DEBATE - Telford Senior Citizens` Forum

SeniorCitizensForum
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Feb/Mar 2015
D ON’ T MI SS THE F OR UM
ELECTION
DEBATE
23MAR
2015
AT THE WHITEHOUSE HOTEL
Christmas Party Photos
The Care Act
Council’s Budget Plans
Age UK’s Gift of
Friendship Appeal
Lots of useful
information and
advice
Free - please take a copy
2
Message from the Chairperson
Welcome to our first edition of 2015!
We hope that everyone who attended our
Christmas Party at the Whitehouse Hotel had a
thoroughly enjoyable morning. You can see some
of the photos on page 23.
Firstly I would like to say a very big thank you to
Great Dawley Town Council for their generous donation towards the
cost of this year’s open forum meetings. (For details of our forums see
page 5)
With the General Election coming up soon, it’s becoming harder than
ever to know which party to vote for. To help you decide, come along to
our Election Special Forum at the Whitehouse Hotel on 23rd March, as
this will be a great opportunity to put questions to all the parliamentary
candidates for Telford and Wrekin constituencies. It’s free to attend and
open to everyone, so let’s see how the candidates tackle those issues
that matter to us the most and what their parties propose to do about
them! (see page 4 for more details)
Our application to the Big Lottery Fund requires that we demonstrate
that we have asked our members for their views about what we do and
how well we do it. So thank you to those of you who attended the Focus
Group Meeting on 2nd February. Everyone else, if you didn’t complete a
questionnaire at the January 19th forum, please fill in and return the one
on page 25 & 26. You never know you could win the prize draw!
Sue Palmer
To advertise in this
magazine please
contact us for
details of rates.
All revenue
received helps
support the Forum.
FREEPOST RTGZ-UAGU-TXHJ
Senior Citizens Forum
Box 7, Unit D Stafford Park 9, Telford TF3 3AF
Chairperson: Sue Palmer
Co-ordinator: Anne-Marie Davies 07552 975676
Administrator: Chris Fox 07932 828333
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.tandwseniors.org.uk
3
Next Forum 23rd March
ELECTION
SPECIAL
2015
SENIOR CITIZENS
ELECTION DEBATE
Meet and question your local candidates from all the
parties to help you decide how you will vote!
Candidates from Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats, UKIP
and the Green Party from both Telford & Wrekin constituencies will
be present to take questions.
This event is at The Whitehouse Hotel,
Watling Street, Wellington, TF1 2NJ,
10.30am—12.30pm Hot drinks available to purchase, £1.50
Free to attend, everyone welcome. (No need to book, just turn up)
Questions need to be submitted in advance
of the meeting.
How do I submit a question?
To enable the discussion to move along freely, if you would like to put
forward a question to the candidates, please submit them to us in
writing either:
 As you arrive at the venue
 By post, or email (contact details on page 3)
We will then sort the questions to avoid duplication. If you wish, you
may include a second question in case your first one has been
covered by somebody else.
We may not be able to include everyone’s question due to time limits.
We will be allowing time at the end for open questions from the
audience.
4
2015 forums
18th May - Home Safety
6th July - Activities
21st Sept - AGM - theme to be decided
9th November - theme to be decided
We very much hope to see you there!
More information will be available in future newsletters. All
events 10.30am - 12.30pm at Dawley Christian Centre,
unless otherwise stated. Free entry, open to non-members.
Refreshments available from the centre café.
A great afternoon of entertainment!
Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is holding its annual Afternoon of
Entertainment 2015 variety show at The Place, Oakengates, Telford, on
Tuesday 19th May from 2pm to 4.30pm. Tickets cost £5.
The theme this year is the Swinging 60’s and to entertain us we welcome
Two Beatles Tribute Band, Bollywood Dancers Nachda Sansaar, Comedians
‘Dandy’ Glynnis & Allan Briscoe and Wrockwardine Wood School Choir
who will be leading us in a 60’s sing along.
There will also be a raffle with great prizes and refreshments.
Heather Osborne, Chief Executive of Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin,
said, “This is an event that we organise every year and it is a great
afternoon out. Please come along and be a part of it”.
If you would like information about booking tickets for the show please
contact Bella Sohi on 01952 201803 Ext 002
or email [email protected]
5
Finance Forum 19th January
Our January Finance Forum
opened
with
Councillor
Bill
McClements
explaining the
Council’s vision and focus for the
next 5 years. In the last 3 years
Telford and Wrekin’s economy
grew by 13.2% (UK grew by 8.9%).
Local neighbourhoods have been
improved, jobs have been created,
youth unemployment has
reduced, and many leisure
centres
and
schools
improved. New resources
are in place to support and
protect vulnerable children
and adults and also to
signpost
people
to
essential services.
Nearly £69 million has
been saved by cutting jobs
and management costs. A
further £22m needs to be
saved by 2017/18 and challenges
include an ageing population
needing more care and an increasing demand for services.
The Council is planning to freeze
council tax for 2015/16 and again in
2016/17 and is currently the third
lowest in the Midlands.
Cllr McClements said, “Four years
ago residents told the Council that
they wanted to see more jobs and a
better economy, a cleaner environment, better roads and a reduction
in crime and anti-social behavior.
We know we have got our future
plans right. Now we need to ask
residents again about their biggest
concerns.
Please tell us, your
views matter.”
6
Plans for investment include:
 £1 million for our local centres
 £250,000 over 3 years to attract more
visitors to the borough
 £4 million to roll out superfast
broadband across all the region
 £650,000 for youth
unemployment
 £6 million over 3 years to
maintain and improve our
roads
 £1 million for the
Community Pride Fund
 £750,000 over 2 years to
address residents’ key
environmental issues
 £650,000 for St. Georges
regeneration
 £200,000 over 4 years for free
swimming for the over 50’s
 £30,000 for the local food bank
 £240,000 for crisis support
 In 2015 an extra £2 million to protect
and support our vulnerable children
and adults
 £187 million for school improvement
By the time this magazine is published
the public consultation will have closed
on 8th February.
The budget strategy will be agreed by
the Cabinet on 26th February and by
the full Council on 5th March.
Finance Forum 19th January
John Anderson, Volunteer Adviser for the Citizens Advice Bureau
informed us that payday loan companies are now being more
strictly regulated, having to cap their Interest rates at 0.8% per day,
and their penalty & admin fees at £15. They also have to carry out
affordability checks and no borrower will have to pay back more
than double the amount they borrowed.
John reminded members to be wary of doorstep will writers and companies
offering to help claim back payment protection insurance. Help is available for
both of these at the CAB.
“If it looks too good to be true
then it probably is”
The new rules regarding personal
pensions are very complicated and
many people are unclear about the
many options available with regards to
taking their annuity, how much lump
sum to take and how this will affect tax
and benefits. John warned about taking
advice from unregulated financial
advisers.
Before making decisions about your
pension pot and before buying an
annuity, it is essential to understand the
various options and implications, and
consider your own attitude to risk. The
government has designated
two
organisations to give free guidance, the
CAB and the Pensions Advisory
Service. The CAB are also able to offer
help with benefit checks, money and
debt advice, and budgeting skills.
FINANCIAL ADVICE - FOR
FREE
Citizens Advice Bureau
Advice Line 0845 1461554
www.adviceguide.org.uk/
Pensions Advisory Service
0300 123 1047
www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk
HM Treasury guidance
www.gov.uk/pensionwise
Age UK
www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters
Money Advice Service
0300 300 5000
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en
Useful websites:
www.moneysavingexpert.com
www.over50choices.co.uk
You may still need to find a
Financial Adviser for advice
about investment products.
The CAB can provide guidance
about finding a regulated
Financial Adviser.
7
Finance Forum 19th January
The Forum welcomed back
Chris Dingley, from Collective
Legal Solutions who spoke at
our forum in January 2014.
Chris returned to update
members on his ‘Tax, Care and
Toy Boys’ presentation.
Chris
advised
members
that
sometimes a straightforward will is
not enough, and that they should
seek advice regarding inheritance
tax and safeguarding assets in
relation to possible future care
funding. The Care Act 2016 will
introduce a cap of £72,000 on a
person’s contribution to their care
costs—but it often isn’t made clear
that a person will still have to pay
their board and lodging costs which
will go well over this amount.
Re-marriage of a widowed spouse
could result in the new husband/wife
inheriting everything, whilst your
children get nothing. The fact is the
inheritance you have worked hard to
leave to your children will be
gratefully received by someone you
didn’t intend to leave it to!
Chris also stresses the importance
of taking out lasting Power of
Attorney. Without it, a long, complex,
and expensive court process awaits
your loved ones to gain control of
your affairs.
Chris summed up by saying that
getting the right advice on all the
above matters could help you protect
what you’ve worked hard for. If you
fail to plan effectively, you could be
left with little to leave.
8
For more information you can
contact Collective Legal Solutions,
quoting reference ‘Senior Citizens
Forum’ on all enquiries.
Call: 0114 2300 265
Visit the website:
www.collectivelegalsolutions.co.uk
email:
[email protected]
Chris Dingley is company director at
Collective
Legal
Solutions,
a
company specialising in inheritance
planning and protection.
E-mail
Chris if you would like more information.
A good investment tip
- take out a funeral plan
now, it will save a lot of
money in the long run.
If you put the money
aside in the bank you
may find that in the future
it will only be enough to
cover the cost of the
sandwiches at your
funeral!
Treatments are available for the following conditions:
 Athlete’s Foot
 Corns
 Callus
 Cracked Heels
 Fungal and thickened nails
 Nail trimming
Please contact
Emily on:
07885 913645 or
01952 813470
[email protected]
Emily Painter
S.A.C. Dip FHPT
S.A.C. Dip FHPP
MRFHP
9
Health Action Group
The Health group continue to meet
on a regular basis to discuss
matters both relevant and important to Forum members.
There is a great deal of concern at
the moment regarding the future
of the A&E department at the
Princess Royal Hospital. If services
are to be based in Shrewsbury,
then the prospect of travelling time
from Telford to Shrewsbury is
causing concern for many people.
There are a number of petitions
that you can sign if you feel
strongly about keeping an A&E
service in Telford, however we
need to be aware that there are
other options being considered,
including the provision of a
number of urgent care centres to
deal with emergencies that are
not life threatening.
There seems to be some difficulties
with the organisation of hospital
transport currently. If you have had
any problems please let us know.
Another talking point recently has
been the waiting time in A&E,
made worse by an outbreak of flu,
with this particular virus now
resistant to the flu jab.
Feedback from Forum members is
very important so if you have any
comments about these or any
other health and care issues,
please contact Anne-Marie on
07552 975676.
Penny Owen, Vice Chair, Health
Action Group
10
A&E - is it always the answer?
The problems with A&E waiting
time were highlighted in the
recently published inspection
report by the Care Quality
Commission, which found that
A&E departments at
both
Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals
were consistently failing to meet
the target to see 95% of patients
within four hours.
But while it’s easy to blame
management, staffing levels and
financial cutbacks, huge pressure
is placed on the service because
several people who attend could
be seen and treated elsewhere.
People have over the years seen
A&E as the obvious place to go
for a wide range of ailments, but
to achieve the targets it’s vital
that people learn to look to the
alternatives.
NHS guidelines say that you should
visit A&E, or call for an ambulance,
only in the following cases:
 loss of consciousness
 acute confused state and fits
that are not stopping
 persistent, severe chest pain
 breathing difficulties
 severe bleeding that cannot
be stopped
In non urgent cases you can:
 Contact your GP surgery
 Contact Shropdoc out of surgery
hours 08444 06 88 88
 Visit a walk in clinic
 Dial NHS 111 for advice
 Visit a pharmacy
where it is but no decision had yet
been made. When the location is
finally agreed it will have to go out
to public consultation.
‘The good news is, that since
you’ve been here that vase has
become an antique!’
Environment
& Transport
Action Group
On Monday 26th January we held a
meeting of ETAG and the Project
Manager for the Box Road
Development, Richard Mothersdale, came along to give us a
presentation. He explained that the
reason for making the Box Road a
dual carriageway was so that it
would enable traffic to flow more
freely and safely around the Town
Centre. He said that the area in
front of the present Bus Station was
to be pedestrianized. It is hoped
the work will be completed by the
end of March 2015, with just a few
minor works to be carried out. We
asked him about the Telford Central
Bus Station and he said that the
council would like it to remain
At the Forum held on Monday 19th
January a gentleman asked me if it
were true that elderly passengers
who wanted to travel on the No12
double decker buses were not
allowed to go upstairs and were
told to occupy the first 6 seats
downstairs. Arriva has replied that if
an elderly passenger felt able to
negotiate the stairs they could do
so, it was up to them.
He also said that when he went to
travel on an Arriva Bus in Macclesfield and Manchester using his
pensioner’s bus pass, he was told
that he would have to pay a
percentage of the fare. Arriva said
that they were not aware of this, as
pensioners should be able to use
their passes anywhere in England,
and they said they would look into it
any report back to me.
I am awaiting a further meeting
with the Council and London
Midland Railway about the
proposed footbridge and lifts from
Wellington Bus Station to Wellington
Railway Station, also I am asking for
lifts at Telford Central Railway
Station.
If you have any item you would like
us to investigate please send it to
Anne-Marie Davies, at the address
in the newsletter, and we will try
and get an answer for you.
Vic Rainsford, Secretary, Environment
and Transport Action Group
11
Computers
……. Don’t be digitally excluded!
We are now taking on more pupils
for one to one tuition.
Learn in your own home, £16 for 4 lessons.
Get started using a computer or tablet, or if
you already know the basics, get help to
learn more.
If you haven’t got your own computer our
volunteer tutor will bring one along for you
to borrow.
We’re looking for more people to attend
our new town centre drop in session
at Southwater Library, Town Centre,
Wednesdays, 2pm – 4pm.
The new session takes place every week at
the Southwater Library. Call in to chat to
other learners, and gain confidence using
a computer, whether you are beginner or
have
some
knowledge
already.
Or perhaps you are having a problem that
you just can’t sort out or you want some
advice about internet safety. Call in
anytime between 2pm and 4pm, and
bring along your own tablet or laptop if
you wish. Sessions are informal and free.
Call us on 07552 975676 or 07932
828333 for more details or for a chat
about learning.
Don’t understand your
new smartphone? We
can help with that too at
our free drop in sessions.
12
It’s time
to learn!
You may have heard your
grandchildren talk about
listening to Spotify - but
what is it?
Did you know that on
www.spotify.com you can
search for and listen to all
your favourite music for
free.
You can also download
the Spotify app on your
smartphone and tablet.
The free version means
that you have to listen to
a few adverts, otherwise
you will have to subscribe
to a monthly fee, but isn’t
very expensive.
So whatever your taste in
music, you’ll find it on
Spotify.
www.spotify.com
Using the Internet to
keep in touch! (cheaply!)
Email is a quick, easy and cheap way to keep in contact with family
and friends as well as making contact with organisations, wherever they
are in the world. You can attach photos and documents, and it’s easy to
set up, either through your broadband provider or you can use webmail
such as gmail, yahoo and outlook.
Instant messaging is like email but works like texting. If someone is on their
computer at the same time, you can start a conversation and get instant
replies.
Free telephone and video calls using the internet are popular because
they are usually free. Most new computers have a webcam so you can
see the person you are calling if you wish to. Skype is the most popular
provider and if you have an iPad or iPhone, you can use Facetime, and
on both you can chat away to another user and never worry about cost‚
time or distance. You can also make local‚ long-distance and international calls to fixed-line and mobile phones at reduced rates.
Social media sites enable you to interact with other people and organisations. Friends Reunited can put you in touch with people you knew in
the past, but there is a fee. Other websites like Facebook allow you to
search for and connect with friends and family who are registered with
the site. Gransnet is a site where older people can get together to chat
with people from all over the UK. Gransnet’s forums cover everything
from politics to holidays, gardening to difficult daughters-in-law. You
don't have to be a grandmother to join, they feature regular web chats
with politicians and experts, authors and celebrities.
Twitter and blogs are a bit like an online diary: it tells the world what
you’re up to and you can choose to keep it private‚ share it with friends
or publish it for the whole world to see. With Twitter, your posts, known as
tweets, are limited to 140 characters. Set up a free blog
at blogger.com or twitter.com.
Sharing photos is simple on social media sites and on special picture
sharing sites such as Flickr or Picasa. You can also use an online file storage site to transfer large numbers of photos to friends or family such
as Dropbox or OneDrive.
Confused, or a bit nervous about using any of the above? Pop along to
our computer drop in at Southwater Library on Wednesday afternoons,
anytime between 2pm and 4pm.
13
The Care Act - a brief summary
The Act became law on 14 May 2014, and further changes will take effect in April 2015
and April 2016. It is changing the way that the social care system in England works and
will affect anyone who has care needs. Here is a summary of the main changes:
From April 2015:

You have a legal right to a care needs assessment - regardless of your financial
situation.

Councils must follow a new national eligibility criteria to assess needs.

You have a legal right to know how much money is needed to meet your care
needs (your personal budget) if you qualify for council support.

If you qualify, the council must offer advocacy support.

If you are funding your own care, the council must arrange your services if you
want them to.

You can defer the payment of care home fees, so your home does not need to
be sold until after your death to cover the costs of care.

If you a carer, you have a legal right to an assessment of your needs, and to get
support services if you qualify.
From April 2016:

New thresholds will be in place for charging people who get support from the
council. (See box below and next page)

The rules will change about who can pay ‘top-up’ fees if you move into a care
home which is more expensive than the council’s standard rate.

You will have a new right to appeal decisions taken by the council about your
care or funding arrangements.
Independent Age has a very useful guide ‘What does the Care Act mean for me? Visit
www.independentage.org or tel 0800 319 6789 for a copy.
Telford & Wrekin Council provides information on MyLife
(www.telford.mylifeportal.co.uk or tel 01952 381280 ) and will be consulting with
people with regards to how they charge for services.
If you are staying in your own home:
If you have less than £17000 - you will not need to use your savings but you may need
to put some of your income towards your personal budget.
If you have more than £17,000 in savings but less than £27,000 - you will need to
contribute some of your savings on top of any income you need to contribute.
If you have more than £27,000 - you will need to pay the whole amount which the
council expects it to cost to meet your eligible needs.
The council must make sure that your income does not fall below a certain amount.
(Amounts stated will be adjusted annually).
14
If you are moving into a care home:
The value of your home could be taken into account when the council is deciding how
much you should pay.
If you have between £17,000 and £118,000 n savings and capital, you will need to
contribute some of this money.
If you have more than £118,000 in savings and capital, then you will need to pay all of
your care home fees.
There will be a ‘cap’ on how much you need to pay towards your own care in your
lifetime (based on eligible needs only), initially set at £72,000 . However this cap only
covers the cost of the person’s care, and does not include board and lodging which will
cost approx. £12000 per year.
(Amounts stated will be adjusted annually).
Beware these recent scams...
By phone: A current scam involves a very convincing caller saying that they are
from the Ministry of Justice. They say that there is a substantial cheque waiting for you
but first you have to pay some money which will be collected by a courier, about
£280.
By post: A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS or Parcel
Delivery Service suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel. The card asks
you to contact them on a 0906 premium rate number. If you call, and you start to hear
a recorded message, you will have been billed £315. If you or someone you know
receives a card, or something similar, please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 020 7239
6655.
By email: One scam involves Natwest saying it has upgraded its security systems. It
asks you to log in to find out more, but please do not do so. Another scam which
looks very genuine claims to be from British Telecom stating that your bank card
details held on its records have failed, and that you need to pay your BT bill or face
losing your internet connection. Victims then log on to what they think is their BT
account and input their card details, and then mysterious payments are made from
their accounts. Online customers need to be very wary of any email that has a link
directly to your account. Instead, go on the web and log into your account in the
normal way. Banks, utility firms etc will never ask you to verify your card details
through an email. If they do send you an email they will usually be addressed to you by
name – with other information such as a postcode. If it simply says Dear Member/
Customer, be on your guard.
Advice about avoiding and reporting scams can be found at:
Age UK, tel 0800 169 65 65.
www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/home-safety-and-security/
Action Fraud tel 0300 123 2040 www.actionfraud.police.uk/
If in doubt please contact the Police Control Room on 101.
15
Senior Citizen’s Forum
Stay Well, Live Well
Bridle Court Community Room
First Monday every month, 1.30 – 3.30pm
Support and discussion group for those
living with health problems.
+ chit-chat and cuppa!
2015 dates: Jan 5th, Feb 2nd, Mar 2nd, Apr 13th, May 11th,
Jun 8th, Jul 6th, Aug 3rd, Sept 7th, Oct 5th, Nov 2nd, Dec 7th
All welcome- just turn up on the day or contact:
Anne-Marie Davies 07552 975676
Support workers from the Carers Centre...
...are now operating an outreach session at Southwater One, Telford town
centre (inside of the new library). They are part of First Point, alongside other
organisations that can support the carer and the person they care for.
A customer services advisor will signpost carers to the service they require
and will assist where required.
Members of the team are available on the following days:
Monday morning 9 - 12 noon
All day Tuesday 9 - 2pm (except 12.30 - 1pm)
Wednesday afternoon 12 - 3pm
Thursday morning 9 - 12 noon
Friday morning 8.30 - 12 noon
Tel 01952 240209
Email: [email protected]
Website: telfordcarers.org.uk
16
There are many positives
about getting older. Wisdom,
experience and having the
confidence to voice your
opinion
are
just
some.
However, as we age, many of
us find it increasingly difficult to
do those things we used to,
and we can become frustrated
by failing health.
The brisk walk is no longer so
brisk, and joints begin to creak
and groan! We often have to
come to terms with living with a
long term health problem such
as heart failure, arthritis, poor
hearing/sight, and memory
loss. This ebbing away at
independence
can
be
frightening and soul destroying.
The GP and health service are
not always accessible and
don’t always have the answers
to our questions which adds to
a sense of frustration!
Having a positive outlook on
life and keeping a sense of well
-being
are
important
to
maximise our quality of life,
even in the face of deteriorating health and disability. With
this in mind, a small group of
us meet once a month at Bridle
Court Community Room in
Madeley to discuss health
issues, and exchange views
and ideas on how to cope with
difficulties associated with poor
health, loss of function and
access to health services.
It is primarily a self-help and
mutual support group and
those
of us who regularly
attend find it useful and
enjoyable. We often end up
just having a good old chat and
laugh over a cuppa, which
some say does more good
than all the medicine in the
world!
We are always pleased to see
new members at the established Bridle Court venue in
Madeley,
but
the group
functions most effectively at
between 10-20 people. It has
been suggested that similar
small support groups are
established in other parts of
Telford. If anyone is interested
in attending either Bridle Court
or a similar group in Telford we
would like to hear from you.
Please contact Anne-Marie,
tel 07552 975676
Stay Well, Live Well
Monthly Support Group at Bridle Court, Madeley
17
What’s on in the Libraries...
Discover Shropshire Archives with Mary McKenzie
Tuesday 24 February 7.30pm Wellington Library
Booking not essential.
BBC First Click – three week introduction to computers for complete beginners
Weds 11, 18, 25 February 10.30–12noon Wellington Library
Join our basic computer taster session, discover how easy it really is.
Telford Our New Town Memories
Tues 17 February 11am – 2pm Southwater Library
Drop in and share your memories of Telford from the 1960s – 1980s over a
warming cuppa.
Ancestry Taster sessions
Wed 18 February 10–12noon Madeley Library
An introduction to get you started on your family tree.
Community History Day
Saturday 7 March 10am–2pm Wellington Library
Drop-in event with stalls from local and family history groups. Discover what’s
in the Community History Centre, and enjoy the Wellington Town Charter Day
celebrations in Market Square.
Please contact the relevant library to book your place.
Telford Green Gym offers people an
alternative way to improve their health
and well being by getting involved in
practical horticulture, conservation, and
environmental activities.
Volunteers do some physical activity
whilst improving the countryside.
They run a wide range of projects
including: allotments, community
gardens, practical conservation woodland, wildlife habitat, hedgelaying, pond maintenance, building
bridges, stiles and walkways, walks,
working in the Ironbridge Gorge,
nature reserves, horticulture, rights of
way, and days out.
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Sessions on Tues, Wed, Thurs,
Contact: Cliff Hallam 382582
email: [email protected]
web: tcv.org.uk/greengym
Free workshops for dementia carers
Tues 17th Feb - Understanding Dementia, a carer’s survival
guide
Thurs 10th March - Let’s Talk About the Challenge of Dementia
Care – managing behaviour, communication and stress
Both events at Meeting Point House, Southwater Square,
10am—3pm
Sessions are relaxed and informal with lots of time for
questions, discussion and sharing
Refreshments and light lunch provided
For more information and to book a place,
contact Julia on 01743 237888
Possible help with the cost of transport and respite care
Tuesday 24th February at The Lightmoor Centre, Telford - 'Still Life with
Plants' with Natalie Toplass, between 10am and 3pm.
The workshop will set up a still life with plants, for you to explore and observe
with lots of different painting and mark making techniques. Local artist, Natalie
is well known for her plant paintings. The workshop is free, including materials.
Monday 23rd March at the Union Free Hall in Wellington - 'Clothed Figure
2D and 3D' with Anna Smith, between 10am and 3pm.
Anna invites you to explore the clothed figure through drawing, colour and
making - to create images of stillness and movement. Materials are provided.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided, please bring your own lunch. DASH
recognises that disabled and older may experience difficulty with transport,
which we can assist with, please discuss your requirements with Angela. Please
remember that if you book a space on a workshop and do not attend, you
might be stopping another person from going. So please, if you are unable to
attend let Angela know by calling, texting or emailing!
Phone or text Angela Martin on 07814 055638.
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The UK has one of the
highest rates of
mesothelioma mortality.
Furthermore the number of
deaths is not expected to
decrease in the near future.
Experts project that
mesothelioma will have caused
approximately 90,000 deaths in
the UK by 2050.
This high, increasing mortality rate
is also a legacy of the government’s slow move to regulate and
ban the use of asbestos. Despite
the regulations being strengthened
in 2006 and again in 2012, this
dangerous mineral is still present in
many public and private spaces.
The Health and Safety Executive
identifies the following trades at risk
for asbestos exposure: heating and
ventilation engineers, demolition
workers, carpenters and joiners,
plumbers, roofing contractors,
painters, electricians, building
surveyors, shop and gas fitters.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive
cancer which develops mainly in
the lining of the lungs, abdomen
and heart. The only known cause
of mesothelioma is asbestos
exposure.
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Asbestos fibres are inhaled and
subsequently travel through the
upper respiratory system. Over
time, about a third remain lodged
in the protective lining of the lungs
and the abdominal cavity. This
irritates the mesothelium, causing
scarring and inflammat ion,
eventually causing the creation of
tumours.
There are many options available
for mesothelioma patients to get
the support they need. This can be
through information, education,
helplines and legal and financial
assistance, as well as through
groups providing patients and
families with a platform to share
their experience with others.
The Mesothelioma Group
www.mesotheliomagroup.com/
mesothelioma-uk
(also on Facebook)
Mesothelioma UK Charity
www.mesothelioma.uk.com
Tel 0800 169 2409
21
Thousands going lonely
Thousands of older people in Telford go weeks without speaking to
family or friends, local charity Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin
has revealed. The independent charity has set up the Gift of
Friendship appeal in response to the significant issue of loneliness
amongst older people and is calling for help from local people.
Heather Osborne, Chief Executive, said, “Poor mobility, loss of a loved one
or a lack of family nearby result in many becoming isolated and lonely.
Loneliness is miserable, and it can impact on health and wellbeing too.
Through the Gift of Friendship appeal we are urging people to help, by
fundraising or volunteering, so if you can help we’d like to hear from you.
We need to raise money to recruit, train and support more volunteers. We
have a critical need for more volunteer befrienders, with around 100 older
people on waiting lists.”
A volunteer befriender is carefully matched with an older person to
provide a social visit for up to two hours per week. The visit may include
chatting over a cuppa, running small errands or sharing an interest. “If you
are a good listener, would like to help, and can spare 1 – 2 hours a week,
please contact us for more information. You could be a lifeline for a lonely
older person. Together we can make a difference to lonely older people in
Telford.”
Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin can be contacted on 01952 201 803
or via their website www.ageukshropshireandtelford.org.uk
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Forum Christmas
Party, 2nd Dec 2014
23
Good news, but more hard work!
Just before Christmas our Co-ordinator, Anne-Marie, took a phone call
from the National Lottery who told her that we were successfully through
to round two for the Big Lottery, Reaching Communities funding that we
are trying to obtain.
This is excellent news, because if we are successful it will ensure that The
Forum can continue its work for the next 5 years. However, the hard work
must continue, as there is now another long application form to complete.
We also need to write up evaluations of services we are already providing
and gather more evidence and proof that the Forum is needed. With this in
mind we are asking for help from all our members.
If you haven’t already, could you please complete the enclosed questionnaire which we will be using to gather information to support our
application. It shouldn’t take you very long and it is free to post back to us
at Freepost RTGZ-UAGU-TXHJ, Senior Citizens Forum, Unit D Box 7, Stafford
Park 9, Telford TF3 3AF.
No details will be passed onto anyone else and any information given will
be used purely to help us provide evidence for our lottery application.
By way of a thank you to our members for your help, the first three
questionnaires pulled out of the hat on 6th March will receive a £20 Marks
and Spencer Voucher.
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We would be grateful for your help by completing this questionnaire.
(please delete options as appropriate)
Many older people say that they have experienced loneliness or a feeling of
isolation. Have you ever experienced this? YES Daily/Often/Sometimes NO
What events or activities would help older people overcome loneliness?
Please list in the box below.
Do you believe that regular receipt of our Newsletter can help people to feel less
isolated? YES/NO
Is the content and format suitable for older people? YES/NO
Have you accessed information through the newsletter that has helped you or
someone you know? YES/NO
Do you believe that being a member of the Forum keeps you in touch with what is
going on? YES/NO
When you attend Forum events do you use the opportunity to meet new people?
YES/NO
Have you made new friends through the Forum? YES/NO
Are Forum events your main opportunity to meet other people? YES/NO
Have you ever asked one of our Action Groups to help you with a problem?
YES/NO (If yes can you please give short details below of the problem and
whether we helped to resolve it?)
Given that many services are becoming digital, are you able to access the internet
on your own? YES/NO
Do you have a close family member or friend who accesses the internet for you?
YES/NO
Do you feel that many older people are missing out on information and opportunities by not using the Internet? YES/NO
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Do you believe that older people are financially disadvantaged by not having
access to the internet? YES/NO
Are you aware the Forum can help you learn how to use the internet safely?
YES/NO
Have you or anyone close to you been diagnosed with Dementia in any form?
YES/NO
Do you feel there are enough opportunities for people experiencing long term
health conditions, including Dementia, to meet with others socially or engage in
activities? YES/NO
If you are aware of any groups and activities that actively involve people with long
term health conditions please give details below.
Do you wish to see the Forum continue to run as it does now? YES/NO
Do you have any suggestions as to how the Forum (or aspects of it such as the
Newsletters or Forum Meetings etc.) could become self-sustaining in the future?
(Please list your suggestions below)
Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.
All information given will remain confidential and will only be used to support our
lottery bid. If you would like to be entered into the draw with the opportunity to
win one of three Marks & Spencer vouchers for £20 please put your name and
telephone number below:
Name ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
Telephone no ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Return to: FREEPOST RTGZ-UAGU-TXHJ, Senior Citizens
Forum, Unit D, Stafford Park 9, Telford TF3 3AF
26
Join us today!
To become a member of the Senior Citizens Forum, either:
 complete the form on the back page and post it to the Freepost address
 phone 07932 828333
 email [email protected]
 follow the link ’Contact Us’ on our website
Membership is free and open to people resident in the area in middle and later life,
or anybody with a particular interest in older people’s issues.
Visit our website for news and information on local services and events:
www.tandwseniors.org.uk
Find us on Facebook and Twitter (follow links from website)
Postal address: FREEPOST RTGZ-UAGU-TXHJ, Senior Citizens Forum, Unit
D, Stafford Park 9, Telford TF3 3AF
If you are an organisation and would like a number of copies of this and
future newsletters to be delivered to you, please let us know.
The newsletter is entirely independent and is not tied to any political party.
Information is, to the best of our knowledge, correct at the time of going to press but no
liability will be accepted for any errors or omissions. The inclusion of an article in the
newsletter does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, policies or methods.
If you would like to advertise in this quarterly newsletter, please contact 07932 828333,
email: [email protected]
The Forum does not endorse the products or services advertised, nor does it accept any
responsibility for statements or claims made in advertisements.
We are very grateful for the sponsorship we receive from Ableworld which
goes towards the postage of the newsletter, and to printers, Runtime UK Ltd
for their excellent service.
SUBBADO PYRAMID
Each orange triangle connects a set of 3 numbers.
Two of the numbers must add or subtract to equal
the third. All numbers must be between 1 and 12
and no number can be repeated either in a
horizontal or diagonal row.
3
5
4
2
1
5
4
1
3
2
5
1
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
Solution to Strimko Puzzle, last edition
27
JOIN THE FORUM NOW!
Would you like to receive this free magazine through the post every
two months by becoming a member? Then please fill in this
application form and return to the address below. Alternatively you
can email your details to [email protected], call us on
07932 828333, or contact us via our website.
www.tandwseniors.org.uk
SENIOR CITIZENS FORUM MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name:………………………………………………………………………………
Address:……………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
Postcode:…………………………….. Tel no:…………………………………..
Email:………………………………………………………………………………
I wish/do not wish to receive emails from the forum (Please delete)
I would like to receive the newsletter through the post/via email (Please
delete)
I would like/not like to give some time as a volunteer (Please delete)
These two items are used for statistical purposes only, you do not have to
answer them if you do not wish to.
Date of Birth………………………..Ethnic Origin………………………………
Please return by post to the address shown on page 3
28