A family fun day got off to a flying start at Blakelaw Community Centre last week (1st April).

Riverside are nearing completion of 26 two bedroom bungalows in nearby Cambo Green, a scheme which is included in the Newcastle Housing Delivery Partnership Framework and donated £500 to the community centre to enable the event to take place.

Blaklelaw Ward Community Partnership organised the Family Fun Day event for all local residents who live across the Blakelaw Ward.  Similar events have taken place in the past with great success and high attendances.

The event enabled families and the community to come together to participate in a variety of fun and exciting activities with their children such as a bouncy castle, arts and crafts, games and face painting, as well as the opportunity for residents to speak to knowledgeable staff about any developments in the area, activities provided across the ward and how they can become more involved in community projects.

Space is also provided for partners and any other local organisations who want share their information with the community and the day was extremely popular with over 90 local children and parents attending.

Lee Bailey, Riverside’s Community Engagement Team Leader said “I’ve been really impressed by all the great work that the Blakelaw Ward Community Partnership does and I look forward to seeing our new tenants get involved. I’m proud to be able to support them in this way and hope to work with the Partnership more in the future.”

As a result of past fun days, a number of parents have joined the volunteering programme and now support staff with a variety of tasks from The Blakelaw Centre. Additionally two young volunteers, Shakira Yates and Ellie-Mae Weatherspoon (pictured above with Leanne Chaytor and Riverside’s Lee Bailey), both aged 12, volunteer at the centre by running a tuck shop and a dance group.

Leanne Chayter, CYP Lead Practitioner from the Blakelaw Ward Community Partnership said “We are really grateful to Riverside for providing the funding and support to enable us to run this event. All local residents will benefit from the day and hopefully it will encourage more residents to join our team of volunteers and start working within their community.”