Social Value is one of the ways the Council gets more for the people and places of Manchester. It creates benefits for our local economy, community, and environment.
This newsletter will update you on our social value work, highlight good practice, and share opportunities to collaborate. In this issue, we take a closer look at how social value can help the city to prepare for the impact of winter.
Behind the scenes
As well as working with our suppliers and partners to deliver fantastic social value work, we also develop wider initiatives to maximise it’s impact. Here’s a quick peek at what’s going on behind the scenes:
Manchester City Council Social Value Toolkits
Earlier this year, we adopted a new 2025 Social Value Policy and we have been working to embed this throughout the Council. We have designed and rolled out a series of internal social value staff training, toolkits, and workshops. These are aimed at supporting our colleagues to work with suppliers and local partners to drive meaningful social value impact for the city. We have developed a social value toolkit for suppliers too (including voluntary sector suppliers) which will be launched soon – watch this space!
Social value in our Neighbourhoods Teams
The Manchester local authority boundary spans from Higher Blackley in the north to Wythenshawe in the south, and it is vital that social value responds to the unique needs and aspirations of our city’s diverse communities. We are working closely with new links in our Neighbourhood Teams to understand the local landscape and to ensure that social value is being channelled to the right places.
Public Purpose Report
In summer, Manchester hosted CLES’s annual Community Wealth Building Summit (the Centre for Local Economic Strategies). CLES worked with Manchester City Council to produce a new publication: Public Money, Public Purpose. This report makes the case for restoring public value in public sector procurement. It includes practical case studies from Manchester and across the UK to show how social value can be maximised.
Green Spaces Projects
In September, we held a session with the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund applicants to explore how social value could be leveraged in their projects. This fund is in high demand and has only been able to support 5-10% of recent proposals. If you would like to help one of these green spaces projects come to life, please contact Grace: goleary@gmet.org.uk
Social Value Spotlight
Winter Preparedness
Whilst some of us may be getting exciting about the start of ‘cosy season’, many charities and communities in Manchester will be preparing for how to manage the worrying demands that come with the cold weather.
Preparation for winter is already underway, and organisations need your support in the months leading up to Christmas. This is a great time to reach out to local charities and ask what they need at this critical time of year. You could support with fundraising, warm clothes and coats donations, and drives to help re-stock local foodbanks.
Michelle from Bridging the Gap, a foodbank in South Manchester, says; “We are already in the depths of planning for our winter delivery, and we do not want to see any famillies or older people struggling through the Christmas period. We have seen a dip in our donations this year, but we are also experiencing a 33% increase in the numbers of people needing our support.” (michellemchale@manchestersouthcentral.foodbank.org.uk).
Preparation for the cold weather is especially crucial for people who are homeless, and Manchester has a fantastic partnership of charities that coordinate the city’s emergency response. Real Change MCR is a fund within Manchester Homelessness Partnership that pays for practical items that people need to build their lives away from the streets. It is a great way to support over 20 homelessness charities in the city.
Something to celebrate
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XMA (one of our IT suppliers) worked with Community Computers to bridge the digital divide, refurbishing and donating over 300 laptops to Manchester
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As part of their energy contract, Drax Power have been working with the Council's parks teams and groups to restore the ornamental lake at Alexandra Park
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We have an exciting new solar contract with AGR Power, and they are making a substantial contribution to the We Love Manchester Charity as part of their social value work
- Our Manchester City Council Highways team came second in the Social Value Portal Awards for Public Sector Leadership!
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Another IT supplier, Phoenix, are hosting a live cyber-attack simulation event in Manchester on 18 November. Sign up here to learn about cyber security and then practice your skills in a real-time immersive simulation.
In case you missed it...
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The North Manchester Social Benefits Framework has been refreshed, reaffirming partnership ambitions and mechanisms to ensure that local people benefit from regeneration, including a new community-owned social value fund. This video shares some of the impact it's had so far.
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Our Business GM will be launching a new directory to promote locally owned businesses – encouraging us all to spend with purpose. Take a look to see if you could source any of your products or services from a local and socially minded organisation.
- We are looking for partners to help us create ‘virtual memory boxes’ - personal online stores of keepsakes for children who have been in the care system. Contact Dee for more details (dee.lowry@manchester.gov.uk)
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Manchester Community Central (MACC) runs an alternative venues group – email Emily to find charity-led venues and meeting spaces in Manchester (emily.mckinnell@macc.org.uk).
Thank you for reading!
For more information on Manchester’s Social Value work, please visit our website:
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