Senior Forum

Senior Forum Meeting Minutes 13.12.16

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.

Senior Forum meeting minutes 26.7.16

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.

Senior Health Fayre – 30th September, Congleton Town Hall 10am to 1pm

Usman putting a flyer together, as he is away, Lynn will discuss this with the team at Plus Dane.

Wendy to check out with new manager what support Tesco can offer ( Slow Cooker ingredients)

PR support :-

Bob’s Blog

The Chronicle

Flyers for service providers to promote through their groups, U3A signing on day, Doctors Surgeries,Churches, Chemists, Plus Dane residents etc.

Posters. Noticeboards,Buses,Shops,Town Centre on the day

Lisa to see if she can get a small budget to support this.

MS send out a list of Exhibitors, arrange for an area for unloading to be coned off at back door.

Alyssa / Lisa to send an article about the Fayre to Louise for Bobs Blog

There are 4 themes :-

Winter Wellbeing, Social Isolation,Health & Technology. (31 Exhibitors already confirmed)

Target is to get an attendance of around 150 residents.

Meeting Finished at:4.30pm

 

Next Meeting:-

Tuesday in October date TBC

Senior Forum Meeting Minutes 18.05.16

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.

 

Senior Forum meeting minutes 15.03.16

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.

Senior Health Fayre 2016 – Friday 30th September.

 

Following last year’s successful Fayre (Oct 1st 2015) to support National Older People’s Day the forum felt that we should look to build an annual event around this.

A sub group will be set up to dive this event. Subgroup members:- V.Lockett, U.Ashiq,                 A.Baines and L.Alcock.

The event will take place in Congleton Town Hall, Friday 30th September from 10.00am to 1.00pm.

Partnership to book the hall and refreshments (Tea,Coffe & Biscuits) MS action this.

The next sub group meeting is 17th March, copy of the minutes will be sent to MS for circulation.

Items / Themes to include:-

Winter Well Being

Slow Cooker Demo

Digital IT Training

Plus Dane Telecare

The group are looking to approach all the organisations that attended last year.

The event will be promoted through:-

Bear Necessities (deadline for BN is 1st Week in June)

The Chronicle

Noticeboards

Bob’s Blog

 

 
Bob’s Blog – L.Daniels.

Please keep sending articles through to Louise it is difficult to keep the Blog running without information

When sending ideas / articles /events to Louise please copy Mike Smith in.

Alyssa has an issues she will send around transport to church

Victoria will send info around Health Fayre / AgeUK Allotment (cry for help)

Suzie Akers-Smith to send information on The Tour Of Britain Cycle Race.

 

Next Meeting:-

Wednesday 18th May 2016, Congleton Town Hall, 3.00pm

 

 

Senior Forum – Bob’s Blog 13

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….Bob's Blog Senior Forum

  • Rest
  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Have at least one hot meal a day to keep your energy levels up
  • And most important, DON’T WAIT until it gets bad – get advice from your pharmacist, give them a ring if you can’t get out, and follow their advice.

 

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……

 

 

 

 

Senior Forum – Bob’s Blog 12

Bob’s Blog 12 – Appears first in the Congleton Chronicle 

Bob's Blog Senior Forum

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……

 

 

 

 

Senior Forum – Bob’s Blog Part 11

Bob’s Blog Part 11 – Appears first in the Congleton Chronicle.

Bob's Blog Senior Forum

 

“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……

Senior Forum – Bob’s Blog Part 10

Bob’s Blog part 10 – Appears first in the Congleton Chronicle.

Bob's Blog Senior Forum

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” as the song goes.  I’ve had some nice comments about my Christmas pullover – hope you are getting into the spirit of things and wearing yours!    D’you know I love Congleton – Christmas Lights Switch On could have been a real washout (literally) but in spite of the torrential rain loads of folk turned out and it was business as usual!  Christmas- time.

Last week’s Blog got me thinking and reminiscing about my childhood days  – Winter days; thick snow;  frozen pipes; coal fires; smoking chimneys.   Best of all, my sledge, lovingly made from old planking and bits of roofing felt for the runners !  Quick as lightning down festival Hill!   And what about liberty bodices?  My sisters wore them as soon as it turned cold – sort of thick fluffy stuff with seams – probably something Madonna would be happy to wear now – but my sisters were always rebellious when Mother got them out for Winter!  Goose fat – not for cooking with but for rubbing on your chest!   Or olive oil warmed on a spoon over the fire and rubbed in your chest and back after you’d had your weekly bath.  None of your Vicks vapour rub in those days!   And we never wasted water –on bath night the littlest had the bath water first, it progressing chronologically up the family – Dad got in last but the benefit was there was nobody in a queue telling him to get a move on!  We were always told how lucky we were to have real presents at Christmas – Dad kept up the tradition from his childhood – in our stockings we each had an apple and an orange, and a sugar mouse –and a shiny new penny !”    Christmas puddings were on the hob for hours and hours – the house windows dripping with condensation.   Mum used pieces of old sheets to cover the puddings- I used to have to put my finger on the knot as Mum tied the covers on with string.

I like family tradition, and Congleton is a great place for Christmas traditions.   There always the carol singing opposite Argos, Santa and his sleigh doing the rounds, and as usual  lots going on in town.   Pop into the Tourist Information Centre and pick up a free copy of ‘Christmas in Congleton 2015’ – everything ‘s in there.   Well not quite everything – Lyndon Murgatroyd from St James Church said that somehow their church events had been missed out, and  could I let you know that on Saturday 12th December  they are holding a coffee morning at Congleton Library.  On Christmas Eve their carol service is aimed at families and children, and you can help to build the crib, Midnight Mass is 11.30 and their Christmas Day  service at 10.00am.   Details of all the other church events are in the booklet.

I’ve made a note on my calendar of some not-to-be-missed  events … tonight 17th December Carols with Rode hall Silver Band  at St Peter’s Church 7.30pm.

Saturday 19th December Congleton Choral Society at Congleton Town Hall – tickets from Tourist Information Centre

Sunday 20th December Foden’s Band in the Town Centre round the Christmas tree 11.30am-1.30pm

Christmas  all sounds so jolly!  But I know I’ve had some tough ones!!  Sometimes  Christmas can all seems a bit too much – too many sad memories- makes you feel alone and isolated.    I keep some numbers in my phone book  so I’ll pass them on in case a listening ear….

Silverline is  a confidential helpline – information, friendship and advice for older people- open 24/7 every day of the year including Christmas Day  – 0800 4708090 info@thesilverline.org.uk

Samaritans are there 24/7 as well 08457 909090

The Royal Voluntary Service Cheshire has a Good Neighbours Scheme, they provide company if you’re on your own, and also help with small practical things like shopping or picking up your pension.  Ring them on 0845 600 5885

And don’t forget Royal British Legion– they particularly want to help isolated, older  people in Congleton who have connection with the armed forces – ring Gillian McKinnon on 0808 802 8080. Or email her at gmckinnon@britishlegion.org.uk

That’s it from me – Bob Bear signing out till next week….

 

 

 

Senior Forum – Bob’s Blog Part 9

Bob’s Blog Part 9 – Appears first in the Congleton Chronicle Bob's Blog Senior Forum

Well Winter is here good and proper! Old folk used to say they knew it was Winter when their chilblains started to play up!  I can remember when our windows were frozen up on the inside and the kids would draw pictures in the frost! ( That’s only 50 years ago)   Before we got central , we would all want to be in the room where the fire was, and then make a dash for bed – mounds of real wool blankets and feather eiderdowns – only the end of your nose felt the cold!!  It’s funny (funny peculiar that is not funny Ha Ha!) how for some of us, it’s back to keeping the one room warm because fuel really is NOT cheap!

But if you are older, and particularly if you aren’t very mobile any more, it’s real important to keep warm.   Easier said than done you might be saying.   But there is some good advice out there and also some practical help when you know where to find it.  Read on……..

If you can’t afford to heat the whole house, keep your living room warm – that means 21C and your bedroom at 18C.  And make sure you know how your heating controls work – if you’re not sure, get a friend or neighbour to suss it out and explain it to you over a cuppa.

Don’t just wear your biggest chunkiest jumper, it’s best to wear several layers of clothes – it traps the heat better and keeps you warmer.

Get cosy under a blanket or shawl if you’re just sitting and not moving around. Try to put your feet up too! The air is colder near the floor.

Try to have at least one good hot meal every day.

If you can, get up and move around, a few laps around the house will get the blood moving!

Now, If the worst happens and your heating breaks down and you just don’t know what you are going to do next, it’s really worth knowing about the Care and Repair Team at Cheshire East Council.  For example, throughout Winter they have heaters available for short term loans if your heating breaks down, or if you just can’t get your house warm enough.  If you own your own home and need urgent help with heating repairs but can’t afford it, Care & Repair can sometimes help with that too– it’s well worth asking- they have access to fast-track funds to help to put the problem right quickly, and can help you to look for a longer term solution. Help is available for low income households and people with certain health conditions –  a grant of up to £1,000.  You can contact the Care and Repair Team on 0300 123 5017 (select option 3).

One thing I know I need to do is to get my son-in-law to rid out my loft!  It’s mostly junk up there but it’s stopping me getting my insulation sorted.   I know there’s only a thin layer of fibre- glass up there – put it down myself many moons ago – togged up like a mountaineer with just my eyes showing as  I’m so allergic to the fibre glass stuff!   The ‘Energy Saving Advice Service (0300 123 1234) can tell me where I can get low cost or even no cost deals to upgrade my insulation.

And don’t miss out on your Winter Fuel payment .  If you were born on or before 5 July 1952 you should receive a payment automatically. To find out more, contact 0845 915 1515 or go to the website Gov.UK

So lastly, and I feel passionate about this, it shouldn’t have to be a choice for older people to ‘Eat or Heat’.   I bet there are thousands of Cheshire East residents  missing out on extra financial support that they’re entitled to. Make sure you are getting what you should be getting –  and keep well and warm this Winter .  Here’s a few places that can help :

So keep warm, keep well, and keep clogging on!

Bob Bear signing out till next week……..