Neighbourhood Voices
Becoming a Community Champion is a fantastic opportunity for you to make a difference in your community.
If you love where you live and have a passion for your local community, then why not sign up to join our Community Champion network.
As a Community Champion, you'll play a crucial role in reporting local problems, identifying areas for improvement, and sharing general issues on estates, whether good or bad.
You'll stay informed about community events and changes, providing input at your convenience over the phone or by email, there’s no need to attend any meetings. You'll also be able to connect with other Community Champions at an annual networking event. We'll contact you every two months for feedback, or you can call us as and when you pick something up.
To sign up to be a Community Champion please email us at communityengagement@berneslaihomes.co.uk or complete the eform below. Don’t forget to tell us your name, address, phone number.
Tenants and Residents Associations (TARAs)
Tenants and residents associations (TARAs) are groups of people who like to support their community. They work on community issues and give a voice from their community on housing and environmental issues. TARAs are non-political and anyone living in the area they cover can join.
They work with local councillors, officers, and other partners to improve the areas they represent, and apply for funding for things like play areas and days out.
TARAs hold regular meetings and produce newsletters to keep their local community informed. They often organise outings or events, which are not directly related to housing but help to build community spirit and bring people together.
You can find out more about the local TARAs below.
Join the TARA where you live
Carlton TARA is a small voluntary committee, but there’s nothing small about their ideas for their local area.
They give a collective voice for tenants in the area and keep residents up to date with news and information. They offer advice to local people, working together to increase a sense of belonging and community spirit.
They work with Berneslai Homes and tackle many issues including anti-social behaviour and dog fouling. The group attend the local community forum meetings and get involved with local estate walkabouts. They work closely with the local primary school and are part of many projects and initiatives with them. The group is growing from strength to strength.
They meet around four times per year and more often if they’re working on a project. Meetings are friendly, informative, and fun!
Email them carltonvillagetara@gmail.com
Great Houghton are a friendly bunch of local volunteers who share information and provide support to the local area.
They’ve made many successful bids for funding for different projects and are always looking into activities that the whole community can be involved in.
When a local luncheon club venue closed down, they worked hard to seek other premises and the club is thriving at its new location. They also arrange trips to the local pantomime and many other events …oh no they don’t, oh yes, they do!
The group meet at 39 John Street, Great Houghton on the third Wednesday of the month at 10am.
Grimethorpe are not your typical TARA group - they have most of their presence online with their members’ Facebook group. They tackle many issues and gain support from the local community. Advertising their litter picks, their community projects, and so much more, the group is growing from strength to strength. They now have more than 700 members.
Find them on Facebook. You need to live in Grimethorpe to join this group.
When they do hold their monthly meetings in person, they're at St Luke's Church.
Setting up a new TARA
First, you’ll need to decide which area you want to represent and start to find people who will work with you to get things going.
Here are few things to think about:
- You’ll need to name your group. Most are named after the area they are located in.
- You’ll need to have a committee that will make sure the TARA achieves its aims. The group must also adopt our model constitution to help with the running of things.
- You could have an open public meeting; you could hand out leaflets or put up notices in public places.
Help, support, and advice is available to any TARA from our Community Engagement Team.
We can support you with the general running of the group, developing community projects, sharing information with your members and local community, and getting involved with Berneslai Homes.
If you want to start a TARA in your area please email us at communityengagement@berneslaihomes.co.uk
Don’t forget to tell us your name, address, and phone number.
Local conversations and your neighbourhood team
Our neighbourhood teams provide plenty of opportunities to get involved in your local area including attending estate walkabouts, or your community, your say meetings.
To find out more about these events, please visit the neighbourhood team page.