Fawdon and Coxlodge Together

Grants available for projects that can light up Fawdon, Coxlodge or Kenton!

The Friendship Choir at Fawdon Community Centre is singing again on Tuesday 30th July, starting at 6.30pm, till 8pm - all welcome, whether regulars, returners or newbies.
We'll have a mix of different song types and a batch of number1 hits from the 80s.
Gospel medley by The Seekers
From the Musicals - On the Street Where You Live and There's No Business Like Show Business
Country - Rhinestone Cowboy - Glen Campbell - and Crazy - Patsy Cline
Local - Dance Te The Daddy/When the Boat Comes in
Traditional - The Wild Mountain Thyme
plus
La Isla Bonita - Madonna
The Land of Make Believe - Bucks Fizz
A Little Peace - Nicole
I Want To Know What Love is - Foreigner
I Just Can't Stop Loving You - Michael Jackson
Heaven is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle
This Ole House - Shakin Stevens
COME AND JOIN US !!

The Friendship Choir that meets (largely) fortnightly at Fawdon Community Centre welcomes new or returning members - why not come along and give us a try? More details on the flyer here. Next Tuesday 2nd July our songs will include from Tina Turner, Ed Sheeran, Cindi Lauper, Bryan Adams, Kylie, Dolly, Shania Twain and Lindisfarne .. and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ..

On the 80th anniversary commemorations for D-Day, the name of Ken Cooke has a particular resonance for former Rowntree’s workers. Aged 98 Ken has returned to Normandy today, revisiting Gold Beach, where he landed as an 18-year-old on 6 June 1944.
One of the locos used at Fawdon known as Rowntree’s Number 3 (though, confusingly, “Number 2” when at Fawdon), went to North Yorkshire Moors Railway, later the Middleton Railway, Leeds, then the railway museum in Shildon. It was rescued from likely scrappage by enthusiasts Glynis and Tony Frith who moved it to Murton, York, restored it and put it on the Derwent Valley Light Railway line. They renamed the engine the “Ken Cooke” after the Normandy veteran who used to hitch a ride on the loco to get around the Rowntree cocoa works in York where he was based.

To mark the sad passing of former councillor Brenda Hindmarsh, there will be a gathering, with speeches, on Saturday 18th May, from 2 to 3pm at Fawdon Community Centre, Fawdon Park Road, NE3 2PL. Could anyone who wishes to attend or who would like to pass on any message to be shared at the gathering, please email [email protected] This helps the management of the seating and the refreshments that will follow."

The friendship choir at Fawdon Community Centre sings again on Tuesday 23rd April at 6.30pm. All welcome - it's very informal - just pop in and try it. There will be songs to mark St George's Day such as Jerusalem and In an English Country Garden, as well as this selection of pop songs. Tea and biscuits, voluntary contribution towards costs, typically £5.

Farewell to Brenda Hindmarsh who died this week - she will always be remembered with affection and gratitude for all she did for the community in Fawdon Ward and for the city of Newcastle.

A chance to learn Spanish - in Fawdon!

The Friendship Choir at Fawdon Community Centre meets to sing fortnightly, every second Tuesday, 6.30pm. Next session is 26th March - theme is great songs of the 1980s. All welcome - just call in - join a group of lovely people who enjoy a sing-song.

The city library exhibition about the Fawdon Rowntree's/Nestle factory has now finished but we hope to put on a smaller exhibition about it at Kenton branch library - we'll keep everyone posted about this. Meanwhile, there are still copies of the book available at the city library, Fawdon Community Library (Fawdon Park Road) and online from the publisher -

Memories of the Fawdon Factory : Summerhill Books A Sweet Story 1957-2023 by David Faulkner This book marks the end of sweet manufacturing at the Nestlé factory in Fawdon, Newcastle after 66 years of producing many famous brands, from Fruit Pastilles to Rolo. With over 100 photographs, it looks back at the setting up of the plant by Rowntree’s i...

Newcastle Community Asset Trust is looking for volunteers to help operate a "Community Fridge" planned soon for Fawdon Community Centre, providing economically-priced food and minimising food waste. More details are attached, also contact information to offer your services or find out more. Also needed are transport volunteers to pick up food from participating supermarkets and take it to the community centre, also to NCAT's other local community centres in Blakelaw and Cowgate.

A reminder of the first get-together of a new men's group for Fawdon and surrounding area - this coming Tuesday 6th February at Fawdon Community Centre, Fawdon Park Road.. Come together with local men to make new friendships in our community men's group. Join us for a morning filled with free breakfast, informal chat and pastimes. 10am - 12 noon. No booking required -just drop in to try it - all welcome.

Health drop-in at Fawdon Community Library, Fawdon Community Centre, Fawdon Park Road. Date: Monday 5 Feb 2024
Time: 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm
A Drop in session where you can speak to a member of Healthwatch Newcastle about any issues, find out information, share your experience about Health, care and social care services.
https://www.informationnow.org.uk/event/healthwatch-newcastle-north-community-drop-in/

Newcastle Community Asset Trust announces the launch of a new men's group on February 6th 10 am to 12 noon at Fawdon Community Centre, Fawdon Park Road. Initially, it will operate as a breakfast club to encourage participation and serve as a starting point for future activities.

Newcastle City Library, New Bridge Street, is staging an exhibition of material based on our book "Memories of the Fawdon Factory" (Rowntree/Nestle) - it's on Level 6 now until 1st March.
Remember that you can buy the book at Fawdon Community Library Fawdon Park Road, or at the city library itself, or online from the publisher: https://summerhillbooks.co.uk/book-store/newcastle/memories-of-the-fawdon-factory/

Sadly, the Nestle factory in Fawdon closes at the end of December but, in this book, you can read the story of the people and products who made it a special place over 66 years. Order via https://summerhillbooks.co.uk/book-store/newcastle/memories-of-the-fawdon-factory/
Or you can buy the book at Newcastle City Library or at Fawdon Community Library (Fawdon Park Road)

Its tomorrow - Saturday 9th December from 11am to 2pm, Fawdon Community Centre's Christmas community party - a family event with a free buffet (from noon), tombola, bric-a-brac and toys stall, raffle, crafts, face-painting, the Christmas Elf, Christmas choir at 11.30, Santa at 12.45. All welcome!

Less than a week to go to the Christmas party at Fawdon Community Centre - Sat 9th from 11am until 2pm. Don't miss it. Free entry - all welcome. And please share !

Next online presentation is on Thursday 23rd November 7pm to 8pm - on "Geordie Humour and Humorists". See attachment for contact details for the Zoom link.

Get the date for the Christmas Party in your diary now - and share please!

The new interpretation boards at St Nicholas Park, Coxlodge, erected by the Wildlife Trust but funded by Fawdon and Newcastle Together, have been installed. Why not go take a look?

Music lovers may wish to come along to hear Gosforth and District Choir this Saturday 14th October, 7pm at St Mary's Church, Mapledene Road, Fawdon NE3 2RY for what sounds like a great programme.

Next Tuesday, for this one occasion, the choir will be at St Mary's Church, Mapledene Rd. All welcome - 6.30pm start

Summertime fun! Daily through to Sunday 3rd September. Follow the Wild Wings Trail! Find out about the birds that visit Northumberlandia and some of the iconic birds of Northumberland in this brilliant trail. See beautiful illustrations by Holly Henry and help support the work of Northumberland Wildlife Trust as you follow your map to discover 12 numbered stops, where you will find intriguing and fascinating facts. This is a downloadable self-guided trail - you will be sent a link in your confirmation email - register to receive the FREE trail map and guide to the birds
https://www.nwt.org.uk/events/2023-07-22-wild-wings-trail
And don’t forget about pond-dipping closer to home at St Nicholas Park, Coxlodge – details here about the session this coming Wednesday 31st August - https://www.nwt.org.uk/events/2023-05-31-pond-dipping-family-activity-0
And check out the new interpretation boards at St Nicholas Park that Fawdon and Coxlodge Together have funded!

Nestle have agreed to fund our planned publication about the story of the Fawdon factory over its 65 years, so after a slight delay we're back on the job and looking for former or current employees who might be willing to be interviewed. Please let us know if you have any contacts or please share this email - we can be contacted on [email protected]. The attachment shows the overall scope of our archive project.

Fawdon and Coxlodge Together Fawdon and Coxlodge Together represents a group of volunteers that live in our area and want to share

Looks like an enjoyable learning experience at St Nicholas Park, Coxlodge next week - pond-dipping at the Wildlife Trust.
https://www.nwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/st-nicholas-park

The Friendship Choir will be singing at Fawdon Community Centre again tomorrow, 6.30-8pm - all welcome, regulars, occasionals and anyone who wishes to come for the first time. Voluntary donation. Cuppa and a biscuit halfway through. This time we'll sing our five UK Eurovision winning songs plus a mix of others - Achy Breaky Heart, Lost in Music, Daydream Believer, Anything Goes, We Are The Champions, One Moment in Time, God Only Knows, Rocking all over the World. Come and join us !

Wonderful white and lilac irises will hopefully cheer this planter for years to come...if you happen to have drought tolerant perennials that you've just divided and want to share with our community, please get in touch with us!

"Let's Hang On" - one of the great songs we'll be singing at the Friendship Choir on Tuesday - 21st March, Fawdon Community Centre, 6.30pm All welcome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukstBybSmos

Here are some of the songs we'll be singing this coming Tuesday 7th March at the Friendship Choir at Fawdon Community Centre, 6.30-8pm. New or old, regulars or returning - all are welcome. Voluntary donation.