Fantastic Day at Footsey - March 2011
Giroscope shared a double stand at Footsey with Humberside CDA (Co-operative Development Agency) - one of the businesses based at our eco-business park. Footsey, the UK's largest social economy trade fair took place at Doncaster Racecourse on the 3rd March 2011. The day was highly successful for both businesses with plenty of people coming to both stands to find out more about who we are and what we do. The event was a great networking opportunity with several interesting contacts made with delegates and fellow exhibitors - helping to raise our profile. Many people wanted further details about our renewable energy systems which we use at our business premises in the context of the Feed-In Tariff scheme.
Zoo Cafe - September 2010
In early September 2010 Giroscope completed the purchase of the vegetarian Zoo Café on Newland Avenue in Hull. There was uncertainty as to the future of this business as the previous landlord was retiring and planning to put the property on the open market. With the cooperation of the existing tenant we were able to purchase the property. The business now has the security of tenure that it needs to continue to provide its excellent service. The café (80b Newland Avenue) is open six days a week and is situated a short way down a ten foot alley adjacent to ‘Discount Carpets’. It offers a range of vegetarian meals and snacks, as well as offering teas and superb coffee. There is an outside area for when the weather is fine, which also accommodates smokers.
Less Empties, More Homes - September 2010
Giroscope is continuing with its increased expansion of its housing stock. Last year we bought and renovated four houses. This year we have already bought and renovated five properties. We are in the process of buying another house which will make it six for the year. Giroscope has in place a three year business plan which will see us approaching fifty properties by the end of 2012. We are driving forward this expansion plan whilst property prices are low and demand for our service is high. Many of the properties that we have purchased recently have been repossessed from ‘buy to let’ landlords. Giroscope currently have 34 properties which break down as follows: 37 residential units, 6 commercial units, a shop and a café.
View From A Roof - September 2010
At Giroscope’s recent open day on 3rd September 2010 at our Arthur Street workshops we commissioned our rooftop viewing platform. This enables visitors to the building to climb a staircase, to a window/balcony opening where they can view, close up, our rooftop solar panels. On one side are the photovoltaic cells, which produce electricity, and on the other side are our solar panels that produce hot water for the building. We hope to make this resource available to local schools and colleges in the near future. If you would like to arrange a visit to our part solar powered building and access the roof top viewing area then please get in touch.
Work Experience - September 2010
In October 2010 Giroscope’s supervised work placement scheme will have been up and running for a year. We are able to offer full hands on work experience to people as part of our house renovation project. Up to four people are working with us at any one time and the scheme is many times over subscribed. People either approach us directly or come via other organisations. We are building partnerships with a wide range of organisations including a local prison, The Princes Trust, Hull Volunteer Centre and many more. This scheme enables people to start the journey back into full time employment; giving them valuable work and life skills along the way. For more information contact our office.
Housing Association Fat Cats - June 2010
It was revealed last week that around fifty Housing Association bosses receive salaries greater than that of the Prime Minister. Six of these bosses were on over £200k and one was on a staggering package worth nearly £400k. As Housing Associations are largely funded out of the public purse, it seems very hard to see how such incomes can be remotely justified. Giroscope feels it is a shame that many of these organisations have become so far removed from their original ethos. For more information on Giroscope salaries see our latest accounts below.
Kane and Able - June 2010
Giroscope would like to thank Carolyn and Ros Kane for their sponsored triathlon completed at the end of May. This cycling, running and swimming endurance event helped raised funds for Giroscope’s work. The two sisters carried out Giroscope’s Tenant Satisfaction Survey in 2008 as a project with the University of Lincoln.
Three Peaks a Day Keeps The Flab Away - May 2010
NEW! Please check out the slideshow below of our successful Yorkshire Dales Three Peak's Challenge which took place on Sunday 30th May 2010. Giroscope employees and friends of the housing project completed the challenge in well-under 12 hours in near-perfect hiking conditions. The event was organised to raise funds for Giroscope. We would like to thank everyone who took part and for raising funds for our valuable work of bringing empty properties back into use by renovating them and then letting them to people in housing need in Hull.
Giroscope's 25th Anniversary Charity Dinner - 20th May 2010
NEW! Please check out the slideshow below of our Charity Dinner held at Lazaat Restaurant Bar Hotel in Cottingham. The event was attended by around 180 people with Steve Cram MBE as the Guest Speaker. We would like to thank everyone who helped to organise the dinner and all the guests who joined us on the evening to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. We hope you all had a great night.
Giroscope 2009 Company Accounts - Available to download & view
Please click on the link below to view our 2009 company accounts.
Death of an Anarchist
Giroscope was saddened to hear of the passing of the Anarchist, philosopher and writer Colin Ward. His books such as ‘Anarchy in Action’, ‘When We Build Again’ and ‘Tenants Take Over’ provided much inspiration to Giroscope. We were privileged to have been visited by Colin in 1988. He later wrote an article on Giroscope that appeared in New Statesman and Society magazines. His writings on how people can empower themselves are more relevant today than ever and he will be sorely missed.
Photo Shoot
Giroscope has recently had our work photographed by Mark Harvey of ID-8 Photography. Many of the new pictures are now on show on our website. He spent the day at our project capturing the work and surroundings of Giroscope.
Finalists Again!
At the end of October 2009 three representatives from Giroscope attended the Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber Awards dinner at Doncaster Racecourse. The event was supported by Yorkshire Forward, Business Link and the Cabinet Office - Office for the Third Sector. Giroscope was nominated as a finalist in the category 'Social Enterprise of the Year'. This follows up Giroscope being finalists for the Hull Daily Mail Business Awards 2007 'Contribution to the Community' Award - See links below for more details.
Empties on the Rise
According to latest edition of Inside Housing magazine there are a staggering 943,414 empty homes in the UK (27th February 2009). The figure is rising, with the government revealing that between 2007 and 2008 the number of empty homes leapt by 25,000 – the biggest increase in 25 years. In Hull a shocking 7.4% of all homes are empty (Housing Strategy Statistical Index 2008). This represents one of the highest numbers in the country. The June 2007 floods account for part of this figure, but in no way explains such a shameful statistic. The outgoing head of Housing in Hull, John Hocking, has also cited the market renewal pathfinder as another source of increased empty homes in Hull - See links below for more information.
Targeted Support Fund - 'Hands On' Hull Project
September 2009 saw the start of Giroscope's latest project to provide work experience placements for local unemployed people. With a grant from the government's Targeted Support Fund Giroscope has taken on a new worker to supervise the project. Peter has many years experience in renovating and decorating Victorian properties and supervising a diverse mix of people. We are now giving unemployed people the chance to come and gain valuable work experience and learn new skills under expert supervision. We are working in partnership with several organisations in Hull, including Hessle Road Network to provide work placements to local young people. Please get in touch if you are interested in becoming a volunteer with us - See link below for more details about the Targeted Support Fund.
Giroscope Plans Expansion
As house prices continue to fall and the number of empties continues to rise Giroscope is planning to increase its housing stock. We now have some of the finance in place to purchase at least six new properties. This will mean six empty houses bought back into use to provide sustainable homes for local people. It will also provide much needed work opportunities along the way. We are also investigating the possibility of acquiring empty properties from other social landlords that are currently lying empty. This will enable Giroscope to use its skills to help lower the shocking rates of empty homes across the city.
Tenant Survey Points Way to Providing Better Service
In 2008 Giroscope commissioned an independent Tenant Satisfaction Survey. The survey was carried out by Carolyn and Ros Kane under the control of the University of Lincoln. The results were generally very positive, but still leave us plenty of scope for improvement. The survey showed that our maintenance service to our tenants had improved over the last two years. The survey also revealed that nearly half of our tenants had been with us for over five years. This illustrates the sustainability of the service that Giroscope provides. Copies of the survey are available to view and download from the 'Resources' section of the site.
One More Broken Window
Another survey out recently has highlighted the debilitating effect that growing up around empty and abandoned property has on children’s education. The report, titled ‘One More Broken Window’ (The Perpetuity Group) backed up with hard evidence what many of us have suspected for a while. This should serve as a reminder to Regeneration agencies not to leave neighbourhoods in ‘limbo’ as they consider their future plans.
Related Links
Empty Homes Agency - www.emptyhomes.com
Fight for our Homes Resource - www.fightforourhomes.com
Guardian article on One More Broken Window Report - www.guardian.co.uk
Hull City Council - www.hullcc.gov.uk
Inside Housing - www.insidehousing.co.uk
Lazaat Restaurant Bar Hotel - www.lazaat.com
Perpetuity Group Safer Communities & Research - www.perpetuity.com
Social Enterprise Yorkshire & Humber - www.seyh.org.uk
Society Guardian - www.society.guardian.co.uk
Steve Cram Biography - www.stevecram.com
Targeted Support Fund - www.tsf.com