Inspire Magazine - Issue 2, 2019

homes health community support
ISSUE 2, 2019
THE OUTDOORS issue
Get involved in
See page 12
Building
confidence
for young people
See page 14
facebook.com/inspiremagazine
See who won Community Soup
funding in your area
See page 16

Contact us
In person
One Manchester - Hulme Office
Lovell House, Archway 6, Hulme M15 5RN
Monday to Friday 9am - 4.30pm
(closed third Wednesday of the month
from 12.30pm)
Please use this address for postal enquiries.
One Manchester - Gorton Office
Unit 1 (side of Tesco), Gorton M18 8HE
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday,
9am - 4.30pm (closed Wednesdays)
Drop-in venues
Tuesdays 9am - 12pm, S4B Housing Office,
15 Brunswick Street, Ardwick, M13 9UJ
Tuesdays 1pm - 3.45pm, Sure Start Centre,
101 North Road, Clayton, M11 4NE
Wednesdays 10am - 4pm, Cornbrook
Community Grocer, 217 Stockport Road,
Ardwick, M12 4DY
Thursdays 9am - 12pm, The Grange Centre,
Pilgrim Drive, Beswick, M11 3TQ
Thursdays 1pm - 4pm, S4B Housing Office,
Bramwell Drive, Brunswick, M13 9SU
By phone
Call 0330 355 1002 Monday to Friday,
8am - 5.30pm (Emergency Repair/ASB
can also be reported at the weekend)
By email
enquiries@onemanchester.co.uk
On Web Chat
Speak to an adviser via the web chat,
Monday to Friday, 9am - 4.30pm
Welcome to
Inspire Magazine
We’re springing into action with
our second edition for 2019
With the weather warming up and the days becoming longer, it seems
the perfect time to focus on getting outdoors. There are plenty of
activities across the city for people of all ages, so why not take some
inspiration and get involved.
On page 12 you will find out about some of our community gardens and
how they need people like you to keep them in bloom. With The Big Dig
coming, up, it’s the perfect opportunity!
We know there are lots of unique and beautiful places in and around our
neighbourhoods, and we want your help to show them off. Page 15 asks
for your camera skills to send us pictures of what makes you proud of
where you live.
Be sure to see which groups won funding in our Community Soup events
on page 16. There are so many fantastic projects happening out there,
and you might just find yourself a new hobby.
To stay up-to-date with our support services and community news, don’t
forget to complete the leaflet with this magazine and send it back in the
freepost envelope.
We hope you enjoy this issue.
The Inspire team
Win a pair of tickets to
the OM Yoga Show!
Take care of your wellbeing with
this fabulous ticket giveaway.
Email: inspire@onemanchester.co.uk
We have 20 pairs of tickets to the OM Yoga Show (worth £30) which is
being held at EventCity on the 11 and 12 May.
To be in a chance of winning, simply email your name & postcode
to inspire@onemanchester.co.uk by Wednesday 1 May.
We are thrilled that we’re now a member of the Institute of Customer Service (ICS).
Being a member of the ICS means that we’ll now have access to brand new
training programmes and tools that will help us to provide a better overall quality
of service. We can’t wait to get started and are excited about the changes.
To find out more email businessexcellence@onemanchester.co.uk
2
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage @onemcr inspire@onemanchester.co.uk

CONTENTS
Meet our new Group Director of Place
Anna Bishop is the latest person to join the One Manchester team ................... 4
Over 50s hit the airwaves with Sonder Radio
See how this project reduces isolation amongst the city’s older residents ......... 5
Cleaning up at Rainbow Haven
Local volunteers give a community venue in Gorton a good spring clean ......... 6
Are you a new or expectant parent?
The Baby Box Co. Programme is free to new parents across Manchester .......... 6
A day in the life of our Gas Engineers
Meet our gas team, who help to keep your homes in good working order ....... 7
A helping hand for your business
Free enterprise workshops to help set-up your own business........................... 8
Catalyst Fund winners
Helping local businesses to start or grow their businesses............................... 9
Advice when you’re not going to be at home
You must let us know if you are leaving your home empty ............................. 10
Keep your home gas-safe and win £100
Look after the safety of yourself, your family and your neighbours ................... 10
Respecting and tolerating others
Being a good neighbour is all about respect ................................................ 11
Do you have concerns for a neighbour?
Looking out for those living around you could make all the difference ............. 11
Growing your own
Helpful hints and tips to get your gardening off to a good start....................... 13
Building confidence with boxing
Creating opportunities for young people to express themselves ................... 14
Get snappy in your area
Show us what you love about your community through photography ............ 15
Got any bulky items you no longer need?
Giving unwanted items away to others is a great way to recycle..................... 15
Saving for funeral costs
Planning for the inevitable can help ease the strain for the future .................... 18
If you’re struggling to make ends meet take a break
with the United Utilities Payment Break Scheme .......................................... 19
Could stress be affecting you?
Check-in with yourself during National Stress Awareness Month ................... 19
Help with reading and writing
Do you know someone who struggles to read and write? ............................ 20
Can your skills make a difference to our services?
We’re looking for enthusiastic people to help influence our services ............. 20
The latest on our new homes
An update on our latest developments ...................................................... 22
73

NEWS
Meet Anna Bishop,
our new Group Director of Place
The latest person to join our team comes to us with plenty of experience in social housing
and a great sense of humour which, being a Liverpool supporter, she is going to need!
We asked Anna to tell us a bit about herself...
Where have you worked before
joining One Manchester?
I have worked in social housing since leaving
university. When I first moved to Liverpool I was
the Operational Lead for a specialist housing
association with a commitment to housing
multiracial communities. For the last sixteen
years I have been at The Riverside Group leading
neighbourhood regeneration in Liverpool, and
then as their Director of Customer Services where
I extended the services of the contact centre and
community engagement teams.
What will your new job involve?
As Group Director of Place, I will be responsible for
the housing, repairs and the services we provide
to help with managing your money, finding
employment and engaging with your community.
What are you plans over the next 12 months?
I am really excited to become a part of One Manchester in our role of
providing good quality housing and great services.
My priorities over the first twelve months will focus on continuing the
great work of my colleagues. This includes keeping your homes safe,
making our services more efficient and effective, and ensuring that it’s
easy for you to give us your views and you can see how we act on them.
And then, for a bit of fun, we asked…
What’s your favourite football team?
I have always loved football and as a small child my hero was Kenny
Dalglish. My allegiance went with him from Celtic to Liverpool and I
have supported them ever since, so I’m expecting lots of banter in an
office that sits between the two Manchester stadia!
What music are you in to?
I love literature and belong to two book clubs and also like a full range
of music including jazz, rock, pop and rap. So if I had to choose just
one favourite it would be Leonard Cohen as he combines the two -
poetry which is set to music.
Which three famous people, dead or alive, would
you invite around for tea?
Wow, choosing just three famous people to have round to share a meal
is really tough but I’m going with Emmeline Pankhurst, Desmond Tutu
and Mo Mowlam. Whilst coming from different times and different
countries, I think they would have a great conversation about fighting
for justice, equality, and achieving reconciliation. I’m pretty certain
there would be some laughs as well, but I’m not quite sure what I
would cook though!
4
@onemcr

Sonder Radio
Over 50s got to hit the airwaves thanks to a
radio project which aims to reduce isolation
and improve wellbeing amongst the city’s
older residents.
Sonder Radio ran a week-long course at Hulme’s Aquarius
Centre called ‘Get Digi With It’, which taught a variety
of skills to local people. Radio novices got to grips with
the basics including interviewing guests, production
techniques, writing scripts and even presenting a live show.
Those who attended the workshops included residents of
our sheltered schemes in Moss Side and Hulme. They said
that it was fun to work as a team to learn these new skills
which gave them an increase in confidence.
Interested in radio?
If you’d like to find out about
upcoming projects with Sonder Radio,
contact Rachel at hello@sonderradio.com
or call 0161 820 2190.
NEWS
Change of landlord
to One Manchester
Limited
In late 2018 we wrote to you about
proposed changes to simplify our group
structure and asked for your views on our
proposals.
At the One Manchester Board meeting on 31 January
2019, after careful consideration, the Board decided to
proceed with the proposed changes. As of 1 April 2019,
One Manchester Limited is the name of your landlord.
There will be no obvious impact to you, our residents,
but the changes do mean that the way we are organised
“behind the scenes” will change to improve how we are
run. There is no change to the security of your tenancy or
lease, or to the services you already receive. Your rights
as a tenant or leaseholder will not change as a result of
this group simplification.
For more information visit
www.onemanchester.co.uk/group-structure
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
5

NEWS
Cleaning up at Rainbow Haven
Earlier this year we teamed up with local volunteers to give Rainbow Haven,
a community venue in Gorton, a good spring clean.
A team from One Manchester went along to give the walls a fresh
coat of paint, clean the floors and jet wash the ground outside.
To give thanks to the volunteering efforts, Rainbow Haven offered
to host our Community Soup event in the east of the city.
Kate Percival, the manager of the venue, told us how happy she
was to see all the volunteers pitching in to help;
“It’s wonderful because we have to make a little bit of money go
a long way, which means we don’t have a cleaner. So cleaning
is usually me and few volunteers scrubbing the floors on the
weekend. We’re usually so flat-out that it’s exhausting, so to
have the help today is actually a little bit emotional!”
Kate explained some of the valuable services Rainbow Haven
provide for the local area:
“Two days a week we have drop-in days where 70 or so people
who are migrants and refugees will come to us for guidance
and advice. We also have ‘Mamma and Baby’ groups, Zumba
classes and access for people to use our computer room so
they can look for jobs and write their CVs.”
To find out more about what’s on at Rainbow Haven,
visit www.rainbowhaven.org.uk
Are you a new or
expectant parent?
Did you know the Baby Box Co. Programme
is free to new parents across Manchester,
regardless of financial status?
We are now a distributor which means you can
collect your free reward from one of our locations in
Gorton, Moss Side or Fallowfield.
To access the free programme and claim your
reward, visit www.babyboxco.com to take a short
video course taught by healthcare experts. Here
you will find advice on parenting topics such as
pregnancy, birth and safe sleep. Once completed
you will receive a unique Baby Box Co. ID code and
will then be able to search for your nearest distributor
on their website.
To arrange collection of your reward from One
Manchester, call us on 0330 355 1002 or email
babybox@onemanchester.co.uk
6
@onemcr

A DAY IN THE LIFE
A day in the life of… Gas Engineers
A hugely important job role is that of the gas team, who help to keep your homes in good
working order. With over 12,500 properties to manage, making sure that all of the boilers are
safe for tenants and their neighbours is a priority.
Tom Crosby is our Gas Team Operations Manager,
and Blake Hamblett is the Lead Heating Engineer.
They took some time out of their schedule to walk
us through a day in the life of their team.
“I normally arrive quite early,” Blake told us. “Once
I’m here I’ll speak to the engineers and find out
what their issues are. I’ll help them find spare
parts, run through their work and plan the day out.
Then I’ll head back up to the office and start going
through my emails. This could be anything from
planning training for an engineer, to responding to
customer queries.”
The team is made up of three different types of gas
engineers which Blake explains;
“We have the team who are out there doing the
repairs when things break down, we have the
service team who are providing the annual gas
safety checks to make sure everyone is safe in their
homes, and the we have our installation team who
are designated to putting in new boilers.”
Tom went on to tell us about the apprentice roles that the team also offer;
“We have two apprentices at the moment who we are training to be
future heating engineers. We want to make sure that they get experience
in all aspects of the role, so they’re helping with all the different job roles
in the team. Our workload is always increasing and the best way to get
the best people on the job is to train them yourself.
“Keith is now in his third year of the apprenticeship - he’s doing very well.
He seems to quite enjoy the breakdown side of it, so when he’s fully
qualified maybe that’s something he’ll get into because we always need
more breakdown engineers.”
Tom also told us about how his role involves planning to improve
customer service and reduce the number of repairs we need to carry out.
“There’s a big customer focus in the business, and we’ve had lots of
customer care training. My role is to create plans to improve the service
we deliver.
“For example, we’ve now put an emergency winter plan into place.
There’s also lots of pressure from the government to reduce the carbon
footprint of our homes, so we’re looking at renewable sources of energy.
This will reduce the carbon footprint of our homes and also help to
reduce customer’s bills.”
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
7

BUSINESS
A helping hand
for your business
If you’re thinking of setting up your own small business or have
just started, we have lots of free business workshops available.
All the workshops are for one day and will be at The Place at Platt Lane, Fallowfield.
APRIL
Tuesday 2nd Bookkeeping for small businesses 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 3rd LinkedIn to drive business sales 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 16th Women in Business information drop-in 10am - 12pm
Tuesday 30th eBay: start your own online business 10am - 3pm
On Wednesday 24th April, the 10-week Women in Business workshop
starts from 10am - 12pm at Eastlands House, Victoria Street, Openshaw, M11 2NX.
MAY
Thursday 2nd Marketing and sales 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 7th Bookkeeping for small businesses 10am - 4pm
Thursday 9th Facebook for business 10am - 4pm
Thursday 23rd eBay: start your own online business 10am - 3pm
JUNE
Thursday 6th Social media for business 10am - 4pm
Thursday 13th LinkedIn to drive business sales 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 18th Bookkeeping for small businesses 10am - 4pm
Thursday 27th eBay: start your own online business 10am - 3pm
If you have a business idea and would like advice or to attend a free workshop,
call Wayne Wilson on 07471 142875 or email wayne.wilson@onemanchester.co.uk
Are you looking for
your next job
Our One Future team have a vast amount of experience
helping local people find employment, training, work
placements and volunteering opportunities.
Great news - you can meet a trained adviser in
Moss Side at our new location, The Work Shop.
Head along to The Work Shop for advice on finding a job,
skills training and help with CVs, plus much more. There will
also be money advice available to help with debts, benefits
and opening an account.
The Work Shop, 130 Alexandra Road, Moss Side, M16 7WD
The team also offer drop-in sessions in Gorton, Hulme and Fallowfield.
Alternatively, you can speak to a friendly adviser on 0330 355 1002
or email onefuture@onemanchester.co.uk
JOBS & TRAINING
8
@onemcr

BUSINESS
Catalyst Fund
winners
The second year of our Catalyst Fund saw lots of
applications from local businesses hoping to receive
up to £5,000 to help start or grow their businesses.
Last year’s winners have achieved so much
with our support, so we were excited to see
what the next applicants would bring.
The 2019 business ideas were:
AJ’s Pepper Pot
The Hulme-based food business, AJ’s Pepper Pot, aims to
start an at-home cooking service with delivery. The menu
includes affordable and healthy Caribbean and English
dishes, available to order by phone for the local community.
ALL FM Training Ltd
As a community radio station, ALL FM offer radio training
and broadcasting opportunities in Levenshulme and the
surrounding areas. This involves training groups in writing,
producing and presenting shows.
Brainy Media Communications/Brainy Radio
Brainy Media Communications will offer training and
development opportunities for would-be DJs, presenters,
and graphics/media/animation producers. Their facilities
will be available for people of all ages, as well as local
businesses. There will also be media support on offer at
competitive rates.
Break Dance Manchester
The dance group aim to deliver workshops for people of
all ages. For young people they will provide dance classes,
giving them an alternative activity after school hours. They
also plan to engage with elderly people through dance.
Capture My Holiday
The aim of Capture My Holiday is to bridge the gap between
photographers and prospective clients (travellers). They want
to create a platform that brings them all together in one place,
so people can book a photography package for their holiday.
Carve Out Your Future at The Monastery
This project uses traditional craft skills for back-to-work,
community engagement, and a health and wellbeing
scheme for all ages. Through the skills of stone carving and
masonry, this unique project will restore the derelict stone
fragments of The Monastery and give the local community
a chance to learn new skills.
Manchester Roller Sports
Based in Ardwick, Manchester Roller Sports offer public
skate sessions, workshops, sport development and team
building. They aim to build confidence in women and
young people from disadvantaged backgrounds through
sport and recreational activities.
N.I.A.M.O.S Ltd
N.I.A.M.O.S is a theatre space in Hulme which helps to
improve quality of life through shared interactions, events
and celebrations. N.I.A.M.O.S offer a co-operatively run
exhibition, arts and performance space with micro bakery,
music studios, kitchen and holistic wellbeing space.
Refugees & Mentors CIC
The social enterprise is an employment mentoring project
supporting refugees to improve their prospects and find
jobs. Refugees & Mentors provide employability courses,
information, guidance and encouragement to help build
confidence and take the next steps to finding a job.
Station South CIC
Alongside Station South Cycle Cafe project, the CIC intend
to create Work Station - a unique, community-focussed,
co-working space operating on a membership scheme.
The member-based community project wants to benefit the
wider area by providing opportunities to help turn ideas into
small businesses and independent new freelancers.
STEAM Hubs & Pubs
STEAM Hubs & Pubs is a community interest company who
create spaces of engagement, learning and meeting for
local communities, working with the principles of STEAM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths). Their
aim is to revitalise struggling pubs and open new cultural
spaces to strengthen communities and improve wellbeing.
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
9

ADVICE
Advice when you’re not
going to be at home
If you are leaving your home empty for more than
28 days you will need to let us know.
This is part of your tenancy agreement and means we can keep in touch
if there’s an emergency and also keep the property secure. If you don’t
let us know and we cannot get in touch with you, we may assume that
you have left permanently and take steps to end the tenancy.
When going away for a long period of time:
• Turn off the mains water supply and drain the plumbing system
• Unplug all electrical appliances
• Clear out the fridge
• Remove all rubbish from the property
• Ensure all doors and windows are shut and locked
• Put important documents in a secure place
• Lock away expensive items in a secure area
• Arrange for a neighbour or relative to check your home frequently
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
*Terms and conditions apply.
For full details of this promotion please visit www.onemanchester.co.uk/privacy
10
@onemcr

ADVICE
Respecting and tolerating others
We are all different and we should respect that our neighbours may not
live their lives in the same way we do.
Many one-off disturbances can be resolved by simply
approaching your neighbour and talking through the
problem. Often they are not aware that their behaviour
is upsetting others.
Please speak to your neighbour before making a
report about any of the following issues:
• Use of washing machines and other household
equipment during unsociable hours
• Pets barking or roaming
• Children playing football and games in a reasonable manner
If you need to report an issue that you think is
anti-social behaviour, call us on 0330 355 1002.
All contacts will be dealt with in a confidential manner
and your identity will not be revealed.
For the issues below, use the details provided:
• Pedal and motor bikes being used illegally or
dangerously by unknown residents, drugs issues by
unknown residents, or prostitution by unknown residents
call GMP on 101 or 999 if urgent. You can also call
Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
• Parking - please approach your neighbour in a respectful
manner. If illegally parked or blocking access contact
GMP on 101 or Manchester City Council online at
www.manchester.gov.uk/parking
Do you have
concerns for
a neighbour?
Looking out for those living around
you can make all the difference to the
wellbeing of your neighbours.
If you live near a person who is vulnerable or elderly,
do you check on them to know that they’re okay?
If you notice a change in behaviour or activity - such as
you haven’t seen your neighbour for a while, or there
appears to be unknown visitors at various times of the
day, you should let us know.
We can help vulnerable residents of any age,
so if you have concerns for a neighbour, call us on
0330 355 1002. If you think there is an immediate
risk of harm, contact the Police on 999.
11

COMMUNITY
Get involved in
The Big Dig is a national event where community growing projects open
their doors for local people to get involved. Ten cities will be taking
part this year with Manchester being one of them, so get involved on
Saturday 27th April from 10am-2pm.
With gardening and growing having fabulous benefits
to health and wellbeing, we want our customers to have
the opportunity to take part in The Big Dig. We will be
working with Sow the City at several sites across our
neighbourhoods on community growing projects.
City Road, Hulme
After consulting with the local community this garden was
developed with maximum growing space and an area to
relax. There are 12 planting beds at the site and it’s a great
place for those who want to start growing vegetables,
herbs and fruit.
Grierson Street, Moss Side
Developed in an unused car park in Moss Side, this space
was adopted by the community who wanted it to be a
meeting space, as well as somewhere for growing food.
The garden has a relaxed, inviting feel and has been a
popular addition to the area.
Aquarius Centre, Hulme
The Aquarius Centre has started to develop a growing
space by working with the local community and the local
school. Here you will find a number of growing beds that
are slowly transforming this previously under-used
space into a wonderful green-fingered hideaway.
Gorton Community Orchard
In a small corner of Gorton, this site was previously
landlocked and overgrown. We have made the site
safe and will be working with local people and
volunteers to turn it into a vibrant growing space
and community orchard.
If you would like to get involved in any of our growing
projects, give us a call on 0330 355 1002 or email
customer.involvement@onemanchester.co.uk
Come along on
Saturday 27th April
from 10am - 2pm
to one of our community gardens
and enjoy the benefits of
the great outdoors!
For more information about The Big Dig visit www.bigdig.org.uk
12
@onemcr

COMMUNITY
Growing your own
April is the time to start planting and sowing seeds, and our friends at Sow the City
have some helpful tips to get your gardening off to a good start.
With the longer days and warm sunshine here, you
should be careful not to start too early. In April, night
frosts can still be around, so hold back and wait a day
or two rather than take a risk. You don’t want all that
care and hard work to go to waste.
Sowing and planting
Plant out the seed potatoes and aim to complete the
job by the end of April. Emerging shoots will need to
be covered with soil if a frost is forecast. It’s also the
time to start the growing of onions, beetroot, carrots,
parsnips, lettuce, spinach, spring onions, radish,
turnips, early peas and Swiss chard.
If you would like to sow the seeds of runner beans,
sweetcorn, courgettes, pumpkins, squashes,
or cucumber, you will need to do so under glass,
in pots and trays filled with fresh seed compost.
It is now safe to move the cold greenhouse
tomatoes into their final positions, but keep
some frost protection handy.
Plan ahead
Prepare the soil for next month’s transplanting of
sweetcorn, courgettes, marrows, pumpkins and
cucumbers. You will also need to get the seed beds
ready for the outdoor sowing of main crop vegetables
next month.
Keep an eye out for pests and diseases such as aphids
and take appropriate action. You may want to spray
the plant with soapy water (diluted washing up liquid)
or squash the flies with your thumb and finger. You
can buy insecticides if you prefer, including a fatty acid
soap to spray on the plants.
Protect any early strawberries with netting to keep
birds and squirrels out.
If you would like to learn more about the work
of Sow the City across Manchester, visit
www.sowthecity.org
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
13

COMMUNITY
Building confidence with boxing
Creating opportunities for young people to express themselves is something that our
Youth Coordinator Michelle feels passionate about.
Her enthusiasm for encouraging the youngsters to discover
new hobbies and build their confidence is having a positive
affect on those who attend the activities and clubs.
The Scout Hut in Clayton is one venue where a range of
activities are available for all ages, including the free boxing
club. It’s open to boys and girls who want to learn the basics
of the sport, as well as build their confidence.
One member, Lukojo, told us how the club had helped to
change his life.
“Before boxing I didn’t have much self-confidence. I couldn’t
speak publicly or participate in school and I was a quiet
person, but boxing changed me. I didn’t have much interest
in the sport to begin with.
“When I arrived at the club, the people were really nice. They
welcomed me into their boxing club, and I made new friends.”
And it’s not only the training that’s sparking self-belief into
the lives of young people in Clayton. Sisters Ellie and Alyssa
have been inspired to create photographs and videos based
around the boxing club.
“I do photography at college,” Ellie told us, “and so I thought
it would be great to do a project using videos, interviews and
photography around the boxing.
“Our brothers are members and really enjoy it. The coach is
really good with them, everyone is so friendly and we all have
a laugh with each other.”
“I think it’s helping everyone’s confidence,” says Alyssa.
Ellie agrees, adding that Michelle changes the routine each
week to help bring the best out of people.
“As sisters we’re completely different. Alyssa is confident and
smiley, and I’m really quiet. I usually just sit for a bit, but Alyssa
is usually straight in there.
“One week, Michelle noticed this and set up a session to
talk about how we could help each other. I said I needed
to improve my confidence. I feel like Michelle has helped
us come closer as sisters, and with our brothers too. In fact,
everyone involved is like a family now.”
Activity Where Area Day Time Age
Arts & Crafts The Place at Platt Lane Fallowfield Monday 3.30pm - 4.30pm 3 to 11
Water Polo East Manchester Leisure Centre Beswick Monday 6pm - 7pm 7 to 11
Arts & Crafts Wells Centre, 101 North Road Clayton Tuesday 3.30pm - 5.30pm 3 to 11
Homework Club The Place at Platt Lane Fallowfield Tuesday 4pm - 5.30pm 7 to 11
Homework Club Aquarius Centre Hulme Tuesday 4pm - 5.30pm 7 to 11
Boxing The Scout Hut, Seymour Road Clayton Tuesday 6pm - 8pm 11 to 19
Fashion Upcycling The Scout Hut, Seymour Road Clayton Tuesday 6pm - 8pm 12 to 19
Cooking Class The Scout Hut, Seymour Road Clayton Tuesday 6pm - 8pm 12 to 19
Pre-School Story Time The Place at Platt Lane Fallowfield Thursday 10am - 11am Under 5s
Lego Club The Place at Platt Lane Fallowfield Saturday 1pm - 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.
14
@onemcr

COMMUNITY
Get snap happy
in your area...
We’d love to see your favourite places in your community,
so we’re running a #LoveYourNeighbourhood photography
campaign on social media.
We’ve already had a fantastic response with pictures of areas that make you happy,
have a special meaning or bring back fond memories of where you live.
It could be anything - the people, the parks, a local shop. We will display the best
pictures on our social media channels to help spread that feeling of pride about
what makes Manchester’s communities great.
You don’t need to have a great camera to take part. We find the best photos come
from people who just want to show us what brings joy to their lives.
If you have a picture that you would like to send us, you can either tweet it to
us by tagging @onemcr on Twitter, @one_manchester on Instagram or send it
to our Facebook page with the hashtag #LoveYourNeighbourhood.
Alternatively, email us at communications@onemanchester.co.uk
Got any bulky items you no longer need?
Giving unwanted items away to others is
a great way to recycle and do your bit for
the environment.
If they’re in good condition, there are charities such as
Mustard Tree, Wesley Community Centre, British Heart
Foundation and Age UK that can find new homes for
pre-loved items. There are also recycling centres across
the city; or Freecycle is a website where you can give
your unwanted goods away.
Alternatively, Manchester City Council offer one free
collection of up to three items each year from 1st April to
31st March. They will remove an additional three items
for £27. If you have already had a free collection, it’s £27
for up to three items and £54 for up to six items.
To find out more about recycling or the disposal of larger items, visit
www.onemanchester.co.uk/refuse-recycle
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
15

COMMUNITY
Who won Community Soup
funding in your area?
We’re proud to support community groups and projects across
the city, and our Community Soup fund awarded more fantastic
causes with money recently.
Local people attended the three events to hear pitches about how the finalists will
spend the money. The audience then voted for those they thought were the most
deserving (after eating a delicious hot meal). The wonderful winning projects were:
EAST (Openshaw, Gorton, Abbey Hey, Levenshulme) - Rainbow Haven
£3,000
£1,500
£1,500
West Gorton JFC
The funding will provide football training, holiday clubs and opportunities
for children within the Gorton area. It will also help to pay coaches and
provide equipment.
Men’s Sheds, Debdale
The money will allow the group to set-up a Men’s Sheds project in the
barn at Debdale Park, with the aim of reducing loneliness for men and
women and teaching them new skills.
Skating Edge
They will use the funds to replace worn out roller skates and safety
equipment, and will continue to provide weekly and monthly general
sessions and discos at a low-cost.
SOUTH (Moss Side, Fallowfield, Longsight, Rusholme) - Luther King Centre
£3,000
£3,000
£2,000
Birthday Stars
Funding will provide free kids parties for families affected by homelessness,
domestic violence or fleeing persecution.
Platt Fields Market Garden
They will offer mid-week gardening sessions focused around improving mental
health and wellbeing. This will include gentle gardening tasks, walks around the
park, and tasting fresh food from the produce they have grown.
Together Dementia
The money will allow the group to continue running a gospel choir and
provide more opportunities to sing at different locations across Manchester.
CENTRAL (Beswick, Ardwick, Hulme) - Sheung Lok Centre
£3,500
£3,500
£1,000
Manchester Young Lives
Receiving funding will help to run free activities for disadvantaged
children aged 5 to 16 at the Aquarius Centre in Hulme. Sessions
will include sports, arts and craft, cooking and baking activities.
Neighbourly Gardening Projects
The funding will go towards helping pay the rent for the workshop
space and allow the group to buy plants for people’s gardens.
Strictly Wheels
The money means the group can keep the dance classes for people in
wheelchairs free of charge. It will also cover the costs of a professional
teacher to make sure the dancers get the best out of the classes.
16
@onemcr

Speaking from the heart
COMMUNITY
A word of encouragement from one of our winners
Applying for Community Soup funding doesn’t need to feel scary, as there’s plenty of support
to give you the best chance if you’re shortlisted.
Completing the application form and preparing your pitch
might be new to you, but one of our winners explains why you
should go for it.
Wayne and Nicola of West Gorton JFC successfully pitched at
our East Community Soup and took the top prize on the night
of £3,000. Wayne is the Chairman of the club and Nicola is the
Safeguarding Officer.
“I’d basically just asked anybody and everybody in the Gorton
area if they knew of any ways to receive funding”, Nicola told us.
The pair heard about Community Soup from a friend and
decided to try their luck at applying for funds to allow them to
continue running the football club.
Wayne said, “It’s been an amazing evening, and it is a great way
to link-up with all the other community organisations too. We’ve
swapped numbers with a few other groups to see if we can get
our kids involved in some of the work they do.”
And the night didn’t just focus on the future of the club, as one
member of the audience was able to provide some information
about the team’s past.
“What’s been nice as well is that we’ve just spoken with a lady
who was sitting at the front, and she’s told us that she actually
has the original photos of the West Gorton team from the
1940s.
“That’s massive for us because that’s how our club started and
that history is what we’re all about, so we’re going to meet with
her for a cup of tea and have a look at the old photos.”
Wayne says the difference this money will make will have a
huge impact on the youngsters who love playing for this team.
“You couldn’t imagine what this money means for us, it’s
exactly what these kids need. We put a lot of funds in ourselves,
but to get this money - I could cry it means that much to us.”
Nicola added that they think the key to their success on the
evening was speaking from the heart.
“Make sure you believe in what you do. If you believe in it then
the people in audience will see that and vote for you. When
we were writing the pitch for tonight, we found it really hard to
put into words how much it would mean to us. So really, it’s just
about having the confidence to speak from the heart, get up
there and enjoy it. It’s so rewarding.”
One Manchester is proud to support local
organisations and provide funding
opportunities throughout the year.
To find out more email
customer.involvement@onemanchester.co.uk
or visit www.onemanchester.co.uk/
support-funding
17

MONEY
Affording the
cost of a funeral
Saving for the future can be challenging at any time,
but finding the money for a funeral after the death
of a loved one can be very upsetting and difficult.
It’s a topic that many of us don’t think about, but planning for the
inevitable can help ease the strain for the future. The average cost
of a funeral is £4,300, so putting savings aside or having a funeral
plan can help your family at a difficult time.
With a funeral plan, you arrange and pay for it in advance. What is covered will vary from provider to provider,
and some things such as burial plot, flowers and catering are often not included.
The Money Advice Service and Citizens Advice have lots of information on their websites to help you to understand
what to do when a person passes away. They talk about making sure you register the death, notifying the landlord,
and contacting other organisations. You can also call into your local Citizens Advice office for further information.
To read more about funeral plans and what to do when someone dies visit:
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/funeral-plans
www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/prepaid-funeral-plans
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/what-to-do-when-someone-dies
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/what-to-do-after-a-death
If you have no money to cover the cost of a funeral, the Government’s website may offer
some help. Go online to www.gov.uk/funeral-payments
Please note One Manchester do not offer guidance on this subject.
Need some help with budgeting?
Could you
do with some help
to see if you’re getting the
most out of your money?
Our One Money team will be running free
budgeting training sessions for our customers.
To find out which dates are available
and where, contact the team on
0330 355 1002 or email
onemoney@onemanchester.co.uk
18
@onemcr

PEOPLE
Take a break
with the United Utilities
Payment Break Scheme
There can be times in life when it’s a struggle
to make ends meet. This can be due to losing
your job, not being able to work because
of illness or needing to pay out for an
unexpected household emergency.
United Utilities have introduced the Payment Break scheme
to support customers who need help when they are finding
it hard to pay their bills.
It works by United Utilities delaying your water bill payments
for a set period of time agreed in advance. Then, when
you’re able to start paying your water bills again, they will
spread your delayed payments over a longer period to help
you catch up and not fall into debt.
Eligible customers must be on means-tested benefits or have
a combined annual household income of below £21,000.
So, if you’re struggling with your water bill payments
call United Utilities to see how best they can help on
0800 072 6765.
To read about the Payment Break scheme visit
www.onemanchester.co.uk/uu-paybreak
If money
worries are
causing you stress,
speak to the One
Money team
Could stress be
affecting you?
With April being National Stress
Awareness Month, it’s a good time to
check-in with yourself.
There are lots of challenges in life that can have an
impact on our stress levels, and what they are and how
they do are different for each person. The good news
is there are ways to help reduce the feelings of stress,
whether at home or in the work place.
Put your health first
Being active is a fantastic way to feel better - and being
outdoors whilst exercising is an added bonus. Any
amount of movement can make a difference, so walking
the kids to school, going for a run with a friend, or
following an online fitness class can all increase positive
feelings.
Eat the right foods
A healthy diet provides the nutrients your body needs
to repair and function to it’s best. It’s a good idea not to
use food or alcohol as a response to stressful situations,
which can turn into a habit when times get tough.
Sleep well
Sleeping between 7 to 9 hours a night is recommended
to help with concentration and wellbeing, but for many
people that is just a dream. To give yourself the best
chance of a good night’s sleep, you should set yourself
a regular time to go to bed. It’s a good idea to turn
off technology such as TVs and mobile phones in the
bedroom and to keep the room as dark as possible.
Digital detox
Social media can play a huge part in our lives, and the
average person checks their phone 150 times a day.
Think of all the things you could do with your time that
would help to reduce your stress levels - read a book,
chat with a friend, or go for a walk.
Breathe
Mindfulness breathing can do wonders for your stress
levels, and you can do it anywhere – sat at your desk at
work, on the bus, or watching TV. All you need to do is
concentrate on the breath in and out of your nose. Try it
for 30 seconds and then increase the length of time on
each occasion.
You can find advice and tips on how
to reduce stress at www.stress.org.uk
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
19

COMMUNITY
Help with reading
and writing
Do you know someone who struggles
to read and write?
Could you help others with their
reading and writing?
Our Literacy Champions are local volunteers who want
to give back to their community by helping others
with their reading and writing. We have seen many
learners find work, gain in confidence and improve
their wellbeing by increasing their literacy skills.
Do you know someone who:
• Struggles with their reading?
• Does not like to fill in forms?
• Pretends they have forgotten their glasses when
they need to read?
• Never reads a newspaper or magazine?
Can your skills make
a difference to our
services?
The One Manchester Scrutiny Panel is
made up of residents and members of
the wider community just like you!
And we’re now looking for more
enthusiastic people to join us to help
influence our services.
The panel chooses which service area to review
based on performance and satisfaction data - so it
could be repairs, communications or debt advice.
This is a vital way to improve our services and
communities where you live.
What does being a key member of our Scrutiny
Panel involve?
If somebody you know needs
support please get in touch.
Or if you can give one hour per
week over six-weeks to help,
we would love to hear from you.
Email customer.involvement@
onemanchester.co.uk or call
0330 355 1002.
• Attending group meetings as well as working
on individual tasks
• Reviewing and analysing written information
• Preparing reports and monitoring progress
on recommendations
• Constructively challenging and reviewing
our performance
• Be committed to the assigned report
This role is voluntary, but expenses are provided.
It provides fantastic experience and gives you the
chance to contribute towards the work we do in
our communities.
For more information contact the Customer
Involvement team on 0330 355 1002 or email
customer.involvement@onemanchester.co.uk
20
@onemcr

Your quick guide to how we’re performing
October to December 2018
Below are the top ten 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.
LAST YEAR TARGET OCT - DEC 2018
Amount of rent we have collected so far this year
This includes payments made for rents as well as arrears, 103.00% 100.50% 101.38%
which is why the result can sometimes be higher than 100%.
% of homes available to new tenants so far this year
A smaller number of properties became vacant during this
three-month period, which resulted in 109 new lettings
compared with 158 the same time last year.
3.42% 3.75% 3.21%
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.
185 90 246
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 high number of empty
properties, combined with a high number of re-offers.
20.70 days 16.00 days 21.78 days
Call Centre satisfaction
A number of factors have led to slightly increased call times,
as has the replacement of several staff members.
Not
applicable
90% 91.48%
Number of formal stage 1 complaints received
The number of complaints received has increased compared to
the equivalent point last year. Each case is taken seriously and
used to help us improve our services.
10
Not
applicable 42
Emergency repairs completed within 24 hours
Further progress has been made. Attention can now be focussed
on individual jobs to establish what went wrong, promoting
discussion and further improvements based on lessons learned.
Repair appointments missed due to access
The improvements made to the repair appointments missed
process are beginning to make a positive impact. This quarter
we have beaten the target for the first time.
Properties with a valid Gas Safety Certificate
Two of our 10,848 properties were without a valid Gas Safety
Certificate at the end of December due to access issues.
98.48% 100% 99.30%
11.67% 8.00% 7.28%
99.99% 100% 99.98%
Properties sold through Right to Buy or Acquire
We have sold 32 more properties than at the same point last
year and aim to build 1,000 new properties by 2020 - double
the original target.
74
Not
applicable
106
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
21

DEVELOPMENTS
The latest on our
NEW homes
Atlas Place
Levenshulme
The start of 2019 has been busy for our new developments
team and here are some details of what’s been going on.
We have sold out or rented all homes
at Kingfisher Gardens in Gorton, Spring Place
in Whalley Range and East Vale in Beswick.
We have received planning permission for a brand-new development
on Gorton Lane and we will be starting on site later this year.
There will be more information on this development in future issues.
Atlas Place, Levenshulme
This has been our most popular development to date. Our Shared
Ownership and Rent to Buy houses have completely sold out. We do still
have a few apartments which are all available for Rent to Buy. This fantastic
development is only a short walk from the centre of Levenshulme and is the
perfect place to get your foot on the housing ladder.
For more information, please visit
www.onemanchester.co.uk/atlas-place
Stoney Gate, Openshaw
This environmentally-friendly development of three-bedroom houses
are all built to Passivhaus standards. They are available as Rent to Buy
and are already proving to be very popular.
If you, or anyone you know is interested in this development,
more information is available at
www.onemanchester.co.uk/stoney-gate
Stoney Gate
Openshaw
South Street
Openshaw
The Clockworks
Moss Side
South Street, Openshaw
Work is really progressing on our South Gate development, which is
in a great location, right next to Openshaw Park. If you are looking for
a Shared Ownership house in Openshaw, then take a look at these
fantastic three-bedroom houses.
For more information, please visit
www.onemanchester.co.uk/south-gate
The Clockworks, Moss Side
If you drive down Princess Parkway, then you may have seen The Clockworks,
our Rent to Buy apartment block. With a shared roof garden and on-site
parking, it is sure to be popular when it launches in the summer.
Register your interest to be invited to our launch event at
www.onemanchester.co.uk/theclockworks
To find out about these and
other developments, take a
look at the ‘Find a home’
section of our website and
don’t forget to register
your interest.
22
@onemcr

COMMUNITY
There’s something for everyone at the
Aquarius Centre in Hulme
Since re-opening a year ago, the centre has welcomed a range of local community groups
providing sporting activities, craft classes and now the Hulme Community Grocer.
Local people flocked to the launch of the Hulme Community Grocer which offers
discounted products to members, and is housed in a converted shipping container.
Speaking at the opening day was Rich Browning, Chief Executive of Healthy Me,
Healthy Communities which run the grocers;
“It’s a great reward to see these projects growing. We know the strength of these
grocers. They bring people into a space in which we can then offer them access to
activities, services and volunteer opportunities to address some of the issues that are
going on in their lives. The volunteers are local people and they know what matters
in their own neighbourhoods.”
One of the other brilliant ways the Aquarius Centre is being used is for the art group
that meet every Tuesday from 11am-2pm. Sally, one of the longest serving members
of the group told us how she got involved with the art sessions.
“Slowly over the years we’ve developed into a really good art class. I couldn’t draw
a circle when I started, but nearly five years down the line I’m still here and I find it
very therapeutic. Our aim is to encourage more people to come along. It’s a lovely
place to meet people, have nice chats and make wonderful friendships.”
There’s lots more going on including a new sewing club which meets on Tuesdays
from 1.30pm - 3.30pm. All equipment is provided, and all abilities are welcome.
For computer novices, the new absolute beginner computer class will help to
improve your digital skills, whatever your age. If you’re interested in taking part
contact Wendy on 0330 355 1002 or wendy.woodfine@onemanchester.co.uk
From the Caribbean to Clayton
Residents of our North Road Sheltered Scheme cooked up some tasty treats and enjoyed
catching up with each other when a Caribbean cookery club set-up classes for six weeks.
The sessions were set-up by Lisa, who was awarded funding by successfully pitching her idea at one of our Community
Soup events. As an enthusiastic amateur cook, Lisa dreamed of starting up her own business, and so to combine this
with her passion of Caribbean cooking has been a wonderful achievement.
Lisa decided she wanted to give something back to the community for
the support she has received from One Manchester. She has been
working alongside Independent Living Coordinator, Carolyn, to
teach the residents how to cook traditional Caribbean food.
Over six weeks, the group have helped to cook a range of tasty
meals before tucking-in together in their socialising space.
It’s hoped more exciting classes will bring the neighbours
together to learn new skills in the future.
www.facebook.com/OneManchesterCommunityPage
23

ADVICE
Manage your account online
Visit onemanchester.co.uk for a range of services designed to make managing your tenancy online easier.
Register today to make the most of
our online services including making
payments, booking repairs and your
account settings.
Register
Simply register your email address and
create a password. In order to create
an account, make sure you’ve got your
National Insurance Number and tenancy
number handy. Your tenancy number
can be found on your rent statement or
by calling 0330 355 1002.
Make a payment
To make a payment, select the
address you would like to make a
payment to, enter the amount and
click confirm. You will then be
directed to One Manchester’s
payment partner for
further details.
Don’t worry,
our payments
are secure
Book a repair
Click on ‘Book a repair’, give a reason for
the request and any other details. Once
you’ve submitted the information, you’ll
be given a selection of time slots to
choose from - it’s that easy! We’ll even
text you confirming your appointment.
Please note: You won’t be able
to book emergency appointments
online. You’ll need to call our
Contact Centre.
Your account settings
Click on ‘My Account’ to view your recent
payments, your current balance and all the
latest news and events in your area.
You can also choose
the topics you want us
to contact you about.
Keeping your details
up-to-date allows us to
send information that
is relevant to you.
Help make your area bloom!
We are going to be planting thousands of bulbs later this
year and want to hear where you think they should go.
So, if you know of any open space near your home that could do
with brightening up with flowers every spring, please get in touch.
Email your suggestion to
place@onemanchester.co.uk
or contact us on
0330 355 1002