GGH are now accepting nominations for the 2009 GGH Community & Junior Community Awards.  We are keen to recognise customers who have made a positive contribution to their community and the lives of others.  Each proposal will be carefully considered and GGH hopes to promote and appropriately recognise all worthy nominees.  Closing date for nominations is Friday 3 July 2009.  For more information, or to nominate yourself or someone you know please contact the GGH’s Tenant Participation Team free on 0800 25 26 27. Full details can be found in the spring edition of the News & Views magazine.

£1000 in B&Q vouchers to be won!! GGH tenants can win in our 2009 Gardens Competition. There are a number of categories ways to win: Most Impressive Garden Most Improved Communal Garden Garden around a flat or bungalow Junior Garden Click here for an the entry form for more information on the categories, rules, how to enter and dates.

The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) was set up on 1 December 2008 and are the new independent regulator for affordable housing in England. Please click here for more information on what they doing to raise standards of services for tenants.

The eagle eyed residents of Bewsey & Dallam may have noticed the local buses have been sporting a jazzy poster promoting our partnership with Fit Kidz.  Fit Kidz is a community group that is part of Positive Futures a national sports inclusion initiative.  They are based in the wards of Whitecross, Bewsey and Dallam. Their aim is to improve the lives of young people aged 5-17 and provide sufficient opportunities for young people to become fit, healthy and to achieve their full potential.  All of our activities free and they rely on the involvement of members of the local community to survive.

GGH is keen to promote and support sports and fitness on our estates to encourage young people into positive activities.  For more information on Fit Kidz:

Phone:          Paul Flannery on 07740075798
Email             fitkidzwarrington@live.co.uk
Website:       www.fitkidzwarrington.com

On 1 April 2009, the new Gas Safe Register replaces the CORGI gas registration scheme as Great Britain’s gas safety authority. By law, from 1 April, only Gas Safe registered engineers should be employed to carry out work on gas installations or appliances – CORGI gas registration will not be valid.   All contractors who work for GGH who previously were register under the CORGI scheme are now registered with Gas Safe Register so they can continue to work legally from April 09. All engineers will be provided with the new yellow Gas Safe Register logo, and every engineer will carry a Gas Safe Register ID card with their own unique licence number.  Before you have any gas work done in your home, make sure you check the card. If someone other than a Gas Safe registered engineer carries out gas work at your home, you could be risking the safety of your family and your property.

In late 2008 GGH entered the annual Best Companies Awards.  Staff were sent a questionnaire asking questions about: Leadership Well Being My Manager My Team My Company Personal Growth Giving Something Back Fair Deal

These were scored by Best Companies and GGH received a collated score of 646, ranking GGH as One to Watch by Best Companies.  A score of 738 would have seen GGH given Three Star Status (a ranking reserved for companies considered “Extraordinary” – so GGH has done really well to get so close in its first attempt and is ranked in the top 500 companies to work for in the UK.

Jonathan Austin – Founder and CEO of Best Companies, said: “I would like to congratulate Golden Gates Housing on their achievement. Our role at Best Companies is to set a rigorous benchmark so that organisations can become even better employers. This year it is encouraging to see that the number of companies entering the accreditation scheme for excellence in workplace engagement has grown by over twenty percent."

GGH scored highest in the areas of My Team, My Company and Well Being, and will utilise the results this year to further improve its approach to managing and developing people.

Can you help?   Your chance to have your say about standards in social housing

The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) is the new regulator for homes owned by housing associations and co-ops. From spring 2010, they are likely to be responsible for local council and arm’s-length management organisation (ALMO) landlords too.  Click here for more information...

GGH are currently implementing some minor changes and updates to our website.  As a result some of the functions of the website are not operational at the moment.  Please do not worry, we are working hard to make the necessary changes and to have the website working correctly as soon as we possibly can.  We will keep you posted on any further developments as and when they occur.  If you have any queries or require assistance please do not hesitate to contact us on our freephone number 0800 25 26 27.  Many thanks for your patience at this time.