4 - Newcastle City Council

Welcometo the January to March editionof Citylife.We begin the year with a new editor forCitylife. I am Nadine Aston and I joinedthe team at the end of 2008. I hope youenjoy our first edition for 2009.The evenings are still dark and theweather gloomy, but the NewcastleGateshead Comedy Festival is here tolift our spirits. The festival runs from 2to 8 March with a host of star names tokeep our minds off the financial pinch.As the credit crunch continues it ismore important than ever to make surethat you are claiming all the money youare entitled to. On page 32 we let youknow how you can check that you’reclaiming all your benefits.At the moment we’re preparing thecouncil spending plans for 2009 to 2010and we want to know what you think.We want to make sure that our plansare in line with your views on CouncilTax levels and how the money shouldbe spent. There is more information onpage 6 and a budget survey form onpage 7 to send back to us.There are important changes to parkingin Newcastle this year. We will be takingover parking enforcement from thepolice. You can read about this on page11; but don’t worry, if you park correctlyin the city, you won’t see a difference.And finally, as a dedicated knitter, I wasdelighted to hear about the knittingexhibition that will be touring the region.40 Newcastle women have been knittingthe stories of their lives and I hope you’llagree they are an inspiration!Nadine Aston and the Citylife teamFront cover: Zoë Easton and her sonCharlie at High Heaton LibraryDesign by Paul Burgess Graphic DesignPhotos by Steve Brock (unless otherwise credited)Distribution by AmaroCitylife is produced byNewcastle City Council andprinted by NCJ Media Ltd.Contents4 Sapna Chaddah – ourstar award winner8 Our Newcastle – let’stake care of it13 Trace your family treeat Newcastle libraries19 Share your views inour Safe Newcastlesurvey30 Kids get motivatedwith Judo Joe33 Know your welfarerightsUseful numbers30Newcastle City Council switchboard 0191 232 8520Council Tax and Housing Benefit enquiries 0845 111 4101Payments for Council Tax; parking fines; and other council bills (debit andcredit cards only) 0845 111 4199Envirocall – the one-stop environmental hotline 0191 274 4000Neighbourhood Helpline 0300 1000 101Find out more at www.newcastle.gov.ukIf you would like a free copy of Citylife in large printor on tape, please call 0191 211 5073.Citylife informationThere are five issues of Citylife this year. The next edition is due out in April.You can contact us by: Phone 0191 211 5073;Email citylife@newcastle.gov.uk; Post Freepost CitylifeDistribution Citylife is distributed to homes and businesses acrossNewcastle. If you are not getting your copy please let us know. We sometimeshave problems delivering to flats and houses in multiple occupation becausewe cannot get access to them. If you live in a flat and would like to talk to usabout your Citylife delivery please contact us on 0191 211 5073.If you’ve got any questions or suggestions for Citylife, we want to hearfrom you. Please call 0191 211 5073 or email: citylife@newcastle.gov.ukwww.newcastle.gov.uk/citylife - download the podcast!42 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 3

NEWS...NEWS...NEWS...NEWS...NEWS...NEWS...NEWS...Sapna – a realshining starSapna Chaddah works in the Civic Centre CustomerService Centre (CSC) and gives such good service thatno less than four people nominated her for a star award.Miss Satchell from Gosforth made the winning nominationthat earned her a £25 Eldon Square voucher. Miss Satchellsaid she nominated Sapna: ‘For extra special service andSapna's kindness in giving me a lot of her time. Sapna foundme the right person to speak to who would help me toprotect a tree in my garden. I entered the CSC worried andcame out feeling much happier that my beech-lime tree wasin the hands of the right people. Thank you Sapna.’Sapna was also nominatedby Allan McMillar fromHeaton, George Hart ofSouth Jesmond and RobertBaugh of West Denton.Star award winnerSapna ChaddahSearch for a Star✁I would like to nominate ...................................................They work in ....................................................................Please tell us why you think they should get an award..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................What makes them shine? .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................About youYour name ........................................................................Your address .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... Postcode ...........................Phone ...............................................................................Email ..............................................................................Once you've completed the coupon send it to:Freepost Citylife Search for a Star. Don’t forget to putall your coupons in one envelope.Please note: Competition is open to nominations forNewcastle City Council staff only.Adult Servicesofficially amongst thebest in the countryIndependent inspectors awarded our Adult Services thehighest possible rating of three stars. The annual inspectionof Adult Services by the Commission for Social CareInspection (CSCI) rated our services as “excellent”.Ewen Weir, Director of Adult Services is delighted with thisreport. He said “Achieving three stars is a demonstration ofthe rapid progress we have made”.CSCI inspectors examine how well councils serve adults whouse social care services. This is based on seven outcomes –such as improving the quality of life for service users andimproving their health and emotional well-being.Inspectors found services in four of these seven areas to beof the highest possible standard. They also stated thatservices have a “promising” potential to improve even further.To read Adult Services’ full report by CSCI, you can visittheir web site www.csci.org.uk“Significant improvements”at Children’s ServicesImproving GCSE results, falling levels of young peoplecommitting offences, timely child protection reviews,increasing levels of 16-19 year olds in education oremployment and good work done in schools to keep childrenhealthy are among the “major strengths” of our Children’sServices - according to their Annual PerformanceAssessment.In early 2007, we were graded as “adequate” in all fiveassessment areas.Now, three areas – “Being healthy”, “Making a positivecontribution” and “Achieving economic well-being” – arerated “good”.Although our overall rating remains “adequate” (grade 2),independent inspectors Ofsted reported “significantimprovements” in some of our services.“We are pleased that Ofsted have recognised many of theimprovements made in services for children and youngpeople in Newcastle,” said Catherine Fitt, our ExecutiveDirector of Children’s Services“Although the overall judgement remains adequate, thisreport shows clearly that we are heading in the rightdirection.”You can read the report yourself online atwww.ofsted.gov.uk.The Year of the Oxstarts with a bang!Chinese New Year will explode into life on Sunday 8February against a soundtrack of firecrackers.Traditional dragon, lion and unicorn dances will banishevil spirits and make way for good fortune andprosperity in The Year of the Ox.The celebrations will start at 11am, with traditional Chineseentertainment in Bath Lane. BBC Radio Newcastle will alsobe broadcasting there.You can drop in to the North East Chinese Association inStowell Street where there is an exhibition of Chinesecostumes, a demonstration of traditional Chinese brushpainting and calligraphy and Chinese food.In Waterloo Street there will be arts and crafts stalls. Youcan visit the Chinese Centre where you can take part in acomputer workshop, surf the internet or get crafty by makingChinese New Year cards.There’s fun for the children in Charlotte Square. In thechildren’s marquee, they can make lanterns and Chinesemasks and get their faces painted.“Chinese New Year is a celebration of revival, regenerationand revitalisation, “ said Florence Qiu, Chair of the ChineseFestivity Group.“ Each year we look forward to thiscelebration of Chinese culture where East meets West andhundreds of families enjoy a great day out.”People born in the Year of the Ox are said to be stable,persevering, tolerant and of strong character.Previous years of the Ox, are 1913, 1925, 1947, 1949,1961, 1973, 1985, 1997.King Harald V of Norway receivesHonorary Freedom of NewcastleHis Majesty King Harald V of Norway received theHonorary Freedom of Newcastle when he visited the cityon 13 November 2008.The Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor David Wood,presented King Harald with the city’s highest award to markthe fortieth anniversary of the official opening of NewcastleCivic Centre. King Harald’s father King Olav V opened thecentre on 14 November 1968.During the ceremony His Majesty signed the honoursregister, which dates back to the 1800s. His Majesty’s namejoins his father’s on a special wall in the Banqueting Hall ofthe Civic Centre which features past recipients of the honourincluding the former US President Jimmy Carter, NelsonMandela and Sir Bobby Robson.Councillor Wood said, “Forty years ago the people ofNewcastle celebrated the opening of the Civic Centre andthat wonderful occasion also marked the cultural andYear of the Ox competitionTo celebrate Chinese New Year,we’re giving you a chance to win ameal for four at Landmarkrestaurant on Stowell Street. Giveus the name of anotherChinese horoscope character …………….........................Name ................................................................................Address .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Postcode ...............................Please send your entries to Freepost Citylife byFriday 20 February 2009. Please put all your couponsin one envelope.economic links we continue to enjoy with the people ofNorway. I am delighted His Majesty accepted the HonoraryFreedom of Newcastle.”His Majesty concluded his visit to the region when he visitedThe Sage Gateshead for a business event organised by OneNorthEast and NOF Energy, highlighting the opportunities forNorth East firms to do business in Norway.King Harald, the Lord Mayor and Newcastle’s macebearer and sword bearer✁4 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 5

How we plan to spend ourmoney next yearPlease let us know what you think!We’re asking you about our budget for 2009/10 and we’d liketo know what you think. We also want to know what you feelthe level of Council Tax should be.We’re planning to increase Council Tax next year by 3 percent which is less than the rate of inflation. We don’t want toincrease Council Tax more than the rate of inflation. We wantto know what you think – make sure you have your say byfilling in and returning the questionnaire.Where does our money come from?It comes from the government and our share of nationalbusiness rates and Council Tax. In 2009/10, for every £10we spend £6.18 is from the government and our share ofnational business rates and £3.82 is from Council Tax.Government money for schools and council houses is separate.What will we spend the money on?Our plans are based on our vision for Newcastle. We wantto create a lively, safe, and modern European city andimprove the quality of life for everyone in Newcastle.We’re planning to spend £266.4 million next year. We haveto do certain things by law – such as caring for vulnerablepeople. We need to spend more on a range of things suchas increasing the amount of waste that is recycled. Also thethings you’ve told us are important to you such as dealingwith anti-social behaviour. We’ll continue to invest inimportant services such as libraries.As a result, we need to spend £23.5 million more in 2009/10,but we only have £3.8 million extra coming in.How much are we saving?This means we need to find savings of £19.7 million nextyear to balance the budget. We’ll do this by making furtherimprovements in how we run the council, and by makingthings more efficient. This includes how we run our buildingsand how we buy our supplies.Importantly, no front line services will be cut.Do we provide good value formoney?Our residents’ survey told us that you think we do providegood value for money. Also the level of Council Tax isdecreasing when compared to other local authorities and wethink it will decrease further in 2009/10.How well are we performing?In February 2008 the Audit Commission said “the council haskept Council Tax increases to a minimum while investing inpriority areas, which are all improving well. Educationalattainment has improved faster than rates nationally and hasreached the national average overall. Adult social care isgood and has improved, with more vulnerable peopleencouraged to take up benefits and more older peoplehelped to live independently.”“There are good levels of improvements in the localenvironment. Waste levels have reduced, more has beenrecycled or composted and public spaces are cleaner. Thequality of the council’s housing stock has improved. Rentarrears have reduced significantly. Crime rates have fallen,with good work to strengthen vulnerable families, and morelocal people feel safe.”“The council has improved accessibility and the quality of lifefor local people through enhanced engagement in localneighbourhoods and regeneration activity across the city.Capacity has been strengthened through more integratedworking, improved project planning and reduced sicknessabsence. Good arrangements for value for money aredelivering improvements and efficiency targets have beenexceeded.”Council Tax bills in Newcastle have gone up less than inmost other areas over the last four years – just over 11%added up against a national average of nearly 18%.In a national satisfaction survey, local residents ratedNewcastle City Council as the fifth best in the whole country,and the best in the North East.What will it mean for you?Council Tax will go up by 3 per cent. For most people this willbe around 65 pence per week, or less.What happens next?We want to hear what you think about how we intendspending our money. We’ll look at what you say and make afinal decision taking this into account. So please fill in thisquestionnaire and give us your views.You can find more information and complete thequestionnaire at www.newcastle.gov.uk/budget.What do you think?Let us know by 30 January 2009 and you could win £50of Eldon Square shopping vouchers. All the informationyou provide will be treated as strictly confidential.Please answer the questions by ticking the appropriate boxor writing in the space provided. Or complete our surveyon-line at www.newcastle.gov.uk/budget1. Is it acceptable to increase the overall Council Taxby 3%?Yes No2. Would you prefer the Council Tax increase to be:Higher than 3% and have more or improved servicesAround 3% as proposedLower than 3% and have fewer or reduced services3. What is your opinion on the overall level of Council Tax?Too high About right Too low4. Is the Council addressing the issues that areimportant to you?Yes NoIf no, please say what issues the Council should beaddressing?…………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................…5. How strongly do you agree or disagree with thefollowing statement ‘Newcastle City Council does thebest it can with the money available’?Strongly agree Tend to agreeNeither agree nor disagree Tend to disagreeStrongly disagree Don’t knowIf you disagree strongly with the above statement, whatparticular concerns do you have?…………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................……………………………….......................................................…About youTo make sure that we are meeting the needs of all residentsit is important that we ask you a few questions aboutyourself. Your answers will be completely confidential.6. Are you male or female? (Please cross X one box)Male Female7. How old are you?Under 18 years 18 – 34 years 35 – 49 years50 – 64 years 65 and over8. Do you have a long standing illness, disability orinfirmity? (longstanding means anything that has troubledyou over a period of time or that is likely to affect you over aperiod of time) (Please cross X one box)Yes No9. To which of these groups do you consider you belong?White British IrishAny other white background (please say which)…………………………….......................................................…Mixed White and Black CaribbeanWhite and Black African White and AsianAny other mixed background (please say which)…………………………….......................................................…Black or Black British Caribbean AfricanAny other black background (please say which)…………………………….......................................................…Asian or Asian British Indian PakistaniBangladeshi Any other Asian background(please say which) ...................................................................Chinese Other ethnic group (please say which)…………………………….......................................................…10. Please enter your postcode in the boxesMany thanks for your help. Please return your questionnaireto Freepost Citylife by 30 January 2009. Please write‘budget’ on the outside of your envelope.Prize drawIf you would like to be entered into the prize draw to win £50of Eldon Square shopping vouchers please fill in your nameand address below.Name .......................................................................................Address ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Postcode ..................................6 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 7

Blue bins turn city greenWe are now entering the final stages of our recyclingroll-out. 85,000 households now have blue recyclingwheelie bins.During January and February, we’ll be delivering bins topeople in parts of Byker, Benwell, Cowgate, Elswick, Heaton,Gosforth, Jesmond, Kenton and the New Mills estate.By the end of March 110,000 homes will have recyclingwheelie bins.We’re delighted with your response to the new recyclingcollection.Thank you for helping us make our Newcastle a greener city.If you have any questions or comments about your bincollections, call the Bin Hotline on 0191 278 3022 or 0191278 3023 (8.30am to 4.30pm – Monday to Friday).Keep tabs on your temperatureIn this chilly winter weather it’s arelief to get indoors where it’swarm. But if you turn your heatingup too high, you could be in for anasty shock when you get yournext bill. Luckily, help is at hand.Pick up the handy ourNewcastlethermometer from one of ourlibraries or customer servicecentres and you can always besure that the temperature is justright.Eco-Schools is an international environmentaleducation programme. The aim is for the pupils todo something about environmental issues as wellas learning about them.Schools gain Bronze and Silver awards leading tothe top award, the Green Flag.To get the Green Flag, schools have to beinspected by Encams who run the Keep BritainTidy campaign.Our Enviro-schools Team support schools tobecome Eco-Schools.Don’t miss your collectionYour recycling and refuse bins are emptied on the sameday. But we have separate crews for refuse and recyclingso they are not emptied at the same time. So, if one binis empty and the other isn’t, please leave it out so thecrew can empty it.KnowyourplasticsWe know lots of you arekeen to recycle evenmore and have asked usif we can take plasticother than bottles.Unfortunately we can’t do this at the moment, even if theydisplay a recycling symbol, because we don’t have anyonewho will recycle them.Recycling only works if there is a market for the recycledproduct – which is why it’s important to buy recycled goodsas well as recycling at home.There isn’t a market for these kinds of plastics at the minute.So we are currently only collecting plastic bottles. Bottles aremade of better quality plastic and can be recycled into arange of products included fleeces and fillings for pillows!We are always looking for ways to recycle more and we hopeto be able to recycle a wider range of plastic in the future.In the meantime, please give us your plastic bottles.Remember to take the tops off (and wash and squash themtoo if you can) before you put them in your recycling bin.That way we can get more of them into our vehicles andcarry more recycling.Feeling the pinch afterChristmas?Save £££s this winterTaking part in our energy saving campaign will saveyou money and help reduce the amount of carbondioxide released into the atmosphere and combat theglobal warming which threatens to wreck the planet.InsulateInsulate your loft and cavitywalls. You could save up to£300 per year. To find outmore contact NewcastleWarm Zone on0191 277 7373.Turn downTurn your thermostat down.Reducing your roomtemperature by one degreecould save you around £40per year. Remember: coldkills. Don't overheat yourhome but make sure it'swarm enough too.Switch offYou’ll also be helping theplanet. Saving energyreduces the amount ofcarbon dioxide – one of thebiggest causes of globalwarming – going into theatmosphere.www.newcastle.gov.uk/ournewcastleGosforth Park First flies the flagPut the flags outPupils at Gosforth Park First and Hadrian Schools arenow officially eco-heroes after their schools weregiven prestigious green flag awards in recognition oftheir commitment to the environment.Hadrian School, a primary special school for Newcastleyoungsters with severe and complex learning difficulties isthe first special school in the city to gain the award.The pupils have taken part in a range of environmentalactivities including litter picks, recycling and designingposters about saving water and energy. The school is alsodeveloping two new gardens.The Secret Garden is a peaceful place where the children canlearn about and enjoy nature. Subhan Sadiq aged 11 is alreadya fan. “The Secret Garden has made our school much nicer.We can look after the plants and smell and feel the leaves”.The Wildlife Garden will have wildlife and wildflower habitatsand provide an exciting place for them to explore.At Gosforth Park First School, the children have recycledpaper and composted waste. And they’re putting those cardependentadults among us to shame with their Walk toSchool on Wednesdays (WOW) campaign.They have also started a school vegetable garden which lastyear produced an impressive crop of potatoes, onions andcourgettes.The pupils are delighted with their award but they’re not stoppingthere as Anna Brett, aged eight, explains “Everyone is reallyhappy that we havethe Green Flag. Wewill keep working tobecome even greenerand we want to see theschool become a FairTrade school.”Hadrian School’sSecret GardenA monumentalimprovementThe final resting place ofsome of Newcastle’s mostfamous names is beingrestored to its former glorythanks to the work of adedicated group ofvolunteers.You’ll find the grave ofarchitect John Dobson inJesmond Old Cemetery aswell as the founders ofFenwick and Pumphrey’scoffee and other examples ofNewcastle’s founding fathers.Yvonne Brown from WardHadaway helps outSadly the cemetery had become overgrown and many of thefine memorials were in need of repair.In May last year, the Friends of Jesmond Old Cemetery was setup to give it some much-needed love and attention. They’ve setto work cutting down and removing the brambles, ivy andweeds that cover many of the monuments and footpaths.Their efforts were given a boost In November when stafffrom local law firm Ward Hadaway joined them for a day.They were there as part of their contribution to the ‘Businessin the Community’ project which gets businesses involvedwith good causes.Staff from our Bereavement Services Team, which looks afterthe city’s cemeteries, have supported the group with adviceand equipment. And we gave them 2,000 bulbs which thefriends braved the winter weather to plant.We’re also carrying out large-scale restoration work on thecemetery such as repairing the perimeter wall in early 2009.If you’d like to know more about the Friends of OldJesmond Cemetery go to www.jesmondoldcemetery.co.ukor call 0191 211 6941 or 211 6942.8 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 9

Volunteers restoreBluebell DeneThe newly formed group ‘Friends of Bluebell Dene’braved icy conditions to give the area a clean up.They cut back overgrown areas, removed litter and clearedthree quarters of a ton of rubbish from the dene.The group, made up of local residents, worked with aNeighbourhood Environmental Action Team, local councillorsand rangers from across the city in an effort to restore thedene to its former glory.Bluebell Dene is an ancient woodland. It contains a largeamount of wildlife including woodpeckers, sparrowhawks,dragonflies and deer. In spring it has woodland plants suchas wild garlic, wood anemone and, of course, bluebells.Future projects for the Friends of Bluebell Dene includeplanting native trees and bulbs, coppicing overgrown areasand putting up bird and bat boxes. Plans are also beingconsidered for a community orchard.If you would like to join the Friends of Bluebell Denephone Michael Hancock, Bluebell Dene Ranger on07887 717 907.A Divine event forFairtrade FortnightAs part of Fairtrade Fortnight celebrations, theNewcastle Fairtrade Partnership, the TynesideCinema and Shared Interest are offering a uniqueinsight into Fairtrade on 1 March.As the world’s only 100% Fairtrade lender, Shared Interest(www.shared-interest.com) is the perfect joint host for thisspecial event. Working on a global scale, this uniquefinancial co-operative has its headquarters in Newcastle,regional offices in Costa Rica and Kenya and another soon toopen in Peru. Almost 8,700 UK members have investedanything from £100 to £20,000. Shared Interest pools thesefunds to lend to Fairtrade businesses in the developing world.Last year, over £30 million was lent to farmers and handicraftmakers to help them trade their way to a more fruitful future.Held at Newcastle’s recently revamped Tyneside Cinema(www.tynecine.org), the event will also include a visit fromthe Divine Chocolate Company (www.divinechocolate.com)cocoa farmers based in Ghana. They will talk about thepioneering organisation that they co-own. There will beplenty of opportunities for questions and to see, firsthand,how Fairtrade changes lives.‘Friends of Bluebell Dene’; ready for action!flavour of Fairtrade. There will be stalls, free samples, goodybags, food and much, much more. Add in a sprinkling ofstylish fashion and live music from renowned Newcastlebased act Jinski (www.jinski.com), as well as topic-relatedfilms and you’ve got Fairtrade Fortnight sewn up.Look out for further details in the Tyneside Film Guidefor January to March 2009. Or call Stella Carmichael on0191 211 6117 or emailstella.carmichael@newcastle.gov.uk.Information will be posted onwww.newcastle.gov.uk/fairtrade nearer the time.Changes toparkingenforcementIn early 2009 we will takeover most parkingenforcement from thepolice.This will be known as Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE). Itmeans that enforcement of parking on yellow lines andzigzag lines will transfer to us from the police.How will it affect you?The rules won’t change. If you park correctly and responsiblythen you won’t notice any difference.How can you avoid a penalty charge notice?Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time. Signs tellyou the times that there are restrictions on single yellow linesand at school keep clear markings.You should always check the signs and lines and not park inspaces reserved for road users such as blue badge holdersor taxis, unless you are entitled to do so.If you park in a pay and display area, your pay and displayticket should be clearly displayed so that the officer cancheck the details on the front of the ticket.We will have a team of trained Civil Enforcement Officers whowill follow guidelines and issue penalty charge notices to anyvehicle parked in contravention of the parking restrictions.For more information on Civil Parking Enforcement(CPE) phone the Parking Services Team on0191 277 2736Book yourself in at our first“corner shop library”If you live in Fawdon why don’t you come down to seeour first Library Express – a library you can use like acorner shop.A ‘Library Express’ is a small library based in a communitybuilding. It brings services closer to you and can offer longeropening hours than traditional libraries.Newspapers and magazines are available in the centre’scafé area, alongside an under-fives play area, freecomputers and self-issue terminals. You can also orderbooks, audio books, CDs and DVDs free-of-charge from anyNewcastle library and have them delivered to Fawdon.This is a real first for Newcastle and the North East. IfFawdon Library Express is a success, we plan to open morelibraries like this across the city in the future.Fawdon Library Express is at Fawdon Community Centreon Fawdon Park Road, phone 0191 285 2724.Makingyour busservicebetterNexus have drawn up a new bus strategy settingout ways to improve the way people get aroundtheir communities.Priorities include making sure bus routes meet theneeds of local people, buses run on time, and areclean, comfortable and affordable.Making sure buses get better will help reducecongestion and damage to the environment byencouraging more people to use public transport moreoften.Information also needs to be of the highest standardso passengers can travel with confidence.To find out more about the bus strategy and howit could benefit you go towww.nexus.org.uk/strategyJoin us on Sunday 1 March 12.30 to 4pm in the TynesideBar on the third floor of the Tyneside Cinema to get a realRose Birago with the Divine chocolate bar she helps toproduce.10 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 11

Retired? Looking forfriendship, learningand fun?Join Newcastle U3AThere’s no need to sit alone in your home wondering what todo with yourself. Newcastle U3A has a wealth of stimulatinglearning to offer – and all in a setting where you may makeand meet some new friends.What is U3A?U3A stands for University of Third Age. U3As are learningco-operatives for older people who are no longer in full-timework. The people who join want to keep their interests active,learn new skills or share their own expertise informally withothers. It’s learning for fun, not for qualifications.Newcastle U3ANewcastle U3A offers over 30 groups or courses. Memberscan join groups which, for example:• visit gardens;• discuss books;• learning how to use computers;• share enjoyment of the theatre or cinema;• play whist or mah jong;• sing; or• join in tai chi exercise.Many groups meet at Newcastle U3As offices at Pink Lane,opposite the Central Station.Knitting lives in Newcastle40 Newcastle women have been telling their life storiesthrough their knitting skills. They have been makingeverything from knitted bikes to bags, cakes to cricket bats.Cynthia Nicholson knitted her tap shoes. “Tap dancing is thelove of my life. I started when I was 49 and have been doingit for seventeen years. It was daunting walking in, buteverybody was so welcoming. There are over fifty of us andit’s like a Hollywood musical when we all strike up.”Group members recalled some amusing knitting memories.Rene Orton recalls knitting a bathing costume for herboyfriend in grey wool. “He was from Newcastle and swam ingalas for Northumberland: but when he got into the bathsthey went wide. It was a bit embarrassing. He said “Neverknit me a pair of them again!”Local artists Fiona Rutherford and Jenny Burns led thegroups. The knitters met weekly throughout 2008 to talk andmake these incredible pieces. The project celebrates thelives and skills of those involved, both past and present.everyone’s tomorrowKatie Wilkins, George Godden and Janet AtkinsonThe joining fee for U3A is currently £15 per year. Anyonewho has retired from full-time employment can join.What the members say“Having recently retired from a demanding and stimulatingjob, I was somewhat anxious that I’d find retirement a littledull. I needn’t have worried. The U3A has an Aladdin’s caveof interest groups that provide the opportunity to pursueexisting interests and explore new ones.” Janet“Making friends at U3A helped me come to terms with thesudden death of my wife and her sister.” George.If you want to know more about Newcastle U3A, pleasephone 0191 230 4430 or type ‘newcastle u3a’ into Google(www.google.co.uk) and click. You can take part in ataster session without any obligation.Some of their work will be in the John Lewis window, EldonSquare for a week in February. The whole exhibition will beon display at Alnwick Garden, 9 April to 9 May, and SaltwellTowers in August and at the Shipley Art Gallery, Gatesheadat the end of 2009.Equal Arts, supported by the Quality of Life Partnershipare managing the project. For more information contactAlice Thwaite at Equal Arts on 0191 477 5775.Become a silver surferAge Concern Newcastle can help you get started incomputing and the internet.Their computer classes include:• beginners;• internet and email;• card making;• digital photography;• digital imaging; and• genealogy.Silver surfers in actionat Age ConcernThey also have drop-in sessions and free internet access inthe Cyber Café for people aged over 50.The drop-in gives older people the chance to update theirskills or learn something new such as how to send emailattachments. They can practice what they have learned in aclass, or get a taste of what’s on offer before joining a class.The Cyber Café has two open access computers for use byolder people. Dedicated help desk volunteers are happy tohelp.Become a familyhistory detectiveHave you always wanted to find out more aboutyour family history?Our Libraries and Information Service can help you. Use ourPeople’s Network computers to access the professionaledition of ‘Ancestry.com’. Our staff can show you how to usethe website if you need help.Tracing your family tree is like being a detective. Begin bygathering up information or documents from your family.Birth, marriage and death certificates can be a good startingpoint. The next step is to ask lots of questions. Older familymembers are often a wealth of information. Collect all thisinformation together and take it to your library. If youdiscover that your ancestors were born, married or died inNewcastle, you can contact the registrar’s department at theCivic Centre or visit www.newcastle.gov.uk/genealogy.Newcastle women knit the stories of their livesOur Local Studies and Family History Centre also has local,regional and national information for family tree researchersincluding:• births, deaths and marriages in England and Wales from1837 to the present day;• early records of christenings and marriages;• Newcastle electoral rolls and poll books going back to the18th century;Barras Bridge in 1931everyone’s tomorrowGreta has been a volunteer for Age Concern Newcastle foreight years. She spends a morning each week on the helpdesk in the Cyber Café, helping people email and use theinternet. She answers their questions and redirects them toother services provided by Age Concern Newcastle.Greta was born in 1932 and became interested in computersbecause she wanted to keep up with the modern equipmentof the 21st century. She also wanted to be able tocommunicate with the younger generation, including hergrandchildren, and friends worldwide. Greta uses hercomputer mostly for word processing, email and surfing thenet. She also enjoys making cards, calendars and posters.Greta says that she “thoroughly enjoys being of assistance.The atmosphere is always welcoming. I feel it is a privilegeto be a volunteer.”To find out more about the programme of classes, thedrop-in or the Cyber Café, contact Jennifer Taylor on0191 235 9914 or 0191 232 6488, visitwww.acnewcastle.org/services/itcentre or emailjennifer.taylor@acnewcastle.org and you can become asilver surfer!• Newcastle’s census records from 1841 to 1901;• inscriptions on the region’s grave stones in themonumental inscription records;• the largest collection of historical newspapers in the regiondating from 1711 to the present day; and• a selection of 19th century newspapers online.The centre is in the exhibition hall at the Civic Centre. It willtransfer to the new City Library when it opens in June 2009.If you are interested in becoming a family historydetective and finding out more about the resources heldby Newcastle Libraries and Information Service phone0845 002 0336, or call into your library.12 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 13

HelloWhat’s happening in the East End?Sailor!The ensemble celebrate Charles Avison’s birthday in styleCharles Avison birthdaycelebrationsIn 2009 we will celebrate 300 years since the birth of CharlesAvison. Charles Avison was born in Newcastle in 1709. Hewas one of England’s greatest concerto composers. Since1994, the Avison Ensemble has been performing CharlesAvison’s music on period instruments. They have alsoorganised a number of education and outreach projects foradults and young people across the north east of England.The Avison Ensemble will celebrate Charles Avison’sbirthday with a special party and concert at the Old AssemblyRooms in Fenkle Street, Newcastle on Sunday 15 February2009. A birthday tea with a special commemorative cake willfollow the performance.For more information about the Avison Ensemble andthe tercentenary celebrations please visitwww.avisonensemble.com, phone 0191 226 0799, oremail info@avisonensemble.com‘The Ingenious Mr Avison: Making Music and Money inEighteenth-Century Newcastle' is now available from TyneBridge Publishing at £10. The Avison Ensemble will havebrought the book to press by public subscription, in the sameway that Charles Avison published his own musical worksnearly 300 years ago.For more details contact Tyne Bridge Publishing on0191 277 4174 or visit www.tynebridgepublishing.co.ukAn ingenious competitionWin a copy of this generously illustratedbook. In which year was CharlesAvison born?1909 1609 1709Name ................................................................................Address ........................................................................................................................... Postcode ..........................Please send your entries to Freepost Citylife by Friday20 February 2009. Please include all competitionentries and coupons in the same envelope.✁Newcastle’sDiscovery Museum ishosting an exhibitionexploring gay life inthe Merchant Navybetween the 1950sand the 1980s. Theexhibition openson 28 January andwill run until 19April 2009.Hello Sailor! reveals the hidden history of crew life in theMerchant Navy, when being at sea was one of the fewplaces gay men could be themselves.Graham Bradshaw, curator of Discovery Museum, says “Ashomosexuality was illegal until 1967, and gay men wereoften persecuted and prosecuted, there were few placeswhere gay men could be themselves. This exhibition shedslight on life at sea where there was a greater tolerance ofhomosexuality.”The exhibition follows Holocaust Memorial Day on 27January. This is an annual day of remembrance in memoryof the victims of the Holocaust. In 2009 the theme ofHolocaust Memorial Day programme is “Stand up to Hatred”.It aims to promote justice, tolerance and equality acrossNewcastle.Discovery Museum is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to5pm and Sundays 2pm to 5pm. Admission is free.Photo above: Miss Everton (around 1950); one of theex-seafarers who helped curate the exhibitionQuaker Questa spiritual path for our time - simple, radical,contemporary.Explore the Quaker way and share experiences in fiveweekly informal, open sessions starting on Wednesday4 March 2009 7pm-9.30pm at Newcastle QuakerMeeting House, 1 Archbold Terrace, Jesmond,Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 1DB.For further information ring 0191 212 0398 or visitwww.quakers-in-newcastle.org.ukAll welcomeBridging NewcastleGateshead is working to create greatplaces to live in parts of Newcastle and Gateshead. Wantto know more? Visit www.bridgingng.org.uk, emailinfo@bridgingng.org.uk or call 0191 277 2666.BridgingNewcastleGateshead getstop government ratingThe Bridging NewcastleGateshead (BNG) partnership hasbeen given the top rating in a review by governmentwatchdog the Audit Commission. Rated as ‘performingstrongly’, it is the second time running that BNG, which is apartnership of Newcastle and Gateshead councils and otherpublic and private sector organisations, has been given thetop mark.BNG was praised for its work to come up with plans fordifferent areas which include housing as well as shops andother services. In addition, BNG’s work on consultingresidents, and supporting communities, was rated highly.Anne Mulroy, BNG’s Director said: “This top rating showsthat we are making great progress in our work to creategreat places to live. We are committed to improving the localhousing market, benefiting thousands of residents.”What’s happening in the West End?Youngsters in Scotswood have been having a big say on theplay space planned for their area. Supported by theScotswood neighbourhood wardens and the Play Service,the children took part in a weekend field trip at WhithaughPark in Northumberland. During the trip, the children workedto come up with creative ideas on the type of play spacethey would like to see. They then carried out a model makingexercise to build the play space area they want.A week of action in the High Cross area of Benwell inOctober saw residents and officers working together toimprove the area. Many different activities took placethroughout the week, including neighbourhood wardens andpolice community support officers distributing window anddoor alarms. The graffiti team was also on hand, clearinggraffiti from back lanes along with the rapid response teamsclearing rubbish from the area.During the week, the Benwell Neighbourhood ManagementInitiative, who organised the week, spent time asking localresidents about their views of the area. The week was ahuge success and a big thank you to everyone who tookpart.Poster winner Jordan McGregor and Mansell sitemanager, Gary BlakeWalker Riverside staff have been working to raise pupilsawareness of building site safety. Pupils from St Anthony’s,Wharrier Street, St Vincent’s, Tyneview and West WalkerPrimary Schools, went on a visit to Safety Works.The children also took part in a competition to design postersreminding others of the dangers on building sites. Hundredsof poster designs were entered and one winner and onerunner-up were selected from each school, winningvouchers. The winning posters have gone on display aroundWalker, to continue the promotion of site safety.The new showhome at HiberniaVillage in WalkerRiverside hasopened. 143 newhomes are due to bebuilt in total; pricesstart from £145,000for a three bedroomhouse. There areschemes andincentives to helppeople afford to buythe homes, availablefor first time buyersand those wanting tomove up the ladder.Contact Kath at thesales office, on0781 458 7468.New show home atHibernia village14 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009This page is paid for by Bridging NewcastleGatesheadCitylife: January to March 2009 15

✃✃✃Anna FosterWell here we are...2009!I may be heavier, poorer andmore likely to need botox, butI am optimistic that this will bea good one! I tend not towallow in the January blues,so I will kick off the New Yearby squeezing myself back intomy running leggings whichwere abandoned after the lastGreat North Run. I am not themost natural of runners, butexercise does lift your mood.Valentine’s Day will be as uneventful as always. Being amum, full-time breakfast show coffee maker and married to aproper Geordie bloke, I don’t really do romance. He does dothe washing up though and allows me to watch Gok Wan, soI guess I can’t complain. I would rather do food thanromance so I'm hoping he takes me and the children to PanHaggerty, a gorgeous new restaurant on Queen Street,Newcastle. We went for Sunday lunch at Christmas and itwas cracking. They do 'proper food'... you won’t have to rushto the chippie afterwards! I had chicken breast on bubbleand squeak with parsnips and cauliflower cheese. Theparsnips were delicious and perfectly cooked!I also loved the décor! Come the springtime, I may pop on my dungarees andpaint the living room the same warm redthey have on their walls... you didn’t thinkhubby would do it, did you? I already toldyou I have him chained to the sink…ifonly I was as assertive at work!Speak soon, Anna xCompetitionWe have a Sunday lunch for two to give away at PanHaggerty’s.For a chance to win, tell us,which day of the year do wemost associate with romance?St George's DayBonfire nightSt Valentine's DayName ...............................................................................Address ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Postcode ..............................Telephone .........................................................................Please send your entries to Freepost Citylife by Friday20 February 2009. Please include all competitionentries and coupons in the same envelope.Free for the first 200 Citylifereaders at NewcastleGreyhound Stadium*Saturday 31 January 2009• Free admission• Free first drink• Free hot roast sandwichEveryone who comes to our readers' nights has a greatnight out! If you've never tasted the electricatmosphere at Newcastle Dogs, then don't miss this!How do I get my tickets?Call the stadium reception on 0191 210 5300 and quoteCitylife. First 200 callers qualify. Gates open at 6.30pm,first race at 7.45pm, last race at 10.30pm.Newcastle Greyhound Stadium,The Fossway, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2XJwww.newcastledogs.com* Offer is for over 18s only.Only one survives tragiclove triangleThe Moscow Ballet is presenting Giselle on Sunday 22March 2009 at the Tyne Theatre.Giselle is a spooky love story where Giselle has two suitors,Halarion and Count Alberecht. But Count Alberecht has asecret – he has a fiancée. Giselle finds out, goes mad anddies. She is buried in the woods. When Halarion visits hertomb, he is set upon by the ghosts of jilted girls who dancemen to death. Count Alberecht comes to plead forgivenessand Giselle’s ghost protects him from the jilted girls.Halarion dies, but Count Alberecht is saved.For enquiries, phone 0844 493 4567, Ticketmaster on0844 493 9999 or visit www.thejournaltynetheatre.co.uk.Giselle CompetitionWe have 10 pairs of tickets to give to readers.For a chance to win, tell us where is Giselle buried?In the woods At the seaside In a church yardName ...............................................................................Address ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Postcode ..............................Telephone .........................................................................Please send your entries to Freepost Citylife by Friday20 February 2009. Please include all competitionentries and coupons in the same envelope.Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service set fire to aderelict house to illustrate how quickly fire can spread.Fire safetysuccessOver 4,000 homes are safer in Newcastle's EastEnd thanks to a fire safety campaign by Tyneand Wear Fire and Rescue Service.The 'Make Byker Safer' campaign targeted thousands ofhomes at greater risk of fire in Byker, parts of Walker andSouth Heaton.During the campaign, Tyne and Wear Fire and RescueService carried out 4,382 free home safety checks, fitted3,500 smoke detectors and issued 712 free thermostaticallycontrolled deep fat fryers in return for chip pans.Area Manager, Kevin Hepple explains: “We launched thecampaign following statistics which showed the area had thehighest number of house fires in Tyne and Wear.“During the last five years in this area, one person has diedand 38 people have been injured in accidental house fires;nine out of 10 house fires have started in the kitchen and 37house fires have been caused by smoking materials – theseare sobering statistics and we needed to respond to that.”Hundreds of local businesses also got life saving safetyadvice and were reminded of their fire safety responsibilitiesto the general public."Most fires are preventable and people need to take activeresponsibility to prevent it from happening to them.Educating people about how they can do this was at theheart of this campaign,” continues Kevin.For more information visit www.twfire.gov.uk or your localcommunity fire station.This article is paid for by Tyne and Wear Fire andRescue Service.Scores on the Doors– 1st birthdayIt’s been a year since we launched our hygiene starrating scheme and it’s proved to be a great success. Inthat time, we’ve rated over 1,500 food outlets and ourwebsite, www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk, has had over170,000 hits.With Scores on the Doors you can be sure we've checkedthat cleanliness, structural conditions and food safety arewell managed.To celebrate, five of our five-star restaurants have each offereda meal for two. They are: Avanti in Jesmond; Louis inJesmond; Keelman in Newburn; Twin Farms in Woolsington;and the Black Door Brasserie in Stoddart Street, Newcastle.1 23 4Scores on the Doors competitionTo win, match the pictures to the restaurants andwrite the number next to its nameAvanti ........ Louis ........ Keelman ........5Twin Farms ........ Black Door Brasserie ........Name ...............................................................................Address ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Postcode ..............................Please send your entries to Freepost Citylife by Friday20 February 2009. Please include all competitionentries and coupons in the same envelope.16 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 17

Thanks to thehidden armyA big ‘thank you’ came from the city to thethousands of land girls and lumber-jills whoworked on the land during the Second World War.Following our government’s recognition of the contribution madeto the Second World War by the Women’s Land Army andTimber Corps, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Newcastlepaid tribute to them at a special reception in December.The Women’s Land Army and Timber Corps were establishedto free up male workers to go to war. By 1943, over 80,000young women worked in all areas of agriculture - they milkedcows, dug ditches, sowed seeds and harvested crops.The Women’s Timber Corps worked to provide timber for thewar effort, felling trees and sawing timber.Councillor David Wood, the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, said:“We should never forget the contribution the Women’s LandArmy and Timber Corps made to this country during theSecond World War.“It’s only right that we should formally celebrate their hard workand dedication and their role in our nation’s wartime history.”Gladys Gradwell (left) and Josie Benson (right) werefriends during World War II and are still friends today.They were both 17 when they joined up.Life can kick the hell out of your mouth - go andget it checked out.How do you know if you qualify for a free mouth check?• Has it been more than two years since you last had yourmouth checked by a dentist?• Are you over 40 years old?• Do you smoke or drink heavily?If the answer is ‘yes’ to these questions, you could qualify fora free mouth check.The mouth check will be carried out by a local dentist. Theywill give you a simple, quick and painless mouth check. It isdesigned to spot any problems in your mouth early but itdoes not include dental treatment.To find out if it is right for you, go to a chemist displaying the‘Love your mouth’ logo. If you are eligible, you will be givena special voucher and a list of local dentists who will beready to see you. The offer runs until 28 February 2009.For general information, call freephone 0808 800 4040.For local information, phone 0779 44 20979.Are you interested ineducation?Would you like to join Newcastle’sEducation Admission Appeal Panels?Education Admission Appeal Panels consider appealsby parents whose children have been refusedadmission to the school of their choice.We are looking for volunteers who would like to serveon the Appeal Panel for Newcastle’s Local EducationAuthority. Training will be given and expenses paid.Appeals take place during the working day.We welcome volunteers from the minority ethniccommunities and from people with children in schools.For details and an application form, callPeter Moody on 0191 211 5129 or emailpeter.moody@newcastle.gov.ukYou told us that anti-social behaviour was your main worryand we’re working hard to tackle this. This includes workingwith off-licenses across the city to stop young people gettinghold of alcohol. In 2008 we warned 1,500 people about theiranti-social behaviour and 11 people were given ASBOs. Wesent our youth bus to areas of the city where youth disorderwas an issue because young people had nowhere to go. Ourbus provided lots of activities and a safe place to meet forover 6,000 young people.We now need your views again as we are updating our plan inApril 2009. See questionnaire on page 20. This will make surewe continue to look at things that are important to you, takinginto account all of your views and comments to make surewe’ve got it right. We will continue to ask for your views everyyear to make sure we are dealing with things that concern you.Tell us your views on the next page and you could win£75 of shopping vouchers. All the information youprovide will be treated as strictly confidential.Who is doing this work?The work is being done by Safe Newcastle. We are made upof different organisations, who - by law - have to work togetherSafe Neighbourhoods:Making your neighbourhood saferSafe Neighbourhoods will make your life better byreducing levels of crime and anti-social behaviourin your area.If you have any problems or concerns you should speak to your:• local ward co-ordinator: 0191 211 6203 or 0191 211 6208• Northumbria Police neighbourhood inspector: 03456 043 043• local councillor: Visit Where You Live on www.newcastle.gov.uk to finddetails• YHN housing manager: 0191 278 8600 or visit www.yhn.org.uk to finddetails of your nearest housing office• Neighbourhood response manager: 0191 274 4000www.safenewcastle.org.ukYour say on a safer NewcastleLast year, we asked you for your views on crime, anti-social behaviour, the use of drugs and alcohol and communitysafety in Newcastle. As a result of what you told us we have been doing a lot of work over the last 12 months to makeour city a safer place for people who live, work, socialise and visit here.to make Newcastle a safer place. These organisations include:• Newcastle City Council;• Newcastle Primary Care Trust;• Northumbria Police;• Northumbria Police Authority; and• Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.Businesses, voluntary organisations and community groupsare also active in the partnership.The good newsWe are happy to report that, in general, the news is verygood and Newcastle is still one of the safest cities in the UK.Since 2004 crime in Newcastle has fallen every year.19% criminal damage14% burglary22% vehicle crimes23% theft of motor vehicles11% violent crimeAlthough the news is good we will continue to work hard toimprove this even more.18 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 This page is paid for by Safe Newcastle 19

A number of enthusiastic local people from across the cityjoined together to form community focus groups to help usdevelop these centres. The groups met regularly to discusswhat services people want and need. They helped us makedecisions about how the centres could be used and how theycould be promoted. The meetings were very helpful in givingus new ideas and ensuring that the centres are the best thatthey can be.New AdultSocial CareHow can we help?Direct TeamA customer service centre officer helping a customerServing youin yourcommunityIn November we celebrated the opening of our sixthCustomer Service Centre (CSC). This was the finalcentre in the network of CSCs across the city. Now,the vast majority of you have a centre within oneand a half miles of your home!The Civic Centre CSC on Sandyford Road was the first toopen in June 2000. It offered customers one single point ofcontact to access over 90 different council services, ratherthan having to visit a number of reception points on ninedifferent floors of the Civic Centre.The Civic Centre CSC was a huge success and became themodel for delivering council services under one roof and inthe local area. And we didn’t stop there. Where possible wehave also placed libraries, leisure facilities and housingoffices together in these centres too.Centres in the city are:• Outer West CSC, Pool and Library, West Denton Way• Kenton CSC and Library, Hillsview Avenue• Gosforth CSC and Library, Regent Farm Road• East End CSC, Shields Road• West End CSC and Library, Condercum Road• Civic Centre CSC, Sandyford RoadAll are open Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 4pmAt your local CSC you can access over 90 council services.You can:• make council tax payments and have your queriesanswered• make enquiries about bin collections, bulky rubbishcollections, litter and street cleaning, street lighting, pestcontrol, grass cutting and trees;• apply for new and replacement blue badges for disabledpeople’s parking, which can be issued on the spot if youbring your documentation with you;• pay your council bills by cash, cheque, card or postalorder;• enquire about council tax and housing benefits;• find out about and apply for free school meals, home toschool travel, educational maintenance awards, highereducation student support and student loans;• apply for LeisurePlus membership;• get information on and apply for Newcastle City Counciljobs;• use the PayPoint service to pay most utility bills or top upyour mobile phone;• and much, much more.Each of our centres has computers for public use, andfacilities for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Forcustomers whose first language isn’t English, there’s accessto a telephone interpreting service to help us sort out anyproblems they may have with the council, and to give adviceabout council services.Why don’t you pop into your local CSC today and find outexactly what they have to offer?For more details about the centres visit our website atwww.newcastle.gov.uk/customers.The newWest EndCustomerServiceCentreOur new dedicated team, Adult Social CareDirect, is your first point of contact for help oradvice from Adult Social Care Services. Theteam replaces the two Adult Customer ServiceTeams that were at Newburn and Gosforth.How do I contact Adult SocialCare Direct?Phone: 0191 278 8377Fax: 0191 278 8312Textphone: 0191 278 8359Email: scd@newcastle.gov.ukWebsite: www.newcastle.gov.uk/socialcareOr you can write to:Adult Services DirectorateShieldfield Centre4-8 Clarence Walk, ShieldfieldNewcastle, NE2 1ALWhat happens when I contactAdult Social Care Direct?When you contact us, a trained contact officer will deal withyour enquiry and try to help you as quickly as possible.If you prefer to talk to someone face to face then you canmake an appointment to come to our office at Shieldfield. Ifthis is not possible we can arrange an appointment at one ofour offices closer to where you live.If you need help from Adult Social Care Services we willarrange an assessment of your needs. A member of stafffrom our specialist Adult Social Care Service team will carrythis out. If we can’t give you the help you need we will try togive you information and advice from other organisations thatcould help you.In an emergency one of our qualified social workers will dealwith your enquiry and work out how we can help.Opening HoursAdult Social Care Direct is open from 8am to 6pm Mondayto Friday. In an emergency outside of these times youcan contact the Emergency Duty Team on 0191 232 8520.The new adult social care direct teamShared LivesOnce a fortnight John and Michael share their lives.Michael, who has a learning difficulty, looks forward toJohn’s visits and the two have now enjoyed each others’company for 20 years.During this time they’ve visited many places and tried manydifferent activities, but playing pool at the local bowling alleyis top of their list. Discussing strategies and tactics adds totheir enjoyment – along with much banter and sharedlaughter. Their great friendship has been helped along byJohn knowing Michael’s late parents.John volunteers his help with Michael. He says: “I have beenable to provide continuity and a link back to Michael’s parentsand have been there with Michael through various stages ofhis life.”Many people with learning disabilities need help and supportfrom people in their local communities. Some need supportfor just a few hours a week or a few weekends a year, whileothers need somewhere to live long-term.To find out more about this fulfilling experience, contact:the Shared Lives Team on 0191 278 8106 or emailvolunteer.carers@newcastle.gov.ukMichael and John enjoy a game of pool24 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 25

www.yhn.org.ukHome swapFrom April this year tenants in Newcastle will have amuch easier and simpler way of finding another hometo swap with - and more homes to choose from.Your Choice Homes, in partnership with other localauthorities in Tyne and Wear, will be introducing a mutualexchange scheme to help you swap your home with othereligible customers.As there is a lack of available homes across the region, thisnew scheme offers you another option to find a home of yourchoice.If you are a secure tenant of Newcastle City Council youhave a right to exchange your home. This means that youpass your tenancy to another city council tenant or a tenantof a housing association, private landlord, or another council.Before you swap your home all you need is writtenpermission from your landlord and from the landlord you’reswapping with.If you are an introductory tenant of Newcastle City Council youdo not automatically have the right to exchange. You shouldalso be aware that if you decide to exchange with a housingassociation or private tenant you will no longer be a securetenant - for instance, if you exchange with a housing associationtenant your tenancy will normally be an assured tenancy.If you are currently a city council tenant, you can get moreadvice and information at your local housing office. If youare a housing association or private tenant, staff at YourChoice Homes will be able to help once the scheme hasbeen introduced.If you would like to exchange your home the new schemewill allow you to advertise your home on the internet. If youdon’t use the internet our staff will be able to do this for you.You will be able to match your needs with other customersby looking at information about other customers who want toswap homes.We aim to introduce the scheme in April 2009 – look out formore information in future editions of Citylife.You can contact Your Choice Homes on 0191 277 2020.Your Choice Homes is the name of a choice-basedlettings scheme introduced by Newcastle City Council.This is now a partnership between Your HomesNewcastle, Newcastle City Council and housingassociations which have homes to rent in Newcastle.Join us!We’re looking for volunteers who live or work inNewcastle to join the Your Homes Newcastle (YHN)Strategic Independent Advisory Group (SIAG).By joining the SIAG you’ll help us continue to buildtrust and confidence between YHN and communities inNewcastle upon Tyne.The group meets four times a year and looks at ourpolicies, procedures, housing services and functions.It considers equality and diversity including race,gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, and religionor belief.Your advice could help us provide a fair service to allour customers.Membership is voluntary and is only open to peoplewho are not YHN tenants.‘Out of pocket’ expenses will be paid.If you would like more information contact: SimoneDoyle, on 0191 278 4390, or visit www.yhn.org.uk.Kenton School’s new buildingsExciting times at KentonSchoolTwo thousand Kenton pupils and teachers have movedinto snazzy new school buildings, not only state of theart but also the size of four football pitches!The new Kenton School is part of our £180m BuildingSchools for the Future project – the biggest ever investmentin schools in the history of Newcastle.Head teacher David Pearmain, said: “For nearly fifty years,Kenton School has nurtured the highest standards of learningand achievement. Our new building will allow us to offercutting edge education which will be breathtakingly modern.”As part of the new school, both pupils and the localcommunity can enjoy a new performing arts centre, and newpart-Lottery funded sports facilities.The school was described as “good” and “rapidly improving”in its last Ofsted inspection. GCSE results are improvingeach year, with the number of students taking A-levelsalmost doubling between 2003 and 2008, and the number ofstudents achieving the highest grades also almost doublingin that time as well.Sacred Heart are top of the pops!Pupils from Sacred Heart RC Primary are making a bidfor pop stardom – and trying to get the terraces at StJames Park singing – by recording their very ownfootball anthem.Year 5 has recorded a song called “H’way Newcastle”, writtenby Steve Halsey. The song is a special gift for HelenCavanagh who’s their teacher’s mother. Helen is leaving herjob at the council after devoting 25 years to our city’s children.Steve Halsey said: “Helen has devoted her entire career andlife to the children of Newcastle, and as she’s such a fanaticalUnited fan I thought there would be no better way for the cityto say thank you than by writing her very own football anthem.“The song is already proving a massive hit with the children,and it would be the ultimate tribute to Helen to hear it ringingaround St James Park on match day!”If yougo downto thewoods…An area of woodland atTyne Riverside CountryPark at Newburn has beenset aside for Newcastle’sonly Forest School. Andnow some of our youngpeople are getting back tonature making fires,climbing trees and evenusing penknives.At school in the forestThe schools are a unique way of giving young childrenindependence and building their self-esteem – especiallyimportant for children who find traditional school hard tohandle and perhaps behave badly.Because there are plenty of adults involved, the youngpeople can safely experience the kinds of things that couldbe dangerous if left to their own devices.After time at the Forest School children’s behaviour andattitude to school, to teachers and to each other improves.They have better social skills and concentration.Our council rangers at the park are impressed with thebenefits Forest School brings to children – and are alsoimpressed by the lack of damage to the woodland area theyuse – they wouldn’t know they had been there at all!Go-ahead for primary school plansThe government has approved the first stage of ourplans to transform 36 city primary schools over the next14 years.Earlier this year we agreed our initial investment prioritiesshould be the rebuilding of Westgate Hill and HawthornPrimary schools. We are also planning to replace WharrierStreet and St Anthony’s primary schools in Walker with asingle purpose-built school to support the ongoingregeneration in the area.Catherine Fitt, our Executive Director of Children’s Services,said: “This marks the first step towards making some of ouroldest primary schools modern, well-equipped and excitingplaces where children can learn and achieve their very best.”We’ll tell you more about our plans in the coming issues ofCitylife.26 This page is paid for by Your Homes NewcastleCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 27

£1.5m to makeus a play-full cityLast year we got £1.5m of extra funding to developcity play areas.The government named us a national Play Pathfinder – oneof only 10 places across the country - and gave us extrafunding, which we’ll use to:• develop a large, staffed adventure play park in the city;• upgrade two neighbourhood play areas to adventureplaygrounds; and• refurbish other play areas.We’ll also create a team of specialist play workers called‘animateurs’, helping children and families play togethersafely. The animateurs will work with children and localcommunities to design local play areas and raise awarenessof the importance of play.Play is vital in our children’s development and helps keepthem fit and healthy. High quality local play facilities alsoimprove the look and feel of areas. Play parks keep childrenaway from anti-social behaviour and act as areas for peopleto come together.This funding will help to encourage local communities to getinvolved in creating safe local spaces across Newcastlesupporting children’s right to play.Hat-trick of celebrationsfor St Charles RC PrimarySt Charles RC Primary School has more than just its80th birthday to celebrate at the moment - the school isalso celebrating two outstanding inspection reports.Independent school inspectors Ofsted judged pupils to be“confident, articulate learners” who “thoroughly enjoy theireducation” and are “exceptionally well-prepared for theirfuture lives”.A separate inspection by the Diocese of Hexham andNewcastle meanwhile judged the school to be “outstanding”and “very well led by an inspirational head teacher whoinspires the school community with her dedication andenthusiasm”.Head teacher Vicky Lindsey said: “Our whole schoolcommunity does work well as a caring team and it is verypleasing to have this work recognised!”In a letter to children, lead Ofsted inspector Linda Bullerwrites: “It was very clear how much you enjoy coming toschool and how keen you are to learn from the way youbehave.“It was a great privilege to be able to see how hard you workand just how much you care for each other.”Parents involved in PPEL training play with theirchildren at North Moor Children’s CentreHelping ourchildren learnParents in Newcastle have been getting togrips with how their children learn. They'vebeen taking part in a year-long project calledParents as Partners in Early Learning (PPEL).Newcastle was one of 41 areas to be involved in theproject. The aim of the project is to help parents tounderstand how they can support their children'slearning. It also looks at why support andencouragement from parents is so important in helpingchildren to do well.The project gave parents with children under five thechance to watch and get involved in their children'slearning in different situations. And to discover how andwhy children behave and learn in the ways they do. Italso gave parents practical tips and advice on whatthey can do to support and encourage their children'slearning.Parents said that as a result of the project they wereenjoying spending more time with their children doingnew activities which they wouldn't have done before.The government funds PPEL. They will use the results ofthe Newcastle project as a national case study to show itssuccess.Jacqueline receives her awardJacqueline honoured withDiana AwardJacqueline Nielson has been presented with the DianaAward for the support she gives to Northbourne StreetYouth Initiative’s junior group.The Diana Award gives public recognition to young peopleaged 12 to 18 who give their time and expertise to make abig difference to the lives of others.Jacqueline helps the junior group with cooking and talks tothem about things that are happening in their lives. They feelthat it is good to have someone like Jacqueline to talk to.Jacqueline, who is 16, hopes to do this type of work in thefuture. She collected her certificate and pin badge from theLord Mayor, Councillor David Wood and the Lady Mayoress,Mrs Margaret Wood.Northbourne Street Youth Initiative is a registered charity thatworks with children and young people aged eight to 25 years oldto support their development through activity and achievement.For more information about the Northbourne StreetYouth Initiative contact Gillian Finn on 0191 272 3384 oremail northbourneyi@hotmail.comCity kids open the books atnew High Heaton LibraryChildren from Cragside and Benton Park primaryschools celebrated the official opening of the new stateof-the-artHigh Heaton Library.The ultra-modern library opened its doors in September2008. It is part of a £40.2m project which includes the newCity Library which will open next year.Sue Harrison from Newcastle Libraries, said “We’ve had anincredible reaction from local people who love their newlibrary and the services it offers.”The library has a massive selection of brand new books,newspapers, magazines, CDs and DVDs. It also offers freepublic access to the internet, a self-issue and return service forbooks and DVDs, and a fully-equipped 30-space communityroom for local groups for meetings, activities and events.Having fun at KeilderFun for all at KielderThe brand new Rowan Lodge is now open at theHawkhirst Centre at Kielder Water.Our Children’s Services and The Scout Association areworking to expand Hawkhirst Scout Activity Centre so thatmore people can make use of the facilities. The new lodgenot only welcomes young people. Adults can also go andenjoy fun, educational adventurous experiences in theoutdoors.To book a place at an open day at Hawkhirst phone GrahamHunt on 0191 211 5308, or email him at:graham.hunt@newcastle.gov.uk. Or you can call the centredirect on 01434 250217 to arrange a date and time suitableto you.To find out more about the benefits of Hawkhirst insupporting learning in your school telephone MarcusTinsley on 0191 274 1684, or email him at:marcus.tinsley@broadwood.newcastle.sch.ukCragside school children at the library opening28 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 29

Judo Joe inspiresaward-winning clubNewburn Judo Club is celebrating one of its mostsuccessful years to date.In 2008 the club recorded a huge medal total of 106 goldmedals, 96 silver medals and 110 bronze medals. Ten ofthese were National Individual Championship Medals.Coach Joe Laws said “2008 has been a fantastic year for theclub. I am immensely proud of the young people that haverepresented the club in this record breaking year.”Joe has been the driving force within the club for ageneration. His aim is to inspire others and he is committedto the belief that every child matters. While Joe is proud ofthe medals and achievements of the club, he feels the club’smost important principle is social acceptance and inclusion.Joe Laws is affectionately known as “Judo Joe” because ofhis commitment to the values of Judo.Girls and boys from 5 years old can join the club based atNewburn Leisure Centre. Newburn Judo Club is a SportEngland Club marked club. It is also a British JudoAssociation centre of excellence.For more information, go to www.newburnjudo.co.uk,phone 0191 264 0014, or emailnewburnjudo@hotmail.co.ukLaying down the ground rules – Judo Joe watches hisaward-winning studentsCure for coldsis you!A new campaign is persuading people living inNewcastle that ‘the number one cure for coldsand flu is you’ as antibiotics don’t work onviruses such as colds and flu.The campaign, which features on TV, regional radio, postersand leaflets in GP practices and health centres across the NorthEast, warns of the hidden dangers of the overuse of antibiotics.The TV commercial uses Bob Dylan’s ‘SubterraneanHomesick Blues’ with the message: ‘Forget antibiotics – thenumber one cure for colds and flu is you’.Rosie England, head of medicines management forNewcastle Primary Care Trust said: “In the case of colds andflu – the best cure really is you – by resting, drinking plentyof fluids, taking your usual painkillers for sore throats; andinhaling the steam of hot, not boiling water, if you have ablocked nose or a chesty cough.”Your local community pharmacist can advise you about whatyou should have in your medicine cupboard to help relievecolds and flu.New Year quitters’ supportPeople living in Newcastle with a New Year’sresolution to stop smoking can access a range offree services and support in the city.Going smoke free is the single biggest thing you can do toimprove your health.You are more than three times more likely to successfullystop smoking using an NHS Stop Smoking Service thangoing it alone. The services offer the most tried and testedway to help people give up cigarettes. This includes using aproduct to help you with withdrawal symptoms such asnicotine replacement therapy or Champix, plus lots ofsupport on a weekly basis.There are four community based drop-in stop smokingservice clinics in the city where there is no need to make anappointment - just drop in and see a trained stop smokingadvisor.The sessions are at:• Montagu Full Service School, Moorview Crescent,Cowgate every Monday from 5.30pm to 7.30pm• NHS Molineux Centre, Molineux St (off Shields Rd), Bykerevery Tuesday from 5.30pm to 7.30pm• St Martin’s Centre, Roman Avenue, Walker everyWednesday from 9.30am to 11.30am• Outer West Pool, West Denton Way, every Wednesdayfrom 4.30pm to 6pmFor further information about the sessions or to accessyour local stop smoking services telephone 0191 219 5111.Stop the spread of germs‘Catch it, bin it, kill it’ is the message being sent topeople living in Newcastle in a campaign aimed atpreventing the spread of germs particularly duringthe winter season.‘Catch it, bin it, kill it’ urges people to carry tissues to catchgerms when they cough or sneeze; to dispose of the tissueas soon as possible as germs can live on them for hours;and to clean hands as they can transfer germs to everysurface they touch.The campaign has featured interviews with actress andmother Donna Air as well as: radio commercials; posters;and advertisements in women’s magazines, on bus panels,Asda trolley panels; online and ATMs.We want to reach mothers of the under 11s in particular asthey are seen as influencers within the family. A new nurseryrhyme and Dirty Bertie storybook leaflet for young childrenalso carries 'Catch it, bin it, kill it' message.For more information, visit www.dh.gov.uk/catchit whereyou will also find a brand new nursery rhyme aboutcoughs and sneezes, available to download.30 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 This page is paid for by Newcastle Primary Care Trust www.newcastle-pct.nhs.uk 31

✃See the signand ‘Eat Well’Many people in the deaf community will notrecognise the term “obesity”. To help unwrapthe meaning, Deaflink and the Community FoodInitiative have launched a healthy eating DVD.Deaflink believe that this work is the first of its kind; there areno other healthy eating and exercise research and resourcesspecifically aimed at deaf people.Verity Joyce, an independent researcher, worked with thedeaf community to address their needs. She looked at whatthey wanted to improve in terms of recognising knowledgeand skills in relation to food.The research highlighted that inequalities experienced byhearing people and deaf people was due to reduced accessto information in both verbal and written communication. Oneof the findings was that deaf people were more likely tosuffer from diet related illnesses and diseases than hearingpeople.They developed the DVD for the whole deaf community. TheDVD presents messages in British Sign Language (BSL)Don’t get bitten by thecredit crunch!Did you know that millions of pounds of benefits gounclaimed every year?That means that you could be one of the people not claimingthe money you’re entitled to.Perhaps you’re a pensioner, receiving other welfare benefitsor on a low income? If so, you could be entitled to housingand council tax benefits.And finding out about it couldn’t be simpler…Pop into a customer service centre and fill in an applicationform where you’ll be asked to give evidence of your income,rent and identity.If you’re disabled or housebound - don’t worry, we can evenarrange an appointment to visit you.Why not contact one of our dedicated and helpful advisorson 0845 111 4101 and they can calculate your entitlement.So if you have less than £16,000 in savings why not see ifyou can make a claim – you have nothing to lose but couldhave cash to gain!If you think that you, a relative or someone you know may beentitled to make a claim let us know and we will help themmake a claim.Just remember that you may be entitled to some of themillions of pounds left unclaimed each year.from the Food Standards Agency ‘Eatwell Plate’.There are specific sections according to lifecycle stages suchas pregnancy, children, adults and older people. A trainingmanual is available to assist health trainers and other healthworkers to use the resources as educational tools.For more information, please contact Rhona Stanbury,Newcastle Deaflink on 0191 211 3594 or emailnewcastledeaflink@btconnect.com or Nicola Cowell,Community Food Initiative on 0191 211 3585nicola.cfi@healthycity.org.ukFree ticketsat NewcastletheatresThree of Newcastle’s principal theatres; LiveTheatre, Northern Stage and the TheatreRoyal, have been offered funding to providefree theatre tickets to young people. This ispart of the national Free Theatre Initiative.Over the next two years Newcastle’s Free TheatreInitiative will give 4,000 theatre tickets to under 26year olds, across all three theatres. The initiative triesto reach new audiences and develop a newgeneration of theatregoers.The theatres have joined forces to offer targetedgroups the opportunity to enjoy performances at eachtheatre for free. The tickets will be available to thosewho, for a variety of reasons, rarely visit the theatre.Look out for more information on the theatre websitesfrom February.Income Support changes for single parentsWhen your youngest child is 12 you’ll be expected to look for work.I am a single parent claiming Income Support. I hear thatthere are changes that may affect me – what are they?Until recently single parents have been able to claim IncomeSupport if they have a child under 16. If you become asingle parent after 24 November 2008 you may have to signon as available for work instead of getting Income Supportwhen your youngest child reaches 12 - unless you havesome other reason for getting Income Support. The changewill be phased in for existing single parents.When will my Income Support stop?If you already get Income Support and your youngest child isbetween 12 and 15 you won’t lose it straight away. It willstop some time between now and July. Jobcentre Plus willwrite to you about six weeks before it is due to stop and askyou to go to an interview to explain the changes to you.If you have just become a single parent you cannot make a newclaim for Income Support when your youngest child reaches:• 12, from 24 November 2008• 10, from October 2009• 7, from October 2010For single parents already on Income Support on thosedates the change is being phased in.What can I claim instead?Most single parents will be expected to claim Jobseeker’sAllowance. This means you will need to be available for andactively looking for work. But these rules may be relaxed tosome extent if for example you have problems with childcare orOur council helps smallbusiness flourishEntrepreneur Lee Heads set up her businesswith support from our council. She sells herwares regularly at Newcastle Quayside Marketand other local markets and craft fairs.When Lee wanted the best treatment for her son Archie’seczema she gave up on creams from the doctor – they eitherdidn’t work or they made the eczema worse. So Lee decidedto make her own.She took a course in natural skincare and came up with arecipe to tackle eczema. As it did the trick for Archie, Leedecided to set up in business and came to the council forhelp. With our support, Bria Organics was born.Jim Thompson from our Business Support Unit said: “Whensomeone has a good idea for a business, we’ll do everythingwe can to help that business get off the ground. Lee is justone of many fledgling businesses that we give help andadvice to to get them up and running.”a domestic emergency. If you were gettingIncome Support for your children you willbe able to claim Child Tax Credit instead.Can I stay on Income Support?You may still get Income Support if you can qualify under adifferent rule. For example, you have a disabled child, oryou are a carer or a foster parent. If you have healthproblems you may stay on Income Support or you may haveto claim Employment and Support Allowance instead.Where can I get more information?The new rules are complicated and it is a good idea to getindependent advice if they affect you. Send in the couponbelow and we’ll send you a list of places you can get adviceand help.“Do you Benefit?” is written by the council’s WelfareRights Service. www.newcastle.gov.uk/welfarerightsPlease send me information about benefits advice inNewcastle.Name …………….……………………………………………Address …………….…………………………………………........................................................................................................................................ Postcode ……………………Send to Freepost Citylife. Please put all yourcoupons in one envelope.Along with the eczema balm, Bria Organics also has a babyrange, aromatherapy body butters and bath oils.Find out more about Bria Organics atwww.briaorganics.co.ukTo contact Jim Thompson either telephone0191 211 5684 or email jim.thompson@newcastle.gov.ukLee at the Quayside market32 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 33

Council diary27 January 2009 to 30 April 2009All the meetings listed below are open to the public.Times were correct at time of going to press. Toconfirm the meeting time and venue please phone thecontact officer.27 March 2009 at 8.30amAudit CommitteePhone Jo Miller on 0191 211 51194 February 2009 at 6pm4 March 2009 at 6pm1 April 2009 at 6pmCity CouncilPhone Linda Couch on 0191 211 512128 January 2009 at 11.30am29 April 2009 at 11.30amConservation Advisory CommitteePhone Linda Couch on 0191 211 51213 March 2009 at 4pmConstitutional CommitteePhone Bernard Dale on 0191 211 512126 March 2009 at 5pmCorporate Parent Advisory CommitteePhone Victoria Demchenko on 0191 211 51186 February 2009 at 9.30am27 February 2009 at 9.30am20 March 2009 at 9.30am9 April 2009, 9.30amDevelopment Control CommitteePhone David Long on 0191 211 512928 January 2009 at 4pm23 February 2009 at 4pm11 March 2009 at 4pm22 April 2009 at 4pmExecutivePhone Bernard Dale on 0191 211 5121To be confirmedNeighbourhood CommitteePhone Elaine Campbell on 0191 211 51839 March 2009 at 9.30amNewcastle Great Park Advisory CommitteePhone Susan Armstrong on 0191 211 512226 March 2009 at 3pmPlanning and Transport Strategy CommitteePhone Judith Curran on 0191 211 511919 March 2009 at 4.30pmProcurement CommitteePhone Ian Stearman on 0191 211 516623 February 2009, 10amShared Housing Working GroupPhone Steve Laws on 0191 211 511820 February 2009 at 4pm17 April 2009 at 4pmStandards CommitteePhone Elaine Campbell on 0191 211 5183Scrutiny panelsTo be confirmedOverview and Scrutiny BoardPhone Elaine Campbell on 0191 211 518319 February 2009 at 4pm (to be confirmed)18 March 2009 at 4pm (to be confirmed)15 April 2009 at 4pm (to be confirmed)Policy Performance and Budget Overview andScrutiny PanelPhone Elaine Campbell on 0191 211 518318 February 2009 at 4pm18 March 2009 at 4pm21 April 2009 at 4pmStrengthening the Economy Overview andScrutiny PanelPhone Rob Smithson on 0191 211 518428 January 2009 at 2pm25 February 2009 at 2pmHealth and Wellbeing Overview Scrutiny PanelPhone Rob Smithson on 0191 211 518427 January 2009 at 5.30pm24 February 2009 at 5.30pm24 March 2009 at 5.30pm28 April 2009 at 5.30pmManaging Environmental Impact Overview andScrutiny PanelPhone Terry White on 0191 211 5119Dates to be agreedQuality Places to Live Overview and Scrutiny PanelPhone Steve Laws on 0191 211 5118To be confirmedCommunities Overview and Scrutiny PanelPhone Steve Laws on 0191 211 511816 February 2009 (time to be confirmed)16 March 2009 (time to be confirmed)20 April 2009 (time to be confirmed)Children and Young People Overview andScrutiny PanelPhone Victoria Demchenko on 0191 211 5118Ward committeesIf no venue given, please ring phone number listed.24 February 2009, 6.30pm, St John’s Primary School,Teindland Close24 March 2009, 6.30pm, St Cuthbert’s RC High School,Gretna RoadBenwell and Scotswood Ward CommitteePhone Amy Redpath on 0191 211 626426 February 2009 at 7pm26 March 2009 at 7pmBlakelaw Ward CommitteePhone Helen Warneford on 0191 211 628629 January 2009 at 6.30pm17 March 2009 at 6.30pmByker Ward CommitteePhone Caroline Collinson on 0191 278 312919 March 2009 at 6.30pm in Brunswick VillageCastle Ward CommitteePhone Sue Wannop on 0191 211 6263March meeting to be arranged.Dene Ward CommitteePhone Amanda Quinn on 0191 278 319619 March 2009 at 6pm, The Hall, West DentonAssociation, Hillhead RoadDenton Ward CommitteePhone Dorothy Procter on 0191 211 62649 March 2009 at 6.30pm, St Nicholas Church Hall Annexe,Wardle Street, Off Station Road, South GosforthEast Gosforth Ward CommitteePhone Ann Gilks on 0191 211 62969 March 2009 at 6.30pm, Colby Court Fire StationElswick Ward CommitteePhone Susan Johnson on 0191 278 313627 January 2009 at 6.30pm24 March 2009 at 2pmFawdon Ward CommitteePhone Rob Gillie on 0191 211 626526 March 2009 at 7pmFenham Ward CommitteePhone Amy Redpath on 0191 211 626418 March 2009 at 2pmKenton Ward CommitteePhone Amy Redpath 0191 211 626426 March 2009 at 6pmLemington Ward CommitteePhone Andy Eastwood on 0191 211 627217 March 2009 at 6pmNewburn Ward CommitteePhone Andy Eastwood on 0191 211 62723 March 2009 at 7pmNorth Heaton Ward CommitteePhone Amanda Quinn on 0191 278 31963 March 2009 at 6.30pmNorth Jesmond Ward CommitteePhone Paul McKinnell on 0191 278 318328 January 2009 at 6.30pm28 February 2009 at 6.30pm26 March 2009 at 6.30pmOuseburn Ward CommitteePhone Cass Winlow on 0191 278 3401 orElizabeth Grace on 0191 278 3193To be confirmedParklands Ward CommitteePhone Amy Stillwell on 0191 211 628911 March 2009 at 7pmSouth Heaton Ward CommitteePhone Caroline Collinson on 0191 278 312910 March 2009 at 6.30pmSouth Jesmond Ward CommitteePhone Paul McKinnell on 0191 278 3183To be confirmedWalker Ward CommitteePhone Debra Lagun on 0191 278 318010 March 2009 at 6.30pm (venue to be confirmed)Walkergate Ward CommitteePhone Debra Lagun on 0191 278 318012 March 2009 at 6.30pmWesterhope Ward CommitteePhone Dorothy Procter on 0191 211 626426 January 2009 at 6.30pm23 March 2009 at 6.30pmWestgate Ward CommitteePhone Elizabeth Grace on 0191 278 3193 orCass Winlow on 0191 278 340118 March 2009 at 6.30pmWest Gosforth Ward CommitteePhone Ann Gilks on 0191 211 629617 February 2009 at 7.15pm17 March 2009 at 7.15pm21 April 2009 at 7.15pmWingrove Ward CommitteePhone Susan Johnson on 0191 278 313610 March 2009 at 6.15pm, Galafield Play and YouthCentre, Newbiggin LaneWoolsington Ward CommitteePhone Helen Warneford on 0191 277 793834 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009 Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 35

✃Is Citylife partof your life?In the coming months we’ll betalking to Newcastle residentsto find out what you thinkabout Citylife and how we canimprove it.We would like to talk to groupsaround the city. If your groupwould like to take part, pleasecontact us on 0191 211 5073, or emailcitylife@newcastle.gov.ukCompetition winnersCandlelit Christmas tickets C Home, NE3; E Weldon, NE2;Mr B M Leckey, NE5; Miss E R Watton, NE6;Mrs M Robson, NE5; Ms J Stableford, NE4; Mrs H Graham,NE5; C Rice, SR5Walking with Witches book J Hall-Murray, NE4;Mrs DM Darling, NE5; Mrs M McAdam, NE3;L Hall-Murray, NE3; Mrs JM Donathy, NE4.Nutcracker family tickets Mrs J Gaffney, NE5;Miss L Moakes, NE2; R Smith, NE5; Miss D Protheroe, NE3;Mrs C Rogers, NE4; S Chapman, NE4; E Hankin, NE5;Miss M R Green, NE5; C Burkin, NE15; Mrs A Wilkinson, NE5Cinderella family tickets Mrs L Chambers, NE3;L and K Liddell, NE15; Mrs R Frain, NE15; C Driver, NE7 7;Mrs R Cullen, NE5.High School Musical family tickets M Atkinson, NE7;Mrs J Wilkinson, NE6; Mr C Hampton, NE6; Mrs E Irwin, NE3;F Davidge, NE5; D Jenkinson, NE6; B Webb, NE3;L Fulcher, NE15; D Scrivens, NE5; M Taylor, NE3.Lorraine Crosby tickets C Hope, NE15Milkshake family tickets L Fulton, NE3; Mrs M E Carr, NE15.Let Lavishdrop a bighint for youLavish is a luxury gift voucher that takes the guessworkout of buying gifts.With a voucher you can get any beauty treatment at any ofthe 200 partner salons and spas around the UK. Evenbetter, if you visit the Lavish website and choose the ‘Drop abig hint’ button, you can leave the rest to them. They will fireoff a tactful little email to suggest that Lavish might put yourpartner ahead of the game!Vouchers are available at www.lavish.co.uk and are sold indenominations of £25, £50, £100, £250 and £500.Trinity Centre’s amazingjourneyChrisLincolnat theTrinityCentreAs the redeveloped Trinity Centre in Gosforth celebratesits first anniversary this spring, one man is celebratinghis own life-changing milestone.This time last year, Chris Lincoln was settling into retirementwhen he was asked to become the new centre manager atTrinity. Now during a typical busy week he oversees thesmooth running of the new building, working hard to meetthe needs of the 2000 members of the Gosforth communitythat use the centre, cafe and church each week.“The past year has been an amazing journey ofdevelopment, both for Trinity and me. From first attendingthe church last February to managing the centre on a dailybasis, it’s a huge privilege to help Trinity become so full ofactivity whilst doing a job I love”, commented Chris.Trinity Centre was developed to help regenerate GosforthHigh Street and provide a focal point for the local community.“The centre has received tremendous support within the area,”continued Chris. “We currently host around 100 activities aweek from church groups and children’s activities to privateparties and meetings with even more visitors to the cafe. Itlooks like my retirement will be put on hold for some time!”CompetitionWe have a £100 Lavish voucher togive to three lucky Citylife readers.Just tell us, which saint is associated with lovers?Nicholas Kenelm ValentineName ...............................................................................Address ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Postcode ..............................Telephone .........................................................................Please send your entries to Freepost Citylife by Friday20 February 2009. Please include all competitionentries and coupons in the same envelope.What’s onLet us knowPost Freepost CitylifeFax 0191 211 4888Email charlotte.sly@newcastle.gov.ukDeadline for the April/May edition is Friday 23March 2009.ExhibitionsCentre for LifeTimes Square0191 243 8210www.life.org.ukSat 14 to Sun 22 FebruaryWild LifeTake a walk on the wild side of life this half-term as weuncover some amazing facts about animals. Meet ‘Darwinand the dodo’ and get a close up look at some live cuddlycreatures as we celebrate Charles Darwin’s birthday and histheory of evolution.Adult £7.65 (£6.55), Child £5.55, Family Ticket (2+2 or 1+3):£23.10Newcastle ScienceFest ‘09Fri 6 to Sun 15 MarchTwo big weekends of non-stop activities will entertain thewhole family with mind-boggling experiments, hands-onworkshops and multi-sensory shows. Hosted by the Centrefor Life and other venues across the city. Catering forcurious minds of all ages, the festival will also include specialevents for adults with stimulating lectures, science fiction andeven a specially brewed festival beer to celebrate Darwin’s200th birthday!For more information go to www.life.org.uk or phone0191 243 8210.Laing Art GalleryNew Bridge Street0191 232 7734 (Textphone 18001 0191 232 7734)www.twmuseums.org.uk/laingMon to Sat 10am – 5pm, Sun 2-5pmUntil Sun 12 AprilSurface RealityHexham-born Turner Prize nominee, Glenn Brown, andpainters Gary Hume and Katy Moran are amongst the artistswhose work will be on display.Every Saturday at 11amPicture of the Month – Free talks at the LaingThe Friends of the Laing hold free talks on a differentpainting on show at the Laing every month. No bookingrequired, meet in the Laing’s marble hall to take part. Free.University GalleryNorthumbria University0191 227 4424www.northumbria.ac.uk/universitygallery/Mon to Thurs 10am – 5pm, Fri and Sat 10am – 4pmClosed SundaysUntil Fri 20 FebruaryThe Newcastle Group 1984 – 2009The formation of the Newcastle Group in 1984 broughttogether a diverse group of talented, practising painters andsculptors who were at that time living and working in thenorth of England. Their primary concern was the promotionof fine arts, the foundation and yardstick of the visual arts.From Sat 28 FebruaryDisposable People: Contemporary Global SlaveryIn the ‘heroic’ era of photojournalism – roughly from theSpanish Civil War until the late 1960s – it seems that asingle image could define the greatest human dramas andcatastrophes. Today, digital manipulation has underminedphotography’s claim to veracity; video is available oneveryone’s mobile; and artists and amateurs have taken overthe territory of intimate revelation.Free.Waygood Art BoutiqueHigh Bridge0191 265 6857boutique@waygood.orgwww.waygood.org/Wed to Sat 12-5pmUntil Sat 21 FebruarySculpture by Andrew Burton, drawings by Joel Fisherand paintings by Becky WoodhouseFrom Wed 25 FebruaryDigital work by Paul Grimmer, installation by SarahWales and photography by Katy Merrington.Daily from 10am to 10pmHigh Bridge ScreensFollow the redevelopment of Waygood’s High Bridge sitethrough a changing display of documentary photographs byKaty Merrington, Debbie Bower and Sarah Bayliss.Free.Other eventsChanging the Wheel – Bert Brecht and MeWritten and performed by Peter Thomson, with the poetry ofBertolt Brecht.This fascinating one man show is mostly about BertoltBrecht, the first great socialist playwright of the 20th Century.Join Peter on a multi-media journey through the life of aliterary giant. The shows will be performed at The Star andShadow Cinema on Wednesday 11 February and NewcastleArts Centre on Thursday 12 February at 8pm.For more information go to www.changingthewheel.co.uk36 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Citylife: January to March 2009 Use the internet free at all Newcastle libraries 37

✃The Star and Shadow CinemaStepney Bank 0191 261 0066Sun 1 February at 3pmSwimming Against the TideA Eureka film production by Tom Fawdon. How is it possiblethat Cuba has achieved so much with so few resources?How can one of the world's poorest nations offer to help theworld’s richest nation, the US, to cope with hurricaneKatrina? The film will be followed by a speaker from theCuban Solidarity Movement. The screening has beenorganised by Medact. For more information email theMedact Tyneside Coordinator Liz Waterston ona.j.r.waterston@ncl.ac.uk.MusicAssembly RoomsFenkle StreetSun 15 February at 3pmThe Ingenious Mr Avison: Birthday Tea Concert - 300thAnniversary ConcertInternational soloist and countertenor James Bowmanappearing with The Avison Ensemble, led by PavloBeznosiuk presents an evening of 18th century music withworks by Handel, Purcell, John Garth and Charles Avison.The concert also sees the launch of Tyne Bridge Publishing’snew biography of Charles Avison “The Ingenious Mr Avison -or Two Ladies for Half a Guinea”.£15 (£18 including tea) from JG Windows Ltd 0191 232 1356or by emailing: info@jgwindows.comJournal Tyne TheatreWestgate Road0844 493 9999www.tynetheatre.co.ukSun 8 February at 7.30pmAn Evening with Andy Abraham £22.50Metro Radio Arena0844 493 6666www.metroradioarena.co.ukThurs 26 February at 7.30pmThe X Factor Live £28.50Sat 28 February at 7.30pmKaiser Chiefs £25.45Tues 10 March at 7.30pmSnow Patrol £29.36Shipley Art GalleryPrince Consort Road0191 477 1495Sun 8 February at 2pmBlow the Wind SoutherlyConcert Royal recreating the sound world of a bygone eraincluding familiar songs (Bobby Shaftoe, The Keel Row andWater of Tyne). Refreshments and raffle.£10 (£8 Members, OAP and Cons.)TheatreThe Journal Tyne Theatre, Westgate Road,0844 493 9999, www.tynetheatre.co.ukTues 10 and Wed 11 February at 7.30pmBrainiac Live!Strap on your safety goggles, boys and girls: Science'sgreatest and most volatile show is arriving here with avengeance. £18.50 (£16.50) £60 familyMon 16 to Sat 21 February(contact the venue or website for times)Thriller LiveCelebrating the incredible life and career of Michael Jackson£17.50Tues 24 and Wed 25 February at 8pmDylan Moran – ‘What it is’ spring tour £19 (£17)People’s TheatreStephenson Road, 0191 265 5020, ptag.org.ukTues 10 to Sat 14 March at 7.30pmBedroom Farce by Alan AyckbournTues 31 March – Sat 4 April at 7.30pm1984 by George Orwell(Adapted by Robert Owens and Wilton Hall)£9.50 (£7.50)Theatre Royal0844 811 2121, www.theatreroyal.co.ukClassic drama, show stopping musicals and amazing standalone performances come to the Theatre Royal includingBlood Brothers, West Side Story, Loot and An InspectorCalls. Other acts include Elaine Paige, An Evening withPam Ayres plus the return of Opera North.What’s on competitionCitylife are giving two comedy fans the chance to seethe closing night of this year’s Newcastle GatesheadComedy Festival at the City Hall on Sunday, 8 March.To win one of the two pairs of tickets just tell us:Who is the director of the Newcastle GatesheadComedy Festival?Warren SpeedWarren BeattyWarren BartonName ………………................………………………………Address ................……………………………………………...................................................................................................................................... Postcode ...............................Phone ................……………………………………………...Send to Freepost Citylife by 20 February 2009.Don’t forget to put all your coupons in one envelope.38 www.newcastle.gov.ukCitylife: January to March 2009Make ‘emlaugh!Now that the New Year’s Eve champagne has gone flatand Christmas is a distant memory why not shake offyour winter blues and exercise your funny bone with theNewcastle Gateshead Comedy Festival. Taking invenues on both sides of the Tyne, the festival runs fromMonday 2 to Sunday 8 March.Here are a few of the star names who will put a spring in yourstep during these cold winter nights.The festival kicks off at the Sage Gateshead with ‘ComedyExcentrique’ on Monday 2 March at 7.30pm. With comediansRob Deering (top left), Barry Dodds, Rhodri Rhys and AnvilSpringstien, plus aerial circus performer Haylee-Mai, the CanCandance troupe, the Cathouse Belles and slapstick burlesque TVstar Warren Speed! £13.50 (£11.50). 0191 443 4661.As You Like It plays host to the ‘Ivan Brackenbury HospitalRadio Roadshow’ (top right) on Tuesday 3 March at 8pm. Thenight also features Micky Flanagan - "What Chance Change?"at 9.30pm. £6 per show (£10 both). 0191 281 2277.Nancy’s Bordello on Argyll Street will have the pleasure of LiamMullone and Quincy performing on Wednesday 4 March. Liam starts his show at 8pmwith the ‘Quincy – Single Mum’ show (above right) taking to the stage at 9.30pm. £6 pershow (£10 both). 0191 260 2929.‘Rhod Gilbert and the Award Winning Mince Pie’ (right) comes to the Sage Gateshead onThursday 5 March at 8pm. ‘Justin Moorhouse's ‘Ever Decreasing Social Circle’ follows at9.30pm. £15. 0191 443 4661.Sarah Millican, (above left) the recent winner of the If Comedy Award for Best Newcomerwill get you rolling in the aisle at the Sage Gateshead on Friday 6 March at 8pm. The bill alsoincludes the award winning Andrew Lawrence andcompere Warren Speed (from Britain’s Got Talent).£13.50 (£11.50). 0191 443 4661. See the What’s Onpage for the chance to win tickets to the festivalNewcastle City Hall is the venue for "NorthernGlory" - The Festival's Closing Show on Sunday8 March at 7.30pm. Five topcomedians all born and bred in theNorth East will perform includingRadio Newcastle's Alfie Joey, JohnFothergill, Mike Milligan, Seymour Mace andChristian Steel. £14 (£11). 0191 261 2606.If you want more information about the festival and the other actsperforming go to www.newcastlegatesheadcomedyfestival.com