Age Concern Calderdale and Innocent Drinks are running their bobble hats for Innocent Smoothie Drinks campaign again this year.    For each hat knitted Innocent Drinks and Sainsburys will each donate 25p (50p per hat) which we will help us to provide services for vulnerable older people.

Can you help by either knitting hats or make a donation towards our fundraising target?

Age Concern Calderdale's free magazine for older people, Newsage, is now available. You can view the first edition here, and the second edition is now being circulated.

We are circulating the magazine through libraries, community groups and other organsations. If you would like a printed copy, or copies to distribute, please contact us. We are also interested in news, information and feature ideas for future issues.

Calder Valley MP Chris McCafferty visited Age Concern Calderdale today to pledge her support for the charity’s ‘Feet for Purpose’ campaign. This national initiative is highlighting how the lack of NHS foot care services is affecting millions of older people, who without treatment could be left housebound or disabled.

Chris McCafferty MP said, “Age Concern Calderdale explained the problems that can arise when older people are unable to access basic foot care services. I know that independence and mobility are vital to older people – that’s why I support their campaign, and I will be writing to the Minister at the Department of Health highlighting the need for basic foot care services to be properly funded and freely available on the NHS.”

For more information, see our press release about the visit.

Age Concern Calderdale are backing a national campaign to call for better foot care services for older people, following fears that some older people can be left housebound or disabled by the lack of affordable foot care.

According to ‘Feet for Purpose’, a report by Age Concern England, one in three people over 65 – over two million older people in England – cannot cut their own toe nails.  Increasingly nail cutting and other foot care services are being withdrawn or restricted by the NHS. Although nail cutting may sound trivial, lack of even the most basic foot care frequently leads to complications that can result in dangerous falls, severe restrictions on mobility and social isolation.

Buying Christmas gifts for grandchildren or friends this year is going to be almost impossible for many of the most deprived people living in Calderdale’s care homes. 260,000 care home residents in England have to manage with a Personal Expenses Allowance of a measly £19.60 a week.

This allowance is meant to cover all personal items including clothes, transport and toiletries. However it doesn’t even cover basic necessities - let alone Christmas gifts.