Activities Timetable

Fortnightly Coffee Morning Forum - Regent Hall, Welcome Hub, 275 Oxford Street, W1C 2DJ, near Oxford Circus Tube Station

Thursday 18^th April 11.00am - 12.30pm

Guest Speaker Sukhneet Badwal from AgeUK speaking about LPA’s – Lasting Power of Attorney.

Thursday 2^nd May 11.00am – 12.30pm – Guest Speaker to be arranged.

Thursday 16^th May 11.00am – 12.30pm – Guest Speaker - Narinder Sinclair - Cancer Awareness.

Every Tuesday 1.00pm-2.00pm & 2.30pm-3.30pm - Age UK Westminster’s weekly FIT4LIFE levels 1 & 2 exercise programme at the Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue, London W10 4JL  

With Sharon our Qualified Senior Years Fitness Class Instructor.  

Level 1 - 1.00pm-2.00pm - A chair to standing exercise class for those people who are less mobile. Combined movement helping to build strength and stronger bones, increase flexibility and balance. 

Level 2 - 2.30pm-3.30pm - An exercise class that caters for those who are more mobile. Providing exercise to increase fitness, to work muscles and encourage movement. 

Every Wednesday 2.00pm-5.00pm Bridge Club at Mayfair Library, 25 South Audley Street, W1K 2PB 

If you are an experienced Bridge player and would like to join the group or have friends who would like to attend, please do join us. There is now an agreed attendance fee of £3.00 per session.   

DanceWest will be returning to the Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue, London W10 4JL 

Our partnership with DanceWest continues with further dance sessions 11.00am-12.00pm:

Refreshments will be provided.

There will be a short break before the Summer classes return.

Summer Classes

• 26^th April
• 3^rd May
• 10^th May
• 17^th May
• 24^th May
• There will be no class on the 31^st May - Spring half term
• 7^th June
• 14^th June
• 21^st June
• 28^th June
• 5^th July
• 12th July

Fortnightly Tea and Chat afternoon at St Marylebone Parish Church, 17 Marylebone Road, NW1 5LT

Thursday 25^th April 2.00pm-4.00pm – Gina Casserly – Presentation on Self Compassion.

Thursday 9^th May 2.00pm-4.00pm – Manmeet Rana - Presentation on Romanticisim.

Thursday 23^rd May 2.00pm-4.00pm – Dr Kong (Crawford Street Surgery) ‘Free Health Checks’

Coffee Morning 11.00am-12.30pm and every fortnight at Hotel63, 63 Bayswater Road, London, W2 3PH

15^th April - Art workshop with Julie McGerty – ‘Relax with Lavender’. Learn some simple exercises for relaxing. Explore ideas for de-stressing. Make lavender bags to take home. Fully Booked

29^th April - Chris Barlow – ‘Picasso’ presentation.

13^th May – Chris Barlow – ‘David Hockney’ presentation.

A wonderful new Coffee Morning venue which has an extremely interesting history.

Hotel 63 was built between 1865 and 1870 and for most of its first seven decades of existence, it was a private address. It was first known as 2 Marlborough Gate and amongst its residents, it housed the Royal Consul for Italy, his wife and son. It was renamed 63 Bayswater Road in 1938 as part of London County Council’s standardisation and clarification of street names in London.

The Hotel is close to The Swan Public House on Bayswater Road

Close to Lancaster Gate tube station (Central Line)

Buses 274, 94 &148

Wednesday 17^th April 2.00pm-4.30pm Westminster Senior Citizens Forum - Lord Mayor's Reception Room, 19th Floor, Westminster City Hall, 64, Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QP 

A Strong Voice for older people in Westminster .

Barry Coppock from the Stroke Association will be guest speaker on stroke and blood pressure. 

Healthy refreshments will be available. 

Nearest Tube Stations are Westminster, Victoria, St. James’s Park 

Buses 11, 24, 148, 211. Bus Stop: “Westminster City Hall” 

(Between New Scotland Yard and Westminster Cathedral) 

Thursday 18^th April 3.00pm - Cultural Walk and Visit with Chris Barlow

Join Chris "1001 Days in London" at the OXO tower gallery.

Thursday 18^th April 1.00pm-3.00pm and every fortnight - Hope in the Community the Gordon Hospital, Bloomburg Street, London, SW1V 2RH

Tea and Chat afternoon with activities and Guest Speakers from Age UK Westminster. Come along a let us know what activities you would like to be organised.

Please contact Stephen Spavin regarding dates:

Email: stephen.spavin@ageukwestminster.org.uk

Tel: 07969 302517

Sunday 28^th April 11.40am & 3.10pm the British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG - Community Preview ‘Michelangelo the last Decades’.

In 1534, Michelangelo left Florence for Rome, never to see his native city again. He was 59, which many contemporaries regarded as old, but for Michelangelo this move marked the beginning of a dramatic new chapter which would fundamentally shape his experiences as an artist and as a man.

This exhibition looks at the last 30 years of Michelangelo's remarkable life, when his return to Rome – having been summoned by Pope Clement VII to paint a fresco of the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel – brought him new commissions and reunited him with some of his closest friends. 

Fully booked

Age UK Westminster Dementia Service for those residing in Westminster and diagnosed with early stages of memory loss:

Monday 15^th April 11.00am-1.00pm 

‘Heart of Westminster’ Monthly Memory Café at Regent Hall, Welcome Hub, 275 Oxford Street, W1C 2DJ, near Oxford Circus Tube Station. 

Every Tuesday 2.00pm-4.00pm

Maintenance Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (MCST) workshop - face to face sessions for those residing in Westminster diagnosed with early-stage dementia. Our weekly group takes place at St Marylebone Parish Church, 17 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5LT. Assessment before attendance, is needed.

Please contact the Dementia Service: Email:dementia@ageukwestminster.org.uk

Or contact our enquiry line: 0203 004 5610

Saturday 25^th May Walking Sports Project - St Pauls Boys School, SW13 9JT

• The plan is to organise a multi sports, walking sports event.
• It will be a one day event for over 55’s men and women from Age UK’s in Westminster, Richmond, RBKC & Hammersmith & Fulham.
  • Sports will include walking football, cricket, tennis, rugby etc.

The event:

• Over 55’s adults can represent their boroughs.
• Competition of 4-5 teams per sport and each team can win their individual sport as well as the aggregate of all their events for the overall title.

Sports:

Walking Football on the 3G pitch - Teams of 6 - 8 players and men’s and women’s competitions - Link in with QPR and Chelsea

Walking Cricket on the MUGA/Tennis courts- Teams of 6 - 8 players and men’s and women’s competitions - Link in with MCC Foundation

Walking Rugby on the grass pitch- Teams of 6 - 8 players and men’s and women’s competitions - Link in with the RFU

Walking Tennis on the Tennis courts - Teams of 6 - 8 players and men’s and women’s competitions - Link in with the Queens Club Foundation

Other possible sports - netball, croquet, swimming.

If you would be interested in attending please contact Stephen Spavin:

Email: stephen.spavin@ageukwestminster.org.uk

Tel: 07969 302517

Summer 2024

We plan to visit Kew Gardens during the Summer and to take 3 groups, dates yet to be arranged.

If you would like to visit Kew Gardens please contact Stephen Spavin:

Email: stephen.spavin@ageukwestminster.org.uk

Tel: 07969 302517

Information and Advice Surgeries 

If you need Information and Advice please contact our enquiry line on:  

020 3004 5610 to book an appointment 

We hold Information and Advice surgeries at the Salvation Army Regent Hall, Church Street Library and The Abbey Centre. These are by appointment only. Call: 020 3004 5610 to book an appointment. 

Post-discharge Support 

Age UK Westminster now offers a post-discharge support service for Westminster residents aged 55+. If you, or someone you know has recently been discharged from hospital, we can help support the transition back into home life.  

This includes services like: light shopping, assistance with prescriptions, helping with GP contact, and a regular friendly face visiting you at home. The service is free, and our Wellbeing & Connections Coordinator can help signpost you to other Age UK Westminster services as well as useful organisations in the borough. 

If you would like to find out more about our post-discharge support, please contact: Email: enquiries@ageukwestminster.org.uk   Tel: 020 3004 5610

Age UK Westminster and Westminster Connects (WCC) are collaborating to provide basic gardening to residents of Westminster with help from volunteers. 

If you have a garden and need basic assistance in its upkeep, please contact Stephen Spavin: 

Tel: 07969 302517 

Email: stephen.spavin@ageukwestminster.org.uk 

iTea Parties - Digital Support sessions

Come and join us for our FREE Digital help sessions in a friendly social group with learning in mind. Bring along your own digital device (mobile phone, laptop, iPad/tablet) and receive one to one support from a committed volunteer. 

If you would like to attend any of the following please contact  

Sarah Robinson. 

Tel: 07399 301938 or Email:  sarah.robinson@ageukwestminster.org.uk 

Marylebone Library 

Thursdays – 2^nd May & 6^th June - 1.30pm-3.30pm

9-11 New Cavendish Street, W1G 9UQ 

Church Street Library 

Wednesdays – 8^th May & 12^th June - 2.00pm-4.00pm

67 Church Street, NW8 8EU 

Paddington Library 

Tuesdays - 16^th April, 21^st May & 18^th June - 11.00am-1.00pm  

Porchester Road, W2 5DU 

Mayfair Library 

Fridays - 26^th April, 24^th May & 28^th June - 2.00pm - 3.30pm  

25 South Audley Street, W1K 2PB 

Talking Therapies Service Westminster – Webinars

Monday 15^th April, 6.00pm – 7.30pm

How to Improve Sleep

Good quality sleep is essential for mental and physical wellbeing. It plays an important role in our energy levels, learning and memory, and mood. However, it is easy to fall into cycles of sleeplessness which are difficult to break. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help to identify the thoughts and behaviours that keep us trapped in this cycle. This workshop will provide strategies that you can use to regain control and get a better night’s sleep. It will cover:

• The importance of sleep
• What effects sleep
• How CBT can help with sleep difficulties
• Strategies to improve sleep

Monday 29^th April, 6.00pm – 7.30pm

Taking Charge of Stress and Worry

Prolonged worry and stress can interrupt sleep and daily functioning, impacting wellbeing. CBT is effective in overcoming worry and managing anxiety. This practical workshop will share strategies to overcome stress and worry using CBT. It will explore:

• The definition of worry
• The physical impacts of worry
• Strategies to overcome worrying

You can register for one or both workshops by completing our webform: https://talkingtherapies.cnwl.nhs.uk/westminster/webform

Our webinars take place via Zoom. If registered, you will receive a link within 24 hours of the webinar.

Thursday 25^th April 7.00pm-9.00pm - St Anne's Church Hall, 55 Dean Street, London, W1D 6AF

This month West End Community Trust are off to France with their food, drink and entertainment, they will be celebrating, Frenchstyle, with "April in Paris" a French themed evening.   

Food and drinks will be available but any contributions would be appreciated to share.

Please RSVP to BOOK your place, contact Viola Etienne

Tel: 07502 106713

Email: viola@westendcommunitytrust.org.uk

Dende Drama for Elders at Mayfair Library, 25 South Audley Street, W1K 2PB every Friday 3.30pm-5.30pm from 26th April to 5th July (no session on 21st June)

Offering drama projects to the 60+.

Our work is about empowering seniors by offering the best practice in terms of content and delivery whist generating well-being through what we believe are two of the most important tools against the adversities of the process of ageing: fun and socialisation. 

This term we will continue working on Improvisation, going further into the exploration of being spontaneous. We will be building on the lovely work the group has been doing.

The sessions will remain being drop-in and no previous experience is needed, so if you have never joined and / or have been absent for a while, fear not, since the work remains being based on fun and inclusivity and you are always welcome to join or rejoin whenever works for you.

Sunday 28^th April  3.00pm Music Hall will return to the Charing Cross Theatre, The Arches, Villiers St, London WC2N 6NL

The New Players Music Hall Company will present Under the Arches – ‘The Good Old Days.’

Step back in time for this traditional Victorian Music Hall with a unique blend of authentic characters and broad comedy.  

The New Players’ are delighted to be back at Charing Cross Theatre which was their home for many years so let us raise the roof and let London reverberate to the glorious sounds of the Music Hall and singing the wonderful songs that are an essential part of our heritage.

Founded in 1936, the Players' Theatre is one of the oldest extant music halls. Shows continued more or less uninterrupted for 66 years, until 2002 and the theatre was forced to leave its theatre space beneath Charing Cross station.

The Players not only produced Music Hall at Charing Cross but over 30 series 245 shows at the City Varieties, in Leeds "The Good Old Days" which was broadcast on the BBC.

The Charing Cross Theatre and Players Bar, London. A 263 seat Theatre and late night bar near Charing Cross Station Charing Cross Theatre

Tickets are £28 including all booking fees but SPECIAL OFFER for Age UK -

When booking quote 'Member' and receive a £5 discount, this can be done online, by telephone or in person at the Box Office.

Tickets from www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk

Community Zooms from the Royal Collection Trust

Community Zoom talks run as part of our Inclusion Programme, which aims to make the Official Residences of The King and Royal Collection as accessible as possible to visitors with disabilities, and those who wouldn’t normally visit. We work with Community partners who support under-represented, disadvantaged and disabled people.

Our programme of Zoom talks is for people who cannot easily visit the Official Residences of The King. Talks take place on the first Wednesday of the month, from 2.00pm. Join us to hear about the different works in the Royal Collection and the history of the Monarchy. Talks are free and informal, and you can participate camera on or off.

• Wednesday 1st May - Queen Elizabeth II’s Life at Windsor Castle
• Wednesday 5th June - The Royal Collection and LGBTQ+
• Wednesday 3rd July - Royal Photographs
• Wednesday 7th August - Buckingham Palace
• Wednesday 4th September - Paintings at Hampton Court Palace
• Wednesday 2nd October - Royal Fashion
• Wednesday 6th November - Drawings in the Royal Collection
• Wednesday 4th December - A History of Performance at Windsor Castle

Join Zoom Meeting – camera on or off:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4407732986

Meeting ID: 440 773 2986

Activities organised by In-Deep Over 50’s Lunch Club

Join our weekly lunch club every Wednesday and enjoy a delicious jacket potato with a choice of gammon, chicken, tuna, beans, cheese, beans and cheese, or an alternative hot meal option throughout the winter.

All lunches include a side salad and either a soft drink or unlimited tea or coffee.

Location: Grosvenor Hall, Vincent Street, SW1 4HB

Cost: £3.50 per person

Please email Emma Chapman for further details:

emma.chapman@in-deep.org.uk

or text 07761 263105.

Over 50's Community Dinner

Enjoy a delicious three-course roast meal, live music and the chance to socialise with friendly local people, hosted by In-Deep on Saturday afternoon, every other month.

Upcoming Dates!

2024: April 27th, June 15th

PLACES MUST BE BOOKED!

To reserve your space, please email Emma Chapman:

emma.chapman@in-deep.org.uk

or text 07761 263105.

People will not be admitted without a booking.

ALL OVER 50'S WELCOME!

Location: Westminster Kingsway College, 76 Vincent Square,

London, SW1P 2PD

Cost: £6 per person

Over 50's Latin Moves Class

Every Wednesday with qualified instructor Béthany Martínez Time: 10:30am-11:30am

Location: Grosvenor Hall, Vincent St, SW1P 4HB

Come ready to move, groove, and embrace the joy of dance in our new free weekly dance classes! No prior experience required, and steps can

be adapted to suit needs.

For more information or to book your place please email Emma Chapman:

emma.chapman@in-deep.org.uk

or text 07761 263105.

Over 50's Choir

Join our friendly community choir and enjoy singing a range of songs from the 50's and 60's musicals and more. No auditions necessary and everyone is

welcome, regardless of experience. We meet twice a month on Monday evenings and sessions are free.

Singing has been shown to support physical and mental well-being and most of all, it is fun!

Future dates:

15th and 29^th April

3rd, 17th and 24^th June

1st and 8th July

(Mondays)

Time:

6:30pm-7:30pm

(please arrive at 6:20pm)

Location: St. Saviours Church, Lupus Street, London, SW1V 3QW

For further information please email Emma Chapman:

emma.chapman@in-deep.org.uk

or text 07761 263105.

External Dementia services

Resonate Arts

Our new weekly Creative Dance & Movement sessions take place on Monday 15th, 22nd, 29th April, 2pm – 3.30pm at Penfold Community Hub, 60 Penfold Street, NW8 8PJ. Gentle, friendly and playful movement class, chair-based if needed. To book your free

place, please contact Katie on 0300 030 7212 or email: info@resonatearts.org

Creative Space Art sessions take place at the Salvation Army, Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, W1C 2DJ. Our next session will be on Monday 15th April, 2pm – 3.45pm. To book your free place, please contact Shelley on 0300 030 7212 or shelley@resonatearts.org

Our Singing with Friends Choir rehearsals take place in person at Wigmore Hall on Tuesday 16th, 23rd & 30th April and also online via Zoom on Tuesday 16th & 30th April. For more info, please call Shelley on 0300 030 7212.

Music for the Moment – our free dementia-friendly concert series in partnership with the Royal Academy of Music – takes place on Friday 19th April at St Marylebone Parish Church (please note venue!). Mezzo soprano Mia Serracino-Inglott & pianist Daniel Silcock from the Royal Academy of Music will perform. Tea & cake from 2.30pm, concert starts at 3pm.

Memory Café North Wednesday 24th April, 2.30pm – 4.30pm
42 Westbourne Park Road, Bayswater, W2 5PH
Providing group-based support for people living with dementia and memory loss.
Call London Care Westminster on 020 7723 5425 or email: marco.sepe@candchealthcare.co.uk

FREE Concerts at Regent Hall Concert Hall, 275 Oxford Street, W1C 2DJ, near Oxford Circus Tube Station From 1.00pm

19^th April 1.00pm – Royal Academy of Music ‘Aries Ensemble’.

26^th April 1.00pm – The Band of the Grenadier Guards

The Abbey Centre, 34 Great Smith Street, SW1P 3BU 

For those residents in South Westminster The Abbey Centre have a wide range of activities and opportunities. Please follow the link to their website: 

www.theabbeycentre.org.uk 

Listening Books

The UK charity Listening Books  provide an audiobook lending service for people of all ages who find it difficult to read or hold a book due to an illness, mental health condition, disability or learning difficulty (such as cerebral palsy, dyslexia, dementia, depression or anxiety, for example).

They  currently have funding which allows them to offer completely free Listening Books Memberships for anyone in Westminster, and Greater London, who is eligible for their service but would find their usual membership fees (£20) a barrier to joining.

They have over 10,000 professionally-recorded audiobooks in their collection for all ages and interests, which listeners can stream and download online.

If you are interested in registering with Listening Books please contact Godelieve de Bree, Membership and Recruitment Administrator:

Tel: 020 7407 9417

Email: gdebree@listening-books.org.uk

Or follow the link to their website: https://www.listening-books.org.uk/

Age UK Campaign

Older people hold a wealth of wisdom and experience, yet too often they find themselves sidelined in decision-making processes. It’s time older people were heard loud and clear in the corridors of power.

Issues like social care and accessing banking services should be addressed with the interests of older people at the heart of them. That’s why we need an independent voice in Government to hold departments to account and champion older people’s rights. A Commissioner for Older People and Ageing would do this.

Even if you don’t live in England, we need your help because they could influence decisions that affect older people across the UK. (There’s already a Commissioner in Wales and Northern Ireland – and our partner, Age Scotland, is campaigning for one in Scotland.)

Creating a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing isn't just about addressing current issues; it's about preparing for the future. As our population ages, the need for dedicated representation becomes increasingly urgent. There are already more than 11 million people over 65, and in less than 20 years, this will be 1 in 4 of us. We need to ensure that these people will be heard.

Please, sign the letter by the end of April to ask for a Commissioner. We all deserve to have our concerns heard.

If you are digitally excluded please contact Stephen Spavin to register your support:

Tel: 07969 302517

Email: Stephen.spavin@ageukwestminster.org.uk

Spring COVID-19 vaccination programme launches this month

The list of North West London sites offering COVID-19 vaccination for the Spring 24 campaign is available here

(link to NWL website is https://www.nwlondonicb.nhs.uk/your-health-services/Covid-19/where-get-your-vaccine)

From 22nd April until 30th June 2024, the seasonal COVID-19 booster will be available, free, for those who are at greatest risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus. 

The national booking system opens on 15 April and a number of walk-in sites will be open across North West London from 22 April. 

No booking is required at walk-in clinics, but you are advised to contact the vaccination site in advance to confirm their opening times. Individuals do not need to be registered with the NHS to use walk-in services and do not need to bring any identification.

Those eligible for vaccinations this spring are:

• adults aged 75 years and over.
• residents in care homes for older adults.
• individuals aged 6 months and over*who are immunosuppressed (as defined in the Green Book, chapter 14a; tables 3 and 4).

Get your Flu and COVID vaccinations

With both coronavirus and flu circulating this winter getting a flu jab is especially important. The flu vaccine is available for free to those most at risk – if you are pregnant, aged 65 or over, if you have a long-term health condition or are a carer. If you are eligible for a free flu vaccination, your GP practice will contact you directly by letter or text to arrange it. Book your vaccination at your GP practice or local pharmacy as soon as you are contacted.

Freedom Pass (ALL DAY) on Fridays.

As you may have seen, the Mayor has launched a 3-month pilot for Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster Card use BEFORE 9.00am on Fridays. This is part of the ‘Let’s Do Friday’s’ initiative.  If this increases passenger numbers, the Mayor will be under much more pressure to make this permanent. 

We would like the next Mayor to make the trial a permanent change and to do the same on Mondays to Thursdays. Many of you will be aware that this is an issue Age UK campaigned for, so although this is a positive step in the right direction we would like to see more done.

Handyperson Service - Westminster Council

Westminster residents aged over 60, or in receipt of disability benefit, can request free help from a handyperson. The service covers minor works to a home such as replacing light bulbs and other small DIY jobs. It does not cover gardening, plumbing or decorating, and it is not an emergency service, however they are able to support people with essential jobs. Handyperson Service

Phone number: 020 7641 8959 Email: hia@westminster.gov.uk

Online referral form: https://www.westminster.gov.uk/handyperson

Asthma and Lung Conditions

Asthma + Lung UK’s Westminster Support Group for respiratory conditions

https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/

helpline@asthmaandlung.org.uk

0737 8606728 for questions on asthma.

Westminster Breathe Easy support group

Contact Tess Jelen:

Email; t.jelen@btinternet.com

or text: 0794 6514380

We support people with respiratory conditions, their friends, family and carers, helping with information and companionship.

A 4-page printed newsletter is for non-digital members. But if you use email, why not receive the full multi-page newsletter direct to your in-box by registering with www.breatheasywestminster.com to become a free member with regular updates and information.

Improving same day access to Primary Care

A plan to improve same day access to general practice (GP) services for patients is being proposed by NHS North West London. This involves the use of same day access hubs, which will bring together teams of staff to assess patients and refer them to the right service for their needs. This could be an urgent or routine appointment with their GP, an appointment with a pharmacist, or guidance on how best to treat their condition at home. Where people need to see a GP, they absolutely still will, and no clinical decisions will be made without a senior clinical decision maker. To find out more, and hear from NHS North West London’s Director of Primary Care, visit: nwlondonicb.nhs.uk/same-day-gp-access

There has been opposition to this plan and concerns raised by Patient Participation Groups, local residents and GPs. This includes concerns that there has been a lack of engagement with local residents, GPs and patient participation groups. Find out more https://saveourfamilydoctors.org.uk/

Age UK Westminster would like to hear your thoughts on an ambitious plan to improve same day access to primary care for patients being introduced by NHS North West London.

Please contact Stephen Spavin with your comments:

Email: stephen.spavin@ageukwestminster.org.uk

King’s College London Research Team

The Community Ageing Research, across Ethnicities Network (CARE Network) research team at King’s College London, are exploring the impacts and key issues relating to mental health and wellbeing in older adults across all ethnic communities and faith groups. This online survey will help to shape future research areas addressing key needs of all our diverse communities and will be exploring key factors related to older adults’ responses post the COVID-19 pandemic. There is also the opportunity for participants to hear about and discuss ongoing dementia research at King’s College London.

The survey only takes twenty minutes to complete and can be completed from the comfort of home. You can join at:

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/kings/care-network-baseline-study-survey-v3 

Healthwatch RBKC and Westminster

Healthwatch RBKC and Westminster have developed a research project in collaboration with the Networked Data Lab to explore people’s experiences with intermediate care (also known as step-down or reablement care). This is care that is provided by a team of staff to help patients recover and increase their independence after being discharged from hospital.

We are hoping to speak with any patients or carers with experiences of intermediate/step-down/reablement care. The conversations can be over the phone, online, or in-person and will last approximately 30 minutes. Participants will receive a £10 Love2Shop Voucher as a “thank you” for volunteering their time.

If you are interested in participating, please email us at info@healthwatchwestminster.org.uk or info@healthwatchrbkc.org.uk, or phone 0208 106 1480.

Victoria Neighbourhood Forum

Victoria Neighbourhood Forum has reached the next stage of consultation 

on the emerging policies and projects of the Victoria Neighbourhood Plan. This informal consultation will launch on Monday 15th April and close on Sunday 12th May.

Do you live or work in Victoria?
Are you interested in the area's future?

If so, then please come along to a workshop event to help us shape the Victoria Neighbourhood Plan:

Thursday 18th April from 5.00pm-7.00pm at Conrad London St James’s Hotel, 22-28 Broadway, London, SW1H 0BH

The Plan will be a blueprint for what we want the future of Victoria to be like and includes ideas about local issues such as development, public spaces, the environment, and transport in the area.

This is your chance to have your say:
•    Have we got the right ideas? 
•    Do they respond to local priorities?
•    What else could be included?

The Plan’s content has so far been informed by a series of consultation events like this one. Following this round of workshops in April, a draft of the final VictoriaNeighbourhood Plan will be prepared. It is therefore important that we hear from you now!

Please RSVP to info@yourvictoria.co.uk

Early Detection: Your Best Defence Against Cancer

As we journey through life, it's an inevitable truth that our bodies change. As we age, the risk of cancer increases, making early detection crucial for effective treatment and improved outcomes. At Age UK Westminster, we understand the importance of proactive health measures, which is why we're here to empower you with information and support to live longer and better lives.

Why Early Detection Matters:

The earlier cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat. This simple truth underscores the importance of regular screenings and prompt attention to any changes in your body. Here's why early detection is vital:

1. Easier Treatment: Catching cancer in its early stages often means less aggressive treatments and a higher likelihood of successful outcomes.
2. Reduced Spread: Early detection reduces the risk of cancer spreading to other parts of the body, improving outcome and quality of life.
3. Improved Survival Rates: Timely detection significantly increases the chances of survival, offering hope and optimism for the future.

Taking Charge of Your Health:

Empower yourself with proactive steps to safeguard your well-being:

- Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to any changes, such as new lumps, blood in urine or poo, or persistent coughs. These could be early warning signs of cancer.

- Consult Your GP: Don't hesitate to discuss any concerns with your general practitioner or other health professional. They are there to support you and provide guidance on next steps.

- Attend Screening Appointments: Take advantage of screening programs and tests offered to your age group. These screenings can detect cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages.

- Open Dialogue: Talk openly about your health concerns and fears with your healthcare provider and loved ones. Support and understanding play a crucial role in navigating health challenges.

Support for Screening Attendance:

Age UK Kensington & Chelsea and Age UK Westminster are committed to ensuring that residents aged 50 and above can attend their screening appointments without barriers. We provide transportation assistance for those who would otherwise face challenges in reaching their appointments.

If you reside in Kensington & Chelsea, call 020 8969 9105.

If you reside in Westminster, call 020 3092 9914.

Did You Know?

- Bowel Cancer: The fourth most common cancer, early detection through screening can significantly improve outcomes. Offered to men and women aged 52 to 74. Residents aged 75 and above can request a screening test by calling 0800 707 6060.

- Breast Cancer: Regular screenings every three years from ages 50 to 71 are essential for early detection. For those aged 71 and above, appointments can be requested by calling 020 3758 2024.

- Cervical Cancer : There is a programme for preventing this cancer by detecting and treating early abnormalities which, if left untreated, might lead to cervical cancer. Screening is offered every 5 years to women aged up to 64 at your GP practice.

- Prostate Cancer: Request a blood test from your GP to monitor prostate health. This is particularly important for men, with a higher risk among black ethnic communities and those with a family history.

- Lung Cancer: Individuals aged 55 to 74, with a history of smoking, can request a free NHS lung health check by calling 020 7351 8607. This programme is active as from April 2024

If you have any health concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to your GP or other health professional for guidance and support.

Age UK Westminster and Age UK Kensington are here to support you on your health journey, providing transportation assistance for screening appointments.