The lads done well

24 June 2010

Residents living around Meir were so impressed by the work carried out by social enterprise PM Training that they wanted to hear more.

“The feeling was that they’d done a good job, they’re nice lads and residents were curious to know more about them,” said Sharon Rushton, Project Officer for the Neighbourhood Renewal Team.

So Daniel Canavan, project manager at PM Training, was invited to the Meir Community Steering Group meeting held at The Square on Thursday June 17 to tell them all about it. PM Training is a social enterprise that since 1982 has been helping to tackle problems of worklessness. Owned by Aspire Housing it provides apprentices with work, especially in construction.

Commented Daniel: “We undertook the works on Kingsley Street for Great Places as part of our links with RENEW. We have been working with RENEW since early 2009 and have worked in close partnership with them ever since.

“The partnership has encouraged other local contractors to work with us and to provide employment and apprenticeship opportunities for many more local young people.”

Added Sharon: “People were particularly impressed by some of the work the young lads have taken on through the Kingsley Street boundary wall scheme.”

As well as the presentation by Daniel Canavan the meeting also received an update from Richard Kettrick, regeneration officer for Great Places which is refurbishing properties in Woodville Road and building bungalows and houses behind Lyme Road. All work is ongoing, the meeting heard, and on track. A total of 32 properties will be refurbished on Woodville Road, 16 to rent and 16 shared ownership with the first batch ready for rent in August.

The show bungalow should be ready by the end of August.

Before the meeting started, there was a poignant ceremony to unveil a plaque to commemorate community stalwart Ken Graham. The meeting room is now named in his honour.