InformationNow News 5 June 2026
5 June 2026
Starts 9 June 2023 2pm to 4pm
Do you have a question you’d like to ask Richard or Lauren about InformationNOW the information website for people living and working in Newcastle?
Would you like
InformationNOW are hosting a series of virtual drop in sessions on Friday afternoons between 2pm and 4pm on 9th, 16th and 23rd June.
Email [email protected] to ask for the link to join Lauren and Richard on Teams for a chat. They can share screens and support you to get the most out of the website
19 to 20 May 2023
Now in its 15th year, the award-winning free late-night culture crawl is one of the biggest in Newcastle and Gateshead’s cultural calendars. The Late Shows will take place across two nights featuring open art studios, music, performance, galleries, museums and a host of the most bizarre and intriguing interactive events.
Highlights include:
Read more about whats on at The Late Shows in 2023
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is anxiety. 25% of adults said in a recent survey they feel so anxious that it stops them from doing the things they want to do
Are you feeling low? Worried? Overwhelmed by the pressures of everyday life? Struggling to cope the cost of living crisis? Vita Health NHS Newcastle Talking Therapies offer a short term talking therapy service for anyone over the age of 16, registered to a GP in Newcastle and experiencing mild to moderate mental health conditions.
Download their leaflet
Mental Health Foundation have a ‘Check in Bingo’ sheet which you can use to check in with yourself and see what small things youve done to improve your mental health during mental health week and beyond.
Search Newcastle have a community wellbeing day on May 19th 11am to 3pm to mark Mental Health Awareness week. There will be therapy taster sessions, social activities and more.
Read more about Mental Health and local support on InformationNOW
31 May 2023 10am to 4pm
If you are blind or partially sighted, a friend or family member of someone with sight loss, or support people with sight loss; come to VisionZone Newcastle to find out what available in your community.
There will be chances to try out some of the latest aids and adaptations on the market for blind and partially sighted people.
There’s also advice, support, services and Information from co-exhibitors, including Newcastle Vision Support and RNIB,
Read more on InformationNOW about Sight Loss and Visual Impairments
Nourish Food School cookery classes give you a few new recipes to recreate at home that are simple, tasty, low cost and use as little fuel and time as possible. All classes take place at Byker Pantry, Raby Way.
Classes are free of charge (Funded by Byker Community Trust). Priority is given to Byker residents.
Next session starts 25 May, book online on InformationNOW
Read more on InformationNOW about Nourish
Are you planning any events for the Great Get together organised by The Jo Cox Foundation
Join the first of the Great Plan Together sessions 10th of May at 1pm – a free and informal chance to learn more and get some top tips and event ideas to plan a great get together. Book a free place here
Hundreds of events take place across the country, connecting people of all ages to help reduce loneliness. During the summer and winter Great Get Togethers, people come together in parks, on streets, at allotments or in community centres to make connections with those from different backgrounds and bring Jo’s words – ‘we have more in common than that which divides us’ – to life.
Please email [email protected] your events and we will add them to our Events and activities section
15 May 2023, 2pm to 3pm
Are you an organisation with a connection to community food skills and knowledge? Food Newcastle have a network meeting for community organisations offering food projects in Newcastle this month. The event is a chance to:
View Food Newcastle’s good food Newcastle plan here
Read more and book online at InformationNOW
Connected Voice Haref in partnership with National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Patient and 8 community organisations across the country with one shared goal: to address health inequalities for ethnically marginalised communities by increasing the number of people who volunteer to take part in research with NIHR BioResource,
The communities they support are disproportionately impacted by health inequalities but under-represented in health research. This collaboration is working together to change that and has community voices at its core. You can support this campaign on social media with the hashtag #MakingResearchInclusive.
Anyone, any age, can take part in research via the NIHR BioResource, which involves donating a blood or saliva sample and completing health and lifestyle questionnaires. Find out more and register to take part here.
Please share this information in your communities to help ensure the BioResource volunteer panel is an accurate representation of the population.
Read more on InformationNOW about Having your say about health and care services
25 May 2023, from 12pm to 5.30pm in the Newcastle Civic Centre Banqueting Hall, NE1 8QH.
Are you looking for a job full of laughter, learning, singing and play? Join the early years team!
Got a question? Email [email protected]
If you would like to attend the event as an employer (Newcastle Early Years Providers only) or support the event in another way then please get in touch.
Read more on Newcastle Support Directory
16 May 2023 10am to 11:30am
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals (NUTH) Trust is developing its first Mental Health Strategy to support people with mental health problems when they seek care from the hospital. The aim is to improve people’s experience and the care provided.
If you’re a carer for someone with mental health problems, NUTH would like you to share your views and experiences. This will be a focus group led by a representative from the Patient Experience Team at Newcastle Hospitals. There will also be a Carers Information and Advice Worker from Newcastle Carers attending.
If you have any questions about the Mental Health Strategy or the focus group, please get in touch with Gemma Norman or Fardeen Choudhury at the NUTH Patient Experience Team on 0191 223 1382 (9am-
4pm), or email [email protected].
If you would like to attend, please contact Newcastle Carers on 0191 275 5060, or email [email protected]
8 to 14 May 2023
Dying Matters Awareness Week highlights the importance of discussing dying, death and bereavement, a conversation we all have to have but may shy away from This year’s focus is on how we handle these issues at work.
Take the compassion superpower short quiz to discover how you can have meaningful and compassionate conversations with other people at work, in the community or at home. View resources and tips on how to talk about death and dying or someone who is grieving on Dying Matters website
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals (NUTH) Trust are holding 2 drop in sessions where you can discuss grief, bereavement and planning ahead with friendly professionals:
10 May 2023 Outside the Medicinema between 11:00am and 3:00pm
12 May 2023 at Grainger Market between 10:00am and 2:00pm
InformationNOW will be producing a new information article ‘Planning Ahead’ about planning your affairs, considering arrangements after death, support for bereavement and legacies.
Read more on InformationNOW about bereavement
In 2023 disabled people continue to face unfair extra costs. The higher cost of specialist equipment, higher usage of everyday essentials and energy, and an inadequate welfare system, are all making it harder for disabled households to meet the extra cost of disability. Scope have produced an updated 2023 version of their Disability Price Tag: the extra cost of disability report previously completed in 2019.
You can read about the report on their website or download the full report or report summary:
Summary of report Word.docx
Full technical report Word docx
Read more articles on InformationNOW about supporting disability
For people who work with Children and Families in Newcastle
Restorative Practice is a proactive strength based approach that reinforces the importance of building and maintaining positive relationships by seeking to understand the needs of the people in your community.
In this free training session we will look at the pro-active behaviours and skills that you already use in your practice, to create these long-lasting relationships, as well as reflect on how your actions and attitudes can influence and change relationship dynamics.
By the end of the session you will be able to map your practices against the ‘Four ways of being’ model, and begin to reflect on how you can start to encourage and empower others using high challenge and high support. You will have a greater understanding of techniques that can be used to build connections and community, for example ‘Check in circles’. Places are still available on the following dates:
Read more about Restorative and Relational Practice in Newcastle
To book your place:
If you work for Newcastle City Council you can apply online here
Starts Thursday May 11 2023
A new Mindfulness and wellbeing group ran by Search Newcastle at Newcastle City Library. Running every 2 weeks at 10am to 11am until 31st August 2023. At this wellbeing session for people over the age of 50 you will find:
To book your place call 0191 273 7443
Dates arranged by discussion
If you are an older adult and would like someone to give you a call to have a weekly chat with, Volunteering Matters have telephone pals that will do just that. At a time you agree between you both, your telephone pal will ring each week for half an hour to chat about interests
To discuss and arrange a telephone pal contact Volunteering Matters at [email protected] or call them on 08081966831.
Tuesdays 12pm to 2pm and Fridays 11am to 1pm 2023
Reviving the Heart of the West End run free sessions every Tuesday and Friday. Join them to practice your spoken English in a fun, relaxed and non judgemental environment.
This session is suitable for people who speak English as a second or other language, refugees and asylum seekers.
See the event on InformationNOW
read more on ESOL classes on InformationNOW
Mondays 1pm to 3pm
Reviving the Heart of the West End (RHWE) run free craft sessions on Mondays. During the session you get the chance to make a hand made item to take home. Crafts have included draft excluders, bags, peg bags, gonks, and much more.
Join them to escape, socialise with others, have a chat and a cuppa. practice your spoken English in a fun, relaxed and non judgemental environment.
See more Hobbies on InformationNOW
Enjoy live music, DJs and special guests before the Eurovision final is broadcast on a big screen in Times Square.
Tickets for the Eurovision party cost £5, with a proportion of free tickets being given to Ukrainian residents in the city. The party will be hosted by Newcastle City Council in partnership with the BBC and the European Broadcasting Union.
Tickets are now on sale at www.fatsoma.com/newcastle-eurovision-2023
Residents can also watch the Eurovision semi-finals at Times Square on Tuesday, May 9 and Thursday, May 11 2023 from 8pm for free.
Read more on the NE1 website about The Official Eurovision Parties
Nourish Food School is a Social Enterprise delivering a range of cooking skills sessions and training courses for everyone.
Read more on InformationNOW about Nourish Food School
Who Let The Dads Out? is a social and support group ran for dads who live in the Kenton Parish and neighbouring areas. They provide a safe and meaningful gathering of father figures and their children to enjoy quality time together. They are based at Church of the ascension, Kenton.
Read more on InformationNOW about Who let the Dads out?
There is a weekly Men’s Pie Club which runs in a variety of venues across the city. They bring men together to meet new friends and chat to fellow pie-lovers – to learn, cook, share, sell and to eat great healthy pies. You don’t have to be able to cook. They meet at:
Read more on Food and friends on InformationNOW
Curious arts is an arts charity that supports, promotes and helps develop LGBTQ+ artists. They run various projects, groups, exhibitions, festivals and are involved in many LGBTQ+ networks.
Read more on InformationNOW about Curious Arts
Information and help is available for anyone who self-harms or thinks about self-harm, as well as their friends, family and carers
Read more on InformationNOW about Self harm and support
There are a number of support services and groups for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT+) plus communities in Newcastle.
Read more on InformationNOW about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning + (LGBTQ+) support and groups in Newcastle
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Last updated: May 15, 2023