Projects we worked together on...

Radian Disability Conference

A great first for Radian

On Tuesday 14th February residents from all of radian's areas gathered at the Wessex Conference Centre at Sparsholt College near Winchester. This was the first time that radian had held a Disability Conference and what a success it proved to be!

Cookery Workshops, Beaufort Park, Bournemouth - Autumn 2011.

I can’t cook!!

It’s a phrase that probably many of us have used over the years when describing our culinary skills, however for a few residents help was on hand!

In 2011 Radian along with Raglan and the Spectrum Group teamed up with the ‘The Teaching and Learning Company’ to run a cookery workshops for the residents on the Beaufort Estate in Bournemouth. The course began with an introduction session which saw Tony, the tutor from The Teaching and Learning Company, cook a variety of dishes, which included a chicken curry and a quiche. Matthew Barton, Community Development Officer at Radian, certainly enjoyed the session! Tony was assisted by Dave and Julie, two Raglan residents who attended a previous course. They benefited so much from it, they have returned to help Tony.

The course lasted for six weeks and taught residents a variety of skills, from how to shop and cook on a low income to what makes a good chocolate pudding. It’s was also a great way for residents to get to know others who live close by. On the 8^th December 2011 the residents held a buffet demonstration where they had the opportunity to show staff from local agencies what they had learnt during the workshops. Matthew Barton (Community Development Officer - Avon) and Stephanie Stanley (Community Involvement Team Leader – Avon) attended the session and certainly enjoyed the culinary delights!

The course participants also had the opportunity to undertake a food hygiene examination which, for those who passed, could help when looking for voluntary or paid jobs within their local community.

Avon Panel Annual General Meeting

The Avon Panel held their Annual General Meeting on Monday 28^th November.  The event took place at the St Leonards Hotel, near to Ringwood.  The Avon area is widespread so choosing a venue was a challenge to make it accessible to all, Ringwood was a central point for Radian residents who live in the New Forest, Wiltshire and Dorset.  The AGM started at 6.30pm with a welcome from Diana MacLean (Head of Region West) and followed with the Avon Area Panel report from Lorraine Thompson, Chair of the Panel.  At 7pm residents were then free to visit a ‘market place’ of Radian Services, including: Radian Direct, Neighbourhood Officers, Community Involvement, Income Team, Aids and Adaptations, Grounds Maintenance, Technical Services and the Area Panel recruitment stand.  The event went really well, but we would have loved more residents to have come along and had the opportunity to talk to the Panel and suggest ideas and priorities. We are now having a think about how we can provide our Annual General Meeting in a different way, for example video linking, touring the ‘AGM’ or even changing the time/day.  If you have any ideas how you think we can improve future events and make them more accessible please let Stephanie Stanley know on 0300 123 1 567 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Breakfast at Holbury!

On Saturday 8^th October 2011 Matthew Barton, one of our Community Development Officers from the Avon area visited Holbury Childrens Centre for breakfast!  It seems that wherever there is food Matthew is never far away!

The idea of the session was to meet with residents from one of our newest developments, Mary Drake Close in Holbury and introduce them to service provided by the Childrens Centre and Radian. The Police attended and were able to answer queries that the residents had and a children’s entertainer also came along who was really popular with all ages!

 Matthew said:

'It was a really well organised event and it was great to be able to meet with some of our residents in a more relaxed environment.  I was also very pleased to see that the residents who have moved into Mary Drake Close are very happy with their properties’. 

We would like say thank you to the following people who made the event possible:                   

 Christine Towers (and staff) – Childrens Centre Manager

 Debbie Elliot – Youth Worker , Fawley Parish Council

 Radian – Avon Office for arranging the children’s entertainer

Sarah attended the event along with her son and daughter.

Beaufort Park ‘Clear up’ session

On Friday the 22^nd July 2011 Radian and Raglan held a ‘Clear up’ session at Beaufort Park in Bournemouth.  The event proved to be very popular and although it wasn’t due to start until 10am the first skip was full by 9:30am with unwanted items from residents’ houses!!

When the team turned-up on site, they found a very helpful gentleman called Gavin helping to stack the rubbish in the skip. The team would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Gavin for his help – they could not have done it without you!

The team would also like to say a big ‘thank you’ to the following people:

Bill Shaw – Operation Manager (Radian)

Barbara Hodges – Neighbourhood Officer – (Radian)

Helen Jones and her colleague Carey – (Raglan Housing Association)

Amanda Nicholls and her colleagues – (Bournemouth Borough Council

Cookery course delights residents

Eight Bournemouth residents made it very difficult for Matthew Barton to stick to his diet.   The residents from Beaufort Park had huge fun improving their cooking skills on a low budget on a six week course. And Matthew, our Community Development Officer, was delighted to say, “The food was delicious!  How could I possibly have refused to try it?”

He arranged the course along with Raglan and Spectrum Group Housing Associations.   Residents were taught how to shop and cook on a small budget by Tony, the tutor from The Teaching & Learning Company. Two Raglan residents, Dave and Julie, had enjoyed a previous course so much that they came back to help Tony.