Grant Funded Interventions

A scheme launched in the Heart of Burton in January this year is already helping to make the neighbourhood warm, well and safe for all. It’s a top priority for the Heart of Burton Partnership, which wants people to be able to live independently, comfortably, healthily and safely in their own homes for as long as they like. A range of local agencies are working together through the scheme to make sure as many people as possible are helped.

Read here about what’s on offer and see if you could benefit before the cold, dark nights of Winter arrive again.

Three projects are brought together to create the Warm, Well & Safe scheme, which is supported by the Heart of Burton Partnership:

Warm & Well

The aim of this project is to tackle cold and damp in both owner-occupied and rented accommodation. Everybody in the Heart of Burton is eligible, but those being specifically targeted are residents with health problems, the over 60s and younger families who rely on income-related benefits. Subsidies could be available to help reduce fuel costs, and energy advice and grants are on offer to have insulation and central heating installed.

Falls Prevention Service

Don’t wait until you have an accident before you get help to make your home safer.

All residents can take advantage of this service, and since April 2005, more than 100 people have done so! Items can be fitted in your home, free of charge, to help prevent falls.

A technician will visit and inspect your home for a confidential assessment, then decide if it could be made safer by installing items such as grab rails or stair rails.

Then a convenient time will be fixed for the work to be done. If you’re in hospital, the technician can visit you on the ward to talk about the work that needs to be done.

Safe as Houses Project

So far, almost 100 residents have had security measures fitted for free under this scheme – and you could join them in becoming safer in your home. Many houses can be made more secure from the threat of crime and doorstep conmen, and this scheme aims to increase everyone’s home security. Residents can request a free Safe as Houses home security survey where a qualified technician will come to your home and say if you need extra precautions, such as door viewers, chains, new window or door locks. After the survey, you can arrange for the technician to return and fit them free of charge.

Sue Falder, Manager of Orbit Care and Repair which administers the Warm, Well & Safe scheme, said a leaflet explaining more about it had been circulated amongst groups in the community, and given to key workers to distribute.

But she urged local residents to get in touch now to get work done. Sue said:

“The difficulty is when you’re talking about warm and well, people think we’ve come out of the winter now so it’s not necessary. However, they should get work done during the summer, before it gets cold again.”

Working together

Orbit Care and Repair Orbit Care and Repair administers the Warm, Well & Safe scheme. Manager, Sue Falder said: “Home owners can also benefit from the scheme – it’s not just available to Orbit tenants. The falls prevention scheme is an additional service within the agency which fits in well with our role of helping people stay in their own homes independently.

“We’re fortunate to have this extra service here in Burton as we don’t have it in Stafford, where I also work.” Two other agencies are also vital in supporting and promoting Warm, Well & Safe. The Eaga Partnership and nPower are both involved in national schemes which help keep people warm and well in their homes – and they have a considerable input into the Heart of Burton scheme.

nPower

Helen Marshall is Project Manager for nPower’s Health Through Warmth scheme, which has been operating in parts of Staffordshire, including Burton, since 2001. Orbit Housing administers the Health Through Warmth scheme in Burton.

The project aims to identify and help people whose health is suffering because they’re living in damp and cold conditions. Key workers in the community are given training in what to look out for, and then individuals’ needs are assessed and packages of help put together.

The nPower scheme workers trained the Neighbourhood Wardens in how to identify people who could be helped through the Warm, Well and Safe scheme. Helen said: “We’ve been playing a valuable part in identifying people who have housing and other issues in the Heart of Burton area.

If people don’t qualify for a Warm Front grant, nPower will then look at other ways to pay for their homes to be improved, including local authority grants or the nPower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund.

Eaga Partnership

Angie Anderton, Project Manager with the Eaga Partnership, explained that if people are identified as needing help to make their homes warmer, they often qualify for a Warm Front grant, which the Partnership manages on behalf of the Government.

She said: “It’s great to be working in partnership in the Burton area to promote warmth. We’re able to ensure that people stay healthy and more comfortable in their homes, and hopefully have lower fuel bills.”

Thousands of homes in Burton are believed to be eligible for grants for heating and insulation improvements. Under the initiative, which is funded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, households which qualify could get up to £2,700 to help pay for energysaving measures such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, draught proofing, central heating and heating repairs.

Those likely to be eligible for help are householders aged over 60, people with a long-term illness, disabled people, residents with a child under 16 or those who are pregnant.

They must also be getting an income or disability benefit and live in their own home or rent from a private landlord.

I’d recommend the scheme!

One local resident who’s benefited from the Warm, Well & Safe scheme is Glenis Geary, aged 65, of Shobnall Street. She was given financial help towards a new central heating timer and had window and door locks and grab rails fitted. Glenis said: “The scheme has been very good. It was my daughter and my friends who were concerned about me because my leg does give way sometimes. I’d had an operation because I’ve got arthritis and I had a knee replacement, but it still goes sometimes.”

She said the work was done quickly and easily. “They came round and had a look and then did the work from there. One of the lads is going to come back and put a step outside my back door because there’s a big drop to the yard.” Glenis already had central heating put in by the Warm Front team, but the timer had broken, pushing up her bills. She explains: “It was on constantly and I didn’t want that!” After her home assessment, she had the timer replaced and has only good words to say about all the help she’s received. “I’d definitely recommend the scheme to other people,” she adds.

Other examples of the work carried out under the scheme include:

• An Eton Road resident had stair rails and security measures installed, plus received help with obtaining quotes from approved contractors to sort out repairing the roof. Free loft insulation will be fitted when the roof is repaired.
• A Victoria Street resident had free rails and security measures fitted, and was helped to gain quotes from approved contractors to address damp and install additional heating.

Home-Start Gets New Start

An organisation which helps local families has moved into the Heart of Burton area after a chance conversation led to a successful funding bid.

Home-Start, which offers free, confidential help to families with young children, has now settled in at the Enterprise Centre in Waterloo Street and will be able to increase the help it provides thanks to the move. Volunteers visit families in their own homes to give support, friendship and practical assistance to parents who feel they are struggling.

Amanda Newbold, Home-Start Senior Co-ordinator, popped in to see John Wainwright at the Heart of Burton Partnership, to discuss whether the two organisations could help each other in any way.

Amanda said: “I explained that we wanted to expand our services but we were trapped in a sardine-tin type box!

“We had funding for another worker but couldn’t recruit, had volunteers knocking on our door and families coming in referrals like snow. All that was stopping us growing was our premises.”

John Wainwright suggested Amanda put in a bid for funding to the Heart of Burton Partnership and the £2,995 she received paid for the move itself, the increased rent at the Enterprise Centre and installing carpet and a sink.

The new premises have a room for Amanda, one for the four workers and one where volunteers will be interviewed. And Home-Start can take on the extra member of staff they have funding for.

“Now, if people want to come in and refer themselves, they haven’t got to go all the way into town,” explains Amanda. “We can help more families and are able to run a family group.”

To find out more about Home-Start’s services, or to volunteer to help, call 01283 566684.