We’d like to introduce you to Jane – a 55 year old mam of three who has lived and worked in Newcastle all of her life.
I love living in Newcastle, even though the past few years have been tough. The people who live in the city have such a positive spirit and face challenges head on.
I’ve worked at the council as a secretary for years, but my husband has recently been made redundant. He’s looking for work but his qualifications have dated. The jobs that are available seem to be for people with new skills, which is great for the younger generation. I know he’s not the only one in this situation though, which means an increase in people on benefits.
Our community has changed a lot. Local shops have suffered, and I now do a lot of my shopping online. We still have a bustling city centre and I often notice new shops opening. There is still nothing better than a Saturday afternoon in town.
Our local school closed recently. My grandson had to move to the new academy, which is further away than his old school. He seems to be enjoying it and the new facilities are great.
My youngest daughter moved away a couple of years ago. There haven’t been many houses built recently, so she moved to find a family home she could afford. Over the past twelve months I have seen some new developments starting to pop up, so hopefully that means she might be able to move back.
My dad’s had mental health problems for quite a few years. Because of the excellent telecare service and flexibility of personal budgets, we managed to keep him at home for a long time. When things got too much and his alzheimer’s deteriorated, he moved into a lovely nursing home, even though I know demand for places is high.
Newcastle is my home, I love it and I want to grow old here - I really think we have a brilliant future. However, there are a few services that my council used to provide that I miss. They asked me what was important to me four years ago, and I didn’t see the point in responding, but now I know how important these services are, I wish I had.
Page last updated: 22 May, 2012
