Advantage Issue 50

Advantage

photo: PRIME performing at Luminate 2016 © Brian Hartley

Age Scotland’s magazine: autumn 2017, issue 50

LUMINATE IS BACK FOR 2017!

New project in the Highlands p9 Our biggest Big Knit ever! p16 Funding for Men’s Shed p18

WILLS • POWERS OF ATTORNEY • LIVING WILLS • GUARDIANSHIPS AFTER A DEATH • TRUSTS • EQUITY RELEASE • LEGAL AID

looking after generations We’re dedicated to providing legal services for the elderly and vulnerable, with Legal Aid where possible, so that they and their families are prepared for the future by having their legal affairs in order.

CALL 0800 152 2037

www.solicitorsforolderpeoplescotland.co.uk All our members are regulated by The Law Society of Scotland

foreword

Contents P4

Supporting Veterans in Scotland

P8

Age Scotland Enterprise

P10 Inspiring News P14 Luminate is back!

P16 Get Involved P18 Update from Men’s Sheds P20 Going Local P22 Supporting Age Scotland

Keith Robson, Chief Executive

Hello,

Advantage is the Age Scotland magazine that provides information, inspiration and ideas to empower Scotland’s older people, their friends, families and carers.

If you have news, events or issues that you would like Advantage to cover, please get in touch. We would also welcome ideas on how we might improve the magazine.

Email:

advantage@agescotland.org.uk

Telephone: 0333 323 2400 Write to:

Advantage, Age Scotland Causewayside House 160 Causewayside Edinburgh EH9 1PR

ISSN 1747-4515 Advantage is part funded by a grant from the Scottish Government.

Age Scotland aims to ensure information is accurate at time of production and cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions, or for the content of any third party advertisements.

Age Scotland, part of the Age Network, is an independent charity dedicated to improving the later lives of everyone on the ageing journey, within a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in Scotland. Registration Number: 153343 Charity Number SC010100. Registered Office: Causewayside House, 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1PR.

Welcome to the 50th edition of Advantage magazine! We’re delighted to have reached this milestone and to be continuing to bring you stories of the fantastic work happening across the country by and for older people.

In this edition we bring you exciting news about upcoming projects, stories from some inspiring individuals, and updates from the teams at Age Scotland on how we are working to ensure everyone can love later life. You’ll also notice this edition comes with a brochure for Luminate – Scotland’s creative ageing festival – which kicks off in October.

It’s a fantastic festival exploring creativity as we age and I’d encourage you to get involved. I went to see the elder dance group 24 Carat Gold perform last year at Dance Base in Edinburgh and thoroughly enjoyed myself!

We’d love to know what you think about the magazine. If you have any projects, stories or campaigns you’d like us to help showcase, you can get in touch with the team behind Advantage by either writing to us at 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh, EH9 1PR, or emailing advantage@agescotland.org.uk.

Best wishes

Keith Robson

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news

SUPPORT FOR OLDER VETERANS Age Scotland is proud to be a partner in Poppy Scotland’s Unforgotten Forces portfolio. We will be working with partners including Action on Hearing Loss Scotland, Care and Repair Scotland, Citizens Advice Scotland, Defence Medical Welfare Service, Erskine, Fares4Free, Legion Scotland, Luminate, Music in Hospitals Scotland, Poppy Scotland, Scottish Older People’s Assembly, Scottish War Blinded and the University of West of Scotland.

The portfolio is funded by the HM Treasury grantgiving body funded from Libor banking fines. The fund’s aim is to promote health and wellbeing for veterans aged over 65 and their dependants.

So what will the project involve?

• We will be working with our member groups to increase awareness of older veterans’ rights and issues • Supporting veterans who may be isolated to access services, support and good company in Age Scotland member groups and promoting networking among member groups which involve veterans • Increased support for veterans from the Age Scotland helpline and referrals to agencies which provide specialist services such as the Citizens Advice Scotland Armed services advice project • Developing new information resources about services for older veterans

Around 1 in 10 people aged 65 or over in Scotland are veterans or veterans’ dependants; this includes a large cohort of older people who were required to do national service who do not necessarily view themselves as veterans. Age Scotland already works with many veterans, through our helpline, Men’s Sheds, walking football and our member groups.

This project funding will enable us to identify and better meet their needs.

• Digital inclusion help for older veterans

Most project staff will be based in our Edinburgh office, but we also have a new Veterans community development post which will be based in the north of Scotland.

Through this project we hope to achieve:

more information: If you would like to find out more about the Veterans Project, please contact the Age Scotland switchboard on 0333 32 32 400 or email veteransproject@agescotland.org.uk

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• Increasing awareness of the policy issues which impact on older veterans’ lives • Training for Age Scotland staff and volunteers.

Desired outcomes for older veterans and their families • Greater understanding of their rights, accessing financial and other support they are entitled to • More engagement in community activities that reduce isolation and support health and wellbeing • Services and organisations supporting older people will be better equiped to deal with specific needs of older veterans • Older veterans’ issues will be better represented in the media and with policy makers and service providers.

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Graham Reece shares his experience as an Age Scotland Regional Ambassador I was encouraged to put myself forward to become a Regional Ambassador for Age Scotland during my time at the fledgling Wee County Men’s Shed in Clackmannanshire, of which I was a member. To be honest, I wasn’t really sure what I was letting myself in for, when I look back now! I knew I wanted to become more closely involved with older people’s issues in my local area and taking on an ambassador’s role has definitely allowed me to do that. At the same time, it’s a two-way process: what I hear about on my travels I can feed into our national meetings and through discussion with other ambassadors and Age Scotland staff, I’m able to bring back ideas, information, suggestions and answers to queries which I hope help those I’m in contact with.

Making Connections I’ve found my membership of Clackmannanshire Older Adults Forum to be invaluable. It’s brought me into contact with older people from across the county and is an important means by which I can find out which issues are causing concern. Latterly, it’s been transport and the rise in fees for day care provision, but all sorts of topics are discussed and speakers come along regularly to keep us all up to date. Part of what I do is to help make connections between Age Scotland’s national initiatives and local groups, so that people know about and take up the opportunities we are offering to get specialist information, advice and support. As an example, I recently visited the Wee County Veterans Group and will be putting them in touch with the new Veterans’ Project team when it’s in place. Whilst there’s a clear need for information to be readily available for older people, I’ve found that people are sometimes reluctant to approach agencies and organisations which could help them, so a big part of my role is distributing Age Scotland publications and trying to

an Clackm r o f r o d Graham is regional ambassa Falkirk and Stirling

, hire nans

encourage anyone with a particular query to get the assistance they need. My local Third Sector Interface is very supportive of my role and is a good source of local information.

Once you raise your head above the parapet, that’s it – you find you’re in great demand! I’ve been out and about doing talks to Men’s Sheds (I’m Chair of the Forth Valley Shed), sit on the board of Clacks TSI and on their dementia friendly community steering group, and was asked to join the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board and become a member of the Tullibody Community Garden management committee. This last venture has been a great success: we’ve now employed staff and work closely with local schools to encourage green fingers and healthy appetites.

My most recent chairmanship is of Clackmannan Community Transport Association. As is happening in so many areas, bus service provision is diminishing, leaving people at risk of increasing isolation. The Association is working with the local council and external transport specialists to find a way forward which can keep people connected and be sustainable.

I find I’m a good deal busier than I was, which is a bit of an understatement! But having the opportunity to travel around and seeing the great work which is being done by our member groups is really rewarding.

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news What has driven you to devote such a significant part of your life to working on behalf of older people?

My love of people and how they have shown devoted friendship to me.

You must have seen many changes which have affected older people over the time you have been with GOPWA. What do you think have been the biggest changes?

Longer lives. When I first was involved 37 years ago 65 year olds came for help. Now 90yrs+ are the people who are seeking help and assurance from our Organisation.

e na rec Shee

iving he

13 r MBE in 20

Chief Executive of Glasgow Old People’s Welfare Association retires After many years of leading Glasgow Older People’s Welfare Association, during which time her work was awarded with an MBE, Sheena Glass is retiring this month. We caught up with Sheena to look back on her time dedicated working for older people.

What achievements of the Association are you most proud of?

After a long meeting and lots of persuasion to the Board, achieving bringing the then Age Concern Insurance facility to Glasgow enabled many Senior Citizens, who did not have House Contents Insurance, to be able to afford this Insurance and it gave many confidence and peace of mind. This was in 1987 when Mary Marshall was in charge of Age Concern. This also helped to obtain much needed funds.

A huge number of volunteers work with GOPWA. How big a contribution have they made to its work with older people?

If there were no volunteers, there would be no Glasgow Old People’s Welfare Association. They are the mainstay of the Organisation.

What’s a favourite anecdote or memory of your time at GOPWA? The letter from the Queen asking me if I would accept and then going to London to be awarded my MBE. GOPWA does so much work to address loneliness and isolation of older people. What are your hopes for reducing loneliness in the future for older people in Scotland?

The more we can bring Senior Citizens together socially the more we will have tackled loneliness and isolation.

And lastly, what are you looking forward to in your retirement?

I will become the thorn in the flesh of City Councils and local Government to ensure Senior Citizens, who have experienced WWII, get a fair deal! Many a child has been educated at the feet on an old person and this will go on forever. I can assure you as you get older you get wiser and at 78 years young I can vouch for this.

Thank you Sheena. Age Scotland would like to thank you for all you have done for so many older people.

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news

Age Sc ot

land m em

ber gro up

s covere d 22,187

miles!

ulkes Joe with Age Scotland’s Keith Robson and George Fo

Joe Connor conquers the Coastline Challenge!

Congratulations to Joe Conner who completed Age Scotland’s Coastline Challenge!

We launched the Coastline Challenge as part of our ‘Let’s Get Moving!’ campaign which challenged Age Scotland members to build a little bit more physical activity into their day. We asked participants to record their miles with a goal of covering the length of Scotland’s coastline. The grand total came to a whopping 22,187 miles - 3.6 times the distance of Scotland’s coastline!

Grangemouth Community Care got behind the campaign, and Joe Connor, who has volunteered with the group for many years, decided to take part. Joe managed to walk the entire length of the Scottish coastline and raised a fantastic £587 through people sponsoring his efforts.

Thanking Joe and Grangemouth Community Care, our chief executive Keith Robson said: “We want to thank Joe and Grangemouth Community Care so much for getting behind our Coastline Challenge. The intention behind the campaign was to encourage more older people to keep active in later life, and do that bit more exercise

which can make a such a difference to people’s health and well-being. It is not only great that Joe took up this challenge but also fundraised for the Charity at the same time. We would like to thank him so much for leading the way in the Coastline Challenge and raising funds for our vital services at the same time.”

Joe Connor said “I would like to thank my mate, Charlie, who supported me all the way, and also the generosity of the people of the Grangemouth area.”

Anne Lowe, Grangemouth Community Care Coordinator, said: “Joe is retiring as a Volunteer Car Driver (which he has been doing for many, many years) in August 2017, as he has reached 80 years of age. We will miss him but he will continue to cover holidays as a relief driver - that’s what good, loyal volunteers do! Joe has kept a healthy and active life-style, with his involvement in Grangemouth Community Care and Walking.”

Well done Joe for not only your fantastic volunteering efforts but for taking on such an incredible feat in support of Age Scotland.

We are enormously grateful.

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news

Products and services designed for the over 50s • Home Insurance • Travel Insurance

• Car Insurance • Weekly Lottery

• Motor Breakdown • Funeral Plans

Buying these Products & Services supports Age Scotland’s charitable work.

For more information, visit: Age Scotland – Edinburgh Causewayside House 160 Causewayside Edinburgh EH9 1PR

Age Scotland – Glasgow 37 Glassford Street Glasgow G1 1UG

(Open 9am–5pm Monday–Friday)

(Open 9am–5pm Monday–Friday)

Tel: 0800 456 1137*

Tel: 0800 500 3159*

or visit www.agescotland.org.uk/products Age UK Home, Car and Travel Insurance are administered by Ageas Retail Limited. Motor Breakdown is provided by Intana Assistance. Age UK Funeral Plans are provided by Dignity. Brought to you by Age UK Enterprises Limited.

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Age UK Insurance is arranged by Age UK Enterprises Limited and arranged and administered by Ageas Retail Limited, who are both authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Ageas Retail Limited is a sister company of Ageas Insurance Limited.

Ageas Retail Limited Registered office: Ageas House, Hampshire Corporate Park, Templars Way, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 3YA. Registered in England and Wales 1324965. FS registered number: 312468.

Age UK Enterprises Limited Registered office: Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9NA. Registered in England and Wales 3156159. FS registered number: 311438. *If you call the 0800 number for Home/Car/Travel Insurance you will be dealing with either an Age UK/Age Scotland office or Ageas Retail Limited.

Benefits and services under the motor breakdown policy are provided by Intana Assistance, a trading style of Collinson Insurance Services Limited, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FS registered number 311883.

The Age UK Funeral Plan is provided by Advance Planning Limited, a subsidiary of Dignity plc, in association with Age UK Enterprises Limited. Advance Planning Limited is a company incorporated in England and a subsidiary of Dignity plc. Registered office: Advance Planning Limited, 4 King Edwards Court, King Edwards Square, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B73 6AP. Registered in England, no. 3292336.

Age Scotland Enterprises Limited is a limited company. Registered in Scotland No.SC199856. Registered Office: Causewayside House, 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh, Lothian, EH9 1PR. Age Scotland Enterprises Limited is a trading company of Age Scotland, registered charity no.SC010100 and donates its net profi ts to that charity. Age Scotland Enterprises Limited is an Appointed Representative of Age UK Enterprises Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for insurance mediation. Financial Services Register number 311438.

MP3168V5JUL16

news

Update from our Early Stage Dementia team A new dementia strategy for Scotland In June, Scotland’s third National Dementia Strategy was published. In its previous strategy the Scottish Government introduced a ground-breaking entitlement to one year of support after diagnosis for living well with dementia, to be provided by a named link-worker. We were encouraged by the third strategy’s renewed focus on support, in particular that it should be for as long as someone wants it, and provided in the way that they need it.

However with figures for 2014/15 indicating that just 40 percent of those newly diagnosed were introduced to a link worker, we now need to see a strong commitment at a local level as well as nationally to make the support guarantee meaningful.

We welcomed a commitment to pilot moving diagnosis from secondary to primary health care, which could help improve diagnosis rates. However we also identified a big omission: there was no mention in the strategy of how Scotland can curb the predicted steep increase in dementia rates. We would like more action to encourage and support people to adopt lifestyles that minimise dementia risks.

Our expanding publications suite We now have 10 project publications available free of charge: online to download and in hard copy.

Topics covered include information about dementia (What is dementia? Could it be dementia?), living with dementia (Living well with dementia, Caring for someone with dementia, Benefits for people living with dementia) and how to minimise the likelihood of developing dementia (Reducing your risk, Smoking and dementia, Alcohol and dementia, Healthy living and dementia), and employment (Dementia and the workplace: a guide for employers in Scotland).

Enhancing our training With agreement of our funder Life Changes Trust we have extended the length of time over which we can offer member groups and charities free training. We will continue to provide dementia aware workshops and short training courses up until April 2018. Then, until the end of September 2018, we will offer ‘training for trainers’ courses so that the benefits of Age Scotland dementia aware training can extend beyond the life of the project.

Extending our reach in Highland We were thrilled to receive additional funding from the Life Changes Trust for a new Highland Dementia Friendly Communities Project. From now until summer 2020 this will apply learning from Helmsdale Dementia Friendly Community (HDFC) to enable eight more communities in the region to become dementia friendly. A new Project Officer will be joining us to work with HDFC, NHS Public Health, Innes MacLeod: Information ficer, and Age Scotland community leaders to aining Of rcolleagues T : s e Jam n e ensure local people have the support, information ) Gw (L-R and learning opportunities to achieve that goal.

Call Age Scotland on 0333 323 2400

Contact the team Tel: 0333 323 2400 email ESDTeam@agescotland.org.uk Follow us on Twitter @AgeScotESDTeam

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news

A new community centre for Pollokshields A large crowd of members and supporters gathered at Nan McKay Hall in Pollokshields on 24th March to celebrate the award of two major grants from the Scottish Government and the Big Lottery Fund for a new community centre for the Pollokshields area. The Hall received a grant award of £550,000 from the Scottish Government (as part of the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund via Glasgow City Council) and an award of £1,184,000 from the Big Lottery Fund as part of a partnership bid with Southside Housing Association (SHA). The development of the new £2.1m centre will be led

by SHA who will part fund the building also. For over 34 years The Nan McKay Hall has delivered valuable health, social and learning services to the local community from temporary portakabins and will move to the new modern community facility to become the anchor tenants.

10 Call Age Scotland on 0333 323 2400

Cheques being present ed

to Nan Ma cKay Ha

ll mem bers

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said “The Nan MacKay Hall is at the heart of Pollokshields and I am delighted to see this expansion”.

Stuart McKenzie, Nan McKay Hall Chair said “we recognise that this new future comes with a mix of emotions; caution at moving from a building we have loved, and hope for what lies ahead”.

Speaking after the celebration event one of the tutors at Nan McKay Hall said “it’s wonderful to have the new building – hopefully we can take the magical atmosphere and camaraderie with us”. Hilda, one of the older members at 94, has been attending the Hall since the very beginning and said “we couldn’t have survived without this hall – it’s the only place I come for relaxation, and all the cheery talk. I’ve been so settled here, but we definitely don’t have enough space as we have so many classes here. Although the committee do their best, everything is getting old and patched up”.

Nan McKay Hall manager Bill Lawns commented “if it hadn’t been for the volunteers and management committee, and the amount of hours they devote we wouldn’t be here. They run the lunch club; the foot clinic; set up for groups and classes; and open and close for events during unsocial hours”.

news

SMART METERS

Nearly 7 million smart meters have already been installed across Great Britain as part of a national upgrade, but what does this mean for you?

What are smart meters?

Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters. Installed by your energy supplier, they can make it even easier for you to keep in control of your energy use.

“If anyone asks, I always recommend having a smart meter particularly because I don’t have to go outside in winter and contend with the spiders in order to take a meter reading.”

Smart meters are made up of two separate parts.

The first is the smart meter itself, which replaces the traditional gas and electricity meter.

The second is an in-home display (often called an IHD). This is a hand-held device that can sit anywhere in your home and clearly shows you how much energy you are using and how much it’s costing you in pounds and pence.

The parts communicate with each other automatically and share how much energy you are using with your energy supplier through a safe and secure network set up solely for smart meters, meaning you won’t need to submit manual meter readings.

Putting you in control

Maureen Fenlan

Savings

And it’s not just about control.

Maureen has particularly enjoyed the extra pounds she has saved by looking at the in-home display to check her energy use for everyday activities.

“We’ve definitely made savings during the colder months of this year, and I’m sure we’ll notice the same patterns next winter. I’m much more conscious about what I’m spending now because I tend to notice that our daily total goes up more than normal if I do a few extra washes or make a roast dinner.”

How to get a smart meter Every home in Scotland will be offered a smart meter as part of the national upgrade. If, like Maureen, you’d like a simple way to be more in control of your gas and electricity usage, contact your supplier today about installing your new smart meter.

Pensioner Maureen Fenlan opted to have a smart meter installed in her bungalow and embraced the control it has given her: “We’ve had our smart meter since February 2015 and we still pay by direct debit in the same way we did before. I keep the display in the kitchen and I check it all the time - it’s really interesting to see what we’re spending as we go along. On an average morning after we’ve had a few cups of tea, used the washing machine, and had the computer switched on, it’s often still only around 30p. Ours has a particularly useful function that predicts what we’re likely to spend during the rest of the day,” she says.

Maureen Fenlan

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Get Involved

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Get Involved

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Y D A E R U ARE YO Age Scotland launched Body Boosting

ent rliam a P ottish the Sc t a t n e h an ev Bingo wit

What is Body Boosting Bingo?

Body Boosting Bingo runs similar to a regular game of bingo but with a bit of a twist! We use a variation on the familiar rhyming bingo calls which will be linked to an exercise or activity. For example ‘number 8 lift some weights’. The activities are based on research evidence and we can tailor the input to meet all abilities in your group.

To take part in this element of the project, your group would need to have 10 interested people including volunteers, committee members and group members. We would work with you to identify what your needs are and what would work for you.

Together we would work out a plan and provide you with dedicated support to take this forward.

Keeping active and having good muscle strength and balance is critical to our health and well-being.

With this in mind, Age Scotland’s Allied Health Professionals Yolanda and Jenny have developed a dynamic, fun and interactive session they would like to share with member groups.

How can my group take part?

What does it involve?

Please let us know if you are interested in:

The session takes about an hour and includes fun activities centred on active and healthy ageing. It will be provided free of charge to Age Scotland’s member groups. There is time in the session for discussion around living well and an opportunity to participate in our Body Boosting Bingo game.

As a follow on from that session, we would also like to provide additional and ongoing support to a small number of groups. This would be to identify what would work well for your group to help embed physical activity into group meetings.

There is a limited number of groups we can work with in the project so if you would like to be considered please get in touch with us as soon as you can. We will be starting our roll-out plan in September 2017.

1. Hosting a Body Boosting Bingo workshop 2. Participating in the extra support element we are offering to help your group become more active For more information and to register your interest please contact Jenny Ackland or Yolanda Strachan: Tel: 0131 668 8069 / 07584520067 / 07584520065 email: Jenny.ackland@agescotland.org.uk / Yolanda.strachan@agescotland.org.uk

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Luminate is back!

Isabella © Duncan Cowels

Old Boy © Harry Wilson

inspire

Luminate, Scotland’s creative ageing organisation, is once again returning with a nationwide festival this October. The festival offers up a fantastically wide range of events and activities that celebrate our creativity and explore what ageing means to us all. From the Scottish Borders to Shetland, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Now in its fifth year, Luminate, supported by Age Scotland, continues to welcome Scotland’s older people to enjoy creative events and new challenges.

Sit back at a concert, theatre show or film screening, or take part in a series of workshops, discussions and exclusive tours for all abilities.

This year sees a brilliant selection of dementia friendly events. Glasgow Film Theatre launch their new film programme, Movie Memories, designed especially for people experiencing early to mid stages of dementia, their carers and families. They kick things off with a screening of 1949 classic comedy, Whisky Galore! Dementia friendly theatre includes Step into My Parlour, a collection of traditional songs interspersed with stories and memories with

singer Michelle Burke and pianist James Ross, touring to venues in Inverness, Edinburgh and Ayrshire.

From 1st-31st October, Luminate offers a chance to be curious, to come together locally with others and share stories and experiences around ageing. Events in your area might include dance, drama, music, visual arts, storytelling, film or crafts.

If you like music catch Live Music Now bringing together talented musicians across the worlds of classical music, traditional Scottish and jazz and touring to Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling.

Alternatively attend a tea dance in North Lanarkshire or the Highlands, or catch a local band such as North Ayrshire swinging regulars the New Orleans Joymakers for an afternoon of traditional jazz.

Opportunities are ripe in dance this year with free classes for over 55s at Dance House Glasgow. Dance Base Edinburgh have some wonderful opportunities to work with choreographers such as Lindsay Kemp, or grab a ticket to come along and watch the results.

If history and heritage is your game head to Dundee’s HM Frigate Unicorn for wood working and tapestry workshops. On 1st October there’s free entry for over 60s on National Grandparents Day. Luminate explores ageing in its many guises and connects people at all stages of life. This year sees Perth playing host to Scotland’s first Women of the

14 Keep up to date on twitter: @agescotland

Hotel Salvation

Dance classes with Lindsay Kemp

WOW Perth

Whisky Galore

inspire

World (WOW) intergenerational festival. WOW’s Old Age is for the Brave panel brings together care professionals, elders and activists set to discuss the possibility of a happy old age and the realities of ageing.

In Glasgow, Glas(s) Performance present Old Boy, a play featuring the real relationships of men and boys of various ages from Glasgow, exploring the love that is shared between men in families and the legacy passed down through generations.

Intergenerational themes span across many events this year including the regular Luminate Film Tour, featuring nine specially selected films playing in Shetland, Lewis, Skye, Aberdeen, Dundee and many more. Films include the multi-award winning Hotel Salvation, a life-affirming drama set in contemporary India in which Rajiv, an over-worked, middle-aged

son, is forced to accompany his 77 year old father, Daya, who is seeking salvation in the holy city of Varanasi. Alongside this we have our Luminate Short Encounters, a touching and insightful collection of short films taking a journey from the Scottish Highlands to Govan to the suburbs of Australia, with wonderful stories about extraordinary older people.

Whether you know Luminate well or are just dipping your toes in, there’s something for you to enjoy as an individual, with friends or family. Browse the printed brochure that accompanies this edition of Advantage or visit the website www.luminatescotland.org.

You can also sign up to the newsletter for regular updates, or connect with the festival on Facebook (LuminateScotland) and Twitter (@LuminateScot).

www.facebook.com/agescotland 15

Update from our fundraising team We’re enormously grateful to Age Scotland’s long term supporters, and those of its predecessor charities, who generously left a gift in their will to ensure our work on behalf of Scotland’s older people can continue on a secure footing in the years ahead.

Legacy income has been the main source of fundraised income for Age Scotland for a number of years which is a wonderful testament of supporters’ confidence in our work. However, we don’t wish to be in any way complacent so need to develop other income channels while continuing to encourage legacy support. If you’d like to leave a gift for use beyond your lifetime, it’s entirely up to you whether you tell us about your kind intention or keep it private, although we would naturally prefer to know, in confidence, so that we can show our gratitude.

In a small fundraising team, time and resource has to be allocated wisely, mindful of the need to build goodwill whilst securing funds for use in the short, medium and long term. More time will now be focused on making applications to Trusts and Foundations – particularly as Scotland’s population

is projected to age in the coming years and there’s an increasing focus on age in the context of the Inclusion agenda, which means there’s likely to be more funds available from private trusts to support our work. This shift in demographics also means that corporates are more likely to want to partner with us, given the ageing workforce, and we’re currently talking to a number of businesses about financial, pro-bono and other support.

Our community work is a great way for individual supporters to give of themselves and have fun in the process, often through challenge events, with sponsorship from friends and family and match funding from employers. We’re thankful to everyone who took part in May’s abseil off the Forth Road Bridge, including teams from Morton Fraser and Port of Leith Housing Association.

Recently we’ve altered our approach to individual giving to foster a deeper sense of relationship with donors and to better illustrate the impact that your support is making. Thrive! - our new regular giving programme featured separately in this edition of Advantage – will be introduced in the autumn months.

Our Silver Shindig at The Principal Hotel in Edinburgh on Friday 6 October will be a celebration of our fundraising successes this year, attracting, we hope, support from the wider Age Scotland community.

We’re using the silver theme to create a fabulous glitz & glamour experience, so if you’d like to join us, please email fundraising@agescotland.org.uk or call 0333 323 2400. Tickets are £800 for a table of ten.

16 To FUNdraise for Age Scotland call 0333 323 2400

fundraising

Happily, we have a newly established Development Board of committed men and women who bring skills and connections that will benefit our fundraising significantly – particularly, it is hoped, as we cultivate major gifts from philanthropists in the coming years.

Finally, we fully recognise that not everyone is in a position to give financially but all who share our vision and passion to see Scotland’s older people leading fulfilled lives can speak out, through their personal and professional networks, acting as champions for Age Scotland. For that, and support in all its forms, we’re extremely grateful.

The Big Knit This year’s Big Knit was Bigger-than-Ever, extending over 9 months. The campaign came to an end on 31st July when we said farewell to the final batch of hats and shipped them off to “Fruit Towers”, the Innocent warehouse. In total, we counted up more than 58,000 bobble hats which were sent in by members and other supporters. That equates to over £14,500 raised!

Here’s a breakdown of the campaign: • Total hats: 58,000 • Participating Age Scotland member groups: 33 • Largest amount sent in: 5,200 • Hat-counting volunteers: 4 • Number of knitted strawberries: 623 This year, we welcomed new groups, and said thank you and farewell to loyal knitters who felt this year

would be their last to participate in the Big Knit.

We’re very thankful to you all.

The Big Knit is a way to raise money for your member group and Age Scotland. The campaign draws out the creativity of all who participate. We enjoyed the variety and originality of designs. One parcel contained a rather wonderful selection of 26 hats, each with a letter of the alphabet. Rebecca, our Events and Community Fundraiser, found particular joy in conducting a photoshoot with little grass-eating sheep hats. It was great to see not only knitters taking part but also those who crochet too.

Your creativity inspires us!

As soon as details are known from Age UK and Innocent about next year’s Big Knit, we will be in touch with this year’s participants. Information will also be distributed via the Community Development Officers, the Age Scotland website, and our social media channels.

The money raised from this year’s campaign will be divided between Age Scotland and participating member groups. If your group’s hats were received before the end of January 2017, one of our Fundraising team will have been in touch to make payment. If they arrived between the start of February and the end of July, you can expect your payment in Spring/Summer 2018. Please feel free to contact the Fundraising team should you have any questions. You can call 0333 323 2400 or email fundraising@agescotland.org.uk. Once again, thank you!

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Get Involved

With support from the Scottish Government and the Robertson Trust, Age Scotland’s Men’s Sheds Small Development Grants Programme has provided £40,531 in the period from October 2015 to May 2017 to fund the development and sustainability of men’s sheds across Scotland.

Inverurie and District Men’s Shed (Aberdeenshire): £1200 for a wood burning stove.

Fochabers Shed (Moray): £820 for heaters for their outside wooden shed.

Hamilton Shed (South Lanarkshire): £800 for scroll saw, blades and dust extractor.

Hawick Shed (Borders): £2470 for woodworking tools and a laptop.

Dunoon Shed (Argyll & Bute): £1465 towards publicity, equipment, and group visits to more established sheds.

Dalbeattie Shed (Dumfries & Galloway): £1063 for woodwork machinery and £1000 for equipment and tools.

Fort William Shed (Highland): £1500 for specialist machinery.

Lochmaben Shed (Dumfries & Galloway): £1500 for woodworking tools and safety equipment.

Rutherglen & Cambuslang Shed (South Lanarkshire): £1402 for laptop / projector, visits to other sheds and club equipment.

Fort William Shed (Highland): £1000 for a trailer.

Dumfries Shed (Dumfries & Galloway): £1788 towards equipment and pyrography kit.

Portlethen & District Shed (Aberdeenshire): £4000 for a kitchen/social area adjoining the workshop.

Ellon Shed (Aberdeenshire): £1165 for heating to stay open during the winter.

MacMerry Shed (East Lothian): £1440 for wood, tools & equipment.

Rhins Men’s Shed (Dumfries & Galloway), received £1500 for woodworking machinery.

Carnoustie & Monifieth Shed (Angus): £807 towards a defibrillator and first aid training.

18 Join us on www.facebook.com/agescotland

Get Involved Aboyne Shed (Aberdeenshire): £1199 for computer & Wi-Fi equipment.

The Jed Shed (Borders): £300 for a new bandsaw.

Campbeltown Shed (Argyll & Bute): £1100 for equipment to enable projects outwith the shed for older members of the local community.

The Men of Leith Shed (Edinburgh): £1000 for publicity, tools and visits to other Sheds.

Barrhead Shed (East Renfrewshire): £1910 for tools and other equipment.

CLEAR Buckhaven (Fife): £1000 for a lockup, power tools and equipment.

Glenrothes Shed (Fife): £1650 for a mobile wood turning lathe.

Bellshill Shed (North Lanarkshire): £1162 for new tools & equipment.

Kelso Shed (Borders): £1000 for tools and equipment.

Corstorphine Youth and Community Centre Shed (Edinburgh): £850 for decking, tools and equipment.

Oban Shed (Argyll and Bute): £899 for visits to other sheds and new tools.

Clydeban Shed (West Dunbartonshire): £1541 for tools and health & safety equipment.

Dalbeattie Shed (Dumfries & Galloway): £1000 for equipment and tools.

Commenting on the grants, our Chief Executive Keith Robson said “Men’s sheds can play a huge role in reducing loneliness and isolation and the stories we hear from shedders goes to prove just that. Age Scotland has been delighted to support and enable the development of new sheds across Scotland, doing our bit to help improve the lives of thousands of men. We know that you can never underestimate the value in providing a space to allow people to come together and feel welcomed. We look forward to seeing how each of these men’s sheds grows with this new support and I wish all the shedders well in their individual projects.”

19

News from around Scotland

Cycling Without Age | "Just shows you are

Over the past year 153 Age Scotland member groups have been awarded a small grant to enable them to continue their excellent work, hold activities and develop new services on the theme of Tackling Loneliness and Isolation. Funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Age Scotland, this £75,000 small grants programme has supported a wealth of projects and activities organised by member groups. In this issue we hear from groups in Grangemouth, Newton Stewart and Peterhead.

Fun Days in Grangemouth The sun was shining on Saturday 6th May when members of Grangemouth Community Care’s lunch club and day care facility came together with friends and supporters in the wider community for an afternoon of entertainment, chat and a bite to eat in Zetland Park, Grangemouth. This was the second of two very successful Fun Days arranged by the committee for members.

There were opportunities for reminiscing about days spent in the park in earlier years as members and friends took advantage of the fine weather to have a wander around. A new experience for all was the chance to take a turn on a trishaw, kindly provided by volunteers from the “Cycling Without

never too ol

d to learn

a new ski ll"

Age” project. A large queue formed as so many people wanted to have a go. The afternoon ended with entertainment by “Sweet Harmony”, a local barbershop choir, whose well chosen selection of songs had everyone singing along.

Artists at Ashgrove Court in Newton Stewart The Ashgrove Court Registered Tenants Organisation in Newton Stewart used their Age Scotland grant to hold a 6 week art project for tenants. Turning Point Scotland’s AccessArt designed the project which was inspired by various historical sites and places of interest in Newton Stewart. Eight tenants took part.

They learned various art techniques and produced a selection of striking artwork of places of interest in Newton Stewart.

The finished artworks were exhibited in Ashgrove Court and with support from local businesses the images that the group created were also printed on to mugs, coasters, place mats and a calendar.

Enough funds have been raised through sale of these items for a new phase of the project. The group now plans to create more art works, create a Monopoly game featuring their art and have also proposed selling the items produced in a local retail outlet or online shop.

20 Check out www.youtube.com/user/AgeScotland

Going local

Peterhead celebrate 50 years

| “I loved the

company”

A special afternoon tea in Peterhead

Govan Craft Café have Art and Sole!

On 1 June, around 40 service users, current and past volunteers and guests from local businesses and organisations joined committee members for afternoon tea and entertainment to celebrate Age Peterhead’s 50 years of service in the community.

In this artwork ‘Art and Sole’ the members of the Craft Café have been creating mosaic artwork inspired by different fish species. Members looked at species native to the UK, some connected with nearby waters and some even living in the Clyde.

The members then carefully designed then constructed these mosaics, making each fish their own. Although every fish is individual they fit together like one piece, in a ‘shoal.’ This reflects how every member of the Craft Café is unique, yet collectively they become more vibrant and can thrive.

Age Peterhead is entirely volunteer-run and relies on the enthusiasm, commitment and willingness of local volunteers to work together to support others. From the provision of coal to older people during the Miners’ Strikes to the creation of a local concessionary bus scheme decades before this became a national initiative, Age Peterhead has a remarkable history of service. As needs have changed, so has the group’s response. Their current focus is on offering holidays in specially adapted residential caravans; a sitter service providing respite for carers; and, information and transport provision for older people in the area.

Press cuttings from years gone by, together with photographs of group activities helped those present to reminisce about their own connections to the group and share their personal experiences and stories.

The movement of the fish represents the nature of the Craft Café, which is always active and in motion.

The group will change in its dynamics and size with some people absent for a time and new people arriving, yet it is always consistent and every older person is welcomed, included and important. A fantastic artwork!

0333 323 2400 members@agescotland.org.uk

www.facebook.com/agescotland 21

Introducing Thrive! is Age Scotland’s new regular giving programme which we hope will create an important, dependable income source from our valued community, enabling us to do more to enhance the lives of older people in Scotland.

• We’re asking supporters to renew their commitment annually and to give at a level that makes them feel good about the contribution they’re making.

• The introduction of Thrive! means that we will no longer administer four separate seasonal appeals although there will be other opportunities for donors to engage with us – at an annual supporters’ event, for instance, as we’re keen to know donors as individuals.

Examples of our work

Worries about money, health, care and housing loom large for many older people in Scotland and more than half the issues handled by our Helpline are shaped by Scottish legislation which means it’s crucial the Helpline remains Scottish-based, for Scotland’s older people. Although we receive excellent feedback from appreciative callers, Government funding looks likely to stand still in the coming years which means we’ll be reliant on the generous support of individuals to meet any shortfall.

• So that you can see the impact of your donations, we’ve included some examples of our work.

• There’s also a simple explanation of how Thrive! works.

• Whether you’re a regular donor or a new friend, thank you!

• We’ll be mailing donors in the near future with further details about Thrive! so if you’re not on our mailing list but would like to support this initiative, please contact fundraising@agescotland.org.uk.

COMMUNITY CONNECTING

8

Our Community Connecting service is a vital tool in tackling loneliness. Helpline staff and volunteers research and facilitate opportunities for callers to participate in community activities, making it easier for them to build their confidence, make social connections and engage in their local community.

Over 100 of our regional member organisations have opted into the initiative to encourage and enable older people to get involved in community activities, enriching their lives.

22 Donate regularly to Age Scotland: info from 0333 323 2400

fundraising

Our impact

Engage & contribute as you wish

£50 is the average daily cost of sending information

Please consider making a regular contribution at a level that fits your means and makes you feel good.

To help you decide what’s most appropriate for you, we’ve included some suggested giving levels, below:

and advice literature, free of charge, to callers to our Helpline. There are 80 leaflets in the suite of literature.

April 2017

Give spontaneously

Money Matters

Benefits Maze

Healthy Living and Dementia

If you want to give now and again, Give might suit you best. You can make single, no fuss donations online at www.agescotland.org.uk by credit or debit card or send a cheque to the usual address.

Belong by giving regularly

£90 is the average cost of

delivering a Body Boosting Bingo session for a group of older people, to encourage them to take regular exercise, to increase their health and wellbeing.

Thank you one and all Each individual donor has different means, motivations and preferences. So we've developed a simple supporters’ scheme that allows you to engage and contribute as you wish. To show our appreciation, we’ll share our plans and report how the money raised is making an impact. We may also, from time to time, invite you to special supporter events. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch as we like to know supporters as individuals, to hear your stories and understand your motivations for supporting our work. You can call us direct on 0131 668 8058 or 0131 668 0366 or email fundraising@agescotland.org.uk.

If you feel a stronger sense of affinity with our work, Belong could be the best choice for you. We suggest a regular gift by direct debit.

Transform our impact by giving more If it’s important to you to support at a deeper level to help bring about transformational change in the lives of Scotland’s older people, Transform is a good way for you to make a bigger impact – perhaps with a lump sum or via planned giving over time.

Fulfil a lifetime’s philanthropic dream by leaving a gift in your will If you want the long term future – beyond your own lifetime – to look brighter for older people in Scotland, please consider leaving a gift in your will to Age Scotland. This is a wonderful opportunity, no matter what your current age and stage, to know that you’ll make life better for others in the future. The choice is entirely yours whether you tell us about your kind intentions or keep them private, although knowing of your commitment will allow us to treat you in the same way as other donors. Whatever your preference, please be assured of our sincere gratitude. Thank you.

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Help older people in Scotland love later life Title

I would like to donate regularly

Initials

Surname

A regular donation is one of the most effective ways of giving to Age Scotland. It helps us plan our work in advance and help older people more efficiently. Just complete and return this Direct Debit form. Thank you.

Address: Postcode:

Yes, I would like to give to Age Scotland: £

I would like to make a donation £10

£20

Each month

Start Date: month

quarter

year year

£50 or my own amount of £

DIRECT Debit

Cheque/Postal Order

(I enclose a cheque/Postal Order made payable to: Age Scotland)

Card Payment (please tick)

MasterCard

Card Number: /

Security Code:

Expiry Date:

Visa

CAF Card / Valid from:

/

Maestro / /

Issue Number:

Signature:

(Maestro)

Date:

Gift Aid Declaration for past, present & future donations Are you a UK Tax Payer? If so, you could boost your donation by 25p of Gift Aid for every £1 you donate. Gift Aid is reclaimed by Age Scotland from the tax you pay for the current tax year and your address is needed to identify you as a current UK taxpayer.

Yes, I want to Gift Aid the above donation and any donations I make in the future or have made in the past 4 years to Age Scotland. I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. Please notify Age Scotland if you: want to cancel this declaration / change your name or home address / no longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains.

If you pay Income Tax at the higher rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assesssment or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.

Signature:

Date:

Age Scotland, Reg Charity No. SC010100 t: 0333 323 2400 e: fundraising@agescotland.org.uk

Looking after your details We would like to stay in touch – but only if you do too.

We will contact you to thank you for any donations that you make to Age Scotland. And we would like to stay in touch to let you know more about our fundraising appeals and how your support for our vital work helps older people. We would like to reassure you that under no circumstances will we share or sell your details and we promise to keep your details safe and secure, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Please mark the box below if you would like to hear from us again:

Yes, I would like to receive communications by post from Age Scotland.

If you change your mind at any time you can phone us on 0333 323 2400, contact us by email at fundraising@agescotland.org.uk or write to us at: Age Scotland, Causewayside House, 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh, EH9 1PR.

Please return to...

Freepost RSBS-KEHC-GBBC, Age Scotland, 160 Causewayside, EDINBURGH EH9 1PR Age Scotland, part of the Age Network, is an independent charity dedicated to improving the later lives of everyone on the ageing journey, within a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in Scotland. Registration Number: 153343. Charity Number SC010100. Registered Office: Causewayside House, 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1PR.