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Age In Action....................... Free Outing ................................Life in Poetry...
........ Staff and volunteer update............A new baby...........And loss of an old friend...........

Age in Action

Age Concern Brighton Hove & Portslade is planning a series of events during October to highlight its services in the city, its influence as a Campaigning Organisation, its commitment to partnership work and delivery of activities and events it believes are key factors to Wellbeing and mental and physical health.

An outline of the programme is given overleaf and full details of the events will be promoted nearer the time in the local press, news flash to groups and organisations, and our newsletter.  The Launch is planned to coincide with the UK Older People’s Day on 1st October.     

FREE OUTING  TO  MARWELL  ZOO
Tuesday 09 September 2008

Volunteers and service users of Age Concern Brighton Hove & Portslade are invited to book their place by calling us on 01273 720603.  Please give your name address and telephone number.  Pick up points are :

• The Level (by the open market bus stop) 9.30am
• Hove Town Hall 9.45am

We will be taking up to 40 people on this trip using a coach and the Age Concern minibus.      
When calling please indicate which of the vehicle you wish to book your place on.
If you have mobility difficulty and need assistance on the outing please ensure a carer/helper accompanies you.    

The Closing date for booking is Wednesday 27 August. 

Marwell is set in 100 acres of beautiful Hampshire countryside. You can enjoy a relaxing walk around the park or hop on to the road train and enjoy the ride.  Marwell's road train is free of charge transporting you around the zoo..  There are also  a number of places to buy food and drink, and a picnic area.  So bring a pack lunch if you prefer.   

A Selection of Poems from members of the ‘Life In Poetry’ Workshops Why I love poetry I can write and say what I like With no fear of retribution Be honest to my heart’s content No dread of persecution I can follow my heart Peruse every word Or really not bother And write something absurd The former being remembered For a very long time The later pure nonsense Just so it will rhyme I read classic poets A smile on my face The beauty of a word on its own Makes my attempts a disgrace Good, bad or average I’m sure you will agree Poetry can be read or written Without a master’s degree © Anne Howard Poetry Poetry is the love of words Not easy to define Covering the joys of life It speaks in every line It conjures pictures in your mind Covering birth to death Making you realize all its strength You feel with every breath It makes you laugh it makes you cry When you hear of someone’s sadness Then next you read a comic poem Which fills you up with gladness

Descriptions of a lovely scene You almost smell the flowers The traveler walking through the fields Whiling away the hours One never tires of all the words The different poets’ themes Imagination at its best Covering love and hate and dreams  © Joanna Goddard To Poetry Poetry thou insidious muse! You lead me to think that I can choose As mesmerized with pen in hand I find myself in a magical land Where ideas and thoughts come into m head They transfer onto paper and are hopefully read My desire for people’s comments is also there Their honest opinion I want to share My wish is to write of many things Ships, sealing wax, cabbages and kings Ballads free verse, limericks are part of it too As with Wordsworth on his bridge I am stunned at the view Flow on bright muse while I end my song I find my journey goes on and on © Ann Furley Life in Poetry Workshops began a year ago.  The workshops run fortnightly in Prestonville Road, on Fridays from 1pm to 2.30pm and cost £2 per session. The next session is on 18th August.  ........If you keep taking tiny steps you can travel far, they can take you to the stars!.......

Age In Action Starting on 1st October Older people will have opportunities to play Nintendo Wii and to take part in a Bowling Tournament in sheltered housing.  The Tournament will end on Grandparents’ day on 5th October with a Prize Giving Ceremony.  Age Concern BHP are launching ‘Debts in the City: the Efficacy of Advice’ Campaign from 6th to 10th October.  ACBHP will be releasing a booklet and postcards to raise awareness of debt and older people, entitled ‘Over 50, Overstretched and Overdrawn’ which will highlight the issues behind the growing indebtedness of the fifty – plus generation. We will be sending the campaign material out to public and community venues, or you can pick up a pack from our main office. We can also send you one in the post. We are tying our campaign highlighting debt with Age Concern England’s national campaign entitled ‘The Price of No Advice’ about how important it is for older people to access good quality advice.  They are releasing their ‘Transforming Lives’ report to show the difference Age Concern advice services can make to the lives of older people. Early October also marks the 5th anniversary of the introduction of Pension Credit - we can provide you with confidential information and advice if you are thinking about applying. Look out for our new minibus which will be out and about, helping to deliver our message over the Autumn period. 6th to 9th October.  Age Concern is facilitating and co-ordinating a visit of representatives of Older People’s organisations to the European Commission ‘Open Day’ event in Brussels.

The Big Draw -  In October 2008 Age Concern Brighton Hove & Portslade will be organising a themed event cheekily entitled ‘Winter Drawers On!’ as part of the national Big Draw which takes place annually. The ACBHP event will be led by a community artist during a special day of drawing. Arts and older peoples’ groups will be invited to make drawings and representations of anyone they admire or care about over the age of 50. Cartoonists and photographers are also welcome to join in. People of any age can get involved and we aim to display work during Age Concern Week 13th – 19th October. Details are yet to be finalised so ACBHP will be keeping everyone interested updated in due course. You can find out more about the national Campaign for Drawing on their website. Age In Action Conference – Perspectives on Social Well Being. 15th and 16th October at the Albion Hotel Brighton.  The conference will focus on developing model of care for older people as the basis for Well Being and preventative tools to prevent the early onset of illness and depression.   Annual General Meeting, Wednesday 29 October.  The current website is being transformed and the month will end with a Staff Away Day.

Dear Dan and Jane Many congratulations from all of us at the birth of your beautiful baby girl, Isabella.

Staff  update Much is taking place with staff recruitment and new positions at the moment.  Rachel Collins, Outreach Officer Caroline Northcott-Clark, PA to Senior Managers Luis Algorta, Community Development Officer Diana Rowe is now the Policy & Training Manager Denise Crilly has moved to the Community Development Support Assistant position New staff will soon ‘be taken on board’ ie. Receptionist, Volunteer Co-ordinator, Support Worker in the Computer Drop in Centre.   There have been no changes in the recruitment of volunteers.

94 year old Dorothy Baker, one of the pioneer worker/volunteer of Age Concern in Brighton died on 30 July.  A thanks giving service was held on the 8th August in the Methodist Church of Dorset Gardens.  Anna Jones who knew her well said “I will never forget her bravery, and dignity whilst accompanying her on an unpleasant hospital appointment she once made for a procedure.  She sang if I were the only girl in the world all through it, which could be clearly heard outside the consulting room!”.

Age Concern Brighton Hove & Portslade 29-31 Prestonville Road Brighton BN1 3TJ

01273 720603  info@ageconcern-bhp.org.uk www.ageconcernbrighton-hove.org.uk

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