Happy New Year – Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh – from everyone at BIAS!
We hope you all had a relaxing festive break! As we step into 2026, we’re delighted to be back and already getting started with some exciting developments, new initiatives and plenty of opportunities to strengthen our community. Here’s a wee insight of what’s been happening over January 2026…
Launch of our new coffee mornings!
In January, we launched our new monthly coffee mornings, with our first session taking place at the office. It was lovely to see people come together for a cup of tea and a friendly chat. Our coffee mornings will continue running throughout the year on the first Monday of every month, so if you have some spare time, pop in and say hello!
A big milestone: our second Haringey club launched in Tottenham
We’re also pleased to share that we launched our second active ageing club in Haringey! Read more about the launch here.
This means we now run two advice drop-ins and two clubs across Haringey, helping us reach more people and strengthen our community presence in the borough. It’s an exciting step forward but we also need a lot of help, so if you are interested in volunteering please get in touch (volunteers@biasbrent.co.uk) and help us, help the community!
Team expansion!
In light of our expansion into Haringey, we were delighted to welcome a new member to the BIAS team. Jordan Cavanagh has joined us in Haringey as a Welfare and Housing Adviser, bringing years of experience in advocacy through his work with Irish charities in Manchester and the North of Ireland. Jordan will be based at our Haringey drop-in clinics, where he will support individuals with benefits- and housing-related issues.
St. Brigid’s Cross Making – Lá Fhéile Bríde
To mark St. Brigid’s Day (Lá Fhéile Bríde), we held St. Brigid’s cross-making sessions at both Haringey clubs.
Traditionally made to bring protection and blessings for the year ahead, the crosses were a lovely way to celebrate Irish culture, creativity and community.
Live music at the Brent clubs!
Our Brent clubs were lively as ever, with performances from Mary Rose and Ann Corrigan. The afternoons have been filled with singing, dancing and a great bit of craic.
We’re looking forward to putting on more exciting events at all clubs, including a Valentine’s special on 12th February with music from Kieran Whyte and Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day on Tuesday 17th February.
So, as you can tell, January has been a busy month for us! Thank you (go raibh maith agat) as always, to everyone who attends, support and helps make BIAS the community it is. Bring on the rest of 2026!