Our regular committee meetings are now held face-to-face and in June we welcomed two new members to the team as well as visitors from Stonewater UK, Calderdale Dementia Hub and the Upper Valley Social Work team to discuss the work of the Forum, the issues affecting the over 50s in Calderdale and how we might respond to these through the information and advice on our website.
We would like to see more Calderdale residents at our meetings and if you are interested in getting involved then you are warmly invited to join us on Tuesday 23rd August at 10.30am at Copley Mill House, Copley HX3 0UY. If you're interested in helping to improve Calderdale for older people, why not come along and have your say!
Award For Memory Lane Cafe Stalwart Memory Lane Cafe Calderdale’s June Harvey has been named as one of 490 Platinum Jubilee Champions by the Royal Voluntary Service. June was one of 70 people who were selected to be invited to attend the Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace followed by the Big Jubilee Lunch with the Duchess of Cornwall at The Oval.
Older Person’s Information Fairs Calderdale Forum 50 Plus attended a free older person's information event, organised by Craig Whittaker MP on Friday 10th June at the Central Methodist Church in Brighouse. There were 80 stalls and a great turn-out as local people came to find out more about what's on offer for older people in Calderdale. The next event takes place on Friday 14th October at Todmorden Town Hall.
Find out more about volunteering in Calderdale Many people over the age of 50 or in the early stages of retirement decide to volunteer. It can be a hugely valuable and rewarding experience for the volunteers and the communities they support and there are plenty of opportunities available in Calderdale. We have now created a new Volunteering page on our website to help you connect with local charities and find opportunities to suit you.
Latest news from Calderdale Council Highlights from Calderdale Council's latest newsletter are on our website including an update on the plans to improve Halifax Railway Station, the Countryside volunteers Growing Sphagnum Moss project to help restore our moorlands and plans to transform travel in Todmorden.
Carers’ "Message in a Bottle” Initiative Health leaders in West Yorkshire are encouraging unpaid carers to make contingency plans for the person they look after in the event of an emergency. ‘Message in a Bottle’ is a simple and effective way for people to share their basic personal and medical details, including contingency planning for caring responsibilities, in an emergency. This written information is kept in a bottle in a common location in the home – the fridge.
More entries on our "In Touch" listings pages Our "In Touch" pages continue to grow with even more events added in June. If you haven't checked these pages for a while you won't know we have now divided the event listings into 3 categories - Friendship & Social Clubs, Health, Wellbeing & Fitness classes and Hobby & Special Interest Groups to help you find what your looking for. See more details below and you can also download and print the Home Instead What's On Where Guide from our website.
Fitness for the Over 50s – from 7th July in Elland A new fun and sociable 45 min class starts at the Bankfield Social Club on Thursdays at 10.15am. Low impact, nice and easy aerobics with strength building, flexibility and a stretching set to an uplifting soundtrack from the 60s, 70s & 80s. £5 per session
To find out more call Vicky on 07817 861290.
Mytholmroyd Community Centre Over 45’s Walking Football At Mytholmroyd Community Centre you can now enjoy Over 45’s Walking Football – a slower version of the beautiful game. All you need is a pair of trainers, a bottle of water and maybe your favourite footie top.
A Table Tennis group has started on Tuesdays at 10am to 12pm at Todmorden Learning Centre and Community Hub, Burnley Road. All are welcome and bats and balls are available to use. The cost is £5 or £2.50 for concessions.
Free activity classes for people 75 and over in Calderdale If you are aged 75 or over and would like to connect with other older people and take part in activities such as tai chi, chair yoga, dance or light exercise then you can now register for some new activity groups, launching across West Yorkshire through the Re-engage charity. Face-to-face classes have started in Heptonstall and more locations are coming soon.
Jubilee Quiz for all the family If you enjoyed celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, then you might like to have a go at our new Queen's Jubilee Quiz. From easy questions for all the family to some more obscure questions – there is something for everyone, courtesy of homecare provider Home Instead Calderdale.
Health & Wellbeing Hub pages updated We have now updated our Health & Wellbeing pages to provide you with more essential links to the information you need as we continue to live with Covid-19 and in response to the continued pressure on our health services. Included is a link to Healthwatch Calderdale, a voluntary organisation that gathers and represents the views of people living or using services in Calderdale. If you have concerns about the service you are receiving from local healthcare providers, then they want to hear from you.
Accessing NHS Services? We have also updated our guide to accessing NHS services with advice on how to get a GP appointment, what to do if you have a long wait or need to access a GP on behalf of someone else and where to go if you are unhappy with the service you are receiving.
Lift someone out of loneliness During this year’s Loneliness Awareness week which took place from 13-17th June, the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport encouraged people to ‘Lift someone out of loneliness‘ as part of the Better Health: Every Mind Matters campaign. The supporting website has advice for ways to help yourself or others who may be feeling lonely and suggested support routes.
Free Mental Health Support VitaMinds is a talking therapy service designed to support individuals by providing the tools needed to get things back on track. It’s a free service. They offer a range of short-term psychological therapies to adults 18-years and over, who live and are registered with a GP in Calderdale.
Introducing Calderdale Dementia Hub The Calderdale Dementia Hub is a partnership between Community Links and Age UK Calderdale & Kirklees and offers an information and advice service for anyone of any age diagnosed with dementia, and their friends, family and carers. If you need support, full contact details are on our website.
It’s a 10 from Len on ‘Pension Credit – Day of Action’ Former Strictly Come Dancing Judge Len Goodman and Minister for Pensions Guy Opperman joined forces in the ballroom in a video to help promote Pension Credit. Wednesday 15 June was the second annual Day of Action, with the aim of encouraging pensioners to check their eligibility for Pension Credit and claim.
Need help to apply for the Council Tax energy rebate? Anyone who doesn’t pay their council tax through direct debit will need to apply for their £150 rebate through the council website here.
Find the best savings rates for your money With interest rates now at 1.25%, the highest level since 2009, you may be looking for a better way to invest your hard-earned cash savings. The Bank of England increased the base rate on 5 May 2022, and since then, some banks have started to increase their savings rates. The Money Edit website has some recommendations.
Funding for Calderdale Forum 50 Plus Thanks to recent funding from Community Foundation for Calderdale and Calderdale Council, we are adding more essential information, advice and guidance for you and your families to our website and working with the Council to help develop more age-friendly policies across Calderdale. If you like what we do, then please share our newsletter or social media posts so more over 50s in Calderdale or join our 50-Plus Insight Panel and tell us your views on life in Calderdale as an older person.
The Community Foundation for Calderdale supports charities and voluntary groups across Calderdale, working alongside these groups to address inequalities and create opportunities for those who need them the most.
