text:
BOXING CLEVER How one town is fighting back for its young people
WIN! Your chance to sparkle Mary gets a helping hand from our new Residents' Fund. Find out how you can apply inside
the latest iPod shuffle the latest
iPod shuffle
Numbers you need to know
Phone our Customer Access Team from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday. It's local rate. Call us on:
0300 123 1966
07797 870 734 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or simply text us on
For all Great Places residents you can call us between 8am and 6pm weekdays on:
0300 123 1966
& press 1 for repairs
You can also use this number for out-of-hours emergencies. Or you can email us about a repair at
Office addresses
Oldham office
Blackburn office
Salford office
Barnfield House (Suite 4 and 5) Ground floor, Accrington Road Blackburn BB1 3NY Open Monday, 9.30am-5pm & Thursday 9:30am-12:30pm Appointment only at all other times.
Cheshire office
106 Longridge, Knutsford, WA16 8PD Opening hours: Monday only, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Fylde office
336 Talbot Road, Blackpool, FY1 3QU Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Great Places head office
Southern Gate, 729 Princess Road, Manchester M20 2LT Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
119 Union Street, Oldham OL1 1TE Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm 4th Floor, St James's House, Pendleton Way, Salford M6 5FW Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Sheffield office
The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield SS9 4WG Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Write to My Great Place at:
Communications Great Places Southern Gate 729 Princess Road Manchester M20 2LT
email@example.com Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/GreatPlacesHousing Tweet us @MyGreatPlace
Access for all
We've already sent a magnifying sheet to our visually impaired residents. Let us know if you need one. An audio version of My Great Place is also available. 1
BOXING CLEVER How one town is fighting back for its young people
WIN! Your chance to sparkle Mary gets a helping hand from our new Residents' Fund. Find out how you can apply inside
the latest iPod shuffle the latest
iPod shuffle
Cover stars:
Matthew and Mirsab, read more about the boxing clubs knock-out succes, p 5-7
Welcome to this summer issue of My Great Place. There's a recognisable and uplifting theme running through the magazine – it's one of community and togetherness. We hear so much about our communities disintegrating, with neighbours having no time for each other, people not getting together, and nothing for young people to do. Our cover story expels this myth with an inspiring story about a boxing club which is uniting young boys from a variety of backgrounds. Then there's the launch of our two new residents' funds on pages 12-13 which give you an opportunity to apply for money that will make a difference to your lives and the neighbourhoods in which you live, depicted perfectly by the story of Mary Costello who is fulfilling her jewellery-making dream thanks to £400 from Great Places Residents' Fund. The community thread continues on pages 14-15 with two pro-active residents' groups proving that people power can make real change and at the same time create a social support network for residents who otherwise live disparate lives. There's another reminder on page 20 of the benefit changes and the 'Bedroom Tax' which may have gone quiet in the media but certainly hasn't gone away for many of you. We hope this issue makes you feel positive, because despite all the negatives in the world, it's encouraging to know that communities are coming together and relationships are still thriving in our neighbourhoods.
What's inside?
4 My voice: your letters page. Write,
email, Facebook or Tweet us about anything and everything 8-9 News: a round-up of Great Places stories
16-18 Neighbourhood news:
keeping you up to date with what's been going on in your area 18 Elderly services news: what's been happening in our sheltered and Extra Care homes? 19 My money: hints and tips on how to make your money go further 22 Get involved: a dedicated page on how you can get involved in your community and with Great Places 23 My green place: helping you keep up with all things environmental 24 Competitions: win cash vouchers
5-7 Knockout success: How a boxing club is transforming young lives in Levenshulme
10 Another satisfied customer:
one Sheffield couple give us the thumbs up for our in-house repairs service 11 Somebody to lean on: Resident Parveen Hussain explains how our General Needs Tenancy Support Service has helped turn her life around 12-13 Diamonds are forever: Great Places launches two new funds to help residents. Find out how resident Mary Costello was able to live her passion for jewellery-making
14-15 The rise of the resident group: we chat to two resident
committees making a real difference in their communities
20 Welfare reform – three months in: an update on what it means and how we can help
Rachel Machin, Editor
21 Make the most of your website: An easy-to-use guide on how to make the most of Great Places online
Star letter
We had some great emails, letters and Facebook messages from you – thanks so much for taking the time to contact us! Here's a selection of some of your thoughts. We want to give you every opportunity to tell us your thoughts, ideas and comments. As you know there are new ways you can contact us via Facebook and Twitter as well as by letter. Whatever way you choose to contact us, we want to hear from you. Tell us about your neighbourhood or give us your thoughts on anything Great Places-related!
Star letter
Every issue one of your letters/emails/social media messages will be made Star Letter and you'll receive a £10 voucher.
Facebook: Hiya Great Places, I have set up a Facebook page. I make my own homemade cards and send them to sick kids who have life threatening/limiting illnesses and conditions as well as their siblings. I am from the Chadderton area and I was wondering if it was something you could/would like to be involved in. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Devon-Leigh
Editor: Hi Devon-Leigh. What a lovely project. We hope it's going well. Please contact the community development co-ordinator for your area – Naseem Ahmed – to see if there's any way we can support you. You can email him at firstname.lastname@example.com or call on 0161 484 3221 Facebook: I would like to thank you for a very enjoyable day at Tatton Park from myself and also my two grandsons, Frank & Corey. Barb Wilson
Hi Great Places I wanted to share with you the amount my grandson Ethan Evans (Ethan appeared in our August 2012 issue) raised for The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Cancer ward. Ethan is now in training to do a junior Triathlon for St Ann's Hospice who help so many Greater Manchester people. I am very confident he will raise around £5,000 because we have a number of charity events in the pipeline but we need many more people to come on board to help him. Regards Ed Green
Write to us at:
My Great Place Communications Great Places Housing Group Southern Gate 729 Princess Road Manchester M20 2LT
Email us: firstname.lastname@example.com
Tweet us: @mygreatplace
Facebook us at:
facebook.com/GreatPlacesHousing Facebook: Are there any plans to support tenants at risk of the bedroom tax like the housing association in Knowsley? Will you be reclassifying properties? Beth Marshall Editor: Hi Beth There is a lot we are doing to support people. We can help you access funds, find a smaller home if you need to downsize, and help you get into education and training. Visit www.greatplaces.org.uk and search for welfare reform. We're not planning to reclassify properties. However, we'll look at individual cases so if you feel there is a justification to reclassify your property, please contact our customer access team on 0300 123 1966.
Kids' Competition WIN an iPod shuffle! We had a great response to last issue's 'find Margaret Plaice' competition! Thanks for all your entries. Congratulations to Emily Murphy, 11, from Leigh who was picked out as our winner! Hope you're enjoying your new iPod. If you don't already know. Margaret Plaice, our little fishy friend who's name is inspired by this very magazine, is hiding again somewhere. Can you find her? Just email or write and let us know exactly where she is (make sure you put the page number) at the above addresses, making sure you put your address and phone number on the entry. The winning entry will get their hands on a cute little iPod, so get searching!
COMPETITION RULES To enter you
must be 16 or under and a Great Places resident Entries must be in by 14th August 2013
Knock-out success Levenshulme Boxing Club has just celebrated its first anniversary and is still creating a buzz in the community. My Great Place went to meet Tommy Dolan to find out why he'll never throw in the towel "Are you coming in lads?" chirps former boxer Tommy Dolan to a group of young Asian boys who are sitting patiently on the steps of this former derelict bowling club in Cringle Park, Levenshulme, which he's lovingly transformed into a boxing club, now with a list of young members that reads like the invitees to a United Nations summit. It won't be the last time we witness the obvious rapport Tommy has with the young people who've given this place its unique and upbeat atmosphere. It's refreshing to see, especially in a town that Great Places, working in conjunction with the Inspire project and Levenshulme Community Association, recently identified as a place that needed to create more opportunities to work with young people in the area.
This club, which is the first to be housed in a municipal park, is ticking all the right boxes according to Tommy, but it hasn't been easy getting it up and running. "It's taken me five years to get this far," he says.
quitter. With a father who boxed and defeated Randolph Turpin, considered by some to be Europe's best middleweight boxer, and two Manchester Olympic boxing legends as close friends, Tommy Proffit and
Levenshulme since the 1960s. How important does he think the club is for the town and the young people? "This place was always a bit of trouble for the local residents. Everyone used to smoke cannabis outside – it was
This place was always a bit of trouble for the local residents. Everyone used to smoke cannabis outside – it was the hang out of choice for years. That doesn't happen anymore. We've had no graffiti since we've been in.
"I've had some fantastic community support – that's one thing I can't knock. I've had the police on side, Great Places has helped raise £10k of funding, I've had High Sheriff funding, and Adactus Housing has also given money, but we need more to keep this going," he explains. It's clear to see that Tommy is no
the late Alan Tottoh, who showed their support by opening the club, he's certainly got "boxing in his blood". He delved into his own pocket to get this place off the ground and knows what he's doing when it comes to running a successful club having opened a handful in and around
the hang out of choice for years. That doesn't happen any more. We've had no graffiti since we've been in. The lads will probably be saying to their mates: 'That's my club'. "There are loads of kids interested," enthuses Tommy. "We've got a steady rate, some nights it's ten, sometimes 30. There are 38 different languages spoken in Levenshulme and that's
How else is Great Places supporting young people in Levenshulme?
reflected in here. I've been in boxing long enough to know that if you get 50 kids in, there'll only be a couple who want to box. Some are great boxers but they don't want to get in that ring. That's why we're selling this as a place to train first and foremost." And the trainers who volunteer their services keep this place alive, explains Tommy. Chris Harris, who used to box for Tommy 30 years ago, drives from Bramhall, Cheshire to give up his time, while Matthew Smith is happy to help out the younger ones. "I've been here for about a year on and off," explains Matthew. "I'm originally from Scunthorpe then I came here to find work and wanted to keep fit. I didn't know about this place until Tommy's daughter Claire told me. I try to come down a bit earlier and help these guys then I do my own thing." With lads cycling from as far as Poynton (15 miles away)
to train, its popularity is more farreaching than it first appears. With hopes to install new shower and dressing room facilities, put up new outside lights, and raise funds for more equipment, Tommy is hoping more organisations will help in his fight to keep the club open. "The reality is it will close – I can't afford to keep this open with my own money. I don't mind giving my time – no-one gets paid, we're all volunteers. I'm certainly not giving up just yet," he says defiantly. We leave the club with its motto ringing in our ears: "Quis Separabit," the motto of the Irish guards, which means "Who shall separate us"? It couldn't be more appropriate for this special club. If you would like to be a volunteer at the club please email firstname.lastname@example.com
• Levenshulme Youth Project – Great Places commissioned by the council to deliver a range of youth activities • Youth Drop-in on Tuesdays 6:30pm-8:30pm at Inspire Studios • Youth Forum – supporting young people to have a voice and to plan and deliver activities for young people • Girls' Group – working with Levenshulme High school to improve resilience and selfesteem in young women from a variety of backgrounds • Outreach – Youth workers go out to young people on a weekly basis in local parks and ASB hot spots • Inspire centre – regenerated by Great Places and holds community events • Heritage Lottery project – memories materialised – intergenerational project recreating Stockport Rd in 1963
New man, same values
Some of you may be aware that Matthew Harrison took over as chief executive of Great Places Housing Group in April this year following the retirement of Stephen Porter. Previously in his role as deputy chief executive and development director, he has been instrumental in helping Great Places create some of the best homes around for our residents to live in. Matthew said: "I am very excited about leading Great Places forward in these challenging times, and I want the business to continue to focus on providing excellent services for you, our customers." See more in Matt's message on the opposite page.
Matthew pictured (right) with Cllr Jim Battle (left) and resident from Palmerston street
Build, learn, grow partnership launches A new project set to create more than 20 apprenticeships across the North West has launched with an exciting event to engage people interested in careers in construction. Build, Learn, Grow, a partnership between Great Places Housing Group, Bolton at Home, Seddon and Southdale, will see 300 homes built in Bolton, Burnley, Salford, Bury and Wigan. The apprentices will be recruited to work on the construction of them over the next two years. Find out more by visiting www.buildlearngrow. co.uk
Sweden calling! Great Places recently welcomed students from Sweden who were visiting Manchester as part of a long established collaboration project between Manchester Metropolitan University and the Swedish region of Dalarna (in Central Sweden). The main focus of the visit was diversity, integration and regeneration and the students visited Northmoor and got the opportunity to chat to staff about our work there.
We're looking for a new chair and board members Great Places is advertising for a new chair and board members to help lead the group and oversee all its services and projects. Our current chairman, Ted Stott, plans to step down in December. He has held the post since Great Places was formed in 2006. Some of our longerserving board members will also retire. The new chair and board members will work with our chief executive, Matthew Harrison, to lead Great Places on to new success in the years to come.
Would you like to apply? Or do you know someone who you think should apply? Please email boardrecruitment@greatplaces. org.uk as soon as you can, or phone Jan McComasky on 07725 543944. Candidates need to send in their finished applications by 15 July. We are looking for people who share Great Places' values and who can show they have achieved high levels of achievement in their careers. They would need to know a lot about
business, particularly finance or products and services. As well as joining the board, there are many ways that Great Places' residents can get involved and make a difference, including joining our Tenant Services Committee. For more details turn to page 22 and visit the Get Involved page on our website by visiting www.greatplaces.org.uk and clicking on 'Where you live'.
Northern Ireland Executive minister and housing chiefs visit Northmoor to get regeneration inspiration Northern Ireland's minister for social development visited Great Places' flagship Manchester regeneration area, Northmoor, as part of a whistlestop tour of some of the region's finest regeneration programmes. Nelson McCausland and a party of high-ranking civil servants met residents and Great Places staff in the south
Manchester district, which has undergone 15 years of creative improvements with many partners including Manchester City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency. Minister McCausland said: "It was great to see such a range of different approaches to regeneration in
one place and learn about how those things all work together to really make a difference."
Improvement… works!
Great Places are spending
£8.3 million
this year on improving your homes
We've listened to what you've said so that we can make improvements to your homes more efficiently. 2013 has seen some exciting new initiatives: • We've set up the Affordable Warmth team to tackle fuel poverty and improve the energy efficiency of your homes. • Our investment contractors are now underway installing kitchens, boilers,
Matt's message I'm the new chief executive at Great Places and started my job in April. Some of you may have seen me about before as I've worked here for more than 20 years. I used to be in charge of building new homes for the organisation. Though I'm based at our head office in Manchester, I'm from Sheffield and enjoy travelling over there for work where we have nearly 2,000 homes. As for my football team, I support Sheffield Wednesday for my sins! As I get settled in to my new role, my top priority is customer service. I'll do
windows and doors. • We've based some of our investment staff in regional offices to make sure we have a local presence. We'll be on hand to help you throughout. • Mystery Shopping will start soon and residents having improvements on their homes will be contacted and asked to get involved. We'll feedback the results in the next issue of My Great Place.
Satisfaction with our investment programme is
everything I can to make sure you carry on getting a really excellent service from us. I know, in particular, that a good repairs service is really important to you, and now we're doing all our repairs inhouse we have control over this. We feel this is the best way to be sure that you feel happy and safe in wellmaintained homes and know that any problems will be sorted out quickly. We'll be spending more than £8m in this financial year on repairs and improving our homes. This is just the beginning! I hope to be doing the right thing by you, our residents, for many years to come.
Another satisfied customer
Great Places in-house repairs service now covers all of the 16,000 homes in our portfolio across the North West and South Yorkshire. Since it was launched, satisfaction has shot up from 74% to 93%.
A couple of weeks ago we had a burst pipe and it was the night before we had relatives staying from Tenerife for our son's wedding," said Mr Furness. Mrs Furness continues the story: "It was my daughter's birthday on 4 May and we were going out for a meal at lunch time so we could prepare everything My Great Place went to for the wedding on Sunday. Then all of a meet Mr and Mrs Furness in sudden the bath filled with water and it Sheffield who phoned our wouldn't go down. There was a blockage emergency repair service in the pipes." when a water pipe burst on "So I rang the emergency repairs and the eve of their son's wedding. they came in about an hour," said Mr
Furness. "By this time there was water coming down the walls and downstairs, even through the light. The plumber managed to unblock the pipe and put a new one in. The electrician came later because we couldn't use the alarm. He said he'd have to come back the following week when it was dried out to re-set the alarm, which he did as promised. "We were so happy because our relatives could have baths and showers. They responded so quickly, were so polite and just got on with the job. We couldn't be more grateful.
How we're doing Quality of service
of you are satisfied with our overall service across our general housing
Right first time
of repairs are completed at the first visit
The personal touch
of you are satisfied that your views are taken into account
of you are satisfied with our repairs and maintenance services
At your convenience
91% 96%
of repair appointments were made at a time convenient for you of these appointments were kept
You can keep up to date on how we're doing in the 'What we do' section on our website: www.greatplaces.org.uk
Somebody to lean on Everyone needs a bit of help at some point in their lives. That's why Great Places has set up a General Needs Tenancy Support Service available to residents living in the areas detailed below.
Look out for our leaflet (pictured below) with all the information you need to know about our General Needs Tenancy Support Service
My Great Place went to meet Blackburn resident Parveen Hussain, who's been using the service for the last eight months 2012 was not a good year for 28-year old Parveen Hussain. After paying for her husband to come over to the UK, he left her and the rented home they shared without a word, leaving her saddled with rent arrears and a broken heart. "I was depressed and didn't have anywhere to live," explains Parveen. "My husband used me to get a passport. He left me with the rent overdue and bills to pay. "I was living with my parents but it was overcrowded because my sister lives there. I've also got one brother who's disabled – he can't walk so needs a lot of care and attention." Parveen was given a home with Great Places in October 2012. At that time she had little understanding of the benefits system or how to live independently. She also had no furniture and needed help with the basic items needed to set up a home. Her support worker, Great Places' Danny Smith, explains: "Parveen's Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) benefit had just been cancelled as she failed to attend a medical assessment – I supported her to arrange another medical and accompanied her. This benefit was re-instated and she also received back-dated pay. With my help she also appealed the decision not to have disability living allowance and is now receiving this." "The support has helped me a lot," says Parveen. "Danny has helped me get everything for my house. He's even helped me put my curtains up and work the TV. "I'm just trying to move on. I do feel happier. At the moment I'm just taking a step at a time. That little bit of help to get you there is all you need…..I'd recommend it to anyone."
Who can use General Needs Tenancy Support Service? The service is available to anyone in Great Places general needs tenancy within the following areas: • Blackburn, Hyndburn, Pendle, Burnley, Ribble Valley • Oldham and Rochdale • Manchester, Trafford and Knutsford • Salford and Bury • The Fylde Coast
We can help you: • Manage your home and tenancy • Live independently • Develop skills such as money management • Get the right welfare and housing benefits • Get into education, training and employment • Receive the health and specialist services you need
Contact us on 0161 447 5144 or email email@example.com Alternatively you can speak to the Customer Access Team on 0300 123 1966
You can find out more about our General Needs Tenancy Support Service on our website: www.greatplaces.org.uk
Diamonds are forever Great Places has just launched two new funds which will make a real difference to your lives and the neighbourhoods in which you live.
My Great Place went to meet resident Mary Costello, whose life has been transformed thanks to money from Great Places Residents' Fund. Mary Costello never dreamed that one day she'd be using her collection of crystals in her own jewellery designs then soldering them to bring her sketches to life. But thanks to £400 from Great Places Residents' Fund she's been able to learn the skills needed to I was so pleased when I make the most found out I'd been awarded of her natural artistic flair. the money... I didn't think I'd Now Mary has get it to tell you the truth. enrolled on a course, cycles to Three years ago Mary moved into a jewellery workshop as often as she a Great Places property in Salford can, and receives training from Tim, a and it was soon apparent that she tutor specialising in jewellery design. needed a bit of extra help managing "I was so pleased when I found out I'd her finances. Life had been hard for been awarded the money," says Mary. Mary and there were many things "I didn't think I'd get it to tell you the happening in her personal life that truth. I've learnt so many new things. were affecting her confidence. I just didn't have the tools and didn't Lisa Uzudimma, neighbourhood coknow how to go about it before. ordinator at Great Places, referred "I'd be at the workshop every day if Mary to Karen Burns, one of our I could – I'm really passionate about financial support co-ordinators, to help it. If I make 15 items of jewellery Tim Mary with managing her money. It was said he'd let me go to a craft fair with clear after conversations about her him and sell it. I'm not very good at dreams and aspirations that she had a drawing so Tim has been helping me real passion for all things shiny, but she with that and his wife, who's an artist, also needed some extra support. gives me advice about different things. Andrea Brogan of our General Needs Tim's said I'm doing so well he'll give Tenancy Floating Support Service (you me a key to the place."
can read more about this on page 11) set about helping Mary raise her confidence levels so that she could complete the course. "I've always recycled stuff at home – I used to make bracelets from handbag straps and take jewellery apart to make something different from it,"
What is Great Places Residents' Fund? Great Places Residents' Fund gives you the money for projects that make a difference to your lives and the areas in which you live. The fund has three main aims: To support employment, for example: • College fees to gain a qualification • Support to set up your own business To promote health & well-being, for example: • Healthy cooking classes • Delivering football coaching during school holidays To build sustainable neighbourhoods, for example: • Youth club for teenagers • Community fun day that promotes diversity explains Mary. " Everything just comes down to money. "I would like to have a stall one day but I just can't think that far ahead. If I keep going on the way I am I could achieve it thanks to Great Places."
Who can apply? If you meet one of the following criteria: • You live in a Great Places property • Are a voluntary or community group • Are a charitable organisation
13 How much can I apply for? There is no limit to how much funding you can apply for, however you must demonstrate that your project provides value for money. You can apply to the fund again if: • It's more than two years since your last successful application • You returned the appropriate receipts or invoices for your previous funding • You completed and returned the relevant monitoring and feedback forms at the end of your last project
How to apply To apply, you need to complete a Great Places Residents' Fund application form. You can get these from a few places: • Collect from your local housing office
What is Great Places Shared Spaces Fund? The fund has two main aims: • To increase safety & security of shared spaces • To improve the appearance of shared spaces Some examples of projects that could be funded include: • New security fencing to reduce anti-social behaviour • Creation of additional parking • New raised planting beds for a communal area or garden
• At www.greatplaces.org.uk by searching for Great Places Residents' Fund • By calling 0161 925 7928 • By emailing maria.morris@ greatplaces.org.uk
Got an idea? If you have an idea for a project that either improves the appearance or increases the safety and security of a communal area, all you need to do is contact our customer access team on 0300 123 1966 or email email@example.com A member of the local housing team will then contact you to discuss your ideas. They will liaise with our property services team to work out how much the idea is likely to cost, and consult with other residents to establish their support for the idea. The local housing team and property services will then complete an application form on your behalf.
The rise of the residents' group You could be forgiven for thinking that residents trying to make a difference were few and far between with news reports of people retreating into their homes and ignoring their community, but My Great Place went to visit two groups who are making a real difference to where they live. In Karen Robb's apartment, the painting of a warm sunset shimmering over Venice's grand canal and a gondola slicing through the calm waters underneath the Rialto Bridge, leads to a conversation which reveals her great love – travelling the world. However, it's a community on the banks of a canal in Manchester that has swiftly become her other passion. "It's brilliant isn't it," beams Karen. She's referring to the £10,000 lottery funding she's helped to secure for The Bridge in Timperley. "We're going to transform our secret garden area,
planting apple trees, installing a new path, creating raised beds. We'll also have a nice seated area where you can watch the boats on the canal. "People come home and shut their door. We wanted to create an alternative communal area to bring everyone together, especially in the summer. Being right by the canal, there's ducks and swans and even a fox that pays a regular visit." Karen is secretary of COBRA,
that resolved, we've been able to get on with other things like the garden project and hopefully that will encourage more residents to join us." The committee has set up a dedicated website and a Facebook page as well as using notice boards in communal hallways which Karen classes as a "necessity" to keep their fellow residents informed of what's happening. "People ignore things, thinking it's junk mail if it comes
It's a great way to make friends while keeping the place nice. That's what being part of a community is all about!
(committee of The Bridge residents' association) a residents' group that gets things done. "We've got about eight people on the committee now, which isn't bad. We're all quite protective of the place. If anyone moves in and isn't treating it right we get very upset because they're beautiful apartments. "At first we had a lot of trouble getting the gates working, which took up a lot of our time, but since we got
through their letterbox, but if they see it on the notice board they take notice of it." Meeting just once a month, Karen believes The Bridge's residents can play a part even if they don't want to commit to being on the committee, although if you do join she points out: "We have coffee, cake, and wine sometimes in the summer. It's a great way to make friends while keeping the place nice. That's what being part of a community is all about!"
15 The smell of coffee, the chatter of conversation, people drinking tea and tucking into cake in a room with a shiny new wooden floor. No, we're not visiting the local Costa Coffee in Blackburn. This is the communal lounge of Bowland House and we've been invited to its resident committee's weekly coffee morning.
"I started the committee 12 years ago but nobody was interested," explains resident Marie Gorton. "I was asked by Great Places to get involved and at first I said "no way!". I'd never done anything like that before, but I got really into it – it was like my baby. "We'd arrange social things. It was hard going at first, like pulling teeth getting people through the door," she adds. Now Marie has stepped away from running the committee because of ill health but it's in safe hands with Joyce Simpson (who's lived at Bowland House with her husband for over 11 years) and 10 others who volunteer their time to discuss everything from heating to where they're going on their annual trip! Last year they used lottery funding to visit Llandudno and the Lake District.
I was asked by Great Places to get involved and at first I said "no way!". I'd never done anything like that before, but I got really into it – it was like my baby.
They also raise money for the group through bric a brac sales, karaoke nights and line dancing, and are hoping to organise an afternoon tea in the very near future. So does having a residents' group like this achieve anything other than provide a social life? "When we've put things forward they're generally done," says member
Alfie. "We've had this new floor in for 18 months. It used to look like an old people's home in here but we got the chairs off the internet then had them recovered. We'd like to sort out the car park, maybe even get funding for a vegetable garden, and we'd also like the store room to be converted. Our main aim is to make new people feel welcome and let them know if they have a problem to come and see us." The committee is active in applying for all sorts of funding and along with its respected caretaker Michael Brennan, who Marie says "goes above and beyond his role to help," they have achieved more than most. As Alfie succinctly puts it: "You don't see a lot of people here normally. We're basically a community under one roof and we want the people living here to be part of it."
Are you part of a residents' group that's doing amazing things? Let us know by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com
Blackpool and Fylde
Neighbourhood news Not hampered
Interpreting matters
Ten residents from Preston have recently gained a National Open College qualification in Introduction to Advanced Community/ Interpreting Skills at Level 2/3. They were presented with their certificates at the Salvation Army Building in Preston by Deputy Mayor Veronica Afrin, who is a resident of Great Places. The course was run in partnership with the Worker's Education Association at the YMCA Samuel Street Preston and lasted 12 weeks.
Fruit on the go
David Bramwell of Porter Street was the lucky winner of a food hamper in a prize draw made at a Welfare Benefits Event in Preston. The event, attended by agencies such as Help Direct, CAB and Age Concern, was hosted by Great Places at All Saints Church, Elizabeth Street Preston on Thursday 14 March.
Flower power
Aldingham Walk, Morecambe is all flowered up thanks to our partners Sodexo, who braved the pouring rain to transform two flower beds for residents. They helped to choose plants which would bring colour, be hardy and give plenty of ground coverage. Thanks to everyone involved!
Great Places' Bolton Neighbourhood Management Team swapped their office for a mobile fruit van to deliver five-aday bags of fruit to residents as part of its health and well-being themed Local Area Forum (LAF). Working in partnership with Bolton's Public Health Department, they visited 31 elderly residents and
Fun day thirteen
Residents are gearing up for the annual family fun day in Knutsford. It's organised by Community Spirit, the residents' and partners' group for Knutsford Over Ward, and supported by Great Places Housing Group, led by two of its residents Pat McAndrew and Kane Gunter. The event, in its thirteenth year, is a well-attended event and will benefit
the Get Active Team also provided advice on exercises for them to do at home. Representatives from the local Farnworth Ucan Centre were also present to inform relatives of carers sessions held at the centre. As a result of this LAF with a difference, the FAB van will now be visiting these schemes on a regular basis!
300 plus residents. On the day there will be free children's fairground rides, local acts, workshops (from gardening to dance), various community stalls, sports and activities for young people and a number of different taster sessions throughout the day. Be there on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-4pm at St. John's Community School playground, Longridge, Knutsford.
Levenshulme residents launch 1960s history website Levenshulme residents have cast their minds back to the swinging sixties to develop a website about life in the area. The website is packed full of memories, photographs, audio and a walk through of Stockport Road, to showcase what the neighbourhood was like in the 1960s. The project has been funded
thanks to Great Places Housing Group securing a cash injection from the Heritage Lottery Fund. For more information, visit www. memoriesmaterialised.com, or contact community development co-ordinator Sarah Riley on 0161 447 5120, email firstname.lastname@example.com
Neighbourhood news
Northmoor residents come together to celebrate landmark building's centenary Residents of all ages came together in Northmoor, Longsight to celebrate the centenary of its beloved Cooperative building. The event, organised by Great Places and the community centre team, saw local residents watch Pauline Lindsey, who has been the proprietor of Pauline's Hairdressers in Northmoor for 47 years, unveil a special plaque to mark the day. Since its opening in April 1913, the building has been a community hub for generations and has had many guises including a dance hall, printers, and more recently, since Great Places bought the building, home of Northmoor
Community Centre, a hive for local business with 20 apartments. There are always activities going on at Northmoor Community Centre. If you're interested in getting involved, or have any ideas, please contact the team on 0161 248 6823.
Tea dance
Ballroom, line and country dancing were on the agenda at a tea dance held at the Communication Academy in Harpurhey with support from the school and the North Manchester healthy living network. Afternoon tea was provided and a professional dance instructor put staff and residents through their paces. "It was a really fun way to exercise! Everyone had such a great time," said Sarah Riley, community development co-ordinator.
Werneth work club
Great Places is bringing together expertise to help young people get into jobs through a work club held weekly at Werneth & Freehold Community Development Project. Our Great Opportunities team, in partnership with Oldham Work Club Network, help people with job searches, putting together CVs, which for many is their first time, and also give them a hand logging onto job websites. When relevant job opportunities become available the attendees are emailed with the details. Great Places Work Club co-ordinator Azmat Khan said: "Many of the people we've helped are now in a position to apply for jobs without our assistance and several have already had jobs interviews. The Work Club runs every Tuesday 10am until 12pm at Werneth & Freehold Community Development Project, Tamworth Street, Werneth, Oldham.
Westwood welcome
Over 200 residents, some from Westwood, came out to welcome their new neighbours at a recent community event on Dew Way,
Coldhurst organised by the Oldham PFI project team and Great Places housing management team in Oldham. The Millennium Centre played host to the event, which saw community members come together, along with local agencies such as Aksa Housing and Westwood & Coldhurst's Women's Association, councillors and the PFI team. There were plenty of activities for everyone to get involved with, including football skills sessions with Oldham Athletic mascot Chaddy the
Owl, table tennis coaching and a dance session with Funky Fitness. For those who wanted to relax and be pampered, there were sessions in flower arranging, craft-making, cakedecorating, smoothie-making, as well as Indian head massages, hairstyling and nail painting courtesy of students and staff from Oldham College. There was also face-painting and henna hand art from the Westwood and Coldhurst Women's Association. The event went a long way to creating a real sense of community spirit for all the residents of Dew Way.
Neighbourhood news Great Places Great Girls' Group
The corner house
Great Places, through its Residents' Fund (read more about this on pages 12 and 13), has helped to set up the 'Great Girls' Group' run by resident volunteer Asia Riasat from Good
Residents of Wybourn will soon have a new community-run meeting place at 333 Manor Oaks Road. 'The corner house' is being developed with the support of local organisation
A further update on dog fouling Following resident Robin Ogle's letter regarding dog fouling in Richmond Park in the spring issue of My Great Place, we have since learnt that the Highways Maintenance Division will not authorise dog fouling signs on the highway.
Shepherd Close. Providing activities including cooking, rock climbing, arts & crafts and photography, it is hoped the group will empower, motivate and build confidence in young girls. Great Places' Naseem Ahmad said:
"This is a really exciting project which will not only help young women develop their life skills, but is a positive example of community cohesion." The group meets every Sunday from 11pm-1pm at Wardleworth Community Centre, Rochdale.
Wybourn's Golden Oldies Group and Dawn Dale from Manor & Castle Development Trust. It will be a centre for events, activities and initiatives and everything happening in Wybourn you'll find on
the community notice board. Get your message on there if you've got an activity you want to promote. You could also become part of a steering group to support the running of the corner house.
Do you want somewhere to be green-fingered?
If you're interested in growing your own fruit and vegetables on an allotment, or your community group or school want to be involved in a community gardening project, please contact Philip Walker on 0300 123 1966. There are eight allotment plots (3m x 9m = 27m2) available. A standing charge for plots will be £30 per annum, with a small water
usage charged at £1.25 per cubic metre (2013/14 rate). The total cost for each plot, which includes a minor maintenance charge, is £3.28 per month or £39.40pa.
Elderly services news Lottery joy
A helping hand There's a new kid on the block at Openshaw Court, literally! Connor Goodwin (pictured right) has become part of the furniture at this elderly scheme in Manchester supporting scheme manager Ann Birkett with a variety of jobs. Connor uses his time productively, tidying the notice board and stationary cupboard, and delivering tenant newsletters with the help of his grandma who lives at the scheme. Ann is thrilled with his contribution. "He is a very pleasant
High tea at Elk view
young man who enjoys helping out," she says. Connor said, "Helping residents makes me happy! It's a great opportunity to work with Ann and learn things that she does. Considering I want the same job, it's an amazing experience and I'm honoured to work with such a fantastic person!"
Elk View Court, one of Great Places Extra Care schemes for older people in Blackpool, opened its doors to the community, inviting them for a spot of high tea recently. Local residents got the opportunity to look around and were very impressed with what they saw. The scheme even gained
Residents at our Extra Care scheme in Blackpool are feeling "digitally dotty" thanks to some lottery funding which has given them the opportunity to attend computer courses. Blackpool Council also supported the residents by match-funding the amount they received.
On the picture from left to right – Christine Stevenson, Sue Green, Margaret Henry and Brian Tully. At the back – Mabel Hitchell and tutor Alan Wood.
new volunteers to work in the café and help with craft events. Lois Brownsword, scheme manager, said: "The council-owned community centre will soon be closing down so our guests were pleased to find out that they can join in with the events which are run here at Elk View."
my money The benefits of paying by Direct Debit
Great Places currently has 3,182 residents who pay by Direct Debit but we want it to be many more. Peace of mind Paying your bills by Direct Debit means knowing your bills are being paid automatically. Paying your rent by Direct Debit means you are less likely to fall into arrears. Convenience Paying by Direct Debit means you don't have to leave your house to pay your bills, which saves time and cuts down on transport costs.
Paying your rent
We know since the government brought changes in to the benefits system some of you are struggling to pay your rent (see our update on benefit changes on page 20).
Quick and easy Great Places can now set up Direct Debits over the phone, so no need for you to fill in any forms, our staff will do the work for you. Security Direct Debit is widely known as the most secure form of payment and instances of fraud are virtually unheard of. Save money You can save money on your gas and electric, home phone and broadband just by paying by Direct Debit. Also, mobile phone contracts paid by Direct Debit are cheaper than pay as you go.
Last year we were forced to evict 54 tenants due to non-payment of rent. We don't take decisions to evict lightly and always offer support to help tenants pay before making this decision. However, if tenants don't keep up with rent payment, keep to the terms of a court order, or seek support, we have no choice. If you find yourself in financial difficulty, we are here to help. Last year, we saved over £1m for tenants in backdated benefits/appeals etc. Our financial inclusion team can also help you to get
Flexibility Did you know you can set up weekly, fortnightly or monthly Direct Debits? We can set up payments to fit in with how, and when, you get paid. Control Great Places will never increase your Direct Debit payment without letting you know how much we will take and when we will take it. the best deals on your gas/electric . We offer various payment methods to help you to pay easily and on time. These include: • Direct Debit • Over the phone • By Text • Online • Payment outlet Visit www.greatplaces.org.uk and go to My Homepage, Pay my rent for more details.
Credit unions: the lowdown and why they're a great alternative to banks
Credit unions are a fastgrowing alternative to banks, building societies and doorstep/payday lenders. They're a form of co-operative, "run by the members, for the members" and offer a range of savings accounts, current accounts and loans to their members. Great Places has teamed up with Manchester Credit Union (MCU). So if you do not have a credit union in your area you can still join MCU because you're a Great Places resident. Credit unions offer a range of banking, savings and loan services to their customers. Savings rates can be competitive, but as always you're best to shop around (and compare to banks and building societies as well to make sure you're getting the best deal). In terms of personal loans, credit unions can be a cheaper option and far better than payday loans. While a credit union loan may not be able to promise the speed and convenience that some payday lenders can, they more than make up for it in fairness of interest rate. Visit www.greatplaces.org.uk, go to the My homepage section. See Money advice, then Loans/credit for more information on how to find your nearest credit union.
Great Places Essential Living Fund (ELF)
Great Places is working with Manchester Credit Union to promote affordable loans to all of our residents. You can borrow up to £300 for essential furniture or white goods, with Great Places providing one third of the loan as a grant – that's money straight in your pocket! You'll need to provide ID and evidence you can afford the loan. How to apply: Contact your local Great Places neighbourhood officer Call our Customer Access Team on 0300 123 1966
Welfare reform – three months in Changes to the benefit system have already kicked in. How are you coping? Do you know what the Bedroom Tax means yet? My Great Place gives you the lowdown We've talked a lot in My Great Place about what everyone's calling the 'Bedroom Tax' – and now it's becoming a reality for many people. Don't get confused – it's not a tax, it's in fact a cut to your housing benefit and means you'll need to find more money each week to pay your rent. If you get housing benefit, and have spare bedrooms, you will have your housing benefit reduced by 14% for one bedroom and 25% for two or more bedrooms, though pensioners aren't affected. In general you must be claiming Child Benefit to be entitled to a room for children. If you have an overnight carer, who does not normally live with you, then you are entitled to a room for them. If this affects you, talk to Great Places about your options. We could help you manage your money to cover the extra costs, or look at whether you could move to somewhere smaller, if you want to.
Discretionary Housing Payment Did you know you might be able to get a Discretionary Housing Payment from your local council to help bridge the gap? Great Places has already helped almost 100 tenants to apply and many have been successful. You can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment if you can prove you really need that extra bedroom, for example if your home has been adapted in some way, because a member of your family has a disability. You could also be eligible if you're struggling on a very low income, though you might need to be able to prove you're looking for jobs or training to improve the situation. How much you get will vary, and you're unlikely to get it for more than a year, but it can ease the squeeze in the short term.
FOR INFORMATION & ADVICE CONTACT OUR CUSTOMER ACCESS TEAM 0300 123 1966 (option 3)
You can contact Great Places about any of this. Please don't suffer in silence. We'll do all we can to help. Call 0300 123 1966.
Make the most of our new website Last issue we told you about the launch of our brand new website, designed around you. Hundreds of you have now registered your accounts online. But if you haven't done it already, this article will guide you through the registration process and show you some of the benefits of managing your account online. It's simple to register online, when you go to our website (www.greatplaces.org.uk) you'll see a blue box on the left of the page. Click the word 'register' and you'll be taken to the register form. It won't take long, you just need to enter some basic information about yourself, you'll need to have an email address and your tenancy reference number (you can find this on your rent statements). Then choose a password, you will need this to log back in to your account, so be sure to make a note of it! Tick the accept box and hit register, it's that easy. Once your account is active, you can log in from any page on our website (the link is on the top right of each page) using your email address and password. When you have logged in you can check on your account balance, pay your rent, report a repair and find news for your area. You can also find the contact details for your local Great Places staff. You can also register and login using a smartphone. It works in just the same way and means you can check your account on the go!
Register in 3 easy steps Step 1 Click 'register' in the box on our homepage, this will take you to the registration page. Step 2 Fill out the form. There's not much to fill in, just some basic info, your email address and your tenancy reference number. When you've filled in all the information, click the register button. Step 3 Then just wait for your account to be activated. Once it has you can log in to the website. Click the log in link at the top of the page and enter the email address and password you used when registering. Once you're logged in, you'll be able to access the My Homepage section. Here you can view your rent statments, make payments, report repairs and much, much more!
Get involved
Thank you, instant mystery shoppers Thank you to customers who volunteered to be instant mystery shoppers when they reported repairs to Great Places recently. They gave feedback on what happened, and how we could do better. As a result, van stocks have been looked at to increase the number of repairs which can be fixed at the first visit. We've also arranged more customer service training for staff. Mystery shoppers help to improve services for everyone. Want to give it a go? Contact Tracy Gregory on 0161 925 7918 or email email@example.com
Become a green warden
Great Places' green wardens scheme is a new way for residents to make sure they're getting value for the gardening service they pay for. Green wardens are asked to rate standards once a month. Questions include things like whether the lawn and hedges are neat and tidy. It's so easy, you can do it by looking out of your window! We look into any issues the green wardens report, and let you know what happens as a result. If gardeners look after the communal areas where you live, and you'd like to get involved, contact Cathy on 0161 925 7930 or email email@example.com
Meet our graduates
Tenants in Oldham took part in four days of training with Great Places and learned all sorts about social housing, equality and diversity and getting the most out of meetings. They celebrated their success with a graduation lunch. The training was arranged through
the Great Places training academy, launched last year. We plan to relaunch the academy later in the year with fresh courses for tenants. Are you interested in getting involved? Contact Pauline Heron on 0161 925 7938 or email pauline. email@example.com
Local Area Forums Knutsford
15 July – 5pm - 7pm Falcon Bearer Pub, Longridge Meet your neighbourhood team over fish & chips and a round of bingo
– a chance to have your say
Oldham & Rochdale
17 July – 5.30pm - 7:30pm Honeywell Centre, Ashton Road, Oldham
Blackburn 16 July – 2pm - 4pm Mill Hill Community Centre, New Chapel Street, BB2 4DT Help with transport or public transport costs can be arranged.
Contact Alex Barker on 0161 447 5117 for more info
Contact Naseem Ahmad on 0161 484 3221 for more info
Contact Louise Ramsay on 07767 644 352 for more info
18 July – 12noon - 2pm Elk View, Ashfield Road, Bispham, Blackpool
24 July – 6pm - 8:30pm The Quadrant 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WG
18 July – 2pm - 4pm MERCI - Mill 5, 22a Beswick Street, Manchester, M4 7HR
Contact Gill Fernandez on 01253 750 842 for more info
Contact Philip Walker on 0114 284 2061 for more info
Contact Sarah Riley on 0161 447 5120 for more info
green place
We've taken home the prestigious Energy Efficiency award at this year's Housing Excellence Awards, beating off strong competition in the process. Award judges were impressed by the fantastic things Great Places does to be green, including its commitment to creating sustainable communities by improving the social, environmental and economic welfare of residents and developing energy-efficient homes, as well as educating residents to become part of the green revolution.
Secret garden transformation Our very own Ground Force team of Great Places staff and resident Stuart Nevin have secretly transformed the garden of Morecambe resident, Mrs Madden. The garden, which had lately become a dumping ground for passers-by, was converted while Mrs Madden was in hospital.
Green team up for the challenge
Carbon Literacy training We're the first housing association to receive training sessions on carbon literacy! Manchester City Council wants all its residents and businesses to think carefully about the energy they use, as part of its climate change action plan. The council has pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 41% by 2020 and create a low carbon culture. That sounds like a great plan to us!
Our innovative floating home won us the honour of a place as a finalist in the 2013 Climate Week Challenge. Designed to float on water, with a built-in solar tracking system, we came up with the concept house to minimise the impact of extreme weather conditions such as flooding and overheating caused by climate change. The Climate Week Challenge is Britain's biggest environmental competition, developing creativity, innovation and enterprise, tackling real-life environmental issues.
Go green
Our 'go green' scheme has launched! Its aim is to raise your awareness of energy in the home, saving you hundreds of pounds on gas and electricity bills while reducing carbon emissions. Residents in sheltered flats at Ramsden Fold, Salford were the first to benefit from a range of advice which included how to use their heating controls more effectively and how, by using TV Power Down, they could still record their favourite programmes overnight without leaving the TV and digital box on standby. For more details contact Lisa Mcauley on 0161 447 5093 or email email@example.com
Mrs Madden said: "I would like to thank Great Places so much for the work on my garden. It's a shame that people drop litter in it but hopefully this will now stop with the new layout and improvements. "I'm very pleased with the work and I am looking forward to enjoying the garden when I return home."
How does your garden grow? Great Places is launching a concessionary garden service for residents who are no longer able to maintain their gardens. The service is free but there are some criteria you have to meet, and limited places. You must: • have a physical or established mental health problem which makes you unable to maintain your garden or • be vulnerable
• have no-one living in the household who is able to carry out the work required If you're interested in this service and think you qualify, please contact our Customer Access Team on 0300 123 1966.
Word Search!
V Competitions Name:
Find and circle each of the words from the list below. Words may appe horizontally, vertically or diagonally, but forwards only.
You could win £25 in vouchers!
WORDSEARCH Congratulations to last issue's winners:
Have a go at this boxing themed one! Gloves Ring Southpaw Hook Champion
Rocky Bruno Lennox Hatton Froch
Nicola Cruise, Blackburn Mrs Brophy, Salford and Julie Atkinson, Preston
Words to find are:
Just circle the FIVE differences on picture number two, cut it out, pop in an envelope and send it in! You could be one of three lucky people to win £10 worth of vouchers.
Don't forget to include your Congratulations to last issue's winners: name, telephone number and Amy Louise Eastwood, Morecambe address. The three winners Brenda Sebborn, Manchester southpaw lennox froch hook champion bruno will be drawn out of a hat so hatton andgloves Yusufring Darsot, Preston get your entries in by 14th August 2013.
Copyright ©2013 WorksheetWorks.com
Send your entries by post to: FREEPOST, RLSC-HLLJ-EZRZ, My Great Place, Great Places Housing Group, Southern Gate, 729 Princess Road, Manchester M20 2LT.
All entries must be in by 14th August 2013
Remember you don't need a stamp!
Published on Jun 24, 2013
Latest issue of Great Places Housing residents' magazine


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While plenty of high-yield opportunities exist, investors must always consider the safety of their dividend and the total return potential of their investment. It is not uncommon for a struggling company to suspend high-yielding dividends which could subsequently result in precipitous share price declines.
TheStreet Ratings' stock rating model views dividends favorably, but not so much that other factors are disregarded. Our model gauges the relationship between risk and reward in several ways, including: the pricing drawdown as compared to potential profit volatility, i.e. how much one is willing to risk in order to earn profits?; the level of acceptable volatility for highly performing stocks; the current valuation as compared to projected earnings growth; and the financial strength of the underlying company as compared to its stock's valuation as compared to its stock's performance.
These and many more derived observations are then combined, ranked, weighted, and scenario-tested to create a more complete analysis. The result is a systematic and disciplined method of selecting stocks. As always, stock ratings should not be treated as gospel — rather, use them as a starting point for your own research.
The following pages contain our analysis of 3 stocks with substantial yields, that ultimately, we have rated "Sell." Icahn Dividend Yield: 11.40% Icahn (NASDAQ: IEP) shares currently have a dividend yield of 11.40%. Icahn Enterprises L.P., through its subsidiaries, operates in investment, automotive, energy, metals, railcar, gaming, food packaging, real estate, and home fashion businesses in the United States, Germany, and Internationally. Its Investment segment operates various private investment funds. The average volume for Icahn has been 116,700 shares per day over the past 30 days. Icahn has a market cap of $6.8 billion and is part of the conglomerates industry. Shares are down 14.2% year-to-date as of the close of trading on Friday. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: See inside Jim Cramer's multi-million dollar charitable trust portfolio to see the stocks he thinks could be potential winners. Click here to see his holdings for 14-days FREE. TheStreet Ratings rates Icahn as a sell. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its deteriorating net income, generally high debt management risk, disappointing return on equity, poor profit margins and generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself. Highlights from the ratings report include:
- The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Industrial Conglomerates industry average. The net income has decreased by 23.7% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, dropping from -$355.00 million to -$439.00 million.
- The debt-to-equity ratio is very high at 2.60 and currently higher than the industry average, implying increased risk associated with the management of debt levels within the company.
- Return on equity has greatly decreased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of major weakness within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Industrial Conglomerates industry and the overall market, ICAHN ENTERPRISES LP's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
- The gross profit margin for ICAHN ENTERPRISES LP is currently extremely low, coming in at 0.00%. It has decreased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of -13.82% is significantly below that of the industry average.
- Looking at the price performance of IEP's shares over the past 12 months, there is not much good news to report: the stock is down 45.52%, and it has underformed the S&P 500 Index. In addition, the company's earnings per share are lower today than the year-earlier quarter. Turning toward the future, the fact that the stock has come down in price over the past year should not necessarily be interpreted as a negative; it could be one of the factors that may help make the stock attractive down the road. Right now, however, we believe that it is too soon to buy.
- You can view the full Icahn Ratings Report.


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Pineapple, Cinnamon and Oats Smoothie to Strengthen Tendons and Ligaments in Knee
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Leg night cramps or nocturnal cramps are pain in sleep hours. This wakes people up and happens after inactivity. It is common in calf,...Read more »
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In case you want to know what health issues you have, look at your nails. The eyes are the window of the soul it...Read more »
Learn The Best Natural Treatments To Remove Dark Circles and Bags Under The Eyes. Super Express Remedies!
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Holding Your Hand In This Position Does Something Incredible For Your Body – Here's How
If we consider the world we live in there is no wonder that we suffer from pains and aches in our mind and body....Read more »


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found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
I am already neutered, up to date with shots, good with kids, and good with dogs.
Dallas, a Branson English Bulldog/Beagle dog was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a English Bulldog/Beagle for sale in Branson, or seeking a English Bulldog/Beagle dog from a breeder in Branson.


text:
Friday, April 26, 2013
Canal Season again!
40 comments:
Sophie, you live in the perfect place for a Doodle--lots of water.ReplyDelete
XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & RoxyReplies
One way of getting my bath!!!!!!Delete
Clean and shiny!!!
Smellin' oh so good!
Glad you found some sunshine, Soph!ReplyDeleteReplies
Always on the search for Mr. Sunshine!Delete
Your Dad's take you to the best places, Sophie!!ReplyDeleteReplies
All I have to do is ask or give them the eye and they know exactly what it means.Delete
Who's teaching who around here anyway!!
That canal looks such a great place to swim safely, with your favourite Dads tagging along. Spring has sprung in your place for sure. Cheers to all from Jean.ReplyDeleteReplies
The canal is the best place for a walk. Hardly anyone uses it and the water is clean/clear and refreshing. Sophie can slip in easily and get some exercise while we walk along being camera nuts.Delete
Spring has sprung at the canal because everything is earlier there than where we live, by about 2 weeks!
Hi Sophie- I love to see you swim, but doesn't you get cold?ReplyDelete
Not yet! Tweedles my sweet!Delete
I don't feel the cold maybe because I'm always on the move and I don't have time to feel it!
Nothing like a refreshing dip, eh Sophie?ReplyDeleteReplies
It's the best, Debra!Delete
Give me water ~~~ fresh or salt and I'll be in there doing my dog paddle!
Sophie Doodle
I love to see you swimming Sophie.ReplyDelete
The canal looks the perfect place to swim and rescue Mr O.!Replies
I put my eye on Mr. O ~~~ then turn and look at Jim or Ron for the 'go ahead' and I'm off!Delete
I do this every time!
We loved watching you swim after Mr Orangie, Sophie!ReplyDelete
Love ya lots,
Mitch and MollyReplies
I do enjoy myself M & M ~~~ next time I'll swim in the brook nearby!!Delete
You did a great job of saving, Mr. Orangie. Such a brave girl! Had it been me, he would have had to fend for himself 'cause there's no way I'd get into that cold water! LOL...ReplyDeleteReplies
I hear you Marfa!Delete
The guys don't want to gt wet either ~~~ are they part chicken or something?
Not sayin' "you might be" LOL
Not so much Sophie - more Michael Phelps! Glad that you found the elusive sunshine.ReplyDeleteReplies
Yes Michael Phelps and I would be swimming lengths here if he would only show up. Did I tell you Ron was on the swim team at university. He's so quiet about it. He is like a fish! He also taught Jim to swim correctly and more efficiently!!Delete
Now if he would just improve my dog paddle!
Sophie 'swim team material' Doodle, Here!
Hi Ron! I'm not quite sure how all this works, but I have given you a Liebster Award on my blog! LouiseReplyDeleteReplies
Mucho, many, a whole lot, bunches of thank yous, Myrtle, I mean Louise! I will know go over and see what you have divulged to the world.Delete
Hey Sophie that swim looks so refreshing!ReplyDeleteReplies
Yes Jen ~~~ I bet you like swimming at your beach right about now!!Delete
Wow you are a brave one....it must be still Cold???ReplyDelete
Tyras pups are growing fast.Replies
This is so exciting! All those puppies. Tyra must be tired!Delete
The weather here is sunny/cloudy/cool/refreshing ~~~ a little bit of everything.
Still waiting for lots of warmth!!
I didn't know you used your tail that much when you swim. And how fast you are! I loved to watch you swim in the video.ReplyDeleteReplies
It's (my tail) is my rudder ~~~ isn't it amazing to watch ~~~ flipping the tail making spreading wheels of water ~~~ I love to use my tail all the time!!Delete
Next video coming soon will be more floral oriented!
Working on it now!
Sophie and Ron
oh look at her go!ReplyDeleteReplies
I'm smooth as a whip and just as fast!!Delete
You're a great swimmer, Sophie! Thank your owner for commenting on my post! I look forward to following your future adventures!ReplyDeleteReplies
Hi HO Paul!Delete
So happy to see you over here in my Doodle World! You'll catch me either swimming or sniffing ~~~ big surprise, eh!!!
Sophie 'all wet again' Doodle here!
I know that water's still cold. That's one brave dog!ReplyDeleteReplies
It's all relative I guess ~~~ I touched the bloody H2O and I said OK Sophie it's ALL yours!!Delete
Hello Sophie. I popped in from Paul's blog and glad I did. You are a fabulous swimmer. It took me back to when my old dogs used to swim. Whatever the weather, they loved to get in the water.ReplyDeleteReplies
Hi Valerie!Delete
Thanks for popping over to my Doodle World and I sure hope I can bring back the most exciting times and relaxing times you had with your doggies.
Licks ~~~ Sophie
Swimming AND fetching. Wow! You had a PERFECT day!! We're just trying to get caught up on our bloggy pals before the next Phase of the Painting Project begins on Tuesday!ReplyDelete
Your Pals,
Murphy & StanleyReplies
Double Your Pleasure!Delete
DOuble yOuR Fun!!
Wit swimming
and fetching
All rolled into 0ne!!
You're a champ, Sophie!ReplyDeleteReplies
I try ~~~ and that's all that can be expected!!Delete


text: After months of strategic planning, and a little added luck, the first Incline Incubator workshop took place this past Saturday the 16th of January. Focusing on preparation, Joe Carter & Ed Carl lead the conversation and the focus of what is your businesses "Sweet Spot" along with covering an overall focus for remaining workshop's. We want to first thank our fantastic participants who joined us to both better community by fostering a stronger business community in Price Hill. We look forward to continuing the journey with this fantastic group of businesses and idea generators. As well, don't hesitate to contact us if you'd like to get involved through volunteering opportunities or participating in a workshop.


text:
Review: The Art of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Leah GalloWednesday, September 21, 2016Cupcake Queen
by Leah Gallo
Publisher: Quirk Books
Purchase: [Amazon] [Chapters/Indigo]
Tim Burton's adaptation of the Ransom Riggs novel Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is one of the most anticipated films of the year—and this lavishly illustrated companion offers a thrilling behind-the-scenes look. Written and designed by two of Burton's longtime collaborators, this book chronicles every step in the making of the film—from script development and casting to concept art, set design, costumes, visual effects, and much more. Filled with exclusive interviews, on-set photography, and special introductions by Tim Burton and Ransom Riggs, this deluxe hardcover volume is a terrific gift for peculiars of all ages!
The Art of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Leah Gallo is the perfect must-have for fans of Ransom Riggs' phenomenal debut series! A stunning visual title, in a gorgeously packaged hardcover, the title gives readers an in-depth behind the scenes look at the filming of the highly anticipated Tim Burton title, interviews with the cast, concept art, set designs, costumes, and more. Being an all-time fan of the series from the day the first title was first distributed to book bloggers, I was obviously not only eager to watch the highly anticipated film but to also have an early sneak peek of what was to come. I'd also easily pictured the title turning into a big screen phenomena, but additionally (and surprisingly) pictured that only Tim Burton would be capable of bringing this well-written cast of characters and world to life. Going through The Art of Miss Peregrine's not only solidified my earlier opinion on the matter, but the sneak peek at the costumes, the characters, and their interactions with each other has built me up irrevocably with suspense on the film. I positively can't wait for September 30th!
Perfect for movie goers and fans of Ransom Riggs' stunning debut series, The Art of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Leah Gallo is an absolute collector must-have!
5 / 5 Cupcakes
Perfect for movie goers and fans of Ransom Riggs' stunning debut series, The Art of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Leah Gallo is an absolute collector must-have!
5 / 5 Cupcakes
This title was provided to the blogger by the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. No payment was received/accept in exchange for this review/post. The blogger requests that this review not be reposted or edited with the blogger's permission. The thoughts and words expressed in this review/post are explicitly the blogger's.
6 comments
- Gemma J21 September 2016 at 10:24
Excellent post about the art book. I'm fascinated by the story and can't wait to learn more.ReplyDelete
- Jackie Noles21 September 2016 at 10:28
I'm positively excited for the upcoming film! I hadn't know that this compilation book had been available until your review. Not much advertisement, huh? Thank you as always for sharing upcoming books!ReplyDelete
- Jessica Lee25 September 2016 at 12:38
I'm just as excited as you are for this!ReplyDelete
- Natalie Rebel25 September 2016 at 12:39
I spotted the art book the other day but didn't catch that it was part of the upcoming film. Will most def pick it up!ReplyDelete
I want to read the books now!!! This looks so cool!ReplyDelete


text:
Here are my hard-and-fast rules on how to get your home studio treated as quickly as possible:
Kill Room Modes Using Bass Traps
Room modes are pockets of sound that accumulate mainly in corners (as well as other areas) as sound travels throughout a room and are most often made up of low-frequency material, which exists in instruments such as bass, rumbles, kicks, toms, etc.
The reason you want to reduce room modes in particular is that the accumulation of those room modes decay at a slower rate than what is produced by your monitoring system.
This will result in partial phase cancellation and create a sort of "muddiness" that can make it exceedingly difficult to understand what exactly is happening with your low end.
Make Your Bass Problems Disappear
When I first put up my bass traps, every single problem that I had with bass had simply disappeared and I didn't have to perform quite as many soundchecks in my car by burning my bounced files onto countless CDs.
So if you're wondering how you should treat your room; just go get yourself a bunch of bass traps and treat the corners of your room first!
Do-It-Yourself Bass Traps
In regard to cost, you're going to end up spending a fair bit if you're looking to get acoustic bass traps, but there are DIY options that you can consider if you're willing to put in the time to acquire all the necessary materials and know a little about carpentry.
As building bass traps is something that I don't have much experience with, I'll refer to you to a couple of awesome guides that I found, each of which you can read and download as .pdf files for your own convenience by clicking here and here.
Additionally, here's another great article about bass traps by Ethan Winer that contains quite a bit of detailed information about the different types of materials that you can use to build great bass traps and how they should be applied for the best results possible.
Buying Bass Traps
Of course, if you'd rather not put in all that work or simply don't have the time to build your own bass traps, then my best advice would be to simply save your money and look for bass trap kits on Amazon.
In regards to size and dimension, the bare minimum size that you'll want for a bass trap (for an average-sized apartment) is 12x12x17, which is fairly standard.
Acoustic Treatment 101
After the room modes have all been taken care of, the next order of business will be toning down all those annoying flutter echoes that occur from reflections off your front, side, and back walls.
If you're not sure just how bad it really is, try clapping your hands once really hard and listen to the "ring out" that is produced afterwards.
The best way to treat those is by purchasing acoustic panels (like this one) and lining them up around your room. However, as I'm sure you have noticed, those panels aren't cheap. But don't worry, if you are willing to learn, you can build your own.
For all of you DIY types, here's a guide that will help you build great homemade acoustic panels!
A Final Note About Treatment
Many of you may be thinking that the primary purpose of acoustic treatment is to kill as many reflections as possible.
The actual goal is to reduce reflections so that they don't interfere with the direct sound. Leaving you with only sound coming from your monitors and not the rest of your room.
For more detailed information on acoustic treatment, check out Paul White's article on the subject: here.


text:
We have a commitment to improving access for everyone at our events.
We recognise the Companion Card at all events, capacity allowing.
All our events are wheelchair accessible.
We'll make reasonable efforts to meet your specific requirements within available resources. If you have any access questions, concerns or suggestions, we want to hear from you.
Email email@example.com or call 08 8394 2505. To reach us via the National Relay Service, call 133 677 then 08 8394 2505, or visit relayservice.gov.au.
Keep checking back for updates on how you can access ADL Film Fest.


text:
2011 has been a year of great change here at From the Front Row. There have been lots of new developments, a new design, and a new focus on current DVD and blu-ray releases, especially of classic films. So I've decided to try something else a little different around here. I've always been an avid fan of film scores, and have amassed several hundred in my collection over the years, and have decided to review the occasional soundtrack here at From the Front Row from here on out.
For the first in this new series of reviews, I have chosen Alberto Iglesias' score to Pedro Almodovar's The Skin I Live In. A longtime collaborator of Almodovar's, Iglesias has also provided excellent scores to the director's other films, including Talk to Her and Volver, and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2007 for his work on The Kite Runner (which, while lovely, wasn't the score I would have chosen for him to finally get Oscar recognition).
Iglesias stars things off simple, with a mournful violin solo in "Los Vestidos Desgarrados" (in the process evoking James Newton Howard's work for The Village), slowly building in intensity, setting the tone for what is essentially Almodovar's first horror film. The violin motif returns in "La Convivencia," "Una Patada en los Huevos," and "Tributo a Cormac McCarthy" in different variations and tones.
The piano also figures prominently in the score, especially in tracks like "Tema de Vera" (where he combines it with a haunting cello melody) and "Prometeo Encadenado" (where it is ominously combined with some low register strings and a reprise of the more frantic passages of the main violin motif). Since this is a horror score, Iglesias plugs in some more dissonant elements, either through more traditional minor piano cues or in more modern pieces like the electronica "Shades of Marble," which almost sounds like something out of a Tarantino film, as well as the frantic tension of cues like the climactic "Rojo y Negro," which sounds like a more traditional horror cue than we're used to hearing from an Almodovar film.
There are flashes of familiarity in cues like "El Cigarral," which features the driving strings and tinkling piano we have come to expect in Almodovar/Iglesias collaborations. He even incorporates some jazz in "Pequeña Flor," whose lonely saxophone evokes a film noir-like atmosphere, which is certainly no mistake, and there are also several songs included thank thankfully don't distract from the score, and fit right in with its mood.
The constant variations in style may not make for a consistent a listen as some of their previous collaborations, most notably Volver, but it's hard to deny the skill and craft at work here. Almodovar has a keen understanding of how to use music in his films, and Iglesias is a perfect collaborator, infusing the score with a specific identity even as it changes modes and styles. It's a gorgeous and classically minded work, and while the violin cues are a standout, the score as a whole deserves recognition for not only its intelligent construction, but for its haunting beauty. Fans of Iglesias and Almodovar both will doubtless be pleased with yet another fine entry in one of cinema's best director/composer relationships.
01. Los Vestidos Desgarrados
02. Tema de Vera
03. El Cigarral
04. La Convivencia
05. El Asalto del Hombre Tigre
06. Between the Bars
07. Shades of Marble
08. Por el Amor de Amar
09. Una Patada en los Huevos
10. Prometeo Encadenado
11. La Pared Transparente
12. En el Calor de la Noche
13. Libertad Vigilada
14. Pequeña Flor
15. Se Me Hizo Fácil
16. Duelo Final
17. Tributo a Cormac McCarthy
18. Rojo y Negro
19. La Pared-diario
20. Créditos - La Identidad Inaccesible
GRADE - ★★★½ (out of four)
The Skin I Live In (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) will be available for digital download on October 18, and in stores on November 29 from Lakeshore Records.


text:
I worked at Object Builders full-time (Less than a year)
Work from home and somewhat flexible schedule
High overtime expectations ( nights, weekends )
Benefits non-existent
Onboarding structure non-existent
Unclear team structure and expectations
Advice to Management
Review onboarding structure ( lack thereof )
Helpful (3)
I worked at Object Builders full-time (More than a year)
Going out for lunch with coworkers.
They work you until you have no life. You better be free every night and on weekends after your training's up. Be prepared to end up stumped due to lack of training and blamed for late assignments. Also be prepared to work for the worst management team ever. Enjoy being cussed at for any incorrect work? This is the place for you! Like hostile environments when you don't know when or what they'll give you a hard time for next? Great! Do you like working in an office with an office mgr who yells and slams his fist at people on the phone? Do you enjoy getting constant contradictory information and being expected to perform work based on this information? You'll love this place!
I'm giving Compensation & Benefits a 3 because they'll hire people with no degree or former training and pay them fairly for it.
One last point: People are CONSTANTLY hired and fired. The second they decide to try to switch up their style, you're gone. And you will not win if you try for unemployment. They have a really high-profile lawyer working for them. Guess that's necessary when clients probably want to sue you for putting out a deceitful product.
Advice to Management
Learn fairness.
Helpful (3)
I worked at Object Builders full-time (Less than a year)
Use of OO programming Concepts.
On of the worse company I ever worked for.
Advice to Management
Trying to sell as new, production concepts that are 50 years old or more. Cars and most product assembly does not occur the way you insist on having software modules, built. Has not for decades. This, on top of the rather poor way you treat people who you manage to lure to work for this enterprise.Only place I have worked at that was attempting to force me into a top down approach to project management and prohibit any interaction with the people actually building the application.
Helpful (3)
Well, I was told about all kinds great things they had to offer - stock options, advancement oppertunities, technologies... it didn't pan out
Nothing these people say is true. I don't bad mouth companies I've worked with in general, but in the time I worked there (9 months) we fired and rehired 2 people every month except for 1 month when we fired 4 people. It's the only company I've ever worked for where the present and past employees still got togeather years later to tell stories and complain about the company. And if you could only see what kind of cobbled together code runs their system (built using an '87 non-supported Object C compiler though they will tell you it's C++)
Advice to Management
There is no advice you can give to them. The company already has a horrible name with their clients (Idea rats) and if everything fall down around them, they will just rename the company AGAIN
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text:
About Donald
My name is Donald MacLeod. I was born on Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles of Scotland. At 17 I left home to join the Royal Navy. The following year I was drafted to the Submarine Service. I served on 5 submarines throughout my career. I left the Royal Navy in February 2000 having served 22 years.
Since leaving the Service I have had a number of different jobs, some good, some not so good. Some would be a lot better if you had a decent gaffer. Since getting my first computer in 1999 I think it was, I got hooked on the internet and how to earn on the internet. Many years and nothing to show for it.? I didn't have a clue really, no one to show you the ropes and I didn't have the patience to be self taught, didn't know where to start to be honest.
I joined eBay in 2002 I think. Didn't know much about that either. However I did like doodling about. In 2008 things started getting better. I found Dave Nicholson, don't know how mind you but I did. I purchased my second website from him (first one disappeared after the first year) http://www.ebookmall.co.uk and was I chuffed with that. Only problem was I never got much traffic, don't think anyone bought anything. I didn't care, I had my own site.
After Dave I got to know John Thornhill. I have purchased quite a lot from John, excellent products that have helped me immensley. My first product from John was Profit From Plr, http://www.learnhowtoprofitfromplr.com. I enjoyed watching videos, so easy to understand. My initial problem in the early days was uploading.Anyhow, spending loads and earning nothing, I was still confident I would earn a $$ or two.My first affiliate commission came in December 2012, from John's APF product.
In February 2012 I decided to give marketing a miss for a few weeks. I was getting fed up. Step in Stuart Turnbull. I had purchased one of his products, Print Sorcery, showing how to sell Public Domain stuff on ebay. Needless to say since February 2012 to April 2012 I have earned £165.00. Not much you might say but a hell of a way forward for me. As well as the affiliate commissions I have received for 4 different products from different marketers. Good for me. I still opened the emails with offers etc, and I suppose that's why I am here using Speedy Profit Creator.If anyone reading this who is interested in producing their own products then look no further.
One last thing. I would like to thank the guys and gals who have helped over the last 3 or 4 years.I hope to meet you all some day, guess I had better hurry……………
I would like to thank Melinda Martin of Scrapping For Newbies for all her kind words and advice in the writing of this eBook and Pete Bruckshaw for giving me permission to use his videos. I would also like to thank John Thornhill and Stuart Turnbull.


text:
More gain less pain
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