News

Thursday 22nd June is Match Fundraising Day with Local Giving! 

From 10.00am on Thursday 22nd June, for the whole day, Local Giving will be doubling all one-time donations given to the New Cross Gate Trust pound-for-pound for any amount up to £25 through their Small Charity Week Match Fund. 

This means that for every £25 donation with Gift Aid the New Cross Gate Trust will receive an impressive £54.34! 

So please support us!
Just visit our Local Giving Fundraising page and donate whatever you can, knowing that this will be doubled. 

All your donations are gratefully received, and will support us to deliver many of the fantastic activities running from Besson Street Community Gardens, including our: 
– Under 5 stay and Play sessions
– Gardening and sewing clubs
– Adult learning courses
– Bee keeping
– School Environmental Learning sessions
– Recorder Club
– Wildly Fun Theatre School
– Community Events such as our Halloween Hoot,
 – and many other activities,

Plus just helping to keep our gardens in good shape for all of our users. 

Thank you for your support! 

Jenny Couper
The New Cross Gate Trust, Charity no 1118010
www.nxgtrust.org.uk

We had great fun yesterday at Besson Street Community Garden thanks to Just Older Youth’s (JOY) 10 year anniversary celebration. A fabulous turn out, great weather, lots of lovely cake and a bit of Pimms. A fitting celebration for a fabulous local charity that has gone from strength to strength. We hope everyone had a lovely time. 

                 

‘Digital Life Skills’

New Cross Gate Trust now offers FREE IT skills training to the local community.
Our ‘Digital Life Skills’ programme offers high quality tuition to Lewisham residents in developing essential digital literacy and IT skills. You’ll learn the key skills in using a computer and working with Microsoft Office.

We’ll show you how to use a range of online services and digital media with confidence. This includes using e-mail, social media, online shopping, Internet safety, saving money, accessing local support and government services.

All our classes focus on helping you develop practical hands-on experience and giving you lots of opportunities to practice your new skills and techniques.

Our ‘Digital Life Skills’ programme can offer you:

• Computers for Beginners.
• Internet & E-mail skills.
• Using Microsoft packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access).
• Digital Skills for Job Seekers.
• IT Skills for the Workplace.
• Digital Skills for Older Learners.
• Digital Media skills.
• Staying Safe Online.
• Using Social Media.
• CV updates
• And more …..

If you or anyone you know wants to develop their IT skills, please get in touch and register your interest:

Contact us today for more details: Call Jill on 020 7639 7605 or email: sezin.hussein@nxgtrust.org.uk

 

‘I worry about knife crime, a big boy got stabbed near my corner shop.’ R is 10 years old and lives in New Cross. Along with nearly 60 other children in his school R has just taken part in a new knife crime awareness project developed by New Cross Gate Trust, working with Somerville Youth & Play Provision and funded by New Cross and Telegraph Hill ward assemblies.

Jill Mountford, Community Development Manager for New Cross Gate Trust said:
‘We are very pleased so far with our new project. We’ve developed a series of age appropriate workshops that are informative, challenging and educational. It’s our aim to equip children with the harsh facts about knife crime and its impact; for them to better understand the human body and our vital organs; for them to have strategies to avoid conflict and to understand some basic emergency first aid skills and what they can do to help save a life.

‘We deliver the workshops in schools and take the children to visit the Ben Kinsella Trust exhibition at Finsbury Library in Islington. The trip to the exhibition is crucial in really getting children to understand the shocking and deep impact knife crime has on the family and wider community. The exhibition is divided into rooms and one room is decked out as a prison cell, bunks, dirty toilet and graffiti on the walls. Here the children meet an ex-con, someone who has done time for Joint Enterprise, actually having served a 6 year prison sentence and he tells it like is. It’s a powerful and moving experience. Invaluable.

‘Before the summer school holidays we will have worked with around 240 children in New Cross, this is just a fraction of those who need a better understanding of knife crime. It’s our intention to further develop the project and to get more funding so we can deliver it to more year 5, 6 and 7 children over the coming year’

   

Many children and youths will say people carry knives for protection. When asked from whom they need protecting they say bigger kids, kids in gangs and people who threaten them. The point to drive home is that if two youths are carrying knives and they fall out, ‘disrespect’ each other or have a fight, one or both are likely to use their knife. Carrying a knife does not protect anyone; it makes some people murderers and others dead.

R is not alone in worrying about knife crime. Many children in his year group say they are worried and show anxiety when discussing the subject. But alongside the worry and anxiety is a ‘normalisation’, a kind of shrug of the shoulders – knife crime happens, it’s part of the social landscape. And woefully it does happen, all too often, and it is part of the social landscape; but as adults it’s our job to come up with ways to make knife crime a thing of the past. This requires all of us, parents, teachers, community workers, local representatives, all of us coming together with no other agenda than to support children and young people to make better, more educated decisions about carrying knives. This project is a small but useful contribution to making this happen.

What is Joint Enterprise
It is complex and controversial law that means that if someone gets stabbed in your presence even if you didn’t know the person was carrying a knife you can get prosecuted and sent to prison. It’s real, it happens and the law is applied disproportionately to youth violence crimes.

Arrested and Prosecuted
If you are caught carrying a knife, you will be arrested and prosecuted. No ifs, no buts!
You will have a serious criminal record for the rest of your life. You can get a 5 year prison sentence even if you have not used the knife. A knife is no protection if you get caught carrying one.

There’s no safe place to stab someone
There really isn’t! A child aged around 12 years old has about 8 pints of blood in their body, an adult has about 10 pints. Our bodies have arteries running through them, muscular tubes carrying fresh oxygenated blood around the body keeping us alive and well. A severed artery will ooze blood and if untreated will cause death. A severed main artery under the armpit, in the neck, stomach or thigh will see blood leave the body at an alarming rate. If the body loses 3 or 4 pints of blood it will go into shock and at this point the situation is really grim, but lives can still be saved if we react quickly and calmly.

Useful websites and phone numbers:
Childline – 0800 1111 https://www.childline.org.uk
www.benkinsella.org.uk
www.knifecrimes.org
www.met.police.uk/StopKnifeCrime

On Saturday 10th June, LB Lewisham are holding a consultation on PLACE/Deptford, a new scheme that they are proposing to build on the former Deptford Green Ball Court. LB Lewisham are currently proposing to provide temporary accommodation for up to 30–35 homeless families, and community space on the ground floor. They would like to consult more widely with local people about the development and find out what they would like the community space to be used for.
Time: 11:00 – 14:00 on Saturday 10 June 2017
Location: Charlottenburg Park, Amersham Grove, London SE14 6LH
Email: osama.shoush@lewisham.gov.uk for further information about the scheme.
https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/…/dep…/Pages/PLACE-Deptford.aspx

At 170 Community Project (15 hours per week), Salary £7,605  + pension contribution. 
170 is a charity based in New Cross Gate, providing welfare benefits and housing advice in the London Borough of Lewisham. Alongside this we offer advice and support for women who have suffered domestic violence. We are recruiting for a Receptionist and Admin Support worker to join our team. For an application pack or enquiries, please email gemma.tighe@170co.org.uk or call 0207 732 9716.

The successful candidate should have a strong and solid experience of administration and have good IT skills, good communication that will enable effective work with service users, colleagues and external agencies. He or she should be able to manage their workload in a pressurised environment.

Closing date is 16 June 2017. 170 Community Project is an equal opportunity employer. 

Are you caring for a friend or relative? If yes, this course is for you. 
This interactive and inspiring programme is especially designed for unpaid carers. Monday 26th June, 3 July, 19 July, & 17th July, from 1.00pm-3.30pm, at Besson Street Community Garden, SE14 5AS. 

Please contact Cathy on 0208 699 8686 or cathy@carerslewisham.org.uk.
“Fantastic trainer, made it so simple and enjoyable. Provided quality in-depth information that has made a positive difference to my life as a carer” 

Do you want more trees on your street? well you can have them if you get together with at least six of your neighbours and sponsor £240 per tree. The Brockley Society will liaise with Lewisham Council to help get it done! 200 trees have been planted this way in Brockley over 5 years and we think it is time to do the same in the Hatcham area of New Cross Gate. You can be a resident, business or community group. 
Nettleton road has just gone through a process so look out for the new trees being planted in the spring of 2018 to celebrate the 150th birthday of Nettleton Road. Two residents of Nettleton Road got together and write a letter to tell all their neighbours, asking if they were interested. most people liked the idea and many offered to contribute, including Nettleton Road Housing Co-operative. It wasn’t expensive as so many people got involved. The Brockley Street Tree Volunteers were really helpful and provided advice about where to plant the trees. 
You can register your interest and see what existing unplanted tree pits are available in your street on their website. If you want a tree on your street then just start asking your neighbours today. More info. 

It’s Back! By popular demand…and booking fast. 
Every year, New Cross Gate Trust generously funds two weeks of musical theatre at Besson Street Community Garden. Around 40 children aged 7 to 13 years old take part in singing dancing, drama, set design and art workshops culminating in a final performance for friends and family. If you are looking for something fun and amazing to do Monday to Friday, 10.30am-4pm starting Monday 14th August, ending with a grand performance 3pm on Friday 26th August, then this is the place for you. 
This year’s theme is friendship, with fantastic songs spanning the decades, a great dance teacher to  choreograph unique dance routines, drama and set design and lots of fun. 
A place costs just £20 for 2 weeks, tickets are already selling out fast, so book quickly if this is something your children would like to take part in. For more information, call Jill on 0207 639 7605, or you can book on line here. 

The good news is the Credit Union is back in New Cross. Based at New Cross Learning. It is open every Wednesday, and looking to extend it’s hours very soon. Credit Unions are great alternatives to banks for ethical savings and loans. They are run as co-operatives, owned by the members. Members create a pool of money from which low cost loans are made and and any profits are re-invested. 
Lewisham Plus Credit Union was founded in 1992 and merged with New Cross and Deptford Credit Union back in 2010. It serves over 9000 members with anyone living or working in the borough of Lewisham or Bromley or with an SE19 postcode able to join. There are over 1500 junior savers and there’s a new exciting account for 8-16 year olds called Smartcash. You can go to New Cross Learning any Wednesday (soon to be extended) and open an account or you can apply for an account online by visitinghttp://www.lewishampluscu.co.uk/
To find out more pop along to New Cross Learning, 283-285 New Cross Road any Wednesday and ask for the Credit Union. 

We offer a range of FREE ESOL Classes (English as a Second or Other Language), delivered from Besson Street Community Garden.

To register for our ESOL courses you need to attend an assessment class with our tutor Rosa Tomkinson, who will then place you in a class according to your ability. Assessment sessions run 3.30-4.30pm on Tuesdays, and 5.00pm-6.00pm on Wednesdays. Please ring the office for further information on 0207 639 7605, or email rosa.tomkinson@nxgtrust.org.uk

Funded by the City Bridge Trust, and now by the Big Lottery. 

From 5th June 2017, we will be commencing a new employment service for local residents.  The service will provide advice and guidance to local people who are not currently in work, to support them back into employment.

Following an initial needs assessment, our support may include:
 – Support with writing a CV
 – Support with writing job applications
 – Advice and guidance on training and education
 – Volunteering and work experience
 – Signposting to current employment opportunities
 – Employment workshops, interview skills training and other group based support
 – Signposting to other relevant services according to your needs

For further information, or to book in for an initial assessment, please email:elisha.mcqueen@nxgtrust.org.uk (from 5th June 2017)

This service is funded by the Big Lottery

From 5th June 2017, we will be launching a new programme of IT Skills Training for the local community. So if you would like support with any of the following, please get in touch and register your interest:

– understanding computers
– searching the internet
– setting up and using email
– using Word, Excel, and other Microsoft Office packages
– using social media
– other computer and IT skills

Provided by Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency, this FREE Walking for Health training is for volunteers, health champions and anyone interested in leading community walks.

You will learn how to plan and lead safe and enjoyable health walks in Lewisham. Then, you will be able to join our team of volunteers and help with one of our ‘Walking for Health’ groups or set up a walk for your own community organisation. Being a walk leader is great fun: you will meet new people and get fit at the same time!

Thursday 15^th June  9.30am – 4.00pm, Town Hall Chambers, Catford. SE6 4RU

Please contact Jenny Budd on 0208269 4890 or email:Healthywalks@gcda.org.uk  to find out more and to book your place.