Launch of the Manchester Social Housing Commission
The Manchester Social Housing Commission held its first meeting in July bringing Community Savers leaders together with cross-sector experts to develop local and national proposals for addressing the housing crisis. The Commission is chaired by the Right Reverend Dr David Walker, Bishop of Manchester and supported by the Social Homes for Manchester campaign.
Community Savers representatives from Collyhurst, Miles Platting, and Wythenshawe advocated for 30% of all new housing developments of ten homes or more to be social rented homes that are climate and nature friendly. They also asked housing sector professionals to stop using the term ‘affordable housing’ and refer to housing for social rent or private rent. Communities often think affordable means social, and it prevents them holding developers and the council to account for building the social homes we need.
Zoe Marlow of Dandelion Savers and Women of Wythenshawe said:
“We need to stop blurring the line between social homes and affordable homes and just say which one is which. People are confused.”
The lack of information provided at a community level about developer obligations, or ‘section 106’ contributions, was also raised and Commissioners discussed the need for a review of viability assessments which developers use to avoid these obligations on grounds of low profitability.
Sue Anya of Miles Platting Community and Age-friendly Network (MPCAN) said:
“We need to know where the section 106 money goes. It doesn’t seem to get invested in the community where construction is happening…We also need to have information much earlier – we never find out what is happening until everything has already been decided.”
Families in lower income areas of the city also depend on their own family and social networks for childcare and social care support but Sheila Davis of MPCAN highlighted how children and grandchildren of existing residents are unable to find a social rental home in the same area and can’t afford escalating private rents. Flats let at “affordable rents” cost 80% of market rent but there is no cap on market rent, so these offer no solution to people working for minimum wage or even the ‘living wage’.
Sheikha Omar of Moss Side Tenants Union called for the complete banning of Section 21 evictions, the application of Freedom of Information legislation to housing associations not just local authorities, an end to the sale of social housing to private equity companies, and better controls on rent increases for both social and private tenants.
The Commission will be making policy proposals to Manchester City Council and to the new national government administration in the coming weeks and will be developing the detail of their recommendations over the next 12 months. Community representatives on the Commission will be working closely with the Social Homes for Manchester campaign coalition to organise neighbourhood-based briefing sessions across the city, raising awareness about housing and planning policy and ways to work with local councillors to secure better outcomes for their local area.
Social Homes for Manchester is a coalition of community associations, charities, think tanks, academics and social justice organisations focused on accelerating the number of social homes that are created in Manchester by 2030 and ensuring this is done in an environmentally sustainable way.
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Spotlight on Miles Platting Savers
Read our interview with Dot, Committee Member at Miles Platting Savers, find out about one of the original groups in the Savers Network that is still going strong!
Can you tell us a bit about Miles Platting Savers? When did you start, where and how
often do you meet? How many members do you have?
About 5 years, we meet once a week at the coffee morning at the Church of the Apostles in
Miles Platting. We have about about 20 regulars and 30 savers in the group. We have a mixture of people who come to coffee morning, young and old.
As a group, what would you say are the main benefits for the individuals who save with
you?
It gives them a bit of extra cash to buy stuff they need, people are saving for uniforms,
Christmas and even holidays. I think most of the time you're saving for something you think you
can’t have, then you realise if you save a little bit you can. There’s definitely a social side to it.
Most people are part of the coffee and some are visiting the social supermarket and they are
savers too. We definitely go in, have a cup of tea and have a chin wag and a catch up.
Has working with the other groups helped Miles Platting Savers to develop, learn, expand
or do things differently?
I think so, we see how other groups do theirs and then think if it works for us we can have a go.
I think it helps just to talk about what other groups are doing.
As well as the savings group, are Miles Platting Savers involved in any other community
projects and what are the impact of these?
We are members of MPCAN (Miles Platting Community and Age-friendly Network) - there’s loads of stuff going on thinking about the community building, the green spaces. I haven’t been to all the recent meetings due to my health but they let me know what’s happening.
What can we expect to see next from Miles Platting Savers next - does the group have
any plans for the future?
There’s a day trip planned to go to RHS Bridgewater so we can go there together in June. May
Fairweather from Talk about Money is going to come in to teach all ages from children to adults
how to save a bit and where to save. They are trying to get the people who use the community
shop (Social Supermarket at the Apostles) who have got kids to get involved, because I think if
you teach the kids the kids can teach the adults. I think that the Talk about Money sessions will
be a good way to get people to come in with the idea of getting the kids to teach their parents to
do a bit of saving.
To find out more check out the Miles Platting Savers page here: https://communitysavers.net/project/miles-platting-savers/
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Community Savers Leaders visit Kenya
In January 2024 some of our Community Savers members visited the first One World Together summit in Nairobi and took part in a learning exchange.
SDI Kenya hosted One World Together and four community partners – Muungano wa wanavijiji, Community Savers, Raising Futures Kenya, Play It Forward – at their headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
Community Savers, Helina and Zoe from Dandelion Savers and Dot from Miles Platting Savers attended and these are some of their reflections on the experiences they had whilst they were there.
Dot
You recently went on the learning exchange to Nairobi...
Can you tell us a bit about who was there, where you visited and the connections you made?
We were there with One World Together and visited the SDI Kenya offices and Play It Forward plus 4 informal settlements, Kibera and Foundation of Hope. We went to a school, it was brilliant. They have just come off the street and may have been involved with crime and violence and have a 7 week course, waking them up to what they can do to turn their lives around.
We spoke to a woman called Christine about their savings group, that was brilliant, she was so great. it's different there, savings groups are different for them even though there are similarities theirs are so much more powerful because they are working on sanitation and water and healthcare and these are the kind of things we’ve already got and take for granted.
Why do you think community exchanges are important?
We can learn from each other I think that’s really important and it gives you a fire really, you’d see and meet different people and have a different look on stuff that you don’t even think about really because you’ve got everything it wakes you up to realise that we need to start kicking arse to get stuff done. We’ve really got to start kicking arse, in a nice way.
We went to the Raising Futures Kenya training centre
Was there anything you learnt / saw that you want to bring back to your community?
Yes a bit more fight, and because they live in tin shacks and can hear everything that goes on. We have to knock on more doors to get in to find out what is going on in people's lives. They were horrified to learn that there are people who died in their places in the UK and could be there for weeks or even months and nobody knows. Whereas they live that close together that they know everything and they know everybody's business.
Did you identify any common challenges between the groups?
Yes it’s about getting people together really you know they have their own ways and they do say if you don’t come to the meetings you won’t be involved in what they are achieving. You can’t expect that if you don’t put anything in to get anything back. What you give you get back, I’ve always said that.
In three words, can you describe the overall experience?
Emotional, exciting and inspiring
Zoe
You recently went on the learning exchange to Nairobi...
Can you tell us a bit about who was there, where you visited and the connections you made?
What stuck with me was the Foundation of Hope and Florence’s Raising Futures Kenya and the Community Savers itself at Muungano wa wanavijiji. I loved everybody and I connected with the women that were there. There was a lady called Emily. She stuck in my heart and she fights for everything her community needs.
Why do you think community exchanges are important?
Mostly it’s the experience, we all have different life experiences and sometimes we look at other peoples problems as not a problem. We were talking and one of the ladies said ‘but you don’t have poverty’ and it was important that I was then able to share my story of my poverty and I said that our poverty isn’t the same but the way we deal with it is the same, we want the same outcome. She then realised you do have poverty over there (in the UK) and I learnt from her ways to deal with poverty. I learned how important that community is and how important it is to never give up. It is really important so we can learn from each other and watch each other grow. Now I’m looking forward to seeing what all the other organisations are going to do and I get to share in that even though I am on the other side of the world. I get to share in the wonderful things they do. I get to see it.
Was there anything you learnt / saw that you want to bring back to your community?
Yes I want to bring back the actual meaning of community. I want to help and include more people and encourage more people. The data collecting was really important for me. I think that’s great because we can do that here in our local community where we are, we can ask people, we can do interviews and find out what people actually do want, not what we think they want and help out in that area.
Did you identify any common challenges between the groups?
Red tape was big one when we want to do so many things but we are having to jump through hoops, all of us felt our governments aren’t working for us and the fact that a lot of us are women so that’s a challenge in itself but they (the Kenyans) are not letting that be a challenge they moving forwards they just don't stop. I think essentially we all want the same thing. We all want our communities to be better, happier and healthier.
Did you share anything about your group / community / approach that you think was of particular interest to the other communities?
They were fascinated by the food bank side of it, they wanted to learn more about that. I told them about our poverty side of it so that made them feel like it’s not just us. I hope they feel inspired the way I feel inspired.
In three words, can you describe the overall experience?
Educational, inspiring and life-changing.
I feel like my whole perspective on life has changed. I was getting complacent. I was like I can’t change these things so why bother and now I’m like actually it starts with me and it starts with us. We can just sit around waiting for people to do it. I feel like I want to change the world and go to Zambia and Uganda! Talking to Play It Forward they had an example of a young boy who was hitting his Mum and the whole table started crying as that was what I was going through. It was great to know that when mum’s are going through this they are getting support and I feel grateful that Play It Forward were there to help her. It’s so difficult to get the right support to know that it is going on and to know that these mum’s are being helped is amazing. I love everybody.
Helina
You recently went on the learning exchange to Nairobi...
Can you tell us a bit about who was there, where you visited and the connections you made?
This was a fantastic two day conference when One World Together got to know their partner organisations and vice versa, sharing stories of their successes and knowledge gained from running their local community groups.
We visited Muungano wa wanavijiji in Nairobi and Muungano’s Foundation of Hope in Kibera a meeting was organised with the Community Group of women and Leaders, who willing and lively shared their experiences of running a Community group on their Slum Dwellers Settlements and the highs and lows of growing their membership and the 3 years training involved in being an effective community leader.
We visited another Muungano wa Wanavijiji, Nairobi, Kenya. Shack/Slum Dwellers Settlement (Nancy Njoki Wairimu local area/home town), a meeting was organised with the leaders of a Community Groups, both men and women. Again another informative learning exchange took place and the highlight was being informed about the bottom up planning programme called Mukuru Special Planning Area.
Then we also went to Huruma and were shown around the homes that the community are building for each other. We were shown around one of the Muungano members homes. In all purposes it was a modest home, filled with modest equipment, yet amazing to see in all in glory, as this was a home build by the Muungano community members , (through community savings) including the making of building blocks from cement to build the walls, in partnership with Nairobi County Government and Muungano. With planning permission the people/community avoid eviction.
We also learnt about the importance of collecting community data. They shared with us the importance of how they have been collecting data on structure and households within the settlements. They create a data profile of problems faced by the people in the settlements, all of which are collected, collated and presented to government officials, to evidence that they exist, (the slum dwellers are ignored by government official, as they are told they do not live in areas with planning permission) and the problems they are facing and the support to solve the problems they need as citizens of Kenya.
Why do you think community exchanges are important?
The community exchanges, including overseas learning exchanges, are a good idea for a leader to visit at least once, if able, as they create solidarity with other women leaders. SDI have been around for 30 years, and are made up of these women-led saving schemes, which is a global network. It's good to learn from them and to see what women-led saving schemes at neighbourhood/community level can achieve. Sometimes you just need to hear it and see it from the horse's mouth to believe it.
Did you identify any common challenges between the groups?
Yes, in discussion we identified common challenges between the groups. It was important to create volunteering opportunities for the community. Everyone has some talent to bring to the community.
- Committee leaders can be overcommitted.
- Members of community groups and Savers groups can find it difficult to engage them/mobilise them in other ongoing campaigns.
- Growing a membership is difficult and requires effort by committee leaders. Everyone tries to save something in Kenya (there is no welfare state system).
-Mainstream media and the local media do not turn up for local events.
-Media do not show the true story/images of the urban poor/Shack/Slum Dweller, only show evictions and negative images.
They use Twitter, Instagram and have created their own YouTube Channel called Know Your City TV (KYC- TV) to tell their own story.
Did you share anything about your group / community / approach that you think was of particular interest to the other communities?
We emphasised that there is poverty in the UK, we emphasised that there is isolation in the UK and that people may not talk to anyone for weeks, months and can die from loneliness. So Savers groups are a tool to bring people together, to bring about volunteering opportunities.
We reminded our partners that people do sometimes have to make tough decisions in their household, due to poverty some household do not turn on the central heating in winter or just warm one room, many household do not eat fruit and vegetables as they are expensive to buy - yet the government guidelines is to eat 5 fruit or vegetables a day. Households where someone is working still do not always have enough money to eat three meals a day, parents go hungry, their children go hungry, people are poor and suffering due to the Cost of Living Crisis in the UK.
In three words, can you describe the overall experience?
Together!, inspired and motivated
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Social Homes for Miles Platting Now!
Miles Platting, Ancoats, and Collyhurst residents were out in force on Saturday to call for social homes to be built on a plot of land that has long been earmarked for community benefit.
Over 180 people attended the MPCAN family fun day where members also launched a city-wide campaign for more social homes to be built or brought into use across Manchester amidst a housing crisis in which more than 15,000 households are now on the waiting list for social housing in the city[1].
The Miles Platting PFI regeneration was justified to residents on the basis that there would be a Joint Services Centre providing a suite of NHS services and a Community Hub built at the intersection of Oldham Road and Varley Street behind the current location of Jigsaw Homes offices. This is the site where MPCAN leaders are calling for social homes to be constructed.
The Joint Services Centre was to include three GP practices; a pharmacy; chronic disease management, maternity and children’s health services; drugs misuse and sexual health services; counselling and therapy services; and breast screening and minor surgery. The Community Hub was supposed to incorporate: a new library; new sports facilities; advice and information; services for young people; spaces for community, recreation; and leisure use; and community outreach services.
There was also supposed to be retail facilities and a replacement swimming pool.
These facilities were never developed, and the community have experienced a net loss of 502 social homes following the regeneration (with 240 homes lost to demolition and others through right to buy). Meanwhile, the neighbourhood has been transformed into a landscape of private housing for sale and rent, with no shops or infrastructure to support this new population, creating a food desert, where residents must take two buses to access a supermarket or swimming pool.
Social Homes for Manchester Now!
As well as calling for social homes in Miles Platting, residents launched the Social Homes for Manchester Now! campaign by a coalition of social and climate justice organisations including Friends of the Earth Manchester, GM Tenants Union, Greater Together Manchester, Mustard Tree, Shelter, and Steady State Manchester.
The new spatial framework for Greater Manchester, Places for Everyone, is in the final stage of consultation on modifications which include the removal of specific reference to building social housing (in MM7.5). The new Local Plan for Manchester is being drafted and is expected to be published for consultation in Spring/Summer 2024. Together these policies will decide Manchester’s planning strategy and housing targets for the next 5-10 years.
Social Homes for Manchester Now! are calling on Manchester City Council to take on six key proposals in the context of these new strategic developments which were launched for the first time by Anne Worthington, MPCAN leader and local activist, on Saturday:
Social Homes for Manchester Now! - Six key proposals:
- At least 30% social homes to be included in all new developments of over 10 units to be enacted in local policy and enforced through the setting and enforcement of section 106 obligations.
- Stronger public accountability and scrutiny for the setting and enforcement of developer obligations to build new social housing.
- Establish a Commission on Social Housing for the City of Manchester.
- Create a specific policy for the promotion of Community Led Housing.
- Develop a practical strategy for the renovation/transfer of empty homes into homes for social rent.
- Ensure all new developments are climate and nature friendly.
Download the Social Homes For Manchester Now! briefing to find out how you can Get Involved in this campaign!
Respond to the Places for Everyone Modifications consultation to object to the removal of specific reference to Social Housing in modification MM7.5 here.
MPCAN leaders are now working with other Community Savers affiliates across the city to bring residents together around this campaign and the plots of land in their own neighbourhoods that require Social Homes Now!
[1] There were 14,912 households on the social housing waiting list in Manchester in 2022 and this figure is now likely to be significantly higher. Live tables on rents, lettings and tenancies, Table 600: numbers of households on local authorities' housing waiting lists, found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-rents-lettings-and-tenancies. We would like to thank Dr Richard Goulding, University of Sheffield, for his support to MPCAN in accessing statistics, research, and information.
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GM Green Spaces Fund invests in Miles Platting Climate Action!
Over £400,000 has been awarded to 16 community-led projects in the latest round of the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund. Successful projects are providing access to better green space where it is needed most.
Miles Platting Community and Age Friendly Network (a Community Savers affiliate) are delighted to be one of the Round 3 grantees for their work to develop a wildlife corridor with support from Dr Jenna Ashton at the University of Manchester and a range of other partners:
“The Miles Platting Wildlife Corridor for people and nature will enhance identified spaces and create new habitats in the neighbourhoods of Miles Platting, Manchester. The aim is to improve biodiversity and the local ecosystem, increase interaction and connection between residents and their natural environment, mitigate impacts of climate change, and encourage physical activity between sites and along the Rochdale Canal.” (GMEF, 1Sept 2023)
Community groups who haven’t previously received funding can still apply for support from the Green Spaces Fund, with Round 4 now open.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
“Everyone should have access to quality green space and the benefits that it offers our physical and mental health, but the reality is that some areas of Greater Manchester are worse off than others at present.
“That’s why I’m so pleased to welcome the latest intake of Green Spaces Fund projects, all of which seek to redress the balance. I continue to be amazed by the imagination and endeavour shown by community groups applying for support from fund – from green-fingered growers to champions of biodiversity, the projects that we have been able to back so far are really making a difference to their local areas.
“There’s still time to get backing from the fund, so if you have an idea for how to turn your local area green please do apply and help us make Greater Manchester a greener, fairer place.”
Read the full press release here.
Miles Platting Community and Age-friendly Network (MPCAN) established their Climate Action Group after community leaders came together with support from CLASS and URBED to map public and disused sites across their neighbourhood that was not yet earmarked for development and to create a shared vision for the future of the area in consultation with local residents.
Since then, leaders have identified a series of priorities including:
- the protection and improvement of green spaces and habitat creation for increased biodiversity;
- a community-led redevelopment of the St Cuthberts church site into a worship space and community hub in partnership with the Parochial Church Council.
- increasing the number of social homes available in the area after successive developments and a PFI regeneration programme left the community with a net loss of approximately 500 social homes.
Visit www.mpcan.org.uk to find out more and get involved!
Header image: "Swallows" by A Bird in the Hand Theatre at MPCAN's climate resilience pageant in July 2023.
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Introducing….
In this introductory blog, Ieva Pojuner tells us info about her role as Community Action Intern working with the Community Savers groups in Miles Platting.
Alongside my role within CLASS, I am a final year Social Anthropology and Sociology student at the University of Manchester. I spent the summer of 2022 as an intern with Greater Together Manchester, supporting a Social Super Market pilot project to tackle food poverty and food waste. This experience enlightened me about the strong sense of community that has been created by local residents and frontline workers in Miles Platting. I was eager to continue supporting those living in the area and across Manchester, which led me to the Community Action Internship with CLASS.
I have connected strongly with Community Savers as a women-led organisation after studying intersectionality and feminist theory. This really made me aware of how women face additional barriers in inequitable socioeconomic conditions. It has been inspiring to learn more about how these groups come together and support each other during these current times of economic and political uncertainty. I am looking forward to learning from these relationships throughout all my community action work this year.
My work with CLASS has particularly focused on the Miles Platting Community and Age Friendly Network (MPCAN). After a few months of working with action groups across Miles Platting, it has been eye-opening to learn how representatives from across the community congregate to think collectively and engage in collaborative ways. Communication is at the heart of these networks, and it has been a pleasure to begin supporting MPCAN to maintain this. I have really enjoyed getting to know key members of the community and hearing about their priorities for ongoing local developments. Being a part of these conversations and listening to such critical pieces of dialogue is something I am grateful for. Although it has only been a couple months, I have learnt a lot about what it takes for a community to build trust and positive social relations. Even when there may be setbacks, the individuals in this community can always come together to find meaningful resolutions.
As for 2023, I am looking forward to making progress with MPCAN regarding plans for a new social club in Miles Platting. I anticipate this project to be very rewarding as we continue to facilitate community consultations and create a space for residents to socialise and connect with one another. This development, once completed, will be enjoyed by future generations to come, and I am excited to support its journey through each stage.
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“When we know each other, we build each other” – the power of international exchange.
These were the words of Rashid, Chair of Muungano Wa Wanavijiji, at the opening session of a week-long international exchange in Nairobi between Muungano and Community Savers leaders from Manchester and Sheffield.
Rashid was sharing on the power of exchanges in the SDI tradition – a tradition that has been nurtured, tested, and adapted over more than thirty years, in 32 countries across the Global South.
November 2022 was a special month as Community Savers leaders were able to welcome activists from Nairobi here in the UK, share knowledge and learning on their adaptation of SDI/Muungano methodologies with postgraduate students in Manchester, and then travel to Nairobi to experience these approaches first hand; visiting settlements and exchanging learning with their sister federation.
Here we try to capture some highlights from a rich month of learning and inspiration...
“We Kenyans, and you from the UK, we are the same.”
Anastasia Wairimu is Chair of Akiba Mashinani Trust one of three organisations that make up the Muungano Alliance. After her second trip to the UK in November 2022 exchanging learning with Community Savers, she recognised that despite very different histories, low-income communities in the UK experience the same dynamics of exploitation and discrimination as informal settlement communities in Kenya.
Tina Cribbin is Chair of Aquarius Community Savers in Hulme, Manchester: these exchanges have enabled Tina and Anastasia to develop a strong relationship of trust and mutual respect, and Tina agreed with Anas’s observations. In particular, Tina noted the similarities in negative attitudes among those holding power and purse strings who judge low-income communities as criminal, as lazy, as a problem that needs fixing.
During her latest visit to the UK, Anastasia was shocked to see how older people are treated after visiting Hopton Court tower block in Hulme where 75% of tenants are aged Over-50 and many have long-term conditions, disabilities and mobility constraints. During their visit, the lifts were out of order again (a regular occurrence over the previous five years) and elderly people had been left with no way of getting out of the block or bringing food shopping up to their flats. Tenants shared how throughout the pandemic they had nowhere to meet with their neighbours due to the absence of a communal area at the block; and how elderly people are falling through the gaps between housing, health and social care services in ways which leave them unable to pay for food, heating or sometimes without appropriate end of life care.
During the Nairobi visit, Ellie and Sue from Miles Platting shared experiences of top-down regeneration and gentrification which resonated strongly with Muungano anti-eviction activists. Leaders reflected that although the extremity of the circumstances are very different the principle of top-down attempts to push lower-income groups away from the inner-city is the same.
During November, leaders from Miles Platting gave urban inequality students a tour of their neighbourhood. They explained to them how the Private Finance Initiative that was supposed to regenerate the area for the existing community has resulted in a net loss of approximately 500 social rental homes and the inflation of house prices and private rents far beyond a threshold that local working families can afford. This is leading to the breaking up of families and people on lower incomes being pushed out to other boroughs of Greater Manchester. Existing residents had agreed to the PFI (including compulsory purchase orders and demolitions) on the basis that a suite of community facilities would be built, including a joint services centre and leisure and retail facilities. In the end, none of this was delivered. The community are now calling on Manchester City Council to protect the public land that these community facilities were supposed to be constructed on for community benefit.
At our final reflection, Jonte shared how an elderly woman housing activist in Kambi Moto who has been involved in their community-led housing movement for over 30 years was amazed to learn that she can sit together with people from the UK, this developed country, and find that they are struggling against the same social issues and can learn from how communities have organised over land and housing in Nairobi.
"Saving is an act of resistance"
Community Savers have been holding learning exchanges with Muungano activists since 2017 and during November’s exchange in Nairobi, Tina explained to Anas that:
“What changed for me was about the savings: I used to feel like I don’t want to save, I want to spend. But you told me that every time you save it is an act of resistance and that has really changed it for me.”
Savings groups are the building blocks of a united and powerful community-led movement for poverty reduction and the transformation of urban social power relations. Tina’s group are now beginning to see the fruits of building power through savings as on return to the UK they had a meeting with the housing provider at Hopton Court (above). The provider issued an official apology for the experiences of older people at the block and announced that they will be replacing the lifts to ensure elderly people are never put in a situation of being trapped in the building again.
Aquarius Community Savers have also been able to build a new coalition of groups in their social housing estate who are coming together to form a new Aquarius Neighbourhood Forum including members of Hulme Tenants Union; Epping Park Warriors; Aquarius Tenants and Residents Association and Age-Friendly Hulme and Moss Side. They have worked closely with their local ward councillors to oppose a private development that would block the sunlight from Hopton Court gardens and put even more pressure on overburdened local services. They are now working with their councillors to request the rezoning of the Aquarius estate out of the city centre planning area and into the Inner South zone in support of a community-led plan for their thriving local community.
"Unity is our strength, Information is our power"
Muungano begin their meetings with call outs to their members "Unity? Is our strength! Information? Is our power!" During the final reflection at Muungano House on 25 November, Anastasia explained that:
“There are 43 tribes in Kenya, but at Muungano we know only two tribes: the haves and the have-nots"
Unity is critical to addressing this inequality.
We reflected on the importance of collective solutions and collective thinking. We discussed how in the UK people have become individual clients of government and service providers. Although it is good to have a social welfare system, it is provided in a way that has made people become passive. Tina observed that “it is given but it is never what you would have asked for. Now we are learning to ask for what we need.”
We reflected on the power of community data and also the value of university partnerships even though universities generally represent the “Haves”. Nicerah from Kibera shared how after she joined Muungano and began collecting data in her settlement, officials were asking her “How can you know how to make these survey questions on your own? What university did you go to?” Nicerah was able to tell them “My University is Muungano”.
Emily, a national leader from Mathare, explained how at the same time, Muungano has developed partnerships with university departments and their students. Students can help them to collect data and write up reports. This is not because the community cannot do it without their help, but it is about recognising that these students may be the next Planning Officer or Water and Sanitation official in the future: “If we teach them now, they may come back to us in the future”.
Validation is a critical step in the process: presenting the data collected back to the community through public meetings to enable them to correct inaccuracies and build a sense of ownership over the information and the change that the information makes possible.
Earlier in the week, as we began our learning exchange, Nancy explained that data collection underpins everything for Muungano: “we have to know ourselves” and this is the principle underpinning Know Your City TV…
Know Your City TV: “We can change the story”
One of the most inspiring engagements for UK activists during their week in Nairobi was with the Youth Federation leaders involved in data collection, advocacy, and Know Your City TV.
Through KYCTV young people are engaged in community action by creating opportunities for them to learn skills they are interested in like film-making and photography while leaders also engage youth through art, music and sports.
The UK team took home the principle of “Just One” – you only need one engaged young person to start a youth movement. That one person will be able to engage other young people.
UK delegates were inspired by their inclusive approach involving arts and sports and participatory approaches and tools for engagement and planning – especially the Tree of Transformation which enabled young people in Mukuru to come together for visioning of the changes they wanted to see and the conditions that they needed to foster to achieve those changes.
Georgie from Arbourthorne asked the youth leaders what made them engage with Muungano and KYCTV as it can be hard to engage young people in the UK who say "nothing ever changes". They explained that they grew up in the settlements and they saw politicians come and go with promises that they never delivered on. They recognised Muungano’s message that we have the solutions and we know our community best. We were tired of all the negative representations in the media and decided that with the training they were offering we can change the story.
Younger youths were inspired and motivated by older youth mentors who they looked up to. The older leaders explained that they put their trust in the young people to carry out data gathering and document Federation processes; and importantly they show them love and nurture them. The leaders focus on what the young people themselves are interested in and what they want to learn and: “Give them a chance to be who they are”.
They advised the UK team: “try to spot the ones with ambitions, start with them, find the youth that want change, show them the opportunities, show them a better way of life”.
Exchanges such as these between grassroots communities across different international contexts are critical for enabling communities to recognise their expertise and the commonalities of their experiences, struggles and strength within global and urban systems which act to exploit and oppress them. Yet they resist, they organise, and they grow stronger, smarter, and more effective through global solidarity networks: when they know each other, they build each other.
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Community-led development and climate action in Miles Platting
In 2019, members of Miles Platting Savers travelled to Nairobi, Kenya, for a five-day learning exchange with leaders of Muungano Wa Wanavijiji. Together with delegates from Sharston and Brinnington, they were inspired by the way that housing activists had brought their communities together to gather data, map their settlement and set priorities. From there, they worked with local government to ensure people’s needs were recognised and local services and infrastructure were improved. The Manchester groups visited community-led housing projects and community build schemes and saw how co-financing could achieve local ownership over community facilities, protecting and maintaining community assets.
On their return, Miles Platting Savers began to create a map of their neighbourhood tracing the history of their area and the positive and more challenging impacts of ongoing regeneration. This was undertaken with other local residents and members of Community Grocers, working with researchers from the University of Sheffield.
Community conversations revealed that there was widespread anxiety among residents about the rapid changes taking place around them. In response, in November 2019, Miles Platting Savers called a meeting of local community groups to explore how to work more effectively together and ensure local residents had regular access to information about the neighbourhood.
At this meeting, Miles Platting Community Network was born - strengthened in 2021 by a merger with Miles Platting Age-friendly Neighbourhoods Board to become:
Miles Platting Community & Age-friendly Network: MP-CAN!
In just three years, and in the midst of multiple crises, this collective of local community leaders has achieved amazing things together. Here’s a snapshot of their brilliant community action…
Miles Platting PFI: a brief history
To understand how and why MPCAN have become such a force for good in their neighbourhood, a brief history of the regeneration that residents have been living through is needed.
In March 2007, Manchester City Council (MCC) handed over the maintenance and management of nearly 3,000 homes in Miles Platting to the Renaissance Miles Platting consortium on a 30-year contract. Costing £160m in government funding, plus a comparable amount invested by the private sector (to be paid back to private investors over the 30-year contract period), the plan was to refurbish up to 1,500 council homes in the area and build an additional 1,000 homes for direct sale on the market, while demolishing 300 more as part of the redesign of the estate. Importantly - alongside the PFI contract - the council also developed a funding partnership for a Joint Services Centre including partners such as the NHS and Adactus Housing Association (now Jigsaw Homes). The centre was to include a range of NHS services, including three GP practices and a pharmacy, as well as a community hub incorporating: a new library, new sports facilities, advice and information services, services for young people, and spaces for community, recreation and leisure use.
The area at the intersection of Oldham Street and Varley Street was also intended to host retail facilities and a replacement swimming pool. The original swimming pool and library were demolished under the PFI regeneration.
Unfortunately, the 2008 financial crisis led to funding for the replacement community facilities being cut. The community were left with none of the community facilities that were supposed to be introduced and have to date experienced the demolition of 240 homes for social rent with only 22 replaced.
Happily, the council have retained ownership of the land where the joint services centre and community hub were supposed to be located. MPCAN are now advocating for the development of community facilities or housing for social rent on this site.
MPCAN in action 1: Data gathering, mapping and visioning
Within this context, the first stages of MPCAN’s work were to gather information about neighbourhood change over time and map out losses and new developments across the neighbourhood.
MPCAN were supported by URBED and CLASS to carry out a consultation with local residents about priorities for the area alongside existing plans under the PFI. This built on all the fantastic consultation and prioritising work carried out by the Age-Friendly Neighbourhoods board from 2016-2018.
URBED then supported leaders with mapping and land registry searches to identify which areas of Miles Platting were managed under the PFI contract and to understand land ownership and development plans on remaining sites.
This highlights residents’ priorities for the future of the neighbourhood and potential sites where new community facilities could be developed or community-led improvements could be made in partnership with local agencies and authorities.
MPCAN in action 2: Climate Action
From 2020, the momentum shifted to action and one of the first achievements of MPCAN was to successfully register Shetland Road Green as an Asset of Community Value with the City Council with support from local councillors.
This created the impetus to think in more depth about how to achieve the ‘improve our green spaces’ priority from the network vision. At an URBED-facilitated ‘Green Infrastructure’ workshop in November 2021 leaders established the MPCAN Climate Action Group (CAG) which has three key objectives:
- Conservation: ecological survey and ‘citizen science’ wildlife recording, followed by habitat creation and inter-linking
- Canal upgrading: cutting back and beautification of overgrown areas to encourage more walking and cycling; planter construction and wildflower planting to develop ‘green fingers’ into and out of the canal-way
- Protection, improvement and development of green and wild spaces including tree protection and planting, wildflower meadow patches and ‘rivers of flowers’ for bees and butterflies
Supported by Jenna Ashton (Creative Climate Resilience, University of Manchester) and Ash Farrah (MCC Climate Change Officer), the CAG have created a map of 20 green or disused sites across the area for surveying and potential improvements and have action-planned around five of these sites since February 2022.
Dot Lomax, a local resident and community leader explains:
"We do ‘neighbourhood walkabouts’ - so we go and visit somewhere and door-knock the houses around that site to chat with people about how it’s used and what people would like to see. It means we can meet people and let them know who we are as well - and then we make some plans for that site and ask people what they think."
Members are now working with the Canal and River Trust, and Lancashire Wildlife Trust on ecology surveys and citizen science activities to identify local species and develop plans for appropriate habitat creation and wildlife corridors through the neighbourhood, and with Groundwork, Creative Climate Resilience project (University of Manchester), and Jigsaw Homes on green space improvements.
Ellie Trimble a local resident and Rector shares reflections on the first of these sessions led by Russell Hedley at Lancashire Wildlife Trust:
“It was so lovely spending time in one of our remaining green spaces as Russell completed an inventory of wildlife and native plants. We all learnt such a lot and had fun at the same time, especially our young families who ran around very excited to point out many different butterflies including some that Russell was very pleased to see so close to the city.
We learnt that some of the wildflowers that we thought were weeds are the reason we have so many butterflies which is great news as we all know weeding is hard work!
The children didn’t like the wasps that were swarming around one plant in the garden until we learnt that they were honeybees which was amazing and far more welcome. What is even more amazing, is that since that event, some of the children have been visiting the garden every evening to water the plants.”
Ash Farrah, Climate Change Officer for Manchester City Council shared:
"It's a pleasure to support the MP-CAN Climate Action Group, the commitment and enthusiasm from the group's members is clear to see at every meeting. To my knowledge, MP-CAN CAG is the only climate-focused community group in all of North Manchester. They are leading the way."
MPCAN in action 3: St Cuthberts Action Group
This group was established by St Cuthbert’s Parochial Church Council after a long process of assessment and reflection within the church concluded that the building was in too great a state of disrepair and needed to be redeveloped.
The PCC resolved to work in partnership with MPCAN leaders and local residents on a community-led redevelopment of the St Cuthberts site. The PCC aim to retain a space for worship while achieving their Mission Action Plan to nurture and support their parishioners and the local community, especially in matters of social justice and reducing deprivation and exclusion.
The early stages of this work are being match-funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and an invitation to tender for project management services has recently been advertised.
The first step will be an extensive neighbourhood-wide consultation on the facilities that local residents would most value and ensuring that as diverse a set of residents as possible are able to share their ideas and any anxieties or concerns.
Leaders from the action group are now going out on visits to community hubs and mixed-use social centres across Manchester to gather ideas and inspiration. Most recently, they had a fantastic visit to The Carlton Club in Whalley Range to learn about the journey of initiating and developing a community-run social venue. MPCAN are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship with committee members at the Carlton Club and hopefully many others along the way who can offer guidance and moral support as they embark on their own exciting project!
Anne Worthington, a long-term resident and community leader said:
“I think the work MPCAN is doing with regards to the St Cuthberts site is SO important. With the support of the PCC, we hope that along with a space for worship, a valuable community social space can be created to replace the existing church building which is sadly in poor shape. Visiting other community ventures is really inspiring.”
If you would like to find out more or connect with MPCAN please email: milesplattingcommunitynetwork[at]gmail.com.
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Women Thriving: a transformative year for Community Savers
The announcement of the third national lockdown on 6 January 2021 was not the start to the year that anyone had hoped for… the rollercoaster ride of the COVID-19 pandemic, was, it seemed, still rolling on.
As the Women’s Budget Group find, COVID has had a disproportionate impact on low-income women for whom the pandemic has worsened already challenging situations ‘in terms of health, employment and unpaid work, resulting in increased levels of poverty, debt and mental health deterioration’.
Community Savers’ ability to support their communities through such profoundly challenging times in 2021 has been strengthened significantly by three grants from the We Love Manchester charity’s Stronger Communities Fund, and the Smallwood Trust’s Frontline Women (see April news) and Women Thrive funds.
We Love Manchester!
Manchester-based groups have been able to use the We Love Manchester funding to relaunch their savings meetings after the lockdown easing in March, enabling people to build up some savings again and improving mental health and wellbeing through an array of activities and events.
Mums Mart were able to relaunch their savings meetings in March and hold a fantastic AGM and family fun day in August benefiting over 100 local families leading to lots of new members. They have gone on to raise over £300 at their Christmas Fair this month where local residents were able to benefit from low-cost Christmas gifts.
Miles Platting Savers had a fantastic relaunch event in September attracting over 100 local residents and leading to an additional ten members joining. Participants celebrated with a community wall made up of drawings of the household goods and other items the Savers have been able to provide to 34 families this year through their small grants programme (via Henry Smith Charity). MP Savers are also active members in the Miles Platting Community and Age Friendly Network - MP-CAN!, which successfully merged MP Community Network and MP Age Friendly Neighbourhoods board in July this year. Members are now united behind an exciting vision for the area including a climate action plan and a community-driven social club development after the loss of many community facilities since 2007.
In Hulme, Hopton Hopefuls were able to use We Love Manchester funds to organise an “International BBQ” together with On Top of the World Project where Savers were able to share progress with tenants on their Ageing Well work for older tenants in the Aquarius estate which is driving forward a “Naturally Occurring Retirement Community” model. This has led to a new Independent Living Adviser post and will soon see recruitment of a new Development Worker to take forward the NORC model in partnership with tenants. The initiative has shaped One Manchester’s plans for supporting older tower block tenants across Hulme. Excitingly, the GMCA's Ageing Hub has now taken up this work as a best practice case study and are exploring ways to roll out the model with housing providers across GM.
Beyond Manchester, Brinnington Savers and Arbourthorne Social Savers have done a brilliant job of keeping their savings meetings going throughout the year despite repeated challenges with COVID and a broken ankle to boot! Brinnington have been able to build on the work they have been doing supporting older residents with digital inclusion and savings accumulation to attract a £2,000 grant from Stockport Homes Community Fund - great news!
Retreat, Reflection... Recognition!
Since September, Community Savers have been on a transformative journey of retreat and reflection which was made possible by some generous donations from our fantastic supporters out there and a significant capacity-building budget from Women Thrive Fund. Thank you so much to all who have donated and to the Smallwood Trust for your ongoing faith and interest in our work!
Our two-day retreat in Snowdonia was a game-changer for the network (why retreats matter), building and strengthening relationships between women leaders (and with CLASS), deepening leaders understanding of each other’s visions and projects, celebrating our achievements, and taking home souls filled with inspiration and motivation.
This gave us the solidarity and shared purpose we needed for two really productive theory of change and strategic planning workshops with leaders in the final two weeks of September facilitated by our long-term cheerleaders Participate!
Together with all the amazing support members have provided in their neighbourhoods throughout the year, the retreat and workshops contributed directly to the wonderful recognition of our transformative potential from the Tudor Trust who have awarded Community Savers and CLASS an unrestricted grant of £40,000 per year for three years.
Savers have found dialogue with the Tudor Trust positive and enabling giving everyone an opportunity to shine. Thank-you Tudor Trust for your kind words of recognition:
“The trustees really liked the emphasis on women’s leadership and the deep recognition of community expertise which is at the heart of CLASS’s work, and which sits at the core of the Community Savers groups. They were excited by the trust, mutual support and vision for change held within the groups, and by the clear sense of connection between members of different groups […]
The trustees saw the need for an organisation like CLASS to provide the development and technical support which enables the groups to flourish and felt that governance arrangements had been carefully thought through to support genuine working in alliance with the Community Savers network. Above all there was a sense of real excitement about what the groups are doing for their communities, as well as a huge interest in seeing how things develop over the next few years. The rooted and radical nature of the work, and the group members’ ability just to get things done were also greatly appreciated!”
We look forward to getting a lot more 'things done' in 2022!
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Go Digital!
Lorna Parks shares some reflections on her first few months as a digital inclusion volunteer with GM Savers through our Lottery-funded Go Digital! project
Just before Christmas I started working as a digital inclusion volunteer. With absolutely no experience of supporting people with technology, and by no means a tech expert myself I had no idea how this was going to go - but I was excited to get stuck into a new project.
Unfortunately, due to the latest lockdown, I found myself taking on the challenge of teaching digital skills digitally! Equipped with new tablets and laptops, community members have been getting stuck into our sessions over video calls with me. For a couple of hours every week I have been acting as a tour guide for programmes like Microsoft Word, Google Drive and Dropbox, showing off features and troubleshooting problems. This has involved having a little bit of patience with the technology, but most importantly having a laugh at the same time.
I have been working with members of the Miles Platting Savers group and have been fascinated to learn about the action they take to support their community. There is a real sense of community spirit, and a determination to learn digital skills and adapt to this increasingly virtual way of working. These digital skills sessions will enable the group to continue their work throughout whatever circumstances this year brings.
What have I enjoyed the most?
I have loved developing people’s skills, and enabling women community leaders to have the confidence to use laptops and tablets for both work and everyday things. I feel really proud of the progress the women I am working with are making, and happy to hear about them showing off their new skills to family members and other community savers members. One highlight has been one of my partners excitement on learning that she could type up new recipes on her laptop, and then look at them on the tablet when in the kitchen. The best way to get to grips with new technologies is getting stuck in, so being able to build up excitement around different ways to use it felt like a positive step forward.
What have I found the most challenging?
I felt challenged when the plan changed from meeting up in the community delivering sessions with social-distancing, to delivering them online. However, we have all risen to the challenge, and no zoom meetings have involved kicking people out, or any unkind standing orders (if you’ve missed it in the news, check out the recent Handforth Parish Council meeting!).
What would I say to others who might be thinking about doing this kind of work?
I would simply say – do it! As well as supporting others I have learnt a lot myself, and learnt loads about the work of different savings clubs across Greater Manchester. I have even done my first ever blog post!
Take away thoughts…
Digital inclusion could never be more important than it is now. I have learnt that offering support to someone struggling with aspects of their digital life can be a simple task with a big impact. Everyone is unique and has different digital needs - working at building skills together can increase confidence and knowledge for everyone involved!
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