* Afternoon Teas* Boundary Mill *Coffee Morning* *Christmas Events * Big Knit* Age UK Calendar*

Age UK Todmorden NewsletterIssue 29 November December 2016

Anne Adams Enjoying An Ice Cream Sundae

Trips and Social Activities

Age UK Todmorden Newsletter

Cafe Culture 1st December Songs of Christmas 2.30pm

Run by Hebden Bridge Arts Festival on the first Thursday of every month at the Waterfront Hall, Hebden Bridge Town Hall. With talk, live piano, singing, whistling and dancing and refreshments this promises to be a great afternoon out! £5 (£3 concessions)Transport to Hebden Bridge from Todmorden can be provided. Contact the office to find out more and to reserve your place.

Coffee Morning and Information Wednesday 30 November 11am

at Stanley Cryer Court, TodmordenThis is a new initiative, open to all older people. An opportunity to find out more about the services available at Age UK Todmorden and meet new people and residents at Stanley Cryer Court. A range of information will be available with tea, coffee and homemade cakes to enjoy. Contact the office for more information.

Sunday Afternoon Teas 6 November, 4 December

Our afternoon teas, with home-made sandwiches, savouries and cakes run right through the winter on the first Sunday of each month from October to March. They are held at Roomfield House, Cambridge Place from 2 – 4pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the office for £3 or pay on the door. Transport can be provided if needed. (Contact the office at least a week in advance so that we can organise our volunteers)

Christmas Shopping Boundary Mill Wednesday 23 November

A whole day trip to get you in the mood for Christmas. We leave Todmorden at 11.30 and return at 4pm so there will be plenty of time to shop and visit the restaurant and cafe. The trip costs only £5. Contact the office to book your place.

Christmas Tree Festival Saturday 10 December

To get you in the mood for Christmas, come with us on Saturday afternoon to St Michael’s Church Cornholme. The whole building will be beautifully decorated with Christmas trees. There will be a cafe serving a light lunch – or tea and cake. The event runs from 11am till 4pm but we will be going early afternoon if you would like to join us.

Our News

Age UK Todmorden Newsletter

Over The Rainbow continues its Winter programme with a theatre trip to see the ground breaking play about Alan Turing at the Royal Exchange in Manchester and a group discussion on 3 December to explore your inner Gingerbread Person. Biscuits will be supplied! Over The Rainbow meets the first Saturday of the month at Todmorden Library from 1pm. New members always welcome. For more information contact the office.

Age UK Todmorden 2017 CalendarSupport us by buying our wonderful, colourful, Age UK calendar. An ideal present for friends and family this Christmas! All profits from the calendar will go to support the work of Age UK Todmorden next year. Available from the office or from one of our friendly volunteers for only £5.

Over The Rainbow Older LGBT Group

Gardening Column – Surprise, SurpriseMy husband and I have just returned home from a dancing week holiday in Scarborough. Whilst there we walked through a nice garden which had already been planted up with pansies and primroses ready for winter colour. We were surprised to see also in the garden a large group of Naked Ladies – not the human type as it was rather too cold and wet for that!

I have some in my garden which I brought back from the Scilly Isles a few years ago. I have kept them well protected and I have loved and tended them but all I seem to get are leaves. I wait every year for autumn to come and hope that I will soon see the lovely pink flowers but am always disappointed. The ones we saw on holiday were living in the full blast of wind off the sea. It never fails to amaze me the places plants flourish.

Anyway back to basics – as it is that time of year again. Nothing looks worse than untidy gardens during the winter period with pots and tubs left full of dying flowers and leaves. Make sure you pull out all the summer bedding plants and cut back the perennials taking care not to disturb any bulbs which will be starting to grow. Give your herbs a trim over. These will grow again if the weather is mild giving you fresh flavours over the winter. Susan

A problem shared is a problem halvedOur information and advice service is open from 10 am to 12 noon Monday to Friday. If you are unable to come to the office it may be possible to arrange a home visit.

Registered charity number 1145993, company number 7881902. ABC11/2016

Age UK Todmorden11 Burnley RoadTodmorden OL14 7BU

01706 817 926

info@ageuktodmorden.org,ukwww. ageuktodmorden.org.uk

Other News

Winter Warmth – Calderdale Council ServicesThe Council's Handyperson Service is able to fit draught-proofing to external wooden doors and cellar doors to get rid of cold drafts. This is for home owners and tenants in private rented accommodation who are over 60 years old and in receipt of a means tested benefit. Contact the service on 01422 392422 for more details.The Council's Housing Energy Action Team can also help with advice and guidance on how to make your home warmer and cheaper to heat. Please get in touch on 01422 392471 for details of the support available or email heat@calderdale.gov.uk

Big Knit 2016-17The Big Knit campaign is back for another year. By knitting little bobble hats you can help to raise funds to support the work of Age UK Todmorden this winter. The hats will decorate bottles of innocent smoothies in stores next year and will remind people about the problems older people can face in winter. We need 5,697 hats and they need to be with us by December 31st. Please call in for a pattern. Be as creative as you like – we really enjoy looking at all the different designs.

Free Thermometers – Keep Warm This WinterLiving in a cold environment is known to cause ill health, especially in people who are at greater risk because they're not aware of how cold it might be inside, or lead a more sedentary lifestyle and are less able to keep warm. Don’t let your rooms get too cold – or waste energy by keeping some rooms too hot! Keep an eye on the temperature in your room with a free room thermometer. The recommended temperature for an older person is 21 degrees centigrade in the living room and 18 degrees in the bedroom. Call into the office for a thermometer.