Community

Let us know what’s happening

Our local community is important to all of us. Whether it is being part of a community group, taking part in events or just helping one another, Community means so much.

This page, and any content shared, aims to connect you to what is happening in your community and help you be a part of it.

We will publish local events, opportunities and initiatives that will benefit many. Please be a part of our Community. 

If you are a local North Tyneside community or charity group, or have other information that would be of benefit to the community such as job offers and vacant commercial premises, we want to include you in this website showing all that North Tyneside has to offer.

Please just send us an email to community@localnorthtyneside.co.uk and we’ll get you listed and start to help you create an even better connected Community across North Tyneside.

 

VODA

Working with local artist Alex Woolley, Voda are keen to explore the idea of ‘Connection’ through a series of photographs. Tying in with the Ending Loneliness work they are all involved with Alex would like to chat to local residents about :
  • What does connection mean to them? 
  • How did they connect before?
  • What/ if anything has changed for their connections?
  • Do they feel connected?
There is no specific demographic for this, they’d like to see contributions from people of all walks of life, those shielding, caring for a loved one, been furloughed, working from home, home schooling etc etc You would also all be most welcome to take part in this project.

Alex would like to capture some images inspired by people’s responses. eg In the vein of ‘CONNECTION’ a series of images featuring empty/deserted places where people used to connect aka: A pub, a theatre, a café, a staff room, a gym. The series would pay homage to places that were once a hub of connection for people and would illustrate the ‘Absence of Connection’.eg If someone now feels more connected to their street because of the pandemic and has been checked on by neighbours we could get an image of them on the doorstep or something similar.  

 

Local walks

See the recently-published two mile trail around parts of Tynemouth: https://www.myheritagetrail.com/post/neville-and-margaret-s-trail-tynemouth 

And here is the link for the North Shields Trail: https://northshieldstrail.org/

Neville and Margaret, who published the Tynemouth trail above, have now (February 2021) also published another:  Old North Shields – https://www.myheritagetrail.com/post/old-north-shields-trail

 

The Heritage Action Zone in North Shields

As part of the Ambition for North Shields (see https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/page/25910/ambition-north-shields), the Georgian part of the town centre is being improved (with grants from Historic England and NTC) to restore many of the buildings.  So as to let residents know more about these plans, a Newsletter will be published twice a year.  Here is the first: https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/sites/default/files/web-page-related-files/NS_Newsletter_web_0.pdf

 

Old Low Light Heritage Centre – February 3rd 2021 update

We hope you and your families are safe and well and coping with the challenges of lockdown. At least we are heading in the right direction with reducing infection levels and the vaccination programme has been making great progress.

Our Board of Trustees had a scheduled meeting on 27 January and spent some time reviewing our financial position and also reflecting on when it might be possible to re-open, depending on the lifting of national restrictions.

On finances, we are not in a position to make any money at the moment and like many other organisations we expect to be in a tight financial position for the foreseeable future. We remain very grateful for all of the support we have received over the past year in grants and generous donations from friends and supporters. We continue to apply for any available grants or funding. 

In the meantime, we still have our JustGiving page for anyone who wishes to make a donation.

In terms of re-opening, if restrictions are lifted in Spring, it is unlikely that we will re-open the café and galleries before May at the earliest. Before re-opening we will need to review and make any necessary amendments to our safety plan to ensure it is in line with the most up to date Government guidance. Also, to help with our planning we will carry out another online survey to find out how volunteers are feeling about coming back to their roles at the centre and how members and friends are feeling about coming back to the café and galleries. 

Although we are closed, there is much happening behind the scenes. Some of you will have seen the growing collection of videos produced by volunteers on a very wide range of topics about the history, heritage, culture and natural environment of North Shields. These are posted on our Twitter and Facebook pages and are also available by searching for the heritage centre on YouTube, or by clicking here.

Plans are also in place for future exhibitions about women who worked on the Fish Quay, the importance and influence of music on the local area’s identity, past and present and historical whaling. 

We will continue to keep you updated on all of our plans on social media and through our newsletters.

 

Job Offer

Whitley Bay Big Local – Job Vacancy

Job Description and Person Spec:  ‘Tidy Town Worker’

Details here: https://www.whitleybaybiglocal.org/join-us

 

North Tyneside 10k Road Race – postponed to Sunday 17th October 2021

NTC have made the decision to postpone the North Tyneside 10k Road Race, scheduled for Sunday 4 April.

The revised date will be Sunday 17 October 2021.

Entries will be automatically rolled over to the new date.

 

Short tale about North Shields

Heritage England is publishing  some High Street Tales – short stories capturing the everyday stories of high streets – there is one about North Shields

https://historicengland.org.uk/get-involved/high-street-culture/high-street-tales/

 

Crossing the Tyne Festival 2021

This is planned to take place between Saturday the 28th and Monday the 30th of July 2021.  See website for details: https://crossingthetynefestival.uk/  

As with all events at the moment, it is subject to final approval from the various health and police authorities so as to comply with whatever Covid regulations are in place at the time.

 

Tynemouth library and shared community space

Consultation is taking place on the plans to improve the library in Tynemouth and for Newcastle Building Society to develop at community space there:  https://www.newsguardian.co.uk/news/people/plans-submitted-new-tynemouth-library-3138004