news agenda

FREE!
The newspaper of Age Concern Kingston upon Thames

Issue 15 l Winter 2012

INSIDE:

Keeping warm page 5

Making life easier page 7

Baroness Jane Campbell page 4

Britain is in the midst of an energy bill crisis; families and those living alone are facing significant financial hardship especially those with fixed incomes. In the last two years average annual energy bills have already increased by 200. The four leading energy firms are now pushing fuel bills beyond the rate of inflation, potentially adding another 80112 to our bills. The impact will be severe, piling more pressure on severely stretched household budgets and pushing hundreds of thousands more households into fuel poverty.

Protect yourself against the cold

Profits
Leading energy provider British Gas increased profits by a quarter to 345 million over the first half 2012, yet their customers will still face a 57% hike in prices. Customers of other energy suppliers are expected to see similar price increases. According to Which? the average saving when switching gas and electricity provider is 217, however consumers seem reluctant to change provider or seek help with managing their energy bills.

Youve got the power

people heating a home can be a great worry. Making changes to achieve savings can seem daunting, but this can be made easier through the Winter Fuel Allowance and accessing grants and discounts available to help install wall cavity or loft insulation, new boilers and heating systems. instalments on energy bills spread over several years. Simple measures can also help: lighting accounts for 15% of average household electricity costs just switching to energy efficient light bulbs will save money. Whilst Government and energy suppliers work out how to provide customers with better deals with clear tariff options, policy changes are not expected until winter 2013 and beyond. Consumers need to look at their options now to ensure a comfortable winter this year. Age Concern Kingston can ease the burden through advice and support in the home. For further information on reducing household energy bills go to the First Contact section on page 5.

l Make sure youre getting the financial support youre entitled to call First Contact advice line for more information see page 5. l Dress appropriately, in layers of thinner clothes rather than one thick layer. l Stay active, alternate rest and activity, but dont take risks in wet or icy weather. l Eat well, sip hot drinks regularly throughout the day and stock up on provisions in case you cant get out to the shops. l Set your heating to the right temperature (1821C/6470F) in the rooms you use during the day. l If you dont want to heat your bedroom all the time, make sure its warm before you go to bed and use the timer to make sure its warm when you get up. l If you use an electric blanket, make sure its safe. Its cheaper to replace a worn electric blanket than it is to replace your family and your home. If you are in any doubt about the condition of your blanket, bin it and buy a new one. For more information see www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/ electric-blankets.

Solution
Recent research findings suggest that 55% of people asked would resort to either not using their heating or cutting back on other essentials such as food, 44% of people felt stressed about paying energy bills and 13% were already falling behind with their payments. Few people said they would consider approaching a charity to see if they were eligible for a grant or benefits. Keeping warm in winter is a basic need, yet for vulnerable and older

Switching
The average household could save up to 280 a year on household energy bills by becoming energy efficient alone. Until the end of December 2012 most pensioners are eligible for free or discounted insulation as part of a Government-backed scheme. In January 2013 the Green Deal will offer loans to install energy saving measures which will be paid back through

Mind the gap

London residents aged 60+ are now eligible to apply for a 60+ London Oyster photocard which grants free travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London overground and most National Rail services in London. The new scheme bridges the gap for Londons 60-year-olds since the age of eligibility for the London Councils Freedom Pass was raised from 60 to 61 by the Government in 2010. Applications require a colour digital photo, email address, proof of identification and a 10 fee. For more information, visit tfl.gov.uk/tickets. If you need help with your application, call our First Contact advice line, see page 5.

Grow Your Own Tenner

Age Concern Kingston has joined the Grow Your Tenner campaign. Online donations website Localgiving.com launched the campaign in September; it aims to encourage individuals to support their community by donating 10 or more to local charities. When you donate to Age Concern Kingston upon Thames, Localgiving. com will boost your donation by up to 10 per donation! Heres how it works: If you donate 10, Localgiving.com will match this by 10. In addition 2.50 will then be added if you are a UK taxpayer making a grand total of 22.50. Making a donation is easy: visit https://localgiving.com/charity/ ageconcernkingston and click to donate there will be two options: you can make a one-time gift or a monthly donation. Every little helps your 10 donation could help someone with dementia enjoy a day out at our Saturday Club; 20 enables four isolated people to receive a regular friendly telephone call from the In Touch scheme and 100 keeps our Handyperson van on the road for two weeks. Grow Your Tenner will only continue until the funding runs out, so the time to give is now.

Kingston at Home update Spotlight on doorstep

The lead article in the autumn edition of agenda news featured planned changes to local services as part of the Kingston at Home project. Kingston at Home has now been given the official go-ahead by councillors, who have agreed that community health providers Your Healthcare CIC, the proposed lead organisation for the new model, will take on a shadow management role for the services until a full transfer is possible sometime in 2013. As work on developing the new model of services progresses, several events have been held to get the views of local people about the proposed changes. Feedback from the Pensioners Forum, Kingston Carers Network and the new GP Patient Forum has been encouraging. With comments such as this should have been done a long time ago and make this happen as quickly as possible, its clear that people agree that change is urgently needed. The Council says its taking on board concerns raised, for example about the quality and reliability of home care, and the need for services which address isolation. Work is well underway to design a single point of access for people needing both health and social care, as an early and key part of the new integrated community service. Current assessments of the need for bed and ward-based resources and outreach services in the community are being discussed, with a special emphasis on bed-based care targeted towards people with dementia.

sales in Kingston

12-19th of November saw the launch of the 2012 National Consumer Week campaign. This years focus was one we see in the newspapers for all the wrong reasons: doorstep salesmen. The message is simple: say NO to cold callers. Salesmen that refuse to go away when asked are committing a criminal offence, which unfortunately not many residents realise, so dont feel pressured to buy on your doorstep and call the police if you feel threatened. To make life easier, you no longer even need to answer the door to get the message across, just use the free sticker enclosed with every copy of this agenda news! If cold callers refuse to go away please report them to the Police or Trading Standards on the helpline below. Door stickers and advice leaflets are available from libraries and doctors surgeries, so if a neighbour or loved one would benefit, pop in to pick one up today. For further advice on buying goods on your doorstep, or if you are having problems with a business, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service helpline 08454 04 05 06.

Winners of the Guardian Public Services Award for Care of Older People 2011

Who we are

How to contact us: Age Concern Kingston upon Thames 14 Nelson Road, New Malden, KT3 5EA t: 020 8942 8256 e: admin@ageconcernkingston.org w: www.ageconcernkingston.org twitter: @agekingston agenda news email: agenda@ageconcernkingston.org
The views expressed in agenda news are not necessarily those of the trustees, staff or volunteers. Published by Age Concern Kingston upon Thames. Registered charity no. 299988 Company no. 2272550 Design: Eileen Higgins, e: eileen@eh-design.co.uk Print: Park Communications Ltd, t: 020 70556500. Printed on 100% recycled paper

We are the largest, independent charitable organisation dedicated to working with older people in south west London. Kingston upon Thames We have 65 years of experience of supporting older people and carers to live safely and independently in their own homes and over the years have won awards for this, the most recent being the Guardian Award for Care of Older People 2011. Our vision is to make later life a greater life. We have a history of working in innovative ways with local people to deliver the services that they want, and of working in partnership. We provide a range of community-based services which help and support older people to live in their own homes. These include Information, Advice and Advocacy; practical help in the home (e.g. Handyperson services, cleaning and domestic help, shopping, support after a hospital stay) and social activities (social centres, lunch clubs, telephone befriending, dementia club). These services are accessed by hundreds of older people and carers each year. Our workforce of 50 staff is supported by over 100 trained volunteers who add value and huge commitment to all the services we provide.

age concern

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Letters
Do you sometimes wonder what will happen when you can no longer look after yourself? Will you wait for a crisis and hope for the best, or go into a home? These thoughts usually bring with them a measure of unease, an element of fear even Who will look after me? Will I have to sell my home? How much will it cost me? In Kingston, the council, health services and voluntary sector organisations are working together to set up a new model of care entitled Kingston at Home. The majority of older people want to stay at home when they are ill or disabled and can no longer manage alone. Some people have actively made a choice to end their days in a residential setting. However, not only is residential and nursing care costly, finding a place that will meet your needs and wishes can be complicated. The numbers of older people who require care and support are growing at a rate that cannot adequately be financed

Please send your letters & feedback to agenda news Age Concern Kingston upon Thames 14 Nelson Road, New Malden, KT3 5EA or send an email to agenda@ageconcernkingston.org

AGENDA EDITORIAl

Failing to reform
The Prime Minister reshuffled his Cabinet in September and, surprisingly, Paul Burstow was removed from his role as Care Minister. Burstow is a great advocate for care reform and has a strong track record of championing the needs and issues of older people. Since his departure there has been a great deal of silence on this subject, particularly around the Dilnot recommendations for long term funding of care.

In the light of proposals to change the way care is provided locally, Ann Macfarlane OBE (pictured below) urges us to think the unthinkable.
does not minimise many of those losses, but familiar surroundings and family and friends in the local community can make a significant difference. A person may have to make a financial contribution to pay for personal care, housework, gardening and household maintenance but it means that they maintain control and have choice in daily living. Rather than waiting for a crisis, or simply assuming that relatives or friends will step in, many feel that they would rather take some control to achieve peace and security for the future. Thinking the unthinkable can lead to depression but proactively planning for future care and support can reduce fear and anxiety. Making arrangements can bring a sense of wellbeing, security and peace rather than leaving your future entirely to chance. Enjoy life now, and maintain dignity and control knowing what you have put in place can help you and trusted relatives and friends.

Proposals
It was hoped that a delayed announcement would be made during the party conference season, but no nothing. Since departing the Government, Burstow has made known his belief that there is resistance to the Dilnot proposals from within the Treasury, which believes the country cannot afford them. Is this about affordability, or is it a question of choosing priorities? It now appears, with the absence of Burstow, the Treasury will get its way. This means either substantially raising the eligibility threshold to a meaningless figure or even the total abandonment of the Dilnot recommendations. At the moment theyre kicking the issue into the long grass, with further talk that the proposals will be reconsidered in the spending review of autumn 2014!

by statutory services. We can no longer expect to be funded to live in nursing and residential establishments unless there is no other option. When entering a residential setting, people can experience several bereavements the loss of health and mobility, death of a partner, stress and depression at leaving home, their local community and separation from family. Above all, it can mean the loss of choice and control over daily life and decision-making. Staying in ones own home

Significant
If this happens, then its significant, because it raises the wider question of how committed this Government is to health and social care reform. Everyone knows its short-sighted not to plan for tomorrow, today. The challenges and opportunities of our ageing society are well documented all the evidence indicates that people living longer is not a burden, or even a problem, for society as long as Government plans accordingly, however this is something the Coalition appears not to understand.

Age Concern Kingston can provide information, advice and support on housing options and things you can do to maintain your independence and stay in control of your life.

Making an impact
Age Concern Kingstons 2012 Impact Report has been published. The report looks back over the year and summarises what we said we would do, what we did, and what were going to do in the year ahead. Here are some of the highlights. l 2,130 successful outcomes for users of Information, Advice and Advocacy service l Increased our users income by 387,554 l More people with dementia and their families accessed the Saturday Club l 362 people received Stay Well at Home assessments l Fit as a Fiddle participation up by 28% l Fit as a Fiddle generated a Social Return on Investment of 3.50 for every 1 invested l Shortlisted for Charity Times Awards l Time donated by volunteers worth 237,236 l Won the Guardian Public Services Award for Care of Older People. The full report can be found on our website ageconcernkingston.org/impact/ or pick up a copy from either of our centres.

age concern
Kingston upon Thames

PuBlIC MEETING
Have your say on the future of health and social care
1.30, Friday 8th March 2013
Mayo Hall, United Reformed Church, Eden Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1HZ

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AGENDA INTERvIEW

living with dignity

Baroness Jane Campbell of Surbiton is a seasoned disability campaigner and crossbench peer in the House of Lords, with a long history of lobbying for disabled peoples civil and human rights. She was awarded an MBE in 2000, and again in 2006, when she was made a Dame. The Baroness spoke enthusiastically to agenda news about her experience of recording Desert Island Discs, direct action and the rights of older people.
It was fascinating to hear about your journey through life on BBC Radios prestigious Desert Island Discs. How was that experience for you? I tried to be honest; it was important to let people know that I am no different from anybody else. I mean, I would not be the person I am today if it wasnt for my disability people seem to think that Im joking or telling big fat lies when I say, I would truly not change anything, including my disability. Lets face it, life has some real downsides. My biggest traumas havent come from the result of having Spinal Muscular Atrophy, they have come because I have lost a very dear family member or because of depression. I really wanted to use that interview to connect with people, to show the world that disability is only one fraction of our being. You were part of the 2000 Rights not Charity demonstration when hundreds of people with wheelchairs sat in the middle of Westminster Bridge. Youve since said that the police really did not know how to respond. They didnt have a clue in the beginning, the fact that we were demonstrating completely confused them, however a lot them began to see why we were there and what we were fighting for. Especially when they found out that none of us had ever been on a bus and so many of us get turned away simply for being a disabled person from a club or a pub or a shop. So what did they do? They did arrest us in the end. About ten of us went down to the police station but of course they struggled getting us up the stairs. The deaf people demanded an interpreter, the blind people needed their rights in Braille and as for the wheelchair users, we just asked to go to the toilet of course theres no such thing as an accessible loo in a police station, so in the end they just said, For Gods sake just go away. Your demonstrating highlighted a nave way of thinking, it must have been liberating? We were passive, dependent and basically only did what the professionals or carers told us to do. The paternalism was suffocating. I look back at that time of life and see it as my most empowering moments. We said, Enough is enough, we are not going away and were coming back. You must be proud of achieving so much. Although it seemed you faced major limitations in your education due to your schooling? I dont think I had an education, until I was 16. The teachers were just biding their time until we died: Keep them happy until they go to heaven. It was very bad not one person thought that we would go on to be academic, to get a job or to live independently. What made you see that you could do more than this? My parents didnt treat me as if I was special my mother thought it would give me an enormous chip on my shoulder. My older sister would give me all her school books. I basically built my own inclusive world. I had a lot of friends outside of school and a wonderful imagination. I basically built my life around one of the Enid Blighton books Mallory Towers and I used that as my identity! It took years for me to realise my identity and find my reality I didnt suddenly wake up knowing the Social Model of Disability, which says its the barriers in society that disable you, not your condition. Did you find comfort in being with other people who experienced discrimination? Absolutely, I think if you want to understand the disability movement then you only have to look into the liberation movement around race and gender because I do not feel that we are any different. In my thirties I became far more interested in generic equality and thats why I entered the Commission for Equality and Human Rights: to work alongside people who are working with race, gender, ageism and homophobia. The only difference is that those with disabilities have an asymmetric difference: theres one thing that we need that the others dont and that is different environments in which to feel included. Doctors gave you a year to live when you were born and here you are at 53. What about the future? Im now getting older myself, so Im looking at the groups that tackle age discrimination. When I get to the age of 60 or 65 all the support I have now will disappear. My birthday shouldnt signify the end of my want to remain busy and active. I wish to generate some kind of interest amongst older people in liberating themselves in the same way we did. Id like people to stamp their feet and say enough is enough, I would love to see a thousand older people sitting on Westminster Bridge. Society needs to recognise that older people have so much to give 70 to 80 years of wisdom.

Baroness Campbell has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a degenerative condition which means she uses a wheelchair and is increasingly reliant on a ventilator to breathe. Doctors gave Jane a year to live when she was born, and at 53 she is looking towards her future as a pensioner.

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First Contact l 020 8408 8170

Age Concern Kingston telephone advice number, open Monday to Friday 10.00am 12.00 noon

Keep warm this winter know your entitlements!

Where to get more information

To find out if your fuel supplier offers the Warm Home Discount, or for more information on changing your energy supplier visit the Consumer Citizens Advice website adviceguide.org.uk/ england/consumer_e.htm or call their Consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your bills, you can speak in confidence to Age Concern Kingstons First Contact advice line on 020 8408 8170.

Research shows that households are worried about paying their energy bills this winter. Benefits are available to help the poorest households in England make their homes warmer and cut their energy bills.

Energy bills
Make sure youre paying the lowest price available for your fuel. You may be able to reduce your fuel costs by changing your supplier. If youre behind with payments, contact your fuel supplier straight away. They must offer you an arrangement to pay off the arrears at a rate you can afford. Your supplier must also offer you a method of payment which is the most suitable for you. You may be able to arrange to pay off your arrears in monthly instalments. This is called a payment plan. If youre facing disconnection, or havent been able to keep to a payment plan, your supplier may offer to install a prepayment meter. A prepayment meter will allow you to pay a fixed amount off your arrears at the same time as paying for the fuel you are currently using. You may be able to get a grant to help you pay for fuel arrears as well as some other household bills. To find out if you are eligible, visit the British Gas Energy Trust website britishgasenergytrust.org.uk or EDF Energy Trust edfenergytrust.org.uk.

Warm Front Scheme

Claim now you have until the end of December 2012 to get help worth up to 3,500 to improve heating or insulation through the Warm Front scheme. The money can pay for things like insulation loft, cavity, wall or hot water tank; draughtproofing, or gas, electric and oil heating. From January 2013 the Green Deal scheme offers to make home energy efficiency improvements without needing to pay in advance; instead you pay through instalments on your electricity bill.

Winter Fuel Payment

You could get between 100 and 300 tax-free to help pay your heating bills, if you were born on or before 5 July 1951. Most payments are made automatically and you should get your money by the end of December.

Cold Weather Payment

If youre getting certain benefits, you may be able to get a Cold Weather Payment. Youll get 25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. Payments will be made when your local temperature is either recorded as, or forecast to be, an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.

Warm Home Discount

If you are on a low income or considered vulnerable, you may be eligible for the Warm Home Discount from your fuel supplier. For winter 2012 to 2013, you could get a discount of 130 on your electricity bill.

Married Couples Allowance

Were you or your spouse born before 6th April 1935? Are you paying income tax? If so, it is well worth checking to see whether you are taking advantage of the Married Couples Allowance as this could reduce your income tax bill by up to 770.50 per year. You can claim Married Couples Allowance if: l youre married or in a civil partnership l youre living with your spouse or civil partner l one of you was born before 6 April 1935. Its easy to claim. Just telephone HMRC on 0845 300 0627 and tell them you want to claim the Married Couples Allowance. When you call they will ask for the date of your marriage and the following information for both yourself and your spouse/partner: Full Name, National Insurance Number, Date of Birth. Make sure you ask for any overpaid income tax to be refunded and you should receive a refund for the current year and maybe for the previous year also.

Free legal advice surgery

From January 2013 Age Concern Kingston will provide a monthly legal advice surgery to local residents over the age of 60. We recognise that people in the local area may benefit from receiving impartial legal advice from solicitors experienced in working with older clients. Consultations will be confidential, held in a private space at one of our centres and are by appointment only. If you would like more information or to make an appointment, please ring Age Concern Kingston First Contact on: 020 8408 8170 or by email: firstcontact@ageconcernkingston.org.

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Raleigh House
Raleigh House provides a warm and friendly environment for those over 60 who are seeking companionship and daily activity. You can choose to attend for a full day, including a hot lunch, or half a day. Transport is available to and from the centre for those who need it, every day except Wednesday, or we can help you access alternative transport. The centre is spacious, with a large lounge and dining room, an arts and crafts room, a coffee lounge and a pleasant courtyard garden and terrace. One-to-one computer lessons, podiatry and holistic therapies are also available for members and non-members. Opening times: Monday Friday: 10.00am 4.00pm Raleigh House, 14 Nelson Road, New Malden KT3 5EA Telephone: 020 8949 4244 Email: dcadmin@ageconcernkingston.org Centre Manager: Cathy Weight

The Bradbury
The Bradbury is a drop in centre for the over 50s. With a lively, vibrant and friendly atmosphere, The Bradbury offers a wide range of activities from tai chi and yoga, to dancing classes or computer lessons. Just a ten minute walk from Kingston town, The Bradbury is a good place to come for a bite to eat. Our caf serves drinks, snacks, lunches (including a roast lunch on a Wednesday) and plenty of homemade cakes. In the summer you can eat al fresco as we have a pleasant patio garden. The Bradbury, 37b Grange Road, Kingston KT1 2RA Telephone: 020 8549 1230 Email: bradbury@ageconcernkingston.org Centre Manager: laura OBrien

What can we learn from an old red bagful of letters?

All the fun of the fair!

A good day out was had by many members of the local community at Raleigh Houses Family Fair in September. We raised over 1,700 a fantastic result. Thank you to our sponsors: Royal Gurkha New Malden, Holiday Inn Kingston, Tudor Williams New Malden, Elaine Carmen, Colourflow New Malden, Larry Sears for leaflet distribution and to all those volunteers who helped make the fair happen.

Toes a tappin with Bounce Theatre

Raleigh House members were given the opportunity to develop their musical talents with a series of workshops devised by Bounce Theatre. Bounce is a community interest company which combines theatre with dance to create unique, physical stories. Members at Raleigh worked on a movement and music based project that will form part of an intergenerational celebration in 2013. Whilst tap dancing to old favourites such as Singing in the Rain, members found themselves breaking into song creating an all-singing, all-dancing performance. Louise Pendry, Bounces Artistic Director has worked with everyone from three-year-olds to 103. She says she finds working with people at Raleigh House a pleasure: The centre is brilliantly run and is always welcoming to walk into. My favourite thing about the movement class is when everyone breaks into song. Its great to see the people we work with uplifted, and the exercise is an added bonus. This is not the first time Bounce has worked with Age Concern Kingston; in a previous project a number of young people interviewed members about their memories of life at home during World War II they then used the material to write a play for their peers.

Kingston universitys Francis White with Bradbury Manager, laura OBrien

The Iris Murdoch project

Iris Murdoch is recognised internationally as one of the most significant British writers of the twentieth century. Just across the road from The Bradbury is The Centre for Iris Murdoch Studies, Kingston University, which holds 250 letters written from the 1940s to the 1990s between Dame Iris Murdoch and her fellow philosopher and lifelong friend, Professor Philippa Foot. The letters provide a rare insight into Murdochs private life and thoughts, and hold a deep human interest due to the intense personal relationship between these two remarkable women. They offer a fascinating exposition of Murdochs ideas on philosophy, her reading and work, and provide a glimpse of the two womens discussions on politics, literature and art over more than 50 years. At the invitation of Kingston University, members of The Bradbury are taking part in a year-long Heritage Lottery Funded project based on the letters. Bradbury members have enjoyed talks and open days to view the Kingston University Murdoch Archives, a film club showing of the film Iris, starring Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent and the book club is immersed in Murdochs 1969 Booker short-listed novel The Nice and The Good. For more information on the project, or to visit the archive, please contact the Project Officer, Frances White frances.white@kingston.ac.uk.

Cloyda Anniversary
We are grateful to local care home Cloyda, which donated the proceeds of a raffle held at its 50th Anniversary celebrations in September, to Age Concern Kingston.

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Age Concern Kingstons projects and services

Making later life a greater life

Making life easier

Back in March, Mr Meadows neighbour contacted us because he was concerned that he was no longer able to offer to get Mr Meadows shopping for him due to a change of working times. The Help at Home service contacted Mr Meadows and the Coordinator visited him to assess his needs. She discovered that he had mobility problems due to severe arthritis. Living in a 1st floor maisonette with many stairs to the front door, leaving the home unassisted was not an option. He had been widowed 15 years previously and since then the house had not been cleaned. also agreed to have a care alarm installed. Our Handyperson service was able to install a handrail along the internal staircase to allow Mr Meadows to get to his bedroom and bathroom. We also fitted an internal washing line.

DIARY DATES
Age Concern training and events
Raleigh Saturday Club
A service for people living with dementia, their family members and supporters. Second Saturday of the month, 11.00am 2.00pm at Raleigh House. Next dates: 8th December (Christmas Party), 12th January 4 per person including refreshments and a light lunch (served at 12.00 noon). Contact Raleigh House on 020 8942 8256 or email admin@ageconcernkingston.org if you would like to attend or for more information.

Easier
Mr Meadows is now able to live healthily and independently. Seven months on, his Help at Home worker continues to assist him weekly and apart from shopping, cleaning and going out with him for coffee, she has taken him to get his eyes tested, collect his new glasses, and purchase a raised chair. He values this assistance and his house is now clean. According to Mr Meadows, She is always looking at things to make my life easier. The Help at Home worker found out that Mr Meadows had an interest in stamp collecting, particularly first day issues, so she arranged for the local Post Office to hold these for him and she takes him there to collect them, thereby allowing him to continue to pursue a lifelong interest which stimulates him. For further information about any service mentioned in this article please call 020 9942 8942 or visit ageconcernkingston.org.

Iris Murdoch Festival at The Bradbury

Events throughout the winter. For further information please contact the Centre Manager, Laura OBrien on 020 8549 1230, or email bradbury@ageconcernkingston.org.

Successful
Mr Meadows agreed to have the Help at Home service for cleaning each week. He also agreed to a visit from ACKs Information and Advice service volunteer to apply on his behalf for Attendance Allowance. The application was successful and Mr Meadows now receives 51.85 per week (2,696 per annum). Mr Meadows did not want to have an Occupational Therapy (OT) assessment but, as he had the financial means, the Help at Home worker assisted him to access an approved contractor to install a level access shower. He

Christmas Concert
The Bradbury Wednesday 5th December Contact the centre for more details.

volunteers Christmas Party

Raleigh House Thursday 6th December Please contact us if you have not received your invitation.

Bradbury Bereavement Support Group

First Thursday of every month As a group we provide support for people whove experienced any sort of loss. The group is run by experienced, empathetic and trained volunteers and provides an opportunity for people, if they wish, to share their experiences and feelings, in a relaxed and private setting. For further information call The Bradbury 020 8549 1230.

Panto Trip
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Wimbledon Theatre Tuesday 8th January 12 noon Call The Bradbury for details 020 8549 1230.

lunch Clubs
In partnership with RBK in Chessington and New Malden. The Fountain Court The Charles lesser lunch Club lunch Club Tuesdays Wednesdays (12.00pm 2.00pm) (12.00pm 2.00pm) Fountain Court, Charles Lesser House, New Malden Chessington For more information call 020 8942 8256.

Free Fit as a Fiddle courses

Are you over 50, live in the borough of Kingston, and want to lose weight, get fit, and improve your wellbeing? Why not join a free 6 week course starting in January 2013? Try Nordic Walking: North Kingston, Tues 8th January 10.30 am Or Aquacise: Kingfisher Leisure Centre, Wed 9th January 9.30 am Or Body Balance: The Malden Centre, Thurs 10th January 11.45am Or Chair-based exercises, Fri 11th January. All courses include healthy lifestyle/weight loss workshops. For more information and to book a place, please contact: Grace, Fit as a Fiddle Coordinator Tel: 020 8942 8256 email: grace@ageconcernkingston.org.

Whats on in Kingston
Kingston Pensioners Forum
Second Monday of the month at Richard Mayo Hall, United Reformed Church, Eden Street, Kingston. For more info call the Secretary on 020 8241 9913.

u3A Kingston

age concern
Kingston upon Thames

First Monday of the month, 1.30pm at the Richard Mayo Hall. For more information see the website www.kingstonu3a.org.uk or call 020 8399 0163.

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age concern
Kingston upon Thames

Donation Appeal
Here at Age Concern Kingston we believe that everyone deserves a greater life in later life.
The number of older people in Kingston is increasing faster than the national average and every year we provide services to thousands of older people, typically aged over 80. Getting older shouldnt mean losing your dignity. Older people say they feel more confident knowing we are here to provide advice and information, practical and emotional support and opportunities to make new friends and keep socially active. Your donation can help in so many ways: l 10 pays for someone with dementia to enjoy a day out at our Saturday Club l 20 allows four isolated people to receive a friendly telephone call l 100 keeps our Handyperson van on the road for two weeks. Theres a reason why Age Concern Kingston is an awardwinning charity support us so we can continue to keep up the good work. Every little helps! Call 020 8942 8256, donate online at ageconcernkingston.org, send your cheque payable to Age Concern Kingston upon Thames, addressed to Anne Cann, Chair, Age Concern Kingston upon Thames, 14 Nelson Road, New Malden KT3 5EA.

Wills Service
One of the ways you can support Age Concern Kingston is by leaving a legacy or a gift in your will. We are currently developing a service that offers support in preparing basic wills. For more information please phone: 020 8942 8256 or email: admin@ageconcernkingston.org.
Charity Number 299988