Over 10 thousand people across the North West supported through community Christmas initiative

22 organisations across the North West have come together to deliver Sovini's Big Community Christmas, an initiative which has seen over 10k people receive vital support during the festive season.

The Sovini Group, an integrated supply chain solution for the housing sector that generated £48.8 million in social value during 2022/23, came together with community partners to deliver a range of initiatives to support communities this Christmas.

The initiative saw the delivery of:-

• 14 festive community events.
  

• 18 food, care and toy packages.
  

• Support packs and heating vouchers for One Vision Housing's vulnerable customers.
  

• Selection boxes for Schools.
  

• Sponsoring of warm hubs.

Sefton O.P.E.R.A, a charitable voluntary group that provides services to enhance the well being of older people, received a food package from the initiative.

Vicki Martlow, a spokesperson from O.P.E.R.A said:- "Rising costs have resulted in some of our clients being frightened to turn their heating on. We are incredibly grateful for the donation of this food pallet which will enable us to support hundreds of people locally."

Roy Williams, Chief Executive Officer at The Sovini Group said:- "As the cost of living continues to rise, we know many will be finding this time of year challenging. We believe in creating a better future for the communities we serve and thanks to our people and partnerships, together we are creating opportunities and changing lives this Christmas."

A survey by the Office for National Statistics found that:- 1 in 5 adults across the UK were unable to keep warm in their homes, with 46% of adults spending less money on food due to rising costs.

The Group's registered housing providers, One Vision Housing and Pine Court Housing Association, are helping their customers through financial inclusion services, offering bespoke support to customers to help them make the most out of their money. From advice on how to manage debt, help accessing benefits, funding for the use of local food pantries, to support with rent payments through a Hardship Fund.

Through its development programme, the Group plans to deliver over 1,000 new affordable energy efficient homes across the North West in the next 5 years.

Group member Sovini Construction raised over £10.4k to support Sovini's Big Community Christmas initiative, thanks to donations from its supply chain.

James Flannery, Director of Construction and Land at The Sovini Group said:- "We continue to build more than homes, we create thriving communities and are committed to making a positive impact for our residents. As we strive to create a better future, these initiatives will provide much needed support for those in need thanks to our partners."

As part of a Discover our Purpose campaign, the Group also supported Cash for Kid's Mission Christmas, which is set to help over 35k local families by ensuring every child wakes up to a present under their tree this Christmas.

Employees across the Group raised over £2.5k, donated toys and volunteered their time by helping to pack parcels, with Sovini Trade Supplies and Sovini Property Services also dropping off deliveries to Community Centres.

Hayley Smallman, Senior Corporate Fundraising Executive at Radio City's Cash for Kids said:- "We are incredibly grateful to The Sovini Group for their support, not only at Christmas, but for all they do to help those in need throughout the year. They have helped to make such a big difference through their donations and volunteer time to Mission Christmas this year, we can't thank them enough."

To discover more about The Sovini Group's purpose, please visit:- Sovini.Co.UK.

Mayor Steve Rotheram's cost of living support scheme writes off £3m in personal debt

A scheme launched by Mayor Steve Rotheram to support people hardest hit by the cost of living crisis has helped people to write off personal debts totalling £3m in its 1st 9 months.

Mayor Rotheram launched Mind and Money at the start of 2023 to target 2,500 of the Liverpool City Region's most vulnerable residents.

The £2m project, run by The Women's Organisation, Vauxhall Law Centre, Pennysmart and Citizens Advice, has already helped 1,400 people; cutting debt by £3m and maximising income by a total of £800,000.

It is part of the Combined Authority's wider £5m cost of living support package and is in addition to the City Region's £105m retrofitting programme, which is helping some of the poorest households to save hundreds of pounds a month on their energy bills.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "When people fall on hard times, we want to help ease that burden by providing a safety net of support. The cost of living crisis has been the most challenging period that many residents in our area have ever faced, inflicting untold stress, anxiety and financial worries on families already struggling to make ends meet. Our support scheme has helped some of the most vulnerable in our community to not only reduce their debts, but increase their income at the same time. Support like this simply would not have been possible without devolution; it's giving areas like ours the opportunity to invest in schemes that make a genuine difference to people's lives."

The service is aimed at supporting people in crisis but is also designed to help them develop long-term financial resilience.

It assists with debt and money management, support to maximize income, as well as guidance on energy efficiency and how to access home improvement schemes. So far, fuel vouchers worth £5,655 have been given out.

Support is aimed at the economically vulnerable; including:- low earners and workers on zero hours contracts; and people suffering health conditions, including Long Covid.

It is also aimed at people from:- Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and people living in deprived areas.

Access to the help is made through key referral points such as GPs, mental health and other community and public health organisations.

Councillor Mike Wharton, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Business, said:- "This initiative has been invaluable to those who have borne the brunt of the cost of living crisis by helping to deal with crippling debt, making sure they are getting all of the income they are entitled to and putting long term strategies into place. The feedback so far is really encouraging and demonstrates the value of the scheme. Lifting such a heavy burden of debt will have had a transformative effect for so many families across the City Region."

Hitesh Patel, Chief Officer at Citizens Advice Halton, said:- "The project has been really beneficial because we are very busy at the moment with the sheer volume of people needing help. Crippling debts have been written off and much needed income has gone into household budgets, maximising people's benefits and making sure they are paying the right amount of tax. Mind and Money has made a massive difference; not only is it helping people to get on a financial even keel, but it is also improving their life chances, and their standard of living in the long term."

Elly Smith, Development Office at Vauxhall Law Centre, said:- "Reaching out for help when you are struggling is a hard thing to do so the Mind and Money project really helps by bringing advice agencies together so that we can combat the issues people face and give them the support they need. Energy advice is a particular worry for lots of people, many of whom are going home and not being able to put the gas and electric on, going without food or not being able to feed their children."

Professor Maggie O'Carroll, Chief Executive of The Women's Organisation, said:- "The astronomical rise in the cost of living has resulted in people experiencing severe difficulty when trying to balance their household budgets. Financial resilience, skills and information are hugely important in helping navigate and minimise the impact of rapidly rising costs. The Mind and Money is supporting Liverpool City Region residents with energy efficiency support, income maximisation, financial and personal confidence and debt reduction and we're delighted to be involved in something that is already making a real difference to people's lives."