A former office block in Levenshulme has been converted into flats for homeless Manchester families with huge success.
Set up by HSPG, a property investment company on a mission to end the homelessness crisis in the UK, in partnership with Manchester City Council, the converted block offers a lifeline to those finding themselves newly homeless.
It also welcomes those who are housed in unsuitable bed and breakfast accommodation.
Stripped down and restructured, today it might look a bit like an office block from the outside but inside it’s filled with clean and modern flats with all the mod-cons a family would need to help get themselves back on their feet.
Image: HSPG
First opened in March 2021, a key aim of Levenshulme’s Apex House is to prevent families from spiralling into long-term homelessness.
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Here, three on-site support workers work closely with both the families and the council’s private rented sector team to move people into suitable long-term housing.
A year on, 62 families have passed through its doors and into permanent accommodation.
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Vineta Simon, 31, and her two-month-old baby have been at Apex House for a month, and she is full of praise for the facilities and the staff.
Vineta said: ” I come from a working family, I’ve always worked, I owned a car, had a home but when I got pregnant and my relationship broke up, everything went downhill.
Image: HSPG
“I had to reach out for help for the first time ever and it has been a really difficult journey, from becoming homelesss, something I never thought would happen to me, up until now.
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“When I got this flat in Apex House, I burst into tears because it was so clean, nicely refurbished and it just felt really safe and secure; it had an immediate impact on my mental health, it made me feel like a human being again.
“The facilities are fantastic and there are staff around all the time to help me. Being in this flat with my baby has given me some breathing space and I can see light at the end of the tunnel, whereas before I could never imagine my future.
“I want to get on and find a new home and go back to work, I am thinking about building a new future with my baby and I want to give something back because I will remember each and every one who has helped me along the way.”
The project has proved so successful that the Council is now working with developers and looking at other premises in the city where it can be replicated.
In the last year, 82 families have been accommodated in Apex House and 62 have been supported to move on, 20 of which are still receiving support to find permanent accommodation.
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Image: HSPG
Of the 62 families who have been rehoused, 60% were rehoused within eight weeks, 19% were rehoused within three months and for 21% with greater needs, it has taken more than three months, to find them the most appropriate move-on accommodation.
Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE, deputy leader of Manchester City Council said: “Manchester is leading the way with innovative solutions to support families get back on their feet.
“We are incredibly pleased with the results of this new approach to support families into permanent accommodation in Apex House. It has proved so successful that we would like to replicate this across the city.
“No-one wants to find themselves homeless, but Apex provides good temporary accommodation in a modern, fully furnished building.
“Our aim is to house families here for as short a period as possible before moving them quickly into settled accommodation.
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“We are seeing the benefits of this model with targeted support which moves families on in a short space of time helping to keep family disruption, particularly children’s education, to a minimum.”
Feature image – HSPG / Google
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Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
Featured Image – Supplied
News
All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
Georgina Pellant -
24th March 2022 
