Over 100 of you came to our residents’ training workshops this year. These courses are free and they can be fun too.

We run them over 8 months, so they’re still going.

We’ll let you know how they went in the next edition, including Food Hygiene, First Aid and Stress Management!

Also we’ll tell you about the two residents who carried out a Chartered Institute of Housing Certificate in housing.

Workshops were on:

Managing your Finances

“Looking after my money is important and that was really helpful”

We gave advice in April about taking care of your money to avoid getting into debt, like doing an easy list of money coming in and out. What can happen if you do get into debt and who can help you if you need it. Also, what benefits and grants are out there. Our workshop was run by the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Healthy Eating and Cooking

“It was great - all about learning to cook more healthily, nutrition and trying new foods!”

A professional chef showed hungry onlookers how to prepare and cook three Healthy Eating recipes. You tasted his delicious dishes and took away a recipe card so you could have a go at home.

Try the recipe your self (see page 9)

Basic Repairs and Decorating

“It was very helpful that we could have a go ourselves too”

In June, Axis showed how to:

• fix a toilet seat;
• turn a stopcock on and off;
• what to do in an emergency if there was a leak;
• how to clear a blocked sink, fix a leaking tap and dripping WC cistern overflow pipe;
• how to re-secure or fit a toilet seat;
• what to do in an emergency if you have no heating;
• how to set your thermostat;
• how to release trapped air from a radiator; and
• Decorating advice.

Swan’s Finance and Delivering Value for Money

“It was good to know where my rent money goes”

You were shown where we get our money from, what we spend it on and our business plan. There was also a discussion about our Value for Money Strategy.

Thank you for all those who joined in and trainers from Axis and others.

If you like to know more or sign up for our workshops for 2011, please contact Kari-ann Waldon, Resident Involvement Officer on 01277 844242 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .