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Newsletter ¦ 13th November

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well and coping with the second lockdown.

As there is so much news, this week’s newsletter is split into three parts. The first two parts are about Coronavirus in Bury and our services.

In part three, we include news about that Sky News interview that got bumped last week, a caution about investment fraud and an invitation to the Festival of Discovery, run by the Eden Project in Cornwall.As many people are finding it difficult to make plans for Christmas and the New Year, we have a special workshop on how to cope with uncertainty.

Part 1: Coronavirus in Bury (13th November)

This week, there is some bad news but some hints of good news on the way.  

The bad news is that the UK is seeing a rising number of deaths and hospital admissions. The England lockdown regulations will remain in place until at least 2nd December and what happens after that will be dependent on reducing the infection rate in Bury.

In trying to be a bit more positive, the coronavirus infection in Bury is not rising as fast as it used to be. However, the infection rate in Bury still is one of the highest rates in the UK and it is twice the average rate in England.

This week, Bury was named as one of 66 areas that will introduce mass testing, following the work carried out in Liverpool. More at the Bury Times:  https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/18860387.mass-testing-virus-set-start-bury/ 

There is a hope that a vaccine will be rolled out over the next few months. Under provisional plans, the vaccine would first be offered to older adults living in a care home and their care home workers, then to all those aged 80 and over and health and social care workers. It will then be offered to people over 75 and then to people over 70 and so on until most of the population is vaccinated. 

We are still a long way from beating the virus and the above good news should be taken with a pinch, or maybe a whole barrel, of salt.

To keep the infection rate down in Bury, until Wednesday 2 December, you must:

  • stay at home (except for specific purposes)
  • avoid meeting people you do not live with (except for specific purposes)
  • Specific businesses and venues (like our Jubilee Centre and charity shops) will remain closed.

Please go to the Bury Council Website for more information about the rules. https://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=15594

For help with shopping and collection prescriptions, click onto this site https://www.ageuk.org.uk/bury/our-services/coronavirus/shop/

To find out about how to get a test for coronavirus, please go to the Bury Council website: https://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=15451

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/

Part 2: Our support to you, your family and friends

Due to government restrictions, our café, charity shops and Diana’s Nordic Walking group have closed. 

We will be answering the Age UK Bury office telephone – 0161 763 9030 - from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm every weekday throughout the lock down. If we can not help, we are sure to find someone who can!   

As our services will remain the same for the next three weeks, I have created a list that you can download. Click this link.

The services that are available through the lockdown include

Part Three – In other news

Three Ways for Learning to Tolerate Uncertainty

We often believe that worrying about uncertain situations will increase our ability to cope but this can have a negative impact on our well-being. In this session participants will learn alternative ways of dealing with anxiety about the future.

This will take place on Tue 24th Nov from 11:00-12:30 via Zoom (We got the date wrong last week – sorry!)

If you would like to join us, please send your email to news@ageukbury.org.uk and we will send you the log-in details. This is a free workshop and is run by Susana, Senior Psychological Well-Being Practitioner at Healthy Minds.

Our new 100 Club - Launching in January 2021

Be in with a chance to win some fabulous cash prizes and help Age UK Bury support older people in our borough of Bury. Our 100 club is a great way you can support us for just £5 a month.  

Click this link for more information

Update on Sky News Interview

Just before the lockdown, Nick and Andrew from Sky News visited the Jubilee Centre and talked with members about the new lockdown.

The item was due to go out on the day before the lockdown, but Biden & Trump bumped us off the schedule. 

The item is being updated so our members may be on your screens soon. We don’t have a date for transmission yet – keep on eye on our Twitter and Facebook.

Festival of Discovery – 20th to 21st November

The Festival of Discovery is all about exploring what a better future might look like – for individuals, communities, and our planet. The Festival is designed to connect people from across the UK through lively discussions, fun demonstrations and inspiring stories covering topics from climate change and food security to inclusive communities, wellbeing, resilience and much more!

The Festival of Discovery is brought to you by the Eden Project and made possible by the National Lottery.

More info at https://thefestivalofdiscovery.com

Investment Fraud

In the 12 months to September Action Fraud received more than 17,000 reports of investment fraud, amounting to £657.4m in reported victim losses.

Older people have also increasingly found themselves a target of investment fraudsters, with Surrey Police recording six cases of this type of fraud involving vulnerable victims in May alone. The losses totalled more than £365,000.

Action Fraud is urging consumers to seek regulated advice on investment opportunities, stating whilst paying for advice might seem "like an unnecessary expense" it would protect investors from being scammed.

More information at: https://www.ftadviser.com/your-industry/2020/11/12/investors-lose-657m-to-fraud/

Bury 2030

One way to spend a rainy day is to read up on the vision for Bury and tell the authors what you think about it.

The Bury 2030 Strategy has been developed by people who have a stake in our Borough’s future: local people, community groups, and public, private and voluntary organisations.

To read the document and make your contribution, go to https://www.onecommunitybury.co.uk/bury-2030

Bury Libraries

This week, Bury Libraries announced that you can now make reservations for books which you can then collect.

For more information go to: https://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=15605

Happy 80th Birthday to David

On Saturday, our driver David is celebrating his 80th Birthday. David has been with our charity since it started, and he is essential to the smooth running of the charity.

We wish our colleague and friend all the very best in achieving his milestone birthday.

The Quiz

The last quiz was a Lockdown Bumper Quiz The answers are in this link.

This week’s quiz is a Pot Luck & True or False! 

The quiz is just for fun and to keep you out of mischief. We sadly don’t have any prizes but you get the warm glow of success, if you get all the answers right.

Keep safe and keep strong.  

Andy and all at Age UK Bury

Happy 80th Birthday to David.