Hello and welcome to our first update of 2014, which is full of news and stories about our neighbourhood investor work, including a significant announcement about a new support service that will provide a crucial lifeline to people struggling with multiple problems in Liverpool.

Plus Dane is proud to be leading a partnership project that has secured a £10m Big Lottery grant to develop new support services for people with multiple and complex needs in the city, which has today been announced as one of 12 successful projects nationally.

Another major project for the Group also takes place this month, when Plus Dane hosts a jobs, homes and enterprise fair in Liverpool Town Hall, as part of our commitment to supporting the creation of local jobs. Our ‘Living Local, Working Local’ event is bringing a number of major employers and support agencies together to offer hundreds of jobs and apprenticeship opportunities to people living in Merseyside, along with support on everything from setting up businesses to renting a home.

Find out more about the event in this month’s bulletin, and you can also follow @LiveLocal_Work on Twitter for all the latest news.
 

Ken Perry                                            Linda Minnis
Chief Executive                                   Chair

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Liverpool project secures £10m

A new project that will help people struggling with multiple problems including homelessness, reoffending, substance misuse and mental ill-health has been announced as one of 12 projects nationally to receive a grant of almost £10m from the Big Lottery Fund.

The partnership project, led by Plus Dane Group, secured funding from the Big Lottery Fund in March 2013 to bring together a number of service delivery and strategic partners to develop a business case for the project.

Today’s funding announcement will see the partnership embark upon the final planning stages of a five year, £10m project to deliver flexible, integrated services in Liverpool which will ensure that there are ‘no wrong doors’ for people with multiple and complex needs.

The project has been developed with service users and will lead to long term changes in the way that services are delivered to people with multiple problems. It will incorporate existing services and commission a new set of bespoke services, as well as addressing accommodation issues by enabling better access to supported housing and the rented sector.

Andy Lomas, Neighbourhoods Director at Plus Dane Group, said: “The £10 million investment by Big Lottery in Liverpool’s Project is fantastic news for Liverpool and for people with multiple and complex needs living across the city. The Liverpool Project has been developed in partnership with a range of agencies from across the public, voluntary and private sectors and most importantly, has been designed with service users at its heart.

“Through working closely with service users we will be delivering a new set of services that will be personalised to individual needs and we are confident that this will ensure that anyone needing support gets the right help.”

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Hundreds of jobs and homes on offer for Liverpool residents

Plus Dane is hosting a jobs, homes and enterprise fair later this month, offering hundreds of job opportunities for people across Merseyside.

The ‘Living Local, Working Local’ event takes place on 27th February at Liverpool Town Hall and will give hundreds of people the opportunity to meet with businesses and developers offering vacancies and apprenticeships.

Attendees will also be able to view a number of Plus Dane properties available to rent or buy across Merseyside.

A number of major employers have signed up to the event and many others will be advertising a wide range of employment and training opportunities. There will also be an Enterprise Hub on the day, offering support for those who are considering working for themselves, starting a business or want support growing their existing business.

In addition there will be agencies on hand to offer advice on securing employment, welfare reform changes and managing debt.

Councillor Nick Small, Cabinet Member for Employment, Enterprise and Skills, said: “I’m really pleased that Plus Dane has put this event together and am proud to be supporting it to help residents get into work.”

If you know of anyone looking for employment or a new home, please do encourage them to come along to the event and help to promote it through your channels. There will be a wide range of practical advice and support available all under one roof and so it’s a great way for anyone currently looking for work or training opportunities to find out more about positions available.

You can keep up to date by following @LiveLocal_Work on Twitter or visiting our Facebook page www.facebook.com/LivingLocalWorkingLocal.

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Workplace Wellbeing Charter

Plus Dane Group has been re-accredited the Workplace Wellbeing Charter for the Group's commitment to the good health of employees.

First awarded to the Group two years ago, we have managed to maintain an excellence rating in all areas.

The Workplace Wellbeing Charter is awarded by Health@Work and focuses on helping businesses improve seven key areas of employees' lifestyles - alcohol and substance misuse, leadership, sickness and absence management, smoking, mental health and stress, healthy eating and physical activity.

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Plus Dane retains position in the Stonewall Top 100

Plus Dane is proud to once again be ranked as one of the top 100 gay-friendly employers in the country, having achieved a place in the Stonewall Top 100 employers list for the third year running.

The Group was this year placed 96th in the prestigious list compiled by lesbian, gay and bi-sexual charity Stonewall, which works to champion equality and diversity. Judges highlighted Plus Dane’s commitment to promoting equality through initiatives such as support for the Liverpool Pride event and this year’s first ever Chester Pride, as well as strongly promoting a culture of respect in the workplace.

Plus Dane’s Director for Strategic Initiatives – and LGBT champion – Chris Mather, said: “I’m proud that Plus Dane has maintained our position in Stonewall’s workplace equality index again this year. To consistently feature in the list for the last three years shows the importance that Plus Dane places on equality and diversity at every level throughout the organisation.”

Based on Plus Dane's submission to the 2014 Workplace Equality Index, the Group's employee network group has also been recognised as one of Stonewall's 'Star Performer Network Groups' - a recognition scheme introduced to showcase excellence in employee networks.

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Airborn Academy opens its doors

Airborn Academy, a new centre dedicated to freerunning and urban sports, has opened in Liverpool.

The new premises have been made possible with the help of organisations involved in the Beautiful North partnership, including Plus Dane, which provided support through the Making Business Work programme.

Based at Liverpool Film Studios on Boundary Street, the Academy opened to the public in January with a celebratory open day and taster sessions.

The Making Business Work programme is a European Regional Development Fund initiative which offers business support in identifying growth opportunities - including business planning, bid writing, marketing and planning and growth - to maximise business income and create and safeguard jobs.

The new academy will run classes in everything from freerunning to aerial silks and hoop tumbling, cheerleading, martial arts, breakdancing and more.

Director Gisele Partridge said: “After forming Airborn Academy, we became overwhelmed with demand. It proved to be a great outlet for many young people and their families so we decided to grow the company into a fully-fledged business.

“We’ve spent a lot of time perfecting the model of Airborn so that we can establish a brand that will have all the passion and trademarks of our original concept. I think we’ve now achieved that thanks to the incredibly hard work and dedication of the team.”

Hear more about the opening of the Academy from Directors Jules and Martin Tsang at www.nifireside.com.

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New affordable homes at Twemlow Manor Fields

An affordable housing scheme in Twemlow that has taken eight years to come to fruition has welcomed its first residents.

The rural exceptions project on Twemlow Lane, comprising 13 two and three bedroom houses, was built by Plus Dane Group to meet the demand for affordable housing in the area.

As a result, the properties – eight for rent, and five to purchase via shared ownership through ‘Help to Buy’ agent Homeshub – were specially ring-fenced for local people with connections to Twemlow and surrounding area.

The first occupiers moved into their brand new homes before Christmas.

Plus Dane Group Development Manager Michael Watson said: “There is a massive demand for affordable homes in rural areas throughout Cheshire and Plus Dane is delighted to have been able to provide more choice for Twemlow residents with what we believe to be an exemplary development.”

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Cheshire Skillshare celebrates successful partnerships

Local businesses and charities that have been working together through the innovative Skillshare scheme have been recognised for their achievements.

Representatives from organisations that have been paired up under the skills bank initiative were presented with certificates at a special event held recently at the Congleton offices of Plus Dane.

Cheshire Skillshare encourages companies to support their communities by volunteering their business skills to help local charities.

In attendance at the presentation event were Congleton-based charities Friends for Leisure, Ruby’s Fund, and Shopmobility. Businesses that have helped them include Business Doctors, East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, and Senior Aerospace Bird Bellows.

Each organisation was presented with a certificate recognising their membership of Cheshire Skillshare.

Plus Dane Group is a partner of the scheme in Congleton, and as such has so far enabled 18 charities to complete more than 50 successful collaborative projects.

David Briggs, Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire and founder of Cheshire Skillshare said: “Every charity is also a ‘business’ and SkillShare matches a business with executive time and skill to give with charities who can use these skills to help them to become more efficient and more effective in the community.

“I am hugely grateful to Plus Dane for their enormous support and to every business who has given of their time to help local charities. I also congratulate the charities which have embraced this partnership with the world of business and I am delighted that they have seen real benefits. I hope we can now look forward to many more businesses and many more charities seeing the advantages of helping each other in this way.”

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Castlefields work club celebrates first anniversary

Castlefields work club celebrated a milestone last month as it marked its first anniversary.

The club, established in January 2013 by Plus Dane in partnership with Liverpool Housing Trust, operates a ‘drop in’ facility at Castlefields Community Centre from 1pm until 3pm every Friday. Set up to support local residents with their job search, its informal and friendly approach aims to increase the confidence, knowledge and employment prospects of those who attend.

Facilities include free internet access for job searches and applications, access to funding for training, employment, apprenticeships, education or volunteering, and more.

In the past year, 336 visitors have dropped into the work club, with 122 people registering their details. On average 16 people attend each session. So far 15 people have gained employment, further education, apprenticeship or training as a result of taking part in the work club; 14 people applied for funding to help them with training, employment or a business start-up; and 30 people achieved level 2 CIEH bespoke training.

Neighbourhood engagement officer Jeff O’Carroll said: “We have been overwhelmed with demand for the work club and we are proud of the results we have achieved in the past 12 months getting people back into work, training, or setting up their own business. We are looking forward to expanding the club in 2014.”