Main office ======June 2017 Help and information 01908 550700

Advocacy 01908 557875

Befriending Getting On 01908 240450

CMK offices Snack & Chat cafe, day excursions: 01908 240450

Deep Clean Service Powering a good cause 01908 557882 If only it were possible to Insurance enquiries harness the energy of 49 crews 01908 201178 propelling themselves across Footcare Service Willen Lake and hook them up to toenail-cutting service the National Grid to the benefit of 01908 557883 the nation. Metaphorically, that Fundraising team people power can and is being 01908 557891 used highly effectively to improve

Furniture store later life for thousands of people 6 Burners Lane in . 01908 263838 Maureen [right] with Melissa Cooper All funds raised by local Gardening Service businesses in the 2017 Milton 01908 557890 First-timers ATL Ltd’s Aero Tec Warriors celebrate their Keynes Dragon Boat Festival for amazing dragon boat win Home Support Service us, the Festival Charity, will 01908 557874 make a huge difference locally. Handyperson Service The warm, mainly dry weather on 01908 557885 Sunday 25th June tempted a

Hospital Aftercare Services throng of thousands to line the 01908 996073 shores of the lake. Families, friends and supporters of around Info & Advice, incorporating community 800 participants enjoyed 17 home visiting exciting heats and a nail-biting 01908 647513 final that had to be decided by a CMK 01908 240450 photo-finish. Olney 01234 712334 Peartree 01908 550700 Give Harriet Opalinski a ring on Domino’s Effect, Brinklow Barbarians, Braai Shack Warriors, 01908 557891 if you’ve acquired 01908 560822 XPO Fashion Warriors and Aero Tec Warriors in the thrilling the fundraising bug and would Woburn Sands final like to do more. 01908 585774

Lunch clubs 01908 557873 Memory club starts in August

Technology Help 12 volunteers received dementia 01908 550700 awareness training on 20th June

Registered charity 1079773 and so the first session of the Peartree Memory Club is on track to start on Monday 8th August. Potential club members will be visited at home to ensure the club will be suitable for their needs. Please ring Di Broadbent Age UK Milton Keynes, on 01908 557875 for more The Peartree Centre, 1 Chadds Experienced volunteers Hal, Catherine and Mike will be fully- details or if you’d like to Lane, Milton Keynes MK6 3EB volunteer. www.ageukmiltonkeynes.org.uk trained for an August start The early riser gets an early start Blooming marvellous in Stony Stratford Having moved to Milton Keynes from London in Now that he’s retired from the world of banking 1981 May Auchterlonie has always preferred being Nigel Steel is a busy man. As well as looking after outdoors to being indoors. “Even if it’s raining I will his own glorious south-facing garden, an allotment sit outside with a golf umbrella and enjoy the fresh and the gardens of his 39 clients he never misses a air”, says May. But now in her seventies she is weekly jaunt with his fishing buddies. unable to manage the lawnmower and when the grass is growing it is a relief to have Age UK Milton Nigel says he learnt a lot about growing plants from Keynes gardener Siân Roles come to cut the grass “his dear old dad” but is also largely self taught. He for her. Both Siân and May like to get up early, loves making a difference to his clients, most but not agreeing that the hour after sunrise is the best part all of whom are unable to look after their gardens of the day. May can relax in her well-kept garden, because of poor health. “Most of my clients are secure in the knowledge that she has a gardener to ladies”, he says. keep the grass cropped and the borders tidy. Age UK Milton Keynes has taken on 11 new gardeners this year and the waiting list has dipped to single figures. Give us a ring on 01908 557890 for more details about the service we provide.

An ad hoc arrangement with her gardener suits May best

The mark of quality Nigel’s stunning garden was open to the public on 24th and We were awarded the Age UK Quality Marque in 25th June May 2017. This is a significant achievement as it demonstrates our commitment to providing consistent, relevant and effective advice, and good Quizzers score with Janet Street Porter customer care. This will be the second newsletter mention for Information & Advice volunteer Phil May, but an We have also been awarded the Advice Services appearance on the BBC television quiz show Alliance’s AQS quality mark, which is for “Eggheads”, recorded in January and broadcast in organisations that provide advice to the public on April, can not go unsaluted. Modest Mr May, who social welfare issues. Organisations that hold the quizzes with The Knights Templeman from the Mitre standard have demonstrated that they are easily pub in in memory of the late landlord accessible, effectively managed, and employ staff Keith Templeman, asserts that they were the fifth with the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of opponents of the day and “the Eggs were a bit stale their clients. by 7pm”. We can also report that although the office in our But the Eggs’ answer of “Rosie Titmus” instead of Bletchley Home Store is still out of use, workmen “Janet Street Porter” as the editor of a 1990’s have been replacing the flooring this week and we newspaper meant Phil’s team suddenly found they hope to be back to normal soon. had defeated “the best quiz team in the country”. Let’s hope Phil will be on the house team at our fundraising quiz at The Peartree Centre on Tuesday 24th October.

David Leppard often visits our Bletchley Home Store, as a customer and a donor. He says he uses our services and would happily recommend them to anyone. 2 Phil [front row, second from right] on television Fundraising round-up

A huge thank you to all 49 crews who took part in the 2017 Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival! 1Life, AC Flooring Ltd (Silver), Action Express (Gold), Altodigital Networks Ltd, ATL Ltd, Blum UK (Gold), Braai Shack Restaurant, BSH Home Appliances Ltd (Gold), Calverton Finance Ltd (Gold), Choice Support, City Stay Apartments, David Lock Associates, Deloitte LLP, De Vere Horwood Estate (Silver), Domino’s Pizza Just one of the line-ups of Age-U-Kan. Back row: Andrew Group, DRS Data Services Ltd, FibreFab Ltd (Gold), Bell, Kevin Kilby, Anthony Hughes, Steve Rose, Jason Forticrete Ltd (two crews), Inside Business, Interserve, Quarterman, Paul McOmish, Nick Stacey, Jess Edwards. Front ITC Infotech Ltd (two crews), John Lewis + Waitrose row: Aimie Boyd, students Eric and Cin (whose families run Partnership, Kids Play Ltd, Kuehne+Nagel Ltd (four the Golden Palace Restaurant in Bletchley), Steve Anderson, Crew Captain Marianne Cockburn, Harriet Opalinski and crews!), Landmark Wholesale, Ledger Bennett, Little Star So far! Lorna Howson. Media, Lohmann Technologies, MHA MacIntyre Hudson, MKFM, Nando's, Pell Frischmann, PJ Care (Silver), Thank you to all participants and volunteers for helping to Rockwell Collins, Samuel & Co Trading, Santander, raise over £12,500 to improve later life in Milton Keynes. Schueco UK Ltd, SMC European Technical Centre, SMC Gold (£750) and Silver (£500) entries include a donation to Age UK Milton Keynes Pneumatics (UK) Ltd (Gold), Topdrill Ltd, Willmott Dixon Construction, Xpo Logistics.

Many congratulations to the Domino’s Pizza Group crew who Nando’s raced a boat and once again ran their sizzlingly spicy delivered the fastest Mixed Crew time, winning the trophy. Tombola stall, raising over £300 for us. Mature fashionistas at centre:mk Thank you to centre:mk for their continuing support. We are grateful to four plucky volunteers who had a fabulous day being primped for the catwalk - and they even got to keep the clothes they modelled.

Dragon boat crews out on the water.

Michelle Turnbull with volunteers Thia Cooper, Jovi Payne and George Agiru. Thank you Dick, Anne, Sylvia and Mo for stepping in. And out.

 Monday 28th August, 9am to 5pm: Don’t pass by our world famous tea tent at the Winslow Show. We’ll be purveying delicious cakes, filled rolls, tea and coffee at Sheep Street, Winslow MK18 3HL.

Join our friendly, enthusiastic team of fundraising volunteers and help raise vital funds - give us a ring! 01908 557891 The Lohmann Technologies crew LOH Mann Left Behind [email protected] achieved a magnificent sixth place. 3 Trustees update Professor James is the headline act We are delighted to welcome two new trustees to our Thursday 28th September, 5.30pm Executive Committee, bringing the total to ten. Janet Never mind Glastonbury, the hot gig this year will be at Deeley and Jan McMeekin both became company The Peartree Centre. We are delighted to confirm that directors on 1st June 2017. Age UK’s Chief Scientist Professor James Goodwin will be the speaker at our Annual General Meeting. Age UK Milton Keynes is still without an Honorary Further details to follow. Treasurer so please spread the word. Call Jane Palmer on 01908 550700 for an informal chat about Electric blanket safety testing the role. Thursday 26th October, 9.30am to 4pm Put the date in your diary. The blanket-checking engineer will be back at The Peartree Centre. More Our shop staff Sue details to follow. Evans, Juliette Williams and Tracey Turvey were Gloria Chapman 12.9.1942 - 1.5.2017 honoured to pose with We were greatly saddened by the death of our long- war-time tank driver, and standing volunteer and dear supporter Gloria Chaplin now regular customer, who died suddenly at the age of 74. The picture shows Penny (in beret) at the Sporting clothes from a Gloria in 2012, but such was her commitment to Newport Pagnell Vintage different era making the world a Weekend on Saturday kinder place, and raising 17th June. funds for Age UK Milton Keynes, that there is no shortage of photos of her Get smart about energy being active. Gloria For Ronald Macer it is enough that his energy bills started as a volunteer should reduce, but winning a £50 voucher in a free befriender over 25 years draw for sending back a questionnaire was a pleasant The world is a poorer place ago and was devoted to surprise. Retired textile agent Ronald and his wife without her improving life for her Margaret signed up for a free Home Energy Check and family, the community in received free energy-saving measures and devices, Nash and, through her energetic fundraising with BP including light bulbs and reflective radiator panels, garages and other events, for the people of Milton from our Handyperson Service. The couple also have Keynes. We feel her loss acutely and send our a smart meter installed and say this has altered the heartfelt condolences to her family. way they now use home appliances, switching things off or delaying switching them on to ensure the meter stays on green. Naturally, visits by iPad-carrying, Staff changes since March 2017 mobile phone-charging grandchildren tend to scupper Welcome aboard: this temporarily but they say they are both more aware Emma Donovan Relief Care of how to avoid wasteful energy consumption. Gardeners: Paul Dineen, Charles Edmondson, Colin Contact Sharon Kinge on 01908 557885 to arrange a Grace, Ian Guiney, Alan Reilly, Terry Sawyer, Wendy Searle, Louise Wall free Home Energy Check in your home. Home Support Workers: Gail Ingram, Jean James, Theresa McCrossan, Stephen Ryan, Stephanie Timmins

Harriet Opalinski Strategic Development Manager Jordan O’Shea Kiln Farm Store Sue Quinn BBO project Administrator Sue Sapwell BBO Project Co-ordinator

Thank you and goodbye: Linda Brown Admin Support Ronald Hammond Van Driver Rachel Tester Home Support Ronald says the house feels warmer Vera Tremlett Relief Care

Hairdresser needed Are you a compassionate stylist with good all round Contact Getting On traditional hairdressing skills and experience? If you Age UK Milton Keynes, The Peartree Centre, are willing to work self-employed on a part-time basis, 1 Chadds Lane, Milton Keynes MK6 3EB

Tabitha Douglas, the manager of TD Hairdressing, t: 01908 557877 who runs her business in the small salon at The e: [email protected] Peartree Centre would like to hear from you. Call for an informal chat on 07869 508 008. www.ageukmiltonkeynes.org.uk