NOTICEBOARD
Today's Contents
Grow Your Own Grub: tasty food from tiny spaces
6 easy to follow leaflets on growing fruit and vegetables in small spaces like balconies, window boxes or window sills, and recipe ideas for when your food is ready to eat.
Download the Leaflets (PDF doc - 1036kb).
Keep Warm & Well
To keep well during winter it is essential to keep warm. As the weather gets colder, we are all likely to catch colds or flu; and if your body temperature drops then the risks of heart attack, stroke or breathing difficulties increase. This is especially true for older people, or if you have a serious disease,or are vulnerable due to a physical disability.
The best way to combat winter is to keep warm and follow as healthy a lifestyle as possible. What you eat and drink and the exercise you take, can make a big difference. It is also vital to keep your home warm and keep youself warm when you go out.
For lots of help and advice and information on: keeping warm and healthy; home improvement grants; heating your home, and help with bills, click on the following link to download the latest information leaflets.
www.portsmouth.gov.uk/living/7809.html.
Welcome Club
The Welcome Club is a new day activity club for people over fifty that has started at The Haven in Lake Road. It runs on a Monday from 10am to 2.30pm and is for socialising, companionship, quizzes, outings etc. We usually have a speaker and we have lunch in the Salvation Army café next door. We are very keen to recruit new members, so for further details please contact Dave or Gerry on (023) 9268 8390
Shopmobility Comes to Portsmouth
Shopmobility is for anyone, young or old, whether their disability is temporary or permenant. You do not need to be registered disabled or a blue badge holder to use it. You will however need to join and be issued with a membership card. Once you have joined you will be issued with a membership card to use on your future visits. A member of staff will talk to you about the most suitable and comfortable vehicle for you and give you training on the vehicle. When you feel comfortable and the staff are happy that you are confident. OFF YOU GO!
How much does it cost ?
Annual Membership
Portsmouth Shopmobility £5:00
Daily Hire, Scooter or Powerchair
Less than 2 hours - £2:00
Up to one working day - £3:00
Manual Wheelchair
Up to 1 working day - £2:00
NON MEMBERSHIP HIRE - double the above charges
For further information
please call: 023 9281 6973
Dial-A-Ride & Shopmobility Combined Ticket
Shopmobility members can take advantage of the money saving combined ticket which will enable you to receive a "door to door"
Service from your pick-up location to Shopmobility, where you can hire a scooter or powerchair, and once you've finished return you home at a pre - booked time. The service is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
The cost of the service is £4.50 Monday & Tuesday, £5.00 Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
To pre-book your journey with Dial- a -Ride telephone: 023 9269 9555
What's On at Ford Lodge
| DAY | ACTIVITY | TIME | VENUE |
| Monday | Creative Writers Group | 1pm – 3pm | Meeting Room |
| Partner Whist Group | 1pm – 3pm | Day Care | |
| Silver Surfer’s Club | 3pm – 4pm | Media Room | |
| Tuesday | Art Club | 1pm – 3pm | Meeting Room |
| Wednesday | Scrabble Club | 1pm – 3pm | Day Care 2 |
| 3rd Wednesday of Month | Geezers Club | 1pm – 3pm | Day Care 2 |
| Friday | Partner Whist Group | 1pm – 3pm | Day Care |
This is not a definitive list of activities at Ford Lodge, as special activities and events occur at short notice. Introduction to Computers runs during the week throughout the year. If you are interested in any of the above and are over 55 then leave a message with the receptionist on 023 92862121. All activities are free of charge (although a small charge may be made for materials)
Ford Lodge Cafe
Pop-In for Coffee or Meet for Lunch
Served Daily from Noon - 1.30pm
2 Course Hot Savoury Meal: £2.85
Desserts: 65p - £1
Coffee: 50p
Tea: 40p
Vegetarian, Jackets & Salads available
Age Concern, Portsmouth. Moorings Way. Resident Chef: Sandy Wood
Home Safety Visits
Every Year Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service attend over 26000 emergency calls. 4000 of these are in homes just like yours - over 350 of these incidents result in death or injury.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service will carry out a FREE fire safety check in your home. They will supply and fit FREE OF CHARGE smoke detectors where required. They will also go through a plan of escape with you. Simply call 023 9287 1303 to book your Home Fire Safety Check.
Help The Aged Booklets
Help The Aged have released a new range of booklets offering advice to older people on a range of subjects such as:-
- Better Hearing
- Keep Out The Cold
- Fitter Feet
- Healthy Bones
- Keeping Mobile
- Shingles
See www.helptheaged.org.uk for a full list of the leaflets, or pick them up at any library or Age Concern, Moorings Way, Portsmouth.
Homecheck
Homecheck is a City Council scheme where homes of over 60's and disabled people can be given a free home safety inspection, and in the case of the over 60's a visit includes a security inspection. Customers can either be Council tenants or private homeowners.
Homecheck Inspectors have received training regarding looking for and rectifying tripping hazards, advising on smoke detectors (supplied and fitted free of charge) as well as installing a range of security devices.
If you would like a Homecheck visit please call (023) 9283 4274
Meals on Wheels
Portsmouth City Council, working with the WRVS, provide a "Meals on Wheels" service within Portsmouth City.
Hot meals are delivered daily, 365 days a year from the WRVS delivery unit in Farlington, Portsmouth. A two-course meal delivered hot to the door costs £2.75 daily. This is a reduced and subsidised rate for those people who cannot manage their own meal provision and have no family or friends that can be reasonably expected to help.This can be a long or short term situation.
There is a varied menu to choose from each day, with over 35 different main meals and 35 puddings, all designed to provide a good balanced diet. Cultural as well as dietary needs such as soft food or diabetic meals are catered for. The same meals can be delivered frozen to be reheated in the oven or microwave,and delivered in bulk every one or two weeks.
In addition to the lunch service, Meals on Wheels also provide a selection of sandwiches, cake and dried fruit to be eaten at tea time. The sandwiches are fresh daily and will be delivered at the same time as the lunch. The additional cost for the tea service is £2 a day.
A referral to the "Meals on Wheels" service can be made by Social Workers, GP's and carers, friends and family or by the person interested in receiving the meals.
For more information contact the HIDS team on 023 9268 8390/1
The Haven Community Centre
The Salvation Army’s Haven Community Centre in Lake Road close to Commercial Road runs 2 lunch clubs a week. They are held on a Wednesday and Thursday at 12pm and are priced at £2.50 including a main course, dessert and a cup of tea. All over 50’s are welcome.
Also at The Haven The Community Café is open to all 6 days a week and provides a fresh cooked main meal for only £3.20. This includes a roast dinner on a Tuesday and Thursday. Probably one of the best meal deals in town!
Cheap, fresh, high in nutrition and no washing up what more could you ask for?
For further information call 023 9229 3793 or just pop in we would be pleased to see you.
Writers Wanted
Do you have a positive outlook on getting older?
Could you supply an article, poem, point of view or light hearted feature for your local Community Newspaper?
If so - we need you !
Please contact us at : MAST - tel.023 92 735 960
Or e-mail :
community_news2002@yahoo.co.uk
Support for Carers
Carers look after family, friends or neighbours who need help because they are ill, frail or disabled. The help they provide is unpaid. Surveys consistently show that between 60 - 75% of carers suffer ill health as a direct result of their caring role. The National Strategy for Carers, a government document, admits that "51% of carers had suffered a physical injury such as a strained back since they began to care"
On top of this, 80% of carers suffered anxiety and 50% depression. So, caring can damage your health.
Caring can also be emotionally draining and you may not always be able to maintain a positive outlook. It is difficult to avoid becoming stressed.
Portsmouth Carers Centre can provide information, support and access to breaks for carers in Portsmouth, check out the website here: www.hids.org.uk/carers
