through the
process,” says Peter. “It was really easy to work
with her and get the stall started, especially with
a table and shelves being provided, and any time
we had a question or query she was around to ask.
“The market started to get really busy once
people realised we were there. Over Christmas
business really picked up and even during the last
few weekends in January people were looking for a
Valentine’s gift or two.
“I’d love to be able to do something like the popup market again, not only has it helped me with
my business experience, but my people skills have
really improved too. I’m definitely going to carry
on my business and know the skills I’ve learnt will
help me with this.”
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7
Welfare Reform - one year on
It is now 12 months since the government began to
make changes to the benefit system, including the
introduction of the ‘bedroom tax’ and the ‘benefit
cap’. Here are some of the ways we’re supporting
residents who’ve been affected by the changes:
in their homes and can cope with the worries that
everyday life can throw at us. I help with:
• Our team of Tenancy Support Advisors has
helped over 1,000 residents, and secured over
£1 million of additional income to help residents
with their rent and other living expenses.
• advising on welfare reform changes, such as the
‘bedroom tax’, Universal Credit and the ‘benefit
cap’
• Our Employment and Training Co-ordinators are
on track to help 200 residents into training or
voluntary work, and 75 into paid work.
• We’ve helped about 200 households affected
by the ‘bedroom tax’ to downsize to smaller
properties.
Are you feeling the pinch? Our Tenancy
Support Advisors are here to help…
Kevin Flynn is one of 12 Tenancy Support Advisors.
We asked him to explain how he and the rest of
the team help people regain control of difficult
situations in their lives.
So Kevin, what does a Tenancy Support
Advisor do?
“I help our residents make the most of their
tenancies. Depending on their circumstances, I give
appropriate help and advice to make sure they stay
• managing money, bills and debt
• identifying and claiming the correct benefits
• giving advice on our employment and training
services, and
• providing information on local community
services, like food banks.
Why is your job such an important one?
“Many people struggle to cope with the high cost
of living, unemployment and changing benefits.
And they tend to bury their heads in the sand when
things go wrong. Helping people improve their
budgeting skills means they stay on track and can
even save money. For Sovereign, this means we
don’t lose vital income from rent when people get
into debt.”
What would you say to someone who is
struggling?
“Get in touch with us straight away. A Tenancy
Support Advisor can help you over the phone, in
your home or in a place that suits you. We will
listen, and give the right advice for you and your
circumstances. Don’t leave it ‘til it’s too late.”
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8
Get online @ your local Sovereign office
Not everyone has access to computers or the internet – and it’s
becoming more and more difficult to get by without using them.
To help you get online, we’re creating fantastic
new digital spaces (called ‘Touch Points’) in each
of our main offices.
From 31 March anyone can freely access state-ofthe-art touch screen computers to:
• write a letter
• send an email
• prepare your CV
• pay your rent or report a repair
• use HomeSwapper to look for a new home
• switch energy supplier
• get social with Twitter, Facebook or Skype, and
much more
Staff will be on hand to help you out with any
questions you may have.
Check out our
new Facebook
site and join the
conversation.
Disabled? Need help at home?
It’s important to us that you can move around your home comfortably and safely, and we
want to make sure you know how we can help by adapting your home if you’re disabled.
Disabled adaptations are broken down into
three groups:
Disabled aids: adaptations costing under £500,
these include grab-rails and lever taps.
Minor adaptations: costing under £2,500,
these could be something like a straight stairlift
or ramp. For these works we would put you in
contact with Social Services, who would advise us
what changes would most benefit you.
Major adaptations: costing over £2,500, these
could include something like a level access
For
shower or a curved stairlift. We would put
more
information on
you in contact with an Occupational
disabled adaptations,
Therapist, who would assess your needs
and see what adaptations would help you. please contact your local
office or visit our website:
These would be subject to the
www.sovereign.org.uk/
availability of Local Authority DFG
disabledadaptations
(Disabled Facility Grant) funding.
9
Residents meet for their
3rd annual conference
Alexandra House in Swindon saw our Residents’ Council and all the regional
panels (made up entirely of residents) get together for their 3rd annual
conference. It was an event shaped by them, which proved to be lively,
challenging and thought-provoking.
Our Chairman, along with other Board members and
Chief Executive all came along to listen to what our
residents had to say, and saw the first screening of
a film showing how funding provided by the panels
has really made a difference to local causes. Grab a
few minutes and watch it at www.sovereign.org.uk/
goodcausesfilm.
Guests attended various interactive workshops run
throughout the day, which provided training and
information on how to go about scrutiny, the latest on
welfare reform, what we’re doing to keep our homes
warm and efficient, and our future development plans.
And giving ‘Question Time’ a run for its money, our
senior staff were put under the spotlight in a probing
question and answer session. Among other things,
residents asked ‘how are we dealing with local
authority budget cuts?’, ‘what are we doing to support
the environment?’ and ‘how have we dealt with the
recent flooding?’
Guest speaker Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive of
the Housing Quality Network, also gave a thought
provoking and challenging presentation on what’s
happening in the housing sector and his personal
thoughts on how some of the issues could be dealt
with - followed by a lively debate.
It was clear from the day that our involved residents
who make up the Council and panels are now an
established and respected part of our business. They
are able to influence the work that we do and are not
afraid to ask difficult questions when needed.
Would you like to have a say on the
services you get from us and influence
how we do things in the future?
Why not join your local regional panel?
Please contact your housing officer to
register your interest, or email your
regional panel directly (their details are
on our website).
10
e
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ff
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d
a
Making
A new Chair for the
Residents’ Council
At the beginning of the year we welcomed
Simon Byng into the role of Chair of the
Residents’ Council. Simon has been an actively
involved resident for nearly 13 years, and also
has 22 years’ experience of working in the
housing industry.
Simon takes the place of AL Budd, who
stepped down as Chairman after two years.
AL was well known for putting residents
at the heart of her thinking, and played
a fundamental part in the success of the
regional panels and the Council.
Looking at the year ahead, Simon believes
the big issues affecting us are all centred on
finance.
“The ‘bedroom tax’, the changes to benefits
under Universal Credit, and rocketing energy
and food prices all make our daily lives
harder,” he explains. “My main priorities are
to make sure residents get value for money
from their landlord, and that our rent is spent
in ways that give us an efficient service that
also offers the provision of housing for future
residents.”
Every eight weeks the Residents’ Council
produces an e-newsletter update on its
activities. If you’d like to receive this, please
let us know.
The
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Residen
needs you!
11
We would love to hear from you if you:
• have an interest in understanding and
representing the needs of residents
We’re looking for two residents (independent
of our panels) to join the Residents’ Council.
The Residents’ Council has now been running
for three years and is a widely respected part
of our governance structure. All members are
residents. Some sit on a regional panel. Others are
independent members who have no involvement in
the panels.
The Residents’ Council sits alongside our main
Board and holds a very important role. Members
help us develop our approach to important
business projects. They also scrutinise and
challenge us from a resident point of view.
Good causes
in Oxfordshire
boosted with
regional panel
funding
Each of Sovereign’s regional
panels has a fund it can use to
support community projects.
Thirty-seven good causes in
Oxfordshire are celebrating
after receiving donations from
their local regional panel.
Applicants – all nominated by
residents – were invited to
present to the panel about
how they would use the money
to benefit the community.
Residents and applicants then
voted for the groups they felt
should receive funding, and a
total of £40,000 was donated.
• can attend regular meetings (including formal
meetings every eight weeks across our operating
area)
• are a good communicator who is resourceful
and willing to share ideas, and
• are passionate about making a difference
To register your interest, please
email Heidi Smith, Residents’ Council
Administrator at
[email protected] or call her
on 01635 572160. The closing date is 1
May 2014.
12
Suzy Prince (left) with
her buddy Bernie Barry
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A new buddy system is helping a blind resident to settle in to a new
community and rediscover her passion of working with children.
Sovereign resident Suzi Prince, 29, is a former
primary school teacher who was left with sight
loss and short-term memory problems after being
struck down with meningitis and encephalitis.
“I’ve always been interested in helping people,”
Bernie explains. “When I moved in, Norma said
there would be things happening on the estate,
and I wanted to get involved.”
After three years in rehabilitation centres she
has moved into a new home at the Racecourse,
Newbury. “I’m really loving it,” Suzi says. “Being
here has given me more independence, it’s great to
have my own space.”
Bernie works as a teaching assistant at a nearby
school, and she’s planning to take Suzi along to
help out with the after-school club. Suzi is excited
about the opportunity: “Bernie is going to help me
integrate with the community, and get me back
working with children, which is my passion in life.”
One person making it easier for Suzi to settle in to
the new community is Sovereign resident Bernie
Barry, who has volunteered to be Suzi’s ‘buddy’ – an
idea suggested by Housing Officer Norma Maggs.
Bernie will drop in regularly on Suzi for a cup of tea
and a chat, and keep her up to date on community
activities and events.
Suzi’s father, Colin, says the new home has made a
massive difference to his daughter: “If you’d seen
Suzi a month ago, you wouldn’t have been looking
at the same person. There’s a huge difference
in her confidence, wellbeing and outlook on life.
The help that Sovereign has given to us has been
outstanding.”
13
The STARs are out
Back in October and November we sent a STAR survey (Survey of Tenants and Residents) to more than
13,000 of you who were chosen at random – and the results are now in.
Thank you very much to the 4,300 of you who replied. What you’ve told us will help us understand how
satisfied you are with our services and make improvements where we need to in the future.
Here are some of the highlights of what you said:
83%
of you are satisfied with
the neighbourhoods you
live in
79%
of you are happy with
the quality of your
home
74%
are satisfied with
maintenance
and repairs
78%
think we’re doing well
as your landlord.
The lowest score was around listening to your views
and acting on them – with 58% of respondents
satisfied with how we do this. You’re telling us that
we don’t keep you well enough informed around the
progress of things like repairs and complaints, so
we obviously need to look at this.
You also said that you want us to give priority to
repairs and maintenance, making sure our homes
are warm, and carrying out planned replacements
of kitchens and bathrooms.
We will now look carefully at this information,
discuss it with residents who sit on the regional
panels and Council, and look at how we can improve
some of these areas.
We’ll keep you informed of what we’re doing on our
website and in future issues of Sovereign&You.
Have you signed up
to MySovereign ?
Take your tenancy online by registering with
‘MySovereign’ or downloading our new app.
You can check your balance and make rent
payments, report and track any repairs and
even find the date of your next gas service, all
from the convenience of your own home.
Registering is easy at
www.sovereign.org.uk/mysovereign
14
Cottage gardens transformed
from eyesore to eye candy
Manor Cottages is a picture-perfect row of 18 thatched cottages in
Freefolk, near Whitchurch in Hampshire. With the longest thatch on
any residential property in the UK, they’ve been stopping coaches and
turning the heads of visitors since they were built in 1939. However,
round the back of the cottages concrete yards and chicken wire were
an eyesore and a slip hazard for young and old alike.
Now, after 18 months of careful
consultation and planning, the
residents are celebrating 18 new
individually-landscaped areas
after we invested £130,000 to
provide each cottage with a safe
and pretty garden haven.
In October 2012 residents and
staff met with a landscape
architect for the first time to
discuss their thoughts and ideas
about their homes and gardens.
The architect then produced
designs to show what the area
could look like.
But having Grade II listed status
and being situated in a landscape
conservation area meant there
were tight controls over the
plans allowed, as well as the
materials used. Any work had to
complement the character of the
buildings and use sympathetic
landscaping and planting.
15
Rod and Pat Tungate have lived at
number nine for 40 years. Rod (76), a
retired mill-worker, explains:
“We’ve been pressing the
issue to have something
done about the back
yards for years. It’s a great
relief that somebody has
finally done something
about it.”
Paula Dawson, Regional Housing Manager, says:
“It also became clear that because of each
household’s circumstances and preferences we
would not be able to agree on a single basic design
for all. The outcome is that each new garden has a
unique design based on what each person wanted
and what would work for Sovereign in terms of
future maintenance.
Rod and Pat Tungate
“With the weather on our side, the contractor
carried out the work ahead of the original
timescale – including initial removal of a huge 1,000
square metres of concrete, which was amazing.”
For Lee and Rebecca Wickens at number five,
improving the back yard means a better quality of
life for the whole family.
“It will be so nice to have a summer without tears
and scuffed knees,” says Rebecca. “Our son, Ethan,
is just two and a half. When the weather was wet
and frosty we were constantly scrubbing the
concrete to remove the slimy green moss so he
didn’t slip.
“It was a bit awkward while the work was being
done, but overall it’s a fantastic job. We now have
plenty of grass to play on, a block-paved patio,
box-hedging and shingle. It will make a massive
difference to all of us.”
At number 17, Mike and Karen Blundy are
delighted. Karen (60) explains: “It’s always been a
disappointment to open the back door on to such
an ugly back yard. We had lots of choice, but opted
for paving and shingle. We’re going to put pots
outside for colour and install some solar lights.”
Paula Dawson is delighted at the success of the
project. “The old back yards were a real safety
issue, which we needed to put right. The new
gardens have made a real difference to residents,
and given them a greater sense of pride and
enjoyment in their homes.”
Mike and Karen Blundy
“Just after we moved in
17 years ago, Mike got a
bench for his 50th birthday.
Until now we’ve had it under
the porch out the front, but
now it has pride of place in
our new garden.”
16
Flooding update
Following the wettest winter on record, a number
of our residents have unfortunately been flooded,
the majority in Basingstoke with a few in Berkshire.
Whilst Newbury residents have now been able
to move back home, the problems at Buckskin in
Basingstoke are more severe, as the water was
contaminated by sewage (and it has taken longer
for levels to drop).
In total, 70 adults, 45 children, 15 cats and dogs, a
parrot and a ghekko need to find somewhere else
to live.
Our teams have been manning an emergency
hub at a local community centre, sorting out
temporary accommodation and helping to organise
meals. And we’re now working to agree a longer
term solution for residents.
Denise and Michael Walker pictured
outside their home in Buckskin
We’re also working with the Community Furniture
Partnership to provide replacement furniture for
those affected. But they cannot keep up with
demand so if you have any furniture you would like
to donate, please go to www.cfpnewbury.org
or call 01256 320700.
Keep up with the cost of living
We’ve been out and about recently, helping people reduce
the cost of running their homes.
During February we held several
roadshow events across our
regions, providing residents with
advice on ways to keep their bills
low and make the most of their
income. Making small changes
like tariff swapping, being more
energy aware or even paying bills
differently can have a big impact.
We asked local agencies like the
Citizens’ Advice Bureau to come
along to many of the events, and
in the case of Barton Hill, Bristol,
we were joined by local diversity
charity SARI. Together we were
able to help residents with
queries around saving energy,
bills, benefits and debt.
Muna Mohamud
attended a local
roadshow in Bristol and
said “I found it really
useful. The Bristol
Energy Advice Network
talked me through how
to read my meter and
I got some great advice
on making the most
out of my energy, and
other places where
I can get help”.
For top tips on energy saving, take a look at our ‘You have the power’ web page
17
1. Nuisance pets giving you a headache…
4. Katie felt this frustration with her neighbour, Hayley.
2. Neighbours arguing and disturbing
your peace…
3. Noisy night-time chores keeping
you up…
Call
Sovereign?
Call the
council?
Call the
police?
5. Sleepless nights got Katie thinking… maybe just having a chat will work?
.
.
.
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n
a
s
i
Noise nu What can you do?
Noisy neighbours can make
te
your life a misery, but some
noise is just a part of normal
family life. Often we don’t
even realise the noise we
make can be heard next door.
If noise is getting you down,
try having a chat with your
neighbours. Often a quiet
word is all it takes to agree
a solution which means you
both can enjoy your time at
home.
If you’ve already talked with
your neighbour and the noise
nuisance persists, we will
look at what we can do to
help.
6. So katie knocked at her neighbours.
“Can I have a chat”?
7. Hayley invited Katie in for a cup of
tea and listened to what was bothering
her. “I never realised I was that noisy”,
Hayley exclaimed, “let’s sort this out
while we still can”.
Now Hayley keeps her noise
down after 9pm and Katie
gets to have her beauty
sleep – sometimes a friendly
chat is all that is needed.
May
19-24 ction
se A
is Noi look out
–
Week tails of
for de in your
s
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ar
18
18
Create a garden
you’re proud of
As gardens start to come to life this spring, with days getting longer and
temperatures rising, we decided to catch up with Catherine Waters-Clarke
– horticulturalist and founder of the Hampshire gardening charity Inspero –
to find out how you can make the most of the space you have.
How can I get my garden ready for
spring?
“Always start by giving your garden a tidy up first:
remove any litter, dead foliage and leaves from the
lawn. Then start to weed and dig over any borders,
adding compost (either from your own compost bin
or the shop) as you go. You should also check out
your garden tools and think about installing a water
butt.”
Can I start planting my seeds now?
“Yes, now is the time when outdoor and indoor seed
sowing can really get underway.”
What can I grow outside?
“You could create a wildflower area to encourage
butterflies and bees; just scatter some wildflower
seeds in a prepared flower bed in the garden. You
could also try creating some colourful flower
containers by mixing bulbs of narcissi, iris and
crocus together. Lilies, gladioli, allium and begonia
also make great spring/summer displays.”
But what if I don’t have a garden?
“You don’t need a garden to grow some foods,
especially herbs and salad leaves which can be
grown on your kitchen windowsill. Try sowing
some tomato, chilli or sweet pepper seeds to grow
indoors.”
What do I need to do to grow plants
inside?
“Take some empty pots – you can use yoghurt
pots or ice cream tubs too, but you’ll need to put
some holes in the bottom for drainage – and wash
and dry them. Add your compost and fill to the
top. Sprinkle your seeds evenly, then add another
layer of compost on top. Place the pots on a plate,
water, and put them in the sunniest spot on your
windowsill. Check every couple of days and water
them in the morning. Shoots should start to come
through within 14 days.”
What else do I need
to think about?
“Keep yourself safe and make
sure you use a cushion to protect
your knees, don’t do any one
job for too long, and always
Grow your
place your tools with
own indoor/outdoor salad
the prongs in the
garden this spring, with
ground.”
one of 50 free Unwin Salad
Getting out in the
fresh air and exploring
your garden is great
for your health and
mental wellbeing, and
once the sun comes out
you’ll be ready to relax
and enjoy the beauty.
Garden Kits (worth £7.99)
that we’re giving away.
To be entered into our
FREE draw, email
[email protected]
or write to us by
9 May 2014
n
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sp
19
We asked our Facebook followers to share their top tips for a
spring clean that will get your home sparkling and ready for the
lighter, brighter days ahead.
1
2
Start with a clear out and cut the clutter.
If you haven’t used it in the last year, ask
yourself whether you really need it.
Take stuff you don’t want to a car boot
sale or donate it to charity.
Nicky Hanson
3
Let the sunlight stream in by washing any
rain and mud streaks off your windows.
On a cloudy day, mix 2 cups of water,
¼ cup of white distilled vinegar and ½
teaspoon of liquid soap into an old spray
bottle. Use newspaper to wipe off and dry
the windows for a spotless finish.
Lynne Skelton
4
To give floor tiles a real shine, use some
bleach, add a little bit of bicarbonate of soda
and mix with warm water. Mixtures using
vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda can also
be used for cleaning most surfaces.
Julie Wood
5
Use a slice of cucumber on your mirrors
before you have a shower and they won’t
steam up.
Tracey Titchener
Old clothes and sheets can make great
cleaning cloths, and if you have cobwebs you
can’t reach don’t buy a feather duster: pop
an old sock onto the end of a broom or mop
and use that instead.
Donna Biles
Follow us on Facebook to give your top tips - £15 voucher for every one printed.
20
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Make these
egg cress
heads
here’s how:
• Carefully crack off the top of
an egg and empty out the
middle.
• Wash out the eggshells and sit
them in the egg box to keep
them steady (on a cotton wool
cushion to raise them up a bit if
you need to).
• Draw on some crazy faces, using
googly eyes if you’ve got some.
You could even do self-portraits
or funny faces.
• Put some cotton wool inside the
shells and dampen with some
water.
• Sprinkle cress seeds all over the
cotton wool – the more seeds,
the more hair you’ll grow!
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& easy Easter
Festive
crispy cakes
10p
per
cak
e
What you will need to make 12 cakes:
200g milk chocolate, broken into pieces
85g shredded wheat, crushed (you can use other
types of cereal)
A large bag of mini eggs
Cupcake cases
Method:
1. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl placed over
a pan of barley simmering water.
2. Pour the chocolate over the shredded wheat.
3. Mix it altogether.
4. Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases.
5. Press the back of a spoon into the centre to
create a nest shape.
6. Put a few eggs in the nest.
7. Then leave your cakes to set in the fridge.
Easter cupcakes
What you will need to make 12 cakes:
For the cake:
110g butter, softened
110g caster sugar
110g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 medium eggs
11p
per
cak
e
For the icing:
75 g butter, at room temperature
150 g icing sugar
1 tbsp milk
a selection of food colouring, choose your
favourite colours
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F / Gas 4.
Line a muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat
until pale and fluffy.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the
bowl.
4. Beat the eggs and vanilla and add to the bowl.
Beat until just combined.
5. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until risen, golden
and firm to the touch.
7. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to
a wire rack to cool completely.
8. For the icing: beat the butter with a spoon or
spatula until smooth, then start to sift in the
icing sugar, stirring regularly.
9. Add the vanilla extract and milk. The icing
should be light and creamy.
10. Mix in food colouring (if desired).
11. Decorate the cakes with the icing and left
over mini eggs.
5
7
8
6
5
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6
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3
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3
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2
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1
7
2
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5
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2
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3
1
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5
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2
8
7
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1
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6
1
Bird reversed
4
5
6
8
Flower not
smiling
7
E blue not
yellow
Eye
white not
yellow
9
3
2
Missing flower
7
4
9
2
5
3
8
2
Answers:
4
1
1
8
5
1
7
7
4
8
6
7
3
5
5
9
8
3
2
8
1
1
7
1
7
8
6
4
8
9
2
Sudoku
Spot the five
differences in our
Easter bunny pictures
Just for fun
puzzle page
22
23
Spring word search
Complete our spring time word search and you could win a £25
Love2shop voucher. The voucher can be used in a range of
stores including New Look, Toys ‘R’ Us, Homebase, Mothercare,
Superdrug and more.
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EASTER
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EASTER EGG Send your entries to the
Communications team,
RABBIT Sovereign Housing
CHICK Association,
CHOCOLATE 90 Bartholomew Street,
DAFFODIL Newbury RG14 5EE.
SUNSHINE [email protected]
FLOWERS Don’t forget to include
your name and address.
LAMB HOTCROSS BUN SPRING 3.
RABBIT
4.
CHICK
5.
CHOCOLATE
DAFFODIL
7.
SUNSHINE
8.
FLOWERS
9.
LAMB
11. SPRING
12. BIRDS
All words either
run horizontally or
vertically. There are
none backwards or
diagonally.
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Address:
Postcode:
Phone:
email address:
Full terms and conditions are available at www.sovereign.org.uk/sovandyouterms
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Loca
Berkshire, Wiltshire,
West of England, Devon
0800 587 2325
(all enquiries and out-of-hours emergencies)
Email: [email protected]
Dorset
01202 460460
0800 169 5686
(repairs and out-of-hours emergencies
Email: [email protected]
Oxfordshire and surrounding area
01235 536001
0300 500 0926
(repairs and out-of-hours emergencies)
Email: [email protected] or
[email protected]
Hampshire
0800 988 4858
(all enquiries and out-of-hours emergencies)
Email: [email protected]
You can report a repair, check the balance of your rent account or
make a payment online at www.sovereign.org.uk/mysovereign
or scan this QR code to visit the MySovereign website.
Cut out
and keep!
Don’t forget, there’s lots of useful information
on our website www.sovereign.org.uk
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Twitter: @sovereignha
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