Maltby Community Festival

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Dawson Close Craft Group

By the making our money go further team

Dawsons Close art club is still going strong. Neelam has checked with the lead resident of the club how they are doing with supplies, and they said they still have enough. The group is enjoying learning how to do animation art. They find it a good alternative to going out and trying to find something to do. The resident who is teaching the rest of the group, really enjoys this as he uses to do this for living before, he retired. Everyone else finds it a good use of time and loves learning from him. This is a great good news story to show how Making Our Money Go Further can help people in many different ways. Not only is the group saving money by being able to do this activity, but it is also tackling isolation, as well as making use of the centre. 

East Dene Cholera Burial Site

By the tenant involvement team

There is a memorial site in East Dene on Park Road, that marks a significant chapter in the town’s history. 

Over time this area has had little attention paid to it, has become a target for litter and has become obscured by overgrown weeds and vegetation. 

Volunteers at Rotherham District Civic society dedicate themselves to preserving local heritage and led the call to arms on social media asking for people to help out at the site.

The team that came together included the local RMBC neighbourhoods’ team, RotherFed, Volunteers from the Civic Society and a resident who was excited to be involved in a local initiative as he “usually misses these types of things on Facebook because I don’t see them”. Equipment for the clean-up was provided by the civic society volunteer and RMBC “Love Where You Live” initiative. 

Volunteers spent the afternoon clearing overgrown vegetation, remove debris, and restored the site’s dignity. The Cholera Burial Site was transformed from a neglected space into a clean and respectful memorial. 

The restoration of the Cholera Burial Site serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving local history. The project demonstrates the positive impact of community collaboration and the power of social media to mobilize volunteers. It reinforces the value of civic engagement and the dedication of organizations like the Rotherham District Civic Society. 

The dedication of local organizations and individuals is essential for maintaining the historical and cultural fabric of a community, and even small amounts of community activity can have a significant impact. 

Individual Needs Framework

By the tenant involvement team

A group of twelve dedicated tenants have recently collaborated with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and Rotherfed to develop an Individual Needs Framework, aimed at revolutionising how council services are delivered. 

The individual needs framework will outline the Councils commitment to ensuring its landlord services are accessible to all tenants and prospective tenants, including those with diverse needs and vulnerabilities 

In a friendly and relaxed focus group setting, tenants shared their personal experiences and valuable insights, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive framework designed to address the diverse needs of Rotherham residents. This collaborative effort seeks to ensure RMBC services become more tailored, accessible, and responsive to individual circumstances. 

Rotherfed staff commended the tenants for their commitment and significant contributions. “The tenants’ willingness to openly share their experiences and work collaboratively has been absolutely crucial in shaping this framework,” a Rotherfed spokesperson stated. “Their input will undoubtedly have a lasting positive impact on how RMBC services are delivered in the future.” 

The Individual Needs Framework is anticipated to be implemented in the coming months, promising to significantly enhance the council’s ability to provide effective and equitable services across the entire borough. 

More Energy Know How

By the More Energy Know How team

We met the lady at Rawmarsh foodbank on 13th February 2025.  The lady confirmed that she was receiving benefits and was struggling financially.  Her property is cold, and she has a single storey bathroom extension on her private rented property that is always cold. The window will not open, and the extractor fan is broken. We discussed Green Doctor services, and the lady was keen to receive help from them and consented to a referral. We also discussed energy saving tips which could help the family save energy and money.  We also discussed Rotherham Councils Energy Crisis support scheme up to £250 grant, subject to criteria.  The lady confirmed that she matched the criteria and would apply directly on-line. The team also mentioned Citizen’s advice that can help should the lady have any arrears on her energy of other accounts.  She received a Rotherfed winter warm bag which she was grateful for.  The lady appreciated the information and thanked Rotherfed for the service we offer.