Author: Laura

By the Open Arms Community Enagement Team

Martin, a visitor facing newfound challenges after the end of a relationship and finding himself homeless, sought assistance from the housing team at Riverside House. As he waited his turn, he stumbled upon the Open Arms stall.

We offered Martin a steaming cup of coffee and some biscuits. Grateful for the warmth both literal and figurative, Martin began to open up about his struggles and the hurdles he faced.

What started as a chance encounter blossomed into a heartfelt conversation lasting nearly an hour.  Martin found comfort in sharing his burdens, feeling heard and understood.

Expressing his gratitude, Martin thanked the Open Arms team for their compassion and for treating him with dignity during a vulnerable moment.  We extended the invite and said, he is always welcome for a chat here and, if he needs any assistance Citizen Advice would be available for him.

By Rachel Cole, Senior Projects Officer

Notoriously, this estate has always been a disengaged area where we have struggled to get residents involved, despite years of trying.  However, for the past 10 months, we have been working closely with some residents on the estate to try and set up a TARA and whilst the group still needs support and guidance they are certainly going in the right direction, and we have held monthly meetings to support the tenants.  Following on from two successful events last year, at January’s meeting it was agreed RotherFed would assist in the planning and delivery of an Easter event on the estate. We contacted FLUX Rotherham for their support with this as they can offer free activities for families.  FLUX Rotherham and Early Years Help agreed to be part of the event.  The project was delivered working in partnership with FLUX Rotherham, Early Years Help, RMBC Officers and the Fitzwilliam TARA.

The event was delivered in two 2-hour sessions and 66 children booked on them with their parents.  Whilst the children were making their masks etc we were able to liaise with their parents and get them signed up to the Tenants Connectors Pool as well as speak to them about other RotherFed and Rotherham Council services. 

The TARA ran a tombola which raised over £80, and this will go into the funds that the group have raised so far.      

An additional planned activity ‘Get Crafty with Roots’ included free craft workshops inspired by the river Don and is part of the Rother Roots Street Carnival, which took place on Saturday 13 April from 11am until 4pm in Rotherham Town Centre.  This was a very successful event with not only residents from the estate attending but people from all over the borough.

As well as looking at other events for the estate, including a litter pick, the group are planning their first coach trip for the residents to Cleethorpes.  Many of the residents on the estate have no transport, therefore, a coach trip to the coast has been very well received.  Two coaches have been booked for 6th August and the group is using the funds they have already raised towards this.  They are also charging people, which will make up the remainder. 

It has been a long time since there was a TARA on this estate, therefore, we are really pleased to see the progress and hope that it continues.  We will continue to support the group until they are more established.  They are now talking about becoming constituted and opening a bank account, which will enable them to apply for funding which will provide much needed activities and events on this estate. 

Nicola Harper also attends the HIP meeting and is keen to be involved in council services.  Katie Foster attended this month’s HIP meeting for the first time, she is also keen to get involved. 

By the Open Arms Community Enagement Team

Steve, a longtime member of our community, reached out to us at the end of February 2024 seeking guidance from Open Arms and Citizen Advice. During our conversation, Steve opened up about his life story, revealing that he had spent 70 cherished years alongside his sister. They shared a profound bond, weathering life’s highs and lows together. However, tragedy struck when Steve’s sister passed away, leaving him to navigate the complexities of life alone.

Compounding his grief, Steve found himself grappling with profound loneliness and mood swings in the aftermath of his sister’s passing. Adding to his challenges, Steve and his sister had temporarily relocated to an old folks’ home before being moved to a council-owned property while their family home underwent necessary roof repairs. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the repairs to their family home were delayed, causing the property to deteriorate over time.

To Steve’s dismay, the council proposed charging him double fees – one for his current residence and another for the unoccupied family home in need of repairs. Faced with this financial burden, Steve turned to CARD for assistance. Recognising the urgency of his situation, our team went above and beyond, advocating on Steve’s behalf and engaging with the relevant authorities to address the unjust fees.

Thanks to our collaborative efforts, positive progress is underway, with the council working to rectify the fees, which would have amounted to £2500, based on Steve’s statement. Grateful for the unwavering support he received, Steve has since returned to the Open Arms project, a testament to the impact of our community’s solidarity. Even in his darkest moments, Steve found solace in knowing that there were people who cared deeply for him and were willing to lend a listening ear. Reflecting on the kindness and support he received from the Open Arms team, Steve expressed his gratitude, emphasising how much their presence meant to him during his time of need. As he continues to navigate life without his beloved sister, Steve draws strength from the bonds forged within our community, finding comfort in the knowledge that he is not alone on his journey.

By Sharon Smith, Community Energy Advisor

I met with A at Springwell Gardens community centre for a meeting that was arranged two weeks earlier.

A attends the Deaf Futures group that is held at Springwell each Friday and at an earlier session he had made colleagues aware he was struggling to understand his energy bills. A meeting was agreed, and a sign language interpreter was booked.

A was asked to take a picture of his electricity meter on the day the appointment was arranged and then again on the morning of the appointment and bring them with him along with his energy bills.

He lives in a 1-bedroom council bungalow in Thrybergh which he moved into in March 2022. As well as being deaf he has limited eyesight which makes using online sign language tools impossible and it’s impossible for him to contact his energy supplier as he struggles to use a phone. He does not have gas at the property and uses electricity for all heating, cooking, and hot water.

He had received a bill from British Gas for £366.84 and he believed this was wrong as it seemed very high. The bills he brought were looked at and placed in date order for him. He was struggling to understand why his bill was so high although he had paid all previous bills.

The readings he brought pictures of were 31151 (two weeks ago) and 31314 on the morning of our appointment – this equates to @ £30.00 per week usage including standing charges so his bill which was ‘estimated’ reflected this average usage for the billing quarter.

The bill which he thought was high was in fact ‘estimated’ however the estimate was lower than his actual usage – he had used quite a bit more electricity and had the meter been read (or when it is read at some point in the future) he will have used @ £300.00 more…

With the help of the sign language interpreter, Leanne we were able to explain this to A and also show him that his electricity bill from the same period last year was in fact over £500.00 however, as the government help scheme was still in place he received just over £200.00 towards this quarterly bill so it did appear on the face of it to be lower than this one.

We discussed his energy usage, and it appeared that he likes to spend a lot of time in the shower which is powered by electricity – he spends 10-15 minutes per day showering and has an electric oven and storage heaters. When asked if he knew how to turn down his thermostat on his heating system, he confirmed that he did.

A has been informed that when his meter is next read it will result in a large bill, so he is aware. He has been encouraged to pay this one as it is and then start to either put aside money in preparation for the upcoming large bill or pay weekly/fortnightly now towards it using an old bill which he can just take to the post office along with his cash.

He has been encouraged to turn down his heating thermostat a little and try to turn it off just a bit earlier, take a maximum of 4 minutes in the shower and consider buying an air fryer or slow cooker so that he is not using his oven every day.

Reducing his energy usage and paying a little towards the next large bill will hopefully help. He was given a hot water bottle to help him keep warm or use in his bed if he turns the heating off early. His bills were sorted into date order and placed in a plastic wallet for safe keeping.

He was very grateful that he received an explanation of the situation even though his bill will be much higher than what he has received he has the opportunity to reduce his usage before the next bill is due.

By Lee Lazenby, Community Engagement Officer

During a session at Greasborough Library the Open Arms Hub was busy due to a fair few people in the library, Lee remembers one elderly lady who will stick in her mind for some time.

The librarian came over to the table and asked if we could speak with an elderly lady, she had popped into the library as a warm space, the weather was atrocious that day, it was blowing a gale and Rotherham had seen a flurry of snow hours earlier.

The lady was called Jane and she really unsettled. She told Lee that she had been diagnosed with dementia the day before and she hadn’t slept all night as she had been mulling over the thought of how this would affect her as time went on. Jane went on to say she had always been independent up until a few years before when she was starting to feel unsteady on her feet and now relied on a walking stick to get about.

She still drives but sometimes she feels as though she is not up to it but still wants to get out and about to socialise with her friends. Lee made the lady a cup of tea before listening to her worries, she suggested the “door to door”, a service that Jane said she had tried using but had been turned down, Lee reiterated she did actually qualify to use the service and suggested she go back to them.

She asked us to write down the info, Lee spent a while chatting and as time went on could tell in her voice she was relaxing and starting to feel more positive. As Jane continued to talk away, we came up with a few more suggestions of ways she could help herself (It was obvious Jane was a very independent lady and found it difficult to ask for assistance when required, although no doubt, she would offer help to others at the drop of a hat. She said she felt overwhelmed how a complete stranger was willing to spend time with someone they had never met before. Lee stated it was all part of the job. Jane couldn’t thank the team enough and was so grateful. We parted ways with her, leaving her with a list of social groups and other help in the area.

By Rob Gooding, Community Engagement Officer

In a heartwarming display of dedication to their community, members of Peregrine Way Tenant and Resident Association, working with RotherFed staff and Rotherham Council Neighbourhood teams have gone above and beyond this month. Their commitment to the local centre in Harthill, Rotherham, has been evident as they lovingly completed a makeover of the centre.

The centre has received a fresh lease on life, thanks to the funds provided by the TARA members. Not stopping at a lick of paint and a spring clean, they arranged a thorough deep cleaning of the soft furnishings revitalising the space for all who use it and bringing the carpet and chairs back to their former glory and prolonging the life of the items.

The group arranged for local trades people to undertake the work to bolster the pride in the area for the centre and ensure that local people are talking about the amazing projects that are held there.

By Rachel Cole, Senior Projects Officer

On Saturday 24 February from 2pm until 6pm, Thurcroft Big Local held a celebratory event at the Thurcroft Hub to celebrate what has been achieved since 2012 when the Big Local started.  The event was very well attended by many residents in the village, members past and present and organisations who have been involved in the project over the years.  A buffet and refreshments were provided, there was free face painting for the children and a magician who entertained all ages of the crowd.  The walls were decorated the photographs from across the years and there was a slideshow showing other photographs that have been taken during the past 12 years.  Everyone received either a Thurcroft Big Local pen or torch keyring to keep.  It was a fantastic event and one to remember!

Although the project has now officially ended, I am certain that with the residents/volunteers committed to the village, the community will continue to benefit from the great things that the Big Local project started. 

By Dan Barron and Sam Dixon, Heart of the Community Project Workers

We had first found out about the Peer support for all group whilst speaking with the neighbourhood coordinator for Boston Castle so arranged a meeting with them.

The group were already holding informal sessions at Hygge but felt that they wanted to find a venue better suited to what they wanted to achieve. They wanted to be able to hold numerous sessions with space for people to talk, share their stories, support each other as well as getting involved in activity geared towards supporting positive mental health.

The committee members all have lived experience of being involved with different support services from delivery to being a group member. The group came together by sharing their different experiences and wanting to create something less prescribed and open to more engagement from community members. A place where participants feel safe and secure enough to share their stories and worries with other people that may be experiencing the same issues.

After months of searching for a venue that would be viable to run the group, the committee enquired about the Wellgate court building, which is the base for RMBC Adult Social Care and is run by Craig Pullen. At a meeting between the group and Craig, they discussed what the group wanted to achieve and how they could work together. Craig agreed that it seemed a good fit for the usage of the building as well as a partnership that could be advantageous for both the group and RMBC Services. Craig put in an official request on behalf of the group and a few weeks later they now have a license to operate in the venue.

The group have hosted 4 sessions and they have already managed to support 20 people. They are now starting to prepare for their funding application and will be consulting their participants on what they would like to do at sessions.

By the Open Arms Community Enagement Team

Over the February half term, a variety of events was organised. These were aimed at families and were free to attend. The took place at Open Arms sessions, so while they were there staff could speak to them about the project and the support they could access.

Bookings were done in advance, with the information shared through various channels. Most of the events were fully booked, with people coming to one or more of the activities. The average attendance for the large venues was 60 and 30 for the smaller ones. Over the week we welcomed 112 adults and 161 children to the events.

We saw lots of new people attend the sessions and had great feedback from them too.

By the Open Arms Community Enagement Team

After encountering one of our staff members at his local miners’ welfare club, Tom learned about the vital support services offered by our team at the Maltby Library’s Open Arms session. With plans to relocate to Maltby, Tom faced the daunting task of establishing essential healthcare services in his new community. His physical disabilities and dyslexia added an extra layer of complexity, making the process of filling out forms a daunting challenge. Upon visiting us at the Maltby Library, our team worked closely with Tom to navigate the paperwork, ensuring that he was able to complete all necessary forms accurately and efficiently. Grateful for the swift and uncomplicated support he received, Tom expressed his heartfelt appreciation for our services. With our assistance, Tom is now equipped for success in his new home and life stage in Maltby, setting an example of the positive impact community support can have on individuals in need.