Local organisations team up to help residents stay safe and warm

Local housing provider Guinness Northern Counties has teamed up with Rochdale Boroughwide Housing to support the Kingsway Week of Action, a campaign organised by Greater Manchester Police to provide residents in the Kingsway area of South Rochdale with advice on how to keep safe and warm this winter.

Recently staff from all three organisations spent the day on the Newbold estate going door-to-door to talk to residents about issues such as anti-social behaviour, heating bills, saving energy and tips on how to stay warm during the winter.

Lorraine Sykes, Guinness Northern Counties housing officer, said: “The issues we are addressing today are always high on our agenda but at this time of year when domestic abuse is at its highest and big heating bills come in causing stress and worry, it’s important to get out there and make sure that people know who and where to go for help, should they need it.”

She added: “It is important that our customers know what action can be taken when suffering from nuisance issues, whether that be from neighbours or the minority within the youth element on our estates.”

Guinness Northern Counties, who own and manage 285 properties in Newbold, also provided skips at various locations on the estate and offered to clear bulky, unwanted household items for residents free of charge.

Brendan Walsh, community beat manager for Greater Manchester Police and organiser of Kingsway Week of Action, said: “Anti-social behaviour is right up at the top of our list of priorities. Along with our partners, it is vital that we protect the most vulnerable in our communities and send a message out to those who wish to spoil things for others. We will not tolerate their behaviour and they will be punished by whatever means we have at our disposal.

“This week of action will show residents what good work is going on in their community and will help to strengthen the ties between the partner agencies and the community. ”

The week of action finished with the execution of two Drug Warrants on the Newbold estate which resulted in three arrests and the seizure of a substantial amount of Illegal Substances.

PC Walsh said: “Thanks to information from the local community we have executed two successful warrants today. We will always act upon information relating to such activities and so anyone involved should be warned that it could be their home which will be searched next.”