We are doing everything we can to help tenants during these financially challenging times. We have successfully applied for funding which is benefitting our tenants who need it the most, held informative roadshows, partnered with organisations to assist them and the great work they do, given out items to help alleviate food and fuel poverty and worked with the local community to help improve their wellbeing.
Scottish Housing Fuel Support Fund We were awarded £35,000 from the Scottish Government’s Social Housing Fuel Support Fund to support tenants and the wider community with the cost of living and fuel poverty crisis. This allowed us to give out cosy packs to tenants to help them reduce their energy bills and keep them warm in their homes. At present, we have supported 156 tenants, with feedback being incredibly positive. Cost of Living Roadshows We delivered two cost of living roadshows in November 2022 and January 2023. We worked with 25 specialised partner agencies to provide information and support around the cost of living and fuel poverty crisis to tenants and the wider community of North Ayrshire. Both roadshows went down really well with attendees being particularly with our energy saving goody bags, which included thermal mugs, blankets, energy saving light bulbs, hats, gloves and temperature gauges. Fuel Bank Foundation We have partnered with The Fuel Bank Foundation. They can offer support and assistance to tenants around fuel poverty issues and people who are currently in crisis. If you think you would benefit from their support, please get in touch and we can make a referral. Heat Grant The Cairn Housing Group, of which Ancho is part of, was awarded a grant of £264,920 from the Scottish Government’s Social Housing Fuel Support Fund. This allowed us to reach out to households on qualifying benefits with dependents under the age of 19 and issue a payment towards their energy bills. Small Steps Counselling Service The Small Steps project has delivered a vital service within the wider community in North Ayrshire, due to the lack of counselling services available in the area. It has empowered clients to feels safe in the therapeutic one-on-one supported environment and has given them a sense of self-worth and achievement. Our project has been an exceptional and unique service that has supported 600 people, of which 139 were Ancho tenants. Client feedback has been positive with them demonstrating the positive impact the project had with regards to reducing levels of anxiety, depression, isolation and loneliness. Due to the end of our funding, this project will sadly no longer be running. Food Poverty We continue to work in partnership with the local foodbank. We have made monetary donations and staff did a reverse advent calendar in November where they brought in an item of food each day then donated it at the end of the month. We are also currently giving out free Easter eggs to tenants with children under the age of 16. We have 800 Easter eggs to give out and our thanks go to James Frew, DM Homeshield, Rodgers & Johnston and Everwarm for donating these eggs.
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We have made a £2,000 donation to the North Ayrshire Foodbank. In addition to the donation, staff also made a personal contribution by doing a ‘reverse advent calendar’ during the month of November to provide much needed food and toiletries.
The North Ayrshire Foodbank provides a lifeline to people across the region who are experiencing financial difficulties. 1 in 5 people in the UK live below the poverty line and the Trussell Trust, who support the North Ayrshire Foodbank, estimate that 40% of people on Universal Credit are skipping meals to keep up with other essential living costs. Jacquie Gardner, Area Housing Manager at Ancho, said: “The North Ayrshire Foodbank provides an essential service to our community and our tenants. As a referral partner we see the work they do and how they support our tenants in times of need. We are proud to have had the opportunity to give them some much needed support at a time when their services are in greater demand than ever. We are inspired by the amazing work they do.” Craig Crosthwaite of the North Ayrshire Foodbank said: “The foodbank staff and volunteers thank Ancho, and the legion of other supporters, for their dedicated kindness and generosity which is essential to ensure our friends and neighbours across North Ayrshire are assisted to avoid a food crisis. We are fortunate to have organisations like Ancho who care for their communities over and above the direct services they themselves provide.” Many of the things we enjoy over the Christmas period, such as fairy lights, candles and decorations, can all be fire hazards when proper care is not taken.
Read on to find out how to keep your household safe this Christmas. Trees and decorations
Candles
Christmas dinner
Stay safe
As we approach the colder months, the changing weather can cause damage to your home. However, with a few easy steps you can prepare for the chillier months ahead.
Bleed your radiators After a few months out of action, you may find your radiators are cold at the top and hot at the bottom. To make sure you’re getting the most out of your heating (and money), bleed your radiators. Before starting, have an old cloth and a bleed key ready, and make sure the heating is off. There should be a valve on the radiator, usually at the top, and you need to turn this until you hear a hissing sound. Use the cloth to catch any liquid that comes out of the radiator and as soon as only water starts coming out, turn the valve key again. Find your stopcock It’s important to know where your stopcock is so you can stop water flowing into your home in the event of a burst pipe. Your stopcock is usually found under your kitchen sink. But it may also be near the boiler, under the stairs, or on an outside wall. You should be able to turn it to shut the water supply on or turn it on. Keep your heating on a timer If you’re planning to be away and the weather is set to fall, set your heating to come on with a timer setting. This could prevent the water in your pipes freezing if it gets really cold, which could lead to burst pipes or flooding. How to deal with a frozen water pipe
If you’d like any advice or assistance on any of this, including how to find your stopcock or how to bleed your radiators, please get in touch and our maintenance team will be happy to help. As an Ancho Board Member, you will give your time and expertise ultimately to help people to find a home and receive quality services. You will set and review performance and plans, and guide Ancho’s strategic direction as part of Cairn Housing Group, ensuring our high standards are met across all our services. We will harness your invaluable experience to ensure every decision we make is for the right reason and keep our high governance standards.
This role provides an excellent opportunity to join one of Scotland's leading housing associations, to gain non-executive director experience and to enhance your own career and develop skills, whilst also making a real difference in our local community. We encourage and support Board Members’ personal development through induction, mentoring, training, seminars, conferences, study visits and involvement in working groups across Cairn Housing Group. As a Board Member you will receive a laptop, email account and IT support to facilitate attendance at virtual meetings. As a voluntary position you will not be paid, but travel costs to attend meetings and other expenses are reimbursed in line with the Group Entitlements, Payments and Benefits Policy. Interested? Further details about Ancho and Cairn Housing Group can be found online at https://www.ancho.co.uk and https://www.cairnha.com. For an informal discussion about this role, or for further details and an Application Pack please contact Carolyn Owens, Governance Services Manager on 0800 990 3405 or via [email protected]. We are changing our telephone number today. If you need to get in touch with us, please call 0800 990 3405. This number is free from landlines and mobiles.
Your call will be handled by a friendly customer advisor from our Cairn Connect team and you will continue to receive the same level of excellent service you are used to. Our opening times are Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. We also provide an emergency out-of-hours service. If you need us outside of our opening times, please call the above number and select the relevant option. You can also request services through My Ancho, our online self-service portal. Register by going to ancho.co.uk/my-ancho. You can carry out a range of functions, including:
If you need any help or support to register for this free service, please get in touch. We express our sincere condolences to the Royal Family at the passing of Queen Elizabeth II during this historic moment for the country.
May she rest in peace. What is My Ancho?
My Ancho is an online portal that helps you manage your tenancy with ease. My Ancho is designed to make life easier for you. Even if you haven’t used the internet much before, you’ll find it easy to access the services you need. What can I do with My Ancho?
Ready to sign up? Registering with My Ancho is easy and will only take you a couple of minutes. When you sign up, you’ll be asked for the following information:
Don’t worry if you don’t have all the information to hand. You can start the registration and then a member of our team will help you complete it. Or you can contact us and we’ll send you a link to activate your account. |
What can you do online? | Request a Repair | Make a Payment | Apply for Housing | We Care, Please Share | Report Antisocial Behaviour | Contact Us |
Contact UsAncho
Sovereign House, Academy Road, Irvine, KA12 8RL |
Opening hoursMonday to Friday, 9am - 4pm
The office is open to visitors on Monday and Thursday, 9am - 4pm. Please contact us to make an appointment if you'd like to see a member of staff outwith our office opening times, or call or email anytime. |
Company InformationRegistered Society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014
No 2559R(S) Scottish Housing Regulator No 306 Recognised as a Scottish Charity No SC036082 Registered property factor PF000346 |