We are pleased to welcome the following speakers to the forum on Tuesday 8th April.

1. Alan Clark – Emergency Planning & The Voluntary Sector

2. Kirsty McArdle – Project Manager, Bedfords Park Walled Garden

The Greater London Forum for Older People and Age UK London have released their manifestos for the upcoming 2014 elections.

London Older Peoples Manifesto 2014

You may be aware that the Mayor of London  in conjunction with Age UK, Age UK London and local Age UKs is running the ‘Quids In’ campaign to support pensioners claiming benefits to which they are entitled.

The campaign includes an Age UK  freefone telephone helpline 0800 169 6565

Quids In Campaign PDF Leaflet

Havering Libraries Spring Newsletter is now available at http://dmtrk.net/1ATO-2AT0Q-678FYVYY1C/cr.aspx?v=1

Local Elections and European elections will be held on Thursday 22nd May. Poll cards for this election will be hand-delivered to all registered electors in the borough between 12th and 21st April.

Information about altering voting arrangements is printed on poll cards.  Electors should note that the last date to register is 6th May, and to apply for a postal vote is 7th May. If you know now that you will be unable to vote in person on polling day please contact Election Services as soon as possible; you do not need to wait for your poll card; arrangements can be made now.

For information, all poll cards refer to the date of the election, the polling station location and the hours of the poll i.e. 7am to 10pm.  You do not need to take your poll card to the polling station to be able to vote.

If residents are not on the Register of Electors they will be unable to vote; if you have not registered at your current address please contact Election Services straight away.

Please note the following changes to our polling stations, which will be indicated on your poll card:

•             Dukes Hall – This hall has closed. Voters who have previously voted here should now vote at: Holy Cross church Hall, Hornchurch Road.

•             Towers Junior School – We are using the Infant School instead of the Junior School. Voters who have previously voted here should now vote at: Towers Infant School, Osborne Road.

•             Please note that Rainham Village Primary School has now reopened. If you voted at St Helen’s Church Hall in 2012 please note that this was a one-off and polling will take place at the Primary School.

If you have any queries or wish to apply for a postal vote please contact 01708 432444 or elections@havering.gov.uk

Membership

If you’re a resident of Havering Monthly you’d like to join Havering Over 50s Forum come along to one of the meetings and if you’re still interested contact our membership secretary or assistant after the meeting or call 01708 762433.

Membership costs £5 per year and you will normally receive your membership card at the next meeting.

Membership Benefits

• Invites to the forums various events and trips.
• Access to information and services specifically for the over 50s
• Monthly Forum meetings
• Forum Newsletter

To apply for membership or renew please fill in the following pdf file and send in with your cheque or bring along to the next meeting

Membership form 2014

Further to the last post we would like to help and get as many people as possible to write to the prime minister.

The plan is to get as many as we can signed at the forum next week, plus hopefully some at International Womens Day, and how ever many more we can get.

Dame Angela Watkinson has offered to deliver them to the Prime Minister.

So please sign the letter and get them to us at the Forum next week. Don’t forget to get your friends and relatives to sign them as well.

David Cameron letter (a)

David Cameron letter (b)

We strongly believe there should now be a Minister for Older people. Attached are 2 draft letters one for Havo50 forum members and one for Havering residents.

Please choose one, fill in your name and address and then send it to the Prime Minister.

David Cameron letter (a)

David Cameron letter (b)

There is a Minister for Children and rightly so as their needs are different from adults and one for People with Disabilities whose needs are different again. Why not A Minister for Older People whose needs can be complex and are not covered anywhere else.

This age group has a great influence across the Country whether it be knowledge or experience and provide the most volunteers of any other age group. Older people can live as fulfilling a life as they are able by looking after their cultural, social and economic interests as far as possible. They should be looked on not as a burden, but as a group to engage and raise issues with their own dedicated Minister.

Many areas across the country have a large elderly population, particularly here in Havering, which has possibly the largest percentage of elderly people in all the London Boroughs, approximately one third of our 250,000 population are over 50 with a significant number over 80. We consider that we are not properly represented in Parliament.

We are pleased to welcome the following speakers at the forum next week

• Dominic Ridley-Moy and Bob Wenman talking about street care issues.
• Kayleigh Pardoe regarding plans to commemorate WW1 Anniversary

Following on from the successful Christmas lunch at the Bull, Romford. The forum has arranged a pub lunch on Thursday 1st May, again at the Bull, Romford.

We hope to offer a 3 course meal including a drink at a very good price.

Numbers will be limited to 60 so you will need to book early to make sure of your place.

Kay will be announcing more details at the Forum meeting on Tuesday 11th March.