In recognition of all those whose lives were sacrificed to defend our freedom.
We will remember them!
What's the Elders Council doing?
Older Voices Radio Group
The theme of this week's broadcast is Autumn and you can hear it live on 19 November from 2 pm - 4 pm on Nova Radio North East, via 102.5 fm
Steve Whitley is presenting the programme and there will be interesting items around Foraging, Harvest Festivals or maybe wildlife and hibernation, you need to listen in to find out!
Please let us have your comments about the programme you have listened to, and suggestions you may have for future programmes.
The older voices team would really like to hear from you.
☎ phone: 0191 208 2701
or email: info@elderscouncil.org.uk
Project Ice - Individual help with all things digital
Squires Building, Room 102 - Northumbria University Sandyford
Project ICE has resumed, sessions are taking place between 2 and 4 pm every Wednesday during term time.
If you are uncertain where this is the students can meet you outside the City Baths prior to the session, and show you the way, but you must book to ensure that they will be there.
You will be asked to wear a mask if possible but if not, then please keep a social distance from others.
Don't forget to take your phone, laptop, etc. with you.
In order to join online please get in touch with EC using the details below, so that your place can be booked.
☎ phone: 0191 208 2701
or email: info@elderscouncil.org.uk
Doorbells: Dreaming for the Future
If you missed the opportunity of seeing Doorbells: Dreaming for the Future at one of the live performances we delivered across Newcastle last month, we hope to have a video soon to share with you.
If you attended any of the events and didn't have an opportunity to feedback, we would still welcome your comments on any of the issues raised in the performance.
☎ phone: 0191 208 2701
or email: info@elderscouncil.org.uk
☎ phone: 0191 208 2701
or email: info@elderscouncil.org.uk
Thinking about Parks
As part of a project with Elders Council, Urban Green and Newcastle Parks Forum, students from Newcastle University braved the elements to join the Friends of Paddy Freeman’s Park at their autumn fair on 6th November. Using a map of the park, they gathered information from people in the park about what they liked, disliked and what could be improved.
We are looking forward to their analysis of the results.
Do you use your local park? If so what do you like about it? What could be improved?
What do you like about being out in green spaces? Do let us know as your views are important to us.
☎ phone: 0191 208 2701
or email: info@elderscouncil.org.uk
UK Parliament - How does it work?
Would you like to find out about the UK Parliament and how to get your voice heard on issues you care about? The Parliament outreach team are offering Elders Council members, and others, the opportunity to find out more – they can run workshops (digitally) or face to face looking at: What Parliament is and what it does Working with your MP Working with members of the House of Lords How Select Committees work and how to get involved in their work challenging the government UK Parliament and Government Petitions Influencing legislation
If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch with Clare via
We try to keep up to date with social media and hope that if you use it, you follow our posts and tweets.
As we sometimes receive information at short notice, we will share the information with you this way.
Interests and Activities
'East meets West' Origami Art Show
Saturday 20th November from 11 am to 3 pm
St Hilda's Church Hall, West Jesmond, NE2 3ET
Join the local community to celebrate St Hilda's day, add your contribution to the project and following the exhibition there will be a short service at 3pm.
You can find out more about the connection between St Hilda's Church and St Thomas' Haymarket in the following link. St Hildas Church – Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne (sthildasjesmond.org.uk)
St Oswald's Hospice Gosforth
Christmas in the Community - Christmas Markets
Weekend 20/21st November 10am-4pm at the Red Fox Garden Centre, Gateshead
Sunday 21st November 9am-4pm at Gosforth Park Hotel
Week commencing 22nd November virtually on Facebook @stoswaldshospice
Weekend 3rd to 5th December 9am-4pm at Plants Plus Garden Centre Ponteland
Christmas Fair
The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn
Saturday 27th November from 12 noon onwards
with 3 local Choirs throughout the day, Food and Gift stalls and a party atmosphere, why not go along?
Seasonal Activities with Search
Christmas Concert with a live Orchestra
Sunday 21st November from 1.30 to 3.30 pm
at St Basil and St James Church, Fenham Hall Drive
Get in the festive spirit with mince pies and hot drinks before settling down to a wonderful performance by the orchestra.
£2 per ticket
Memory Tea
Wednesday 17th November from 1.30 - 3.30 pm
Wednesday 15th December from 1.30 - 3.30 pm
at St James Church, 28 Benwell Lane, NE15 6RS
If you are looking for advice, conversation or just to make friends over a cup of tea, then join in with one of these Dementia friendly sessions.
There is a suggested donation of £2 per person
Christmas Afternoon Tea
Friday 3rd December from 2-4 pm
at West End Football Club, Blakelaw NE5 3AB
Enjoy a traditional festive afternoon tea with friends old and new.
£2.50 per ticket
Christmas Evening Social
Monday 20th December from 6-9 pm
Carnegie Building, Atkinson Road, NE4 8XS
Live music, festive nibbles, raffle prize draw
£3 per ticket
Booking is essential for all events so call today to reserve your place with Search
☎ phone:0191 2737443
Craft Action Collective Taster Session on Wednesday 23rd November
from 6.30 - 8 pm
at Shieldfield Art Works, 1 Clarence Street, NE2 1YH
This will be a creative group seeking to think and respond to injustice in a careful way, through craft.
Provisional plans are in place for sessions to continue in 2022 so drop in to the taster this month and release the creative you!
Feel Good Yoga Taster Sessions with Search
Friday 3rd and Friday 10th December
from 12.15 to 1.15 pm
For over 50's who want to try gentle exercise, stretch the muscles and have a little 'me' time.
Try it and discover the benefits to your physical and mental wellbeing.
£2 per session
Booking is essential so call today to reserve your place
☎ phone:01912737443
WinG Outdoor Club
The Big Bike Revival
The WinG Outdoor Club are pleased to announce more FREE adult cycle rides on offer. Improve your health and well-being.
Come and join us to improve your cycling skills and confidence.
Learn how to fix bikes and go on short introductory rides in small friendly groups.
Wednesdays and Sundays in November and December from 10am-2pm.
Bicycles, equipment and instruction provided for free on the day, please book via
Discovery Museum, Newcastle Making Waves: A Festival of Sound
This is a new programme at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum combining digital exhibitions, sound-themed family events and an audio museum trail through the galleries until 27 March 2022. See www.discoverymuseum.org.uk for the full programme.
· The new Unlocking Our Sound Heritage online exhibition with Google Arts & Culture shares newly digitised sounds from Tyneside’s history, like King George V’s speech from the opening of the Tyne Bridge in 1928, commentary of Jackie Milburn’s goal for Newcastle in the 1951 FA Cup Final, and Sparkie the talking budgie. [https://artsandculture.google.com/story/3wXBIZXpImRlIQ]
Newcastle Noir is back in business this year at City Library! Sunday 5 December between 10 am and 8 pm £5 per ticket for each talk
The North East’s favourite crime fiction festival returns with eight panels celebrating the very best of Northern Crime Writing. This year the event in Newcastle’s City Library is scaled down and takes place over one day. Events will be held in the library expansive atrium to allow for social distancing and to help people feel relaxed and comfortable.
Partners at Forum Books of Corbridge will be selling books, and authors will sign them for you – a perfect Christmas gift.
For more information on the panels, the books and the authors which include crime-writing queens Mari Hannah, Ann Cleeves and LJ Ross visit the Newcastle Noir website. Tickets are already on sale, and some panels have already sold out, so act quickly if you would like to take part.
Heaton History Society.
Non-members are welcome to join the live talks (only £2 per talk) and, of course, new members into the group.
You don't have to live in or have any connection with Heaton.
The talks cover wider NE local history.
For more information visit the website: https://heatonhistorygroup.org
Weird Walks: The Dark Side of Newcastle
Watch legendary Geordie broadcaster and author Alan Robson MBE - Robsons World as he takes you on a tour of Newcastle's underbelly.
Violent death, hauntings, incarceration; fire, flood and graverobbing.
These are just some of the stories shared on Media Arts new digital trail exploring the spooky side of Newcastle.
Download the trail and do it yourself or watch it here below:
Ageing without Children
Wednesday 15th December 16.00 – 17.00 hours - Online
This will be a seminar to set up a group for people who are ageing without children.
If you are interested and would like to find out more, please register below
Calligraphy Exhibition
Newbiggin Arts Centre , Front Street and Gibson Street Newbiggin
There is an exhibition of local, well known calligrapher, Tom Fleming, to be held at Newbiggin Arts Centre from 4 - 12 December.
In his time Tom drew some exquisite maps as well as other beautiful pieces of work.
He died earlier this year aged 100.
If you don't really know what calligraphy is, go to this exhibition and be amazed at hand- written, drawn, painted and sometimes illuminated with gold pieces of Tom's work.
Volunteering, Research and Consultations
St James Heritage and Environment Group Autumn Leaves - Wednesday 17th November
Can you spare an hour or two to help clear the leaves in the graveyard?
Volunteer numbers have sadly declined over the past year or so, and we are struggling to maintain the graveyard as Autumn is a particularly busy time when the beautiful trees drop their leaves.
Open all day between 10.30am to 3.30pm for helpers and visitors to drop in, why not join us?
We can also give you a quick guided tour around the graveyard, looking at the graves of some of the interesting people buried there.
You are also welcome if you just want to look around the graveyard and find out more about our work.
Are you aged 65 and over?
Are you able to see and hear a short video clip? Do you have access to a computer/laptop/tablet?
Taking part involves an online survey and watching a short video clip which takes no longer than 40 minutes.
This study has been ethically approved and to take part click the link below.
Developing an Understanding of Older Drivers Date: Tuesday 30th November 2021 - 14:00-15:00
Launch of the five-year review of the Older Drivers Task Force publication of “Supporting Safe Driving into Old Age”.
If you would like to join the webinar then please register below.
Residents, and businesses are invited to support the city 2030 Net Zero pledge. If you would like to sign up to support this work then follow the link below.
Service User and Carer Reference Group
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust
December 16th from 9.30 to 2 pm
The next Service User and Carer Reference Group will take place at the Crowne Plaza, Newcastle.
The group will be held face to face, but also live streamed for those who are unable to attend on the day (a link to this will be provided closer to the time).
If you wish to attend in person, please note that spaces are limited due to ongoing Covid safety precautions.
You can also ask for help if you would like to take part in the streaming of this event.
The report, published by Carers UK, details the views of over 8000 carers and highlights key areas/themes affecting carers including finances, support and services, assessments, working carers and digital technology.
It’s now more important than ever that carers are identified at the first available opportunity and referred into support services as early as possible.
More information can be found through the following links, make sure you are up to date with the relevant contacts.
Charities, Resident Groups and small organisations have an opportunity to apply for small grants, for grass roots projects, from this fund.
If you are interested please check out this link here.
For additional queries contact the PCC office via
☎ phone: 07783363988
or email: enquiries@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk Energy and Financial Information and Advice
As winter approaches we can't remind you enough to have these details at hand.
If you know someone who would gain from this information please share it responsibly.
Northern Powergrid
Dial: 105 for information about a power cut and to ask for Priority response.
New City Centre Parking Charges - Proposals by NCC
As part of a review of car parking services in the city centre, Newcastle City Council is planning to alter the level of charges drivers will be asked to pay in the city centre and car parks, on Sundays and during the evenings, and this could be significant to regular users.
The changes are designed to help manage demand for parking and support measures being introduced in the city to improve air quality and help promote and encourage more sustainable travel choices.
Notices setting out the proposed changes and details on how people can respond will be published and displayed in car parks from late November.
People will have 21 days to submit comments in response to the proposals once they have been advertised in the Journal and when the notices have been placed at each location. All feedback will be considered before a final decision is made.
Any changes are subject to the statutory consultation process and, if they go ahead, would not be expected to be introduced until early next year.
For more information click on the link below.
We know that many of our members have concerns about current public transport services, particularly buses being delayed and not travelling the full routes.
Most operators have notices on their bus advising of delays due to driver illness and staff shortages.
As well as that there has also been industrial action by Newcastle staff this month.
On Saturday 13th November Stagecoach North East made a public statement that a pay deal has been agreed with their members and there should be no further industrial action.
Please share this information with friends and relatives who are not online.
If you continue to be concerned by public transport issues then please let us know and we will take the matter up with the operators concerned.
☎ phone: 0191 208 2701
or email info@elderscouncil.org.uk
Please note that whenever our office is unoccupied the phone will have an automated reply.
We WILL contact you as soon as possible if you leave a message and telephone number.
