Author: Laura

Open Arms – Benfit Advice

Laura/ / In Your Community, Open Arms

By the Open Arms Team

We met D at Wath Library. Initially they asked to speak to Citizens Advice about benefits. The advisor was already with another client, so they sat down at the table and waited.

A general discussion was taking place around the table about nostalgic sweets which D joined in with and then stated about wishing they could back to their younger days/happier times with less cares and responsibilities. This became a conversation about the challenges adults can face and the support available now, compared to years ago.

D then opened up to us about their life and how they were now the sole carer for two SEND adult children after their partner died a couple of years ago. As the family were coming to term with this bereavement D suffered their own serious illness, which they are still recovering from. This has now made them worried for the future of their children who rely on the parent(s).

D’s partner had been the person responsible for the finance of the household and dealt with all the bills, payments and benefits received. Since their death D had to take on this role with little or no support. As a result, they had received a message from DWP about their benefits being mismanaged and may be stopped. This was obviously a concern to them as it was the only income coming into the home.

When the advisor became available, We quickly gave them a summary of the conversation with D before sending them through to the confidential space. The advisor was then able to provide D with lots of detailed and practical advice and information for their situation and provided a step-by-step plan to help D and their family. Suggestions were also made of the mental health, SEND and carer support available they could access when ready.

From arriving with the weight of the world on their shoulders D left feeling listened to, supported and with a positive plan in place to resolve the matter.

Open Arms

Laura/ / In Your Community, Open Arms

By the Open Arms Team

A client attended a session in Maltby. They had been granted a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) 12 months ago but had never received any additional allowance, which they had been chasing up and were really struggling financially. Finally, they had resolved the allowance issue, but before accepting the offer, they wanted to know how it would affect the other benefits they were already claiming. After reassurance was given, benefits already awarded for SGO support would not be affected in any way, she began to cry as she was so happy and relieved. Further advised what offer benefits she could claim. Post SGO support accessed via new team in Rotherham and independent national charities set up for this and for legal and practical advice for family members caring for children who are in care but with family or are on SGO. She was completely unaware of this.

Result: child’s placement with relatives supported and strengthened. Client informed and was better off by £12,000 in back payments and £800 per month plus additional supports. Informed of ability to access therapy for child outside of school and CAMHS when necessary.

Making Our Money Go Further

Laura/ / In Your Community, Making Our Money Go Further

By the Making Our Money Go Further team

Neelam went to visit the group as a request was made for more funding for the Art Group activity. We discussed this and the group expressed they would like some more art supplies for the art group Neelam initially helped set up. They have so far spent around £85 on their supplies and requested if they could spend up to the £150 mark, which was approved.

The Art Group showed me the art they have been doing which has been lead by another resident who has background in creating animations etc.  Not only does this group help residents save money, as they feel they get to do a leisure activity but also that it helps with their mental health. The group really enjoy this and explained how drawing has helped them. Mark said it helped him relax and bought joy to him that he could lead a class where he could teach others how to draw.  The other residents showed Neelam their drawings and said they felt happy and proud of themselves as they have learnt a lot and also implemented their learning into their drawings. They said they hope to continue this group for as long as possible and don’t intend on stopping the group. Neelam explained that Rotherfed were happy to pay for their supplies again but that they should also start thinking of putting some money in a pot every week to ensure they have money for supplies to ensure the Art group continues and is self-funding. They all agreed they would need to do something like this so that it wasn’t a financial burden on anyone when it came to buying supplies again.

Learning from Complaints Panel

Laura/ / In Your Community, Tenant Involvement

By the tenant involvement team

The second  Learning from Complaints panel meeting took place in June which was well attended by 8 tenants who enjoyed being involved in the discussions which looked at different live complaints scenarios and the recommendations from these.

Participants could join the meeting both in person at Springwell Gardens Community Centre or remotely. For those joining us in person there was a buffet lunch before the meeting started.

Led by Stuart Purcell, the Corporate Complaints Manager, and supported by staff from Rotherfed, the panel met to discuss various scenarios that were taken from formal complaint submitted to the council over the past quarter relating to housing issues. The primary goal was to gain valuable feedback directly from tenants, with key insights to be shared with senior management team at the Council. This will hopefully see service improvements across housing services. 

Discussions were guided by the formal complaint’s procedure and terms of reference, ensuring a structured and transparent environment for all participants. The panel were given four different scenarios and then discussed whether the recommendations felt appropriate and fair. A common theme through them all was the need for better communication, with tenants, with other departments and with other organisations.

All tenants who particpated in the panel found it interesting and worthwhile to be part of. The next meeting is scheduled for September.

Maltby Community Festival

Laura/ / Community Events, Good News Stories, In Your Community, Tenant Involvement

By the tenant involvement team

On Saturday 31st May 2025 at the Manor Fields in Maltby was the Maltby Community Festival. The focus of the event was to showcase the fantastic community groups and facilities there are in Maltby and showcase support and opportunities that Rotherham offers. The local ward councillors partnered with Flux Rotherham, Children’s Capital of Culture and Rotherham United Community Trust to provide exciting activities to encourage attendance.

Over 1100 people attended from the local area, plus Rotherham’s Mayor, MP Jake Richards and local ward councillors, to see The Great Bullzini and tight wire dancer Ronja Breuk recreate the story of the Alzana Family from Maltby https://www.facebook.com/Rotherham.FLUX/videos/706169079032732

Debra and Karen attended and had a stall that promoted all the Rotherfed projects and services. A shopping hamper was provided by the Money project, which contained typical family shop items purchased from Aldi. People could guess the price of the total shopping, with the closest person winning the shopping. The actual price of the shopping was £28.16 and two people both guessed £28, luckily, they were friends, so both decided to share the items between them.

Swinton’s VE Day Celebration

Laura/ / Community Events, Good News Stories, In Your Community, Tenant Involvement

By the tenant involvement team

The 80th anniversary of VE Day presented a significant opportunity for communities across the UK to come together in remembrance and celebration. In Swinton, Rotherham, the Swinton Community Focus group took the initiative to lead the local commemorations, aiming to create a memorable and inclusive event for residents. 

In preparation for the event day the group undertook a thorough cleaning of the precinct, ensuring a welcoming and tidy environment for attendees. The area was adorned with traditional red, white, and blue bunting and flags, instantly setting a celebratory tone. Local shops actively participated by decorating their windows, further enhancing the festive atmosphere. 

The Civic Centre all set up ready for the event. 

A wide array of stalls and activities were organised, offering something for everyone and encouraging active participation from all age groups. Crucially, the event benefited from the strong involvement of key partners, including Rotherham United Community Trust, Early Help, Elected council members, and Fitzwilliam Estate TARA as well as many others. 

A diverse program of entertainment was available on the day. This included the Kilnhurst Choir (joined by local schoolchildren), local singer Chantelle performing period hits, the Thorpe Hesley Brass Band, and the Wath Children’s Morris Dancers. There was specific activity created to engage young people that included a fancy dress competition, face painting, and activity sheets. 

One of the many highlights was the historical re-enactment through a table-top game that was delivered by a group of locals from a gaming group. This activity gave a unique perspective and insight into how an attack on a coastal town may have looked. 

The VE Day 80th Anniversary celebration in Swinton was a resounding success, serving as a powerful example of community spirit and collective remembrance. Approximately 1,500 people attended the event throughout the day, far exceeding initial expectations and demonstrating the strong desire within the community to commemorate this historic occasion. 

“Well done Swinton Community Focus Group and for the people of Swinton and surrounding areas for putting Swinton back on the MAP.” 

“It’s been fantastic, so good to see the place buzzing.” 

“It was fantastic day the children were terrific xxx.” 

Feedback from Facebook. 

Tenant Support for Rotherham Deaf Futures

Laura/ / Good News Stories, In Your Community, Tenant Involvement

By the tenant involvement team

Over the past year, Rotherfed has been providing invaluable support to the Deaf Futures community group through regular engagement sessions. These sessions have addressed a range of concerns, including housing issues, access to aids and adaptations, and even replacement bins, making a tangible difference in the lives of many.

A particularly impactful case emerged during the May 2024 session when a member approached Rotherfed staff for urgent assistance with his housing situation. His health had significantly deteriorated, rendering him wheelchair-bound and unable to access his kitchen or navigate other areas of his home.

Rotherfed staff quickly escalated the issue, collaborating with local councillors and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) housing staff. Acting as a crucial link, Rotherfed bridged the gap between the tenant’s support team and RMBC services, ensuring his needs were communicated effectively and acted upon.

During our most recent engagement session in May 2025, Rotherfed staff were delighted to learn that the tenant has successfully been rehomed into a property that is fully adapted and better suited to his needs. This success story highlights the vital role Rotherfed plays in advocating for and supporting vulnerable members of the community.

Fitzwilliam Estate Easter Event

Laura/ / Good News Stories, In Your Community, Tenant Involvement

By the tenant involvement team

During the past year, the residents’ group on this estate have gone from strength to strength.  Last Easter, we supported them to put some Easter crafts on the estate with the help of FLUX and Early Years Support. It was a great event with lots of families attending. Since this event the group have held other events including a Halloween event, Christmas event and they organised a coach trip to Cleethorpes, something that has not took place on the estate for many years. This coach trip was subsidised for residents by the group raising their own funds towards this.

However, the biggest achievement for this group to date is that in January 2025 they became constituted and opened their own back account. The group then decided they would like to hold their own Easter event this year. They applied to the Children’s Capital of Culture for a £250 grant to help them put the event on. They also contacted FLUX who put on some crafts and a pottery workshop and Early Years Help who brought some games and books where children could listen to stories. With the funding they received from Children’s Capital of Culture, the group organised an Easter egg hunt around the green space, free facepainting and a tombola and raffle to raise funds for the group.

The day before the event the group organised a litter pick around the park to make sure there was no rubbish on the green space for the following day. Along with tenants, Rotherfed, RMBC staff and Councillors also took part. Streetpride kindly provided the equipment and removed all the rubbish collected. They also did a litter pick stencil on the entrance to the green space. 

The day of the event, Friday 11 April, was a glorious sunny day, and everything went so well, and everyone had a great time. Over 100 residents attended and through the tombola and raffle the group raised over £200 which will go back into their funds to help towards future events and activities. The group said how pleased they were with how the event ran and are very much looking forward to the next event on the estate which is being planned for Monday 18 August. They will also be looking at other events/activities/depending on what funding they can secure moving forward.

After years of trying to get a group together on this estate it’s been amazing to see it happen. The group are so enthusiastic and have lots of plans for the future. I can’t wait to see what the next few years bring for them.

From Learner to Team Member

Laura/ / Good News Stories, In Your Community, Tenant Involvement

By the tenant involvement team

In early April, Debra received a call from a lady who had been signposted to our digital support service by a local Library. She shared that she had previously received support from Rotherham Digital and was eager to continue building her digital skills to increase her employability.

She was paired with our Digital Champion, Brigette, who was impressed by the learner’s motivation and foundational knowledge. Brigette committed to continuing their work together for as long as needed.

During a follow-up call to check on her experience and resource needs, I mentioned a vacancy at Rotherfed and offered to pass along her details if she was interested.

We’re thrilled to share that she was successful at interview and has now joined us as a colleague on the MOMGF project.

Welcome to the team, Sandra!

TPAS Northeast Members event

Laura/ / Good News Stories, In Your Community, Tenant Involvement

By the tenant involvement team

This month Rachel attended the TPAS Northeast Members event along with Nicola Harper and Jordan Hart, both council tenants, this was held and hosted by Connect Housing in Dewsbury. It was a good turnout with over 40 attendees from as far at Newcastle in the North to Hull in the East, it was a good mix of tenants and landlords. Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council and Hull City Council, who were also there, all have received the Exemplar TPAS Accreditation.

The event started with a TPAS Talk, this was news for their members and a roundup of what is happening nationally, and the training TPAS has to offer.

Sally Butterworth from Regulator of Social Housing then gave an informative and insightful presentation on the latest regulatory developments and people were given an opportunity to ask questions.

The landlord host, Connect Housing, gave us a unique insight their successful engagement practices. This included a “Boot Camp” session they held which expanded on their scrutiny panel and how they got other people involved. 

After lunch we participated in an interactive session where we shared success stories from different organisations and shared challenges i.e. engaging hard to reach communities, digital barriers etc. This session really made us realise the fabulous work we already do, the success of it and how it makes a difference.

Stop Social Housing Stigma then spoke about the latest progress and upcoming initiatives and explained how to get involved. They are working with other organisations including TPAS and have launched a Tackling Stigma Journey Planner. Many tenants feel like second class citizens and this needs to change.  They would like to get as many members as possible signed up to support this.

To finish the event there were some Engagement Heroes Recognition Awards to celebrate the incredible achievements of those volunteers making a different in tenant engagement.  It was fabulous to hear that both Nicola and Jordan had received an award, which was very much deserved for them both. 

It was great event very informative and beneficial; we were glad we had attended and look forward to the next one.