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a local, independent charity providing services that change lives

This issue:

Kingston Community
Furniture page 2

New State Pension

page 7

Working with the

community pages 4-5

Celebrating 70 years
This year Staywell celebrates 70 years
of supporting people in and around
Kingston, and we find our services
busier than ever. Since our foundation,
we have evolved and grown, while
remaining dedicated to the aims
established in 1946, of supporting
people to live independently and be
connected with their communities.
More than ever, Staywell is working
with local partners to ensure we are still
able to meet the demands of our
growing older population. We have
been playing a leading role, working
with our local health providers and the
council, in shaping how community
health and care services will be
provided in the future to work out
how people can get the support they
need to keep them active, well and
independent, and also to make sure
that when people do need care they
are listened to and have a better, more
joined-up experience.
Staywell Trustee Anne Cann, who was
last year awarded the MBE for services
to the community, says: Its wonderful
to see what an influential role Staywell
plays now, but at heart we are still a
grassroots organisation that is close to
the people we serve, and listens and
responds to their needs.

Celebration
In our 70th anniversary year, we have
many achievements to celebrate. At the
end of January, for the 15th consecutive
year, Staywells free Information, Advice
and Advocacy service was awarded the
Advice Quality Standard (AQS). This is a
great triumph, affirming the
consistently high standard of this
specialised service. The AQS is the only

labyrinth and supports them with

their applications, often completing
the forms for them if they cant do this
themselves. This income maximisation
has resulted in over 670,644 being
claimed in 2015 by clients, many of
whom didnt know this type of support
was there. This extra income can make
all the difference as it can go a long way
to improving quality of life.

Enabled

Staywell advice helping people make informed choices

advice-specific, independently audited

quality standard in the voluntary sector,
endorsing the professionalism of the
service and accuracy of the information
and advice given.
The service is being used more than
ever, with queries from over 1,408
individuals being responded to in 2015,
compared to 1,366 the previous year.
While the quality of the service remains
at the top of its game, our advisers are
continually adapting to a changing
landscape of adult health and social
care provisions, and the stream of
queries that result from that.
Most of the enquiries we receive
relate to benefits, care and support.
Often, those calling about accessing
care dont realise there is a national
statutory entitlement to have your
care needs assessed by social services,

regardless of your financial position.

And this applies to your carers too,
comments senior adviser, Jo Hulton.
In recent months, we have also had
an increase in queries relating to the
proposed introduction of new rules
under the Care Act relating to financing
the cost of care and support, originally
planned for April 2016.
As people live longer, the challenges
faced are becoming more varied and
complex and its the Staywell advice
teams role to be able to respond with
knowledge and support.
If we dont have the information to
hand, well research the issue and come
back with the relevant, up-to-date
advice. And if we cant help, well direct
you to someone who can.
The advice team spends a lot of time
guiding people through the benefits

We were extremely pleased with the

help we received from Staywell which
enabled our mother to obtain the
Attendance Allowance which helps
towards the cost of her care. This has
allowed our mother to stay in her own
home and she is very happy! Thank
you! wrote one client.
Information and advice can be sought
via the telephone advice line or faceto-face, by appointment, for more
complex issues. The service is run by a
team of trained advisers, all of whom can
help deal with a whole range of issues
enabling people to make informed
choices and decisions.
They are there to support, reassure and
help take away some of the stresses of
everyday life. In the words of one client:
I can only praise all the different Staywell
staff, telephonists and advisers I met for
their professional skills, patience, clarity,
and above all their innate kindness which
always left me feeling a happier person.

Advice line 020 8408 8170 is

open Monday Friday 9.30 am
4.30 pm or email advice@
staywellservices.org.uk
Issue twenty-seven l spring 2016

So many sofas, so little use

As the winter draws to a close and we
start to enjoy that first burst of spring
blossom, many of us take to our
homes with scrubbing brushes. For
some, the spring clean extends to
redecorating and perhaps the
replacement of our sofas and soft
furnishings. Our homes are
rejuvenated, but why is it that every
year thousands of tonnes of perfectly
good sofas are thrown away and cant
be given to families who want them?
Sitting in the warehouse of Kingston
Community Furniture (KCF), which
offers cheap household goods to
people on low incomes, is a chocolate
brown sofa barely a couple of years old.
Having been replaced by this years
model and colour, its previous owner
sent it for disposal.
Its in absolutely perfect condition,
says a hopeful Toby Bintcliffe, from
KCF, as he lifts the cushions and
rummages about in the lining. But the
big question is does it have a fire
safety label?

Safety

frequently dangle beneath cushions

and get in the way, so you can
understand why people might cut
them off. If they were sewn onto the
sofa base on all four sides of the label,
no one would even consider cutting
them off. This one small step could
make all the difference to the
percentage of sofas that are re-used.

Environmental cost
Apart from being wasteful, not being
able to re-use the sofas means extra
taxes to pay for disposal, and it costs
the environment too. When the team at
KCF cant re-use a sofa, they strip the
wood and metal for recycling, but the
cushions have to go to landfill. If
storage space is short, sometimes the
whole sofa will have to go to the tip
and thats all at great cost to the
environment. It is estimated that
re-using a tonne of sofas would save
1.5 tonnes of co2 emissions, according
to the anti-waste task force Wrap UK.
This need to cut co2 emissions seems
ever more pressing after the appalling
floods witnessed in the north of
England and Scotland last winter.
Many people dont necessarily know
the importance of keeping the fire

How to contact us:

Staywell, 14 Nelson Road, New Malden, KT3 5EA
t: 020 8942 8256
e: hello@staywellservices.org.uk
w: www.staywellservices.org.uk
staywell news email: staywellnews@staywellservices.org.uk
The views expressed in staywell news are not necessarily those of the trustees,
staff or volunteers.
Published by Staywell (Age Concern Kingston upon Thames )
Registered charity no. 299988 Company no. 2272550

Design: Eileen Higgins, e: ehdesign@virginmedia.com

Print: Full Spectrum Print Media Ltd, t: 01268 288637.
Printed on 100% recycled paper

2 l Issue twenty-seven

Who we are

Fire safety labels are the bane of Tobys

life. Ever since 1988, and the
introduction of the Furniture and
Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations, all
sofas sold in the UK must be treated
with fire-retardant chemicals and display
a label to prove it. No label means no
good. KCF calculates that more than
50% of the sofas they could send to new
homes have to be scrapped because
they dont have the correct labels.
Obviously its important for furniture
to pass the fire and safety regulations,
but the way the labels are attached
Toby Bintcliffe (left) and Declan Smyth
seems a bit of an after-thought. They
sit on the discarded brown sofa

Kingston

Community
Furniture
making homes, saving waste

safety label on their sofa, and perhaps

retailers could improve their customer
care by informing people when they
buy new furniture, continues Toby.

Campaigning
The big question is, how willing is the
furniture industry to help reduce the
numbers of sofas being sent to landfill?
According to James Bell, of the
Furniture Industry Research
Association, manufacturers are
beginning to encourage re-use. He says
the problems with fire safety labels
were partly a result of old regulations
which had been around unchanged
since the 1980s a time when there
were fewer environmental concerns.
Our members are certainly
receptive to the idea of looking at
practical solutions to simplify
potential re-use, he says. The
industry will look at better ways of
fixing fire safety labels to products to
facilitate end of life recovery.
While this may take some time to
come into effect, we as consumers can
take action by ensuring we dont cut
the fire safety labels off our own
furniture. The potential impact of this
simple gesture alone, will contribute
towards increasing furniture re-use, and
decreasing co2 pollutants. If you have
an old sofa you would like to dispose of,
with or without the fire safety label, call
KCF on 020 8942 5500.

New partnerships
On 1 April Staywell will be taking
over the management of three
community centres in the borough
of Reigate and Banstead, which
house some of the areas services for
older people.
Staywell, which won the contract to
run the three centres through an
open, competitive tender process,
says it will work closely with
residents, volunteers and staff to
continue delivering the services
currently being provided. Over the
longer-term the charity hopes to
work in innovative ways with local
people to devise and deliver the
services they want just as it has
done in the Royal Borough of
Kingston over the last 70 years.
Why is Staywell venturing into a
neighbouring borough? To be
awarded this opportunity to
manage these centres demonstrates
how highly the local authorities
regard Staywells services for older
people. Our wider reach will mean
helping more people to remain
active in their communities, which
in turn will help secure our future as
a key provider in health and adult
social care, commented Chief
Executive, Shane Brennan.
Staywell remains committed to the
Royal Borough of Kingston and will
continue to develop and deliver its
award winning services.
If you want to find out more
about Reigate and Bansteads three
community centres: Woodhatch
Centre, Banstead Centre and
Regent House Centre, go to
www.staywellservices.org.uk.
If you have any questions about
this, then please do email us at
hello@staywellservices.org.uk
or call 020 8942 8256.

stay well

services that change lives

Staywell is an independent charity; based in New Malden, we work
with communities in Kingston upon Thames and the surrounding
areas. We have 70 years experience of supporting people to live
safely and independently in their own homes and over the years have
won awards for this, the most recent being the 2013 Charity Award for Social Care and Welfare.
Our vision is to make your life a greater life. We have a history of working in innovative ways
with local people to deliver the services that they want, and of working in partnership.
We provide a range of community-based services which help and support people to live in
their own homes. These include information, advice and advocacy; practical help in the home
(eg handyperson services, cleaning and domestic help, shopping, support after a hospital
stay) and social activities (social centres, lunch clubs, telephone befriending, dementia club).
These services are accessed by hundreds of people each year.
Our staff are supported by over 120 trained volunteers who add value and huge
commitment to all the services we provide.

Letters

Staywell, 14 Nelson Road, New Malden, KT3 5EA

or email staywellnews@staywellservices.org.uk

iPad: A new world opens

Bradbury member Mary
Bowles wrote to us about the
fruitfulness of the iPad tuition
she received from volunteer,
David Broughton:
Just sending you an e-mail to
send best wishes and to show
you how all your tutoring
efforts have not fallen on stony
ground and which have born
fruit. I can truly state that using
this iPad has opened up a new
world of sending e-mails,
checking the weather, knowing
when the next bus is coming
and being able to listen on the
radio and catching up with
missed TV programmes. I am
trying to find new things in the
App icon, such as the garland

editorial

Please send your letters & feedback to staywell news

above which I am chuffed to

have been able to attach.
A big thank you for your
help and patience, and for
putting such useful Apps onto
my iPad. I hope that you may
be able to spare me some of
your time in the future to
show me some more.
There is ongoing iPad tuition
at The Bradbury, so if youd like
a little guidance on how to get
more out of your tablet, call
The Bradbury on 020 8549
1230 or email bradbury@
staywellservices.org.uk

Alfriston Day Centre

Alfriston Day Centre has been providing day
care for older people for over 60 years. Based in
Surbiton it is not just a day centre, it is a place
where opportunities, support, and friendship is
available to all older people in our community.
Open Monday to Friday every week, Alfriston
also provides a monthly Sunday lunch.
To find out more contact us on 020 8399 4289,
alfriston_day@yahoo.co.uk
3 Berrylands Road, Surbiton, KT5 8RB

As tasty as The Ritz

To all at Staywell
Please accept my thanks for
all the care and attention
extended to me during my
twice weekly visits and the
daily preparation of my meals
and the cleaning of my home.
The tasty Christmas Lunch
that would give the chefs at
The Ritz hotel something to
think about and the talented
violinist who ended a
pleasing day with her skills
and charm.
John White

Changed agenda
Welcome to the first edition of our new look newspaper:
staywell news. It is well over a year since we changed the
name of our organisation to Staywell; one of the reasons we
did this is because the name better describes what we do
help people stay well. Since then we have received great
feedback regarding the name change, and find our services
busier than ever.

Listening
We have changed the name of this newspaper after listening
to you. People have told us they like the format, look and feel
of the newspaper, however on a number of occasions people
have also said it was not clear what agenda news was or who
produced it.
We also felt that because this is the newspaper of
Staywell it is important to be clear about our association.
The name Staywell is becoming more widely known in the
community and more people are recognising it. We see
this as a good thing, helping more people to find us easily
when they need us, and its our aim that people will
associate Staywell with quality.

Your views
To reassure our regular readers, the name may have changed
but the paper is still the same, it still remains your newspaper,
with your news and views. Besides informing people about
our own services and activities, we will also continue to cover
wider news and issues that are important to our readers.
2016 is a big year for us as we celebrate being 70 years old!
We want to make this year a year where, as well as revisiting
our historical roots as an organisation founded by local people
who wanted to make a difference in their community, we look
to the future and to what residents will want from Staywell 5,
10, 20 years ahead.
Thank you for your feedback, we are always keen to hear
what you think email your views and comments to
staywellnews@staywellservices.org.uk or write to the
address at the top of the page.

Malden Golf Club selects Staywell as Charity of the Year

Towards the end of last year, the Lady Captain of Malden Golf Club, Kate Barnett, was looking for a
local charity to support for her Charity of the Year. After a tour of Staywells social centre at Raleigh
House, she was inspired by the positive impact the organisation had on the lives of older people in the
area, and selected the organisation as her Charity of the Year 2015/16.
This is a great opportunity for Staywell to raise the profile of our services, as well as being the
beneficiary of the fundraising activities organised by the Lady Captain, commented long-standing
trustee and New Malden resident Anne Cann, MBE.
The main event of the year was Januarys Malden Golf Club coffee morning. A morning of buzzing
activity, with a range of interesting stalls, fun competitions and delicious refreshments, the event raised
a spectacular 1,147. The New Malden branch of Barclays then matched this with a further 1,000 giving
a grand total of 2,147.
We would like to thank the Lady Captain and all those who supported the event, as well as Barclays
for match giving. This tremendous sum will make a big difference to a lot of older people in and around
New Malden, and is greatly appreciated by all, said Anne.

Issue twenty-seven

l3

Feature

70 years in the community

In 2016 Staywell celebrates 70 years of working in, and with,
the local community, originally as Malden and Coombe Old
Peoples Welfare Association, founded in 1946. staywell news
takes this opportunity to reflect on the organisations history,
and the achievements of the last seven decades.
Before the Second World War the welfare of older people
was largely ignored. Peacetime did not mark an immediate
improvement in the situation, as priority housing was given
to families. This left many older folk living in bed and
breakfast, having to wander the streets, rain or shine,
between breakfast and the evening return.
1940s pioneering

1970s consolidation

In 1946, a group of motivated residents

established the Malden and Coombe
Old Peoples Welfare Association (M&C
OPWA). Their mandate was to help and
support local people through weekly
clubs, meals-on-wheels, home helps, a
visiting service and suitable housing.

Due to the changing role of the

national Older Peoples Welfare
Association, the new name Age
Concern emerged. Locally, the Liaison
Committee compiled the first Blue
Book outlining information and
services for older people in the
borough. During this decade, Meals-onWheels became a statutory service,
with the local authority taking it over.
While this meant Holly Lodge was no
longer used for this purpose, as a day
centre it was bursting at the seams.
A period of consolidation and strategic
planning was now underway.

1950s development of
core services
The 1950s saw the development and
implementation of M&C OPWAs core
services, many of which continue in
some form to this day. Recognising a
lack of medical care, M&C OPWA
successfully campaigned for the
appointment of a community
geriatrician, and launched chiropody
clinics. Holly Lodge in New Malden was
acquired as the HQ for cooking mealson-wheels, as well as being used as a
day centre.
A Helping Hands scheme was set up to
assist people with a little basic help. The
first befriending service, Sitters In, began
to help relieve the isolation of some
members of the community; visiting
was carried out by volunteers under the
supervision of a part-time organiser. In
recognition of M&C OPWAs work, the
borough councils treasurer, Herbert
Emery, awarded the organisation its
first grants. So committed was Emery to
M&C OPWAs work, in the 1970s he went
on to become its Chairman.

4 l Issue twenty-seven

Harold Bardwell, president of Kingston

Rotary Club

1960s influence
The M&C OPWAs work started to
influence other local organisations.
Kingston Rotary Club launched an
older peoples project and its
president, Harold Bardwell, set up a
day centre at Bardwell House, adjacent
to todays The Bradbury.
It was a marvellous place, recalls
former trustee Maurice Tate. The day
centre was open five days a week and
put on a host of activities. Hot lunches
were available, and even hairdressing
and a chiropody facility. It was ground
breaking stuff for the 60s.
Meanwhile, The Royal Borough
of Kingston was formed, with new
responsibilities for older peoples care,
and a Coordinating (later Liaison)
Committee was formed with Surbiton
and Kingston Old Peoples Welfare
Associations, to bring a more joined-up
approach to supporting people.

1980s becoming
incorporated
M&C OPWA came of age by becoming
incorporated, meaning it was now
accountable to all its stakeholders.

It also meant the organisation could

now own property, therefore easing
the route to merging with the Malden
and Coombe Housing Society in 1989.
Through the merger, M&C OPWA now
owned Raleigh House later
developed into a lively social centre to
replace the overflowing Holly Lodge.
Kingston OPWA became Age Concern
Kingston, based at Bardwell House.

1990s partnership
M&C OPWA changed its name to
Age Concern Malden and Coombe,
and for the first time, signed a
service agreement with the Borough,
formalising a working partnership
that continues to this day. As a result,
an Information Centre was set up
providing information on local
services. As the Community Care
Act came into force, the strategic
direction of the organisation moved
away from housing, and concentrated
more on community-based services,
such as Raleigh House day centre that
was opened to the over 65s in this
decade and rapidly earned a
shining reputation.
In 1999 Age Concern Malden and
Coombe, and Age Concern Kingston
merged to become Age Concern
Kingston upon Thames, incorporating
Surbiton Senior Citizens Care
Association to become a new
borough-wide organisation.

Feature
2010s diversification

Richard Briers opens The Bradbury

2000s mass expansion of

community-based services
This was a decade of new services and
projects, and the awards won in
recognition of their quality. To meet the
demand for information on older
peoples services and help with benefits
applications, our Information, Advice
and Advocacy service and advice line
was born, and obtained the Community
Legal Services (now AQS) quality mark.
We built a brand new centre, wholly
financed by fundraising. With the aim
of promoting active living in later life,
The Bradbury was opened by stage and
screen star Richard Briers in 2005.

I love The Bradbury. When you

live on your own its so lovely
to come down here, everyone
is so friendly.
As statutory services tightened their
criteria for supporting people, we
recognised that many people would
need a little bit of help in order to stay
well and independent in their own
homes, as they wanted to, and, with our
first healthcare funding, established our
Home Response and Stay Well services.
To help reach the boroughs most
isolated people, the In Touch
telephone befriending scheme began.
In the days when the abuse of adults
was barely recognised as an issue, we
embarked on our pioneering Elder
Abuse project, funded by Comic Relief,
which won the Help the Aged
Campaigner of the Year Award.
As an organisation, we recognised
the need to raise awareness of issues
affecting older people, both on a local
and national level, and so started our
own newspaper, agenda news just
renamed staywell news.

As life expectancy continues to rise,

so too must services continue to
develop and evolve to meet peoples
changing needs. With the increased
occurrence of dementia, the Saturday
Club for people living with dementia
and their carers was launched. To
ensure our staff are able to provide
the best support, we introduced an
accredited 6-month training course,
Best Practice in Dementia Care,
developed by leaders in the field at
the Stirling Dementia Services
Development Centre.
This decade has also seen the
development of the Fit as a Fiddle
programme, encouraging older
people to eat healthily and kick-start
a return to exercise, winning the
national Guardian Public Services
Award for Care of Older People.
Our handyperson service
was launched to help older and
disabled people with basic home
maintenance needs, and returning
to our roots in the 40s, the Help@
Home service was developed to
help with housework, shopping and
getting to appointments. Our Stay
Well at Home service was featured
in a parliamentary report and later
beat stiff competition to win the
prestigious national Charity Award.

Our Help@Home worker is

outstanding, she has changed
our lives. She is an amazing
person and so kind to my
husband, she is very tactful and
relates very well to people.
This is the decade where we
diversified and took on furniture
recycling scheme Kingston
Community Furniture, and changed
our constitution to enable us to work
beyond Kingston, and with different
kinds of beneficiaries. As a reflection
of the changing nature of ageing and
the services we provide, the
organisation changed its name to
Staywell, which was popularly
received. Our latest development has
been to take over the management of
three community centres in the
nearby borough of Reigate and
Banstead, which house some of that
areas services for older people.

The best thing about coming

here is the company. Ive made
friends here and the whole
team working here are lovely.
Very helpful, and very patient
with all our quirks. Theres
always lots of laughter.

Throughout the decades

A consistent feature throughout
our history is the dedication and
commitment of all the volunteers
who have worked tirelessly to
support people in their
community. The work of our
volunteers is wide and varied,
from directly supporting people in
their homes; to fundraising to
further develop our services, such
as building The Bradbury, and
supporting staff in our social
centres and offices with our
innovative intergenerational work
winning us the Queens Award for
Volunteering and even taking us
to Buckingham Palace! Without
volunteers, the services we
provide would not exist, so we are
committed to supporting and
developing them in their roles,
recognised last year by winning a
Kingston Quality Award for
volunteer management.

The future
The organisation has come a long
way over the last 70 years, and the
need to evolve and innovate will
continue to intensify as more
people live longer, with higher
expectations of services. We are
working more closely than ever
with partners such as the council;
our community healthcare
provider, Your Healthcare CIC; and
other voluntary organisations, to
provide high quality, cohesive
services that support people to live
their lives independently and with
dignity, and promote wellbeing
and resilience.
We would like to thank all those
who have supported us on our
journey volunteers, trustees,
supporters, funders, partners and
our staff, past and present. We
look forward with enthusiasm to
our development in the decades
ahead, and hope you will want to
be part of it.

Issue twenty-seven

l5

Raleigh House

The Bradbury

Raleigh House provides a warm and friendly

environment for those who are seeking
companionship and daily activity.
You can choose to attend for a full day, including a
hot lunch, or half a day. Transport is available to and
from the centre for those who need it, every day
except Wednesday, or we can help you access
alternative transport.
The centre is spacious, with a large lounge and dining room, an arts and crafts
room, hairdressers, a coffee lounge and a pleasant courtyard garden and terrace.
One-to-one computer lessons, podiatry and holistic therapies are also available for
members and non-members. Opening times: Monday Friday 10.00am 4.00pm.
Manager: Cathy Weight, Raleigh House, 14 Nelson Road, New Malden KT3 5EA
Telephone: 020 8949 4244 Email: raleigh@staywellservices.org.uk
Donald Blouet
and Michael Blake
enjoying a chat
over lunch

Raleigh House extends weekend openings

Last winter, thanks to additional funding to support vulnerable people through
the winter months, Raleigh House trialled monthly Saturday openings. There
has long been a demand for the centre to open at weekends and last years
sessions proved so popular that from the summer of 2015 Raleigh has thrown
open its doors to welcome people every Saturday.
The Saturday Social brings welcome companionship and lively activity to a
growing number of local residents. And the hot fish and chip lunch has proved to
be a real draw for many!
Ann Walls, aged 84, said, I came to the original Raleigh Winter Saturdays last
year and was hoping a regular weekend service would be available, and I am so
happy it now is.
Its a brilliant step forward for Raleigh House, says centre manager Cathy
Weight. Many people who use Raleigh live alone, and sometimes the weekends
can feel long, especially in the dark days of winter.
Loneliness and isolation are real issues for older people and can lead to
depression, anxiety and poor eating and general health. The topic has been given
much prominence in the media this winter, but many people tell us that this is a
year-round problem.
Meeting up with people at the weekend is a great help to me, I thoroughly
enjoy the company, says Ann.
If you are over 60 and would like to come along to the Saturday Social or find out
more, just call us on 020 8942 8256 or email hello@staywellservices.org.uk.
New members are always welcome.
The Saturday Club for people living with dementia and their informal carers
continues to meet as usual on the second Saturday of each month.

6 l Issue twenty-seven

The Bradbury offers a lively, vibrant and friendly

atmosphere, with a wide range of activities from
tai chi and yoga, to dancing classes or computer
lessons. Just a ten minute walk from Kingston
town, The Bradbury is a good place to come for a
bite to eat. Our caf serves drinks, snacks,
lunches (including a roast lunch on a Wednesday)
and plenty of homemade cakes. When the
weather is good you can eat al fresco
as we have a pleasant patio garden.
Manager: Laura OBrien
The Bradbury, 37b Grange Road, Kingston KT1 2RA
Telephone: 020 8549 1230
Email: bradbury@staywellservices.org.uk

The Bradbury craft

group makes BBC
London News
On 31 December 2015, The Bradbury
was launched into millions of homes
on the BBC London News, thanks to
the centres craft group and their
partnership with innovative fashion
company, Birdsong.
Set up by three friends, Birdsong is an
online company providing a platform
for womens organisations to sell their
handmade products and raise
awareness about the work they are
doing. They source ethically made
products from charities and community
groups, and give them the branding,
marketing, photography and reach they
need to sell their products.

Inspiration
One of Birdsongs 14 global suppliers is
The Bradbury craft group. Sarah Beckett,
one of the founders of Birdsong,
volunteered at The Bradbury as a
post-graduate via social enterprise Year
Here last year and got to know the craft
group members. The group became
part of the inspiration for setting up
Birdsong, and Sarah invited them to
become suppliers. The group has
continued to power through limitless
bags of wool to produce beautiful
products, including colourful scarves
and the best-selling Heather jumper,
featured in The Guardian last year. 70%
of the sales income comes back to The
Bradbury, supporting the sustainability
of the group and the centre.
The BBC picked up on the story in The
Guardian last year, and came to film the
group in action just before Christmas. It
was quite clear how much the ladies

BBC interviewee and Bradbury member,

Edna, models for Birdsong

loved their labour as the needles

clattered above the sound of their
chatting and laughter! Birdsong model
and craft group knitter, Edna, took the
hot seat and delivered a fine interview.
Im getting quite used to my new
role in the spotlight! commented Edna.
It was a privilege to represent this
industrious partnership between The
Bradbury, Birdsong and us, the knitters!
Birdsong has now partnered the
talented crafters with knitwear designer
Laura Newton, who has come up with
some beautiful designs, all using British
wool. If you are interested in joining the
craft group, then call centre manager
Laura on 020 8549 1230 or email
bradbury@staywellservices.org.uk
Experienced and novice knitters
all welcome!
If you would like to find out
more about Birdsong, or are
keen to see the latest range in
The Bradbury knitwear or any
other ethically sourced products
on their website, then go to
www.birdsong.london

Advice Line l 020 8408 8170

Staywells telephone advice service, open Monday to Friday 9.30am 4.30pm

Free legal advice surgery

Staywell works in partnership with local solicitors Sheridan Law to provide a
free monthly legal advice surgery. Basic advice and recommendations can be
provided on the following areas:
l Wills and probate
l Free wills
l Estate planning
l Court of Protection
l Property issues
l Community Care

New State Pension

On 6 April 2016, the State Pension is
changing. If you reach State Pension
age on or after that date youll get the
new State Pension. The new State
Pension is designed to be simpler but
there are some complicated changeover arrangements that you need to
know about if you have made
contributions under the old system.
From 6 April 2016 the old two-tier
system (Basic Pension plus Additional
State Pension) will be replaced a by a
single-tier system and Additional State
Pension will be abolished. The full new
State Pension is 155.65. How much
you get will depend on your National
Insurance record. However, if before 6
April 2016, you did not contribute to
the Additional State Pension e.g. SERPS
or S2P, because you contracted-out to
pay into a workplace pension scheme,
you may receive less than the full new
State Pension sum. After 6 April 2016
you will no longer be able to be
contracted-out and will pay more

National Insurance contributions.

For a number of years the old and
new systems will run alongside each
other. If you have made significant
contributions under the old system,
this will ensure that you do not end up
worse off under the new scheme.
If you reach State Pension age after
6 April 2016, you can still defer your
State Pension to boost how much you
will eventually receive, however you
will no longer be able to claim this as a
lump sum.
If you want more information about
the new State Pension or what your
state pension is likely to be, anyone
over 55 can request a pension
statement from the Pension Service on
0800 731 7898 or visit www.gov.uk/
state-pension-statement.
If you have any concerns regarding the
new State Pension, ring us on the
Staywell Advice Line Tel: 020 8408 8170,
Mon-Fri 9.30am 4.30pm.

Other useful websites

Which? www.which.co.uk/money/retirement/guides/state-pensionexplained/how-much-state-pension-will-i-get/
The Pensions Advisory Service www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/

Pension age rises for women

The age at which women qualify for State Pension rises to 65 years in November
2018 and 66 years by October 2020, which is faster than originally promised. As
a result, over 2 million women will be worse off. In response to this, the Women
Against State Pension Inequality Campaign was created and is expected to hold
a protest at Parliament in London.
To find out more, go to www.facebook.com/WASPI-Women-Against-StatePension-Inequality-Campaign-877054125688402/

l NHS Continuing Healthcare

Free basic Wills can be drafted for people over 60. To make an appointment, or
if you have any queries relating to this service, please call the Advice Team on
020 8408 8170. Appointments are booked on a first come first served basis.

Diary Dates
The Bradbury
Tues 15 Mar Bradbury Film Club The Lady in the Van, 3
Tues 22 Mar Easter Quiz & Afternoon Tea 2 pm 4 pm, 3
Thurs 7 April Beyond Beauty spectacular Egyptian Exhibition in London, 8
Tues 3 May Red Carpet Fashion Show, 2 pm 4 pm, 3
The Bradbury Centre Lunch Club Wednesdays 12 pm 2 pm
Counselling at The Bradbury Fridays 10 am 1 pm
Information & Advice at The Bradbury Tuesday 29 March 1.30 pm 3.00 pm
To book onto any of the events or for counselling, call The Bradbury on
020 8549 1230 or email bradbury@staywellservices.org.uk

Raleigh House
The Saturday Club A service for people living with dementia, their families
and carers. Second Saturday of the month, 11 am 2 pm.
Next dates: 12 March, 9 April, 14 May, 11 June
Saturday Social Weekend opening has arrived with the Saturday Social! Open
every Saturday (except the second Saturday of the month), 10.30 am 2 pm.
Join us for lively company, fun activities and a hot fish and chips lunch.
Transport available if needed.
Contact 020 8942 8256 or email hello@staywellservices.org.uk for more
information or to book a place on either of our Saturday events.

Whats on in Kingston

The Vintage Banquet Every Thursday, 11 am 3 pm. Activities and lunch at St

Peters Church, London Road, Norbiton. Call 07529 890678 to book a place.
U3A Kingston First Monday of the month, 1.30 pm at the Richard Mayo Hall,
United Reformed Church, Eden Street, Kingston. For more information see the
website www.kingstonu3a.org.uk or call 020 8399 0163.
Kingston Pensioners Forum Second Monday of the month at Richard Mayo
Hall, United Reformed Church, Eden Street, Kingston.
For more information call the secretary on 020 8241 9913.

Issue twenty-seven l

stay well
Friendly practical support
in and around the home
services that change lives

Help@Home
With our Help@Home service youre in the driving seat.
Our purpose is to support your independence, not take
it away. We can assist with housework, shopping and
household tasks as well as companionship, conversation,
outings and appointments.

Thank you for

such a good
service and
making things
so easy.

We pride ourselves on the personal touch. Our team of

friendly, reliable, fully trained staff, who are security
checked and supervised, give that little bit extra where
and when you need it, making all the difference. Our
Home Helpers are supported by our friendly team in the
office and will make sure you can benefit from other
services provided by Staywell if needed.

The handyperson
was polite and
friendly and
the whole
experience was
very pleasant.

Handyperson
Our Handyperson service can carry out small repairs,
maintenance and adaptations around the home. We
aim to ensure that our customers feel safe, warm and
happy by completing jobs like fitting grab rails and
curtain rails, changing light bulbs, putting up shelves
and fitting key safes. We also provide help with
computers, televisions, etc.
If our Handyperson is unable to carry out the work you
need we will always aim to put you in touch with one
of our Trusted Traders. Get those practical tasks sorted
out with the reassurance of a security-checked helper
from a reputable charity with 70 years experience of
supporting people.

Affordable services from a trusted local charity

For further information please contact us:
020 8942 8256
hello@staywellservices.org.uk

www.staywellservices.org.uk
Charity no. 299988