BOXING CLEVER AND HOLLYWOOD REMEMBERING PAST GROWS UP

TIMES Movies offering big characters, An album featuring Frank Ifield’s Golden Greats, a grown-up dramas and tales of 1963 Eagle football annual and a Keith Show late-blooming love are proving to catalogue dating back to 1951 are among the have mass appeal – and it’s latest items sourced for Moray Libraries’ estimated that around a third of reminiscence boxes. forthcoming Hollywood Since their introduction last year, reminiscence productions are being made with an boxes have become very popular, the objects eye on older audiences. they contain sparking off great chat and And three films from that so-called ‘golden discussion about past times. generation’ genre have been amongst the most Each box contains a selection of objects from the borrowed from the Moray Libraries Service DVDs 1950s-1970s, and regular borrowers include care collection. homes, day services and sheltered housing. Carers ‘’ stars , and and relatives are also welcome to borrow Pauline Collins and Billy Connolly as residents of a reminiscence boxes, which are loaned for a period home for retired musicians whose plans for an of up to four weeks, free of charge. annual fundraising concert on the birthday of Principal librarian Sheila Campbell said: “The Giuseppe Verdi take a twist. reminiscence boxes have become an important ‘Hope Springs’ sees ageing married couple Meryl part of our stock. They have generated very good Streep and Tommy Lee Jones seek therapeutic feedback. Among the comments received have help with their moribund sex life. been, ‘they created good group discussion,’, ‘residents were very enthusiastic to talk about In ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ Bill Nighy, Celia their memories’ and ‘the box brought back many Imrie, Dame and Dame Maggie Smith memories – can’t wait for the next one’. are a group of Brits who ‘outsource’ their retirement to less expensive and seemingly exotic “We have added two new boxes to the collection India. Their new environment may be less and welcome regular borrowers and newcomers luxurious than imagined, but they are forever alike to make use of the expanded collection.” transformed by their shared experiences. For more information or to make a reservation, visit your local library or call Elgin Library on A range of top 10 borrowed items, including adult 01343 562600. fiction and non-fiction books and DVDs, can be viewed on the new library catalogue, available through the Moray Council website - visit www.moray.gov.uk/libraries and follow the links. The top 10 adult DVDs borrowed from Moray libraries during May were: 1. The Hobbit 2. Quartet 3. Jack Reacher 4. Skyfall 5. Argo 6. Hope Springs 7. Les Miserables 8. Pitch Perfect 9. Salmon Fishing in 10.The Best Exotic the Yemen Marigold Hotel There are over a dozen BALL groups in Moray, HAVING A BALL! each offering support in your own community, Whether swaying to the sound of chart hits, or encouraging the over 60s to keep active, moving to the rhythm of the Latin American beat, connected and involved. They are user-led groups one thing was clear – members of Moray BALL (Be that meet in local halls and have a small charge Active Life Long) groups got into the groove towards the cost of hall hire and refreshments. when they got together at Elgin Town Hall For further information, contact Irene Weeden on recently. 01343 567142 or email [email protected] The annual Spring Ball, a celebration of Moray’s BALL groups, featured a fantastic array of workshops – from neck and shoulder massage to Latin dance; yoga to Tai Chi; and Japanese Art to fabric bead jewellery.

140 people from BALL groups at Buckie, Burghead, Elgin, Forres, Hopeman, Keith, Lhanbryde, New Elgin, Rothes and Tomintoul showed great camaraderie as they got together and tried new activities, had a spot of pampering and kept moving with dance and gentle exercise sessions.

BALL management chair Annie Cole was thrilled to see the college students who were leading some of the treatment sessions join in the warm- up, which was led by sports development officer Kim Paterson.

“Right from the start, the day got off to a really happy and inclusive start,” Annie said. “We asked for feedback and the vast majority of the comments were glowing. Some examples were, ‘loved it all’, ‘excellent’, ‘overall organisation was A1’ and, ‘friendly atmosphere’.

“So the Spring Ball gained really excellent feedback. Personally, I felt elated and exhausted at the end of the day!”

One attendee, Elgin BALL group member Ann Wardhaugh (83), said: “It has been good fun, there’s been a lot of different things to do and everyone has mixed well.”

The Spring Ball committee is planning to repeat the event next year and the search is on to find a venue, as Elgin Town Hall will be closed for its major refurbishment. Trading Standards’ advice is never to agree to ON THE BALL IN work on the doorstep. Doorstep sellers are often trained in pressure sales techniques and they can BUCKPOOL be very persuasive. Older people living in Buckpool are being invited to share the BALL (Be Active Life Long) Moray trading standards manager Peter Adamson experience at a taster activity day at Buckpool said: “Your best protection is to say, ‘No thank Golf, Sports and Social Club on Wednesday, you,’ and close the door. August 28.

Moray Council’s older people’s development team and sports development officer Kim Paterson have linked up with the club to deliver workshops introducing the BALL concept of promoting health and wellbeing among the over 60s.

Development officer Irene Weeden encourages anyone interested to sign up for a place – registration forms will be available at Buckpool Golf, Sports and Social Club, Seafield Medical Centre, Buckie Access Point and Buckie Library from July 29.

Irene said: “Whatever your level of fitness and ability, you will be able to take part in all activities. We’re going to keep you guessing about some of the programme, so please wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing on the day.”

As well different sessions, there will be breaks for refreshments and lunch. For more details, contact Irene on 01343 567142; Ann Hay on 01343 567093 or Kim Paterson on 01343 563657. “If you think that work is needed to your property get quotes from two or three traders and compare them.

“Ask someone you can trust for a SHOW ROGUE recommendation, or use one of the recognised trader approval schemes listed below. TRADERS THE DOOR “Don’t hurry to part with your money – a good deal will always wait.” Doorstep crime can affect anyone, but it is often older and vulnerable people who are targeted. If you, a neighbour or relative is approached by a cold caller and you are concerned about them Common types of practice include high pressure then contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service and sometimes aggressive sales techniques, on 08454 040506. carrying out unnecessary work, sometimes of a very low standard at an inflated cost and not For a free window sticker, visit Trading Standards providing consumers with their statutory at 232 High Street or call 01343 554617. This is cancellation rights. also the number to call to find out about Trader Approval Schemes that can help householders The most serious problems are associated with find reliable and trustworthy trades people to higher value home and garden repairs and carry out home repairs and improvements. maintenance. Community connectors will receive appropriate STAR ROLE FOR THOSE supervision, support and training to help them IN THE KNOW support service users. Do you take a keen interest in what’s going on in Margaret Cowie, volunteer development officer at the area where you live? Could you help steer Moray Council, believes that retired people would people towards the activities, services and be ideal candidates for the role. information that would be of interest to them? If so then you are just the kind of person that “Older people are often very active within their could become a shining star of your local area, by communities and have a fair idea of what’s going becoming a volunteer community connector. on,” she said.

Moray Council’s volunteer development team are “It would be really good if they could share that looking for people who are at the heart of their information, by becoming a community community and know what’s going on. These connector, and help the socially isolated to re- people are ideally placed to share that engage with society.” information with others who are less knowledgeable about activities and groups that If you’d like to know more, contact Margaret on might suit their interests. 01343 567102 or email [email protected] It’s about providing a guide to the groups, activities and information that’s out there, that could help community care service users to get out more, meet people and have a new focus. Pictured below: Margaret Cowie wants local ‘stars’ to shine.

THE MORAY COUNCIL PRINTING SERVICE • 41835