Life in Salford magazine 46 by Salford City Council

Salford parks earn prestigious Green Flag Award

Eight Salford parks and two cemeteries have been voted amongst the best green spaces in Britain in the annual Green Flag Awards.

Lightoaks Park has achieved Green Flag status for the first time, while Agecroft Cemetery, Blackleach Country Park, Boothsbank Park, Clifton Country Park, Parr Fold Park, Peel Green Cemetery, Peel Park (The Crescent), Victoria Park and Winton Park have all kept the award.

The spaces are rated on being welcoming, clean, healthy, safe and secure and how well they involve the local community. Find

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LIFE is administered and designed by Salford City Council’s Communications Team. This edition will be distributed week commencing Monday 26 August 2024. Printing: Cliffe Enterprise. Distributed to more than 130,000 households by Royal Mail and other agencies. Contact: Salford Civic Centre, Swinton, Salford, M27 5FJ. Any leaflets or flyers inserted in or distributed with this magazine do not appear with the partners (listed below) endorsement or agreement and we discourage our distributors from putting material inside your copy of LIFE IN Salford.

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Cover image: Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett stood with members of Salford's Health Improvement team and community members who

taking part in a walking group session.

I’m really pleased to be writing to you at such a pivotal time. You will see within your bumper edition of Life in Salford an overview of how your council has been delivering public services against our key priorities over the past year. You will also see that, under my leadership, the council has launched a new four-year corporate plan called ‘This is Our Salford’. It builds on our past successes and puts into practice my commitment to you when you re-elected me as your City Mayor in May. We are already delivering on those commitments and managing the way the council delivers services and spends money on what matters most to residents, businesses and communities.

I’m also really pleased to be writing to you for the first time after the general election which returned a Labour government that provides a new opportunity for communities in Salford. The election has brought changes to Salford’s Members of Parliament. I pay tribute to Barbara Keeley, who has served the people of Worsley and Eccles South diligently for nearly two decades and will now continue her work in the House of Lords. We welcome Michael Wheeler, who has big shoes to fill, and look forward to working with him on delivering for our residents, families and communities. Additionally, we thank Graham Stringer for his strong representation of Kersal and Broughton. With boundary changes, we welcome Yasmin Quereshi and Christian Wakeford, and congratulate Rebecca Long-Bailey on her re-election. With several of our Greater Manchester MPs within the new government, Salford and Greater Manchester are in pole position to be at the forefront of positive changes going forward.

For the past 14 years, Salford City Council, like many local authorities across the country, has faced colossal decreases in funding from central government. Our grant has been reduced by £245 million since 2010, while pressures on our services have massively increased, particularly in children’s services, adult social care, housing, and homelessness. It now falls to this incoming government to remove these barriers to opportunity, growth and helping people build lives based on dignity and security, which won’t be easy given the tough choices needing to be made with the public finances the government has inherited.

A message from the City Mayor of Salford, Paul Dennett

Despite these difficult circumstances, Salford and our people have demonstrated resilience, grit, determination, creativity, and ingenuity. We are delivering high-quality, sustainable council housing through our independent housing company Dérive. We have worked with Unison the union to deliver the ‘Salford Offer’, raising standards in the social care sector for our fantastic care workers locally. Our significant investments in MediaCity, Greengate, and New Bailey have built a modern industrial base across our city. We are responding to the climate emergency by investing in green spaces, developing green infrastructure, and earning recognition as the most sustainable council in England.

This council, under my leadership, will continue to press the new government for greater investment and a closer and more strategic working relationship between Salford, Greater Manchester and the Labour government in delivering for our residents, families, businesses and communities. We welcome the government’s commitments to delivering an industrial strategy for the country, deepening devolution settlements as part of their mission to kickstart economic growth, making Britain greener, breaking down barriers to opportunity, and building an NHS fit for the future.

Our city and wider region can provide blueprints for the progressive, inclusive, and greener society and economy. I have already written to various members of the new Cabinet, inviting them to see what we have already achieved in Salford, while also sharing what our plans are for the future. I will work with them to deliver for the people of this great city. We have a proud history of community, solidarity and supporting one another in Salford and our plans and priorities are to support all the 278,000 people who call our great city home.

City Mayor Paul Dennett

The year was 1948.

Clement Attlee was the Prime Minister, the National Health Service had just been launched, and Salford teenager Mary Jones was moving into a new house on the Duchy estate, which was to become the place she would call home for the next 76 years.

Salford family bids farewell to social housing home after 76 years

A then 18-year-old Mary Jones was amongst the first to move in, along with her mum Ellen and older brother and sister Eric and Agnes.

Today the homes on Duchy are owned by housing association Salix Homes, and Mary, now aged 95 and a great-grandmother of four, is one of their longest serving customers.

She recalls: “We used to say at the time that we were moving to ‘a posh part of Salford’ because the houses had gardens. We were used to the old terraced houses, and not many council houses had gardens in those days.

“The best thing about living here has been the friends and neighbours I’ve made over the years – there was always a real strong sense of community.”

Over the next eight decades, the house has provided a safe and happy home for three generations of the Jones family.

Mary’s son Michael said: “We have some very happy memories of living here – it’s been a very precious family home for so many of us.

“Growing up, the boys would sleep in one bedroom and the girls in another. We all had our chores to do – my Uncle Eric was in charge of the garden. He took such pride in the garden and it was always known by people round here as ‘the house with the red roses’.”

Mary’s mum Ellen lived there until she died in 1970, as did Agnes who passed away in 1993, and Eric who died in 2020, leaving Mary living alone for the past four years.

After almost eight decades of calling the ‘house with the red roses’ her home, Mary has now moved into an extra-care retirement village in Salford, where she can still live independently, but also has support on hand if she needs it.

Sue Sutton, Chief Executive at Salix Homes, added: “This marks the end of an extraordinary chapter for the Jones family and a house that has been a cornerstone of their lives for nearly eight decades.

“Mary’s story is a powerful example of the profound difference that social housing can make in people’s lives, providing stability, security, and a foundation for generations.”

Read more about Mary’s story on Salix Homes’ website: Salford family bids farewell to social housing home after 76 years | Salix Homes or scan the QR code here.

The Jones family in the garden at their Salford home in 1958Michael, left, with Gran Ellen and cousin John

Mary Jones has lived in her social housing home in Salford for 76 years

Mary Jones and her son Michael Jones

Thehousewith theredroses

Salix Homes connects with customers across Salford

Teams have been out in force as part of the Working in Neighbourhood (WIN) Day initiative, which sees all staff working out in communities. During the latest event, officers cleared 48 bin bags of rubbish and were also knocking on doors and speaking to residents as part of their Getting to Know You survey, whereby the landlord is contacting all its customers to learn a little more about them and better understand the diverse range and needs of its tenants.

Salix Homes staff have been hitting the streets of Salford to clean-up communities and connect with customers.

Sian Grant, Executive Director of Customers and Communities at Salix Homes, said: “We’re on a mission to get back to our roots and refocus on our core values to provide good quality homes and services. Our latest WIN Day was about tackling litter and fly-tipping, helping us to create safer and cleaner communities where our residents can be proud to live.”

Salix Homes also has a team of new, dedicated housing officers who aim to be a familiar face in communities, holding regular events and activities including surgeries, drop-in sessions and clean-ups.

The next WIN Day is on September 4. Keep an eye on the events calendar on the Salix Homes website or scan the QR code to see when they're in your area.

IN SALFORD ADULT EDUCATION COURSES

Hello

Digital

This is Salford City Council’s annual performance report for 2023/24. Here, we take a closer look at how we have delivered on our Great Eight priorities

1 Tackling poverty and inequality

The council’s welfare rights and debt advice service helped 4,616 Salford residents in low-income households access over £9 million, a huge increase on last year’s figure of £6.5 million.

We served

51,458 meals as part of the Holiday Activities and Food programme and provided 1,700 take and make boxes for families to cook meals at home.

We increased the number of accredited real living wage employers in Salford to 112 this year, boosting the pay of local employees.

Our Salford Assist Team help people in crisis access emergency support and provided 849 people with essential furniture and white goods. They also received 8,846 applications for support from the government’s Household Support Fund to pay for essentials such as food and energy costs.

The work of many services and organisations across the city has led to Salford being officially awarded the City of Sanctuary status for our commitment to creating a culture of solidarity and inclusivity.

In 2023 we launched the Salford Women and Girls’ Commission Report and in 2024 we produced a ‘one year on’ video to highlight the progress in making Salford fairer and safer for women and girls.

Creating vibrant places and spaces 2

The council approved plans to renovate Buile Hill Mansion and work has now started. The historic mansion will be restored and will be home to our registry services and include community space, a café bar and wedding and function room.

Building has started on our new Youth Zone in Pendleton. This new young people’s leisure activity centre is planned to open in 2025 and is also creating jobs and volunteering opportunities for local people.

Since January 2021, the council has used our Crowdfunder project to pledge over £250,000 to support over 90 local individuals and groups with projects including charitable activities, improving facilities and projects to improve people’s health and wellbeing.

JAN 2021

Salford received £749,600 from the Arts Council England National Lottery Projects Grants. This will be used to deliver

the biggest ever programme of creative activities and events in Salford.

We opened a state-ofthe-art outdoor gym at Eccles Recreation Ground. The gym also includes suitable equipment for wheelchair users.

Tackling the climate emergency 3

In October 2023 we launched our Greener Salford campaign to encourage people to make greener choices.

We ran a Greener Salford survey to get a better picture of Salford residents’ views on climate change. Almost 700 surveys were completed.

Our Salford Ranger Team arranged

37 litter picking activities as part of the Great British Spring Clean and over 500 people took part to make our city look cleaner and greener.

Skills and education (A Learning City) 4

90% of primary schools are rated good or outstanding in Salford.

We launched a new campaign to show parents and children if they ‘Miss School, they Miss Out.’

We are working with schools to improve school attendance and 11 of our schools will receive support from a Family Help Worker based in the school.

In November 2023, we launched our Employment and Skills Strategy that sets out our plans to connect local people to the jobs and opportunities created in Salford.

Eden, a £36 million, 12 storey office, with Europe’s largest living wall was completed. Home to 350,000 plants the living wall removes air pollutants and improves biodiversity in Salford.

We switched on the first solar farm in Salford. The site in Little Hulton is set to generate over 2,000 megawatt hours of electricity, saving a thousand tonnes of carbon a year, the same as taking over 600 cars off the road.

We created 135 apprenticeships this year at the council.

Our Skills and Work Team’s free summer programme helped young people who are not in education, employment or training learn new skills, meet new people and build confidence.

Salford is the only Greater Manchester council to secure

We launched our new Employment Hub to provide recruitment and training support for young people and adults to develop their skills and careers.

£245,000 of government funding for a Supported Employment Service to provide individual support to 140 Salford residents with learning disabilities and autism.

A total of 402 affordable homes were delivered last year working with our Registered Provider housing partners including the council’s local housing company Dérive.

We secured a grant to deliver 18 homeless accommodation units in Kersal and Broughton Park, with another 81 units planned in Weaste and Seedley.

The

largest Passivhaus, low energy designed, affordable housing scheme in the North West was completed on Chapel Street, delivering 96 affordable apartments.

We set up a temporary overnight welfare hub in the winter to keep homeless people off the streets and safe. We have also developed new processes to help prevent young people becoming homelessness.

Promoting transport and digital connectivity

We officially launched the £23 million Trafford Road Scheme, one of the biggest walking and cycling schemes delivered in Greater Manchester. Every junction, crossing and bus stop has been improved and upgraded.

Extra pedestrian and cycle-friendly crossings have been included as well as adding new cycle lanes.

50% of Greater Manchester’s buses are now under local control in the Bee Network with key routes in Salford included in the first two areas that went live. The new services are performing better than before the scheme started.

We launched an e-scooter trial in Salford to encourage more sustainable trips in the city centre. The trial has been popular and has been extended for two more years.

We have supported 10,253 customers to get online through our Digital Everyone Programme and supported 421 residents by giving them laptops and tablets so they can stay connected in the digital world.

Creating an economy for all 7

51% of the council’s spend with third party suppliers is spent with Salford suppliers, helping to boost our local economy.

The council working with its partners, has helped 14 companies and businesses to relocate to Salford or expand. This has created 1,594 new jobs with the value to the Salford economy estimated to be £64.2 million.

£398 million of private sector investment and £40 million of public sector investment has been secured.

We agreed to purchase the Salford Community Stadium. Development of the site is expected to create 790 new jobs, attract £65 million of private sector investment and deliver £28 million of value to the Salford economy.

Tackling health inequalities and providing the best possible care 8

Ofsted rated our services to children and young people as ‘Good’ overall and ‘Outstanding’ in the areas of care leaver support and leadership.

Our Shared Lives Carers service was recognised as an exemplary care provider in a Care Quality Commission inspection. This service provides support for people with a range of needs as a result of conditions including autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities and dementia.

Our Salford Strengthening families team won the national

Family Support Award

in the Children and Young People Now Awards 2023. The award recognised services that support families to help their children lead healthy, happy and fulfilling lives safe from harm.

We launched the Salford

Men’s Mental Health Commission

to ask men across the city for their views on their state of mind, support available and how things could be improved.

To improve oral health, the schoolbased brushing programme has continued in some schools. Health visitors provide oral health education and toothpaste to parents of one- and two-year-olds. Tooth decay results at age five have reduced as a result.

Our Health Protection team have been working in neighbourhoods to encourage people to attend childhood immunisation vaccination clinics.

This is our Salford Corporate Plan

2024 to 2028

Our vision for Salford is for a fairer, greener, healthier and more inclusive city for all.

To achieve this, our new four-year Corporate Plan 2024 - 28 sets out our seven priorities that will provide the focus of the council’s work.

Our city is changing and growing. It continues its remarkable story of transformation and there is already much to celebrate as a city - more well-paid jobs, new affordable and social homes, thriving local schools, award-winning green spaces, iconic infrastructure, cleaner transport, more integrated health and care and a vibrant cultural scene.

The previous pages provide an overview of council achievements in 2023-2024 as part of our annual report. But like many places, recent years have been incredibly challenging with millions cut from the council’s budget by government alongside increasing demand for vital services and the rising cost of living.

This plan aims to build on past successes and continue to find new and innovative ways to deliver high quality services which improve the lives of people living and working in our city.

Happy Birthday Health Improvement

Established in 2004, the service initiated various healthy eating, physical activity, and social support programmes tailored to community needs. Key achievements include setting up outdoor gyms, community orchards, and over 100 community groups.

Transitioning to Salford City Council in 2011, the service expanded its offerings and has since delivered over 8,000 NHS Health Checks and continued to support community groups including breastfeeding mothers, kurling groups, babies first foods and many, many more.

The service expanded its impact with the Salford Health Bus in 2012 and launched numerous health and wellbeing programmes in the following years. Highlights include the award-winning Dancing with Dementia project, the Social Prescribing scheme, and extensive pandemic support efforts, including food and medication deliveries. Recently, the service has coordinated holiday food programmes, embedded staff in hospital discharge processes, and launched new workplace health initiatives.

A participant in the Big Dance group said “Since I’ve joined, I’ve made so many friends and Monday morning… I get up and I think yeah I’m out today, I’m going to see my friends, have a talk coffee and enjoy it.”

To monitor our progress in delivering the priorities, we will publish updates on progress and an annual report. Visit www.salford.gov.uk/this-is-our-salford to find out more about our ambitions and how we intend to deliver them.

Over the past 20 years, the Salford Health Improvement Service has made remarkable achievements in enhancing community health and wellbeing.

Recognised as Team of the Year 2023 at Salford City Council’s Employee Awards, Salford Health Improvement Service continues to support thousands of Salfordian’s annually in improving their health and wellbeing, demonstrating their commitment to a healthier, fairer, and more inclusive Salford.

Celebrate more with Health Improvements 20 year story at www.salford.gov.uk/health-improvement-at-20

What do you do with your holey socks?

Clearing out your wardrobe?

You might know what to do with those jeans that don’t fit or that shirt that doesn’t go with anything.

But what about the stuff that can’t be handed down, donated to charity, or sold on Vinted?

What can you do with your holey socks?

The good news is that there’s a place for this stuff.

Your stained t-shirts and ripped jumpers can be recycled and turned into new things. All you need to do is take your unwanted and unwearable clothes to the textile banks at supermarkets or your local recycling centres in Lumns Lane, Cobden Street or Boysnope Wharf.

Almost half of all used textiles end up in the rubbish bin. This means on average, each person in the UK bins a shocking 35 items of unwanted clothing every year.

But by recycling your unwanted clothing, you’re saving them from going to waste and helping the environment. Old textiles can be given a new lease of life and transformed into items like car seats, carpet underlay and even horse bedding.

To recycle your clothes, make sure they're clean and dry, then pop them in a bag before putting them in the textiles bank.

The new homes mean that people can now get the vital care and support they need in Salford rather than being placed outside of the city. While living in their new homes in Little Hulton, residents can live independently with specialist 24 hour care and support with things such as cooking, cleaning and personal care.

New supported living means Salfordians can move back home

Eight Salfordians with learning disabilities including those currently living out of area will be moving in and moving back to the city thanks to a new supported living scheme.

The care and support provider will employ approximately 20 people to provide expert support.

Councillor Tracy Kelly is the city’s Deputy City Mayor and lead member for housing and anti-poverty. She has worked to push through the scheme since initial discussions took place in 2018 and said: “It just warms my heart that Salfordians are moving back home. I decided to stand as a councillor to work on projects exactly like this and make a huge difference for local people.”

Councillor John Merry, lead member for adult social care and health said: “Looking after residents and providing decent homes and accommodation is an absolute priority of mine and the city council.”

Make sure your child has their FREE flu vaccination

Children can catch and spread flu very easily. The vaccine is the safest way to protect your child from the flu and sometimes serious side effects like pneumonia.

Make sure you look out for the flu vaccination invitation from your child’s school during the autumn term or children aged 2-3yrs you’ll be contacted by your GP practice.

Councillor Tracy Kelly with partners at the supported living scheme in Little Hulton.

Looking to get more active?

Live and feel well this Autumn

Quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, taking care of our mental health, and staying up to date with vaccinations - find the resources you need to improve your health and wellbeing this autumn.

Live Well

Join Stoptober's 28-day quit smoking challenge. Even if you've tried before, Salford’s Stop Smoking Service offer loads of ways to quit and one-to-one advice to help you keep on trying. Learn more at: www.salford.gov.uk/ stopsmoking

NHS Health Checks can detect health concerns early. Talk to your GP about your next check-up and annual review if you have a long-term condition or health concern.

Find local health and wellbeing events promoting cancer awareness, immunisations, and health screening information at www.salford.gov.uk/ healthimprovement and @SalfordHealthImprovement

Take a five-minute walk, visit Salford's green spaces and find places to get active and be creative at salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk/ and www.salford.gov.uk/ movemore.

Use the five ways to well-being and NHS Better Health Apps for added support.

Feel Well

Debt, job security, or moving to a new location can increase stress and anxiety for many people. But there are lots of ways to improve our financial, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Explore the Salford CVS Padlet to connect with local activities, volunteering, and community groups www.salfordcvs.co.uk/ whats-on-in-salford

Need help with how to start open conversations about mental health? Try www.nhs.uk/every-mindmatters. Training as a Mental Health First Aider can help you build confidence in discussing mental health and supporting others. www.mindinsalford.org.uk/ training/

If you are worried about your mental health, Greater Manchester Mental Health's free 24/7 helpline provides immediate support. Call 0800 953 0285 for assistance.

You can find help and advice online at: www.partnersinsalford.org/ salford-health-and-wellbeingboard/mental-health-andwellbeing/