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Stay up to date – join our e-newsletter mailing list: bitly.com/newtowncontact
Join our new Facebook group for community support: bitly.com/newtowncovid19
Stay up to date – join our e-newsletter mailing list: bitly.com/newtowncontact
Join our new Facebook group for community support: bitly.com/newtowncovid19
Newtown Community & Cultural Centre statement on Covid-19
COVID-19 ALERT LEVEL 2 UPDATE: 12/5/2020
Kia ora,
We’ve made the difficult decision that at Alert Level 2, we will not yet re-open the Newtown Community & Cultural Centre to the public.
The main reason for this is the structure of our building and the large number of different spaces that we have. We don’t believe physical distancing will be effective or possible, and our top priority is always to keep our community and our staff safe and well.
Although we won't have our doors open, a number of our private hirers will be returning over the next weeks, with strict regulations on how they can use the space safely. So if you usually come to a class or group at the Community Centre, contact the person who leads it to see if it’s starting back up again, or email info@newtowncommunity.org.nz to check.
Our staff will continue working from home - we’re really proud of the work that we’ve achieved remotely and we believe that we can continue doing a great job from afar for now.
We will be monitoring the situation closely and making decisions about what comes next for us in the next weeks.
We’re very much looking forward to opening our doors and welcoming the community back, once it’s safe to do so.
Kia kaha Newtown.
Ngā mihi,
Eryn, Ellie & the whole NCCC whānau
____________________________
Community Centre Closure update 23/3/2020:
Kia ora,
We’re sorry to say that we have followed the advice of Wellington City Council and today closed our doors. The health of our communities and our staff are our highest priority and we see this step as essential to stop the spread of the pandemic.
This means Newtown Community & Cultural Centre, Newtown Hall, Network Newtown and SMART Newtown have closed their doors to hirers and visitors. Wellington Timebank and the Newtown Citizens Advice Bureau offices are in the Community Centre and are also closed.
This means that we are not running our drop-in, or our Youth Programme activities in person (including Newtown Holiday Programme and Kids Club at Newtown Park). We’re working on different ways to reach out to our most vulnerable people and young people in the community.
We’re still working, and generally we are looking at creative ways that we can carry on supporting people and building community while maintaining physical distance. We would love to hear any ideas that you have.
Contact details:
Stay up to date – join our e-newsletter mailing list: bitly.com/newtowncontact
Join our new Facebook group for community support: bitly.com/newtowncovid19
Newtown Community & Cultural Centre – 022 422 9838/ info@newtowncommunity.org.nz
Wellington Timebank – info@wellingtontimebank.org.nz
Youth Programme – youth@newtowncommunity.org.nz
Kia kaha – Stay strong Newtown.
Ngā mihi,
Ellie & Eryn
Kaiwhakahaere / Coordinators
Newtown Community & Cultural Centre
Public Statement - updated 20/03/2020
Kia ora Newtown Community Centre visitors.
We wanted to write to you to let you know what we’re doing to prioritise your health and wellbeing (and our own!) in the light of COVID-19 / Coronavirus.
We don’t want panic, but we are acting cautiously to do what we can to prevent a widespread outbreak. We hope you will join us.
What we are doing:
Please get in touch if you have any questions/concerns/comments at all and we’ll be sure to update you all with any changes.
Ngā mihi,
Eryn and Ellie
Kaiwhakahaere / Coordinators
Newtown Community & Cultural Centre
Kia ora,
We’ve made the difficult decision that at Alert Level 2, we will not yet re-open the Newtown Community & Cultural Centre to the public.
The main reason for this is the structure of our building and the large number of different spaces that we have. We don’t believe physical distancing will be effective or possible, and our top priority is always to keep our community and our staff safe and well.
Although we won't have our doors open, a number of our private hirers will be returning over the next weeks, with strict regulations on how they can use the space safely. So if you usually come to a class or group at the Community Centre, contact the person who leads it to see if it’s starting back up again, or email info@newtowncommunity.org.nz to check.
Our staff will continue working from home - we’re really proud of the work that we’ve achieved remotely and we believe that we can continue doing a great job from afar for now.
We will be monitoring the situation closely and making decisions about what comes next for us in the next weeks.
We’re very much looking forward to opening our doors and welcoming the community back, once it’s safe to do so.
Kia kaha Newtown.
Ngā mihi,
Eryn, Ellie & the whole NCCC whānau
____________________________
Community Centre Closure update 23/3/2020:
Kia ora,
We’re sorry to say that we have followed the advice of Wellington City Council and today closed our doors. The health of our communities and our staff are our highest priority and we see this step as essential to stop the spread of the pandemic.
This means Newtown Community & Cultural Centre, Newtown Hall, Network Newtown and SMART Newtown have closed their doors to hirers and visitors. Wellington Timebank and the Newtown Citizens Advice Bureau offices are in the Community Centre and are also closed.
This means that we are not running our drop-in, or our Youth Programme activities in person (including Newtown Holiday Programme and Kids Club at Newtown Park). We’re working on different ways to reach out to our most vulnerable people and young people in the community.
We’re still working, and generally we are looking at creative ways that we can carry on supporting people and building community while maintaining physical distance. We would love to hear any ideas that you have.
Contact details:
Stay up to date – join our e-newsletter mailing list: bitly.com/newtowncontact
Join our new Facebook group for community support: bitly.com/newtowncovid19
Newtown Community & Cultural Centre – 022 422 9838/ info@newtowncommunity.org.nz
Wellington Timebank – info@wellingtontimebank.org.nz
Youth Programme – youth@newtowncommunity.org.nz
Kia kaha – Stay strong Newtown.
Ngā mihi,
Ellie & Eryn
Kaiwhakahaere / Coordinators
Newtown Community & Cultural Centre
Public Statement - updated 20/03/2020
Kia ora Newtown Community Centre visitors.
We wanted to write to you to let you know what we’re doing to prioritise your health and wellbeing (and our own!) in the light of COVID-19 / Coronavirus.
We don’t want panic, but we are acting cautiously to do what we can to prevent a widespread outbreak. We hope you will join us.
What we are doing:
- We are following guidelines from Ministry of Health and Wellington City Council. You will have noted that large gatherings of 100 people indoors/outdoors are being cancelled around the country. As we only have capacity for smaller gatherings, we have been advised that we can remain open for hirers and groups for now. This could change – please be aware that we may cancel bookings with little notice if things change. We’ll do our best to keep you updated as early as we can.
- We’re currently collecting contact details for people who come to our classes and events – this is so we can contact people if we do end up closing, and also to make sure we can let people know if someone unwell comes to the Centre.
- We’re taking care of our staff by supporting them with sick leave – this also takes care of the community. Please be aware that this may mean we’re short-staffed and less able to respond to questions!
- We are not charging any users for last minute cancellations.
- We pride ourselves on having a clean centre – but we’ve asked our cleaners to do additional cleaning such as wiping down light switches and handles.
- We’re providing more cleaning materials and hand-sanitiser for anyone that comes in to use– there is a bucket of cleaning materials available in each of our spaces.
- We have posters around the Centre letting people know what symptoms to look out for, how to avoid spreading illnesses and promoting hand-washing.
- We’re thinking of creative ways that we can deliver some programmes and support our community through this time.
- We’ve created a Facebook group Newtown Covid-19 Community Support Group. You can find it and join at bitly.com/newtowncovid19
- Check Ministry of Health guidelines yourself – make decisions based on their advice.
- Get on our mailing list for updates on our events / potential closure etc – sign up at bitly.com/newtowncontact
- Join our Facebook group where community members can support each other: bitly.com/newtowncovid19
- Do not come to the centre if you are feeling unwell.
- If you have been overseas (except in the Pacific) then self-isolate for 14 days.
- Wash your hands as soon as you come into the centre.
- Use hand-sanitiser of your own, or ours (unless we run out!)
- Use the disinfectant sprays we are providing in each space – wipe down surfaces on arrival and when you leave.
- Always use the dishwasher – please put the dishwasher on if full / unload if clean.
Please get in touch if you have any questions/concerns/comments at all and we’ll be sure to update you all with any changes.
Ngā mihi,
Eryn and Ellie
Kaiwhakahaere / Coordinators
Newtown Community & Cultural Centre