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.

Have your say with Healthwatch Havering on dementia and learning disabilities

We want to hear your experiences of health and social care services in Havering for people who have dementia or a learning disability (or difficulty)

CRANHAM COMMUNITY CENTRE : 103 FRONT LANE, CRANHAM RM14 1XL,
Tuesday 25th February 10:15 am to 12:15 pm

FOREST ROW COMMUNITY CENTRE : 241 LODGE LANE, COLLIER ROW, ROMFORD RM5 2LB
Wednesday 26th February 6:45pm to 8:45 pm

HASWA : GREENFIELDS, KILMARTIN WAY, ELM PARK RM12 5NB
Monday 3rd March 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

MYPLACE : 343 DAGNAM PARK DRIVE, ROMFORD, RM3 9EN
Wednesday 5th March 6:45 pm to 8:45 pm

SALVATION ARMY : HIGH STREET, ROMFORD RM1 1JJ
Thursday 6th March 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm

We value your views and ideas and if you are unable to make any of these five events your voice should still be heard.

Visit the Healthwatch Havering Website  www.healthwatchhavering.co.uk

or contact Joan Smith, Healthwatch Manager on 01708 303300 (24 hr voicemail).

Healthwatch Havering is here to help everyone have their say and get things changed for the better. Healthwatch is about local voices being heard and influencing the design and delivery of their local health and social care services.

The workshops will give you an opportunity to hear from service providers and a number of charities working in this area who may be able to help with your particular issue.

Join the Healthwatch team and discuss your ideas and views over a cup of tea and biscuit or over a light lunch (for lunchtime events):

Action Learning
What are the important questions for research into ageing?
Friday 4 April 2014

Venue: UCL School of Pharmacy, Maplethorpe Lecture Theatre, 29/39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX

Time: 10.30am to 3.30 pm – lunch and refreshments will be served

This workshop aims to seek the views of older people aged 70 and over from older peoples’ organisations or groups on what are the important issues that need further research. We will share ideas and problems, identify questions that may need further research to address, and prioritise which of these are important. This may include, for example, access to health care, social care, the environment, transport, technology or financial issues. The findings from the workshop will be used to guide future research at UCL and Age UK London.

Please register at the following link:

http://researchintoageing.eventbrite.co.uk

or email Janine Aldridge on Janinealdridge@ageuklondon.org.uk or telephone 020 7091 2594.

 The venue is wheelchair accessible.

Havering Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) services available at your doorstep!

Circle Housing Old Ford in partnership with Havering CAB is offering Havering residents a free confidential advice service.

Havering CAB can provide help and advice on: –

• Debt advice
• Rent arrears
• Benefit advice
• Housing
• Employment problems
• Legal advice
• Relationship issues

From Monday 10^th February 2014, The CAB services will be offered from the Orchard Village Estate Office, 149 – 151 Lowen Road, Rainham, Essex RM13 8QD from 10am to 12pm every Monday

This is a free, confidential & independent service

For further information please call Monica Paul on 07807 958 578

Due to the elections this year the council chamber is not available on May 13th.

The May Forum will therefore be held on Tuesday 20th May at 10:30

If you have an old inefficient boiler that needs to be replaced and you live in your own home or rent from a private landlord (not Council or housing association) and meet certain eligibility criteria, you may qualify to have it replaced for FREE.

CALL London Warm Zone on 0800 389 7286 to find out if you qualify.

Havering Council is working with London Warm Zone to offer grants for qualifying residents for replacing old heating systems (particularly if your boiler is 10 years or older). We want to help Havering residents who either own their property or rent it from a private landlord live in efficiently heated homes and be able to afford their fuel bills.

You must be in receipt of qualifying benefits and your information will remain confidential and will not be passed to anyone outside of the scheme. All grants are subject to funding availability and technical survey.

You may be eligible for a grant to replace an old inefficient boiler if you own your own home or live in private rented accommodation and anyone living at your address meets any of the following criteria:

You claim state pension credit, or

You claim child tax credit and your household income is below £15,860, or

You claim either income-based job seeker’s allowance, income related employment and support allowance (ESA) or income support and meet at least one of the following criteria:

–         You claim a disabled child premium

–         You have parental responsibility for a child under 16 who lives at the property

–         You have parental responsibility for a child who is over 16, but is under 20, who lives at the property and is in full time education other than higher education

–         You claim a pension premium, higher pension premium or enhanced pension premium

–         You are in receipt of child tax credit which includes either a disability or severe disability element

–         You claim a disability premium, enhanced disability premium or severe disability premium

–         You receive a work related activity or support component (only valid if you also claim ESA), or

You claim working tax credit where your household income is below £15,860 and you meet at least one of the following criteria:

–         You have parental responsibility for a child under 16 who lives at the property

–         You have parental responsibility for a child who is over 16, but is under 20, who lives at the property and is in full time  education other than higher education

–         You claim a disability premium, enhanced disability premium or severe disability premium

–         You are aged 60 or over

CALL London Warm Zone on 0800 389 7286 to find out if you qualify.