E-Bulletin - December 2008 -

January 2009

December/January E-Bulletin main contents page


News

Jobs in the local voluntary and community sector!

The jobs page www.t3sc.org/jobs2.htm currently has two Development Worker opportunities a Youth worker position and a Support Officer in third sector organisations in Tameside. This page is constantly updated so keep checking. If you want to advertise a voluntary and community sector job on our jobs page please email hannah.powell@t3sc.org

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Win an iPod Touch or shopping vouchers

Tell us what you think about local health and social care services and you could win an iPod Touch or £100 of high street shopping vouchers!

Tameside Local Involvement Network (LINk) exists to listen to your views about local health and social care services and to work with the people who provide them to make them better.

The LINk is a new network and is currently carrying out a survey to find out what local people think of health and social care services in Tameside and what needs to be done to make them better.

The results of this survey will be used to decide what work needs to be done and so it is a real opportunity for you to have your say and help to improve the services you, your family and your friends receive.

Click here to go to the survey. Make sure you provide your contact details at the end so we can enter you into our prize draw to win an iPod Touch or £100 of high street shopping vouchers.

For more information on the LINk or to get involved, please contact the LINk Support Team at T3SC on 0161 339 4985 or email tamesidelink@t3sc.org .

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Over 50’s provider forum

On the 31 October 2008, T3SC hosted a meeting for those dedicated people in Tameside who organise or run voluntary groups that cater specifically for the over 50’s age range. We felt the groups that operate in the Borough might benefit in meeting up. We can then find out about who else in the Borough runs groups for the over 50’s and to try to identify how such groups can be better supported and funded. We had a really good attendance with a wide spectrum of providers attending what turned out to be a very positive and enjoyable meeting. The groups represented were from such a diverse range such as Tameside Women’s Group, the Time of your Life groups, singing groups, keep fit groups, bowling groups and many more which highlighted the depth and quality of this provision locally.

We soon realised how many people in Tameside benefit from such groups and what a really fantastic and commendable job the organisers are doing in keeping such an important social scene active in the Borough.
The consensus from those attending was that they would like to meet again as they felt the meeting was worthwhile and that benefits could emerge from such a gathering. With that in mind there is a second meeting arranged and this will take place on Monday the 9 February 2009, 10am at T3SC offices.

We hope to see again all those who attended the first meeting in October and if you run or organise an over 50’s group in Tameside whatever it is, you are more than welcome to attend the February meeting as we feel there could be many benefits to be gained from you attending such a meeting.

If you help run or organise such a group and would like more information phone Liz or Colin on 339 4985 or email liz.welsh@t3sc.org or colin.kirby@t3sc.org


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Free Christmas dinner!

If you know any resident who is going to be alone on Christmas day there is a free Christmas dinner (on Christmas day) with all the trimmings at the church of the Nazarene on Stamford Street.

If you are interested please contact Tina Lallement to book a place on
07901 891 305.

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Free tables to a good home

Do you need a table? The pension house in Hyde has some round tables to get rid of. The tables are 3ft in diameter and will need to be collected.

If you are interested please contact Bernie on 0161 368 4110.

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Khush Amdid Celebrate ten successful years

This year Khush Amdid celebrated 10 years of service to the elderly Pakistani community of Tameside. The group supplies home cooked and wholesome lunches to its members twice a week whilst also providing opportunities for elderly and often isolated members of the community to socialise and learn about topics of interest.

T3SC's BME Worker, Hakeel Qureshi, was at the event and commented, 'It was great to look back at some of what they had achieved over the past ten years over which time the group has brought the community together and created lots of opportunities for older people in Tameside.'

Following their recent successful funding applications, Mrs Ibrahim, the group’s founder and inspiration, is looking forward to 10 more years of service to the community!

For more information: Contact Mrs Ibrahim, Tel: 0161 339 2989

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2nd Ashton Scouts starts again

2nd Ashton Scout group was formed around one hundred years ago in Audenshaw and had many bases around in the area and was closed when the Methodist church was demolished about six years ago. With the help of the local people in St Peters, St Peters Partnership and the Community Development Team the group has been resurrected and started last week in the Pavilion in Oxford Park on Stockport Road in Ashton. The group is in the early stages but the signs are looking good.

The Beavers are 6 - 8 year old girls and boys who meet on Thursday at 5.30pm - 7pm.
The Cubs are 8 -10 year old girls and boys and meet Thursday 7pm - 8.30pm.
The Scouts are 10 - 14 year old boys and girls who meet Mondays at 7pm- 9pm.

For more information: Contact Alan Fish on the Scouts Helpline 01613300305. 

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An X-citing new start

Tameside Sports Service has launched the X Clubs - community sports clubs for children aged 5 – 19.  X clubs is a three year programme which will enable children from Tameside to participate in up to 30 weeks of activity per year across a vast range of sports and activities.  All X club members will receive their own individual membership card and free subscription to the X club magazine. Members will also benefit from seasonal offers including free swim passes at local leisure facilities.

For more information and how to become a member and get involved in the X clubs programme please visit www.tameside.gov.uk/getactive  or contact Tameside Sports Development on 0161 609 1277.

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Wishing you a safe and happy Christmas

First of all, I would like to introduce my colleague PC Mark Akers and myself PC Paula Ricci. We are the local community beat officers, working within the St Peters Ward (Holy Trinity and West End). Also working along side us are PCSO's Ginette Barnes, Rick Beswick, Pete Collins and Helen Brocket.

We work within the community and some of you may have already had the pleasure of meeting us! If not and you would like to speak to us, we hold a Police surgery for St Peters residents at Alpha Pioneer Housing, Margaret Street, Ashton, between 4-5pm every 3rd Tuesday of each month.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Safe and Happy Christmas!

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Taking the stress out of Christmas

Christmas can be a hard time of year, both emotionally and practically. Let Topaz@Mind take some of the strain over the coming month.

During December there will be a variety of activities, whether it’s a one to one session to offload, a surviving Christmas workshop, complementary treatments, aerobics or parent, carer and children activities. All are either reasonably priced, payable with a donation to Mind or free. We also have a great Christmas menu in Topaz cafe from the 8 December onwards.
 
Our regular drop-ins and surgeries (Smoking Cessation, Direct Payments, Routes to Work, Welfare Rights, Legal Advice Surgery and Volunteer Centre Tameside) are still running and we are open right up until Christmas Eve.

For more information, please pop in, call 0161 330 9223, email office@tgmind.co.uk  or visit our website: www.topaz-ashton.org

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Free road safety sessions for youth groups

The Kickstart Project, based in Ashton has received funding from Tameside PCT Preventative Opportunities Fund ( POF) to deliver a high impact presentation called 'Too Young Too Die' based upon a DVD produced by the National Road Safety Charity – BRAKE. Sessions last approximately 1 hour and can be delivered either at the Kickstart centre, or at your premises for young people aged 14+.

If you would like to discuss a session please contact Steve Ibbotson at Kickstart, Tel: 0161 330 1912

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Health check a lifesaver for Ashton couple

Taking part in a local health campaign proved a lifesaving experience for husband and wife Mohammed and Mussarat Arshad.

After volunteering to have their blood pressure monitored they were persuaded by Tameside Council Community Health Development Worker, Azara Azam, to have their carbon monoxide levels checked.

To their astonishment their levels were found to be dangerously high. A standard reading would be around six, but readings of 91 and 74 were recorded.

As a result a check of their home by British Gas - who were at the couple’s home within half an hour - revealed a blocked flue in their fire that was releasing deadly carbon monoxide fumes into their living room. Carbon monoxide is both colourless and odourless and if the blocked flue hadn’t been detected it could easily have killed the couple.

The campaign ran from 8-21 September and in Tameside it was run by the Health Improvement Team, a partnership between the council and the primary care trust.

Azara said: 'Mr and Mrs Arshad both have health problems and stopped by our stand to have their blood pressure checked. I persuaded them to have their carbon monoxide levels checked, something we would normally do for smokers or passive smokers. Mr and Mrs Arshad agreed to have the test anyway. It’s a good job they did, it probably saved their lives.'

Mr Arshad said: 'I had been having chest pains and pains in my neck and a sore throat. So we stopped at the Know Your Numbers stand for the health checks and it’s thanks to Azara persuading us that we took the tests.'

For more information: Contact Azara Azam, Tel:0161 343 8162, email; azara.azam@tameside.gov.uk, website www.ashtonunderlined.co.uk