Welcome to the summer 2025 edition of your Here at Horton newsletter.
In here, you will find our latest news, results of the Satisfaction Survey 2024-25, an update from Horton’s Scrutiny Group and our latest volunteering opportunities.
We hope you enjoy reading this edition of your newsletter.
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Contents
Checking and improving Horton’s Standards
Contract extensions for Horton services
Satisfaction Survey results 2024-25
Horton Housing’s Key Performance Indicators
Health and safety in the summer
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action plan
New properties (Chartford Housing)
Volunteering at Horton Housing
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Your news
YPASS visits Manor Heath Park
Our Young Persons’ Prevention and Support Service (YPASS) in Halifax enjoyed their visit to Manor Heath Park in April. The group walked around the walled garden and visited the Jungle Experience to see the butterflies and terrapins in their natural habitat. They thought the park was well worth a visit and encourage others to take a trip down if you can.
A Royal visit
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes from Horton’s Training Centre were surprised to find they had planned a trip to Centenary Square in Bradford on the same day as King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit in May.
Class participants joined the crowd to get a glimpse of the royal couple as they left the new Bradford Live venue. It was a memorable and enjoyable trip for the group.
Public Living Rooms at Skipton and Harrogate
Public Living Rooms were set up outside our Craven Rough Sleeper Pathway Service in Skipton and Harrogate Stay Well service in early spring.
Public Living Rooms are a movement created by Camerados to help people to connect with others in the community. It is a welcoming place with people who listen, do not judge and do not try to ‘fix’ each other.
Both groups had a great time in the sun and had plenty of visitors. All attendees had a lovely time engaging with people who usually, they may not talk to.
One attendee said, ‘I had such a great time, I’d definitely come often – a fantastic idea!’
More information about Public Living Rooms can be found here: https://camerados.org/
Kirklees IHM’s 14th birthday celebration
Kirklees Intensive Housing Management (IHM) marked an impressive 14 years of service this April with a lively celebration featuring bingo and birthday cake. While the competition got a little tense at times, tea, coffee, and sweet treats helped keep spirits high.
The reigning ‘bingo king’, Martin, didn’t have it all his own way this time — newcomer Rob gave him a real run for his money! In the end, most participants walked away with a prize, with Easter eggs bringing smiles all around. A fun and festive way to celebrate a fantastic milestone!
MP visits Huddersfield services
Huddersfield MP Harpreet Uppal was invited by Horton Housing Association to visit two of our Kirklees based services, the Horton Intervention and Prevention Service (HIPS) and Substance, Tenancy and Resettlement Service (STARS) on Friday 9, May.
Both services provide accommodation and support for people in Kirklees who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Harpreet Uppal met service participants and colleagues to find out more about what the services do and speak to participants about their experiences.
She said: “I was very grateful for the visit to Horton Housing, where I met a couple of people who had been supported by them. Their stories were inspirational. With the help of Horton Housing and a lot of determination, they had managed to change their lives around. It was great for me to see that, so that I can share it with colleagues in Parliament. I will continue to do what I can to support the supported housing sector.”
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Over to you!
Tenants and colleagues at one of our Group Living Services unleashed their creativity with some painting in a recent art session.
The desert
As the sun burns down
on the hot, dry desert
waste land
dry bones of death
in the hot, dry desert
waste land.
Then the want of
water that cleanses
the body, the soul
and then a touch
of purity to eternity
to a hidden reality
that no word on earth can express.
The feeling of success
It the art in the truth and justice
These are the words that bless.
By Karl, Fairmount tenant
Graham from Calderdale IHM builds model kits which often take hours of concentration and skill to build and complete. He has developed the skills to study the complex details of each model due to the pieces being tiny in size. This has given Graham so much confidence in his model building abilities. Starting his journey building plastic models, he has progressed to making models in different materials, including more complex, detailed models made from metal.
Over the fields we go
Me and my friends
Having some bad times
Fighting for justice
And time is ticking by.
We got to get away
Oh, what did we do?
Going to a place
Where we can rest
Where we haven’t been before.
Get over what we’ve done
It was a mistake to live with
We have no regrets
We have to live with it
And over the fields
And far away
Far away we go.
By Alison, Kirklees IHM tenant
Tim helps transform HACS 4 Men’s garden
Tim and his brother shared an allotment as youngsters.
He came to Horton, living firstly at Grattan in Bradford and currently, more independently at accommodation with Housing and Community Support (HACS) 4 Men.
Tim became involved in HACS 4 Men’s gardening project as soon as he moved here. He has cleared the area outside of his flat of leaves. He has also spray-painted tyres and then filled them with compost and plants.
He has planted seeds and put tomatoes into larger pots which have been placed inside the new greenhouse. Tim has also dug a patch of the garden out that had been overgrown and planted cabbages, broccoli and onions.
Gardening has had a positive effect on Tim’s mental health, and he reports that it is giving him alternative things to do. He is looking forward to eating the produce that is growing, as he remembers from his childhood in the allotment that homegrown produce tends to taste better.
Tim’s work on the garden has also encouraged other HACS 4 Men tenants to be involved and tend to the planters outside the front of the accommodation. All the tenants say that this makes them feel happier, prouder and more involved in where they live.
Do you enjoy doing something creative, such as producing art, making crafts or writing poetry? Do you have a hobby or interest that you would like to share here?
Contact communications@hortonhousing.co.uk or talk to your support worker to see your work in a future edition of this newsletter.
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Checking and Improving Horton’s Standards
Introducing our Standards
Last year, the Regulator of Social Housing introduced new Consumer Standards for social housing providers.
At Horton, we welcomed these standards, as they aim to provide you with greater rights, a more active role in the services we provide, and help to improve the safety and quality of your homes, and neighbourhoods.
There are four Standards:
- Safety and Quality Standard
- Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard
- Neighbourhood and Community Standard
- Tenancy Standard
These Standards help to make sure that:
- We treat you fairly and with respect, and that we understand how you want us to support you.
- We keep you informed, we listen to you and involve you in our decisions and plans.
Your voice is key to helping us check our standards too. We have already set up a new tenant Scrutiny Group that invites you to check and question what and how we do things at Horton. Look out for the next session. There is more information on the Together with Tenants page of Horton’s website: https://hortonhousing.co.uk/together-with-tenants/
Checking our Standards
Every year we check that we are meeting our standards and look at ways to improve our homes and services for you. Our Quality Assurance Team also takes a second look to check how well we are doing.
A recent check of the Tenancy Standard found some positive results:
- We rent homes to our tenants in a fair and open way.
- We talk to people about what support they want when we offer a home for rent.
- We support tenants to live in their homes.
- When tenancies end, we do this fairly, and we offer support to move on.
We also found a few areas that we are going to improve:
- We will do more quality checks, to make sure we’re getting things right for you. For example, checking that when we let a home, we have made sure it is a good fit for you.
- We will make some of our paperwork clearer, for us and for you, such as information about what to do if things go wrong.
What’s next?
This year, the Quality Assurance Team will be looking at the safety and quality of your homes, and if Horton is well-managed. We will keep you updated in Here at Horton.
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) oversees the standards. If you want to know more about the standards, you can ask your worker or you can visit their website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/regulator-of-social-housing
Contract extensions for Horton services
Horton have been working in partnership with Bradford Cyrenians and Bradford Local Authority for over 10 years to help deliver the contract for people in Bradford who are owed a housing duty by Bradford Council.
The contract for this provision went out to tender in late 2024, and we were successful in our part of the bid for the new contract.
This means that we will continue to deliver this provision for at least a further three years and our provision has increased from 69 homes to provide 250 temporary homes for families and single people who are owed a statutory housing duty.
These properties are across Bradford and Keighley and range from one bed houses or apartments to five bed family homes.
We will continue to work in partnership with the council and other local providers to make sure that everyone who is owed a housing duty is appropriately and safely housed.
Peter’s story
Peter came to our Spring Street accommodation in Kirklees in April 2024. He had experienced challenges with drugs, a wrongful arrest and six months in prison. Through his experiences, he discovered his true calling: to help others. Through his time at Spring Street, Peter has gained employment and is planning for his future.
Read the full version of Peter’s story on our website here.
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Satisfaction Survey results 2024-25
Thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s Satisfaction Survey.
Our Satisfaction Survey takes place every two years. This survey is for everyone who accesses Horton’s services.
While we will continue to run the Satisfaction Survey, the results of the tenant only survey – the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) Survey 2023-24 – is available on our website here: https://hortonhousing.co.uk/about-us/documents/
The TSM survey will be undertaken for the second time later this year.
The tenant only survey fits with the Housing Regulators specific requirements on Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM’s) which came into force from April 2023. The Satisfaction Survey and the TSM Survey will run on alternative years.
This year, 561 people completed the Satisfaction Survey.
The results demonstrate that:
- 96% of you are very or fairly happy with the service you get from Horton Housing.
- 93% are very or fairly happy with the opportunities you have to make your views known about services.
- Of those who have made a complaint, 84% of you are very or fairly happy with how it was dealt with.
- 89% of you in Horton’s accommodation are very or fairly happy with how we deal with repairs and maintenance.
- 93% of you in our accommodation are very or fairly happy about the service Horton provides as a landlord.
- 99% of you are very or fairly happy with the services you get from the schemes in the Training Centre.
- 96% of you are very or fairly happy with the information we give you about health and safety.
Our feedback to your survey responses
The services we provide at Horton are all quite different, so we sent each scheme manager individual feedback for their area. Each scheme then drew up their own plan based on your suggestions which should have been shared with you. If you have not seen a copy, please ask your support worker.
Visit the documents section of our website to see all our replies: https://hortonhousing.co.uk/about-us/documents/
Horton Housing’s Key Performance Indicators
At Horton Housing we aim to provide excellent services and always look for ways to improve them.
Every three months we look at our performance to see how we’re doing. We measure ourselves against targets based on the performance of a group of other good housing providers, where available. Other measures are set by Horton Housing’s Management Board and Senior Management Team.
Here are the latest Key Performance Indicator (KPI) figures for quarter three from 1 October to 31 December 2024. A KPI is a measure of how well we are doing.
Rent collection
99% our target
102% quarter three result
Tenants in arrears by eight weeks or more
6% our target
10% quarter three result
This is not a good result – being ‘in arrears’ means owing rent. The percentage in this quarter is higher than the percentage in quarter two. This was mainly due to some outstanding rents in Calderdale that were yet to be paid. There was also a delay with the schedule received for rents in North Yorkshire.
Our rents team continue to work with Housing Benefit departments to encourage timely payments of rent.
Properties with a valid gas safety certificate
100% our target
100% quarter three result
Repairs completed in target time
Emergency – 97% our target
98% quarter three result
Urgent – 90% our target
96% quarter three result
Routine – 90% our target
93% quarter three result
Satisfaction of repair received
92% our target
97% quarter three result
Our Property Services administration team contacted some of you who had repairs to ask for your feedback. During quarter three:
52 calls were made. Of the 32 that answered the phone:
30 were very satisfied with the repair,
one was satisfied,
and one was neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
Managing damp and mould
We had 11 new reports of damp and mould in quarter three. 10 were attended to within the target of three days (91%).
The exception was a property that we lease where the repair request came in as ‘routine’ instead of ‘urgent’. By the time this was picked up by admin colleagues, the target date had passed. The property was visited and all works completed within eight working days.
All necessary remedial works were completed within target. Eight were logged as urgent and completed within the required three days. Two were logged as routine and completed within the target of 28 days. One required no further works.
Please help us by reporting any issues with damp and mould as early as possible.
You can find out more about damp and mould on our website:https://hortonhousing.co.uk/preventing-damp-and-mould-in-your-home/
Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) incidents
There were 12 cases of ASB in quarter three. Seven of the 12 cases were closed in the quarter. Five cases had ongoing actions.
There were five new reports of ASB during quarter three. All new reports were responded to within the timescale of being reported.
One of the five new cases was closed during the quarter. This left a total of nine open cases carried forward to quarter four with ongoing actions and monitoring.
Complaints
We received four formal complaints in quarter three. Two formal complaints were answered within the target time. The other two complaints received a delayed response. One was late due to a clerical error, and one was delayed due to being unable to contact the person who made the complaint and the person not engaging.
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Involvement and engagement
Horton Housing Group signed up to be official adopters of the National Housing Federation’s Together with Tenants Charter in December 2020.
This means we want to make sure that:
- You are safe and listened to.
- You can help shape our services if you want to.
- The homes we provide are good quality.
- When things go wrong, it is easy for you to tell us or make a complaint and we will sort it out quickly.
Our commitment applies to everyone, regardless of whether you live in our accommodation or are accessing any other Horton service.
My name is Claire, and I work for my own company, Tentacles, to make sure people in supported and social housing are involved and engaged in the services they receive. I run the Scrutiny Group at Horton, which is your chance to give ideas, feedback and solutions for change.
Scrutiny Group update
In the Scrutiny Group, we look at different issues that are important to people using Horton’s services. We’ve covered lots of different things, such as repairs and maintenance, colleague listening skills and communication. We talk about what’s working well and what needs to be improved. When we spot things that need to be improved, we make recommendations to Horton. The good news is that the recommendations are changing things. Here are some of the things that are happening:
- Liz O’Connor, Director of Housing, is looking at the appointment system for repairs. She wants to make sure you know when to expect an operative, and what to expect if your repair needs more work.
- Liz and her team have carried out a Maintenance Roadshow to meet your support worker as she wants to make sure they have the right information to keep you informed. For example, did you know that an emergency repair should be done within 24 hours, an urgent repair in three days and a routine repair in 28 days? They will be using the information that they have as part of the repairs team plan to make improvements to the service you receive over the next 12 months.
- All people using Horton’s services should receive regular welfare checks, but some people said this didn’t always happen. We know this is important to you so Gudrun Carlisle, Horton Housing’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), has reminded all colleagues to do this. You should also know that if you feel you need more welfare checks, you can ask for this to be put on your support plan.
- A lot of people told us that although they were told how to complain when they first moved in, they often forget. Others said they didn’t like to complain as it might upset colleagues. Horton want you to know that they see complaints as a great way of learning and finding ways to improve. So, if something isn’t right, tell us. More information about how to make a complaint is available here: https://hortonhousing.co.uk/contact/making-a-complaint/
The Scrutiny Group also helped with the strategy for involvement and engagement. It’s called Bringing People Together at Horton. The Scrutiny Group chose this name because they believe it is important for everyone to work together to make Horton the best place it can be. We’ll be launching the strategy soon so watch out for it!
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Health and safety in the summer
Summer in the UK can be a time for enjoying the outdoors, travelling, and participating in various activities. However, it’s essential to stay mindful of health and safety to have a pleasant and safe experience.
Here are some key tips to help you stay safe and healthy this summer:
Sun protection
- Use sunscreen: Apply sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Reapply every two hours and after swimming.
- Wear protective clothing: Choose light-coloured, lightweight clothing, hats, and sunglasses to shield yourself from the sun.
- Seek shade: Avoid direct sun exposure between 11am and 3pm when UV rays are strongest. Use umbrellas or find shaded areas to stay cool.
Hydration
Drink plenty of fluids: Stay hydrated by drinking water regularly. Consider drinks with electrolytes to replenish lost minerals during hot weather.
Heat precautions
- Stay cool indoors: Close curtains on sun-facing windows to keep indoor spaces cooler. Use fans or air conditioning if available.
- Look out for others: Check on older adults, those with underlying health conditions, and people living alone to make sure that they are staying cool and hydrated.
- Never leave anyone in a parked vehicle. This includes infants, young children, and pets, as temperatures inside a parked car can rise rapidly.
Outdoor activities
- Food safety: Keep food covered and avoid leaving it out in the sun for extended periods to prevent contamination by insects.
- Tick and insect prevention: Wear light-coloured clothing to spot ticks easily and use insect repellent to avoid bites.
- Manage allergies: Address hay fever and other allergies by checking the pollen forecast and taking any prescribed medication.
Travel health
- Check health information: If travelling abroad, check health advisories for your destination. You may need vaccines or medications to protect against diseases like malaria.
- Consult healthcare providers: Speak to your GP, pharmacist, or travel clinic ideally four to six weeks before your trip for advice.
Practice good hygiene
Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after handling food, such as at BBQs or preparing picnics.
Fire safety
Make sure you know the escape route of your accommodation or house in case of a fire.
Mental health
Stay connected: Social interactions and support networks are vital for mental wellbeing. Plan activities with friends, family, neighbours or your connections in the community.
By following these tips, you can enjoy a safe and healthy summer. Stay informed, take precautions, and make the most of the (few) sunny days!
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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action plan
We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in all areas of the organisation. Every year we publish an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action plan which sets out our targets and how we will put our commitment to equality and diversity into practice.
The EDI action plan is available on our website. Visit: https://hortonhousing.co.uk/about-us/documents/
You can also ask your support worker or another Horton colleague for a paper copy of the plan.
New properties for people experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping
We have recently bought and completed more properties under the Bradford Single Homeless Accommodation Programme (SHAP) contract. These properties will be offered with support in place, to people who have experienced homelessness or rough sleeping in Bradford.
One of our recent SHAP properties is a two-bed end terraced house with a driveway. We carried out various works and improvements to the property. This included: upgrades to the electrics, heating and plumbing, roof repairs, new floor covering, full redecoration and a front garden upgrade.
The renovations were completed by Chartford Housing. Chartford Housing is the development arm of Horton Housing Association and a Registered Provider (RP).
As a Registered Provider, Chartford Housing can access development funding from the Homes England Affordable Homes Programme.
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Donations round up
From January to March, we received 56 donations, we sent out 78 donations and 89 people visited our Owt for Nowt shop.
We received many donations from the community during this period. We would like to say a big thank you to everyone for their kind donations.
Items of furniture were donated from a clear out of Horton’s former Group Living Service building in Bradford. This included: wardrobes, chest of drawers, desks, chairs, TVs, ovens, fridge-freezers and washing machines. All items were placed in our Owt for Nowt shop for the people in our services.
Volunteering at Horton Housing
At Horton Housing, volunteers are an essential part of what we do. They help us support people across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and North Yorkshire, and in return, we make sure volunteering is a rewarding and meaningful experience.
Volunteering can help you:
- Gain confidence
- Meet new people
- Help others
- Learn new skills
- Gain work experience
- Keep active
- Have a sense of purpose
- Improve your mental health.
We offer a variety of roles, including admin, activities support, gardeners, befrienders, cook and eat facilitators, and donations sorters.
Latest volunteering opportunities
Would you like to volunteer at Horton Housing? Check out our latest volunteer opportunities below.
We will give you:
- An induction, support, supervision and training
- Out of pocket expenses, such as payment towards travel
- A reference if you volunteer for more than three months.
You can keep up to date and apply for our volunteer roles by visiting the volunteering section of our website.
If you are interested in volunteering and would like to find out more, please contact our Volunteer Services Team on 01274 743480 or email volunteer.applications@hortonhousing.co.uk
All the roles require an enhanced DBS Check of which we will cover the cost.
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Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Horton Housing is committed to promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Our aim is for our organisation to be truly representative of all sections of society, for individuals to be treated fairly, to feel respected and be able to be their best.
We are committed to ensuring that our services are appropriate and accessible to the people who need them. We are opposed to all forms of harassment and unlawful discrimination.
We have an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy which sets out how we will meet the needs of the people we work with and our equality duties. Every year we publish an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan which sets out our targets and how we will put our commitment to equality and diversity into practice.
We have been awarded the Housing Diversity Network Accreditation (DNA) recognising our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
We are a member of the Housing Diversity Network.
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Get in touch!
If you have ideas on what you would like to see in the newsletter or to give any feedback, please get in touch.
You can contact us through your support worker or by emailing: communications@hortonhousing.co.uk
Or you can write to us at:
Communications, Horton Housing
54 Little Horton Lane, Bradford BD5 0BS
Or you can telephone us on 01274 370689
Or connect with us on social media
Facebook: search for ‘Horton Housing Association’
Instagram: Horton Housing
X: @hortonhousing