As part of this weekend’s Coronation celebrations, The Big Help Out will take place on Monday 8th May. This nation-wide initiative will highlight the impact of volunteering, and the importance of giving back to your local community. Residents are being encouraged to sign up and help out in their local communities. 

Charities and community groups across Northamptonshire are hosting various activities, from flower festivals to Moses basket-making sessions, to show local residents the great work that’s being done by organisations across the county, and to demonstrate volunteering opportunities on our doorstep. 

The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation was established by a grant from the Northamptonshire Community Foundation during the pandemic. One simple phone call from Teresa, the landlady of the Swan and Helmet pub, set off the trajectory from a local tavern to be transformed into a powerhouse of food aid and social clubs.

June is a time to recognise and celebrate the many different characteristics and identities that make up who we are as individuals and contributes to the diversity of Northamptonshire. This month there have been events and awareness days such as Pride, Power of Youth Day, Windrush Day, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller history month, Refugee week and many more. Therefore, it is only fitting that we use this time to focus on UN SDG 10: Reduce Inequalities.

Staff Ambassador Blog - UN SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

It's Mental Health Awareness Week, I wrote my last blog last during the pandemic, and after various lockdowns, I wanted to focus on coming out of lockdown.

Many were desperate to return to normality, but it wasn't without the anxieties that followed and for others, returning to normality or the 'new normal' was quite simply terrifying. There were some who had never had anxieties before, suddenly scared to leave the house.

The mental health and well-being of the entire world has suffered; and each and every person has their own way of coping or dealing with challenging times.

Some people were straight back into the swing of socialising and being in busy places again, some needed more time and space to adjust and still do.

It's great to hear more and more people talk openly about their mental health like they would their physical health, but there is still more work to be done.

Staff Ambassador Blog – UN SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

In my last staff ambassador blog for UN SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, I highlighted the importance of UN SDG 11 to achieving the other Sustainable Development Goals. For example UN SDG 1: No Poverty cannot happen if people are without safe and affordable housing. UN SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing cannot be achieved without the environmental impact of urban areas being reduced. In this blog, I want to highlight a key to aspect to achieving UN SDG 11 itself.

Chenise Gregory is probably not a name you’re familiar with. Nor Sophie Cartlidge, Fawziyah Javed, Marta Chmielecka or Kirsty Louise Ashley.

You may recognise the names of Sabina Nessa and Maddie Durdant-Hollamby.

I’d be sure you’d remember the name of Sarah Everard.