hncp

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11 October 2023
Written By hncp

A Wonderful opportunity for the LA Sainte Union Community

 

When I was offered the chance to join the Highgate Newtown Community Partnership, I instantly felt we were the perfect school to lead this. We are delighted to offer our pupils and the local community free after-school and holiday education and skills. It is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to local people in a time of hardship and financial crisis for many families. In 1860 the school was created from a desire to offer education to poor local children who could not afford it.

Since then, the school has always had a community outlook. A focus on charity is at the heart of our ethos; after The First World War and the terrible influenza, it was the Sisters from LSU who raised the money to reunite refugees from Belgium with their families. The school hosted members of the RAF and dozens of refugees during The Second World War.
The basement of LSU became a regular air-raid shelter for local people. It is an honour to be able to help our own students and the people who live nearby, offering them a safe and warm space to read, learn, eat and have fun.

What will the highgate newtown Community at LSU do?
Our aim is to empower people through building their skills in a variety of subjects and hobbies. As a school with a strong science technology and mathematics programme, and with an excellent tradition for the performing arts including drama and music, we are ambitious about sharing the talents of our staff and offering employment to local expert staff as well. Some of the subjects include: Business, Maths, english, Drama, Martial Arts and Yoga.
We offer ‘wrap-around’ care for our students, from 7.30am until 7.00pm, with a free breakfast for all. This not only gives parents the chance to do a full day’s work, it means they can feel reassured that their children are supervised and well looked after, with revision classes, tuition, study facilities and many clubs on offer, led by our expert staff.
Our partnership with HNCP will build on this and create opportunities to open up our facilities to the wider community. We are launching our partnership with a bake off event with Channing School on 10th October, and we are busy planning a Christmas lunch for the elderly on 7th December.

What are our long-term goals?
We are excited about creating a new summer camp and further education support, such as Saturday family learning activities, where our facilities can be utilised and families can cook, make and create together.

Do you need to be Catholic to take part?
We help all people grow, no matter what their beliefs are. We offer school places to people of all faiths – or none. At LSU we celebrate different religious festivals, as well as having a multi-faith prayer room that is used every day. It is the values we teach – to care for each other and the earth, to focus on equality and charity, which is at the heart of our ethos.

I look forward to seeing you very soon!
Please email general@lsu.camden.sch.uk for more information, or visit our website to learn more about our facilities and school www.lasainteunion.org.uk.

Mrs Sophie Fegan, Headteacher

 

 

 

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20 September 2023
Written By hncp

Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel celebrates a new partnership with Highgate Newtown Community Partners

Think you know Hampstead? Think again…

The cost-of-living crisis affects everyone in different ways. Together we’re determined to make Hampstead more inclusive; a place where everyone has a chance to succeed, nobody gets left behind and everybody can participate.

That’s why we are starting two new initiatives:

SATURDAY CLUB STAY AND PLAY FOR UNDER-5s

Every Saturday* 10am – 11am FREE entry (donations welcome!)

Come and make friends with other parents and families! Bring along your kids for freeform play, healthy snacks, music, bubbles, and chat.
*Saturday Club will be closed on 23 Sept, 21 Oct and 11 Nov.

COMMUNITY TABLE LUNCH CLUB FOR ALL

Second Sunday of the month. Food served: 12.30 – 1.30pm
Suggested donation: £2.50

Do you find Sundays are sometimes dull and empty when many services and businesses are closed? Our monthly Community Table welcomes people of all faiths or without faith traditions to our monthly Community Table, offering a low-cost hot meal and good conversation.

For more information about these new activities, please email: socialaction@rosslynhillchapel.org.uk

In Hampstead, we are keen to provide services you care about and fill gaps for people facing financial hardship and loneliness. Working with Highgate Newtown Community Partners we’ll combine our networks to develop new ways of making our community better. Come and join in!

With thanks to Camden Council for grant funding and to Channing School for helping to make our new partnership happen. These services are expensive to run and maintain.
We welcome donations to our Social Action Fund: www.rosslynhillchapel.org.uk/donate

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5 September 2023
Written By hncp

HNCP Summer Camp – A fantastic success for the third year in a row

Thank you to everyone who made this year’s HNCP Summer Camp such a fantastic success for the third year in a row.

The fun and educational summer camp, hosted by Channing School, welcomed around 40 children from eight local primary schools. The children enjoyed a variety of activities, including:

  • Morning workshops led by experienced teachers from Channing Junior School and Brookfield Primary School
  • Dodgeball, rounders, laser tag, drama, and arts and crafts, all provided by Active Day Camps
  • ‘The Olympics’: which showcased the new friendships they had made plus they enjoyed competing with each other to win medals!

One of the highlights was the animation course, led by a teacher from Brookfield Primary School. The children also took part in: ‘money maths’ lessons where they practised life skills such as budgeting to plan a party; and literacy lessons based around a Sci-Fi book which gave them the opportunity to practise their writing skills in exciting and purposeful ways.

Thanks to the Channing catering and facilities teams, attendees enjoyed healthy snacks and lunches and all equipment was provided, so the children just needed to bring themselves and their imaginations!

Jennifer Kung, Channing Director of Partnerships and HE, commented “Camps like these are invaluable in boosting children’s self-esteem, confidence and academic progress, helping them develop a growth mindset and greater self-efficacy. Our Education + partnership with HNCP, Brookfield Primary School and St. Aloysius’ College is a key part of our work in the local community, creating a positive impact for local children and their families. But the photos from this year tell the real story…and we can’t wait to do it all again next year!”

“It helped me step out of my comfort zone” – Emanuella
“I came here with no friends and now I have loads” – Olivia

We are very grateful to John Lyon’s Charity and The Young Camden Foundation for their funding.

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19 July 2023
Written By hncp

Partners Services August Break

Our lunch clubs and Stay and Play sessions will be closed for this month.
We are sorry for any inconvenience, we start back September.
Our summer camp is running but all places are fully booked.
Many thanks,
The HNCP Team

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6 July 2023
Written By hncp

I am very proud to present this Partnerships booklet which outlines the partnership work we have been involved in this year.

Channing School has a long standing tradition of community service and it is embedded in our Unitarian ethos. Over the past 18 months, with our partnership with HNCP, we have been building strong relationships with our local community and making a positive impact. Together with HNCP, we are working to create a more supportive and inclusive community for everyone.
Our Education + programme, in collaboration with HNCP, St. Aloysius’ College and Brookfield Primary School, involves sustainable, mutually beneficial links with local schools offering academic enrichment and cultural capital for those who would otherwise not have access to it.

Without the support from colleagues as well as our partners, we would not be able to run these clubs/activities. We are grateful to our students whose dedication, interest and enthusiasm has ensured the success of our clubs and wider work in the community.

Ms J Kung
Direct of HE and Partnerships

Download Partnership Booklet

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5 July 2023
Written By hncp

Highgate Newtown News letter

Hello
 
I am very excited to bring you an update. Camden Council officers and Highgate Newtown Community Trustees are working extremely hard to provide a world class 5-star facility 
 
There is a lot we love about our borough. It is vibrant, creative and diverse. People care about each other and the community. We have a rich wealth of culture and heritage, and a strong sense of identity.
 
Highgate Newtown Community Partners wants to be a place where nobody is left behind. From childhood to old age, we want everyone who lives in Camden to have the opportunity to play a full part in community life.
July Flyer
Summer 2023

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5 July 2023
Written By hncp

Highgate Newtown Community Partners Annual Report

Highgate Newtown Community Partners annual report and financial statements for the period ended 31 december 2022.

Download report

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29 March 2023
Written By hncp

Channing School Partnership – Comfort Box

Moving into a hostel or temporary housing is a choice no one ever wants to make; the first few days can be especially overwhelming.
We are proud to be working with Highgate Newtown Community Partners (HNCP) to support vulnerable people who find themselves in this position.

The new Comfort Box is packed with essentials that will make those first few days easier to bear. Inside recipients will find a selection of dried goods, tins of soup, beans, tea, coffee and so on to keep them going while they find their feet. We’ve included toiletries too to make their arrival at their new short term accommodation a little more comfortable.

“Our hope is that these boxes will play a part in supporting those who deserve some comfort at a time when they are most in need. We know that helping people feel less alone in those first few days can make a huge difference and we are pleased to stand alongside HNCP in doing what we can to help those who need it most in our community.”
Lindsey Hughes – Headmistress, Channing

Proudly working together for the local community
www.channing.co.uk | www.highgatenewtown.org.uk

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22 February 2023
Written By hncp

Community Lunch Club at St Dominic’ s Parish Hall, Haverstock Hil

Welcome

The Dominican friars at St Dominic’s Priory and the Rosary Shrine welcomes a new partnership with the HNCP to create a range of initiatives that will serve the local community, whether you’re Catholic or not! We begin this March in the season of Lent with a Community Lunch Club. We share the values of providing the best quality ingredients and prices that people can afford: £1.50 for 3 courses.
We welcome all so come join us working as one community
 
Very Rev Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.,
Prior and Parish Priest
Rector of the Rosary Shrine (London)
St Dominic’s Priory

Starting Date: 2nd March, Thursday (10.30am to 2pm)

St Dominic’s Parish Hall, Haverstock Hill. St Dominic’s Priory, Southampton Road, London NW5 4LB
Please go to the Parish Hall next to Wordsworth Place, and not to the Priory.

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30 January 2023
Written By hncp

Ambassador of Appeal

Highgate has been my home for over 50 years. I am married with 3 children and 9 grandchildren. For the last 35 years have been working in the charitable sector, both professionally and as a volunteer.

It was with great pleasure that I accepted the role of Ambassador of this Appeal. I very much admire what has been accomplished so far and look forward to continuing to support HNCP well into the future.

I sincerely hope that many of you can be persuaded to donate through the website http://www.highgatenewtown.org.uk.

The donate button for the new build fit out is on the front page. I am confident that the services planned in this state-of-the-art building will offer a safety net for those in our community with no other options.

Our target is £600,000 and to date we are short £220,000 of the appeal. We welcome your support.

PAULINE TREEN
Ambassador of Appeal

 

 

 

 

 

Hello

As many readers will know Highgate Newtown Community Partners (HNCP) – of which I am Treasurer – is located in Bertram Street NW5 (just behind Highgate Library). We have been working together with Camden Council over a number of years to bring forward exciting new plans for the redevelopment of the Centre. This will include housing, a new public space, and a brand-new community centre for the benefit of local residents. The Council has invested over £6 million into building the new facility. This money will be raised by the Council building homes for sale on the site of the old centre. During the construction period HNCP moved out of the building on Bertram Street and we relocated our activities (including support of older people, children under five, food parcel distribution and subsidised community lunches to a range of locations in the Archway, Highgate, and Dartmouth Park areas. At the time of writing, we have partnerships with Brookfield School in Dartmouth Park, Channing School in Highgate, the United Reformed Church, St Mary’s Dartmouth Park. St Michael’s Highgate and St Anne’s Highgate, where our temporary (and part time) office is located.
This change has proved beneficial as it is popular and has brought us closer to the people we seek to serve. Even after the new Centre is completed, we expect to continue in this ‘distributed and partnership’ mode.

Our new Community Centre building is expected to be ready for occupation late in 2023. We have agreed in principle with Camden Council to take a 20-year lease on the bottom three floors of the building. The Council is offering a discounted rent in recognition of our partnership and the Council’s commitment to be supportive of HNCP and their value to the community. The picture is an architect’s visualisation of the entrance to the new Centre, which will accessible both from Croftdown Road and Bertram Street.

We are raising money to create a welcoming, high-quality facility which brings people together and gives them, those who struggle financially opportunities they would not have elsewhere. We want people to feel valued when they are in the building, and that they deserve quality. Activities such as our launderette and hairdressers will be offered at cost price and art, pottery, cooking and exercise classes will either be free at the point of access or heavily subsidised for those on lower income. The café will serve fresh, affordable food, enabling those who eat by themselves day after day to share a meal with others. We are working closely with local hostels and schools to make sure that the new community centre building becomes an essential support service for people who find daily life challenging.

The centre will have a sports hall, large and adaptable enough to host a range of events such as job fairs and concerts, gym activities, table tennis and community meetings. There will also be several flexible meeting rooms which can be used for classes or rented out to tenants who will provide benefit to the community. We are intending that the new Centre should be open seven days a week, throughout the day and evening.

It will be clear to all who know us that the new building represents a step change in the services that HNCP can bring to the community. Apart from the financial requirement we will need to increase our staffing levels (recruitment will commence in the next few months) and to continue to strengthen our Board of Trustees with people who are willing to take on active role in the direction of the charity. Tomi Ayodeji joined us, and has been on our Board for over a year. We would like to continue this strengthening further.

We expect fitting out the new building to cost up to £600,000 and this is our funding challenge. The Council has made significant investment into the new centre, and it was always part of the agreement that the fit-out works would be undertaken by HNCP. We have so far accumulated over £380,000 and now we are on the lookout for funding of the balance from Foundations, Trusts, families and individuals (which could come with name recognition for funded items or parts of theCentre). If any readers can support us on this journey, or if you know of an organisation who can either contribute to our mission, or who may be interested in working in partnership with us, please get in touch with me, Stephen Hodge, on 0776850299 or by email to:
treasurer@HNCP.org.uk.

Thank you

Stephen Hodge
Treasurer & Company Secretary