Central Region News
Local Food First receives £3,000 to enhance community health in Oldham
Local Food First, based at the Wildbrook Food and Growing Hub in Fitton Hill, has received £3,000 from the Great Places Resilience Fund to support its Community VegBags project. This initiative aims to improve access to affordable, fresh produce for local residents, particularly those facing financial hardship.
The VegBags are filled with fruits and vegetables sourced from Manchester market wholesalers and local allotments, including from Wildbrook’s own. By offering produce at low cost, the project helps families, especially those receiving the NHS Healthy Start Benefit, eat more healthily.
Participants also receive weekly recipe sheets and tips on how to prepare the vegetables, helping them build cooking skills and confidence. A two-hour cooking demonstration, led by a qualified cook and nutritionist, further supports healthier eating habits.
The £3,000 grant will fund VegBag distribution, aiming to reach all Great Places customers. There are also opportunities for participants to grow their own produce in the future, promoting long-term food sustainability.
Leanne Keane, Community Partnership Manager at Great Places, said:
“Every single person should be entitled to access good quality, healthy food at an affordable price. By providing low-cost fresh produce, local households are in a better position, improving their diet and nutrition.
“We are pleased to have worked with Local Food First on this initiative; they know the community well and are passionate about making a difference to people’s lives.”
Dare to Be You in Oldham
The ‘Dare to Be You’ project recently wrapped up with a celebration at Yew Tree Youth Club in Chadderton. Run by Fullcircle and funded by Great Places and The National Lottery Community Fund, the eight-week course helps young women build confidence, self-esteem, and resilience.
The project provided a space for participants to develop essential life skills, explore their identities, and build a strong sense of self-worth. The course included workshops on self-expression, skincare routines, what it means to be ‘be you', how to build confidence and basic make up techniques.
The event featured talks from Leanne Murphy (makeup artist and influencer), Leanne Keane (Community Partnerships Manager at Great Places), and Councillor Arooj Shah (Leader of Oldham Council), who all spoke about the power of confidence, resilience, and “girl power.”
Leanne Keane said: "We are delighted to have supported this fantastic project. Seeing the positive impact it has had on these young women is truly inspiring and aligns with our commitment to creating thriving communities."
Becci Drake, Director at Fullcircle nw CIC, added: “The 'Dare to Be You' project is a shining example of how we can equip young people with the skills and confidence they need to thrive. Fullcircle was set up 14 years ago with a core mission to help people learn, grow and give back. This project has embodied that spirit by promoting growth, building confidence and empowering the girls to be who they truly are.”
The evening ended with each participant receiving a certificate, handbag, and Younique makeup products to celebrate their hard work and dedication.
SPARK Oldham, based in Fitton Hill, has received an £8,000 grant from the Great Places Resilience Fund
This funding will enable SPARK to deliver various community-driven projects aimed at promoting wellbeing, resilience and a sense of belonging among local residents.
With a core mission to create an inclusive environment where individuals feel welcome and valued, SPARK Oldham is dedicated to providing opportunities for the community to thrive. Their initiatives are designed to empower customers, create connections, and enable access to essential services that contribute to healthier living.
The funding will support a range of projects that target different parts of the community:
- Women’s Support Group - A 10-week wellbeing project focusing on building confidence and self-belief. The group will encourage individuals to form new friendships and support networks, with attendees trained to become buddies or champions for future cohorts.
- Pre-school Group - The Baby Boogies sessions will provide a safe space for parents and carers to bring their pre-school children, promoting social skills and child development while allowing adults to make new friendships and improve their mental wellbeing.
- Family Cooking Session - This 10-week programme will teach families how to prepare nutritious meals on a budget, empowering them to make healthier choices while being mindful of their budget.
- Youth Activities - SPARK will conduct outreach work to engage young people in the community, identifying their needs and preferences to enhance existing provisions and create new opportunities.
- Street Games - Families will have the chance to participate in play street sessions, utilising road closures by the local authority. Community members will be recruited and trained to plan and deliver these sessions, promoting ownership and involvement.
- Monthly Coffee Mornings - These gatherings at local schools will invite health and community services to share information and promote their offerings, creating a network of support for customers.
- Volunteer Training - SPARK will provide training for adults and young leaders in essential areas such as Health and Safety, First Aid, and Food Health Safety, actively recruiting volunteers to support the various activities throughout the community.
- Men’s Support Group - A weekly group providing a safe space for men to meet, share experiences, and build friendships, addressing any challenges they may face.
- Community Champions - Residents can become community champions, advocating for local needs and linking with existing steering groups to ensure that the community’s voice is heard.
All sessions and activities will be held in Fitton Hill, with priority given to Great Places customers.
With the support of the Great Places Resilience Fund, SPARK Oldham is set to make a significant impact on the lives of local residents.
Five Minutes with Ryan Smith, Head of Neighbourhoods
We caught up with Ryan Smith (Head of Neighbourhoods – Central) to get a sense of his role and perspective at Great Places.
Ryan Smith brings a wealth of experience and dedication to his role. With 17 years at Great Places, including 13 years in the Central Region, Ryan's commitment to excellent customer service, combined with his passion for community impact and team collaboration, makes him an important figure in making positive change within Great Places.
What does your role involve?
I’m responsible for the delivery of frontline housing services within the Central Region which covers seven local authority areas, our NHS keyworker accommodation at the Royal Oldham Hospital and our PFI Project, a 25-year housing regeneration partnership with Wates Construction, also in Oldham.
My role involves oversight of our operational performance as well as developing and managing relationships with many partner organisations.
I am also the chair of our Allocation and Voids Service Excellence Group which involves colleagues from across the business to ensure our allocations and voids offer follows regulation and ensures high levels of customer satisfaction.
How long have you worked in the Central Region for and why is it a great place to be?
I have worked at Great Places for 17 years in several roles.
I think what makes the Central Region great for me is the people in the team. Our region is largely made up of colleagues who are local to the areas that they work in and around, and there is a genuine and heartfelt passion about doing the best for people who need our support and pride when we make improvements; this could be largescale developments, or the work we do through our community centres.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Seeing the impact our work has in neighbourhoods, on the ground, in homes, talking to customers face-to-face. It's not always good; I also deal with some customer complaints and seeing how something we have done impacts someone so much, talking over a brew in their front room is eye-opening. We must remember what this sector is here to do and a real barometer for that is to have face-to-face interactions with our customers.
I am also privileged to have such a dedicated team, and I love being around them. I do feel we have an energy when we are all together; overhearing conversations between the team and customers and bouncing ideas off each other is something I love being part of.
What's your biggest challenge at the moment?
We live in an age where we can order products as consumers, and it be on our doorstep when we get home. We operate in that space and many of our customers have additional requirements when it comes to service so managing expectations is by far the biggest challenge.
Seeing how the ‘Housing Officer’ role has changed since I entered the sector 20 years ago is fascinating. It's not unique to Great Places, but ensuring that the links between our colleagues and customers remain as strong as they can be is crucial.
How would you describe your Central Region Team in three words?
- Honest
- Passionate
- Dedicated
What's been the highlight of your career so far?
Professionally, welcoming the apprentice/graduate roles into our team. Seeing numerous recruits completing their course, gaining a qualification and progressing in the sector makes me proud that I played a small role! The sector needs to continue to attract people who are passionate about what we do.
On a personal/professional level, seeing the impact of the PFI regeneration. Specifically, the two community centres where we have touched thousands of lives in one way or another, in my hometown, will always be something I will reflect on proudly.
Central Repairs Update
Your latest repairs update from your Head of Property Services
Our Central Repairs Team has faced significant demand between January to March (quarter four) and therefore have completed more repairs across the region compared to our previous update. This higher demand has impacted how many repairs we have been able to complete within our target timeframes, but the below are largely positive figures which reflect our dedication to improving our customers' homes.
How we’re doing at a glance in quarter four:
- Customer satisfaction: The average customer satisfaction rating for the Central region was 8.6 out of 10.
- Repairs completed: 5,723 repairs were completed to enhance customers’ homes across 2,803 properties within our in-house service.
- Timeliness: 79% of repairs were completed within target timeframes.
- First-visit fixes: 84% of all repairs were successfully completed during the first visit.
- Empty properties: 61 empty properties were prepared for new customers, with an average turnaround time of 16 days.
- Disrepair cases: At the end of the quarter, 37 disrepair cases were still active.
*These surveys are in real time – upon completion of repairs – and different to the TSM surveys.
Repairs review
During last year’s Corporate Priorities consultation with customers, you told us that having a really good Repairs Service was one of your top priorities. Over the last six months, we’ve been carrying out a review of the service and surveyed customers on Our Voice to understand what was most important to you when it comes to repairs.
We’d like to thank everyone who shared their views with us! We have been using this feedback, alongside other review findings, to look at how we can improve and shape our future Repairs Service. We have identified key areas for improvement and we’re currently setting out how we can bring these improvements into action for customers. We’ll continue to keep you updated through our regular eNews bulletins and the Great Places website.
As always, we are continuing to work with our customer service teams to actively seek your feedback around how to improve our services.
Thanks for your continued support and remember if you have any questions or need any further support you can contact us via Chatbot, on our website or email: customerhub@greatplaces.org.uk.
Jonathan Hunter, Head of Property Services – Central Team