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March 2010
Reclaiming Birth Rally - Sunday 7 March, Central London
If you can make it, come on this march to Whitehall to deliver a petition to the Health Minister and letters to the Prime Minister. This rally is being held in support of better maternity services for parents-to-be and in protest at the lack of delivery on promised improvements to maternity care and in support of independent midwifery care across the country. The NCT is also encouraging demonstrations in local areas and promoting an online action for supporters.
The group will assemble from 1pm behind an open top bus on Lambeth Road, outside Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park (which has toilets and a playground!) . 1pm Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, Lambeth Road, London SE1 4EQ (next to the Imperial War Museum). Departing at 1.30 following some short speeches, the march will proceed on a route taking it over Westminster Bridge and onto Whitehall. The event will culminate in a rally outside the Department of Health at 2.15 and the event will end at 2.45pm.
Full details and an online guide are available at www.nct.org.uk/active
February 2010
Possible new NCT breastfeeding drop-in, NW10/NW6
We are currently in the process of applyiing for a grant to fund a new breastfeeding drop-in based at the existing Babies' Cafe at the Three Trees Children's Centre, Tiverton Road, NW10. The drop-in would be free, open to anyone (members and non-members) and would be attended by both a qualified NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor and an IBCLC certified Lactation Consultant. I'd really appreciate any feedback about whether you would use this service and how you have found breastfeeding support in NW London (whether from the NCT, you health visitor, midwives or hospital). There will be an update as soon as we have news as to whether the grant application was succesful. Email me at chairnctnw@yahoo.co.uk to let me know if you would find this service useful (or wish it had been around for you) as well as your stories and experiences, thank you.
NCT Big Weekend
The event of the year for ALL members
2010 sees an exciting new look annual event for NCT members taking place at the Telford International Centre on Saturday May 15 and Sunday May 16 2010.
All NCT members are welcome
- It's a family event (cheeky monkeys party, soft play, parent and baby massage, family bike rides)
- Onsite hotel accommodation
- A FREE crèche
- A buddy system for members coming alone
- Interactive sessions and lots of other activities!
We’ll be looking at hot topics of interest to all parents such as returning to work, being green and support for dads, as well as offering specific sessions for those with volunteering roles and specialist workers. Speakers include Ina May Gaskin, midwife, author, activist and innovator.
The branch has 3 tickets available for members and volunteers. To travel to Telford and experience the NCT's Big weekend alongside the branch co-ordinator, please contact chairnctnw@yahoo.co.uk by February 1, 2010. All we ask in exchange is for you to write a review for the newsletter. The branch can help with travel and hotel expenses.
January 2010
Happy New Year! 2010 is going to be a great year for NW London NCT. To start the year off, we have a new facebook group, which all are welcome to join (NW London NCT facebook group) . We are looking at setting up a host of new groups and support, so keep your eyes open for announcements.
If you'd like to find out more about what we've got planned, or help to make it happen in your area, please come along to our next branch meeting on Tuesday 12th January 2010, 8pm in Kilburn NW6. Email chairnctnw@yahoo.co.uk for full details.
December 2009
Project Stork
Three Trees Children's Centre runs Project Stork, a local project to put together packs of baby clothes and items for mums who really need them in the area, working with local refuges and homes.The packs are tailor made for each mum/family, a bit like a 'hospital bag'.
Would you like to donate your baby clothes to a mum who really needs them?
What?
- Good quality baby clothes (0-12 months);
- other useful baby items such as bottles, muslins, toys (no soft toys), which are unused and in good condition;
- larger items such as baby gums, highchairs, cots and bumbos;
- good quality reusable shopping bags to pack things in;
- items which can be a treat for mums, e.g. unopened toiletries
Where?
- Three Trees Children's Centre, Tiverton Road, NW10 3HL.
When?
- Donations being collected from Monday 7 December - Thursday 10 December
- Sorting and packing (volunteers needed - please come along and make a difference to someone's life this December) Friday 11 December, from 1.30pm
November 2009
* Branch meeting dates for 2010
* North West London NCT Annual Members Meeting (AMM) minutes
Branch meeting dates for 2010
Put the dates in your diary! These are branch team meetings where we discuss everything from new projects, events, funding and more. If you are interested in finding out how the branch works, volunteering or training with the NCT, please come along to a meeting to find out more. Email chairnctnw@yahoo.co.uk for full address details.
Tuesday 12 January 2010 - Kilburn, NW6
Wednesday 3 March 2010 - Kensal Rise, NW10
Monday 10 May 2010 - Hampstead, NW3
Thursday 8 July 2010 - Kensal Green/Harlesden, NW10
Wednesday 15 September 2010 - Primrose Hill NW3.
AMM Minutes
The North West London NCT AMM was held 11 November 2009. The NCT year runs October-September. The past year has seen spectacular growth in the branch, in terms of membership, what's on offer and volunteering rates. This is a summary of the minutes of the meeting.
Branch update:
- Membership has doubled in the past year: there are now over 950 member households, making NW London one of the largest NCT branches nationally.
- The branch raised £4500 last year (October 2008-September 2009) - this goes to supporting national helplines, campaigns and local projects as well as the training of more antenatal teachers, breastfeeding counsellors and postnatal leaders.
- There are now two Bumps and Babies groups (NW6 and NW3), one started up this year.
- Antenatal egroups and monthly branch social evenings, both started up this year, have been well-attended and have resulted in people arranging other meet-ups (eg meeting for coffee) before the baby even arrives!
Branch Team:
- Branch co-ordinator - Anna Gray
- Branch Treasurer - Joan Klein
- Membership Secretary - Kate Clarke
- Parent Support Co-ordinator (Hampstead & Camden) - Frances Eftekhari
- Parent Support Co-ordinator (Brent & Barnet) - Marianne Johnson
- Newsletter Editor - Karen Kidson
- Nearly New Sales - Terry Wongstedt (NNS team lead)
The branch also has volunteers who help run fundraising events, postnatal groups, give breastfeeding advice and who give one-off help. All volunteers were thanked for the time and energy they give.
Suggested Future Plans:
- Splitting the branch in 2010/2011: This is to be discussed at the November 2010 AMM
- Early Pregnancy / Early Day information evenings (already trialled)
- Breastfeeding drop-in (run by a qualified breast-feeding counsellor)
- Homebirth Support Network
- Outreach to community/minority groups
- Support network for those with difficult birth experiences
If any of the above is of interest to you and you think you could help, please let me know. You can also check out the Get Involved page for full detail of current volunteering vacancies in the branch.
Enjoy your Christmas / WInter break,
Anna Gray, Branch co-ordinator.
August 2009
*Speedbumps review
* Bumps Night Out
* September newsletter
* nwlondonkids - new under-5's guide to NW London
I've just got home from Speedbumps (Aug 25th) and it was great fun meeting lots pregnant couples. There seems to be a real buzz around the branch at the moment, with lots of comments on how great it has been to meet other people even before babies had been born! Our next evening social is Bumps Night Out, September 22, 7.30-10pm at the North London Tavern, NW6 7JB. I'll be there with information about the NCT, there'll be a cloth nappy stand and an auction of things like a freshly-cooked indian meal delivered to your door, a reiki session, a natural cot mattress and more. If you're interested in volunteering to run an evening meet-up, email me on chaircntnw@yahoo.co.uk.
Our September newsletter is underway and should be coming through member's letterboxes by the end of September. If you have any articles, comments or photos for inclusion please email Karen at newsletternctnw@yahoo.co.uk.
2009-2010 'nwlondonkids' Under-5's guide is being published this Autumn, with full listings of parent and baby/toddler groups, Children's Centre drop-ins, rhyme times, music groups, art and swimming classes. The guide is grouped into three areas: NW1, NW3, NW5 & NW8 (Primrose Hill, Hampstead, Kentish Town and St John's Wood); NW2, NW6 & NW10 (Cricklewood, Willesden Green, Queen's Park and Kensal Rise); and NW4, NW9 & NW11 (Hendon, Kingsbury, Golders Green and Hampstead Garden Suburb). It will be updated each year.
The guide will be sold direct from the NW London branch and at independent retailers (children's boutiques and family-friendly cafes) across North West London, for £3. Please contact me at chairnctnw@yahoo.co.uk to reserve a copy.
June 2009
The Summer newsletter should have been received by all members by now. It has a fabulous new look and is not the only thing the newsletter editor produced in May: Karen, our Editor, had a little girl one week after she finished putting the newsletter together! Congratulations and best wishes to Karen and her family, and all who've had a baby recently.
We had a successful 'Meet the Branch' social evening on June 4th at the White Horse pub in Hampstead. The NW10 and NW1 & 5 postnatal co-ordinators, the treasurer, branch co-ordinator and a few volunteers were all there, as well as about a dozen members. We hope to hold more social events for members, keep an eye on the events page for details of future nights out.
If you have any good quality baby clothes, maternity clothes, unused baby items such as bottles, muslins, toys (no soft toys), treats for mums such as unopened toiletries and want to donate them to a good cause, the Three Trees Children's Centre in Queen's Park has organised Project Stork, a collection for local women's centres. You can deliver donations between June 12th-19th 2009. They will be sorting the donations into mixed packs on Friday 19th June and welcome anyone who wants to help. For further details contact Pat Wharton, on 020 8459 4385.
Project Stork: items collected Friday June 12th to Friday June 19th at Three Trees Centre, Tiverton Road, Queen's Park, NW10 3HL.
Breastfeeding Awareness Week, May 10th-16th 2009
The theme of National Breastfeeding Awareness Week this year is Breastfeeding: every day makes a difference to your baby. So if you breastfeed whether it is for one day, one week, three months a year or more, well done. Our Summer newsletter published near the end of May) will have a breastfeeding focus. Happy feeding!
April 2009
There are some changes to the branch team: Anna Gray is now Branch co-ordinator, Karen Kidson Newsletter editor and Kate Clark membership secretary. As the new Branch co-ordinator I'd like to say hello.
The next branch meeting is at 8pm on Tuesday 28 April, in NW10. Everbody is welcome, branch meetings are a great way to find out more about how the branch runs, get involved and make a difference to your area. We will be discussing fundraising, social events, new egroups (very exciting) and more. If you would like to attend or add an item to the agenda please email chairnctnw@yahoo.co.uk.
Spring is in the air but we are already thinking about the Summer newsletter. f you have any news,views, articles or photos for inclusion in the newsletter please email Karen on newsletternctnw@yahoo.co.uk..
7 January 2009
Our next branch meeting is on Monday 12 January at Anna, our Fundraising Managers house in Willesden. Everybody is welcome and if you would like to add anything to the agenda, please email me. Anna is already busy planning our twice yearly Nearly New Sales on March 14 and October 10 at the O2 centre at Finchley Road in NW3. More details on our events page or email nwlondonnns@yahoo.co.uk.
I'm pleased to announce that NW6 Bumps & Babies coffee drop in is relaunching next Friday, 16 January 2009 at a new venue: The Abbey Community Centre on Belsize Road. It runs from 12.30-2.30pm so feel free to join our host Elaine between those times. Full details on our events page or email nwlondonbumps@yahoo.co.uk for any other info.
Your next branch newsletter will be with you next month. Our new editor, Kate Clarke, would be pleased to receive your news, views, articles and photos for inclusion. Please email newsletternctnw@yahoo.co.uk.
April 2008
SPRING NEWS* Welcome to new members
* Thanks to new volunteers
* Toddler Time weekly group starts for 1-3 year olds and their parents in NW6
* First Speed Bumps antenatal social evening is go! – more to follow
* Congratulations to fundraising manager, Anna, who delivered our third successful Nearly New Sale last month and her second baby last week!
* Latest Members’ newsletter is just weeks away – please contribute your birth stories, baby pics, tips on what to do with a little one in North West London. Can you help co-ordinate advertising or distribution?
* Improved access to antenatal classes – more courses, more teachers and more ways to register.
I will try to be brief but there are so many exciting developments I want to share with you.
I am thrilled to announce the launch of Toddler Time on Tuesday mornings (10.30am-noon) in Kilburn. It has been initiated and organised by Melanie who brought her son, now 18 months, to our regular Bumps and Babies meet but wanted something suitable to take older babies. Toddler Time will provide fun and games for 1-3s and a cuppa and chat for the grown ups. For more info, see our events page.
Our first Speed Bumps antenatal social evening for expecting couples is being held in NW3 at the end of this month. Don’t worry if you haven’t secured a place, we will be rolling out more dates and other areas according to demand. Please email speedbumps_nctnw@yahoo.co.uk including your names, address and due date to register your interest for future events.
Congratulations to Anna, our fundraising manager, who has just produced her second child, hot on the heels of delivering our third very successful NCT nearly new sale last month. Anna put in tons of her time and customary energy even while heavily pregnant; let’s share the effort a bit more for our next sale in October. If you can spare some time to publicise it in advance and help on the day or would like register as
a seller, please contact nwlondonnns@yahoo.co.uk
Our next NCT members’ newsletter is coming soon with a new editor. Please contribute your baby pics, birth stories, Q&As, and hot tips on what to do around N W London with a little one for our what’s on guide by emailing newsletternctnw@yahoo.co.uk. We are still looking for advertising co-ordinators and anyone can help with distribution. Please drop us an email.
Our antenatal class booking system has recently been taken on by an NCT Parent Services Administrator. You can now apply for courses by email or phone and via the enquiry form. I’m particularly pleased that we will continue to benefit from the experience of our longstanding teachers whilst also welcoming new teachers completing their very thorough antenatal teacher training.
Huge thanks to those members and non-members who have recently volunteered for committee roles and to run new initiatives like Toddler Time or who have just offered their help and time to make things happen. This is a really exciting phase for the branch and there’s never been a better time to get involved. We still have a few great committee roles to fill and need people across the NW postcodes to help run coffee groups and other events. Please email chairnctnw@yahoo.co.uk to volunteer for any other info on branch activities.
