Welcome to the Barnet Together (16 December 2021) newsletter.
This week sharing good news stories from just some of the thousands of people and organisations doing amazing work for those living and working in Barnet. Plus links to those providing food and activity support over the Christmas and New Year period. There are also a few funding and award deadlines over the next few weeks which you might want to check out.  

Wishing everyone a lovely Christmas and New Year. 

Ellen Cheshire, Voluntary and Community Sector Support Lead ellen@inclusionbarnet.org.uk 

Congratulations Jewish Care..

Here's why... "Jewish Care’s Selig Court Retirement Living won the prestigious Housing with Care category in the London Region Great British Care Awards. Additionally, our End of Life and Palliative Care Lead received a Commendation. We also had a number of finalists across several categories including the Black Women in Care Awards where our Head of Care Services won the Outstanding Leader of the Year, along with the Registered Manager of Sidney Corob House, who won Outstanding Manager of the year.

"There is also good news about the London Living Wage, as Jewish Care is now one of the 10% of social care providers that pays it. Read more on this."

Photos: Top - Paula Plaskow, Jewish Care, End of Life & Palliative Care Lead. Bottom - Chipema Chitambala Jewish Care Head of Care Services

Incredibly exciting news from Incredible Edible

Wendy Alcock tells us more!

"The volunteers at Incredible Edible Barnet are very excited this week because we’re in a book! Yes, that’s right, a lovely, inspiring, pretty, hardback book!

"Our mother ship, Incredible Edible, invited us and our sibling sites around the world to send in stories, tips, recipes and more to be gathered in a book in time for Cop26 and the result is 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲: 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 edited and published by the superb SP Square CIC.

"In it, together over 30 gardens show the power of small actions and how we’ve had fun along the way! I’ll have a copy with me at future garden sessions, so you can have a squizz, but it’ll also make a fab pressie for yourself or others if you’re interested in all the fun things like gardening, cooking and activism.

"Plus here’s a short video we made about how we’re trying to help in small ways at Incredible Edible Barnet.

"Let us know if you want to start a food growing garden in your neighbourhood and please share this film with anyone you think might be keen to get growing too!"

Wendy

Barnet Walking Football Team celebrate in style

In September the Barnet Walking Football team were suited and booted when they collected their Grassroots Project of the Year award from the Middlesex FA.  Saying "We are very proud to receive this FA award, it is an amazing achievement for our team and we thank Barnet Football Club and The Hive Trust for their continued support."

In December I asked for a short update on their latest community engagement activities...

"At the moment we are working with the Barnet FC players visiting local schools, helping with PE lessons etc and giving them Amazon Fire Tablets from one of our players who set up a Computers for Schools foundation in memory of his late wife. We hope to reach out to more Barnet schools in 2022.

"We are also working closely with the mental health of our players' (mind and body) via our many social groups, this has brought us to the attention of an FA initiative, who are visiting us soon to discuss projects for next year."

Ringing out the year with the Five Bells Community Club

Recipients of a Barnet Community Response Fund award earlier this year, the Five Bells Community Grants share with us how important their award of £350 was to them at such a pivotal time. 

"Our group provides social and digital inclusion for adults in the boroughs of Barnet, Enfield, Haringey and Islington. Originally we were based at a Finchley Charities housing project, soon moving to the Five Bells Pub next door as our group grew. Over lockdown we ran regular sessions on Zoom with as many as 50+ attendees at some sessions. Now we are based temporarily in the Creativity Pavilion at Alexandra Palace (East Court). We've been providing help with NHS Covid passes, passport applications, passenger locator forms, internet shopping, scam emails, clearing viruses, re-activating locked-out accounts, updating old software, upgrading hardware, choosing better value SIM cards and many more things besides!

"The funding we received from Barnet Together allowed us to register as a CIC, get public liability insurance, keep our router topped up with data, buy refreshments, and continue to run our service until now!

"We also set up a website this year, take a look and get involved."

They have recently applied for funding to keep them going for a further year. Fingers crossed! 

Top - Pupils from Claremont Primary School helping with the Cherry Tree planting.

Middle - Rabia with crocus bulbs.

Bottom - John from Barnet Rotary Club donating crocus bulbs.

Cricklewood Millennium Green: seeing it blossom 

During lockdown the entirely volunteer run Cricklewood Millennium Green saw an increase in visitors taking advantage of their what they call 'a local breathing space'. For Rabia, Chair of Trustees, it was a busy year of routine cleaning and maintenance due to this increase, but she's looking forward to seeing it blossom over time due to two community planting projects.

"Thanks to the donation from the Japanese Embassy, we planted 20 blossom cherry trees (the project was called Sakura- meaning in Japanese blossom cherry tree) and involved a local school (Claremont Primary School, from where 10 pupils who are part of their school council), came on the green and helped us plant two of the 20 cherry trees. Then we involved young people from the Harington scheme -which aims to provide young people who have learning difficulties or disabilities with life skills and vocational training that will enable them to lead fuller lives and to participate more fully in the community and the economy- and planted the rest of the trees on the community space."

"We also received free crocus bulbs from the Barnet Rotary club thanks to connection made through the Barnet VCS Environmental Network. The bulbs were planted on the green in the first weeks of November 2021 and we look forward to seem them in bloom next year. 

"Meanwhile we are liaising with various volunteers and local organisations in Barnet to continue maintaining the green and search for sustainable solutions for the use of the green."

FIN is not finished! Woo-hoo!

"For almost 40 years Friend In Need has been providing support and care for older people and their carers.  One particular area of FIN’s outreach – the Activity Centre – has played a vital role in providing day care provision for older adults."

In the Summer is was announced that FIN faced the possibility of imminent closure.  They were "deeply moved by the outcry from the local community in response to hearing this announcement."  The result being that they are still providing high quality activities on two days a week. 

They are "helping older adults stay socially engaged, physically active and cognitively stimulated.  Our Activity Centre currently operates Mondays and Thursdays offering a range of different activities and entertainment suitable for people with low or no care needs and who are able to take part independently or with assistance by carers. Our dementia friendly service aims to provide a safe, caring space for those who are in need, as well as respite for carers and families."

For further information on the services they're offering head on over to their website.  

Introducing the inaugural Barnet Faith & Belief Awards

Barnet Multi Faith Forum with The Faith & Belief Forum are proud to introduce the first Barnet Faith & Belief Awards celebrating outstanding contributions of faith and belief groups, through social action or community engagement, that have a positive impact on Barnet and improves the lives of residents and communities in Barnet.

Do you know an unsung hero, organisation, or project that deserves recognition for their work? Then this is your opportunity to nominate them!

Faith and belief groups are at the centre of community life, providing vital services and support to all Londoners. 

NOMINATE NOW

You may nominate your own work or that of others so please share this opportunity with your networks and encourage worthy projects to nominate themselves. 

Closing date: Monday 10 January 2022

If you have any questions or need assistance, contact: jessica@faithbeliefforum.org.

Keep Active over the Festive Period

Click here to view a range of activities you can enjoy across Barnet this festive season! Such as: 

• Holiday Clubs
• Family fitness classes
• Swimming
• Park Runs
• Couch to Family Fit

Looking to donate or refer to Food Banks this winter

The Barnet Food Hub support 17 foodbanks within the borough of Barnet.

If you or anyone you know is in need of support from one of our foodbanks, you can find details of seasonal opening hours here. 

You can also find what food items are most in need, and how to donate. If you can't get to one of these Foodbanks, then make a donation via your local supermarket. 

And finally...

If you do have capacity for any funding or award nomination applications, these are closing over the next few weeks.

Ocado Foundation for Good​
Deadline: Friday 31 December

Nominations Open for Barnet Civic Awards 2022, download a form here.
Deadline: Friday 31 December

ASDA: Investing in Spaces & Place
Deadline: Sunday 9 January 

Sign up to Barnet’s voluntary sector Manifesto

Barnet Together is calling for community, voluntary, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) groups as well as statutory organisations and businesses operating in the borough of Barnet, to sign up to the Barnet Voluntary Sector Manifesto.

The aim of the Manifesto is to create better understanding and deeper cross-sector collaboration between organisations working within Barnet. By signing up to the Manifesto, groups and service providers agree to adhere to the values within the document. 

If you are a representative of a group, service provider or business based in or serving Barnet, then you can sign up to the Barnet Voluntary Manifesto.

#WorkingTogether
#StrongerTogether
#BarnetTogether

Communities Together Network 

For more information about local events, national campaigns and updates from Barnet Council, drop Danusia an email and ask to be added to the Communities Together Network bulletin.
Danusia.Brzezicka@Barnet.gov.uk