We would like to get your thoughts on the proposal of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) in the United Kingdom, that would be available to all, without means testing or qualifying factors.

Put simply, UBI is an income that would be paid to every citizen for life that would allow them to live without 'having' to work or worry about paying bills. Unlike state benefits that are means tested, and do not provide a comfortable means to live, UBI would allow people to live without worrying about basic bills and the 'need' to work.

Everyone would receive UBI, and their employment would add to their existing income meaning those who choose to work will earn more if they want to.

​This would have a positive effect for those with factors affecting their ability to work, such as disability, lack of skills, single parents etc by removing the 'need' to find a job and being held back or at a disadvantage if they can not.

In the current climate of advancing technology and AI playing a bigger role in society and the workplace, many existing job roles are under threat from the gradual shift of societal improvement in technology and the benefits it brings.

Many citizens would have more free time if they could rely-on or supplement their income with UBI. Charities and community organizations could potentially benefit from those within the community being able to commit their time to causes they care about without worrying about their income being affected.

Parents could work part-time and spend more time with their children and family to enrich their development.

Local businesses could potentially benefit from a greater footfall of citizens throughout the week, being able to visit and spend money when normally at work and not having disposable income to spend.

Ultimately through taxes, and bigger taxes on companies operating within the UK. But if companies are taxed more, and employees are receiving UBI, they could pay lower wages.

Please let us know your thoughts on the proposal for UBI by using the form below and we will pass this onto the relevant parties for discussion.

The Second Bite Academy trainees under the guidance of Chef Jenny, have cooked up 1,055 community meals in just ONE MONTH!

As part of their training, they have been hard at work in the kitchen creating delicious and nutritious meals for Chirton and Riverside and Whitley Bay residents.

A big THANK YOU to Whitley Bay Big Local who are funding some of the meals and to their volunteers who are kindly delivering them throughout Whitley Bay.
 
These have also been possible thanks to food donations from FareShare as well as other donations received by The Giving Evolution at the Cedarwood Trust; including the recent 'Tin on a wall campaign' whereby already 20 kg of food, with FareShare donations too, was able to create 100 meals!
 
Incredible work, and we look forward to seeing how many more meals the brilliant Second Bite Academy can create in the coming months thanks to the trainees, chefs, volunteers and donors.

Would you like to start a new career? Passionate about cooking?

A collaboration between Second Bite CIC and The Cedarwood Trust, Second Bite Catering Academy provides an opportunity for students from any background to learn real skills in the kitchen that lead to employment.

The Second Bite Catering Academy consists of training and education opportunities for students based at the Second Bite Bistro in Whitley Bay and volunteering opportunities based at the Cedarwood Trust Café in North Shields.

You will work alongside and under the guidance of professional chefs 16 hours per week, for 6 weeks, learning real skills that lead to real catering employment.

Providing internal and external catering provisions, a place to produce great food and opportunity. The programme is designed to offer precious opportunities to those who need a helping hand up – military veterans, single parents, NEET’s, people in recovery, people with complex needs, ex-offenders, and the long-term unemployed.

Each participant is given full basic training and ongoing support in basic catering & hospitality and general employment skills, with a further tiered development programme, which also offers employment opportunities through a host of different vehicles.

We also offer, uniquely – ongoing support with participant personal issues throughout.

To find out more and talk to us about joining the Second Bite Catering Academy, please get in touch via info@cedarwoodtrust.co.uk or call us on 0191 259 0245.

On 1st of August, we are launching a brand-new team funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority to support peoples recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting them into meaningful activities to encourage people to re-engage with activities in leisure, well-being training, education and employment.

A team of community connectors will be outreaching in the community to support residents to do so, whilst also offering people the opportunity to receive level 2 qualifications in:

• Care Planning
• Challenging Behaviour
• Information Governance
• Mental Capacity Act 2005
• Well-Being
• General Principles of Health and Safety
• Diet and Nutrition
• Dignity and Respect
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Our program includes 4 Level 2 Awards - 1.1 Mentoring - Real time work placement - Confidence building - Advice and Guidance - Local provision based in the Cedarwood Centre or home study.

To participate, please contact louise@cedarwoodtrust.com or call 0191 259 0245 or drop into the Cedarwood Centre for a chat.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we live and work dramatically over a very short period of time. Many organisations are understandably struggling to adapt to these new challenges, however some, like Cedarwood Trust, based in the Meadow Well Estate in North Shields have risen to the challenge.
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Voda North Tyneside caught up with Cedarwood’s CEO Wayne Dobson in between his many new tasks to find out more about how they have been able to respond so quickly and what they are doing to support the local community during this crisis.

The Trust began to contingency planning for the outbreak in the last week in January as Wayne became aware of the situation in China and developing around the world. Part of this planning included a gradual adaptation of their daily activities so that they could be responsive in the event of a lockdown.

Wayne commented: “As a small lean and agile charity we can react quickly to emerging needs and for forty years Cedarwood Trust has done that, listening at a grassroots level to the concerns and aspirations of residents not only on the Meadow Well, but also where the families have moved off the estate and into new homes across North Tyneside. These families have not forgotten their roots and the support Cedarwood Trust has provided to them throughout our forty years.”

“Cedarwood Trust is part of the history of the area, with its fortieth anniversary as a charity this year. Initially established by residents before forming as a charity, there was a credit union to alleviate loan sharking and a community co-op store, plus it provided pastoral care and promoted the values of being a good neighbour. This is very much our ethos in following simple Christian values of been a good neighbour to all. And it’s the value of being a good neighbour that informs Cedarwood trust in its present and future.”

The Trust made the decision to stay and walk alongside the community, offering the support that has been a constant from the 1980’s. Wayne was shocked when he saw the level of panic buying which saw the supermarket shelves stripped bare, knowing that this was likely done by people who had financial means to do so. Whereas the majority of people that Cedarwood supports live in persistent poverty and who do not have the means to stockpile or panic buy.

Many residents in the area survive using low budget supermarkets and have to resort to borrowing, loaning and exchanging to feed their families and make ends meet, but the lockdown has put a stop to their ability to do this.

“Life is hard not for days or weeks, life is hard for many years and sometimes from cradle to the grave for people in persistent poverty.  We had to stay and help as to close and walk away at the time of the greatest need is against all that The Cedarwood Trust represents,” reflects Wayne.

As of 6th July 2020, the Cedarwood Trust has achieved:

They are working closely with the Whitley Bay Round Table to develop and implement a network of Big Batch Cooking, which is a collective group of restaurants who prepare, cook and chill down the meals within a commercial setting.

​This group – which includes Chef Mark Spratt from Evans Bistro, Chef Adam Weir from Gateshead College, Chef Sangeeta Chopra from Namaste Taste of India, the Crab & Waltzer kitchen and freezer space and Chef Jen from Evans on The Wall – is all coordinated by a WhatsApp group which in itself is seeing former competitors forging close friendships.

Cedarwood is also inviting local people to share videos on their Facebook page so that people can let friends and family know how they are as well as keeping people updated with what they are doing as well as sharing things to do at home, and useful community information.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, our staff have maintained their presence throughout the community with outreach to deliver meals and support to those who need it. We're very proud of adding to these numbers every day:

You can help us and support our work by donating to the Cedarwood Trust here.

We've received an important message from Craig Woolf at the North Community Power CiC regarding gas and electricity during this time.

Many people are still unaware of the Priority Services Register which is a legal requirement put on all gas and electricity network operators. Any household with physical, medical or mental health vulnerabilities and all households with children under five or retirees are eligible to be on the register. If at any time your gas or electricity supply is cut off those on the register will get preferential support according to their needs. 

We have been running a pilot project on behalf of Northern Power Grid and Northern Gas Networks to increase awareness and the numbers of people on the register in North Tyneside. You can sign up to the register through your energy supplier or directly through Northern Power Grid and Northern Gas Networks here.

The register is free of charge and while some may already be signed up we know many who do qualify are not. 

As this is a time of some confusion and many vulnerable households are worried about the implications of isolation I’d be happy to provide any advice, guidance or assistance to sign up to the register if anybody thinks they might qualify. This again is free of charge and not just for those living in North Tyneside.

You can contact Craig at: craigwoolf64@gmail.com or 07739863603

Craig Woolf
Project manager- Northern Community Power CiC

​600 leaflets delivered to homes
30 meals cooked
8 wellbeing telephone calls
1 food bank referrals
3 online inquiries responded to
36 isolation meals delivered to homes

Thank you again to 8 volunteers, 2 of which are new to supporting the centre and are local residents and our 4 staff.

600 leaflets delivered to homes
74 meals cooked
8 wellbeing telephone calls
8 food bank referrals
7 food bank parcels delivered to homes
2 online inquiries responded to
12 isolation meals delivered to homes
1 winter warm pack delivered to home
4 food donations brought in

Thank you again to 8 volunteers, 2 of which are new to supporting the centre and are local residents and our 4 staff.
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We are continuing to enjoy the interaction (at a distance) that we are able to have with people and meeting new pets is always a bonus... Benji was very welcoming!!😊