The information provided in this edition is correct at time of press. Newport Community Connectors Winter 2020 newsletter Community Connectors – working through the pandemic Since lockdown began at the end of March, Newport’s Support to carers Community Connectors have supported over 1,000 people The community connectors are continuing to provide support with information and advice on how to access services. With unpaid carers. At the start of the pandemic 540 carer packs the help of volunteers from partner agencies such as POBL containing useful information were distributed. and Volunteering Matters, the connectors helped people gain access to shopping and essential items, such as prescriptions Carers Week was celebrated a bit differently this year. Unable and electric or gas token collection. to hold planned events due to social distancing rules, the council led a week-long information sharing campaign via They also provided information on the community hubs, run by email and social media. It aimed to equip carers with useful Newport City Council, which provided food banks and Welsh knowledge to help them in their caring role. Government food parcels for those who were shielding. Feedback from Carers Week The team gathered information on the needs of people and “Well done with all your efforts for Carers Week last week. I think the challenges they faced during this period and advised partner it was a really positive week. Thank you for all the info, links and agencies for further support to be given. resources in the daily emails too”. “That was very helpful and I have joined the Cuppa Class Today. Connectors continue to be in touch with those who attended Was very nice and helpful for me.” community groups such as the Chatty Café and offered regular wellbeing calls. They also provided information on telephone Contacting the connectors befriending services for those who felt socially isolated during Email: [email protected] lockdown. In addition, the connectors continue to support Phone: 01633 656656 Monday- Friday 9am-5pm our minority ethnic communities with translated resources and Web: www.newport.gov.uk/communityconnectors guided support. and complete an information request form. www.newport.gov.uk/communityconnectors Roundup on local groups, projects and organisations in Newport Citizens Advice Libraries The Citizens Advice Bureau is available and able to provide Some Newport libraries have reopened their doors and are support on a number of issues including: open for booked visits only. Visits must be pre-booked and will be for 15 minutes with a • Benefits, employment, debt and family matters maximum of two people per booking. (tel: 0300 3302 117) • EU settlement enquiries (tel: 0300 3309 059) Central Library: open Tuesday - Friday, 10am-12.30pm • Claiming Universal Credit (tel: 08000 241 220) and 1pm-4pm. Malpas Library: open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and For more information visit www.cab.org.uk/wales Friday, 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm Ringland Library: open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm Winter fuel payments Rogerstone Library: open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm This is a payment made to people over pension credit age to help with fuel costs. Most payments are made automatically The other libraries remain closed and it is hoped that they between November and December and the payment will be will be able to reopen them shortly. made by 13 January 2021. For further information visit www.newport.gov.uk/ If you don’t receive the payment, but think you are eligible, libraries or call 01633 656656. the deadline for claiming payments for winter 2020 to 2021 is 31 March 2021. For more information visit www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment or call 0800 731 0160. The Chatty Café The Chatty Café is a social group where people can meet to chat, have a drink and maybe a meal, and make new friends. Newport Community Connectors will also be available to offer advice and information. It is hoped that the Chatty Café will resume soon – when it is safe to do so. For more information email [email protected] Activate Your Life or phone 01633 656656. Feeling worried or anxious can have a big impact on your health and for some people life can be particularly difficult. Activate your life is a free online course designed to help people improve their mental health and wellbeing. There are four videos, each lasting around 40 minutes, which are available on the Public Health Wales website - https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/activate- your-life Dewis Cymru Dewis Cymru provides information on well-being services in your area. The site has information about people and services that can help with the things that matter the most to you. For more information visit www.dewis.wales 2 www.newport.gov.uk/communityconnectors Befriending services Newport Family Information Service Newport’s Family Information Service provides quality Gwasanaeth Gwybodaeth i Deuluoedd Casnewydd information and Family Information Service advice on childcare, Newport activities for children or parenting support. For more information visit www.newport.gov.uk/FIS, phone 0800 328 84 83 or email family.informationservice@ newport.gov.uk • being safe and secure online Think Digital project and preventing fraud • exploring hobbies and The Think Digital project is for people aged over 50 who live interests - e.g. music, art, in Gwent. It works with people via the telephone to help craft, nostalgic videos etc. them gain digital skills such as: For further details or to • getting online and using the internet register your interest, • setting up email and social media accounts please contact • learning how to connect digitally with family and friends by Nia Thomas on email or video call 07747 027623 or • setting up online shopping accounts and help on how to use Chloe Robinson on them 07783 710481 or email • setting up online banking digital@agecymrugwent. • how to pay rent online and linking in with local services org. Bigger Picture Hub The Bigger Picture is an organisation led by volunteers based at the community hub in Francis Drive, Pillgwenlly. It was set up by sisters Carys and Rachel Jones and delivers community projects for families such as music, youth provisions, cooking lessons. It also has a food bank and baby café. As a response to COVID 19 the Bigger Picture has been delivering food items to Newport families who have been struggling during lockdown, including BAME and refugee communities. The food parcel scheme has attracted a number of partners including the BAME Community Connectors team at Newport City Council who which refer struggling families to access the project. Other partners include Newport County AFC and Dragon Taxis who have supported with the distribution of food parcels and providing transport. Organisations supporting the initiative include Aldi supermarket, Newport City Homes, Newport Round Table and Kings Church. The project carries out two deliveries a week and reaches 80 families per month. 3 Feed Newport CIC Feed Newport CIC offers a range of goods and services to families and individuals in receipt of benefits. Located at 192 Commercial Road, Newport, NP20 2PP, they run a number of community initiatives including: • Food bank - to help tackle food poverty in the community, redirecting surplus food to those who are in need through referral scheme. • Community hubs - supporting people who are homeless, refugees, older people, people fleeing domestic violence and those at risk through living in poverty. • Soup kitchens - offer a great place to grab a decent meal, have a chat and see a friendly face in a clean and safe environment. • Community shop- open every Thursday 10am to 2pm. Providing essential aid and support if needed or to simply collect a basic food parcel. For more information call 01633 549796 or e-mail [email protected] FAN – Friends and Family FAN (friends and family) groups provide an hour of stimulating conversation and mutual support. During lockdown they brought structure to the weeks and months which seemed very long for some and helped people feel less isolated. Groups were well attended by local people and those from around the world who are now in the UK including friends from Eritrea, Iran, Turkey, Sudan and Saudi Arabia – all locked down in South Wales. Members of the group all value the opportunity to connect with others, to share experiences, ideas and support. For those learning English FAN is a wonderful place to practise informal English skills. The oldest participant is 95 and the youngest is 20. Virtual FAN groups have enabled their members to connect with people who once attended and who have returned to other countries. Recent groups have included friends speaking from Japan, Brazil, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Germany, France and Spain. Meetings are held on Mondays at 11am and 2pm and Tuesdays 2pm. For further information and to join a FAN meeting visit www.thefancharity.org/fan-groups/virtual-fan-meetings/ Joining instructions for each group can also be found here. Pride in Pill During lockdown Paul Murphy and his volunteers from Pride in Pill continued to distribute food supplies and water bottles to the homeless and elderly people in Newport city centre and Pillgwenlly. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for Pride in Pill, please contact Paul Murphy on 07775 449683. 4 www.newport.gov.uk/communityconnectors Newport Yemeni Community Association (NYCA) The Newport Yemeni Community Association NYCA also completed a 24 kilometre walk (NYCA) delivered food packages to the community representing the 24million people suffering in because they wanted to make a difference to people Yemen from the biggest humanitarian crisis in the in the community who were socially isolated. world. They worked in conjunction with Newport Uskmouth Rotary Club to help build and raise They delivered on average 45 food packages a week awareness for the current crisis happening in for a 12 week period, to people of all communities Yemen and were overwhelmed by the turnout.