Don’t let loneliness ruin Christmas

Age Scotland is calling on older people in North Edinburgh who feel lonely or who face difficulties over the Christmas holiday to make use of Silver Line Scotland, a new free* national helpline offering information, friendship and advice.

0800 4 70 80 90

The service, which is delivered in partnership by Age Scotland and Esther Rantzen’s charity The Silver Line Helpline, will be taking calls all day and every day during the holiday period, and throughout 2014.

Age Scotland Chief Executive Brian Sloan said: “Loneliness can hit hard at this time of year, with older people who live alone, or who have caring responsibilities, being particularly vulnerable. Callers to Silver Line Scotland will be greeted by someone who is friendly and helpful, and who understands that there’s no shame or stigma in admitting that you feel lonely. But the service is also there for older people, and their friends, families and carers, who just want practical advice and information.”

Topics that Silver Line Scotland can assist with include welfare benefits, community care, home safety and repairs, accessing health services and information about local groups and services for older people.

The Charity also publishes ‘Hot Tips,’ a free 2014 calendar that offers information and advice to help older people stay safe, well and comfortable all year round. Calendars are available in libraries, GP’s surgeries and from some MSP’s constituency offices.

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Health and Fitness Festival heading to Victoria Park

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The words ‘health’ and ‘fitness’ are not part of my usual festival vocabulary, but a festival with a difference is coming to Victoria Park soon …  

Zombies, space hoppers, hula hoops and health& fitness practitioners are among some of the activities, demonstrations and information stalls included in the official programme for the Leith Health & Fitness Festival taking place at Victoria Park, Leith on 10 August 2013 from 10am to 5pm.

Organised by local Edinburgh charity, Looking After Our Elderly, this new Festival is free to enter and aims to bring all generations of the local community together with the aim of getting active, healthy and having fun.

The programme contains a wide range of family friendly events and activities including:

  • 5k charity run, adult space hopper race and fitness demos for the wider community from hula hooping and fencing to  bodycombat and bootcamps
  • Range of health, fitness and nutritional information stalls including
  • Therapists offering taster treatment sessions
  • Entertainment marquee hosting a ceilidh band, comedian, dancers and afternoon tea
  • Complimentary bowling on the green
  • Range of local business and community information stalls

Kirsty Smith, Charity Director, said: “The countdown is now well and truly on to our first ever health & fitness festival and I’m excited about the programme that we’re launching today.

“The festival is all about bringing people together and reigniting community spirit.Whether you’re looking to find out more about getting active and healthy or just want to simply enjoy a day out with friends and family, there is something for everyone. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone along. ”

Kirsty set up Looking After our Elderly in November 2012 as a Christmas Gift Giving Campaign to ensure older people who were house-bound, in care, on their own or in need, did not feel alone at Christmas.

The Festival will help to raise proceeds for the Charity and for the 2013 Christmas Gift Giving Campaign.Entry to the festival is free for everyone to come along.There will be a small joining fee to participate in the 5k run.

Kirsty added: “We’re still on the lookout for people to get involved and support the festival in other ways, by racing, volunteering, hosting an event or demonstration or setting up a business or information stall.”

For more information on how to get involved, the latest programme updates and application forms for the race, stalls and volunteering visit:

www.lookingafterourelderly.co.uk.

programme-outside

Get set for Leith Health and Fitness Festival

Looking after our elderly:

In the winter of 2012 a new Charity campaign emerged in Leith called Give a Gift this Christmas. This was an opportunity for organisations and members of the public to donate gifts which were distributed to elderly people across Leith and North East Edinburgh. This was a tremendous success and has led to the development of a Health and Fitness Festival, which will not only raise funds to help the Charity, but will also provide the opportunity for sharing information about keeping fit and healthy whatever your age.

To raise the profile of the Festival there will be a number of key events happening across Leith and wider.  Subsequently there will be a range of raffles and smaller events to ensure that the word is out and that people are excited about the festival.

Leith Health & Fitness Festival – Saturday 10 August,  Victoria Park, Leith 

Our inspiration is to help bring back community spirit! Working together will offer a way to pull all generations together, to mend the cracks and try to give support and care to our local elderly residents.

There will be a range of stalls and events designed specifically for the older community, this will include a marquee set aside for entertainment, amusement and a free raffle, bowling on the green and lots of complimentary events / treatments on the day.

For the wider community there will be:

  • Stall spaces for therapists and personal trainers (small fee)
  • Stall spaces for local businesses (Small fee)
  • Advice on optimum & sports nutrition
  • Career advice
  • Youth and Community information
  • 5k fun run (application form below)
  • Hula Honeys
  • Fitness demos
  • Activities for all the family.

If you feel you could support this exciting venture by having a stall, promoting your services, donating prizes for our competitions or raffle, (we have two raffles, a main raffle for everyone and another one for our elderly people). Or volunteering on the day then we would love to hear from you.

Please email me if you are interested in being part of our first Festival.

Email: lookingafterourelderly@virginmedia.com

All proceeds will go the Looking After Our Elderly and our second Give a Gift This Christmas campaign.

Thank you!

Kirsty Smith

Charity Director

5k run app

festival stall email application form

postcard front

 

Call for North Edinburgh to nominate ‘older people’s champions’

hnadsNorth Edinburgh residents are invited to nominate their local champions for older people for the Age Scotland Awards 2013.  The Charity is looking for individuals, groups, partnerships and services that are inspirational in making a difference to older people.  

The Awards will be presented at the Scottish Parliament on 1 October, the UN International Day of Older Persons – with 30 August the closing date for nominations.

Nominations are invited in five categories: campaigning and influencing, partnership working, services for older people, volunteer of the year and Age Scotland member group of the year. These are sponsored respectively by McCarthy and Stone, Raeside and Chisholm, Specsavers at Home, David Urquhart Travel and Solicitors for Older People Scotland.  Details on how to nominate are available online atwww.agescotland.org.uk/awards  or by calling 0845 833 9334 to request a postal entry form.

Brian Sloan, Age Scotland Chief Executive, said: “Through the Awards we aim tochallenge popular myths about later life and our ageing population, demonstrate the vibrancy of older people’s voluntary action, and inspire others to follow the example of Scotland’s best services for, and by, older people.  So if you know of, or are, an individual, group or service in north Edinburgh worthy of wider recognition, whether in the public, private or voluntary sector, a nomination from you will be warmly welcomed.”AgeScotland

 

 

Focus falls on over-fifties at West Pilton

 The spotlight falls on the seniors next month when West Pilton will be celebrating older people with a series of social and information events for the over fifties at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.

Tuesday 6 November 10.30am – 12.30pm: Fun and Fitness 

Come along for some fun and fitness, followed by a light lunch provided by the Centre.

Thursday 8 November 1 – 3pm: Information Sessions 

Get up to date information on energy efficiency

Have a basic health check

Find out about benefits you may be entitled to (with Granton Information Centre)

Meet your local Councillors

Learn about personal safety from community police officers

And enjoy a buffet lunch courtesy of the Centre!

Friday 9 November 12 – 4pm: Afternoon Social

 Join in with dancing and singing to 50’s, 60’s and 70’s music

Play a game of Bingo or just enjoy the company and entertainment

A buffet lunch will be provided by the Centre.

For further information telephone 551 3194.