Issue Two | Summer 2013
Age UK Lancashire magazine
Knit! g i B e Th eed you We n
Preston Hub
Our new agship site
Carbon Monoxide
Are you protected?
Meet Sheila
Clitheroe store manager PLUS YOUR LETTERS + MORE
GERRY’S WELCOME
www.ageuklancs.org.uk
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PAGE 02
Gerry’s Welcome PAGE 03
Meet Sheila PAGE 04-05
Carbon Monoxide
06
PAGE 06
Preston Hub PAGE 07
Wellbeing Centre Makeover PAGE 07
Relaunch in North Sefton PAGE 08
Thanking Volunteers PAGE 08
The Big Knit
02
Following its launch earlier this year we’ve had some very positive feedback with many of you getting in touch to share your stories. We’ve introduced a letter page (page xx) so please do let us know what’s on your mind and we’ll publish the best. You can write to us at The Lancashire Message, Age UK Lancashire, 61-63 St Thomas’s Road, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 1JE or email themessage@ageuklancs.org.uk At less than 20p an issue we’re sure you’ll agree it’s a great way to keep up-to-date with what Age UK Lancashire has to offer.
Summer Fun
This issue we’ve got some exciting updates on our Preston Hub, a trip down memory lane to those long, hazy summers of youth and features on a range of subjects affecting older people in the county.
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Your Letters The Big Quiz
09
A very warm welcome to the second edition of The Lancashire Message; the quarterly magazine from Age UK Lancashire.
PAGE 09
PAGE 11
3-4
Happy Reading Geraldine Moore, Chief Officer, Age UK Lancashire
Page 02 | The Lancashire Message
SPOTLIGHT – MEET THE TEAM ....................................................................................................................
I really like the idea of “working for a local charity and helping local people.”
What types of items do you sell in the Clitheroe shop? We sell ladieswear, menswear, bags, shoes, books, china, glass... in fact anything people are generous enough to donate. We even cut the buttons off clothes we’re unable to use and sell them. I once left my coat in our stockroom whilst I answered a customer question and that was sold, if it’s not stuck down we will sell anything – I often tell my volunteers not to stand still for too long!
Clitheroe Shop Manager, Sheila Garside
This issue we’ve been over to Clitheroe to have a behind the scenes look at the Age UK Lancashire shop and it’s Manager Sheila. Sheila has worked for Age UK Lancashire for nine years, first as deputy manager and then as manager of the Clitheroe shop. We asked her a few questions to see what an ‘average’ day is like in an Age UK Lancashire shop. So Sheila, what do you enjoy most about your job? I really like the idea of working for a local charity and helping local people. It’s great too to be able to meet such a range of people, both volunteers and customers. What items do you get the most donations of to the shop? Mostly ladieswear – clothes, shoes and bags (men must be too tight!) What does an ‘average’ day in an Age UK Lancashire shop look like? There is no average day! When I arrive in work I’ll have a plan for the day in place, perhaps catching up with paperwork...but then you find you’ve had a great donation of items and the stockroom is overflowing so you’re deciding what to move and where to move it to. I call these fun days.
We also sell on eBay and two of our volunteers Barbara and Sheila have made £1,800 making rag rugs and cushions, we even have a waiting list for them they’re that fabulous. How important are volunteers to the running of the shop? This is the most important question. My volunteers are the backbone of the shop, they bring smiles and a sense of humour to the place and our customers always say what a fun shop it is to be in. The volunteers make my job a pleasure, they all get along with one another and have made lifelong friends, often helping them through a difficult time in their life. I could go on forever with the stories I have heard and the tales they tell, it really is the most rewarding part of my job. We are always looking out for donations and volunteers in all our shops. If you’d be interested in donating your unwanted goods or your time we’d love to hear from you. Or, if you’ve never visited your local Age UK Lancashire shop why not pop in and say hi, you’re sure to pick up a bargain. Our shops are in; Accrington, Carnforth, Clitheroe, Garstang, Lytham, Nelson, Oswaldtwistle and St Annes. We’ve also got some exciting news on page 5 about our new Hub opening in Preston so keep reading to find out more. To find out more about volunteering opportunities with Age UK Lancashire call 0300 303 1234 to speak to your local Volunteer Coordinator.
Page 03 | Age UK Lancashire
CARBON MONOXIDE: ARE YOU PROTECTED?
www.ageuklancs.org.uk
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Carbon Monoxide: Are you protected?
Deaths from Carbon Monoxide poisonings have been high on the news agenda over the past few months and it’s something that we feel very passionate about here at Age UK Lancashire for very personal reasons. Page 04 | The Lancashire Message
ide onox ss, m n e Carbo a colourl is (CO) dourless, o less, taste us gas no poiso
Here’s Anne from our Help Direct team’s story... “We are all aware from TV programmes and literature of the danger of Carbon Monoxide, however I want to ask you all to question if you and your loved ones have a detector fitted in your homes? I feel I am lucky to be able to tell you that recently I experienced this first hand, when my mum and my sister ended up in A&E. Saying I am lucky may sound odd, but I am lucky because my mum had a detector in her home that went off, but only after they had become very unwell with serious pain throughout their body, sickness, blinding headaches and confusion.
CARBON MONOXIDE: ARE YOU PROTECTED? ....................................................................................................................
They had already been ill for 36 hours before the alarm went off, but until it did we all thought they had a stomach bug or food poisoning. Shortly after the alarm went off, the gas was disconnected and fresh air blown throughout the house, yet they became more ill the following day and 24 hours later went to hospital. They are both well on the way to recovery, but it has taken many weeks and it is an experience I for one do not want to repeat. The ‘culprit’ in all of this was my mum’s cooker – only 6 years old but now to be scrapped. I know I for one have had my fire and boiler serviced but have never considered having my cooker serviced. Please don’t put it off, getting all your appliances checked and having a Carbon Monoxide alarm fitted really is a worthwhile investment.”
If you suspect there is CO “present in your home, open
windows and doors, turn off the gas supply and seek medical attention immediately.
”
Russell Kramer, chief executive of Gas Safe Register, advised: “One of the causes of CO is faulty, poorly fitted and badly maintained appliances, one of the best lines of defence therefore is to get your appliances checked regularly and only ever use a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you suspect there is CO present in your home, open windows and doors, turn off the gas supply and seek medical attention immediately. Even low levels of CO can cause serious harm to a person’s health when breathed in over a long period of time.” Unsafe gas appliances produce a highly poisonous gas called carbon monoxide (CO). It can cause death as well as serious long term health problems, such as brain damage.
What you need to know... Gas Safe Register advises the public to follow these top tips to stay safe. 1) Know the symptoms of CO poisoning - As you can’t smell, taste, or see CO gas, knowing the symptoms could save your life. The six main symptoms of CO poisoning are: a) headaches, b) dizziness, c) nausea, d) breathlessness, e) collapse, and f) loss of consciousness. 2) Know the signs of CO in the home – Sometimes your home may show signs of CO. Any one of the following could be an indication that CO is present in your home. a) The flame on your cooker should be crisp and blue. Lazy yellow or orange flames mean you need to get your cooker checked. b) Dark staining or sooting around or on appliances. c) Pilot lights that frequently blow out. d) Increased condensation inside windows.
e) Get gas appliances checked regularly – Faulty and unsafe gas appliances can produce CO, so get your appliances checked at least once a year. f) Only use a Gas Safe registered engineer – one in five jobs the Register investigates that are carried out by unregistered gas fitters are deemed immediately dangerous. So make sure you only use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit or fix your appliances. You can check an engineer is registered by asking to see their Gas Safe Register ID card. You can also call Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500 or visit www.gassaferegister. co.uk to check that the engineer you’re using is registered and qualified to undertake the particular type of work you need doing. g) Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm – Much like a fire alarm, a CO alarm will alert you to the presence of CO in your home.
Page 05 | Age UK Lancashire
FEATURE: PRESTON HUB
www.ageuklancs.org.uk
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The new kid on the block If you’re in the Preston area you may have noticed something taking shape... We’ve been hard at work on the ‘Preston Hub’ a purpose built retail space, information point and advice centre on Cheapside in the heart of the city. Work started in March ready for the launch at the end of June. Deborah Kirkup, Director of Business Development at Age UK Lancashire who has been leading the project said “It’s a really exciting time for Age UK Lancashire and having this space opposite the iconic flag market and Harris Museum really shows our commitment to providing information, support and services to older people in Lancashire.” The new hub will be a one stop shop for: • A range of good quality clothes, accessories, household goods and furniture • Information and advice • Products such as home and car insurance, and gas and electric tariffs tailored to the over 50s • Support around a range of issues
PSIDE CHEA
New Hub T.
CHURCH S GATE
M&S
Page 06 | The Lancashire Message
FISHER
Waterstones
WELLEBING CENTRE + RELAUNCH IN NORTH SEFTON ....................................................................................................................
Makeover magic We’ve also been busy giving the West Lancashire Wellbeing Centre a well deserved makeover. The Centre, on Moorgate Ormskirk is home to Age UK Lancashire’s Trading and project teams and provides a focus for older people to meet, engage in and enjoy a variety of activities ranging from Zumba dancing and tea dances to arts and crafts and coffee mornings. The offices are open from 9.30am -4.30pm Monday – Friday so why not pop in to see what’s on offer for you or call us on 0300 303 1234. The venue is also available for private hire for local organisations and groups to enjoy the excellent venue with fully accessible facilities, including kitchen at competitive prices. Call for more information. Age UK Lancashire has offices throughout the county.
Lancaster
Clitheroe
Fleetwood Lytham St. Annes Southport
Nelson
Burnley
Preston
Accrington Rawtenstall
Chorley Ormskirk
But, we’re also just a phone call away for anything you need. Call our local rate number 0300 303 1234 to speak to your local Age UK Lancashire office.
Afternoon Tea in Southport May saw the relaunch of Age UK Lancashire in North Sefton at our new home, the Community Service Station in Southport. We were joined for afternoon tea by over 120 people who enjoyed entertainment from our resident table magician, a fashion show and clothes sale and free massages from Lisa and the Age UK Lancashire Nailcare team. There was also information and advice on our range of products and services including Nailcare and our Home Help team. If you live in North Sefton and would like to find out more about the services we offer call into our Southport office at the Community Service Station, 23-35 Scarisbrick Avenue, Southport, PR9 1NW or call 0300 303 1234.
Page 07 | Age UK Lancashire
THANKING VOLUNTEERS + THE BIG KNIT
www.ageuklancs.org.uk
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Knit! g i B e Th eed you We n
Volunteer Thank You Afternoons Each year Age UK Lancashire thank all our volunteers for their tireless work and dedication towards helping older people across the county by holding a series of thank you afternoons. They are also a great opportunity for us to recognise our longest serving volunteers, many of whom have been involved with Age UK Lancashire for over 20 years. Our volunteers support us right across our work as a charity and without them we wouldn’t be able to continue assisting older people throughout Lancashire so THANK YOU!’
To find out more about volunteering opportunities with Age UK Lancashire call 0300 303 1234 to speak to your local Volunteer Coordinator. Page 08 | The Lancashire Message
The Big Knit Winter may be months away but at Age UK Lancashire we’ve packed our wool and needles with our beach towel and flip flops to get knitting for The Big Knit. Now in it’s 10th Year, we first asked people to get involved and 20,000 hats were knitted, raising £10,000 for Age UK. It has grown each year, breaking the £1 million mark of total money raised over the campaigns history. This year we want to make Lancashire the biggest and best and we can’t do that without you. We need knitters across the county to get involved and start creating. We also need donations of wool to create the mini masterpieces in our classes and groups. To get involved please call 0300 303 1234 or email themessage@ageuklancs.org.uk and we’ll make sure you have everything you need to get started.
MEMORIES ....................................................................................................................
Summer Fun With summer finally making an appearance, we asked one of our Whalley exercise classes what their memories were of summer past.
“Caravan holidays... It was always so hot and we had no fridge so the butter always melted. It seemed so sunny all the time.
“We used to walk for miles, we’d climb trees and I remember scrumping apples at the orchard of a big house. “
“We used to walk for miles, we’d take a picnic – a bottle of water, sandwiches wrapped in greaseproof paper and lumps of bread pudding my mum used to make from stale bread. We always felt so free and safe.” “I was about 13 before I saw the seaside, we went to Blackpool for the day” Mrs Hughes remembers, “the dog came everywhere with us, he was always part of the family.”
The outdoors was another memory shared by many, “I remember running through the fields, splashing in the stream and making mudpies. Even now mayflowers remind me of summer. I have them in my garden and when I see them I know that summer is on the way.”
Next issue, we’ll be remembering bonfire night, send us your memories and we’ll include the best in the next issue. You can write to us at The Lancashire Message, Age UK Lancashire, 61-63 St Thomas’s Road, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 1JE or email themessage@ageuklancs.org.uk
Page 09 | Age UK Lancashire
LETTERS
www.ageuklancs.org.uk
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Your letters We had some great feedback on the first issue of the Age UK Lancashire magazine... I would like to say how good your "nail cutting service" is, and such relief after they come every 2-3 months. They are always very friendly have a chat at the same time. I also took a "Compute" course just to brush up it was very useful and I’ve been on days out with Age UK Lancashire with Gail who is very nice and go to the centres I think your "The Message" is very good. MR P NELSON, CHORLEY
Congratulations on a great publication, it’s really good. Age concern and now Age UK Lancashire, have done a lot for me down the years. Last November they helped me to apply for Attendance allowance, form filling forms etc. and I got it. At Christmas I received £500 and now get the top amount, it has meant I now have a high riser chair and a walk in shower thanks to the help of Age UK Lancashire in Lancaster. Look forward to the next The Message. MR S JONES, LANCASTER
If you’d like to get in touch and share your thoughts we’d love to hear from you. You can write to us at The Lancashire Message, Age UK Lancashire, 61-63 St Thomas’s Road, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 1JE or email themessage@ageuklancs.org.uk
Page 10 | The Lancashire Message
After reading your Christmas memories in the last issue of the magazine I wanted to share mine from the twenties... Our Christmas Dinner was sent from Ireland; a big goose and my mother used to rub goose grease on our chests. Salford was a very poor town, children would queue outside a chemists shop which had a large forecourt for either an orange or an apple. Woolworths was the favourite store which boasted nothing over sixpence. MR C HIGGINS, CLEVELEYS
THE BIG QUIZ ....................................................................................................................
The Big Quiz Test your knowledge with our quiz and enter our prize draw to win a £15 book token.
Q3
Q5
o tions t a l u t a r Cong from YYYYY XXXXX s the winner a who w issue one. m ! fro eading r y p p Ha
Q5
Round one Red Rose County
Round two TV and Film
Round three Food and Drink
1. Name the Lancashire entertainer born in Wigan whose funeral attracted 100,000 mourners?
1. Which actor played the original ‘grandad’ in Only Fools and Horses?
1. What is Laverbread made from?
2. Which grand Lancashire National Trust house contains a unique collection of costumes and textiles from around the world? 3. Name the two Lancashire golf courses which can currently host the British Open? 4. What percentage of the county of Lancashire is officially classed as rural (to within 5%)? 5. Which school was the inspiration for Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings?
2. Which actress links ‘The darling buds of May’ and ‘Rosemary and Thyme’? 3. Inspector Morse’s first name was famously ‘Endeavour’ but what is the first name of Inspector Lewis? 4. In how many James Bond films did Roger Moore play 007? 5. What was the name of the woodpecker in the children’s television show ‘Bagpuss’?
2. Which drink is also the name of a UK Eurovision song contest winner? 3. What type of fish is used in the production of Worcestershire sauce? 4. What is ‘Halloumi’ a Cypriot type of? 5. A ‘tagine’ is a dish named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked – but from which continent does is originate?
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In our last issue of The Lancashire Message we printed a story ‘celebrating our volunteers’. We would like to apologise to one of our volunteers Sylvia Devereaux whose surname we printed incorrectly. Sylvia is a key part of our Fylde office and, as supervisor Carol Pallister says, “ She is an inspiration to everyone at the Fylde office, staff, volunteers and service-users.” Page 11 | Age UK Lancashire
CONTACT US ....................................................................................................................
Visit your local Age UK Lancashire office for information on our local services, specialist products for older people and insurance and energy quotes. You can find us in: Accrington 24-26 Whalley Road Accrington BB5 1AA
Tailor-made products and services for the over-50s • Home Insurance • Car Insurance • Travel Insurance • Gas and Electricity • Personal Alarms • Funeral Plans
Burnley 24 Kierby Walk Burnley BB11 2DE Chorley 61-63 St Thomas’s Road Chorley PR7 1JE Clitheroe 18a Castlegate Clitheroe BB7 1BE Fleetwood 45-47 Lord Street Fleetwood FY7 6DU
For a no-obligation quote, visit: Age UK Lancashire Trading Ltd Tel: 0300 303 1234 or call 08000 853 741 or visit www.ageuk.org.uk/buy
Lancaster 7-11 Chapel Street Lancaster LA1 1NZ Lytham St Annes 7 Georges Road Lytham St Annes FY8 2AE Nelson Unit 2 Number One Market Street Nelson BB9 7LU Ormskirk West Lancashire Wellbeing Centre Moorgate Ormskirk L39 4RY
Home, Car and Travel insurance are provided by Ageas Insurance Limited. Gas and Electricity is provided by E.ON Energy Solutions Limited. Age UK is a registered trademark of Age UK (Charity number 1128267). The use of the name and logo Age UK is done so under a licence agreement between Age UK and Age UK Enterprises Limited, its commercial services arm. Net profits are donated to Age UK. Promoter: Age UK Enterprises Limited, Tavis House, 1–6 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9NA. Age UK Lancashire Trading Ltd is an appointed representative of Age UK Enterprises Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for insurance mediation. ACONW2041V2NOV12
Preston Preston Hub 5-6 Cheapside Preston PR1 2AP
Rawtenstall 16 Bury Road Rawtenstall BB4 6AA
Southport Community Service Station 23-35 Scarisbrick Avenue Southport PR9 1NW
You can call us on 0300 303 1234 (charged at local rate and will be directed to your local Age UK Lancashire office), email admin@ageuklancs.org.uk or visit our website www.ageuklancs.org.uk Registered charity number 1142294. IDBB2203 12/12