News

Dementia can be scary but you don’t have to face it alone

Dear Dementia, I'm scared, this is youThis Dementia Awareness Week the Alzheimer’s Society is encouraging anyone who is worried about dementia to confront their concerns and get in touch with them.

Hundreds of thousands of families are touched by dementia every year and many people don’t know where to turn. We know dementia can be scary but you don’t have to face it alone.

If you’re worried that you, or someone close to you, might have dementia, call our National Dementia Helpline on 0300 222 1122 or email helpline@alzheimers.org.uk for advice and support.

SACF May 2016 Meeting

The next meeting of South Ashford Community Forum will take place

  • at 6:30 pm
  • on 18th May 2016
  • at South Ashford Baptist Church
    Brookfield Road, TN23 4EY

The Agenda can be downloaded from the Minutes and Agendas page.

Representatives of of U+I Group, will attend this meeting to give an update and answer questions on ‘Victoria Way‘ and Powergen Site developments. The meeting time has been set at 6:30pm to allow the development proposals to be displayed before the formal start at 7:00pm.

The current proposals for the ‘Victoria Way‘ development can be downloaded from the dedicated website victoriaway.com. Our comments on the proposals can be viewed from the Publications page.

The planning application for the Powergen Site can be viewed on the Ashford Borough Council planning application search, using Case No. 15/01671/AS. Our comments on the Application can be viewed from the Publications page of the South Ashford website.

An Electoral Review of Ashford is in progress. Ashford Borough Council has proposed that the number councillors is increased. We will discuss what this could mean for South Ashford.

Line-up for Create Festival 2016

Create Tree LogoThe line-up for Create Music Festival’s 21st Birthday has been announced, although the headliners are still being kept under wraps!

On Saturday 23rd July, Victoria Park will once again host one of the South East’s biggest free music festivals, and has lined up a packed programme of music indulgence with over 40 local, talented bands, acts, solo performers, choirs and DJ’s performing across the day.

The Create Main Stage, sponsored by Ashford College, includes popular local favourites Riskee & The Ridicule, Old Town Souls and Slam Cartel, all supported by Ashford College Music Technology students working behind the scenes.

The brand new Fountain Stage sponsored by Right Track Music will once again showcase a whole host of up and coming musicians that emerge from the school, as well as community groups, choirs and young local talent.

Ashford’s premier music and arts venue, Revelation St Mary’s, has programmed an eclectic mix of singer-songwriters, and young folk and indie acts.

Fans will have noticed that announcements are yet to be made for the legendary Create DJ stage, but can rest assured that an awesome line up will be laying down the very best of house, EDM and club anthems.

Following on from last year’s memorable performance from Adam Ant, the festival is still keeping all the headline acts of each stage close to its chest, but has teased all music fans that they are in for an equally impressive, musical treat for this year! (more…)

Foster Care Fortnight

Kent County CouncilKent County Council needs more people to become foster carers after facing huge numbers of children needing loving homes in the past year.

This Foster Care Fortnight (16-29 May), KCC is calling for anyone who could offer a stable and loving home to children including those with a disability, sibling groups to keep brothers and sisters together, 16-18 year olds working towards independence and unaccompanied asylum seeking young people.

Fostering with KCC means giving a home to local children, with local support in your own community and a local social worker.

There is also the opportunity to support unaccompanied asylum seeking young people who have often fled traumatic home lives and taken harrowing journeys to arrive in the county with no one to care for them.

KCC wants to recruit 150 more households to its fostering service this year.

Peter Oakford, KCC Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services, said: “Our foster carers do an amazing job supporting vulnerable children from our own county and those who have fled their homelands to come to Kent.

“Whether you foster a disabled child, a teenager or an unaccompanied asylum seeking young person, Kent County Council makes sure you have all the skills and support you need to make sure you can do the best you can for the child in your care.

“Few roles are as rewarding as being a foster carer, knowing that the love and support you offer can change the course of a child’s life.”

Fostering is a paid role, you can be single or in a relationship, and age and experience are no barrier.

Foster Carers with Kent County Council get round-the-clock support and advice, they get their own ‘mentor’ – an experienced foster carer to support them through their first months, their own personal development plan, a chance to get new qualifications, payment for new skills and local support groups for both carers and their birth children.

 

If you think you have the energy, enthusiasm and love to support a vulnerable young person in Kent, call 03000 420002 or visit kentfostering.co.uk to find out more.

Kent County Council 09 May 2016
https://kccmediahub.net/offer-loving-home-children-kent745

Deaf Awareness Week: Travel

Ed Rex, Travel blogger“For years people said I couldn’t travel on my own because of my deafness. With my hearing aid and cochlear implant, it’s been so easy to travel by myself.

“I have travelled round the world and been immersed indifferent languages, cultures and customs. It’s really bro

Ed Rex, travel blogger http://rexyedventures.com/

#DeafAwarenessWeek

www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/deaf-awareness-week.aspx

Scam, Safety and Recall Alerts

Twitter_logo_blueWe get many scam alerts and safety and product recall notices. If we posted them all on our website and Facebook page our other posts would be missed among all of the alerts. Instead we have included a number of organisations that provide alerts in a twitter feed shown in the right hand column of our website. Watch this feed for public protection alerts.

The feed currently includes: (more…)

British Sign Language

Learning BSL I definitely can“I’m learning British Sign Language because everybody deserves the same level of service when coming to our pub.

“I want to be able to ask deaf customers how they are, if they’ve had a nice day and what they’d like to order, without having to write everything down. Not long now!”

Josie Linden, Operations Manager

Learning British Sign Langauge

#deafawarenessweek
www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/deaf-awareness-week.aspx

 

Deaf Awareness Week: Sport

A1263_DAW2016ShanePrendergast“I became profoundly deaf at 21. Some people think it’s dangerous for me to cycle, but what I lack in hearing I more than make up with awareness of my surroundings.

“This year I’m tackling a 3,200 mile ride across the USA. Deafness is not a barrier to life – it doesn’t stop people embracing their passions.”

Shane Prendergast, cyclist

#DeafAwarenessWeek

www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/deaf-awareness-week.aspx

NHS in east Kent to combine 111 and out of hours care

Ashford Clinical Commissioning Group

 

People in east Kent will benefit from a new integrated NHS 111 and GP-led out of hours service which also offers innovative support for patients with complex needs.

The new service combines 111, the NHS non-emergency number, with the out of hours service, providing care for patients who need to see a GP urgently when their practice is closed overnight or at the weekend.

This will be further enhanced with a care navigation service which will help patients with more complex needs remain at home where possible.

Care navigation involves healthcare professionals looking at the holistic health and wellbeing needs of a patient. They can make referrals to a number of different services for each patient, depending on their needs, such as to a district nurse to dress wounds and to an occupational therapist to carry out an equipment assessment. (more…)