Welcome to our October newsletter
Autumn is well and truly here. This month, we’re celebrating some fantastic achievements, including our new Investing in Volunteers accreditation, and an incredible fundraising total from the Kilhan Construction Charity Run.
There’s been no shortage of fun at our Active Ageing Clubs either, with packed dance floors, special visitors and plenty of laughter across Brent and Haringey.
And as we head towards the end of the year, we’re already looking forward to Halloween celebrations, Christmas parties and a few exciting things still to come.
So, grab a few minutes and catch up on all the latest from BIAS!
Active Ageing Clubs
Brent Update
What a brilliant start to autumn we’ve had at our Brent clubs. We kicked off September with a bang at the London Irish Vintage Rally. Over at our Dollis Hill club, we welcomed Heidi, who wasted no time getting everyone doing the conga, of course! We also enjoyed a visit from Noreen at Safe Home Ireland, who spoke about the support available to anyone thinking of returning to Ireland to live. Meanwhile, Paul Murray entertained a packed house at the Railway Club.
October so far has been just as busy, with podiatrist appointments, a Fire Service visit and Brent Health offering flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to members. We also welcomed Glen Flynn and Ciara, the London Irish Rose, to Dollis Hill on 13th October.
Still to come: Thursday 29 October | Railway Club – Halloween Party with live music from Merv and Shane Owen. Don’t forget to dress up if you dare!
Haringey Update
After a lovely summer break, it was great to welcome everyone back to our Haringey Clubs. Our Tottenham Club has been settling into its new home at St Francis de Sales Church Hall, opposite Tottenham Stadium. Meanwhile, Finbar Black got Hornsey off to a brilliant start with live music that had plenty of members up dancing.
Anton became the first musician to perform at our new Tottenham venue, while members at Hornsey enjoyed chair yoga and those at Tottenham put their general knowledge to the test with a table quiz.
We were also delighted to welcome Irish in Britain to Tottenham for a talk on brain health and their Brain Boost resource, followed by a lively Ceol Club session with our members.
Coming up in October:
- Friday 16 October | Hornsey – Live music with Glen Flynn
- Wednesday 21 October | Tottenham – Live music with AJ White
There’s also another table quiz at Hornsey and a spooky Halloween Céilí to round off the month. With plenty more planned for November and December, keep an eye on our social media for the latest schedules.
New members are always welcome! Tottenham meets every Wednesday and Hornsey every Friday, both from 12–3pm. For more information, contact Nóra at nora@biasbrent.co.uk
Out and About with BIAS
Kilhan Construction Charity Run – What an Achievement!
Last month, we shared the wonderful news of the Kilhan Construction Charity Run, which brought together more than 200 runners at Gladstone Park. We’re now delighted to share that an incredible £111,065 was raised, including Gift Aid, for four local charities.
BIAS will receive more than £27,000, bringing Kilhan’s support for our charity to over £58,000 across three years. A huge thank you to Kilhan Construction, the runners, volunteers, supporters and everyone who donated. What a fantastic achievement.
Celebrating Another Year at BIAS
September also saw our AGM, reflecting on another busy year supporting London’s Irish community. Now in our 48th year, BIAS continues to make a real difference through our advice services, Active Ageing Clubs and Volunteer Project.
Our latest figures show more than £3.4 million in additional income secured for clients, over 4,430 advice engagements and more than 6,000 club attendances. Behind every figure is someone whose life has been made a little easier, thanks to the dedication of our staff, volunteers and supporters.
Welcoming Ireland’s New Ambassador
This week, our CEO Mike McGing joined Irish charities from across Britain at a community leaders’ lunch to welcome Ireland’s new Ambassador to London, Ms Sonja Hyland. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the important work of Irish charities and the longstanding support of the Irish Government’s Emigrant Support Programme.
Volunteer Project
We’ve Achieved Investing in Volunteers Accreditation!
We’re delighted to share that BIAS has achieved the Investing in Volunteers accreditation, a nationally recognised quality standard celebrating good practice in supporting and managing volunteers. It’s a wonderful achievement and recognition of the work that goes into making volunteering at BIAS a positive and rewarding experience.
A huge thank you to Marie, our Volunteer Manager, and all our fantastic volunteers who give so much of their time to supporting our community.
Read more about our accreditation here.
Our Volunteer Coffee Mornings also continue to bring people together, and with Befriending Week approaching in November, we’re looking forward to celebrating our volunteers even more.
What You Need to Know
Throughout September, our Advice Team supported 199 people, helping secure an incredible £206,089.20 in financial gains through grants and benefits. Around 40% of our current casework involves income maximisation, helping people make sure they’re receiving all the financial support they’re entitled to.
Getting Ready for Winter
With colder weather approaching, energy bills are a worry for many households. The Warm Home Discount Scheme provides a £150 electricity bill discount for eligible low-income households, while reviewing your energy tariff could help you manage costs. Our Advice Team can help you explore the support available.
Getting Around – Travel Discounts
Did you know you could be entitled to cheaper travel? The Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card offers eligible jobseekers 50% off certain London public transport fares. We can also help with applications for Blue Badges, Oyster photocards and Freedom Passes.
Advice Week | 19–23 October
Next week, we’ll be marking Advice Week by shining a light on the life-changing impact of advice and the difference the right support can make. Need advice? Call 020 8459 6655 or email welfare@biasbrent.co.uk.
Looking Ahead to Christmas!
Christmas will be here before we know it. We’re busy preparing for our festive celebrations in Brent and Haringey, with music, dancing and plenty of Christmas cheer.
We’re also taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, 1–8 December, when eligible donations through our campaign page will be matched. Keep an eye out for more details.
Until Next Time…
What a lovely start to autumn it’s been. From packed dance floors and familiar faces returning to our clubs, to the generosity of our fundraisers and the dedication of our volunteers, there’s been so much to celebrate. A huge thank you to everyone who continues to be part of the BIAS community. Whether you’ve joined us at a club, supported an event or volunteered your time, we really do appreciate it.
With Halloween just around the corner and Christmas festivities not far behind, we’re looking forward to plenty more good times together.
See you soon!
The BIAS Team