InfoNOW News 30 September 2022

InformationNOW

We are sorry to announce that Kate Bowman is leaving the InformationNOW team. Kate has been with InformationNOW since 2017 when she stepped in as maternity cover for Lauren when the website was part of the Quality of Life Partnership.

Kate will be joining the Adult Social Care commissioning team and finishes on September 30th.  Please redirect your emails to [email protected] if they are about our website or prevention information.

Please note Lauren works part time, Wednesday to Friday and will respond as soon as possible to emails.

New proposals for Gosforth High Street outlined

Newcastle City Council has set out new proposals for Gosforth High Street. Plans aim to make it a more people-friendly area, with widened pavements, green infrastructure, seating and cycling parking.  They also plan to prioritise public transport by extending bus lane provision on the approaches to Gosforth High Street, with the current bollards removed and replaced with widened pavements for seating and planting.  Green infrastructure would be installed, such as living roofs on new bus stops, to improve biodiversity and air quality in the local area.

Designs for the public are expected to be ready later this year, before implementation in early 2023, on a trial basis. The measures could be in place for up to 18-months while the council review the findings from data and public feedback on the scheme, while bidding for the funding to deliver a long term enhancement to this area.

British Food fortnight

Eat locally, eat seasonally and east sustainably. There’s lots to do so visit the Get into Newcastle website.  From making chocolates to walking food tours and Newcastle Vegan Market.  This market will take place on Grainger Street on Sunday 9th October with vegan street food, artisan bakery and craft brews.  Look out for ethical jewellers, local artists and soap makers.

InformationNOW has an article on Food and Friends.

Black History Month

Black History Month takes place every year during the month of October recognising the outstanding contributions  of people of African and Caribbean descent.  The theme this year is Time for Change: not words.

Black History month resources include posters which show a timeline for change, including

• a timeline of The UK’s  Civil Rights Movement
• the Slave Trade
• a History of Service And Sacrifice
• the Children of the Windrush

In the wake of 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests, many organisations and individuals committed to tackling racism. This was done around the world by taking the time to learn about the black experience and additionally, in the UK, this included learning about the historical legacy of colonialism and slavery. That was an important step forward, but it won’t fundamentally change institutional racism today.

Locally….

100 Books by Black Authors

We’re proud to again share a new and improved list of 100 Books by Black Authors. From powerful Booker-nominated The Trees by Percival Everett to the latest from Bolu Babalola, Honey & Spice, this list is a celebration of Black authors.

You will find a 100 Books by Black Authors display on Level 3 of City Library and smaller displays in some branches.

Listen to this Story! An Exhibition about children’s books and Black Britain

Newcastle City Library and Newcastle University Library | 6 Oct to 30 Nov

This exhibition will celebrate the work of key Black British children’s authors, illustrators, and editors as well as exploring how Black people and communities have been represented within the pages of stories for children. It will include illustrations, archives, and books from the collections of Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books and Newcastle University Special Collections. The exhibition will take place across two sites, on L3 of City Library and the ground floor of Newcastle University Library.

Details of a programme of events, talks and activities for all ages will be made available on the exhibition website

Older people’s month – imAGE

imAGE is an initiative by the Elders Council of Newcastle to promote the great opportunities available across Newcastle for people aged 50 and over. It is a month-long celebration starting on the International Day of Older Persons on October 1st. The celebration is supported by the #Age Proud Network which is coordinated by the Elders Council and at present consists of 90 workers and volunteers from 40 organisations, including InformationNOW. The calendar is starting to shape up and any new Events and Activities will be added under the category imAGE 

Events begin with the Dance City Inspire Festival and it includes a discussion about Age Friendly City with Leader, Nick Kemp and Deputy Leader, Karen Kilgour.

There are gardening sessions, singing sessions, outdoor therapy sessions and community drama sessions.  Get involved or take part.

Listen to the October podcast where Richard from Radio Tyneside talks to Clare Levi and Liz, an ageing well ambassador. Click listen on the News page.

Resources and Funding

Newcastle Building Society

Name of Fund: Community Fund
Grants for community organisations for projects to improve the local community. The current round funds charities that tackle employability; debt management; food poverty; homelessness, social isolation, and the environment in North East England, Cumbria or North Yorkshire. A maximum value of £3,000 is available.

Deadline 2nd October 2022.

Department for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities

Name of Fund: Resident Opportunities and Empowerment Grant Programme
A grant is available for non-profit making organisations with social housing sector experience to provide training and support to social housing residents in England so that they can speak up and raise issues with their landlords. A maximum value of £500,000 is available.
Deadline 2nd October 2022.

Hadrian Trust (North East England)
Grants are available to help social welfare and charitable organisations working to improve the lives of people in the North East of England, particularly those working in the fields of social welfare, youth, disability, the elderly, women, ethnic minorities, education, arts and the environment. A maximum value of £2,000 is available.
Deadline 3^rd October 2022.

Rewilding Britain

Name of Fund: Rewilding Innovation Grants
Grants are available to boost locally led land and marine nature recovery projects across Britain. A maximum value of £15,000 is available.
Deadline 14^th October 2022.

Find these events & activities by searching (they archive when the date has passed)

Chongyang Festival Tea Party
4th October

Chicha
Chicha is the traditional name used for fermented drinks made of corn or fruits in the Peruvian Andes.
This is an artistic exhibit
6th October 4pm

Embells community markets
Fridays
10.30 to 2 pm

Adult ADHD support group
27 October
6 to 9 pm

Northumberlandia Food and Craft market
Monthly
3rd October
10 am to 3 pm

Northumberlandia Guided Walk
22nd October

New organisations

LifeConnect24Personal Alarms

a personal telecare organisation which has rebranded. Telecare enables independence at home and reassurance for family and friends.

Embells community support project

food parcels, food pantry and clothing project for Gateshead residents on a low income

TerraCycle

TerraCycle is an international recycling and reuse company.  You can drop off hard to recycle items to their free recycling programmes locally or order a Zero Waste Box to fill and be collected at a cost.

New and updated articles

Recycle and Reuse is a new article in our series on sustainable living. Drawing attention to the benefits of recycling, reusing, passing on and composting if you have a garden.  We also link to the City Council’s webpages with an A to Z of recycling and which plastic items can be recycled.

Music venues

We’ve made a few changes and amended the name of the former O2 Acadamy to NX Newcastle

Last updated: September 30, 2022