Freephone: 0800 107 2204

Diamond Plus focuses on one-to-one personal care, support and befriending, to help people live independently in their own home, whereas Golden Age provides members with a wide range of social activities. With winter fast approaching these services will prove particularly important as they can help people remain active and not become isolated.

Diamond Plus members can benefit from a range of personal care, depending on their individual needs, including help with activities such as bathing and dressing, preparing meals and cleaning. The service also includes an element of companionship, with volunteers providing a befriending service.

Golden Age is a monthly subscription service that provides a range of popular social activities, which encourage older people to stay healthy and active. Coffee mornings, bingo, chair-based exercises, outings and discounts on handyperson and gardening services are all part of the package. At just £9.95 per month Golden Age membership is affordable and can be paid through personalised care budgets or by family members. It would even make a great gift!

Tottenham resident and Golden Age member Merle Roberts commented:

“I worked as a carer myself for over 20 years so I know firsthand how important it is for people to have access to this kind of service. There’s a feeling of togetherness and the staff are fantastic. I’ve been telling lots of people about Golden Age and really encouraging them to join in.”

Fellow member Cynthia Achille agrees it’s a great service:

“The exercise teacher is wonderful and the exercises aren’t too tiring! I’ve made lots of friends, everybody is so friendly – it’s fun to come and I enjoy every minute.”

Joyce Springer, Support Manager at MST with responsibility for Diamond Plus and Golden Age, added:

“Golden Age and Diamond Plus have been developed to provide the essential activities and support that older people tell us are important to them, in terms of keeping active and maintaining independence to allow them to continue living in their own homes. As a not-for-profit organisation, MST is committed to providing these at an affordable rate.”

For details of the price structure of this service offered exclusively in Haringey, please contact:

Diamond Plus
Tel: 020 8920 4455
Email: diamondplus@mst-online.org.uk
www.mst-online.org.uk/diamondplus

Golden Age
Tel: 020 8920 4455
Email: goldenage@mst-online.org.uk
www.mst-online.org.uk/goldenage

L&Q is funding the service which will provide targeted support in managing finances and benefits, signposting to other agencies where necessary, helping with life skills and gaining a clearer understanding of the young tenants’ rights and responsibilities.

Sonia Bernard, Assistant Director at L&Q commented: “It is clear that our younger residents find it harder to settle in their new homes, and this is evident through a disproportionate number who lose their home in the first year of their tenancy. We’re keen to see whether, through providing targeted support early on, we can help our young residents not only start off in their home in the right way but, ultimately, keep their home.”

Duncan Wilson, Area Business Manager at MST added: “This is a very exciting project which demonstrates MST’s open approach to new and innovative ways of working. We’re looking forward to working in partnership with L&Q to deliver a support service that will help this vulnerable client group to live independently and ensure the best outcomes for their younger residents.”

Sonia went on to say: “A service commissioning agreement is unusual for RSLs, however both L&Q and MST are committed to working together for the benefit of this client group.”

The project launches today, 17^th October 2011, and will run initially for 12 months. For more information on the STAY project, call 020 7501 2244.

SADACCA is running the Community Cultural Day along with Metropolitan Support Trust (MST), which is part of Metropolitan Housing Partnership, and other community partners. The event is open to all Sheffield residents and offers the opportunity to experience and celebrate different cultures.

Activities available on the day include: traditional music and dance, food tasting, arts and crafts displays, poetry and storytelling as well as children’s activities including crèche and bouncy castle.

What: 6^th annual Community Cultural Day

Date: Saturday 27 August

Time : 11am-6.00pm
Official opening by the Lady Mayoress of Sheffield, Councillor Dr Sylvia Bunkley

Place: SADACCA, 48 Wicker, Sheffield, S3 8JB

Who: Photo opportunities available with the Lady Mayoress and representatives from different local cultural and community groups.

Barrington Brown, Community Initiatives Officer, MST, said: “Metropolitan Support Trust sees a real value in educating people about different cultures and breaking down the barriers preventing people from seeking support, education and employment. That’s why we are a key sponsor of the Community Cultural Day. We hope as many members of the community attend as possible, have fun and even learn something about their neighbours and the community they live in.”

Milton Samuals, Chair of SADACCA Management Committee, said:

“SADACCA is proud to host the Community Cultural Day for the sixth year, as this event promotes a greater respect and cohesion between communities within the city, through shared understanding of our different cultures. We welcome all communities to this event which promises to be a day of fun, learning and networking between communities”

The signposting service is funded by Nottingham City Council and aims to help older people remain safe and independent in their own home by enabling them to access services they may not have been aware of, or been unsure how to contact.

Councillor Eunice Campbell, Nottingham City Council’s portfolio holder for adult support and health said: “More older people than ever before are now online and this new website is a convenient way to help Nottingham residents and their families find useful information on local services and things to do.”

The website is managed by Age UK UK Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and is a great example of successful partnership working across Nottingham City. Visit the website at www.springboardnottingham.co.uk

The Sixty Plus service, which has provided a variety of support to help older people in the borough maintain their independence, is due to end on 31 May 2011. This is following the end of funding from Haringey Council.

Harry, a Haringey resident for the last 67 years, is one of over 700 people who has benefited from support, advice and social activity from Sixty Plus.

Harry said: “Sixty Plus helped me when my voice was not being heard. I attend their coffee mornings twice a month and their chair-based exercise classes every week. I’ve also been on many day trips too. This has enabled me to make new friends and improve my social life.”

Metropolitan Support Trust is part of Metropolitan Housing Partnership, a not for profit organisation which manages the Sixty Plus service, is hoping they can fill the void with a new subscription service, Golden Age. People who join Golden Age will be able to access a range of support, advice and social activity including: chair-based exercise, coffee mornings, discounts on handyperson and gardening services and more.

Debbie Nichols, Golden Age Service Manager at MST said: “Despite the withdrawal of funding, we feel it is important that older people in Haringey continue to access good quality support and advice when they need it. It is also a great, as well as the opportunity to get out and meet other people. That’s why we are launching Golden Age.”

The new service will cost less than £10 a month and can be paid for through individual care and support budgets or a persons’ own money. Golden Age will launch on 1 June 2011, but anyone interested in joining or finding out more should contact Golden Age now on 020 8920 4455 or email MST.

• sign up to new customer groups to make your voice heard
• share ideas on how we can recruit more people to our customer group
• meet customers who have helped us improve our services and hear their inspiring stories
• help us decide priorities for getting more customers involved
• find out about changes to the benefits system
• enjoy warm buffet lunch!

 When and where?

The first roadshow will take place in south London on 1 April with further roadshows to be scheduled in north London, the Midlands and Yorkshire in Spring/Summer.

South London roadshow

1 April 2011, 10am – 3pm

Stockwell Community Resource Centre, 1 Studley Road, London SW4 6RA (located behind the Stockwell Underground Station). Map

Buses: 2, 50, 88, 155, 196, 255, 333, 345, P5 all stop outside Stockwell underground station. 

Book your place

To book a place or find out more, please contact the Service User Involvement Coordinator on 020 7501 2257 or at sarah.osei-menya@mst-online.org.uk. You can also ask your support worker.

Your 2011 census questionnaire will arrive in March. It’s vital that you complete your confidential census questionnaire as the statistics are used to make decisions about our community. Each areas in London receives funding from the Government, based on the number of people living there – funding that can be used for schools, hospitals, transport and refuse collection. Everyday facilities like play parks, water pipes and even where your local supermarket branch is located are based on census statistics. It’s all confidential, so no one will see your personal information.

Your census questionnaire asks questions about you, your family and the type of accommodation you live in. When all this information is added up for communities, the numbers and statistics will give a much better idea about what services are needed, where.

Most importantly of all, the government needs to know how many people are where, so that it can make sure each area gets an appropriate share of funding and other resources to help you. By counting everyone, the census can work to make sure everyone gets a fair deal – especially you.

That’s why it’s the law (those who don’t make a census return could be fined up to £1,000). So please fill it in. It will make a very real difference to you, your family and friends.

Just look out for the white envelope with the bright purple logo.

To find out more about the what, when, why and how of the 2011 Census, visit www.census.gov.uk

“What a great night”, said Richard Dixon MST Project Worker and organiser of the event, “it was fun… because all the comedians told jokes.”

Nick, a resident at Hartington House said: “I enjoyed Pete Smith who I’d seen last year and the headliner Lee Grant: I thought his songs really ended the night well.”

The event was well attended with a higher turnout than the first year and, most importantly, raised over £250. The money will be used to fund a few overnight camping trips for the residents this summer.

When I enquire if Hartington House will be running any future events, Richard deadpans; “It’s an annual comedy night.” Perhaps we’ll see Richard take to the stage himself next April!?

This post was updated 14 June 2011. Original posting below, 2 March 2011.

Q. Why did the chicken cross the road?

A. To go to the annual Hartington House comedy night, and you should too!

Tickets cost £5 and all proceeds will go towards equipment and activities for homeless people in Derby. Contact Richard Dixon on 01332 203898 to buy tickets.

When: 1 April (honest), 1900ish
Where: Sherwin Club, Harrington, Derby
Featuring: Five ‘proper’ stand up comedians.

Tom Roche
Your host and compere for the Evening is the genial jester Tom Roche who is “One of the Midlands most experienced and funniest comperes.” (Chase Comedy Nights). Tom will make you all feel welcome with his friendly banter and jovial anecdotes, so you’ll be ready to laugh your socks off at our hilarious line up of Midlands Mirth Makers:

Pete Smith
Local Derby lad Pete Smith has been reviewed twice recently. The first described him as “a naturally funny comic who draws the audience in as soon as he goes on stage. A true pleasure to watch.” the second as “a cheery, fat, slightly camp comedian in an ill-fitting shirt”. Which is more accurate? Watch Pete take to the stage with his stories, jokes and observations and then let you decide.

Phil Pagett
They call him the Prince of Puns, thanks to his killer one-liners he is one of the country’s best new gag writers.
Tipped as one of the most promising new acts on the comedy circuit, Phil recently won the Derby Funhouse 2010 ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ champion of champions competition.

“Fantastic one-liners – One To Watch” – Nottingham Comedy Festival

Dominic Spencer
Chortle Student Comedy Award Finalist, Dominic Spencer, is a Cheeky and charismatic scamp and a fantastic comic with a persona that makes him instantly likeable. Dom’s stories will have you howling with laughter

“The lad is destined for stardom” – Rough Comedy.

Lee Grant
Lee (West Midlands Comedian of the Year 2010) is an amazing Musical comedian that will have you laughing along at his delicously dark ditties. Lee has received plaudits for his material and accomplished stage presence he is renowned for his dark humour and faultless timing.

His performance at Speakeasy comedy in the West Midlands has passed into legend when at the end of the show (Lee having been the first act on) the crowd begged him for more. He then proceeded to do five more encores before the audience would let him go home.

What are you waiting for?
Buy your ticket before they run out! Call Richard Dixon on 01332 203898.

These unwanted gifts and donations are fashioned into lovely hampers, to be delivered straight to MST’s vulnerable service users; some hampers are reserved as prizes for our service user Christmas party.

The collection wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t receive generous donations from friends and staff around the Partnership, so we are asking for your help again this year. Your contributions could make this Christmas an extra special one for our service users.

It’s easy to support the cause. You can drop off your items at the Parma House office, Unit 104, Wood Green, London N22 6UL. Or if you happen to be the office Santa and manage to round up a sack load of stuff but the sleigh has broken down, call us on 020 8920 4455 and we may be able to collect, providing the location is not too far away.

We would prefer all donations to be made by the 15 December, in time for our Christmas Party.

Thank you!