Weekly Engagement Update

It's time for highlights of the week from our busy Engagement team! This week has included a Community Interest Day at Ashton Methodist Church, a visit with our Tenancy Management Team to talk to tenants about anti-social behaviour, a group of tenants enjoyed a fun trip to Blackpool illuminations and a chippy tea with SHAPE Lancashire, plus the lovely task of dropping off a brand-new slow cooker to Mr and Mrs Davis, who won National Energy Action's prize draw at one of our recent Winter Warmer sessions – hope you enjoy some tasty soups and stews!

👋 If you live in Moor Nook you might have spotted our Engagement Officers out and about at the beginning of another busy week, letting our tenants know about a huge range of activities, events and involvement opportunities we have on offer.

👨‍🍳 Residents at Chapelfold enjoyed another session of marvellous meals from the microwave, delivered by Lancashire Adult Learning!

🎉 Eddie had a great meeting with The Prince’s Trust, discussing joint community works and projects. He then had the lovely job of delivering a hamper of goodies to the winner of the children’s raffle at our Winter Warmer session at the weekend. Lucky Lillith was really happy with her prize, especially as it’s her 6th birthday today – happy birthday Lillith! We had an adult winner too – well done to Keeley, who won a hamper full of cleaning products.

💻 On Thursday evening, our Tenant Talk group met to review and discuss CGA’s website. They took part in several exercises and came up with some really useful and interesting insights which we will take on board going forward.

🍕 To round the week off, we worked with Beanstalk Food and Cookery to deliver an air-fryer cookery course at the Ascension Church in Brookfield, where the pizza toast went down a treat!

🙋‍♀️ Thanks to all our tenants who have got #involved this week. Don’t forget that if you’d like to find out more about what’s happening why not join our Tenant Hub - our online space to share involvement opportunities, community news, photos, videos and activities. Click here to find out more: gateway2engagement.co.uk

👮‍♀️ Our Community Engagement Officers started the week with a pop-up in Deepdale. They were joined by two PCSOs who cover the area, plus our Early Action Officer, Amanda. As well as chatting to tenants about any issues and sharing involvement opportunities, the team enjoyed spotting some spooky Halloween decorations!

🧙‍♀️ The Halloween theme continued later in the week at Ingolcroft, where residents enjoyed a Halloween quiz and bingo – our team were there to chat and let people know about events and activities they can join in with.

❄️ The first of two Winter Warmer sessions for tenants was held on Wednesday, and really helped the people who came along. There was an air-fryer cookery demo from Beanstalk Food and Cookery energy and money advice from National Energy Action, Green Doctors and our Tenancy Support team, plus everyone who attended was given a winter warmer pack, including a draft excluder, hot-water bottle, thermal mug, fleece blanket and more to help keep toasty in the colder weather. There was also a raffle for the chance to win a slow cooker – perfect for a warming stew or soup!

👨‍🍳 On Thursday, residents at Chapelfold enjoyed a session delivered by Lancashire Adult Learning, where they learned how to make a delicious corned beef hash using just a microwave!

🎮 One lucky winner received her prize voucher for coming 3rd in our online Halloween game, Groovy Graveyard. The game was available via our Tenant Hub – click here to find out how to join: https://shorturl.at/eQTUY

🍂 It’s the time of year to start tidying the garden, and our GreenCare team have been out in our communities completing their winter pruning – pictured are Operatives Pat and John who’d been making our Moor Nook allotment site look smart. The timing was perfect, as Engagement Officer Sharon was showing the site to someone interested in taking a plot.

Phew – another busy week!

🍺 This week kicked off with an afternoon of seasonal fun at The Courtyards’ Oktoberfest! Residents enjoyed German-themed food a raffle and musical entertainment from Independent Living Facilitator John!

🌧️ The Engagement team carried out a mini pop-up in the Ashton area, promoting our Winter Warmer sessions in November, which will support tenants with heating, cookery and money advice as the weather gets colder.

🤝 The team also spoke to tenants in Dawson and Aughton Walks in the city centre, consulting them about the removal of some benches which are a focus for anti-social behaviour, as well as a range of ways they can get involved. As you can see, they're sporting new CGA-branded beanies, ready for winter!

👮‍♀️ Engagement Officer Eddie spent some time in Moor Nook, following up an environmental audit by the Police, to see how we could support them in the area.

💻 Our Gateway Central group met on Thursday evening for an Insight and Information workshop, and were given new Chrome Books to help them carry out their roles. Gateway Central is a sub-committee of our Board, overseeing the development of our Community Empowerment Strategy, monitoring customer service performance and look at all tenant consultation activity. If you’d be interested in getting involved, let us know by emailing get.involved@communitygateway.co.uk.

🙋🏽‍♂️ It’s been another busy week here at CGA, which kicked off with our Chief Executive, Rob Wakefield, joining Gateway Central at their meeting to talk them through his ideas for our new Vision, Values and Corporate Plan. The Committee shared plenty of opinions and insight to help shape and develop these projects before they’re presented to Board next week.

👩‍👧‍👦 Our Engagement team joined Tenancy Management colleagues at the launch of LCC’s Preston Family Hubs, which was also well attended by local partners and families.

🍎 Sharon was in Moor Nook to sign up another allotment holder, and was happy to see the apple trees full of lovely-looking fruit!

🪑 Eddie and Lisa visited one of city centre neighbourhoods to check out some benches which tenants had identified as being a focus for anti-social behaviour. This is part of a wide project to tackle ASB in the area.

🤝🏽 The team also held a community pop-up in the St Matthews area, meeting tenants and chatting about ways they can get involved.

🧽 Our Cleansing team have been busy on the Grange Estate, power washing the communal outdoor space to improve the environment for everyone.