Our WOrk
The present NBA was established in 2012, with our initial focus directed towards bolstering local initiatives and events, alongside enhancing the celebratory atmosphere of Christmas in Newport. Here's an overview of our ongoing activities since our inception: -
One-Hour Free Parking Initiative
Our proudest achievement of 2022 has was convincing the IW Council to trial a one-hour-free parking initiative in various car-parks around Newport. The one issue our customers and clients complain about more than any other is the cost of parking in town, so we firmly believed this was an important step forward.
Although the scheme, as it is, will end in 2024 we strongly encourage individuals and businesses to make their views known to the IW Council.
Post Office Feasibility
Losing the central Post Office in January 2021 was a huge blow to the town – for residents and businesses alike. We are currently assisting the IW Council with a feasibility survey into the benefits of supporting a new Post Office in town.
[Update 2024: - The Newport Business Association is pleased that another Post Office has opened in the Town.]
Team GB Triathlete
During the early summer months, the NBA mobilised efforts to raise funds in support of our esteemed local Veteran Team GB Triathlete, Janet Fletcher, to aid her in her international competitions. Janet receives minimal assistance with the expenses of travel and accommodation for her competitions so we were delighted to be able to provide financial support for several of her events throughout the Summer and Autumn seasons.
Here, Treasurer Simon is seen presenting Janet with a cheque totaling £400.
2022
Our proudest achievement so far this year has been convincing the IW Council to trial a one-hour-free parking initiative in various car-parks around Newport. The one issue our customers and clients complain about more than any other is the cost of parking in town, so this is a step towards addressing that.
For the scheme to work – and be extended – we need visitors to Newport to utilise this special offer, so please spread the word, use the car-parks and let your actions convince the Council that better parking will help Newport!
Losing the central Post Office in January 2021 was a huge blow to the town – for residents and businesses alike. We are currently assisting the IW Council with a feasibility survey into the benefits of supporting a new Post Office in town.
In the early summer the NBA raised funds to assist our wonderful local Veteran Team GB Traithlete Janet Fletcher with her international competitions. Janet currently receives very little help with the travel and accommodation costs of competing, and we were very glad to be able to help cover a few of her events for the Summer and Autumn. Here’s Treasurer Simon presenting Jan with a cheque for £400.
2021
After the terrible Lockdowns and uncertainty due to the Coronavirus pandemic, shops in Newport reopened in April. With footfall so scarce and shoppers so anxious, we wanted to make Newport a more welcoming and pleasant place to visit (to detract from all the Covid barriers, red warning tape and social distancing signs!) and “Blooming Well Together in Newport” was created!
It was a 2-stage campaign. The first was asking local Primary School children to create flowers from plastic bottles, paper and
card in the Newport colours (blue, white & yellow), and then sharing them amongst many shops in town to display in their windows to add some much-needed colour and hope.
card in the Newport colours (blue, white & yellow), and then sharing them amongst many shops in town to display in their windows to add some much-needed colour and hope.
Secondly, we liaised withlocal Charity “Care in the Garden” to produce beautiful and affordable hanging baskets in the same colour scheme. Care in the Garden kindly fitted all the brackets and attached the baskets, and you can see these outside businesses all over town. The baskets were paid for (and cared for) by each business, and at the time of writing they are abundant with colour:
Care in the Garden’s Operation Geranium also came back into force from May until July 2021, and during those 8 weeks Age UK IOW volunteers delivered Geranium Gift Packs with Postcards, Fridge stickers, plants and information to 400 elderly Island residents across every
area of the Isle of Wight. NBA businesses joined in by distributing postcards to customers again.
area of the Isle of Wight. NBA businesses joined in by distributing postcards to customers again.
2020
Whilst most of the year was spent in Covid Lockdown and isolation, one NBA member – local charity and plant nursery “Care in the Garden” – was busy bringing joy to lonely and elderly members of the community. The campaign was called “Operation Geranium” and involved the charity giving free plants to those in need of some cheering up. They then created a range of postcards designed by local artists, and these were also distributed free across the Island to businesses and community groups to customers/friends/family, with large poster-sized versions appearing in empty shops around town:
The campaign message highlighted how important it was for us to take a moment to send a greeting, and message of love, to someone we were unable to visit due to the Covid restrictions. Many NBA businesses have participated in distributing the postcards to shoppers and visitors.
2019
In summer 2019 we supported Newport Jazz Festival for the second time. This time shops around town competed with each other for the best music-themed window display! The best three were awarded with certificates by the Festival organisers.
In November we launched a window competition called “Have Your Elf a Merry Little Christmas!”. This involved participating shops hosting mischievous elves in their windows, with each elf holding a letter. Rearranging the letters would reveal a popular festive song. Anyone who solved the anagram was entered into a prize drawer.
Many of the participating shops donated prizes, and the County Press kindly hosted the prize-giving ceremony just before Christmas Day so that all 8 winners could have their prize in time for the holidays:
2018
In 2018 the NBA teamed up with St John’s Church for their annual Angel Festival. The Church had held one for a few years, but this time wanted to engage the talents of art students from the local VIth Form College. Each student was allocated a business in town, and then tasked with creating an angel from any medium/materials they chose. The artwork was then displayed at that business throughout November.
On November 30th the angels were all collected and taken to St John’s to be displayed together at the Church throughout advent: