eFocus 18: Recycling centres now accepting full range of waste, the opening of libraries, leisure centres, Eat out (locally) to help out and more

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Hello <<First Name>> <<Last Name>>

This is the 18th edition of e-Focus, bringing you the latest information from the Pelaw and Heworth Focus Team. It includes:

Recycling centres now accepting full range of waste
The opening of libraries, leisure centres, etc
Eat out (locally) to help out
Free cycling activities for children
Complete our survey about coronavirus
Queen Elizabeth Hospital is national leader in cancer care
Join us

Let us know if there's anything you would like to see included in our next edition.

Please remember that we are here to help you. Our details, including our home phone numbers, can be found here

Best wishes,
Councillor Ian Patterson & Councillor Paul Diston
Pelaw and Heworth Lib Dem Focus Team

Recycling centres now accepting full range of waste

Gateshead’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres are now accepting the full range of waste – though strict social distancing measures remain in place for the moment.

The full range of waste materials will now be accepted at both sites, which means that items such as metals, rubble, textiles and large electrical appliances can all now be disposed of.

The current odd and even number plate system will continue to apply for the moment.

For further information visit here

The opening of libraries, leisure services etc

The Council has announced plans for the phased reopening of Go Gateshead sport and leisure facilities, libraries service and St Mary’s Heritage Centre.

Go Gateshead sport and leisure facilities
On Monday 17 August the gyms at Gateshead International Stadium and Birtley Leisure Centre will reopen. Additionally, all outdoor facilities, including the athletics tracks and 3G pitches at Gateshead International Stadium and Blaydon Leisure and Primary Care Centre will reopen to structured sports club bookings.

Further proposals around a phased approach to reopening the remaining leisure facilities and services will follow in due course.

Libraries service
On Monday 7 September the Council will be reopening the following libraries with revised opening times: Central Library, Chopwell, Crawcrook and Pelaw.

Revised opening times are:
Gateshead Central Library
Monday to Thursday -10am to 12noon and 1pm to 4pm, Saturday 10-1pm
• Chopwell
Monday and Tuesday - 10am to 12noon and 1pm to 3pm
• Crawcrook
Monday to Thursday - 10am to 12noon and 1pm to 4pm, Saturday 10-1pm
• Pelaw
Monday to Thursday - 10am to 12noon and 1pm to 4pm

A timeline for reopening the remaining libraries (Birtley, Blaydon, Leam Lane and Wrekenton) will be brought forward in due course. All library service group-based activities will remain suspended, as will group bookings of library community rooms.

The service is also working closely with volunteer managed libraries. Four volunteer libraries are offering Ring and Read (including Low Fell) and all have agreed to restart other services at the same time as Council libraries.

St Mary’s Heritage Centre
There are plans to reopen St Mary’s as a visitor attraction and heritage destination during the week commencing 7 September.

Eat out (locally) to help out

Dozens of local restaurants, cafes and pubs are taking part in the Government's "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme. Set up to encourage people to return to eating out to help businesses, customers eating in outlets signed up to the scheme will get up to £10 off a meal per person. The offer does not apply to alcohol and is only available on Mondays to Wednesdays in August. At the end of the month, the scheme comes to an end.

Cllr Ian Patterson said, "Your local Lib Dem Focus Team has been encouraging residents to shop locally to help to keep open locally owned businesses. The Eat Out to Help Out scheme gives the hospitality sector a lifeline so we are encouraging to make use of it."

You can find out which establishments are taking part on this link.

Free cycling activities for children

Come along and try free cycling activities for children at Gateshead International Stadium or Blaydon Leisure Centre.

Bikes and helmets are provided and a qualified coach will lead the sessions. Children will receive a small packed lunch and drink for taking part.

Places are limited and on a first come, first served basis. To book a place please email brightentheday@gateshead.gov.uk

You can find out more information here

Complete our survey about coronavirus

Thank you to all the residents who have completed our survey about cornavirus and what the response should be going forward. If you have not already done so, please complete the survey by visiting here.

Councillor Paul Diston said "We have had a great response so far but still want to hear from more residents. It will only take a few minutes and will really help us focus on the things that matter to you so please do complete the survey".

Queen Elizabeth Hospital is national leader in cancer care

Cancer care at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead has been rated one of the best in the country – and the best in the North East, according to the latest survey results.

The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2019 is conducted each year and asks a range of questions about the care patients receive during their cancer journey, from first appointments, to treatment and their ongoing care.

Patients gave Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust a rating of 9.1 out of 10 overall for their cancer care, the third highest score of the 143 trusts in England that took part.

Councillor Ian Patterson said "This is great news. We are really grateful to all those who work in the NHS. The Queen Elizabeth is a great hospital and I want to congratulate all the staff on this achievement".

Out of the 61 survey questions put to patients, Gateshead scored higher than the national average in 24 of them. These included:

93% of patients always felt they were treated with dignity and respect
95% of patients said they’d been given the name of their clinical nurse specialist and 92% found it easy to contact them
95% of patients were told who to contact if they were worried about their condition or treatment after leaving hospital

Join us

The new Liberal Democrat Leader will be chosen by members over the Summer. The Party now has over 100,000 members with record numbers in Gateshead. If you are a party supporter there really is no better time to join than now and you can become a member form as little as £1 a month. To join visit here

Alternatively you can register as a supporter for free here.

If you would like to know more please contact Ian or Paul here.