Newcastle City Council

The time has nearly come for tomorrow’s Grey Street Gala, with Newcastle NE1 to celebrate the end of the works on our beautiful street and say thank you to the businesses for their ongoing cooperation.🥳 Investment in the city centre boosts our economy, creates more jobs and opportunities, and this ultimately benefits every resident in this city. Grey Street is very important in our ongoing plans to transform our city centre into a greener and more welcoming place, and also somewhere that attracts more investment. The finishing touches are being made to the street so it’s ready for tomorrow, so please come down and enjoy the performances and entertainment between 11am and 4.30pm.🙌

This week, crime writer and founder of Reading for Wellbeing, Ann Cleeves, visited Newcastle City Library for the inspiring Co-Create Café event! 🎉 Together with the library team, participants shared ideas on improving services. Reading for Wellbeing supports people of all ages to discover and share the healing power of reading for pleasure, including those who are experiencing loneliness, ill-health or recovery from addictions. 📚✨ We’re proud to work with social health prescribers and community organizations, offering reading groups across the city to make a positive impact! 💬

Plans to breathe new life into one of Newcastle’s oldest empty buildings have taken a big step forward. 👏 The Keelmen’s Hospital on City Road which opened in 1701 has been awarded almost £438,000 for work to show how the Grade II* listed building can be converted into 20 social homes. It is hoped the money from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will be followed by an additional £4.5m which will allow the ancient building to be converted and transformed for modern living. 🏠 Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Karen Kilgour said: “This is fantastic news. It’s an amazing building with a fascinating story and everyone’s imagination has been captured by the possibility that it will once again be used for social housing – a lovely example of history repeating itself.” Shona Alexander, Chair of the Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust, who is leading on the project with the council said: “We are delighted with this initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and look forward to working in close partnership with both the local community and Newcastle City Council to make this happen.” Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We’re thrilled to support Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust with this initial grant to work towards restoring Keelmen’s Hospital and saving its heritage for future generations. Thanks to National Lottery players, this development phase will help progress plans to transform the historic building into affordable housing.” Although there is lots to do, if everything goes according to plan it is hoped the first tenants will move in in 2028. 🤞 The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Hot off the press 🙌 Working with Equans, we are midway through decarbonisation efforts to make three residential blocks in Shieldfield more comfortable and efficient places to live. These hugely important works will see old gas and electric heating systems being removed and a new air source heat pump fitted to the roof. Not only is this better for the environment but it means residents will also benefit from more efficient radiators, new smart thermostats, external wall insulation and new windows We are so proud of the work taking place so far 💚

A huge thank you to the International Centre for Life for hosting our wonderful foster carers at their special event last week! “We all had a fantastic day, adults, and the children. The kids never stopped. There was something for everyone, we spent the full day there, thanks again from all of us”.

🎉 Everyone is invited to the Grey Street Gala this Saturday (12 October) between 11am and 4.30pm to celebrate the completion of work on our beautiful street! 🏙️✨ Organised by NEWCASTLE NE1 LIMITED you can expect a day packed with festivities, including pop-up performances 🎶, opera singers 🎤, magicians 🎩, ballet dancers 🩰, and more! There will also be special performances in front of the Theatre Royal 🎭 between 11am and 1.30pm. Along with joining the celebrations, you'll have the chance to take part in an architectural photography masterclass 📸 and watch live ice sculpting ❄️. Looking forward to seeing you there! 😊

Bringing some festive cheer to our children most in need. 🎄 We have launched our Christmas gift appeal to support Care Leavers and other children in need with over 800 gifts this festive season. 🎁 Hundreds of thoughtful items were donated last year, and we are calling on residents and businesses who are able to help us again. Cath Mcevoy-Carr, Director, Children and Families, Newcastle City Council said: “We were extremely grateful for the generosity of the city in making these donations last year and we are looking for their help again make Christmas special for our young people most in need. Christmas can be a tough time for many of our young people, especially those who do not have family around them, and the donations of these essential items will make a huge difference to them.” Find out how you can help ensure the city’s children most in need wake up to a gift on Christmas morning 👇

First Look at Tyne Bridge’s New Green Coat! 💚 We’re excited to unveil the first restored section of the Tyne Bridge, painted in ‘Hollybush’ green—closely matching its original colour from nearly a century ago. Much of the transformation has had to be kept away from the public behind the scaffolding as 96 years’ worth of old and defective paint, including lead-based paint, has had to be grit blasted off back to the original steel. The steel has been repaired and you will soon be able to see the progress made as we begin to remove the scaffolding on the Gateshead tower in the coming weeks. 🛠️ For the entire restoration, a staggering 139,400 litres of paint will be used—enough to fill 850 beer barrels! Esh Group

Get ready for a festive season like no other in Newcastle! 🎄 We’re partnering with NE1 to make the city truly festive and magical. Old Eldon Square will unveil a new family-friendly area, while the Monument will feature Christmas market stalls and cosy igloo pods for food and drinks. ❄️🥳 Join us for the Christmas Lights switch-on on November 12 and the market from November 16 to December 22. Enjoy entertainment like Santa's Stories tipi, an Elf Workshop, and a Rockin' Reindeer stage, with 95% of stalls run by local traders! Let’s make this holiday season memorable and support our local economy! Stay tuned for the 2024 Christmas website, featuring events like the Fenwick window unveiling and the ice rink return at the Centre for Life! ✨ Getintonewcastle

Have you noticed something new on Blackett Street? 🌸 Well… we’re excited to share that we've just installed brand-new planters as part of our mission to create a greener and more welcoming city centre! 🌱 Over the next few years, we can't wait to watch these beautiful plants bloom and grow. 🌼