Central Region News
Five minutes with Tracy Richardson – Neighbourhood Coordinator
We caught up with Tracy Richardson, Great Places’ Neighbourhood Coordinator for Primrose Bank, Fitton Hill and Dew Way in Oldham, to find out more about her role and how she is finding it.
What is your role as Neighbourhood Coordinator?
My role is to deliver housing management services across Primrose Bank, Fitton Hill and Dew Way in Oldham. This includes rent collection/queries, dealing with anti-social behaviour and safeguarding issues. I also coordinate monthly estate walkabouts on each scheme with Oldham Council, working collaboratively with our partners to ensure all targets are met and to avoid incurring any financial penalties from the Council. A fun part of my role is supporting events at The Primrose Centre, by helping to run the activities for the local community and being available for customers.
Have you always worked in the Housing Sector?
No, I started work in an accounting environment becoming an Accounts Office Supervisor in a large manufacturing business. I always enjoyed dealing with customers and took on a customer-facing role at Oldham Council’s Housing Department, which eventually became First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO). I was fortunate enough to be chosen as one of the FCHO employees to transfer over to Great Places along with the properties which were to become the Oldham PFI.
What are your aims and objectives as Neighbourhood Coordinator?
I strive to make a positive difference within my role and always look for ways to improve and provide the highest level of service delivery. I am a very dedicated Neighbourhood Coordinator and thrive on achieving high levels of customer satisfaction, always aiming to support and empower our customers to improve their own lives, take pride in their homes and the environment that they live in.
What do you most enjoy about your role?
Over the twelve years that I have worked at Great Places, I have been a part of probably the biggest regeneration project of the housing sector in Oldham. I’ve witnessed once run-down estates., suffering from years of underinvestment, grow into the thriving communities they are today. I enjoy working with customers, understanding their individual needs and supporting them in the best way that I can. I love the variety of the role, every day is different and brings new challenges but with this comes further opportunities to learn and develop.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love anything eighties and attend several retro festivals and concerts every year. I am a big Manchester City fan and make sure that I am tuned in to all the matches. My children are now 24 and 21 but I have another baby in the form of my black and tan sausage dog, Freddie, who keeps me busy in the evenings and at weekends.
Rochdale Council visits Calico Grove
Great Places and Countryside Partnerships welcomed Rochdale Borough Council to Calico Grove to see the development that has transformed the site of the former Royle Works in Castleton, Rochdale.
The site was once home to the world’s largest cotton mill, but this was largely demolished by 1979. It is now being turned into a community of 198 homes, 102 of which will be affordable and managed by Great Places, while the remaining 96 will be available on the open market.
168 of the homes will be 3- and 4- bedroom family homes, the remaining 30 being 2- bedroom affordable properties. Additionally, there will also be a block of 24 apartments built on-site. As part of the development, Countryside is also investing over £500,000 into local primary education.
Cllr Peter Williams, the council’s assistant cabinet member for regeneration and housing, and Mark Robinson, Rochdale Borough Council’s director of economy, joined the partners for a tour of the site and the recently opened show homes and also had the opportunity to meet with some residents who had recently moved into a Great Places affordable rented property.
Helen Spencer, Great Places Executive Director of Growth, commented:
“We’re proud to be part of this historic site’s transformation into a vibrant community that offers a much-needed range of affordable homes for Rochdale residents.
“We’re delighted with the feedback from our customers who have moved into their new homes at Calico Grove and look forward to continuing our work with Countryside Partnerships and Rochdale Council to deliver more homes that meet the needs and aspirations of the local community.”
Mayor unveils plaque to commemorate Oldham’s Peterloo martyrs
Councillors joined Great Places Housing Group and members from the Peterloo Memorial Society at The Crossley Community Centre in Chadderton to unveil a plaque in commemoration of Oldham residents who were among those who lost their lives at the Peterloo Massacre on August 16, 1819.
The plaque mounted at The Crossley Centre is close to where two local residents joined the other 80,000 peaceful pro-democracy and poverty protestors in a march to demand political reform at St Peter’s Field, Manchester.
The two Chadderton residents John Ashton, a weaver, aged 42, and Thomas Buckley, a gardener, aged 62 were sadly among the 18 killed when the cavalry were given orders to charge into the crowd in an attempt to break up the protest.
Commenting on the unveiling, Ryan Smith, Head of Neighbourhoods for the central region at Great Places Housing Group, said:
“The Crossley Centre has always been about celebrating the local community and bringing people together. Chadderton has a proud history and when we found out about the link to local people playing a role in the Peterloo rally, we felt we had to do something to highlight this for current and future generations.
“Several relatives of local members of the suffragettes attended the Peterloo rally, and there is a clear link to local people playing such an important role in working for universal freedom and suffrage – something that is even more prevalent in today’s society given the current social and political landscape.
“As a borough, we should continue to celebrate our rich historical tapestry actively and we hope that this plaque goes some way in doing just that.”
Cracking Good Food slow cooker project
Rising energy costs are making it difficult for people nationwide to cook nutritious meals. In response, The Crossley Centre with support from Great Places has secured funding from HUBBUB to deliver a new project in partnership with Cracking Good Food to provide slow cookers to people in need from The Crossley Centre in Oldham.
Slow cookers are a more energy-efficient way to cook than a standard oven, and they can be used to prepare large batches of food that can be eaten that day or frozen for later.
The project aims to help people save money on their energy bills, eat healthier meals and build confidence in their cooking skills.
Each week for six weeks, people who received a slow cooker will receive a free slow cooker recipe kit to help create affordable, tasty and nutritious cooking.
Leanne Keane, Community Partnership Manager at Great Places said:
“We have been overwhelmed with the demand for this course, we initially had funding for 20 people but quickly realised that we would need to add funds to meet demand and we have 26 people on the course which is now halfway through.
The feedback has been positive with lots of photos, tips and recipes being shared between participants, this is really helping to keep people motivated. We will definitely be looking to expand this kind of provision in the future.”
