NC News Summer 2015

Summer issue: July 2015

newsYour magazine from New Charter

Ridge Hill gets a facelift

9

16

PlusWhat's been

happening in yourneighbourhood?

Pages 6-7

Mossley resident IreneRaddings gets special inviteto Buckingham PalaceSee page 14

Also inside:Copley Academy studentsare superheroesPage 17

15

Have you tried our website?

Stop loan sharks

4

WIN!

Annual customersatisfaction survey

17334A New Charter Newsletter Summer 2015_v4__ 03/07/2015 11:03 Page 1

There’s been so much going on since the last newsletter and here’s some of the highlights.

Welcome to the summer magazine

Look for this icon:If you have a smartphone you canalso find more information on ourwebsite by scanning this barcodewith a QR code reader app.

The Communications team at New Charter writes your newsletter. You can contact them on 0161 331 2000.2

Win £50 in shopping vouchersjust by telling us what you think!We’re always looking for ways to improve and your feedback helpsus make sure we’re providing the best service for you.We’d like to know what you think of your newsletter. Simply answer the questions below and send them back to us andyou could win £50 in shopping vouchers in our prize draw.Good luck!

Name:...............................................................................................First line of address:.....................................................................Telephone number:.....................................................................Email address (if you have one):.............................................................................................................

Age group: ❏ 16-24 ❏ 25-33 ❏ 34-42 ❏ 43-51❏ 52-60 ❏ Over 60

Do you read the newsletter? ❏ Yes ❏ No

Do you find the information useful? ❏ Yes ❏ No

Please tell us how often you would like to receive it?❏ Once a year ❏ Twice a year ❏ 3 times a year❏ 4 times a year ❏ Never

How would you like to receive the newsletter?❏ Paper copy posted to your door❏ Paper copies available to browse in the Hubs❏ An electronic copy emailed to you❏ Access via the web e.g, the New Charter website,

social media etc❏ I don’t want to receive it

Any comments on the newsletter:.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Please send your responses toThe Communicationsteam, New Charter Group, Cavendish 249, CavendishStreet,Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7AT. Alternatively youcan drop your responses into your local hub or call uson 0161 331 2000 and ask for the Communicationsteam. You can also find the survey online on the NewCharter website. Please return your completed surveysto us by 15th August 2015.

We are about to start the nextSTAR survey where you could be inwith a chance of winning £150shopping vouchers. Find out moreon page 9.If you are currently looking forwork, have you considered joiningthe New Charter work club,MyWorkSearch which offers adviceon building a CV and helps you find

a role that’s right for you.You canread about this on page 15.As always you can find out aboutwhat’s been going on in your areain our Neighbourhood plans onpages 6 -7.Finally, the newest member of ourCustomer Communications Group,Tony Rider would like to say thanksto Lez Barstow and New Charter

for giving him the opportunity tolearn to read.Through the LeappartnershipTony can now read allhis favourite magazines and hasbeen able to secure a volunteer’sposition atTameside GeneralHospital; something which hewouldn’t have been able to do hadhe not learnt to read.

£50WIN


Contents

facebook.com/newcharterhomes

Don’t forget, you can also followus on Facebook and Twitter

@NewCharterGroup

6-7

Money Matters 4-5

What’s been happening inyour neighbourhood? 6-7

Droylsden tenant celebrates centenary 8

Make your views count - have yoursay in this year’s STAR survey 9

Green Charter 10-11

Equality and diversity training 12

Loan shark training 12

Keeping your family safe inthe community 12

TMT update 13

By invitation only - Mossley residentattends Queen’s Garden Party 14

Great Opportunities to search for work 15

Did you know what you can do on theNew Charter website? 15

Prince's Trust supporting residents intemporary accommodation 15

Ridge Hill gets a facelift through theGive & Gain Day 16

Manchester United Under-21s teamsurprise pupils 17

Copley Academy students aresuperheroes 17

Thinking of moving? 18

Our apprentices sail the Irish Sea 19

Young people showcase skills atnational housing conference 19

Do you need a smaller home? 20

Silver Springs Academy receives nationalpraise for ‘outstanding governance’ 21

Just for fun! 22

Events and classes 23

17

8

19

3July 2015


July 2015

MoneyMatters

4

Are you paying too muchfor your energy?If you do not change your tariff or switch suppliers you will always pay themost expensive costs for your fuel.

Have you thought about saving money by switching your energy supplier,but not had the confidence or motivation to do so?

New Charter wants to help you getthe best energy deal by makingswitching your supplier easy andhassle free.To do this we have teamedup with Community Switch whichprovides a free and independent pricecomparison service to find the bestenergy deals available and help youcomplete the switch.It doesn’t matter if you pay your billquarterly or monthly,Community

Switch can work with you to getthe best deal.If you use a pre-payment meterCommunity Switch can help youswitch your energy supplier to Utilita,the UK’s leading pre-payment gas andelectricity supplier to save you money.They will install a smart meter so thatyou can monitor your usage at thetouch of a button.

A few moments of your time couldsave you up to £300 a year!

Contact Community Switch:l Ring 0333 240 6024 Mon-Fri

9am-7pm,Sat 10am-2pml Text Switch to 60777l http://bit.ly/community_switch

The Stop Loan SharksCharter is a multi-agencyapproach led by NewCharter to rid ourcommunities of loan sharks.Loan sharks are illegal moneylenders who prey on thevulnerable and the needy byproviding loans which are notsupported by any creditagreement so the victim hasno idea of the outstandingbalance, interest rates orlength of agreement.Loan sharks can be verycontrolling and intimidating.If you need to borrowmoney, please use a reputablesource such as:

Cash Box Credit Union(0161 342 3266http://bit.ly/cash-box) orMyHome Finance(01905 25805http://bit.ly/myhomefinance).If you are aware of a loanshark operating in yourcommunity, report themanonymously on0300 555 2222.SHOPTHEM so we canSTOPTHEM

Stop loansharks

Household budgetcalculatorBudgeting is about being in control of yourmoney. It is very important to make sure youdo not spend more than you have coming in,as this may lead to you missing importantpayments like your rent or being charged forbeing overdrawn at the bank.A great way to work out your budget is withour online budget planner.This allows you torecord all of your incomings and outgoings.It then adds up your figures and gives abreakdown of where your spending goeseach month. It provides you with someadditional information and helpful hints if youare spending within your budget, very closeto overspending or spending far too much.You have the option to save your budgetplanner results and return to update themat any time.Please have a look at the New Charterbudget calculator onhttp://bit.ly/household_calculator


5July 2015

The Smarterbuys Storeis supported by NewCharter HomesIf you're looking for newelectrical or household goods,don’t be tempted by expensivefurniture stores or high interestweekly payment stores.The Smarterbuys Store offers highquality goods at competitive prices.Simply select your items and placeyour order.The Smarterbuys Store givesyou access to the goods that youneed including televisions, cookers,fridge-freezers, bedroom and livingroom furniture,without havingto worry about high costborrowing options.

Payments for items are madeweekly over 104 weeks and youcan pay over the phone or onlinewith your debit or credit card.Alternatively, you can apply for anaffordable loan through a creditunion,with at least 25p of each ofyour weekly payment beingdeposited into your Credit Unionsavings account so you can save up.For more information, please callinto any of our Hubs or log on tohttp://bit.ly/smarterbuys_storeor call 0300 500 0975.

Welfare Reform - Do you knowwhat it all means?For the last few years, tenants have seen cuts in their entitlement to welfare benefits. This hasincluded the ‘bedroom tax’, a cap on the amount of benefit households can claim and changesto disability benefits. We have also seen the introduction of Universal Credit.

There is a lot to take in and it’s hardsometimes to know if you areaffected. To help, you can log ontothe website to access ‘frequentlyasked questions’ about welfarebenefit changes that you mayfind useful -http://bit.ly/welfare_reform_faqsWe know that there are moresignificant welfare benefit cuts tocome. These are likely to include a

freeze on benefits, cuts toentitlement to Housing Benefit foryoung people and a furtherreduction to the overall benefit cap.It’s important that you start to thinkabout whether you will be affectedand contact the MoneyCare teamon 0161 331 2200 if you needsome advice.Please get in touch as soon asyou can.

Quite often when a tenancy is ended,lots of personal belongings are left inthe property that we have to removebefore we can start to get the propertyready to let to the next tenant.When you have ended your tenancyand have handed the keys back to us,you must ensure that the property isclear ofALL ITEMS - this includes lofts,cellars, the garden and any outbuildings. This isYOUR responsibility.If there are any items left in theproperty, you will be recharged fortheir removal and it can be quiteexpensive. This is because there is acost to New Charter Homes to clearthese items and that cost is repayableby you.2ndGeneration Furnishings may be ableto help. They may take certain itemsthat can be recycled for futurecustomers. There are restrictions inplace depending on what the items are,so you would need to contact2ndGeneration Furnishings in advanceof the end of your tenancy.You can contact them on0161 303 0083 or visit their website -http://bit.ly/2ndgenerationfurnishingsDetails can also be found in your‘My Money,My Choice’ handbook thatwe sent with the January newsletter.

Ending your tenancy?Here’s somethingyou should know


St. Petersfield & Guide Bridgel A joint clean-up day was carried

out on 1st May withneighbourhood co-ordinators,residents and clean and safeofficers on Mansfield Street/cornerof Pottinger Street where an areahas been cleared that has been aproblem for some time.Locks havebeen put on the gates and keys willbe distributed to all residents inorder to prevent further rubbishbeing dumped.

l We provided two skips toAssheton House residents toremove any unwanted items.This remained there for over a

week and both were filled.What agreat success!

Gorse Hall and Yew Tree

l New Charter andYewTree/GorseHall residents came together totake part in a big community clearup day.

Eight skips were provided acrossthe two areas for residents todispose of any unwanted waste andalso helped promote residentinvolvement. Fly-tipping was alsoaddressed and over 20 tons ofrubbish was removed. A massivethanks to everyone who helpedout on the day!

l An afternoon tea and bingo eventattracted around 40 residents whoall thoroughly enjoyed it.Arranged by neighbourhoodco-ordinators and the ResidentInvolvement team the event tookplace at Beatrix House for theresidents of Beatrix House,GorseHall and Lodge Close. All money

neighbourhood?What’s been happening in your

We’ve had a busy couple of months in yourneighbourhoods with lots of spring cleaning tomake where you live even better!We are also delighted to report that we have new powers.Since the introduction of theAnti-Social Behaviour,Crime and PolicingAct last October,New Charter hastaken on new powers to issue legal notices aimed atpreventing anti-social behaviour.Our Neighbourhood Enforcement team is now able toissue Community Protection Notices (CPNs) whensomeone’s behaviour is considered to be unreasonable,persistent and having a detrimental effect on thecommunity.The notices can be delivered quickly followingan appropriate warning and a reasonable opportunity tostop the behaviour in question. A breach of the notice willbe a criminal offence, resulting in a fine of up to £100 andpossible legal action.Since we were granted the powers in March,we haveissued 10 CPNs which are working well.

You may recall three years ago we were accredited byHQN (Housing Quality Network) for the quality of yourneighbourhoods.The accreditation recognisesorganisations in the housing sector which deliver qualityservices and provide attractive,well-maintainedenvironments for their residents.We have had annual assessments that have confirmed thatyour neighbourhoods continue to be ‘well maintained’with further plans for continued improvements.The HQN came back to assess your neighbourhoods inJune.We are confident that we will be the first registeredprovider in the country to receive this award and will keepyou up to date in your next newsletter.

Let's now take a look at how we areworking on your neighbourhoods toimprove your star ratings.

July 20156


raised went to Hunter’s CourtResidents group and the BeatrixHouse social fund.

Tame Streetl We held a Community Feel Good

Day atThorpe House in Denton.Health checks were carried out onthe day and there was free adviceregarding healthy eating.Shed burglaries have also increasedin this neighbourhood so the policewere on hand to carry out bikeand property marking and to givegeneral community safety advice.We ran the event on the NewCharter bus in partnership withNHS Health Care, the Police andCouncil. It was an opportunity forlocal residents to have a healthybreakfast , have their nails done,and have their property marked allunder one roof.

Droylsden East and Westl Neighbourhood co-ordinators

have held weekly bus surgeries onGreenside Lane shopping centrecar park,with different themesincluding the environment,healthy living,worklessness,crime and community safety andsocial inclusion. We gave advice onKeysToYour Door trainingprogramme for new tenants,ourindependent living schemes andservices at the local library.

Haguel We held an Environmental Impact

Day in Lakelands, Stalybridge.Numerous partners, volunteersand residents all came together tocarry out improvements to theneighbourhood, includingeverything from painting railingsand installing new planters tobulb and flower planting andclearing rubbish.

The day was a massive successand we shifted three huge skipsfull of rubbish.

Yew Tree Farm andPendle Roadl Denton town twinning association

celebrated its European linksearlier this year by holding a hugetown festival which saw local andforeign bands performingthroughout the day.

l Guests from Denton’s French andGerman twin towns,Montigny-le-Bretonneux and Kierspe joined inby providing a musical trio ofmagicians and selling productstypical of their countries.

l Earlier this year,Year 3 pupils fromGreswell School in Dentonreturned to inspect the progress ofthe daffodil bulbs which theyplanted with the help of ourNeighbourhoods and GreenCharter teams in October 2014.The children really enjoyed gettingoutside and even found a coupleof plants which had come out ofthe ground complete with thebulb attached.

l New Charter neighbourhoods andTameside Council are alsosupporting Corrie Primary Schoolin Denton in the same way asthey are keen to get a foodgarden established and we haveprovided large planters, top soiland fruit trees.

Flowery Fieldl We ran a health & wellbeing event

with the Health Improvement teamatTameside Children’s Centre togive advice and bring health &wellbeing services to residents andtheir families.We offered freehealth checks includingcholesterol/weight/BMI checks,complementary therapies, adviceabout dementia and produced arange of healthy foods & drinks.

Tame Valley

l The Friends’ United Group held aWii bowling & quiz event whichwas friendly competition withresidents from Grange House(YewTree neighbourhood).The venue was Forrest RoadCommunity Centre.The event wassuch a success that we areconsidering organising furtherevents later in the year.

l The Friends’ United Group alsoorganised a fancy dress party tocelebrateVE day at Forrest RoadCommunity Centre.

7July 2015


July 20158

Droylsdentenantcelebratescentenary

Her home was a flurry of activityall day long as Mrs Baxter held an‘open house’ for her family andfriends who helped her celebratereaching 100-years-young in style.Originally born in Bradford in 1915,Lily moved to Droylsden in 1951when she married her husband.She has lived and worked in thearea ever since and was also one ofthe first to move into Hilson Courtwhere she still lives today.In her working years, Lily was amachinist in theAncoats area ofManchester, producing clothes forMarks and Spencer.DuringWorldWar II, Lily worked night shifts inthe munitions department at thewell-knownAVRO factory inChadderton,Oldham,who arefamous for building the Lancaster

Bomber. In her later years andearly retirement, Lily has enjoyedtravelling,with a love for the Isleof Man.Lily has put her long and happy lifedown to not having a great deal ofillness, a very supportive family andkeeping an active mind.EmmaWilson,Director ofCommunities at New CharterHomes comments:“It waswonderful to be part of Lily’scelebrations and see how muchshe has achieved throughouther life. Lily has been an importantpart of her community for manyyears, and it’s great that she hasspent most of her life in one ofour homes.”

Mrs Lily Baxter of Hilson Court in Droylsden receivedher letter from Buckingham Palace on 23rd April ascelebrations for her 100th birthday got underway.


9July 2015

Make your views count- Have your say in thisyear’s STAR survey!

This year’s customer satisfaction survey (STAR) will take placethis month. This survey of a sample of customers fromacross our neighbourhoods helps us make sure we aredelivering services in a way that suits your needs.A company called BMG Research will bemaking the telephone survey calls on our behalf.Some of you may receive an email link to the survey instead soplease look out for this.If you take part in the survey you will be entered into acompetition draw to win £150 shopping vouchers.Last year’s feedback was really valuable helping to shape theservice improvements and priorities for this year.As a result of what you told us in 2014 here are some of theimprovements we have made...

Your neighbourhoodplans were reviewed this yearto look at performance at the

halfway point with 75% ofactions completed.

Customer feedback fromthe door step survey has shown

that 64% of tenants from allneighbourhoods are now more

likely to recommend living in theirneighbourhood than they were

18 months ago.

66% of you were worriedabout anti-social behaviour so we aretaking a robust stance against this with

new powers to issue legal notices preventinganti-social behaviour.

We can now issue Community Protection Notices(CPNs) to stop unreasonable, and persistent badbehaviour. Since March, we have issued 10 CPNs

which are calming the behaviour of somepeople in your neighbourhood.

54% of younger people saidthey would like to be more

involved with us so our Youth teamhas created new partnerships with

people aged 13+ at Cedar Parkand Ridge Hill to discuss

anti-social behaviour.

Those of you whowanted to be more

involved were invited tothe Value For MoneyCustomer Conference

held in March.

Our Youth Forum isworking jointly with our Tenant

Management Team (TMT) on how touse Twitter, Facebook and create a

website. This will improve TMT’s socialmedia profile and build a working

relationship between the two teams ofdiffering ages whilst helping the

young with their CVs forjob searches.

70% of you said repairswere important to you so we haveintroduced new technology to offerrepair appointments at our first visit.By the end of March 2015, 92% of allrepairs were completed by agreedappointment, an increase of 19%

from the year before.

On completion ofmajor works, 96% of tenantssurveyed were satisfied withthe improvement work we

carried out. This is fantastic as wedelivered around £12m ofimprovements last year.

improvements we have made...

54% of younger people said

and Ridge Hill to discuss anti-social behaviour.

halfway point with 75% of

WIN£150SHOPPINGVOUCHERS


July 201510

Green CharterVolunteers lend their green

fingers to Ronald McDonald houseAs part of our work with communities and charities Green Charter recently provided some extrahands at Ronald McDonald House in Manchester. Colleagues at New Charter have previouslygiven time back at this valuable organisation and the team really enjoyed the time they spentbringing their community garden back up to its usual standard.

Members of Green Charter donned their gloves andpicked up tools for a day of weeding and tidying thegarden,making it a relaxing place for people staying at thehouse.Ronald McDonald House provides freeaccommodation for families who have children beingtreated at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital andSt Mary’s Neonatal unit.The team hopes to return to the house to continue theirwork and get the garden ready for families to enjoythroughout the summer.Ronald McDonald House manager Mike Fairley says:“We would like to thank Green Charter and New

Charter Homes for their work to keep our garden apleasant outdoor environment where familiescan take some much-needed time away from thehospital wards.”

It is an offence to plant orotherwise cause JapaneseKnotweed to grow in the wild.It is classed as controlled waste.This is becoming an increasingproblem for Green Charter as welocate Knotweed across our neighbourhoods,we have to control how we deal with it and recordall treatment and locations.Please help us with this by reporting any Knotweedyou see in our areas and not removing it yourself.If you have any further questions do not hesitate tocontact us on 0161 331 2000.

Grass cutting isunderwayGreen Charter is now well into their summerprogramme and despite the challenges of a verywet May the team is maintaining the appearance ofyour neighbourhoods using improved equipment.Remember,we don’t collect after the first cut soyou may see some cuttings left behind but as theweather improves this will reduce.We will also becarrying out hedge cutting,moss treatment and ourknotweed programme as well as many communityactivities such as supporting your IN Bloomactivities over the summer months.

New Charter has now completed a survey of all our highway and communal trees.This will now form part of a threeyear maintenance programme and will make it easier for us to inform you of the status and condition of any treeoutside the boundary of your property or communal land.We will now only carry out work to trees if necessary and should you have a tree in your own garden this will be yourresponsibility unless it is diseased,dying or affecting the structure of your dwelling. If you have any further questionsplease contact us on 0161 331 2000.

Japanese Knotweed

Tree survey complete


11July 2015

Hunter’sCourt gets amakeoverResidents at Hunter’s Courtin Dukinfield have just hadthe sitting area improvedby our very own GreenCharter team.

Residents had asked for thecommunal sitting area to get amakeover as it wasn’t veryappealing and not many flowerswould grow. The residents said,“We have tried for many years toget things growing in this gardenand now we feel like we are justthrowing money away”Over the last twelve monthsGreen Charter has been workingwith the residents to redesigntheir garden area so they can havea place to meet up.The work hasnow been completed and theresidents are looking forward tothe official open day on 18th July.

Congratulations to LisaAlderson of Ravenshead Squarein Stalybridge who completed andreturned her low cost satisfactionsurvey to win £50 B & Q vouchers.

Low-cost satisfactionsurvey - Prize DrawWinner Winner!

Before

After


July 201512

ResidentInvolvement

Equality is about treating peoplefairly and equally. People with thesame needs should be treated equally,regardless of their appearance, beliefs,age, background or lifestyle.

Diversity is about recognising thatthere are differences between peopleand taking these into account whenwe relate to them.

Please see our events page for detailsof when this course is taking place.Turn to page 23 to find out more.

Have you ever been unsure what isacceptable or appropriate to say withinthe society that you live?We are rolling out a new training course on equality and diversity as in it important to knowwhat should and shouldn’t be said.

Loan shark trainingWe have been getting out andabout to help people spot thesigns that a loan shark isoperating in our communitiesand to let people know thatthere is help available.The article on page 4 of thisnewsletter tells you about the‘stop loan shark charter’that we have launchedwith our partners sothat we can worktogether to stop illegalmoney lending.We are running atraining session fortenants to comealong to find outhow to support

people in your communitywho may be struggling withloan sharks.The training will help you identifywhat to look for and what youcan do to help.Please see the event page fordetails of when this course istaking place (page 23).

Keeping yourfamily safe inthe communityFollowing on from the article inthe last edition where we launcheda partnership with O2 onsafeguarding your children whilston the internet,we are looking tohold a training course to keep ourchildren safe in the real world.This will cover what to look for,how to deal with suspicions andwhat to do next.Please see our eventspage for details ofwhen this courseis taking place(Page 23).

what to do next.Please see our events page for details of when this course is taking place


13July 2015

TMTSince the last edition,we all know there has been a changein Government and theTMT team has been working withOxfordshire based organisation Soha,CommunityGateway in Preston and 20/20 HousingCo-op based in Birmingham.The reason for this was tolook at how new Government policies will affect housingassociations and tenants throughout the country.

The areas that they have looked at were:-l Direct paymentsl No Housing Benefit to under 21’s

l Extension to housingassociations’ Right to Buy

l Poverty

The team spoke to local MPs,staff at New Charterincluding the Group ChiefExecutive Ian Munro andDirectors JulieVickers andEmmaWilson about theirconcerns the changes could have on thebusiness and our tenants.

Growing our partnerships

UPDATE

Chartered Institute of Housing - Scrutiny LiveStrengthening the partnership detailed above,all the organisations worked together to host aseries of live question sessions with influential peoplein the housing sector, in front of a live audience atthe CIH conference.The idea behind these sessions was to gauge feelingand create a debate on how the Governments’new housing policies could affect HousingAssociationsand tenants throughout the country.The sessions called ‘Scrutiny Live’ created hugeinterest at the CIH conference and received aconsistently packed audience.The panel of tenants, includingTMT member JudithQuinn, asked questions on the Supply of SocialHousing, Affordability andAccountability

for tenants to senior people including former HousingMinister,Nick Raynsford,Caroline Price fromThe BigLife,Alistair McIntosh from the Housing QualityNetwork and Emma Maeir - Editor, Inside Housing.All the answers to the questions are currentlybeing complied into a report which will be publishedon the website www.scrutinylive.wordpress.comand on the New Charter website.By working withthese organisations, the tenant voice will becomestronger nationally.Key highlights to responses:l More social housing is neededl Those building new homes should work more

closely with the communitiesl Strong support for resident involvementl How can the sector ensure tenant voices are heard

on national policy


July 201514

Being recognised for her work in the local community, New Chartertenant, Irene Raddings was invited by the Queen to attend her GardenParty at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday 20th May.Irene,who is Chair of MicklehurstEstate ResidentsAssociation,wasnominated to attend by local MPJonathan Reynolds.When Ireneretired from work she wanted to getengaged in community work butlacked the confidence.Through joiningthe ResidentsAssociation, Irene foundher confidence grew and soonbecame the new Chair.As a pillar of the community, Irene’sactivities have included fund raising fora new roof and new room for localyouth to use,My Bingo and Muddy

Buddies project to bring tenantstogether to improve their area.Irene is also on the MossleyTownTeam committee, run by MaryPortas plus 6 other communityrelated committees.Irene comments,“I couldn’t believeit when I was told that I wouldbe attending a garden party withthe Queen.The whole day was soexciting which began with beingupgraded to first class on ourVirgin train once the guard wasaware of where I was going.

I entered the long room atBuckingham Palace and thenwas led out into the gardenwhere I was fortunate enough tobe standing very close to HerMajesty,Prince Philip,PrinceAndrew and the Duke of Kent.”After attending the Garden Party,Irene and her husband were invitedto share a pot of tea with at theHouses of Parliament with JonathanReynolds MP.

Mossleyresidentattends Queen’sGarden Party

By invitation only

Irene (left) with her friend at Buckingham Palace


15July 2015

Great Opportunities tosearch for work

New Charter’s work clubs are based at the heart of ourneighbourhoods. They provide people with places to meet,to exchange skills, to share experiences, to find opportunities,to make contacts and to get support to help them in theirreturn to work or with a change in their careers.

At the New Charter work clubs wenow use an online tool called‘MyWorkSearch' to support people intheir job-seeking activities.Work Clubclients can register for this service bycontacting the officers at their nearestNew Charter work club.Come along to New Charter workclubs to find out more about the keybenefits MyWorkSearch can offer JobSeekers such as:l MyWorkSearch automated

job finderl Advice centrel Transferrable skills and

career mapperl CV builderl Live webinars

l Full integration with UniversalJob match

For more information aboutMyWorkSearch:Please see ourWork Club section onour website about local work clubsoffered by New Charter and otherlocal organisations.http://bit.ly/work_clubsAlternatively you can contactThe Employment and Skills andEnterprise team; James Eastwood,CraigWalker or John McGlynn on0161 331 2000.

Greater Manchester Fire andRescue Service are againdeliveringThe Prince’sTrustprogramme offering unemployedpeople aged 16-25 the chanceto gain qualifications and takepart in something challengingand rewarding.Simon Brierley and HelenDrennan from GreaterManchester Fire visited GibsonTerrace on 15th May 2015 topromote the programme andtwo GibsonTerrace residentsJordan Hanson andThomas Bellhave now been accepted onthe team.During the programme theywill cover Health and Safety,Manual Handling, Food Hygiene,FirstAid atWork qualifications.The team will also take part in a‘Community Project’ - toimprove a local area.Thomas Bell comments ‘I foundout about the Prince’sTrustprogramme through the GibsonTerrace group - the programmesounds interesting and I want tomeet new people, build up myconfidence and also help thecommunity - I have already had agreat day meeting my teammates.We did a team buildingexercise making a tower out ofspaghetti and marshmallows’.

Prince’sTrustsupporting ourtemporaryaccommodationresidents

There is so much you can do nowonline with New Charter.You can:l View your rent accountl Update personal informationl Access to pay your rent onlinel View and bid on properties

(if you are a current applicant)Through our website you canupdate your general informationsuch as personal details as well asview your rent account.This holdsinformation such as your previousstatements and also allows you topay your bill online which can be somuch quicker and help you to keepon top of your finances.

If you haveregisteredfor a newhouse youcan alsoview properties and bid onthem online using your applicantnumber.To access this service simplyfollow the steps below:l Go to the New Charter

website - www.newcharter.co.ukl Click on ‘New Charter Homes’l Click on ‘Rent Payment and

MoneyAdvice’l Click ‘View your Rent online’l Then click to RegisterWe’ll also be launching a newsection where you will be able tolog and view repairs online too.Watch out for updates on this inupcoming newsletters.Why not give it a go today!

Did youknow...?


July 201516

Ridge Hill gets afacelift through theGive & Gain Day

The volunteers and CleanCare clearedthe area of rubbish and flytipping andalso painted a number of railings in thearea that were in desperate need of afacelift.Green Charter cut backbushes and trees that were beginningto look untidy.The day was an amazingsuccess,with the area looking muchimproved by 3pm.Thank you to all our GiveTime Backvolunteers, residents and members ofGreen Charter and CleanCare whoworked tirelessly all day, and worked

very well as a team.Thank you to PaulPritt from New Charter for providingan amazing BBQ lunch,which wascertainly needed and toneighbourhood co-ordinatorsVictoriaClayton and ClaireWhittlam forallocating the tasks and dealing withenquiries as well as getting stuck inall day.The weather was very kind tous all, and it was amazing to see justhow many people got involved to givetime back!

Friday 15th May was Business in the Community’s Give and Gain Day. The aim of the day

was to celebrate the incredible power of employee volunteering. New Charter got together

with Green Charter, CleanCare, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire

Service, Tameside Waste and Residents to carry out an Environmental Impact Day on Ridge

Hill, Stalybridge. Skips were put on site for residents to fill with items they needed clearing

from their homes and gardens.


17July 2015

Andreas Periera, Joel Periera andTomThorpe,who is originally fromDenton, enjoyed a game of footballwithYear 9 pupils on the schoolsports pitch, encouraging the childrento practise their skills and score goalsagainst them.After the kick about thechildren had the opportunity to speakto the players about what life is likebeing a footballer.

When asked what advice hewould give to aspiring youngplayers, Andreas Periera who hasrecently played in the first teamsaid:“Work hard and believe inyourself. Even when you feel likegiving up,don’t.”This once in a lifetime opportunity forthe youngsters came as part of the

Manchester United Foundation’spartnership with New CharterAcademy which has given studentsexclusive sports and educationalopportunities over the past few years- raising pupils’ aspirations, confidenceand career prospects.

Pupils at New Charter Academy in Ashton had a surprise when threeplayers from Manchester United’s Under-21s team turned up for a kickabout during their PE lesson.

ManchesterUnitedUnder-21steam surprisepupils

On Friday 15 May,Key103Breakfast presenters,Mike andChelsea,made a flying visit toCopleyAcademy in Stalybridge asthey arrived in a helicopter alongwith footballing legend Phil Nevilleand Coronation Street star BrookeVincent to get involved in theschool’s fundraising activities onSuperhero Day in aid of

Beechwood Cancer Care Support.All across Greater ManchesterSuperheroes came together tocelebrate Key103’s Cash for KidsSuperhero Day. The annual eventsaw hundreds of heroes don theirmasks to raise money for kidsaround the region.This year the charity has pledged toraise around £100,000 for

Beechwood Cancer Care tosupport an existing childbereavement service which willallow them to significantly increasethe number of kids and families thatthey are able to support.

CopleyAcademystudents areSuperheroes!


July 201518

HomeSwapper is really simple touse and even includes videoguides. From the details yousupply it will automatically matchyou to other tenants who mayhave a home that you'd like andwho would also be interested inyour property.When HomeSwapper finds you amatch you will be alerted by textor email. You can then log ontoHomeSwapper to look at thehome you have been matchedwith. If you are interested in ityou can contact the tenant andarrange to visit.HomeSwapper is FREE to all ourtenants and is an easy to use,exciting way to move home.Better still, finding a mutualexchange through HomeSwappermeans you won't have to waitmonths on a waiting list and youwill get to choose the home youwant for yourself.

You can use HomeSwapperstraight away by logging on tohttp://bit.ly/HomeSwapperand registering to use the service.The process is easy. All you haveto do is answer some simplequestions about where you liveand point out some positivefeatures such as 'close to goodschools, near shops' etc. It’s easyto add photos and experiencehas shown us that where peopleinclude photos of their homethey are more successful infinding a move quickly.We will normally confirmyour membership within twoworking days.You can then startreceiving information aboutpotential swaps.Last year, 144 New Chartertenants found their next homeusing HomeSwapper.

HomeSwapper is the UK's leading mutualexchange service, to help social housingtenants find other families to swap homes with.Each week thousands of people living in socialhousing register online and advertise theirhomes, looking for other people who wouldlike to swap.

Thinking ofmoving?Have youthought aboutHomeSwapper?

Case in pointOne of our tenants lived in a 2 bedroomhome in Mossley and desperately wantedto move to Droylsden to be near hiselderly mother.He had been told that he did not qualifyfor a transfer as he had no housing need inhis current home. Staff at New Charterregistered an application forHomeSwapper and he began to look forpeople to swap with.He soon found a suitable property and setthe wheels in motion.He is now settled in his new home roundthe corner from his mum and said “It isthe best thing I have ever done.HomeSwapper was so easy, no waiting list,we could choose when we moved andthere was very little paperwork tocomplete. I would recommendHomeSwapper to everyone wanting tomove.”


19July 2015

Our apprentices sailthe Irish Sea in tallship challenge

A total of 11 apprentices fromhousing companies across GreaterManchester and Nottingham joined afleet of traditional tall ships to sailfrom Dublin to Scotland(13 - 20 June).

The apprentices were trained by aprofessional crew who joined themfor the trip aboard the Pelican ofLondon.They learnt how to sail thevessel, follow their route,operatemasts and even take part in nightwatches on the boat.Joining the New Charter Homesapprentices were others fromGedling Homes,Bolton at Homeand One Manchester who all sailedin the cup representing ManchesterAthena Limited.ManchesterAthena Limited is apartnership between 12 registeredhousing providers across GreaterManchester to help tackle

unemployment and provide trainingand learning opportunities forresidents and employees.Jack Hampson (19),HR apprentice atNew Charter took part in thechallenge.He said: “It was my firsttime on a tall ship so I was reallylooking forward to the experience.Everyone on the boat had their ownresponsibilities so it was a goodopportunity for me to develop myteam work skills.”For more information about theevent and to watch a video of lastyear’sApprentice Ship Cup visithttp://bit.ly/apprentice_ship

A team of apprentices from New Charter learnt howto man a tall ship on a week-long challenge in theIrish Sea as part of the 2015 Apprentice Ship Cup.

Young people showcase skills atnational housing conferenceHousing apprentices and young peopleshowcased their skills at the Chartered Instituteof Housing’s national Housing 2015 exhibition inManchester.The event was high profile in thehousing sector and took place during JuneApprentices currently working at New Charterjoined school children from Silver SpringsAcademy,Broadoak Primary and New CharterAcademy as special guests at this year’sexhibition to show how our young people aregetting involved in their local communities.They attended the New Charter stand for thethree-day conference at Manchester Central tochat to visitors andVIPs in the sector about theirapprenticeships and school projects they havebeen involved with.


July 201520

Do you need asmaller home?Downsizing your home is most commonly associated with empty-nestersand retired people looking for smaller spaces after the family has movedout, but it's also becoming a more popular move for a growing number ofother, money conscious households.It's also a move that makes a lot offinancial sense. A smaller home canresult in big savings on day to dayexpenses such as heating bills.If you move to a smaller home theremay be less garden to maintain,fewer rooms to decorate, smallercarpets to buy etc.Changes to Housing Benefitarrangements and the introduction ofthe“BedroomTax” mean that rentinga home which is bigger than you needcan be expensive.

Looking beyond the moneyMoving to a smaller place has otherbenefits. For example, you're likely tohave less work to do around thehouse.With your newfound time,you can start a hobby, visit friends,or simply relax.Moving to a smallerhome may also give you anopportunity to live closer to family orfriends,or to live in a home withoutstairs.Think about your current home:l How many rooms do you have?l How many of those rooms do you

actually use?l How much time do you spend in

the spare bedroom that you payto heat?

Are you ready to start a newchapter in your life?Whether your children have grownup or you simply want a home thatdoesn’t require so much upkeep,what are the options?

Mutual ExchangeThere are lots of families looking tomove to larger houses.Homeswapper is a really good way tofind another tenant to swap homeswith. For New Charter tenants,this service is FREE. If you would likehelp to register on the scheme,just call in at any of our Home andCommunity Hubs or see page 18for more details.Once you have found someone toswap with, you will both need yourlandlord to agree to the move(as long as you have kept to yourtenancy agreement and the homeis the right size for you, this isusually straightforward).You can then work together to agreewhen it’s most convenient to move.

TransferAt New Charter we are keen to helpour tenants who are looking to moveto somewhere smaller.Under occupiers affected by the“BedroomTax” are the highestpriority group within our transferpolicy.Each week,our Choice Based Lettingsadvert includes a wide range ofhomes across all areas ofTameside.Some of these have been set aside tooffer preference to transferringtenants.For more information about applyingto transfer, call our Connect team on0161 331 2000 or visit one of ourHome and Community Hubs.

One of our tenants lived alonein a 3 bedroom house after herchildren had grown up andmoved out. She was finding itincreasingly difficult to pay herbills and make ends meet eachweek. She could no longermanage to heat her home andmeet the cost of her bills.Things got worse with theintroduction of bedroom taxand she quickly realised thatshe could not afford to staywhere she was.She called into ourAshtonHome and Community Huband was given advice aboutmoving to a smaller home.An application was registeredonline and within a few weeksshe was offered a smaller homethat suited her needs.Our tenant said,“I really couldnot see the wood for the treesand thought there was no wayout, until I approached NewCharter and was given adviceabout downsizing.I am now so happy here andlove my new flat andneighbours – I can’t thank NewCharter enough.”

DownsizingCase Study


21July 2015

Silver Springs Academyreceives national praise for‘outstanding governance’Silver Springs Academy in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester hasreceived ‘special commendation’ for ‘outstanding governance’putting it among the top six schools in the country.

The school’s governing bodyreceived national praise at theNational Governors’Association(NGA)Awards at the Houses ofCommons in London,picking up a‘special commendation’ trophy fortheir work.The awards celebrate the very best ofschool governance and clerking andjudges commended the governingbody at Silver Springs for ‘significantstrengths’, in particular the ‘school’sfocus on responding to the needs ofthe local community’.

The academy has close links to itssurrounding neighbourhoods throughits sponsor GreatAcademiesEducationTrust - run by housingassociation New Charter Group.Since Silver Springs became anacademy in 2012, it has made manychanges, improving its current Ofstedrating (March 2014) to ‘good’ with‘outstanding features’.The governing body has helped tobring in new initiatives to tacklepoverty and school readiness andthrough New Charter, a family

support worker is now based atthe academy one day a week tohelp parents better prepare theirchildren for school.A healthy breakfast club has alsobeen set up at the school to helpgive children the best start totheir day. Parents are encouragedto volunteer at the clubs withadvice on getting back into workprovided by New Charter.


Just for fun!

COLOURME INCan you add somecolour to thisunderwater world?

Remember to staywithin the lines!

July 201522

Congratulations to Mr Allan Wood ofTalbot Road, Hyde who was the winnerof our word search competition.He received £100 Morrisons vouchers.

My MoneyMy Choice Winner

The Classic Sudoku is a numberplacing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to9 in the empty squares so that eachrow, each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once.

Make one mistake and you’ll findyourself stuck later on as you getcloser to the solution.

SudokuCan you solve the puzzle?


Tuesday 25thAugust9.15am - 4pm

Basic first aid trainingVenue:Cavendish 249 - New Charter’shead office (Sycamore meeting room)

August 2015

Accredited first aid course. Learn the basics to helpyou in a crisis at home,work or in your community.

Events and classes

Wednesday23rd September1.30pm - 3pm

Loan safeguarding trainingVenue:Cavendish 249 - New Charter’shead office (Sycamore meeting room)

September 2015

Monday21st September9.15am - 4pm


Are there illegal money lenders working in yourcommunities? Learn how to spot them and how toreport them.

Free for all New Charter tenants


Thursday 13thAugust1pm - 3pm

‘Dispel with Myth’Green Charter and CleanCareVenue:Cavendish 249 - New Charter’shead office (Sycamore meeting room)

Find out why we do what we do - post yourquestions in to get answers.

Contact the Resident Involvement team for moreinformation or to book your place on 0161 331 2000

Wednesday30th September9.15am - 4pm

Food hygieneVenue:Cavendish 249 - New Charter’shead office (Sycamore meeting room)

Learn the basics in food hygiene and preparation.You’ll get a recognised certificate which can beuseful to help you cook at home or help find a jobin catering.

October 2015

Wednesday7th October9.15am - 4pm



23July 2015

Thursday 27thAugust9.15am - 4pm

Food hygieneVenue:Cavendish 249 - New Charter’shead office (Sycamore meeting room)

Learn the basics in food hygiene and preparation.You’ll get a recognised certificate which can beuseful to help you cook at home or help find a jobin catering.

If you require help with transport or childcare please contact a member of theResident Involvement team.

Why not tear thisout and stick it on

your fridge?

Wednesday23rd September6pm - 8.30pm

Residents quarterly quizVenue:Cavendish 249 - New Charter’shead office (Downstairs area)

Come along to our quiz with your local residentsgroups and go for the trophy.

Tuesday 8th,15th,22nd,29th September1.30pm - 3.30pm

Basic ITVenue:Cavendish 249 - New Charter’shead office (Tenants resource room)

Can’t use a computer and want to learn?Week 1:Emails Week 2:Surfing the webWeek 3: Social Media Week 4:Comparison sites

Monday14th September9.30am - 12noon

Safeguarding awarenessVenue:Cavendish 249 - New Charter’shead office (Sycamore meeting room)

To develop awareness of safeguarding and promotingthe welfare of children and young people.


Contact us

Resource Housing Reg. No. 2111

Head Office:New Charter Group, Cavendish 249, Cavendish Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7AT

Our Hubs• 2 Henrietta Street, Ashton• 9 Albert Street, Denton• 12 Clarendon Street, Hyde• 63 Grosvenor Street,

Stalybridge

Our Hubs open at9am Monday to Friday(except Tuesdays, whenthey open at 10.30am).

Please note, Denton andStalybridge Hubs closedaily between 12.30-1.30pm.

All Hubs close at 5pmMonday to Wednesday;4.30pm on Thursday; and4pm on Friday.

These opening times are forour Home and CommunityHubs (our shops).

We also have NeighbourhoodHubs across our areas thatare only open when we needthem for classes andmeetings.

Email: [email protected]

facebook.com/newcharterhomes

@NewCharterGroup

Remember,we now have just one number for youto call to access all services - 0161 331 2000.This single number will be the same 24 hours a day, 365days a year and all calls are dealt with by New Charterstaff at our offices. In the evenings,at weekends and on Bank Holidays our services operatefor emergencies only - dealing with emergency housingissues and emergency repairs.

Main switchboard:0161 331 2000

English

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Urdu

If you need help understanding this document, please call us on0161 331 2000 and we will arrange for somebody to help you.

Jeśli potrzebuje Pan/Pani pomocy w zrozumieniu tegodokumentu, prosimy o kontakt pod numerem 0161 331 2000,a my zorganizujemy kogoś do pomocy.

Se necessitar de ajuda no que respeia à compreensão destedocumento, queira por favor contactar-nos no nº. 0161 331 2000e iremos colocar alguém à sua disposição para o ajudar

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0161 331 2000


Documents

NC News Summer 2015