About us

Frequently asked questions

What is St Peter’s Partnerships?
St Peter’s Partnerships is a registered charity which provides support and services within the St Peter’s ward of Ashton-under-Lyne, in Greater Manchester. In addition to our charitable activities, we operate a trading arm which comprises of a number of not-for profit businesses. Not only do our trading activities link into the aims and objectives of our charitable projects, but all profits are either reinvested in the business, or donated to the charity to support further community-based activities.

St Peter’s Partnerships is a community led organisation, which was originally set up by a group of local residents. It brings people together to promote a range of community initiatives, which aim to tackle some of the underlying and long-term difficulties of the regeneration area. Our trustees have identified four key priorities:

  1. Making St Peter’s ward a safer place for people to live in

  2. Ensuring residents have appropriate access to skills for life and employment

  3. Giving local residents the opportunity to influence key decisions which affect them

  4. Ensuring residents feel the area is a healthier and happier place to live in

St Peter’s Partnerships plays an important role in trying out new solutions to old problems, piloting new schemes, and sharing the learning with partner agencies. We want to make sure that the experience and expertise gained through the regeneration programme have a lasting benefit on our community.

What does St Peter’s Partnerships do?
Our charitable activities include a wide range of community-based projects which meet the needs and priorities of our local community. These are centered around the key themes of community development, young people and children, and employment and learning.

These projects include:

  • Community Development - support and opportunities to help local residents get involved in their community

  • SPY – a wide range of activities and training which improve the life chances of young people and children

  • Enterprise Plus – information, advice and guidance on getting back to work, and access to training, volunteering and work placements

Our social enterprise trading activities include:

  • Greenscape - a professional landscaping, gardening and project management service, which offers on-the-job training opportunities to local unemployed people

  • Safeguard It – a community safety and security service in partnership with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, which also provides volunteering and employment opportunities for local people

  • Enterprise Plus – a service which provides managed workspace, and meeting rooms for hire

  • Newscape - a gardening service for New Charter tenants run in partnership with New Charter Housing Trust

The above projects and business are supported by our Charity Core Services team, which provides the following services:

  • Charity and company governance

  • Community asset and green space management

  • Strategic planning

  • Business development

  • Partnership development

  • Finance

  • HR

  • Marketing and PR

  • Funding

  • Support systems

Where are you based?
Our main office is at Clyde House Business Centre, just off Stockport Road in the West End of Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 0NQ. However, our services are run from a number of convenient community venues around Ashton. Click here [link to Premises Map.jpg] for a map showing the locations of all our premises.

Where is Clyde House Business Centre?
Clyde House Business Centre is in Ashton-under-Lyne, which is located just to the east of Manchester, between Oldham and Stockport. For a map of the area, go to http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GB|OL7%200NQ.

We are a 2 min drive from junction 23 of the M60. Our nearest railway station is Guide Bridge (on the line into Manchester Piccadilly), which is a 10 min walk away. Ashton-under-Lyne railway and bus stations are a 20 min walk or 10 min bus ride away. We are also on the main bus route to and from Manchester.

If you would like to visit us by public transport, go to http://nw.aimwebsites.co.uk/ to plan your journey. If you are coming by car, go to http://www.rac.co.uk/web/routeplanner/ for directions. The postcode for Clyde House is OL7 0NQ.

What is your area of benefit?
The main area of benefit for our charitable activities is the St Peter’s ward of Ashton-under-Lyne. However, the services offered by St Peter’s People are now open to anyone from Tameside. Click here for a map of showing the St Peter’s ward of Ashton. Our trading activities operate across Tameside and Greater Manchester.

How can I get voluntary work with St Peter’s Partnerships?
For information about opportunities for voluntary work with St Peter’s Partnerships contact Enterprise Plus, our employment and learning service. Enterprise Plus provides information and advice on getting back to work, and helps people find training and work placements. For more information phone 0161 214 8470.

If you are particularly interested in volunteering with Safeguard It, phone 0161 214 8317 to make an appointment. You will need to fill in a volunteer application form, and have a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check done. We will provide you with all the training you need, and support you throughout your placement.

If you are particularly interested in volunteering with SPY, phone 0161 214 9999 to make an appointment. You will need to fill in a volunteer application form, and have a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check done. We will then match you with a suitable opportunity – most normally last around 12 months. We will provide you with all the training you need, and support you throughout your placement.

How can I get a job with St Peter’s Partnerships?
Current vacancies for casual, part and full time work with St Peter’s Partnerships are listed in the news and events section of our website at http://www.stpeterspartnerships.org/news-and-events.php. All vacancies are also advertised in our free local newspaper the Tameside Advertiser. To search for job vacancies listed in the Tameside Advertiser, go to http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/jobs/.

Alternatively, contact Enterprise Plus, our employment and learning service, which provides information and advice on getting back to work, and helps people find training and work placements. For more information phone 0161 214 8470.

If you are particularly interested in becoming a Greenscape or Newscape trainee, please phone 0161 214 8300.


Absolutely anyone can become a Greenscape trainee, as long as they live in the St Peter’s ward of Ashton. To find out if your address is in this ward, go to http://www.tameside.gov.uk/forms/wards.php3. All of our Greenscape trainees come to us via Enterprise Plus. There are no exceptions to this rule, so if you are interested in becoming a Greenscape trainee, you must enrol on the course.

How can I get a copy of your annual report and financial statements?
Click here to download the latest St Peter’s Partnerships trustees’ annual report. We also produce an annual review every year, which outlines our key achievements in a format which is easier to understand. Click here to download a copy of our latest annual review.

What is a social enterprise?
Social enterprises are businesses which trade to benefit society and or the environment, rather than directors and shareholders. All the profits are either reinvested in the business, or donated to charity. Social enterprises operate across a wide range of industries. Well known examples include Cafedirect, The Big Issue, The Co-operative Group, and Jamie Oliver's Fifteen. Housing associations are another common example. Social enterprises tend to operate where the profit margin is too low to attract private investors, or in areas of service delivery which are not addressed by the public sector.

Where can I find out more information about social enterprise?
The Social Enterprise Coalition’s website has an excellent FAQ section – go to http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/Page.aspx?SP=1953.

What is a development trust?
Here is the Development Trusts Association’s definition of a development trust:

Development trusts are community owned and led organisations. They use self-help, trading for social purpose, and ownership of buildings and land, to bring about long-term social, economic and environmental benefits in their community. They operate in both urban and rural areas, often in neighbourhoods which have experienced the worst economic decline. They are independent, but work with the public sector, private businesses, and with other community groups. They are community ‘anchor’ organisations, delivering services and facilities, finding solutions to local problems, and helping other organisations and initiatives succeed.

For more information about development trusts, go to http://www.dta.org.uk.

Which community assets does St Peter’s Partnerships manage?
St Peter’s Partnerships currently manages the following assets and green spaces on behalf of the local community:

  • Clyde House Business Centre

  • Holy Trinity Community Centre

  • Ashton West End Doorstep Green

  • Trinity Moss Millennium Green

We are looking for opportunities to support the transfer of more assets and green spaces from the public sector to the voluntary and community sector, so that they can be used and enjoyed by local residents.

What is asset transfer?
Asset transfer (or community asset transfer) is the transfer of land and building assets owned by the public sector to voluntary and community sector organisations. The Government is currently encouraging local authorities to review their buildings and land for opportunities to transfer these assets to community organisations. Asset transfer can help to secure community use of buildings, and provide a development opportunity for local community organisations. To find out more, go to http://www.dta.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2210DA71-5362-42E0-91EC-
54EBC25FBD13/0/AssetTransferACanDoGuide.pdf to download the Development Trust Associations guide to asset transfer.

What are community anchor organisations?
Here is the Community Alliance’s definition of a community anchor organisation:

Community anchors are independent community-led organisations. They are multi-purpose and provide holistic solutions to local problems and challenges, bringing out the best in people and agencies. They are there for the long term, not just the quick fix. Community anchors are often the driving force in community renewal.

The roles a community anchor organisation can play may include:

  • Providing services

  • Attracting resources

  • Acting as an advocate for the community

  • Supporting community organisations

  • Strengthening community participation

To find out more, download the Community Alliance’s leaflet 'Transformation through community anchors' by going to http://www.comm-alliance.org/NR/rdonlyres/7A0F6404-F260-47C6-9C
03-DBA47A796649/0/Communityanchorsleafletweb.pdf.

To find out more about the work of community anchor organisations in the UK, download the Community Alliance’s booklet ‘An ever-evolving story: how community anchors are making a difference’ by going to http://www.comm-alliance.org/NR/rdonlyres/49F10F08-61ED-4079-BBB8-C7BC
48AE71D0/0/Comm_Alliane_web.pdf.