Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our satisfaction survey in December.
The survey results will be shared with you soon. In the meantime, the prize draw winners have been selected at random.
The High Street voucher winners are:
Congratulations! The winners have been presented with their vouchers.
All communities have a person who goes the extra mile to help their neighbours. We felt that these people should be celebrated, that’s why we launched the NWH Good Neighbour award.
We asked people to nominate those who really makes a difference to where they live, keep an eye out for their neighbours or always ready to lend a helping hand when needed.
We had some great nominations, full of examples of neighbours supporting each other. We considered the nominations and are pleased to reveal that the two winners are Rachel Turnbull from Noddfa and Dorothy Caudwell from Llys y Coed. Find out why they were nominated below:
Rachel Turnbull, Noddfa
Rachel volunteers three days a week cooking and feeding the homeless. She also goes above and beyond in preparing and giving meals to her fellow residents. She will cook meals for her fellow residents, making sure that everybody’s needs are catered for, often buying ingredients from her own pocket. Rachael is bright and breezy and will help anybody in need.
Dorothy Caudwell, Llys y Coed
Dorothy helps to organize a lot of entertainment activities for her fellow residents and has been instrumental in trying the get some normality back following Covid. She plays a very important role in building the community spirit here at Llys y Coed
Thank you to you both for being such amazing neighbours! And thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate.
Join NWH staff for a catch up over a hot drink and mince pie or biscuits this December.
We have NWH tenant events on the following dates:
6th December 12pm – 2pm – Ty Llywelyn, Ffordd Yr Orsedd, Llandudno. LL30 1LA Download poster
8th December 12pm – 2pm – Plas Ffrancon Leisure Centre, Coetmor New Rd, Bethesda, Bangor LL57 3DT Download poster
CHANCE TO WIN AIRFRYER!! Everyone who attends will be in with a chance to win an airfryer
Come along and have a chat with us or receive any money saving advice. Games and crafts to keep children entertained (must be accompanied by adult)
Any questions?
[email protected] or call 01492 572727
Partners across North Wales are joining together to provide warm, safe spaces for people who are struggling to cope with rising energy costs this winter.
The Croeso Cynnes (Warm Welcome) initiative is being led by Menter Môn, in co-operation with many organisations as part of the 2025 Movement, a group of over 600 people and organisations across North Wales that are working together to tackle avoidable health inequalities across the region.
Partners in Croeso Cynnes have committed to opening up warm, welcoming spaces in offices, libraries and other community centres where people can spend time, enjoy a hot drink and in many cases hot food. The scheme also aims to raise awareness of practical support they can access through organisations such as Warm Wales, a Community Interest Company working to tackle fuel poverty across Wales, ensuring that anyone in need of support is referred to people who can help.
Clare Budden, Chair of the 2025 Movement and Chief Executive of ClwydAlyn Housing Association, said:
“The cost of living crisis is a huge challenge for our organisations and the people we serve, with health inequalities set to widen further and communities begin to feel the very real impact of soaring energy costs, particularly in Wales which has the highest average electricity bills in the UK.
“It’s great to see so many partners joining together to open up their spaces, from libraries to community centres, to provide local people with a warm and safe space that they can visit to help if they are struggling to heat their homes. Everyone involved in 2025 has long been committed to working together to do all we can to tackle inequality and Croeso Cynnes is another example of the difference we can make by joining forces.”
Croeso Cynnes spaces are being promoted by Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig as part of the social enterprise Menter Môn. Partners involved in 2025 that are opening Croeso Cynnes locations accross North Wales include Cyngor Gwynedd, Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn, Mantell Gwynedd, Cymdeithas Elusennol Ynys Môn, Medrwn Môn, Cyngor Conwy, Cyngor Sir Ddinbych, Cyngor Sir y Fflint, along with housing associations Tai Gogledd Cymru, Adra, Grŵp Cynefin, Cartrefi Conwy, Tai Sir Ddinbych and ClwydAlyn.
To find out where Croeso Cynnes spaces are available in your area click here.
We recently provided Cricket Wales with funding via Community Funding to support cricket sessions to 30 children in Conwy over half term holidays.
The money provided was used to provide medals for young primary school children from areas of deprivation in Conwy who take part in half term cricket activity in communities surrounding NWH houses.
Such activities help connect communities and improve children’s wellbeing by inspiring them to discover a passion for cricket.
Got a community project you would like to apply for funding? Find out how here https://www.nwha.org.uk/get-involved/opportunities/community-fund/
We are looking for a new Digital Champions to engage with tenants to break down barriers to digital exclusion. Providing support and guidance to tenants in regard to using digital tools, including holding one-to-one support or small group sessions providing digital learning.
Think this could be for you? Find out more here and get in touch with Sam Roberts, Digital Officer on [email protected] or call 01492 563295.
North Wales Housing has handed over the keys to new residents of a development of 16 affordable, sustainable homes in the picturesque village of Gaerwen.
North Wales Housing partnered with Anglesey Council to deliver the £2.9m Stad Maes Rhydd scheme which has been designed to help meet the desperate need for affordable homes in rural areas.
The new development comprises ten two-bedroomed homes, two three-bedroomed homes and four much-needed one-bedroom apartments.
Sustainability has been prioritised throughout the development and the partners have taken a ‘fabric first’ approach to create highly-insulated homes which will retain warmth.
As Gaerwen is not connected to mains gas, low carbon electric air source heat pumps and roof mounted Photovoltaics solar panels have been installed. Residents moving into their new homes will enjoy lower energy bills and have been given training and support in how to use their pumps.
One of the aims of the development was to enable local people to put down roots in the area which is experiencing a shortage of affordable homes.
It has been built on a rural exception site. Such sites allow small developments of affordable homes to be built on land that wouldn’t usually be used for residential properties.
Being in such close proximity to Gaerwen village centre, Stad Maes Rhydd is well served by local amenities and is close to the A55 Expressway connecting to Llangefni, Holyhead and Bangor. It is also hoped that residents can benefit from close proximity to local employment opportunities.
Lauren Eaton-Jones, Assistant Director of Commercial at North Wales Housing, said; “These homes have been built with local communities in mind. Engaging with local residents was a key part of the process so we are confident that this new development will go some way to meeting the village’s needs.
“It’s a thrill to see people moving into their new homes and to know that this coming autumn and winter they will benefit from more affordable energy and homes built with energy-efficiency in mind.
“Strong partnership working has also been key to the success of this scheme and it’s been a pleasure to work with Anglesey Council on bringing these much-needed, affordable homes to Gaerwen.”
North Wales Housing colleagues were also supported by the Rural Housing Enabler to bring local people into the process and confirm need in the area.
Anglesey Council’s Housing portfolio holder, Councillor Alun Mummery, added; “We are pleased to be able to work in partnership with North Wales Housing to provide more new affordable homes on the Island. Young people and families are really struggling to put down roots in their communities and build a life here. Small, energy efficient and affordable schemes like Stad Maes Rhydd are vital to the sustainability and future of our villages.”
“It is a pleasure to see residents moving into their new homes and we hope they thrive in this new community.”
The homes are rated ‘A’ in their energy efficiency, well above the Welsh Government requirements to meet the target of net zero by the end of 2030. Additionally, preparations have been made to add an electric charging point for vehicles in future.
A Grandmother from Bangor has heaped praise on the sheltered accommodation scheme where she has raised her family, as Y Gorlan celebrates a landmark anniversary.
Glenys Rowlands was the first person to move into the Y Gorlan development in Bangor after taking the job as a live-in warden, moving into her home in 1987 with her husband and three children, then aged seven, three and two.
Now Glenys enjoys welcoming her grandchildren to Y Gorlan and says the development has had a massive impact on the lives of hundreds of residents over her time there.
Y Gorlan is situated in the heart of Bangor and is run by North Wales Housing.
It sees residents maintain an active social life while enjoying all the benefits of living in a sheltered accommodation scheme that allows people to maintain their independence.
Glenys said:
“Our aim is to create a community feel and independence for residents for as long as possible whilst offering support where needed.
“Residents can feel safe and secure in the knowledge that assistance is always on-hand in an emergency.
“Over the years, the people living here have become like an extended family, they have watched my children grow up and this is something I wouldn’t have changed for the world.”
Tenants regularly enjoy day trips together and the landlord has run volunteering sessions for students at Bangor University who would make tea and put on activities for the residents.
The scheme offers 31 easy to manage self-contained apartments for people over 60 and gives the option for family visitors to use a guest room at a small fee.
Life at Y Gorlan has changed significantly over the years and is now home to a mix of tenants with different needs. Before her role as a live-in warden, Glenys trained to become a nurse, where she has seen her skills come to hand when residents have been ill.
Glenys added:
“There is an emphasis at Y Gorlan spending time with people face-to-face as a way to help tackle loneliness, particularly after the pandemic. The accommodation has a common room for residents to connect and there is a regular coffee morning every fortnight, including ones for charity.”
There are no plans for Glenys to give up work at Y Gorlan. She has become the heart and soul of the sheltered accommodation and has offered a friendly face to residents in need of support.
Eirlys Parry, Head of Older Persons said:
“This is a great celebration for Y Gorlan. We are extremely lucky to have Glenys managing the scheme over the years, she is an asset to North Wales Housing and we’re so grateful of all her hard work. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Glenys.
Happy Birthday to Y Gorlan, we hope you enjoyed your celebration; here’s to the next 35 years!”
Do you know someone who really makes a difference to where you live? Are they always keeping an eye out for their neighbours and ready to lend a helping hand when needed?
As our tenant you can nominate another North Wales Housing tenant for a prize, giving them the chance to be presented with £50, and as a thank you for nominating an award winner you will also be given a £10 shopping voucher.
If you know of a tenant who goes that extra mile to help others, we would like to hear from you!
Closing date: 04/11/2022
We have recently reviewed and tested the affordability of the rents and service charges we currently charge and are extremely pleased to announce that every single one of our rental charges are passing the affordability criteria.
The measure we have used is a tried and tested, popular and widely used affordability model developed by The Joseph Roundtree Foundation which states that rent is affordable if it is no more than 28% of a tenant’s income or 33% of the income if a service charge is also charged.
Naturally, we don’t have details of all our tenants’ income, therefore, we have used the Real Living Wage to calculate this as we feel that the majority of our working tenants will be earning this rate of income given the Welsh Government’s drive to pay staff the Real Living Wage.
We are extremely pleased to be sharing this news, but we need to know how does this feel for you? Is our assessment something shared by you? We are very eager to have your opinion on this and on the services you receive from North Wales Housing through answering survey below. North Wales Housing tenants completing the survey will enter the prize draw!
Survey link https://forms.office.com/r/iiGdrR5Ppw
If you wish to speak to someone at North Wales Housing about this survey, please contact Iwan Evans on 01492 563232 or [email protected]
