Gardening Competitions 2009

After the success of last year we are launching the gardening competition earlier this year to encourage more tenants to take part. You have six months to prepare your gardens ready to enter this year's competition. For this event to be successful we need more people to participate, so no matter how big or small your garden, all are welcome to enter.

The competition will be judged on Monday 29th, Tuesday 30th June and Thursday 1st July 2009. The closing date for entries will be Wednesday 24th July 2009. The categories have changed this year following feedback from last year's participants. The new categories are as follows:

• Best Front and Rear Garden
• Best Rear Garden
• Best Front Garden
• Best Garden Feature
• Best Water Feature
• Best Small Garden
• Tubs, Pots and Baskets
• Best Small Sheltered Communal Gardens
• Best Large Sheltered Communal Gardens
• Children's Category

The prize presentation event will take place Wednesday 22nd July 2009 with the venue to be confirmed. If you would like to enter please contact Sharon Cole on 01283 595788 or email Sharon.cole@south-derbys.gov.uk or talk to your Housing Officer. We will register your contact details so that we can send an application form to you nearer the time.

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Housing Open Day 2008

Housing Services held its annual Open Day for tenants and residents of South Derbyshire on 13th September at Gresley Bowling Club in Church Gresley. After all the recent rain the weather was very kind to us and the sun shone down on a fun filled and fantastically attended event.

Housing Services' staff have worked hard over the last few months and in the immediate build up to the day to make it very special indeed. We doubled last year's attendance as more than 300 local people came through the gates to take part in the day's activities. Esteemed guests included the Chairman of the Council Councillor Ann Hood and her consort Frank Hood and Leader of the Council Councillor Heather Wheeler.

On display were stands from many SDDC departments including Citizens' Panel, Public Sector Housing and Get Active. Over 20 local organisations providing welfare, education, health and lifestyle services to the local community also attended to publicise the many worthwhile services on offer in South Derbyshire. These included the NHS, CAB, Next Step, P3 and Derby University to name but a few.

There was also a fun element to the day with SDDC providing the Inflatable Laser Quest and Play equipment. There was also a very successful Penalty Shoot Out Competition and Treasure Hunt which kept the many children occupied throughout the day. The highlight of the event were the Birds of Prey supplied by Rosliston Forestry Centre. Many, including the Chairman of the Council, got to handle the birds and see them in full flight which was a remarkable experience.

So after the dance shows and the prize draws everybody went home with a smile on their face and the staff were rewarded by knowing that all of the hard work paid off and yet again the Housing Services Open Day was a great success.

Feedback from the day has been very positive with many saying it was the best year so far. The dancer and birds of prey were rated the most popular of the day.

The exit survey results were:

• 52.6% of people attending came for first time this year
• 94.7% enjoyed the day
• 100% will come to the next open day

Finally winners of prizes were:

Prize Draw

1st: Julie Jones
2nd: Peter Crick
3rd: Graham Sharpe

Treasure Hunt

Neave Wileman

Penalty Shoot-out

Colin Ledger Age 4
Jake Aire Age 9
Brandon Walker-Insley Age 10
Jake Fairbrother Age 11 (unclaimed)
Traford Pickering Age 12 (Unclaimed)

We look forward to welcoming you along in 2009!

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Annual Gardening Competition 2008

The gardening competition was once again a great success with a fabulous standard of gardens across the district.

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who made such a great effort and entered. The judges this year were Joyce Eccles, Tenant Representative and Councillor Pat Murray. We would also like to thank both of them for giving their own time and expertise to help make this year’s competition such a success.

There were nine categories in total and the winners and runners up all received a certificate and vouchers for local garden centres, donated by local business who kindly sponsored the competition. We would not be able to hold the competition without such donations so a big "Thank You" to the following is in order:

• Universal Contractors, Midway
• Harvey & Clark Builders of Swadlincote
• Robert Prettie & Co Ltd Heating of Nottingham
• Powerminster Gleeson, Swadlincote
• Massey and Sons, Woodville
• Stanton Nurseries, Stanton
• Bretby Nurseries, Bretby
• Garden King, Newhall

The presentation and buffet lunch was held at Belmont Club, Swadlincote, on 16 July. The prizes were awarded by our judges in the presence of Chairman Councillor Ann Hood who was accompanied by her consort Mr Frank Hood and the Director of Community Services Mark Alflat, who was MC for the day. A special thanks also to Bob Sexton for providing the sound system and all who were involved in making the day a success.

The overall winner was Mr Colin Durant of Hunts Lane, Netherseal who received a cheque for £150.00. He was very surprised to have won the overall category but happy that his hard work was recognised. The judges commented that his "garden had a real wow factor when you walked in with the well maintained lawns and the colourful ambience".

 

Winners and runners up of all categories:

 

Front and Rear Garden

Winner – Mr Durant, Hunts Lane, Netherseal
Runner up – Lisa Hardy, Hawthorn Avenue, Netherseal

Most Improved

Winner – Mr Prince, Spring Street, Castle Gresley
Runner up – Mr & Mrs Dawson, Harbin Road, Walton on Trent

Rear Garden

Winner – Tina & Marcus, Windsor Close, Newhall
Runner Up – Mrs Hatter, Cleveland Close, Swadlincote

Small Garden

Winner – Mrs Orme, Cleveland Close, Swadlincote
Runner Up – Kath Carter, Princess Avenue, Castle Gresley

Sheltered Housing Communal Garden

Joint Winner – Tom Eedle, Peartree Court, Etwall
Joint Winner – Mrs Burke & Mrs Richardson, George Street, Church Gresley

Water/ Garden Feature

Winner – Mr Reed, Bells End Road, Walton on Trent
Runner Up – Mr Prince, Spring Street, Castle Gresley

Overall Winner

Mr Durant, Hunts Lane, Netherseal

 

 

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Homelessness, Housing Options and Allocations Challenge Day - Wednesday 5th March 2008

 On Wednesday 5th March at Sharpes Pottery, Housing Services, Housing Options, Homelessness and Allocations Team invited service users, tenant representative and partners to challenge them on our current services to enable us to review and improve them.

Delegates took part in two out of three workshops of their choice, which were:

• Homelessness
• Allocations – Choice Based Lettings
• Housing Options

Delegates were encouraged to actively participate, giving their views and opinions on the services we currently provide. Following this we asked for suggestions on ways to improve services and current literature.

Feedback from the event was positive and Housing Services are implementing an action plan to make suggestions and ideas from the day a reality.

If you are interested in being involved, please contact the Tenant Participation Officer on 01283 595788 or email tenant.participation@south-derbys.gov.uk

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Gardening Competition 2007

presentation Wednesday 15th August 2007, Belmont Club, Swadlincote

The seventh annual Gardening Competition was once again a resounding success. There were 20 entrants and the standard was very high, so thank you to everyone who made such a great effort. This year's judges, tenant representative Joyce Eccles and Councillor Pat Murray, had a difficult job in selecting the winners and runners up. Thank you to both of them for giving their time and expertise to help make this year's competition so successful. 

There were nine categories. The winner of the Sheltered Housing category was Mr Tom Eedle of Peartree Court, Etwall who at the age of 90 still keeps the large communal gardens full of colour and well tended.

The Overall winner was Mr Vernon Laud of Edward Street, Hartshorne. His prize included £75 worth of gardening vouchers. Afterwards he commented that as he has now won the Overall category he will not be entering again, but would like to volunteer as a judge for future competitions.

The Prizes were awarded by the Chairman of the Council, Councillor Mick Bale, who was accompanied by his Consort Mrs June Bale. The Head of Housing, Bob Ledger, was the MC for the day.

(pictured right - overall winning garden)

Runners up and Winners

Water Feature

• Runner up – Mr & Mrs Key of Elms Road Coton–in–the–Elms
• Winner – Mr & Mrs Godfrey of Springfield Road, Repton

Tubs, Pots and Baskets

• Runner Up – Mr Laud of Edward Street, Hartshorne
• Winner – Mrs Carter or Princess Street, Castle Gresley

Small Garden

• Runner Up – Mrs Carter or Princess Street, Castle Gresley
• Winner – Mrs T Price of Meadow Way, Newhall

Rear Garden

• Runner Up – Mr Laud of Edward Street, Hartshorne
• Winner – Mr & Mrs Burgess of Hartshill Road, Hartshorne

Front & Rear Garden

• Runner Up –Mr & Mrs Miller of Linton Road, Rosliston
• Winner – Mr & Mrs Key of Elms Road Coton–in–the–Elms

Most Improved Garden

• Runner Up – Mr Reed of Bells End Road, Walton–on-Trent
• Winner – Mr & Mrs T Farmer of Windsor Close, Newhall

Sheltered Housing

• Winner – Mr Tom Eedle of Peartree Court, Etwall

Children's Category, Tubs, Pots & Baskets;

• Winner – Mia of Wilmot Avenue, Weston–on–Trent

Overall Garden

• Runner Up – Mr & Mrs Key of Elms Road Coton–in–the–Elms
• Winner – Mr Laud of Edward Street, Hartshorne

 

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Anti Social Behaviour Challenge Day

30th May 2007, Bretby Conference Centre, Bretby

Over 50 tenants, residents, Councillors and staff from throughout the district turned out to support Housing Services' Antisocial Behaviour Challenge day. The event, which took place at Bretby Conference Centre, saw delegates taking part in a number of workshops throughout the day which included:

1. Antisocial Behaviour (hosted by Safer South Derbyshire)
2. Crime Prevention (hosted by the Police)
3. Domestic Violence Awareness (hosted by South Derbyshire CVS)
4. Housing, Antisocial Behaviour and the RESPECT Agenda (hosted by the Housing Operation Team, South Derbyshire District Council)

Delegates were encouraged to actively participate, give their views and opinion as well as being able to take away loads of information and ideas.

Feedback from the event has been very positive and Housing Services are now looking at implementing an action plan to make some of the suggestions and ideas made on the day a reality. Keep checking the Housing News newsletter for an update on our progress. 

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Business Support Challenge Day – November 2006

On Thursday 16th November at the Belmont Club in Swadlincote town centre, Housing Services Business Support section invited the South Derbyshire Tenants' Forum to challenge them on the current services offered and help us come up with new ideas to improve.

The day was a huge success with some very constructive feedback.

Says Anna Davies, Tenant Participation officer, "The challenge days are proving a very good way for tenants to help us identify were we can improve and to highlight changes sometimes very simple ones that officers just don’t see sometimes. Some of the changes suggested are not too difficult to make and can even save us money in some cases."

The report below gives a detailed account of the day and lists the feedback given by participants. It also includes the action plan put in place because of this day, which staff are now working on. There has been a lot of progress with a number of changes already made to our contents insurance scheme that came from suggestions from tenants at the challenge day. This shows how seriously we are now taking your feedback.

If you would like a copy of the report sent by post or by email please contact the Tenant Participation Officer on 01283 595788 or email tenant.participation@south-derbys.gov.uk  
 

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