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January TORC News Bulletin
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Welcome to the first edition of the TORC News Bulletin in 2023!
We have a lot of news to catch up on from the end of last year. TORC residents were very busy in December – taking part in the festive bingo, Christmas craft packs, DIY Christmas wreath packs and the launches of the community signs in Clane and Macroom. A big congratulations as well to Alexsandra (age 11) from Clane who’s lovely festive door scene won the Christmas card design competition.
This January we are excited to be able to announce the TORC Foundation Education Bursary winners. There is a wide variety of brilliant courses that the awardees are undertaking. The TORC team are delighted to be able to provide financial support for further education for these residents.
Make sure you check out the important notices about the annual boiler servicing and register for a heating demonstration or to attend the Rent Review Information Session if you feel you need some assistance.
Don’t forget to follow TORC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Bethany – Tenant Engagement Officer
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Funding Awards from TORC Foundation Education Bursary Announced
Congratulations to the 10 TORC residents who were awarded funding under the TORC Foundation Education Bursary in November 2022. The Education Bursary Panel awarded a total of €7,090 in educational grants for the 2022-2023 academic year. The funding was provided to support the residents in their further education journey by covering a full or partial amount of their course fees. See the table below for the full list of awardees and their courses – there is a huge array of different subject areas.
The Process
The TORC Foundation Education Bursary closed for applications at the end of October, and we received a total of 21 applications. The TEO went through the process of shortlisting candidates that fulfilled the Terms and Conditions of the Bursary (a key T&C was that applicants must not be in receipt of other funding and must be applying for fees and not expenses). The shortlisted applications were then sent to the Education Bursary Panel. The Panel (made up of 5 people, some of whom are independent from TORC) used a marking rubric to grade each application and then met to discuss and collate the grades of each application.
The Education Bursary for 2023 will be open again in early summertime so if you are interested in pursuing further education, make sure you complete an application once it is launched. Here is what some of the recipients had to say about the bursary this year:
“Receiving this funding is a great support to me as this is the final stage of my path to obtain a license which will help me to start my own business. I am happy to find such great support from TORC.” – Marun
“I am over the moon after being accepted to the bursary for my course, thank you so much. I really appreciate what TORC do for us residents…I am very excited to better myself and add to my qualifications and have the potential to turn it into a full-time career for myself and my family.” – Kirsty
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Heating System Servicing – Important Notice for All Residents
The Repairs team have begun the annual programme of heating system servicing and will be contacting all residents about their servicing date. It’s important that heating systems, including gas boilers & ‘Air to Water’ heat pumps, are serviced every year to comply with safety regulations.
For the service, engineers will need access to your property and each service can last up to 40 mins. In due course, you will receive an email from Gemma in the Repairs team advising you of the date and details of the contractor doing the works. Please respond to confirm your availability and let her know if there is a day and time that suits you better. If you have any questions, please call the helpdesk on 014852020 and press option 1 for Repairs. Heating System servicing is upcoming in the following Scheme:
*Cluain Ailbhe, Kildare*
Friday 13th, Monday 16th, Tuesday 17th January 2023
Contractor Ryan Martin from ‘RSM Plumbing & Heating’ will be on site from 8am to 6pm each day.
Remember, you can also always refer to the weekly site visit schedule of the Repair team on the TORC website.
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Christmas Crafts Pack Feedback
In December TORC worked together with the ‘Craft Cabin’ to deliver 167 craft packs to residents! (49 adult & 118 children). The craft pack for adults was to make an Advent Calendar and the craft packs for 4-8- and 9-16-year-olds were a selection of festive decorations. This initiative was a great way to encourage creativity and to have an activity for parents/grandparents/guardians to do with their children over the holiday season. We received some great feedback from residents so we hope we can run this initiative again this year.
Feedback From Residents:
“Unbelievable what I got [in the craft packs], you are all such a nice people, Torc is fantastic. I will send pictures with all done. Thank you, thank you, thank you”
“Here’s my son, usually he isn’t really interested in craft but you encouraged him when he saw the package and start to do it immediately after he back from school. I’m really appreciate your lovely idea.”
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Festive Community Sign Launch Events – Clane & Macroom
Despite the freezing temperatures, there were great turn outs for the festive launch events of the community signs in December. The brilliant signs designed by the children of Cluain Ailbhe and Pairc Ui Mhuirithe encourage their neighbours to clean up after their dogs, take home their rubbish and to slow down! We can’t wait to see these up around the schemes in January.
At the events, the signs were on display on easels in the central communal green space for the community to appreciate. HSCO Peter and Community Gardai Shane Smyth & Lorna Flynn awarded the €20 gift card prizes to each young designer in Clane, while TEO Bethany gave out the prizes in Macroom.
Feedback From Residents:
“I wanted to thank you very much for organizing this contest. Thank you very much for the prizes and gifts that you brought yesterday.” – A.B (Clane)
“Thanks Bethany, brilliant initiative for the children.” – M.OB (Clane)
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1/ Rent Review Information Session and Q&A
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We are introducing a new digital process for our annual review, so to help you Catherine our Rent Coordinator will be available on Monday the 16th of January at 11am to run through everything and answer any of your questions over Zoom.
Sign up for the event here: REGISTER HERE
TORC Residents will be familiar with the ‘CIS’ form (Confidential Income Statement), which is what you would have filled out when you first completed your tenancy documents. For the annual rent review, you will be asked to input very similar information as on the CIS form, but it will be in a digital format.
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2/ Register for a Heating Demonstration
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Over the past colder months, the TORC team has been receiving feedback from some residents that they would like to feel more confident in managing their heating system. Being able to better manage your heating system can also have a positive impact on your energy bill.
If you would like a member of the Repair team to do a one-to-one heating system demonstration with you in your home, register using the form below.
REGISTER HERE
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3/ TORC Top Tips for Tenants
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All TORC households would have received a letter in December outlining the upcoming digital rent review process. This month’s TORC Top Tip For Tenants takes you through the most important points you need to know about the Annual Rent Review. You can also find more detailed information about the rent review process on the TORC website.
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© 2023 TORC Sustainable Housing | 1 Empress Place, Summerhill North, Cork City, Co. Cork, T23 N73P
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