Issue 53 Spring/Summer 2017 The newsletter for Incommunities customers Do you want to be a customer inspector? Find out more by turning to page 16 plus! fantastic prizes to also be won in this apprentices dangers joy at issue... in ‘dementia of loan scheme friendly’ sharks makeover training Page 6 Page 17 Page 3 WelcomeMessage from Geraldine Howley Welcome to your Spring/Summer edition of @home. It’s certainly a lot nicer to be I am delighted that we are also enjoying the longer days and supporting the second Bradford lighter nights. I hope you are Literature Festival, celebrating the enjoying the warmer weather! wonderful world of words! You will be able to enjoy free tickets to a With continuing changes to the host of events and performances benefits system, including the (for more details turn to page 20). roll out of Universal Credit, we know some of our customers may To find out all the latest from We’re raising funds need advice and support. Our Incommunites and Sadeh Lok for the homeless charity ‘managing your money’ focus (see why not take a few minutes to look pages 7-10) aims to keep you through your latest @home? You Crisis - turn to page 11 informed. You can also can also keep up to date with all to find out about our contact our Income Team on our news on our websites and on 01274 254777 if you need help. social media. ‘channel challenge’ We are continuing to make great progress on building more homes in Bradford and Kirklees. Our Geraldine Howley drive to continue to build more Incommunities Group affordable housing has been Chief Executive given a £2.3 million boost from the Homes and Communities Agency. As an organisation we are keen to encourage you to get involved and have your say on what’s important to you. Inside your @home we introduce our new customer-led Community Trust Panel. They will play a key role in scrutinising how we work and perform. 2 Please recycle your @home newsletter Incommunities Limited is a registered society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Society Act 2014. Registered in England with the Financial Conduct Authority No. 30178R. Registered address: The Quays, Victoria Street, Shipley, West Yorkshire, BD17 7BN. New homes funding boost Over £2 million is going into building more affordable homes across the city. In 2016, we completed 86 family-sized houses and Jez Lester, Incommunities’ Assistant Chief Executive, we are on site or about to start work on another 121 Asset Management said: “We are delighted to secure homes in Bradford and Huddersfield. this latest funding and plan to hit the ground running to deliver these latest homes.” A grant, totalling £2.3 million, from the Homes and Communities Agency’s 2016-21 Shared Ownership Rob Pearson, General Manager (Yorkshire and the and Affordable Homes Programme will now support Humber) at the Homes and Communities Agency developments at Bolton Woods, Shipley, Saltaire and Idle. said: “This new allocation will improve housing choice for people in Bradford and support Incommunities Sixty-nine homes will be released as a mix of shared very successful track record of delivering affordable ownership and rent-to-buy tenures. homes.” Over the last eight years we have built over 700 homes across the district and Kirklees. Bradford apprentices in ‘dementia-friendly’ training Twenty-seven of our apprentices and trades staff have been given ‘dementia-friendly’ training to help them support vulnerable customers. Over 100 staff and customers have so far been given Plasterer, Keeley McIntyre said: “The training has training, backed by the Alzheimer’s Society. They given me a real insight into how we can help our include tenants from our Senior Voice and Equalities customers when we go into their homes.” Steering Group. Incommunities is now working to achieve There are around 6,500 people in the district affected ‘dementia friendly’ status. by dementia. Kelly Hargreaves, one of our trained ‘dementia champions’ helped deliver the training for our apprentices and said: “Dementia is a growing challenge nationally and as a group we want to make sure our front line staff and customers are able to help people living with dementia.” “It is important to understand the effects of the illness and support people so they can continue to live independently.” IMPROVING LIVES INCOMMUNITIES 3 Meet the Community Resilience Team The team was set up in 2016 to support customers affected by the welfare reform changes. We aim to help customers develop their skills including It’s a fantastic opportunity for anyone wanting to work financial awareness and computer skills to help them in areas such as retail, customer service, hospitality, into work. care work, manual work, administration or community development. We have set up a network of over 20 community centres who share our values and offer a range of If you would like to find out about how the team could services to help improve the lives of residents and help you please contact them on 01274 257884. their neighbourhoods. Customers looking for work can also call in to our friendly informal work clubs and get For a full list of our community partners and contact involved in other activities at each centre. details see next page: We work with Bradford Council, the social enterprise Aspire-igen and the Department for Work and Pensions to deliver the new Skills, Training and Employment Pathway programme, known as STEP. The programme offers six-month paid work placements for people who are looking to develop new skills, training and jobs through a network of local employers. Helping you into work We run a 26-week work placement programme called the Skills Training Employment Pathway (STEP) for job seekers across the district. Work placements are provided by Incommunities To apply people must be: and other local organisations. • over 25 years old Each participant receives a National Living/ • be out of work minimum wage and is given one-to-one support to • and living in the Bradford District help develop their skills and confidence to secure To find out more about taking your right STEP a permanent job. into work ring 01274 257788 or email [email protected] 4 Contact Centre Name Area Address Postcode Centre Contact Numbers Café West Allerton Wanstead Crescent BD15 7PA Julie McCann 01274 488499 Gateway Centre Ravenscliffe 45 Thackeray Road BD10 0JR Maureen Holmes 01274 636602 Hainworth Wood Road CC Woodhouse 109 Hainworth Wood Road BD21 5NG Sonia Evers 01535 602932 Keith Thompson centre Guardhouse & Braithwaite Coronation Mount BD22 6HE Alex Brown 07457910697 Landmark Centre Canterbury Little Horton Lane BD5 0NG Stephen Treasure 01274 733798 Meridian Centre Manningham St Pauls Road, Mannigham BD8 7LS Shamim Khan 01274 490353 Rockwell Centre Thorpe Edge 6 Summerfield Road BD10 8DP Michelle Taylor 01274 615300 Sandale Trust Centre Buttershaw Reevy Road West BD6 3LX Tom Hughes 01274 270170 Scholemoor Beacon Scholemoor Dracup Ave BD7 2RJ Susan Moreland 01274 522231 Shine@StStephens West Bowling Donisthorpe Street BD5 7BX Sarah Hinton 01274 738490 St Christophers Church Holmewood Broadstone Way BD4 9EJ Gary Hodgson 01274 652539 St Martins Church Haworth Road 30 Haworth Rd, Bradford BD9 6LL Alastair Helm 01274 482495 St Pauls Church Manningham St Pauls Road, Mannigham BD5 7BX Michelle 07870387055 Sue Belcher Centre Bracken Bank Bracken Bank Avenue BD22 7AF Pip Gibson 07587210101 The Life Centre Bierley 102 Bierley House Ave BD4 6BU Rob Normington 01274 688686 The Millside Centre Longlands 133 Grattan Road BD1 2HS Catherine Parker Little 01274 721810 QCP Queensbury High Street BD13 2PB Kathryn Halford 01274 816748 Thornbury Centre Thornbury Centre Leeds Old Road BD3 8JX Helen Speight 01274 666649 Windhill Community Centre Windhill/Owlet & Crag Church Street BD18 2NR Christine Ellis 01274 588831 IMPROVING LIVES INCOMMUNITIES 5 Young people spell out the dangers of loan sharks Young people across our neighbourhoods have showed off their creative talents to highlight the dangers of illegal money lenders. The youngsters worked with local graffiti artist Martin “A much better alternative to pay day lenders is to join Haighurst at a series of community events to create Bradford District Credit Union who provide responsible murals spelling out the loan shark hotline number – lending and saving facilities. Over 800 Incommunities 0300 555 2222. tenants are now members. To find out more contact the credit union on 01274 431000.” Around 500 people came along to awareness sessions, supported by Incommunities, held in Tony Quigley, Head of Service for the England Illegal Keighley, Shipley, North and South Bradford. Money Lending Team (IMLT) added: “Loan sharks are a scourge on society and cause harm and misery to These were run in partnership with the England Illegal their victims. Money Lending Team (IMLT), Bradford District Credit Union and Citizens Advice. “We are continuing to tackle them in West Yorkshire and across the country. We would always urge victims Arlene Borrill from the Gateway Centre, Ravenscliffe of illegal money lenders to seek help by contacting us said: “The graffiti artist’s work with young people really in confidence on0300 555 2222.” got the message across to everyone who came along to our event that ‘loan sharks bite!’” Adrienne Reid from Incommunities said: “Through our Community Resilience Team we will continue to engage with our customers and show everyone that there is help available for anyone struggling with debt. How loan sharks operate People are urged never to use unlicensed lenders who: • refuse to tell the borrower how much they owe, how long they will be repaying for or the APR rate • do not give you paperwork • add additional charges or increase the debt To report a loan shark to the England • make threats towards you and your family Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT): • take personal items such as passports, bank Call the 24/7 confidential hotline0300 555 2222 cards or driving licences as security Text a report to 078600 22116 A loan shark may appear friendly at first, but their Report a loan shark online behaviour soon changes once monies are owed.