Newsletter ¦ 7th May

Greetings from the Jubilee Centre

I hope you and your loved ones are well and keeping warm despite the hailstones and snow! It’s definately been a strange week!

Our newsletter consists of three parts – an update on coronavirus in Bury, an update of our services and our plans to get life back to normal, a round-up of local news items.

Part One: Coronavirus in Bury

In Bury, on Thursday 6th May, 24.6 people per 100,000 were tested positive for coronavirus – that is an increase of 7% from the previous week’s figure. On the same day, the England average was 21.3 people testing positive per 100,000 – a fall of 12% from the previous week’s figure.

For most of the week, Bury had been enjoying a considerable fall in the infection rate so yesterday’s figure has come as a bit of a shock. More worrying is the news coming from our neighbours in Bolton, where the infection rate has risen by 78% over the last week. Surge testing is being started to prevent the infection from spreading.

The best way of reducing the virus infection rate is the mantra of “hands, face, space and fresh air” and urging all your friends over 40 to get their vaccination. Let’s do it for Bury.

For a full list of what you can and can not do, click onto https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do

Vaccination Update

As of 2nd May 2021, a total of 96,901 first doses and 53,960 second doses of the vaccine have been delivered from Bury's four community vaccination centres, hospital hubs and regional vaccination centres.

The Bury Council website has a page about the vaccine at https://www.bury.gov.uk/coronavirus-vaccine

You can now book a coronavirus vaccination if you are aged 40 and over. Click here to book: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

Part two: Our support to you

Reopening the Jubilee Centre

On Monday 17th May, we hope to reopen the cafe if government restrictions are lifted. It is clear that social distancing rules on inside hospitality (The rule of 6 people or 2 households per table) will continue so, as a temporary measure, the cafe will extend into the main hall, allowing more people to see others safely - even if it’s just waving to each other from their table.

With the roll out of the vaccination, we are increasingly confident that restrictions will be lifted in June.

From Monday 21st June, we expect that we will be able to start all our activities. A revised timetable will be available in this newsletter nearer the time.

We are planning a “Let’s Celebrate with Age UK Bury” event on Saturday 26th June to promote the centre and our activities. On that day, there will be a mix of stalls, music and hopefully entertainers outside. Inside the hall, we will offer taster sessions of our activities.

Our fundraisers group is busy working on plans to make it a special day but we need the help of you lovely readers.

Can you donate gifts for our tombola and raffle stalls?
Can you run a stall or activity to raise funds for our charity?
Can you entertain others - we need singers, musicians, magicians and clowns?
Do you know a celebrity who would like to join us and sign autographs?

If you can help in any way to make the day spectacular, drop me an email at news@ageukbury.org.uk

Donations for the tombola and raffle may be left at our cafe from Monday 17th May.

Our Charity Shops

We are opening our Ramsbottom charity shop on Thursday 13^th May from 10 to 4, having given it a good clean and sort out. We will then open Friday to Sunday from 10 to 4.

We hope to open the Bury shop later in May.

We are advertising for a Ramsbottom Charity Shop Manager - click the link for more details: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/bury/about-us/work-for-us/

We are unable to collect donations from your home until the rules for storing items change. Currently we must store all donations for 72 hours before we can put them on display, to protect both staff and customers. As there is not much space in either shop, it creates problems with storage.

Our services

We will be answering the Age UK Bury office telephone – 0161 763 9030 - from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm from Monday to Friday.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, we are keeping essential support services open. These include:

Nordic Walking – a real life activity!

Diana is leading the Nordic Walking session 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.

Part three: and in other news...

Protect Your Pension

Action Fraud is warning savers to remain vigilant and protect their pensions, as figures from the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime reveal £1.8 million has already been lost to pension fraud this year.

The advice includes

Reject unexpected pension opportunities, such as free pension reviews or investment opportunities involving your pension, whether made via email, social media, text, or over the phone.
Research who you’re dealing with before changing your pension arrangements – check the FCA Register, or call the FCA on 0800 111 6768 to see if the firm is authorised by the FCA.
Don’t be rushed or pressured into making any decision about your pension – consider getting impartial information and advice from a financial advisor authorised by the FCA to help you make the best decision for your own personal circumstances.
Be suspicious if you are contacted out of the blue about an investment opportunity - seek advice from trusted friends, family members or an independent professional advice service before making a significant financial decision, especially when it involves your pension pot. Even genuine investment schemes can be high risk.
Be ScamSmart and visit the ScamSmart website to learn how to protect yourself from pensions scams.

Get Out this May - the 2021 GM Walking Festival

The festival is using a range of activity ideas for the whole month of May to inspire, motivate and encourage as many people to get out and walk this month.

For inspiration go to https://gmwalking.co.uk/festival/

Free online Silver Swans® ballet class

On Friday 14th May 2021, join the Silver Swans® for a free online one-hour adult ballet class, suitable for absolute beginners.

Their friendly event will be held online, meaning that anyone from across the UK (or the world!) can join in this event. The classes are open to anyone (male or female) – no previous dance experience necessary. Registration for the event is essential as places are limited.

https://www.janetlomasdance.co.uk/age-of-creativity-festival-event.html

**Can you capture caring in one photograph?**

In partnership with Creative Manchester, the Manchester China Institute is running a UK-China International Photography Competition with this year's theme being, 'What Does Caring Mean to You?'.

The photographs must be taken with a smartphone and professional photography is not allowed. The top prize is £1000. For more details, go to https://www.mci.manchester.ac.uk/discover/programmes/international-photography-competition/

Age of Creativity Festival 2021

The Age of Creativity Festival celebrates a Creative Later Life across England and is taking place from now until 31st May 2021. This is an annual festival led by Age UK Oxfordshire, with Age UK and hundreds of Age of Creativity network members.

For more details go to https://festival.ageofcreativity.co.uk/

Quiz-time

The answers to last week’s General Knowledge Quiz is in the link.

This week’s Quiz brings you another 40 questions to test your knowledge. This quiz is just for you and your friends to enjoy and I definately won’t be marking your answers or giving out prizes. 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 and keep hopeful

Andy and all at Age UK Bury

PS I saw this on Facebook and thought I would “borrow” it for the newsletter. It definately made me feel very young.

Meet Madam Jeanne Louise Calment, who had the longest confirmed human lifespan: 122 years, 164 days. Apparently, fate strongly approved of the way she lived her life. She was born in Arles, France, in 1875 and passed away in 1997.

The Eiffel Tower was built when she was 14 years old. It was at this time she met Vincent van Gogh. "He was dirty, badly dressed, and disagreeable," she recalled in an interview given in 1988.

When she was 85, she took up fencing, and still rode her bike when she reached 100. At the age of 114, she starred in a film about her life, at age 115 she had an operation on her hip, and at age 117 she gave up smoking, having started at the age of 21 in 1896. She didn't give it up for health reasons; her reason was that she didn't like having to ask someone to help her light a cigarette once she was nearly blind.

Jeanne retained sharp mental faculties. When she was asked on her 120th birthday what kind of future she expected to have. Her reply, "A very short one."

Here are the Rules of Life from Jeanne Louise Calment:

"I'm in love with wine."

"All babies are beautiful."

"I think I will die of laughter."

"I've been forgotten by our Good Lord."

"I've got only one wrinkle, and I'm sitting on it."

"I never wear mascara; I laugh until I cry often."

"If you can't change something, don't worry about it."

"Always keep your smile. That's how I explain my long life."

"I see badly, I hear badly, and I feel bad, but everything's fine."

"I have a huge desire to live and a big appetite, especially for sweets."

"I have legs of iron, but to tell you the truth, they're starting to rust and buckle a bit."

"I took pleasure when I could. I acted clearly and morally and without regret. I'm very lucky."

“Being young is a state of mind, it doesn’t depend on one’s body. I’m actually still a young girl, it's just that I haven't looked so good for the past 70 years."

At the end of one interview, the journalist said, "Madame, I hope we will meet again sometime next year." To which Jeanne replied, "Why not? You're not that old; you'll still be here!”