Newsletter ¦ 13th August
I hope you and your loved ones are well.
As summer is upon us, it is a slow news week but we have found out about new courses in digital skills for those wanting to know more about using their tablets and smartphones.- further details in part three.
This newsletter and next week’s will be shorter than usual as the editor is off on holiday.
Part One: Coronavirus in Bury
As of Thursday 12th August, 317.8 people per 100,000 tested positive for coronavirus over the last 7 days – that is an increase of 17% from the previous week. On the same day, the England average was 301.6 people testing positive per 100,000 over the last seven days– an increase of 7% from the previous week’s figure. Infection rates in all 10 Greater Manchester have risen over the last week.
Information about vaccinations, getting a test for Covid-19 and links to government advice are now found on our Coronavirus page
Vaccine Passes
Scammers are hoping to cash in on any confusion around the end of pandemic restrictions – watch out for fake emails and texts, luring you to apply for one and then demanding money! .
The NHS COVID Pass was recently launched so people can show their COVID vaccine or test status, which might be needed to travel and gain entry to some events.Vaccine passes are completely free. You can download a digital version using the NHS app, or ask for a physical copy to be posted to you.
Please ignore anything that you receive via text or email. Instead go to this website to get your pass for free: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-pass/
Part Two: Our services
The Jubilee Centre Cafe
Our café is open next week from 10 to 2.30, Monday to Friday.
Following the rain damage, we have moved the café into the hall, while we dry out the conservatory and repair the ceiling. We hope to reopen the conservatory cafe next week.
In our cafe, we ask that all customers respect social distancing rules and wear a facemask when moving around. Our staff and volunteers will be doing likewise. Table service will continue until we feel it is safe to reintroduce counter service. As a temporary measure, the cafe will extend into the main hall, allowing us to accommodate more people.
Jubilee Centre activities
We will restart activities in the hall from September. Announcements will be made in this newsletter and on the notice boards at the Jubilee.
Real life activities!
Diana is leading a Nordic Walking class on Wednesday afternoons from 2.00 pm till 3.00 pm. The classes are £5, payable by cash or cheque, on the day. We will supply the poles and Diana will give full instructions. You can just turn up on the day.
Sue will be leading her Tai Chi class outside the Jubilee Centre on Thursday morning at 11.00. This class is £5 - pay Sue. If it rains and it gets cancelled, our cafe is open for a coffee.
Online activities
We are continuing with some online activities until we can reopen the centre properly.
Diana will be on our Facebook page on Monday for gentle exercise and chair-based exercise and on Tuesday, we see the return of Dancefit. Go to https://www.facebook.com/ageukbury for details.
Sue will be leading her Tai Chi class on Friday morning. Send an email to taichi.college@yahoo.co.uk for an access code and link to the Zoom app.
Our Charity Shops
Our Ramsbottom charity shop is open from 10 am to 4 pm, Wednesday to Sunday and our Bury charity shop is now open on Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.
We are unable to collect donations at the moment but we can accept over-the-counter donations if you are able to bring them to the shop. Readers of this newsletter can also bring donations to the Jubilee Centre between 10 and 2.30 and we will get them to the shops.
We are asking our shoppers to wear facemasks and keep their distance from others. We really need our staff and volunteers to stay healthy and our shops to stay open.
Our services
During the pandemic, we are keeping essential support services open. These include:
- Information & Advice
- Keeping in Touch - our new telephone befriending service
- Handyperson Service - to help you with those small DIY jobs around the house
- Footcare
- Online Activities by Sue and Diana
- Our weekly email newsletter
Let’s Celebrate!
Our Let’s Celebrate community fun day will be on Saturday 11th September, from 11.00 to 4.00. For more information go to https://www.ageuk.org.uk/bury/our-services/coronavirus/lets-celebrate/
We will be making more announcements in this newsletter when activities are confirmed. Expect to see plenty of smiles and balloons!
Part Three: And in other news
New digital skills courses in libraries and other locations
Review of Older People’s Day Services
Bury Council is reviewing the following Older People’s Day Services:The Jinnah Centre Day Club, Age UK Bury Friends Together Groups, The Polish Centre Day Club, The Association of Ukrainians Day Club, The Indian Senior Citizen Centre Day Club, and The Nicky Alliance Centre Day Club.
A service review is a quality improvement process which monitors delivery against a set of specified criteria. This is a standard part of the commissioning process.
Due to COVID 19, some day services have been closed over the past 18 months, whilst others have been delivered very differently. Therefore, now it is more important than ever for Bury Council to gain the views of people who are currently registered with these services, but also the wider population of older people in Bury aged 50 and over. This is to ensure that quality services will be delivered to meet the needs and wants of older people in the borough.
To contribute to this review, please click on https://www.onecommunitybury.co.uk/review-of-older-people-s-day-services
How to create brilliant photographs for free!
Occasionally, I receive a kind comment about the photographs I use at the end of the newsletter. I will let you into a little secret about them. I cheat!
I use an app called “Snapseed” which is available on apple and android phones and tablets. The app allows you to tweak your photographs in two ways. The “Style” option gives you a choice of 10 filters to improve your photograph. Where the app really takes off is in the “Tools” option, where you have 28 tools to tweak your photographs. You can try out all the tools without altering your original masterpiece. Once you are happy, it will save your tweaked version as a new file. Best of all, it is free and there is no advertising or gimmicks trying to take money from you. It’s a wonderful way to spend a few hours!
The Weekly Quiz
The answers to last week’s Quiz is in the link.
This week’s Quiz brings you another 30 questions to test your knowledge. This quiz is just for you and your friends to enjoy. The answers will be sent out with next week’s newsletter.
If you have any news to share, please send to news@ageukbury.org.uk
Keep safe!
Andy and all at Age UK Bury
