Newsletter ¦ 17th June 2022

Greetings from Age UK Bury

In this newsletter, we announce new Cyber Surgeries to help you with your digital device and a new course to help people “Reclaim Your Life”. There is a reminder about keeping cool in this warm weather, an advert about the Bury Armed Forces Family Day on Sunday and at the end, we include some photos from the Jubilee Celebration events at the Jubilee Centre and in our Friends Together groups. Happy reading.

Cyber Surgeries are back!

Our popular Cyber Surgeries are returning to the Jubilee Centre in July, thanks to the support of the Bury Health Improvement Fund.

Our aim is to help you learn new skills to make the most of your tablet, smartphone or laptop. You will have one hour with an experienced person to help you with the basics. Whether you need help sending emails, assistance making video calls to family and friends, or help with ordering shopping and prescriptions online, we have the expertise to help you.

Cyber Surgeries will take place on Thursday mornings from July at the Jubilee Centre. You can book a one-hour session with Leisa or Diane at reception at the Jubilee Centre, call us on 0161 763 9030 or email admin@ageukbury.org.uk

Everyone can have three sessions for free. If you would like more sessions, you can purchase them at £25 per session.

You will need to bring your tablet, smartphone or laptop with you. Wi-fi is available at the Jubilee Centre.

We are extremely grateful to Charlotte from the Creative Living Centre for running these sessions and to Bury Council’s Health Improvement Fund for funding this project.

Reclaim Your Life

Your life is more important than your illness. Would you like it back? Health problems should not stop you doing and experiencing things like loving, laughing and living life. What you need to do is make changes to the way you think and act, creating a new relationship between your illness and yourself that separates who you are from what you've got.

With the help of a little book and supportive guidance at each session, participants learn how to improve their feelings when they feel ground down, frustrated or hopeless and will learn skills that help them tackle problems in their lives.

The course is aimed at people who experience cancer, disability, chronic pain, ME, fatigue, stroke, MS, depression, sight impairment, and poor mobility.

TIME: Thursdays from 10.00 to 12 noon
DATES: 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th July, and 18th & 25th August.
COST: £2.50 per week
LOCATION: The Jubilee Centre, Mosley Avenue, Bury, BL9 6NJ
BOOKING: To book your place on this course, contact Diane or Leisa on 0161 763 9030 or email admin@ageukbury.org.uk

Our group facilitator is Marie Graham, who has extensive experience of working positively with groups.

These sessions are limited to 10 people so please book quickly to avoid disappointment. The charge is £2.50 per week to cover room costs.

These sessions are being supported by Bury Council’s Health Improvement Fund and the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.

Diana’s online video classes

Diana’s exercise classes are now on You Tube at 2.00 on Wednesday afternoons but you can join her anytime that is good for you.

Click onto https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiZKDtGvU9PvgaR_yPTW7_g/videos

These online sessions are free, and we are grateful to Bury Council’s Health Improvement Fund for their support. Please let us know what you think if them.

Are you ready to beat the heat?

Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot for too long, there are health risks. In England, there are on average 2,000 heat related deaths every year. If hot weather hits this summer, make sure it does not harm you or anyone you know.

A heatwave can affect anyone, but the most vulnerable people are people over 75, those who have a serious or long-term illness – including heart or lung conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease, and people with respiratory illnesses, as levels of air pollution are often worse during heatwaves.

During hot weather

Go indoors or outdoors, whichever feels cooler. Avoid closed spaces, including stationary cars, which can get dangerously hot very quickly.
Drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol. This will help prevent dehydration and help your body keep itself cool.
If you have to go out in the heat walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat, sunglasses and light clothing. Remember to bring these when you go out, and always take a drink with you.
Have a cool bath or shower.
Keep curtains or blinds closed during the day on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler, and only open windows when the air outside is cooler than the air inside.
Watch out for signs of heat related illness such as a headache, dizziness and confusion, loss of appetite and feeling sick, excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin, cramps in the arms, legs and stomach, fast breathing or pulse, a high temperature of 38C or above and being very thirsty.

Things you can do to cool someone down

If someone has heat exhaustion, follow these 4 steps:

Move them to a cool place.
Get them to lie down and raise their feet slightly.
Get them to drink plenty of water. Sports or rehydration drinks are OK.
Cool their skin – spray or sponge them with cool water and fan them. Cold packs around the armpits or neck are good, too.

Stay with them until they're better, they should start to cool down and feel better within 30 minutes. Heatstroke can be very serious if not treated quickly, and you should dial 999 if you think someone is affected by it.

Thank you to Bury Public Health for this advice. More information is available in this link : https://www.ageuk.org.uk/bury/our-services/coronavirus/news-extra--are-you-ready-to-beat-the-heat/

Age UK Spring Raffle

Thank you to all those who participated in the Age UK Spring Raffle. The proceeds of every ticket we sold went to supporting our befriending service and we raised £850 from you very kind people.

The draw was held on 10^th June and all winners will be notified by post. Please keep a lookout for a letter from Age UK. They do not notify us who has won but we are keeping our fingers crossed there will be some lucky winners in Bury.

Charity Quality Standard

We are proud to have achieved the Age UK Charity Quality Standard for 2022- 2023.

Our achievement of the Age UK Charity Quality Standard recognises the high standard of our performance as an organisation. It means our organisation is well governed and managed, has a clear direction and strategy, and is committed to ensuring the well-being and safety of older people, our staff and volunteers.

Thank you to our trustees, staff and volunteers who have made this possible.

The Jubilee Centre timetable of activities is here TIMETABLE June 2022 (PDF)

Our next newsletter will be out in the next few weeks in which we hopefully will be able to share some good news about our plans to support folks living in the Radcliffe area.. Please send any news to news@ageukbury.org.uk

Keep cool!

Andy and all at Age UK Bury