Residents advised on how to stay safe and warm

PC Brendan Walsh of Greater Manchester Police with Kingsway Park pupil Halima Akhtar (age 11) and Guinness Northern Counties Housing Officer, Lorraine Sykes. Background: fellow Kingsway Park pupils and representatives from GMP

Guinness Northern Counties has teamed up with Rochdale Boroughwide Housing to support the ‘Kingsway Week of Action,’ a campaign organised by Greater Manchester Police to provide residents in the Kingsway area of Rochdale with advice on how to keep safe and warm this winter.

Staff from all three organisations spent the day on the Newbold estate going door-to-door to talk to residents about issues such as anti-social behaviour, heating bills, saving energy and tips on how to stay warm during the winter. 

Students from Kingsway Park High school also joined the day of action by handing out leaflets to residents.

Lorraine Sykes, Guinness Northern Counties Housing Officer, said: “The issues we are addressing are always high on our agenda but at this time of year when domestic abuse is at its highest and big heating bills come in causing stress and worry, it’s important to get out there and make sure that people know who and where to go for help, should they need it.”

Guinness Northern Counties, who own and manage 285 properties in Newbold, also provided skips at various locations on the estate yesterday and offered to clear bulky, unwanted household items for residents free of charge.

Brendan Walsh, Community Beat Manager for Greater Manchester Police and organiser of Kingsway Week of Action, said: “Anti-social behaviour is right up at the top of our list of priorities.

“Along with our partners, it is vital that we protect the most vulnerable in our communities and send a message out to those who wish to spoil things for others. We will not tolerate their behaviour and they will be punished by whatever means we have at our disposal.”