Welcome to our December newsletter which is again full of Christmas events and activities in Calderdale. As ever, pop over to our website for all the very latest news on upcoming events in Calderdale. You can also find lots of clubs, groups and societies to join.
There are also a couple of important news items: we look at the importance of preventing antibiotic resistance and how we can help; we also have some quick and easy tip to help make your home more secure from intruders.
In addition, we look at the success of a couple of local charities in the recent Community Spirit Awards, rewarding their outstanding work in Calderdale.
Finally, we'd like to wish all our readers and very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We will be back with more news early in 2023, but remember you can visit our website at any time to pick up the latest, news, events and activities from Calderdale.
The Forum 50 Team
What's On - on our website
For up to the minute information on what's on in Calderdale please visit our website's events and activities page.
Stay "In Touch" with local social groups & coffee mornings
Our website's directory of friendship and social groups just got a lot bigger, with lots of new listings added in the last few weeks. If you're from Brighouse, Rastrick, Sowerby Bridge, Ripponden, Elland, Greetland, Hebden Bridge or Todmorden, you'll find new entries, all helpfully grouped geographically. Explore them all on our in touch page.
Carols & mince pies, Elland, December 12th
Staying Well and Curious Motion invite you to join them for a little Christmas get together to get into the festive spirit on Monday December 12 from 10am – 12pm at Southgate Methodist Church, Langdale St, Elland HX5 0JL. They will be singing Christmas Carols and enjoying a mince pie (or two!) with a cuppa, discussing anything anyone would like to share. For more information and to book, please contact Helen Brame on 07759 364917 or email Helen.Brame@calderdale.gov.uk
Lots to do in Pellon & Mount Tabor Several local venues are providing a feast of activities for residents of Pellon and Mount Tabor. There are many options for gentle exercise including Tai-Chi and Pilates and a wealth of social activities, including arts and crafts, singing groups and coffee mornings. The main venues are Highgate Methodist Church, St. Columba’s Catholic Church Hall and Mount Tabor Methodist Church Hall. A full schedule of activities can be found on our website - More Details
Artworks Winter Open Day - unlock your inner artist Artworks is a thriving community space, located in a restored mill near the Shay Stadium, in Halifax. Artworks is dedicated to helping local people develop their artistic talents or simply take time out to improve their mental health & wellbeing through art. Join them on Saturday 10th December from 1 to 4pm to find out more about what Artworks does, meet some of their resident artists, and try your hand at some creative activities. Details of this and other events at Artworks are on our website: More Details
Busy times at Todmorden U3A
The next Todmorden U3A (University of the 3rd Age) Monthly Members Meeting will be on Thursday the 15th of December 2022 at 1.45 p.m., and is open to all fully paid-up members. The speaker for this meeting is Susan Holden, with ‘The Twelve Dates of Christmas’. To find out about membership and to read about last month's visit by a best selling author, visit our website - More Details
Comfort & Joy at Halifax Minster
The Rotary Club of Halifax's fabulous Christmas ‘Comfort & Joy’ concert is at the Halifax Minster on Saturday 10th December (7pm – 9.30pm) and it costs just £5 to get in, with tickets available on the door. Enjoy the sounds of Christmas performed by talented local performers of all ages. The inspirational Elland Silver Youth Band will be there along with the award-winning Bradshaw School Choir. More Details
Festive events at The Piece Hall Halifax’s Piece Hall is hosting a huge array of Christmas events including concerts, carols, brass-band concerts, films, family events, ice skating and much more. To view all upcoming events at the venue, including the festive period, visit their website.
Community Spirit Awards
We were delighted to see that our friends at the Maurice Jagger Centre won the Charity of the Year (sponsored by Riley & Co) at the Community Foundation For Calderdale Community Spirit Awards. The centre do great work helping hundreds or older and disabled people access social events and they always offer everyone a warm welcome. Well done!
Other winners included Halifax Society for the Blind, winning the Breakthrough of the Year award for a project offering visually-impaired people the opportunity to try out devices with specially-adapted software. Plus there was a Lifetime Achievement Award for Howard Priestley for his work in helping develop community radio station Phoenix FM. Again, both are friends of the Forum and we congratulate them and all the winners.
FEATURE: Support for people with dementia from Right at Home and Memory Lane Cafe
Care Provider Right at Home recently accompanied one of their clients with Vascular Dementia to Memory Lane Cafe, Halifax. As well as visiting people in their own homes, Right at Home Calderdale’s Care Givers take clients on trips out and on 21st November they accompanied a lady called Pat to the very popular Memory Lane Café in Halifax.
Gemma from Right at Home said: “Pat is very sociable and loves spending time with people, Monday was no exception and she’ll definitely be going again. Pat has vascular dementia and hasn’t been going out as much as she used to. It’s critical for her that she continues to get the social stimulation she needs. Places like memory lane are the ideal place for Pat, providing safe social settings.”
Taking Antibiotics Seriously
Antibiotics kill bacteria or prevent them from spreading, but because bacteria are adapting to survive them, these medicines are becoming less effective. If antibiotics stop working to treat infections, this might stop us from carrying out common healthcare activities such as doing major operations or giving cancer treatments where infections are common, and we need effective antibiotics to prevent them.
That’s why healthcare professionals across the region are supporting a campaign that aims to raise awareness of antibiotic resistance and educate people how they can help to keep antibiotics working.
Antibiotics should only be used when we really need them. For example, colds, flu and most coughs are viral infections, and antibiotics can’t treat those. All you need is plenty of rest and a visit to your local pharmacy for remedies that you can buy over the counter.
Listen to your healthcare professional’s advice. If you are given antibiotics, it’s important that you finish the full course, not save them for future use, and never share them with others. If you do have any left over for any reason, take them back to your pharmacy so they can be disposed of safely.
Pensions Upgrade
Last month the Chancellor delivered his Autumn Statement including a targeted package of support for the most vulnerable. You can read more about its impact on our website. In the meantime, one headline was that pensioners in Great Britain will benefit from a 10.1% increase to their State Pension in April 2023 under the triple lock. This is worth over £870 next year on average. A full basic State Pension will increase from £141.85 to £156.20 per week, and the new State Pension will increase from £185.15 to £203.85. The Government will also protect 1.4 million of the poorest pensioner households from rising prices by increasing Pension Credit by 10.1% in April 2023.
ASDA – £1 soup & roll for over-60s
Asda is offering those aged 60 and over the chance to enjoy soup, a roll and unlimited teas and coffees for just £1 in any of its 205 cafes all day and every day throughout November and December.
Warm spaces to work or relax in Calderdale libraries
Calderdale’s libraries are opening their doors this winter to help people stay warm. They will be welcoming anyone who needs a warm place to relax, rest or work, with places to charge your electronic devices too. There will also be hot drinks available, activities for those looking for something to do and the usual range of books and newspapers.
The Salvation Army, Brighouse is also offering a Warm Welcome Space in Calderdale. Find out more.
Cost of Living hub on our website
We've brought together all our Cost of Living advice onto one helpful page of our website. There you will find links to the key support information and support organisations out there. Plus there are regular news items with up-to-the-minute updates. Find out more on our website
Making Your Home More Secure
West Yorkshire Police’s Easy Street campaign is highlighting poor home security and offering some quick and simple tips to make your house more secure. Think about your own home. Is it inviting for all the wrong reasons? Follow their check list to improve your home security:
Insecure doors and windows, it’s easy to forget to lock up when you’re in a rush
Protect your valuables inside your home by keeping them out of sigh
Check your doors and windows meet minimum security standards of PAS 24
You can grow your own security with defensive planting such as hardy bushes and shrubs
Internal lights and external dusk till dawn lighting can reduce the risk of being burgled.
SPREADING THE WORD If you would like to read or perhaps share a PDF version of this newsletter for people who are not online, you can download a copy here. Download a copy
About Calderdale Forum 50 Plus We are a voluntary group that supports and represents people aged 50 and over in Calderdale and highlights information and issues which are useful and important to this age group. We collate guidance on key later life issues such as housing, benefits and finance, care of all kinds and physical and mental health. The Forum is represented on the Council's Ageing Well Alliance Board which aims to develop more age-friendly policies across Calderdale.
Below are the key sections of our website, where you can find carefully chosen news, features, advice and tips, all aimed at older people in Calderdale and their families and friends.
The Community Foundation for Calderdale supports charities and voluntary groups across Calderdale, working alongside these groups to address inequalities and create opportunities for those who need them the most. Calderdale Council provides support for specific projects and we work closely with them to communicate the older person's points of view on issues that really matter.
