THE ENGAGEMENT TEAM
Event Feedback

Jubilee Big Lunch

On Sunday 3rd June Forum Housing Association celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and hosted a Big Lunch Event for residents in the local community. Despite the unfortunate weather, guests had a fantastic time and were treated to a sit down meal, live entertainment and patriotic treats and activities throughout the day. Children had lots of fun making their Jubilee Crowns which was judged by our very own Queen for the day, staff member Lola.

This is the third year Forum Housing Association have hosted the Big Lunch which focuses around bringing the community together, whilst also breaking down barriers and stigmas within the community that young people can sometimes be stereotyped with. This particular event provides guests with the opportunity to meet and engage with people from different backgrounds and cultures, escape from personal problems for a few hours, or just enjoy themselves in a fun, friendly and relaxed environment.

A special thank you to Coffee Aroma for their lovely food and hospitality, and to the Engagement team and Resident Shareholders for all their efforts and hard work that made this event one to remember.

Shared Reading

The Shared Reading Group created by the Reader Organisation has been up and running for a while now, and is helping many of the Association’s young people to connect with other readers and improve in personal confidence. Becky, just one of the young people engaging within the programme had this to say about her own experiences from attending the programme...

“I have been attending the shared reading group sessions and have really grown in confidence, especially reading aloud. It is an atmosphere where you are not judged on your reading ability, which makes you more comfortable reading aloud. When I first attended I would not read aloud, but I gradually become more confident and started to read a line or two. I am now able to read a few paragraphs at a time. I also enjoy the variety of reading both poems and stories and also the discussions that take place, I feel as though my opinion is valued and feel listened to.”

If you are interested in taking part, sessions are held in the ICT suite over at the Market Wells Foyer every Tuesday from 5pm, please contact John Letchford, Shared Reading Facilitator or speak to a member of staff for more details.

Call us today on 0151 649 9722

Charity Bag Pack

Well done to the Forum Housing Association Young People and Staff, who took part in the Charity Bag Pack, at Sainsbury’s in Prenton back in December. The two-day event raised £768.96 for the Association’s ‘Can Do Fund’ and will help to support young people Forum accommodate, by giving them the opportunity to take part in personal development activities that will have long term benefits to individual lives.

The ‘Can Do Fund’ has already helped so many of the
Association’s young people, and made it possible for them to afford equipment for university, travel costs to re-engage with their families and has supported volunteer programmes abroad.

Thank you to all the young people who took part it was a fantastic day.

We Need YOU!

We have an Allotment on Tollemache Road Claughton, that is in desperate need of young people, who can help clear it up, tend to the fruit and vegetables and look after the pond fish we have there.

If you are interested or can organise a group from your project who would like the task of getting the Allotment ready for the summer then please contact Amy Butterworth direct on 0151 649 9722

The Green Machine Project

Residents and staff at the Ash Villas Project have just received Green Machine Funding to create an environmental project. The team and young people are delighted and have already begun work on the project’s community garden. Young people have ordered bat boxes, bee boxes, butterfly boxes and hedgehog boxes which will attract local wildlife.

The aim of the project is to make the whole area look attractive, environmentally friendly and to encourage local wildlife. Vegetables are already being grown and will go towards next year’s seasonal activities. The new and improved garden will be a lovely environment for young people to take their families to when they visit, where they can engage with their loved ones.

“We are all very excited and can’t wait for the work to start, well done to all Residents & Staff at AshVillas ”

Pam Rigby
PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR

The New Bridge Project

On Monday 28th May Forum’s new Bridge Project was officially opened by the Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, Mr David Orr.

Mr Orr was introduced to Forum’s young people, staff and also to the developers and contractors who worked on the twelve month refurbishment. Mr Orr was then given a tour around the project and was very impressed with the high quality accommodation and environment offered to young people.

Mr Orr commented "Very impressed with the dynamism and energy of Forum Housing and particularly impressed with the newly opened Bridge Project. Forum is doing some great work".

Homeless Consultation

A consultation was delivered to young people across Wirral
projects by The Engagement Talent Team back in January. Wirral Council wants to understand homelessness and acute housing need in Wirral and how this is changing and might continue to change as a result of national and local government policies and spending decisions.

Wirral Council’s latest strategy is to prevent and respond to
homelessness in Wirral and was developed and implemented in 2008. Now people are facing real difficulties in managing their income and housing as a result of the downturn in the economy and its impact on the housing market, as well as the changes taking place around the future of social housing and changes to welfare benefits.

This consultation will help Wirral Council to understand what action can be developed to address the threat of increased homelessness.

Thank you to all young people for your input.