Author: Laura

Meet Winnie – Building Belonging at Shaftesbury House

Laura/ / In Your Community

Winnie Magagula is a tenant that lives at Shaftesbury House. Originally from Zimbabwe, she was living elsewhere in Rotherham when she was rushed into hospital and then moved to a temporary supported living flat on the Shaftsbury estate. She liked it that much she applied for a Council property and has been living in a flat there for about eighteen months.

Winnie is an active member of the Shaftesbury House Tenant and Resident Association (TARA). We spoke with her about the wonderful work the TARA does and the difference it has made to her life.

Winnie got involved with the TARA within two weeks of moving in, joining a bingo session where she was warmly welcomed. Since then, she’s become a regular at the bingo as well as party evenings, shared meals, barbecues, trips to the seaside and days out at other attractions. Beyond the social side, TARA members support each other with practical tasks such as helping assemble furniture. In Winnie’s case, Dennis, the TARA treasurer has been helping her to learn how to use her new mobility scooter (though he jokes she isn’t likely to pass her driving test any time soon!).

Winnie told us that being part of the TARA really helped with the grieving process when her mother sadly passed away. She said she feels happy, relaxed and more secure than she did when she lived elsewhere, and that she looks forward to 4pm on the days when the regular TARA get-togethers take place.
Looking to the future, a keen lover of flowers and plants, Winnie is excited because the TARA is considering what they could do to enhance the estate’s green spaces next year.

Winnie’s story highlights how small acts of connection – like joining a bingo night or sharing a meal – can grow into something much bigger. Through her involvement with the TARA, she’s found friendship, support, and a renewed sense of home.

Meet Jordan – Finding Strength Through Involvement

Laura/ / In Your Community

Jordan is a tenant from Canklow, who has overcome significant personal challenges. Struggling with his mental health, he found support through Talk and Train, a free boxing gym at Millennium that focuses on wellbeing. Initially attending as a client, Jordan became more involved over time, helping out and building strong relationships with others at the gym.

It was through Talk and Train that Jordan met Rob from Rotherfed, who introduced him to tenant involvement opportunities. Rob encouraged him to join the Housing Involvement Panel (HIP), where Jordan began contributing his voice and ideas. He also recently completed Digital Champion Training, using his background in media and animation from Dinnington College to help others get online and build digital confidence.

Jordan’s journey hasn’t been easy, he lives with PTSD, and has dyslexia. Despite these challenges, he’s shown incredible resilience and commitment to making a difference. One of his proudest moments was speaking publicly for the first time at the Tenant Open Day at New York Stadium, where he shared his story and the impact of Talk and Train. “It was nerve-racking,” he said, “but the response was really positive.”

His dedication was recently recognised with the ARCH Community Champion Award for Under 30s. “I don’t take compliments well,” Jordan admits, “but it was nice to be recognised, especially alongside someone I know and respect.”

Looking ahead, Jordan is focused on building a positive future and has connected with Pathways to Work for support in finding employment. His journey shows how the right support, combined with opportunities to get involved, can help people rebuild, grow, and contribute in meaningful ways.

Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH) Awards

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

By The Tenant Involvement Team

Two outstanding tenant volunteers from Rotherham have been honoured with national awards at this year’s Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH) conference, in recognition of their exceptional contributions to their communities. This year the conference was held in Lincon.

Nominated by staff at Rotherham Federation (Rotherfed), Barry and Jordan were selected for their continued dedication to volunteering, community support, and driving positive change in council housing. With so many committed volunteers in the area, choosing just two nominees was no easy task. 

Barry was awarded the ARCH Tenant of the Year Award for his long-standing involvement in tenant representation, community engagement, and service improvement. His work includes supporting a local foodbank and a range of other community-focused activities, helping to build stronger neighbourhood connections and ensuring tenant voices are heard. 

Barry said “I was totally shocked by receiving the award for Community Champion” 

Jordan received the ARCH Young Tenant of the Year Award, which recognises volunteers under the age of 30. He was acknowledged for his inspiring leadership and commitment to mental health awareness, as well as his efforts to bridge the digital divide through regular digital inclusion sessions at Riverside House Library. 

Jordan said” I was really honoured to receive the award and I’m really proud to be part of a great group of people working hard to make improvements to our community” 

The awards were presented at the annual ARCH conference, which brings together tenants, councillors, and housing professionals from across the UK to celebrate best practice in the sector. 

These achievements reflect the vital role tenants play in shaping services, building stronger communities, and improving lives across the housing sector. 

Cultural Kitchen At Maltby

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

By The Tenant Involvement Team

The spirit of Maltby shone brightly last week as the community gathered for a vibrant Cultural Kitchen event, a celebration of the diverse residents who call the area home. More than 70 people came together at the Edward Dunn Centre to share food, entertainment, and connection, making the event a resounding success.

The delicious evening was a collaborative effort, spearheaded by the Maltby Ward Councillors, the Town Council, and the Rotherham United Community Trust (RUCT). Their shared goal was simple yet powerful: to create a space where neighbours could connect and showcase the different communities within Maltby.

The main attraction was, of course, the food. Attendees were treated to an exciting culinary journey, indulging in the rich spices and flavours of Asian and African cuisine, followed by a tempting selection of European desserts. Sharing these dishes proved to be the perfect ingredient for breaking the ice and sparking conversation among community members.

But the event offered more than just a feast. The atmosphere was lively and buzzing, with entertainment for the whole family. Local drummers provided an energetic soundtrack, an outside space was turned into a dance floor inspiring people to join in some impromptu dancing. For those looking for a bit more action, a casual game of badminton was also on offer.

The Cultural Kitchen truly highlighted the rich mix of people and activities available right in the Maltby neighbourhood. It was a testament to what can be achieved when local leaders and organisations work together to foster a sense of belonging and community pride. Events like this make it clear that Maltby is a welcoming place where everyone can find a seat at the table.

Rotherham Show

Laura/ / Good News Stories, In Your Community, Open Arms

By The Open Arms Team

On Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th September 2025, the Open Arms Team along with other Rotherfed staff attended the Rotherham Show.  All staff from Rotherfed attended on a rota basis to showcase the services that Rotherfed provide to the community of Rotherham. The weather was good, and the event was well attended.  We saw a constant flow of people from the community attend at our stall where they were given valuable information about the work we do. We were also assisted by volunteers and some of our trustees whose help was greatly appreciated. We handed out leaflets, trolley key chains, pens, stickers, flower necklaces, sweets and blew up animal headbands for the children. It became clear that our stall was gaining a reputation by the fact that we were receiving requests from children wanting an animal headband which was their favourite and someone saying that they had seen other children wearing them and made it one of their missions to search the stall out giving the headbands. We also saw some happy faces when the parents of the children learned that as the headbands were free, as some things at the show were quite expensive.   

Whilst visiting our stall, as well as providing information about the Open Arms Sessions, the people were also invited to enter a free competition by guessing the price of the hamper.   

It was a very busy two days, and we spoke to loads of people and had over 400 entries to the competition. Some participants took it very seriously and counted the items within the hamper and even considered the items carefully and made a calculated guess. It certainly did seem that the activity gave people something to think about and was fun and entertaining and we heard lots of laughter and did make the day an enjoyable experience. One participant who guessed the lowest amount guessed £14.00 and the participant who guessed the highest price was £367.00. The correct price of the hamper was £47.81. 

After checking the entries, the winner nearest to the correct guess was only 6p out! The winner kindly asked that the hamper be donated to a foodbank, and in accordance with their wishes, this was delivered to the Social Supermarket at Rotherham Minster and will make such a difference to their members.

New Incentives For The Tenant Scrutiny Panel

Laura/ / Announcements, News

We are pleased to introduce a new Rewards and Incentives process for members of the Tenant Scrutiny Panel. This initiative has been developed as a token of appreciation for members voluntary contribution, and to thank members for their dedication and involvement in helping to improve housing services.

The scheme aims to ensure that all participation is acknowledged fairly and consistently, offering a range of incentives in recognition of members valued input into improving services for all. Whether through vouchers, social get togethers, or other forms of recognition, we want to make sure you feel appreciated for the difference you make.

We hope this new approach is welcomed by tenants, and that it aids continued engagement and collaboration with the existing panel members whilst encouraging new members to join the panel.

View our new incentive guidelines here

Tenant Involvement Focus Group

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

By The Tenant Involvement Team

As part of our contract with RMBC we are asked to organise and help deliver focus groups throughout the year.  Rotherham Council is currently reviewing and updating its Financial Inclusion Plan. This focus group is to get the views, experiences and ideas to help shape the plan, from Rotherham residents.  Rotherfed invited three council tenants to the session and other tenants/residents could book onto the Focus Group by contacting Christine Batchford through the Social Supermarket.

The Focus Group was held on Wednesday 20 August 2025 from 11am until 12.30pm at the Rotherham Minister. The session was delivered by Rotherfed and Jackie Cobb, RMBC’s Financial Inclusion Manager.  Ten residents attended the focus group and of the ten, nine of them were council tenants. Jackie explained that the last Financial Inclusion Plan was launched in 2017, and they are now revising the plan which will be in place for the next 3 years. The council wants to continue to ensure that no individual or family is left behind. Jackie distributed the Financial Inclusion Plan and a discussion then took place regarding it. Residents gave their experiences, views and ideas on various things including Household/Energy Crisis, Social Supermarket, RMBC website and the wait times when they ring the council, Rothercard, pension credit, Employment Solutions Team etc. 

It was a fantastic session, and everyone present, participated in it, which was good to see. RMBC found it very useful and got out of it what they needed to help shape the future plan. For Rotherfed it was also very positive and great that nine council tenants attended. This is the first focus group that has not been housing related and has been held in a completely different location, and we feel the Minister worked well as it made people feel more at ease and more willing to get involved and participate.

It was an excellent focus group all round.  Each person who attended received a £10 Tesco voucher thanking them for their time.

RotherFed Digital Support

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

By The Tenant Involvement Team

After an initial meeting with the Mowbray Men’s Group, four members requested digital support, which has been facilitated by Brigette on Thursday mornings. The sessions have been going brilliantly. Although the learners were initially nervous and unsure what to expect, over the past month they have learned many things that are important to them individually.

One gentleman is rightly proud to be able to surprise his children with WhatsApp messages. His family were so impressed that they encouraged him to explore other features on his phone, and he now enjoys the sessions so much that he also attends Brigette’s Tuesday drop-in session.

Another member of the group found following verbal instructions difficult due to a language barrier. Brigette went above and beyond by creating help guides and finding resources in his native language.

Brigette not only gives more than four hours per week to support her local community with digital skills, but she also spends many additional hours creating tailored resources to ensure that every learner receives the support they need.

During our after-session phone call, Brigette said, “I can’t wait to get the kids to bed tonight and start on my resources.” We cannot thank or praise Brigette enough for the time, energy, and positive spirit she brings to this project.

Tenant Involvement

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

By The Tenant Involvement Team

As part of our contract with the Council we are asked to organise a couple of pop-up engagement events in areas that have traditionally been hard to reach, in order to open up conversations between residents and the Council.

A recent family-friendly event at The Lanes Community Centre proved that community engagement can be both effective and enjoyable. The informal gathering was a collaborative effort between Rotherfed, The Lanes community group, RMBC Neighbourhoods, Housing, and local councillors.

Instead of a formal meeting, the event was designed to be a relaxed, fun occasion. It featured a magician, party food, and creative activities like biscuit decorating for children. This casual atmosphere had a strategic purpose: it helped to break down barriers between residents and officials, creating a space for more open and honest conversations. People felt more comfortable connecting with their neighbours and local leaders, rather than feeling like they were just attending another meeting. Residents felt at ease raising important concerns about issues like bin collections, graffiti, and anti-social behaviour.

But the event wasn’t just about airing grievances. It was also about planting the seeds of change. Organisers took the opportunity to show residents how they could get involved, from joining local groups to volunteering on panels.