autumn 2015

Transcription

autumn 2015

AUTUMN 2015 / Issue 15
Time for a break
and a cake...
Here is your magazine...
your stories,
your celebrations,
your achievements.
Green fingers
at the ready!
P37
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Your Stories
Read the
stories you
have sent us
Page 16
EAC Awards
Find out how
you can get
involved
Page 33
Let’s Celebrate
Some of
your special
occasions and
achievements
Page 40
lifeandstylemagazine.co.uk
02 | WELCOME
FIRSTPORT | 03
Welcome
Editor’s letter
Welcome to Issue 15 of Life&Style, we hope
you all enjoy this latest edition. Life&Style is
all about you, our residents and Development
Managers, and we want to highlight and
showcase your stories, achievements and
celebrations. Sadly, summer has been and
gone but I’m sure you’ve made the most of
the warmer weather and that is reflected in
the many events and features highlighted in
this issue.
We are always amazed at the enthusiasm and
dedication you put into your celebrations and
fundraising events and we enjoy seeing the vast
range of activities you carry out in order to raise
money for such great causes. It is remarkable
seeing the variety of stories and letters you send
us. We always want to share your special
occasions and stories, so don’t forget to write a
letter or send us an email to tell us all about it.
In this edition we have ‘Your Stories’ and ‘Your
Letters’, a preview of our staff conferences,
business updates from Carol Crowe, Keith Murray
and Steve Howarth, a newly launched Garden in
Editor’s apologies:
In Issue 14, we made some errors for which we would like
to apologise and are happy to correct:
On page 19, we referenced a story about the ‘Knit Chicks’,
residents who had knitted a jumper for an episode of
Deal or No Deal. The team are residents from Stanley
Court and not Alveston Grange as published.
On page 55, we published that Emily Pycock and Joan
Palfrey, who had celebrated their 90th birthdays, were
twins. The ladies are not related, but are both residents
at Watermans in Romford.
Also on page 55, we explained that Christine Allen, one of
our Development Managers, had recently retired at
Woodspring Court, however we captioned the photo
above the story incorrectly. The photo was of Christine
and not as we displayed.
ISSUE 15
Contents Autumn 2015
Bloom competition and some information about
the EAC National Housing Awards.
16
We really want to thank you for sending us
your letters and emails for this issue. Your
contributions are vital and we look forward
to your stories for Issue 16. I’m really sorry
but we are not able to fit all your stories into
the magazine due to the high volume of
contributions we receive. However, I hope you
still continue to send us your great stories and
achievements. Issue 16 will be on its way to you
in Spring 2016.
33
40
28
37
Enjoy your magazine,
Best wishes,
All about you
Your letters
Your stories
Let’s celebrate
4&9
16-21
40-47
Richard Steed
How to get in touch with
the Life&Style team
Below are all the details you need to get in touch
with us at Life&Style magazine. We look forward
to hearing your thoughts and suggestions.
FirstPort News
An update from Carol
An update from Steve
An update from Keith
10
13
23
Competitions and Puzzles
Garden in Bloom competition
Puzzles
37
50
Health & Nutrition
Health advice from Dr Trisha Macnair
Health advice from Lynn Burns
14
30
Features
Our team are here to support you
WOW! Awards
Back on the road again
It’s time for you to get involved
Retirement Homesearch
24 & 25
26 & 27
28
33
34 & 35
0333 321 4041
[email protected]
Life&Style Team
FirstPort, 11-12 Centre Court,
Vine Lane, Halesowen B63 3EB
lifeandstylemagazine.co.uk
Please send us your contributions for the next issue by Monday 22nd February 2016
For any advertising related comments within Life&Style please contact Media In Mind Group Ltd, 1B White Street, Great Dunmow, Essex CM6 1BD.
Tel: 01371 859 383. Email: [email protected]. Reproduction in part or in whole without the permission of the publishers is strictly prohibited. The views
expressed in Life&Style are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of FirstPort. No part of Life&Style can be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission from the Editor. Every care has been taken in
compiling this publication, but FirstPort or Media in Mind assume no responsibility for any damage, injury or loss arising from participation in any article,
offer, competition or advertisement contained in this publication or for any misrepresentation in any article, offer, competition, or advertisement.
www.lifeandstylemagazine.co.uk | AUTUMN 2015
04 | YOUR LETTERS
FIRSTPORT | 05
Your letters...
We love receiving your letters whatever
they may be, so please keep sending
them into us so we can share them
Anything from a
brother, uncle or
Thatha... my life with
the Joe Homan Charity
I’m a member of, and volunteer, for the small
Peterborough-based Joe Homan Charity
(www.joehoman.org.uk), which for 50 years has
raised funds supporting child-related projects in
south India and north east Thailand. Without any
help, these poor and vulnerable children could be
forced out of school by poverty or family
circumstances.
Local NGOs (non-governmental organisations) run
the projects we support. They include residential
homes for children who attend local primary and
secondary schools – boys’ towns, girls’ towns and
children’s villages. Follow-up programmes provide
skills training, or, further education to polytechnic
or degree level. These are vital precursors to
reliable employment with reputable employers.
Some projects run evening coaching centres for
school children living at home and one is a home
exclusively for HIV infected children, ranging from
newly abandoned babies to teenagers at school.
The charity raises funds primarily through
sponsorship and volunteers, with local staff as
interpreters, compiling the various reports. When a
child joins a residential home we take a detailed
profile, which alongside a photo reminds their
sponsor that these are individual lovable children
and not statistics. For each project, we compile an
Annual Report, keeping charity and sponsors
informed on local progress and developments. In
addition, those children entering skills training,
either polytechnic or degree courses, are seen
ISSUE 15
Terry Quadling on one of his many visits on
behalf of the Joe Homan charity
annually as they complete their last lap before
starting work and lifting their families from poverty.
Each of their reports track the overall extent and
success of our mission, reminding sponsors of
what has been accomplished, thanks to them.
In the 14 visits I’ve made since 1999, each averaging
three months in length, I’ve produced countless
such reports which alert the charity to problems,
needs and opportunities. This year I completed 10
annual project reports and 130 reports on individual
children. Volunteers don’t get a free ride; there’s no
‘volunteering tourism’ at the charity’s expense.
From the moment my taxi leaves Maple Grange to
my return many weeks later, I pay my own way –
flights, visa, insurance, transfers, board and lodging.
Some NGOs have modest guest accommodation,
with or without board, but if an NGO provides free
accommodation, I donate the equivalent value;
no-way will I use funds intended for the children.
Over the years I’ve sponsored 13 girls and currently
catch-up annually with another four.
I missed my visit in 2002 owing to a hip
replacement, and again in 2013, when that new hip,
which objected to the rigors of riding pillion or
travelling in Indian buses, then came loose and had
to be replaced again. Last year I stayed there for my
80th birthday in April, I was expecting a quiet day
with the girls but instead I was the surprise focus of
a huge gathering, presentation and entertainment
almost Bollywood style – right down to four troupes
of dancing children. To the staff I’m a brother and to
the children, anything from brother, uncle or, my
Kingfisher Court’s celebrated residents, –
favourite, Thatha, which is grandfather in Tamil, the (pictured l to r), Ron, Loni, Edith and Audrey.
local language in Tamil Nadu.
Each year I leave Maple Grange loaded with gifts for
the girls and for any sisters they have with them. For
the past few years I’ve arranged a local purchase of
new outfits for them and for the poorest girls in the
residential homes, so that they can properly
celebrate their major mid-January festival of
Pongal. Let’s put their poverty in perspective. Last
year, I asked the supervisor of one residential home
caring for 150 girls, if I could treat them to a special
meal to celebrate my birthday, she was touched but
being honest, and with a slight embarrassment, she
confided what they really needed. Which is why a
few days later a delighted crowd of girls watched
me handover carrier bags full of new clothes, plus
towels and blankets.
Anniversary Celebrations
for Kingfisher Court
Scouring my local charity shops during the year
I collect DVDs for our Maple Grange movie night,
girls’ bangles and also anything which can help
the children enjoy learning spoken English. I’m told
Postman Pat, Maisy Mouse and Peter Rabbit are
doing a great job and I’m sure (like me) they’ll love
Shaun the Sheep! Back home in Maple Grange,
where I’ve lived since it opened early 2007, the
work isn’t completed until I’ve transferred my
latest photos onto my computer and updated my
materials and archives ready for next year.
Knitting skills on show
at Home Quay House
Terry Quadling, resident, Maple Grange, Bristol
“From the moment my taxi
leaves Maple Grange to my
return many weeks later,
I pay my own way”
On August 5th, Kingfisher Court in Droitwich held
its 25th birthday celebrations. Afternoon tea was
enjoyed by all, especially by the first four residents
to ever move into Kingfisher Court, Mr Ron Platten,
Mrs Loni Gumbley, Mrs Edith Andrews (who was
first to move in) and Mrs Audrey Munday. Residents
enjoyed a raffle and speeches were made by the
aforementioned residents revealing their amazing
experiences of living at Kingfisher Court.
Residents, Kingfisher Court, Droitwich
Six residents at Home Quay House in Devon are
knitting for three charities during their spare
time. Margaret Parson, Gladys Wright, Brenda
Cummings, Linda Keen, Jean Sinclaire and Pat
O’Flaherty are the team behind the campaign.
They are knitting hats, cardigans, blankets, and
mittens for the premature babies at their local
hospital, jumpers for the local charity and a
variety of things for Christmas shoe boxes.
They are also supplying jumpers for the ‘fish and chip
babies’. These babies are named as such because
when they leave hospital in Africa they have no
clothes so they are wrapped in newspapers instead.
All residents at Home Quay House are very proud of
their efforts and contributions.
Margaret, Gladys, Brenda, Linda, Jean and Pat,
residents, Home Quay House, Torquay
FIRSTPORT | 07
“ Had we known how affordable and
straight forward it was to fix our
bathing difficulties, we’d have done
it ages ago”
Your letters...
18 years and
counting for Mo
Volunteering takes dedication, enthusiasm
and a desire to make a difference. Mo Taylor,
from St Thomas’ Court in Lewes, East Sussex
has volunteered for 18 years at the nearby
St Peter & St James Hospice & Continuing
Care Centre. Their team of volunteers are
extremely valuable and there are many areas
where people can make a difference. Every
Tuesday morning without fail, Mo arrives in the
fundraising office and carries out the allimportant job of counting the money from all
the collection pots, buckets and boxes that
are brought in from the community and are ready
to be banked.
‘We’re delighted with our new
easy-access shower.’
The Esprit – ideal
for an en-suite
Mr & Mrs Holness, Devon
Our easy-access showers
have so many benefits
Mo explained, “volunteering does have an
impact on my life as it makes me feel privileged
to be able to help, in any way that I can”.
All the residents and Development Manager
at St Thomas’ Court are proud of Mo and
his achievements and recently celebrated
his inclusion in the St Peter & St James’
summer newsletter.
Low threshold trays – just 1 / ”
Slip-resistant shower trays for
1
2
safer bathing
Safety grab bars
Safe and comfortable fold-up
seats
Easy-clean wall panels
Please send me a free brochure on your range
of easy-access showers and walk-in baths.
Title
For your free 44 page brochure call us free now on
0800 542 1526
PLEASE QUOTE REFERENCE PNTM05
Or visit www.safebathing.co.uk
PNTM05
First Name
Surname
Tel No.
Address
Postcode
We may use this information to contact you about our products and pass it to suitable third
parties to contact you about their products and services. Please tick the box if you do not
wish to receive information from us or third parties . Please refer to our privacy policy
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Post coupon to:
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“ The best part about
volunteering at the St Peter
& St James Hospice is the
sincerity and appreciation
shown by the staff”
Mo Taylor, resident, St Thomas Court, Lewes
Mo Taylor – one of our many passionate and
dedicated volunteers we have nationwide
Friends reunited
from their youth in
Switzerland
Renee Chomed worked in a hospital in
Switzerland during WWII and until recently had
lost touch with her long lost friend, Rosemary
Fox. Rosemary, who now lives in Victoria,
Canada, met Renee in 1951 in Geneva where they
worked together as nurses, though Renee
originally came from Vienna.
The Chard and Ilminster newspaper became aware
of the story via Rosemary and they contacted the
Development Manager, David Johnson at The
Maltings in Chard, Somerset to help make contact
with Renee. After a swapping of contact details,
Rosemary calls every sunday for a chat and is now
planning a trip over to see Renee in The Maltings
early next year to catch up on old times.
Renee Chomed, resident, The Maltings, Chard
FIRSTPORT | 09
Your letters...
Enter code LS1015
02/12/15
My dream of a lifetime!
By 1994, I had owned my boat called Gaviota, a
Moody 376 in the Mediterranean, for a number of
years. After two and a half years moored there,
I was getting restless to explore other locations.
Whilst visiting The Boat Show in 1994, I went
along to get an idea of the cost and I visited the
stand where the Royal Air Force Yacht Club (RAF)
was staging an exhibition about the proposed
rally around the world. During the next 12
months, I attended monthly seminars at the RAF
club with my friend Hugh, where we discussed
the needs for the boat and confirmed our next
journey ahead. We had settled on heading for a
journey of discovery to Gibraltar.
We began our journey and after arriving in Marmaris,
in south west Turkey, I then dropped Gaviota off in
Monastir in Tunisia soon after. I returned about a
month later and joined up with Hugh who was brave
enough to agree to accompany me for the rest of
the circumnavigation we had planned. We arrived in
our destination of Gibraltar on 10th October 1994
after a splendid sail in the western meditterarean
with a Force8 gale. Immediately, my thoughts
turned to my next journey and plans of how I could
make improvements to Gaviota.
As I looked ahead to the spring of 1995, I aimed to
improve Gaviota and here are some examples of
the work that took place:
LS1015
• A radar and GPS set was put in to replace the
Decca system
Offer ends 02/12/15
• An SSB radio set was installed, offering more
information for weather forecasts.
• I fitted a water maker which would provide
drinking water from seawater
Roy Newey pictured during one of his many
voyages on board Gaviota
However, the most important piece of equipment
to be fitted was the method for auto steering the
boat. No sane person plans to steer a boat
manually for 28,000 miles. Other additions I made
included an inner forestay and a twin headsail as
well as a massive list of spares for the engine.
I had to purchase the charts needed, they are
navigation aids and cost me well in excess of
£1500. Next came the pilot books, those useful
sources of detailed information on how to find your
way into various ports and anchorages. One such
book was intriguingly entitled ‘Charlie’s charts of
Polynesia’. On the front cover was a picture of
Oponohu Bay, on the island of Moorea, the very
place where they filmed ‘The Mutiny on the
Bounty’. My mind wandered far away as I dreamily
thumbed through the pages, full of magic little
islands. My passion for travelling was to continue.
Roy Newey, resident, Betjeman Court, Oxford
10 | AN UPDATE FROM CAROL
Saga Health Insurance
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Why choose Saga?
A lot has changed for us in the past year with our change of name to FirstPort
and the introduction of tablet technology to our Development Managers. All of
this is backed by our commitment to deliver great customer service to you.
However, we’ve not stopped there. Over the last six months, we’ve continued
to review the technology and the equipment which is vital for Development
Managers, in order for them to be efficient, to communicate in a simpler and
faster way and to ensure a high level of service is provided to you. I will update
you in the next issue regarding our technology plans and how this is having a
positive impact in our service we provide to you.
Our upcoming Development Manager conferences will provide us with the
platform to continue our learning and development plans for all staff and offer
the chance for them ask questions and gain an insight into how we are moving
forward as a Business. I always look forward to these conferences, hearing the
views of our Development Managers and of course you, our residents, and it’s
encouraging to see the enthusiasm that everyone has.
I look forward to updating you with further news in the next issue of Life&Style.
Enjoy your magazine
ISSUE 15
■
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■
Some of the most competitive premiums available.
Plus! Join by 15 November 2015 and get 3 months of free cover*
Over 50? It’s easy to take out cover for
the first time or switch to Saga. Call
0800 857 857
Use reference RP8513
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RP8513
We strive to engage and communicate with you in a highly skilled and informative
way. This is very important for us and our five values; Friendly, Inventive,
Respectful, Skilled and Trustworthy are the basis of everything we do. As part of
our values, we have launched the WOW! Awards, allowing residents to nominate
staff who they have been particularly impressed with and who have brought the
values to life through great customer service. If you have been impressed by a
member of our staff, their service or the way they dealt with a particular
situation, then please nominate them for the WOW! Awards. All the information
on how to nominate is available at your development and on page 26.
Quick access to specialist diagnosis and private treatment
at a hospital on our extensive list
CSA-HE1467
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Head of FirstPort
Retirement Property
Services
■
FIRSTPORT | 13
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0333 321 4041
We develop and evolve our services in line with what we believe you, our
residents, need and expect from customer service. This has led to a
restructure in the Halesowen Customer Service Centre, we now have a
dedicated complaints team who are responsible for managing any
complaints that are raised and received. Your Development Manager is
your first initial contact and will listen to any concerns you may have and
will frequently be able to help and advise you. However, we know there are
occasions where they cannot deal with some concerns you may have, but
they will be able to put you in touch with our team who will be happy to help
you further.
Our complaints team will work closely with both our field based staff and,
where necessary, other departments within the business, to actively look to
resolve a complaint in a timely and suitable manner. They will ensure
customers are either kept updated during the process so that the appropriate
response and resolution is achieved. In addition to this, the team are also
looking at the various types of complaints we receive, looking for any
common themes or repetitions. They will then review this information to
analyse how we can improve policies and procedures and enhance the
service you receive.
We always welcome your feedback, this is how we find out how well we are
doing and where we may need to make further improvements and how to
achieve excellent customer service.
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14 | YOUR HEALTH
Your health
We care about your health and
well-being, so here is some help
and advice from Dr Patricia Macnair
An insight into
vaccinations in later life
Despite all the advances of modern medicine,
infections remain a great problem to us,
especially in our later years. Fortunately, an
increasing number of vaccines are helping to
protect not just the young but their parents and
grandparents too. There’s a range of
vaccinations on offer to adults and some are
specifically targeted to older people... so what
should you be talking to your GP about?
Influenza or ‘flu’, is a common virus and continually
changes so a new vaccine must be given every
autumn. It is usually offered to everyone who is 65
or over, as well as a number of other groups who
are more vulnerable to the infection. This includes
those people with medical conditions such as
chronic lung, heart or kidney disease, diabetes, or
those whose immune system is suppressed by
disease or drug treatments. It’s also recommended
for anyone working in healthcare.
From midlife onward, we become increasingly
vulnerable to chest infections such as pneumonia,
especially if you smoke or have some other form of
lung disease. Several different microorganisms can
cause pneumonia but one of the most common is a
bacterium called Streptococcus pneumonia. Up to
40,000 people are hospitalised with pneumococcal
pneumonia each year in the UK. The pneumococcus
can also cause other severe illnesses such as
septicaemia (blood poisoning) and meningitis, as
well as milder illnesses including middle ear
infections, sinusitis and bronchitis. Vaccination
against the pneumococcus is now offered to all
adults aged 65 and over, as well as younger people
Dr Patricia Macnair
Speciality Doctor
in Medicine
with certain long-term health conditions, such as a
serious heart or kidney problem.
Every year, nearly 1 in 100 people over the age of 70
develop shingles, which is a resurgence within the
body of the virus that causes chickenpox. This
usually occurs years after the initial infection and
causes a blistering rash that can be very painful
and disabling; but in recent years a vaccine has
been introduced for people aged 70+. Only one
dose is needed and this has been shown to half the
risk of shingles or, should shingles still occur, to
significantly reduce the severity of the symptoms
and complications.
The cost of adding a new vaccine to the NHS
schedule is always carefully weighed against
potential benefits. As a result some vaccines are
deemed too costly to be routinely offered on the
NHS but may still be relevant to particular
individuals or available privately. For example
Hepatitis B vaccination is essential for health
workers who are more likely to be exposed to the
virus, and may also be recommended for people
travelling to certain countries (although they may
have to pay for it).
In addition it’s worth bearing in mind that the
effects of some vaccines given in childhood don’t
last forever and booster shots may be needed now
and then. This includes tetanus for example, which
is a particular risk for keen gardeners as tetanus
spores can be found in the soil. Many other
vaccines may be offered to adults in certain
circumstances – if you are off on holiday,
especially to more exotic locations, you should
always check with your local travel clinic (your own
GP practice may run these) well in advance to find
out what you might need.
Please promise to help us with a gift in your Will.
Every year, Dogs Trust cares for nearly 17,000 dogs in our 20 rehoming centres across the UK.
We never put down a healthy dog. By leaving a gift in your Will, your love of dogs can live on
and help us make the world a better place for them.
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or email: [email protected]
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112923
Please send this coupon to:
Freepost RTJA-SRXG-AZUL, Dogs Trust, Clarissa Baldwin House, 17 Wakley Street, London, EC1V 7RQ
ISSUE 15
No stamp required. All information will be treated as strictly confidential, Reg. Charity Nos: 227523 & SC037843
www.dogstrust.org.uk
16 | YOUR STORIES
FIRSTPORT | 17
Your stories...
We love to hear your stories whatever
them into us so we can share them.
Celebrations at Rufus
Court for Alf Stock
Alf married Gladys in 1938 and they were married
for 50 years. In July 1989, he moved to Rufus Court,
shortly after he was widowed, and was one of the
first residents to retire at the development. Alf
then met Winifred in Crete in 1996. They became
very good friends, and she moved from Maidstone
to a flat in Rufus Court in 1998, and Alf nursed her
until she passed away in 2014.
Alf is still very independent. His secret to a long life
is... having parents that equally had a long life.
Alf Stock, resident, Rufus Court, Lyndhurst
ISSUE 15
The residents of Eden Court enjoyed an evening
of songs and films dating back to the 1940s. The
evening was organised by resident ‘Ali’ Bett, who
also used his own equipment to show the films
and play the music. The purpose of the evening
was to raise money for the Nepal earthquake
relief fund, which is particularly poignant as Ali
and some other residents had worked with the
Gurkhas previously during their lives.
A lot of singing took place and a jovial evening was
had by everyone. It was decided to leave it up to
each resident as to how much they wanted to
contribute to the fund. In total, a glorious sum of
£221 was raised for the fund. Development
Manager, David Carnochan, would like to thank and
congratulate Ali and everyone involved for a
fantastic evening.
On 24th May 2015, Alf Stock of Rufus Court,
Lyndhurst celebrated his 101st Birthday, with a
party held in his honour by his fellow residents.
Alf was born in Kingston upon Hull in 1914, just
before World War I was declared. His Father
was a rigger in the Royal Flying Corps at
Doncaster Racecourse.
Upon leaving school, Alf began working at William
Turner & Son where he learned his trade as
Carpenter/Joiner, working there for nine years.
When World War II commenced, Alf volunteered for
the Army, but sadly they only wanted certain types
of engineers, so he was sent to a government
training centre in Pontefract. It was here that he
learnt lathe turning, working with metal instead of
wood. Alf was then drafted in to work in the Dunlop
Factory in Birmingham and Coventry, in the
experimental department, making Hydrologic Gun
Fire Equipment for the RAF. Following the end of
the war, he joined the City of Hull Council in the
architects department progressing to the position
of Division Building Surveyor.
VE Day celebration film Mead Court social club
and song evening in aid raise funds for Help the
of Nepal relief fund
Heroes campaign
‘Ali’ Bett and residents, Eden Court, Fife
Alf Stock celebrated his 101st birthday in May 2015
In April, we hired a mini-bus and went for lunch at
Denbies vineyard in Dorking and had a trip around
the vineyard in a little train. The sun shone and it
was a splendid day. On St George’s Day on April
23rd, I organised another afternoon tea and with the
help of Jenny Gude, who did all the decorations we
had even more people come and join us. My granddaughter made a St George’s flag cake and I did all
the other baking, including jam tarts, chocolate chip
cookies and other little bakes, plus sandwiches as
well. This time I decided to raise funds for the Help
the Heroes campaign and we raised £70.
Our Development Manager, Margaret Bryant, also
came to our afternoon tea and insisted on making
the tea and helping with the washing up. Every
month we have a draw, which residents contribute
to and after the prize money is taken out, the
remainder goes to charity. So in total, £145 was
sent to the Help the Heroes campaign.
Norma shines in pink
at the 10k Race for Life
Development Manager, Dolly Chesterson, wanted
to highlight and celebrate Norma Andrews, a
resident at Townbridge Court, who trains and
runs regularly and fundraises for many causes.
Norma recently completed the Pink Army 10k
Race for Life which raises money for all cancer
charities and was held at Delamere in Cheshire
on Sunday 17th May.
We have more trips arranged during this year and I
am sure we will have another fund raising
afternoon tea also.
Ann Lean, resident, Mead Court, Addlestone
Norma deserves recognition for her amazing
dedication and enthusiasm as she has been raising
money for charity for many years, she is an
inspiration to many.
Norma Andrews, resident,
Townbridge Court, Cheshire
My husband and I moved into Mead Court in
Addlestone four years ago and last year I set up a
“Social Club” to enable the residents to have a day
out now and again. We are affiliated to AgeUK so
that we can hire their mini-buses, complete with
driver. During the first year we took a trip on a
riverboat along the Thames from Runnymede to
Hampton Court and although the weather was not
kind to us, a good time was had by all. On New Year’s
Day, I held an afternoon tea party to get everybody
in the mood for the coming year and to encourage
more residents to join the club, which they did.
Norma Andrews celebrates completing the
Pink Army 10k Race for Life
“This time I decided to
raise funds for the Help
the Heroes campaign and
we raised £70.”
18 | YOUR STORIES
FIRSTPORT | 19
Your stories...
Scottish hospitality for a
very talented Dutchman
Six months after their wedding on what the couple
described as a beautiful March day, Douglas was
deployed to Malta and the newlyweds did not see
each other for the next three years, with Brownie
moving up to Yorkshire to live with her husband’s
family. When he finally returned to England in 1948,
he recalled how his wife jumped down five steps
and rushed to the taxi – only to end up kissing the
driver by mistake in the dark.
Gerard is one of 14 children, born to an island
farming family in one of the Netherlands’ remote
islands (before land reclamation made it part of
the mainland). He joined the Dutch Navy early in
1939 only to be taken as a POW by German troops a
few months later. He managed to abscond from
their control and survived as an escapee
throughout World War II, supported by sympathetic
families in the occupied country.
Settling down in Ayr, he obtained employment as
an engineer with a firm of local opticians. His skills
and enterprise were also put to use in designing,
resourcing and building his own house in the town
reflecting some of the best features of Dutch
architecture.
ISSUE 15
The bonds of love are still strong between a
couple who celebrated 70 years of marriage
recently. On March 28th, 1945, when Douglas and
Brownie Marsden tied the knot, British troops
had liberated Mandalayin Burma and Sylvester
the cartoon cat made his debut in ‘Life with
Feathers’. Douglas and Brownie are residents at
Ferndale Court in Thatcham.
The couple met after locking eyes at an American
Army social dance night in Bucklebury in 1944. At
the time Douglas, from Huddersfield in Yorkshire,
was serving in the Army Catering Corps. His future
wife Brownie, from Cold Ash, worked at the naval
stores depot at Brimpton.
In Ailsa Craig View, Prestwick, there is a resident
who has become a major character within the
development. Gerard de Blieck, a 93 year old
Dutchman, is a valued friend to many residents,
with his dry Dutch humour, contribution to the
community spirit and an inspiration to many who
want to live a full and active life in their 90s.
When the war was over and his country was
liberated, he re-joined the Dutch Navy and was
posted with a special unit based in Ayr working
with the Allies to develop signal and radio
communications, due to his self-taught ability to
speak English. Whilst attending church in Ayr, just
like many other servicemen in similar situations,
Gerard encountered some wonderful Scottish
hospitality during his stay. In a wonderful ceremony,
Gerard married the daughter of the schoolteacher
who had welcomed him into their home.
Happy 70th wedding
anniversary to Douglas
and Brownie Marsden
A very talented Gerard de Blieck, a resident from
Ailsa Craig View in Prestwick
When his wife fell ill in their later years they took up
residence in Ailsa Craig View. Following her death a
few years later he used his remarkable precision
skills to develop an expertise in parquetry,
producing several intricate and exquisite pictures
from scratch, much to the admiration of his fellow
residents. When the demands of such intricate
cutting and pasting proved too much for him he
diverted his attention to other projects and started
building model ships, such as the Graf Spee or
Corvette Destroyers.
Gerard de Blieck, resident,
Ailsa Craig View, Prestwick
Douglas worked for Currys for 10 years before
leaving to work for the Co-op, where he ended up
as a national manager and the couple lived and
worked around the country before returning to
Brownie’s native West Berkshire. Now aged 93 and
87, the couple keep up-to-date with technology
and use Skype on their iPad to keep in touch with
their daughter Annette, who lives in Washington
DC. In their 70 years of marriage they both said
that the birth of their only child was the happiest
moment. They celebrated their platinum wedding
anniversary with a meal at The Castle at Cold Ash.
Douglas and Brownie Marsden residents,
Ferndale Court, Thatcham
“The couple met after locking
eyes at an American Army
social dance night in
Bucklebury in 1944.”
Come fly with me!
I had a dream to do something thrilling and a bit
daring for my 70th birthday and mentioned to a
friend how I would like to fly over the south east
coast of England. To my surprise, he had a pilot’s
license and offered to take me up in a light aircraft.
This would only be the third time I had flown in my
life. The first was on a jet plane to Canada and the
second was in a hot air balloon.
On June 30th at 4.30pm, he said come fly with
me... it was a perfect day with bright sunshine. We
took off from Rochester Airport in Kent on a circular
trip, flying firstly over Maidstone and Leeds Castle
and then over Ashford and down to the coast as far
as Dungeness. How beautiful and green everything
looked from that height, even the sea was a
mediterranean blue colour.
We followed the coast round to Dover harbour
where we circled an incoming ferry and had a
wonderful view of the castle and the white cliffs.
Through the heat haze I could make out the
coastline of France. Moving back in-land, soon
Canterbury Cathedral appeared on my right hand
side and how majestic it looked in the afternoon
sun. Southend pier next came in to view and went
by just as quickly as we were doing the equivalent
of 80 miles per hour, though it didn’t seem like it.
Soon we were over the marsh lands of Sheerness
and heading up the river to Medway which now
looked like a silver ribbon laid out before us. The Isle
of Grain soon disappeared and Rochester bridge
came into view shortly followed by my view of home.
The plane tilted to the right as we did a flypast over
Warblers Close where some of the residents
managed to get a glimpse of us. It was then back
across the river and shortly we were flying over
Rochester Castle and Cathedral. The airport and
landing strip were now straight ahead of us.
It was soon ‘bump, bump, bump’ as the wheels of
the plane touched down on to the grass runway.
We taxied into our parking lot and the engine was
cut as we came to a standstill. What a memorable
and exciting afternoon it was and thank you to my
very competent pilot, Mark, who next morning was
on my doorstep with a DVD copy of the complete
journey, so now I can relive it whenever I like.
Jean Whittington, resident, Warblers Close, Kent
20 | YOUR STORIES
FIRSTPORT | 21
Your stories...
Ushakov medal
awarded to Dumbrells
Court resident
As you may already be aware, on 10th March 2014,
the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir
Putin, signed a decree awarding the Ushakov
Medal to the veterans of the Arctic convoys. This
honour was awarded to Tony Alcoe, a resident
from Dumbrells Court in East Sussex. In early May,
Tony received a letter from the Embassy of the
Russian Federation. The letter explained that
there had already been a series of presentations
in London and other areas to present the military
award to British veterans and offered an invitation
to Tony to receive his medal at a ceremony at
Stade Hall in Hastings, East Sussex on May 22nd.
Party time
and celebrations
at Read Court
It has been a busy time for residents at Read
Court in Westgate-on-sea in Kent. Firstly, in April
they celebrated their 10th anniversary with
special visits from their Area Manager, a local
newspaper reporter and Roger Gale, the local MP.
An evening of singing and dancing was followed
by delivery of a cake with a picture of the
development on top of it. The cake was cut by
Carol Foster, who was the lady who had sold 90%
of the flats to the residents.
However, this was not the end of the celebrations
at Read Court, a coffee morning raised £258.70 for
the charity Meningitis Now and a St George’s Day
tea brought the development together to
celebrate. The celebrations kept coming as
residents held a pre Wimbledon tea, with
strawberries and cream and sandwiches and Jill
Davies, the Development Manager, added to the
merriment and dressed up as a tennis player as
well. Residents also celebrated Jill’s 60th birthday
with a special tea and birthday cake and also held
a VE Day wartime tea consisting of corned beef,
spam and meat paste sandwiches.
George Wright pictured at the opening of the
newly refurbished Dreamland*
Doing their bit for
Friarage hospital
Residents at Arden Court have been involved in
raising £1000, which has been donated to the local
Friarage hospital following an appeal to raise money
to go towards the purchase of an MRI scanner. The
residents raised the money by conducting raffles,
afternoon teas, with residents providing a waitress
service and the making and selling of handmade
greetings cards, amongst many other events.
George Wright, a 93 year old resident at Read Court,
was given the honour in June of cutting the ribbon
to open the newly refurbished Dreamland, a heritage
theme park in Margate. Dreamland includes many
attractions and rides as well as modern and vintage
games and entertainment. George was the former
scenic railway brakeman in the park and was invited
along to celebrate the re-opening.
The chairman of the South Tees Hospital Charity sent
a personalised letter addressed to all the residents
with a thank you message and a full explanation of
the use of the scanner. It will benefit the population
across the whole of the area, and over its lifetime will
conduct over 70,000 scans. It’s predicted it will
diagnose in the region of 10,000 incidences of cancer
and help diagnose neurological conditions such as
Parkinson’s and dementia, as well as cut waiting
times and enable important medical research to
occur. All residents are proud to be presented with a
certificate from the hospital for their achievements.
George Wright, resident, Read Court, Kent
Residents, Arden Court, Yorkshire
ISSUE 15
*Image courtesy of Carlos Dominguez
The convoys claimed more than 3,000 Allied lives,
when 104 merchant and 16 military vessels were sunk
in the icy Arctic waters. The Ushakov Medal is named
in honour of the 18th century Russian admiral Fyodor
Ushakov who reputedly never lost a battle. The medal
is awarded for bravery and courage displayed while
defending Russia, or the public interests of the
Russian Federation, in military operations at sea. Most
Ushakov Medals are given to Russian citizens.
Receiving his medal was an immensely proud day
for Tony and brought back many memories of his
time and contributions to the Arctic convoys. Tony
recalls that he joined H.M.S Dido in the autumn of
1944 and the first job was to escort (with six
destroyers and two small pocket aircraft carriers
or ‘banana boats’ as they were often called)
convoy number KW61 from Scotland to Murmansk.
Then a couple of days later, they made the return
journey, escorting convoy RA61. The route included
the Arctic Circle, around the north of Norway and
through the Kola Inlet into Murmansk.
Throughout the whole journey, there was the
danger of a submarine attack and then also a
threat from enemy aircraft from the German
Arctic airbase at Hammerfest in North Norway.
Also, another major hazard came in the form of
the changing weather conditions – ice, snow and
heavy seas – which lead to the British Prime
Minister Winston Churchill describing it as ‘the
worst journey in the world’. Tony was then
involved in carrying out quite a few operations
*Image courtesy of Kevin Boorman, Hastings Borough Council
Tony Alcoe (standing) receiving his Ushakov
medal in May 2015
against German shipping, trying to get back to
Germany under cover of the Norwegian fjords.
They escorted the big fleet carrier ‘Implacable’ to
carry out a concentrated attack on the German
air base at Hammerfest, where they encountered
the worst storm of the war in the North Atlantic.
Even as far as having a five-day delay due to the
adverse weather conditions.
Tony’s last trip to Murmansk was in April 1945 with
the mine-layering cruiser ‘Apollo’ and four
destroyers especially equipped with minelaying
rails. They were to lay some 800 mines in the
mouth of the Kola Inlet where the U-Boats were
making a practice of gathering in ‘wolf packs’ to
catch the ships, particularly any stragglers from
the convoys. On leaving for the Kola Inlet on 24th
April 1945, Tony’s 19th birthday, the sea was as flat
as a millpond and the sun shone. It was the
beginning of the Arctic summer, but still very cold
as they docked in Rosyth for a few days leave.
After staying in Rosyth for five days, there was an
urgent recall of the ship’s company and Tony and
his colleagues were on their way to Copenhagen
and arrived on the 8th May 1945 and took the
surrender of the last two active units of the
German fleet, the heavy cruisers ‘Prinz Eugen’ and
the light cruiser ‘Nurnberg’. After the formalities,
Tony joined a liaison party which comprised of the
first lieutenant, two signalmen and Tony as an
interpreter, to go aboard ‘Nurnberg’. They then
escorted both vessels to Wilhelmshaven, where
‘Nurnberg’ was handed over to the Russian forces
and ‘Prinz Eugen’ to the U.S. Navy.
Tony Alcoe, resident, Dumbrells Court,
East Sussex
FIRSTPORT | 23
Savings for you,
improvements for us
It is a busy time of year for us preparing, planning and getting ready to
present your budget proposals for 2015/2016. We have been looking at
achieving savings, whilst maintaining high-standard service levels at all
times. We have been working closely with our procurement team to get the
best from our national deals, including your lifts and insurance, as well as
re-negotiating your many local supplier contracts. Healthy finances are
vital and forward planning really can help give you more options. It is critical
we keep your homes well maintained to protect their value.
S
AT
ON
C
PLETE
OM
I S FA C T
I
Keith Murray
Regional Director,
FirstPort Property
Services Scotland
How to get in touch
with the Customer
Service team
0333 321 4077
scotlandhelp
@FirstPort.co.uk
FirstPort.co.uk
With careful monitoring and healthy reserve funds, ongoing improvements,
replacements and upgrades can be more readily accommodated. We have many
developments completing redecoration programmes and we have planned many
replacements of door entry/emergency call systems, fire system upgrades, lift
refurbishments, guest room modernisations, and re-carpeting, to name a few. We
have also undertaken some successful installations of LED lighting in many
developments, which have delivered reduced electricity costs.
We have completed an annual health and safety audit of your development, and
there has also been an independently conducted external audit and Fire Risk
Assessment. High site standards and good communication are two vital areas for
us and these have seen the biggest investment, and change, particularly with the
introduction of technology. These have allowed us to focus on learning and
development to drive the continuous improvement of our customer service.
Our Development Managers have been attending training courses to keep them
updated with the technology. This has complemented our new contractor
management initiative and streamlining purchasing and payments. Our upcoming
annual training conferences will offer staff the chance to share experiences and to
move forward with improved initiatives.
As Carol has mentioned, the WOW! Awards recognises great customer service, so
please look out for information at your development on how to nominate. Thank
you all for working with us as we introduce all these improvements and changes.
24 | OUR TEAMS
FIRSTPORT | 25
Our teams are here
to support you...
We know that your home is more than
just bricks and mortar
We have a strong team in place to support you. For FirstPort Retirement Property Services, we have a
structure of Development Managers, Area Managers and Regional Managers. In FirstPort Property
Services Scotland, Development Managers report into an Area Manager. Each role has a clearly defined
purpose and structure in order to work best as a team.
Here is a brief breakdown of each of the roles;
Development Manager (DM)
Your Development Manager is your lead on a day to day basis within your development. They are
there for you to attend to your needs and any concerns or enquiries you may have. They are the
FirstPort staff member you should approach for help. They are key for us as they influence and
control the way a development is run and the customer service we provide.
The tablet technology that has been provided to DMs has really improved the service and
communication they have been able to provide to residents. DMs can provide clear and accurate
messages to residents quickly.
“Our Development Manager
is fantastic to us, she is
always helpful and a
pleasure to see each day.
Our Area Manager gives her
great support which in turn
enables her to give us the
best possible service, which
makes living here such a
pleasure for all of us.”
Mrs Hilda Lowther, Mrs Pat John,
Mrs Betty Brookes, Mrs Barbara Tilly,
Mrs Elsie Smith, and Mr Sydney Wood,
residents, Swn y Mor, Colwyn Bay
ISSUE 15
“There is always a happy atmosphere in Mitchell Court.
This is in part due to the excellence of our Development
Manager, Dennis Moreira, and his wife, Marlene. They are
always cheerful and ready to help at all times, even when
off duty. Dennis is willing to listen to our problems and
help residents who have disabilities as well as showing us
the tablet technology.”
Vera Rowell and Patricia Alderman, residents, Mitchell Court, Surrey
Area Manager (AM)
We have over 55 Area Managers covering England, Scotland and Wales, who frequently visit
all developments within their area. During visits they meet with the DM to discuss current objectives
and status of the development as well as carrying out risk assessments, health and safety standard
checks and also sometimes attending coffee mornings. There is also the opportunity for residents
to engage and discuss with their AM should they have any queries or concerns.
Area Managers also present the development budget and accounts to residents and provide
information regarding repairs, major works and redecoration updates. In Scotland, the AM is
involved is any Stage 1 complaints that are received.
“Our Development Manager
plays a vital role just by
being there without being
intrusive. Anne listens to our
thoughts on activities, plans
events and takes an interest
in residents’ wellbeing.”
Mr Kenneth Anthony, resident,
Clachnaharry Court, Inverness
Regional Manager (RM)
There are 5 Regional Managers covering England and Wales, who in turn, manage the AMs within
their region. They meet with each of their AMs on a regular basis, providing support and guidance as
well as training and development of their staff. The RMs are vital in working alongside Residents’
Associations and focus groups in a coherent and friendly manner.
For England and Wales, RMs are the first Stage on our complaints procedure and a vital link between
the AMs and our senior staff. They ensure that we provide a high level and customer service and
communication at all times.
26 | WOW! AWARDS
FIRSTPORT | 27
A chance to reward
great service
We have joined forces with an independent
organisation called WOW! to help us recognise all
of the great customer service work we do in line
with our new FIRST Values. The WOW! Awards are
the only national awards that recognise excellent
customer service based purely on customer and
colleague nominations. They provide an
opportunity for us to celebrate the good work
that we do for you and each other.
We always strive to deliver the highest levels of
service to you. So if you have been really impressed
by any of our staff, why not nominate them for a
WOW! Award?
Who can nominate?
Nominations can be made by either a resident or
a FirstPort member of staff. So if you’ve received
great service above and beyond what you
expected, then you can nominate them!
✁
How to nominate?
Nominations can be made by completing the
nomination form online at
www.FirstPort.co.uk/wowawards
or by completing the form below and returning it to
the office of your Development Manager.
When submitting a nomination, please identify
which of our FIRST values has been demonstrated;
Friendly / Inventive / Respectful /
Skilled / Trustworthy
It has to be about something that makes people
go “WOW!”. It needs to be about something
that happened recently, be about a genuine
customer service experience and something
that has happened to you personally, which has
impressed you.
Nomination Form
Your name*:
Your email*:
Wow... Look who
has won already!
Here are a selection of our winners that have been
recognised by WOW!. A massive well done to all. Below
shows each FIRST value they have been recognised for.
Friendly
We look out for people’s best
interests, and show we care by
dealing with them in a warm and
friendly manner.
Mary Bentley, Development Manager
and Trainer, Georgian Court I.
Maureen Hughes, Development Manager,
Nanterre Court. Sue Jakeman, Cleaner, Jenner
Court. Kay Moore, Visiting Development
Manager, Castlefields. Kevin Newton,
Development Manager, Homebray House.
Tina Savage, Development Manager,
Cleeve Lake Court. Kevin Skilton, Development
Manager, Manton Court. Janice Smith,
Development Manager, Parish Court.
Sarah Stenning, Visiting Development
Manager, Valley Court. David Stocks,
Development Manager, Carneigie Court.
Dawn Toop, Visiting Development Manager,
Homelake House.
Your phone number:
Your nomination:
Nominee’s name*:
Position:
Department:
Which of FirstPort’s five core values is best demonstrated by this nomination (please circle):
Friendly / Inventive / Respectful / Skilled / Trustworthy
Why do you want to nominate them?
ISSUE 15
Your nomination will be published anonymously on our website. Your personal information is secure and
will not be passed onto any third party or used for any other purpose. * = required information
Inventive
We’re creative and resourceful. We
strive to improve what we do and
how we do it, so we can provide the
best ideas and solutions to look
after people, their home and communities.
Sue Brookes, Development Manager,
Fairways Court. Julie Marrow, Development
Manager, Enfield Court. Paul Uden, Development
Manager, Ancholme Mews
Respectful
We listen, consult and take on-board
people’s opinions and needs. We
understand the importance of the
home and community in people’s
lives, and act with respect at all times.
Leslie Conn, Development Manager, Acorn Court.
Christina Quigley, Development Manager,
Bernard Court.
Skilled
We’ve the qualifications, experience
and take great pride in our work to
consistently deliver the highest
standards and value for money.
We’re informed, and we’re always
building on that knowledge to constantly improve
our quality of service.
Jeanette Ferguson, Development Manager,
Hermitage Court. Simon Hernon, Development
Manager, Port Mill Court. Caroline Lewis,
Development Manager and Trainer, Swanbridge
Court. Kerry Powell, Development Manager,
Waterside.
Trustworthy
We’re always professional, reliable,
open and honest. People can depend
on us to keep our promises and
follow through on our commitments.
Rosemary Boocock, Visiting Development
Manager, Daffodil Court. Kevin Shaw, Development
Manager, Victoria Court. Alison Stephens, Visiting
Development Manager, Carn Brea Court.
List of winners current as at time of publication, 8th September 2015
28 | OUR CONFERENCES
NEW UPDATED VERSION
Back on the road
again until December
Our conferences are essential for us to continue to
provide our staff with training and development
in order to maintain high standards
be 14 conferences running between October and
We strive to keep
December. These will be taking place across
improving the
England and Wales.
development of our staff The conferences are always interesting and a
great opportunity for us to hear the thoughts and
views of our staff and the customers they look
after. We are always posed with great challenges
and insight from our staff and we aim to take on
board their feedback and views on how we can
improve. In the next issue of Life&Style, we will
bring you a review of all the conferences and we
will explain more about the plans we have to
improve in the future.
All our Regional, Area and Development Managers
will be invited to attend, as well as other senior
staff. For FirstPort Property Services Scotland,
there will be three conferences occurring between
the end of September and early October, taking
place in Perth, Glasgow and Edinburgh. For
FirstPort Retirement Property Services, there will
ISSUE 15
Discover which hearing aid best fits your
hearing needs, by comparing 214 of the latest
hearing aids. Written in plain straightforward
English, this 24 page guide explains all you need
to know about digital hearing aids.
If you are concerned about your
hearing, or that of a family
member or friend, then you
really should read the Essential
Guide to Hearing Aids.
The Essential Guide is written
in plain straightforward English
and explains completely all
you need to know about
hearing aids.
Written by experts for consumers,
it’s packed with advice so you learn
about all types of hearing aids,
including the latest digital models.
See why some are better than
others even though they may
look alike.
With the Essential Guide you
can consider 214 hearing aids
and discuss them with your
family and friends. Decide
which manufacturer and model
you like best.
If you already wear a hearing
aid, or are thinking about it, the
Essential Guide is vital reading.
It could save you from a
costly mistake.
What’s inside the Essential Guide?
The theme for our conferences is “Good to Great”.
We know that we have made huge improvements
and advancements in our customer service and staff
development, but we still strive to improve further.
These conferences will offer our staff the
opportunity to learn more about the wider FirstPort
business. The day will involve looking at the
strategy for the business, as well as presentations
from guests on specific topics that will advance
our staffs knowledge and insight. They are also a
good opportunity for Development Managers to
share knowledge and support each other. The
overall aim of these conferences is to improve
every aspect of the service we provide to you.
UPDATED
VERSION
Our staff prepare to share experiences and
knowledge at one of our 2014 conferences
Signs of hearing loss
Types of hearing loss
Choosing your hearing aids
Advanced digital hearing aids
Premium digital hearing aids
The hearing test - what’s involved
Tips for better communication
When two hearing aids are better than one
FREEPHONE 0808 1660 787
For your FREE copy of the Essential Guide,
call, go online or post the freepost coupon today
FREEPHONE
0808 1660 787
quote ECGP5172
Development Managers discussing how we can
improve our service and standards for you
Please post me free The 2015 Essential Guide to Hearing Aids.
K Tick if Pensioner K Tick if using a Hearing Aid
Mr/Mrs/Miss
....................First
Name
Our FirstPort values are reflective of the service
we want to offer all of our customers. Your
Development Manager is key to bringing our
values of being Friendly, Inventive, Respectful,
Skilled and Trustworthy to life. We always look to
employ, train and develop staff who are
courteous and able to do their job to the highest
standards. That is why we invest so heavily in
their training and development each year. Our
Development Manager conferences are a key
part of this training.
The 2015 Essential Guide
NEW
to Hearing Aids
......................................................................
Surname
..........................................................................................................................
Address
............................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
Postcode............................................Tel No
................................................................
(we cannot dispatch without it)
www.essentialguidetohearingaids.co.uk
Post to: FREEPOST DIGITAL HEARING AID ADVICE CENTRE
Phone or send coupon today (NO STAMP REQUIRED) to:
FREEPOST DIGITAL HEARING AID
ADVICE CENTRE
The information we send you will be from our authorised associate for your area.
If you do not wish to receive additional information by mail, phone or email please advise.
Digital Hearing Aid
Advice Centre
ECGP5172
!
30 | YOUR HEALTH
Your health
We care about your health and
well-being, so here is some help
and advice from Lynn Burns
Loving your
wholegrains and beans!
Recently, the government changed their advice on
carbohydrates and health. The ‘sugar’ message hit
the media in a big way with plenty of articles and
headlines about encouraging us to eat less sugar.
But an equally important change in advice has not
been so widely reported. After a comprehensive
review of up to date evidence, it has been
concluded that the previous recommendation for
fibre was set too low. Increasing our intake to a
daily average of 30g would give wide ranging
health benefits. People in the UK average about
14g per day so this is quite a jump.
There is substantial evidence that fibre improves
the health of your heart and helps prevent some
cancers and maintains digestive health. Fibre
can support good weight management by
helping us to feel full for longer meaning we
consume less calories. Many compounds classed
as fibre, feed our ‘friendly’ gut bacteria which we
need for good digestive health and may also help
our immune system.
There are two forms of fibre. Insoluble fibre is
the indigestible portion of grains, fruits and
vegetables. It helps food to move well through the
digestive system keeping it healthy. Then there is
Soluble fibre, which is digested in the gut and is
thought to have an important role in cholesterol
management. Good sources of soluble fibre
include lentils and beans, oats, barley, rye and
some fruits and vegetables.
Doubling our fibre intake seems quite a challenge
but lots of little changes can add up and
substantially increase your fibre consumption.
ISSUE 15
! Lynn Burns
Independent
Registered Nutritionist
saving in your
Here are some small, easy changes that can
boost fibre intake:
Select breakfast cereals that are high in fibre.
Add fruit (fresh or dried), nuts or seeds to
your cereal.
Having a cooked breakfast? Try having less
meat and add tomatoes, mushrooms, baked
beans and wholemeal toast.
Have a variety of breads – seeded, granary,
rye, wholemeal varieties have more fibre than
white. Try white breads with added fibre.
Add beans or lentils to curries, stews and
casseroles and lots of vegetables.
Animal products don’t contain fibre so try
some vegetarian recipes a few times a week.
Try wild and brown rice – it takes a little
longer to cook but has a lot of flavour and
great texture.
Try wholemeal or high fibre pasta.
Have at least two different vegetables on your
plate with a meal, or have some salad.
For a snack, have a piece of fruit, a handful of
nuts or some vegetables with hummus.
Try dishes like cauliflower cheese with
wholemeal breadcrumbs and some seeds for
a crunchy topping.
When baking, try using wholemeal flour.
Added fibre means added taste and texture.
So why not give it a go?
Call us on 0333 321 4038:25:6-12:2-+54-:*54+:5028537:5+:"8782:54+:).(782.%
Terms and Conditions *Only applicable to occupiers of a retirement development. **Policy premium standard cost is £47.83 per annum.
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FIRSTPORT | 33
Property to selll?
Considered letttin
ng?
“Wiitthhoout doubt
thhee best
s propert
rtyy
deecissioon we
havvee made!
ha
e!”
e
Girlings can help you gene
erate
an income from your prop
perty..
Call for details on:
0800 634 0834
Discover the free
edom renting in retirement can bring
55+? Did you know you can rent private retirement property on a Life Long Te
enancy
which gives you the right to remain living in the property for
o as long as you wish,
with service charges and maintenance
m
included in the rent?
r
Pe
eace of Mind
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Independenc
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Flex
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Choice
080
00 525
5 184
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PV0915A
It’s time for you
to get involved
Order your EAC consultation pack, gather everyone
round and enjoy the card game!
It’s your opportunity to
be in with a chance of
winning an award!
The annual National Housing for Older People
Awards is operated by the Elderly
Accommodation Counsel (EAC) and asks
residents to play the card game included within
the consultation pack in order to be able to
submit an entry. The purpose of this card game is
for residents to rate their property, covering a
The card game is your opportunity to rate your
wide range of topics, such as the quality of the
development in a number of subjects…
building, accommodation, local services,
lifestyle and many others. The results are
collated to give an overall score for the
development. In addition, these results provide
us with excellent feedback on what residents
think of their developments and where we can
improve in the future.
If you haven’t already, we encourage you to order
one of these consultation packs and to play the
card game, involving other residents in the
process. Please make sure that you return the
game to the EAC as they instruct you to. This is
very important, otherwise your entry wont be
counted. There is a cost for each pack but this will
be covered by FirstPort and the deadline for
entries is 27th November 2015. We’d love to see
every one of our developments submit an entry –
the more submissions we make, the more
opportunity you have to win!
Once all of the submissions have been received,
the potential winners will be shortlisted by the
EAC. A glitzy awards ceremony will then be held on
17th February 2016 at the Hilton Deansgate in
Manchester and those shortlisted will be invited to
attend. At the 2014 ceremony we took a number of
The celebrations begin at the 2014 EAC National
Housing for Older People Awards
residents and staff from the shortlisted
developments and it was a fantastic event. We had
a number of developments that either won or were
highly commended and it would be great to beat
that for the 2015 awards.
How to get involved
Get your development involved, ask your
Development Manager for more details.
!" #$% &
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FIRSTPORT | 35
in partnership with
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personal 7*-4),7/545*6)5
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04#24-,5/44)21".4,5"+43214%754321*4/5-4%265
Part Exchange
Ever thought about how you can sell your
home quickly and securely? Then part exchange
may be the ideal solution for you
How do I know if part exchange is right for me?
If you wish to buy a property and you are
dependent on selling your own home in order to
proceed, part exchange may be suitable. Simply
waiting on the market for a buyer to come along
may eventually achieve more for you financially but
our scheme offers a range of benefits; many of
which are hard to put a price on.
What are the benefits to me as the property owner?
The transaction can be very quick
4,7#42*5.4)"2#5"34-,45(*5%5/-482%5#57*),402*4265*442*4#24357*#47/.4,7#47###-5.4%7/34,1/.*5.#4204$135*#4%2654
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It’s a secure and guaranteed service
The property you wish to purchase can also be
secured
It can be less hassle than selling your property
conventionally
Possible cash back – dependent on the price
at which your property eventually re-sells.
Optional licence to occupy – you can stay in
your former home once it is bought, typically
for two weeks although longer by negotiation.
No estate agents fees involved *
How do I know if my property will be suitable?
If you own a property in the UK, even if it is already
on the market, we can usually help.
Houses, bungalows, apartments, ex local authority
properties and retirement properties can all be
bought and if you’re still unsure please just phone.
Contact
71*74#,5*
444
"71*7#,5**5(*5%5/-,2%5#57*),)21
We make moving easy.
Agents will be asked to complete a detailed report
containing information about the local property
market along with positive and negative selling
points about your home as well as information
about any similar properties which may have been
sold in the locality. In other words, careful research
is carried out to establish the value of your home.
They base the valuation of your home on what they
believe is realistically achievable for a prompt sale.
Their offer to purchase your home is usually made
within 7-10 days via Retirement Homesearch.**
If you accept the offer, our Part Exchange Service
provider will instruct their solicitors to commence
the legal process and will instruct a surveyor to
check on the condition of your property and its
value. Once they have completed on their
purchase of your property, you will have full access
to your new home but do not need to move out of
your existing home for at least two weeks – longer
by negotiation.
Does it sound of interest to you?
If you feel part exchange may be suitable, contact
Laura Fisher at Retirement Homesearch on 01425
632215 or visit retirementhomesearch.co.uk
“Our priority was to get
things done as quickly as
possible and the PX system
enabled that. Our contact
with Laura on the
telephone throughout the
process was always helpful
and reassuring”
Mr Butters – Part Exchange customer
* If you have already instructed an estate agent to act on your behalf, then
you should check the terms of your agreement with them before committing
yourself to this scheme. **Subject to contract and a survey report.
FIRSTPORT | 37
Per
e sonal aalarm
Reinvented
Say “good-bye”
to compromise
Introducing Lively™
™ the stylish
safe
e y watch, monitored
et
d 24/7 by our
*
experienced Appello caareline team.
*Fo
ormerly kno
own as CarelineUK
FirstPort Garden in
Bloom competition 2016
Time for you to get creative and be in
with a chance of winning a Year’s FREE
Subscription to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine!
We’re delighted to announce that we will be
running a Garden in Bloom competition in 2016.
It’s your chance to show us your green fingers
and horticultural skills! The competition has
two categories;
Best Communal garden
HOW TO ENTER:
Full details on how to enter will be sent to your
Development Manager in due course.
This is your chance to show us your gardening
skills, so why not get planning early!!
Closing date for entries: Monday July 25th 2016.
Best individual bloom
The judges will be looking for:
Medication
Reminders
Step
Counting
Daily Activitty
Sharing
Family
Aler
e ts
Presentation
The impact and presentation of the garden or plant
and the range and use of colours.
Commitment
The effort, perseverance and dedication involved.
Just press the
e button and a mem
mber of our
team will call to check you are okk.
There will be a bronze, silver and gold certificate
for each of the two categories.
The easy to use saffe
ety watch combines sty
yle
e and safe
ety,, enabling
you to summon 24//7 assistance at the presss of a button. It keeps
you safe
er,, more independent and more connected with loved
ones, whilst giving fa
family and friends peace of
o mind.
The two Gold winners will receive a
Year’s FREE Subscription to BBC Gardeners’
World Magazine!
Each month, BBC Gardeners’
World Magazine, the biggest
selling gardening title,
provides you with fresh ideas
and inspiration.
One touch help button
Plus, vital mediccation alerts, step countinng and much more
Waterpoof,, longg-lasting battery
o anyone to use
Easy to set up foor
Special discounnt foor FirstPort residents
Click or call fo
o more info
or
ormatio
on
appello.co.uk/liively
Te
el. 0333 321 40
026
and
d monitoring only
£1
14.50 per month1
Price includes FirstPort discount and excludes VAT, VAT exemption is available. Delivery cost £5.95. Minimum contract te
erm 1 month.
CarelineUK trading as Ap
ppello; Registered address; Quee
ensway House, 11 Queensway, N
New Milton, Hampshire, BH25 5N
NR. Te
erms and
conditions apply and can
n be fo
ound at www.appello.co.uk. Lively is a trademark of Lively Incc, registered in the USA.
1
You will receive 12 FREE
copies to keep you up to date
with practical advice and tips
on exactly what needs doing
in the garden each month,
solutions to all your gardening problems and
creative planting ideas from your favourite TV
gardening experts.
NO
WORRIES!
STRUGGLE TO GET IN & OUT
OF YOUR OLD BATH?
Bath out - Shower in
FITTED IN JUST
ONE DAY!*
GLASS
PROTECTION
Protects
against the
build-up
of grime,
lime scale
and stains.
NO MESS! NO FUSS!
NO RE-TILING!
Designed to fit in the same
space as your old bath, the
Shower Module’s unique
construction enables it to
be FITTED IN JUST ONE DAY*
with NO MESS, NO FUSS
and NO RE-TILING either!
T LAST a hearing aid that almost
thinks for itself. With the multi-focusing
Plus you don’t fiddle with the hearing aid to
catch the rise and fall of conversations. Plus
is an entirely new design concept in hearing
help and compensates for individual hearing
loss - automatically.
When soft sounds are detected, such as
conversation, the sound is automatically
increased to make it audible and understandable, even in background noise. Plus’ built in
multi channels and directional microphones
continuously analyse incoming sounds so you
receive a totally new quality of sound.
Shower STANDING UP or SITTING DOWN
with the optional fold down seat!
Fits in
same space
as your old
bath!
OVER 20,000
INSTALLATIONS IN THE UK
Aquability are a long established, caring, trusted, family-owned
business and is one of the country’s leading walk-in bath and shower
companies with thousands of installations nationwide every year.
Available with full height sliding doors
or half height hinged door and panel
FOR MORE DETAILS & FREE BROCHURE
FREEPHONE 0800 316 0110
Ask for
Ext. 54933
www.aquability.com
Lines open 24 hours 7 days a week. Or visit
or return coupon to FREEPOST RRGY-AHAX-AHSX, Aquability UK Ltd, Farnborough, GU14 0NR.
Please contact me to arrange a FREE no-obligation Home Survey
Please send me a FREE brochure on the Aquability Low Access Shower Module
54933
Name
Tel
*Time based on straightforward fitting.
Thousands of Working
Hearing Amplifiers to Give Away
We are giving away 10,000
Real Working Hearing Amplifiers
– absolutely FREE.
It’s an opportunity
not to miss!
And Now You
Can Sample
Better Hearing
FREE of Charge
The multi-focusing Plus adapts its sound
amplification to each individual situation –
instantly and automatically, and so loud sounds
are never too loud.
And as there are no controls to worry about,
Plus frees you to concentrate on your hearing
rather than your hearing aid, so you can start
enjoying life again.
World leading technology
Manufactured by a world leader in hearing aid
technology, especially for Hidden Hearing, this
remarkable system is now available in the
United Kingdom.
YES! You can improve your
life with clearer hearing.
Apply today for
this Special Offer
If you’ve ever wondered whether your voucher plus a nationwide list of hearing centres
hearing could be better, or if the aid at which it can be exchanged.
you have is what you need – here’s an Anyone over the age of 55 may apply for a FREE
voucher to be exchanged for a hearing amplifier at
unbeatable opportunity.
hearing centres nationwide. These are special
HIDDEN HEARING is delighted to offer you
listening devices that actually work, not just replicas.
a working sample totally FREE OF CHARGE
This is a very special opportunity and numbers
and without obligation. There are 10,000 listening
devices to give away so that you may sample the must be limited, so do not delay, apply today.
benefits of better hearing – FREE.
10,000 to give away
The free hearing amplifier is simplicity itself to
use and will let you see what it’s like using a clever
device
specially
designed
for
those
who need just a little help with their hearing.
It’s so sensitive that you can even hear
whispers with it and comes complete with its own
built in power source and carrying case.
Apply today for your FREE hearing amplifier
• SPECIAL OFFER • SPECIAL OFFER •
FREE VOUCHER = FREE AMPLIFIER
Without obligation please send me my FREE hearing
amplifier voucher, full branch list and details of the Plus,
AUTOMATIC HEARING AID.
Mr/Mrs/Miss First Name ....................................................
Surname..............................................................................
Address ..............................................................................
............................................................................................
Address
Half height hinged door and panel option
…these come FREE
A
Easy clean tile effect - no
re-tiling or mouldy grout!
Easy access NEW
lower step
Optional seat and grab rail
Assistance pole
Slip resistant floor
Built-in shelving
With this Multi-Focusing
Totally Automatic
Hearing Aid
For more information FREEPHONE
Postcode
Send to: FREEPOST RRGY-AHAX-AHSX, Aquability UK Ltd, Farnborough, GU14 0NR.
EASY, SAFE BATHING
0800 740 8680
Please quote ref. number: BMFP5000
or go to www.automatichearingaid.co.uk
Postcode ............................Tel ............................................
NO STAMP REQUIRED. Simply address your envelope to:
FREEPOST RTKE-UJBU-EYSU, HIDDEN HEARING, MEDWAY ST,
MAIDSTONE, KENT, ME14 1HL. OR PHONE FREE 0800 740 8680
Please state if you do not want mail from other companies. BMFP5000
40 | LET’S CELEBRATE
FIRSTPORT | 41
Let’s celebrate
Fundraising and events...
Here are some of your
special occasions
and achievements...
Fundraising
Martondale Court,
Middlesbrough
Congratulations to
residents who held a
charity coffee morning
which raised almost £300
for the epilepsy society.
Pictured are Lindsey
Gregory, Carol Walker and
Development Manager
Paul Crone.
Martondale Court
Goldsmere Court,
Hornchurch, Essex
Our Area Manager Kevin
Bayfield-Hill raised £155
for Haven’s hospices by
running the London
marathon this year. Well
done Kevin from all of us!
Homeminster House,
Warminster, Wilts
The Residents’ Social Club
donated £300 to the
Wiltshire Air Ambulance
which they raised from
various events held over
the past year.
ISSUE 15
Popes Court, Luton
There was a bring and buy
sale for Marie Curie and a
huge sum of £300 was
raised in two hours on
26th June.
Garden House Court,
Folkestone, Kent
Mrs Ann Davey, a registered
volunteer for the JamKwong Association, gave a
talk to the residents on
Life in a mountain village on
the Nepal/Tibet Border in
May. The residents raised
the fantastic amount of
£401 for the recent
earthquake fund.
Alexandra Court,
Cumbria
The residents at Alexandra
Court in Windermere
raised £350 during a
coffee morning in aid of St
Mary’s Hospice & the Great
North Air Ambulance. With
further funds raised
throughout the year, a
cheque for £200 will be
sent to each organisation.
Llys Pegasus, Cardiff
Nicki Coburn from the
Cardiff Institute For The
Blind, kindly visited us on
March 27th to talk about
“Guide Dogs For the Blind”
and £130 was raised in the
process. A special thank
you to Maureen Blethyn
who organised the event.
Llys Pegasus
Pegasus Court, Wantage
Pegasus Court,
Wantage
Pegasus Court in Wantage
held a bell ringing
afternoon in the residents’
lounge and raised £94 for a
cancer charity. A good time
was enjoyed by all. Thank
you to all that attended.
Leander Court, Devon
Residents raised £600 for
Macmillan World’s Biggest
Coffee Morning and to
make it slightly different
they had a cream tea. Liz
Mortimore would like to
say a big thank you to
everyone that helped and
attended. They also raised
£263 for Children’s South
West Hospice.
Homegower House
Homegower House,
Swansea
Resident, Mrs Liz Webster
organised an Easter
fundraising event in aid of
Macmillan Cancer Support
which raised £482.79.
Entertainment was
provided by The Jersey
Boys. Everyone enjoyed a
wonderful evening.
Lowen Court,
Cornwall
Muriel Robson, a resident
at Lowen Court, has been a
collector for The Royal
British Legion Poppy
Appeal for many years.
Whilst living at Lowen
Court her collections at the
development have totalled
£464.37 for the Appeal.
Monmouth Court,
Newport, Gwent
In March, £550.00 was
raised at a Coffee Morning
for the Sparkle Appeal
supporting the Serennu
Centre, Newport for
children with disability.
Raffle tickets for various
prizes and a home-made
cake stall, together with
donations contributed to
this well-supported event.
Wesley Court,
Plymouth
Following the earthquake in
Nepal, Wesley Court
residents kindly raised £631
for the charity SAHODAR
UK. Development Manager,
Deborah Hubbard is the
founder member and
Trustee of the charity. It is
to support a village in the
Lamjung area in the hills
near Pokhara. The charity
aims to help them work
themselves out of poverty
and become sustainable. In
the last 3 years through
generous donations and
fundraising they have
funded a cottage hospital
style health centre, a
pharmacy, a mobile dentist
with mobile dentist kit, an
x-ray machine, an
administrator and much
more. They have acquired
land near the village, which
in time they are hoping to
support the construction of
a hospital to serve the
whole area. Sadly, this is
currently on hold, following
the Earthquake, of which
the epicentre of the first
tremor was only 2 miles
from the village. A lot of the
properties were destroyed
or left inhabitable. So their
focus is now on the
rebuilding of homes and
schools. Since the
earthquake they have sent
£40,000 over for the relief
effort, to supply & build
shelters, food and water.
The residents also held a
fund raising evening on the
1st September, which
included presentations
from two other trustees of
the charity, and samples of
Nepalese food from the
local Nepalese restaurant.
Pegasus Court,
Harrow, Middlesex
Allen Bowen of Pegasus
Court is a life-long
meccano model
enthusiast and builder and
is constantly building
various models, all of
which are large and take a
lot of time and patience to
build. For his latest
creation, ‘The Queen Mary’,
Allen used an authentic
1938 meccano book to
build the ship. In the past,
Allen has constructed a
number of interesting
things; a traction engine, a
6 wheel lorry and trailer
and a 7 foot tall Eiffel
Tower to name but a few.
His talents have also been
put to good fundraising
use - during a number of
MacMillan coffee mornings
they have played a ‘guess
how long it took Allen to
build’ game at 50p a
guess.
Ferndale Court
Ferndale Court,
Thatcham, Berkshire
Joyce Lovelock of Ferndale
Court, has been
fundraising for the
Thatcham branch of the
RBL for over 55 years and
she recently raised £1,017
for poppy appeal with the
help of generous donations
from other residents.
Joyce was presented with
a certificate of appreciation
for her great efforts and
also received the Queens
Golden Jubilee Award on
behalf of The Thatcham
Branch of the Berkshire
Blind Society presented by
the Duke of Gloucester, as
she is the longest serving
volunteer.
Pegasus Court, Harrow
Mercian Court,
Market Drayton,
Shropshire
Mrs Carol Green raised
£290 doing a sponsored
walk for the Severn
Hospice and £524 by
having a charity stall for
Marie Curie.
Chestnut Court,
Castle Bromwich,
Birmingham
Residents have been very
busy lately with their
fundraising efforts. They
have raised £1,580 for
the Macmillan fund,
£59.38 for the Poppy
appeal, over £88 for the
Air Ambulance fund and
£561.05 at their spring
fayre. Great effort by
everyone involved.
Bishops Gate,
Bishopbriggs,
Glasgow
Residents held a fund
raising afternoon tea,
supported by other
volunteer residents. Leena
McGrath, Isobel Dick,
Sheila Miller and many
other residents baked
cakes and donated items
for our bric a brac sale. A
total of £727.33 was
raised for Marie Curie.
Laburnum Court,
Leighton Buzzard
A big thank you to
everyone who attended
Breast Cancer Care
Strawberry Tea and for
their generosity. A
wonderful amount of £510
was raised.
Goodrich Court
Goodrich Court,
Ross-on-Wye
A ‘cake, chocolate and
sweets’ bring and buy sale
was held at Goodrich Court
on Thursday 28th May
raising £176 for the local St
Michael’s Hospice. A
beautiful quilt made by
resident Carina Pink was
raffled and 92 year old
resident Mary McCrory
sold many of her pretty
hand painted cards. Tea
and cakes were enjoyed by
many residents. Thanks go
to the fabulous Social
Committee for organising
and running the event.
Bishops Gate
FIRSTPORT | 43
Let’s celebrate
Fundraising and events...
special occasions
and achievements...
Events
Gibson Court, Esher
Residents recently held
a thoroughly enjoyable
cheese and wine
evening. Thank you to
all who helped out and
attended.
Fishersview Court,
Pitlochry
Residents had some
special visitors, two
American miniature
horses, Dexter and Dainty,
who are 18 months old
and perform trick riding
and displays at shows
throughout the country.
As they are going to be
taking them to birthday
parties, they wanted them
to visit as many people as
they can to socialise, so
residents invited them
along to the development.
They were both welcomed
and very well-behaved.
Fishersview Court
ISSUE 15
Ailsa Craig View,
Prestwick
Development Manager,
Maureen Graham retired
after 16 years’ service and
was presented with an oil
painting of the view from
the development across
to the Isle of Arran by two
of the original residents
Maggie James and Effie
Horsburgh. There was a
buffet lunch and cake and
an emotional farewell for
Maureen after so many
years and good work.
Moorland Court, West
Moors, Dorset.
Moorland Court celebrated
their 10th anniversary on
Friday 5th June, which
was organised by The
Moorland Court Residents’
Association. It was a very
enjoyable evening
attended by residents who
have lived there since
2005 and those who have
since moved in.
Merrievale Court,
Malvern
Residents’ held VE Day
celebrations at Merrievale
Court, a wonderful
afternoon was had by all,
many war time stories
were shared by the
residents. Stories were
swapped regarding how
people celebrated VE Day,
many were in their teens
or younger, and a few had
not yet been born, so it
was a very interesting and
emotional day.
Merrievale Court
Lewis Court, Surrey
Residents held a VE Day
Coffee morning which was
well attended, we had old
war time songs and
residents brought along
contributions. Fantastic
cakes and biscuits were
provided.
Homeliege House,
Wirral
Residents held a ‘scouse’
lunch on VE Day which
raised £200 for Macmillan
nurses, bringing the total
raised for them this year
to £1,876.
Mitchell Court, Surrey
Mitchell Court celebrated
their 10th anniversary
recently. Their very first
resident to move in,
Gladys Barr, was asked to
cut the cake which was
made by the niece of
another resident, Veda
Patterson.
Drakeford Court and
Lodge, Stafford
The residents celebrated
the 10th anniversary of the
development with a lovely
afternoon tea, made by the
social committee and a
cake with a lovely photo of
the development printed
on it supplied by Dianna,
the daughter of the
Development Manager.
Then, to finish, there
followed entertainment by
Melanie singing all their
favourite songs to
complete a lovely evening.
Homemount House,
Largs, Ayrshire
Homemount House was
the first development built
by McCarthy & Stone in
Scotland and residents
celebrated their 30 year
anniversary at a special
birthday coffee morning.
Homeliege House
Eden Court,
Cupar, Fife
As mentioned previously,
the residents of Eden Court
enjoyed and evening of
songs and films dating back
to the 1940’s, the evening
was organised by resident
‘Ali’ Bett who also used his
own equipment to show the
films and play the music,
the theme of the evening
was to raise funds for the
Nepal Disaster Fund,
particularly poignant as ‘Ali’
and some others had
worked with the Gurkhas
previously. A lot of singing
along in tune with the film
being shown was the
routine of the evening, it
was decided to leave it up
to each resident whom
attended as how much they
wanted to contribute to the
fund, all in all a glorious sum
of £221 was raised. Well
done to ‘Ali’ and all who
attended on the evening
and also to other owners
who also contributed but
could not attend for raising
such a wonderful amount
for a very worthy cause.
Achievements
Audrey Graham, Development Manager at Morningside
View in Edinburgh recently trained to be a volunteer
“Community First Responder”. This means that Audrey is
called out to attend to medical emergencies, to arrive
before an ambulance and give CPR, use a defibrillator and
offer basic life support. Having gone through a detailed
and comprehensive training programme, Audrey wanted
to do this to better serve her residents and community.
Congratulations Audrey on this achievement.
Madeira Court
Madeira Court,
Weston-Super-Mare
On April 8th, residents
celebrated with an Easter
bonnet competition at the
weekly coffee morning.
Everyone made a big effort
with some very original
hats. A very big thank you
to all who entered.
Homebourne House,
Devon
There was a very
successful Easter bonnet
competition, and also
raffle which raised £70 for
the Devon Air Ambulance.
Homewillow Close,
London
Residents celebrated the
festivities by making up
Easter bonnets and
having a celebration.
How you spent your
St George’s Day
How you spent
your Easter
St Vincent Court
Castlefields, Kent
Residents held an Easter
bonnet making
competition, everyone
involved had a great time.
Thanks to everyone who
helped out.
St Vincent Court,
Dundee
Residents held an Easter
celebration tea in early
April, a thoroughly
enjoyable day was had
by all.
Castlefields
Homewillow Close
Chancellor Court,
Chelmsford, Essex
Residents organised an
event to celebrate St
George’s day, everyone
raised a glass and tucked
into savouries and biscuits.
Homebourne House
The Homestead,
Lytham
Residents had a fun Easter
celebration, wearing
bonnets and a local school
boy, Joseph played his
trumpet to set the scene.
Development Manager
Christine also got involved
dressed half as a bunny
and half as a duck! A lot of
fun was had by all.
Admirals Court,
Exmouth, Devon
A good afternoon was had
by all at the St George’s
day tea, the following
residents provided the
entertainment, Joe Davies
on recorder, John
Greenslade on guitar and
Hilary Watkins-Field on
vocals. Many residents
joined in with some wellknown english songs. Irene
and Tony Brown celebrated
their 60th wedding
anniversary on August 25th.
FREE Guide
Let’s celebrate
Birthdays, anniversaries and congratulations...
special occasions
and achievements...
Mrs Ivy Broadfield,
Homebell House,
Aldridge, West
Midlands
Mrs Doris Westlake,
Homecove House,
Westcliff, Essex
Phyllis Shelley
Birthdays
105
Phyllis Shelley,
Heathlands Court,
Southampton
Timeshare
Mrs Gladys Watling,
Orchard Mead, Leighon-Sea, Essex
Mrs Hilda Darwood,
Homebell House,
Aldridge, West
Midlands
to selling your
No More Maintenance Fees... Ever!
Gladys Watling
96
Mrs Ivy Meeten,
Homepier House,
Worthing, West Sussex
Ken Page, Wesley
Court, Plymouth,
Devon
Mrs Josephine
Bowling, Delacy
Court, Belmont, Surrey
95
98
Terri Bradley, Bramley
Court, Tonbridge,
Kent
Doris Burrows, Anglia
Court, Dagenham,
Essex
Mr Ron Miller,
Goldsmere Court,
Hornchurch, Essex
Worried about...
Maintenance Fee Arrears? Future Maintenance Costs?
Ever Increasing Maintenance Fees? Restrictive travel dates & Destination?
Leaving the responsibility to loved ones?
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102
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Formby, Liverpool
Floating weeks, fixed weeks, points & club memberships
Marie Topham
No sales commission or upfront sales fees
101
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Alf Stock, Rufus Court,
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100
Kenneth Abbott,
Popes Court, Luton
Eileen Osborne
ISSUE 15
Eileen Osborne,
Moorland Court, West
Moors, Dorset
Life and Style
readers can receive a
£50 voucher redeemable at
over 120 high street stores
including John Lewis,
M&S & Boots*
FOR YOUR FREE 16 PAGE COLOUR BROCHURE CALL
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0800 012 4881
Services offered include timeshare resales, client purchases, trade-ins, legal disposals, alternative holiday products as well as offering advice on getting the most from your existing timeshare ownership. *Terms & Conditions apply.
FIRSTPORT | 47
Let’s celebrate
65 Years
Leslie and Eileen
Knight, Manton Court,
Horsham, West Sussex
Birthdays, anniversaries and congratulations...
special occasions
and achievements...
95
Effie Horsburgh, Ailsa
Craig View, Prestwick
Mr Bill Elder,
Goldsmere Court,
Hornchurch, Essex
Jean McCreath, Ailsa
Mrs Alice Booth,
Goldsmere Court,
Hornchurch, Essex
Rina Ramsay, Ailsa
Muriel Tully, Ailsa
Betty Prag, Wesley
Court, Plymouth,
Devon
Ray and Rita Sims,
Monmouth Court,
Newport, Gwent
Mrs Sybil Harrison,
Greville Court, Surrey
Gerard de Blieck,
Ailsa Craig View,
Prestwick
92
Vera Hall
Edie Loader, Ferndale
Court, Berkshire
Vera Hall, Laburnum
Court, Leighton
Buzzard
Cliff Miller, Wesley
Court, Plymouth,
Devon
Joan Frankland,
Anglia Court,
Dagenham, Essex
Madge Jones, Wesley
Court, Plymouth,
Devon
Ruby Napier
80
Betty Ferguson, Ailsa
Mrs Ruby Napier,
Eden Court, Cupar,
Fife
Shirley Chaffey,
Ridgeway Court,
Derby
94
Lillian Cornes, Wesley
Court, Plymouth,
Devon
Betty Challis, Wesley
Court, Plymouth,
Devon
Joan Gerrard, Anglia
Court, Dagenham,
Essex
Frank Roberts,
Sandpiper Court,
Cleveleys
Margaret James,
Ailsa Craig View,
Prestwick
Joan Lavender,
Anglia Court,
Dagenham, Essex
Hilary Wilford, Wesley
Court, Plymouth,
Devon
Peter Plunkett,
Castlefields, Kent
Mrs Anne Burman,
Colin Way, Wesley
Court, Plymouth,
Devon
Jean Grindrod,
Stirling Court,
Southport
Mrs Vera Overy,
Eileen Webster,
Anglia Court,
Dagenham, Essex
Don Richardson
ISSUE 15
93
Mrs Hilda Foggo,
Goldsmere court,
Hornchurch, Essex
91
Wedding
Anniversaries
75 Years
Ellen and Ronald
Williams, Dene Court,
Hampshire
62 Years
Ray and Pam Crouch
Edwin and
Gwendoline Dean,
Cavendish Court,
Solihull
Mr & Mrs Ray & Pam
Crouch, Edgcott
Close, Luton
60 Years
Jean & Alex Milne,
Homemount House,
Largs, North Ayrshire
Jim and Ruby
Somerville, Strathmore
Court, Forfar
Eileen and Peter
Burdon, Fernleigh
Court, Romford, Essex
Muriel and John
Binns, Gibson Court,
Esher, Surrey
Mr & Mrs Ron & Doris
Hawes, Edgcott Close,
Luton
50 Years
Gerald and Gillian
Hollister, Willow
Grange, Wantage
Weddings
Mr & Mrs Holley,
Willowgrange, Kent
We apologise that we,
unfortunately, can’t include all
the birthday, fundraising and
anniversary messages we receive.
These are celebrations which have
taken place between the previous
issue and this current issue.
90
Mr Jack Lewis,
Hawthorn Court,
Derby
Brenda and Walter Rose
Betty Williams,
Hendon Grange,
Leicester
70 Years
Mrs Janet Phillips,
Sandringham House,
Stockport, Cheshire
Peter Plunkett
Mr and Mrs Brenda &
Walter Rose, Berkeley
Court, Dorset
Mrs Teresa Owen,
Homehaven Court,
West Sussex
Doris Harding,
Ferndale Court,
Berkshire
Milwyn and Ireen
Bufton, Monmouth
Court, Newport,
Gwent
Don Richardson,
Homebourne House,
Paignton, Devon
Doreen Burns, Wesley
Court, Plymouth,
Devon
Jack and Mary Slater,
Beacon Court,
Heswall, Wirral
Jack and Mary Slater
Jean and Alex Milne
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1 Jetstorm + HOSE & MAT £29.95 + £4.95 p&p
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I enclose a Cheque/PO made payable to Ecocamel Ltd
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If you do NOT wish to receive further SPECIAL OFFERS from us, or from companies
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Aldridge, West Midlands | Braintree, Essex | Clevedon, Somerset | Eastbourne, Sussex | www.hawthornsretirement.co.uk
50 | PUZZLES
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Take five minutes out to complete our puzzle
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Eleven actresses of the 1950s are listed but the
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ISSUE 15
I
For further details
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Response
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autumn 2015

Transcription

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