RossenA newsletter from @wecarehere The Rossendale Trust www.rossendaletrust.orgTalesWinter 2017

Fashion Show – see page 3! Oakwood News – see page 6!

IT’S WHAT YOU CAN DO THAT COUNTS!

Riverside tenants Mark The holiday was operated by the Calvert Goodwin and Trevor Kennerley Trust, an organisation which is well recently had a holiday in the known to quite a few Rossendale tenants. Lake District, supported by staff They have over 40 years’ experience of delivering challenging outdoor adventure members Lisa Law, Wendy Tilley holidays for people with disabilities. and Kate Edwards. (continued overleaf). CONTINUED RAY INTERVIEWS FIONA FROM COVER

Trevor’s best activity was doing the swing rope, as well as cracking (terrible) jokes, like ‘you would not be-leaf’ whilst holding a leaf!

For this issue Paddock tenant Ray Brookes puts the spotlight on Fiona Lindop, one of the Group Leaders in Buxton.

How long have you worked here? When are you getting married?

I have worked at the Trust since 1st I am getting married on Saturday, October 2009. 16th June 2018!

When did you start being a Where are you getting married? group leader? I am getting married at the bandstand I started my role as group leader in the Pavilion Gardens in Buxton. in January this year. I am enjoying it Do you like taking me to see Dena very much! (my sister)? Do you like working here? I love taking you to Chesterfield to see Yes, I like working with everyone at Dena. It’s nice to go out or to have lunch Mark’s best activity was canoeing. The Paddock & Cavendale. with you both and have a chat with her. As you can see from the picture on Do you like farms? What is your favourite food? the front page, he was full of laughs I do like going to see the animals, I love Thai food, especially at Simply Thai and smiles. especially the cows. in Buxton. I also like Chinese food. Lisa said, “It was a fantastic holiday What is your favourite animal? Where do you like going on holiday? which both tenants thoroughly enjoyed. It was so rewarding to My favourite animals are the monkeys I like to go to Tenerife as my sister lives see how much they both got out at the Zoo. out there and I go and see her a lot. It’s of the activities.” nice and hot! What do you do when you are not working? Do you have any children?

When I am not at work I spend time with Yes I have a boy and a girl, Oliver and my family and go and watch live bands Sophie. Oliver is 22 and Sophie is 19. with my fiancée. 2 AUTUMN FASHION SHOW

Each year, as autumn comes Great care and attention went into dressing around… fabulous fashion each individual. A special thanks to Karen, bursts on to the catwalk at the the gents stylist from M & S who ensured Tytherington Club! that every gents outfit suited the person that wore it. “It’s great to see everyone Heavy rain did not deter supporters of our looking so smart,” was one of many eagerly anticipated Fashion Show, which comments. The fact that many of our male is the most popular event in our calendar, models bought what they were wearing after the fete of course! was testament to her skills.

They were not disappointed. The show Fashionable ladies wear, accessories, opened to the theme from James Bond jewellery and beauty products from Clarins and outfits suitable for the cocktail hour. and Aroma Works, candles, cards and This was followed by a great variety of the Christmas puddings all contributed to a very latest fashions from SOS Boutique and shopping extravaganza. Marks and Spencers menswear, modelled The evening was a great success with by both our staff and tenants. £2,806 being raised on the night.

The taste buds were definitely working well at the CafeBar WINE (AND WORK) TASTING Arighi recently. Working closely with Arighi Bianchi, the Trust took over the bar for an evening of good taste! Delicious matched canapés and cheeseboard were served during the evening, paired with wines selected by the Wine School of Cheshire. It was an evening planned to raise funds in support of the Trust’s supported employment project, WorkTaste.

Our guests for the evening were able to see the project at work as two of the waiters for the evening were Chris Welch and Ben Hayes, who have been working in the cafe. Ben and Chris were supported by their WorkTaste coaches, Alex and Hayley, who guided and supported them throughout the evening.

To date, Arighis have provided four Pictured (L to R): Richard Smith, Geoff Broomfield, Hayley Moss, Chris Welch, Sue Heaven, WorkTaste placements across the store. The Ben Hayes, Nick Bianchi and Alex Whitaker evening raised £630 which will go towards the continuation of our WorkTaste project. 3 The Farm Shop in Sutton has FARM SHOP CLOSES closed its door for the last time. Just a short walk away for the tenants who live at the Hall site – and an even shorter one for the tenants in Walker Lane – the shop has been not only a great source of organic and free range foods, but a long term supporter of the Trust.

Pam and Geoff Skinner are retiring after 10 years’ of hard work, but have promised that we will still see them in the area!

Oakwood attendees made a card to mark the occasion, and took it down to the shop on the last day.

Pictured (from left) are Mel Riley (Oakwood); tenant Adam Hipwell; Pam, Oakwooder James Cook and Geoff.

THE GREAT (FERRET) ESCAPE… AND OTHER TALES

Andy Grainger has been coming One day someone left the ferrets’ pen to Oakwood at the Hall for open and they all got out. I left it shut but more than 14 years. Quite a bit somebody, I don’t know who, left it open. has changed, as Karl Downing We couldn’t find the ferrets, 2 or 3 of discovers! them were up in the field. Jason was chasing after them, he couldn’t catch Karl: What was Oakwood like when them and we had to get someone in to you first came? do it properly. Andy: At first it was where Riverside is Did the hens have names? now. Then a shed was built afterwards. Woodwork was Greg’s idea, making No we just called them hens…..We used benches and bird tables. First, we worked to collect the eggs and sell them.. in a shed, we had saws and tools and all What’s it like to come to that caper, we did woodwork and 5 or 6 Oakwood now? people worked in there. Amazing, personally, for me. I like the Then we had the animals… staff and we like to learn. Learn about What kind of animals did how to print, send an email to somebody, Oakwood have? learn a different skill. Things have changed since the hens. Goats, pigs, hens, ferrets (laughter)…we had to take them for a walk. Do you enjoy coming to Oakwood?

Did you take hens for a walk? We have this room (Oakwood Arts and Media) I enjoy, I really do. It’s better for No, but we did take a goat! We walked Trevor in his wheelchair and Richard who it round Oakwood in those days. Jason Simba (that was a fast one) and two big come here you know. He comes and knows Blythe (now Oakwood manager) used to pigs. We were walking the pigs one day what he is doing, sits at the computer. do that with me. We had a goat called and one dropped dead, it did!

4 HARRIERS DONATE TO WORKTASTE TWICE!

A recent donation of more than £7,200 from the Harriers was a real cooperative effort. It was a combined total from two events this autumn - the Macclesfield Half Marathon and the Langley 7. The latter is a road race which takes the runners past our charity’s HQ in Sutton and the former, a gruelling 13 miles over the undulating Macclesfield hills.

This is only the latest in a series of donations made by the Harriers to support Rossendale. The Harriers are especially keen on funding the Trust’s supported employment scheme, WorkTaste, and this latest contribution will be used for this purpose.

Sue Heaven, Head of Fundraising for the Trust said, “Every year the Macclesfield Harriers surpass their fantastic support of our WorkTaste project. Once again, their kind support means so much to Rossendale Trust and the work that we do. WorkTaste offers a taste of work to the people we support and it simply would not happen without fundraising by people like the Harriers.”

Sue’s colleague Karl Downing added, “it’s so great to see how sport can really make a huge difference in the lives of not only the runners, but also for the people we care for and support at the Trust. Giving them opportunities of work that helps them to be part the workplace”

One runner said, “We love the support and encouragement when we run past Rossendale Hall, it’s great to see the people we are raising money for cheering us on”.

A runner in the Macclesfield Half Marathon said, “What an effort, but it’s so worth it for where the money goes”.

5 Oakwood News

OAKWOOD UPDATE… WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST

Winter 2017 sees the start of partnership working initiative between the Rossendale Oakwood is now currently extremely busy, Trust and the National Trust. with more individuals accessing the service With the support of the National Trust North West, than ever before! both our Oakwood and WorkTaste projects will have individuals volunteering outdoors. We are operating at full capacity in every single one of our activities!! Andy Lee who lives at Bank St, supported by Alex his WorkTaste coach, has joined the team of Monday And…the winter months are bringing some exciting new volunteers until mid-December at Quarry Bank Mill, opportunities introduced to our range of activities. where he will be using his gardening experience to work We have now started offering Drama sessions… alongside Ann Gaughan from Quarry Bank in the top garden and eating his lunch with the other volunteers. A We are working with the National Trust on conservation 5 person team from Oakwood will also be heading out projects at Alderley Edge… every Thursday for the ‘National Trust Experience’, a full And we are engaging in some hands-on animal husbandry day of conservation volunteer work at Hare Hill and on at a local farm! Alderley Edge.

A big thanks to the National Trust for offering us these opportunities for our keen volunteers to make a difference.

6 THE TRUST WINS ANOTHER AWARD! TRACEY AT 50

Tracey Mathers recently celebrated her 50th birthday by holidaying in Satterthwaite The Trust attended the prestigious Cheshire Business Awards event in the Lake District. recently, which was held in Chester Cathedral. This is a big annual event Tracey, who lives in Riverside, was sponsored by Trinity Mirror Media. supported on holiday by Rosie Bourne and Alex Stephenson who As well as being a finalist in the Best Employer category, we won the Judges’ Choice Award, made sure she celebrated in style. presented at the climax of the evening. This winner is selected every year from all of the entries received, across all categories – this year 150 entries. Tracey enjoyed her daily cream tea, her favourite meals of chip butties The judges said that Rossendale “has a sound business model and is clearly a fantastic and chicken legs, and movie nights. employer”. They also said that the Trust has a tremendous impact on the lives of others and on the whole of the community in which it operates. Tracey is not too keen on birthday cake so Rosie and Alex improvised “The Rossendale Trust are making a real, uplifting difference - to real people’s lives in with Tracey’s ultimate favourite food Cheshire.” said John Thompson, chair of the judges and commercial editor at Trinity Mirror – DONUTS complete with candles. North West.

Trust CEO Steve Nichols said, “Winning this award reflects the work that all of the staff do for our tenants, which the judges clearly recognised. It helps to raise our profile and expand awareness of our charity right across the county.” BRAESIDE OPENS! These awards help with fundraising; WorkTaste; Make A Difference days; building a network This autumn the Trust has of partners who support us. They are not just plaques on a wall – they really matter! opened a new service, for the second year in a row. The house, called Braeside, is the new home for four young women. For all of them, this is their first move into Supported Living – so it is a momentous time.

Together with their families, the social care teams and many others we have all been planning for this many months. This can be a challenging and anxious time for all parties involved, but it is also a great opportunity to take this New tenant Andrea in the conservatory at Braeside step towards independent living.

7 FAREWELL TO SIR NICK!

Pictured are (L to R): Steve Nichols; Sir Nicholas Winterton; ; Moira Beswick; Sue Heaven.

Our longstanding President and staunch supporter Sir Nicholas Winterton has recently stepped down from his role in the Trust after many years of service and support. In fact, that is an understatement… Sir Nick (as he is known to us here) has As well as his close involvement at (chair of the Trustee board) Steve Nichols been associated with the Trust since it Rossendale, Sir Nick has lent his support (Trust CEO) and Sue Heaven (Head of began, in 1974. Having been elected to a wide range of local and national PR and Fundraising) for lunch. Having as the Macclesfield MP in 1971, Sir Nick charities: East Cheshire Hospice, the been President of the Trust for so long, knew the founders of the Trust, and was NSPCC, Riding for the Disabled, the Sir Nick has many memories, and it was a supporter of the Trust from that time Multiple Sclerosis Society to name just a a cheerful way of showing the Trust’s to the present. The Trust has undergone few. He also supports Macclesfield Town! gratitude for many years of service. many changes in those years, and Sir Having retired from Parliament in 2010, • Sir Nick’s successor as Macclesfield Nick (who was knighted in 2002) has Sir Nick is understandably winding MP is David Rutley, who has also continued to take an active interest in down some of his responsibilities and agreed recently to follow Sir Nick into all of our activities, and has been an commitments, but he will undoubtedly Rossendale! He is to become our Patron, unfailing attender at the Summer Fete, continue to stay in touch with the Trust which is very good news for the Trust. In for example. He has also stood with the and with the tenants whom we support. the next issue we will have a portrait of Trust in difficult financial days and has David, who has already been involved helped to fight our corner when needed. To mark the occasion, Sir Nick and his with many aspects of the Trust. wife Ann recently joined Moira Beswick,

VISION MISSION To create an environment in which people To meet the needs of people in can develop and grow, enabling them to have our care by supporting them to ownership of their own lives and futures. live a full and meaningful life.

RossenTales is published by The Rossendale Trust. If you have any comments about the newsletter please get in touch. Write to Sue Heaven at the address (above) or email her at [email protected].

Rossendale Hall, Hollin Lane, Sutton, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 0HR Tel: 01260 252500 Reg. Charity No. 1146771 Company No. 7921722

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR JUDGES CHOICE AWARD