Curo News

Tree planting Winter 2026

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:22:01 Z

For the last few years, Curo has worked with local charity More Trees to improve our estates green spaces, by creating homes and food for wildlife, as well as places for the community to enjoy.

In February, representatives from Curo and More Trees came together to plant more than 600 saplings on Whiteway Green. The saplings were grown by volunteers from More Trees, who forage for seeds each year and then sew and cultivate them in their nurseries around Bath and Keynsham, until they are big enough to be planted.

The new plants have filled in the gaps between existing pockets of trees and shrubs, to help create a safe passage for animals to move around, as well as food and homes for wildlife.

Curo Arboriculturalist Danny Earle said: “There’s a huge amount of potential here. There’s pockets of vegetation, but they are sparse in places and there’s big open patches of green land between them, so wildlife struggles to move around and find new habitats and food sources.

We’ve planted around 20 different native British species here, in a real range of different sizes and different colours. There are flowering shrubs which are great for bees and butterflies, fruit trees such as Cherry trees, Apples, Rowans, Oaks and Pines, which will produce food for birds and mammals, and thorny species like hawthorn and blackthorn which make for amazing habitats.

Some non-native species were selected for their exceptional beauty, such as Liquidambar styraciflua Lane Roberts (Sweetgums), Pyrus calleryana Redspire (Callery Pear) and Betula utilis jacquemontii Snow Queen (Silver Birch Snow Queen).”

These trees will join our forest of over 8,500 trees growing across Curo’s estates and continue our commitment to nurturing our green spaces on our doorstep.

Curo Arboriculturalist Danny, and Emma from More Trees BANES tell us about the tree planting project at Whiteway Green:

See more about the great work More Trees do here https://moretrees.earth/

New blue plaque celebrates Bert Abrams

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:38:04 Z

Curo is delighted to help honour the work of Knowle West community hero, Bert Abrams. A blue plaque, recently unveiled by Deputy Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cllr Andrew Varney, as part of a new affordable housing development, celebrates his decades-long commitment to youth work.

The blue plaque stands at the entrance to Curo’s 100% affordable Broad Plain development and the newly dedicated Bert Abrams Close. The site was previously the home of Broad Plain Boys’ Club, of which Bert was a leading light.

Arthur “Bert” Abrams MBE (1912-1995) was a passionate advocate for young people and dedicated his life to improving their lives. His commitment to the Broad Plain club was truly remarkable – serving in various roles from 1926 to 1978. He was also instrumental in setting up a number of other youth clubs across the city.

Bert also served with distinction on Bristol City Council and represented Hengrove Ward as a Labour councillor for 27 years. Bert’s youth work was recognised with an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 1976.

We’re delighted to help celebrate Bert’s amazing story and would like to thank Bristol Civic Society and Filwood Chase History Society for helping to make it happen.

The new development offers 47 affordable homes for the local community and comprises one, two and three-bedroom flats, maisonettes and houses, 31 of them offered for shared ownership purchase.

One Show visits Curo for Tech Amnesty Week

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:27:14 Z

We’re very proud to be involved in a project that recently featured on the One Show. Kevin Duala from the popular BBC1 programme dropped by as we donated Chromebooks and monitors to local re-use charity Donate IT. They work across the south west, saving old IT from the scrapheap and putting devices in the hands of those in most need.

Many of us take access to the internet for granted but not being having the right tech can contribute to social isolation. It also makes it harder to apply for jobs and benefits, limits access to learning, and can even mean paying more for essential services.

The One Show piece showed powerfully how technology can improve lives, as Donate IT Director, Simon Barfoot, gave a donated laptop to local GCSE student, Mustapha, who lives with cerebral palsy and has difficulty writing with a pen. The One Show piece is available to watch on iPlayer until 19 September.

Jane Smith, Curo’s Chief People Officer, said, “We’re really pleased to see our kit being given a second life out in the community. Thanks to the work of Donate IT, our old tech can bring new opportunities, and that’s something we’re proud to support.”

As well as working with Donate IT, Curo has given devices to schools, youth groups and Bath charity, Share & Repair, which runs a repair café and library of things and was also featured in the One Show piece.

It's estimated more than 800 million broken or unused tech items are gathering dust in the UK. Maybe your old kit could help someone too? Donate IT has more than 50 drop-off sites across the south west.

The Pantry has permanently closed

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 11:47:58 Z

The Pantry, our food bank and support service in Midsomer Norton, has permanently closed.

Unfortunately, the building is no longer safe to use.

We know this will be disappointing for many customers, and we’re trying to find an alternative venue.

If you need any help with buying food or paying your bills, please get in touch with our Customer Accounts team on 01225 366000 or email customeraccountshelp@curo-group.co.uk

Bath Area Play Project gets back on the road thanks to donation

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:22:40 Z

Pictured from left, Bath Area Play Project family and community support workers Emily North, Chloe Dalton and Jess Exton, Director of Bath Area Play Project Caroline Haworth, Curo Supply Chain and Fleet Contract Business Partner Samantha Thomas, and Lee Palmer Store Manager at Travis Perkins store.

Bath Area Play Project (BAPP) now has a new van to thanks to Bath-based housing association Curo, and Travis Perkins Managed Services.

The Odd Down-based charity runs free play sessions for children around B&NES, and relies on its van to transport the equipment to and from the different venues. Sadly, their van was stolen, and the insurance payment didn’t cover the cost of a replacement used vehicle.

But a joint Curo and Travis Perkins funding pot, which is available for local community projects and ideas, was able to donate £5,000 to cover the shortfall and now the charity once again has a van, complete with brightly coloured branding.

Caroline Haworth, Director of BAPP, said: “We are very grateful for this donation. It’s meant we can get a van that we can rely on, and that we can get it branded which we hope might be a deterrent to thieves.

“Having a van is vital to our work as we use it to transport our equipment to our sessions so that we can provide different resources than the children might get in school or home – such as our very popular spin painting bike. The opportunities we can provide help children to develop some skills that they don’t necessarily get from formal education.”

Samantha Thomas, Supply Chain and Fleet Contract Business Partner at Curo, said: “We know that many of our customers and their children benefit from Bath Area Play Project’s important work, so we’re really pleased that we can support them with this donation.”

Stay safe this Christmas

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 09:34:32 Z

Christmas is a time for celebration, but fairy lights, trees, candles, and even cooking, can be potential hazards if you’re not careful.

Here’s a few tips to help make sure you and your family stay safe this Christmas.

Fairy lights

Before putting up your lights check them for any damage, including the lights, plug and connections. It’s also a good idea to check that they have the right fuse fitted. The box should tell you the maximum size of the fuse.

If you find any broken wires or bulbs, don’t use them — recycle them responsibly instead.

It’s especially important to check for damage if have older style lights (240V mains powered lights). Blown bulbs not only increase the risk of electric shocks but also cause other bulbs to overheat, making them dangerous near flammable materials such as Christmas trees and decorations.

If you're still using older lights, make sure you replace blown bulbs immediately and always turn the power off before changing them.

Low-voltage LED fairy lights are safer, more energy-efficient, and longer-lasting. LED lights remain cool to the touch, are less likely to break, and significantly reduce fire risks. They are safe to use around Christmas trees, fabrics, and children, making them an ideal choice for your home decorations. Plus, they use 90 per cent less electricity than the old-style lights which will help keep energy costs down.

Always turn your lights off when you go out, and before you go to bed.

When buying new lights, check that they have the British Standard Safety sign.

Wire, cables and plugs

LED lights are safer, but not entirely without risk. The transformer can get warm, so make sure you put it somewhere where air can circulate around it rather than near or under carpets or furniture that might trap the heat and make it more likely to overheat.

When plugging in your lights, don’t overload the sockets by using too many extension cables or multi-socket adapters. If you are using an extension cable make sure it’s fully extended or unravelled to avoid overheating, and don’t plug on into another.

Avoid trailing cables across the floor as they could be a trip hazard.

Outdoor lights

If you’re putting up lights outside, consider using an RCD (Residual Current Device). These can be bought online or from DIY stores, and will automatically cut off the electricity if there’s a fault.

Candles

Never put candles near your Christmas tree, or anything that could catch alight easily such as Christmas cards or homemade decorations.

Make sure any candles are fully out before you go to bed, and never leave a burning candle unattended.

Keep candles and lighters out of reach of children.

Smoke and heat detectors

Your detectors will be checked as part of your annual home safety check, but it’s a good idea to check them regularly yourself too. You can do this by pressing the test button on the alarm, which will sound if it’s working correctly.

If you think that yours aren’t working please let us know by calling 01225 366600 or by visiting MyCuro.

Going away this Christmas?

If you're going to be away from home over Christmas there's a few steps you can take to help keep your home safe and also save some money.

If you're going away overnight it's a good idea to turn off all non-essential appliances (things like TVs, games consoles, and even microwaves) at the plug.

Make sure you always turn off your fairy lights and any other decorations whenever you go out - even if you're only planning to be away from home for a short time.

You should also make sure that you've closed all the doors in your home. This will help contain heat if you have the heating on, and it can also help slow the spread of a fire if one breaks out while you're out. Always make sure that any fire doors are closed when not in use and don't have any damage.

Find out more

For more information about fire safety in your home visit our fire safety web pages.

There’s more advice on fire safety at Christmas on the government website and on the Fire Service website.

Christmas card competition

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 09:00:00 Z

Christmas is coming... that must mean it's time for our Christmas Card Competition 🎄

With four age categories, each winning designer gets £50 in Love2Shop vouchers, just in time for Christmas. Be as creative as you like. We’ll use our favourite designs for the official 2024 Curo Christmas cards.

Age categories: 0-4, 5-11, 12-16, adults

Click here to download the entry form.

If you don't have a printer, just use a blank piece of paper or card to make your masterpiece.

The closing date is Sunday 24 November 2024, so get creative!

Check out last year's winning designs.

Full T's & C's here.

Fire training exercise planned at Berkeley House

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 14:36:27 Z

On Friday (6 September), at around 6pm, Avon Fire and Rescue Service will be carrying out a fire test and training exercise at Berkeley House.

You may notice a lot of activity with fire engines, ladders, hoses, synthetic smoke and fire officers in and around the building.

Please don’t be alarmed. This is a routine exercise that will check important safety features of the building and help AFRS to respond swiftly and effectively to any real emergency, keeping residents safe.

You won’t be expected to leave your apartment.
There will be three engines outside the building.
The fire service will run hoses up the staircase to test the dry risers (the pipes and valves that supply water for fire fighting).
They’ll let off some artificial smoke in one of the flats on the 8^th floor. Some of this may reach the lobby and stairwells.
AFRS will keep disruption to a minimum, but please take care when using stairs and entrances.

Working closely with the local fire service is an important part of Curo’s commitment to our customers’ safety. In the last year, Curo has invested more than £8m in fire safety measures across our properties.

We‘re writing to all residents of Berkeley House and putting notices up around Snow Hill to help share this information. If you have any questions or concerns in advance, please contact the Tom Battersby, Senior Property Safety Manager on 01225 366050 or email
firesafetyteam@curo-group.co.uk.

“We welcome all types of diversity”

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 15:09:59 Z

As we celebrate Pride Month, Julie Evans, Chief Property Officer, talks about the importance of LGBTQ+ visibility and recognition.

Julie Evans, pictured above

Why did you volunteer to be the Executive Sponsor of Curo’s LGBTQ+ Resident Engagement and Colleague Groups, and what does that mean in practice?

I’m a gay woman, and I think it’s important for a senior leader in the business who is out and proud to support our work in this area. It sends a visible signal to colleagues, customers, and to people who might be considering working with us that we welcome diversity of all types. It shows that sexuality is no barrier to career progress at Curo.

As part of this role, I participate in our LGBTQ+ Colleague Engagement Group, where we discuss issues such as how we can better capture the views of customers and the unheard voices in our sector. I don’t think we currently understand how many LGBTQ+ customers we have, or what they need. But if we don’t understand their requirements, we can’t shape our services to suit them. Our new vision is that ‘Everyone feels proud about the quality of our homes’, and it feels pertinent that LGBTQ+ pride is part of this.

Why has Curo taken the HouseProud pledge, a scheme that all social housing providers can sign up to, to demonstrate their commitment to LGBTQ+ resident equality and support?

It’s a visible commitment to improve the experience of LGBTQ+ customers. We hope that having this overt badge will help customers who have felt reticent in the past to share their experiences of their neighbours and communities. We want it to give them confidence that we’re welcoming.

Recent research from HouseProud found that one in five gay men reported modifying their home in some way – for example, moving pictures or books – to hide their sexual orientation from a visiting repairs operative or housing officer. Have you ever witnessed anything like this?

When I was younger and less confident, I did similar things myself. I have moved photos and haven’t corrected people when they’ve assumed my partner was a man. I suppose I felt a sense of shame that I had absolutely no reason to feel. If you’re gay, there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Unfortunately, there will always be prejudice in the world. But you should expect your landlord to treat you with equity. An LGBTQ+ person should never feel afraid or embarrassed in one of our homes.

What are the aims of the LGBTQ+ Resident Engagement Group?

We want to give LGBTQ+ residents the opportunity to help shape our services and policies. This will help us to be a better landlord. We’d like customers to take ownership of the group and for it to be completely led by them. My colleagues and I can play our parts by sharing our experiences and advocating on behalf of customers. We don’t want people to suffer in silence if they are experiencing discrimination.

We’re conscious that we have Extra Care and Sheltered homes for older residents - and we don’t know if some of these are LGBTQ+ customers. The older generation may have faced more discrimination and may be more likely to hide their sexuality. We’re keen to work with them and address these issues. There has been too much ignorance. We need to know what their experiences are.

I have been personally very lucky because my family and friends accepted me for who I am. We now have gay marriage and equal rights. But you do hear horror stories. When I first met my partner, she said that we must never be complacent nor take for granted the rights that we now have. The political rhetoric that surrounds us can be challenging. For example, we have a responsibility towards transgender customers to understand their lived experiences so that they don’t have to hide who they are.

What would you say to a customer who was thinking about joining the group but felt a bit nervous and didn’t know what to expect?

We’d love you to come along. It’s a great chance to meet new people and make friends. But if the thought of joining a group is putting you off, you can have a chat with one of us first. And if you don’t want to join the group, you can still let us know your thoughts and experiences.

For more information on the LGBTQ+ Resident Engagement Group, email pride@curo-group.co.uk

Pride month

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 14:23:06 Z

Curo have signed up to the HouseProud Pledge, a scheme that all social housing providers can sign up to, to demonstrate their commitment to LGBTQ+ resident equality and support.

The home is of huge importance to LGBTQ+ residents, it should be a place where people can freely express their sexual orientation and/or their gender identity without prejudice.

At Curo, we want our customers to feel welcome and heard. This is why we signed the HouseProud Pledge. You can find out everything you need to know about the pledge here.

If you have any questions, or would like to join to our LGBTQ+ Resident Engagement Group, please email pride@curo-group.co.uk.

Curo’s support services have social value of £39.8m

Mon, 13 May 2024 16:29:26 Z

The impact of Curo’s support services was worth more than £39.8m to communities across the South West in 2023/24. The services have averted homelessness, prevented mental health crises escalating, given people a suitable home after leaving hospital, helped people find jobs and more.

Curo measure their social impact using the Social Value Bank, a tool developed by Charitable Housing Trust. This quantifies the social, health and economic benefits and outcomes of an organisation’s services in monetary terms.

“We’re incredibly proud of these results, which powerfully illustrate the benefit of our support services,” says Jack Bailey, Head of Operations. “By providing interventions that help address the root causes of social issues and improve outcomes, we can help reduce costs to the public purse in the long term.”

Curo’s Stepdown and Wellbeing House services saved a total of 2,708 hospital bed stays, with a social value of £730,406. Stepdown frees up hospital beds by providing accommodation for patients who are medically fit to be discharged from hospital, but who can’t yet return to their homes.

Wellbeing House offers respite in beautiful surroundings to people who are struggling with their mental health. Anyone aged over 18 who lives in, or is registered with a GP in, B&NES can stay. It’s a place for pre-crisis support, offering breathing space and connecting residents with other organisations.

The Wellbeing House

Curo’s Independent Living Service and Livewell service together delivered almost £29m in social value. These services support older customers to live happy and healthy lives in their own homes or in sheltered accommodation.

Meanwhile, our homelessness services, including The Foyer and Pathways supported housing for young people, saved nearly £6m.

Curo’s Work Wise team offer support to gain employability skills, build confidence and enter into new work experience placements, helping people get into employment. In 2023/24 they generated £1,807,566, in social value, providing employability and training support on 1,064 occasions, enabling 177 people to access employment and a further 315 to access volunteering opportunities.

Catch up with us this spring

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:16:28 Z

Pictured above: Neil Rogers, Curo's Resident Engagement Co-ordinator, and Councillor Joanna Wright

Curo’s Community Catch-ups are a valuable way for our Resident Engagement team to meet customers face to face to hear about their concerns. Every week, our Resident Engagement Co-ordinators Hannah Gavin and Neil Rogers hit the road to visit the areas we serve. The team is on hand to speak to customers about anything to do with their home, neighbourhood or how to get more involved with Curo.

“The catch-ups mean that we can get out and about in the communities Curo works with and have a friendly chat with customers. I love getting to know residents and helping them out,” says Hannah. “Customers can raise issues with us which we can then follow up with Curo’s specialist teams.”

Customer John Green was at the catch-up at Curo’s community room in Larkhall on 25 April. “I’ve come along today to raise some issues on behalf of my neighbours who find it difficult to get out,” he said. “The Community Catch-ups are an excellent idea. Hannah has been brilliant. I feel she’s really listened to me.”

Lambridge councillor Joanna Wright also joined residents and colleagues at the Catch-up. “Community engagement is very important to me,” said Joanna. “It’s good to have a space where people can come along and have a positive experience. The human element is so important; it’s a chance to talk to real people about real issues.

“Climate and social justice and public health are intertwined. As people who serve communities, we all need to work together.”

Find out where our upcoming Community Catch-ups are taking place this spring and summer.

We’d love to see you there, so please do pop along for a chat and a cup of tea. Or, if you’d like to request a visit to your area, email Voicebox@curo-group.co.uk

Neurovision: sharing experiences and support

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 16:24:48 Z

Weston-super-Mare-based group Neurovision brings people who are neurodivergent together to share their experiences. Billed as an ‘anti-social social group’, the monthly sessions are often the first time participants have felt comfortable explaining how they experience the world in a different way.

Neurovision was set up as a collaboration between Community Connect and Bridging the Gap Together!, which provides workshops for people with complex needs or disabilities and has now taken over running the group.

Community Connect is one of Curo’s support services, bringing older people from North Somerset together to form peer support groups to combat loneliness and improve health outcomes.

Participants in the Neurovision group may be on the autism spectrum, have dyslexia or dyscalculia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other forms of neurodivergence.

“A key aspect is that people trust the team to talk about issues they have never spoken about before,” says Jack Bailey, Head of Operations for Curo’s support services. “This sort of discussion would not have happened a few years ago.”

Above: group participants Terri and Olivia

Here’s what some of the group members say:

Olivia: “It’s good that I can share my feelings in confidence, as I do have issues trusting people because of what’s happened to me in the past. It’s also nice to listen to other people’s experiences. I feel I can help others as I’ve lived through a lot and learnt to recognise how others are feeling. I feel heard when I leave the group.”

Terrii: “At first I was nervous, but I feel comfortable walking through the door now. This is a safe space where I can share my feelings and hear about other people’s lives. It’s a haven. Talking has made me realise things about myself that I never knew.”

Peter: “I’ve been coming to the group for six months. The group is helping me to understand why I do things the way I do them. One of the adventures I’ve been on is understanding myself better – it’s not always a nice journey as you can discover uncomfortable things. I know I’ve been helped by this group and I also want to help others. It’s been very nice to see that other members are happier than when they first joined.”

Funded by North Somerset Council in partnership with West of England Rural Network, anyone who’s eligible can self-refer to Community Connect to get information, advice or guidance to help them stay living independently at home. They can also be referred by their family, GP or support worker.

In 2022-23 Community Connect supported 1,504 people, with social return on investment – which measures value to the community – standing at £842,947.

Crafting a community

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 16:17:21 Z

We visited Curo’s Community Room at St Margaret's Close, Keynsham, BS31 2EW, where residents are joining together to share their skills.

Bag decorating, crochet and needle felting are just some of the crafts residents have sampled at a crafting club at Curo’s Community Room in Keynsham.

The club takes place each Friday at 12-4 pm and was started by Livewell Officer Clare Pollock as a way to bring the community together. The club helps to prevent older residents from feeling isolated, says Clare. “They’re making friends and trying something new,” she says.

At the club on 9 February, Margery Leever was sharing her bag-making skills with fellow Curo resident Faye Wright.

“We all have different abilities and everyone is friendly,” says Margery. “If someone is alone, I’d say give this a try. We’ll give them a cup of tea, a slice of cake and a warm welcome.”

Roz Stute, who was teaching Carol Allsop how to crochet at the club, says: “Crochet helps me unwind. This is a chance to share that.”

Janet Durk was having a go at needle felting, taught by Clare Hudson. Janet is partially sighted, but said she didn’t want it to be a barrier. “You have to keep on doing things,” she says. “Trying this has been extremely satisfying and has made me happy.”

Clare says that the group is planning to try new crafts in the future, including dry clay modelling and woodwork. “I got a £500 grant from the Travis Perkins community funding pot. We’re spending it on craft supplies, including magnifying lights and tabletop easels to make painting more accessible.”

If you have an idea for a club in your local Community Room, we can help you set one up. Get in touch with Livewell Officer Tasia Talbot on 07773 059244.

Feeding the community

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 12:27:32 Z

Having the opportunity to go out for a three-course meal is a bit of a luxury. But a community project in Twerton is giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy a restaurant-standard meal every Thursday night – completely free of charge.

The Thursday Night Dinner started in December last year, and is run by the Bath Community Kitchen, and has been supported by a £500 Curo Communities Grant. Rob Lewis, one of the co-founders and Directors of the Bath Community Kitchen, says, “We wanted to create an opportunity for people to be able to go out together and eat together, and enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal – but also something that isn’t exclusive and isn’t expensive.
“We use surplus food that otherwise would have been thrown away by shops and supermarkets, so not only are we helping to tackle food poverty, but also food waste.”

The Thursday night dinner takes place each week at the Lighthouse Centre at 6.30pm. There’s no need to book, and everyone is welcome.

“We’re finding that there are certain barriers that are stopping people from coming along,” says Rob. “They don’t trust us and think there must be a religious element or something like that, or they think there is some stigma to coming to a free event. But there’s really no need to be suspicious, or to feel that way. This really is just a way of helping to bring a community together, and to prevent food waste.

“We usually have around 20 or 30 guests, and it’s a real mix of people, from families, to older members of the community, which I think is really important.
“In a world where people have become very polarised it’s good to sit and talk to people that you might not otherwise come into contact with, whether that’s because they come from a different background to you, or have different opinions on politics or religion, or for any other reason. These meals are a really good forum for that to take place.”

You can find out more about the Bath Community Kitchen at bathcommunitykitchen.org.uk

Charity partnership

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 10:34:09 Z

Curo colleagues walked, baked and cycled their way to raise more than £11,000 for their chosen charity of the year St Peter’s Hospice.

Each year, Curo colleagues vote for a local charity to focus their fundraising support on. St Peter’s Hospice was chosen as a thank you for the care and support the hospice provided for a much-loved and respected colleague – Mike Purnell – who lost his battle with cancer in January 2023.

The charity is the only adult hospice in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, supporting a population of nearly one million.

“St Peter’s has positively touched the lives of lots of people, including many of us at Curo,” says Victor da Cunha, Curo’s Chief Executive. “I’m incredibly proud of all the colleagues who’ve taken part in everything from sponsored spinathons to boot sales and raffles to raise this phenomenal amount.”

For people nearing the end of their lives, St Peter’s Hospice aims to provide physical, psychological and spiritual care in an environment of support, comfort, compassion and respect. Professionals support patients in their own homes as well as at the hospice.

Ben Lee, Philanthropy and Partnerships Manager, St Peter’s Hospice, says: “The Curo colleagues demonstrated remarkable proactivity and creativity in their fundraising activities. They signed up for events, organised office fundraisers, and even embraced challenges such as a cold water dip.

“Curo's fundraising efforts will directly contribute to supporting the care provided by St Peter's Hospice. The funds raised play a crucial role in sustaining and enhancing the hospice's services, ensuring access to compassionate and specialised care for patients facing life-limiting illnesses. This support enables the hospice to offer comfort, dignity and a comprehensive range of services to individuals and their families during challenging times.”

Thanks to the following suppliers for their support with our fundraising: Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP, Appello Careline, CDW, Conferex, Devonshires Solicitors, FlexMR, a division of MRSG Limited, Freestyle, Gem Security Systems, Genesys – JN, ITGL, Jackson Lift Services, JC Applications Development, JCG Electrical, LeasePlan UK, MD Building Services, Midland Forestry, Orbis Protect, Phishing Tackle, Softcat, Sunrise Software, The Complete Roofing Company, The Monarch Partnership, Total Jobs, Travis Perkins, Vuelio, Wavenet, Woods Building Services Ta AA Woods.

Card competition winners

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:57:16 Z

Cute candy canes, a halo-topped angel and festive fairy lights all featured on the entries to our annual Christmas card competition this year.

Curo’s Chief Executive Victor da Cunha presented the winners with framed prints of their designs, £50 vouchers and certificates at an exhibition of the entries at our offices on Tuesday 5 December.

The winning designs will be turned into email cards and sent out to Curo’s 13,000 households over the festive period.

Tracey Abrhams, who was the over-17s category winner with her beautifully drawn design of a cat and butterfly, said: “I’ve never won anything in my life so this was a real thrill.”

The judges loved the heart-adorned tree and colourful festive character in 0-4 category winner Charlotte Ehrhadt’s bright and bold design. Mum Beate said: “I’m super-proud of Charlotte. She loves drawing so I immediately knew when I heard about the competition that she should enter.”

From the wings on the note to Santa, to the colours on the roaring fire, the judges loved the details in 10-16 category winner Aleksander Bozic Taylor’s design: “I was excited to win as I love drawing,” said Aleksander. “I just thought of loads of Christmassy things that I could put into the design, like the sleigh and elf.”

Sophia topped the 5-9 category with her lively festive scene. Steph, Sophia’s mum, said: “She was ecstatic to win. I’m so proud of her – I cried when I found out she’d won.”

Victor da Cunha said: “We always love seeing the creativity of residents who enter our annual Christmas card competition. The standard was incredibly high this year, which made picking our winners a tricky task. Thank you to everyone who entered and huge congratulations to our winners.”

Tracy with Victor da Cunha

Aleksander with Victor da Cunha

Sophia with Victor da Cunha

Chance to win

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:15:56 Z

The Communications Team at Curo look after the main Curo website, social media channels, monthly Facebook Live events, e-newsletter Open and printed magazine Prime Time News. We also help teams with the letters and leaflets that we provide to customers.

In the survey linked to below we’d love to get your feedback on these communications so that we can make sure they’re meeting your needs. If you take a few minutes to complete the survey, you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win one of two £50 Love2shop vouchers. Your responses will help us to improve how we communicate with you. Take the survey here.

We’ll share the results of the survey on our website and social media.

Time to get EGG-sited

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:47:00 Z

Show off your creative side in our 2023 VoiceBox Easter bonnet competition.

To get involved get in touch with us at VoiceBox@Curo-group.co.uk and request your FREE Easter bonnet starter kit. We would like you to get creative and add your own items to your bonnet to make it EGG-stra special, unique and eye-catching.

To enter head over to the VoiceBox forum competition page and post photos of your creation.

If you are not a VoiceBox member its free to join here.

Entries will be judged in three categories:

0-8 years, 9-15 years, 16 and over.

For each category the prizes are as follows:

First place - £25
Second place - £15
Third place - £10

*All prizes are supplied in Love2Shop gift vouchers. Entry deadline Sunday 23rd April 2023. Full T’s & C’s can be found here.

Join us for our January Facebook Live

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 11:52:10 Z

Click here to join us on Wednesday 11 January for our Facebook Live Q&A with Curo Executive Director of Customer Experience Paul Harris and Director of Accounts and Lettings Emma Owens. They'll do their best to answer as many of your questions as they can between 7-8pm.

Listen to episode two of Curo's Cost of Living podcast

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 11:10:23 Z

At Curo, we’re really concerned about the effects the rising cost of living is having on our customers. We want you to know that support is available and we’re here to help. That’s why we’ve created our Cost of Living podcast.

In each episode, Marianne Rawlins, Communications and Media Manager at Curo, talks to people who can help with everything from money advice to saving energy. In episode two we speak to Ciara Aylett, Employability Service Manager, who tells us about Curo’s Work Wise service and how is can support people to maximise their incomes.

Work Wise offers support for people to gain employability skills, build confidence and get placements to take the next step in their careers. It’s not only for Curo customers, Work Wise is available to all residents of our communities. Opportunities include apprenticeships and access to construction careers. One example is our Power Up programme, which is introducing people to new ‘green’ jobs, as well as roles in construction and trades, many of which aren’t manual roles and which may surprise you.

Contact the Work Wise team on workwise@curo-group.co.uk or call 01225 366000 to find out more.

If you’re having money worries, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Contact Curo’s Money Advice service on customeraccountshelp@curo-group.co.uk or 01225 366000.

You can find our podcast on Spotify, Amazon Music and Audible.

https://open.spotify.com/show/5fYpHbE8aVNk7KDNEz3rf6

Curo · Podcast Ep 2 Final Compressed

Our Vision 2032 Survey

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 10:44:46 Z

As part of our ongoing work to improve Curo, we’re looking to the future to understand what we want to be known for in ten years’ time and how we can reach these goals.

We have asked all of our customers for their views and opinions on this. As well as the survey, on Wednesday 27 July we held a workshop at the Maltings where a range of residents joined us to have a detailed discussion on various topics that have been raised by customers so far.

27 residents joined us from a range of properties, where we had an amazing and energetic couple of hours chatting together, which generated over 200 ideas!

These ideas are helping to shape our vision and future.

We were delighted to see so many of our residents at this workshop and will be holding another session in late September, to show you how your ideas and the vision has progressed. We’ll be promoting details of the next workshop in the coming weeks.

If you'd like to take the survey and share your ideas, you can do this here: https://voicebox.curo-group.co.uk/oa/9b5e03

Housing association Curo and contractor Jehu inspire Bristol’s next generation of builders

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 06:45:04 Z

More than 60 children from Oasis Academy Bank Leaze in Lawrence Weston, Bristol, visited the nearby affordable housing development at The Willows to learn about construction in a fun-filled session organised by housing association and housebuilder Curo and contractor Jehu Group.

Children from Nursery and Reception had the opportunity to see how plant machinery works, including a crane raising timber frames and excavators digging foundations for the new homes. They also learnt about roofs, what they’re made of and how they are installed on new build homes.

But by far the children’s favourite activity was trying their hand at bricklaying, with help from contractor DTM Brick N Stone. Every pupil had the chance to help build a brick wall, with varying degrees of success.

Oasis Academy Bank Leaze teacher, Mrs Georgina Fitz-Gerald, says: “This has been such a fantastic activity for the children, and we’re grateful to Curo and Jehu for helping us to inspire future generations of professionals as part of the current term’s Early Years Foundation Stage topic, ‘when I grow up’.

“The trip was a great opportunity for children to learn about the different construction trades involved in building a house in a practical way, outside of the traditional classroom setting. Pupils and teachers alike, we’ve all had a brilliant day and I’m sure we’ll be talking about it for months to come!”

Curo is currently building 57 new affordable homes with contractor Jehu Group at The Willows development, at Corbet Close in Lawrence Weston, Bristol.

Curo Deputy Managing Director of Housebuilding, Sarah Maylor, says: “It was wonderful to welcome pupils from Oasis Academy to our development to show them the fun side of construction in a safe environment. We loved seeing them engage with all the hands-on activities and hope that we’ve been able to stir up their interest in these highly skilled and very rewarding trades that make up the housebuilding sector.”

Jehu Group Site Manager for The Willows, Tomasz Magiera, says: “We’re delighted to work with Curo at The Willows in Lawrence Weston – together we’re not just building new homes, but also investing in the local economy and skills and supporting communities.

“It was great to see so many young children getting excited about construction and we’re pleased that we were able to put a smile on their faces and make this experience possible for them.”

This is the third time Curo and Jehu Group have partnered with Oasis Academy Bank Leaze. Not long after the start of construction works at The Willows, the pupils took part in a drawing and painting competition, with their artwork now proudly displayed on the construction site’s hoardings. More recently, Curo and Jehu Group created a sensory garden for the school, to help promote the pupils’ wellbeing and mental health.

Community brings back pub-based dementia drop-in

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 07:00:00 Z

A dementia-friendly drop-in group in Portishead held a special event on Friday 4 March, the start of Social Prescribing Week, to celebrate and thank the community champions who have helped the group to survive and thrive through the COVID pandemic.

The monthly support group, held at the Portishead Poacher pub on the first Friday of every month between 11am and 1pm, welcomes anyone living with dementia, and their carers.

Many of the drop-in’s regulars are referred to the group by doctors and other health professionals through what is called a ‘social prescription’.

The celebration event took place at the start of Social Prescribing Week (4-10 March 2022) which celebrates and showcases how people’s health and wellbeing can be transformed through social prescribing which helps people access services like this.

A social prescription offers the kind of help that doesn’t come in a tube or a bottle. The idea behind social prescribing is to help people to have more control over their own health and find ways to improve how they feel in a way that suits them.

Pictured above: Group organiser Brenda Birkinshaw (left), Richard Dodds who attends the drop-ins with his wife Viv Dodds (right) with Curo Community Development Coordinator Sue Dixon (front, centre).

Numerous individuals, groups and organisations have come together to make these monthly events possible. These include the local pub who provide a welcoming venue at no cost, the Portishead Dementia Friendly Communities group, housing association Curo, the Alzheimer’s Society, and local charitable organisations who have fundraised for the group.

Curo runs the local Community Connect service which helps to make these connections. Curo Community Development Coordinator Sue Dixon said: “This buzzing dementia-friendly drop-in is a fantastic example of what can happen when the local community, volunteers, health professionals and local businesses come together to support each other.

“We work closely with local GPs and health services who offer patients social prescriptions and we help to link those people with activities that will boost their wellbeing and health. That can be anything from joining a walking group to attending a support group like this dementia drop-in.”

Brenda Birkinshaw, Chair of Portishead Dementia Friendly Communities, said: “The drop-in was an idea that came to fruition three years ago and is now extremely well supported. It was hugely missed through the COVID pandemic and feedback from attendees is that there is a huge need for this type of support for those living with dementia and their carers.

“Those who attend receive information and support from the professionals but most importantly from others who are currently experiencing or have experienced similar issues. We are very grateful to the Poacher staff for their support and all donations we receive from various sources.”

Ann Bye, who regularly attends the group with her partner Lesley Passey, said: “We like the chance to meet with others and share experiences and support. We also like being able to meet with Community Connect as they understand the daily challenges for people living with dementia.”

Anyone interested in attending the Portishead Dementia Friendly Coffee & Chat group can contact Brenda Birkinshaw on 07896 633900 or just call in when the drop-in is running.
Find out about Curo's social prescribing service in North Somerset.

Curo to spread Christmas cheer with sweet treat donation

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 10:33:22 Z

170 chocolate oranges were donated by Curo to Bath Open Christmas, to help put a smile on their guests’ faces at this year’s event.

Bath Open Christmas usually takes place every year on 25 December and welcomes 160 guests for a hot festive meal, entertainment and good cheer in the Dining Hall at Kingswood School, in Lansdown.

Caroline Holcombe from Bath Open Christmas says: “Christmas can be a difficult time for many people who find themselves on their own over this festive period. Not everyone is lucky enough to have lots of family to spend Christmas with and some feel particularly lonely at this time of the year.

“At Bath Open Christmas we welcome anyone who would otherwise be alone at this time. There will be a delicious festive lunch, an opportunity to chat with other people and even gifts from Father Christmas – and we’d like to thank Curo for their donation which I’m sure will help us spread some much-needed joy this year!”

Alongside chocolate oranges, Curo also donated prizes for the raffle which will take place on the day, including a tea service set, a variety of sweets and more chocolate!

Curo Sales Manager, Jodie Winter, says: “We’re delighted to support Bath Open Christmas this year and help them bring a little happiness to so many people.

“Supporting the communities we work in and partnering with organisations whose work benefits local residents is really important for us at Curo. We hope everyone has a fantastic time at this year’s Christmas lunch!”

This year’s Bath Open Christmas will be a little different, with measures in place to protect the safety of all guests and volunteers. The venue will be regularly ventilated and everyone attending will need to wear a face covering and take a lateral flow test in the 24 hours prior to the event.

There are still some places available for this year’s event. Call Bath Open Christmas on 01225 312271 or 07392 974405 to book your free ticket.