The Brighton & Hove Older Peoples Council Election is coming The Older Peoples Council (OPC) was set up to make sure that older people in the city have a say in the services which affect them and the communities where they live. Nine older people will be elected for a four year term of office. The election will be by postal vote on 30 June 2011. You must be on the OPC electoral register to vote in the election. To be on the OPC electoral register you must be on the standard electoral register, a resident of Brighton & Hove, and 60 years of age or over. To check if you are already on the OPC register, telephone Brighton & Hove City Councils Electoral Services Office on 01273 291999. OPC registration forms are available in the city Libraries, from the Bus Pass counter in Priory House, or phone the OPC on 01273 295101. Please make sure your form is returned to the Electoral Services Office by 15 June 2011. See attatchments for more information

Pensioner Action (the merger of 60+ Action and Pensioners Forum) and have just set up a group in Central Hove. Pensioner Action neighbourhood groups work to share information and consult around issues relating to the health and wellbeing of older people in Brighton & Hove. The project is funded by the PCT through the charity Impetus. The new group will meet every 4-6 weeks at St Johns Centre starting from May 18, 2011. Meet at St John’s Centre, Church Rd (next to Cornerstone) 10.00 - 11.30am •Wednesday 18th May •Wednesday 22nd June •Wednesday 27th July -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pensioner Action runs group meetings for older people in four neighbourhoods across Brighton and Hove and is also affiliated with Evergreens Lunch Club, which we visit regularly. The purpose of the groups is to work together to enable older people to tackle issues which affect our everyday lives: •Hospital and GP services •Public transport •Social services •Benefits •Community Safety •Environmental issues •And anything else which may be affecting you as an older person living in Brighton and Hove Please just come along to one of our meetings to meet others from your neighbourhood for tea, biscuits and a chat. You will be made to feel most welcome. If you would like to speak to someone before you come along, please call Lila on 01273 229004.

Minutes of the 2nd meeting of the Whitehawk and Manor Farm Neighbourhood Forum and a copy of the Action Plan it is working to.

The next meeting will take place on Thursday 23rd June at 10.00 at the Valley Social Club. Copies of these documents can also be found on the Whitehawk website - www.whitehawk.uk.net Papers for the June meeting will be circulated prior to the meeting - any requests for agenda items to be received by the 1st of June Thanks Andy

  
The BMEYPP is committed to building the capacity of the local BME communities to develop activities  and  projects.  We  are  looking  for young  people  aged  16  to  25  who  like  sports and  can  be  positive  role  models  for  other young  people  in  their  communities,  and  can help  us  to  develop  our  sports  projects  in  the future.

The BMEYPP is running a Level One FA Football coaching certificate course in June. This is the first step to getting paid to be a Football coach because if you complete level one and two you will have the opportunity to get paid work as a football coach.
The  course  is  taking  place  on  Monday  8th  to Friday 12th  June 10am  to  4pm  and  will  be taught by a coach from Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club.

When you have completed the course you will then  have  the  opportunity  to  put  your  new skills into practice as you and another trainee coach a local football team of young people,  who  will  then  take  part  in  a BMEYPP Unity in Football Tournament.

As well as your Level One Certificates you will  receive  a  Brighton  and  Hove  Youth Award  and  will  have  the  opportunity  to work  towards  other  certificates.  If  you would like to apply to take part in this pro-ject, please  Contact Vannessa
Office 01273229382

Mobile
07787766246

EASYLINK – The Easy Way to Get to the Shops

Do you find it difficult to get to the shops?  Or do you know someone who could do with some help to get there?  Community Transport’s EASYLINK shopping bus service might just be the answer.

EASYLINK is a door-to-door minibus service that picks shoppers up from right outside their homes, takes them to a local supermarket or city centre shopping street and then returns them home when they have finished their shopping.  The service runs on Mondays to Fridays and can be pre-booked by a simple telephone call to the Community Transport office in Brighton (01273 677559).

The service is specially designed to meet the needs of older people and people with mobility difficulties.  All the buses are wheelchair accessible.  The drivers are willing to help passengers to their seats and make sure they are comfortable before driving off.

EASYLINK buses run in all parts of Brighton and Hove, from Saltdean to Portslade and from Patcham to the Seafront.  Shopping centres served include the Holmbush Centre in Shoreham, Sainsbury’s and the Co-op in Hove, ASDA at Hollingbury and the shops at Churchill Square, London Road and Brighton Marina.

Community Transport have recently increased the number of runs they do to out of town centres, such as Holmbush, Worthing, Eastbourne and Paradise Park, Newhaven.  

Details of all the journeys that run are to be found in a leaflet that is available from Community Transport, on 01273 677559 or on the Community Transport website, www.bhct.co.uk

The fares are very reasonable too – £3.50 return for most local journeys and a little more for the out of town trips.  Much cheaper than a taxi and good value for the personal help that some passengers need.  Brighton and Hove City Council have been supporting the service for many years.  

Why not join the happy band of regular EASYLINK shoppers?  Or if you don’t need the service yourself, suggest it to someone you know.