The Project
Latest News
Catch up with the latest news in the Walker Eye.
Newcastle Futures at the Walker Riverside Information Centre
As of 5th January 2010, Newcastle Futures will have a member of their team based at the Walker Riverside Information Centre on Walker Road. The Information Centre openings times will change to 9.30am - 4.00pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Newcastle Futures works with other organisations across the city to help and support unemployed people to get the right training or employment. They meet with people to talk about finding training, employment, volunteering work and a host of other opportunities.
You can drop in for a chat with Newcastle Futures at the Information Centre or call them on 0800 5870478 to make an appointment. Alternatively you can contact them at the Information Centre on 0191 2759207.
The Information Centre will close on Thursday 17th December for the Christmas and New Year period, and re-open on Tuesday 5th Janaury. If you have any questions about the regeneration of Walker Riverside during that period please contact the East Team on 0191 2755600.
Free workshops in oral history and much more
The Ouseburn Trust is delivering taster workshops and short courses as part of the East End People’s Story. Running from January – March 2010, this is a short pilot project encouraging the adults of the East End to tell their stories and learn new skills, just for the fun of trying something new. Courses are free, but participants must be over 18 and resident in Ouseburn, Byker or Walker. Do you work with any groups of adults who may enjoy a little something different? We can come to your venue and complement your existing activities. The sessions on offer are:
Oral histories, family stories – part of the East End People’s Story
Try just one or try them all – our sessions centre on your family’s history and how to tell it in a new and creative way.
Family history – learn the basics of researching your family tree – suitable for complete beginners!
Oral history – learn to use audio recording equipment to record great interviews with older family members.
Collage of change – looking at the places you remember, using craft techniques to illustrate change – no art skill necessary!
Get graphic – learn how to tell your story in words and pictures using low-tech, simple graphic art ‘zines’ – no drawing skill necessary!
If you enjoy these tasters, you can go deeper with short courses of 2 to 4 sessions, and you can even go on to make your own radio programme or animation for the web.
Please contact Kirsten Luckins on 0191 261 6596 or email kirsten.luckins@ouseburntrust.org.uk to book your sessions.
Connecting you with training opportunities
John Mulroy of Walker has joined the team at Building Futures East as a Community Connector. John’s role is to engage local people about available training programmes and to help them to gain confidence and new skills for moving back into work.
From its base on Walker Riverside, Building Futures East offers a variety of part-time learning experiences for all age ranges from training in construction to courses in computing, health and social care and DIY.
John said “This brilliant organisation benefits so many people across the City, however there are so many more people out there who haven’t took advantage of the FREE training opportunities that Building Futures East offers and a lot of people do not know we are here to help and support them through training into a potential job”.
As well as vocational courses, the organisation has the facilities to offer all learners the opportunity to improve their literacy and numeracy and gain employability skills which are delivered at a level and pace at which the learner feels comfortable.
If you want to get involved in vocational skills training or are looking for support into accessing work then please get in touch with John at john.mulroy@buildingfutureseast.org or simply contact the office on 0191 2632752.
Friends of Walker Riverside Park
Friends of Walker Riverside Park have continued to volunteer for a few hours every month to work with Newcastle City Rangers on improvements in Walker Riverside Park . Recently, an area beside the arches at the Belmont St entrance to the park was cleared of bushes and 1,000 bulbs planted to bring spring bloom to the park. Thank you to the local resident who donated red plants which provided an instant cheer to the park.
We are always looking for more volunteers, contact Steve on steve.lee.williams@hotmail.co.uk or 07739012657 for more information. Our meeting dates for 2010 are as follows –
Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February - Spring volunteer weekend
Saturday 20 March
Saturday 17 April
Saturday 15 May
Saturday 12 June
Monday 28 June - Friday 2 July – Week of Action
Saturday 7 August
Saturday 4 September
Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 October - Autumn weekend of action
Saturday 27 November
Saturday 11 December
New primary school competition launched for Heart of Walker
Newcastle’s Primary Strategy for Change includes, as one of its top priorities, the replacement of Wharrier Street and St Anthony’s Primary schools by a new “Heart of Walker” primary school. It is proposed that the two existing schools will close on 31 August 2012 and the new school would open on 1 September 2012. The local authority published the public notice on 30 October 2009 to invite proposals from interested parties to develop the new school. Anyone can bid but they have to make a good case and show how they would run the school. Bidders have until the end March 2010 to submit their proposals. After thisdate the Council will publish details of any bids they receive and hold a meeting about them. Proposals will also be published to close Wharrier Street and St Anthony’s Schools. There will bea 6 weeksperiod for anyone to make comments about or objections to the proposals. By the end of August 2010, a decision should have been made about who will run the new school. The Council will usually make the decision but in some cases it will be the Schools’ Adjudicator. Following this a official announcement will be made regarding the outcome of the competition.
£94,000 Boost for East End People's Story
Residents of Newcastle's East End will soon be able to tell the story of their communities thanks to a £94,000 grant from the Government's Transformation Fund for informal adult learning.
The 'East End People's Story' will offer courses and workshops in how to make radio programmes and video animations, explore local history, create a Byker tapestry, produce a People's Plan visioning the future of Byker, Walker and Ouseburn, strengthen community development, take part in volunteering and get a taste of a host of informal adult learning topics and opportunities.
The project will be holding a big public launch at the East End Pool and Library, Hadrian Square (off Shields Road), Byker on Monday 16 November between 12 noon and 7.00 pm. The event is free and everyone is welcome. Tutors, project organisers and community radio will be present to offer 'tasters' of courses and seek residents ideas for things they would like to do.
Carol Hunter, the project's activities co-ordinator, said: 'Monday's launch will just be the start of many different kinds of learning for people in the East End. We'll all discover a lot about our part of the City and our own backgrounds, interests and ideas. There will be sessions that are very practical, ranging from beauty tips to radio skills, introductions to good food and health, and a lot about our changing East End. It'll also be great fun!'
Six local organisations secured the grant in tough competition with hundreds of other groups from across the country. The Workers' Educational Association (WEA), the East End Community Development Alliance, Community Broadcasting Initiative Tyneside's NE1 fm community radio station, the Roots and Wings film and photography social enterprise, the Ouseburn Trust, and East End Community Media formed a successful partnership to win recognition for the East End.
The project will run until the end of March next year and will also focus on using local venues to bring informal adult learning opportunities close to where people live. Courses and workshops will provide chances to look at the changing identity of the East End as well as valuing its rich industrial and community heritage. There will be no exams or tests but simply a concentration on learning for enjoyment and to broaden horizons.
The East End People's Story is funded by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills Transformation Fund which is managed by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education.
For more information about East End People's Story's activities contact Carol Hunter on 0191 275 9477.
Fun and games with Rookie Golf
A number of older people’s groups in Walker have been introduced to a new activity called Rookie Golf and it is proving a big hit with them. Rookie Golf is a fun indoor game that uses colourful targets, velcro balls and specially designed clubs, which make it safe to play indoors. It can be played by all ages, and does not require any special skills.
The Rookie Golf game is already well established in the west of Newcastle, where groups enjoy it so much they now play regular matches against each other,. There are also special festivals and social events, where a number of groups get together to compete and socialise.
Through the Community Living Independence Project, Rookie Sports are now working in partnership with Active Ageing, Community Service Volunteers and Your Homes Newcastle to develop the rookie golf programme with YHN sheltered housing groups in Walker where it has been given the ‘thumbs up’ by people taking part.
As part of the Community Living Independence Project, there are also plans to work with some of the primary schools and young people’s groups in Walker and set up intergenerational golf matches with the sheltered housing schemes.
With the support of Community Development, Rookie Sports would like to develop this programme and work with other groups in Walker. So, if you would like to take part in Rookie Golf, or would like further information, then contact Rookie Sports, or Julie Innes Nelson, Community Development Officer, for more information. We would love to hear from you, whether you are an over 50’s group, or a local school or young people’s organisation. Activities can be arranged to suit your group - from fun introductory sessions, to regular coaching programmes, friendly competitions, with opportunities to join a league or take part in intergeneration activities with local schools or youth groups.
For further information contact:
June Shone, Rookie Sports Tel: 0191-226 7356, email: june@rookiesports.co.uk
or Julie Innes-Nelson, Community Development Officer 0191 2621616,
email: julie.innes.nelson@newcastle.gov.uk
St Peter's Link Road
We are pleased to announce that Newcastle City Council has recently been awarded £930,000 for the construction of a bus and cycle only link road between the St. Peter’s area and Walker Road. After consulting the public, we have created an initial detailed design. You can view this design here.
In May 2009, Newcastle City Council made a speculative bid to the Department for Transport for monies from the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF). The bid was for the construction of a bus and cycle link road between St. Lawrence Road and Walker Road, with the aim of providing safer, more sustainable transport choices for local people, whilst also improving accessibility to the City Centre.
The location of the scheme can be viewed on this pdf file.
The scheme is made up of a bus lane, with cycle lanes in both directions. Improvements will also be made at Walker Road with improved pedestrian crossing facilities and bus priority. An initial detailed design can be found below. This design has been created using comments received in initial consultation with the public in September and October 2009. The design can still be altered following public comment.
The main aim of this scheme is to improve accessibility for all residents in this area of Newcastle, whilst providing the opportunity for more sustainable forms of transport to be used. To achieve this aim, a safe cycle route between Hadrian’s Way and Walker Road will be provided to encourage the use of cycling by local people, whilst also connecting St. Peter’s Basin to the Harbottle Park area. A safe walking route will also be present.
The scheme will also create a sustainable bus link between St. Peter’s Basin and Walker Road. This will provide a more direct route between the City Centre and Walker, which we hope will encourage more residents to use a more sustainable form of transport.
This scheme currently improves and area which is currently vacant and awaiting development. This scheme is in line with Newcastle City Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and policies within the Local Transport Plan 2 for Tyne and Wear. The scheme is also supported by both Nexus and Sustrans.
Newcastle City Council was awarded £930,000 in August 2009 for the construction of this link. This will be supplemented by £80,000 of Local Transport Plan money. Final scheme costs will be determined during detailed design, but are not expected to exceed the amounts outlined. The scheme must be delivered by March 2011 to meet the funding criteria set out by the Department for Transport – subject to public support.
For more information please contact Jon Higgins on 0191 211 6012 or e-mail: jonathon.higgins@newcastle.gov.uk to discuss the scheme. If you would prefer you can use the contact us page on this website.
A monthly newsletter will be produced to keep all stakeholders updated on the progress of the scheme. This is issue 1, this is the September Update. October Update.
Square One - work experience, training and mentoring project
Square One is a work experience, training and mentoring project focussing on young people aged 16 - 25 in Walker which is being run by Building Futures East. Work placements will be varied and the young person will be matched to a work placement as closely as possible to their interests.
Square one is primarily aimed at placing young people who are NEET or at risk of being NEET with a 6 month work experience placement. The young person is paid £92 per week and the young person feels that they have a job. The work experience provider contributes a minimum of £1 an hour towards the costs of ‘employing’ the young person.
For more information call Melissa Egan, 0191 2632752 or email melissa@buildingfutureseast.org
See also attached information sheet and application form.
Newcastle Enterprise Package
The North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) is about to run its next Newcastle Enterprise Programme. This forms part of the Newcastle Enterprise Package and has been developed to ensure that people with a good business idea can be given the necessary training, business tools and advice and guidance to overcome any barriers and turn their idea into reality.
The Newcastle Enterprise Package (NEP) helps people living in disadvantaged areas to start in business. Individuals from disadvantaged areas and backgrounds often have ideas and ambition to succeed in business, but many say they find it hard to find support and advice relevant to their needs.
To be eligible for this programme clients must:
Be over the age of 18 and not in full time education
Have a business idea but not started trading
Should be planning to start in business full time
Be living in specific areas of Newcastle
Should you progress to the next stage we will arrange an appointment for you in which we will discuss your idea and carry out an assessment of your viability for the programme. This will also give you the opportunity to ask any questions and give you a more detailed insight into the content of the workshops. The programme lasts 6 weeks, with each workshop being 3 hours in duration and are held in accessible locations across the city.
For further information contact Janice Marsh, North East Business & Innovation Centre, Sunderland Enterprise Park East, Wearfield, Sunderland, SR5 2TA. janice.marsh@ne-bic.co.uk
Belmont Green wins Street Design Award
Belmont Green has been chosen as the winner of the Urban Green Space category in the Street Design Awards 2009. The award
was presented to Newcastle City Council on 7th July at Belmont Green in Walker. The Walker Riverside Regeneration Team would like to thank everyone who helped to create
Belmont Green by donating their time,helping at the workshops and being part of the opening ceremony.
The open space at the corner of Walker Road and Belmont Street was renamed by local residents as Belmont Green in May 2008, during an official opening ceremony which included the Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr John Shipley, and the Rt Hon Nick Brown MP. The event was attended by over 250 local residents, who were entertained by street performers, clowns and a marching band.
Belmont Green underwent transformation to bring a small pocket of open space back into community use. Working with local artist Alan Vaughan and the community, tile workshops with local primary schools and residents took place and those tiles have taken pride of place in the new green as part of a path running through the centre of the area. Other pieces of furniture installed included wood and metal benches which are carved with the names of ships constructed and launched from Walker ship yards and a granite slab etched with words suggested by local residents.
What might Walker look like in the future?
Young residents from Walker took the opportunity to be involved in the Sharing Spaces project to explore their ideas for the design of Walker's public spaces, and to help shape the future of their own community. The Sharing Places leaflet shows some of the ideas the young residents had for how public spaces in Walker might be used and how they might look.
Training opportunities and events
The Walker Riverside website has been updated with a new section listing a number of training opportunities and events available to Walker Riverside residents. You can view the training opportunities page here. If you are interested in learning new skills, but cannot find a course to suit your needs, please contact the team with details of the type of training you’re interested in, and we will try and help.