Middleton Elderly Aid Newsletter February 2020 Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road, Leeds, LS10 4LF. Email: info@middletonelderlyaid.org.uk Facebook: facebook.com/middleton.elderlyaid Website: middletonelderlyaid.org.uk

Tel: 0113 2721050

MEA Charity Shop, 18 Middleton Park Road, Leeds, LS10 3ST Tel: 0113 2713999

Welcome to your Newsletter

February – April 2020

We have had a busy few months here at MEA. We have enjoyed Day Trips to Millstones, Warrington Market and Liverpool. Look out for our next trips in the newsletter. We have been entertained by Dean Holland our Elvis Tribute, Paul Holt at our Christmas party and Jonny Dee in January. We are very proud to have received an award for the Inner South Leeds Community Heroes for providing support for older people in south Leeds. The Lord Mayor of Leeds Eileen Taylor presented us with the award. At our AGM, meeting we discussed the outstanding progress we are making and are looking forward to another busy 12 months with a full timetable of activities at our Social Centre.

Christmas Fayre Our Christmas Fair was held on the 30th November. Our stalls included tombola, cake and buns, crafts, flowers and our Christmas raffle. On the day, children young and old enjoyed our Santa’s Grotto! We raised over £1300 for our charity which is amazing and will all go back into serving our community. We would like to thank all of you that supported us by the way of donating raffle prizes, volunteering, attending or just buying that raffle ticket. We are already preparing for our Summer fayre. Any donations would be appreciated.

Calendars 2020 To celebrate International Day of Older people we designed our very own calendars with Middleton memories as the theme. We have sold

over 200 copies. If you still require one please get in touch at a cost of £4.00 each.

Chief Officer Some of you may already know me as I have been working for Middleton Elderly Aid for over 10 years. I began my journey as a volunteer befriender, after a few months I was employed as an Outreach worker. I was in this post for over 5 years visiting our members in their homes. I was then offered the role of Assistant Manager, then on to Operational Manager. In December 2019 I was promoted to Chief Officer. I would like to say I am so happy and proud. I love my job, seeing the difference we make in the community and in our member’s lives is so rewarding. Sam

Poem from a Member The Puzzler by Jean Nothers Does your hubby do the crossword Or maybe it’s yourself Feet firm, pen raised The oxford on the shelf It’s a colourful occasion When he tries to solve a clue The papers white, the words are read You can bet the air is blue The question looks quite easy Like falling off a log But how do you spell Chihuahua Could he just put little dog? The reference books are scanned The teeth are ground and milled Boy, what a sign of relief When the last blank square is filled

News Café

We have a News café running on Wednesday mornings at our Social Centre 9.00-11.00. Please come in and see our Volunteer Reporter Ken to give him your stories to go in the South Leeds Life Newspaper and Blog. We would love to hear your local news doesn’t matter how small. Good news would be great to hear and spread the news.

Chair Based Exercises

Our Chair Based Exercise class is very popular has it suits any ability, whether you are in a wheelchair or just have mobility problems. The class is on Every Friday 1.45-2.45 at a cost of just £2.00. Exercise is not only good for your body but it is also good for your well-being and state of mind. Regular exercise can help to ward off illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. Why not give it a go? You might be surprised how great you’ll feel. No need to book. First session is FREE.

Trips for 2020 Our Day Trips always prove very popular. We fill a 47-seater coach on the majority of the Trips. We have been to some interesting places lately; we have had a Christmas Party & Meal at Millstones in Harrogate, some Christmas Shopping in Warrington and some sightseeing in Liverpool. To secure your seat you must pay in full for the Trip. The details of our next Trips are- Wednesday 19th February-Cleverley then on to Rycroft Hall Entertainment Afternoon, 8.30am pick up, £27 (Includes Meal) Wednesday 18th March-Black Country Museum, 8.30am pick up, £24 (Includes Admission) Wednesday 22nd April-Bakewell & Matlock, 9.00am pick up, £10.00 Wednesday 20th May-Teesside River Cruise, 9.00am pick up, £27.00 (Includes Meal) Wednesday 17th June-Southport, 8.30am pick up, £13.00 The coach we book has a lift, but if the attendance is low for the trip in some circumstances, we may have to change coaches, which means there will be no longer a lift on the

smaller coach. If you find that you are no longer able to go on a trip we are happy to make a full refund if notified 5 or more working days before, We are not able to make refunds on cancellations made less than 5 working days before the trip as we are unlikely to fill the place and cover our costs.

Book early to avoid disappointment.

Outreach Service

Meet our Community Outreach Workers Tracey and Michelle if you have not already

had a visit from them. They are here on

hand to discuss any help you may need no matter how large or small. They can help with arranging gardeners, cleaners, help with adaptations and equipment to help you around the home. Any financial issues or claim any benefits you may be entitled to. They will give you any information on what’s going on in the Social Centre and explain activities and lunch clubs. Nothing is too small for our Outreach Workers. Book a vist now. Just some information on referals we have made over the last few months on behalf of our members, 9 housing bids, renewed 8 bus passes, 11 hearing aid referrals, 9 Blue Badges applied for or renewed, organised many fire and police safety checks, 6 gardening referals, 8 to the Green Doctor, 3 to welfare rights, 2 care and repair, 3 Social Services, 2 passports and also made 2 hospital visits.

If there is anything that you are struggling with, no matter how large or small, please give us a call and let us try to help. Even if you would just like a friendly chat.

Ancestry Class We are thinking of having an Ancestry Class and wanted to know if there was anyone interested in taking part. Please give us a call to register your interest. The Class would be held on a Friday Afternoon, time to be confirmed.

Holiday 2020

We are looking forward to our annual holiday to Newquay for 5 days on 11th May. The coach is now fully booked but if you are interested and would like your name on the waiting list please get in touch. We will be staying at the Beresford Hotel with trips out to Truro and the excellent resort of Penzance. Pictures to follow.

Textiles Class

Our Textile Class is on Every Wednesday morning at our Social Centre 9.30-11.00. Our volunteer Narinder will be on hand to teach you how to make clothes, do alterations and crochet. No need to book just turn up on the morning. FREE ACTIVITY

Live Entertainment Afternoon

We have Live Entertainment at our Social Centre. This is on Every Month on a Wednesday 2.00–3.30. The cost is just £3.00 and this includes food. Hayley J will be joining us on 5thFebruary, then our favourite Elvis Tribute by Dean Holland on 4th March, Paul Holt our very own Xmas Party entertainer will be back on 8th April then followed by John Fitzpatrick on 6th May If you are interested in joining us, please get in touch to book your place.

Personal Alarms Thanks to the funding we received from the Safer Communities Fund Grant, we have purchased some personal alarms for our members. We have a limited amount of stock so it will be a first come basis. If you would like one, please

get in touch or drop in to our Social Cent

Flu Jabs Boots Chemist at Middleton are now giving Flu Jabs to anyone over 65. There is no need for an appointment just call into the Chemist. They can also give you advice on minor medical issues. The vaccine is there to help protect from catching flu and developing serious complications.

Local Police News

If anyone would like a full security check by your local PCSO then contact us here and we will arrange a member of the Middleton Neighbourhood Policing Team to carry

out the checks. Our PCSO will be

giving out free safety bags on their visit.

PCSO Surgery We now have a regular surgery at our centre where our local PCSO’s will be attending on the last Wednesday of Every Month at 1.30-3.00. Please pop in and see us.

The nights are becoming longer and we urge residents to lighten up your property and keep a light on when not at home.

Generation Games Morning

The children from Middleton Tots and

their parents will be interacting with our

members at our Social Centre on

Thursday Mornings 9.30-10.30

starting 6th February

We will be colouring, playing games,

jigsaws and chatting. This will be

beneficial to everyone and the children

will learn respect and empathy for our

members. If you would like to join us,

please give us a call.

Solicitor

Free Legal Clinic

We are still running the FREE Legal Clinic in our Centre. It is on the last Wednesday of every month from

9.00 –11.00.

Ison Harrison Solicitors will be attending to give free legal advice. The clinic will be manned by Ison Harrison partner, Dominic Mackenzie, who specializes in wills, probate and Lasting Powers of Attorney. He also spends a lot of his time advising people about asset protection and preservation. They will however be able to deal with any other legal queries including family advice, personal injury, conveyancing and property matters. No appointment is required and there will be no charge for the consultation.

Garden Club

Our Gardening Club is on Every Saturday Morning 9.30-

11.00 at our Social Centre. We are using the polytunnel to full capacity growing a variety of vegetables and flowers. We will be starting our spring programme soon. If anyone is interested in being a part of our Gardening Club, just turn up on Saturday morning.

Hearing Aid and Sight Loss Clinic

Previously just called our Hearing Aid Clinic, this new service is still running on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, the next ones being 11th February, 10th March, 14th April and 12th May 10.00–12.00 at our centre.

If you would like to attend please call us to book your place and confirm the clinic is on. The clinic can help with: Maintenance of NHS hearing aids, supply and fitting of new tubing, supply and fitting of new batteries, and support on using your hearing aid. They also offer information, advice, and guidance to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, sight impaired, severely sight impaired or deafblind.

Online Help Classes

We are now offering Online Help Classes for anyone interested. The

classes are Every Friday 9.30–11.00. We now have tablets we can provide you with when you’re here. You can learn many new skills to help you message, email, online shop, Skype, go on Facebook. Whatever you would like to know about using technology. If you are interested in joining us, just give us a call or pop in to the shop or Social Centre.

Massage/Aromatherapy Session

Lynne our qualified Aroma therapist and Masseuse will be in our Social Centre once a month on the First Tuesday of Every Month 10.00-12.00. She provides a 15-minute massage for £5. The next sessions are 4th February, 3rd March and 7th April.

Massage and aromatherapy can help alleviate aches and pains and is useful for de-stressing. You will be able to have a full consultation on aromatherapy and there will be a range of essential oils for sale that you can purchase for use in your own home. Please book your place.

Arm in Arm Memory Café

Come and join us for a monthly social afternoon in a relaxed atmosphere. Bring along some photos to make a scrapbook to reminisce with one of our volunteers. We will be introducing dementia friendly iPad sessions to the cafe.

Cake & Refreshments provided.

The next date’s are-

26th February, 25th March and 29th April 1.30-3.00

(The Last Wednesday of every month)

No need to book, just turn up.

WHY NOT JOIN US - IT’S FUN AND FREE

Tea Dance

Our monthly Tea Dance as proved very popular to our members.

You will be able to listen to all the oldies and our instructors Roxanne and Keith will be there to show you a few moves. Even if you cannot get up and dance, just come along and watch

The next dates are Wednesday 12th February, 11th March and 15th April at 1.30-3.00

No need to book, just turn up. It’s a lot of fun!

This is a FREE event and there are plenty of Cakes, Buns and Refreshments provided.

In Loving Memory

Our thoughts go out

To the family and

Friends of:

Mary McDonald

Janet Watson

Christine Ward

Leslie Plumb

Dawn Gaughan

Robert Cooper

Joyce Hesletine

Access Bus

We have the Access Bus for our Tuesday Lunch Club, Friday Lunch club and Saturday Afternoon Bingo. If getting to our Social centre is an issue and you would like to attend on these days, just give us a call and we can arrange the transport for you.

If you need the Access Bus for other journeys you need to be a member. We can help you fill in the appropriate form for this. Just get in touch with us.

Resident Hairdresser Dawn

Dawn has been hairdressing at our social centre fortnightly for a few months now. This is very popular with our members.

Cut & Blow £10

Men’s Haircuts £10

If you would like an appointment, please give us a call.

Home visits available, if you cannot get to the centre.

Christmas Pictures

Thursday Fun with Walter-New Why not join us Every Thursday and take part in our afternoon of fun and games with Walter 1.30–2.30.

This is a FREE ACTIVITY. We start off with a music quiz and sing along with some great tunes from the 50s and 60s and then finish with some fun chair based games. The activity is great for anyone and any ability and we promise you’ll have tonnes of fun!!! Ideal for anyone with memory problems.

Lunch Club

We are still

running four

lunch clubs a

week Monday,

Tuesday,

Thursday and Friday at our Centre.

The cost of our meals are still just

£4.00 each. It’s a 2 course hot meal

and there is a vegetarian option

available upon request. It is always

great value as we continue to

subsidise the overall cost. Here is a

taster of some of our meals on our

menu.

Shepherd’s Pie Lemon Meringue

Ham Salad Rhubarb Crumble

Stew & Dumplings Fruit & Cream

Chicken Dinner Rice Pudding

Fish & Chips Bakewell Sponge

Social Centre Shop

We have a Shop in our centre selling a wide variety of items. We have recently topped up the shop with many brand new items. They are bought in when we see particularly good offers that we think you may like and we sell them to you at cost. We are also selling Craft Items made by our Crafts class on a Monday. We have a supply of Radar Keys for sale at £2.00 each. If you would like to purchase any items, please come into the Centre and look.

Walking

Group

Our walking

group is very

popular. It

starts at our

Centre and runs weekly on a

Wednesday from 11.00-1.00. It’s a

nice relaxed walk meeting new friends

as you walk. This is a FREE activity.

Boxing Day We opened our doors again this year on Boxing Day for a fun filled day of food and games. We entertained 30 of our members who would have been alone on Boxing Day. We will definitely be organizing this every year you can express your interest with us any time.

Saturday Fun Don’t forget we have our Breakfast Club on Saturday mornings 9.00– 11.00 where we cook a full breakfast for you for just £3. Just turn up. We have Saturday Afternoon Prize Bingo starting at 12.30–3.00. Where we also provide sandwich platters for £2. No need to book just turn up.

Adult Social Care Drop In Every Wednesday we will be joined at our Social Centre by Martin who is a Wellbeing Worker for Adult Social Care. He will be with us from 10.30-12.00. This is a FREE drop In service, there will be no need to book.

Martin can help you with a variety of issues, here are a few examples,

Home care services

Respite

Transport to services

Telecare

Direct payments

Specialist day centres

Aids and adaptations

Home care services

How to pay for services

Please drop in and say Hi

Winter Friends List

It is that time of year again when the nights are long and the bad weather kicks in. We cannot be sure what this winter will have in store for us but one thing is guaranteed, cold and damp weather can affect anyone.

If you have any winter concerns such as keeping your house warm, dealing with fuel bills, slips or falls or getting regular hot meals and drinks, or if you or someone you know such as an older neighbour, family member or friend may need a bit of extra help over the winter months, then just contact us and we can identify any support that may be available to you.

Here at Middleton Elderly Aid we have a Winter Friends List which means in severe snow conditions if you urgently need basic shopping supplies or prescriptions, we will give you a call to make sure you are ok and have everything you need. If you would like your name on our Winter Friends List just give us a call on 0113 2721050 for further information.

Christmas Party

We held our members Christmas party at the Conservative Club in December. We had over 140 members attend. The day was full of dancing and laughter. Our entertainer Paul holt was excellent and will definitely be entertaining us at next years Christmas Party. Look out for details of our Summer Party with our Elvis Tribute in the next newsletter.

Pie & Peas

Our Pie & Peas evening are Fortnightly on Wednesdays 5.00-7.00. There will be plenty of Bingo and Hoy! and also some great company.

If you like the idea of this and would like to join us please call us or pop in to book your place. The next dates are:

Wednesday

12th & 26th February

11th & 25th March

1st, 15th & 29th April (1 extra date)

Its only £1.00 for the food

PLEASE BOOK YOUR PIE

Digital Health Hub

We are now a Digital Health Hub, which means that staff are trained to support you online to help you order repeat prescriptions, making GP appointments as well as using the NHS app to self-manage their long-term health conditions. Drop in at any time at our Social Centre, there will always be someone here to help you.

Membership

Do you know anyone who is not yet a member with us? Why not bring them along to the shop, Social Centre or one of our activities and we can sign them up. Membership is FREE and they will have access to day trips, holidays, lunch clubs and so much more!

Leaving a Legacy to Middleton Elderly Aid

Leaving a legacy to MEA is one of the most effective ways that you can support people in later life to live independently. You can help us to carry on with the service we give and help run activities, trips, lunch clubs and holidays at a subsidised cost. You can leave a specific sum of money – any amount can make a difference to what we do here at MEA. Thank You

Pop Up Charity Shop We now have a Pop Up Shop at our Social Centre once a month. Our Charity shop will be bringing items up to sell to our members. They will be selling various items of clothing including coats and footwear at a reasonable cost. The Pop Up Shop will be here the last Wednesday of Every Month 9.30-11.00. The next dates are 26th February, 25th March and 29th April. Why not pop along and grab yourself some bargains.

5Minute Fun

Here is a Word search for you to try when you have a few spare minutes…… eyes down and get searching!!

R E J I T S O Q R B C W S R C

C E L E B R A T I O N N C E A

H R K S T I H H U G O Y Z F L

H Q E S K G P N V I H T N L E

F N A S I R T H T J Y R O E N

O O Q N O D O A Y V K A I C D

T Z D I O L R W E L Q P T T A

A I J W I O U C E A I J I I R

M A N D C V G T O R B M D O I

H G A E C E C B I N I K A N K

B Y D N O I S E E O F F R F D

S R E M A E R T S C N E T L B

B A L L O O N S U L X R T J Z

A G V C A K E T K O B H I T I

J V W O M N T S R E N N A B I

BALLOONS BANNERS CALENDAR

CELEBRATION CONFETTI COUNTDOWN DECORATIONS FAMILY FIREWORKS HOLIDAY MIDNIGHT NOISE PARTY REFLECTION RESOLUTION STREAMERS TOAST TRADITION

Ping Pong Ping Pong has loads of benefits and it can be adapted to any ability. Its easy on the joints, burns calories, improves flexibility and keeps your brain sharp. Why not join us Thursday mornings 10.00 -11.00. No need to book just turn up and it’s FREE. The winner also receives a FREE lunch. Wednesday Breakfast At our centre Every Wednesday 9.00-11.00 we will be serving a Full Breakfast £3.00 or Bacon Sandwich £1.00, both are served with a cuppa. Please come and join us, all members and carers welcome. It’s a laid back atmosphere where you can just pop in and enjoy some friendly company.

Theatre Show

We thought we would try something a little different; we have booked a theatre show to come and entertain you at our Social Centre. Northeast Producers provide the show. The Musical Variety Show That’s Life! will be here Wednesday 10th June, where you can enjoy singing along to all those popular songs such as 'Knee's up Mother Brown', 'That's Amore' and 'Pack up Your Troubles'; Look out nearer the time for ticket sales. I am sure the show will be a great success and thoroughly enjoyed.

Blue Badge

If you are disabled you can apply for a Blue Badge to help you park close to your destination. You can use a blue badge as a driver or as a passenger, you don’t need to own your own car.

A Blue Badge is valid for up to three years and works throughout the UK and Europe. We can help you to apply for your first blue badge or a renewal if you are having problems.

To complete the form we will need the following:

Your contact details National Insurance Number Your driving license number if

you have one If you already have a Blue

Badge, the number, expiry date and the name of the issuing local authority.

proof of eligibility Proof of address. Proof of identification. Passport-size photograph taken

within six months of the date of application.

If you would like us to help you with an application, please just call in and ask.

Need a new or renewal Senior Bus

If you are aged 65 or over and a West Yorkshire resident, you can apply for a Metro Senior Pass. To find out if you are eligible, give us a call and we can arrange to sort out new or renewal passes for you. We just need your old bus pass and a recent photo (which we can take for you)

NHS Physiotherapist Surgery A physiotherapist will be at our Social centre Every Monday 9.30-11.00 they are available to discuss exercises and help you to remain active or increase your activity levels. No referral is required. We are targeting people who may consider themselves frail or at risk of falls. We can assess for indoor and outdoor Walking Aids and refer for wheelchairs and telecare within the clinic at the above times. No appointment needed

Dementia and Council Tax

If a person has been diagnosed with dementia they may be exempt from paying council tax.

If a spouse has dementia then the other half of the marriage or partnership can then be charged as a single person and should receive 25% discount.

For further details please get in touch with us.

Pamper Party 1st April We are hosting another Pamper Party for our members. We will be styling hair, make up, nails, massage and even a bit of dressing up! The event will be held on Wednesday 1st April 1.30-3.00. Add the date to your diary. Everyone involved last time had a fantastic time and looked very glamourous.

Table Top Sale

On the First Wednesday of Every Month we have Laura from Living Well Pharamacy who will have a Table Top Sale at our Social Centre. This will be a one-stop shop for all your toiletry and cleaning needs. From Bubble bath and shower gel, to washing up liquid and everything in between. They have all you daily essentials as well as travel sized toiletries. They will be here 5th February, 4th March, 8th April and 6th May 9.30-11.30. Why not pop along and get some bargains.

Dancercise Class We are working in partnership with Dance On a new scheme with Yorkshire Dance. The sessions will be gentle movement to music.

Every Monday 2.00pm-3.00pm

The cost is £3.00 per session, First session FREE. No need to book

Come join in the fun with us!

Keeping your power on

We have some information from Northern Powergrid for keeping you connected during the cold weather:

Investments in our network mean the chances of power cuts have reduced dramatically in recent years, but in winter, storms, floods and other extreme conditions can sometimes cause damage to your local power network. Northern Powergrid make sure the electricity you buy from your chosen energy supplier gets to you safely and, if your power supply ever gets interrupted, we're here to fix things 24/7, 365 days a year... whatever the weather. We keep the lights on, the kettles boiling and the phones charged for 8 million customers across 3.9 million homes in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. Call 105 Remember, if there's a power cut visit our power cut map www.northernpowergrid.com/power-cuts or CALL 105 free of charge. We can help you and keep you informed throughout the power cut. Do you, or someone you know, need a little extra support this winter? If you have any concerns about how you, or someone you care for, would manage during a power cut due to your personal or medical circumstances, please give us a call and we can fill in the relevant form for you to get you on the Priority Services Register.

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Crafts Class Our Crafts Class is on Every Monday 9.30-11.00. The cost is £2.00 and you get to take home what you have made. We make a variety of crafts items. We will be working with Skippo on some NHS banners, which will be on display later in the year. Please register your interest with us.

Charity Shop Happy New Year from all staff and volunteers in our Charity Shop. We look forward to seeing you in the coming year. Look out for our BIG shop sales, on our Facebook page “Middleton Elderly Aid Charity Shop” please follow us so you can keep up to date with the latest news.

Mobility Loan We have some equipment that we can loan out for short periods. You may need it for a trip, an appointment or if you are awaiting your own equipment being delivered, or if you just like to have a trial run first. We have 2 wheelchairs, walkers, a commode and a Zimmer frame. Please give us a call if you need to loan any item Free of Charge.

Why not volunteer with us?

Shop and Centre volunteers are always welcomed for the following duties: sorting of donations, tagging and hanging of clothes, stocking shelves and till work.

We run four lunch clubs every week and need volunteers to ensure that our members have a delicious hot meal. No cooking required, just serving hands and a friendly face.

If you are interested, in helping the elderly community then please pop into our charity shop or our social centre on the Avenue for a volunteer application form or contact the office 01132721050

Reading Together

We are in discussion with the local primary schools to start a new project for volunteers to go into the schools and read with the children. To register your interest please get in touch. (DBS will be needed)

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