Door to door transport solutions for older people in Salford

The Senior Transport Task Group is working with Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority transport operators and Salford City Council to organise an event around transportation demand management (TDM).  Especially how this will affect older people and operators, as the cross government directive personalisation agenda is used more effectively in the future.

The Department for Transport research into the travel needs, behaviour and aspirations of people in later life identified the most dominant factor affecting transport use is health status rather than age. Access to key services remains the priority for people in later life.

One way of improving the availability of transport services is through pooling resources. Statutory Local Transport Plan Guidance, issued by DfT in July 2009, places a strong emphasis on better connecting transport and local services. Through partnership working, tailored transport services have a better chance of becoming sustainable options for helping older people maintain a sense of independence and freedom and a good quality of life.

Ring & Ride, Salford Community Transport, Local Link, Salford CC Passenger Transport, Private Hire and Hackney Cab Services

All are looking at the application of strategies and policies to reduce travel demand, or to redistribute this demand in space or in time, in line with the responsibilities of the Salford Travel Partnership.

They will be holding an event on October 1st from 10-2pm at Elm Bank Lodge in Eccles as part of the Full of Life national campaign and the Salford Young at Heart Older Peoples Day.

This is to give up to date information to the older communities in Salford and to gain their views on how they feel an operator is delivering a service and how they feel it can be improved upon in the future.

There will be stands, and operators will inform residents of what their services offer and any changes they see happening in the near future by way of short presentation.  There will be a chance to talk with them during lunchtime, and residents will be given the opportunity to discuss issues in a panel type setting in the afternoon.

Poor information, especially regarding accessible transport options, can be a barrier to older people with mobility problems. It can also mean that services are not used as much as they could be, potentially threatening the viability of the service.

Provision of information in a variety of other formats, for example, in large print (leaflets, printed timetables, in timetable displays provided at bus stops and shelters) of course at events, can improve access to information and therefore transport for many older people.

The aim of this event is to bring operators and residents to a better level of understanding through two way consultation of why a service operates the way it does, the constraints it has in delivering a service, and how the community can work with them in the future to build a better all round on demand service as the older population in Salford increases.

The group hope to conduct this event on an annual basis to enable a long term evaluation of these services and how they fit into the Salford City Council sustainable transport agenda.

Booking a place is essential due to catering, please contact

Raja Hussain on 0161 793 2271 or raja.hussain@salford.gov.uk

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day

Making mental health a global priority

Mental Health Day takes place in October each year. Its  about raising awareness of mental health within the community and reducing stigma around mental health issues.

This year, the event will be taking place on 9 October 2010. The focus of the day is around promoting awareness of emotional wellbeing based on the five ways to wellbeing. These are:

Connect

Connect with the people around you. Social relationships are critical to our wellbeing.

Be active

Go for a walk or a run, step outside, cycle, play a game, garden, dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Exercise has been shown to increase mood and has been used successfully to lower rates of depression and anxiety.

Take notice

Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the usual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

Keep learning

Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun. Learning encourages social interaction and increases self-esteem and feelings of competency.

Give

Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone, smile, volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you. Studies in neuroscience have shown that cooperative behaviour activates reward areas of the brain, suggesting we are hard wired to enjoy helping one another. Individuals actively engaged in their communities report higher wellbeing and their help and gestures have knock-on effects for others

The activities this year are aiming to help people learn about activities, groups and services that can help to support their emotional wellbeing (feeling happy, good and positive), particularly if they have a long term condition such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, chronic pain, epilepsy, depression, anxiety or other mental health condition which may have an effect upon their emotional wellbeing.

Please contact clare.mayo@salford.gov.uk 
User Development Worker for Mental Health
Telephone: 0161 793 3832

CSV Make a Difference Day

Every year tens of thousands of people get together to make a difference in their communities for CSV Make a Difference Day, the UK’s biggest day of volunteering.  http://www.csv.org.uk/campaigns/csv-make-difference-day

This year it takes place on Saturday 30 October 2010 – and you can be part of it! Think big and organise your own activity for the campaign, or simply go along and volunteer for the day.

Registrations are now open for this year! Click here to add an activity

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

Residents’ garden comes to life.

Cllr Warmisham with staff & resident who made garden possible.

Cllr Warmisham at plaque to commemorate opening.

A new community garden designed by older and vulnerable people at a sheltered housing scheme has opened today.

Residents at Lombardy Court in Pendleton, Salford, celebrated their new garden with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque and an official opening by ward councillor John Warmisham.

In December last year residents at Lombardy Court bid for a share of £35,000 funding from their housing landlords Salix Homes to build the garden.

It was one of 15 schemes chosen by other residents to receive the money.

The new facility hopes to encourage people to look after community areas and is an incentive for older residents to get outdoors.

Caretaking staff at Salix Homes helped residents to plant flowers as part of the company’s WIN Days initiative where employees get involved in community projects.

Raised planting beds have been put in so that wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties enjoy the garden.

It has been landscaped with the help of Groundwork Salford and benches have been donated by Franklins.

Sue Sutton, Salix Homes’ head of neighbourhood services said: “The idea for the garden was put forward by residents and we’ve been able to make it possible by setting aside a dedicated budget for community projects.

“Before the garden there wasn’t an outdoor space that residents could really enjoy but now they have a place that they can call their own.

“Projects like this help to bring neighbourhoods together and we will be shortly opening up entries for another round of funding in the coming months.”

Extending the hackney carriage rank at Rossall Way

rossall way

Cllr Loveday and I have been after this for a long time. I hope it helps as the way cabs were waiting on the roundabout was an accident waiting to happen.

Roma,Gypsy Traveller event

Cllr George Wilson Mayor of Salford & Mayoress with The Gypsy Story Teller outside her caravan

The Roma,Gypsy Traveller event held on Saturday at The Manchester Irish Centre was a great success, showing the culture and diversity of these communities. Also highlighted was the discrimination and abuse they also suffer.

Well done to all involved organising the event.

Salford’s Big Green Festival

Creating a sustainable future in Salford

www.salford.gov.uk/biggreenfestival

New Tesco for Pendleton

I met with Tesco representitives today to discuss their

plans to build a new Tesco store in Pendleton. They are

planning to build the store on land next to Salford

Shopping City, between Fitzwarren St; Sedley Rd &

Pendleton Way.

I’m pleased that Tesco have agreed that the store will

bring 650 full and part-time jobs for local people. At least

half of those jobs will be reserved for the long-term

unemployed.

Tesco will be holding a public information event on Thursday24th June 2010 2pm – 8pm at St.Thomas Church, Ford Lane,Pendleton.

 The development team will be there to answer any questions and give information.

Photographic exhibition.

Photographic exhibition at
Salford Museum and Art Gallery

14 June to 18 July 2010
“Still here…
Traveller communities
in Manchester and
Salford”

The exhibition shows the enduring
heritage of families and individuals
from Traveller backgrounds and how
their history is part of the ongoing
narrative of this city’s life.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery

Peel Park, Salford M5 4WU

0161 778 0800.

For more information go to:

www.salford.gov.uk/exhibitions