Inspire Magazine - Summer 2017

Running for SPOONS!
On Sunday 28 May, One Manchester
staff joined tens of thousands of runners
of all ages and abilities taking part in the
Great Manchester Run, raising £2000
for local neonatal charity, SPOONS.
Founded last year by a small group of
parents who have experienced neonatal
care at both Royal Oldham and North
Manchester hospitals, SPOONS provides
support and raises funds to improve family
services, facilities and family centred
care. This fantastic local charity provided
invaluable support to one of our runners,
Paul Lowe and his partner, following the
birth of their first child, Michael, who
developed acute septicaemia.
Paul said: “You never expect it to happen
to you but it happens. We went in there
with a day’s worth of clothes and food and
ended up there for 12 days - some families
end up in there for a lot longer - and
while the medical staff are superb, they’re
focused on the child as they should be.
For those first few days you don’t know
what you’re doing. It’s really hard to put
into words but for those 12 days they held
your hand; having someone who’s been
there asking how you are and getting you
a drink, it sounds so basic but you can’t
put a figure on it.”
“When we decided we were going to
enter the Greater Manchester Run,
I suggested fundraising for SPOONS it
was really humbling that everyone was
happy to support it because they could
see how much support they’d
given us as a family. With it being
a small charity, the money will all
go directly to helping the families and
allow them to be even more ambitious in
the support they can provide.”
Enrique Romero, Paul Graham, Andrew
Russell and Dan Skorupa completed the
half marathon, while a further 10 staff
completed the 10k race with Richard
Green, leading the pack finishing in just
42 minutes and 7 seconds.
SPOONS founder and trustee, Kirsten
Mitchell said: “We’re a very small and new
charity, so this donation will help improve
services and support on offer to families in
the hospitals and once they go home.
“From making the family bedrooms more
comfortable, to providing welcome packs
for when families arrive and sending
milestone cards to families once they
leave to celebrate things like first cuddles,
the volunteers who run the charity know
it’s the little things that make a massive
difference because they have all been
parents on the units.
Paul Lowe
with wife, Becks,
and baby Michael
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to
everyone who ran in aid of SPOONS,
especially Paul who said he’d do anything
he could to help us and has been true to
his word.
For more information about SPOONS
visit: www.spoons.org.uk
Richard Green
leading the
One Manchester
runners
One Money ‘team of the year’
We’re so proud of our One Money
team, who fought off competition from
right across the North, to be crowned
‘Team of the Year’ at the Northern TPAS
Awards 2017 in Manchester in April.
The TPAS Awards celebrate the successes
and hard work of tenants and landlords in
the social housing sector to improve lives
and bring real and long-lasting change
in communities.
The award recognises the fantastic and
often life-changing work the One Money
team provides. The team works tirelessly
to help our customers to regain control
of their finances, which can make a huge
difference in people’s lives.
Julie Blairs, who manages the team, said:
“The team work really hard and achieve
great results for their customers, so it is
wonderful to receive this recognition.
Our message to everybody is that you
don’t have to suffer in debt, there’s
always a solution and you just have to
seek that help.”
Success at the regional awards meant
the team went on to compete for the title
of National TPAS ‘Team of the Year’ in
July. Unfortunately they were pipped at
the post this time but they are certainly
winners in our eyes.
0330 355 1002
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