Back of the Net!

Spring 2018 Back of the net! of the Back Customer Diogo scores the scores Customer Diogo opportunity of a lifetime! Welcome to Customer approved Get in touch Phone us between 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday: Email us: 0300 123 1966 (local rate) [email protected] Select option 1 for repairs Welcome to the first My Great Don’t forget, Or email us about a repair at: Text us on: Place of 2018! Spring is on its there’s loads of 07797 870 734 way and we’re in the spirit – opportunities to win in [email protected] this issue features some every issue of My Great Place, including stunning new gardens in our Ask the Experts feature (page 10) Oldham (page 18), a contest and our popular competitions page. Just look for our green-thumbed out for the gold ‘win’ stickers scattered through this customers (page 18), and a sporty success story magazine! Office addresses which may just inspire you to dust off your trainers Blackburn office Fylde office Oldham office (page 12). I hope you all have a wonderful spring and I’m sure Barnfield House (Suite 4 and 5) 119 Union Street, I’ll see many of you at this year’s Community Stars 336 Talbot Road, Blackpool, In March we celebrated International Women’s Day Groundfloor, Accrington Road FY1 3QU Oldham OL1 1TE Awards in June – the nominations have been brilliant Blackburn BB1 3NY and 100 years of the female vote. The Knutsford this year so it’s set to be a superb summer event! Great Places head office Sheffield office Strong Women’s project held a fantastic event Cheshire office 2A Derwent Avenue, The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, at Tatton Park (with a special guest) to mark the Adele 106 Longridge, Knutsford, WA16 8PD Manchester M21 7QP Sheffield SS9 4WG occasion. Read all about it on page 6. Adele Wilkinson, Editor

Win! What’s inside? i Struggling to read My Great Kids’ Competition 4–5 Neighbourhood News Data protection is changing! Place? Let us know and Margaret Plaice is our little fishy friend – and she's 6–7 Strong Women project we’ll send you a magnifying hiding somewhere in this magazine. Can you find her? 8 Our News On 25 May 2018, the current Data Protection Act is replaced with sheet! An audio version of If you can, just email or write and let us know exactly new legislation called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). where she is (make sure you put the page number) 9 Meet our... My Great Place is also Community Development This new legislation has been written to provide better protection for at the address on the left, making sure you put your Coordinators individuals when it comes to how organisations process personal data. available. Contact us using address and phone number on the entry. The winning 10–11 Ask the Experts the details below. entry will get their hands on a portable bluetooth Great Places takes all aspects of data protection very seriously and will speaker, so get searching! 12–13 Back of the net be updating all of the information on our website before 25 May to Entrants must be 16 or under and Great Places 14 In:Team provide you with more information on how we use your data, as well If you have any questions or comments residents. Entries must be received by 4 June 2018. specifically about My Great Place, contact: 15 My Money as what rights you have under the new legislation. Winter 2017 winner: Miley Berry (aged 4), Blackburn 16–17 Newsboard Communications Please visit our website to access this updated information or contact Great Places 18 My Green Place our Data Protection Officer, Sharon Brown, on 0161 447 6096 if you 2A Derwent Avenue 19 How are we doing Manchester require a paper copy. M21 7QP 20 Competitions

Email: [email protected]

Find us on Facebook at Cover star: facebook.com/GreatPlacesHousing Diogo Costa, Salford Tweet us @MyGreatPlace Knutsford strong women Meet our Community Kath’s knits are a hit! FSC AND WORLD LAND TRUST LOG- take over Tatton Park Development Coordinators OS 2 p6 p9 p16 3 Neighbourhood Fishy mural unveiled in Blackpool

A mural warning families about the dangers of using loan sharks has been unveiled in Blackpool. The Illegal Money NWhat’s goingews on where you live... Lending Team (IMLT) – a specialist unit that investigate and prosecute loan sharks – worked with local people, including a number of Great Places customers, and local artist Shane Johnstone to create a fish themed mural which warns others against borrowing from loan sharks. The mural was funded using proceeds of crime money and highlights the dangers of using loan sharks as well as promoting the help and support available to victims. Blackpool residents Farina Taheer enjoys a hand massage at the Romney can find the mural on the site of Talbot and Brunswick Voices fundraising day Sports Barn. You can learn more about loan sharks and the alternatives available on page 15. Pampering for a good cause The My World graduates celebrate with Great Places Director of The Romney Walk residents’ group, Romney Voices, held a Housing Services, Simon Robinson, and Community Development Local families reveal the Blackpool mural which warns of fundraising day in February. The women only pamper day Coordinator, Katherine Michaels (both left) and Mayor of Lancaster, the dangers of loan sharks Cllr Roger Mace (right) had massages, hair, make up and nail treatments available as well as a raffle and tombola. The event was in memory of Tiegan, a teenage Romney Walk resident who passed Morecambe pupils celebrate away last year, and all money raised is going towards a in style! memorial bench for the community. Pupils from a Morecambe primary school who took part in the My World project, celebrated in style at Maria (far left) and other Salford residents applying for McDonald’s Lancaster Town Hall. The graduation ceremony was the culmination of the annual My World project, which gives years five and six from Morecambe Bay Primary School a taste of work opportunities available Electric blankets were available to win at Preston’s Winter Salford partnership helps nine in locally across a variety of sectors and industries. Warmer event! My World, run by Great Places, aims to widen a fortnight! the pupil’s aspirations by giving them first hand A partnership between Great Places, McDonald’s, Smyth’s experiences of job roles available in their immediate Winter Warmer events heat up Toys and Iceland has helped nine people into employment vicinity, as well as teaching them confidence-boosting in just two weeks! The three companies were involved in presentation skills. Well done to all the My World our regions a training course for Salford residents, each delivering a graduates! Winter Warmer events have been taking place across presentation and offering interview prep and work trials. Hate Crime Awareness Event at the Northmoor Community Centre our regions to help customers stay warm and energy- Everyone on the course also received an in-work benefit efficient. There were free energy-saving goodies on offer calculation based on the hours they said they wanted to as well as advice on the cheapest gas and electricity work and the rates of pay from each of the employers to There’s plenty going on at suppliers. All guests were also entered into a draw to win ensure they were able to financially manage when moving an electric blanket to help them stay cosy on cold winter into work. Northmoor! nights. Within two weeks, nine previously unemployed people had Northmoor Community Association have had a busy been offered jobs by the three employers with immediate few months! In December they held a Volunteer starts. A fantastic life-changing result for all involved. All Celebration Day, where volunteers came together for nine were also given in-work support for up to 12 weeks. a delicious buffet and were awarded certificates for Customer Maria, who began a position with McDonald’s their dedication. In February, they held an incredibly said: “I never thought about working for McDonald’s, but successful Hate Crime Awareness event. Northmoor after the regional manager came and spoke to us about the Community Centre is now a registered Third Party different contracts, roles and career progression routes, Reporting Centre and the event aimed to educate local I thought why not? The shifts can be flexible and it’s just people about what the centre can do in the event round the corner from where I live – perfect! The workshop of a hate crime. The day was attended by nearly 40 on effective communication helped me loads as I residents, raising important awareness within the am quite a reserved character and get nervous at community. interviews…. but not this time!” 5 NCA Centre Manager Giselle Bawden with volunteer Fahmeeda Jaffri Customers at the Fleetwood Winter Warmer event Knutsford strong women take over Tatton Park To celebrate International Women’s Day, Knutsford residents Angharad McCreadie a reunion of Strong Women was held at and Lilian Rose Leigh who have both Tatton Park, attended by special guest, MP completed the Strong Women course both Esther McVey. also gave speeches about the impact the project has had on their lives. The ‘Strong Women’ project, started by Great Places in 2011, develops self-belief, Ms McVey said: “If there’s one thing I self-confidence, personal resilience and learned listening to the incredible women an appetite for personal growth. Topics who spoke at this event, it’s the importance include self-awareness, connecting of baby steps. We all lead complicated lives with others, managing life’s challenges, and while being strong is great, it’s those building resilience and setting goals for difficult emotional moments that provide the future. Sessions are run by community clarity and allow us to dig deep into the core development companies, Open Doors2 and of who we are. Community groups like these Occupositive. allow women to come together during those times and take those baby steps together.” Women who have attended any of the numerous courses run over the last seven Angharad said: “I wouldn’t be here today years were invited to come together for without this group – this course has done International Women’s Day to celebrate more for me in the last year than anything their achievements and discuss their else has in 16 years. So many women, ambitions for the future. including myself, love it so much that they keep coming back, and you get something Guest speakers included Joss Underwood new out of it every time.” from engineering company Laing O’Rourke, who spoke about being a woman in male- dominated field, and Ms McVey, who gave For more information on Great Places’ a moving speech about the importance of Strong Women courses, contact us using community groups, and finding the silver the details on page 2. lining in difficult situations. 6 7 News

Occupositive who have helped so many women achieve Matt’s their potential over the years as part of our Strong Women message project (page 6) and even our new team effort with Salford Stop Smoking Services and Greater Manchester Health and From Chief Executive of Social Care Partnership (see page 16). This magazine is full Great Places Housing Group, to the brim with partnership working – all so we can provide Matthew Harrison Meet our... the best possible service as your landlord. Sarah It’s the time of year where I reflect on the great people I’m delighted to report that we’ve had some fantastic Community we have in our communities, as nominations for the feedback since the launch of our new website, particularly Community Stars Awards roll in. This issue of My Great our new webchat feature. If you haven’t already, check out Place is no exception with so much going on – from Winter the new customer portal – it’s incredibly simple to pay your Development Warmer events to fishy murals (page 5). rent or log a repair, and it’s available 24 hours a day, seven Lo uise days a week. Coordinators One thought I took away from this issue is the importance of collaboration. From our Community Development I’m sure we’re all happy to see the back of winter and the My Great Place chatted to Community a Food Savers project but now the group has Coordinators (page 9), for whom collaboration with other ‘Beast from the East’ and I hope you’re all making the most Development Coordinators, Sarah and Louise taken the reigns and is selling 25 discounted sectors is their bread and butter, to our cover star Diogo, of the lighter and longer evenings. See you in summer! about their role at Great Places and their work food trays a week to local families! Then who benefitted from a long-standing partnership with the within your neighbourhood... it’s back to the office, where I’ll be working Prince’s Trust. There’s also our work with Doors Open2 and proactively with partners and groups to make MGP: How would you describe the role of a other projects like these happen – there’s a lot Community Development Coordinator? of emailing and admin that goes into this role! Sarah: It’s about supporting communities to Sarah: I spent this morning at an event for Our new model of service thrive. Every neighbourhood is different so our International Women’s Day (see page 6) that job is to identify their specific needs and put has been in the works for six weeks. It was a We have recently carried out a review directly from our neighbourhoods rather the right things in place to meet them, whether fabulous event and I’m really proud of how it to establish how we can create a better than in offices, spending more time that’s a community group, a collaboration with went. This afternoon I have a meeting about experience for our customers and with customers. It also includes a new another organisation, or an event. budgets – we can’t do anything without funding improve our services, while being smarter structure including some new roles and Louise: We aim to make communities so this is an important part of my role. Now that with our resources. These findings have responsibilities for colleagues. inspired us to create a new service sustainable – we tap into the resources the IWD is over I’ll also be starting to work on the delivery framework. We are currently in The changes we are proposing will put community already has and then use our next big event, the My World project, which a consultation period with colleagues, us in a stronger position for the future. connections and skills to unlock that potential. introduces children to career opportunities in and once this is finished the new model They will allow us to maintain vital ‘hands their area (see page 4). will be finalised and rolled out across our on’ contact with customers, as well as MGP: What does a normal day look like for a regions. making colleagues’ roles more interesting Community Development Coordinator? MGP: Sounds like every day is different! and varied and freeing up time to deliver Louise: Busy! Today I’ve been out and about in Sarah: Absolutely. But the work we do is so The new model includes the a better service for customers rather Blackburn, facilitating some of the wonderful important I wouldn’t have it any other way. reorganisation of our contact centre to than spending time on unnecessary, time work going on in the local area. I started the Louise: I agree. No day is the same but working resolve more customer queries first time; consuming tasks. day at the Little Harwood Community Centre with our customers is so rewarding. They’re our enhanced technology to improve our for a sewing class (see right) – a collaboration biggest asset. They know the community and mobile working and digital self-service More information will be provided in due function; and colleagues working course, once the consultation period has with the voluntary sector to help women who what it needs. They have the ideas – come to an end. don’t work meet new people, learn new skills we’re just there to help put and boost their confidence. I then swung them into action! by Romney Walk, where the local residents’ association were holding a fundraising day to raise money for a memorial bench (see right Award shortlisting success! and page 4). This community group is so driven and motivated – it’s a pleasure to help them get We’re delighted to announceGreat Places has been shortlisted three times in the 2018 their ideas off the ground before they run with Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards. it. For example, I recently helped them set up But our success doesn’t end there – our repairs service has also been shortlisted for a 8 UK Housing Award! We hope to report some wins in the next issue of My Great Place! 9 Ask the experts! Health & Go green! wellbeing Ask Kirsty Ask Chris

Money DIY Six months ago I retired but enjoy How can I cut down on the amount Ask Josh Ask Ruby keeping busy. I volunteer a few days of plastic I use? I would like to buy a week which gets me on my feet but and dispose of less, especially when would like something to do to keep my food shopping, but it’s so hard on a Me and my partner recently got There’s a blank wall in our living room mind active. Any suggestions? budget! Jen, Preston married – are there any benefits we that I would like to make a bit more Stuart, Salford can claim now we’ve tied the knot? exciting! What can I do to switch it up without painting? Nicola, Blackburn Julie, Sheffield Dear Stuart, Dear Jen,

It’s great that you’re skill keen to keep busy Cutting down on plastic can sometimes seem like now that you’re no longer in work. Researchers it costs you money. But it doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune on designer shopping bags or Dear Nicola, Dear Julie, have found those who do a moderate activity post-retirement were two and a half times more reusable coffee cups! And every small change we likely to age in a healthy way! make adds up to a big difference! Firstly, congratulations! There are plenty of options to spice up your wall without reaching for the paint. Photos First, take a look around your bathroom! Second of all – yes there is. Married couples Since you’re a My Great Place reader, I suggest are the most popular solution – with a multi- Swapping shower gels in plastic bottles for bars of where one person earns less that £11,500 enquiring about our customer readers panel. pack of affordable frames, you can easily fill soap (which often come in cardboard packaging) are entitled to claim a Marriage Allowance. This group is made up of customers who a wall. To mix it up, why not spray paint your is a great first step. Many of us will also have a Through this, they can have £1,150 of their have a little bit more time to give and want frames in a range of colours, or even visit collection of cleaning products for the bathroom tax-free allowance transferred to their spouse, to help make this magazine great! You’ll be that are all in plastic containers, but did you know which means the spouse will then pay 20% less charity shops to find a mix of styles so they sent an advance copy of each issue, and asked don’t all match. Mixing in some printed out you might already have some fantastic cleaning tax on the £1,150, equating to £230. This is a to answer questions around layout, content products in your kitchen cupboard? Why not images with your photographs also can add great bonus for couples where one works part and design. Don’t worry – you don’t need any try more natural cleaners, like white vinegar time and the other full time. colour and personality to your room. And experience with writing or designing magazines. or bicarbonate of soda – the internet is full of don’t worry about drilling holes – there are We just want to hear the views of real readers suggestions for using what you have to hand. And don’t worry if you haven’t claimed already plenty of ‘no nails’ products out there which so that we can tailor this magazine to what you – you can backdate this to April 2015, which do a great job with less mess! want to see. We all know that plastic bags now cost 5p so a means you may be entitled to up to £662! For bag for life quickly pays for itself, but did you more information you can visit www.gov.uk/ Alternatively, if you’re low on space in your It’s something you can do from home, devoting know Morrisons will actually pay you to take used marriage-allowance. home, why not use the wall as a storage as little or as much time as you’d like. It also plastic bags off your hands when you shop online? space? You can buy hooks specifically develops useful analytical and creative thinking They’ll take 5p off the cost of your next order for Additionally, many insurance companies designed for bikes, guitars and even foldable skills, which could come in useful for future every bag you hand back during your (including car, life and building insurance) offer dining chairs – saving you space and showing endeavours. delivery, and each bag is recycled into new ones! Saving you better rates to couples who are married – so off your prized possessions! consider shopping around for new cover! If you feel you have skills you can offer, we’d money and saving the planet – result! Finally, to truly get into the DIY spirit, you love to have you on the panel! Contact us for Need help with any of the above? Great Places could try making your own bunting. Garlands more information or visit our website. has a team ready to help you with benefit and are easy to make from old clothing or fabric Win! insurance options – as well as budgeting, debt, using either a needle and thread or fabric bills and loans. Get in touch to see how we can glue – plus it’s a fun activity for the whole Send us your question and if the experts answer it, you’ll win £20 in high street help. family! Good luck! vouchers! Email your questions to [email protected] or write 10 to us using the address on page 2! 11 “ This was the wake up call I needed ” Back of the net! Like many young men, Diogo Costa always had “I’m spending my time now working part time dreams of getting into the football industry. But behind the bar at Manchester City and getting my the 20 year old Chelsea fan from Salford probably volunteering hours in through the Premier League didn’t expect to find himself training with course. I’m working towards being a full time Manchester City Football Club. coach – of course professional coaching would be the dream but I know I’ll have to work to get When Great Places Community Development there.” Coordinator, Ify Ogbologu (above), sent a text to customers about a one-week training opportunity Ify certainly has faith in him: “Diogo’s drive through the Prince’s Trust in collaboration with to succeed is exceptional. Determined to find Manchester City FC, Diogo put his name forward. himself his dream coaching job at the end of the He had previously studied sport in college as well programme, Diogo remained calm and focussed as sport management for two years at university throughout the training. His achievements so far before deciding the course wasn’t right for him. are a result of hard work and should inspire other young people.” “Sport management had a lot of elements that I just didn’t enjoy. I hated the marketing side of “Coaching was always what I wanted to do,” says it. I was interested in physio and coaching – the Diogo, “But this was the wake up call I needed to course just wasn’t what I thought it would be. take action and do something for myself.”

“When the text came through about the Prince’s And what does he think of training at Man City as Trust training I was interested straight away. You a Chelsea fan? need to look for opportunities for yourself and put yourself out there – you can’t rely on others “I actually don’t mind! The stadium is amazing to do it for you.” and the opportunity was the most important thing… Although if it was United I might have He made a great impression on the course and thought twice!” was invited to take part in ‘Premier League Works’ – the football club’s highly competitive 13-week employment skills course. Through Premier Missed this opportunity? Don’t worry! There are League Works, Diogo has been able to volunteer more football coaching courses at Etihad Stadium at the National Football Museum, coach at Albert coming up soon. If you are aged 19-25 and not Park in Salford and acquire his DBS certificate, in full time work, education or training, text ‘Yes which will help in his future career. Football’ and your name to 07929 666 295.

12 13 in:team

Our Financial Inclusion Team work News from Insight – our customer scrutiny group my hard to help you save money!

You may remember reading in our last update that the group Recently, when the group reviewed Universal Credit update Stay away from loan sharks! were reviewing ‘communication with customers during a progress on 94 recommendations repair’. The group are excited to share that all their review over six pieces of review work, The roll out of Universal Credit Full Service continues Following the expensive Christmas recommendations were passed by the Great Places Board we discovered that over 80% had throughout 2018. By the end of the year all Job Centres in period, many people turn to lenders in December. We are hopeful that once implemented, the been completed! Fantastic! England will be accepting Full Service claims. offering short-term loans to make recommendations (identified from customer feedback and ends meet. However, the cheapest evidence collected from the review) will result in better Universal Credit replaces Income Support, Job Seekers option is always to go through your communication. The proof, as always, is in the pudding – so Allowance, Employment & Support Allowance, Housing Benefit local credit union. we will hear back in 6 months time whether there has been The scrutiny group is a great way for and Tax Credits. Any change of circumstance, by a person of any improvement in customer satisfaction in this area. Great Places customers to challenge working age, that would normally result in a new claim for one A recent Government commissioned the way things are done and to help of these benefits should mean that you’ll have to apply for study found that credit unions offer influence and shape services – you can Universal Credit Full Service. the best value to consumers on also gain valuable work experience. If loans, and even the most expensive For our next review, we chose to explore whether you are interested in getting involved Universal Credit Full Service is claimed and administered online. credit union loan in Britain is still customers living in tall buildings felt reassured about and would like to learn more about how The majority of communication between you and the Job eight times cheaper than a payday fire safety as a result of Great Places’ communications to scrutinise services, please contact us Centre is done via an online journal that everyone has to set up. loan charged at their cap! following Grenfell. This review is due to complete in using the details on page 2 or visit our April and details will be available to view on the website. website. People who have been claiming Universal Credit under the older We offer small value loans of up to Insight would like to express our appreciation to system (who don’t have an online journal) will be asked at some £300 through credit unions at low customers who provided feedback through the survey – point in the future to reapply under the new system. interest rates, which you can pay the information collected has been incredibly valuable. back on a weekly, fortnightly or People of working age who are receiving the benefits that monthly basis. You don’t have to be Universal Credit replaces will be moved onto UC in the next in work or have a good credit rating couple of years. to apply and we will even gift you £50 into your Credit Union account For more on Universal Credit check out our website or get in once the loan is repaid! touch with us using the details on page 2.

Did you know...

Nominations are now closed for this year’s Community Stars Awards! As well as offering advice and low-cost loans, Great Places also The awards will take place on Saturday 9 June 2018 and we hope to see many of you there. offers home insurance? We want to ensure your home is as safe as possible, so we provide insurance cover for as little as £2 per The Community Stars celebrate the unsung heroes in our communities – this could be an individual, community week via a range of payment options. group, or project. We received some outstanding nominations this year and we’d like to extend a huge thank you to those who took the time to submit a nomination, as well as everyone who works towards making our You can: neighbourhoods great all year round. • Make an annual payment by cheque • Pay monthly using Direct Debit or swipe card. Stay tuned for the summer edition of My Great Place which will have full coverage of the awards ceremony Contact us for more information or visit our website to including this year’s winners. 15 apply online! Are you currently unemployed and living in Lancashire? We can help you!

NEWS BOARD Great Places are running the More Positive Together project which provides a tailored programme of one-to-one mentoring, training courses, employment advice and work experience opportunities – all designed to boost confidence, improve wellbeing and increase employment prospects. We also have access to funding to support you to progress into education and training, and help remove barriers such as childcare, travel arrangements and clothing for work.

The project started in August 2017 and will run until December 2019. So far we have supported 70 people through the programme! For more information please contact Steph on 07990 441 493 or email [email protected].

We have job opportunities and training available within a variety of sectors including: Health and Kath’s knits are a hit! Social Care, Retail, Customer Service, Teaching Kath Samuels from the Willows in Blackpool has been Assistants and Catering and Hospitality – contact doing her bit for charity using her knitting skills. The Steph on 07990 441 493 to register your interest Juniper Close customer knits a variety of toys and other or email [email protected] items, which have proved popular with other residents, friends, and family. To raise money for charities including Swap to stop! the Trinity Hospice, she has been selling off her wares and Great Places is backing a new campaign to recently was able to present the hospice with a cheque help people quit smoking and get healthy. for £130! Well done Kath! We’ve joined forces with Salford Stop Smoking Services and Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership (GMHSCP) to support Time to Talk! their ‘Swap to Stop’ initiative, which aims to help people quit the habit by switching to Aviva encourages you to get to know In February, colleagues from Great Places set up vaping. camp in the lobby of the Houndshill Shopping your neighbours! Centre in Blackpool to support Time to Talk Day Residents who sign up to take part will be given a free e-cigarette starter kit, including with Blackpool’s Time to Change Hub. The fast pace of modern life means we’re much less likely to know four weeks’ worth of vaping liquid, plus our neighbours, with a survey by Aviva finding that six million of support to help them quit. The aim of the day was to have conversations us don’t know any of our neighbours by name! with local people about importance of mental Vaping is 95% less harmful than regular health and encourage those people to have There are some major benefits to knowing your neighbours. More smoking and costs just a fraction of the price, further conversations with those around them. than half of those questioned said it made them feel safer in their with the average smoker spending around The Time to Talk campaign believes that having homes while 47% said that being on first name terms with those £170 per month on cigarettes. these important conversations will help reduce living nearby made them happier. Good neighbours can also take stigma and discrimination. in deliveries for you, look after your pets and even check your To find out more and to register for your free home is safe and secure when you’re on holiday. e-cigarette starter kit, go to www.mycityhealth.co.uk/swap But, whether or not you know your neighbours, you can also find yourself out of pocket as a result of them. For instance, imagine a pipe burst in their property and the water seeped into your home, Did you know...? Get skilled up in Bolton and Bury! ruining your sofa and blowing up your television. Although you We’ve been working with Bolton at Home to provide employment and skills opportunities for customers in could argue it was their fault, you’d be responsible for replacing Our new website has a webchat Bolton and Bury. We’re offering a number of courses to help you back into work, including IT, CV writing and the damaged items in your home. In these situations, while it can function, available between 8am–6pm debt and money advice, as well as hobby clubs such as crafting, cooking, DIY and First Aid. be beneficial to be on good terms with them, home insurance Monday to Friday. You can use this to offers the best guarantee that you won’t be left out of pocket. talk to us directly without needing to Having cover can provide considerable peace of mind, whatever These are available at a number of centres across Bolton and Bury including Tonge Moor, Breightmet, Johnson pick up the phone – just enter your your neighbours get up to. Find out more about affordable cover name and email address to get started! Fold and Deane. To find out more about what’s going on at on page 15. your local centre, contact Great Places Information and Advice Officer, Callie on 07929 651 260. 17 Gr wing HOW ARE WE DOING? Dec: We always aim to make sure you’re satisfied with the service you receive from Great Feb: 182 Places and are always keen to hear what you think. So whether you have feedback on 245 greatness what we’ve done well or could do better at, we want to hear from you. You can find our contact details on page 2. Jan: If you’re uphappy with a service you have received from Great Places, you can inform us by 209 any method (telephone, email, in person or by post) and one of our frontline staff will initially Chelmsford Street Park makeover! try to resolve your issue. We call this ‘Nip in the Bud’ (NIP) and staff have five working days to identify the best possible course of action to put things right. Number of NIP Over the last few months, Neighbourhood Coordinators David Stewart complaints and Sheila Bishop have identified a number of underused, neglected and If you are not satisfied with how we propose to put things right you have the option of untidy areas within the Coppice and Primrose Bank neighbourhoods. requesting your issue is looked at in more detail by one of our service managers. They will These areas are not owned by Great Places, but are becoming eyesores then investigate your issue, discuss why you are unhappy with our initial offer and provide for the community due to flytipping. The team have been working with Before... you with a final, formal offer to put things right. We call this process ‘Right First Time’ (RFT). Feb: Dec: the local council, local businesses, residents and other groups to improve We aim to resolve your complaint within 15 working days. these areas, to inspire customers to feel proud of their neighbourhood. 21 22 Overall performance (as of March 2018) The space at the junction of Chelmsford Street and Werneth Hall Road ...After! was chosen as the first targeted area. Greenfingers, who provide Jan: grounds maintenance services across Coppice, generously provided 36 labour for the project as well as lending their design expertise, with £ further funding being provided by Great Places and Oldham Council.

As you can see from the pictures, the area has seen a huge 0.6% Number of RFT transformation! 7.76/10 93.7% complaints Overall customer Satisfaction with Rent not collected satisfaction repairs service due to empty David Stewart said: “It’s great to showcase how collaborative working properties can provide fantastic results for the community ¬– this old dumping ground, previously filled with litter and old mattresses, has been Feb: transformed into a pleasant usable space for the community.” 24 Dec: 3.5% 86.2% 38 Amount of rent which Satisfaction with Jan: Great Places Gardening Competiton 2018: open now! Win! has not yet been paid the quality of your home 43 The Great Places Gardening Competion is now open! Winners in each category will receive gardening vouchers and the Your compliments! Compliments Our judges are looking for beautiful gardens and winner in the Best Young Gardener category will win We love to hear that you’re happy with the service you’ve received and impressive hanging baskets belonging to customers toy or book vouchers. appreciate any positive feedback you send us. Here are just some of the that live in Great Places properties. Do you have a compliments we’ve received from satisfied customers in the last few months: prize-worthy green thumb? Perhaps your neighbour Nominations can be sent by email to: has a garden which brightens up the neighbourhood. [email protected]. Simply For Sam (Complex Dependencies You can nominate yourself or someone you know, let us know which category you would like to Family Service) For Sharon but all entrants must live in a property managed by enter along with a brief explanation and photos. For Jason (Operative) I feel compelled to sincerely thank you for (Neighbourhood Coordinator) Great Places. Nominations close on 9 July. Check out our website He came to my property after an the support you’ve provided my family for more information. I felt she dealt with our tenancy attempted burglary and spoke since our arrival in Manchester. I The categories include: issues professionally and sorted to me with the upmost respect appreciate your professionalism in all • Best Individual Garden the problem there and then. It’s and made me feel a lot better. manners. My future is looking a lot • Best Young Gardener (Under 16) nice to know there’s someone at brighter and the time you’ve spent • Best Pots, Baskets and Small Spaces the end of the phone to reassure mentoring me will not be forgotten. I’ve • Best Edible Garden you when problems arise. honed an understanding of myself with your assistance which I will • Most Improved Garden 19 carry with me forever. Competition time Win!

Complete both competitions, along with the survey questions, cut them out andWord post themSearch! to us, along with your full name and address, to be entered into a Name:prize draw to win a £10 shoppingDate: voucher. Three winners will be selected. Make sure youFind includeand circle youreach surveyof the wordsquestionsfrom the withlist below.your entry.Words may appear V horizontally, vertically or diagonally, but forwards only. Send your entries by post to: FREEPOST, RTYJ-EATU-CCGX, My Great Place, Maria Morris, Great Places Housing Group, 2A Derwent Avenue, Manchester M21 7QP. All entries must be in by Monday 4 June 2018. Remember, you don’t need a stamp!

Congratulations to last issue’s winners: E D K U S E H O A V R W C Mavis Dearden – Salford S K Y U T E P K C T D H Y Jacqui Phillips – Swinton E M P L O Y Z E A R N C B Robin Hall – Gisburn K N I T T I N G A R D E N T R A I N I N G V G Z M F Wordsearch M W A W A R D S Y O M P O T A T T O N E E K A U E O Words to find are: Z D I S W O M E N L U G T S A L F O R D C O A C H B WOMEN KNITTING STRONG S T R O N G I M T E A D A FOOTBALL GARDEN COACH M X U O I D Y O F O W J L GOAL EMPLOY TATTON AWARDS TRAINING SALFORD P F I O N W T B U U D M L SPOT THE DIFFERENCE There are five differences – can you spot them? Circle the five differences on photo two.

1 WOMEN TRAINING2 FOOTBALL GARDEN AWARDS STRONG KNITTING SALFORD EMPLOY GOAL COACH TATTON

Please answer the following questions and send them along with your competition entry in order to be entered into the prize draw (hint: the answers can be found on page 14!)

What percentage of Insight’s 94 recommendations have been completed? ...... % What was the last review Insight completed? ...... Would you be interested in joining Insight? Yes / No / Maybe

Name: ...... Address: ...... Telephone/Mobile: ...... Email: ......