Highlands Village to benefit from groundbreaking volunteering programme

Pinnacle PSG has awarded Metropolitan a contract to provide grounds maintenance at Highlands Village in Enfield. The contract will allow Metropolitan to set up a programme to train and develop its care and support customers in grounds maintenance, giving them valuable skills and experience for finding employment.  This is the first contract of its kind offered by Pinnacle PSG to an organisation within the housing sector.

Steve Fallon, Metropolitan Project Manager said: “Highlands Village is the ideal place to run a training programme on grounds maintenance for our customers, who have a range of support needs, as well as other members of the community who wish to get involved. The contract shows a real commitment by Pinnacle PSG to provide more opportunities within the community.”

Neil Euesden, Managing Director, Pinnacle PSG, said: “We continually strive to support the needs of the communities in which we work, whether that be working with residents to improve their neighbourhoods or, as in this contract, offering  training and employment opportunities for local people. This new and innovative contract with Metropolitan takes this one step further and provides a framework for us to work together with the residents and local groups to create a sustainable future for the whole community.”

The volunteers will learn about potting plants, cultivating beds, weeding, pruning bushes and cutting grass.

To kick start the programme MST will be using volunteers from its Green Routes initiative, which runs gardening projects withinFinsburyPark, but is also looking for volunteers who live in theEnfieldarea to join in.

Steve Fallon added: “We are looking for keen and reliable local people who are interested in gardening and are able to work outdoors, whatever the weather!”

Anyone who is interested in taking part in the Highlands Village programme should contact: Steve Fallon. Project Manager, Metropolitan Care and Repair on 020 3535 4595.

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Media contact: Karleena Suppiah, Communications Officer – Public Relations, 020 3535 4380 or karleena.suppiah@metropolitan.org.uk

 Notes to editors

About MHP

Metropolitan Housing Partnership (MHP) is a unique network of locally focused member organisations working together to provide housing, community, regeneration, care and support services.

From April 2012 Metropolitan Housing Partnership and all its member organisations, including Metropolitan Support Trust, will operate under the one brand name of Metropolitan. The rebranding is part of the key changes we are making to improve services and save money in the long run.

About MST

Metropolitan Support Trust is a specialist, not-for-profit care and support provider with a long history of supporting people in Haringey. It supports over 7,500 people to live independently each year.

About Pinnacle PSG

• Pinnacle Regeneration Group (PRG) is a leading provider of public service solutions.  It is committed to delivering a thriving business which is focussed on improving public service organisations, excellent performance, satisfied customers and motivated staff.
• Pinnacle PRG has four companies operating within the public sector:  Pinnacle PSG, working with public and private sector agencies to deliver housing and facilities management services; Regenter, an investor in housing and community-based PFI projects in conjunction with John Laing; Pinnacle People, a provider of employment and training solutions to tackle worklessness; and PILA, a cutting-edge  investor in public and affordable housing in the UK and Europe.
• Pinnacle PSG has been providing services nationally for the past 17 years. It directly employs over 2100. It provides housing management to over 22,000 properties and other complementary services to 400,000 homes, schools and public spaces nationwide.
• For more information about Pinnacle PSG, visit www.pinnacle-psg.com.