Former Newcastle Independent Candidate Craig Cottrell Launches Community Hub Supporting Local Residents, Charities and Neighbourhood Issues

Former independent council candidate Craig Cottrell has relaunched his website as a dedicated Newcastle community hub focused on supporting local residents, neighbourhood groups, charities and grassroots organisations across Newcastle city centre and the wider region.

The updated platform, craigcottrell.co.uk, has moved beyond its original election campaign roots and now serves as a practical online resource for Newcastle community news, local issues, resident support and neighbourhood updates throughout the Newcastle-Upon-Tyne city centre and surrounding areas.

Craig, who lives in Newcastle city centre, says the website reflects his long-term commitment to helping local people feel heard, informed and connected.

“Standing as an independent candidate was always about listening to residents and workers and understanding the issues affecting everyday people in Newcastle,” Craig said. “That commitment does not end after an election. I wanted to create something practical and genuinely useful for the community, whether that means helping raise awareness of local problems to Northumbria Police, the City Council, supporting charities or simply helping neighbours find the right support.”

The Newcastle community website focuses on many of the everyday concerns regularly raised by residents, including housing problems, anti-social behaviour, noise complaints, street safety, transport issues, access to local services and communication problems with organisations or authorities.

Craig says many local residents feel frustrated by not knowing where to turn when problems arise.

“A lot of the issues affecting people are not headline stories, but they still have a major impact on quality of life,” he explained. “People often feel ignored, passed around or unsure how to raise concerns properly. Sometimes they simply need someone willing to listen, understand the issue(s) and help point them in the right direction.”

The website encourages Newcastle residents to share local concerns directly through a dedicated contact section, while also providing neighbourhood news, local updates and practical information for people living and working in the city centre.

Alongside local advocacy, a major focus of the project is supporting Newcastle charities, voluntary organisations and community groups already working hard to help people across the city.

The platform includes information and links to trusted organisations providing food support, youth services, mental health assistance and wider community care. Among the groups highlighted are Newcastle Foodbank, Streetwise Young People’s Project and Tyneside and Northumberland Mind.

Craig says he wants the website to become a stronger platform for promoting the work of local charities and grassroots initiatives that often struggle for visibility online.

“There are incredible organisations and volunteers across Newcastle doing important work every single day,” he said. “Many community groups operate quietly in the background helping vulnerable people, supporting families and improving lives. I want to use my website and communication experience to help amplify those voices and make it easier for residents to discover local support services.”

The Newcastle community hub also aims to support smaller local organisations, independent initiatives and neighbourhood campaigns that may not have the resources to reach large audiences on their own.

Craig, who has spent more than 20 years working in digital marketing, communications and website development, says his professional background helped shape the project.

“I understand how important visibility and communication are,” he said. “A lot of smaller charities and local groups do amazing work but are difficult to find online. I wanted to create something that not only helps residents but also helps community organisations reach more people.”

The website has been designed with Newcastle communities at its heart, helping neighbours, residents, workers and small business owners across the city more easily access local news, neighbourhood updates, community support and information about charities, grassroots organisations and local issues affecting everyday life in Newcastle.

Visitors to the site can also subscribe to a monthly newsletter covering Newcastle community updates, local campaigns, neighbourhood concerns and important information affecting city centre residents.

Craig says the overall goal is to build a positive, practical and community-focused platform centred around local people rather than politics.

“This is not about party politics or creating noise for attention,” he said. “It is about helping neighbours, supporting local charities and making sure residents feel like someone is paying attention to the issues affecting their communities.”

He added that he hopes the platform will continue growing over time through contributions from local residents, charities, organisations and support groups across Newcastle.

“The more connected communities are, the stronger they become,” he said. “Newcastle is full of good people who care about where they live. If this website can help even a little by connecting people, promoting local organisations or helping residents feel heard, then it is doing what it was built to do.”

Residents, charities and community organisations can visit www.craigcottrell.co.uk
to access local updates, raise neighbourhood concerns, discover support services and connect with Newcastle community organisations.