Newsletters come out every two months, around the 10th-12th. Members expecting postal copies will receive them within a few days afterwards. E-mails go out sooner. It’s very helpful if you can tell us your e-mail address, if you have one, so that we can save postage.
Members’ contributions to the newsletter are welcome – photos, news about events and classes you like to go to, poems or stories. Please contact info@ho50s.org.uk or leave a message on 07915 477009 to discuss what you would like to offer. We can also accept announcements from other organisations (e.g. NHS, TfL, council departments) with relevant services to offer or consultations they want to publicise. For commercial advertising, we’ll ask for a modest contribution to our costs.
To download the latest newsletter as a pdf with pictures, click here .
Honorary President: Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey
September and October 2025
Pages 1-3: Forthcoming meetings and recap of July/August meetings.
Pages 3- 4: Upcoming Events, including Age Well Festival 2025 and Trips
Pages 5-8: News, Activities and Appeal to Members for help with running the
Forum
The Next Meeting is on Thursday September 25th
2.00pm – 4.00pm at the Winkfield Centre, 33 Winkfield Road, N22 5RP.
Venue is near W3 and 243 bus routes; turning off Lordship Lane between the
Crown Court and Tesco. Please try to arrive punctually to avoid delaying the start.
Doors open from 1.45.
Representatives from The Met Police will be attending to discuss how to keep
ourselves as safe as possible on the streets including how to avoid getting our
mobile phones and other personal property stolen. Haringey Circle will also be
there to tell you more out what it does and to sign members up. IT’S FREE.
Thursday October 23rd Meeting 2.00- 4.00pm at the Winkfield Centre. Jo Baty, the Director of Adult Social Care in Haringey, will be at the meeting to
discuss adult social care in our area and how it could be improved.
November AGM
This will be at Wood Green Library on Saturday 29th November from 1.30-
4.30pm. Our Honorary President Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey will be
attending. Please arrive early to try and avoid disturbing the meeting. We will be
asking Baroness Lola about any discussions in The Lords impacting particularly on
Older People and there will be time for questions.
Address: c/o Public Voice, Tottenham Town Hall,
Town Hall Approach Road, London, N15 4RX
Web site: www.ho50s.org.uk/
Email info@ho50s.org.uk Tel. 07915 477009
We will also be discussing our URGENT need for new committee members and for
others who are able to take on any active participatory role in supporting the
Forum’s work. Details of the individual roles are below on page 7. Please
consider whether you can
Raffle
We plan to continue with the raffle at each monthly meeting to boost our funds.
Members are encouraged to bring little things to meetings as prizes – like non-
perishable food, an ornament, a book or a small houseplant. But nothing of
greater value than around £3 – that would require a special occasion which we
might do just every now and then. We sell tickets at £1 each. We’re also looking
for volunteers to go round the meeting selling the tickets.
Report of July Meeting: Thursday 24th July at the Winkfield Centre
We discussed members’ concerns about social care and how to communicate
them to the Council. Anne Gray and Lourdes Keaver also discussed their
experiences of the Joint Partnership Board and how it is changing. Natasha Benn,
who is likely to be the new chair of the Joint Partnership Board from the autumn,
was there. She took note of the issues we would like to see raised and addressed,
and promised to spearhead attention to them within future JPB agendas.
The list included; long waiting lists to get assessed and start getting care, rushed
visits by homecare workers, lack of continuity with frequent changes of
staff, difficulty getting onto personal budgets so you can organise and direct your
own care, a shortage of social workers, and not enough help with cleaning and
DIY. These last two things are really outside what social care does at least under
present highly rationed conditions. But they are a pressing need for lots of
people. We also raised some housing issues: sheltered housing doesn’t have
enough support, extra-care residences are very expensive for self-funders and
aren’t really extra care, there is no local sheltered housing for owner occupiers,
and there are long waits for disabled adaptations.
The Joint Partnership Board (JPB) is the working group where users meet with
Council and NHS officers to share information and provide user feedback. The
Older People’s Reference Group, which several Forum members attend, feeds
into it. There is also a Carers’ Reference Group and others for autism, physical
disabilities, and learning disabilities.
Report of 21st August Picnic at Bruce Castle Pavilion
As many as 30 people turned out for our annual picnic this year on Aug 21. The
sun came out! There was some 50s, 60s and 70s music, laughter and a sneaky
bottle of wine and homemade spirits.
Highlights were Veronica’s Jollof and James’ amazing
chicken wings. Thanks to Sapphire, the manager of the Bruce Castle
Pavilion, who hosted us and provided some cakes. We
stayed for three hours! Let’s do it again next year.
Outing to William Morris Gallery, by Cherry McAskill
A few of us visited the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow on the edge of
Lloyd Park on 31st July.
The gallery is dedicated to William Morris’s life and works. He was a complex man
as the various exhibits and artifacts on display showed. A socialist agitator,
environmentalist before his time but also a successful designer, business owner,
publisher and writer.
William Morris designs are everywhere including on tea pots, notebooks, bed
linen, wallpaper, curtains, crockery, and inevitably, tea towels. The museum café
has dozens of the tea towels pegged on lines across the seating area on display
above your head and the first-floor family and seating area has a collection of
WM design umbrellas hanging from the ceiling.
William Morris had a basic philosophy of useful, beautiful objects available for all.
I’m not sure how he would have felt seeing the Dr Marten boots adorned with his
floral pattern!
Highlights were Veronica’s
Jollof and James’ amazing
chicken wings.
Thanks to Sapphire, the
manager of the Bruce Castle
Pavilion, who hosted us and
provided some cakes. We
stayed for three hours! Let’s
do it again next year.
Also: a shout out to Edward Lloyd- who lived in the house from 1856. Edward
Lloyd’s heirs gave part of the 100-acre estate to the people of Walthamstow in
1898, and it was opened as Lloyd Park in 1900. Edward Lloyd was a printer and
publisher he published the so called ‘penny dreadfuls’ and later newspapers.
A BIG thank you to Anne Gray for organising and leading the visit. If this inspires
you to visit yourself the gallery is FREE admission and on the 123-bus route.
Upcoming Events
Age Well Festival, Saturday 20th September
Let’s hope this one will be as good, or better, than last year. Come to Bruce Castle
Park on Saturday 20th September between 12 and 5. Or if you want to join the
‘purple parade’ in which we all dress up in fancy, mainly purple clothes and walk
or wheel ourselves around in a parade, come for 11.00 am. Last year, several
members were very creative with their headgear and outfits and it made a great
impression on the crowd.
The aim of the festival is to have fun, show off the talents and creativity of our
generation and remind the public of all the things we do for the community.
There will be music, food, places to chill out on comfy chairs, games to play, stalls
to buy crafts, plants, cakes etc.
Anne and Rajes will set up a ‘writers’ corner’ where people show off their writing,
whether fiction, non-fiction or poetry, maybe sell our books or read bits from
them. If anyone is interested, please drop an email to info@ho50s.org.uk, leave a
message on 07915 477 009 or contact her via the Forum’s Whatsapp group. It’s
jointly with U3A who will run a writers’ workshop.
Reach and Connect are also looking for volunteers – if you would like to offer,
e-mail Ashley Grey at ashley@reachandconnect.net or call 0203 196 1905.
Rebecca’s walking group. Meet on Wednesdays or Fridays at 10:30am (for
10:45am) at the main entrance of Bruce Castle Park on Lordship Lane.
Trips
The Welcome Club has still got places on two weekend trips………..
September 19/22 – Isle of Wight. £290 per person, double room -places still
available as at 3.9.25
November 14/17 – Bournemouth. £300 per person, double room
Contact Jean Brown on 07759 331 953 or Beverley Samaroo on 07930 108 355.
The Tottenham Pensioners Action Group is also still booking for a one-day outing
on Tuesday September 16th to Clacton On Sea. Tickets are £20. Contact Jean
Julien on 07961 103 028. If you book, Jean will give you the pick up and drop off
details.
Kew Gardens 2026
After the success of Rebecca’s May walking trip to Kew Gardens this year, the
Forum will look to book tickets for next year. We can apply for them in January
2026 for a May date. We’ll keep you posted. For less mobile people, there’s a
tram to take you round.
Phone theft on the rise, by James Cowling
In 2024 more than 116,000 mobile phones were stolen in London. That’s 320 a
day or 13 an hour. The number of people caught was only 169. In Haringey, one
of the hot spots is Tottenham Hale bus station. I was there a few months ago, got
my phone out while waiting for the bus and started to Google something. Within
about 10 secs, two people told me not to be doing that. They said that people
ride by on bikes, grab your phone, and ride off. So, be careful whenever you take
your phone out. Here are a few things to do to keep your phones safe:-
1) Protect sensitive data and apps with unique and different passwords
2) Set up 2-step verification on all your devices and ensure personal details like
passwords are not kept in unencrypted notes.
3) Tell your network provider straight away if your phone is stolen. They then can
blacklist it and deactivate it remotely.
4) If you’ve lost money or provided your financial information to someone, notify
your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or
by calling 0300 123 2040.
5) Most smartphones and tablets can be remotely locked and tracked.
Here a link to the latest story on phone theft:-
www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/mobile-phone-theft-london-met-police-
b1244212.html
Charges for Concession Oyster photocards -introduced 22nd July 2025
The application fee for the 60+ London Oyster card increased from £20 to £35. In
addition, the fee for the annual eligibility check, increased from £10 to £18. There
are no changes to the fees associated with the Freedom Pass which is managed
by London Councils. For more information on travel concessions in London call
0343 222 1234 or visit https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel.
THE HARINGEY CIRCLE IS FREE (AND EASY!) TO JOIN: Please sign up.
Lots of great activities and events are provided by Haringey Circle, a group for
the over 50s (and over 18s disabled) in Haringey.
Examples of FREE activities are……
Creative writing course; Fridays starting 19.9.25 (online)
Alexander Technique with Tanya – 5 week course from 9.12.25 – 6.10.25 at Hill
Dene Court. First session free, £5 each time for the rest.
As well as: Line Dancing with Carol on Wednesdays at Hub Community Centre,
Caxton Road, Nordic Walking at Bruce Castle Park Café on Mondays 11.00 am-
1.30pm, Spanish Classes on Tuesdays 5-6pm, Quiz nights Online and Sunday walks
in Nature – all Free to Members (there’s also a dining group where you pay the
restaurant).
It’s easy to join via their website: www.haringeycircle.com or contact them (on
office hours) on 020 3196 1894, email: hello@haringeycircle.com
Admiral Nurse Clinics
Admiral Nurse Clinics are a partnership between Nationwide and Dementia UK,
offering people a 45-minute appointment with a dementia specialist nurse in
their branches. Appointments can also be booked by relatives and carers (you
don’t need to be a Nationwide customer) by texting APPOINTMENT to 0747 872
4000.
The Memory Café
This takes place on the second Friday of every month from 1-3pm at Hilldene
Court, 11 Alexandra Park Road, Muswell Hill, N10 2DB. It offers a relaxed,
comfortable social gathering for people experiencing memory loss and their loved
ones and carers to connect, socialize over tea, Arts and Crafts and games.
For more information contact: Eveleen.Hill@Haringey.gov.uk; 0208 444 0944
Time to Dance: Candy Fernandes’ Pensioner’s Dance Class
Dance to some great music from the 50s, 60s and 70s! Candy teaches Ballroom,
Salsa, Kizomba, Rumba, line dancing, among others, to improve health and
wellbeing for older people. Sessions, cost £5 a time, are every Friday 2pm to 3pm
at Hornsey Vale Community Centre, 60 Mayfield Rd, London N8 9LP. The W5 bus
goes there. No dance experience is required.
For more information call Candy at 07961 044 079 or email her at
goancentre23@gmail.com.
Swing Dance Classes Thursdays at 7.00pm at the Langham Club, 600 Green
Lanes, N8 0RY. £10. All ages welcome. NO PARTNER NEEDED
NEW VOLUNTEERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS WANTED – URGENT
James, currently Vice-Chair (but he does a lot more as well) is standing back from
the committee as he has been in post ever since re-starting the forum in 2016-17.
Anne likewise needs a break from the treasurer work and the many tasks which
she and James have been covering since Penny resigned as secretary.
We badly need new people to fill both the secretary’s and treasurer’s posts.
It would also be good to have more candidates coming forward for Chair, Vice-
Chair, and the newsletter group. And please can anyone find us a new volunteer
to help update the web site?
Individual Roles:-
Treasurer involves keeping accounts of subcriptions, donations and expenses,
paying bills for room hire, web services and a few other small things, and most
importantly keeping the membership list on EXCEL with a record of who has paid
their sub and members’ contact details. It also involves making, and keeping up to
date, mailmerge address labels for people who need a paper mailing. As list
keeper, s/he e-mails the newsletter to members who get it that way.
Chair and Vice-Chair share responsibility for leading monthly meetings, greeting
and introducing speakers, arranging speakers, arranging room hire, arranging and
leading committee meetings, checking and chasing follow-up actions, all of which
make it very important to read the group e-mails and whatsapp texts several
times a week and send lots of messages. They may also need to represent the
Forum at wider meetings, for example the Greater London Forum for Older
People and the Haringey Voluntary Sector Forum
Secretary is also much involved in reading and sending messages and
representing the Forum at external meetings. S/he takes minutes at meetings and
writes reports of them for the newsletter, emails members some ‘stop press’
items between newsletters about meetings or consultations, events and outings
that come up, and prepares content for the web site.
We also need:
A volunteer to help with web site updating. The current webmaster will help
someone learn but may be working abroad soon
One or two people to help compile, type and lay out newsletters which go out
once every 2 months, as an 8 page Word/pdf document. Much of the content
(text and occasionally photos) is supplied by other committee members and by
organisations that send us news about events and consultations they wish to
publicise. So this is not mainly a creative writing task, more about typing and
layout. Currently the newsletter is in the care of Dorothy, Clara, and still a bit
from Anne and James. It would be good to have more people to help keep it
going smoothly.
A raffle organiser (Beverley has kindly offered to do this for the rest of 2025).
People to represent the Forum on the Older People’s Reference Group, the Joint
Partnership Board & the Age Well Board. The first two meet every 6 weeks (you
can attend in person or online) and the Age Well Board monthly (always online).
Finally….
If you have any ideas for the Forum, please get in touch. And if you need some
advice – we’ll try to point you in the right direction. We’re always happy to help
when we can. You can join our whatsapp group for daily chat about events and
other useful information for the over-50s. Text 07915 477009 to ask to join.
We like to take the opportunity to wish all those members with birthdays in
September and October a very happy birthday.