13th January 2023 InfoNOW News

InformationNOW January podcast

Happy New Year. There is lots to look forward to this month, from taking the wellness reboot quiz, hearing about Healthwatch Newcastle, through to events and activities surrounding Holocaust Memorial Day. Find what you are looking for on InformationNOW or listen to the January Podcast.

InformationNOW and Radio Tyneside podcast for January 2023

Great Winter Get Together launched to tackle loneliness in Newcastle

16th to 29th January 2023

This month we are supporting the Great Winter Get Together (16–29 January 2023), a national fortnight run by The Jo Cox Foundation to celebrate the places where people can go to connect this winter.

Newcastle City Council’s priority is to support residents through the cost-of-living crisis. They are working with partners in the city to do the same. For residents who are struggling they offer a range of advice and support including debt and money advice, how to access free childcare, help with food and where to access foodbanks and energy advice.

Across the UK over 9 million people and 15% of young people face chronic loneliness. With the cost-of-living crisis making it more difficult for many people to access their usual social activities, local places where people can chat and get to know others will play a vital role in alleviating loneliness this January.
There are several events happening across Newcastle at the winter wellbeing hubs, libraries, and other community organisations where residents can join in with a range of free social activities from litter picks to afternoon tea.
Visit The Great Get Together website to find events in your area.

Cllr Karen Kilgour, Cabinet Member for a Healthy, Caring City, and Deputy Leader, Newcastle City Council said: “I’m proud to support this year’s Great Winter Get Together, inspired by the late Jo Cox MP. Helping our residents through the current cost-of living crisis is our key priority, shown through our work with partners, community groups and businesses who have been assisting residents already this winter. Newcastle is known for being a friendly city, but winter is a time when people can feel particularly isolated, and we want to encourage any many people as possible to come out and join in with these fantastic events”

To find more about the Winter Wellbeing Being Hubs visit the Directory published by Public Health

There are events taking place across Newcastle. You can find Great Winter Get Together events in Newcastle on InformationNOW. Events include:

Nunsmoor Cost of Living event
Information and Advice drop in sessions across Newcastle ran by Search Newcastle
Northern Stage
Foodcycle
and much more

If you would like to add your event you can register it on The Great Winter Get Together website and please let us know your plans so we can include you on InformationNOW. Email [email protected].

Metro, bus and ferry fares capped at £2

Pay less to travel by bus, Metro and ferry this winter with £2 capped fares

Single bus fares in the North East are to be capped at £2 for the winter, in line with a national ‘Help for Households’ government promotion to encourage people back on to public transport.

The £2 cap will come into effect from 1st January to 31st March, backed by £60 million Government funding, offering a saving of 30% on the average single fare of £2.80 on most routes across the North East.

Read more on InformationNOW about Public transport

Household Support Fund

The Household Support Fund is a local scheme. You may have noticed articles in the media which have highlighted council schemes across the country and in some instances promoted them as being open to all which is not correct.

Read Newcastle City Council’s website for the most accurate and up to date advice on how Newcastle City Council are administering the fund.

Helping homeless people into employment

Beam can support Newcastle residents currently, recently or at-risk of homelessness into employment!

Last month they launched some new Newcastle crowdfunding campaigns, including Nataija, who is at risk of homelessness following domestic abuse.

They recently helped 2 Newcastle residents into employment! Imran (not his real name) is a refugee in Temporary Accommodation. Now he’s working in admin!

Fakraldeen, also staying in a hostel, was referred by Lynne Simpson, is now working as a security guard.

Are you working with someone who could benefit from help to prepare for work and move into employment? You can refer people online for help from Beam. In return they will get financial support, a community of supporters who share encouraging comments, and 3+ months intensive support with a caseworker with bespoke employment knowledge.

Any questions ask [email protected]

Read more on InformationNOW about Support to prepare for work or a job

Quadrant Leisure activities for people with special educational needs

Quadrant Leisure run weekly activities for young people with special educational needs at their Hubs. People aged 14 to 25 with mild to moderate special needs, learning disabilities and Autism can take part in their sessions in Newcastle:

Walkergate Hub for 18 to 25 year olds on Wednesdays 4.30pm to 6 pm, at the Ray Gray Centre, Stotts Road, Newcastle NE6 4UH. There is a cost for this activity.

They also run a special educational needs (SEN) kitchen workshops fitness sessions and community garden in North Tyneside

Read more on InformationNOW about Autism and local support services and Learning disability local support services

Changes to Tyne and Wear Metro Services in January and February

There is currently building work taking place to build the new, modern facility on the existing Metro depot site. There will be changes to the metro services on these dates and times below:

No Metro services between Four Lane Ends to South Gosforth & South Gosforth to Airport Saturday 21^st January & Sunday 22^nd January 2023.
No Metro services between Four Lane Ends to Haymarket Saturday 11^th February & Sunday 12^th February 2023.

If you plan to use Metro during either weekend, check posters at stations and their website for alternative bus service information.

Youthwatch Gateshead and Newcastle

Do you want to help improve health or social care services? interested in sharing your views with Healthwatch?

Healthwatch Newcastle are looking for 16-25 year olds who live, work or study in Gateshead or Newcastle to join their Youthwatch Project and share your views about health or social care services.
The Project will be launched on 7 February 6-7pm, via Zoom.

They are looking for organisations involved in working with young people to attend this event to find out more about Healthwatch and helping involve young people in our work. They will be holding online events for 16-25 year olds to attend, share views with Healthwatch and feed into their future work.

If you’re interested in either the Youthwatch launch event on 7 February or Youthwatch online events, please email [email protected] text 07498503497 or Freephone 0808 801 0382.

Read more on InformationNOW about Having your say about health and care services

OK. so we know you’ll never be old but just in case can we talk about it?

Elders Council of Newcastle (Older People’s Forum) invite you to come along to a workshop for workers and volunteers who are interested in discussing how we think and talk about planning for older age. It will be a fun and engaging session with plenty of opportunity to network.

The session will be facilated by Moyra Riseborough, Rose Gilroy and Barbara Douglas.

Date: Wednesday 1st February Time: 3-5pm Venue: PRS Café in MEA house

Book your place online

InformationNOW can help you to make choices and plan ahead. You can find a huge range of helpful information that can guide you through topics that you might never think about but it’s a good idea to: write a will and create a power of attorney. It’s never too early to start thinking about your Pension

You might find that you have more time to Volunteer after you Retire. Or perhaps you’re spending more time Looking after a friend or a family member?

Getting older is not all about Paying for your care or Choosing a care home (but we have this information if you need it too!)

You might even want to think about donating your body to science.
Did you know it’s one of our most viewed pages on the site every month?

Your lifestyle and wellbeing

Christmas and the cost of living pressures may well have changed lifestyle and your eating and drinking habits. You may be feeling sluggish or be aware of weight gain – which may be due to drinking more alcohol than usual which contributes to greater intake of calories. Doing less activity may also have led to weight gain.

Why not see the New Year as a chance to focus on getting fit and healthy and making small tweaks to your lifestyle and habits? A walk before work, getting off the bus a stop earlier or meditating for two minutes several times a day. Perhaps putting the biscuits in a tin further on a high shelf or your smart phone in another room to stop you checking messages and images constantly.

Slow or small steps rather than big goals may prove more successful in improving your healthy habits in the long run. Keeping a diary or a tick chart may help and keeping it for a month or a year to look back on can be rewarding in itself.

Take the Wellness Reboot Quiz to find out how well you’re doing now. Then get personalised tips, tools, offers and advice to help your wellbeing from Boots and Public Health England.

The Digital Weight Management programme supports adults living with obesity, with a diagnosis of diabetes or hypertension or both. It is a 12-week online behavioural and lifestyle programme that people can access via a smartphone or computer with internet access. To start your journey to a healthier lifestyle, you need to speak to your GP or a local pharmacist who can refer you to the programme. Read the criteria.

Read more on InformationNOW about benefits of being physically active and healthy eating and drinking

Dry January 2023

It’s never too late to change your relationship with alcohol and this month aims to give you incentive and motivation to make that change. Alcohol is a risk factor in more than 60 health conditions. Including, seven types of cancer, heart disease and depression, as well as improving your blood pressure and cholesterol.

Dry January is an initiative by Alcohol Change UK and they are sharing the reasons that may trigger your commitment to making that change – Top 10 reasons to start the Dry January Commitment. These include: general wish to be more healthy – how you look and how you feel; you want to have a baby; you want more energy and more money for other things.

Interested? Look for the Try Dry app on Google Play or the App Store.

Drug and Alcohol Support

Newcastle Treatment and Recovery (NTaR) Drug and Alcohol Service) offer a single point of contact for drug and alcohol services within Newcastle.

You can also contact the Talk to FRANK national helpline for friendly, confidential advice on alcohol or drugs.

PROPS is a service that aims to improve the lives of families affected by alcohol and drug use. If you are a family member or carer concerned about a loved one’s use and would like support. You can call PROPs 9am to 9pm, Monday to Friday.

Read more on InformationNOW about Addictions

Equal Arts Creative Training – new dates

Equal Arts are running free Creative training in Newcastle and open to all. This is for people who live in Gateshead and who are currently not in work, aged between 18 to 67. Expenses will be paid.

New dates for the sessions are 31 Jan, 7 Feb and 14 Feb at Newcastle City Library.

Artists will work with you to develop confidence, knowledge and skills to help move into employment.

Interested? Please contact Equal Arts for more information.

This week’s Events and Activities

Visit our Events and Activities section to see what’s happening this week.

Search by postcode or choose your location from the drop down list to find out what’s near you.

Cost of Living support event

Date: Wednesday 18 Jan 2023

Time: 12.30 pm – 3.30 pm

Find out more about Cost of Living Support at the free community event at the Nunsmoor Centre hosted by Mental Health Concern (MHC). The event will help you to:

Build confidence and improve your mental wellbeing
Get practical support including guidance on grants, benefits, and finances
Access local health and community support service

For more information about Mental Health Concern please visit their website.

No need to book. Just turn up.

Dance City free preview performance

Dance City is inviting the public to a special evening on 26^th January at 6pm with a preview sharing and their season launch. The event is free of charge to attend. You need to book a ticket.

Dance producer, Farooq Chaudhry, whose most known for his productions with Akram Khan, English National Ballet and Yang Liping, will be at Dance City from 16th to 27^th January for a residency for their new show Nine Songs.

The residency includes a preview performance on evening of 26^th January 2023 ahead of the premiere later in the year with other partners, and Dance City is keen to open their doors to the public and local communities to experience this.

Restaurant Week, 16 to 22 January 2023

Enjoy a range of dishes for £10, £15 and £20 as Restaurant Week returns for 2023. Whether you are a pizza or burger lover or just want a reason to catch up with friends, this week is for you.

Visit Get Into Newcastle’s website for more details

New dates for Welcome to Badminton

Welcome to Badminton runs sessions for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees on Sundays 5pm to 7pm at Northumberland University Sports Central.

Join them for fun, to make friends, learn new skills and keep healthy. No experience needed. Shuttlecocks and rackets are provided. Please bring water to drink and wear comfortable clothes and trainers. Your travel costs to the venue can be reimbursed if you bring your travel tickets.

Read more on InformationNOW about Support for Asylum Seekers and Refugees

New organisations

Holy Spirit Church, Denton

Holy Spirit Church, Denton is an Anglican, Church of England place of worship. They host a range of activities including regular mass celebrations:

Choir
Toddler groups
Lunch Club on the last Friday of the Month 12.30pm to 4pm. A 2 course meal and hot drinks are available. Costs £4. Call to book
Inspire Youth groups: Mondays 4pm for ages 5 to 11 and 5.30pm for age 12 to 16
Tuesday: The Pantry (free emergency food parcels) 10am to 12pm
Wednesday Multi Sports activities ran by Hat-Trick
Brownies in Hall 6.15pm to 7.30pm

Read more on InformationNOW about Places of worship

Jesmond Library new opening times

Jesmond Library – Information Now is now open
Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Thursdays 9.30am to 6pm
Now open Fridays 9.30am – 12.30pm

Bridgit Care

Bridgit Care is an online tool for unpaid family and friend carers. Helping to look after the mental, emotional and physical health of carers. Use the website to find:

support for carers
information about health conditions
personal advice
local events and services

Updated articles

We’re constantly updating and improving our information pages. Here’s some of the articles that have been updated this week…

Have you spotted something that needs to be updated? Please email [email protected] or leave us a comment on any page on InformationNOW. (You can use the button at the bottom of the page you’re looking at)

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Best Wishes

Lauren

Lauren Hoy: Prevention, Information and Advice Lead at Newcastle City Council

Last updated: January 13, 2023

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