First Choice Homes supports key public services during Covid-19 pandemic

Oldham-based social housing provider First Choice Homes (FCH) is playing a role in helping to keep key public services going through the coronavirus pandemic.

A number of customer volunteers and colleagues have swapped their usual day jobs to help support Oldham Council’s critical frontline services in the borough and ensure that the most vulnerable residents get the help they need.

Members of FCH’s Community Impact Team are now supporting five ‘virtual hubs’ across the borough set up by Oldham Council and Action Together as part of their community response to Covid-19.

FCH colleagues are among the army of volunteers helping to co-ordinate support for people who are in emergency need because they are unable to leave the house and don’t have a trusted friend, neighbour or family member to help them.

Arranging deliveries of emergency food and essential personal and household items to people and helping them to access key services and support, are just some of the things they are on hand to help with seven days a week at this difficult time.

Customer volunteers and colleagues from the Community Impact Team have also helped to set up two satellite branches of Oldham Foodbank in South Chadderton and Shaw and Crompton, helping to put food on the table for people who have been affected by the current situation.

This is as well as sourcing supplies, supporting with back office administration, and volunteering to serve customers day to day.

Additionally, surplus food stocks from the affordable food services that the housing association runs three times a week in partnership with The Bread and Butter Thing are also being donated to Oldham Foodbank.

So far a variety of good quality fresh food and store cupboard staples have been supplied to help restock the foodbank’s stores which are facing unprecedented demand.

Elsewhere in the borough, 15 members of FCH staff have been volunteering with Age UK Oldham to support its telephone befriending service for older people to help combat loneliness, and also deliver groceries to elderly people in the area who need help at this time.

Teams from across FCH are working hard to back the Greater Manchester-wide push to provide safe accommodation for homeless and vulnerable people during the Covid-19 pandemic, too.

In just over a week, skilled tradespersons renovated and fully furnished 13 previously unoccupied properties at Fleming Place in Oldham to house local homeless people, both for their own good and to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Oldham Council’s Homelessness Service has now allocated these homes to people in need.

Supporting Oldham Council with rubbish collections, colleagues from FCH’s Neighbourhood Care Team have been redeployed to assist Oldham’s Council’s waste and recycling services, emptying communal bins in neighbourhoods to help keep local people safe and reduce health and safety risks.

Emma Davison, Customer First Executive Director at FCH, said: “There’s terrific community spirit here in Oldham and colleagues and volunteers from our business, Oldham Council, Action Together, Oldham Foodbank and other agencies have been nothing short of fantastic pulling together to focus on vulnerable people in our borough who need our help most right now.

“This is a high risk situation and we’re doing everything we can to keep local people and all our staff and volunteers safe – their health and wellbeing is our top priority.

"The overwhelming response from our teams is that they want to be involved in the community in which we work, which is testament to their dedication and generosity.

“Improving lives is what we’re all about and I’m proud that our teams and customer volunteers are able to support key public services and provide the extra support our communities need at this time.”

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