News & Blog

Maximising customer benefits from start to finish A central tenet to the new Wybourn Community Centre is that the local community have a sense of ownership in it, that the Centre will not just provide much needed services but that it will be a fulcrum for enhanced community pride and a belief that the local […]

Back in July 2020, Great Places launched the Community Resilience Fund. One of the not-for-profit organisations that benefited was Women's Voices, based in Longsight, Manchester.

The Great Places Hardship Fund was set up to support customers facing financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once any other suitable provision has been exhausted, the fund ensures customers have access to emergency food, fuel and other essential items. Great Places have helped many customers, here is how Ms Smith* a […]

Case study of how financial support transformed the life of a refugee in the Sheffield area.

Ms Z* arrived in the UK in March 2019 after fleeing her native country of Iran where she was an architect and sought asylum here. Great Places colleagues first met Ms Z* to help support her future goals and make plans for the future. Ms Z* was proactive and attended various ESOL and English support classes, taking place […]

In response to the restrictions imposed by lockdown, the Community Investment Team had to adapt the Great Places employability offer. Previously Great Places held regular jobs fairs in different venues, including local community centres. The challenge was to deliver a similar experience for our customers online, providing relevant information, advice and guidance. In December the […]

What was John’s situation? John moved into his property in June 2020. Previously he’d been living in a campervan on an industrial estate, and before this on a friend’s field in a tin shed with two horses. John’s living situations were the result of a relationship breakdown. John had been in this situation for around […]

This week is Volunteer’s Week (1-7 June 2021), and at Great Places, we want to recognise volunteers for the fantastic contribution they make to our communities as well as share how volunteering impacts the work we do as an organisation. Great Places’ social purpose ethos means we exist to support some of the most disadvantaged […]

Blackpool based mental health support service, Stand Together and Recover (STAR), is receiving expert advice from legal specialists Bevan Brittan, thanks to social value support offered as part of its involvement with Great Places’ Legal Services Procurement Framework. Bevan Brittan responded to STAR’s request for help in securing new premises as part of its plans […]