Digging for nuts around the sector's daffodils
Football crazy, football mad
Top marks for the wackiest annual report must go this week to Whitefriars Housing Group in Coventry. Following hot on the heels of a Star Trek-themed training day last year, the post-transfer landlord has compiled an interactive CD-Rom that, I quote, "moves away from the traditional text and columns of figures". It includes video clips of tenants and employees and footage from regional news programmes in which Whitefriars gets a name-check.

However, the crowning glory has to be the Friar Football game, where players control a frantic friar who dashes around scoring points by keeping a ball in the air.

I only hope this isn't an indication that Whitefriars has been taking business advice from Coventry City football team.

A marathon undertaking
I bet the good people at Shelter never thought being the lead beneficiary of this year's London marathon would be so stressful. The homelessness charity seems to have almost all of its staff engaged in one way or another organising its runners, from licking and sticking envelopes to ghost-writing encouraging messages from long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe. These messages are sent out en masse to the mobile phones of athletes whose early enthusiasm may be on the wane.

Not content with this, however, staff are now covering for people who have indicated they want to take up a place in the race on behalf of Shelter, but have yet to return their forms. If the place isn't taken by someone then it is deemed forfeit and allocated elsewhere. Such gallantry in the face of adversity should be applauded.

Of course, Housing Today newsmeister Stuart Macdonald – who will be staggering round the course for Shelter – returned his form at the earliest opportunity. Honest.

Grim reaping
I knew the capital's housing situation was bad, but one sardonic professional recently suggested rather a grim solution.

The speed at which social housing becomes available has dwindled so much that only 15 new lettings took place during a three-month period in one borough last year and, according to this person, it will take a "sudden cold snap" to create vacancies and get things moving again.

Weslo fighting fit
Readers interested in Weslo's stalled attempts to register itself with Communities Scotland will be heartened to know the firm has embraced the diversification agenda in the meantime.

Whilst doing research last week (yes it does occasionally happen!) the HT newshounds were intrigued to discover a "weslo treadmill" that provided "fitness for real people". Weslo will undoubtedly hope to pick up the theme of its namesake and continue to exercise the minds of the folks at Communities Scotland.

All at sea

The Dutch have done it again: they’ve come up with an ingenious solution to providing housing in high-demand areas on the coast. Houses, greenhouses and roads are built on a floating pontoon of polystyrene encased in lightweight concrete and anchored in position. Perhaps the homes could be the answer to the infrastructure and flooding worries bedevilling the Thames Gateway. Instead of commuting by car or train you could paddle your house to work. But would they be liable for the congestion charge?

Source

Housing Today