Community and City News - updated 07/12/24 - Blakelaw & North Fenham Community Council

Police and Crime Commissioner - Knife Crime Update

I’m writing this month’s newsletter on the train back from London returning from a busy few days at a national policing conference. Having heard the Home Secretary set out her vision for police reform I’m travelling back to Northumbria feeling motivated with ideas and plans to help deliver safer streets and stronger communities for our area.

I welcomed commitments around improving performance, restoring confdence and protecting neighbourhoods from crime. It’s pleasing to have a Government putting their money where their mouth is— announcing an additional half a billion of funding to support its Safer Streets Mission to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Northumbria is ready and waiting to put our share of this to good use.

Latest figures from Northumbria show an 18% drop in youth ASB in the past year and a 28% fall in transport ASB. My office, our police force and all our partners are determined to build on this progress and keep delivering improvements as I will be outlining in my new Police and Crime Plan in the new year.

Best wishes,

Susan Dungworth
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner

Project Shield

14,338 additional patrol hours have been delivered by Northumbria Police and partners since the start of Project Shield earlier this year - resulting in 103 arrests.

We launched Project Shield back in July to come together and boost resources and visibility and I’m pleased to report it’s having a real impact on both ASB and serious violence. The impact it's made so far:

- 19% fall in ASB
- 6% reduction in serious violence
- 37% fall in knife crime
- 4212 police patrol hours
- 63 arrests
- 16,450 engagements with the public

I really believe having a strong patrol presence like this is crucial to people feeling safe and comfortable in their community. There has been a good mix of law enforcement and prevention work happening and it’s all paying off.

16 days of action

We are currently in the throes of the national 16 days of action campaign against gender-based violence and I want to use this opportunity to tell employers in our region about Active Bystander Training. Public sexual harassment shouldn’t be a fact of life and employers can play a vital role in helping drive change in our society.

My office has funded Kindling Interventions training that gives people the understanding and confidence to have conversations with friends, family and colleagues around issues like misogyny and sexism that lead to violence against women and girls.

I recently called into a session my office were delivering to local tech business Opencast - clearly a forward-thinking company that gets its responsibility with this, and I hope others will follow their lead.

More on that here.

A&E Navigators

After seeing our A&E Navigator project in action at Sunderland Royal Hospital, I’m keen to tell you about the impact it’s having on young people and local communities.

This initiative provides crucial support to young people from 10-25 years, presenting in A&E for injuries or concerns related to violent crime, offering what we call a ‘teachable moment’.

We must keep doing everything we can to break the cycle of violence, and thanks to Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, Waythrough and Together for Children, this project demonstrates the importance of working together to tackle serious youth violence, and create safer communities.

Read more.

On message

During the period of disorder in Sunderland Northumbria Police’s communications team fielded over 20,000 messages as residents are now able to report incidents through a social media direct message, via live web chat or on the force website. This was a month’s worth of messages....in 2 days!

Last week, I got to say thanks to some of the staff in the control room who were on the receiving end. If you ever need to report a non-emergency or share information with the force, please consider one of these methods.

Come march with us

- Sat 30th November
- Bigg Market, Newcastle
- March 6.15pm (women only)
- Rally at Baltic Square 7pm (all welcome)

Reclaim the Night has been an event empowering women for years but women’s safety is STILL very much an issue, and we need to get our voices heard.

The more people get together, the more allies we have, the more we can change society so women can go out at night without fear.

More info here.

In the news

It was great to join reporter Carol Malia and Sue Pearce from Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland on the BBC Look North sofa the other week - together we have been getting the word out about our new educational resource based on our #ItAllAddsUp campaign.

It’s free online to schools, youth leaders, and educators to help educate and inform young people about sexual harassment and the impact that this has on women and girls.

Access the resources here.

Newcastle City Council Update - Newcastle Plan

A4-FLYER-NEWCASTLE-PLAN-FEEDBACK.pdf

Leisure United - Updates

Tuesday Trailblazers

SEARCH Updates

The Four Million Homes Programme - Training Opportunities

The Four Million Homes programme is funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and is being run by the Confederation of Co-operative Housing in partnership with PPCR associates. It’s designed to be a catalyst for change in social housing; providing free knowledge, guidance, and training on resident rights and how to stand up for them.

Face-to-face training Newcastle

All events are free to social housing residents. All training sessions will be accredited as part of the Chartered Institute of Housing recognised programme.

This session outlines the key areas of the Regulatory Framework that Registered Providers need to ensure they are compliant with, particularly including new changes to consumer regulation from April 2024.

Wednesday January 15th 13.15-16.30 – Understanding landlord financial models

This session looks at how the finance works, both for landlords' existing homes and the development of new homes.

Wednesday February 12th 13.15-16.30 – Options for resident control

This session explores different options for resident control, ownership and management of their homes and assets.

All sessions can be booked via our website: https://www.fourmillionhomes.org/events/category/free-training-events/newcastle/

Other activities

Webinars

Our monthly webinar series aims to tackle some of the key issues that are raised by residents. They feature speaker presentations from government, professional body, landlord and resident perspectives and there’s the opportunity to ask questions and lots of space for discussion. We also film the speakers so they can be watched back on our website afterwards.

To date we’ve hosted sessions around:

· Anti-social behaviour

· Damp and mould

· Leaseholders

· New regulations under the Social Housing Regulation Act

· Neighbourhood management

· Complaints

· Energy efficiency

· Communication

· Proposed timescales for repairs under Awaab’s Law

Sessions can be booked onto as they’re announced, or watched back at: https://www.fourmillionhomes.org/events/category/webinars/

Information, advice and guidance Our Four Million Homes website https://www.fourmillionhomes.org/ contains lots of information and guidance on social housing resident rights and the services landlords are required to provide. It covers a wide range of issues including repairs and maintenance for your home and communal areas, anti-social behaviour, and how to tackle your landlord. You can also watch back our webinars as well as some of our training modules, which we’ve produced as videos.

Our A-Z of rights and guidance for social housing residents is a social media campaign, featuring short videos around specific topics, linking to 3-minute landing pages on our website and then into more in-depth website material and webinar content. For residents who have specific problems that they want to address but not the time or resources to join in a webinar or training.

What can you do?

· Share information about upcoming training events in your information or promotional materials

· Follow up on social media @fourmillionhomes and like and share our posts · Sign up to our newsletter https://www.fourmillionhomes.org/newsletter/ to receive details of upcoming activities as we release them · Drop us an email info@fourmillionhomes.org to request a copy of our Supporters’ Kit. This is a pack of resources that has been designed to help you promote the Four Million Homes programme to your residents.

Any questions, get in touch with Helen Bartlett – info@fourmillionhomes.org; helen@cch.coop

Youth Mental Health First Aid – new course dates (Newcastle)

This fully accredited course from Mental Health First Aid England enables practitioners who work with Young People (aged 8-18) to identify the early signs of Mental Health issues and signpost them to the relevant professional support and to gain confidence in talking to young people openly about their Mental Health and Wellbeing in areas such as:

Anxiety and Depression
Eating Disorders and Self Harm
Suicide and Psychosis
Signposting individuals to the relevant support services

This is an interactive course, allowing delegates to work in groups as well as an individual. All course resources will be supplied. Upon completion each delegate will be issued with a Mental Health First Aid certificate that is valid for 3 years.

If you would like to book a space, please click on the relevant link below. Please book only one course as places are limited. We require 36hrs notice if you wish to cancel your place. Please only book a space for yourself.

Fawdon Children’s Centre

Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th January 2025 https://forms.office.com/e/UbfbwrBnj2

Spaces are fully subsidised by North East and North Cumbria Child Health and Wellbeing Network.

If you have any queries or questions, please contact the course instructor: Simon Davidson on 07525734131 or simon.davidson@actionforchildren.org.uk

Energy Affordability Helpline

Problems with your energy supplier?
Worried about fuel bills?
Need an emergency fuel voucher support?
Want to save money?
Need help to get on the Priority Services Register, to pay your bills or save energy?

Citizens Advice Newcastle (CAN) give free, confidential and independent home energy advice to people who live, work or study in Newcastle. You can speak to an advisor by phone, webchat or email. For urgent matters you can drop in for advice (subject to availability) from Monday to Friday, 10am to 12pm.

Telephone: 0800 448 0721

Email: citycab@newcastlecab.org.uk

Read more on InformationNOW about energy saving tips

Community Transport Lets Chat Hubs

Community Transport are applying for funding to set up three Let’s Chat Hubs for disabled people who experience loneliness and isolation in Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside/South Northumberland. The Hubs are intended to provide a safe, welcoming place for people to drop in and simply be with others, socialise, enjoy mutual interests and make new friends. The project aims to:

Use existing community or local resources for a hub that is warm, inviting, accessible all day and friendly.
Provide a co-ordinator to manage the hub, co-ordinate activities and signpost to other services
Recruit local volunteers to help welcome people to the hub, provide refreshments and simply talk with others.
Provide accessible transport for those who cannot access the Hubs by other means.

Community Transport want to gather the views of local organisations and stakeholders on the proposed funded project including where it is most needed, what community resources are available and how best they can work together with other organisations.

You can give your views using their short survey found here

Read more on InformationNOW about Community transport or minibus services

New Dementia Care Group

New Dementia Group starting next Monday 26th February 2024

This will be a monthly meeting running the last Monday of every month, it will be a lovely session offering refreshments, activities and music and is completely free.

It is open to anyone living with Dementia, carers and family members.

Could you please to any contacts you think would be interested in this.

If anyone expresses interest please ask them to contact the centre on 0191 261 6027 to confirm attendance

Dementia group Final poster.pdf

The Newcastle Pantry is coming soon! We are a small social supermarket set up to help people on a low income save money on food shopping bills. We are part of the Newcastle West End Foodbank charity, but we have a separate brand and identity. Unlike a foodbank our members pay a subscription of £5 when they visit one of our pop-up pantries. In return they can choose a minimum of 10 items from a choice of fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy items, tinned items plus other essential household items. Our pantry will accept Healthy Start vouchers allowing eligible households to pay for half of their membership (£2.50) this way. The remainder of their membership needs to be paid in the usual way.

Our first pop-up pantry will be launching at Blakelaw Community Centre in April. To help us celebrate and meet members of the community we’ve arranged a coffee morning on Tuesday 21 March between 10am and 21 noon. If you live in Blakelaw why not come and say hello, see how our pantry will look and find out how you can save money on your shopping.

If you support people living in Blakelaw who could benefit from the pantry please could you help us to promote this offer? I’ve attached a poster and some information on frequently asked questions about the pantry.

If you’re unable to make the coffee morning but would like to know more about the pantry and how it develops email: clare.fish@newcastle.gov.uk and we will add you to our pantry mailing list.

FAQ's - Newcastle Community Pantry

Newcastle Community Pantry FAQ's.docx

The return of the Community Defibrillator

Following the sad news that our original defibrillator had been stolen in April 2022, Blakelaw and North Fenham Community have successfully obtained a replacement life saving Defibrillator to help support the community and all the residents in the area of Blakelaw and North Fenham. With the support of the The Red Sky Foundation and the continued support from Your Homes Newcastle, the defibrillator has been placed on the outside of Moorland House.

Alcohol Awareness Leaflet

Alcohol Causes Cancer 2022 PARTNER TOOLKIT FINAL LA7[4552].docx

RCH

Search leaflet HR[4411].pdf

Search poster HR[4410].pdf

Tik Tok Awareness Leaflet

Tik Tok Flyer[2374].pdf

Thomas Walling Primary School - Queen's Green Canopy

Mr Serfontein, Deputy Lieutenant, attended Thomas Walling Primary Academy on Monday 11th October, 2021. He addressed an assembly of pupils, explaining the significance of the Queen's Green Canopy and included some very interesting facts about trees. The children thoroughly enjoyed joining in with his 'wow' moments and felt very excited and privileged to be the recipient of one of only 70 birch trees as part of this important initiative. Following the assembly, Mr Serfontein planted the birch tree (betula ermanii) with members of the School Council. It now has pride of place on 'the hill' outside of the school's dining hall, where it can be viewed every day.

More information about the Queen’s Green Canopy, ‘Plant a tree for the Jubilee’, can be found at this website:

https://queensgreencanopy.org

Useful Links

Newcastle City Council, Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH

Telephone No. 0191 278 7878