On 5th October 2025, we had our annual Harvest and Fellowship Service, led by Brigitte McCready on ‘Harvest and Community’. Thanks to all who donated goods or financial support to the People’s Kitchen!

Our Fellowship Service is usually held on the Sunday nearest the fifth of October, as it marks the start of the long ministry at Newcastle upon Tyne Unitarians by Rev. Herbert Barnes on 5 October 1919. On this date we celebrate the fellowship of our community. Given recent events, Brigitte and her husband Rev. Tom McCready also took time to mark the recent tragic events at the Heaton synagogue in Manchester, and to remember the work of Rev. Herbert Barnes, a vigorous campaigner against anti-semitism in the 1930s. On 8 January 1934, it was reported that, later that week, ‘in appreciation of his personality and public works and services rendered to the Jewish People’ and in commemoration of the 15^th anniversary of his ministry, he was to be honoured  by an inscription in The Jewish National Fund’s ‘Golden Book’ and a certificate marking this was to be presented to him. We still have the certificate!

As it was Fairtrade Fortnight on 22 September – 5 October 2025, Brigitte also read out the Fairtrade Prayer:

And we went for lunch at the Claremount Teahouse afterwards!