Silver Surfers Update

Unusually two news updates have come through quite close together, both targeting our older generation(s), one from our regular correspondent at the Methodist Church and another from Colchester Borough Council.

Silver Sunday – 1st March

There has been considerable publicity about the fact that the proportion of our population that are elderly is increasing.  Also that there is a significant proportion of elderly people who live alone and can be lonely and become isolated.  A charitable trust has set up “Silver Sunday” in an attempt to raise this issue and try to take steps to address it (www.silversunday.org.uk).  We became aware of this and felt we as a Church would like to respond. The designated Silver Sunday is in October but we were not in a position to arrange something at that time.

As a first step we are holding a simple afternoon tea on Sunday March 1 at 3.00 and are inviting folk to attend.  If you are elderly, living alone and not fortunate enough to have family and/or friends living nearby this could be for you.  You are warmly invited to an Afternoon Tea with folk in a similar situation to yourself.  We will provide transport to pick you up from your home, bring you to the tea and return you to your home when the tea has finished.

If you, a neighbour or someone else you know, would like to come to the tea please contact Judith Fletcher (01206 241969) or Andrew Wilks (01206 242511). If you can let us know you are coming it will help with our arrangements.

Crucial Crew – 27th March

The FREE Crucial Crew event is taking place on Friday 27th March between 10am – 2pm at St Botolphs Church, St Botolpsh St.  and is targeting those over 55s who are members of established clubs or groups.

Several local organisations have joined together to organise, Older Persons Crucial Crew.  This event will bring together 130 ambassadors from clubs and groups serving older persons in the Colchester Area and involves 16 tables in an informal setting.

There will be a total of 16 speakers from 8 different organisations;

• The Police Home and personal security,
• The Fire service Home fire safety advice,
• Trading Standards, Rogue traders and consumer advice,
• Environmental Health for residents,
• Colchester street wardens, street safety,
• Gas safe,
• Young people from Stanway School computer mobile phone advice, and
• Red Cross.

Each speaker will sit at your table for 15 minutes giving advice and information in an informal setting, almost like a safety speed dating!!

A free buffet Lunch prepared, provided by Colchester Institute catering course students, will be served at your table by Students from Stanway School. After lunch the speaker’s organization plus several other service and help organisations will provide tables where you can go and talk in more detail on issues raised during the morning’s event.

This event is for the over 55s  and it is the aim that the members attending will take back the information gained, the contacts made to their respective clubs, ensuring that the information is cascaded through the whole area.

There will be limited free transport available on the day, but to save costs if you are able you can use your own or Public transport leaving this for the people who need it we would be very grateful.

As I am sure you will understand that with just 130 places available for the whole of Colchester we have to offer up to 5 places to each Organisation on a first come first served basis so if you are interested please return the linked ticket request to:

• Crucial Crew Ticket Request form.

Les Nicoll
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.
Fire station,Fronks Road,
Dovercourt, CO12 4JE

Or by e-mail to [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].

Alternatively call 07779 129888