EKIDS Newsletter March 2023

Tessa Read   Tess' funeral was very well attended by EKIDS volunteers and members last month, thank you to all those who were able to attend in person. Thank you all for signing her EKIDS book of condolence, I'm sure her family will be touched by all the kind comments and fond memories of our founding member. Due to her failing health, many of you did not know Tess particularly well but as you can imagine she was extremely well respected for her work in the community, not just in the field of dementia and founding EKIDS with Janet & Celia, but also for organising community events, her work caring for others and as a counsellor as well as being a mother to 4 boys, friend, and confidante. Tess planned her funeral meticulously and true to her style, she had us singing along to Gerry and The Pacemakers 'You'll never walk alone' during the service. Tess would not wish us to dwell on her passing, she would very much like us to live our lives today regardless of any adversity we may face. She always managed to see the good in people and find humour in most situations.   She and her family asked for donations to EKIDS in place of flowers, so if anyone wishes to do that you can speak to one of our volunteers in purple or give them a cheque made payable to EKIDS, alternatively please click the following link:   https://checkout.justgiving.com/794dlvazae Outings & Events Afternoon Tea - April A gentle reminder to complete a booking form for the Tess Read Memorial Afternoon Tea being held Thursday 20th April at The NAAFI in Manston, we need to know numbers attending by the end of March so please speak to a volunteer if you need any assistance or have questions. EKIDS on Tour Networking activities are slowly coming back to the fore this year. We have 2 charity events this month being: Celebrating International Women's Day - Saturday 18th March 12 to 2 pm Turner Contemporary, Margate This is an information event for charities, community groups, and services supporting women and girls, or led by women. Volunteering Fair - Saturday 25th March 1 to 3pm Ramsgate Football Club Organised by Kent Coastal Volunteering, an event in a marquee to highlight local charities and volunteering opportunities. Taking Care of You   Over the next few newsletters, we will be running a mini-series of practical advice and tips about how to take care of yourself whilst caring for a loved one.  Often carers overlook self-care, so think of it as the oxygen mask analogy in an emergency flight situation, but not quite as catastrophic. We would love to hear your tips and stories of what you have learned on your own dementia journey too, so please do let us know so that we can share and help others. We are very fortunate in Margate to have a coffee morning set up by The NHS Margate & Mocketts Wood PCN Social Prescribing Team, being supported by EKIDS at Trinity Resource Centre and a group at The Lodge in Westgate-on-Sea set up by The CARE PCN, again in collaboration with EKIDS.  Many of you have benefited from advice dispensed by medical professionals at our Trinity Resource Centre and by The Care PCN at The Lodge Westgate groups. In recent weeks basic health checks have been offered by Lesley Sturges, the Registered Pharmacy Technician from the Margate & Mocketts Wood PCN at the Trinity Group which has helped some of you who are sometimes finding it difficult to access services at your local surgery. She is also available to talk about any medication queries you may have without the need for you to visit your GP surgery, we know that some of you have found this very beneficial. We think outreach services are a great way to access health support so we would encourage you to use the services on offer. All of the services are free and confidential to you and the NHS. The Social Prescribers for the Margate and Mocketts Wood PCN; Ellen, Vicky, Becky and Michelle, and Luisa from CARE PCN can all offer advice and support in the community to help you access services to help improve your health and well-being, and help you to navigate care services in the community, and have been instrumental in running and supporting the groups. Helping hands We would like to advise you of a scheme that is operated by Citizens Advice supporting people in Kent who are struggling financially or need support to manage the rising cost of living, through its new Money Advice Hub. The service is completely free and confidential. People can access the service online by visiting:   www.kentmoneyadvicehub.com (with video call and webchat functions available) or by calling the freephone number on 0800 808 5622  from Monday to Friday between 8 am – 8 pm. It can also be accessed using one of five kiosks installed in community spaces in Gravesham, Cliftonville, Ramsgate, Aylesham, and Ashford. Raffle   We will be holding a raffle at our April Meeting at the San Clu, we don’t need any donations of raffle prizes this time but no doubt we will hold raffles in the future.  As well as supporting a good cause we have some lovely prizes for you.   The money raised at our raffles go back into the kitty and helps towards subsiding outings. Did you know?   The “Ides of March” was a day in the Roman calendar equivalent to March 15th. It was considered a deadline for settling debts. It was also the day Julius Caesar was assassinated. The name for March comes from Mars, the Roman god of war. It was named as such in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Joke of the Month   What do you call a Roman Emperor with a bad allergy? Answer: Julius Snaesar   and on that note, we'll leave it there, have a happy and healthy March.

Tessa Read 1944 - 2023
It was with great sadness that we announced to the group in January the passing of our founding member, trustee, and senior committee member, Tess Read.
Without Tess, EKIDS simply would not exist, so we have a lot to thank her for. She showed us all how it was possible to live as well as you can with either a dementia diagnosis or when caring for someone with dementia.
She pushed the boundaries and never ceased to surprise us with her ideas for the annual trips either on a small boat out to sea, trips on trains or simply dining out in public spaces.
Her drive for people with dementia to feel included and valued was relentless. Tess always had time for you, was uncannily perceptive, and knew when things were not going well for the people she cared so much about.

Her compassion for others and her willingness to give her time to others are fine examples to us all. Tess could also be mischievous in nature and had a wonderful repertoire of expletives that only she could get away with so eloquently.

Tess has left a wonderful legacy in EKIDS, she has also had a positive impact on others so her mission will continue with your help and the help of our wonderful volunteers.

If anyone would like to pay their respects to Tess, the funeral will be held on Thursday 23rd February at 12 pm at Barham Crematorium Kent, Canterbury Road, Canterbury CT4 6QU. The wake will be at The Duke of Cumberland, The Street, Barham, Canterbury CT4 6NY.

Tess' family has asked us for the number of people attending the wake for catering, so please make that known to the committee or one of our volunteers as soon as you can.

God Bless you Tess, Rest in Peace.

Outings & Events

Outings for 2023
We have arranged our first outing for this year on Thursday 20th April. We are having an afternoon tea at the NAAFI in Manston, the cost is likely to be £5 per person. Booking forms will be distributed shortly.

The tea is scheduled to start at 2 pm but you are welcome to visit the museum beforehand. We suggest you allow at least 1 hour to do this. Museum volunteers may be on hand to assist where needed and we may be able to have a couple of EKIDS volunteers arrive early. The cost of entry to the museum is normally £3 but we may be able to secure a small discount.

As always first priority is going to our members that are living with dementia and their carer. If we have spaces then supporters will be very welcome to attend.

Tess did love afternoon tea so it is fitting that the first tea of the year is dedicated to her memory.
This is the first of our outings for 2023, please watch this space for details of more events.

2023 Membership
If not already done so then please complete your membership forms and submit to an EKIDS volunteer at your earliest convenience.

Scams & Spam
As you are all aware many of us are receiving spam text messages or phone calls from time to time. If you get a scam text you can forward it to 7726 so that OFCOM is aware of it.  Please all be very careful with emails and texts. If you are unsure then ask the company who it might be from, they won’t mind.

7726 is a number that most mobile users on UK Networks can text to report unwanted SMS messages or phone calls received on a mobile. The number 7726 was chosen because it spells SPAM on an alphanumeric phone keypad - that's a handy way of remembering it.

Watch the videos from OFCOM, linked below to learn how to forward scam or spam texts and calls to 7726 on iOS and Android phones. When you text to 7726 it alerts your mobile provider to investigate the number and potentially block it, if it's found to be a nuisance:

How to report scam texts to 7726 on iPhone
Tap or click https://youtu.be/wb-FaJmjJaI

How to report a scam mobile call to 7726 on iPhone
Tap or click https://youtu.be/XxYSPseveYk

How to report a scam mobile call to 7726 on Android
Tap or click https://youtu.be/-VCe8GgXWv0

Did you know?
That 2023 is the year of the Rabbit in the Chinese or Yin calendar. The rabbit is the fourth animal in the Chinese zodiac and symbolizes grace, beauty, mercy and good luck. Rabbits are also associated with the moon, because of the mythical Jade Rabbit who lives there.

The word February translates into over 100 other languages. Some of these languages are as follows:
Èryuè – Chinese (Mandarin)
Februari – Dutch
Février – French
Februar – German
Febbraio – Italian
Februarius – Latin
February is the only month in the year that could miss having a full moon completely. Some months get a blue moon (two full moons in a month), and February often ends up with none!

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and from all of our volunteers, we wish you all a very Happy, Healthy 2023.

 

Yearly Review

What an eventful year 2022 was. Easing out of COVID-19 Lockdowns, the war in Ukraine, Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, and the passing of the Queen too. The new Carolean era began as Prince Charles became King Charles III on 8th September. Energy, food, and oil prices soared but on a positive note, we had wonderful weather during the Summer and into Autumn, and many events that had been postponed in previous years due to pandemic-related restrictions took place once again.

We had some great times as a group too. The coffee mornings have gone from strength to strength with many new members joining our ranks.

In April we went to the NAAFI at Manston for a lovely afternoon tea. Some of the group went and looked around the museum. The food was excellent and so was the company.

In July we embarked on our big summer trip enjoying fish and chips on the Kentish Lady as she cruised on the River Medway. The boat also had a bar and a few of you enjoyed a little tipple along with ice creams when we disembarked. It was such a great day.

Then in September, we had another lovely afternoon tea at The Walpole Bay Hotel where we the proprietor Jane gave a talk about the history of the hotel. It was very interesting, and the food was lovely too.

Our last outing of the year was Christmas Lunch at St. Augustine’s. It was another successful meal and a wonderful end to the year. Our good friend Philip Chandler submitted a review of the annual event and Carol service the following week which we will include on our website but in the meantime here's a brief extract:

"I enjoyed the Christmas Lunch at St. Augustin's. We started with a drink at the bar and admired the large, decorated Christmas tree. I spoke with our main sponsors Burgess Hodgson along with Matt from Thanet Business Network and Kevin & Lorraine from The Wrinkly Road Show. We were treated well with food and wine after which Kevin entertained us on the mic before the presentations. We were also treated to a container of Quality Street. Another fine event from EKIDS"

 

Tessa Read

As some of you may be aware Tess hasn’t been at our meetings recently. This is due to ill health and unfortunately, Tess is still in hospital

The committee is in touch with her family and a few of us have been to see her. Tess is in good spirits despite her condition, she says that she can't wait to be discharged home. We are all hoping for a speedy recovery.

 

Outings & Events

 

Tea Dance
The 2 Tea Dances organised and run by Your Leisure have been very successful and enjoyed by those of you who were able to attend. Your Leisure has a dance teacher leading the sessions and can teach you the steps for the dances to get you on your way.

 

There is a break for tea and a variety of cakes, after which more dancing to work off those calories. Watch this space for more opportunities coming in the new year.

 

Outings for 2023
Is there anywhere you think we would like to go as a group? Please speak to a volunteer if you have a preference or places of interest that you think we could visit next year and likewise if you would like to return to one of the places we have previously visited as well.

When we plan outings, we think about accessibility for all as well as the distance to travel to avoid too long a day for anyone. Toilet facilities and stops are important too. We feel an hour or so coach journey is long enough and of course, we look forward to hearing your suggestions but please get them in early as we like to finalise plans for outings by Springtime.

Tea Dance
The 2 Tea Dances organised and run by Your Leisure have been very successful and enjoyed by those of you who were able to attend. Your Leisure has a dance teacher leading the sessions and can teach you the steps for the dances to get you on your way.

There is a break for tea and a variety of cakes, after which more dancing to work off those calories. Watch this space for more opportunities coming in the new year.

Outings for 2023
Is there anywhere you think we would like to go as a group? Please speak to a volunteer if you have a preference or places of interest that you think we could visit next year and likewise if you would like to return to one of the places we have previously visited as well.

When we plan outings we think about accessibility for all as well as the distance to travel to avoid too long a day for anyone. Toilet facilities and stops are important too. We feel an hour or so coach journey is long enough and of course, we look forward to hearing your suggestions but please get them in early as we like to finalise plans for outings by Springtime.

Groups
Our regular social groups will always be at the heart of what we do. We are delighted with how EKIDS groups have developed over the year and wanted to listen to your opinions on the current format. We have noticed that some of you are staying behind for meals or just a catch-up with friends which is fantastic to see, so a regular lunch club organised by members could become a regular feature. Would you like to see more speakers at groups and if so, which subjects would be of interest to you?

 

2023 Membership

As a matter of annual administration, we will be asking everyone to complete a membership form in the New Year. Any details about you on the form, including details of emergency contacts, are used solely for the purposes of EKIDS and are not passed on to any other organisation without your express and prior permission.

The form also includes consent for photographs or videos that may be taken for the purpose of showcasing EKIDS to reach others that may be in need of our services. We will always ask your permission for any such media to be used each time we take a photograph or video of you or a group of members at any coffee morning, event, or outing.

As we did in 2022, we have included different categories of membership to help us with the administration side of the charity. The categories are:

 

Member
A person living with dementia or a memory problem

Carer
The primary person caring for a Member

Supporter
A former Carer, part of someone's support network, or EKIDS advocate.

Volunteer
A helper at a group, event, or outing, Committee member, or Trustee

Membership Fees
Some of you have asked during the year to pay for events or donate using your smartphones or on-line banking. We are trialling a system from JustGiving called Checkout so for those of you who wish to pay membership subs this way just scan the QR code on the membership form with your Smartphone, we ask that you still submit a completed membership form and hand it to our Secretary Janet Dack or a member of the Committee in her absence.

 

Because JustGiving's Checkout tool is for charity donations we are asking for donations rather than an annual membership fee this year. The minimum donation is £2.

 

Did You Know?

10 years ago in 2013
There were concerns amongst wine drinkers after a report warned the world faced a wine shortage due to demand outstripping supply. Did you know that in 2022 the most popular wine drank in the UK was a Californian Rose from the brand Blossom Hill, whereas 10 years previously Sauvignon Blanc was all the rage?

25 years ago in 1998
David Beckham received a red card in the England v Argentina world cup game in France. Can anyone remember the name of the England Manager at the time and the final score?

50 years ago in 1973
The UK entered the EEC (European Economic Community), now commonly known as the European Union; can anyone remember the name of Prime Minister in that year?

Welcome to Your November Newsletter
We hope you are all well and looking forward to the upcoming festivities. We have a couple of serious topics to talk about this month which are heating bills and scams, which both seem to increase this time of year.

It is often easy to focus on bad news and feel gloomy about things in the press at times but we just wanted to remind everyone that there is a lot of good and kindness in the world too. We see this firsthand in our groups; the friendships formed over the years, how new members are welcomed, our outings, and the laughter at all of our meetings. We are of an age group that has had to tighten our belts before and brace for things to come, but we also know how to get through a crisis. We all know that often the things that we worry about sometimes don't actually happen, and when they do, they aren't always as bad as we feared.

We are a hardy bunch and we will get through the Winter, as always if anyone is worried then please contact a member of the committee, and we will help signpost you to the right resources or try to find someone who can help.

Christmas Lunch Bookings
A quick reminder that the last date for Christmas Lunch bookings is Friday 4th November - please get your form and payment to Janet or Celia asap.

We look forward to welcoming you at 12:30pm for a 1pm sit-down at St.Augustine's on Friday 9th December. There will be some space in the car park but please car share if you can. The postcode for your sat nav is CT8 8NL, situated just past the Westgate traffic lights (Minster/St.Mildred's Rd) on Canterbury Road, number 125 if you are prompted for that.

Outings & Events - Afternoon Tea
A big thank you to the Rotary Club Isle of Thanet Sunrise for a lovely afternoon tea last month. We appreciate that the annual tea had limited numbers however those who did attend, had a wonderful time.

Outings & Events - Tea Dance
We understand that the Tea Dance on Friday 28th October was a lively affair at the Trinity Resource Centre. We are looking forward to feedback from you about that and of course, we will let you know if it is to continue.

Other Activities - Seaside Singers
Great news, the Seaside Singers are back. Sessions are being held at Holy Trinity, on the following dates:

Thursdays 6th, 13th and 20th of October, then in November on the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th which are all on a Thursday again. Please ensure you arrive by 1:45 pm for a prompt 2pm start. The sessions last for 1 hour.

Other Activities - St. Marks Church
The Thursday Fellowship group has a Pearly King entertainer from 2.30 pm. on Thursday 3rd November. He is asking for donations to the Cancer Research shop in Broadstairs from anyone attending. Please contact Angela or a member of the committee if you would like to attend.

Other Activities - Carol Service & Mince Pies
At Trinity Resource Centre after the meeting on the 16th December. This will be the last meeting of this group until Friday 6th January.

Heating Bills & Winter Tips
The cost of living crisis has been a feature of our headlines for some time now and will continue to be as we head into Winter. Additional assistance with fuel bills is starting to filter through with credits being made to your energy account - please speak to your supplier or speak to a member of the committee and we will try and signpost you to the right place if you are unsure about this.

Fortunately, the Autumn weather has been mild so far but as we head into the colder months it is imperative that we all stay warm and comfortable. It is a good idea that you know what you are spending on your fuel bills, so take regular meter readings if you can, or ask someone to do that for you. There are known issues with some smart meters with a significant amount of electricity usage bills being estimated. This has been and continues to be a problem for some Scottish Power customers, so please check, you may actually be in credit by some margin.

Now is the time to get out your Winter woolies, throw a blanket over the duvet, and eat seasonal foods such as soups and stews. Stay warm before you get cold.

Scammers, Cold Callers and Hackers
It's that time of year again when we can expect an increase in telephone scams, unsolicited cold callers, and Facebook scams.

Here are a few tips of our own and some that we have taken from Kent Police.

Cold Callers
Be suspicious of anyone knocking on your door without a prior appointment. All callers should have clear identification so please do not let anyone on your property without checking their ID or validating their reason for being at your door. If they are genuine, they will not take offense by you turning them away.

Offers
Don't agree to spectacular offers, time-limited offers, or no-obligation appointments. If it seems too good to be true, then it is.

Money
Don't hand over money or sign cheques unless you are absolutely certain.

Your Bank Details
Never give out your bank details to someone you do not know or trust, or have just met.

Links in eMails, Social Media Posts, etc.
Avoid clicking links in emails or on Facebook or other social media platforms unless you are absolutely sure that it is genuine. Log on to a website instead, if it is genuine then you will find the information quickly.

Reviews & Testimonials
Never rely on glowing testimonials or reviews. If you are purchasing goods or services from a company or individuals then do your research and get good, solid, independent evidence.

Legal Advice
Always get independent or legal advice if an offer involves money, time, or a commitment.

Facebook (and other social media platforms)
Please do not copy and paste or forward messages to your friends to see if 'anyone will read this'. Please do not play quizzes such as 'what is the name of your first pet/favourite football team/place of birth' etc. These are very cleverly designed to find out more personal information about you so that scammers can then use to guess passwords etc.

Passwords
A lot of us are now dependent on using online accounts for banking, paying bills, shopping, etc. Please use 'strong' passwords and use different passwords for different applications. If you don't then it is likely that most or all of your online accounts will be hacked if someone falls on the correct password for just 1 application.

When choosing a password, we suggest using a combination of lower and upper case letters. If you wish to use a memorable word then split the word with special characters such as @?&% and numbers. Another thing you could do is use 3 random words that you could remember along with numbers (not your birthday/house number) and/or special characters.

Spot it - Report it
If you suspect a scam or fraudulent activity or have been a victim of a scam then please report it to Kent Police Action Fraud line on 0300 123 2040

Please do not feel embarrassed or ashamed, reach out and get help.

Newsletter via eMail
We are working on distributing the newsletter via email although we have had a few unexpected setbacks, so please be patient with us. We would love to here feedback about the newsletter, format on the printed and email copy plus the content that you want to read about.

If you would like to receive the newsletter via eMail, and haven't then please check your junk or spam folder. You will need to add our sender's address to your eMail contacts, or it may just be the case that we have not got your email address, Please speak to Lee or Charlie if you need any advice.