Honorary President:
Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey
July and August 2026
Pages 1-2: Cancellations, Next Meetings, Reports of May Meeting
Page 3 -4 : Opportunities and Consultations
Pages 5- 6: Events, Activities and trips
Pages 7: Keeping Fit/Wellbeing
Forum Meetings are held at the Winkfield Centre, Winkfield Road N22, on the
fourth Thursday of every month from 2.15 until 4.15.
Cancellations
Unfortunately, there were a few casualties of the excessively hot weather we had
in June. The Kew gardens visit on 24th June and the forum meeting at the
Winkfield Centre scheduled for 25th June were both cancelled.
However, Reach and Connect is organising another trip to Kew in the Autumn
which Forum members will be welcome to join. We’ll give you the details when
we get them.
Next Meetings:
Thursday 23rd July
We had been hoping to hear from either Councillor Tehseen Khan or Councillor
Hannah Ward, the new joint cabinet members for Health and Social Care at this
meeting. They were very apologetic but they had to cancel because they have an
‘away day’ with the council. They have rescheduled for our September meeting.
Given that development, we decided to use this meeting to discuss the future of
the Forum, how we organise ourselves, how we make the most of the lobbying
and representation opportunities we have, and what members would like.
At this meeting (July) and the August picnic we will also pilot a questionnaire for a
project put forward by the Great London Forum and Age UK London. They have
invited us to join in a research project about the need for older people to get
advice. They wanted to focus on money issues, but we have decided to add social
care as well, because we know members think that’s important. Please fill in the
attached questionnaire and either e-mail it back to us, or give it to us at a
meeting or our August picnic. We hope to distribute the questionnaire to other
older people’s groups too. If you can spread a few copies round your housing
scheme or your GP practice, lunch club, church etc. that would be wonderful.
Text 07915 477009 to ask for more paper copies if needed.
Thursday 20th August: Annual picnic
The Ho50s meeting in August will be our annual picnic. The picnic will be held on
Thursday 20 August. This will be on the 3rd Thursday in August rather that the 4th
Thursday this month. We thought it best to avoid the bank holiday weekend. It
will be from 2pm to 4pm. Please bring a little something to share if you can. We
can buy tea, coffee and soft drinks from Sapphire in the café if you like. We’ll try
to bring some music and good cheer. There may also be a raffle. We will invite
the Hornsey Pensions and the Tottenham Pensioners too.
Report of meeting Thursday 28th May
Dementia was the focus of May’s meeting and we had two speakers. Tess
Alombro, a Dementia Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Whittington Health NHS
Trust emphasised that Dementia affects everyone, the whole community. She
pointed out the importance of being aware of the early signs and impact of
confusion, memory loss and struggling with words. Dementia is progressive but
can sometimes be slowed with medication and lifestyle changes. Contact your GP
if you have any worries and ask for a referral to the Memory Service in Haringey.
The second presentation was given by Linda Allen, the manager and co-owner of
Home Instead in Chingford, supported by Graham Samuel, a Community
Engagement Officer. Home Instead offers services such as personal care,
companionship and dementia support for ageing adults. She also stressed the
importance of accessing a diagnosis and having your GP and others involved in
the development of and review of any Care Plan. A Power of Attorney can be
granted to a trusted family member or friend while the individual is still
competent to do this.
Web site; https://www.homeinstead.co.uk/chingford/locations/chingford/.
Phone 0208 114 2000.
Linda Allen talking to members about dementia & Graham Samuel at the far left.
Graham and ‘Home Instead’ co-host the Tottenham Community Café, (also
known as “A Cup Full of Memories Cafe”) at the Tottenham Community Sports
Centre, 701–703 High Rd, London, N17 8AD on the 2nd & 4th Friday of every
month from 10:30am to 12:30 pm. It’s a dementia-friendly drop-in space for
refreshments and socializing. It’s free, donations welcome. (No reservations
required).
NHS Consultation – Have your say. (By Roslyn Byfield)
Integrated Care Boards have now operated for a few years, taking the place in
England of the former Clinical Commissioning Groups. They are the highest level
of authority within NHS England.
There have been frequent cuts to posts and organizational mergers and now we
have a giant ICB covering Barnet, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Enfield, Hammersmith
and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and
Chelsea, and Westminster. There’s long been a feeling that such organizations
operate in a rather high handed and opaque way. Campaigning bodies like Keep
our NHS Public have found it difficult to access minutes of meetings where
commissioning decisions were made.
Consulting with patients will be a compulsory duty for ICBs. West and North
London NHS is now asking for our views as to whether we wish to be involved and
to that end they have an online and a paper survey. There are copies in Wood
Green Library. You can request more at nclicb.communications@nhs.net
The Survey is titled: ‘Let’s talk: Health and Care starts with You’. Residents are
asked questions about what’s important about being involved and how they
would like to be involved. There’s a box asking: ‘What would make it easier for
you to share your experiences with NHS West and North London?’ You may know
that Haringey Keep our NHS Public are unhappy about the task of obtaining
feedback from such a large number of people resident in the boroughs covered.
(For example, only a certain number can be accommodated in their Zoom
exercise.)
Please can as many members as possible complete the survey? It can be accessed
on line via the link: https://www.westandnorthlondon.icb.nhs.uk/get-
involved/lets-talk-have-your-say-how-local-people-can-shape-nhs-decisions
Deadline for the NHS survey is 26 July.
Thinking about Downsizing?
Haringey Council is offering tenants looking to downsize a move to Wingspan
Walk, Tottenham Hale. The new build one and two-bedroomed flats offer
Passivhaus-standard energy efficiency; open-plan and accessible living and access
to communal gardens and private balconies. They are also convenient for the
retail and transport hub at Tottenham Hale. All this makes them an ideal option
for residents who are looking to reduce their running costs and plan their options
for later life.
The council has already registered 106 applications and will be marketing the flats
to tenants who are over 45 and known to be under-occupying their present
homes. The council has an Allocations Team to support tenants, arrange viewing
and potentially offer financial incentives.
Click on the council website below for more information and to download their
brochure. There’s also a video you can watch.
https://haringey.gov.uk/housing/council-tenants/moves/make-a-move-to-
wingspan-walk. Haringey’s Council customer service number is 0208 489 1000.
Haringey Bruce Castle Museum Events
Reminiscence Café: A Grand Day Out (14 July)
Curator’s Pick: Tottenham in Watercolour – Unlocking the World of Mary Webster
(16 July)
Munch & Listen: From Mansions to Monuments – Tottenham Park and the
Moated House (27 July)
Hear, Here Evening Walk: 700 Years of History in Bruce Castle Park (29 July)
Trips:
The Welcome Club is organising two more weekend trips:
- The Grand Hotel, Scarborough – Fri 18th to Mon 21st September, cost
£292 PER PERSON, limited single rooms, twin bedrooms, double-bed
bedrooms, - The Durley Dean, Bournemouth (Christmas themed) Fri 13th – Mon 16th
November. Cost is £298 PER PERSON .(bedrooms the same as above)
The costs of both trips include coach, breakfast, evening meal and
entertainment
Please get in touch with Beverley Samaroo if you are interested; 07930 108 355.
Tottenham Pensioners is also organising a few trips
- Worthing on Tuesday 21st July
- Southend on Tuesday 18th August
The cost of these is £20 each - Tinsel and Turkey weekend trip to Eastbourne; 20th to 23rd November.
The cost is £260 per person, staying at the Chadsworth Hotel. There’s even a
swimming pool. There are only double and twin rooms left. If you are
interested, please contact Jean Julian on 07961 103 028.
Activities
Coffee and Computers- Digital support and education
1st & 3rd Weds each month are at the Winkfield Centre, N22 5RP at 2.00pm
2nd & 4th Weds at Hornsey Library N8 9JA at 10.30am
Every Friday at St. Ann’s library, N15 5PU at 2.30pm: Booking essential
Cinema Club
The Cinema Club takes place on the first Thursday of the month at the Finsbury
Park PictureHouse. They usually start early afternoon. We choose the film from
the ones offered on the PictureHouse website about nine days before. It’s £9.99.
We usually have a chat about the film beforehand. Either James or Michele is
there to help if you need it. James always emails members a week before to let
them know what the film is.
Reminder – The cafe on Ducketts Common is now open from 7am to 7pm seven
days a week. The toilet is in the café is a public toilet. So, you don’t need to buy
anything to use it (but it’s probably a good idea to ask).
If you have any suggestions for the newsletter or for Forum meetings, please get
in touch with us on email info@ho50s.org.uk or 07915 477 009.
Keeping Fit/Wellbeing
Free Leisure and Gym Access:
If you are 65 or older, you can get a free membership at Haringey’s leisure
centers, which includes free gym and swim access on weekdays between 9am
and 5pm. You can sign up or check locations on the Haringey Older People Fitness
page. Participating facilities include Park Road Leisure Centre in N8 and
Tottenham Green Pools and Fitness Centre in N15.
Silverfit Sessions: This charity promotes happier, healthier aging through group
exercise and socializing. They host tailored sessions like Nordic walking,
badminton, and yoga designed specifically for over-45s and over-60s.
Haringey Wellbeing Walks: To get outside and meet new people, join free, guided
gentle walks across the borough. See https://haringey.gov.uk/streets-roads-
travel/travel/walking or speak to our chair, Rebecca.
Reach & Connect: This is a fantastic signposting and support service for local over
50s, designed to help you stay independent, connect with others, and learn new
things. See https://reachandconnect.net/ or call 020 3196 1905
Haringey Circle is Hosting a (third) Summer Daytime Disco on: Friday 24th July
2026 3:00pm – 6:00pm (approx.) at Gina’s, 639 High Rd, London N17 8AA
This is a great opportunity to meet fellow members, make new connections and
enjoy a fun, welcoming atmosphere. A donation of £7 is requested to help cover
some of the event costs (full details will be provided upon registration). We look
forward to seeing the dance floor full and welcoming as many members as
possible, and hopefully some new ones(!) for another unforgettable afternoon.
Register your interest on the Haringey Circle site and they’ll be in touch. You’ll
have to join Haringey Circle too, but it’s free.
As always, thank you to Russel at the Bridge Renewal Trust for printing the
newsletter for us and for Richard to putting it on our website.