Projects we worked together on...

Festive fun for Oakfield Gardens

Residents at Oakfield Gardens, Shirley were invited to join us for a Christmas party on Tuesday 13th December. The party was organised in association with A2Dominion Housing Association and residents from Turner’s Oak Court, who hold the event every year. Children enjoyed food, face painting, entertainment from Ninetto the clown and even presents from Father Christmas!  

Neighbourhood Watch Workshops around Southampton

On the 22 November at the Mansbridge Community Room, Portswood Safer Neighbourhoods team hosted a Neighbourhood Watch Workshop for Neighbourhood Watch Schemes and Residents Associations within the Swaythling and Bassett areas. This was an opportunity for Neighbourhood Watch and Residents Association groups within the local community to share ideas and meet representatives from the local policing team.

LGBT Group Meeting, Petersfield

On the 30th November, The LGBT staff and residents group met at Radian’s Petersfield office. They meet several times a year to discuss issues around how housing and community may affect our LGBT staff and residents. We discuss a different topic at each meeting and at our recent Petersfield meeting we discussed how Radian could produce a small booklet on ‘LGBT housing standards’. This project will be started in the new year.

 If you would like to join the LGBT group, please call Jade on 023 8062 8170 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Resident Auditor Training

Residents took part in training during November to become Resident Auditors. This year they will be looking at the service Radian provides when doing adaptations for people with disabilities.

If you are wondering what a Resident Audit is here is your chance to find out more and get involved! Radian is committed to engaging with its residents and one way of doing this is to give opportunities for our service to be looked at by our residents. Each year a team of residents come into the organisation to look at one aspect of the service we provide, in 2010 the auditors looked at the process used when dealing with void properties. This year we are looking at disabled adaptations. The project includes training which covers the various methods used for inspections, communication skills that you may require, report writing, plus an opportunity to discuss any difficulties that you may encounter. A few weeks later you will be required to visit the Radian offices and begin the audit. This will include speaking to members of staff and possibly talking to customers about the service that is provided. After you have carried out the audit you will be required to come back at a later date to provide feedback on your observations.

If you are looking to get back into work then this is an ideal opportunity to get some current workplace experience on a really important project. Radian will cover any childcare and transport costs and as a ‘thank you’ you will receive a gift voucher for carrying out the audit.

 If you are thinking – ‘will our work make a difference?’ then please continue to read.

The Resident Audit is an important piece of work because it shows that we are listening to the views of our residents and giving them an opportunity to influence the service that we provide. After the Resident Audit in 2010 a review was carried out on the decorating allowance & the satisfaction surveys across Radian.

The audit for 2011 is currently underway and will be finished early in 2012. However if you would like to be part of future audits please contact Jade Polhill - Community Development Officer (Solent) on 0300 123 1 567 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Mansbridge in bloom next Spring!

Children from Mansbridge Primary School, Mansbridge Gardening Club and staff from Radian worked together to brighten up Mansbridge ready for spring 2012.  On 4 November, the Mansbridge gardening club came up with the idea at a recent meeting to plant bulbs in the area around the shop and the new ‘eco site’ on Stoneham Cemetery Lane. Some of the bulbs were donated by ‘the big bulb plant’ which is a project run by the eden project. Keep an eye out in Spring for the lovely daffodils, chrysanthemums and crocus that have been planted.

Mansbridge Forum Meeting

On 20 October the Mansbridge forum met. The Forum is made up of Local residents and agencies who come together and share local information and projects. The forum enables information sharing and how local agencies can work together to perhaps save money and improve service to local people. At the October meeting we discussed events that were taking place for fireworks, Halloween and Christmas and police priorities. In January Radian will be raising the subject of where we can spend £25,000 of funding that has been given to the community in Mansbridge.

The next Mansbridge Forum meet every three months and the next meeting is on 19 January from 12:30 – 13:30 at the Gilbury Close Officer.