Swindon Seniors Forum

A Voice for Swindon’s Senior Citizens

Autumn and Winter Newsletter

Issue 21, 2018

Contents

Forum News Data Protection (GDPR) SSF Annual General Meeting Pride of Swindon Awards 2018 Loneliness Summit 2018 Tackling Loneliness Fire and Rescue Service Swindon Libraries Being ‘Scam Aware’ Swindon Carers SSF Website update SSF Plea for New Members/Volunteers Contact us Useful numbers and links Library Poster

Swindon Seniors Forum (SSF) (Celebrating International Day of Older Persons October 2018)

NB For the convenience of our website readers, this document has been reformatted, edited and abridged to reduce space.

Author: Norma Thomson, Chair Welcome to the Autumn and Winter Newsletter. We hope you all managed to keep cool, whilst enjoying the summer sunshine.

Forum news in brief The Newsletter is designed to keep you updated on the work of the Forum and matters of interest. The aim of the Forum is to engage with people over the age of 55 years from all backgrounds across the borough of Swindon, to come together and consider the issues both locally and nationally that affect our lives and to have a voice and influence the policies and service providers on a range of issues important to our quality of life, so that we can have a more powerful voice in making Swindon a better place to live.

General Data Protection Regulations We would like to thank everyone who returned their completed registration forms, helping us keep our mailing list up-to-date and to comply with current legislation on data protection.

SSF Annual General Meeting (AGM)/Open Event Pinetrees Community Centre, Pinehurst, Swindon Date: 2nd October 2018 Time: 10:30am - 3:30pm [Pre-event information removed]

International Day of Older Persons The United Nations’ International day of older persons is celebrated annually on 1 October to recognize the contributions of older persons and to examine issues that affect their lives. Older People’s Day is part of the annual United Nations ‘International Day of Older Persons’ and is dedicated to commemorating the achievements of older people in our communities. It is an opportunity to highlight the important contributions that older people make to society and raise awareness of the issues and challenges of ageing in today’s world. Here in Swindon figures show that from mid-2016 about 33,733 people in Swindon are aged 65 or older, 15% of the total population. This demographic change makes it important to plan for how and where we live. We need to look at creating a more enabling and inclusive environment that is supportive and inclusive to people of all ages, including older people. This includes access to affordable, reliable, safe and physically accessible transportation, which is one of the cornerstones of older persons’ participation, independence and social inclusion. Across the world the number of seniors is expected to more than double to over 2 billion in 2050, and in around thirty years time it is expected that there will be more older people than children – for the first time in our history. The day is a special one for older people and senior citizens around the world. You may find officials and politicians making speeches that focus on this growing section of the population, at this time of the year, the media will also take this opportunity to publish interviews, many of which will be with older persons who have an impact on society. Schools, public institutions and office buildings will also use the day for announcing activities that promote older persons. It is a time for everyone, families and organisations, to acknowledge and say thank you for the huge contribution older people make to communities throughout Swindon.

Quote “By the time you’re eighty years old you’ve learned everything. You only have to remember it.” » George Burns

Silver Sunday, 7th October 2018 Silver Sunday is a national day for older people on the first Sunday of October and looks to help overcome loneliness and isolation.

Pride of Swindon Awards 2018 22 March 2018 at the Steam Museum

Four members of the Management Committee below attended a ceremony at the Steam Museum in Swindon in March as finalists for an award. We are delighted to have won the Pride of Swindon Team Award 2018 for category “community”

Photo credit: Josie Williams

Winners of Swindon’s 2018 of Swindon Pride Awards honoured at plaque unveiling held at the Swindon Central Library.

Shirley Ludford, Swindon 105.5 Community Radio Manager, opening the event, before unveiling of the plaque.

Pride of Swindon Team Award 2018 (www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/pride_hero_2018)

Swindon Mayor Maureen Penny unveiled a plaque to commemorate the 2018 Pride of Swindon Award winners at the Central Library in April. Photo credit: Swindon Link

Loneliness Summit Number 2 A second Loneliness Summit was held at the Lawns community centre on 20 April, hosted by SSF and Robert Buckland MP. The event was very well attended by local organisations, health and social care services, communities and charities.

Robert Buckland, Seema Kennedy, SSF Chair and members of the Management Committee A Key speaker was Seema Kennedy MP, Co-Chair of the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness. Seema become co-chair of the cross-party Loneliness Commission along with Jo Cox MP. Following Jo’s murder in 2016, this work was taken forward by Seema and her new co-chair Rachel Reeves MP to form the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission. Seema spoke about how she had looked forward to be a mother, expected to find love, joy, but instead found herself isolated after the birth of her son. This is one of the reasons that she set up, along with the late Jo Cox, the National Commission for Loneliness. She will continue to look at what actions can be taken to combat loneliness. Since launching the Prime Minister has appointed the UK first minister for loneliness in January 2018, Tracy Crouch MP. David Lidington (a surprise guest) MP, provided an update on the work of Tracy Crouch MP Minister for Loneliness. A Question and Answer panel followed, where organisations provided updates of what they were doing to combat loneliness and sharing future ideas including mapping and a directory of services. Planning is in progress with SSF and Robert Buckland MP for another follow up summit. I would like to thank Robert Buckland MP and his team for their support in helping us with this project work and raising awareness.

Quote from Seema Kennedy “I have written to the Prime Minister backing calls for the creation of a Minister for Older People. This Minister would champion their interests and ensure that Government policies are sufficiently tailored to older people.” Watch this space; I hope the PM listens to Seema, as over 2 years ago 50,000 South West Seniors called for the creation of this post; also a letter was sent to the Prime Minister.

Tackling Loneliness How to Tackle Loneliness: What do you think could help? If you wake up in the morning and think you have no one to speak to or see for yet another day, life can be very hard going. Loneliness particularly hits older people whose family, friends and neighbours may have moved out of their lives for different reasons, people in care homes, especially those who are affected by protected characteristics. No wonder it can have a bad impact on health. It is rated worse than obesity, physical inactivity and smoking 15 cigarettes a day!

Do you feel lonely and what do you think could be done to help you and others? Please write to me (Chair) with your suggestions at the Forum's address so that we can publish these – anonymously - in an edition of the Forum Newsletter and forward a copy on to the Loneliness Minister.

SSF Communication Update - Website Our website is under new management Some normal features and content may either not be temporarily available, or display in the normal manner Please bear with us while we are working on our new website until normal service is resumed. swindonseniorsForum.org. We would like to thank Ghada for her hard work in setting up, maintaining the website.

SSF New Members/Volunteers Please join our Forum if you are over 55 years of age - we would love to hear from you. Membership is free and open to people of all backgrounds living in the Swindon area. Contact us at any time - the more members the louder our voice will be. We can influence decisions that affect older people within the borough of Swindon, and make sure Swindon is a great place to live. Changes you might want are more likely to happen with your voice, so please get in touch.

Are you just about to retire or have you recently retired? Would you like to feel more connected to your community? If so, we need you! If you are interested in helping at our open meetings with refreshments or other activities, we are always looking for people to join us. We are particularly seeking a voluntary Secretary and website assistant.

Our Newsletter We will continue to ask you for your opinions and views about issues that concern you. Our newsletters and open Forum meetings/events are the main means by which we communicate with you, as well as by our website. We welcome your feedback - if you have any stories or an item you would like to feature in the next edition of the newsletter, please get in touch.

Contact Us Post: Chair, Swindon Seniors Forum, C/o Voluntary Action, 1John Street, Swindon SN1 1RT Email: info@ swindonseniors.uk Secretary: [email protected] Tel: 07828446672 Website: http://swindonseniorsforum.btck.co.uk can also be found via swindonseniorsforum.org

Norma Thompson, Chair, Swindon Seniors Forum. October 2018

Newsletter Editorial team: Norma Thompson, Kay Malko Website: Kris Jones Useful Information promoted at AGM

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Fire Service offers free fire safety checks Free fire safety checks and smoke alarms are being offered by Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service. As part of its ongoing focus on preventing fire-related incidents in the home, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is providing one-to one advice in the home, which incorporates fire safety and health and well-being. Wiltshire residents can arrange for a member of the Fire Service to visit them at their property and provide smoke alarms and safety advice as part of a Safe and Well visit. The visit will identify potential risks within the home and how to reduce or prevent these risks. It covers electrical safety, escape plans, cooking, smoking, personal safety and the immediate installation of smoke alarms, if needed, all free of charge. Certain criteria apply, so to check eligibility, please visit www.dwfire.org.uk or call 0800 038 2323. Denise Holmes, Safe & Well Advisor Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service Swindon Fire Station, Drove Road, Swindon SN1 3AD

Swindon Libraries Swindon libraries run courses on basic IT skills and using iPads in some of our libraries that may be of interest. Full details can be found on their website; https://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20026/libraries/863/adult_learning_and _skills_for_life Further to this, Swindon Libraries also offer a range of other resources and services that could be of benefit to older members of the community. For instance they offer a Home Library Service for people who are unable to get out and about and who have no one else who can collect and return books for them. They also have collections of Reading Well books covering Mental Health, Dementia and Long Term conditions as well as books in large print and audio. Furthermore, many resources can be accessed from home such as eBooks, eaudiobooks and eMagazines. For more details, please see poster at end of report.

Are you Scam Aware? (info from Santander) Here at Santander we are serious about fighting fraud, and we already know through our research that two thirds of people over the age of 60 are worried about the threat of fraud and scams with 82 per cent thinking more should be done to educate them. According to Financial Fraud Action (FFA), financial fraud losses totalled £768.8 million in 2016. To help address the issue, Santander launched an innovative consumer education campaign, designed to raise awareness and equip people with the knowledge they need to avoid becoming a victim of scams. Lots of scams start with something known as 'social engineering.' This is where a criminal will use deception and psychological tricks to lure you into giving aware personal information or even making payments. Here are a few techniques and tricks used by scammers:  They will probably be very polite, friendly and familiar.  They may repeat words of reassurance, such as 'don't be alarmed,' 'I am here to help' and they might say things like 'most people do.'  They might also ask you lots of questions that you say yes to – making you more likely to say yes if they ask you questions you really shouldn't answer.  They might use language that makes them sound like an expert – it's another way to gain your trust.  Nowadays, it is extremely common for criminals to target us through emails (phishing) or texts (smishing). Here are some tips on spotting phishing emails:  The sender's email address doesn't match the website address of the organisation it says it's from.  The email is impersonal and doesn't address you by your name, for example ‘Dear Valued Customer’.  There is a sense of urgency, request for personal information or there are spelling and/or grammatical mistakes.  There is a website link which may seem like the proper company address, but on close inspection is slightly different to the real address. If you have any concerns or questions relating to fraudulent activity or you believe you may have been targeted through a scam then please contact Santander on 08009123123 or visit us here in the branch on Regent Street, Swindon. Sarah Morris, Director

Alopecia awareness support group in Swindon You are not alone. Information on dealing with the emotional effects of living with Alopecia. Please contact Jeanette on 07833768693 for more information.

Swindon Carers Swindon Carers Centre is an independent charitable organisation and is part of the Carers Trust. The organisation was established in 1997, initially as Focus on Carers and Self Help, changing its name to Swindon Carers Centre in 2004. It was established to provide help and support to carers in the borough of Swindon. Our Vision – Creating a community where carers are recognised, valued and supported. Our Mission – To improve the wellbeing of people with caring responsibilities in and around Swindon. We support adult, parent, young adult and young carers who provide unpaid support to a family member, friend or neighbour who would otherwise be unable to manage without this support due to a physical or mental health condition, a learning disability or a drug or alcohol dependency. We help enable carers to have a quality of life alongside their caring role. The support we provide includes:  Provision of information  Signposting to other relevant organisations  One to one support, including assistance in accessing services  Benefits advice  Access to breaks, activities and complementary therapies  Training sessions and self-help groups  Outreach work  Carer involvement Forums Swindon Carers Centre is based within Sanford House in Sanford Street, alongside other voluntary sector services, including Citizens Advice Swindon, Swindon and Gloucestershire MIND, and Swindon Advocacy Movement. We have a dedicated, dynamic and trained staff and volunteer team that holds carers at the centre of everything we do.

For more information: Website: www.swindoncarers.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/swindoncarerscentre Twitter: @swindoncarers

To contact us: Tel: 01793 531133 Email: [email protected] Organizations and useful Numbers (information Summer 2018 e&oe)

Adult Social Care and support for older people in Swindon. Swindon Borough Council. Visit SBC website. E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 0800 085 6666

Community Nursing: GWH. The Community nursing service provides care to patients at home or in residential homes, many of whom have long-term conditions or disabilities. Phone: 01793 463333 (choose option 4)

Healthwatch Swindon: Ensures that public views on local health and social care services are heard. Sanford House, Sanford Street, Swindon. Phone: 01793 497777 Website: www.healthwatchswindon.org.uk

Swindon Circles: Swindon Circles is the newest addition to the Community Health and Wellbeing family, joining the service in April this year. Tel: The Live well Hub: 01793 465513 Email: [email protected]

Swindon Citizens Advice Bureau Sanford House Sanford Street, Swindon SN1 1QH Phone: 01793 681781 Email: [email protected] Websitewww.citizensadviceswindon.org.uk/contact

National Advice Line: 08444 994 114 National website: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Voluntary Action Swindon: Phone: 01793 538398 Website: www.vas-swindon.org Email: [email protected]

Wiltshire and Swindon Users Network Phone: 01380 871057 Website: www.wsun.co.uk

Age UK Swindon (advice and information) Phone: 01793 687017

Age UK Wiltshire: Phone: 01380 727 767 Monday - Thursday, 9.00 am to 4.00 pm. Friday, 9.00 am to 1.00 pm. NHS Direct: Tel: 111 Website: www.nhsdirect.uk

SBC My care My Support: Website: www.mycaremysupport.co.uk Swindon Borough Council's care and support information and advice.

Wiltshire police: Phone: 101- In an emergency always call 999 Website: www.wiltshire.police.uk

Robert Buckland, MP for South Swindon: Phone: 01793 533393 Website: [email protected]

Men in Sheds: Kevin Prosser Phone: 07540726432 Email: [email protected]

Links from Swindon Seniors Forum (information Summer 2018 e&oe)

Age Action Alliance Phone: 0207 449 7008 Website: www.ageactionalliance.org Email: [email protected]

Age UK Forum pages Website: www.ageuk.org.uk/get-involved/older-peoples-Forums

Ageing Well Legacy Website: www.local.gov.uk/ageing-well

Beth Johnson Foundation: A charity championing positive ageing Phone: 01782 844036 Website: www.bjf.org.uk

Campaign to end loneliness: Website: https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org

Elders Council Website: www.elderscouncil.org.uk

Link Age Phone: 0117 353 3042 Website: www.linkagenetwork.org.uk

Mature Times Website: www.maturetimes.co.uk

Pensioners Campaign Forum: Website: www.pensionerscampaignuk.org.uk

Pensioners Forum Website: www.pensionersForum.co.uk

Royal British Legion– Alexander House, 19 Fleming Way, Swindon SN1 2NG Local contact Samantha Baker Email: [email protected] Phone: 08457 725725

South West Seniors Network Email: [email protected] Chair Email: [email protected] Phone: : 01373 813088

United for All Ages Website: www.unitedforallages.com Phone: 01692 650 816

Silver Line Phone Helpline: 0800 4 70 80 90 Website: www.thesilverline.org.uk

Libraries courses poster