7 January 2022 InfoNOW news

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InformationNOW

Happy New Year. To start 2022 off, you may notice a few tweaks to the website with new filters to help you search for items more easily.

We’d just like to remind you that we have fourteen categories of information where you can just click on an icon and browse all the topics. There are over 300 articles of information and each organisation on the website is linked to at least one article.

Also, for those of you who haven’t registered as a member of the website, a major advantage is that you can save any article, organisation or event to Favourites which makes them quicker to find if you use them regularly. From the perspective of events, you can create your own personalised table of events and share it with someone else by email or print. Many events and activities are online at present, but that will change at some point this year. Just register on the homepage

Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums events for 2022

TWAM has a busy year ahead with lots of opportunities for you to get out and about:

Hadrians Wall 1900 Festival
Building the Wall
The Late Shows
Pushing the Boat Out: Shipbuilding and Ship Repair in South Tyneside
Unheard Stories of the Second World War

At the heart of their plans will be the Lindisfarne Gospels, a manuscript dating back to Anglo-Saxon England, in an exhibition at Newcastle’s Laing Art Gallery from 17 September until 3 December.

InformationNOW has articles on: museums and attractions; galleries

Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January 2022

This year’s theme for Holocaust Memorial Day is one day, set by the Holocaust Memorial Trust. Holocaust Memorial Day is a time to remember the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust, under Nazi persecution and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

A programme of events is available and it includes:

Live radio broadcast by Skimstone Arts (alongside an exhibition in city library from 20 January)
Cobweb Orchestra at Jesmond United Reform Church on 23 January at 6pm, tickets available at the door
One Day, Many Days – a performance at the Tyneside Irish Centre on 24 January
The Brundibar Arts Festival from 22 January to 10 February

A number of the events can be booked through the Brundibar Arts Festival Website

There will be a commemorative event on 23 January, presented by the representative Council of North East Jewry; this Commemorative Event will focus on Kristallnacht. Their keynote speaker, Gabrielle Kennaghan, will talk about her experience of Kristallnacht and her life as a refugee. The event will also include video testimonies of Holocaust survivors and a recorded performance from local school children.

Attendance: Invited audience only. A live recording of the event will be available on YouTube.

Help and support at home

Do you need help at home or are you worried about someone?. Read our personal alarm systems and telecare article and see if this solution will give you peace of mind.

Ostara offer a range of equipment, from simple alarm buttons to fall detectors, pill dispensers and door-opening sensors. They’ll assess your needs and develop a tailored package of support, with prices starting circa £6.50.

InformationNOW has an article on care and support for adults

Opportunities for Action

Older people network events

Independent Age Networking event online

Tuesday 18 January, 2pm to 4pm

This networking event from Independent Age will share experiences and learn about other charities supporting older people in the North of England and Northern Ireland. The theme is using information and evidence to address the needs of Older People. Topics include:

key issues /trends affecting older people such as rights, benefits, isolation and how Independent Age and other charities are addressing these
how one local organisation makes use of information and evidence about issues affecting older people to shape and develop their work.
discuss future strategies and shape future work

Newcastle Age Proud Network

Thursday 20^th January 2022 10am on zoom

The aims of the event are to share knowledge and good practice and discuss the idea of using older people’s day/month in October as a festival that helps promote positive ageing and challenge ageism across Newcastle localities and neighbourhoods.

The event is open to local older people and volunteers and the organisations who work alongside them. Book on Eventbrite

Please contact Clare for further information or special requirements, tel 0191 2082701

InformationNOW has articles on: housing for older people, help with health costs, care and support for adults, benefits of being physically active

Veganuary

2022 could be the year for positive change to our health and planet. The Veganuary campaign urges everyone to take up this opportunity to reshape the future and reduce their carbon footprint by eating a plant-based diet and avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs and honey. Find out more about why over 500 thousand people signed up last year.

You can also sign up for emails and receive a free downloadable cook book.

The Vegan Society has an app you can download and .information on eating a balanced diet with nutrients across the food groups.

Here is a useful list of vegan trademark products.

InformationNOW has an article on healthy eating and drinking

Your weight and wellbeing

Christmas and New Year may well have changed your eating and drinking habits and you may be aware that you have put weight on. Why not see the New Year as a chance to focus on getting fit and healthy by walking, cycling, running, joining a gym or fitness classes or swimming.

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.

Being over weight can really affect your health and wellbeing. It can worsen other health conditions or lead to new medical issues, including;

Why not drop into the blood pressure/cholesterol clinics at the Grainger Market this month. Starting again on 11 January.

Spotlight on …

Dry January 2022

You may already have begun your Dry January alcohol plan or you may be on day 7. Either way, people who sign up are twice as likely to stay dry throughout the month and to enjoy all the benefits, compared to those who try to do it alone. The idea of Dry January is to reset your relationship with alcohol so that in the future you may drink less frequently and avoid binge drinking. Remember to eat healthy meals and keep hydrated with water. Ideally, you are aiming to reduce your alcohol consumption every week, not just for the month, and to keep a few days a week when you don’t drink at all.

Benefits you may notice

Your sleeping pattern will improve and you will notice an increase in your energy levels. While many people find that alcohol can help them fall into a deeper sleep faster, this sleep is less restful and less time is spent in REM sleep

A reduced intake means that more calories are entering the body from food, rather than drink, which means that you have a potentially higher vitamin intake which will help combat illness. It can also help your skin look healthier and youthful.

Alcohol has the potential to suppress your immune system, which could make you more susceptible to the cold and flu and reduce your ability to fight off illness.

There are lots of organisations listed in this article that can help you cope with making these changes. Locally there is the Newcastle Treatment and Recovery Service. If you are affected by someone who drinks then contact local support through PROPS.

Research & Reports

Child of the North report

A new report last December shows that children in the North are more likely to live in poverty than those in the rest of England – and increasingly so. Poverty is the lead driver of inequalities between children in the North and their peers in the rest of the country, leading to worse physical and mental health outcomes, educational attainment, and lower lifelong economic productivity. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this situation worse. Although the full impact is not yet known, modelling suggests that, without intervention, the outlook is bleak. Findings include:

58% chance of living in a local authority/council area with above average levels of low income families, compared to 19% in the rest of England.
27% chance of living in poverty compared to 20% in the rest of England.

The Child of the North is more likely to be living with weight issues than a child elsewhere in England.

InformationNOW has sections on support for low incomes; affordable credit; weight management; mental health

Household Support Fund

The Government’s £500 million Household Support Fund is designed to help vulnerable people and families with essentials over the latter part of 2021 and the start of 2022, as the country continues its recovery from the pandemic.

Funding has been distributed to councils across England, who know their local areas best, to directly help those who need it most, including for example, through small grants to meet daily needs such as food, clothing, and utilities.

Details about eligibility and how to apply are on this Newcastle Council page

InformationNOW has an article on: emergency funds and support