Mike Smith has now discussed this issue with Sister Heather Kemball (Congleton Team Parish). They do support members of their congregation at the 4 churches re transport issues, and would try and help anyone that we come across who is having difficulty getting to church.
Either contact the team Parish Office by Email admin@congletonteamparis.co.uk or telephone Cong 01260 273212.
Heather has also agreed to be added to our distribution list so as to be kept in the loop of our activities etc.
The Senior Forum meeting took place recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.
Highlights include:
| East Cheshire Hospice @ Home – Russell Chadwick.
Russell took us through a presentation about the new Home Service that is being planned for launch around June this year.
The Hospice itself has been running now for 30 years, it can accommodate 500 patients a year and costs around £4m per year. Most of their running cost is raised through fundraising / donations with only 17% coming from the NHS. www.eastcheshirehospice.org.uk
The new scheme “Hospice at Home” which will employ 16 nurses, and cost approx. £440K a year should be able to look after around 250 patients within their own homes.
Russell is currently carrying out a funding drive to cover the next 5 years funding to support this new operation.
You can contact Russell :- rchadwick@echospice.org.uk or 01625664995 |
| Congleton U3A – P.Adby ( Vice Chair)
Paul took us through a presentation on the history of U3A from its launch in France in 1972 where it had strong connections to academia to its Uk launch in 1982 where the academia link did not apply, and on to the launch of Congleton U3A in 1998.
Their motto is LEARN LAUGH & LIVE
Worldwide there are now 1000groups with 400,000 members. Congleton has 1400 members, with 110 activity groups, there is no age limit, but must be retired or semi- retired. The next signing on night is likely to be in August, possibly at Eaton Bank Academy.
You can find out more about their activities and availability on courses by visiting their website :- www.congletonu3a.org.uk
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| Congleton Contact The Elderly – Louise Hughes.
Contact the elderly is a national charity that was set up in 1965 to help change the lives of people over 75 and over who live alone and cannot get out on their own. Using a small group of volunteer hosts and drivers they organise small tea parties (approx. 10 guests) once a month at no cost to the guests. Louise has been running a group in Macclesfield for over 2 years and is now looking to start up a group in Congleton. Louise is currently recruiting drivers and hosts, she is having some success and hopes to hold her first party on the first Sunday of May. There are currently restrictions on wheelchair users, dementia can offer a challenge, Louise is happy to visit them / families to assess the situation. If you know of anyone who would be willing to volunteer as a driver or host please contact Louise on 01260281093. PA offered to host one at The Old Saw Mill. Louise will send me a PDF which I will circulate to members. |
| Senior Health Fayre – Friday 29th Sept 2017
Sub group to be set up as last year. Suggested members;- Usman Ashiq, Alyssa Baines, Suzie Akers Smith, Lisa Alcock, Sarah Jacklin and Anna Bignell. First meeting after Easter. MS send last years’ contacts / attendees to Alyssa. Need to get more by in from NHS workers / surgeries. MS has copies of last years’ flier, poster and media adverts. |
Next meeting to take place on the 4th April.
The Senior Forum met recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.
Hightlights included:
The Old Saw Mill Project – Stewart Halliday.
Stewart took us through a very interesting and exciting presentation on the development of the OSM.
A full copy of his presentation will be sent out to all Senior Forum members. MS to action.
The OSM is developing into an excellent community hub and located in the town centre compliments the current “hubs” at New Life Church, Bromley Farm and the nearly refurbished St John’s Community Centre.
The OSM is quickly building a wide range of activities, events and regular café customers. They have plans for further development in Health & Wellbeing, Social Isolation and Seniors support.
They are building a bank of volunteers with a wide range of skills.
Next meeting to be held at OSM (Tuesday 14.2.17) MS to make sure that the other hubs are invited ( NLC/BF and StJ)
All About You – Sue Barnes
Sue outlined a couple of initiatives she is developing based at St John’s Community Centre and out in the field.
Monday Club – Based in St John’s Community Ctr.
Open to adults for a friendly, enjoyable social day care experience.
10.00 to 15.30pm with lunch and refreshments.
Activities to include Quizzes, Art & Craft, Personal Stories, Cooking, Local Interest and a whole lot more.
Looking at providing transport if required
Target cost £25 to £30.
All about you…wellbeing support in Congleton.
Sue currently has 6 clients that she delivers personal services to including:- Meal preparation, bed changing and laundry, shopping, admin support, cleaning , sitting service etc.
Next Meeting:-
Tuesday 14th February 2017 at The Old Saw Mill (2.30 to 5.00pm) Includes a tour of the facility.
The Senior Forum meeting took place recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.
Highlights include:
| Dementia Action Alliance – Sara Rathbone.
Sara explained to us her role, the structure that she works within and the breadth of residents covered.
Sara has been in post since 28th April and is currently working on making more people / organisations dementia aware. These include the police, transport. National companies including Tesco, Virgin and Taxi firms to help them improve their offering and support to people who suffer from Dementia / Alzheimers etc.
Sara is working on developing Dementia Friends and Champions, hourly sessions, will visit workplaces.
It was felt that there could be real value in Sara addressing our Youth Forum (next meeting Sept 14th venue TBC) MS to send agenda to her nearer the time.
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Congleton’s Senior Forum meeting took place recently, download full meeting minutes HERE.
Highlights include:
Anti-Scamming Awareness – Andy Burrows (CEBC)
Andy talk about his work involving the Community Partnership and Trading Standards Investigation Team. He indicate that there was quite a large number of residents within Cheshire East that were regularly being targeted (up to 600)
Most of the scams were physical (not electronic) with an average loss of around £1300 per victim equating to around £1m in Cheshire East, the average age of the victim being 82.
He explained tell-tail signs to look for in home – High number of letters, vitamin pills, high cheque book usage being the mail indicators.
Andy promised to send out some supporting documents for MS to circulate.
(Docs received and circulated – Scams Toolkit Edition 1, Flow chart of scamming & Questions to ask)
Actions:- If we find this happening within our day to day operations or even family / friends then send details to Andy (andy.burrows@cheshireeast.gov.uk)
Louise to involve Bob’s Blog and CVS Newsletter to communicate this issue
AgeUK have a booklet (Avoiding |Scams) available to down load from their websites publications page www.ageuk.org.uk
Andy has agreed to support the Senior Health Fayre 30th September.
Senior Health Fayre – 30th September, Congleton Town Hall.
The next meeting of the subgroup is planned for 6th June. They are in the process of drawing up a list of organisations they would like to participate, after which they will send out formal invitations.
Looking to promote the event through flyers (MS check on U3A signing on day, could be a good source to use), through member organisations/clubs/ churches and social media
Group to talk to our commercial partners re refreshments.
Tesco to be approached to see if they would support / supply food for our cooking demonstrations.
Target is to get an attendance of around 150 residents.
The next senior forum meetings are.
Digital Inclusion Sub Group – Tues 5th July 2016 – 3.00pm Spencer Suite, Town Hall
Senior Forum (Full group) – Tues 19th July 2016 – 3.00pm Spencer Suite, Town Hall.
The Senior Forum meeting took place recently, download the full meeting minutes HERE.
Highlights include:
| Tesco Community Work.
Wendy Cotterill took us through some of the support and ideas she had to develop closer links between Tesco and the community. Community involvement is one of Tesco’s Big 6 corner stones of their operation along with Customer Service, Food Wastage etc. The store has 180 colleagues all whom have various skills and expertise that they can take outside of work. Tesco Congleton currently work with New Life Church on their Foodbank and Job Club projects and are looking to spread out across a wider area involving more community organisations and events. Wendy works primarily in and around Congleton and will let Mike have a list of the community champions in the stores around ( Macclesfield, Kidsgrove etc) She has the ability to book bag pack activity given a few weeks notice. There is a notice board within the store that we can make use of. Wendy is looking to make contact with P.Pinto re developing the now empty garden at the front of the store. MS let Patti know. Men in sheds could be asked to produce planters (Victoria) Tesco could well have some involvement with our planned Senior Health Fayre and will discuss this with Victoria.
Next Meeting:- Wednesday 18th May 2016, Congleton Town Hall, 3.00pm
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A belated Happy New Year!! I had a bit of a break over the Christmas holidays plus a bit of a cold – bunged up nose and feeling a bit off colour! There’s lots of it around! I did practice what I preach though – followed all the guidance on how best to look after yourself and gradually improved. The ‘recipe’ below did work….
You can always ask your pharmacist for advice on pain relief and about which medicines you need to keep a stock of (If your pharmacy is closed, ring 111 for advice.) Apparently last year in just 3 months 3,300 people visited A&E at Macc hospital but needed no treatment – just advice or literature. (And that cost a whopping £50,000!) It can be scary when you are feeling poorly but just a phone call can be reassuring, and give you the advice you need, and let you know if you need to go to A&E.
Feeling bright and breezy – wanting to get out to the sales, but find walking very difficult these days? If you have severe walking difficulties or a disability, life could be a bit easier with a Blue Badge – it lets you park where other people can’t and gets you close to the shops.! You can call Cheshire East Council on 0300 123 5020 or you can complete the online form on the Cheshire East Council website. They will ask you to take evidence of your difficulty or disability to the library for checking. If you struggle to walk and you’re not sure if you fit the criteria, it still might be worth filling in the form just to make sure you are not missing out.
Talking of driving….. my friend Alyssa (a Community Agent who does some great work helping people to find the services they need) says that one of her biggest problems, and hardest to solve, is around older people who can’t drive anymore or can’t walk very far, who are really missing being able to go to church. Alyssa ends up ringing the vicar to ask if someone could volunteer and pick the person up. Usually without much luck. Alyssa says,
“…..there must be people who go to the same service every week and would be able to give a lift to a vulnerable older person? For someone who has church as a large part of their life, it is a real loss for them when they can’t go any more. ”
We could do with a bank of very special, neighbourly sort of people! In fact is it about setting up some sort of a new scheme in Congleton. The Senior Forum were just talking about a ‘Good Neighbours’ scheme like they have in Middlewich, where people do good turns for each other? If you would be interested in being part of a ‘Good Neighbours’ Project, Congleton Partnership would really like to meet you! You can email me on Bobbearcong@cvsce.org.uk or Mike at Congleton Partnerships ms@congletontowncouncil.co.uk or ring Congleton Town Council on 01260 270350
That’s it from me – keep safe, keep warm….
Bob bear signing out until next week……
Bob’s Blog 12 – Appears first in the Congleton Chronicle
The eve of another new year! I wonder how many New Year resolutions will be made tomorrow, and how many will soon be broken? As the saying goes, “The spirit’s willing but the flesh is weak!” Not easy to eat less, drink less, spend less!! I want to try and save for a good holiday in 2016, but I’m not very disciplined at putting a bit aside every week. My resolution will be saving for a holiday – I’m going to start saving with Congleton Credit Union. You just go along to Congleton Library on a Saturday morning between 10.00 and 11.00 and the folk there will sort you out. I really like the idea of the Credit Union. – a trustworthy, not for profit organisation that offers a range of savings accounts and affordable loans to families and individuals. They promote effective money management, and work within the community – a brilliant solution to the costly’ payday lenders’ and loan sharks that prey on vulnerable people nowadays.
I was also thinking about ways I can help someone else this year – a bit of the feel good factor. Volunteering not only does good to others, but makes you feel good about yourself too! I’m backing the CVS Cheshire East Give5 campaign – I’ve pledged to give 5 sessions of volunteering in the New Year. Something I fancy doing is encouraging a young person to make the most of life. I think I have plenty of experience and knowledge to pass on to someone just starting their adult life. So this caught my eye….” Are you enthusiastic, dedicated and have a passion for working with young people?” The ad goes on to say that in January, Eaton Bank School will be running their Twista Connect programmes, which are all about helping a young person on their journey through school, raising their aspirations and creating opportunities for them to grow and develop. They are now looking to recruit Volunteer mentors. The people leading these programmes describe mentoring as, “…providing a unique opportunity to contribute to the personal development of a young person, from giving access to information and experience in a particular profession, to supporting them within the exciting program of various activities in the programme.
If this sounds interesting give Deb Lindop, Community Engagement Officer, a ring at Cheshire East Council 0300 123 5500 or if you want more volunteering ideas or want to know more about the Give5 campaign visit the CVS Cheshire East website www.cvsce.org.uk or ring 01270 763100
Maybe for you 2016 is the year that you decide you want to get more out of life –perhaps life has become a bit ‘samey’ – and at our age excitement doesn’t come to us we have to make it happen!
The Jubilee Club at New Life Church, Congleton has been running since May 2011 and has over 350 people on the register, with a weekly attendance of 30 to 40 people. The club is free and is great for anyone who is; struggling a bit with life; needs a place where they can belong feel safe and accepted; wanting to make wholesome friendships, wanting to learn new skills or be helped into employment. The club has an allotment where members can have the harvested crops for free. They have a craft group, cooking group, and life skills sessions covering things like assertiveness and money management. They have regular social meetings and an annual coach trip and picnic out each year. For more information visit the New Life Church website or ring the office on 01260 297961
But, for some of us we do need the world to come to us. Royal Voluntary Service volunteers are there to help (WRVS has now become the RVS so that men can be part of the great work that they do) Volunteers are available in our area who are part of the Home Bound Book Service. A volunteer will visit you and find out what sort of books you like. Then they collect the books ( large print if necessary) from the library and drop them off to you, and pick them up when you’ve finished with them. And, the library makes allowances for a longer time to read the books, and doesn’t charge a late fee. The RVS also provides what it calls ‘ Extended Library services’ – if you have a computer, a volunteer can come to the house and help with things like online shopping and skyping friends and family. If you are interested, give Gillian Taylor a ring at the RVS on 07714 898 678
Just one last bit of information that I came across that might be of interest to some of you – £1m has been allocated to a new rapid response service called STAIRRS (Short Term Assessment , Intervention, Recovery and Rehabilitation Service). Health and social care services are working together to agree how this will start to work – a single telephone number for professionals such as GPs, social workers and community nurses to get through to quick assessment and urgent care for people with complex needs (that’s often us oldies!) so that …..and this is the really GOOD bit – they can continue to live at home and avoid unnecessary trips to hospital or A&E.
Well, that’s all from me for 2015 – Happy New Year Everyone
Bob bear signing out till next week……
Bob’s Blog Part 11 – Appears first in the Congleton Chronicle.
“Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there”
That famous poem by Clement Moore! I loved it as a child, and used to read it to my children on Christmas Eve. Then they read it to their children….. and so the tradition goes on! The hustle and bustle of the night before Christmas – preparing the veg, getting out the best dinner plates, finding extra chairs, last minute present wrapping – and when all’s quiet arranging them under the tree for morning. First out of bed and the cry would go up, “He’s been!” Grand memories!
I’ll be off to my daughter’s tomorrow – my contribution to the festive meal is par –boiling the spuds for the roasties! – so I’ll soon be rolling up my sleeves and peeling spuds for six, accompanied by a glass of Baileys and Bing Crosbie singing White Christmas.
I’ve got some lovely festive news to share with you. Do you remember I mentioned the Christmas Toy Appeal run by CVS Cheshire East? It all started when Astra Zeneca asked for help with their annual appeal –(every Christmas staff would take a gift for a child to their Christmas parties) CVS Cheshire East got involved with sorting and distributing, and this year have been raising extra funds at events, like a recent footy game at Crewe Alex. Sally at CVS was looking for a local toy shop where she could spend some of the money raised, and asked me if I knew of any. Hmmm not many small local toy shops around these , but as it happened I had been out for a Sunday jaunt with my neighbours and called in at Glebe Farm – a lovely little shop there! I mentioned it to Sally and she had no trouble spending a few hundred pounds on more than 50 toys ! – but the best bit – Sally commented, “…although I only spoke to the shop last week, they got in touch with their suppliers and managed to source free toys for the appeal worth £252 with more to come!” Isn’t that great. Have to say that one of the BIG names was not at all interested in supporting the appeal. It really paid off to SHOP LOCAL
Got some not so nice stuff to pass on too this week – I get news alerts from Cheshire Police – one of the PCSOs sent me this message, so just to remind you,
“Christmas is a time for happiness but history shows that Crime increases at Christmas, Please keep all windows, doors and vehicles secure at this time of celebration.”
It’s a shame we have to think about crime at Christmas – but for starters never leave a load of presents on view in your car – make sure they are in the boot!
I noticed in last week’s Chron, there was a warning about not being taken in by CONMEN who prey on older people. It’s horrible really – they make out that you have been a victim of fraud and ask for your bank card details and personal ID numbers. Reading this you think , “I’ d never be taken in,” but these people can come across as very believable ! So remember – don’t let them in – always ask for identification first (you can check out if it really is police ID by calling 101) – and the police will NEVER ask for PIN numbers or passwords or for you to withdraw or transfer any money. Well that’s all from me – off to start the spuds….
Keep safe, keep well, and have a peaceful and happy Christmas
Bob Bear signing out until next week……
