Welcome to your December Newsletter Sharing the latest guides, activities and resources from Age UK Islington and other local organisations.
Applying for Pension Credit Following on from this month's Let's Talk event which included a talk about the importance of Pension Credit, a reminder that anyone of state pension age and on a low income should check to see if they are eligible for Pension Credit. If you apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December deadline – "all eligible claimants will receive up to £300 with the Winter Fuel Payment as well as any backdated Pension Credit arrears where applicable." You can check your eligibility for pension credit by visiting: gov.uk/pension-credit or by calling 0800 99 1234.
Staying safe online and when you're out and about In October's Let's Talk session and in the Brickworks Health and Wellbeing Event which is taking place this Saturday (see details below), the local Met police are providing series of local Community Safety talks. For those who can't attend, you might want to have a read of the Staying Safe Guide from Age UK (click below). There is also an in-person 'Staying Safer Online' session run by BT on 6th December at their offices in E1 and an online webinar 'Steering Clear of Seasonal Scams' from Ability Net (see below). Do you know someone with COPD, asthma or other long term lung condition? Do you or someone you know have COPD, asthma or another long term lung condition who struggles to manage the symptoms (breathlessness, cough, chest tightness or flare ups)? If so, you might be interested in this free NHS 'pulmonary rehabilitation' programme which offers an initial assessment from the Whittington Health team. Click below for more information and how to book onto the programme. Tech Break: How to use Microsoft Word or Google Docs Friday 6 December 2024 (online) Do you feel you could do with some more tips and ideas to get more out of your smartphone, tablet or pc? If so, join Age UK Islington's knowledgeable volunteer Simon for this month's Tech Break session. He'll be letting us know more about Microsoft Word and Google Docs to create documents. Simon will also explain how you can save your documents to the 'cloud' and how to easily share documents with others. Click below to book and Age UK Islington will send you the Zoom link so you can join on the day. Art Appreciation - Special Edition with 'Leighton House' Tuesday 10 December 2024 (online) Fitting with the group's exploration of 'impressions' and 'impressionism' this year, Hannah Lund, Curator of Exhibitions at Leighton House Museum, will be joining as a special guest speaker to discuss 'Leighton and Landscapes'. Find out about Frederic, Lord Leighton and the new exhibition on 'Leighton and Landscapes: Impressions from Nature,' which explores Leighton's paintings documenting his travels in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The exhibition runs until 27th April 2025 at Leighton House, Holland Park. Click below to book via Healthy Generations who will send your link to join the session. Better Sports Get Together Festive Party
Thursday 12 December 10.30am-1.30pm
Sobell Leisure Centre, Tollington Rd, London N7 7NY Come along and celebrate! Price - £2.60 (pay at reception on arrival - card only). All your favourite Get Together activities will be available along with some festive additions! Party food and light refreshments will be served at around 12.30pm. Christmas jumpers are optional.
For more information: Mikael.Kiviniemi@gll.org Next Let's Talk is Thursday 16 January, 10.30am-1.30pm We're taking a pause for Let's Talk this December, but we'd like to share our plans for the start of 2025. A new year is always a great time to think about starting something new and we're going to be joined by Adult Community Learning and The Recovery College to talk about their courses (free if you're on a lower income). Look out for further details in the coming weeks. Over 60s Club: Murder Mystery Christmas Party
Wednesday 4 December 11am-12pm
Central Library Gallery (1st floor), 2 Fieldway Crescent, N5 1PF Explore a murder mystery by Ann Cleeves: can you piece together the clues and find the killer? Bring and share season’s sweets and treats. For more information call 020 7527 6900. Ability Net: How to Steer Clear of Seasonal Scams
Wednesday 4 December 1-1.45pm (online)
Join Ability Net's free webinar with special celebrity guest, Linda Robson, who will share her experience of being scammed, and ways you can avoid falling victim to online scams. Linda will be joined by scams expert Adam Carter from the National Trading Standards Scams Team, who will outline how to build your knowledge to protect yourself against sophisticated digital scams. Click below to book and Ability Net will send you the Zoom link so you can join on the day. Vibast Festive Lunch Thursday 5 December 12-3pm Vibast Community Centre, Old Street EC1V 9NH Join a festive get together filled with music, food and celebration. Open to all. Tickets £5. RSVP 0207 527 4605 or vibast@islington.gov.uk. Winter Community Meal Thursday 5 December 6 – 9pm
StGeorge & All Saints, Tufnell Park, Crayford Rd, N7 0ND Community Plan for Holloway invites everyone to a heartwarming Winter Community Meal at St George and All Saints in Tufnell Park. This special event offers a wonderful opportunity for residents to connect with their neighbours, enjoy delicious food, and spread holiday cheer. Open to both newcomers and longtime residents, the gathering welcomes everyone to come together, share a meal, and enjoy laughter, good company, and optional fun and games. It promises to be a memorable celebration of community spirit. Learn Digital Skills for Free (65yrs+)
Saturday 6 & 13 December
BT Group Offices, One Braham, 1 Braham Street, E1 8EE
Navigating the online world can be overwhelming, especially if you're unsure about searching for information, figuring out which websites to trust, or understanding how your digital device works. If you're 65 years old or over, or are a disabled adult and are eager to improve your digital skills, these in-person sessions hosted by British Telecom can help! The session on 6th December is about 'Being Safer Online' and on 13th 'Solving Problems' Islington Repair Party
Saturday 7 December 12noon–4pm Islington Climate Centre, 1st Floor, Angel Central Got a dodgy doorbell? Or a busted baby monitor? Come to Islington Fixer's next repair party, where volunteer fixers will help you fix your broken electrical items to save them from waste. You'll get to be involved in fixing your items so that you can learn new skills to take home with you.
Make sure you book to secure your spot. Youth Winter Market & Solstice Celebration
Wednesday 11 December 5-7pm
Story Garden, Ossulston Street, NW1 1DF Join Global Generations at the Story Garden to celebrate Winter Solstice, the day with the least daylight and longest night. They will host the special Youth Winter Market, which has been running for 10 years showcasing young people's handicrafts. You will also find arts and crafts workshops, gardening activities, warming refreshments and campfire treats. All activities are free and all are welcome. Adult festive craft workshop
Thursday 12 December 10am - 12pm
North Library, Manor Gardens, N7 6JX
Get in the festive spirit and join others to make an evergreen wreath to decorate your home. Open to anyone aged 18+. Places are limited, so please call 020 7527 7002 to reserve your place.
Risograph Printing Workshop for over 55s
Thursday 12 December 2-4 pm
Cubitt Gallery, 8 Angel Mews, N1 9HH All over 55s are welcome to a free risograph printing workshop. A riso machine creates vibrant, stencil-based prints that are perfect for mass-producing posters, flyers, and pamphlets. Blending elements of silkscreen and photocopying, Riso prints have a unique look, popular in schools and activist groups!
The workshop will be run by visual artist Lucy Steggals who will invite you to play with the idea of co-creating an alternative calendar for 2025. Each participant will be invited to choose their own special day in the calendar year to think about how they would like to invite others to celebrate, commemorate, or gather on that day.
There are limited spaces so please RSVP or find out more info by calling / texting or emailing Harri: 020 7278 8226 / 07774 282 167 /
Join-in@cubittartists.org.uk Christmas Party: Music & Dancing
Thursday 12 December 6-8pm
Vibast Community Centre,167 Old St, EC1V 9NH Food, music, dancing, sing-alongs, classical music with Tonia Thorne and classical violinist Sandy Thompson. Free with optional donations. RSVP: val@healthygenerations.org.uk or call 0798 114 2376. Carols by Candlelight
Sunday 22 December 6pm Union Chapel, Compton Terrace, N1 2UN
Come sing festive favourites in the beautiful, candle-lit surroundings of this 19th century gothic chapel, with spoken word and music from Union Chapel Voices, Union Chapel Singers, instrumentalists, and actors. This is a hugely popular and free event, so it is advised to arrive early for 6pm doors to avoid disappointment and save the date now. What's on in Islington Libraries Did you know that there is a huge amount going on in Islington's ten libraries? From creative-writing to drawing, knitting, poetry writing and chess clubs, there's lots to get involved with. Some are monthly groups, some weekly. Whatever your interest, why not give one of the groups a try. Exploring the Internet with a Smartphone
Five Thursdays, 2 – 4pm from 14 Nov to 19 Dec North Library, Manor Gardens, N7 6JX A step-by-step practical guide to finding genuinely useful things to do on the World Wide Web and how to do them on a phone safely and sensibly. You will start with your priorities and ambitions – and you
might finish with digital skills that you didn’t know existed. Continued support, if you need it, is at their digital drop-in – every Wednesday at Mildmay Community Centre. Health and Wellbeing Workshop Awareness Day
Saturday 30 November 12-4.30pm Brickworks Community Centre, 42 Crouch Hill, N4 4BY Activities include chair yoga, community safety talk from Met Police, Zumba fitness, poetry, sing-along-songs and dancing. Refreshments served at 1pm. Donations accepted. For more information call 020 7263 1067 or email admin@hanleycrouch.org.uk. Free Prediabetes Health Checks
Friday 6 December 2.30–6.30pm
Finsbury Park Mosque, 7-11 St Thomas’s Road, N4 2QH Get checked, understand your risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes and find out how to reduce your risk. There is also an opportunity to talk to professionals about whether you need more support to look after your weight or to quit smoking. All are welcome. Walk-in and pre-booked appointments offered. More information and how to book below. Over 65 years old, pregnant, have a long-term condition or provide care for someone vulnerable? Get free Flu walk-in vaccinations at a local pharmacy. To find a pharmacy near you that offers vaccines, click below. There is a walk-in vaccine clinic offering Covid-19 vaccines 2pm-5pm on Saturday 30 November at Jean Stokes Community Centre, N1 0DX. Contacting Age UK Islington If you are finding things difficult and need someone to talk to, don't forget that you can call the Age UK Islington Helpline on 020 7281 6018 (Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm) or email gethelp@ageukislington.org.uk.
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