Ethos public relations Manchester

Adrenaline junkie ready for skydive challenge

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:57 +0000

Adrenaline junkie Nathan Malley will throw caution to the wind and jump out of an aeroplane at 10,000ft in Peterlee this Saturday (11 September) to raise money for national disability charity Action For Kids. Gateshead resident Nathan, who is originally from Liverpool, hopes to raise £500 for Action For Kids - which helps to support children and young people with physical and learning disabilities and their parents and carers. The account manager at Remploy decided to do the skydive as he has a brother who was born with spina bifida and appreciates the benefits charities such as Action For Kids can offer. Speaking in the build up to the skydive, which is taking place at Peterlee Parachute Centre, 27 year old Nathan said: “After seeing an advert about charity skydiving and reading some of the case studies showing how the charity helps people, my mind was made up! “My job involves generating vacancies for people with health conditions and disabilities and this makes me determined to raise as much money as possible and to raise awareness around the services that both Action For Kids and Remploy can provide.” Sarah Greene, Events Fundraiser at Action For Kids, said: “It is great that Nathan is doing the skydive in aid of Action For Kids. The skydive is a fun and exhilarating experience and we wish him all the best. The money he will raise is invaluable to the work we do and this courageous act will make a number of kids very happy!” To donate please go to www.justgiving.com/Mallo-Skydive. For more information about Action For Kids and its work, please visit the website at www.actionforkids.org.

Green light for new shops and homes

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:14 +0000

A joint planning application by Peak Valley Housing Association and Rowlinson Construction for new shops and apartments on Honiton Road, Hattersley, has just been approved by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. The £4.7 million project has been supported by £2.5 million funding from the Homes & Communities Agency and will see the development of 33 two bedroom apartments built on the site of the current retail units. New retail units will be developed adjacent to the new properties. Rowlinson Construction has purchased the existing retail units and will be building the new apartments which will be rented by Peak Valley to the over 55’s market. The existing Honiton Road shops are in a poor state of repair and considered blight on the area and Phil Corris Managing Director of Peak Valley Housing Association said: “This is great news for people living near the shops who will benefit from new facilities and an improved environment. “We will also be able to provide much need new housing in the area.” John McCall architects will be designing the apartments which will comprise of a kitchen/dining room, a living room, a double bedroom and bathroom and an additional single bedroom or study. Car parking will also be provided. Work on the new retail units will commence shortly with businesses opening in spring 2011. Once the new retail units are built, the old ones can be demolished and work should start on the new residential element of the scheme by March 2011.

New Students for Housing e-Academy

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:48 +0000

Housing e-Academy, part of Ilkley based Virtual College has recently won new contracts across the UK. The Housing e-Academy drives forward adoption of e-learning within the social housing sector and its increasing membership is made up of individuals and organisations that work within, or provide support, for the sector. In the last month Nottingham City Homes, First Choice Homes Oldham, North East based Home Group and Severn Vale Housing Society have joined the 360,000 customers already working with Housing e-Academy in contracts worth around £25,000 pa. Head of Housing e-Academy Chloe Weatherhead said: “As many sectors face cuts to their non core business budgets, many companies are recogising the value of e-learning compared to expensive traditional face to face training techniques. “Geographical restrictions are removed and learners can access their training at a pace, place and time to suit them which is why e-learning is proving to be so popular.” The number of learners using Housing e-Academy products increased from 7,543 in July to 12,087 in August. Virtual College has harnessed specific markets by evolving a portfolio of e-Academies in the housing, healthcare, safeguarding children, food and drink, and trades sectors –together offering over 100 online courses. For more information about e-learning call 01943 885085 or e-mail info@housingea.co.uk

Housing e-Academy is First Choice

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:34 +0000

First Choice Homes Oldham has recently signed up to a training package worth around £15,000 pa with e-learning provider Housing e-Academy. Chloe Weatherhead, Head of Housing e-Academy said: “We are delighted to welcome First Choice Homes Oldham to our growing portfolio of clients. The number of registered Virtual College e-learners is growing at an average rate of around 3,000 per month.” “As well as providing a range of ‘off the shelf’ learning solutions specifically created for the social housing sector, we can also work with clients to develop bespoke solutions for their learning needs. The First Choice Homes Oldham contract will provide access to a specific Learning Management System with six e-learning modules which all staff can access. The company has also purchased Tenant Plus, a package which provides three e-learning modules for tenants to access. Anne McCulloch Learning and Development Manager for First Choice Homes Oldham said: “We want to offer a range of learning interventions throughout the organisation and give employees the option to access learning away from the workplace. “We also want to support and empower our customers in regard to both the worklessness agenda and their personal development. “As well as offering e-learning to both employees and customers, membership of the Housing e-Academy will allow us to be involved in the development of new sector specific modules to meet identified training needs.” The Housing e-Academy is part of the Virtual College which has seen its membership increase in 2010 as both indvidiuals and organisations recognise the benefits of e-learning. For more information about e-learning call 01943 885085 or e-mail info@housingea.co.uk.

Language Barrier

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:33 +0000

The recent GCSE results highlighted the decline in pupils studying foreign languages. From a business point of view this is very worrying and, as David Cameron travels the world urging countries to “Buy British”, could prove to be detrimental to the economy as a whole. Having studied languages, I realise how difficult they can be, and I’m sure many young people can find easier things to study. However, I believe that foreign language qualifications can really benefit a person’s career and I think young people should be encouraged to learn at least one foreign language to GCSE level, if not further. Of course, this also implies that schools should be able to teach foreign languages to the required standard and it is disappointing that some can’t. These days, it is easy to assume everyone speaks English, and in my experience many business people from other countries have excellent English language skills. However, it is wrong to assume that this means English speakers don’t need to learn other languages and if, as a country, we want to sell our wares abroad, we need to make an effort to communicate in other languages. As the world gets smaller, more and more businesses are inevitably working with companies and organisations overseas and, for British companies, I am sure there are many opportunities on our doorstep in Europe, if we have the language skills to exploit them. At Ethos, we have international companies as clients and we work with international organisations on behalf of British clients, which makes the knowledge of foreign languages very valuable. Luckily we have French and German speakers in our team. Even if you don’t use your foreign language skills on a day to day basis, having the skills in the first place can open the door to job opportunities and the skills are there when you need them. Knowing another language can help to break down barriers and increase your standing in the eyes of other nationalities. Besides, if you have studied languages, it also opens your mind to the challenges involved, making it easier to empathise with people who have learnt English and to appreciate the trouble they have taken to learn it. Over the years, in many of the jobs I have had, including at Ethos, we have sometimes struggled to find suitably qualified people with language skills. So I would urge young people to stick with a foreign language at school, however hard it may seem, as the British economy of the future could depend upon it…

New Chair for new committee

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:52 +0000

Contour Homes has confirmed 76 year old Len Lloyd MBE.JP as Chair of the new Customer Services Committee – a Committee formed as part of the recently formed Customer Services Directorate established by the company. Len, who lives in Stretford, has been a tenant activist since 1992 when he was asked to establish a residents association in a sheltered scheme where his wife was manager. He has served in the Regular and Territorial Army for 42 years and then has also served as a magistrate for over twenty years. Len has been heavily involved with Contour Homes including serving as Chair of the Tenants Forum to sitting as a member of the Collingwood then Contour Homes Board. The new Directorate is a result of a major internal re-structure at Contour Homes, one of the North West’s biggest social housing organisations, and Len admits that initially he was somewhat sceptical about the plan. “When the changes were first proposed I had some reservations,” he said. “However, my opinion was changed by the commitment, dedication and enthusiasm of the Focus Group tasked with setting up the new Committee. “Now I believe this new approach will increase customer satisfaction. It is a radical move that will shake the company out of its traditional method of operation.” The new Customer Service Directorate is headed by Judith Winterbourne. She said: “Len’s commitment and enthusiasm will challenge the team to ensure we deliver the best service to our customers and place customer satisfaction at the heart of everything we do.” Contour has invested considerable effort in scrutinising how it engages with tenants and is re-organising its business to provide a better service. The Directorate has seen the establishment of Centres of Excellence as well as new Regional Teams. The Customer Services Committee is comprised of twelve members and is a sub committee of the main Board. It will meet eight times a year and Len says it will ensure that tenant voice is central to everything it does. “We will be appointing Service Champions on the Committee who will focus on specific areas so that the Champion becomes very knowledgeable in his or her field,” he adds. “Our first priorities will be around tenant involvement and repairs, and the main aim of the committee will be to ensure that the Customer Services Directorate delivers. “Though, under the new government, the future of tenant involvement and the TSA remain uncertain, tenant activists have worked too hard and come too far to give up their voice and influence. Whatever the future of the regulator – tenants will continue to play a significant role in the sector. “Contour Homes has adopted what I believe is a unique approach to its business which should result in significant positive changes for its thousands of customers. “I believe that more housing associations will adopt this new approach and I am pleased that Contour has been one of the first to move out of its comfort zone.”

Contour Homes launch new Directorate

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:27 +0000

Contour Homes, one of the biggest social landlords in the North West, has launched a new Customer Services Directorate. The Customer Services Directorate, headed up by Judith Winterbourne, has been introduced to allow the company to focus on delivering outstanding frontline services. “The Customer Services Directorate comes after a two year detailed review of the way we deliver our services now and by looking at what we want to achieve in the future,” said Judith. “This new way of doing business will meet our core goals of providing excellent and efficient services and doing more for more people.” The new Directorate will be comprised of several Centres of Excellence including Independent Living, Revenue Services, Housing Options, Community Safety and Equality, Diversity and Resident Engagement - and all will be staffed by experts. In addition the company will be operating new regional offices to serve the thousands of Contour Homes' residents who live across 27 local authority areas. A newly formed Customer Services Committee will monitor and review the Directorate and recently elected Chair Len Lloyd is excited about this new way of doing business. “This new approach will increase customer satisfaction. It is a radical move that will shake the company out of its traditional method of operation,” he said. The new Centres of Excellence, new regional office teams and revised staff structure ‘opened for business’ on September 1st and are supported by a new Customer Contact and Support Team. “I do want our customers and partners to see a difference in the way we operate,” adds Judith Winterbourne. “I want them to see an improved organisation at all levels. “I believe this new way of operating is a genuine departure from the traditional housing association business model and I am confident that it is one that others will eventually adopt.”

Teens back from team building in Lake District

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:36 +0000

Social landlord Hyndburn Homes recently organised an outward bound course in Windermere for 10 teenage girls from the local area, to develop team building skills. Wayne Smith from the Neighbourhood team said: “The trip to Tower Wood Outdoor Recreation Centre in Windermere was a great success, the girls had a brilliant time and really got stuck in to a range of action packed activities.” The three day excursion included team building skills like building and sailing on a life raft as well as making the most of the great outdoors with activities such as pony trekking, abseiling, climbing and cave walks. The ten girls aged between 13 and 15 are from across the Hyndburn area and were nominated to attend by a variety of agencies including their schools. The trip was funded by Hyndburn Homes and YNOT Hyndburn.

E-Learning programme shortlisted as regional finalist

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:54 +0000

The Housing e-Academy and Accent Group's Accent Regeneration and Community Partnerships (ARCP) Division, has been shortlisted as a regional finalist in the National Training Awards for their ‘Tenant Plus’ initiative, an e-learning programme designed specifically to encourage engagement from social housing tenants. The awards are the premier accolade for training and development in the UK and are run by UK Skills on behalf of the department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The awards identify and celebrate organisation and individuals that have achieved really outstanding business and personal success through investment in training. Tenant Plus is a bespoke training package designed to deliver basic level awareness tenant training using bite-size modules and self registration, which allowed tenants to study remotely and at their convenience. Chloe Weatherhead, Head of Housing e-Academy at Virtual College said: “We are all really thrilled to have reached the regional finals of these prestigious awards. We are keeping everything crossed that we go that bit further to win.” Another division of the Virtual College Trades e-Academy has also been nominated as a regional finalist. The overall winners will be announced on the 28th September. For more information about e-learning call 01943 885085 or e-mail info@housingea.co.uk.

Grass is greener for Horticultural Acumen thanks to unique funding

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:42 +0000

Horticultural Acumen, a social enterprise plant nursery in County Durham, is going from strength to strength, reaching sales of over £200,000 and helping to get more people back into work thanks to financial support from a unique loan fund. A recently awarded loan of £80,000 from The Social Enterprise Loan Fund (TSELF) has enabled Horticultural Acumen in Peterlee, part of the Acumen Community Enterprise Development Trust, to employ 11 more staff through the Future Jobs Fund. Kate Welch, Chief Executive of Acumen, said: "The loan from TSELF has been invaluable, and has enabled us to operate a seasonal business and grow our customer base to over 50 customers including 36 garden centres, two wholesale markets and a number of local parish and town councils for their 'Britain in Bloom' entries. "Without the loan, we could never have taken the risk to start this business, as we only make large sales for four months of the year so need cash to invest in the purchase of compost, seeds, small plants and packaging as well as cover the costs of wages and overheads during the winter as we grow for our peak of spring sales." The loan has also made it possible for the organisation to provide training and employment opportunities to over 30 people, previously disadvantaged in the labour market because of long term unemployment, homelessness or an offending background. Set up in September 2009, Horticultural Acumen is a ten acre nursery with over 2.5 acres of heated glasshouses growing vegetable packs and bedding plants for the wholesale market. Rod Jones, regional director for TSELF, said: "Horticultural Acumen is unique in the services it offers to the community and really does help many disadvantaged young people in the area, so we are thrilled to be able to assist with funding." "TSELF provides loans to social enterprises and charities ranging from £15,000 to £250,000. We are here to help, so we would encourage any social enterprises looking for loans, to contact us." The Social Enterprise Loan Fund (TSELF) is a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) and a registered charity aiming to support social enterprises engaged in social regeneration projects with the provision of loan finance. TSELF has, to date, invested £8million in social enterprises across the UK, helping clients to generate job opportunities as well as training places. For further information about Acumen Community Enterprise Development Trust visit www.acumentrust.org.uk or call 0191 587 8000. To find out more about TSELF visit www.tself.org.uk or call 020 7680 1028.

New life for ‘Honiton shops’

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:34 +0000

A joint planning application by Peak Valley Housing Association and Rowlinson Construction for new shops and apartments on Honiton Road, Hattersley, has been submitted to Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. Phil Corris Managing Director of Peak Valley Housing Association said: “The ‘Honiton shops’ are currently in a poor state of repair and with only two retail units out of the current seven open for business – are something of a blight on the area.” The £4.7 million project has been supported by £2.5 million funding from the Homes & Communities Agency and will see the development of 33 two bedroom apartments built on the site of the current retail units. New retail units will be developed adjacent to the new properties. Rowlinson Construction has purchased the existing retail units and will be building the new apartments which will be rented by Peak Valley to the over 55’s market. John McCall architects will be designing the apartments which will comprise of a kitchen/dining room, a living room, a double bedroom and bathroom and an additional single bedroom or study. Car parking will also be provided. Phil Corris adds: “The proposal has the support of the local community especially those people living close to the area, who recognise that this joint scheme will be a massive improvement to the area – as well as providing good local facilities. “In addition, the new apartments will provide much needed accommodation for the over 55’s market which has been identified as being in high demand in this area.” If the planning application is successful the joint partners anticipate starting work on the new retail units in the autumn with businesses opening in spring 2011. Once the new retail units are built, the old ones can be demolished and work should start on the new residential element of the scheme by March 2011.

Open day for Hattersley tenants

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:25 +0000

Peak Valley Housing Association is inviting residents living in Hattersley to attend an open day at the Hattersley Community Centre where they can look at proposals for the next phase of the improvement work on the estate. Phil Corris, Managing Director for Peak Valley said: “We have been cracking on with major improvement works to the inside of our housing stock in the area and next year we will be turning our attention to the external work. This event provides an opportunity for the local community to see what is proposed.” The external works will include such things as new fencing, replacement of boundary walls and in-curtilage parking. The open day event will provide images and artists impressions of the work and tenants will also be able to see samples of the materials that may be used. “The external work programme will be carried out on all of our 1500 housing stock subject to survey,” said Phil Corris. “It is a major multi million pound improvement scheme which will benefit not just Peak Valley tenants but everyone living in the area. “As usual Hattersley residents will be provided with the chance to have their say on our proposals and their feedback will be taken into account when it’s time for the work to start.” The event will take place on 24th August between 10.30am – 6.30pm at the Hattersley Community Centre.

Speak Estonian... or pictogram?

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:09 +0000

Just back from a two week holiday and already it’s almost a distant memory. I do have loads of photos to remind me of where I went and what I did (though a good picture editor would discard the majority) and of course there are the memories. Thankfully, the weather in the Baltic was fantastic and that memory will certainly stay. As someone interested in good communications and the use of language, I always find it a challenge visiting countries where I can’t speak the language. I always hate having to revert to English (or occasionally German) but visiting six countries does make it unlikely that you can master every language necessary! For those of you who haven’t visited Tallinn in Estonia, can I wholly recommend you put it high on your list of places to visit? If you have the time, try and learn some of the language first (OK, that might be too difficult for most of us – though I remember sadam is Estonian for port). Walking through the old town area of Tallinn I happened across this car safety poster recommending the use of seatbelts. Although pretty graphic, it struck me as a great piece of communication. The message is clear, understandable to all and completely to the point. If you are on holiday soon, have a great time. And remember clunk, click, every trip!

Hyndburn Homes expands business activity

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:55 +0000

Hyndburn Homes Repairs, the largest direct works organisation in the area, and a subsidiary of the Contour Housing Group, has developed a growth strategy to increase its turnover by 50% over the next five years. David Cross Operations Manager for Hyndburn Homes Repairs said this is great news for the company, its employees and the local economy. “The Contour Housing Group is one of the region’s biggest housing and regeneration organisations,” explains David. “The Group has contracted us to work across areas of its business, which over the next five years should increase our turnover from £4 million to £6 million.” This year Hyndburn Homes Repairs has negotiated three additional contracts which include maintenance of commercial boilers, cyclical painting and fire risk assessment works. Contour Housing Group works across 27 local authority areas in the North West and has over 20,000 social housing properties under its ownership and management. Currently Hyndburn Homes Repairs provides repairs and maintenance services exclusively to Hyndburn Homes. It has around 60 skilled workers including joiners, electricians, plasterers, plumbers and gas engineers along with grounds maintenance operatives and painting teams, all supported by dedicated customer service and supervisory staff. “This news enhances job security for our existing staff and also means we will be able to take on new staff and develop our apprenticeship scheme,” adds David. “In these harsh economic times the announcement provides some good news for the local economy.” “This is also good news for Hyndburn Homes. Any surplus generated from the new contracts will be shared with it - and so will ultimately be ploughed back into providing services to local residents.”

Contour shortlisted for two CIH UK Housing Awards

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:50 +0000

Contour Housing Group one of the North West’s leading housing and regeneration organisations has been shortlisted for two CIH UK Housing Awards - Regenerating communities and Supporting social and economic inclusion. “It’s lovely to be shortlisted for one award – but two is really great news and testament to the creative work of our staff and our partners,” said Vicky Carroll, Group Assistant Director. The Group has been nominated for its community regeneration work on the New Broughton development in Salford as well as range of other activities which promote social inclusion and tackle worklessness. Finalists will be announced in November.

Local housing association looking for apprentices

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:49 +0000

Contour Housing Group, one of the North West’s biggest housing and regeneration companies, is offering five young people the chance to join its Apprentice Scheme based at the company’s head office at Salford Quays. Gaynor Leary, Organisational Development Officer at Contour Housing Group said: “Unemployment, particularly for young people is becoming a major problem.Apprenticeships offer a genuine route to employment and provide real job experience.” The apprenticeship in Business Administration is a 12 month programme where candidates will be working toward a Level 2 qualification. Applicants should be aged 16-19 years old with GCSE’s English and Maths at Grade C. 18 year old Kate Garner from Little Hulton is two thirds of her way through the scheme. “I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do when I left school,” she said. “I would never have considered housing as a career option but the Contour Apprentice scheme seemed like a good opportunity to gain some valuable business skills. “To date I have worked across a range of departments including IT, HR, Sheltered and Supported Housing and Leasehold. I’ve got a really good variety of skills now and I have decided that I want to focus my career in the Leasehold department which I really enjoy. “I would recommend anyone looking to get real life work experience and further qualifications to apply for the Apprentice scheme. I’ve really enjoyed it and I hope to be working full time with Contour when I finish the Apprenticeship. Whatever happens, I think I have a lot to offer any potential employer in the future.” Application packs and further information is available by contacting 0345 602 1120 or by emailing gaynor.leary@contourhousing.co.uk. Closing date for candidates to apply for this scheme is 31st August.

E-learning thrives in social housing sector

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:43 +0000

An e-learning provider with a specialist academy in the social housing sector is celebrating 15 years of success with news that turnover has hit £3.5m a year as the total number of registered e-learners across Virtual College exceeds 350,000 for the first time. Virtual College has harnessed specific markets by evolving a portfolio of e-Academies in the housing, healthcare, safeguarding children, food and drink, and trades sectors – and together offer over 100 online courses. The Housing e-Academy drives forward adoption of e-learning within the social housing sector. Its increasing membership is made up of individuals and organisations that work within, or provide support, for the UK housing sector. It currently provides e-learning courses to over 9,000 individuals working within, alongside or affected by 27 social housing providers nationwide. Housing e-Academy Chloe Weatherhead said: “The number of registered Virtual College e-learners is growing at an average rate of around 3,000 per month so that our customer base now stands at 360,000. This increase reflects Virtual College’s ability to meet the changing demands of our various clients, to respond quickly to economic pressure and to continue to develop new bespoke products for the industry. ” Virtual College now has a 63-strong workforce and ten freelance consultants and continues to thrive, as individuals, businesses and organisations across both the public and private sectors seek to access innovative, flexible and cost-effective training solutions. The UK e-learning market 2009 report forecasts growth rates of between 6.7 per cent and 8 per cent in 2010 alone for the e-learning industry as more and more business recognise the benefits of using e-learning for their staff and customers. “E-learning is an increasingly popular and proven alternate route to traditional face-to-face training, adds Chloe. “Geographical restrictions are removed and learners can access their training at a pace, place and time to suit them which is why e-learning is providing to be so popular in the social housing sector.” For more information about e-learning call 01943 885085 or e-mail info@housingea.co.uk.

Come along to Preston community film premiere

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:39 +0000

The Contour Housing Group and People’s Voice Media partnership is inviting people to attend an Open Day in Preston next Wednesday 18th August to see the Callon, Fishwick and Avenham community researchers film premiere. Contour Housing Group has been working with community media specialists, People’s Voice Media, to create an informal learning network for the local people using social media to develop dialogue and community cohesion enabling communities to have a voice. Ross Hemmings, Regeneration Investment Officer for Contour, said: “There will be a feature presentation at 4pm showcasing the work the community researchers have carried out over the last six months, engaging with the community using interview, video and social media techniques. “The event is free to attend and all ages are welcome. Refreshments and food will be provided and there will be workshops and games to enjoy. Please come along and see for yourselves the great work the community researchers have done in your community.” The Open Day is on Wednesday 18th August at St Joseph’s Sports & Arts Centre on Rigby Street, Preston PR1 5XL from 5.30pm to 8pm, with a feature presentation at 4pm. If anyone would like any more information go to www.cavemedia.org.uk or contact Ross on 0161 875 8069 or email ross.hemmings@contourhousing.co.uk.

ALMO’S to look beyond the front door

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:51 +0000

The new Chair of ALMO Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) says the role of ALMO’s going forward lies beyond the front door. 48 year old Noel Chambers who was recently elected as Chair said: “The feedback I receive from tenants is we must now invest in neighbourhoods in the same way we have invested in homes. It’s time to go beyond the front door. The challenge is how to do that in times of public sector austerity” Noel who has worked in the social housing sector for over twenty years is an Assistant Director at Cheshire West & Chester Council. He says taking over as Chair at this particular time is providing numerous challenges and opportunities. “The government is making new announcements on a daily basis,” he adds “and the new landscape of the sector is still being formed but we need to ensure that ALMO’s seize any relevant opportunities. “For example, we need to act smarter in order to face the challenges that will come in the wake of public sector cuts. If councils are forced to cut services there could be a chance for ALMO’s to take up the slack. I believe our model is well placed to do this. It has an excellent track record and there is much goodwill.”Noel says he is disappointed that the government has no further plans to continue with the Decent Homes Standard and believes that council house tenants in particular will feel aggrieved and cheated that they have missed out. He is also keen that reform of the HRA is forthcoming. “We are all holding our breath on this,” said Noel. “It really is a big deal for the sector and will determine the future of social housing for some years to come. Government needs to layout its plans sooner rather than later. “I hope that despite the abolition of the TSA the core principle of giving tenants a real voice in the management of their housing and associated services must remain. At RBH we put tenants at the heart of everything we do and I am very proud to be leading a committed Board, a hardworking staff and thousands of tenants who genuinely care about where they live.”

Buy skincare products from the doctor

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:17 +0000

According to skin expert Dr Kiran Patel, the best kindest thing you can ever do for your skin is to protect it from the sun. “The evidence against the sun continues to amass,” he said. “The more knowledge we have the more we understand just how damaging sunlight can be to the skin. “It’s easy to see this for yourself. Look at how soft, smooth and wrinkle free the skin on your bottom is. That’s because - unless you are a nudist - your bum tends to be covered up for most of your life!” Kiran says that in order to maintain and improve skin health, advanced skincare products which are not available on the high street – can have the best results. “Look for brands which use pure, pharmaceutical grade ingredients with formulations based on optimal concentrations of active ingredients,” he said. “These products tend to be available by private prescription or in private clinics. “For example, here at Laserase we use the Heliocare SPF 50 from Aestheticare which has an SPF of 50. It has a strong reputation with the medical community through dermatologists, plastic surgeons and laser clinics.” Whilst these specialist products are not budget brands they are similarly priced to the higher brand products available on the high street - prices start from £21 for 50ml. “The most important advice for anyone looking to protect their skin or prevent further damage is to stay out of the sun,” adds Kiran. “If you do go into the sun use the highest factor cream available and ensure you use cosmetics that have sun protection built it. “The sunshine may make you feel good by triggering the production of serotonin – but in reality it’s causing your skin a great deal of damage.” Heliocare products are available to purchase from Laserase North West. Go to www.laserasenorthwest.com for more information or call 01204 570900 or email admin@laserase-bolton.co.uk.

Bring out the animal in you

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:36 +0000

Animal prints never go out of style and Frith Rugs has just introduced new animal print rugs to its Laura Jade collection. “In the past few years animal prints have become increasingly popular,” said Director Andrew Firth. “Our original tiger print rug is a best seller and so we have introduced three new designs for customers to choose from.” Andrew said that animal print rugs work best in modern homes where contemporary styles are used as the design theme. He also advises using just one print on one item - as too much can spoil the overall design. A rug is the ideal soft furnishing to show off the animal print as it will be the centerpiece of the room and everything else can complement it. The new rugs are 100% wool and handmade in India exclusively for Frith Rugs. They are available in a range of sizes with a 1.83 m x 1.22 m (6’ x 4’) rug costing £239.00. For more information, visit www.frithrugs.co.uk or telephone 0845 4 900 600.

Soak up the fun in Limeside this summer!

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:36 +0000

Residents living on the Avenues & Hollins estate in Oldham are enjoying an active summer thanks to Contour Homes. Parents for Play are running drop in summer play sessions for children aged between 3 and 11 at The Community Hall on First Avenue. The sessions cost £1 per child run 1-3pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until Wednesday 25th August. The group is running monthly drop in play sessions for children with additional needs on the last Saturday of every month from1-3pm. Sarah Furbey from Contour Homes adds, “The aim of the group is to provide and maintain a multi-sensory play centre for children with disabilities or special needs in Hollinwood More information can be found on the website – www.parentsforplay.org.uk.” For children who love football, football coaching sessions run by Football Coaching for the Communities (FCFC) and funded by Contour homes are running for children aged 6-12. Sarah Furbey from Contour homes said: “If you want to attend - a registration forms must be completed and these are available from the Contour Homes office on First Avenue or from any of the FCFC sessions. “We are hoping to form a team at the end of the sessions and are looking for local residents who would be interested in undertaking a level one football coaching course.” If you want any further information about any of these activities or a registration form pop into Contour Homes office on First Avenue or contact Sarah Furbey on 0161 682 4019 or email sarah.furbey@contourhousing.co.uk.

Social media - make sure it is worth it!

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:56 +0000

A recent survey says that PR agencies should not believe the hype surrounding social media, considering less than half the population uses them. Well said! We must of course recognise social media as an important part of the communication mix but PR practioners should not get caught up in the social media hype – and we should persuade clients who have been caught up in it to regularly review what is working and what isn’t. For example, many businesses are keen to have a Facebook page, however, Facebook may be totally irrelevant and while it can be a great business tool – it is not for ALL businesses. Unless you can really populate a Facebook page with users/friends and interesting articles your organisation will look rather sad. I always point clients to really successful Facebook business pages and tell them if they can’t do it like that – don’t do it at all. However, some social media applications are universal. A web site is a must for any business regardless of size or sector and the website should include some basics like a blog or twitter. At the moment only one third of the population uses social media - your customer base could be in the two thirds that doesn’t. As with any element of the marketing mix – the golden rule is use the best medium for your customer base and don’t be carried away by hype.

Looking after the pennies...

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:47 +0000

Many people in the marketing and PR world are waiting, almost with baited breath, to find out what the Government’s spending plans will mean for them.Recent reports that up to 1.3 million people might lose their jobs don’t seem to sit well with Chancellor Osborne’s Budget speech which talked about people coming off benefit and taking up jobs.I’m not the only one to ask where these new jobs are coming from. Stopping a few skilled (non-EU) migrants won’t do it, that’s for sure.Just like environmental scientists talk about the nitrogen or carbon cycles, maybe we need to consider the 'money cycle', with an emphasis on manufacturing. Much as PR and marketing are essential – well we would say that – we can only promote goods and services that someone else has created. In this industry, our jobs depend on others producing something we can sell. We then need people to buy those goods and the more those products are conceived and ‘made’ in the UK, the more money will be retained in the economy creating and sustaining jobs - only then can more people move from benefits to a properly paid job.This virtuous cycle is certainly more environmentally friendly than sending container loads of goods across the oceans and it shouldn’t been seen as some form of a ‘Little Britain’ mentality. Indeed, I’d say if we need more workers from outside the EU to make these products or to deliver the services, that’s fine by me.There needs to be a fundamental shift in thinking amongst consumers, away from cheap goods, often from the Far East to products made at home. Now surely that’s a message for all marketeers. Call it enlightened self-interest.

Football crazy, football mad

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:17 +0000

I doubt it has escaped your attention that the football World Cup is taking place over the next four weeks – and I for one am extremely excited about it (much to a certain director's annoyance). The anticipation, the hope and the belief that comes round every four years for the World Cup is something that is great to be part of - especially for a Northern Irishman who has little chance of seeing his country taking part in the World Cup! One thing that I find interesting is how suddenly so many shops, companies, pubs, etc are feeling patriotic and decking out their premises in the St George’s flag in the run up to the tournament. It is also funny to see how brands create adverts, posters, etc which try and link their brands with the World Cup in the most tenuous way. No wonder non-football fans suffer from football fatigue! But I, for one, am loving all the adverts and it makes me even more excited for the next four weeks. I will enjoy watching New Zealand v Slovakia with a football decorated beer can in my hand. I will enjoy watching Nigeria v South Korea with a pizza that I have ripped out of football themed packaging. And I will enjoy watching Ghana v Australia eating some crisps and chocolate bars that come in football decorated wrappers. Here is to the next month of football, football, football!

Doing our bit for a "big society"

Tue, 18 May 2010 14:54 +0000

In this new era of political consensus, co-operation and talk of a big society, I’d certainly like to see the coalition Government put ethics and concern for the community at the heart of its policies. As a co-operative business, Ethos public relations recognises the importance of supporting the communities we live and work in, and all of us should be doing our bit. Every year Ethos public relations gives at least one per cent of its pre tax profits to charity. In 2009-10, we donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Haiti Earthquake Appeal, Parkinson’s UK, Orchid – Fighting Male Cancer and the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Our charities are generally chosen on the basis of an annual staff ballot and those employees whose names are drawn decide which charities they would like Ethos public relations to donate to. However, this year there was also an immediate consensus amongst our team that we should donate to the Haiti Earthquake Appeal, which we did within a couple of days of the earthquake striking. As well as annual donations, we do a range of other things for charity and the community. On a day-to-day basis, we do things like collecting stamps for charity, recycling our ink cartridges and buying charitable Christmas cards. We also try to use our American Express “RED” card for business purchases as the “RED” scheme supports children and young people with HIV/AIDS in Africa. As part of our commitment to national children’s charity Action For Kids, we provide them with one day’s PR per month free of charge. We contribute to the community in a number of ways and our staff undertake some activities during the working day in support of a range of local community and charitable causes. We have a policy of buying fairly traded products and we proactively aim to avoid purchasing products from oppressive regimes, preferring to buy products made in Britain, Europe and the Commonwealth whenever possible. Finally, we believe we should make our voice heard on certain important issues – for example, on our website there are links to campaigns that we promote and support such as Amnesty International, Make Trade Fair and the Free Burma Campaign. For Government I think a "big society" should include implementing ethical procurement policies such as local sourcing, giving more charities and community businesses the chance to tender for Government contracts, and not buying from oppressive regimes. For the rest of us it should mean making informed choices to help create a better society for all. Image: healingdream / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What does the election result mean for us?

Wed, 12 May 2010 15:23 +0000

David Cameron and Nick Clegg shook hands on the steps of Number 10 Downing Street today before getting down to the business of running the country in a historic Tory/Lib Dem coalition government. Regardless of how you voted, a key question will be - what will this mean for me? Personally, I am still not sure how this will impact upon important things like my mortgage repayments, education for my children or even whether reducing public spending will mean the hard work of community caretakers in my beautiful local park will mean they do less hours or even nothing at all. Ethos public relations’ clients have also been following the ups and downs of the week’s events very closely. Many of our co-operative clients will be interested to see if the pre-election multi-party rhetoric around co-operation actually comes to fruition – though one could argue a coalition government is co-operation of sorts. Our social housing clients have, to date, been distinctly unimpressed with the fact that social housing has not really featured high on the agenda and, at the time of writing, we still don’t know who the new Housing Minister will be. Housing issues on the Conservative and Lib/Deb Manifesto’s did not seem to have much in common and so it will be interesting to see how that pans out. Of course, if the coalition is not workable in practice we could find ourselves back at the ballot box in a few months anyway! Beam me up Scotty. Image: vegadsl / freedigitalphotos.net

Post election blues?

Mon, 10 May 2010 14:31 +0000

As I write this, we're still in a strange political limbo, waiting for our politicians to work out an agreement to govern the country. No doubt a deal is imminent, but it will be fascinating to see how things pan out in the coming weeks and months, as avowed political enemies are transformed overnight into political bedfellows (...or not!). Like many others, I watched the election night coverage and stayed up until 6am waiting to find out who won - and we're still waiting...! Although it took me about two days to recover from my all night session, at least my involvement in the election was then over, unlike the politicians wrangling to do the post election deal - they've probably forgotten what a good night's sleep is! In what was initially billed as the first internet election, but turned out to be the UK's first proper TV election (only about 50 years late!), from a PR point of view I was surprised how little impact all the media coverage had in the end. From Cleggmania to bigot-gate it ultimately seemed to have little impact on the result. "Great entertainment but meaningless" might sum it up - a cross between the X Factor and Coronation Street. This is a shame, as I still think a lot of people feel disenfranchised from politics and much more needs to be done to restore trust in and respect for our elected representatives. This is the first general election I can remember where none of the main parties really got the result they wanted - the Conservatives failed to secure their majority, the Lib Dem surge didn't materialise and Labour lost its mandate to govern. But then, in some ways, perhaps this is the best result all round. Maybe confrontation will finally give way to consensus and our politicians can come up with the best policies in the interest of the whole country - not just their supporters. During the campaign, Ethos public relations invited the local candidates of the three main political parties to contribute a guest blog to our website, outlining their policies that would affect small businesses and the creative industries in the North West. Sadly, none of them took us up on the offer. I'm sure they were much too busy, but you'd have thought they might have wanted to promote their policies. Maybe if we were located in a marginal constituency, things would have been different? The result of the election opens the door for co-operation and collaboration amongst the parties, and as a co-operative organisation ourselves, we certainly recognise the benefits of working together. We hope the politicians can put aside their differences and work with each other to establish an effective, stable government at this important time, in the interests of everyone in the UK. Image: Adam Hickmott / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Oh to be in England…and Wales!

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:13 +0000

Many environmentalists have said that having almost a week of no flying has been a good thing – not least because it has provided an opportunity for us to explore our own lovely country.The past week, the sun has been shining and there is no doubt that people have been a lot brighter and happier. Ethos public relations' clients are scattered across the country and often I spend more time out of the office than in it - visiting clients, attending meetings, doing site visits, etc.A couple of days ago I was with Frith Rugs which has its head office in North Wales.As I tootled down the M56, the radio was blasting, the sun roof was open and the roads were clear. Coming back I decided to take the scenic route passing through glorious, lush green countryside and even stopping for lunch by a deserted beach. On days like this – you can’t beat the open road and enjoying our beautiful land.So if you are a business located near the coast or in the heart of the countryside and you are looking for PR – give Ethos public realtions a call and we promise to visit you every week – we’ll even bring our own packed lunch and a flask of tea (offer ends October!)

Volcanic ash should encourage us to Go!

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:20 +0000

The volcanic ash, which grounded hundreds of flights and thousands of passengers, has knocked politics off the front pages for the last few days. The ash has also started a debate over whether we really need so many flights. This debate is argued quite well in this BBC Magazine story. It points out that: “at the moment air travel is virtually all by engines powered by kerosene. One day kerosene - like every other fossil fuel - will run out” and poses the question “Could we live without flights?” I am sure football teams like Liverpool and Fulham would argue that we do need flights as they face trips of 1,200 miles and 600 miles respectively over land to compete in their European games this week. Musicians will also agree as a few have missed foreign gigs due to the now lifted flight ban. Many people who live near airports were happy with the ban and Visit Britain have said that they ”hope that people would take the opportunity to visit the whole of Britain in a way they wouldn't consider doing normally”. One way that this could happen soon is with the help of Go! Co-operative. As I write this they are having a series of public events to discuss with people the in and outs of their proposal for co-operative trains. They want to run services to places that have been neglected by current train services. Initially they want to run services that will see Oxford and Banbury linked with Swindon, Chippenham, Westbury and Yeovil, with some trains running to Birmingham and Weymouth. The UK has for too long been neglected as a holiday resort for its inhabitants. What better way to see the beautiful scenery it has to offer than to take a trip on transport that is run by a co-operative with a great business model.

Making a difference and really helping to raise the profile of co-operatives

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:52 +0000

We have had a very exciting start to 2010 here at Ethos public relations, as we continue to raise the profile of one of our clients, Co-operatives UK – the national trade body that campaigns for co-operation – and highlight the importance of co-operatives to our economy across both national media and within government. It has been a busy time, but we are reaping the benefits for our client, as not only are we raising the profile of co-operatives with media coverage across the board including most recently the BBC, The Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian with stories about co-operative pubs and football club ownership, but our work is also being recognised at the highest levels within government. The recent announcement of a £4m government package to help save rural pubs from closure has been music to our ears and just this week, the news that football fans could get the opportunity to buy their clubs under radical Labour plans is fantastic and something we have been campaigning for on behalf of Co-operatives UK. We have got much more to do throughout the year as well, as momentum is really building for the first-ever Co-operatives Fortnight (19 June to 3 July 2010) – themed - There is an Alternative. The Fortnight, is a major campaign to spread the message about the co-operative alternative, with a dedicated website – www.thereisanalternative.coop By joining in and doing something during Co-operatives Fortnight, co-operatives will not only be able to promote co-operation as a better alternative, but will also be able to raise the profile of their own organisation. People can go to the website, share ideas, follow Co-operatives Fortnight on Twitter, download resources and tell the team what they will be doing! In addition, excitement is also building for the co operative event of the year - Co-operatives 2010 - the UK's biggest and most influential gathering of co operatives which, this year will be in Plymouth (25 and 27 June 2010) and not only will it celebrate the 150th anniversary of co-operation in the city but it will be the flagship event of the first-ever Co-operatives Fortnight! It is fantastic to be part of such important developments and to see that the time really has come for co-operatives and a new agenda of co-operation! We are helping to make a difference, and it’s brilliant!

Our fantastic Fairtrade banquet!

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:45 +0000

This Fairtrade Fortnight what did you do? Which Fairtrade products did you buy or swap? Well, the Ethos public relations team celebrated by successfully holding a Fairtrade lunch - which, due to the vast amount of food, turned into a banquet - on Friday (5th March)!! Having been given the role of key organiser, I set about researching available Fairtrade products and recipes. The obvious sprung to mind – Fairtrade bananas, coffee, sugar and chocolate - but tracking down savoury products was somewhat of a task. Sean had the great idea of using Fairtrade spices - I soon found a supplier online ‘Bart Spices’ and, most importantly, recipes that incorporated the spices: Fairtrade cardamom pods, ginger and black pepper. Next step was to track down Fairtrade coconut milk and Fairtrade olive oil - after ringing round the majority of places in Manchester we were out of luck, as no one stocked them, so again I had to resort to the internet. I placed my order for these and the other Fairtrade products we needed – tahini, chocolate, honey, apple and orange juice. Having finalised the menu, I gave everyone a say on their preferred choice of dish to prepare. On Thursday night, I wished everyone luck as they left with their Fairtrade ingredients to cook up a storm, and even more luck transporting it from home into work the following morning – Tupperware at the ready!! By one o’clock on Friday afternoon, the office was filled with the aroma of spices and a Fairtrade banquet was laid out. Sean, Shaun and myself were responsible for the starters. I made hommous with pitta breads using the Fairtrade olive oil and tahini, Sean made coconut and lentil soup using the Fairtrade coconut milk and spices and Shaun made fruit and nut cutlets using Fairtrade nuts, apricots and raisins. We even had a glass (or two) of Fairtrade Sparkling Wine to toast our great efforts. For main course, Christina made a refreshing salad of mango and avocado with balsamic dressing and toasted pinenuts (the mangos and avocado were supposed to be Fairtrade, but due to logistical problems we had to make do with organic.) Valerie made chunky spiced vegetable and bean soup using the Fairtrade spices, served with bread. Now on to dessert – we gave Rob and Debbie who, by the way, usually steer clear of the kitchen, the task of making desserts. Rob made flapjacks with Fairtrade chocolate and Debbie really did surprise us with her Fairtrade banana surprise!! The pièce de résistance would have to be Sean’s honey cake made using Fairtrade honey. Even though we had all overindulged, we found room for a small slice, especially since it was Shaun’s birthday earlier in the week, so we had to celebrate that too! The verdict – it was a culinary delight! The flavours worked well together and the colours of all the different dishes made for fantastic photographs. Who knows what recipes we will cook up next year for Fairtrade Fortnight. Watch this space....

Rules is rules!

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:24 +0000

We're just in the process of updating our company communications policy to take into account the use of social networking sites. Since our policy was first written, just over three years ago, it's incredible to think how the use of social networking sites has grown. In 2006, I don't think I knew what Facebook was and Twitter had only just come into existence. The Twitter 'joke' reported in the newspapers last month, which led to the first person in the UK being arrested for comments posted on Twitter, flagged up to all of us the need to be careful about what we post on social networking sites. This person's Twitter comment about blowing up Robin Hood Airport led to their arrest under the Terrorism Act, seven hours of police questioning and suspension from work! As the use of social networking sites is now so common, from both a personal and a business point of view, we thought it was high time we set out in writing some of the do's and don't's for us all as employees of Ethos public relations. The example above is extreme, but the issues of what should or should not be posted, who it is shared with and how it is shared are all important if employees and companies are to avoid getting into hot water. In addition to the obvious things like confidentiality, not bringing the company into disrepute and generally not been offensive, issues include the need for employees to make it clear when posting whether they are speaking on their own behalf or on behalf of the company. Making sure you're only posting to the people you should be posting to is important too. Recent news stories of Facebook postings causing disastrous consequences include teenagers announcing their house parties to everyone on Facebook, only to find they're inundated with troublemakers, leaving their parent's home wrecked. Because social networking sites are still relatively new, it seems like there are lots of pitfalls when posting. However, I'm sure for most of us, the more confident and experienced we get at posting on them, particularly for business purposes, the less problematical they will seem. In the end, I guess it mainly boils down to common sense. Image: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Eggciting approach to workshop

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:29 +0000

Like many business professionals I've attended numerous conferences, workshops and seminars - and as we all know - some are very much better than others. This week I was a guest of the Housing e-Academy at its e-Enabling Tenant Engagement Conference in Leeds. I attended two workshops, the first was from Creative North who introduced delegates to a very clever use of mobile phone technology. The second was managed by the host organisation and reminded us about the wealth of social media opportunities available for communicating with core audiences. A highlight of the venue in Leeds was that both my workshops were held in a very plush private cinema which certainly beats sitting around a conference table! And I think I can speak for all delegates when I say we loved the 'eggs' provided by the presenter which allowed for a unique interactive audience experience.? Think how the audience participates in 'Who wants to be a Millionaire?' and you should get the picture. It's always good to get out and about and keep up with the latest innovations and technologies - and of course it's a great networking opportunity. I was able to meet delegates from my current client portfolio and I bumped into people I had worked with in the past. I met new people too - those working in the social housing sector and many politically active (with a small 'p') tenants and residents.

Building Trust in the Digital Age

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:09 +0000

I am not the first person to write about embargoes on press releases in the digital age. Last year Rob Brown's blog, Breaking the Embargo, highlighted cases of PR companies breaking their own embargoes and Jeremy Toeman's reply argued that embargoes are essential in maintaining relationships between journalists, bloggers and PRs. For too long, I think, people have seen the embargo in terms of controlling news release, something bloggers and social networking sites seem to see as anathema. Too often PR companies and overzealous marketers have seen the embargo as a way of trying to ensure that the public get the right message at the right time. In today's 24 hour media world this really does seem old fashioned and counter to the prevailing idea that news belongs to everyone as it happens. In the political arena, an embargo can ensure that politicians from other parties don't trump a major policy announcement, but even here publicists have been known to 'float' an idea before the announcement itself, calling into question the importance of an embargo. But for me the use of an embargo is about something much more fundamental, and increasingly forgotten. Some stories or announcements are actually complicated and deserve a measured amount of analysis. They shouldn't just be stripped from a press release immediately and posted to this blog or that website. They deserve preparation and, dare I say, some research by the journalist/blogger. The 24 hour news culture puts a lot of strain on journalists to deliver content speedily and the Twitter generation demands we distil things to appropriate soundbites. But as professionals, dedicated to providing information, whether journalist or PR, we should also care about providing a 'quality' story. It seems to me that often that can only be achieved by giving our journalist colleagues ample time to digest information in the news release and then to undertake additional research. This can only be achieved by the appropriate use of an embargo. (Photo by Danilo Rizzuti, courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Back to school for Ethos public relations

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:41 +0000

Making New Year resolutions is all the rage at the minute so we thought that we would get in on the act and make one ourselves. We have decided that we are going to learn or re-learn shorthand!A few of us were taught shorthand at university but after a few years of sporadically using it we thought it was about time that we sat down and refreshed our memories. Some of my - oh how should I word this - more experienced colleagues, who have been in the business a little longer than I have, know other versions of shorthand but we are going to be using Teeline. We have put aside a small bit of time each week to teach ourselves this useful tool which will come in handy for taking notes in interviews. One of the main rules for shorthand is to remove the vowels from words and group the 'indicators' for each consonant together. The removal of letters to make smaller words is quite usual in text speak so hopefully, in this technological world we live in, it means that we won't find the new 'language' too difficult!But if you do hear us saying 'ltl' instead of 'little' or 'wk' instead of 'week' then please do let us know!!

I made it through the snow!!

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:33 +0000

This morning I woke to find around 5 inches of snow if not more covering the streets AND roads of Manchester, the most I have ever seen in the city centre. I togged up, put my wellies on and ventured out in what looked like a mild blizzard.On the walk to work, I heard various business people alike talking on their phones discussing the bad weather conditions, how they had been delayed and how buses had struggled to get up hills. Cars were wheel spinning and sliding about. It wasn't long before my phone was ringing, firstly Valerie rang, backing up claims of disruption to local public transport, she was unable to get a bus or tram from Crumpsall. Secondly Christina rang confirming delays on trains - they would both try and make it into work as soon as they could. I took some photographs on my phone, hence the upload of Piccadilly Gardens, as it just looked so scenic a change from the usual rain and greyness. I finally arrived at my desk and was met with a warm office and a round of applause. Slowly colleagues started to filter in, including Valerie and Christina. As our reward for the whole team making it into work we have all enjoyed a mid morning snack of jam doughnuts and coffee. I can't wait for the next snow day.