South Region News
Teaming up with Mancunian Way to support Salford's young people
In the streets of Salford, a collaborative effort between Great Places and Mancunian Way is making a difference. With a focus on the “Mancunian way” – a term encapsulating the city’s spirit of unity, resilience, and community – this partnership is reshaping the landscape for Salford’s youth.
Central to this initiative is a combined social investment in Salford’s young people. Thanks to the generous support of CPC Project Services, who are part of Great Places supply chain, the charity now boasts a refurbished van, equipped with heaters, new electrics, and technology, transforming it into a mobile refuge for Salford’s youth, ensuring a warm and safe space year-round.
Charlie, one of the dedicated staff members, emphasises the impact of such interventions, stating, “Having a warm and welcoming safe space for young people on cold nights really makes a difference, thank you.”
Since its launch in 2011, Mancunian Way has been dedicated in its mission to combat anti-social behaviour, reduce crime, curb substance abuse, and create a healthier, safer environment for Salford’s young residents. With a team of seven passionate individuals, they target open spaces, parks, and popular hangouts, engaging with young people through games, sports, and educational activities.
Last year, they even organised a water safety course for young people at Media City/Salford quays, including CPR training, following a number of water-related accidents. From offering role models and advice to fostering a sense of responsibility and respect, Mancunian Way represents the essence of community-driven youth empowerment.
As they continue to expand their reach with additional funding, their impact is set to grow, promising brighter futures for Salford’s youth. Through collaboration, compassion, and a strong sense of community, Great Places and Mancunian Way are creating positive change one interaction at a time.
A day with Majid Manzoor, Neighbourhood Services Manager
Exploring communities with Great Places’ colleagues working with our customers.
Majid Manzoor, Neighbourhood Services Manager (NSM), takes a lead in providing vital housing services to customers. He has been working for Great Places since 2019 and now manages Levenshulme, Fallowfield and Withington areas.
His typical week is a mix of office task days and on site visits aimed at improving the lives of those he works with.
Our Communications Team spent a day out with him to get a better understanding of what his job is like and how he deals with his day-to-day work. The morning begins in Levenshulme, where Majid outlines his role: “My ultimate goal is to support customers in resolving any issues they may have without the need for hand-offs, therefore streamlining the process and ensuring a smoother experience for them,” Majid explains.
On the road, Majid reflects on the tough parts of his job, like dealing with anti-social behaviour (ASB), balanced with the satisfaction of helping customers feel proud of their homes. “It can be challenging wearing different hats, but it’s also fulfilling. When you deliver a home to someone who’s been waiting for ages and they are so thankful, it’s a really rewarding feeling,” he shares.
In Fallowfield, we inspect an adapted kitchen for a tenant with physical disabilities, discussing a complaint about the colour of the furniture and trying to find possible solutions. “Understanding what customers need and what you can provide is an important part of the job,” Majid comments later on. “In essence, the three crucial characteristics of customer service revolve around the three ‘P’s: professionalism, patience, and a focus on people. While customer service may differ from one customer to another,” he adds.
Then, in Longsight, we show a property to a potential tenant, explaining rental terms.
“Transparency and clear communication are key,” Majid emphasises, showcasing the property’s features while ensuring honesty about the rental process.
Our last stop in Fallowfield involves addressing reports of fly-tipping. Majid assesses the situation and discusses next steps to clean up the area. “Dealing with ASB can be tough, but it’s all about finding the right balance between empathy and firmness,” he remarks, highlighting his dedication to maintaining a safe and clean environment for all customers.
As the day ends, we realise the vital role NSMs like Majid play in community development. His commitment to customers’ wellbeing and his practical approach to problem-solving make a real difference in the neighbourhoods he serves. “Through dedication, empathy and proactive engagement, we can truly make a positive impact on the lives of our customers,” Majid concludes, symbolising what Great Places is all about.
Celebrating one year of The Manor Park Food Club
We are delighted to share our first impact report for Manor Park Food Hub. Set up in partnership with The Bread-and-Butter Thing, Cheshire Community Foundation, The Welcome and Cheshire East Family Hub we have created a sustainable, affordable, and hyper local food offer in our Longridge and Shaw Heath neighbourhood. We have consistently served 60-70 households a week with fresh, good quality, nutritious food which would otherwise go to waste. For £8.50 customers receive three large bags of fresh fruit and vegetables, store cupboard and fridge items. Membership is free and available to everyone and you don’t have to order every week.
Rebecca Banks, our Community Partnership Manager, said, “We are very proud of the success of this project. The consistent attendance shows that it’s the right fit for our neighbourhood and that local people appreciate the impact it has on their pocket and on the environment. We couldn’t run it without our volunteers and the success relies heavily on their hard work and commitment.”
Empowering lives with The Docherty Project
In the heart of South Manchester Great Places has created a support platform for those facing the harsh realities of homelessness and alcohol dependency – The Docherty Project. Over the past months, we’ve seen amazing progress in our customers’ journey to stability and sobriety.
At the core of our service is a dedicated team working hard to provide safe accommodation and comprehensive assistance to our residents. With 14 individuals housed in our central Rusholme location and an additional 21 units scattered across the locality, we offer a varied approach to addressing the complex needs of our customers.
Central to our mission is harm reduction, which guides our efforts to support individuals in managing their alcohol consumption responsibly. Working closely with substance misuse service provider Change, Grow, Live, we facilitate tailored drinks plans and access to detox and rehabilitation programmes.
Through partnerships with our Community Investment Team, numerous customers have embarked on journeys of personal growth, pursuing education, training and employment opportunities. From achieving qualifications in health and social care to exploring artistic aspirations and volunteering within the community, our residents are creating new paths towards achieving successful independent lives.
As well as this, initiatives such as the One Voice fund have enabled individuals to enhance their well-being through access to essential items and experiences. Whether it’s acquiring new clothes, art supplies, or participating in creative activities like podcasting, our residents are embracing opportunities for self-expression and empowerment.
As we look to the future, the Docherty Project remains committed to expanding our offerings and fostering a supportive community environment. These range from physical health initiatives like drop-in sessions and mobile healthcare services to social gatherings and educational events or even the introduction of music therapy sessions and the establishment of a chess club led by our residents.
Boosting Salford childrens’ confidence and fitness
Two Salford primary schools are giving their children a fun and healthy boost with new sports activities.
Thanks to the help of a local charity called Salford Red Devils Foundation, children at Lark Hill Primary School and Willow Tree Primary School are getting stuck into team sports and games. These activities aren’t just about getting fit; they’re also teaching children about teamwork, following rules and handling their feelings and actions.
The project is a team effort between the Salford Red Devils Foundation and Great Places Housing Group, which has lots of homes in the neighbourhoods around the schools. It’s all made possible thanks to funding from the Great Places Greater Together Fund, which supports projects that help people in the community feel happier and healthier.
Rebecca Banks, our Community Partnership Manager, thinks this partnership is a great way to help children learn important life skills like being patient, respectful, and strong in the face of challenges.
Joanne Shepherd from the Salford Red Devils Foundation agrees. She says it’s fantastic to see children growing in confidence, especially after the disruptions caused by COVID-19. By playing sports, children not only get fitter but also learn to believe in themselves and handle whatever life throws at them. “This initiative, supported by Great Places Housing Group, not only provides an invaluable physical learning experience but also helps better prepare young people to live purposeful, positive lives.” she adds.
South Repairs update
Your latest repairs update from your Head of Property Services.
Your repairs service has been busy over the last year delivering 15,556 repairs to help maintain your homes.
One big area of ongoing development this year has been in relation to addressing concerns around damp, mould and condensation for our customers. This has included creating a separate policy, alongside improved communications and support around managing moisture levels within your home.
We have also invested in additional resources to deal with any appearance of damp and mould within a property to provide peace of mind and to address any underlying property issues which may be contributing to the issue.
In addition, all your local managers and supervisors have received further training in relation to identification of underlying causes and all our operatives have received specific awareness training to provide further support to our customers whilst they are undertaking general repairs.
We have also been improving our service offer with operatives now able to book convenient follow up appointments directly with the customer whilst they are at the property. In addition, customers are now able to book appointments 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the customer portal. Both of these initiatives have been delivered to enhance the service for you, our customers.
These service improvements have been supported by the further development of your localised resource planning team to ensure that customers receive the best possible experience when a repair is being undertaken in their home, even when it can sometimes be quite complicated.
We have also been working closely with our Assets Team to identify local areas that require planned investment.
As a developing organisation we have a continual challenge to ensure we have sufficient resources to meet the increasing demands and we continue to invest in our award winning apprenticeship programme to ensure we continue to build for the future and have employed a number of local people to meet this aim.
These ongoing improvements have led to the team receiving 266 compliments and 74 five star Trust Pilot reviews during the year which have been gratefully received.
As your local team, we are committed to reducing our wait time for our customers, and reviewing our productivity for our team of operatives to ensure customers get the best possible service. We are dedicated to delivering excellent customer service, and always looking for further ways to improve.
How we’re doing at a glance
During the financial year 2023/24, the South Repairs Team additionally achieved the following:
- Customer satisfaction: The average customer satisfaction rating for the South region was 8 out of 10.
- Timeliness: 83% of repairs were completed within target time frames.
- First-visit fixes: 82% of all repairs were successfully completed during the first visit.
- Empty properties: 297 empty properties were prepared for new customers, with an average turnaround time of 22 days. This included 67 major works empty properties, involving significant component replacements such as kitchens and bathrooms.