11 November 2024 InfoNOW News

Christmas is coming – InformationNOW

Please tell us if you’re planning any special activities,  events or changes to your service

Want to add your events and activities to InformationNOW? Use our quick and easy events form here

Will your service be changing it’s opening times over the holiday period? Please email [email protected] if you would like to add you Christmas opening time to our article Christmas opening times for support services

See all Christmas Events and Activities on InformationNOW here

Have you booked your place at NetworkNOW?

Join us on Friday 29th November 10.30 am to 1.30 pm to:

• have your say about the new All Age Carer Strategy
• hear from local services including, Newcastle Carers, PROPS, Digital Inclusion, Adult Social Care and more
• find out more about how InformationNOW can help you
• get involved and tell us what’s important to you and the people you support
• network with colleagues from across Newcastle
• find out more about local services at information stalls

NetworkNOW is the city wide network ran by InformationNOW.

Book your place online here

Carers Pop up 2024

Do you provide any unpaid care and support to a family member, relative, partner, friend or neighbour? If yes, you could be a carer.

When you visit InformationNOW you’ll notice that we’re running a pop up survey. In the lead up to Carers rights day on 21 November we want to help identify carers and help them to get support when they need it.

We’re asking a couple of questions to help understand if you’re a carer and more about your caring role. You have the option to ask us to refer you to Newcastle Carers for more support and information.

When you’ve completed the pop up, (if you’ve given us permission to use cookies on your device) the pop up shouldn’t appear again for you.

Read more on InformationNOW about Looking after someone

Working for Carers Project

The Working for Carers Project is a partnership between Newcastle Carers, North Tyneside Carers and Carers Northumberland and is funded by the North East Combined Authority. They support unpaid carers to

• Access work, education, training or volunteering
• Maintain work and seek career progression

They support employers to

• Raise the profile of carers in the workplace
• Develop and review carer friendly policies including carers leave and flexible working

They are hosting two online briefing sessions on Carers Rights Day where carers and employers can connect with us and find out more about our offer and the support available to them

Carers are welcome to join them from 2-3pm book a place online
Read about this event on InformationNOW

Employers are welcome to join them from 3.30pm to 4.30 pm and can book a place online
Read about this event on InformationNOW

E-Visa Support information

On 31 December 2024, all Biometric Residence Permits and Cards (BRPs and BRCs), and Passport Vignettes (visa stickers and ‘wet ink stamps’) will expire.

This means that the physical forms of ID to prove immigration status will be replaced with E-Visas.

To apply for an E-Visa, you will need:

• Access to a digital device (smart phone/ laptop) and the internet
• A BRP card/ Immigration ID document
• Personal information including your contact details and address to hand
• The UK Immigration ID Check APP – this can be downloaded from the app store.

With this information, you should create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account, if you don’t already have one and to confirm your identity using the ‘UK Immigration ID Check’ app. This information will be used to link your eVisa to your UKVI account. You can create a UKVI account here

There are a range of organisations providing support in Newcastle and nationally.

• Action Foundation
• North of England Refugee Service (NERS)
• North East Law Centre
• Migrant Help

JobCentre Plus

If you go to Newcastle City Job CentrePlus, you can ask your WorkCoach for help to create an eVisa.

We are Digital

email [email protected] or text ‘VISA’ to 07537 416 944 or phone: 03333 445 675 Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm

Assisted Digital’ can help you to fill in an online Home Office application if you:

• do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
• do not have internet access
• do not have access to a device like a laptop or smart phone

They will assess your eligibility and provide support. You can get phone support from an advisor or face to face support in person

If you would like some more advice on how to support your service users, contact the Migration, Refugee & Asylum team on [email protected].

For individual cases, please contact one of the commissioned organisations.

Read more on InformationNOW about Visas and immigration 

NIHR research Bus

National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria are looking for people to get involved in health research studies and contribute to finding cures and treatments for a range of conditions and diseases like cancer, diabetes, dementia and heart disease

To do this they have had their Bioresource Community Health Bus promoting research participation to communities within Newcastle. Come and see the research team on the bus on the following dates:

Tuesday 19 November – 10am to 4pm
Outside Greggs, 100 bus stop, Blackett Street, Newcastle

Tuesday 26 November – 10am to 4pm
Morrisons, Shields Road, Byker, NE6 1EJ

Read more on InformationNOW about Getting involved in health research

Fake Universal Credit App

Please be aware of a fake Universal Credit app that customers are using thinking it is an official, government-endorsed app for Universal Credit. This app is not recognised by DWP or HM Government and should not be used to access Universal Credit which customers should continue to only access directly on the official Gov.UK site. Please advise any customers that state they are using this app, or similar, to uninstall and only access UC via the webpage. At present there is no official UC app available

Read more about Universal Credit on InformationNOW

Update from Freedom from Torture North East

Freedom from Torture is a human rights organisation which offers specialist therapeutic services to survivors of torture. They have an important update to share with referrers to their service:

“It is with great sadness to say that, following consultation, the Freedom from Torture Senior Management Team and Board have agreed proposals to close our two smallest treatment centres in the North East and West Midlands. The background to this is a growing national budget deficit; it is felt that cuts to services are inevitable.
“We are of course devastated by the loss of rehabilitation services to torture survivors in the region. This may impact on other services in the region due to onward referrals from us for current clients, as well as torture survivors in the future who require support.”

For more information, see here. You can also contact Steph Lai at [email protected] if you have any questions

In The Round Podcast

This month the podcast focuses on our own acts of remembrance for soldiers that fought in the Great War. Moyra speaks to Anne and Jude at the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) about a project they have organised, Kate talks to a military writer who is writing a book about her Great Uncle Don and Violet narrates a story.
Finally, Richard White from InformationNOW drops in to tell us about some of the activities and events taking place in Newcastle upon Tyne during October.

Listen to In The Round – Topics and News to interest you for November 2024 here

If you’d like to contribute to future editions of In The Round, please get in touch with Later Life Audio and Radio Cooperative (LLARC)

SPOTLIGHT ON

White Ribbon Day

21 November, 11am – 2pm, Newcastle City Learning Main Hall, West Road, Newcastle, NE4 9LU

JET – Jobs Employment & Training are holding a white ribbon event on 21 November, the aim of the event is to promote wellbeing, raise awareness, and help to prevent male violence against women and girls. This event will also give a chance to connect and network with organisations from across Newcastle dedicated to improving health and wellbeing.

The event is an informal drop-in, there will be information stalls and lunch will be provided.

You can read about the event on InformationNOW

White Ribbon day focuses on ending violence against women and girls. Culture change doesn’t happen overnight, but we can end men’s violence against women and girls in our lifetimes.

So why not, on White Ribbon Day 25 November, make the Promise never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women and girls. 

Violence and abuse experienced by women and girls takes many forms. Some behaviours and words may seem ‘harmless’ but normalising them ignores the short – and long-term effects on women and can lead to more extreme violence. Men can also be trapped by toxic-masculinity unable to be who they really want to be.
Being allies with women every day shouldn’t be underestimated – even the smallest actions can affect big change.

Read more on InformationNOW about Ways to report crime and community safety issues

Baby Week 2024

14 November,10am to 2pm. Great North Museum: Hancock

Baby week showcases support for babies and families, join this event, where there will be lots of taster sessions you can try including baby massage, song time, baby sensory, Solihull getting to know your baby and more! The taster sessions will be aimed at babies or families with babies between 0-2 but feel free to bring along toddlers or siblings too!

• chat to Children and Families Newcastle about what’s going on in the hubs
• ask NAPI about parent and toddler groups near you.
• ask questions to a midwife, a health visitor, or the oral health team.
• talk to local services such as Newcastle United Foundation, The National Literacy Trust, The Children’s Foundation, North East Young Dads and Lads

Read more about support for babies and young children on Children and Families Newcastle

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION

VCSE Health and Wellbeing Network reminder

Wednesday 13 November, 9.15 am to 12.30 pm, One Strawberry Lane, Newcastle, NE1 4BX

Registration begins at 9.15 a.m. for a prompt 9.30 a.m. start.

The aim of these events is to give the VCSE a stronger voice in the health system in Newcastle and to look at key issues of concern and health information to support VCSE delivery.

We will have updates from:

• The Integrated Care Board delivery team on current priorities.
• VONNE, on the VCSE Partnership Programme.
• Healthworks, on social prescribing and their health improvement projects.
• Ways to Wellness, on the Space Pilot.
• The Newcastle Safeguarding board.

There will also be time for discussion, networking and information sharing.

Find out more and register here

Read more on InformationNOW about Health Inequalities

Ward meetings

Did you know locally elected Ward Councillors host local ward meetings to meet with residents, share information about local activities and services and talk about local priorities?
Everyone is welcome to attend ward committee meetings.  The next upcoming ward meetings are:

Castle 
13 November 2024, 6pm

Ouseburn
13 November 2024, 6pm

South Jesmond
14 November 2024, 6pm

Kenton
21 November 2024 6pm

Heaton
26 November 2024 6pm

You can contact the communities team at [email protected] or  call 0191 277 3560

Find out more about community ward meetings on Newcastle.gov.uk

You can read about upcoming ward meetings and sign up to attend on the ward committees page here 

If you’re not sure what your ward is or who represents you as your local councillors, you can use the My  neighbourhood ward tool 

Read more on InformationNOW about the communities team at Newcastle City Council

Schools Volunteering Project

Volunteer centre Newcastle have a new project working with schools in Newcastle to increase volunteering opportunities. Awaad has started in this new role at volunteer centre Newcastle. He will develop volunteering opportunities within schools and engage individuals with these opportunities in Newcastle. In this role, I will work closely with schools to identify and develop attractive volunteer roles and provide comprehensive support to ensure these programs are sustainable and impactful.

If you work within schools and education settings and would like to find out more, you can contact Awaad by phone on 07950 920821 or Email at [email protected]

Read more: Introducing Awaad Alkhater | Volunteer Centre Newcastle

Read more on InformationNOW about volunteering

Welcome to Newcastle event

The Welcome to Newcastle event is for people who have recently come to the City and offers them a chance to meet with and gain access to the difference services that can support them to settle in here. The event is ran by Newcastle United Foundation

Expect services including:

• Advice on finding English classes
• Advice on school admissions
• Benefit advice
• Children’s activities/arts and crafts
• Employment and volunteering advice
• Fire safety advice
• Free SIM cards and library registration
• Healthcare information
• Help accessing food or clothing
• Housing advice
• Information on local services and activities
• Northumbria Police community support
• Organisations for people seeking asylum and refugees

Food and drink will also be provided. Registration is free, but please note that each individual family member must be registered so that event organisers can plan accordingly.

Register for this event here

Red more on InformationNOW about Support for Asylum Seekers and Refugees

CONSULTATIONS & ENGAGEMENTS

Mental health pathway for children and young people

If you are a VCSE organisation supporting children and young people in Newcastle, the NENC ICB Delivery Team would like to hear your views on:

• Making referrals into and getting support from mental health services.
• Challenges you face as an organisation in supporting wellbeing.
• Areas of good practice.
• Gaps in services (and similar).

To share your views, please contact Julia Perry at [email protected], or come and talk to her in person at one of these upcoming drop-ins:

• 19 November, 10 am – 12 pm, Riverside Community Health Project, Carnegie Building, Atkinson Road, NE4 8XS
• 21 November, 11 am – 1 pm, The Lemington Centre, Tyne View, Lemington, NE15 8RZ

If you support a group of young people who would like to share their views of trying to access mental health support and/or how they would like to receive this support, please contact Julia at the email address above to arrange the best way to have these views included

Read more on InformationNOW on mental health

Healthy Communities: Understanding and evaluating the impact of Community Champion Approaches

12 December, 12pm – 1pm Online (via Teams)

Community champion schemes form part of a range of community centred approaches that can be used to build healthier communities and address health inequalities.

Usually, ‘Community Champions’ are members of the community who work with their peers and a range of organisations to share information and promote health and wellbeing.

This is the second webinar in the Healthy Communities series. It is supported by the OHID Healthy Communities Network, in partnership with the Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Team (PHIRST).

Find out more and register here

Healthwatch hospital discharge survey

Healthwatch Newcastle are looking to gather the experiences of those who have been discharged from from Newcastle hospitals on Pathways 1 to 3, in the past 12 months. They are wanting to evaluate the overall impact of hospital discharge on patient health outcomes, satisfaction, and quality of life.

You can complete the survey here. The survey also includes information about the different hospital discharge pathways, so you can identify which one applies to you.

Read more on InformationNOW about Useful information when leaving hospital

Ethnically marginalised carers consultation

Are you from an ethically marginalised community and caring for somebody?

Newcastle Carers are running sessions focusing on the wellbeing of carers who are from ethnically marginalised communities. They would like to discuss how you would like to engage with Newcastle Carers and the support they offer.

There are sessions held in Gosforth and the West End of Newcastle:

21 November 2024 Wellbeing Consultations for Ethnically Marginalised Communities: Gosforth

27 November 2024 Wellbeing Consultations for Ethnically Marginalised Communities: The Beacon 

Read more on InformationNOW about Looking after someone

RESEARCH & REPORTS

CNTW Lived Experience Service: Involvement Spotlight Report

This report highlights some of the involvement and engagement work happening across Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (CNTW). TheCNTW Lived Experience Service: Involvement Spotlight Report covers the period July to September 2024

Download the report here

RESOURCES & TRAINING

Volunteer Centre Drop in sessions

Volunteer Centre Newcastle are running community-based drop-in sessions. You can to drop in and find out more about volunteer roles that are available across Newcastle.

If you represent an organisation interested in recruiting and managing volunteers, you are welcome to come along to discuss volunteer recruitment needs and strategies.

Drop by anytime during these times:

• 15th November, 10am to 12pm – Jesmond Library, NE2 2DL
• 22nd November, 10am to 1pm – Gosforth Library, NE3 3HD
• 29th November, 10:30am to 12:30pm – East End Library & Community Hub, NE6 1DL
• 13th December, 11am to 2pm – Being Well Place, Grainger Market, NE1 5QQ

Further sessions may be added and advertised on Volunteer Centre Newcastle’s website

Deadline approaching for Ward Grant Aid Funding

Each ward in Newcastle has money available for voluntary and community sector organisations to run projects or events which help local residents. If you are a constituted group, you can apply to your local Ward Committee for funding which will benefit residents of that ward. If you’re not sure on your ward, you can use the postcode checker here.

The deadline for applications to this fund is 31 December 2024 but decisions can be made before this, you can submit your application at any time.  If you would like to find out more about ward funding and how to apply, visit Newcastle City Council website.

If you would like to discuss project ideas, please contact the Communities Team via email: [email protected]

Safeguarding Adults Speed Geeking Event

19 November, 9.30am to 1pm, One Strawberry Lane, NE1 4BX

Join experts for a morning of knowledge sharing on different topics related to safeguarding adults. “Speed geeking” is a method of understanding large amounts of information within smaller, more manageable chunks. Our experts will be covering:

• Advocacy
• Bias, unconscious bias and malignant alienation
• Engagement principles and guidance
• Health literacy
• InformationNOW
• Safeguarding carers
• Working with older people

For more information and to book please complete this form

Read more on InformationNOW about safeguarding adults 

Support for carers – free webinar

Following Carers Rights Day 2024 you can take part in a free training session online. Enhance your understanding of the issues faced by unpaid carers and the support that is available across the city of Newcastle. This session will boost your knowledge, equipping you with everything that you need to signpost carers to a wealth of appropriate support. The session is online but promises to be interactive and engaging with plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

This session is hosted by InformationNOW and delivered by Newcastle Carers and Mobilise who will each share information about their services and the wider network of support available for carers in Newcastle

There are 2 dates to choose from:

• Monday 2 December 2pm to 3pm
• Thursday 5 December 10am to 11am

Book your place online here

NEW EVENTS

St Martins Centre winter events

St Martins centre have a range of Christmas trips planned and new events starting this month.

18 November 2024

Techy Tea Party

27 November 2024

Dalton Park shopping trip

6 December 2024

Mini Christmas fair

23 November 2024

Christmas day trip to york

14 November 2024

Meditation course

15 November 2024

Stretch class

Read more on InformationNOW about St Martin’s Centre

Health and Wellbeing Drop-In at Elswick Community Leisure Centre

5 December 2024, Elswick Community Leisure Centre.

Come and learn about Newcastle Libraries’ Reading Well book collection and the Reading for Wellbeing project at Drop In Sessions at Elswick Community Leisure Centre

You can also join an audiobook walk at 11am. If you have any questions please email [email protected]

These drop-in sessions are ran by Newcastle Libraries in partnership with Elswick Family Practice and are on the first Thursday of every month at Elswick Community Leisure Centre.

Read more on InformationNOW about Libraries, Reading and Audio Books

Alphabetti Theatre Events

Alphabetti Theatre are hosting a number of events over the coming weeks. There are multiple screenings of different films and performances, as well as their writing group. Have a look at their upcoming events here.

Read more on InformationNOW about Theatres

Newcastle Christmas tree  & lights switch on

Hits Radio North East breakfast show presenters Steve and Karen will be joined by the Lord Mayor and other festive guests for the traditional curtain raiser to Christmas in the city.

The fun starts at 6pm on the 12 November) with the big switch-on just before 7pm, so head down to the top of Grey Street near the Monument.

On 28 November the Lord Mayor Councillor Rob Higgins, will be welcoming the Mayor of Bergen Marit Warncke to Newcastle for the lighting of the Christmas tree in the grounds of St Thomas’ Church, next to Newcastle Civic Centre.

This festive event is for all members, colleagues, and the public, and we would like to invite everyone to come along from 5pm.

After the Christmas tree lights are switched on and the tree is blessed, everyone is invited to join the congregation in St Thomas’ Church for a carol service lead by Reverend Ben Doolan, followed by light refreshments

Read more on Newcastle.gov.uk about Christmas

Friendly Neighbourhood Get Together

Join the Elders Council staff and members at this event where you can find out about their projects and work, Information and advice will also be available from local organisations. light refreshments will be served at the event.

Read more on InformationNOW about this event

Community litter pick and tree planting

Join these community get togethers to make a difference and meet other people: Plant a tree in Fenham or help clean up South Gosforth

16 November 2024, 10am – Monthly

South Gosforth Community Clean Up

30 November 2024, 11am

West Fenham Tree Planting Event 

Read more about getting involved in your community

NEW & UPDATED ORGANISATIONS

Northern Praeclassica

new organisation

Northern Praeclassica are Northern Praeclassica is a Newcastle and Northumberland based chamber choir, rehearsing in Ponteland.

They are currently actively recruiting tenors and basses, as well as the possibility of one soprano.

Read more on InformationNOW about Northern Praeclassica

Becoming Visible

updated organisation

Becoming Visible are a Deaf organisation supporting the d/Deaf, British Sign Language (BSL) community in the North East

They offer a range of services and support, as well as BSL training courses, BSL interpreting.

Read more on InformationNOW about Becoming Visible – in the heart of the Deaf Community

NEW & UPDATED ARTICLES

Your benefits while you are in hospital or in residential care

updated article

Some benefits are affected when you go into hospital or residential care. This means the payment can stop or the amount you get changes. This article gives guidance to things you may want to consider.

Read more on your benefits while you are in hospital or in residential care on Information Now

Cleaning Services

updated article

Sometimes you may need a helping hand with your house work due to your care needs. There are services in Newcastle that offer one off and regular domestic cleaning services.

Read more on InformationNOW about Cleaning services 

Last updated: November 11, 2024