copagchronicle - Chesham Over 50s Positive Action Group

COPAG CHRONICLE
The magazine of the Chesham Over 50’s Positive Action Group
Volume 13, Issue(3)/4,(Sept).-Dec. 2016
Hello my friends,
I'm so sorry that you missed out on the September
Chronicle, but circumstances were such that it really
was not possible to print at that time. With sadness I
must report the death of Heather Boulter [Chris's
sister.] And as Chris is the person who puts the
Chronicle together, I think you will join me in
agreeing that not having a Chronicle in September is
not the end of the world. The important thing was
that we all supported Chris in his time of need, and
happily we will have our Christmas
Chronicle. Thanks Chris!
had to do is go and get our fish and chips from Harry
Ramsden's! And mightily nice it was! After walking
around and looking at everything, and of course,
eating ice cream, we then decided to walk on the
beach. The water was very calm and beckoning, so
Jean Sabatini and yours truly just had to go for a
paddle! While Phil stood behind us taking photos!!!
Mind you, I'm probably more photogenic taken from
the back!! [See pics.]
By the time you receive this we will have been to the
panto at Elgiva and the Grammar School Xmas party.
And then we look forward to Vince and Alan serving
us with our fabulous Christmas lunch yet again!
And so another year has flown by. I hope you all stay
healthy and strong over the winter, and may you all
have a fantastic peaceful Christmas and a very Happy
New Year.
Cheers, Barbara
Earlier in the year a small number of us went on a
coach to Bournemouth. The sun shone for us and it
was a truly lovely day. Naturally, the first thing we
EDITORIAL: Well, here we are coming up to the end of IN THIS ISSUE
another year, this is certainly a year I will not forget for 2 Pgs. 2/3 Spotlight Profile
things mainly, one is my sister passed away! And the 2nd Pgs. 3/4 Uncle Phil’s Corner
is, I have moved to a new flat which to be honest I should Pgs. 4/5/6 Meeting Reports
have done years ago! Anyway, I hope everyone has an Pgs. 6/7 Do You Believe In Fate?
Pg. 7 Derek’s Desk
enjoyable Christmas and a fantastic New Year. Ed
Pg.8 Puzzle Page
Spotlight Profile for Laura Collins,
Of Orbit Press
How long have you lived in Chesham?
45 years
What were your earliest/first impressions of the town?
Too young to remember
What kind of shop would you like to see in Chesham, that it doesn't already have?
Not sure really, Chesham’s independent shops have most things covered
If you had £1 million to spend on any aspect of improving Chesham, what would you spend it on?
Filling all the potholes, and a new home for Chesham Museum
What aspect of Chesham do you like the least?
Graffiti, litter dropping
If you could demolish one building in Chesham, which would it be?
The old Waitrose building, or the Circle 7 building
What is your favourite part of the world, and why?
Rocky Mountains, Canada, the mountains, lakes and waterfalls are amazing
What is your favourite biscuit/chocolate/crisp choice?
Custard cream, Milky bar, cheese and onion
What is your favourite place to eat out (doesn't have to be local?
Too many to choose from! The Tavern/Brazil’s or Drawing Room for lunch, Rumbles also lovely. Jasmine Thai
for dinner, Gatsby in Berko for a treat!
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What is your favourite TV programme?
At the moment Cold Feet
What item of technology confuses or frustrates you?
Smart phones, I’m very old school and have an old Nokia with buttons!
If you had one celebrity to pick as a companion for a long car journey, who would it be?
Paul O’Grady, we could talk about dogs
Laura
Uncle Phil’s Corner
Judging Day
On the 19th July the judges of the Royal Horticultural Society, Thames and Chiltern region of the In Bloom awards
came to town.
During the morning they starting out from Chesham Town Hall, they visited areas and places in the town, such as
Waterside School, the gym and swim open air swimming pool, to look at the hanging baskets, edible bed and
wildflower beds on the Moor. Cameron road allotments was another area they visited looking particularly beautiful
on the hottest day of the year. They returned to town viewing the flower beds at Johnson’s dry cleaners and White
Hill on the way, and walked along the High Street to Market Square. Meades Water Gardens was the next visit, they
parked up in The Wheelhouse Veterinary Centre where the hanging baskets are dazzling and walked next door to the
water gardens. I had been allocated to meet the judges at this point, but I had to be somewhere else at the time,
and a very good friend stood in for me at the last minute, and by all reports he did a very good job in giving the
judges a full picture of what was being achieved in the gardens. In front of the Gardens is the Red Lion Street flower
planter. This year the flowers have been arranged to make the cross of Saint George, and was the arranged place for
the judges to meet the press and have photos taken.
Back to the Town Hall for lunch, a presentation of our town, and to look at our portfolio and press cuttings. I
managed to get back in time for lunch. After lunch it was Lowndes Park’s turn to be judged, this is the second year
the park had been judged separately from the town. Last year it was awarded silver gilt. I, along with Andy, one of
the park’s staff took the judges to the top of the park to Sovereign Coppice on this lovely clear day. There were
wonderful views over Pednor. We walked down the park passing the Community Orchard. The judges were very
interested in the Rolling pin, and the pudding stones. We walked further down to the large circular flower bed and
the wildflower cricket wicket, and pointing out the skateboard park and the ingenuous idea of making the site of the
old skateboard park a traffic road plan for children to learn the rules of the road. Andy showed off the lovely flower
beds, and we met some of the Friends of Lowndes Park gardeners in Archena gardens, the Friends look after the
gardens, the scented garden and the presentation area.
That was the end of the tour of the park, and the end of the judging day. The judges went off to discuss their
thoughts and write up their report using my favourite place in town, Brazils Café, as their base.
Judging guidelines
Core Pillars of the Britain in Bloom being:
Horticultural Achievement, Environmental Responsibility, Community Participation
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Horticultural maximum of 100 points
Environmental maximum of 50 points
Community maximum of 50 points
Uncle Phil
Monthly Meeting Reports
COPAG meeting July 15th 2016
Our talk for this month was given by Lucy Martin, an Adult Carers support worker In GP clinics of Carers Bucks.
Carers Bucks was formed in 2004, is an independent local charity and supports the wellbeing of unpaid carers in
Buckinghamshire; in Bucks alone Lucy gave us a figure of 52,000 of unpaid carers. Throughout the country the figure
is massive and saving the country million/billions of £’s.
They support carers of all ages from 6 - 96 years old and in different caring roles, helping friends, neighbours, as well
as relations. Carers Bucks give up-to-date information and advice on carers issues
• Help with knowing your rights and entitlements
• A practical and emotional learning programme
• Help to create an emergency plan
• Opportunities to meet other carers
• somebody to talk to in confidence
• Regular support groups across the County
• Guidance on health and social care services
• Regular events and newsletters for carers
Support Group meets at Chesham Town Hall on the 3rd Wednesday of the month.
We had a second speaker today, being me!!
I gave a presentation on the forthcoming Chesham in Bloom, our town being judged and going for the third
straight Gold Award.
Phil Folly
COPAG meeting held on 19th of August 2016
This was a talk given to us by Martin Lau a registered dietician who works for a charity in Eastbourne called
ArthritisAction:
•
there are about 10 million people in the UK with arthritis, 8.7 5 million are seeing a doctor
•
more women have arthritis than men
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•
•
younger people still get arthritis with a more severe and serious inflammation.
osteoarthritis is the most common.
There is another kind of arthritis called rheumatoid arthritis. This is an autoimmune condition
with the patient being given medication to damp down the moon response
arthritis action was founded in 1942 and became a charity in 1985
•
most people suffer in silence
•
gain control with own management
•
nothing can be done to correct the condition except surgery.
•
lose weight
•
exercise making muscles stronger
•
there is no one diet to get rid of arthritis – develop a healthy balanced eating regime
•
several vitamins and minerals will be deficient; vitamin d, vitamin C, calcium, iron and selenium
•
plan ahead, eat less fried food, less eating out.
•
No to glucosamine
•
do exercises you enjoy for the benefit of exercise. You get an improved mood which also helps to
•
boost the immune system. Also refer to the doctor when doing exercise
•
there are several exercises to escape pain, given by the physio.
•
there is no one fix, only being slower can help
Chris Boulter
COPAG meeting September 16, 2016
At this meeting a talk was given by Tony Eustace about the old industries in Chesham.
Why there were so many industries in Chesham was down to the clear crystal water produced from local
springs.
From 1530 to 1730 the major industry in Chesham was a cottage industry in wool making.
For example, at Bois Mill the power of the river was used to lift hammers to beat the cloth with Fullers Earth
and then hung out to dry in Townfield.
In the 1700s industry declined then boots were made from the skins of killed animals so the tanning colours
the leather and stops it from rotting.
From 1800 onwards there were factories to make boots -- Gifford Newton etc.
There was lacemaking, but this was taken over by plaiters and in the late 1700s hats became very
fashionable, especially straw boaters.
In 1851 there were 750 plaiters in and around Chesham. The old saying was never kiss a girl who was a
straw plaiter – severely roughened lips – this plaiting disappeared in the 1900s.
Also other industries which Chesham has seen is the silk mill and cotton mill – the import of cotton from the
Americas stopped cotton being milled in Chesham.
Chris Boulter
COPAG meeting report for 21 October 2016
This talk was given by Jacqui Sheppard and was about scams – what I will do is just list the main points of
the talk
•
statistics from trading standards, the average age of who gets scammed is 74 and 75% of these
have dementia
•
let me explain that in the Courier scam you will be contacted by somebody claiming to be a member
of the bank or building society telling you there is something wrong with your credit card and asking for the
number on the back of the card
•
they will then ask you to call your bank from a number on the back of your credit/ debit card. Do this
on a separate line as they hold onto the line after you have put the phone down
•
you will be conned into giving out your details and later your card will be collected by a courier
•
never give out your pin number or keep records – one way of doing this is by putting a fictitious
address in your address book with your number
•
people pretend to be police officers and then there is fraudulent activity with money withdrawn
•
•
Dial 999/101 if the scammer just holds on.
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•
they say you will be contacted by your bank and then transfer your money into a little legitimate
account set up by them, this will be the last you will see of your money
•
when getting cash out try and use a machine inside or get cashback at the supermarket
•
if you do use the machine outside have a good look around and with your hand over the digits enter
your number
•
there are scams; Miracle Cures for baldness, weight loss given out by pharmacies online, also
single jabs for MMR not licensed or checked
Romance Scam; single men over 50 register with friendship asking you questions then asking for funds
•
avoid giving out too much information
•
important things to do, have a shredder, check all your bank statements to see if there's an
anomaly, if you moved house get a credit check done every 2 to 3 months
•
if you do not recognise the telephone number when you receive a telephone call do not answer,
there is the telephone preference service for telephones and Royal mail preference service for surface mail
•
chain on door take off when no one at door
•
set up a password with meter readers, and always speak up
•
hide key safe from the road. Do not use birthday numbers as a code to open the key safe
•
look out for each other.
Chris Boulter
Do You Believe In Fate?
(Kindly written for us by one of our members – see if you can guess who?)
“To be sure” the Irishman replied “Me fate are those lumpy things that stop me legs from fraying at the ends!” You’ve
probably heard that one before. If so, “Sorry”.
Greek mythology had the Three Fates as a trinity of goddesses who controlled all human destiny. Lachesis, who
assigned the term of a man’s life, Clotho, who wove the pattern of his destiny and Atropos, who finally cut the
threads. More recently, according to my copy of the OED, we have adopted the definition “ A supposed irresistible
power controlling all events.” To meet one’s fate is defined as “To meet a lady with whom one falls in love and
eventually marries.”
In 1948 I left the University of the South West of England (now Exeter University) after my final examinations and in
due course was called up for National Service. Having been a sergeant in the Air Training Corps during the war, I was
able to opt to serve my time in the RAF. Off to Padgate for kitting out and thence to West Kirby in the Wirral, a chilly
windswept area, for eight weeks basic training during December and January. Towards the end of this training came
the selection of a trade in which to serve. Dad had been a Radio Operator in the RAF and I wanted to follow in his
footsteps as far as I could and also wear the “Sparks” badge on my uniform. One option was to become a Radar
Operator with the added attraction that after six months in the job one automatically got a sixpence (2 ½ p) a day rise
in pay. A significant increase over the 3/6 (17 ½ p) a day basic rate. Once again my time in the ATC meant I was able
to opt for the trade I wanted. Off now to RAF Yatesbury in Wiltshire for training at the Advanced Ground Radar
School..
Passing out as trained Radar Operators, about half of the class and I were sent to the Headquarters of Southern
Signals. There we were assigned postings to individual stations across the south of England. One of my classmates,
whose home was in Chelmsford, was to be posted to RAF Sennen near Land’s End while I, with a home in Exeter,
was posted to East Anglia. A brief visit to the clerk in the Orderly Room, and the passing over of the cost of a couple
of pints, resulted in these postings being reversed. We were due to report to our new stations on Monday and so had
the weekend to ourselves and were issued with travel passes for the journeys. Those of my classmates who were also
going to Sennen retained the pass for our group and I booked a serviceman’s single to Exeter for a weekend at home.
Monday lunchtime I joined my colleagues on the Cornish Riviera, at St David’s Station and travelled on, at King
George’s expense, to Penzance and thence to the camp at Sennen.
The technical staff at Sennen worked a watch system that gave plenty of time off to enjoy the wonderful beaches
around the area. On watch one afternoon the telephonist on our watch asked if I could do him a favour. Don, it
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appeared, was courting one of the telephonists from the Penzance exchange and, having had a falling out the previous
evening, wanted to make things right. Problem was that Verona had opted to go to the cinema with one of her
colleagues that evening. Would I go along with him and, whilst he was building bridges, take care of the colleague?
Having no definite plans for the evening I went along with Don and duly saw the colleague to her home. Two years
later (October 1951) that colleague’s uncle married us in St Mark’s church; Exeter and now, sixty-five years on we are
still soldiering on.
Dusty
Yes, I do believe in fate!!
DEREK'S DESK
HI MEMBERS – no. 6
Well, we are now on the way to winter, we had passed autumn which I do not mind it's what follows it I’m
afraid of, I do not like the winter months, I dread the dark nights etc Christmas will be here soon –
frightening isn't it?
I was very depressed and I then wondered what next, I had a visit from a lady who presented herself as an
amputee and would like to talk to me.
She was contacted by the hospital to visit me. She said I know you are thinking that this is the end but look
at me, I can walk, drive, and live a nearly normal life, she showed me her walking, fantastic, this certainly
brought me out of my depression, well almost! I had a letter from the Nuffield Hospital in Oxford asking me
to go for an appointment there with transport provided. In 6 months I was on my feet again, I cannot
explain what it was like to walk again, I have to say it was not easy, painful, at first then after a while it got
easier.
It was great to be driving again. Just to add, I still went to council meetings soon after my operation. My life
was back on course.
That was 12 years ago now, I do miss walking in Frances wood, it is hard to walk on uneven ground but I
am walking. I decided I would fundraise for High Wycombe Hospital for the masculine clinic. I raised £7500.
In total my fundraising has raised nearly £30,000 for Amersham and Wycombe Hospital. There are 2 rooms
named after me at both hospitals. While on the subject of fundraising, I have raised almost £11,000 for the
MacMinn Centre in my 2nd term of town mayor.
That's all this time, I will be in the next addition – at Easter
Very best wishes to you all for Christmas and the New Year
Cllr Derek Lacey
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MM
COPAG Chronicle is the magazine for Chesham Over 50’s Positive Action Group
Meetings are held at 10.15am on the third Friday of each month in the Community Hall, Chesham Town
Hall, HP5 1DS - usually there are 2 speakers at these monthly meetings - for further details please contact
the Chairperson on 01494 786576. The Chronicle also has an e-mail address which is:
[email protected] and COPAG has a website at: www.cheshamopag.org.uk.
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