Let’s applaud our heroes !! 

This is remind you to get going with making nominations for the BATCA Community Awards 2023. Please help honour the many amazing people around who give their time and talents unstintingly to serve others. 

Celebration evening on Thursday 16^th March 

We’ll celebrate our heroes when the awards are presented at an event with food and entertainment open to all from 7-9.30pm on Thursday 16^th March (NOT 15^th March as previously advertised).   Details of venue and how to book will follow.

Closing date for nominations is TUESDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 2023 

Nominations are open until 14^th February. Please read the information below, and make your nomination at: https://forms.gle/7vKBk25Gjps53v5v5

BATCA is delighted to announce the launch of the BATCA Community Awards 2023.  

• Please nominate your community hero using the link below.  
• We plan to present the awards at a live event open to all at 7pm on Thursday 15^th March (venue tbc).  
  
  The aim of the Awards is to recognise the volunteers who do amazing work to serve our community and its people. They are a much cherished part of local life. Please give the Awards your support. 

• Has someone made a difference in our Tooting and Balham community that deserves recognition?  
• Do you know a person or an organisation that goes the extra mile for others?  

If so, think about nominating them through the link above.

Who can be nominated?  

• Anyone of any age and background is eligible  
• Any field of activity counts- whether helping neighbours, looking after the less fortunate, being a mover and shaker in community group or faith body.   
• What matters is sustained effort that makes a real difference to others’ lives.   
• There are awards for teams and individuals  
• Nominations for people who serve modestly with little recognition, and nominations for young people are especially welcome  
• Previous award recipients include those supporting refugees and the elderly, community gardeners, shopkeepers who look after their neighbours, community artists, advocates for women’s rights, people running lunch clubs for the elderly, heroic fundraisers for good causes, those running food banks…so nominate your own hero!   
• Although primarily for volunteers, heroes in the workplace can also be nominated  
  
  Nominations will be assessed by a panel of independent judges. 
  
  AWARD CATEGORIES  
  
  This year there will be three categories, i) Promoting sustainability and combatting climate change, (ii) Fighting poverty and social exclusion and (iii) General nominations, covering all other fields of activity.  

Promoting sustainability and the fight against climate change   

Activities to promote sustainability and contribute to tackling climate change. For example / leading or helping with initiatives to raise awareness of climate change and how to tackle it / working to increase biodiversity/ tree planting/ litter picking/ promoting a sustainable lifestyle/ promoting walking, cycling and safer, less polluted streets /caring for our green open spaces/ leading recycling and reuse schemes 

Fighting poverty and social exclusion    

Activities that help those impacted by the cost of living crisis or who face social exclusion For example running or helping at advice schemes for those facing crippling energy costs or food banks or homeless drop ins, giving quiet support to frail or housebound neighbours, helping disabled people take part in activities they would otherwise be unable to access.  

General    

Any activity involving service to others that doesn’t fall into the categories above. Anything that brings benefits to neighbours and/or the community counts. For example simple sustained acts of kindness that don’t fit any pigeon hole/ strengthening our community through reaching out to and/or bringing together people from diverse walks of life/ boosting others’ life chances by passing on skills eg cooking, crafts.   
   
Please note these examples are not exhaustive – just a few illustrations. The grouping of nominations and final award categories are at the discretion of the judging panel and may be subject to change. 

BATCA COMMUNITY HEROES AWARDS EVENING  

7pm Thursday 15^th March  

This will be a great community celebration. More information, including on the venue and how to book, will be provided in due course.  

How can I find out more? 
Contact Kate Allan (Secretary) at secretary@batca.org, or 07966 690308   
or Kitty Grant at drkittygrant@gmail.com

A community lifestyle programme to empower men to take control of their own health. 

• Improve your Health and Wellbeing
• Enhance your Nutrition
• Increase your Fitness and Stamina
• Conquer unhealthy habits
• Reduce your risk for lifestyle diseases arising from sedentary lifestyle and poor diet
• Lose Weight without stressing about it

To sign up, click here

Support provided throughout the 10-week programme:

1-1 Nutrition sessions

• Weekly 1-1 nutrition consultations
• Dietary advice
• Goal setting

Weekly activity sessions

• Social football
• Strength training
• Virtual exercise

Qualifying criteria

• Male 18 years +
• Live, work or be registered with a GP in Wandsworth 
• BMI of 27+ and/ or related health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes (calculate your BMI here)

If you have any questions, please contact us by email or call 0203 959 0035.

Guys Get Active

Throughout February and as part of LGBT+ History Month 2023 LGBT+ LIFE has organised an art exhibition on display at Brixton Library.

The exhibition launch party with performance and poetry is on Thursday 2nd February from 6-8pm.

If you wish to attend, please reserve your place here.

Here is what to expect:

The event will be hosted by Andreena Leeanne (Black Lesbian Lived Experience Speaker and poet) who will also be interviewing artists.
There will also be poetry from The Mollusc Dimension (British-born Chinese, transqueerian performer) and Walki Freedreamer Tinkanesh (non-binary artist, photographer, poet and musician).

Participating artists:

Artist Named Nobody; Asha; Atalanta Kernick; Clare T; Dave Turner; Del laGrace Volcano; Dominique Duong; Elisa Medioli; EMS; Franco Lippi; Jasmine Kahlia; Jazamin; Jessica Cheetham; Joe Hodway; Jonathon Beaver; Natalie Sommer Scribe Artist and Poet; Philippa Punchard; Rowan Frewin; The Mollusc Dimension; Unfamiliar Spirits; Walki Freedreamer Tinkanesh and more TBA.

Free refreshments: Wine, soft drinks and fruit.
BSL interpreter.
Wheelchair accessible
Supported by Lambeth Links

The Covid-19 vaccine offer is changing. Sunday 12 February marks the end of the national Autumn Booster campaign and will also be the final day that 16 to 49-year-olds who are not considered at risk, and who have only had a primary course, will be able to get a booster. This follows updated Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice, which recommended the booster offer ends in line with the current Autumn Booster campaign.  

More than 344,100 people have already received a seasonal Autumn Booster jab this winter, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccinations delivered in South West London to over 5.3 million. It’s not too late to receive a booster vaccination and protect you and your loved ones this winter and you can come forward before Sunday 12 February.   We are urging those who have not yet received at least one booster dose to come forward to take up the offer as soon as possible before this Sunday.

Please come forward if:

• you had your 2nd primary dose three or more months ago and have not yet received your 1st Covid-19 booster dose.
• you are eligible for an Autumn booster but yet to come forward to take up the offer.  

If you haven’t yet received your primary vaccine doses, these continue to be available and  you can attend a local clinic to receive your 1st or 2nd dose now, it isn’t too late.    

You can visit our walk in page to find the closest vaccination clinics near you. If you have any any questions or concerns you can pop into one of our vaccination clinics to get your questions answered.

The first of these events will take place on an Tooting at Mushkill Aasaan on 27^th February 2023 10am – 1pm. The next one will be in Roehampton (premises to be decided ) on 6^th March 2023 10am-1pm, and the third of these events will be on line on the 25^th April 2023

This training is for anyone who would like to know more about the support and resources available to help those affected by the cost-of-living crisis. This is run by a Citizens Advice adviser, and is held in an informal and friendly setting, who provides easy-to-understand information, so no prior knowledge is required.

Please find the Eventbrite Link below where you can sign up for the particular date

• In Tooting – 27^th February 
• In Roehampton – 6th March 
• Online – 25th April

Through this training you will gain improved knowledge about:

• Ways to maximise income through benefits
• How to manage debt issues
• How and when to refer to CAW and other specialist advice providers
• Help available from council and government grants
• Local community sources of support.

If you’ve got any questions about the event or would like to know contact jo.anderson@cawandsworth.org