Fantastic Friday Update

October is International Black History Month in the UK and this year's theme is 'Before Windrush' - an exploration of the lives and stories of the Black Britons who were living in the UK before the arrival of the Empire Windrush in 1948.   If you want to find ways to celebrate this month, click here.  

Recycle Week 2023 will take place between 16th-22nd October 2023. This year’s theme - The Big Recycling Hunt - focuses on “missed capture”: the items that can be recycled but are commonly missed in the home.  This year Recycle Week is celebrating its 20th anniversary and will be inspiring children, families and whole communities to get involved.

Next week will be an interesting one for the coffee lovers as it is "UK Coffee week" (16th-22nd October). Every year, the coffee industry and its customers come together to celebrate all things coffee while raising funds for the people who make our love of coffee possible. Since 2011, the UK Coffee Week community has raised over £1 Million for Project Waterfall, reaching over 45,000 people with clean drinking water, sanitation and education.  
Funds raised during the 2023 campaign will support Project Waterfall’s latest project in the Berbere district of Ethiopia. If you want to know more about this campaign, click here.

We would like to remind you that on Monday 16th and Wednesday 18th you can find Communities 1st attending the International Day of Older Persons events respectively at Harpenden Library and 
St Albans Library. Please see below for more information.

Have a lovely weekend! 

Nicola Oneill

Wellbeing Services Manager

If you or someone you know is in at-risk group or is isolated, and needs help or support with shopping, prescription collection, pet sitting, urgent supplies or tech support, you can contact us.

Email: help@communities1st.org.uk.
Phone: 01727 649930.

Alternatively, if you would like to volunteer yourself to support this service, please contact us or visit our website for further information.

Introduction to Air Frying

Have an Air fryer or considering buying one? Looking to cook cheaper and healthier? Come along to our cooking with an Air Fryer 3 hour session. Learn to cook with one, add new recipes and learn about the cost savings. Cooking tips will be provided on this free course along with a chance to taste food cooked in the air fryer.

Any Hertfordshire resident aged 19 and over is welcome to attend this course. Participants are eligible for the draw to win an air fryer if they have obtained a D grade or below in their Maths GCSE (or equivalent), or are in receipt of any benefits.

- IN PERSON COURSE - Welwyn Garden City

18th October, 1pm - 4pm

Churchfield House, Guessens Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6RJ

More Information 

- IN PERSON COURSE - Letchworth
19th October, 2023, 1pm - 4pm
Kingfisher Court, Southern Way, Letchworth, SG6 4NT
More information

You are invited to our festive, holiday catch up!
Communities 1st has already chosen the dates of the upcoming Christmas events for December 2023 and we are happy to share these with all of you. 

Volunteers, clients and members of staff are all welcome to come and we hope to see you there to share a hot chocolate and a chat.

It is a small gesture to say thank you for all the help and support received this year and we hope you can make it! 

If you are interested in coming along, please feel free to put the following dates in your calendar and keep an eye out for the locations and more details in our upcoming newsletters and on our website.

- Tuesday, 5th December 2023 - Hertsmere.

- Wednesday, 6th December 2023 - Broxbourne. 

- Thursday, 7th December 2023 - St Albans.

BBC Teach
BBC's 500 Words 2023 is open for entries! Children aged 5-11 can submit their own original story for a chance to be in with winning an incredible prize. The competition closes on Friday 10th November.

More information

Quit smoking this Stoptober
When you stop smoking, good things start to happen — you can begin to see almost immediate improvements to your health.
So this October, join the thousands of smokers committing to quitting. Stop smoking for 28 days and you're 5 times more likely to give up for good.
It's much easier to stop smoking when you get the right support and there are lots of options to choose from.

More information

Recycling centres change to winter hours
As of Sunday 1 October, recycling centres across the county have changed to their winter hours. Remember to bring a form of ID when visiting your centre. This could be a driving licence, Council Tax bill, utility bill, etc. 

Visit your local recycling centre page to check current opening hours.

Hertfordshire's Annual Domestic Abuse Surveys

This is an opportunity to use your voice to help shape systems and services for domestic abuse in Hertfordshire.

The Hertfordshire Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership are listening and committed to ensuring everyone gets the right help at the right time.

More information

Help to discover the history of the District's Black communities

To coincide with October's Black History Month, a Black History Research Group is going to be set up.
St Albans Museum is looking for people interested in examining the history of St Albans’ Black communities.
This is a long term project intended to improve their knowledge and understanding of Black history in the local area.
The volunteer research team will be provided with three training sessions a year (including one on researching family history) and enjoy being part of a supportive group.
No previous experience is required.

The first session to be held on Monday 23 October.  

More information 

Flourishing Lives - Celebrating UN International Day of Older Persons: All Welcome
Everyone is invited to a series of events in St Albans District to celebrate International Day of Older Persons.
There will be opportunities to find out about services which can help residents keep safe and well, get connected and stay independent.
People can drop in for a chat at the pop-up events in St Albans, Harpenden, London Colney and Redbourn.
Representatives from the Police, Trading Standards and the Fire Service will also be in attendance to talk about issues such as crime prevention.
Citizens Advice, Communities 1st, Age UK and other groups which work with older people will also be present at the Flourishing Lives events.

Free refreshments will be available with the events taking place at:

• Harpenden Library on Monday 16 October 10am-1pm.
• St Albans Library on Wednesday 18 October 11am-2pm

More information

Speak Up Month

Every year October is "Speak Up Month" – a month to raise awareness of Freedom to Speak Up and make speaking up business as usual for everyone.

The theme for this year’s Speak Up Month is Breaking Barriers.  

Awareness of some of the barriers to speaking up gets highlighted with the hope to give people the confidence to overcome these barriers and make speaking up business as usual.

More information

"Restart A Heart Day" (16th October)

This year, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) will be supporting international "Restart A Heart Day" with two pop-up CPR and defibrillator trainings

- Sunday 15th October at Lakeside Shopping Centre,

- Monday 16th October at South Mimms Service Station

More information  

Tyre Safety Month
During #TyreSafetyMonth, everyone is encouraged to do the 20p tread test on their tyres.
The more tyre tread you have (over 1.6mm), the safer journeys will be. You'll also avoid fines and 3 penalty points per tyre.

More information #TSM2023

Herts libraries slipper swap 2023

We all get less steady on our feet as we get older, and it's easy to take steps to prevent a slip or a trip.
Hertfordshire County Council has some great advice and helpful services, including a slipper swap to make sure we all keep a good grip on our floors at home. Bin your old slippers and come along to one of our events to pick up a new non-slip pair.

Slipper Swaps 2023 will be held at the following libraries:

• Abbots Langley Library - Wednesday 18 October
• Stevenage Library - Monday 30 October
• Hatfield Library - Wednesday 15 November
• Hoddesdon Library - Wednesday 29 November
• Hemel Hempstead Library - Thursday 7 December

All events run 10am – 1pm

More information

Mental Healthcare Support Worker - Helpline & Crisis Cafes

• Hours: Full time (37.5 hours) and part time positions (30 or 22.5 hours) available. A full-time pattern will be working 5 out of 7-day rota, working 17:30 – 01:30
• Salary:  £22,275 – £23,750 (pro rata for part time hours)
• Location: Watford, Stevenage and Ware (expectation to travel whenever necessary with mileage paid when not working at home base)

More information

Crisis Centre Team Leader (Nightlight)

• Hours: 5 out of 7 days – Role involves covering coordinator shifts where necessary which are: 7am to 3pm / 2pm – 10pm / Occasional Nights
• Salary:  £27,000 – £29,000
• Location: Hemel Crisis House, Hemel Hempstead

More information

Youth Work Development Worker

• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Salary:: £37,534 with the opportunity to progress to £40,550
• Location: Hemel Hempstead 

More information

Community Rail Partnership Officer

• Hours: 22.5 per week
• Salary: ££30,151 with the opportunity to progress to £32,909
• Location: Hertford / Stevenage - Hybrid Working

More information

Information and Advice Support Assistant

• Hours: Full-time 35 hours
• Salary: £21,600 per annum
• Location: Hybrid, remote and Head Office

More information