Newsletters come out every two months, around the 10^th-12^th. 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 .

November to December 2024

Honorary President: Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey

November to December 2024
Pages 1-3: Forthcoming AGM and recent meetings
Pages 3-6: Events to Enjoy; How to join the Forum
Pages 7-8: Information; Carers’ Strategy Consultation; Preventing Falls
FORUM ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING; SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2-4 in
WOOD GREEN LIBRARY
(note not the usual place or day…it’s a Saturday; this is because Catherine
West MP is coming).
Just a reminder that your membership will have to be paid up to attend. You can
pay on the day if you are in arrears.
The first part of the meeting will hear reports on what we’ve achieved this year.
AND the all-important business of electing new officers and committee members.
James is stepping down as Chair and Anne is stepping down as Secretary.
Nominations are sought for new people as chair, secretary, treasurer and
committee members.
The second part of the meeting will be a Q and A with Catherine West about issues
of concern to older people. To make best use of the time, we will give priority to
questions e-mailed or texted to us in advance and group them according to topic.

FORUM MEETING SEPTEMBER 24
Sandra Bonner, Manager of Haringey Council’s adaptations team told us about the
process of applying for adaptations for things like ramps, stairlifts, wet rooms and
Disabled Facilities Grants. Sandra explained that although a huge backlog of
referrals had built up, during the past year, more surveyors had been taken on
which had a significant impact on the time taken for adaptations to be completed.
Sandra explained that any Haringey resident could apply for help with adaptations
and disabled facilities grants even if they are homeowner. She stayed for the rest of
the session to answer Forum members’ individual questions.
For help and support from the adaptations service
Email : OTduty@haringey.gov.uk Tel: 0208 489 1400

Tottenham Hotspurs Foundation- Joanna,Ida and Belvin joined us to undertake
health checks of members and a presentation on physical activity sessions they
deliver online and in person across the Borough. For more information and to sign
up for Physical activity sessions including Chair based exercises click here
 https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/the-club/foundation/community-
outreach/health-wellbeing 
Email:  foundation@tottenhamhotspur.com  Tel: 0208 365 5138

Mahmood from Fortuna Mobility Centre (Enfield), who sell Mobility Aids, arrived
with a selection of mobility scooters which members enjoyed learning about.
Fortuna  https://www.fortunamobility.com  Email: info@fortunabambach.com 
Tel: 020 8805 2020
FORUM MEETING OCTOBER 22,
We had an interesting session with Cheryl Smith from Citizen’s Advice to discuss
the new means test for the Winter Fuel Allowance and how to claim Pension Credit,
if you are eligible, in order to get the fuel allowance as well. As you’ll have heard on
the news, only people in receipt of Pension Credit will be able to get the winter fuel
allowance this winter. Cheryl and her colleagues can show people how to apply for
both. The deadline to apply for Pension Credit to qualify for the 2024 Winter Fuel
Payment is December 21, 2024. For help to apply, contact Haringey Advice
Partnership on 0808 278 7966. Then you can find out when and where they have a
drop-in session that suits you.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP – ASK JAMES TO PUT YOU ON. That way we
can all keep in touch easily between meetings and newsletters.

NEW MEMBERS and HOW TO JOIN
Great we are getting quite a few new people now. Please tell your friends they can
pay at meetings; there will be joining forms on the table as you come in, or you can
download from the web site, www.ho50s.org.uk, either print it and post it, or fill in
your details on computer and e-mail it to us at info@h050s.org.uk. The subscription
is £8 per calendar year. It runs from January to December.
Cash or cheques can be taken at meetings. Cheques please to the address on the
top of the first page – remember to put Haringey over 50s Forum, c/o Public
Voice on the envelope… Bank transfers to Haringey over 50s Forum, sort code 08
92 99, account no. 65525931. Standing orders are great; please make sure they
(and cheques) are going to Haringey over 50s Forum, not to the old name of
Haringey Forum for Older People.

October 2024** Inaugural meeting of the Haringey Older Peoples Alliance

Dear Colleague,You are warmly invited to attend the very first meeting of the Haringey Older Peoples Alliance (HOPA) which is scheduled to take place on Thursday 17th October 2024, Wood Green Library (2nd Floor, Lift Access) 187-197A High Road, Wood Green, London N22 6XD The aim of this important new initiative is to bring together representatives from local organisations who provide support & activities for Haringey residents over 50years of age to:Thing #Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey:  Our new Honorary PresidentWe’re honoured that Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey has accepted our invitation to be the
Forum’s Honorary President.  It’s more of a ceremonial position but hopefully, having Lola, as she
likes to be referred to, onboard will boost our profile in the borough.  We approached her a few
months after she came to talk at a Forum meeting about her life and her role in the House of
Lords.  We thought after that successful meeting, that we’d approach her about the position,  and
she accepted.  We may hear from her from time to time and perhaps she’ll come to another
meeting in the future. 
Here is her bio:
Former actor, professor of Cultural Studies, and Head of Culture at the Greater London Authority,
Baroness Lola Young has written and broadcast extensively on a wide range of cultural issues.
She has served on the Boards of several national cultural organisations including the National
Theatre and the Southbank Centre, as well serving as a Commissioner for Historic England.
Baroness Young has Chaired the Caine Prize for African writing, the Orange Prize for Women’s
Fiction, and the Man Booker Prize.
Awarded an OBE for services to Black British History in 2001, in 2004 Lola was appointed an
independent Crossbench member of the House of Lords where she has worked on legislation to
eliminate modern slavery, founded and Co-Chaired All Party Parliamentary Groups on Ethics and
Sustainability in Fashion, and Sport, Modern Slavery and Human Rights. Awards include lifetime
achievement awards for services to the promotion of racial equality, and services to the archival
sector; Drapers’ Sustainability Champion 2022, and honorary doctorates from the Universities of
Sussex, Middlesex and Nottingham, and the London College of Fashion. Lola is currently Co-
Chair of the Foundation for Future London, and Chancellor of the University of Nottingham.
Lola’s book, Eight Weeks, is coming out soon too. 
‘Eight Weeks is a deeply moving and inspiring memoir that tells the remarkable life story of
Baroness Young of Hornsey, from her childhood in foster care, to becoming one of the first Black
women in the House of Lords.’
If you’d like to order the book, you can use this link:-
Eight Weeks: Looking Back, Moving Forwards, Defying the Odds, by Baroness Lola Young | 28
Nov 2024
Kindle Edition £9.99  Print List Price: £18.99

EVENTS COMING UP
Greenwich by boat
Float down the Thames from the London Eye Pier to Greenwich with City Cruises for a day out at
Greenwich Market and the surrounding town where you can buy some last minute Christmas gifts
and have lunch at one of the pop up stalls.  Save the date:  Friday 6 December.  We will be
leaving London Eye Pier, it’s next to the London Wyte at 10:40am.  We’ll be to Greenwich at
noon.  If you miss the boat, the next one will be at 11:20am.  James is still looking at accessibility,
but the best way to get there would be on the Victoria line from Seven Sisters or Finsbury Park to
Oxford Street, then walk across the platform to the Bakerloo Line and get off at Waterloo Station. 
There is a lift at Waterloo where you can go from tube level to street level.  It’s less that a 10
minute walk from where the lift doors open.  The pier is accessible, as is getting onto the boat. 
The cost of the boat is around £15.40 one way.  If we have  more than 20 people, we’ll get a
discount.  You can choose to come back on the boat which means you’d need a return ticket or
come back via DLR to Bank Station and then beyond.  We’ll spend a couple of hours in
Greenwich and then make our way back to Haringey as a group or independently.  Let James
know if you’re interested.  Leave a message at info@ho50s.org.uk or 07915 477 009.

CAROL SERVICE IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY, MONDAY 23 DEC, 6-7PM
A group of us might go if enough are keen. You have to book, and they draw lots for tickets. See
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-events/advent-and-christmas/2024/december/lessons-
carols-abbey-2024/ for details. Contact James or Buki if you are intereste
CINEMA CLUB now on Thursdays
Hope to see you at an upcoming film at the Finsbury Park Picture House or the
Crouch End Picture House. They are now both on a Thursday, the first and third
each month. The next showing in Crouch End will be on Nov. 21. The name of the
film and the time will be out a week before the event. There will be a discussion
about the film, for about an hour, in the Community Room at the Picture House,
after each screening (lift access, members’ bar). The next showing in Finsbury
Park will be on Dec.5.
FORUM CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Last year we had one in Bracknell Close. This year we will have it in Palace Gates
sheltered housing scheme, Braemar Avenue, N22 7AR. It will be on Wednesday
11 December from 12.45 to 2.30. We will invite the residents to share the
occasion with us in return for letting us borrow their lovely common room. If you
would like to contribute some food, please contact Anne on info@ho50s.org.uk or
07915 477009 for menu coordination. Chicken would be especially welcome as
your vegetarian secretary won’t be cooking any, but also salads, soft drinks, fruit,
seasonal cake and desserts. There will be some vegetarian food as well. No
charge although donations welcome. RSVP if possible by email or text, so we
know how much food to provide.
COFFEE AND COMPUTERS
To join their sessions:
Please SIGN-UP for their newsletter to get all the details of upcoming sessions
delivered straight to your inbox.
To request 1-to-1 help: (for yourself or to refer someone else), please use form or
email, message or call them. For any other enquiries, you can message them via
the contact form, or alternatively…
Email: info@coffeecomputers.org
Phone the helpline: 07999 042497
Coffee and Computers now have a few devices to offer free with a SIM card to
people who are hard up and can’t otherwise get online.

SEE YOU AT THE AGM 23 NOVEMBER IN WOOD GREEN LIBRARY!
AFTER THAT, OUR CHRISTMAS LUNCH ON 11 DEC- SEE PAGE 4 AND RSVP!
AND HAVE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS AND A HEALTHY, HAPPY 2025!