Arnold’s forum for the over fifties

October 13th 2006

This was an important date for the older people of Nottinghamshire. On this day older people from across the county, including members of Arnold Golden Eagles, gathered at County Hall for the launch of the Link Age Plus project and the presentation of the countywide strategy document entitled "Opportunity Age in Nottinghamshire: Ageing for the future". The project has been funded by over £1million from the Department of Work and Pensions, and a minister from the Department was there to assist the launch.
Councillor Dick Anthony, County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, said that the project marks a milestone ir Nottinghamshire's concern for the needs of older people by enabling them to stay independent, active and healthy for as long as possible.
Plans for the two year project include extending the 'First Contact' signposting scheme across the whole county, and employing community outreach advisors to act as a link between older people and the services they require. It is hoped that older people will become better informed about the benefits and services they are entitled to, and also that they have access to centres where they can learn about, and use, computers for better information-about these things.
It is also hoped to produce a good traders register of those workmen who are approved by Trading Standards and can be relied upon and trusted by older people. At the Golden Eagles meeting on 8th September the guest speaker was Mary O'Riordan of "Help the Aged" who gave a full explanation of the services provided by her organisation, together with a distribution of useful leaflets relating to many matters which concern older people. Our meeting on 3rd November received a presentation about the County Council's Meals Service for older people.
The first meeting for 2007 will take place on Friday 5th January in the Reception Room at the Council offices in Arnot Hill Park: anyone over the age of fifty is most welcome to attend.

March 2006

Since the last issue of the ‘Forum’ newsletter, there have been two meetings of the ‘Arnold Golden Eagles’, which have both dealt with significant business.
The January meeting was concerned with various local issues, including the future of Killisick Court, Traffic congestion on St Albans Road, street cleaning, and the future of Arnold Health Centre.
It was agreed to investigate all of these issues further and report back. Plans were outlined for a future Intergenerational Conference, perhaps in the Spring of 2007, when the object will be for younger people to produce an agenda in which older people will participate. Plans were also outlined for the forthcoming Arnold Heritage Day event to be held on 17 March. At the March meeting, our local Member of Parliament, Vernon Coaker spoke and answered a wide range of questions.
The meeting also considered the Nottinghamshire Older Person’s Strategy document, which has been based on consultations countywide with groups such as the Golden Eagles and with other similar groups. This document will be a blueprint for future policies dealing with older people in the county. It covers the four issues of Independence, Health and Well-being, Information and Communication, and Social Inclusion. The conclusion of the document is that policies in the future must be needs driven rather than service led.
The next two meetings are planned for Friday, 5 May and Friday, 7 July: both meetings start at 10.00 am and are held in the Council Offices in Arnot Hill Park.
Anyone over the age of fifty in the Arnold, Daybrook, and Woodthorpe area is welcome to attend.
Alan Langton (Chair) An open invitation to any older person in the Arnold and woodthorpe areas to attend the meetings of Golden Eagles is always there for the asking. Anyone needing more information should contact Alan Langton on 0115 9269090.