Tenants' efforts rewarded

Tenants discuss ways to improve housing services at a recent conference

Tenants and residents who have donated their free time in helping to make Hull a better place to live are to be rewarded with a new discount shopping scheme.
Under the scheme, developed by Forum members and council officers, those tenants and residents who have participated regularly in activities, will receive a discount shopping card which can be used at a variety of independent shops.
"It's a way of thanking the many volunteers who participate in housing service activities," says Cllr Allen Healand, portfolio holder for housing.
"Their passionate involvement and support has helped to improve neighbourhoods, both for themselves and other local people. We now want to give a little bit back."

If you are interested in helping to improve housing services in your area, or want more information on the reward scheme, please contact the Tenant Participation Team on 300300.

Fresh intake at academy

Past graduates of the Hull Housing Academy

Tenants and residents are about to begin the latest Hull Housing Academy course to learn all about the city's housing service.
The award-winning 26-hour night-school course, spread across 13 weeks covers topics such as housing law, antisocial behaviour, equalities and customer service – and aims to help local tenants and residents participate more fully in local and city-wide decision making.
Places are still available for the latest course, held on Monday afternoons, starting on January 14 and an evening course starting in September.
The Academy recently won second place in the Making the Connections Award at the regional Making the Difference Award Ceremony for Yorkshire and the Humber held in Leeds in November.

If you are interested in joining the Academy please contact Penny Dixon, Tenant Participation Officer, call 300300.

Read the report A report will soon be available following a conference staged by Hull United Residents and Tenants (HURAT) last October which looked into the subject of tenant management. The conference, held at Hull's Octagon Centre, also looked into issues such as stock retention, stock transfer, and arms length management organisations. HURAT, an organisation representing tenants' and residents' associations across Hull, regularly shares ideas about how to improve homes and communities with wider groups such as the Yorkshire and Humber Tenants' and Residents' Federation (YHF) and Humber Tenants Forward. For more information, or to request a copy of the report, please contact HURAT on 01482 331313/2.

Tenants' Forum

The next Tenants' Forum meeting will be held at The Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, from 10am to 1pm on Thursday 31 January.
New members are always welcome.
Call 300300 to book a place.

TARA news

Dorchester Road and Midmere Avenue Residents' Association (DRAMA) will be holding its Annual General Meeting on 13 January at 7pm, in the Dorchester Road Primary School.
All local tenants and residents are invited to attend and meet association members, ward councillors and local housing officers.

Greatfield's hidden jewel

At a glance you could be forgiven for thinking it was a birdseye photograph of a village in the Yorkshire Dales.
But this village is actually an amazing model created on the lawn of a back garden on Hull's Greatfield Estate.
It's the proud work of Pat and Dennis Blenkin who have lived in their house for more than 35 years.
"This just goes to show what people can do with their gardens and I congratulate Mr and Mrs Blenkin on their efforts," says Cllr Allen Healand, portfolio holder for housing.
Mr and Mrs Blenkin, who won Hull in Bloom in 1998, take such pride in their garden that they've had visits from local community groups and residential homes.
They even have a visitors' book for signing – and one entry states: "It's the mini seventh wonder of the world."
The couple created the village in memory of Mrs Blenkin's sister, Margie who died five years ago, and they've named all the shops after members of their family.
Their grandchildren help out whenever they can and are a dab hand with a brush when it comes to painting the buildings and backdrops.
"Every building, shop, or house is complete, right down to the smallest detail," says Sue Nicholson, of Hull City Council's Park Area Team.
"If you look into the Art Shop you will see the tiniest portraits hanging on the walls."
"There is tiny washing hanging out in the gardens and a miniature railway travels around the outskirts of the village.
"There is virtually every building, shop and facility that you would see in a real-life village - it's a miniature Brigadoon!"