Together TV celebrates...
Together TV will be celebrating it's fourth anniversary in January 2022. This year we wanted to use the opportunity to celebrate the charities and mutual aid groups we've worked with and admire.
We'll be updating this page regularly so keep an eye out on social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) to celebrate the amazing work of these community groups.
Celebrating...
Lancaster West Neighbourhood
Who? The team provides neighbourhood services, including the opportunity for residents to access green space, and plays a pivotal role in the community recovery from the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
How? Gardening volunteers work together to transform and maintain the communal garden space of Lancaster West Estate as well as green pockets around residents’ homes. To date, 79 garden volunteers have worked a total of 1195 hours reviving green spaces. Not only have the volunteers kept active, learnt new skills, and improved their own mental health, but the creation of garden spaces has improved the mental health of residents, especially since most homes do not have access to their own green space. The team holds further volunteering initiatives, including litter picking, and the Lancaster West Community Fridge Support.
- Website: https://www.wearew11.org/en
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lancasterwestneighbourhoodteam/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lancaster-West-Neighbourhood-Team-112748430294190/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LancWestEstate?s=20
BASED-UK
Who? In collaboration with oversea development agencies the Baha'i Agency for Social and Economic Development, known as BASED-UK, is an international development NGO that assists in building the capacity in local populations to take charge of their own social and economic development. They are currently working in Honduras, Eswatini, and Mongolia.
How? Funds from BASED-UK support preschools operating across Eswatini, a small country located in Southern Africa. The funds support the project coordinator, cover the costs of training new and existing teachers, and assist with the cost of visiting and supporting the teachers in their work. The preschools teach children aged 3-6, and prior to the pandemic there were 27 preschools serving almost 500 children. As trusted members of their local communities, the teachers played an important role in sharing basic public health information and prepared worksheets for their students to collect and complete at home while schools were closed.
- Website: https://www.baseduk.org/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/baseduk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baseduk_development/
NEECCo
Who? The North East England Climate Coalition (NEECCo) works as a cross-sector coalition to address the climate crisis, reverse biodiversity loss, and ensure a just transition to a future green economy.
How? NEECCo’s aim is to bring everyone in the North East region together to make it ‘England’s Greenest Region.’ They catalyse climate and environmental initiatives at a regional level to bring the community together to build a shared sustainable future. Their Land Use Planning Group, established in October 2020, looks at data gaps in terms of land use, carbon emission, and sequestration to build a better picture of how the North East can be more green. Understanding where the region is currently helps this group see the potential changes that could be instituted to reduce carbon emissions through land use change.
- Website: https://neecco.org.uk/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/NEE_CCo?s=20
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nee_cco/?hl=en
Chichester Memorial Hall
Who? Sandgate’s local community hall that supports local initiatives, businesses and clubs.
How? Chichester Memorial Hall’s motto is “Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.” They try to offer a space to locals that they can be proud of, and use as a community hall is originally intended.
Like all community halls, Chichester Memorial Hall was obliged to close during the first lockdown. It would have been very easy to do nothing but they decided that, although there were very few positives coming out of the pandemic, they would continue their planned refurbishment programme and that’s what they did.
“We were able to redesign the kitchen layout to give greater use of a small space. We sacrificed some storage space to allow a wheelchair friendly toilet (with baby change facilities) to be created. The result has been admired by many and it is something we are very proud of.”
To further serve the community and support local businesses during lockdown, they adapted the popular Sandgate Farmers’ Market to be available online.
- Website: https://chichesterhall.co.uk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chichesterhall/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CMHSandgate
Community Action Norfolk (CAN)
Who? CAN Connect’s Social Isolation and Loneliness project is led by Community Action Norfolk and is in partnership with Future projects. They specialise in helping individuals who are struggling with loneliness and isolation within the Breckland and North Norfolk Area.
How? The service can help individuals - over the age of 18 - to reconnect with people and activities in their community as well as providing a range of support to help them achieve their goals through our befriending services, being paired with a volunteer or receiving further assistance with a life connector.
- Website: www.canconnect.org.uk
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CANorfolk
- Twitter: @CANorfolk
Kibblesworth Village Millennium Centre
Who? Kibblesworth Village Millennium Centre is a community space in Kibblesworth, Gateshead, and the home of Kibby Krafters who craft to bring cheer to their community.
How? Over the pandemic, the Kibby Krafters have gone above any beyond to decorate the town with their creations. Featured above is the hundreds of felt and knitted poppies they made for Remembrance sunday that created an ethereal blanket for the town's war memorial. The crafting club meets weekly and other projects have included crocheted christmas ornaments delivered to all residents in Kibblesworth and decorating the local wheel with an ode to the NHS. You can see their work on their Twitter and Instagram pages and if you're local to Kibblesworth, get in contact to join the crafters or see what other community activites are offered at the centre.
- Contact Person: Emma Hodgson
- Telephone: 0191 4111193
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @kibbymillenniumcentre
- Twitter: @kibbycentre
FoodCycle
Who? FoodCycle is a phenomenal charity that aims to make food poverty, food waste and loneliness a thing of the past.
How? They do this through various ways but one project is their community meals. FoodCycle is our Green Challenge partner and we are so proud to work alongside them. FoodCycle's Head of Marketing, Carly Shutes, shares “I feel very proud to be able to work for FoodCycle and feel very passionate about the cause and the work we do. The dedication that our volunteers show never ceases to amaze me. Week in, week out they turn up and transform food in to some of the most delicious meals, which I know our guests are enormously grateful for.”
“It has helped me make friends, have more confidence and stopped me from sitting at home alone on a Sunday.” FoodCycle Guest
“I don’t have money to go out so coming here gives me the opportunity to socialise and eat healthy food.” FoodCycle Guest
Discover more about the amazing work FoodCycle on:
- Website: www.foodcycle.org.uk/
- Twitter: @foodcycle
- Instagram: @foodcyclehq
- Facebook: FoodCycle
You can find your closest FoodCycle and community meal online.