Launch of the Newtongrange Flyer
This month saw launch of The Newtongrange Flyer. The NCC has supported, coordinated and funded a number of activities during the year and the second issue of the newsletter, although originally designed to increase the reach and relevance of the community council, was repurposed to showcase the positive response in our community over the year.
We had three goals with this first issue:
- Reach and reassure isolated people and share how to support, or get support from, the community council to resolve local issues
- Celebrate the success of the Newtongrange Guerrilla Gardeners & Newtongrange Pétanque Club
- Support our community’s positivity and capacity to manage during tough fiscal conditions, and see them through!
We used a simple formula of stories written by and for Newtongrange organisations, combined this with heritage articles, upcoming events and how to get in touch.
We are seeking funding to keep the Newtongrange Flyer going. We think it will:
- improve inclusivity for isolated individuals;
- improve trust in and accountability of stretched statutory services and developments;
- continue to support local development trust volunteers;
- invite new membership to the community council and increase our representation;
- highlight new ways to engage with the NCC and its present campaigns on community safety, village development and community activities.
By :
- sharing news of community groups, heritage and activities;
- sharing news of community resilience operations;
- directing residents to this website;
- inviting to new NCC email subscription model and social media;
- enabling contribution to meeting agendas and consultations, and;
- inviting subscription to a traditional mailing list for isolated or vulnerable villagers who do not use the internet.
The second issue of the “Newtongrange Flyer,” published recently on November 8, has been well received. So far this is unsolicited feedback from the community and support from local business, but we are monitoring engagement with a longer campaign to increase community council membership. We targeted delivery to areas who missed the first print delivery and where residents may be having a tougher time through age and isolation, but as widely as we could e.g.Lothian Terrace,
Lingerwood Cottages, Lingerwood Road, Some of First Street, Park Road, Up & down Bryans Road (Bryan’s Farm/Keystore shop on Hamilton Crescent to last houses adjacent roundabout), Main Street houses (opposite The Dean), S. Anne’s, Dean Park, Dean Park Court, 69-74 St David’s, Church of Christ, Orchard Grange, Newtongrange Primary School children, St David’s Day Centre, Leisure Centre, Library, Dean Tavern, The Star Social Club, Pastel,
ScotMid, Mining Museum & The Co-op (you can still get a copy at the Co-op & Library at the time of writing!). We are very confident we are reaching people who would not normally engage with the Community Council, or be aware of other groups and activities in the village, but also those most affected by the pandemic. The final production, again has content produced by local people and included: a heritage feature, a round-up of activities by the NCC and other local groups, digital and most importantly non-digital methods to engage with NCC. 5 local groups were involved directly in production and distribution: NCC, NDT, NPC, Guerrilla Gardeners & Newbattle Star. We envisage a readership, at 2.3 people per household, of 1,500 people for this second edition.
We were able to take the opportunity to use the Newsletter to promote the activity of th
We are commencing a wider campaign around maintaining vigilance with CoViD-19 and the newsletter is the first step in this, supporting continued community acceptance/compliance with guidance.
Engagement with the production process is also worth mentioning, with a team of volunteers, including many Community Council members, eager to walk the village and deliver, engaging people safely in the process. These opportunities improve well-being for the volunteers.
Finally, the publication is a validation and support for the work of the 40 plus active volunteers and many have taken pride in having their work acknowledged. We will commence on a Spring issue in the new year and under the project we are hoping to work with Midlothian Older People’s Assembly (MOPA) to produce winter safety guidance for older people.
