Inspire Magazine - Issue 1, 2019

homes health community support
ISSUE 1, 2019
THE SAVINGS issue
Our older residents speak out!
See page 12
Take the
savings
challenge
See page 15
see what , s
been happening
in your community
This year’s annual report is
inside
See page 24

Welcome to Inspire Magazine
Contact us
Email
enquiries@onemanchester.co.uk
Call us on
0330 355 1002
Call Monday to Friday from 8am-5.30pm.
You can also phone this number for
emergency repairs (where there is a
danger to health or safety), 24 hours a
day, seven days a week and you’ll be
transferred to the out-of-hours service.
Address
One Manchester, Lovell House,
Archway 6, Hulme, M15 5RN
We get lots of calls about issues dealt
with by Manchester City Council.
Please visit www.manchester.gov.uk
where you can find contact information.
We’d love to hear
all your stories...
Welcome to the first issue
of 2019 which is our
money-saving edition.
The new year is a time to reflect on the year that’s gone,
and what you might want to achieve during the next twelve
months. It’s also a time when finances can be tight, which
is why we have provided lots of useful information in our
money-saving issue.
If you find it difficult to save, or don’t know which bank
account will suit you, take a look at the helpful articles on
pages 14 to 18. Don’t forget, we also have lots of handy
information on the ‘Money help and tips’ section of our
website.
Saving money can also mean you’re doing your bit to help
the environment, so read about the smart ways to be energyefficient
on page 16.
We hope you have a great start to 2019!
The Inspire team
Email: inspire@onemanchester.co.uk
If you have a story you’d like to share,
we’d love to hear it - and so would
everyone else!
Send us an email to:
inspire@onemanchester.co.ukuk
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage @onemcr inspire@onemanchester.co.uk
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@onemcr

CONTENTS
Revamped Fallowfield Community Grocers
And there’s more to come from this in-demand service .................................. 4
We’ve been awarded GOLD
We’re committed to providing the best staff for you ....................................... 5
Always thinking of the environment
How to make the best use of the blue, brown and grey bins ........................... 5
A day in the life of a One Manchester caretaker
Meet Des from our caretaking team ............................................................. 6
Supporting an end to homelessness
Find out how we’re involved in the aim to end rough sleeping ........................ 7
Top tips to beat the freeze during winter
As the temperature drops, make sure you don’t run into problems .................. 8
Simple repairs you can do yourself
There’s lots of help and advice to carry out repairs in your home ...................... 9
Keep your home gas-safe and win £100
Keep you, your family and your neighbours safe ............................................ 9
Would you like to find your perfect job?
Get free help at our weekly drop-in sessions ............................................... 10
Get a Level 2 qualification for free
Training courses available to One Manchester residents ................................ 11
Have you ever tried a work placement?
If you’re looking for a job, a work placement is the perfect start ...................... 11
Could you be a trustee for The Place at Platt Lane?
Can you provide business experience for a much-loved community asset? ..... 12
Make your business idea work better
Realise the dream of becoming your own boss............................................ 13
What’s on for young people
Find out about free activities for kids in your area .......................................... 13
Do you struggle to get a bank account?
Saving and borrowing money responsibly is easy with credit unions .............. 14
Save money, save the environment
Five easy ways to make a difference to your spending and the planet ............. 16
Struggling to pay your water bill?
Payment plans can help you during hard times ............................................ 18
Free energy and money-saving advice from LEAP
Save money and keep your home warm and cosy ........................................ 18
The latest on our new homes
An update on our latest developments ....................................................... 19
See how we did in 2017-18
Take a look at our annual report ................................................................. 24
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage 73

NEWS
Have you seen the revamped
Fallowfield Community Grocer?
As more Community Grocers open across the
city, it shows just how important the service has
become to the communities where they are based.
For £2.50, members can get groceries worth up to £12,
which is making a huge difference to the lives of many people.
Fallowfield Community Grocer, based at The Place at Platt Lane, has
recently seen some changes due to popularity. The grocers have now
moved downstairs to a bigger room in the library building, making it
easier to access for everybody.
With the help of ten volunteers, they hope to provide extra services to
members, including a cookery workshop using healthy food.
One member, Catherine, says she goes for more than just shopping;
“There are always really good bargains. It’s nice being able to have
a cup of tea, meet friends and have a chat as well.”
The volunteers have also seen fantastic benefits according to Gary;
“The Community Grocer has helped me get back into volunteering
and prepared me for returning to work. It’s helped to build my
confidence and given me access to other services on offer at the library
and in the local community.”
Fallowfield Community Grocer is accepting new members and is
open for anyone in the area to join. Head along on a Friday morning
between 9.30am-12pm to find out how to become a member.
Our One Money team offer money advice appointments at
some of the Community Grocers so contact the team to find
out more on 0330 355 1002.
Find your nearest
Community Grocer
Rusholme & Longsight
Anson Community Grocer
Anson Community House, 38 Meldon Road,
Longsight, M13 OTR. Call 07913 540680.
Open Tuesday & Thursday, 9:30am-12:30pm.
Ardwick
Coverdale & Newbank Community Grocer
Cornbrook House, 217 Stockport Road,
Ardwick, M12 4DY. Call 0161 274 2186.
Open Thursday, 11am-1pm.
Gorton Community Grocer
Gorton Community Centre, 543 Abbey Hey Lane,
Gorton, M18 8PF. Call 07913 540680.
Open Friday, 9:30am-12pm.
Fallowfield Community Grocer
The Place at Platt Lane, Platt Lane, Fallowfield,
M14 7FB. Call 07913 540680.
Open Friday, 9:30am-12pm.
Opening in February - Hulme
Aquarius Centre, 21 Eden Close, Hulme,
M15 6AX. Contact Lesley on 07984 493515 or
email aquarius@onemanchester.co.uk
Will be opening Tuesdays.
Interested in
volunteering?
Call the One Future team
on 0330 355 1002
or email onefuture@
onemanchester.co.uk
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Could your community group
benefit from funding?
Applications are now open for our Community Soup funding;
where you could be awarded up to £5,000 for your project.
Don’t miss out!
NEWS
Apply online at
www.onemanchester.co.uk
and search
‘Funding & Support’.
We want to know how you can make a difference to your area. Whether your project helps
younger or older residents, environmental issues, or helps people get out and about.
Applications close Monday
11th February.
We’ve been awarded GOLD
for investing in our people
We’re proud to announce we’ve been awarded GOLD standard by
Investors in People, which only 7% of accredited organisations achieve!
What does this mean for you?
Because we’re investing in the development of our staff, their knowledge and
skills are always up to date. It means our staff have embraced One Manchester’s
values of being ambitious, connected and trustworthy, so the work we’re doing
for you is always the best it can be. The award also means we’re attracting
talented people - whether it’s the One Money team with debt and benefit
advice or the Repairs and Maintenance team.
We want to hire the very best staff and invest in the people who work
here. That creates a happy workforce and a high-quality service for you.
Always thinking of the environment
Together with Manchester City Council, we have been visiting
residents of our high-rise blocks to explain how to make best
use of the blue, brown and green waste bins.
During the two days visiting our 17 tower blocks, customers got the
chance to ask questions about waste and recycling. They received
helpful tips, advice and additional items to help with recycling.
If you would like to learn more, our website has some
useful information about local waste collections and
recycling at www.onemanchester.co.uk/refuse-recycle
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
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A DAY IN THE LIFE
A day in the life of… Caretaker Des
The refurbishment of a homeless hub to help people living on the streets had more relevance
to one member of the Mobile Cleaning and Caretaking teams.
After previously experiencing homelessness, Desmond Taylor
is now a One Manchester tenant and currently working as a
caretaker at Worsley Court on a temporary contract.
We spoke to Des about his experience of rough sleeping and
how his life has changed.
Can you tell us why the homelessness
campaign is important to you?
“I’ve experienced homelessness myself after a relationship
breakdown and I’d been living in a men’s hostel for two and a
half years. These things happen when you’re down on your luck,
and I’d been out on the streets before. In winter your feet and
hands go funny because of the chill.
“One day I got ill and the doctor told me that my feet were at
risk of getting permanently damaged because of the cold.
At my age things only get worse, they don’t get better.”
How has the past year changed for you?
“I’ve got accommodation with One Manchester now through
Manchester Move, and a temporary contract with the team
as a caretaker. Hopefully if I can turn the temporary contract
into a full-time role, then I’ve come from being homeless and
unemployed, to having a home and having a job. Fingers
crossed!”
What does a typical day in your new job involve?
“I come in at 7am and open the laundry and community
rooms, then I start my walk down checks. I start at the
top floor of the flats and walk down every floor checking
the landings, the bin chutes, and the lights.
“I make sure there is no litter or obstructions on the
landings, and then after I’ve done my checks I’ll work
my way through the list of cleaning duties. So, I’ll clean
the windows, mop the floors, tidy the leaves away
from the paths. It’s important to make the area look
presentable.”
What do you like about the role?
“I’m a people person and I’m always here for the
tenants if they need anything. I like to have friendly
conversations with the people in the blocks.”
How is life different for you now?
“Considering the last few years where I had
absolutely nothing, where I’m at now is
absolutely tremendous.”
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COMMUNITY
One Manchester
supporting an end to homelessness
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has pledged to end rough sleeping in the
region by 2020. There are lots of projects happening which we’re leading on or supporting
other organisations with. Some of these include:
‘A bed every night’
This aims to offer a bed to anyone who is homeless in the
region from November until March.
All local authorities in Greater Manchester are involved with
the help of their staff and resources. Charities, the public
sector, and the faith sector have helped to find more places
to use as emergency night shelters, such as churches. This
campaign is more than just a bed, with the aim of finding
more accommodation options after March.
Our Mobile Cleaning and Caretaking teams went along to
two centres in Ardwick and Crumpsall to help clear furniture
and rubbish. Noel Byrne, Caretaker for Cundiff Court,
expressed his delight at being involved:
“We’ve had the Caretaking team and the Mobile Cleaning
team doing a grand job, and hopefully it’ll be a nice warm
night for those using the accommodation. I feel really proud
to be helping out.”
There are lots of ways you
can help and support including
donating items, money or
volunteering your time.
Visit www.streetsupport.net
Large homes for homeless families
To help with the shortage of houses available for large families in
temporary accommodation, we have bought four properties in the area.
This includes a 6-bedroom house in Gorton, two 4-bedroom homes in
Openshaw, and a converted ex-social services house in Fallowfield.
We hope to continue to support larger homeless families and
aim to buy ten properties in total.
Secure Homes for Long-Term Rough Sleepers
In response to the current rough sleeping crisis, One Manchester has invested in and
are leading the delivery of the “Greater Manchester Homes Partnership”. This is a partnership
with 20 other housing providers and charities across Greater Manchester to find secure and settled
homes for people who have spent most of their lives rough sleeping or living on the streets.
The Government enabled the programme by investing £1.8 million to work with 200 people. Due to so many early positive
outcomes and more participants asking to be involved, the Government invested a further £800,000 to allow us to work with
even more people. We’re currently working with 400 participants to help them begin a new life off the streets and have helped
220 people move into new homes.
The programme will also focus on health needs, accessing education or employment and reconnecting with families. There will
also be intensive emotional and practical support offered to help them to manage their new homes and thrive in their new lives.
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
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ADVICE
Top tips to beat the
freeze during winter
As the temperature drops during the long dark nights,
your home needs a little bit of care to ensure you don’t
run into any problems.
There are many things you can do!
The most common problems can be a loss of water
supply, heating issues, leaking toilets and sinks not
draining - often because of frozen pipes.
Before reporting a repair - save time and money by
following these simple tips during cold weather:
1
2
3
If you know where your stop tap is, empty the cupboard and
allow some warm air to circulate around the pipe. Try blowing
warm air on the pipe using a hairdryer or place a small heater in
front of the cupboard.
After a few minutes you should find that the water starts to
defrost. You should not leave heated appliances unattended
whilst doing this.
You might find that the condensate pipe on your boiler has
frozen - the pipe from your boiler which leads to an outside
drain. Try these ways to thaw the frozen pipe:
• Use hot water (not boiling) and pour it over the end of the pipe
where it’s frozen, using a suitable container like a watering can.
• Hold a hot water bottle or heat wrap around the pipe.
• Once the pipe has thawed you should reset your boiler.
Hold the re-set button for 10 seconds and wait for it to re-fire.
If your toilet or sink is not draining, it probably isn’t a blockage
that can be fixed by a plumber. Before reporting this as a
repair, pour some hot water down as this may defrost the
frozen water in the pipes.
4
Leave your heating on a low setting during the night
to stop pipes freezing.
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There’s lots of help and advice online, and we have created some
‘How To’ video guides to help with the more common repairs problems.
Follow the simple video guides at www.onemanchester.co.uk/diy
ADVICE
Simple repairs you can do yourself
See how to:
• Realign a kitchen unit door
• Turn off a stop tap
• Bleed a radiator
• Change a plug fuse
• Reset a trip switch
• Unblock a gully
• Unblock a toilet
• Unblock a sink
• Change a kitchen light
• Change a bathroom light
Keep your home gas-safe and
you could win £100
It’s a legal requirement that you let us carry out a gas safety check at your home.
By making sure that your gas appliances are working properly, it will keep you,
your family and your neighbours safe. You could also save money on your gas bill
as your appliances will work better.
You will be sent an appointment for your gas safety check which you can rearrange if it’s not suitable.
If you let us in first time, you’ll be entered into our
monthly prize draw where one lucky customer will win £100.*
On the day of the appointment you must make sure:
• If you have a card meter there is credit on it
• Your appliance(s) and gas meter can be reached easily
• You have the manufacturer’s instructions available for
any of your own gas appliances e.g. gas fire, cooker
For full details of this promotion please visit www.onemanchester.co.uk/privacy
*Terms and conditions apply.
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
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JOBS & TRAINING
Would you like to find
your perfect job?
You can get free help at our weekly Work Shop drop-in sessions in Hulme, Gorton and Fallowfield.
Come along to our Work Shop sessions to:
• Create a CV and covering letter
• Improve your job search skills
• Complete application forms
• Understand how to use Universal Job Match
• Save your CV on a free USB stick
• Use computers, the printer and phone
• Find training, placement and volunteering opportunities
• Find out about ‘meet the employer’ events
One Manchester Gorton office
Unit 1 (side of Tesco), Hyde Road, Gorton, M18 8LD
Monday, Tuesday & Friday, 9.15am - 4pm
Aquarius Centre
21 Eden Close, Hulme, M15 6AX
Wednesday, 9.15am - 4pm
The Place at Platt Lane
Fallowfield, M14 7FB
Tuesday & Wednesday, 9.15am - 4pm
Need help with basic computer skills?
Come along to our free, friendly
classes. No appointment needed.
The Place at Platt Lane, Fallowfield, M14 7FB
Tuesday, 9.30am - 12.30pm
There’s a new
employment & skills centre
coming to Moss Side
We’re excited to announce that we will be taking over the
centre known as The Works in Moss Side early in the new
year. The venue will be refurbished and renamed The Work
Shop. It will offer advice on finding a job, skills training and
help with CVs. There will also be money advice available to
help with debts, benefits and opening an account.
If you’re looking for help with employment or
money, you can speak to a friendly adviser
on 0330 355 1002 or email
onefuture@onemanchester.co.uk
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JOBS & TRAINING
One of these Level 2 qualifications
could be just what you need
You could be on your way to finding your perfect job by enrolling on
one of the free training courses available to One Manchester residents.
There are lots of subjects available and places are limited. The Level 2 qualifications are recognised
by employers across the country, so don’t miss this opportunity! Level 2 Certificates available include:
• Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties
• Understanding Excellence in Customer Service for Hospitality
• Improving Personal Exercise, Health and Nutrition
• Understanding Children & Young People’s Mental Health
• Understanding Safeguarding & Prevent
• Understanding Behaviour that Challenges
• Understanding Autism
• Lean Organisational Management
• Customer Service for Health & Social Care Settings
• Information, Advice or Guidance
• Business Administration
• Warehousing and Storage
• Safe Handling of Medicines
• Preparing to Work in Adult Social Care
• Extended Certificate in Health & Social Care Professions
• Common Health Conditions
• Awareness of Mental Health Problems
For further information call the One Future team today on
0330 355 1002 or email onefuture@onemanchester.co.uk
• Management of Diabetes
• Caring for Children and Young People
• Dignity and Safeguarding
• Falls Prevention Awareness
• Nutrition and Health
• Equality and Diversity
• End of Life Care
• Care Planning
• Dementia Care
• Learning Disabilities
• Cleaning Principles
• Infection Control
• Retail Operations
• Team Leading
• Customer Service
• Wine Services
We also offer
free training in
Maths and English
- contact us for
details.
Have you ever tried a work placement?
They are a great way of getting essential
experience of a job with a local employer.
There are different types of placements we can
support you with such as:
• Admin
• Hospitality
• Health & Social Care
• Finance
• IT
Work placements can benefit you in lots of ways:
• Boost your skills and confidence
• On-the-job training
• Experience the workplace
• Improve your job prospects
• Get a reference and certificate
• Support to help you find work
• Links with local employers
• Construction
• Facilities
• Customer Service
• Project Assistant
• Warehouse and many more
If you’re interested, call Bree Adshead on 0330 355 1002
or email bree.adshead@onemanchester.co.uk
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
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COVER STORY
Giving a voice to older residents
Making Manchester a great place to grow old is one of the city’s priorities. Valuing Older People
is a project made up of organisations, groups and individuals across the city - including us!
The project from Age-Friendly Manchester has now
caught the attention of the Government. We spoke to two
residents from our independent living schemes who have
been lucky enough to be invited to Westminster to share
their experiences.
Eddie Dukhie of Will Griffiths Court, and Paul Ryan who
lives at Patrick Roddy Court, first went to London in
October along with Independent Living Adviser, Tracy.
They discussed their life experiences, the current housing
market and money concerns for older people in the
country. The event also heard from younger people in the
country to understand the issues they face.
“It was really good to have this as a sounding board”, Paul
says. “Politicians don’t live in the real world so it’s important
we tell them how things really are for people our age.”
Eddie explained the message that they were able to deliver
during their time in London;
“We gave our input as to what we, as pensioners, are
feeling regarding the recent government cuts. There are
not enough resources for older people now which puts
a strain on ambulance services and the NHS, and the
resources for independent living are too stretched.”
Eddie and Paul will now find out what other people
in their communities think about these issues,
and will get to return to London to tell ministers.
Could you be a trustee
for The Place at Platt Lane?
Can you provide your business experience
for a much-loved community asset?
The Place at Platt Lane in Fallowfield is looking for trustees to
help with its development. The centre offers opportunities
to support learning, employment and wellbeing, as well as a
library service. The current Board are looking to build on this
and make The Place at Platt Lane sustainable.
If you can help
in the following areas,
The Place would love to hear from you:
• Business planning
• Networking and influencing
• Social media and marketing
• Legal and accounting
• Bid writing and fund procurement
• Fundraising
• Community engagement
To find out more about this fantastic opportunity and make a difference to the local community,
contact Rob Willis on 07875 009616 or email rob.willis@onemanchester.co.uk
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Want to make your business idea
work better like Marlous?
BUSINESS
Hulme resident Marlous had been running her own business as a proofreader for several years.
Her career meant she could work when and where she needed to, and she enjoyed the flexibility.
However, once she had children, Marlous found that it was much
more difficult to find the time to work. She wasn’t enjoying her job
anymore and wasn’t making enough money for her family.
Thankfully, her friend had attended the Women in Business
workshops and told her how useful she found them.
“I’d begun to feel as though I’d painted myself into a corner with my
freelancing, and that’s why I joined up with the Women in Business.
I’d seen the leaflets, and a friend of mine had previously done the
course. She was really enthusiastic about it and I thought ‘if they
can do it, why can’t I?’
“Everybody in the group struggled with the same things and so my
concerns quickly felt very normal. It was a comfortable environment
to ask questions because everyone was thinking the same way.”
Now, thanks to the course, Marlous’ editing and proofreading
business has created better opportunities for her.
“I think the most important part was sitting there with the other
women and having one day a week where I could take time for
myself. I actually began to think about myself as a business person.
The course gave me the confidence, the space and awareness to
do that.”
And her advice for anybody looking at making the most of their
business idea?
“I’d say to anybody who’s starting out with a new business to take
one day a week, sit down and make a plan. This course has shown
me that it really helps.”
If you have a business idea and would like some
advice or to attend a workshop for free, contact
Wayne Wilson on 07471 142875 or email
wayne.wilson@onemanchester.co.uk
COMMUNITY
Activity Where Area Day Time Age
Arts & Crafts The Place at Platt Lane Fallowfield Monday 3.30 - 4.30pm 3 to 11
Water Polo East Manchester Leisure Centre Beswick Monday 6 - 7pm 7 to 1 1
Arts & Crafts Wells Centre, 101 North Road Clayton Tuesday 3.30 - 5.30pm 3 to 11
Homework Club The Place at Platt Lane Fallowfield Tuesday 4 - 5.30pm 7 to 11
Homework Club Aquarius Centre Hulme Tuesday 4 - 5.30pm 7 to 11
Boxing The Scout Hut, Seymour Road Clayton Tuesday 6 - 8pm 11 to 19
Pre-School Story Time The Place at Platt Lane Fallowfield Thursday 10 - 11am Under 5
Lego Club The Place at Platt Lane Fallowfield Saturday 1 - 2.30pm 6 to 11
If you would like to find out more about these activities or other youth projects,
you can contact Michelle on 07940 758168.
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
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MONEY
Struggling to get a bank account?
Saving and borrowing money the responsible way is easy with credit unions. They offer savings
accounts to people who might not have the option with banks. If you need some help with saving
and borrowing money responsibly, Manchester Credit Union or South Manchester Credit Union
might be able to help you.
Manchester Credit Union
You can take control of your savings online and on your mobile.
Save money:
• By setting up a standing order
• Directly from your wages
• With your membership card at any Paypoint or Post Office
• Directly from one of your benefits such as Child Benefit or Tax Credits
Do you need help?
If you need help getting a bank account or advice
on how to save, our One Money team can help.
This account comes with free life savings insurance, and if a member
dies, savings are doubled* and will be paid to a nominated beneficiary.
Savers will also be able to apply for an affordable loan.
*up to a maximum of £5,000 - conditions apply
Join online now to start saving with the ethical choice
at www.manchestercreditunion.co.uk
South Manchester Credit Union
South Manchester’s Credit Union’s secure messaging app, Nivo,
can make getting a loan quicker and easier. It works like any other
messaging service, but with a high level of encryption - keeping
your information safe. Withdrawals are limited to one per month,
making your savings harder to spend and easier to build.
The team are not financial advisers so will not
recommend a particular account or provider.
What they will do is provide information on the
range of accounts from all banks and building
societies for you to make your own choice.
Call the One Money team on 0330 355 1002
or email onemoney@onemanchester.co.uk
The Christmas Club is a great way to save, and last year their 230
members saved an impressive total of £71,405!
If you need a loan, this responsible community lender treats each
person’s needs individually to find the right repayments for you.
Find out more at www.smcreditunion.co.uk/join
The Government offers a
Help to Save savings account
Our handy Spending Diary and
Budget Buster Guide is great for
keeping on top of your money.
Download it from our website
or contact us for a printed copy.
It allows certain people entitled to Working Tax Credit or receiving
Universal Credit to get a bonus of 50p for every £1 they save over
four years. You get bonuses at the end of the second and fourth
years based on how much you’ve saved. You can save up to £50
each calendar month, but you don’t have to.
£
Are you ready for
the challenge?
£
£
£
You can pay money into your Help to Save account by debit card,
standing order or bank transfer. You can only withdraw money
from your Help to Save account to your bank account.
£
£
£
£
£
£
After four years, your Help to Save account will be closed
and you’ll be able to keep the money from your account.
£
£
Your Spending Diary
& Budget Buster
It’s time to take control of your finances.
youth home life money place future
Visit www.gov.uk/helptosave
COMBINED_A5_P.indd 1 30/10/2018 12:11
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MONEY
Why not try the
savings
challenge?
Have you heard about the 52-week savings
challenge? It’s a great idea based on saving an
increasing amount of money each week.
So, in week one save £1, in week two save £2, in week 3 save £3,
until week 52 when you will save £52.
Or, if that seems like a stretch, saving a lower amount like 1p a day
is a good place to start.
You‘ll find a chart to print and tick off as you start saving at
www.skintdad.co.uk/skint-52-week-saving-challenge
Save today
for your child’s future
Savings accounts for children are a great way to help them for their
future. Many savings accounts can be opened from birth and have
interest rates up to 4.5%. You can compare the accounts available
to help you choose the right account for your child or grandchild.
Encourage kids
to start saving
Why not get your child
involved? You could set
small goals to get them
started and explain the
benefits of saving money.
You might want to choose
the account together if you
feel your child is ready for
this responsibility.
Your savings pledge
Think of one luxury that you spend
your money on each week
(takeaway, magazines, coffee etc.)
How much does this cost you each week?
£ .......................
Now add that up for the year:
£ .............. x 52 = £ ..............
This is how much you could save!
Now think of something that you could
do with this money and write it here:
Find out more at www.onemanchester.co.uk/childrens-savings
or www.onemanchester.co.uk/child-savings
This is your pledge to yourself
Good luck!
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15

ENERGY
Save money,
save the environment
Did you realise that saving the environment can also save you money too?
Here are five easy ways that you can make a difference to your spending and the planet.
1
Remember the 3 Rs
It costs around £160 a year per
household to collect and dispose of rubbish,
compared to around £28.50 a year for
recycling in the blue, brown and green bins.
Recycling saves money
which can be spent on improving things
in your area such as parks and roads.
Reduce
Do you often buy items without thinking about what
happens when you have finished using them?
Why not look at www.made2bmadeagain.org
to learn more.
Re-use
Upcycling or shopping at second-hand or charity shops
can find you some fantastic bargains. Or how about
starting a ‘swap shop’ with your family and friends?
The Love Your Clothes website has lots of clever and
creative ways of doing this. Get some ideas from
www.loveyourclothes.org.uk
DON’T FORGET to re-use bags and
containers for food shopping and cooking
Recycle
It’s really easy to recycle and reduce the amount of waste
on our planet. Remember, if you put the wrong items in
your recycling bins, then they may not be collected.
You’ll find more useful links on our website at www.onemanchester.co.uk/refuse-recycle
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@onemcr

Give your home an
2 energy check 4
Are you on the best deal? The energy industry regulator,
Ofgem, say switching could save you around £300 a year!
Switching your gas or electricity supplier is very easy, simply
visit uSwitch’s website www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity
We also have loads of handy energy-saving guides on our
website. Visit www.onemanchester.co.uk/energy-saving
ENERGY
Give more thought to
your food
There’s lots you can do to use leftover food and save
on your food shopping bill. To get some great tips visit
www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
If you’re struggling to afford to buy food for yourself
or your family, your local Community Grocer can help
with discounted items. Find out where your nearest
Community Grocer is on page 4.
DON’T FORGET to look out for ‘green’ energy
tariffs which use renewable energies such as
solar panels and wind turbines.
3
Ask for a FREE
smart meter
A smart energy meter is free and gives you accurate bills,
as well as showing how much energy and money you are
using in your home. Smart meters are going to be offered to
all households across the UK by 2020. Ask your energy
supplier if they can fit a smart meter in your home.
5
The average
UK household
wastes £470
worth of food
every year!
Make changes to
travel habits
In our last issue we featured lots of ways to cut costs with
travel around the city with schemes from Travel for Greater
Manchester (TfGM). Find out more about these schemes
at www.tfgm.com or read the story on our website.
Are you wasting money?
Here are some things to think about
• If you leave your electric items on standby you’re spending
money unnecessarily.
• The recommended healthy room temperature is between
18 - 21 degrees. Anything higher or lower than this might
be risking your health and could lead to damp and mould
in your home. Try turning down your heating by 1 degree at
a time as this will save you money on your bills.
• Installing LED lightbulbs into your lamps will use 90% less
energy than other bulbs.
• You might be eligible for free draft-proofing and energy
advice in your home with LEAP. See page 18.
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17

MONEY
Struggling to pay your water bill?
United Utilities can help
Finding the money to pay all of your bills can be difficult. Thankfully, United Utilities have
payment plans that can help you during hard times.
The trained team at United Utilities work with local people
to get them back on track with their water bills, and they can
help you too. Here are some of the payment plans that
United Utilities can offer to you:
• Back on track
If you’re behind with your water bill payments and on
benefits, they can provide an affordable bill depending on
your circumstances.
• Help to pay
If you receive Pension Credit and are struggling to make
payments, you can apply to have your bills capped at an
affordable amount.
• Payment matching plus
If you’ve built up a lot of debt, for every £1 you pay they will
match it with £1. After six months, for every £1 you pay they’ll
pay £2. If you continue to make regular payments for two
years, they will clear any remaining debt.
To get help with your bills, call United Utilities on
0800 072 6765 or visit www.unitedutilities.com
• Restart grant
If you’re in real financial difficulty, you may qualify for a one-off
payment from their Trust Fund to help clear your debts.
• Water Sure
If you have a water meter, receive benefits or use a lot of
water due to ill health or having a large family, they can cap
your yearly bill.
• Universal Credit (UC)
If you’re about to apply for Universal Credit and are worried
about your water bill, they can delay your water bill payments
for up to eight weeks until your first UC payment arrives.
• Payment break
If you’re struggling with your bill due to losing your job or
paying out for an unexpected household emergency, their
Payment Break scheme can help
by delaying your payments for
an agreed length of time.
Don’t forget!
A water meter is one
of the easiest ways to
reduce your water bill
and United Utilities
will fit one for
FREE!
Free energy & money-saving advice
Are your home’s energy bills higher than you’d like? There’s a free service
that could help called LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partnership), who have
helped lots of households save money and keep their homes warm.
If eligible, you will get a free home visit from a friendly, qualified LEAP energy adviser who can:
Help check if you are on the cheapest energy tariffs
this could save you over £280 a year.
Install free, simple, energy-saving measures
which can save the average household £30 on their energy bills a year.
Give you day-to-day energy efficiency hints and tips
to make sure your heating system is set-up to keep you warm and save money.
Arrange a free telephone advice service
to help with benefits, debt and other money problems.
You may be eligible for the LEAP service if one of the below apply. If you:
• have a low income • receive tax credits • receive Housing Benefit • receive Universal Credit
• receive an income or disability related benefit • have a long term illness or disability.
To book your
free home visit, call
0800 060 7567
or apply online at
www.applyforleap.org.uk
If you’re a One Manchester
tenant, please state this.
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DEVELOPMENTS
The latest on our
new homes
We have lots of new build developments coming up over the next few
months and we wanted you to be the first to see what is going on.
Atlas Place, Levenshulme
This development has recently launched, and many
have already been snapped up. There are 2-bedroom
apartments, as well as 3- and 4-bedroom houses
available with Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy.
If you are interested in living here, you will need to
be quick. www.onemanchester.co.uk/atlas-place
Stoney Gate, Openshaw
These 3-bedroom houses will save you money on
your energy bills as they are all built to the low-energy
Passivhaus Standard. Plus, all of the homes are available
with Rent to Buy, so you can save on both your rent and
bills too, making saving for a deposit even easier.
www.onemanchester.co.uk/stoney-gate
South Gate, Openshaw
Overlooking Openshaw Park, there will be bungalows
available for Affordable Rent and 2 and 3-bedroom
houses for Shared Ownership. This development will be
a brilliant place to live for families and older people alike.
www.onemanchester.co.uk/south-gate
Stoney Gate
Openshaw
Spring Place
Whalley Range
Atlas Place
Levenshulme
Spring Place, Whalley Range
These 1- and 2-bedroom apartments are in a beautiful
converted building next to Alexandra Park. These
homes are available with Rent to Buy and will be
ready from January. They are sure to be very popular,
so don’t miss out!
www.onemanchester.co.uk/spring-place
The developments listed are available with Rent to Buy
(you rent at 80% of normal levels so you can save for a
deposit) or Shared Ownership (you buy a percentage
of the home and pay a low rent on the rest).
These two schemes are fantastic ways to buy your own
home and are more affordable than you think.
For more information
take a look at the
‘Find a home’
section of our website and
don’t forget to register
your interest.
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19

We will be spending
£22.8m
from funding to
build new homes
ANNUAL REPORT
2017/18
Over
£1.5
million
debts dealt
with
Creating
opportunities
Transforming
communities
Changing lives
£65,000
awarded by our
Community
Fund
Reinvesting
in our places
To date
we’ve achieved savings of
£7.42m
We want to save a further
£1.047m by 2020/21
20
@onemcr
£4.9
million
spent on property
upgrades
Take a look at where money has been
invested for the benefit of our communities
and the people who make them.
The full Value for Money report is online at
www.onemanchester.co.uk/vfm

Equality & Diversity Report
As a member of the Housing Diversity Network, One Manchester recognises the importance of equality and diversity to its staff,
Board, customers and stakeholders. Staff will take part in equality and diversity training and changes will be made to some ways of
working. As part of this plan we are committed to sharing information on the diversity of One Manchester’s customers, employees
and Board members.
Age Customer Profile % Staff Profile % Board Profile %
16-24 1.99 5.54 -
25-34 14.43 17.88 6.25
35-44 20.27 24.18 18.75
45-54 24.25 33.25 25
55-64 18.14 18.14 37.5
65+ 20.70 1.01 12.5
Unknown 0.22 - -
Gender Customer Profile % Staff Profile % Board Profile %
Male 44.68 62.72 62.5
Female 55.16 37.28 37.5
Transgender 0.16 - -
Disability Customer Profile % Staff Profile % Board Profile %
Yes 47.4 9.07 18.75
No 49.15 85.64 81.25
Not disclosed 3.45 5.29 -
Ethnicity Customer Profile % Staff Profile % Board Profile %
White British 50.71 76.31 75
White other 5.97 3.49 18.75
Asian/Asian British 9.62 1.75 6.25
Black/Black British 25.24 8.48 -
Mixed/Multiple Ethnic Groups 5.76 3.74 -
Other 1.91 0.25 -
Prefer not to say 0.79 5.98 -
Religion/Belief Customer Profile % Staff Profile % Board Profile %
Christian 51.47 49.37 31.25
Muslim 16.99 1.76 6.25
Jewish 0.19 0.75 -
Buddhist 0.50 0.50 -
Hindu 0.13 0.25 -
Sikh 0.22 0.25 -
Jehovah’s Witness - 0.25 -
Other 4.56 4.03 -
None 23.15 36.53 43.75
Not disclosed 2.79 - 18.75
Prefer not to say - 6.31 -
Sexual Orientation Customer Profile % Staff Profile % Board Profile %
Heterosexual/Straight - 91.18 75
Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual - 3.53 6.25
Not disclosed - - 18.75
Other - 0.25 -
Prefer not to say - 5.04 -
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21

Providing support and finding opportunities
We awarded
£65,000
across 26 projects
by our
Community Fund
To help support members of the public who
pitched for funding for a project that will make
a big difference in their local community.
In addition we supported
180 people into jobs 90 people into volunteering
96
people
into work
placements
448
people
with skills and
employability
training
Catalyst Fund set-up to
support growing local businesses
£40,000 in funding
awarded to 10 businesses
of between £500 and £5,000
We worked with over 200 residents from our multi-storey blocks through the On Top of the World project.
They learnt new skills which resulted in their performance of ‘Can You Hear Me from Up Here?’ which has given a voice
to residents following the Grenfell tragedy.
Place Plans have been developed to provide sustainable communities within each of our 12 areas
We know that each neighbourhood is different with the opportunities and facilities available. The plans look at where investment is
needed and how we will work with partner agencies to bring improvements to the local community. Local people who live and work
in each place area were consulted on the plans.
GM Homes Partnership
Leading on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Social
Impact Bond which is aiming to provide accommodation to hundreds
of Manchester’s entrenched rough sleepers.
At the end of March there had been 227 referrals and 27 people had
moved into accommodation. The project aims to deliver systematic
change for people living on the street.
Managing debts and benefit claims
Total benefit gains
£829,498
including £17,129
charity awards for 28 people
plus £170,197
in Personal Independence
Payments for 36 people
Total debt dealt with
£1,587,273
including 16 debts written
off totaling £27,000
£153K written off from 14
debt relief orders completed
£124,497 rent arrears
£139,818 utility debts
£158,308 Council Tax arrears
Leaseholder debt fell by 243,000 this year
110 tenants have taken out home insurance through our arrangement with Royal and Sun Alliance
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@onemcr

Servicing you and your home
On repairs we spent
£8.1 million
£4.9m was spent
on property improvements
including roofing programmes,
boiler replacements, car park
lighting and asbestos removal
We improved our
online services
Online services have been
improved so customers can pay
their rent online, book repairs
and update personal details.
Web chat and easy speech,
reading and translation tools
are now also available on our
updated website.
Cost
per property
for major repairs increased to
£875
from £393 the
previous year
This is due to the recladding work
on our multi-storey blocks.
Maintenance cost
per property
£645
down by £20
from previous
year
Energy-efficiency
Our 3-year action
plan has a budget of
£8.2 million
to increase sustainability and help our
customers save energy.
We brought more repairs
in-house using our own teams saving
£440,000
on subcontractors
Investing in affordable housing / growth programme
We continue
to work towards our goal of building over
1,000 new homes
by 2021 supported by the
£22.8m grant
from Homes England (HCA)
We completed
115 homes
by March 2018 and a further
412 were in contract
We aim to meet a variety of needs
by offering various tenure types: social rent; market rent;
affordable rent; shared ownership; and rent to buy
Another 187 new homes have been approved bringing the total to 714 new homes
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23

Your quick guide to how well we did
during the financial year April 2017 to March 2018
Below are the top 9 performance indicators selected as the most important by members of
our Scrutiny Panel, a group of customers and members of the wider community whose role
is to challenge us to be the best we can and to help us to continuously improve.
Amount of rent we have collected
This includes payments made for rents as well as arrears, which
is why the result can sometimes be higher than 100%.
TARGET 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
100.5% 99.7% 100.1% 100.4%
% of homes available to new tenants
A similar number of properties became vacant this year resulting
in 529 lets to new tenants compared to 518 in 2016-17.
TARGET 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
5% N/A 4.20% 4.45%
Average number of bids for each property
advertised on Manchester Move
Demand for our properties continues to increase and reflects the
need for more housing in the city.
TARGET 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
90 N/A 135 179
Time to re-let properties once tenancy has ended
It took us a little longer to get our properties ready to relet during
this period due in part to the number of major works and internal
refurbishments that were needed.
TARGET 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
17days N/A 20.4 days 20.2 days
Calls answered within 20 seconds
Although targets were not all met, performance in the contact
centre has improved because of better rota planning, increased
resources and the introduction of new technology.
TARGET 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
80% 67.3% 59.8% 66.5%
Number of formal stage 1 complaints received
The number of complaints received matches the equivalent point
last year. Each case is taken seriously and used to help us improve
our services.
TARGET 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
No Target 37 39 37
Emergency repairs completed within 24 hours
Targets were missed narrowly for completing repairs within target
timescales. However, a steady improvement during the year has
seen performance increase.
TARGET 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
100% N/A 93.95% 96.04%
Properties with a valid Gas Safety Certificate
All but five of our 10,884 properties had a valid gas safety certificate
at year end. Issues with gaining access to properties prevented us
from achieving the 100% target.
TARGET 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
100% N/A 99.99% 99.95%
Properties sold through Right to Buy or Acquire
We have sold a similar number of properties to the same point last
year and aim to build 1,000 new properties by 2021 - double the
original target.
TARGET 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
No Target 106 113 106