| Reiki, Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage! These were just some of the therapies enjoyed by people who attended our recent Tenants’ Days. After last year’s very successful national conference at Hampden Park in Glasgow, feedback showed that people were interested in more local events. So this year we arranged four events, one each in Dundee, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow. Over 60 tenants came along to take part. To start things off, people were welcomed with tea and coffee and a light buffet lunch. After that, trained therapists were on hand to give people a 20 minute free taster session in the therapy of their choice. Everyone who had a go enjoyed the treatment and found it relaxing. Luckily those who fell asleep during the treatment had no hard feelings for the therapist who had to wake them up! As well as having a relaxing head or hand massage, tenants were able to meet staff from Housing, Housing Support, Customer Services and Maintenance to discuss any issues. Both tenants and staff commented that it was good to be able to put a face to a name. Tenants appreciated the chance to speak to staff face-to-face and the fact they could discuss issues in a bit more detail than over the phone. Each venue had a speaker on energy efficiency with top tips to save people money on lighting and heating bills. Speakers came from the SCARF (Save Cash and Reduce Fuel) Energy Efficiency Team and the Warmburgh Advice Team. These agencies providea free and impartial informationservice to help people save cash, energy, and the environment. There are some simple and cheap things that everyone can do to start becoming more energy efficient immediately. We were given some common sense points such as only fill the kettle with as much water as you need and save around £5 per year; turn down your thermostat by one degree and save around £29 per year; and close your curtains at dusk and save around £15 per year. Everyone who filled in a card pledging to cut down on the amount of energy used at home was given two energy-saving light bulbs free. Their main point was not only can you make your home ‘greener’, you can save money by doing it! Another speaker was David Tares, who is a tenant and a member of the MBHA Board. David spoke about different views of disability. He explained that society puts disabled people at a disadvantage by the language used such as ‘wheelchair bound’. However, he pointed out that people are really disabled by the environment – by stairs, poor lighting, inaccessible buses – rather than limited by disabilities. David was not able to attend all the days so his talk was repeated by Elly Ravenhill, Tenant Participation Officer, in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow. At all the Tenants’ Days, Elly gave a presentation on Tenant Participation and explained how people could become more involved with the Association. There was a great deal of interest in having local forums, where people can get together to discuss issues then feed back to the Association. The successful House Building workshop from the 2005 conference was repeated but this year with a slight difference. With a kit of different cardboard rooms, tenants designed their dream homes complete with jacuzzis and sun roofs. It’ll be interesting to see how this influences the Development Team for future designs! Each venue had some different speakers depending on local interest. In Dundee, at the Charleston Community Centre, Chris Knox from the Volunteer Centre spoke about how people could become involved with a befriending project, either to give or to receive support. Community Wardens were on hand to explain their role in looking after an area and reducing anti-social behaviour. Responding to demand, we arranged a crèche so that parents could concentrate on taking part in the day without having to look after their children. One of our aims is to be as inclusive as possible so that everyone can join in. The spotlight at the Update Centre in Edinburgh was on our website. Dee-Anne Herd, our Digital Media Officer who is responsible for designing and updating the website, gave guided tours of the website to everyone. The ‘Tenant Zone’ on the website gives up-to-date information on what is happening with Tenant Participation and tenant groups throughout Scotland. In Aberdeen, at Raeden Court, Shirley Stewart from the Disabled Persons Housing Service (DPHS) gave a presentation about the project. The DPHS is a charity run by a committee of local people, some with disabilities. They offer housing advice to people with disablities, their families and carers, and give disabled people a chance to make choices on housing options that are right for them at their own pace. A computer register of people with disabilities who are seeking suitable housing is used to match the people with adapted vacant properties which meet the unique needs and profile of each person. Clients can visit the DPHS office which is based at Raeden Court in Aberdeen, or home visits can be arranged. The last Tenants’ Day was held in Glasgow, where people braved the stormy weather to come along to the Partick Burgh Halls. Police and Fire Safety Officers spoke at great length to tenants in small groups, and individually, about personal safety. A light-hearted quiz ended the day with a box of chocolates for the winning team. A very big “Thank You” to everyone who came along to one of the days and also to those who helped make the days possible. Particular thanks must go to Elly Ravenhill who planned the events. Elly has since left Margaret Blackwood Housing Association and we wish her all the best for the future. A number of tenants were also involved, from planning the events to setting up the stalls and speaking on the days. If you would like to get involved with any future events or be involved in something locally in your area, please let me know. You can contact me by telephone on 0131 317 0103, or by email to AinanG@mbha.org.uk. I look forward to hearing from you. | 
