Spring 2020
BOUNTAGU N9 Community Newsletter - Building the Community Together
Bountagu News
Older People and Community
Children and Young People
Local Groups and Projects
Developing Local Opportunities
Environment and Outdoor Space
www.bountagu.com
www.bountagu.com
1
Welcome, Neighbours ! The first half of 2020 has been far from “business as usual”, but Bountagu is still here, busier than ever, and sending our wishes to stay healthy in body and mind, and to lean on each other in these challenging and unusual times. We have been playing our part, doing what we can within new limitations. Our popular Open Evenings have stopped for now, but residents have been contacting us by phone and email asking for and offering help. Staff and volunteers are working from home, missing each other but embracing technology. Our Partnership Board and subgroup teams have been meeting regularly on Zoom video calls, staying connected with community groups and leaders across Enfield and the UK through emails, WhatsApp mutual aid groups, Local Trust networks, Facebook and elsewhere. Beautiful Bounces - On Bounces Rd, our wooden planters, St Peter’s Peace Garden and the new Rain Gardens are all in bloom, brightening our days and providing habitats and nectar for bees and butterflies.
Need Support? Got Ideas?
We put a leaflet through your door in April. Please take note of the local New Volunteers - We’ve welcomed back services detailed there some returning resident volunteers who and on page 19, and ask will now join the team leading our Children for help if you need it. If and Young People subgroup. we can’t help, we may know someone who can. New Ways To Express Faith - Rama Let us know if you or your Navami, Passover, Easter and Ramadan group have ideas or all began during lockdown and social need support. Three local distancing, and as services, prayers people have already and gatherings move online, many are used the Little Ideas Fund finding new ways to express their faith. this year, and as we go Cover Image - Thanks to Bountagu to press several more resident Cintia and family for our have applications in beautiful front cover image, and to all process. Check page 16 our other contributors. Got something for for more. our next issue? Get in touch! 2
Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020
Welcome!
Volunteer with Bountagu
Reasons to Be Cheerful 1. People aren’t talking about Brexit the whole time. 2. We are all fighting in the same battle, on the same side.
Bountagu Big Local exists to help improve this neighbourhood and the people in it, and the best way to make that happen is to have YOUR help in everything we do! We need organisers, project leaders and ideas-folk, as well as do-ers and supporters. Our Communications team especially need hands. If you have a way with words, an eye for graphic design, or are a social media natural, you could help share news using socials, email, and in print. If you’re an advanced Salesforce, WordPress, or Mailchimp user, we have projects waiting for your skills. Or you could help gather what’s happening locally for sharing, update posters on local noticeboards, and take magazines and flyers to local pickup points. Maybe you have the passion, energy and interest to join a subgroup project team or our Partnership Board? Get involved!
3. Trivial differences have been put aside and we’re pulling together to keep families and communities safe. 4. Neighbours who didn’t know each other have become helpers, and new “Thursday clapping friends”. 5. Friends old and new have been ringing our doorbells just to say hi across the garden gate. 6.The air’s been clear, and the weather (mostly) lovely.
Contact us to find out more or to get involved. @bountagu @bountaguyouth info@bountagu.com | 020 8807 5827 (Mon-Thu) www.bountagu.com
3
Children and Young People IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUTH AND COMMUNITY CONNEXIONS
Bountagu have teamed up with Youth and Community Connexions (NYCC) to trial some new projects supporting local young people. Our joint aims are to raise awareness of Bountagu and NYCC, to use time constructively to build self-esteem and re-connect communities, and to explore important issues and ideas.
FREE Lunch Packs
(Project Reviewed Monthly) Free lunch packs to help local young people access healthy food daily during lockdown, including fruit, cereal bars, crisps, and water. Collect in person between 12pm-1pm each weekday from Northside Youth and Community Connexions, 34 Market Square, N9. Please call Christopher first on 07792 610 474. Leaving home to collect these lunch packs is in line with guidelines around exercise and accessing food. If you are unable to leave your home, contact NYCC and they will see how they can help.
Get Involved 11-25? Join our online workshops or help edit, produce, and coordinate our videos. To find out more about any of these projects, contact 07792 610 474, northside_youths@live.co.uk, or on socials #ProjectCodeLondon. 4
Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020
Lockdown Videos & Podcasts (15 Week Project) Young volunteers and staff creating daily podcasts and video workshops for young people. Topics will include “The QC: Quarantine Cooking”, “Home Fitness”, “Hair at Home”, alongside youth news, local and topical information, random facts, and discussing new challenges. New content Monday to Friday at noon from 11 May. #ProjectCodeLondon.
We’re really excited to be restarting Bountagu’s youth focus, which has been so successful in the past. Following our invitations to tender and partnership building over the past few months, we’ve connected and reconnected with some amazing local groups and individuals, and started dozens of conversations around the challenges facing our local young people. We’re delighted to have recruited some new volunteers, and
Children and Young People
Relaunch of Bountagu Youth Projects especially proud to welcome back some faces who were part of our youth activities at the old Bountagu Hub. We hope this year to relaunch the Bountagu Youth Forum, and further empower our local young people to shape and guide their communities. To find out more or get involved with Bountagu Youth, contact us using our new email youth@ bountagu.com or new socials @BountaguYouth.
A great family day out earlier this year to Lee Valley Athletics Centre.
www.bountagu.com
5
Bountagu Over 50s We had some really exciting things planned through the year, but following government advice in March, we stopped all our face-to-face community activities. We are especially sad for our older neighbours and friends, as some activities were only launched in the last few months, and others have been running uninterrupted for over 5 years!
We’re confident that we’ll be back, though, and are really looking forward to having our friends from Mencap join us again for that first cup of tea and that perfect slice of cake… If you have suggestions for anything you’d like to see now or later in the year, we’d love to hear from you.
Colleen: Activity Organiser (Volunteer)
THE EVENTS BELOW ARE NOT CURRENTLY RUNNING. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR RETURN WHEN SOCIAL DISTANCING IS RELAXED.
Lunch Club
Afternoon Choir
Coffee Mornings
Monthly Lunch Club usually runs on the first Wednesday of each month from St Peter’s Hall on Bounces Rd. A twocourse menu cooked for us by Malone & Co, for a £3 donation per diner.
Afternoon Community Choir is for all ages, and usually runs on the second Wednesday of each month at St Peter’s Church. Our time slot finishes in time for people looking after school-age children. No need to book.
Weekly Coffee Mornings are usually open to all ages at St Peter’s Church. Pop in for a while or stay the whole morning. No need to book. Afternoon Choir and Coffee Morning sessions are free. Donations welcome.
(First Wednesdays)
6
Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020
(Second Wednesdays)
(Fridays)
Older People and Community
Weekly Meal Delivery (since April) FREE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BREAD N BUTTER AND ST PETER’S
Volunteers delivering locally prepared meals during lockdown.
Our Over 50s volunteer team have joined forces with Bread n Butter CIC and St Peter’s Church to keep the Lunch Club spirit thriving during lockdown. They’ve been preparing and delivering meals once a week to some of our elderly residents, providing delicious food, and a weekly hello. It’s given a chance for our volunteers to stay in touch with people we’d usually see every week or month at our coffee mornings, lunch clubs
and afternoon choirs, and with some of our most isolated neighbours. “It’s wonderful! I look forward to this each Thursday now, and it’s always nice to see you.” -Bounces Rd Resident
Request a Meal Call 020 8807 5827 or email info@bountagu.com to request a weekly meal delivery.
If you want to know when activities restart, call 020 8807 5827 or email info@bountagu.com. We really miss our weekly games, quizzes and crossword puzzles, as well as sharing crafting and knitting advice. We miss making new friends at the lunch club and choir, but most of all we miss the chance to chat and have a laugh, and get things off our chests. But we’ll be back! www.bountagu.com
7
Developing Opportunities IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNLTD
Local Funding Award Winners 2019-20. Support for Social Entrepreneurs from UnLtd & Bountagu.
Social Enterprise Funding Our community has 10 new Social Entrepreneurs, helped over the last two years by local support and funding from UnLtd and Bountagu, and we are still accepting funding applications. A social enterprise is a business that makes money for its owners, and also benefits the community as part of its day-to-day activities. If you have an idea that can benefit the community in the short- term, and make money in the process, please email Joel Attar for a conversation at joelattar@unltd.org.uk. For more about UnLtd and social enterprise, visit www.unltd.org.uk.
Employment & Benefits Support Are you or your organisation trying to support local people to find work or understand benefits? Contact us and let’s explore how we can work together. 8
Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020
Helping You to Help Yourself Does your personal situation make it difficult to access training, work or other ways to develop yourself? Do you face physical challenges, language or technical barriers, or struggle in another way?
DO YOU WANT TO USE LOCKDOWN TO DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE? IS SELFISOLATION GIVING YOU TIME TO THINK ABOUT GETTING A QUALIFICATION?
FREE from Learning Curve Learning Curve offers dozens of fully funded courses that you can complete online. All courses are nationally recognised, NCFE/CACHE accredited, and ready to add to your CV. Please note that because courses are funded, there is a £125 penalty if you withdraw without good reason. However, Learning Curve is there to help the learner, offers extensions, tutor support and has a 96% success rate. Visit www.learningcurvegroup.co.uk. Mention “Bountagu” when you enrol.
FREE from CONEL The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) are offering dozens of free short online courses, Entry, Level 1, and Level 2. More info at www.conel.ac.uk.
Want to advertise? We’re exploring ways to expand this newsletter. Our print run of 3,000 copies is targeted locally to shops, libraries and community centres, as well as through the letterboxes of the 2,100 households in our area. Are you interested in reaching a local audience? Get in touch!
Developing Local Opportunities
Online Courses & Training
Plans for 2020 More Training
We’ve been building partnerships to bring more local training opportunities within the reach of more people. We continue to look for more ways to make this happen.
Business Networking As our partnership with UnLtd draws to a close later this year, we are looking at ways to support social entrepreneurs to meet and support each other, alongside similar networking for all our new and thriving local business owners. We are looking at ways this might still go ahead under lockdown.
Help Finding Work
We hope to have news soon about how we can improve local support for your job search. To find out more about these projects as they develop, call 020 8807 5827 or email info@bountagu.com. www.bountagu.com
9
Environment and Outdoors IN PARTNERSHIP WITH POLLINATOR PATHS Bountagu is joining forces with Pollinator Paths to encourage East Edmonton residents to create pollinator-friendly patches at home, to welcome bees and butterflies in our neighbourhood! Find them on Facebook or Instagram for project updates, to share growing advice, ask questions, share pollinator-spotting photos, and to connect with others nearby @PollinatorPaths or search “PollinatorPathsEdmonton”.
Pollinator Seeds & Windowsill Boxes Bountagu have FREE seed packets and booklets, and a number of windowsill boxes for local residents who want to learn more about growing for bees and butterflies, and harvest some greens in the process! Call 07512 710085 to apply for free seeds and windowsill boxes.
Bounces Rd Planters
Our planters were full of daffodils and spring blooms over the last couple of months, and the team have been tidying up and keeping an eye on new growth. The boxes themselves are due a fresh coat of paint.
Allotment Lead volunteer Claire and Bountagu staff are keeping the allotment going and really looking forward to being able to invite more residents to get involved. It’s a short turnip’sthrow from Westbourne Hall (Eastbournia Ave). If you have seedlings or edible plants to donate, get in touch. You can still follow progress on Instagram @bountagu_Allotment.
Secure Bike Storage This Spring saw four new cycle hangers installed in the Bountagu area. These are by Graham House, Cumberland House, 1-126 Bounces, and 229-247 Bounces. You can request your own space at www.enfield.gov.uk/forms/request-cycle-parking. 10 Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020
Community Clean Up
Councillor Walkabout
March’s Clean Up Day, which was to be focused on Hudson and Hennessy, had to be postponed, but we’re hoping to work with CleanUp UK again as soon as we’re able.
The February area walkabout with Councillor Greer and several LBE Officers was promising and will hopefully be the first of many. Get in touch to be included in the future.
Environment and Outdoor Space
THE EVENTS BELOW ARE NOT CURRENTLY RUNNING. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR RETURN WHEN SOCIAL DISTANCING IS RELAXED.
St Peter's Peace Garden
Neighbourhood Planting We are looking for more neighbourhood planting locations, as well as businesses who want ‘green’ shopfronts or roofs.
The Bishop’s blessing and dedication in March had to be postponed, but the project was progressing well, thanks to the support and hard work of St Peter’s, Bountagu, and the Enfield Youth Offenders Unit. People regularly comment on how lovely the new garden and blue ‘river’ path are looking.
Bounces Rd Rain Gardens Following flood relief recommendations, the rain gardens on Bounces Rd (near Montagu Rd) have now been completed. Have you seen them? We think they’re looking very pretty (and practical!)
If you want to know when activities restart, call 020 8807 5827 or email info@bountagu.com. www.bountagu.com
11
Local Groups and Projects ECYPS: Children & Young Persons' Services
Foodbank: Felix Project at The Ark
Local charity ECYPS continues to provide services to local people and families, from The Ark at 500 Montagu Rd.
Run by ECYPS with the Felix Project, an Enfield-based food surplus charity, to support struggling families and reduce food waste. Call Hamida on 07533 914 575 for more information about how to donate, or receive help. Wednesday 9:30 or Saturday 11:00, at 500 Montagu Rd, N9 (The Ark).
Online Activities & Covid Support Facebook Group: ECYPS’ family-friendly Facebook group has a daily timetable of activities and support sessions, delivered by local specialists. Join ECYPS Activities on Facebook: Search Facebook groups for “Covid19 support” or Facebook pages for “ECYPS”.
Help Your Local Foodbank ECYPS and Felix Project want to increase the local support they’re able to offer, and together we’re asking residents to donate tins and dry foods (cereals, pasta, noodles). Items can be delivered on Monday/Tuesday mornings to The Ark, 500 Montagu Rd, N9. 12 Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020
EPGT is a Facebook group for those who know you don’t need to leave Edmonton to find lots to do! They share family-friendly ideas and activities in N9/N18, organising ways to meet new friends and enjoy local spaces. Organisers were disappointed to cancel their planned Play Street on Exeter Rd in March, and were sad to miss out on the chance to meet up with other local families at Bountagu’s Easter Egg Hunt at Cumberland Rd Community Garden, also cancelled. Since social distancing, they have been championing the ‘Edmonton Art Trail’ of rainbow pictures and other window-art designed to cheer up passers-by, and engage children on family exercise walks. Many have also been sewing colourful, hugely useful scrubs bags for medics at North Mid. To join: Search Facebook for “EdmontonParentsGetTogether”
Local Groups and Projects
Edmonton Parents Get Together Group (EPGT)
Louise “It’s so good to have a positive group focused on Edmonton.”
Laarni “It highlights N9 and N18 events and community, in an area that is often forgotten.”
Christina “I didn’t think there was much going on close to where I live, but I’ve met new friends and discovered loads to do.” Ergin “I’ve lived in Edmonton my whole life and I’m grateful for this group. Sharing news and supporting each other means a lot to me.” Susannah “The positivity about the area is refreshing, but also just finding good people where many perhaps keep more to themselves.”
Run a Local Group?
Staff at North Mid receiving 200 scrubs bags
Are you part of a neighbourhood group or residents association? Want to connect with other local groups? Should more people know about your work? Get in touch! www.bountagu.com
13
Bountagu News Annual UnLtd Dinner At the end of February, UnLtd treated around 20 local award winners and Bountagu volunteers to a lovely dinner at Kervan Sofrasi on Church St. It was great to properly meet and talk with so many entrepreneurs who had been given a helping hand through our partnership with UnLtd. A fabulously varied group, all combining their new businesses with helping in our community.
Zinfinity Craft Days During February, Zoe at Zinfinity ran another crafting workshop supported by Bountagu’s Little Ideas Fund, this time at Green Towers. It was (of course!) fabulously fun and full of gorgeous creativity, glitter (obviously) and chatter. These were becoming quite regular events, but she had to cancel the scheduled session for Mother’s Day. We know she’ll be back!
Bountagu Volunteering Week POSTPONED: We had been ready to help you find out more about getting involved with Big Local, and the exciting community development project on your doorstep! Sadly, we had to cancel those plans for now, but please reach out if you are interested. 14 Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020
Bountagu News
Odeon Kids Club Cinema More than 40 parents, carers and children joined us for an epic and action-packed Kids Club film in February, subsidised to £2 by Bountagu (usually £3.50). www.odeon.co.uk/kids
Lee Valley Athletics Centre After the film, we made our way to the nearby Lee Valley Athletics Centre where the children worked off their packed lunches with some brilliant trials and team races led by instructor Paul. It was great to experience some of our fantastic local facilities. A big thank you to Healthy Living Officer Debbie Baxter for hosting us and to everyone who came with us - what a great day! www.leevalleypark.org.uk/go/ childrens-athletics-activities
Sundays at the Allotment We’ve been turning it into a real community resource, rebuilding the raised planters, marking out areas for herbs, trees and other plants, as well as flowers and shrubs to attract pollinator insects. We hope eventually to have a little ‘kitchen-shed’ for making cuppas for hard workers and visitors, to go with our picnic seating area.
“I enjoyed watching Maleficent and eating lunch and training at the Lee Valley. I really enjoyed the whole day!” Kimaya, 11
#Together Event POSTPONED: We were proud to be partnering again with Edmonton police for their second annual community event. The July fun day has now been postponed, but we look forward to its rescheduling, when we will all cherish a ‘Bountagu Big Day Out’ even more! www.bountagu.com
15
Get Involved: The Little Ideas Fund IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA TO DO SOMETHING GREAT LOCALLY, THE LITTLE IDEAS FUND IS HERE TO HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN!
What Is It? We are providing awards for projects that help improve the lives of residents in this area.
How Much Can I Ask For? Up to £250 to run or launch a small local event or activity.
How Easy Is It To Apply? You fill out a really simple form (we can help) to tell us a bit about your idea and yourself, then we contact you for a more detailed chat. Then our panel meet and hopefully approve your application. That’s it!
The 3 Little Rules 1. Your idea hopes to improve life in the Bountagu area. 2. You must be a Bountagu resident (or your project will mainly benefit Bountagu residents). 3. Your idea must match one of our priority areas below; - Children and Young People - Older People 50+ - Environment (Outdoor Spaces, Community Safety) - Developing Opportunities (Business, Jobs, Skills)
Now... What's YOUR idea? Contact info@bountagu.com with your idea, fill out the form at www.bountagu.com/littleideas, or call 020 8807 5827. 16 Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020
Do you have an idea to help the neighbourhood and the people in it during this difficult time? The Little Ideas Fund is still here to help make your ideas reality. We want to hear how we could help you to help the community.
For Your Projects Are you struggling to deliver a valuable community service? Does your organisation see new challenges for our neighbourhood when we eventually come through the current crisis? Contact Bountagu to explore how we can support you and help each other, right now and in future.
Bountagu Little ideas Fund
For Your Ideas
What Is This Funding For? We want to see what schemes our creative and passionate neighbours (YOU!) come up with, and help to bring them to life. Have you thought of a way to improve something in the area? We want to inspire and support you to strengthen our community.
What If My Idea Doesn't Fit? Do you need more than ÂŁ250 to make your idea a reality, or think it might not meet our rules? Want to apply as a group, organisation or business? We may know another way to help, so get in touch anyway!
Got an amazing community idea? Is there something local - that follows social distancing advice - that you think might be fun to do with a group, but don’t know how to organise it? Give us a shout! www.bountagu.com
17
About Bountagu Big Local Bountagu Big Local is a resident-driven project with the ambition to support and improve our community, and “leave a legacy of beauty, hope and aspiration for the future”. Decisions and activities are led by our Partnership Board and subgroup teams, formed of local volunteers passionate about making a positive and lasting difference to our area. We’re supported by the National Lottery Community Fund through Local Trust. The Bountagu area covers about 2,100 households and over 5,000 local people, and is one of 150 Big local areas in England. www.bountagu.com/map
Contact us to find out more or to get involved. Bountagu Big Local, Unit 11, Centre 14, Centre Way, Claverings Estate, N9 0AH info@bountagu.com | 020 8807 5827 (Mon-Thu) 18 Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020
Enfield Council and Enfield Voluntary Action have brought together organisations and volunteers across the borough, under the name ‘Enfield Stands Together (EST)’. They are providing practical support for anyone who needs it, especially the over 70s, those without help for shopping or prescriptions, and anyone extremely vulnerable to coronavirus.
020 3821 1966 Call Monday-Friday 9:30-4:30, Saturday-Sunday 10-2 for help or to register as a volunteer, or visit www.enfield.gov.uk/est.
Enfield Crisis Line If you are in crisis now and cannot get food or basic essentials, call the same number 020 3821 1966.
Help From Bountagu Bountagu exists to help improve and support this neighbourhood and the people in it. Please reach out if the current situation is causing you hardships of any kind, if you have questions or suggestions, or if any local changes are causing you concerns. If you have problems using any of the these schemes, contact Bountagu and we’ll try to help.
Bountagu Big Local
Enfield Stands Together
Useful Contacts Lower Edmonton Ward Councillors - Margaret Greer: 07971 673 766 Cllr.Margaret.Greer@Enfield.gov.uk - Guney Dogan: 07812 673 093 Cllr.Guney.Dogan@enfield.gov.uk - Sinan Boztas: 020 8379 5516 Cllr.Sinan.Boztas@Enfield.gov.uk Edmonton MP
- Kate Osamor: 020 8803 0574 Kate.Osamor.mp@parliament.uk
Edmonton Neighbourhood Police - 020 8345 4401 or 07843 065 887 (or call 101) - Call 999 in an emergency NHS Healthcare
- Contact your GP or Pharmacist (or call 111) - Call 999 in an emergency
Enfield Domestic Abuse Hub
- 0800 923 9009 (9-5/Mon-Fri) callusDAH@enfield.gov.uk - www.enfield.gov.uk/dv
National Domestic Violence Helpline - 0808 2000 247 (24hrs/7days) Government Support
Centralised information about health, wellbeing, work, financial support, travel, housing, education and more. - www.gov.uk/coronavirus - www.gov.uk/universal-credit Local Council Support
- www.enfield.gov.uk/est (also 020 3821 1966)
www.bountagu.com
19
Enfield Stands Together 020 3821 1966
Bountagu 020 8807 5827
Mon-Fri 9:30-4:30, Sat-Sun 10-2
Mon-Thu 10:00-2:00
If you are in crisis now and can’t afford food or basics, call Enfield Council on 020 3821 1966.
Bountagu are reorganising the way we deliver some projects, and creating new ways to support you.
‘Enfield Stands Together’ also helps with getting your shopping and prescriptions.
We will help our neighbourhood however we can, especially if you have hardships or concerns, or ideas of ways to help.
Call or visit the website for help or to register as a volunteer.
Look for our leaflets through your door.
Contact Bountagu if you have issues using the scheme, and we’ll try to help.
Follow www.bountagu.com/subscribe or @bountagu, or email us.
www.enfield.gov.uk/est
info@bountagu.com
Support For Local Ideas
Support For Local Projects
Do you have an idea to help the neighbourhood and the people in it during this difficult time?
Are you struggling to deliver a valuable community service? How can we help?
020 8807 5827 www.bountagu.com/littleideas | info@bountagu.com 20 Bountagu Newsletter - Spring 2020