Newsletter 14th August
Greetings from The Jubilee Centre
I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well. In this week’s newsletter, we have some exciting news about the reopening of our café, the latest guidance from our council and news about online support.
Jubilee Centre Cafe
We are hoping to open up our Conservatory Cafe and Window Sales from next Thursday. Seating in the cafe will be restricted to 7 tables (of four seats each) to allow for social distancing measures. Weather permitting; we will add extra tables and chairs outside.
We will confirm our plans via a special mailing sometime next week.
This is subject to there being no change in government restrictions on cafes before next Thursday. Until the current Greater Manchester restrictions are lifted, we are unable to open the main cafe or hold activities in the hall.
We hope to reopen our charity shop on The Rock later this month. At the moment, we are unable to accept or collect donations.
Government restrictions in Bury (14/8/2020)
The coronavirus infection rate in Bury is still rising, although not as fast as in some other GM areas. Four weeks ago, only 7 people in Bury tested positive for Coronavirus. This week, the number has risen 51. Although this may seem a small number, this virus is highly contagious and it would not take much for the virus to spread rapidly across Bury.
The current rules for Bury residents are:
You can not meet with people you don’t live with:
- Inside private homes
- Inside public venues
- Or outside in private gardens
If you feel unwell, get a free test now. Call 119 or go to www.nhs.uk
For more information on the situation in Bury, go to https://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=15594
Online Activities
Diana will next be live on our Facebook page on Monday and Wednesday next week.
- Monday: 11.00 to 11.30 am: Gentle Exercise
- Monday: 11.40 to 12.10 Chair Based Exercises (NEW)
- Wednesday: 11.00 to 12.00 am: Pilates (LONGER SESSION)
These sessions are free and many thanks to Diana for setting them up. Please tell your friends they are welcome to join us. If you can’t make these times, Facebook will let you watch at a later time. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/ageukbury/
Sue holds a Tai Chi class online on Fridays at 11.00 am. This class is aimed at those who attend the 12.15 Tuesday class and 11.00 Friday class at the Jubilee. Send an email to taichi.college@yahoo.co.uk or message Sue via Facebook at m.me/taichiandwildgooseqigongbury for the access code. Many thanks to Sue.
We are pleased to confirm that these online classes will continue until the end of October, whether we open the Jubilee or not. This is with the support of a grant from the Age UK Coronavirus appeal. We are really grateful to our national partner for their support.
Foot Care Appointments
Dougie, our Foot Care Practitioner, will be at the Jubilee Centre from 11.00 am to 2.00 pm on Tuesday 18th August 2020. Each appointment costs £20. Please call in advance to make an appointment. Call 0161 763 9030, Monday to Friday, from 10.00 to 2.00.
A new online book club
A new Zoom (online video) book club is being launched as a way of making new friends and keeping busy.
To launch the free-to-attend book club, the organisers have ten free books to give away on a first come, first serve basis. To claim your free book, go to https://talkingaboutmygeneration.co.uk/join-us-my-gen-launches-a-new-book-club/
The first online meeting will be on 14th September.
This group is being launched by a couple of reporters from the Talking About My Generation campaign. This campaign aims to change the record on what it means to grow older in Greater Manchester. The website includes many positive stories and the Bury section includes people you may recognise from the Jubilee Centre. https://talkingaboutmygeneration.co.uk/category/bury/
Bury Libraries
This week, The Bury Library service launched it’s Order & Collect service. You can order books by phone or online and pick them up. To find out more go to https://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=15599
HMRC Scam
A subscriber to this email wrote in to let me know about a scam. She received a suspicious text stating that she was due a tax refund of £187.43.This sender’s number was +44 7487264181 but the scammers use a range of numbers. The text refers you to a bogus website where you can claim the refund.
HMRC never send notifications of a tax rebate or ask you to disclose personal or payment information by email or text message.
You can forward suspicious text messages to the HMRC on 60599. (Text messages will be charged at your network rate) Please forward any suspicious emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk
Face Coverings
Coronavirus (COVID-19) usually spreads by droplets from coughs, sneezes and speaking. These droplets can also be picked up from surfaces, if you touch a surface and then your face without washing your hands first.
The best available scientific evidence is that, when used correctly, wearing a face covering may reduce the spread of coronavirus droplets in certain circumstances, helping to protect others.
The Government has announced that fines for failing to wear a face covering will be introduced. The first fine will be £100 and this will double every time you are fined, up to £3,200.
It is recognised that some people can not wear a face covering and so exceptions have been made. This includes
- people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
- where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
- if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate.
The government has produced resources - a card, a badge and mobile phone note - for exempted people to show when challenged for not wearing a face covering.
Find out more at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own
Calling all cars
Our befriending service is looking to move forward and recruit volunteers who would be willing to become mobile befrienders, the role involves not only picking up and dropping off clients, but also accompanying them to community events. Lock down may be easing but for a lot of people after being isolated for so long they are worried about going out.
If you are interested in exploring this role please contact Jane Lees on 07541 741891 or 0161 763 9030 or email Jane at jane@ageukbury.org.uk for further details.
The Quiz
Last week’s picture quiz was on the topic of actors who have appeared in Johnny English films and famous bridges. The answers are in this link.
This week's themes are birds and golfers. The Quiz is in this link.
The quiz is just for fun. We sadly don’t have any prizes but you get the glow of success, if you get all the answers right. Good luck!
…and finally the essential stuff
For help with getting food deliveries and prescriptions, please phone Bury Community Hubs on 0161 253 53 53, every day of the week.
Our Keeping in Touch telephone service offers older people in Bury a regular friendly phone call from one of our volunteers. For more information, call 0161 763 9030 (Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 2.00 pm) or email jane@ageukbury.org.uk to sign up. Alternatively, call Jane Lees, our Befriending Coordinator on 07541 741891.
The Age UK Advice Line is 0800 678 1602 from 8 am to 7 pm, every day of the year.
If you would just like to have a friendly natter with another person, please call The Silver Line 24 hours a day on 0800 470 80 90.
Our previous newsletters are online at https://www.ageuk.org.uk/bury/about-us/coronavirus/
For all those questions about Coronavirus, and how it affects your life, please check out the Age UK FAQ website: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/coronavirus/coronavirus-guidance/coronavirus-faqs/
We are in the office on Monday to Friday and our phone lines will be open from 10.00 to 2.00. Call us on 0161 763 9030.
Please share this newsletter with your friends. If you know someone who is not on the internet, please phone and tell them the news.
If you have any news you want to share, please send to news@ageukbury.org.uk
Keep Strong, Stay Safe.
Andy and all at Age UK Bury
