Ingredients:

• Tenants’ Editorial Group
• Annual performance information
• Photos of local area
• Relatives in Australia!

As a Social Housing Landlord the Trust has an obligation to deliver its financial and performance information to tenants on an annual basis. Rejecting regular methods of posting
balance sheets and cash flow forecasts to tenants, the Trust’s communications team adopted a more innovative approach.

Our annual report calendar has proved a real winner with both tenants and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, who awarded us the ‘Best Use of Photography and Design’ at the Pride Awards 2003. The calendar has been so popular with tenants that by November of each year, tenants are already telephoning us to make sure they will be getting a calendar this year. Some tenants even request extra copies to send to relatives in far flung places, including Australia!

The tenants’ editorial group advises our communications team generally on tenant publications, including the calendar, and we have an open invitation – tenants are encouraged to suggest photos for future issues of the calendar. A feedback slip is included in each calendar so we can continually improve it and ensure tenant satisfaction with the finished product.

Results:

• Producing one publication reduces design, print and postage costs
• Calendar increases readership and longevity of the publication
• Encourages tenant involvement
• Gets across key information including important dates (has rent payment dates and Tenants’ Panel meeting dates highlighted) together with the key performance information.

For more information contact Matt Critchley on 01952 217036.