Places for People

Our first collaboration with Bristol Waste Company for a litter pick in St Paul’s, Bristol, was a huge success. With 50 amazing volunteers from NatWest Group bank, Bristol Animal Rescue Centre, Amazon, and local Community members, we managed to collect 51 bags of litter. The litter pick event in St Paul's focused on Dalrymple Park, benefiting over 300 households. This event was not just about cleaning up but also about enhancing Community Wellbeing. By addressing waste management issues such as fly-tipping and recycling, we are creating a cleaner, safer environment for everyone. Earlier this year, the Community faced challenges, but together, we are turning things around and fostering a more positive and supportive atmosphere. Small events like this litter pick bring people together, fostering solidarity and positive change to support Customer initiatives. The event echoed the Community's voice, promoting gardening, Wellbeing activities, and nurturing a sense of ownership of the area. Bristol Waste brought together corporate volunteers, making the event highly visible and impactful. We hope to involve more Customers and multi-agencies in future events. A huge thank you to everyone who came out to help. Your time and effort truly made a difference. Let’s look forward to bringing this event back in Autumn! #BecauseCommunityMatters #CommunityCleanUp #Sustainability #MakingADifference

“Today is a big step forward for housing. I’m delighted to see Government immediately put housebuilding front and centre of its first #KingSpeech, tackling many of the barriers that have been standing in our way for too long.” Greg Reed, Places for People’s CEO, comments on the King’s Speech:  “As one of the UK’s leading affordable housebuilders with the biggest pipeline of any organisation in our sector, we stand ready to build at pace and scale with over 2,000 completions in train for 2024/25. But we want to and need to go even further and faster. We have written to the Secretary of State setting out how working with us can help the new Government realise its vision of delivering true change, and look forward to further conversations. “Plans announced today will help unlock land, speed up the planning process and turbocharge housebuilding. But we need to see this in action. To really drive delivery of the right homes, in the right places, supported by the right infrastructure, local planning authorities need to provide their own local plans and only 22% of them have adopted one in the last five years. With hopes of interest rates being further cut next month fading, there’s no time to wait. The #TimetoBuild is now.”

We are committed to enhancing Community engagement and building connections that strengthen the bonds among people. In partnership with Service Six, we support the Coffee Hall Community in Milton Keynes by hosting bi-weekly drop-in sessions and coffee mornings for Chapter House residents. These gatherings offer a welcoming space for neighbours to enjoy company, refreshments, and support from our dedicated team. The Chapter House Community Centre, is a vital hub in our 54-property housing complex, fostering a close-knit atmosphere among families and individuals. Building on the success of our regular sessions, we recently hosted an outdoor event in collaboration with Service Six and Woughton Community Council. Customers of all ages came together to enjoy light snacks, including delicious cakes and hot dogs, and participate in fun activities like sumo suits, giant Jenga, Connect 4, snakes and ladders, football, and music. Kay Smith, our Community Connector who played a pivotal role in this project, shared her insights on the significance of this initiative: “It was truly inspiring to see long-term residents share their cherished memories and experiences of Chapter House, highlighting the strong sense of Community. Bringing neighbours together from various age groups to enjoy activities together, sharing memories and offering each other friendship, making them feel like this is their Community to enjoy.” We look forward to continuing our efforts and supporting the Community spirit of Chapter House with our summer fun day in August. Watch this space. #BecauseCommunityMatters #WeareCommunity #InclusiveCommunities #SocialImpact

Spend five minutes with our Operations Director, Willie Lockhart FCIOB MAPM, as he discusses housing at Places for People and shares insights on the future of housing under our new Government... 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞? “I joined Places for People nearly nine years ago now, and what impresses me most is the passion that all Colleagues across the organisation have for making a tangible difference in Communities. Working with such dedicated professionals to create amazing Communities and generate significant social value is both humbling and inspiring. “In my role on the developments central team, I support regional development businesses in the delivery of new build affordable homes and market sale offerings. I focus on safety, quality, and Customer service in operational delivery, collaborating with Colleagues across the organisation. “I also work closely with Colleagues across the organisation in our matrix working model as around 70% of the homes we build are retained as our group stock to be owned and managed by my Colleagues in lettings and property management. “Our development team works closely with the entire business, from land acquisition and planning to construction, ultimately passing completed homes to other teams to manage as long-term assets. This requires strong collaboration and a shared vision of well-designed, high-quality Communities” 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 5 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬? “I believe we are entering a period of great opportunity with a new #Government and renewed focus on the challenges facing us all in this industry. “We are already doing amazing Community building work with a number of legacy landowners around the country from Inverness in the very north of Scotland down to Poundbury in Dorset, and others in between. Our current challenges are mostly around the planning system, speeding up approvals and getting sites started so we can increase delivery of much needed affordable housing across the whole of the country.” 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? “Places for People is an exciting place to work due to its commitment to its People Promises. These values, combined with a mission to make a real difference in Communities, make Places for People unique and rewarding. I've worked in other organisations with slogans and nice words on a canteen wall, but here they are truly lived and experienced in everything we do together." Join our Community: https://bit.ly/3ypokVL #BecauseCommunityMatters #UKHousing #HousingDevelopment #AffordableHousing

Park Hill is one of Places for People’s and the UK’s most significant regeneration projects. Originally built in 1961 as part of the slum clearance project, it was an emblem for social change known for its ‘streets in the sky’. After years of regeneration, we’re thrilled to announce that Park Hill Phase 2 has now won a RIBA National Award! Designed by Mikhail Riches as part of our joint venture with Urban Splash Phase 2 created 195 homes and 20,000 sq ft of mixed-use commercial space at the iconic Sheffield building. This project is more than just architecture; it’s about reinvigorating a historic area and turning it into a lively hub for residents and businesses alike. Samantha Steele, Managing Director of Placemaking and Regeneration shared: “Park Hill has now become a thriving, creative neighbourhood that is working for everyone and has gained universal recognition. This award is a testament to the collaborative approach to restoring this significant historical site and revitalising a Community where people can truly thrive.” Discover more: https://lnkd.in/eu63Xw3R #BecauseCommunityMatters #AwardWinning #ParkHill #RIBAAwards 

We were excited to participate in the Keepmoat Homes 2024 Cup in support of the Calder Lighthouse charity in Leeds last month! This event was especially meaningful as it supported a vital charity within our Community that provides disadvantaged families with great quality baby equipment and essential items like clothes and toiletries. It was a day filled with competitive spirit, networking opportunities, and a chance for the charity to showcase its impactful work and raise funds through the entry fee and raffle. The day saw 23 teams, including solicitors, contractors, and house builders, competing in a spirit of camaraderie and charity. Thank you to Nathan Collins, Sam Pierce, Megan Lickley, Nick Ollis, Jamie Burns, Arran Cawthra and everyone who made this day possible, and we look forward to future events supporting such important causes within our Communities! #BecauseCommunityMatters #WeAreCommunity #MakingADifference #GivingBack

Celebrating 50 years of the Greenleys Community! We were delighted to collaborate with Wolverton and Greenleys Town Council to celebrate this significant milestone. Greenleys is a Community just outside Milton Keynes that we support, with many of our Customers living on Ardwell Lane. Over 900 members of the Community joined us at Milton Keynes Museum to enjoy food from local vendors and music from local bands, DJs and artists. A number of local businesses and organisations also attended, including St John’s Ambulance, and a stall held by one of our Customers focusing on mental health and mindfulness. The event also included activities for children provided by Milton Keynes Play Association, a local charity advocating for children's Right to Play. The celebration also featured the Milton Keynes Living Archive, a local organisation dedicated to documenting the history of the Milton Keynes area and the Community that lives there. They unveiled their exhibition on the Greenleys Community, featuring photographs and memories from local people. It was a pleasure to support the Greenleys Community as we strive to create thriving Communities that can come together in celebrations like this! #BecauseCommunityMatters #WeAreCommunity #MakingADifference

“Yesterday’s statement from the Chancellor has our unequivocal support, we need more new homes and there is no time to waste. This is one of the most pressing issues for the UK, for economic growth, for families across the UK, and for us all at Places for People, whose mission is to build, help, and support Communities across the UK.” Scott Black shares his response to Rachel Reeves’ first ministerial statement.  “The measures Rachel Reeves has announced today are a positive first step for housing of all tenures including much-needed new affordable homes. As well as bringing forward the delivery of new homes, our own #TimetoBuild research illustrated that approximately three-quarters of people also want greater investment in local infrastructure to support new housebuilding, which must not be forgotten. “Building must be scaled up now and we are ready to do our part to help. On top of mandatory housebuilding targets and a taskforce to accelerate stalled housing sites, we think more can be done to get Britain building again. “If we are to maximise investment into the sector and tackle the current housing crisis for those most in need, we need certainty and more specifically, confirmation on rent at CPI plus 1% while the financial settlement between Government and housing associations is reviewed. This would provide housing associations nationwide with the stability to invest in the homes they own and to accelerate building new homes. “This is an exciting time, and we look forward to further details of the Government's strategy, including the greenbelt review and recruitment of 300 more people into planning which will help to get things moving again. For too long we haven’t done what is necessary to meet the nation’s supply and demand challenges, and it is great to hear the new Chancellor address some of the key barriers that have held us back for too long, so early in her tenure. But a clear framework that unlocks more land for new homes and delivers planning consents quickly and efficiently is needed if we are to meet the needs of the nation. At Places for People we are here to help the government get Britain building at scale and for everyone across the UK.” #UKHousing #TimetoBuild #Government #BecauseCommunityMatters  

“This is the biggest change to public procurement regulations in a generation. The scale and impact of this cannot be underlined enough. This is not a cursory or arbitrary change. This is wholesale, this is massive.” Alan Heron, FCIPS (Chartered), Director of Procurement at Places for People, recently shared his insights with Social Housing on the upcoming Procurement Act 2023, which takes effect on 28 October. This legislation marks a significant overhaul of the UK’s public procurement regime, aiming to boost transparency, value for money, and public benefit. Key changes include: • increased transparency • enhanced contract management • emphasis on social value • flexibility in procedures • increased administrative demands. Alan is also playing a pivotal role in the formation of the National Housing Procurement Association, which aims to foster collaboration and share best practices among housing associations as they navigate these new regulations. We are excited about the opportunities this new legislation brings and the positive impact it will have on our sector. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3XQXlx5 #MakingADifference #Procurement #PublicSectorProcurement #ProcurementAct2023

“Today marks a new dawn for our country, hopefully bringing a stability that Communities and industries across the UK have craved.” Our CEO Greg Reed, responds to the 2024 General Election result: “The new Government must now put words into action and deliver the transformative national change it promised during its successful campaign. So much leads back to a lack of vital housing and Labour’s pledge to turbocharge housebuilding and invest in healthy Communities is very welcome. “We’ve seen this housing crisis coming for many years and it’s getting worse every day. More people than ever before are homeless, fewer new affordable homes are being built, and social housing waiting lists are so long people can see neither the light nor the end. Urgent action is vital and we can be a key partner in helping the Government hit the ground running from day one. “At PfP we will keep doing what we’re doing. We will keep building homes at scale with the largest five-year pipeline in the sector. We will keep investing in people’s lives and generate hundreds of millions each year in social value. We will keep growing our health and wellbeing offer to add to our healthy communities programme and to the millions of people, young and old, who visit our Leisure centres each month. “There will be challenges along the way but we know what it takes to create, manage and support thriving Communities. There is no other organisation quite like us and we are ready to work alongside Government to reinvigorate the lives of Customers and Communities right across the country – and deliver lasting change for generations to come. The time for talking is over, it’s time to build.” #BecauseCommunityMatters #TimetoBuild #GeneralElection