We are delighted to share that our Supported Housing team in Middleton have been shortlisted for Inside Housing’s Housing Heroes Awards in the ‘Team of the Year (0-1,000 homes),’ category!
We provide accommodation and support for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Through our housing schemes in Rochdale, Oldham and Burnley, we provide safe places to live for 207 people.
The Middleton team, which is led by Service Manager, Hayley Messam, is made up of 3 highly skilled Support Workers. They are responsible for our homes in Middleton, which can house up to 25 people.
Many of our residents have multiple complex needs including poor mental health, substance/alcohol abuse, learning disabilities or experience of the criminal justice system. Our housing team works with each resident on a one-to-one basis, empowering them to become more independent.
Support is tailored to each individual and can include things like financial advice, tenancy management support, physical and mental health support, and support to develop key life skills such as cooking, budgeting, and cleaning.
As part of this application, the team have highlighted their work with a service user who had received a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Hayley said: “It was a very sad and challenging time, but our team went above and beyond to help the service user reconnect with his family after 25 years! His illness was progressing quickly, and our team advocated for his right to choose where he spent his final days, getting him into a hospice close to where he was born.”
She continued, “It was a journey that resulted in a sad but beautiful ending as we successfully helped him travel to a hospice in his hometown, where he could be close to his family and a place filled with happy memories for the end of his life.”
Charity Director, Sonia Denham said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted for this award! It highlights the person-centred approach we take at Petrus when supporting our Service Users. The Middleton team did something really amazing here and we’re all so proud of them.”
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony taking place on 24th June 2024.