Friday Drop-In Sessions

Connect Lockleaze are excited that our Community Learning Hub drop-in sessions have begun! They take place every Friday afternoon at Boing! (The Blake Centre) from 1.30 to 3pm and will be running until the 27th of November.

If you'd like to improve or develop your IT skills, you can come along and use our free IT equipment while friendly volunteers are on hand to give any help should you need it. Maybe you have one particular IT problem that is bothering you or you want to become more familiar with the internet to help you find a job? We can help whatever your needs or abilities. If you don't have the time to commit to a course but still want to develop your IT skills, our drop-in sessions could be just what you need.

We had our first session on Friday 25th October where Elaine popped along for some help with a problem she was having with Microsoft Word. Volunteers also helped Elaine with her smart phone. Elaine said, 'I love coming to the hub on Fridays. I feel so lucky I am able to attend and have wonderful tutors, plus really good equipment all for free.'

If you think that you, or anyone you know, would benefit from these sessions, please feel free to come along. All ages and abilities are welcome! If you'd like some more information, please call Connect Lockleaze on 0117 909 1749.

Vote for Connect Lockleaze to win a 'Voscur'!

We are very happy to announce that Connect Lockleaze has been nominated for a 'Voscur'! We have been nominated for the Best Idea into Action Award, as part of Voscur’s Bristol Voluntary and Community Sector awards. This is an award ‘for the voluntary or community project that has had a great idea and put it into practice.’ 

In an increasingly digital age we aim to help those who may not have a computer or internet access at home, or simply need a bit of help understanding it all. Thanks to donations from HP, we have been able to provide local people with free access to computers, laptops, printers and Wi-Fi. We have 3 Community Learning Hubs in Lockleaze around Gainsborough Square where, thanks to volunteers, people can get one to one help with computers and the internet and access a range of courses or one-off taster sessions.

Our drop-in sessions have just restarted on a Friday afternoon, where the public can use the computers at their leisure, with friendly volunteers on hand to give any help should it be needed. From people who want to become more IT proficient in order to enhance their employment prospects, to those who simply want to be able to use Skype, emails or social media to keep in contact with family and friends, we aim to help everyone that wants to improve their IT skills.

We also host other exciting activities and courses for members of the community, such as cookery, DIY, money saving workshops, digital photography and first aid. If you’d like to show your support for Connect Lockleaze and the work we do, we would love it if you could take the time to vote for us. Voting closes on the 1st of November at 5pm.

You can vote for us and find out more about the award here:
http://www.voscur.org/vote/best-idea-action-award

Many thanks!

ITea and Biscuits Week!

Over 5 million people in later life have never been on the internet? And there are many more who struggle to do all the things they would like to online.

Well the good news is that Connect <> Lockleaze, working with NBAC's Community Support @ Home project, is looking for suggestions for an event to run as part of the Digital Inclusion Network's ITea and Biscuits week from 16th to 22nd September 2013.

The idea is to encourage people who don't currently use computers, tablets or smartphones to get involved and discover the wide range of the benefits that digital technology can offer! 

Here are just a few ideas of what our session could cover:

• Digital photography
• Researching family history online
• Using Skype and email to keep in touch
• How to send a text on a mobile phone
• Using a search engine
• Demystifying the world wide web

So, if you have any suggestions please email us at connectlockleaze@gmail.com

A Girl Called Jack... great ideas for cheap recipes and more!

For those of you who are looking to be thrifty when it comes to shopping and food, I suggest you head to the blog 'A Girl Called Jack'. She (Jack) gives excellent ideas for cheap recipes (spiced potato soup for 10p per portion), as well as sharing her genuine experiences of being a single mum living on benefits. She manages to buy food and make meals for her and her child for £10 per week!!! She's also somewhat of a political activist, campaigning for politicians to end world hunger and to put food poverty in Britain firmly on the political agenda.

Anyway, take a look at the blog for yourself at...

http://agirlcalledjack.com/

Happy reading!! :)

Delicious! Free Cookery Course from Connect<>Lockleaze

Join Connect <> Lockleaze's free course to learn about basic cooking and preparation techniques and how to buy food and make family meals that are good value for money. 

We’ll make a different meal every week!

Day: Thursday

Date: 1st to 29th August 2013

Time: 9:30am to 11:30am

Duration: 5 weeks

Where: Cameron Centre, Cameron Walk, Lockleaze, BS7 9XB

Cost: Free

plus… free childcare available!!

To book: Call or text Kate Hunter on 07546 451888 or 0117 914 1129

New work club meeting today...

Connect <> Lockleaze are excited to be hosting the first meeting of our new Work Club today at the Langley Centre from 2pm to 4pm. Please come and say hello!

Although it has taken a little longer than anticipated to get going, we are delighted to welcome Kevin Byrne of Pluss. He will be hosting the first Forwards Work Club in Lockleaze.

Forwards Work Clubs aim to help people find and stay in work. Friendly and supportive there is no pressure to rush into work - rather they give you advice and support to help with your specific needs. This includes:

- confidence

- volunteering

- preparing your CV

- interview skills

- job search

We look forward to seeing you later.

What objects say Lockleaze to you?!

Following on from our session at Boing! on 10th May where we got together to share memories of Lockleaze ... M Shed now want to create an 'Object Box', containing items that tell a story about Lockleaze, as part of the forthcoming exhibit. T

This photograph shows the type of objects displayed in the box for Clifton and Hotwells

SO...
if you have any objects that you think relevant to Lockleaze and it's history, please contact: Ben Meller at ben.meller@bristol.gov.uk or on 0117 903 1565.

I hear on the grapevine that North Bristol Advice Centre are donating one of their mugs!


NOTE: Latest news is that the ‘Lockleaze’ exhibit is expected end of July/beginning of August with an “official launch” probably in September.