Octobers meeting we had Ellie Abernethy who came along from Warm and Healthy Homes (Energy Projects Plus is a registered charity, who provide free, impartial, expert advice on saving energy across Merseyside and Cheshire.  Warm and Healthy Homes is funded by the British Gas Energy Trust)  they will come into your homes and give a free energy check for anyone who is vulnerable to living in a cold home i.e. over 65s, people with disabilities etc.  Their expert advisors will help you switch to a cheaper energy tariff, identify cost saving improvements to your home and help you find funding to install them, check you are receiving the right benefits and provide advice about the most efficient way to heat your home and avoid damp and condensation.  They have grants for New Boilers, Boiler repairs, insulation, draught proofing, new central heating systems, heating controls and radiator reflector panels.  This does not only apply to your own home but also if you cared fors are living independently, they can also have an assessment visit.

Xmas Fair – Monday 28^th November  12 noon –  Our next event is our Christmas Fair, which is will be a fun, fund raising event.  have invited stall holders selling xmas gifts, HALDS will holding a raffle and also a tombola stall to raise funds, If you have anything for the tombola stall please could you drop off at my house and NOT bring along on the day of the Christmas fair, (as the goods have to have raffle tickets put on them, which is chaotic on the day)  we will also be having Holistic therapies in the small room these will be Hand & Arm Massages or Back & Shoulder Massagers £3.50 for 10 minutes or Indian Head Massages or Back & Shoulder Massages £6 for 20 minutes, you can book these on the day direct with Sarah.  We will also be having manicures, again you book these direct with Sam.   The Christmas fair will open at 12pm, we will be having a Christmas buffett, a xmas quiz and at 2pm approx children from Cavendish School will be coming along to sing Christmas songs for us, after which we will be having a visit from Santa.  Please try and attend this fun fund raising event and bring along friends and family.  I am also looking for volunteers to man the Tombola stall, sell raffle tickets etc.

Contacting me – I do not take the HALDS telephone to work or out and about with me, if you need to speak to me or to ask me something, please either send a text or leave a message and I will get back to you when I can.   If you need to know anything about trips times etc, this information is always in the newsletter or on our web site www.halds.org.

Carer Assessments from Halton Borough Council – I have brought up the waiting times when carers are contacting the HBC for an assessment at the Carers Strategy meeting, they require some examples, therefore if you have requested a carers assessment could you please let me know about any problems you may have had and also the waiting times from requesting the assessment to the actual assessment itself. Please e-mail me if you have had difficulty in accessing a Carer Assessment and advise waiting times etc. 

Social Events 

7^th Birthday party – instead of having a birthday party at end Feb. We are going to go out for lunch on Monday 20^th February to celebrate HALDS 7^th birthday, I am looking for ideas for a hotel or restaurant about 1 hour radius of Runcorn. 

Potteries Tour – Monday 14^th November – We will be leaving Runcorn Old Town Bus Station 9.15 first visiting Wedgewood (large pottery) where you will browse at your leisure round  factory and the museum,  leaving 12.15pm to  proceed to Emma Bridgewater Pottery (smaller pottery) for lunch and factory tour at 1.30pm. –   Time back to Runcorn 4pm approx

Oliver, Brindley Theatre – Wed 16^th November – Meet in foyer from 7pm where tickets will be handed out. 

HALDS Christmas Party – Saturday 10^th  December, 7pm at Mencap Acorn Centre, Laburnum  Grove, Runcorn, all free, but please bring own food and drink.  We will be having a Christmas Raffle and entertainment will be with Adams disco.  There will be party games and a good time will be had by all. 

Turkey & Tinsel – Week-end at Bond Hotel, Friday 16th December     Coach will be leaving Runcorn Old Town Bus Station at 12noon, Widnes Stobart Stadium 12.10 then leaving on the Monday 10am for journey home, this is a Christmas weekend, Friday evening will be Christmas Eve, Saturday eve Christmas Day and Sunday is Boxing day.

2017

Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, Thursday 12^th January at Lowry Theatre, Manchester 7.30 performance,  Cost £10 HALDS members, £37.50 for Non Members, Monies to be paid by end Dec. Coach will be leaving Runcorn Old Town Bus station  5.50 and Widnes Stobart Stadium 6pm.  This trip is now full

Billy Elliott,  Wednesday 25^th January, at Palace Theatre, Manchester at 7.30, Cost £10 for HALDS members and £27.50 for Non members, Monies to be paid by end Dec, Coach will be leaving Runcorn Old Town Bus station  5.50 and Widnes Stobart Stadium 6pm.   There are a few tickets still left for Billy Elliott

Old Dock  Experience/museums/lunch, Wed 15^th Feb – Cost will be £5 for HALDS & Non Halds members, but non HALDS members to pay for their own meal. Please let me know if you are interested, monies to be paid by end Jan

The Wiz, Brindley Theatre, 8th March, this is an upbeat version of the Wizard of Oz, Cost for HALDS members £5, Non HALDS £16, Please let me know if you are interested, monies to be paid by end Feb

St Asaph Mill – Saturday 11^th March – full day event at St Asaph Mill/evening meal, please let me know if you are interested

Monday 10^th April, Tour of St Georges Hall, Liverpool/lunch, Cost £5 for all, but non HALDS to pay for their own meal

12^th May – Marlborough Hotel, Llandudno, full weekend event, from Friday 12^th May  till Monday 15^th , cost £160 per person, but we do have lottery funding to put towards this weekend away, please let me know if interested .

Other events will include:

May – Tour Lowry Theatre/Shopping at Lowry outlet

June – Summer evening cruise on Mersey

July – Bodelwydden Castle or Ironbride Museums

August – Emmerdale tour 

Monday 5^th December is the Halton Legion Christmas party for Adults with learning disabilities, if you would like your cared for to come along, its not too late, please contact me and I will put your name down 

Mencap are holding a fund raising dance on Friday 2^nd December, with entertainment by Young and Foolish, proceeds towards Mencaps panto visit to the Brindley theatre, please contact me if you would like tickets.

Mencap are holding a Christmas bingo on Wednesday 7^th December at The Acorn Club, Laburnum Grove, Runcorn ,WA7 5EX. Door open 6pm, eyes down 7pm, Admission £3, refreshments included, There will be a tombola and a raffle