Ethos Public Relations Manchester

Christmas Comes Early for Local Park

by Ethos public relations

Contour Homes and The Friends of Limeside Park have had an unexpected Christmas present with the news that Oldham?s Limeside Park will be given ?40,000 of National Lottery Funding.

Last month The Friends of the Park Group were bitterly disappointed to hear that their bid to provide a safe haven and recreational play area for young people had not been granted.

In an unforeseen turn of events, The National Lottery Committee have had a rethink and decided to award 15 nationwide projects who had previously been unsuccessful - ?40,000 to celebrate the fact it is their 15th birthday!

Sarah Furbey, Secretary of ?Limeside Friends of The Park' said: ?Having lost the vote, we were all really disappointed but this news is a fantastic Christmas present for the local community!?? The money will be used to provide sport and recreational equipment for young people to enjoy and provide a safe space for them to meet and play.?

Contour Homes and Oldham Council have pledged to match fund The National Lottery monies and are equally delighted.? ?It?s such a lovely surprise for everyone,? said Shanine Meadowcroft from Contour Homes.? ?Now the Friends of the Park can continue with their plans which means the whole community will benefit from this change of heart!?

Posted at 24^th December 2009

Hampers for Higher Broughton

by Ethos public relations

The Hill Street Residents Association in Higher Broughton played host to Hazel Blears MP and Mike Creamer, Chief Executive of local housing association Contour Housing Group this week.

Mike and Hazel were delivering Christmas Hampers to the Residents Association which intends to raffle off the goodies to local people.

?Colleagues at Contour have been collecting food and drink to provide hampers for local residents associations and housing offices,? said Mike.? ?We have managed to collect around 17 hampers and several of them have been ear-marked for groups in the Salford area.?

There are around 160 households in the Higher Broughton area that are owned and managed by Contour and the company was keen to thank the Residents Association for its work on alley gating and greening the local alley ways.? Monies raised by raffling the hampers will provide further funding for the Association.

Mike and Hazel joined residents for lunch and a chat as they delivered the hampers.

Hazel said, ?I was delighted to be able to help hand over the lovely hampers to the Hill Street residents, who have done fantastic work improving the environment in their local area. I'm pleased that Contour's generosity has recognised the dedication and commitment of local residents and it was great to hear the resident?s plans for 2010.

Posted at 23^rd December 2009

Christmas Comes Early

by Ethos public relations

Michael and Rosaleen Smith in Blackburn will be enjoying a particularly good Christmas this year thanks to the installation of a brand new kitchen by landlord Contour Homes.

The Smiths two bedroom flat is one of 148 properties which have recently benefitted from a ?800,000 refurbishment project funded by Contour Homes.

?The work is absolutely first class,? said Michael Smith.? ?The kitchen is a much higher quality than the one we had before and the room is now a pleasure to work in.? It?s great that we have had the work done before Christmas.?

As well as a new kitchen the Smiths have also benefitted from a brand new bathroom and will shortly be having a stair lift installed.

Lesley Riley Housing Management Officer for Contour Homes said:? ?This work is part of an investment programme designed to bring all our properties up to the Decent Homes Standard.? These particular properties were built in the 1970?s and thanks to this work they are now modern, bright and more energy efficient.?

The Smiths grown up children and their families regularly visit their parents and they also love the modern kitchen and bathroom.

?We?re going to have a great Christmas in our lovely new look home,? said Michael Smith.

Posted at 23^rd December 2009

Save Hundreds of £££s on Luxurious Home Accessories

by Ethos public relations

If you are looking to purchase that all important luxury item to add the perfect finishing touch to your home this New Year - or simply looking to grab yourself a bargain - then check out the new year sale at GH Frith.

GH Frith, the UK's largest carpet and rug retailer, is offering up to 75 per cent off rugs and carpets during its sale which starts on 27 December.

GH Frith has thousands of rugs online or in one of its three retail outlets, so whether you are looking for a modern design, a traditional classic or a deep pile shaggy rug - grab yourself a bargain at the GH Frith sale.

Log onto www.ghfrith.com to shop from the comfort of your own home or call 0845 4 900 600 for store directions and opening times.

Posted at 23^rd December 2009

Band on the Wall announce new Winter Into Spring 2010 season

by Ethos public relations

After the successful 'Back To Our Place' opening season legendary Manchester venue Band on the Wall are delighted to announce their new season of 2010 concerts.

The new season, entitled 'Winter Into Spring 2010, kicks off with Justin Adams, who worked with Robert Plant for eight years, being joined by Juldeh Camara, on 15 January.

Acclaimed musician, composer and producer Nitin Sawhney then takes over the venue for 10 days when he and an internationally assembled group of singers, instrumentalists and MCs from Manchester, Genova and Marseille come together to create a unique concert from scratch on 30 January as well as special club night and a special talk by Sawhney about his life as a musician.

Also in the season legendary Yes guitarist Steve Howe brings his Trio to the venue (11 March) and Dan Berglund, former e.s.t. bassist, releases his first solo recording and will showcase it with Dan Berglund's Tonbruket (25 March).

Rising world music star Yasmin Levy, 1980s icons Swing Out Sister, the great American soul singer Marlena Shaw and internationally acclaimed trumpet player, composer and producer Nils Petter Molvaer all play at the venue in the coming months.

And of course Mr Scruff continues his 'Keep It Unreal' monthly residency at the venue on the first Saturday of every month.

Mike Chadwick, Music Programmer at Band on the Wall said: "The programme we have out together for the first season of 2010 is one that should keep every music fan happy. We have Mercury Music Prize nominees, MOBO winners, artists that have had phenomenal success in the past and artists that are bursting on the scene and making their mark across many genres of music.

"They will all take to the stage at one of the country?s most historic venues and bring their own unique music styles to fans and I for one can not wait!"

To receive advance event notification of gigs at the venue and to find out how to obtain discounts, sign up to the mailing list at www.bandonthewall.org, or call 0845 2 500 500 to buy tickets.

Artists playing in the second season at Band on the Wall:

January 2010

Fri 15 January - Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara - £12.50
Sat 16 January - Denis Jones - £8
Tue 19 January - John Escreet Band - £12.50
Sat 23 January - Aftershock feat. Nitin Sawhney+Abraxxxas+Matt Halsall+Fyzah DJ Sets - £6
Tue 26 January - Nitin Sawhney In Person - A Musician's Life - £5
Sat 30 January - Aftershock International - Artistic Director Nitin Sawhney - £12

February 2010

Tue 2 February - Marconi Union - £10
Fri 5 February - The Bittersweets - £12.50
Sat 6 February - Mr Scruff Keep It Unreal - £11 Adv, £12 Door
Mon 8 February - Ian King - £8
Tue 9 February - Yasmin Levy - £15
Thu 11 February - Kit Downes Trio & Troyka - £12.50
Sat 13 February - Dick Gaughan - £12.50
Tue 16 February - Stornoway & Beth Jeans Houghton - £10
Thu 18 February - Gwilym Simcock Trio feat Gerard - £15
Fri 19 February - Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos - £10
Sat 20 February - Jonatha Brooke Band - £14.50

Mon 22 February - Swing Out Sister - £16.50
Tue 23 February - Swing Out Sister - £16.50
Thu 25 February - Nils Petter Molvaer - £15
Fri 26 February - Spiro - £10
Sat 27 February - The Sound Stylistics - £14
Sun 28 February - Buffalo Collision & Trio VD - £15

March 2010

Mon 1 March - Kathryn Williams - £14.50
Tue 2 March - Baby Dee - £12.50
Thu 4 March - Dave O?Higgins & Eric Alexander Quintet - £14
Sat 6 March - Mr Scruff Keep it Unreal - £11Adv / £12 Door
Tue 9 March - Nic Bartsch?s Ronin - 315
Thu 11 March - Steve Howe Trio - £17.50
Fri 12 March - Dennis Bovell Dub Band - £14.50
Sat 13 March - Skip ?Little Axe? McDonald - £12.50
Sun 14 March - Portico Quartet - £10
Thu 18 March - Jose James - £14.50
Fri 19 March - Joshco Stephan - £12.50
Sat 20 March - Marlena Shaw - £20
ue 23 March - Tunng - £12.50
Thu 25 March - Dan Berglund (e.s.t) - £15
Fri 26 March - Sierra Maestra - £14.50
Sat 27 March - Introducing plays DJ Shadows Endtroducing - £10
Tue 30 March - Andy McKee - £12.50

Posted at 21^st December 2009

Keep safe this Christmas

by Ethos public relations

Hyndburn Homes Repairs, the biggest direct works company in the area is reminding local residents to keep safe this Christmas.

Jonathan Kenyon from the company said: "Christmas is a great time for family and friends to get together - it's also a very busy time as people make their festive preparations and sometimes safety can be overlooked.? Check the entrance to your home to make sure there is no potential for visitors to slip or fall.? Given the cold spell we are currently going through, ice can cause problems, especially for older people, so take a few minutes to make sure your driveway, pathway or steps are not going to cause an accident."

Jonathan said that fire safety is particularly important at this time of year when many homes are lit with fairy lights and candles and it's not surprising that statistics show a rise in the number of accidental fires and related injuries.

"Check lights conform to the British standard," he said.? "Providing you buy them from a reputable retailer you should be safe.? It is important to turn off Christmas tree lights when you leave the house and when you go to bed,?

"Candles should never be left unattended even for a moment and make sure that they are not close to anything flammable as a slight draft from a door opening could easily cause a fire.

"Take five minute to check the batteries in your smoke alarms are working.? Push to the button by hand or with the top of a broom and never be tempted to take out the batteries from your smoke alarm and use them for something else."
Jonathan also wants to remind residents about the dangers of leaving valuables on view.? If gifts and presents can be seen through your windows move them somewhere else so you are not tempting thieves.

"If you've bought expensive electrical equipment this year either as a gift or just as a treat for yourself, don't leave the packaging outside the house," said Jonathan.? "Keep it in the house until you can either dispose of it yourself or the refuse collectors come for your rubbish.? It's just an advert for thieves and burglars.

"Just taking a few minutes to check inside and outside your home for potential hazards should ensure you have a fabulous Christmas and New Year.? Happy Christmas."

Posted at 21^st December 2009

UN Proclaims 2012 as International Year of Co-operatives

by Ethos public relations

Co-operatives^UK has welcomed the decision by the United Nations (UN) which proclaimed 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives at its General Assembly.

The Assembly, held on 18 December in New York, approved the resolution (A/RES/64/136) and recognised the co-operative business model as a major factor of the economic and social development of people in both the developed and developing world.

Celebrating the resolution, Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives^UK, the trade association for co-operative businesses, said: ?This is fantastic news which will help to raise awareness of the incredible role that co-operatives play on the world stage.

?What we do has a real impact on over 800 million international members on a daily basis, so it is tremendous that the UN has recognised co-operatives as an important factor in improving the lives of people worldwide. We welcome the UN?s decision and are glad the valuable work of our movement has been given the prominence it deserves.?

The resolution also encourages all governments to create a more supportive environment for co-operative development. In particular, there is a need for governments to provide more financial aid to support the formation of new co-operatives.

Dame Pauline Green, President of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), expressed her support for the UN?s resolution on behalf of the entire international co-operative community: ?The International Year of Co-operatives is a well timed event that represents the depth of understanding of the entire co-operative movement.?

?The co-operative model is a better choice and offers the basis for a more sustainable way to do business when compared to traditional capitalist models now under scrutiny. What sets this model apart from others is that all co-operatives, whether they are small farmers or large consumer-owned entities, share the values of democracy, solidarity, equality, self-help and self responsibility, creating businesses that serve the greater good as opposed to maximising profit for the very few.?

In the run up to and during 2012, the ICA will hold a series of events highlighting the importance of co-operatives and its businesses, and will work closely with the UN and its agencies to ensure the co-operative model is placed at the top of the international social calendar.

Posted at 21^st December 2009

Carrier bags create play area

by Ethos public relations

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) is delighted that Melrose Place Natural Play Area has been named as one of 15 new ?Greener Living Spaces? projects to be funded by Marks & Spencer in partnership with the environmental charity Groundwork.

The M&S funding comes from the 5p the retailer charge for food carrier bags and RBH has matched funded the M&S grant to ensure the project gets the attention it deserves.

Gareth Swarbrick Chief Executive for RBH said:? ?Staff and local residents will be closely involved in creating the space for a new natural play and family leisure area which everyone can be proud of.

?It?s an exciting opportunity that will strongly support the communities? aspirations and also provide an excellent fit with wider neighbourhood objectives already identified by the tenants and residents in Lower Falinge."

Locally, Groundwork already enjoys a close working relationship with RBH and Teresa Jennings, Operations Director for Groundwork in Oldham and Rochdale said she is very pleased to be working with RBH on this project.

?Nationally Groundwork has worked with M&S to create 15 Greener Living Spaces across the UK.? It?s great news that Rochdale is one such project and we look forward to working with RBH staff, local residents and M&S employees to create what we know will be a fabulous play area that the whole community can enjoy.?

Posted at 18^th December 2009

Christmas Hampers at the Ready!

by Ethos public relations

Staff at Contour Housing Group in Salford have generously collected food and drink to make 17 Christmas hampers.

The hampers will be donated to Contour residents nominated through residents? associations and local housing offices.

Vicky Carroll from Contour Housing Group said: ?Thanks to the generosity of our staff we will be able to present them to numerous individuals and groups who may be in need of a helping hand this Christmas. This is the first year we have organised the hampers but it has been so successful that no doubt it will become a regular annual collection?

Posted at 17^th December 2009

Nitin Sawhney takes over Band on the Wall

by Ethos public relations

Acclaimed musician, composer and producer Nitin Sawhney is taking over Manchester?s legendary venue Band on the Wall in January.

Nitin launches Aftershock International on 23 January with a club night and he will give a talk on 26 January about his life in music. This is all in the build up to an extraordinary concert on 30 January.

The concert is a unique musical collaboration between Nitin and an internationally assembled group of singers, instrumentalists and MC?s from Manchester, Genoa and Marseille. They will be working intensively for 10 days ? from 21-30 January - at the venue to create an incredible new one-off performance.

Matt Halsall, Denis Jones, Pascal Daniel, Abraxxxas and Roberto Tiranti are just a few of the artists who will come together and mix soul and R&B with experimental electronica and French hip-hop blends with folk and jazz.

Nitin, who will be the artistic director for the event has made eight studio albums, for which he has been nominated for a Mercury Music prize, won a MOBO, 2 BBC Radio 3 awards and a Southbank show award, amongst 15 others. He is also now a judge for The Ivor Novello Awards, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards and the British Independent Film Awards.

Nitin said ?Aftershock has always been one of my favourite projects. It?s refreshing and inspiring to be able to work alongside such amazing new talent. What?s really important is that we all expect the final event to be a proper gig, not a workshop showcase, so there?s pressure to deliver?.but the intensity is one of the many things that make Aftershock so enjoyable?

Mike Chadwick, Music Programmer at Band on the Wall said: ?We are delighted that Nitin is coming to Band on the Wall and the whole experience will be amazing for everyone involved and everybody watching.

?Band on the Wall has a history playing music from many genres from across the globe and having this mix of genres and artists coming together to play together epitomises what the venue is all about.?

To receive advance event notification of gigs at the venue and obtain discounts, sign up to the mailing list at www.bandonthewall.org, or call 0845 2 500 500 to buy tickets.

To find out more about Aftershock and the musicians go to www.aftershockproject.com.

Artists playing at Aftershock International:

???? ???? Fyza - Singer (Liverpool)
???? ???? Denis Jones - Guitarist Songwriter (Manchester)
???? ???? Hannah Peel - Flute/Violin/Vocals (Liverpool)
???? ???? Matt Halsall - Trumpeter/ Producer (Manchester)
???? ???? Amandine - Singer (France)
???? ???? Abraxxas - (MC) (France)
???? ???? Pascal Daniel - Keyboard/Vocals (France)
???? ???? ILA - Guitar/Vocals (Italy)
???? ???? Marika Pellegrini - Percussionist (Italy)
???? ???? Roberto Tiranti - Singer (Italy)

Posted at 16^th December 2009

Need Help? Contact Help Direct

by Ethos public relations

Hyndburn?s biggest housing association is supporting Lancashire County Council in its effort to provide a wide range of help and advice to anyone living and working in the Hyndburn area.

Kim Smith from Hyndburn Homes explains:? ?Help Direct is a service for all adults in East Lancashire. It aims to be the first port of call for anyone looking to get access to practical support, guidance and information that they may need.? Hyndburn Homes has provided office space to Help Direct Field Navigator Deborah Clarke who will be on hand in our area to support not just Hyndburn Homes residents but anyone in the borough aged 18 and over.?

Help Direct signposts customers to the right service provider for their need or query. For individuals this could mean assistance with filling out a form, details of where the nearest exercise class is, how to open a bank account, where to find a reputable plumber or where to turn to get advice about having care in the home.? Essentially whatever the problem, Help Direct can help or point you in the right direction and hopefully stop a minor problem turning into a crisis.

?It?s great having Deborah with us as some of the calls she receives are around housing or support issues and so we can share and exchange advice,? said Kim.

?Hyndburn Homes staff are also working with Deborah to identify gaps in service to customers throughout the borough. As a result, a number of new initiatives are being discussed and we hope to be launching them in the new year.

?Help Direct is such a simple idea but one that is very much in demand and Deborah has a vast range of knowledge and experience.

?Hyndburn Homes is delighted to be able to support Help Direct and if you have a query about literally anything ? Deborah is the woman to call!?

If you have a question for Deborah at Help Direct Hyndburn - telephone 0303 333 1010.

Posted at 15^th December 2009

Leading light of the co-operative and social enterprise sector celebrates 25th anniversary

by Ethos public relations

Tower Hamlets Co-operative Development Agency (CDA) ? which helped found Social Enterprise London, the Social Enterprise Coalition and Co-operatives London ? last week celebrated a quarter of a century at the forefront of co-operative and social enterprise.

The CDA, which put the ?social enterprise agenda? on the map, has been providing business support to co-operatives, community owned businesses and social enterprises in East London for 25 years since 1984.

Gregory Cohn, Chief Executive of Tower Hamlets Co-operative Development Agency, said that when the agency started, the Co-operative food stores were well known but worker co-operatives, housing co-operatives and the social enterprise sector were almost hidden away.

?Whereas today,? he said, ?25 years on, we have a dynamic co-operative and social enterprise sector in East London and London wide, there are nearly 600 established housing and worker co-operatives.?

The CDA?s commitment to support and expand the London co-operative sector remains strong.

?Over the last couple of years, we have been working with Co-operatives^UK and the many London co-operatives to launch Co-operatives London.? It?s an umbrella body to shout about the successes of the 600 London co-operatives,? he said.

Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives^UK, said: ?Tower Hamlets CDA been a leading light and the CDA is testament to the importance of providing a specialist and locally based agency to promote the co-operative sector. Amongst the many businesses it has helped to establish are some of London?s most successful co-operatives.?

Account 3, a not for profit women?s co-operative, whose formation was assisted by the CDA in the 1990?s, has, for almost 20 years, supported women, primarily from black, Asian and ethnic minority communities in East London in eliminating barriers when accessing the job market.

Paperback co-operative pioneered recycled paper long before it became popular and this is another successful market leader supported by the CDA.

Tower Hamlets CDA, noting the high level of poor diet related ill health in East London, launched a food co-operative programme in 2000 and this led to the establishment of 18 successful community based Food Co-operatives, primarily by Bangladeshi women.? More recently the CDA has supported the launch of co-operative-based fruit tuck shops in 25 local primary schools.

?At the CDA, we are always on the look out for new opportunities so have just launched a new co-operative called Fruit 4 Work which delivers fruit to office workers in the City of London and we have plans to expand nationwide to an office near you," Gregory said.

Speaking from a UK-wide perspective, Ed Mayo, said: ?The CDA?s huge positive impact in East London demonstrates the difference that a local community led agency can make to enterprises, the local area and to the wider co-operative and social enterprise sectors.? We congratulate Tower Hamlets CDA and wish them a vibrant next 25 years.

To find out more about Tower Hamlets Co-operative Development Agency, please visit the website at www.co-operation.coop.

Posted at 14^th December 2009

Rochdale's green team ready to go!

by Ethos public relations

ALMO Rochdale Boroughwide Housing has teamed up with Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale to pilot a new scheme designed to give young unemployed people in the Rochdale area an opportunity to develop their environmental skills.

Teresa Jennings from Groundwork explains: "The 'Green Team' is a year long training scheme which has been funded by both organisations," she said.

"Groundwork will run two 'Green Teams' who will work on RBH estates and land to make small scale environmental improvements that will make a big difference to local communities."

Candidates aged 18 - 24 have been recruited via the Government's Future Jobs Fund project and at any one time the scheme will see around 16 young people working." The scheme will provide training which will result in accredited certification which should ultimately help the young people find full time employment.

Eugene Wilson, RBH Director of Property Services, is pleased the company has been able to support the project. "Tackling worklessness, particularly in young people is one of our key objectives," he said.

"The 'Green Team' members will have the opportunity to gain real employment skills and experience, whilst at the same time delivering work that will benefit RBH tenants and their local communities. - That is why this project has our full support."

One of the first tasks for the newly recruited 'Green Team' will be clearing rubbish and vegetation from footpaths on the land behind Queens Drive, Kirkholt. "The 'Green Team will also be planting spring and summer flowering bulbs and tidying up run down areas on several other estates.

The trainees will be expected to learn accredited skills in health and safety, manual handling, plastering, block paving, bricklaying, fencing and landscaping and other specific training will able be available at the trainees request.

"We are looking forward to welcoming the 'Green Team' to RBH, adds Eugene Wilson. "We will be monitoring the success of this initiative, which could be rolled out on a wider scale if it proves successful."

Posted at 11^th December 2009

Don?t get into Debt this Christmas

by Ethos public relations

Christmas is a fantastic time, when friends and families get together to enjoy the festive season-? but according to one of the region?s biggest housing associations it can also be a time when personal debt reaches an all time high.

?It?s very tempting to over spend at Christmas,? said Sarah Knowles from Contour Homes.? ?Everyone likes to get into the holiday mood but when the party?s over, many people are counting the cost of impulsive buys in January.?

According to Sarah, you can still have a great time without breaking the bank.? ?Make sure you write a list of things you need ? rather than things you want.? Once you have written your list take it with you everywhere and don?t give in to impulse buys.? Budgeting is very important.? You still need to pay those crucial bills such as rent and utility bills ? they don?t stop just because it?s Christmas.? Set your budget and stick to it!

?Don?t forget that you can pick up some reasonably priced gifts from the many Christmas fairs that local schools and churches host at this time of the year.? And if charity shops are good enough for celebrities they are certainly good enough for us ? so take a look at the charity shops in your local high street and see what?s on offer.?

Sarah said that preparing for Christmas doesn?t have to be costly either.? ?Going back to nature is all the rage, so take a walk to your local park and collect natural foliage, cones and berries to decorate your home and Christmas table.

If you do get into debt at Christmas or indeed any time of the year, Sarah advises that the most important thing for anyone to do is to acknowledge there is a problem as soon as possible and get help from the various agencies who have been set up to help.

?Debt can be devastating but you should not suffer alone or in silence,? she said.? ?If you owe money to any organisation contact them right away and explain your situation.? Most reputable companies will be happy to work with you to develop a more affordable payment option.? The worst thing you can do is ignore the problem as it will only get worse.?

Finally Sarah advises that any holiday season is primarily about people and so if you are fortunate enough to have family and friends to help you celebrate ? that?s great, but don?t forget people in your local community who may not be as lucky.

?For some people, especially the elderly Christmas can be a very lonely time,? she said.? ?If you know of an elderly neighbour in your local community why not give a few minutes of your time to spend with them during the holiday season?? A cup of tea and a mince pie could really make somebody?s day and I?ll bet it will make you feel good too!?

Posted at 11^th December 2009

Cabinet backs housing regeneration scheme for St Mary's

by Ethos public relations

Oldham Council is backing ambitious regeneration plans to develop new family eco-homes on a derelict St Mary?s site.

Cabinet members gave support in principle for the new scheme, proposed by Contour Homes, at a meeting last night (December 9).

The proposals would see a development that would breathe new life into the site.
A large plot incorporating land at St Mary?s Way, Egerton Street, Horsedge Street and Scoltock Way has lain vacant for several years since the former 1960s flats were demolished.

The Cabinet decision includes support for a crucial application to the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) for ?Kickstart? grant funding by Contour Homes.

The firm, one of the biggest social housing and regeneration agencies in the North West, has applied for HCA funding to build 59 new houses ? with the potential for a further phase to bring the total to 93.

Contour has been working closely with Oldham Council and the Unity Partnership to develop the bid. It has also given a commitment to provide more than ?4 million of its funding to help ensure the ?14 million scheme will happen.

Councillor Mohammed Masud, Community Champion for East Oldham, said: ?This is an exciting scheme that could regenerate St Mary?s after so many years of disappointment.?

?If this succeeds it will remove the blight of this site and provide a real boost for neighbouring residents and their quality of life ? plus potentially help attract new investment into the town centre.

?We are supporting this because we believe it is a fantastic opportunity to see this land finally developed and provide the kind of new high-quality family homes which we desperately need.?

If Contour Homes? application to the HCA is successful, a further report will be submitted to Oldham Council?s Cabinet to dispose of the site in February 2010.
Contour has also submitted a detailed planning application to Oldham Council for the scheme, which would comprise of two, three, four and five-bedroomed houses for sale, rent or shared ownership, with associated car parking and public open space. A decision is expected in the New Year.

Vicky Carroll, Contour Homes, said: ?We have been working closely with colleagues at Oldham Council to develop a plan for this site that will provide much-needed family homes, and will also ensure this gateway is transformed into a development that the town can be proud of.?

?We are also working with local contractors ROK and architects Nicol Thomas on our plans.

?We are committed to involving local residents and consultation is already underway with First Choice Homes as a key stakeholder in the neighbourhood.?

Posted at 10^th December 2009

Hattersley Residents take to the Streets

by Ethos public relations

Peak Valley Housing Association residents have become the first in the North West to introduce ?street representatives? to help manage its estate.

Peak Valley has been supporting the work of Hattersley and Mottram People?s Association (HAMPA) in recruiting street representatives.? The ?street reps? keep an eye on their patch and report back any problems to HAMPA and Peak Valley.? They will also become a well known face in the streets they represent which will allow residents to approach them with any issues or suggestions they may have.

Jean Davison, Secretary of HAMPA, suggested the new scheme. ?We do have regular meetings but not all residents can attend,? she said.? ?So we wanted to look at alternative methods of communicating with people.?

Jean and her colleagues have been working closely with Aspire Housing in Newcastle under Lyme in Staffordshire who introduced street representatives some time ago.? HAMPA visited Aspire Housing to find out how their scheme was working there.

The team at HAMPA want to recruit ten street representatives to manage the area. To date, five people have agreed to take part in the scheme. If you would like to find out more about becoming a street representative for HAMPA, please contact Jean Davison, on 0161 351 1361.

Posted at 9^th December 2009

Co-operativesUK asks members to get Greener Together

by Ethos public relations

?Greener Together ? the co-operative way?, a new and ambitious campaign from Co-operatives^UK , is actively seeking 50 committed co-operatives and community owned enterprises across England to work with their members - a total of 3,600 people ? to become greener and reduce their carbon footprint.

Greener Together ?? a six month study investigating how people can overcome the barriers of lifestyle change and live in a more sustainable way ? is directly supporting individuals from consumer, worker, housing and other co-operatives and community owned enterprises to reduce their environmental impact in the areas of energy, waste and personal transport.

?The core aim of Greener Together is to engage, support and provide the means to make lifestyle changes that reduce members? and customers? environmental impact in these three key areas,? said Helen Seymour, Head of Projects and Development at Co-operatives^UK.

?Many co-operatives are already doing great things to encourage their members to live in a more sustainable way. The Greener Together project builds upon this and will help strengthen relationships between co-operatives and their members.?

Individuals from each sector will choose from a number of environmental actions based around the home, and each action will produce a representative reduction in carbon emissions. Members and customers will pledge to reduce their CO2 by 10 to 20 per cent in two out of three of the key areas, over the six month period.

Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives^UK, said: ?We are directly supporting individuals to change their behaviour and reduce their impact on the environment and want to hear from co-operatives big and small ? consumer, worker and other ? that could work with their members to change their individual habits.

?Now is the time to join with other co-operatives and community owned enterprise and work together to pioneer a practice that will really help affect change!?

Part of the Greener Living Fund, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the dynamic project aims to help people to live in a more sustainable way, by focusing on the small actions every individual can take in their daily lives and enables member organisations of Co-operatives^UK, the Confederation of Co-operative Housing (CCH) and the Plunkett Foundation to work with their members and customers in achieving greener behaviour.

To find out how you can join Greener Together and make a real difference contact Michelle Lockwood on 0161 246 3287 email michelle.lockwood@cooperatives-uk.coop or visit the website at www.greenertogether.coop.

Posted at 9^th December 2009

Account Executives come back to PR fold

by Ethos public relations

Two more staff have joined expanding Manchester agency, Ethos public relations, as Account Executives.

Recent new business wins, and increased project based work from existing clients, has resulted in significant growth leading to an almost doubling of staff numbers over the last year, and as a result, Sarah Dawson and Valerie Essien have joined the business.

Sarah Dawson, started her career in public relations, working at a Cheshire-based business to business agency, before moving in-house to a marketing role at Clearview media. Now Sarah will work on accounts including, Contour Housing Group, Econoloft, Laserase, GH Frith and Rochdale Boroughwide Housing.

Commenting on her appointment, Sarah said: ?It?s great to be back in a PR agency environment, working across such a diverse client base.?

Valerie, who returned to Manchester after 18 months spent living abroad, was keen to re-enter the PR industry, and will now work on accounts and publications including ABCUL ? the Association of British Credit Unions, Avery Dennison and Manchester Credit Union.

Commenting on her new appointment, Valerie said: ?I hope working for Ethos public relations will allow me to build on my existing skills and experience in order to further my career, and with such a varied client base, I see this as a fantastic opportunity.?

Debbie Kelly, Director at Ethos public relations said: ?We are really pleased to be able to offer new jobs at this current time. Both Valerie and Sarah had been out of the PR industry for a while before we were able to offer them positions, so it?s great to be able to bring them back into the industry.?

Posted at 9^th December 2009

More choice for people on housing waiting list

by Ethos public relations

Hyndburn Homes, one of the region?s biggest social landlords has introduced a new housing allocation system for the 2,300 people on its waiting list.

Nigel Fenton from Hyndburn Homes said: ?The new system called b-with-us is known as a choice based letting scheme.? It will provide residents with a wider choice of properties across a bigger geographical area and hopefully go some way to helping to alleviate housing need in our area.?

Under the new system, housing applicants will be able to select vacant social housing properties not just across Hyndburn, but also across Blackburn with Darwen, Pendle and Rossendale.? All empty properties in these areas will be advertised and applicants will ?bid? for the property they want. The person with the highest housing need will usually be offered the property.

Everyone on the housing waiting list in these areas has been notified in writing of the changes and has been sent information booklets which provide details about choosing a new home and how the waiting list bands are calculated.

Twenty one social housing organisations across East Lancashire have signed up to the scheme and are working in partnership to give access to over 24,000 rented properties across the area. This means that all the organisations involved will share one housing register and one allocations policy.

If you are currently on the housing waiting list in Hyndburn and would like further information or advice about the new scheme, contact b?with?us on 0300 123 22 00

Posted at 9^th December 2009

The HCA Academy visits STEP 1

by Ethos public relations

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) recently visited the Salford Training and Employment Partnership (STEP 1), which has successfully completed the delivery of six construction training programmes and a research project in Higher Broughton.

Ross Hemmings, Regeneration Investment Officer with Contour Housing Group helped showcase the project to Colin Kearney, the Apprenticeships Advisor at the HCA, providing background information on how the project was developed and funded.

Ross said ?The STEP 1 initiative is a partnership with Contour and Great Places Housing Group and funded by Salford City Council.?

?Developed 3 years ago, STEP1 aims to provide support and guidance to Salford residents wanting to train in construction and opportunities in other areas of employment. ?

Mr Kearney saw that in the period March 2008 to date, STEP 1 Construction has partnered with a local social enterprise called Brighter Future to provide an eight week training programme to 65 Salford residents, where they had access to Accredited learning, CSCS training and test, First Aid, Manuel handling, Working safely at heights and pre employment skills. The residents carried out their practical training on a ?real life? building site.

In addition, STEP 1 recruited five local unemployed people to work as community reporters, where they engaged with the local community gathering view points. They also gained skills in interviewing techniques, video, social media and communication.

?We are very proud of the achievements of STEP 1,? said Ross, ?It is a useful training tool for people wanting to develop a career and offers support and advice on further training and employment opportunities.? Colin Kearney commended the project and said it was an exemplar for others to follow.?

Posted at 8^th December 2009