Age-friendly Whalley Range & Chorlton Constitution & Business Charter

Age friendly Whalley Range and Chorlton Constitution April 2016

Age-friendly Business Charter

AFWR_CH Business Charter

 

The idea of the Charter is to ensure that businesses and groups take account of older people’s needs in terms of recognising barriers and addressing them by looking at the wider accessibility of their premises and care of their customers/service users, including offering a warm welcome and being patient if an older person is confused or forgetful.

What the Age-friendly Business Charter sets out to do is to allow businesses/venues who sign up to promote themselves as providing age-friendly services by displaying a postcard in their window or on the premises – and becoming part of our website/database list of Age-friendly places/services in Whalley Range.

Obviously insurance issues and customer safety means that not every shop or office can offer the use of toilet facilities – but many venues may be able to fulfil that part of the criteria anyway: e.g. care homes, health centres, dentists, social housing providers, mosques, churches, temples, cafes and schools etc.

So a business could provide a seat for an older person who is shopping in the area,  just a fold-up chair available to be used on request, to be free of trip hazards, with decent lighting and accessibility of products, accessibility for wheelchair users where possible, or support from staff if the venue is not accessible,  prescription collection and home delivery of shopping etc.

The accessibility of a venue is only one part of signing up to the charter – it is really a request for all businesses and organisations to look at their premises and services in general – and will also give them free publicity as it’s an opportunity for them to promote what they do.

Of course if the accessible venues meet other criteria (no trip hazards etc.) they will be able to become part of the list: the checklist on the Charter will be a guide to available services for each organisation.

For an older person to recognise that many (or preferably all!) of their local shops have signed up as being ‘age-friendly’ would increase their confidence in getting out of the house to shop locally – even more important for residents living on or close to Withington Road since the demise of the regular 16 bus that took them into Chorlton.

Older people are an important and growing consumer group – so it makes sense for local businesses to encourage and support the “shop local” ethos – and of course becoming part of a recognised group that demonstrates a commitment and respect for the needs of older people is a good way to promote local services.

AF Business Charter DraftWRCH

Chorlton Good Neighbours – Activities in Whalley Range for older people

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Please see information below on the activities Chorlton Good Neighbours offer for local older people across both Chorlton and Whalley Range wards. CGN s base is in Wilbraham St Ninians Church,  and they are funded through Manchester City Council to support older people across both wards. Please promote across your networks.

Actvities include:

·         3 exercise classes running each week, a graded system to suit a range of needs , with experienced instructors
·         Access to a monthly Positive Living Group  or access to a 12 week Positive living Programme, run by a trained life coach
·         A weekly singing group Thursdays 11.45-1pm , and visits to local residential homes to perform
·         A Friday morning gardening club 10-1pm
·         A weekly small craft session Wednesdays 1-3pm
·         A monthly history talk to stimulate the brain cells!
·         A monthly Sunday tea with transport, entertainment and hot meal

If older people’s wellbeing would be improved by a regular visit from a volunteer then that can be arranged, as well as support to remain independent by having  worker or volunteer escort people to the shops/banks etc.

If you need any further information, please contact Helen Hibberd Chorlton Good Neighbours on 0161 881 2925 or email helen@chorltongoodneighbours. org

Exercise Class poster

older mens flyer

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Did Muslim soldiers really fight for Britain in WW1?

Press Release

15th January 2016

For Immediate Release

Did Muslim soldiers really fight for Britain in WW1?

2016 sees the official opening of the Stories of Sacrifice exhibition, dedicated to the bravery and sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of Muslim soldiers who fought for Britain in World War One (WW1).

From recruitment to burial, the exhibition developed by the British Muslim Heritage Centre (BMHC) and part funded by the Community Covenant, gives an insight into the selfless sacrifice of Muslim soldiers, who valiantly fought for the freedoms and privileges that we take for granted in Great Britain today.

Greater Manchester Lord Lieutenant Warren Smith will officially launch the exhibition during the exclusive Annual Gala Dinner at the British Muslim Heritage Centre, in Whalley Range, Manchester, on 15th January 2016.

Master of Ceremonies is set to be BBC Radio leading light Talat Awan, who will be joined by a host of dignitaries, including the interim Mayor of Greater Manchester Tony Lloyd.

Complete with a virtual library, lesson plans and a toolkit for schools, this exhibition is the first long-term exhibition of its kind, devoted solely to exemplifying the Muslim community contribution and sacrifices during WW1.

Located in the heart of a diverse and developing Manchester, it will provide a stimulating platform from which to discuss and celebrate Muslim identity, belonging and contribution, not only to the region, but to the United Kingdom as a whole.

400,000 Muslim Soldiers from India fought for Britain in WW1, in addition to a further 280,000 Algerians, Moroccans and Tunisians who fought for the allies. At least 89,000 Muslims were recorded as having given their lives for this country.

It is a little known fact that 20% of British Empire recruits were actually Muslims. What an unbelievable commitment and sacrifice. We British owe a lot to these forgotten heroes.

BMHC Chairman, Nasar Mahmood has commended his staff on an excellent achievement, stating that This is not the complete or final exhibition, it is simply the start of a journey of education and enlightenment. Ultimately towards a more cohesive society, founded on mutual respect and collaboration.

At a time when the Muslim Community is continually in the media spotlight, with some in society calling into question their loyalty to British values and to the British way of life, this initiative will go a long way to finding some tough but common ground.


(Muslim soldiers praying at Woking Mosque November 1915)


Indian Army troops reading English Newspaper on the way to

Mesopotamia

ENDS

For further information, contact: Ashraf Ali, BMHC Project Manager, College Road, Whalley Range, Manchester, M16 8BP, email: ashraf.ali@bmhc.org.uk , 0161 881 8062, 07545853126.

www.bmhc.org.uk

www.storiesofsacrifice.org.uk

Deaf Black Minority Ethnic Project

DEAF Project

The team are also seeking a speaker for this event!

Please get in touch if you can help!

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Deaf Education Advocacy Fellowship (DEAF) is very excited to announce the launch of the Deaf Black Minority Ethnic Project.

This project aims to provide an opportunity for the BME communities of Trafford and the wider Greater Manchester area to engage and receive accessible information on core issues in the area. The project hopes to raise awareness of services and facilities that can improve the lives of deaf and black ethnic minorities who live in the area.

Do you live in the Trafford or Greater Manchester area?

Would you like to be part of a network of people supporting BME issues?

The sessions will offer a unique opportunity to access information; meet other people and watch presentations by brilliant guest speakers whom we have organised.

Different topics will be discussed at each session and those attending will decide what is on the agenda for each session.

For example, housing issues, domestic violence, social care, disability services, learning disability support, hate crime, family support, counselling, isolation and social activities.  The session will also be able to sign post you to find the right services within Trafford/Greater Manchester.

Deaf BME individuals and communities traditionally have faced many barriers preventing access to information and services, in-part due to communication needs not being met. In working with multi-cultural groups, we aim to break down and remove these barriers, providing more knowledge and awareness. We are an organisation that strongly believes that Deaf people from diverse and different cultures should have access to information without feeling isolated or ignored.

Our BME service has a well established three year track record of running projects which provide services and events on a monthly basis. We also provide services for Education, Employment, Benefits, and Welfare to Work.

Please click on the link below which explains all about the BME project and you can see the British Sign Language Video with audio:

http://www.deaf-fellowship.org/trafford-deaf-bme-project/

Hosting our session on Friday 22nd January 2016, 2.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m. at Harry Lord House, Humphrey Road, Stretford, Manchester M16 9DF.

Please email or text 07544 310 458 with any queries or concerns and to reserve your place.

Junior Adminstrator

Abdullah Patel

E-mail: Abdullah@deaf-fellowship.org
Web: www.Deaf-fellowship.org
Phone: 0161 945 6058