Tenants Festival
As part of the Resident Involvement Strategy, the Association is committed to carry out annual “events” in which all residents are able to attend. The aims of the events from the Association’s point of view are:
• an opportunity for consultation on a wide range of issues
• an opportunity to develop communities through “building togetherness” both within estates and across different Newydd estates
• an opportunity for tenants to have access to a wide range of staff and involvement routes such as the Annual General Meeting.
The Association has regularly run tenant events and in 2007 took the approach of delivering local events, however, this approach meant that communities did not mix. Therefore the decision was made that for 2008 the Festival would be for all Newydd tenants.
A working group of staff and tenants, headed by the Community Involvement Officers found a venue in Fonmon Castle, Vale of Glamorgan and organised the entire event.
Over 800 attendees registered an interest to attend and transport was arranged for 546 tenants and their families and friends. Nine large coaches and seven minibuses ferried the tenants from Barry, Penarth, Sully, Dinas Powis, Cowbridge, Llantwit Major, St Athan, Aberaman, Cwmbach, Glynneath, Tongwynlais. Tonteg, GIlfach Goch, Talbot Green, Ely and Newtown.
Activities that were available for visitors to join in on were Sumo suits, Bouncy castle, Karaoke / Disco, Beat the Goalie, Childrens’ Sports Day, Climbing Wall, bingo and Wii. There was also a demonstration from the Ilan Diamonds Marching Jazz Band.
Certificates and prizes were awarded to winners of the gardening and good neighbour competitions run earlier in the year.
There were 15 stalls run by tenants selling jams, bric a brac, face painting etc. along with external stalls run by RNLI, Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS), R&M Williams, TAs and also Newydd consultation stalls for Housing, Maintenance, Development, Care & Repair and Human Resources (recruitment).
The aims of the day for Newydd were fully met as there was considerable consultation undertaken throughout the day, communities got together to run stalls or joining together to attend, and there was a lot of opportunity for tenants to discuss issues with staff and Board members and to attend the AGM.
The Newydd AGM was run during the Festival and had attendance from Jane Hutt AM, three Board Members and a considerable number of tenants.
Feedback on the event
A brief survey was carried out at the end of the Festival to gauge visitors satisfaction with the day. There were 52 responses (approximately a 10% sample).
The majority of attendees came from Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan, which does raise the issue of the location of the event.
Just under half of respondents stated that they attended the Annual General Meeting – this would lead to one of the highest attendances by tenants at a Newydd AGM for many years.
Proposals for next year
There are a number of options for next years event:
• Run the same festival again
• Engage a Consultant/Organiser to run the event
• Hold smaller, local events as in 2007
• Hold a smaller themed (such as Arts, Crafts etc) event
• Not run any event
There has been some negative feedback about running such large events through the early Tenant Survey results, and given the split about where an event should be held (that would attract over 800 visitors) it is proposed that a smaller event focussing around an Art/Photographic event be developed to incorporate next years AGM.
If you want any more details or would like to join any of the Groups, please contact your local housing office (see Contacts page) or email enquiries@newydd.co.uk