17th March 2023 InfoNOW News

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Haref Ramadan Calendar

22 March to 21 April

Connected Voice – Haref has worked with 11 mosques across North Tyneside, Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne to create unique calendars for each mosque, so those undertaking Ramadan can plan ahead.

The Ramadan Calendar 2023 for Newcastle and Gateshead features some helpful tips and is available to download

Make Time for Young Carers

Young Carers Action Day 2023 calls for action to bring about change for young people. Life can be overwhelming for young carers. Many can struggle to juggle schoolwork with their caring responsibilities. Young carers need responsible adults and professionals to make more time for them, so they can get the right support to help them in their caring role.

Newcastle Carers help and support carers in Newcastle. They have young carers groups, activities and much more.

If you are a young carer and would like to know more about how they can support you and your family, you could ask a parent or even a teacher at school to contact Newcastle Carers so they can talk to you about how they can help you

Read Newcastle Carers information sheet on how they can help and support young carers.

If you are working with a young carer or young adult carer, make a referral to Newcastle Carers.

Food Sustainability in Newcastle

Last week’s Food waste awareness week reminded us of ways we can re-use food, recycle or limit food packaging and eat sustainably. In the North East alone over 800,000 tonnes of food are wasted yearly

The Magic Hat Cafe  rescues surplus food that would be wasted and turns them into creative meals for people in Newcastle.

Fareshare NE help redistribute surplus food to community projects across the city.

NOURISH Food School are one of the projects that benefit from FareShare. They provide cookery classes (using cheap sustainable ingredients)  for adults and children across Byker, West Denton & Westerhope

Shieldfield Grows promote sustainable community food production and invite people along to grow food and enjoy a meal from their produce.

Read more on InformationNOW about recycling and-reusing or cheap food in Newcastle

Voluntary National Insurance deadline extension

The Government has extended the voluntary National Insurance deadline to 31 July 2023 to give people more time to fill gaps in their National Insurance record and help increase the amount they receive in State Pension.

For more information visit GOV.UK

Read more on InformationNOW about National Insurance

Newcastle Stop Smoking service

Smoking is linked to a number of serious health conditions that may affect your quality of life, such as cancer. The best way to reduce your risk is to stop smoking completely.

The Newcastle Stop Smoking+ Service helps people living, working or registered with a GP in Newcastle to  take the first step to quit smoking.

Read more on InformationNOW about Giving up smoking

Campaign to reduce plastic packaging

It’s estimated that selling the five most popular fruit and vegetables loose would prevent an estimated 1.7 billion pieces of plastic packaging, avoid more than 77,000 tonnes of food waste, save shoppers £85m per year.

Everyday Plastic are campaigning for for UK supermarkets to remove plastic so we can #chooseLoose. If you’d like to join the campaign you can Sign the petition

The Great British Spring Clean

March 17 to April 2 2023

Volunteers in Newcastle are rolling up their sleeves to help keep our city clean. Every year, the event sees hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the country spruce up their neighbourhoods with litter picks.

To support residents, Newcastle City Council are loaning litter pickers and providing black bags and other equipment to people who want to make a difference in their communities.

Find out more about the Great British Spring Clean here 

Business Breakfast – Newcastle East High Streets

Tuesday Mar 21, 8:30 – 11:30am
 
Following the announcement of grants up to £25,000 open to community groups, local businesses or charities to take over empty properties, hold community events, markets, or pop-up shops; A ‘business breakfast’ for local businesses and organisations is going ahead

The event is suppported by Newcastle City Council’s Economic Development team and Business & IP Centre Newcastle

They will share some exciting news & updates for those who want to learn more about the new pilot project to help improve local high streets.

Read more on InformationNOW about starting your own business and self-employment

InformationNOW survey update

 Apologies last week’s newsletter had a broken link to the survey! Please find the working link below

InformationNOW is always working to improve how we get the right information to you at the right time. We are considering making a few changes to our website and social media platforms.
People send us information in different ways, so we’d like to understand how you’d like to contact us with your news, events and activities.

We have a short survey that will take less than a minute for you to complete:

To have your say visit the survey here

Future of Transport in the North East Debate

Monday 27 March from 6 to 7.30pm

The government recently announced £563M for North East transport infrastructure as part of a new £1.4bn devolution deal. The deal may help deliver improvements to our ageing public transport infrastructure,  address vehicle emissions and encourage investment in more sustainable travel.

‘Newcastle Debates: The future of transport in the North East’ hosted by Newcastle University gives you opportunity to hear from and directly engage with the key figures responsible for shaping the future of our city and region. Speakers from Nexus, Transport NE & Newcastle City council will be present.

Doors open at 5.30, the debate begins at 6pm.

Find out more and book a place here ‘The Future of Transport in the North East’

Read more on InformationNOW about Public transport 

Tyneside Irish centre and Cultural society

Sunday 19th March 2023

This week sees St Patrick Days celebrations in Newcastle. Tyneside Irish centre have a free family fun day including young musicians of Tyneside Comhaltas, dancers from the Healy-O’Donnell school of Irish Dance and the opportunity to join in!

Earlier this year the Tyneside Irish Cultural Society Library was opened at the centre to provide a space for Irish culture, heritage & genealogy in Tyneside. The library is open Thursdays or by appointment, please contact [email protected]

Read more on InformationNOW about Tyneside Irish Centre

Financial ability Youtube Live sessions

The Financial Ability partnership at Durham County council are launching a series of YouTube livestream sessions for people in the North East.

They will be 15 minutes long and on a weekly basis to raise awareness of how to reduce the cost of household finance and maximising family incomes.

Read more on InformationNOW about The Money Exchange Live sessions 

MoneyHelper Cost of living tools

Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) have launched a campaign to reach people who are struggling with cost-of-living pressures, which will run alongside the Government’s Help for Households.

As part of the campaign they have developed new Money Helper content, tools and guidance which can be found here, Their updated budget planner tools (household & baby) and bill prioritiser tool help you budget ahead and avoid missing important payments and prioritise debts.

They have produced a number of social media, posters, E-booklets and newsletter resources which can be shared. Find them here.

Read more on InformationNOW about Cost of living help and support

This week’s Events and Activities

Visit our Events & Activities section to see what’s happening near you this week on our calendar. Or search by location or postcode.

Smart works fashion sale

Thursday 23 March 2023  5:30 – 8pm

The Smart Works pop up sustainable Fashion Sale is back. You could bag yourself a bargain at their sale hosted by Ryder Architecture, Coopers Studios
Smart Works Newcastle support North East women into employment through interview clothing and coaching.

Find out more about the event here: Smart Works fashion sale pop up

Read more on InformationNOW about Smart Works Newcastle

Building Futures East Warm Hub activities

Come for chatter and cheer at Building Futures East’s winter wellbeing warm hub.

Hot snacks, drinks and daily activities Monday to Thursday.

Tuesday 21 & 28 March 2023
Walking group, Crafty Crafts and Creative Writing Tuesday

Wednesday 22 & 29 March 2023
Sewing Crafts and Employability Support

Thursday 23 & 30 March 2023
Its all about you and Gardening

Read more on InformationNOW about Building Futures East

Young at heart

A YMCA toddler group. It includes arts and crafts, as well as tea and coffee for parents and lunch for the children.

Wednesday 22 and 29 March 2023

Read more on InformationNOW about YMCA Newcastle

Elders Council Events

The Elders Council is the older people’s forum in Newcastle and is a voluntary organisation run by and for older people in Newcastle. They have a number of events and activities running. This includes:

Older Voices Radio Show Sunday 19 March 2023

Smartphone, Tablet, and Laptop Help Wednesday 22 March 2023

Innovation in Housing for Older people Tuesday 25 April 2023

Read more on InformationNOW about Older People’s Forums in Newcastle

The Visions of Ancient Egypt

Running to 29th April 2023 at The Laing Art Gallery

The Visions of Ancient Egypt: Art, Design and the Cultural Imagination exhibit is currently on display until 29th April 2023. The exhibit is focussed on two historic events: Jean-François Champollion’s deciphering of hieroglyphs in 1822 and Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. The exhibit is open Monday-Saturday from 10am until 4.30pm. Tickets cost £10 (£9 for concessions.)

Read more on InformationNOW about Art Galleries

New and updated organisations

Peoples People CIC

The People’s People CIC provide community activities and African food to the local community

They host ‘Taste of Africa’ events as part of their winter wellbeing support.

Read more on InformationNOW about The people’s people CIC

Divercity Hub

Divercity Hub have a range of inclusive services and activities that support people living a healthy and empowered life. These services include

• health and wellbeing sessions, art Workshops for the community youth services. English Lessons for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

They are a alcohol-free, vegetarian venue and a designated ‘warm space’.

Read more on InformationNOW about Divercity Hub

Streetwise

Streetwise is a registered charity and passionate about working with young people aged 11 to 25 years, who live in and around Newcastle, working into high deprivation areas across the City, advocating for children and young people’s rights, campaigning for change and ensuring they are at the heart of service design and development.

Streetwise works with over 5,000 individual young people each year, who make over 20,000 service visits. For over 30 years Streetwise has helped change the lives of over 350,000 young people, helping them overcome often distressing and complex situations.

Their main services include weekly information /advice /guidance drop-ins, face to face and online counselling and mental health services, detached and outreach youth work; relationship and sexual health clinics; social action projects, targeted group work activities and young people’s volunteering opportunities.

Read more on InformationNOW about Sexual health

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Best Wishes

Richard and Lauren

Richard White and Lauren Hoy
Prevention, Information and Advice Leads at Newcastle City Council

Last updated: March 17, 2023