COVID-19 Latest News

VODA has teamed up with local GP Surgeries and North Tyneside Council to offer support to people struggling to take up their vaccine in North Tyneside. There are a number…

A number of North Tyneside organisations are currently recruiting for volunteers and trustees. Volunteering opportunities VODA is now recruiting for the Good Neighbours buddy scheme, to help support local residents…

As announced by the Prime Minister all people in England without symptoms will now be able to access twice-weekly rapid tests for coronavirus from 9 April. Twice-weekly rapid testing is…

The North Tyneside Additional Restrictions Grant is now open for applications. This grant is aimed at supporting businesses with fixed costs that are severely impacted by the pandemic; and are…

Befriending volunteers offer supportive, reliable relationships to people who would otherwise be socially isolated. Age UK is looking to recruit befrienders who will support an older person by visiting them…

Read the latest bulletin with an update on VODA’s Oximetry @ Home service. You can download a PDF of this bulletin here.    

UK Government Press Release 22 February 2021 PM Boris Johnson has announced the government’s roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions in England. Government publishes four-step roadmap to ease restrictions across…

Habib Jiwa, a pharmacist working for TyneHealth in North Tyneside, set up a onetime vaccination clinic at Heaton Mosque to encourage vaccination uptake within his local Muslim community. Habib commented: “Uptake for vaccination…

There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now and many people who have spent the majority of the last year staying home, or close to home, are…

Digital Boost, a non-profit online platform that brings together those who work in small businesses and charities with a community of digital expert volunteers, is offering to help charities and…

Government grants cover the following periods: 18 Sept – 04 Nov 2020 (Tier 2) 05 Nov – 01 Dec 2020 (National Lockdown 2) 02 Dec – 29 Dec 2020 (Tier…

Home-based roles The following are some of the roles currently available. Click on the links to find out more and apply. Dreamshine is recruiting telephone support volunteers for their Covid…

Criminals are using the COVID-19 vaccine as a way to target the public by tricking them to hand over cash or financial details. They are sending convincing-looking text messages letting…

North Tyneside council has opened a new COVID-19 rapid testing service. The aim of rapid community testing is to test people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms to identify those…

BAMEStream is an alliance of practitioners, therapists, policy specialists, organisations, activists and academia who specialise in the areas of mental health and wellbeing and who’s core purpose during this COVID-19 pandemic…

If you are asked to self-isolate, it is important that you follow the advice which is there to help keep you, your loved ones, and your community safe. We know…

Living Well North Tyneside is a useful booklet providing information and advice on local health and wellbeing services. The booklet provides information on how to maintain a healthy mind and…

The Prime Minister has announced a national lockdown from 5 January 2021 and instructed people to stay at home to control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives. PM…

Struggling households are set to receive extra financial support through North Tyneside Council this winter. The council has received funding from the national Covid Winter Grant Fund to help some…

New research commissioned by the seven North East councils reveals how people across the region feel about Covid-19 and local restrictions – with over half admitting that while they want…

Students from Newcastle University’s Geography school teamed up with VODA to create isolation activity packs for children in North Tyneside who have been shielding at home and unable to return…

In 2019 new charity, Live Well with Cancer wanted to give a token gift to cancer patients, in local hospitals, to let people know they were thinking of them. The…

We’re recruiting Digital Champions to work with people who need support to get online by teaching them how to use their digital device, which can help to reduce isolation and…

After an incredibly challenging period of national lockdown, our region now finds itself in the ‘very high’ Tier 3. These restrictions are designed to protect the most vulnerable among us,…

As is the story of most events in 2020, we had to take VODA’s AGM online. Although we were unable to get together for our usual gathering of friends and…

We are delighted to announce that VODA has been shortlisted for North East Charity of the Year at the North East Charity Awards 2020. The Awards are designed to recognise…

Many charities are working hard to continue to deliver services during the new national restrictions from 5 November to 2 December 2020. A number of face to face activities are…

Ever wondered how a Therapy Animal might support your work? Northern Animal Assisted Therapies & Activities (NAATA) is pleased to introduce their team, which includes Heidi, the Therapy Dog and…

COVID-19 case numbers are rising rapidly across the whole of the UK and in other countries. We must act now to control the spread of the virus. The single most…

In unprecedented times, the North Tyneside community has been a shining light and we want to help recognise everyone’s contribution. Since March, residents, businesses and the community and voluntary sector…

From Wednesday 14 October all areas in England are in a Local COVID Alert Level. Local COVID alert levels set out information for local authorities, residents and workers about what…

VODA is harnessing the power of North Tyneside residents as Community Health Champions to play a vital role in sharing up to date, trusted health messages with people they know…

As government guidelines on shielding and measures to control the spread of coronavirus continue to change, we are all finding ourselves having to alter the way we live our lives.…

Children, older people, and low-income families are set to benefit from a new £1 million poverty intervention fund for North Tyneside. The fund is part of North Tyneside Council’s budget…

Meadow Well Connected is reopen and offering the community a Covid secure space. They are running I.T sessions and help with looking for work Monday to Wednesday -9am until 2pm,…

Over 100 older people have been kept from loneliness since the start of the Covid-19 crisis thanks to a new telephone befriending service from Age UK North Tyneside. The charity…

Over the last two weeks North Tyneside has seen 79 new cases of COVID-19, predominately in the 18 to 35 year age group. However with community transmission, this is likely…

How do you safely get cash from vulnerable residents to volunteers during a pandemic lockdown? This was the issue faced by the COVID-19 Support Hub during the early days of…

North Tyneside Council has launched the Business Recovery Programme which offers quick-access to free and practical hands-on support for North Tyneside businesses and voluntary and community organisation to aid their…

To help support the residents of North Tyneside as we start coming out of lockdown, we have put together a leaflet of useful services available in North Tyneside. The leaflet,…