AFM Board create a manifesto for Ageism Action Day
Board members worked with artist Liz Mytton to create a manifesto to share their thoughts on ageism for the Centre for Ageing Better's first day of action against ageism.
The first four verses are below, to read the full manifesto please click this link AFM Board Manifesto on Ageism
They Call us Baby Boomers - A Manifesto
They call us Baby Boomers
The post-war wave of hope
We’re 60, 70, 80 plus
Beyond the lazy tropes
We are feisty over fifties
Diverse in thought and deed
Creative as we move through life
Determined to succeed
When the journey is full of complexity
And has us searching for reason
We’re flexible time travellers
Adapting to each season
We’re skilled and great Mancunians
Imbued with memories
We’ve set up women’s refuges
We’re social pioneers...
Eddie Newman presented with life time honorary membership of Age Friendly Manchester Older People's Board
In recognition his role as elected member for the Age Friendly Manchester Oldeof his dedicated service inr People’s Board, the Lord Mayor, Councillor Yasmine Dar presented Eddie Newman with a certificate at a recent council meeting.
Eddie supported the Board for four years and the honorary membership was to recognise his enthusiasm and commitment to making Manchester a more age-friendly city, especially during the pandemic when he was central to ensuring older people’s voices were continually heard throughout.
 Join the Age Friendly Manchester Assembly
Making sure older people’s voices are heard in Manchester
If you are over 50 and want to:
- Meet other people over 50 in Manchester to discuss issues that affect you
- Better understand what is happening in Manchester
- Influence plans and strategies for the city and public services
- Challenge ageism
The Age Friendly Manchester Assembly meets in person 4 times a year – to hear about opportunities to influence, sharing experiences and views and celebrating progress and positive contributions.
The Assembly elects members to the Age Friendly Manchester Older People’s Board, which is the city’s representative body for older people.
Assembly members have recently contributed to developing Manchester’s new ageing strategy; poverty and economic strategies; making services such as Libraries more age friendly; housing strategies for older people; culture; and health and social care (to name but a few).
If you would like more information contact: Jason Bergen, Project Manager Age Friendly Manchester, Jason.Bergen@manchester.gov.uk, 07785307105
 Survey on Age Friendly Creative and Cultural Activities
We are looking at how to improve the Manchester City Council's Loads To Do Website so that it helps people aged 50+ to get information about things that they enjoy.
If you are over 50 or work with groups that work with older people please share this survey with them. It would be fantastic to have lots of individuals completing the survey, so that we get a clear understanding of what works for them
If people prefer to complete a paper version, please contact Lawrence.Fennelly@manchester.gov.uk Culture Officer, Manchester City Council
Link to here to survey
New Report – University of Manchester
The University of Manchester has recently published its new Age-Friendly and Faith Communities report. Working with Age Friendly Manchester and other partners this report presents findings from an 18-month study of how faith spaces in Greater Manchester support different groups of older people, despite receiving little acknowledgement.
Here are a few of the main findings:
- Faith spaces provide older people with spiritual well-being, belonging, and a sense of community through a connection to culture and/or place.
- Faith leaders evidenced high levels of awareness of the issues facing older people despite being unaware of the formal ‘Age Friendly’ concept and the ‘Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities.
- The activities and services provided by faith spaces cut across all domains of the Age-Friendly framework, particularly ‘respect and social inclusion’ and ‘social participation’.
- Inequality across GM persists as well as social isolation amongst groups within the older population.
The report recommends more strategic involvement of faith-based groups in public health and age-friendly agendas by:
- Exploring how to enhance the role of faith spaces to promote health and well-being, and during times of transition and change.
- Providing support to enhance the social function of faith spaces, both for existing users and members of the wider community.
- Recognising the role of faith spaces to support isolated older people.
- Developing ways to share funding information.
Read the full report here
Changing Places Toilets
The Changing Places Toilets (CPT’s) at North City Family & Fitness Centre and Wythenshawe Forum have now been registered and handed over.
CPT’s are fully accessible toilets with a height adjustable changing bench, a hoisting system, a peninsular toilet, and enough space for the disabled person, his/her wheelchair and two carers.
Across the Manchester leisure facilities there are now 9 Changing Places toilets available for users to access at:
- Manchester Aquatics Centre
- The National Cycling Centre
- Abraham Moss, Arcadia
- East Manchester
- Hough End
- Moss Side
- North City Family & Fitness Centre
- Wythenshawe Forum
As well as the Changing Places Toilets, all Manchester leisure centres with pools have either a pool hoist or a pool pod and many have accessible steps into a pool at the centre.
 COVID-19 spring vaccination offer
This spring, the NHS will once again offer the COVID-19 vaccine to those that are at highest risk of getting seriously unwell if they catch the virus.
The spring COVID-19 vaccine will be offered from later this month (April 2024) if you:
- are aged 75 years old or over
- live in a care home for older adults
- are aged 6 months old or over and have a weakened immune system
The NHS will contact people who are eligible for a seasonal spring COVID-19 vaccine.
You should be offered an appointment between April and June, with those at highest risk being called in first.
Find out more here: Getting a COVID-19 vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Discussion Session on Scams
Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) and Age UK
Scams are when criminals use lies and deceit to fool you into parting with your cash. You usually get nothing in return and lose your money. As scams are getting more sophisticated and difficult to spot, it's important to know what to look for. Age UK Manchester will be providing us with an interactive session on:
- How to spot a scam
- How to keep yourself safe from scams
- How to report a scam
- Signposting to support services for scam victims
Date: Thursday 9 May 2024
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm (1:45pm for registration please)
Address: Friends' Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5NS (behind Manchester Library) Tram Stop - St Peters Square
Our activities are popular so booking will be on a first come, first serve.
To book please call Karen on 0779540563 or email Karen.kennedy@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
 Live at Lunchtime 2024, The Bridgewater Hall
Bridgewater Hall for Live at Lunchtime - free concert series.
Friday 10 May is Chetham’s School of Music
Friday 17 May NOMAD
Friday 24 May Mali Hayes
Friday 31 May Ricardo Gosalbo & Julieth Lozano
Live at Lunchtime is a series of free lunchtime concerts, which will be running on various Fridays throughout May-September. Doors open 12:30, and all concerts start at 12.45pm and will last 45 minutes, perfect if you fancy some entertainment on your lunch break. Booking not required for most shows.
To find out more visit www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk
 esea ArtClub: Acrylic Seascape Painting
Begun as a research project in 2018, the Dumpling Social Club is the longest community-oriented project initiated by the former Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art. Now re-established as esea ArtClub, the fortnightly art club is open to older (50+) people from local communities.
Throughout the pandemic, esea ArtClub members continued to meet up virtually and gained confidence in experimenting with various mediums of art-making. By offering creative opportunities to people of less-represented age groups and from a range of economic, social and cultural backgrounds, esea contemporary continues to review its community responsibility and the social dimension of participation.
Event Name: esea ArtClub: Acrylic Seascape Painting
Date: May 23 2024
Time: 11:00am to 1:00pm
Event Page: Link to Event Page
Event Registration: Registration Link
Additionally Archiving Memoirs’ Creative Writing Workshops:
8 June Saturday session (English): English Session Link
9th June Sunday session (Chinese): Chinese Session Link
If you are interested in supporting or participating in the group, please get in touch at hello@eseacontemporary.org or call 0161 832 7271.
 Greater Manchester Resilience Forum
Discover how you can make a real difference in your community by becoming prepared for emergencies! The Greater Manchester Resilience Forum is proud to offer free awareness sessions and educational resources designed to equip communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies they may face. Whether you're a seasoned volunteer or someone eager to lend a helping hand or would just like to find out more about the work of your Local Resilience Forum - our learning sessions are tailored to anyone looking to enhance their community's resilience.
In collaboration with Building Resilience Together and other partners, we are currently developing online courses to provide accessible training for volunteers and representatives from the voluntary and community sectors.
Sessions are online over lunchtime and lasting 60 minutes each. Check out our booking pages to secure a place.
From preparedness to action: Strengthening Communities through Action Tuesday May 14 12:30pm – 1:30pm Location: Zoom/Online Register here
From preparedness to action: What Happens in a Heatwave Tuesday May 21 12:30pm – 1:30pm Location: Zoom/Online
Register here
Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable skills and knowledge that could make a lasting impact in your community and build a more resilient Greater Manchester!
Please get in touch with sulafa.abushal@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk with any questions.
 Art of Collections: Drawing Sessions for Culture Vultures, The Manchester Museum
18th June, Egyptian Collection
Manchester Museum is delighted to be collaborating with artist and Culture Champion Yvonne Noworyta in this series of drawing workshops for the curious, aged 50 and over.
These workshops will allow you to get closer to your inner artist at the same time that you are discovering some of the objects that are part of the Manchester Museum World class collection.
Museum staff and volunteers are going to give you an overview about the specimens and objects presented at each session and Yvonne Noworyta will guide you and support you throughout the drawing process.
The workshops are taking place in a helpful, relaxed and friendly atmosphere. No previous experience is needed, and all abilities are welcome.
From 11:00am to 2:00pm
Nearby break out space available and tea and coffee provided.
In this session, we are going to work with small scale Egyptian artefacts from the Museum stunning collection, and we will focus on a subject to make detailed work using observational drawing. We will explore different ways of presenting our ideas, with the guidance of our art practitioner and using a fun and playful approach.
You can book your free place by contacting Maria Jose Ramos Acevedo (Culture Champions Volunteer Assistant) via email on maria.ramosacevedo@manchester.ac.uk or via phone on 07818 578 474.
|
