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To download the latest newsletter as a pdf with pictures, click here .
July to August 2024 Pages 1-3: Forthcoming and recent meetings Pages 3-4: Events to Enjoy; How to join the Forum Pages 5-6: Information; ‘Carers First’, Benefits, health checks, ‘A Team’ cleaners and garden help Pages 7-8: Calendar of events for mid July to early September
FORUM JULY MEETING TUESDAY 23 JULY, 2PM
Like most of our meetings now this will be at the Epione Centre, corner of Wightman Road and Denmark Road, N8 0DZ. It’s a short walk from the 41/144 bus stop for Wightman Road. For step free access go about 20 feet past the main entrance in Denmark Road.
This month’s speaker: Charlotte Lewis from the Centre for Ageing Better, about Age Friendly Communities
Age Friendly Communities is a programme to improve services like housing, transport, care, community meeting places and public buildings, making them more accessible and inclusive for older people, which also helps people with disabilities of any age. Many local authorities have signed up to it and have measures in place to achieve these improvements. What’s involved and could Haringey become an Age Friendly borough? We have high hopes that this will happen. But it needs a lot of discussion amongst older people to work out what we would like the Council to do. We’ll also have plenty of time for tea and chat, and repeat the fund-raising sale which was popular last time. If you have items you want to find new homes for, please bring books, surplus jewellery, bric-a-brac …any small thing that weighs less than one kilo and could sell for up to £5, not more. If it’s not sold, it would be helpful if you could take it with you afterwards. Last time people went away with lots of useful stuff like notebooks, permanent coffee-bar ‘keep cups’, thermos flasks and more.
FORUM PICNIC; TUESDAY AUGUST 20TH, 2PM IN BRUCE CASTLE PARK
(not the 27th, because although that would be the 4th Tuesday it’s the day after the bank holiday, when you might be away.) Meet in the garden of the Pavilion Café – there’s an under-cover area if it rains, or we could go inside. Hopefully it will be great weather like the last two we had there in 2022 and 2021. The café offers tea, coffee, coke etc. and a few sweet bars and biscuits, but they have said they are happy for us to bring our own food. Bring things to share if you wish, but no obligation. This event is open to all over 50s whether members or not so do tell people and bring your friends.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP – ASK JAMES TO PUT YOU ON. That way we can all keep in touch easily between meetings and newsletters.
REPORT OF FORUM MEETING TUESDAY JUNE 25
Penny told us a bit about the services of Carers First. (See also page 5 for more details). They couldn’t send a speaker this time but hope to do so in the autumn. We had a discussion about who is a carer – the importance of recognising that you are a carer and how organisations like Carers First may have important information and support to offer. Carers can be family members, or friends or neighbours, or volunteers from an organisation – like the Silverline phone befriending service, or in other boroughs Age UK, or in some places the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS). It seems to be a gap in Haringey, although we recognised that the mutual aid groups that sprung up during the pandemic did great things and perhaps they could be revived. They were a way for neighbours to get together and help housebound and sick people with shopping, fetching prescriptions, sometimes cooking, friendly calls and chats, or just checking what they needed. People were interested in benefits for carers, like Carers Allowance and Attendance Allowance (see page 6). Carers First is a good place to go to find out what benefits are available and whether they will in fact make you better off because of the rules about how different benefits and earnings, if someone has any, interact.
Then we discussed the Older People’s Reference Group (OPRG), which several Forum members have been attending. This is a sub-group of the Joint Partnership Board for Adult Services, which feeds back information and views from users of adult social services to the Council and the NHS. It also discusses lots of other council services; for example it gets consulted about parks, low traffic neighbourhoods, the home library service, sheltered housing and many other things. The NHS people sometimes attend meetings to tell us about things they are doing, like a new initiative to prevent older people having falls, and the new diagnostics centre in Wood Green. Forum members suggested several topics they want the OPRG to look at or give updates about, which Anne will take back to the group. These were:-
- Information about benefits (see page 6)
- Community transport – special minibus services for people with mobility problems, soon to be piloted by Disability Action Haringey
- Charges for social care – why are they much more than what the carer actually gets?
- Downsizing from big homes to
- Information about benefits (see page 6)
- Community transport – special minibus services for people with mobility problems, soon to be piloted by Disability Action Haringey
- Charges for social care – why are they much more than what the carer actually gets?
- Downsizing from big homes to smaller more manageable ones, and how to get into sheltered housing if you are a home owner
- Handyman services like Circle used to provide (see also the bit about the A Team on page 5)
It was suggested we should put some of these issues to the Council’s Scrutiny Panel on Health and Social Care too.
Finally we had a sale of bric-a-brac and various useful items that some members had brought along, and raised over £41 for the Forum’s funds. Thanks to Nimet for organising this.
REPORT OF FORUM MEETING TUESDAY MAY 28
Joyce Rosser’s talk on ‘Tottenham: Heritage and Change’ was very interesting and informative. Joyce spoke for close to an hour about the historical aspects of Tottenham including how the architects of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium incorporated some older buildings that could have been abolished into the new complex. It took time for that to happen, though, as the first plan of a new stadium didn’t go forward. She also spoke about a few of the buildings on the High Road including the landmark Carpetright store that was burnt down in the riots in 2011. The building, which was built in the 1930s as a Cooperative department store, was rebuilt and re-opened in 2014. And an interesting new building – the new White Hart Lane station; see page 7.
Healthy Ageing opportunity
Tricia Tay from the Healthy Ageing Team at Imperial College came to talk to us about a study she has been doing about technology and older people. Tricia was looking for volunteers to be interviewed and maybe try out some tech. We hope some of you got involved. James asked Tricia to tell us about the results in due course.
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… Bank transfers to Haringey over 50s Forum, sort code 08 92 99, account no. 65525931. Standing orders are great; please make sure it’s going to Haringey over 50s Forum not to the old name of Haringey Forum for Older People.
EVENTS COMING UP
Theatre outing
Nye comes to Crouch End on July 30. The celebrated play about the founder of the NHS, Nye Bevan, had a long run at the National Theatre and recordings are now being streamed at cinemas. It comes to the Art House Cinema in Crouch End on Tuesday July 30 at 7.30pm. There are still a couple of dozen seats left at £17.50 for over 65s, £20 for younger people. Want to go with other Forum members? James has already booked. Contact each other on our Whatsapp group or team up with people at the meeting on July 23.
Don’t miss this excellent production which tells the story in a very personal account of Nye Bevan’s life through his bullied schooldays, his delight in a new public library, his amusing courtship of his wife, the trauma of his father dying of miner’s lung disease, and Nye’s own experiences as he neared his end in one of the hospitals his new service made accessible to anyone. Streamed theatre through film is a great way to see a play as if you were in a very expensive front seat! And you don’t even have to travel far. To book go to:-
https://www.arthousecrouchend.co.uk/streamed-theatre or phone 0208 245 3099
New: Cinema Club at Crouch End Picture House;
The Cinema Club at the Crouch End Picture House will go ahead this month on Thursday 25 July. 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 August meeting will be on Thursday 22 August.
Like the club at the Finsbury Park Picture House, which continues but now on the first Thursday of each month, times will vary and the film will be announced about a week before the screening. Get onto James’ list to be told about it each month.
Finsbury Park cinema club now on Thursdays
The day of the week got changed because the meeting room is now closed on Tuesdays. So your cinema clubs are now both on Thursdays, but it’s Finsbury Park for the first Thursday each month and Crouch End for the fourth Thursday.
Wolves Lane Centre visit
The old council plant nursery with several greenhouses in Wolves Lane, is now run by the voluntary sector, mainly for food growing. It still has the historic Palm House dating from the 1960s – you might call it Wood Green’s mini-Kew Gardens. On Fridays and Sundays it’s open to the public and they serve a nice vegan lunch, tea and cakes as well. We’re thinking to plan an outing there, possibly 30 August or 1 September. Will be announced on Whatsapp and by e-mail in due course.
Group walks
Lots of sociable organised walks; take your pick of Alexandra Palace, Priory Park, Lordship Rec, Downhills Park, or Tottenham Marshes. Various times, days and meeting points are listed on the Council web site – go to https://new.haringey.gov.uk/events , then choose ‘nature and wildlife’ in the list on the left of the page.
Heritage Walks With Spurs
FOR CARERS AND THOSE THEY CARE FOR. Friends and family welcome. Wednesday 7 August and Wednesday 4 September, 1.30pm-2.30pm.Drop in and join us on a walk bringing centuries of Tottenham’s rich and untold history to life, from its listed buildings to the people of its past and present, as well as the
influence of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Meet at Percy House, 796 High Road, N17 0HD.
Call Joanna Yeung on 07884 186753 or email joanna.yeung@tottenhamhotspur.com to ask her to expect you and confirm any last minute information.
Creative writing workshop
The last Wednesday of every month at 11 am, at the Northumberland Park Resource Centre, 117 Park Lane, N17 0HJ. Phone 07934 654487 or 020 8489 2458.
Wellbeing day for women
Every Wednesday at the Northumberland Park Resource Centre, 117 Park Lane, N17 0HJ. A whole-day event including breakfast from 8 or 9, wellbeing coaching, exercise, lunch, sewing, health talks, lunch, advice and one to one counselling. Contact; 07917 956536 | 07944 003495. Email: womenwithavoice912@gmail.com
Lots more regular events in the Calendar on pages 7 and 8.
Haringey Circle is now free
Haringey Circle has abolished its subscription charge, having become a charity, and is gradually re-launching its social programme. Contact 020 3196 1894 or hello@haringeycircle.com to join up for free. No handyperson service now, unfortunately. But for that try:-
The A Team – cleaning and basic garden maintenance at affordable prices
This is a Haringey based social enterprise who primarily provide services to Adult Social Care clients but also offer handyman services to Haringey residents at reasonable rates under the supervision of the A Team project manager, Clarendon Centre, Clarendon Road N8. Tel. 020 8489 4860 or 07817 184731. They also do light removals, helpful if you are shifting a sofa or a big table from one address to another. Reliable tradespeople can also be found through the Age UK database. Phone Age UK during office hours for assistance with your search on 0800 334 5056
Carers First – what does it offer?
- Wellbeing and social sessions for carers; yoga, pilates, walking and dance groups, also art, poetry, cookery. Some activities are online so you don’t have to go out.
- Emergency planning packs, to help you plan how you and the person you care for would cope if you fell ill
- Training and information for carers; carers rights, carers’ assessments and other help available locally; first aid and manual handling (for example how to help a wheelchair user)
- Advice about benefits and grants for carers, as well as Wills and Power of Attorney
- Peer support groups; workshops, day trips, walks, sports and carer-led meetups to help you connect with other carers.
How to look after yourself and find time for yourself. And more…. See their web site on https://www.carersfirst.org.uk/haringey/how-we-help/
It’s all free! National helpline is 0300 303 1555, where you can contact staff based in Haringey. There’s also a form on the web site where you can e-mail the local group.
Benefits for carers and people who need care
There are two benefits of particular interest here: Carer’s Allowance and Attendance Allowance.
The Forum recommends that members ask for advice from trained benefits advisors about either of these.
Call Carers First about Carer’s Allowance. Phone 0300 303 1555, where you can contact staff based in Haringey. There’s also a form on the web site where you can e-mail the local group.
Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability severe enough that you need someone to help look after you. For information, advice and support with the very complex form, you can contact Disability Action Haringey (https://www.d-a-h.org/index.php/about/what-we-do ).Phone them on 0203 355 0071 to make an appointment (an adviser will call you back or arrange to visit you). You can also contact Citizens Advice Haringey for assistance on 0808 278 7966, though there are currently long wait times.
FREE NHS Health Check from Tottenham Hotspur Foundation
The check covers your blood pressure, cholesterol, risks of diabetes and body mass index. You have to be a Haringey resident or registered with a Haringey GP, under 74, and not so far diagnosed with Heart Disease, Diabetes, High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure, Atrial Fibrillation or Chronic Kidney Disease.
The health check takes no more than 15 minutes to complete. You get the results instantly! Venues are:-
Monday – Tottenham Community Sports Centre, N17, 10.30 to 3.30
Wednesday – Wood Green Library, N22, 10.30 to 3.30
Priority is given to those booked in advance, although walk-in welcome. Please book a time, or check on the day; https://oneyouharingey.org/check-yourself
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Tottenham does have some nice new buildings – Joyce Rosser’s talk in May included this example; the new White Hart Lane station.