lovemiddlesbrough-magazine-spring-2015 (2)

Help for house buyersAs part of the Council’scommitment to encouragehousehunters to chooseMiddlesbrough, theCouncil launched theStepping Stones schemeto help first time buyersgain a foot on the propertyladder.Lack of mortgage availability remains amajor barrier to home ownership, andtypical deposit requirements are nowequivalent to approximately three quartersof annual salary for the average first-timebuyer.Under the Stepping Stones scheme, firsttime housebuyers are required to pay just5% deposit and the council will fund aninterest-free equity loan for up to 50% ofthe property value.The equity loan will be secured by thesecond charge on the property, so thebuyer will own 100% of the property. Thiswill reduce the amount of mortgage thebuyer needs, making their repaymentsmore affordable, there will be no monthlyinterest or rent to pay to the Council.This scheme will also reduce the amountof deposit that buyers are required toprovide to mortgage lenders. The loan willbe repaid to the Council, at the prevailingmarket rate, when the homeownerchooses to sell the property, which they willbe free to do at any time.The scheme will be funded by the section106 financial contributions from theproperty developers and is presently onlyavailable on Bellway homes at AcklamGreen, Middlesbrough.About Acklam GreenAcklam Green is a neighbourhood in thewest of Central Middlesbrough. It is withinthe TS5 postcode area and part of theAyresome ward and bounded by West Laneand Newport to the north, the A19 dualcarriagewayto the west, Linthorpe to theeast and Acklam and Beckfield to the south.The local area offers good amenities andshops including a post office, butcher,chemist, banks, takeaway restaurants anda Tesco Express. There are good schools forall ages nearby as well as a day nursery inAcklam Road itself. Local bus services into theheart of Middlesbrough and other destinationsare frequent and reliable. Thornaby andMiddlesbrough railway stations are both withineasy reach, as are the A66 and A19.For more information or to apply for aStepping Stones equity loan, you cancontact Bellway Homes to arrangeto view a property, and collect anapplication form from the sales office.Or visit middlesbrough.gov.uk or emailsteppingstone@middlesbrough.gov.ukSave time, Do it onlineGrow your ownWith better weather, it is a goodtime to think about getting outdoors.Growing your own food is a great wayof improving your health and helpingthe environment, and now’s theperfect time to start.It doesn’t matter how much spaceyou have, you will be able to growsomething tasty. Sunny windowsillsare perfect for growing lettuce; smallyards or back alleys are great for plantpots or grow bags for salads, carrots,potatoes, strawberries and small fruitbushes. If your garden is a little larger,you could make a small growing bed.If you want to grow more and don’thave the space at home, communitygardens, which are shared spaceswithin the community, provide biggerareas of growing space. Ask us foradvice.Why not walk?May is national walking month andOPM, Tees Valley Arts and a number ofprimary schools are encouraging pupilsto walk to school more. The project isrunning a creative writing competitionon who pupils would most like to walkto school with. During Walk to SchoolWeek (May 18 - 22) winners of thecompetition will then walk to school withthe characters they have chosen!Pupils are also designing new plaquesshowing when they are a 5 and 10minute walk away from school -another scheme to help people walkmore and use the car a little less. Whynot follow their lead and add walkingto your day or joining in one of themany walks organised by Brookfieldand Kader Strolling and Walking Groupor take part in a Healthy Stepping Car-Sharing Away Day.Planned trips, including contact details,can be found at menvcity.org.ukFairtradeFairtrade fortnight runs until March 8th2015 - did you know:• Middlesbrough was awardedFairtrade Town status in 2007?• Middlesbrough has over 60 outletsoffering Fairtrade products?• Fairtrade means fair pay andworking conditions for farmers andproducers across the developingworld. It allows investment in thelocal community supportinghousing, healthcare and schools.• More than 1.4million farmers andworkers have benefitted from theFairtrade system.• Every time you choose Fairtrade youmake a positive difference to thelives of people all across the world.If you are interested in getting moreinvolved in the campaign contact us on01642 243183Teesside UniversityStudent Food Coopis an enterpriseoffering cheap,healthy food andis now open to thegeneral public.iPadFollow us on Twitter@mbrocouncilMyMiddlesbroughmakes it easier foryou to contact usand is available 24/7You can report it,apply for it and payfor it all in one place -MyMiddlesbroughLook out forthroughout theMiddlesbrough Councilwebsite or go directly tomy.middlesbrough.gov.ukFor more information about growing,walking and other sustainable activitiesvisit menvcity.org.uk/opmor call 01642 243183facebook.com/OnePlanetMiddlesbroughTwitter @OnePlanetMbroThese activities are a part of OnePlanet Middlesbrough, a project helpingresidents live more sustainable lives byproviding support, advice and activities on:• how to save energy and reducefuel bills• eating healthily, growing food andbuying local and seasonal food• choosing greener and healthierways to travel (walking, cycling andpublic transport)• preparing for extreme weather• reducing waste, reusing andrecycling moreThe stall is open every Monday inthe Students Union campus from11am to 2.30pm. Shoppers canchoose from a wide selection of fresh,healthy products, suitable for all dietsincludingvegan, vegetarian, wheatand gluten free.Carol Wilson, Manager for TeessideUniversity’s Student Food Co-op said:“People think that sustainable andhealthy eating is hard and expensive.We’re here to show you it isn’t. Withrecipes on our social media, as wellas top tips on eating well, The StudentFood Co-op society is here to show youthat it is easy, cheap and worthwhile.”For more information please contactAndy Price at a.price@tees.ac.uk orvisit facebook.com/Teesfoodcoop​26 lovemiddlesbrough magazinelovemiddlesbrough magazine27