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Forfar Angus Gold Forum

Note of Meeting

No1 for Youth/Angus Gold Base

Tuesday 15 June 2010

Present: Babbie Gouck, Isobel Redman, Betty Hosie, Isobella MacDonald, Betty Phillip, Helen Scott, Peggy McBey, Margaret Ritchie, Barbara Stewart

Apologies: Gladys Nelson.

A recap of the Information Event in May resulted in Isobel reporting that the health discussion had prompted her to respond to a newspaper article promoting a healthy eating/weight loss class, which she has been attending on a weekly basis, in No1 for Youth. Isobelle and Betty were disappointed with the home safety visit they had following the event and neither had felt able to ask about the availability of resources which Rick had mentioned during his presentation. However Barbara will contact Rick to ask for further information regarding these resources. Whilst Margaret and Barbara understood the fire safety aspect of closing all the doors in the house overnight, they both felt safer in other respects in keeping them open.

On being asked whether the world cup was keeping everyone riveted or whether other items in the news had managed to grab anybody’s attention, unsurprisingly only one person reported having actively followed one of the matches. However nothing else in the news had particularly stood out for anyone.

In discussion based round a specific discrimination case highlighted at a previous meeting, and possible differences between now and when Forum members were younger mothers, it transpires that the majority of members were working mothers, with almost all relying on family members for child care and one making use of nursery care. The main difference was thought to be around how close family members lived to each other and whether people lived somewhere with community spirit.

The majority of Forum members’ families lived close together and most folk knew their neighbours and looked out for each other’s families. Working was a necessity to pay the bills and have food on the table, whereas the impression was that nowadays young people expect a much higher standard of living, what would previously have been seen as luxuries are now necessities.

Nowadays families live further apart and there is less evidence of community spirit; there is more reliance on, and more choice of, child care options but at a financial cost; there are more working grandmothers nowadays, which means they are not available for child care, even if they live close to their grandchildren; people nowadays seem to think that money is the answer for everything but they have to work all hours to make the money to pay somebody else to look after their children.

Taking all of it into account there seem to be pros and cons for then and now and no clear winner as to which was or is best.

Highlights from the Network Minute were shared with the group, with Isobelle, Helen Scott and Betty Hosie having already received the Minute. A view was expressed that all the other Forums seem to do more interesting things, however it was generally agreed that it is the members who lead on what happens in the Forums and that programme ideas are regularly sought. Betty Hosie has agreed to attend the next Network meeting on behalf of the group.

It was agreed to move the meetings to the second Tuesday of the month to enable Gladys Nelson to attend.

Next meeting Tuesday 13 July, at 10.15am, in No1 for Youth/Angus Gold

Forfar Angus Gold Forum

Note of Information Event

No1 for Youth/Angus Gold Base

Tuesday 18 May 2010

Present: Betty Hosie, Isobel Redman, Isobella MacDonald, Betty Phillip, Peggy McBey, Margaret Ritchie, Gladys Nelson, Mary Coyle, a man who didn’t share his name with us! Rick Moore, Margo Sinclair, Barbara Stewart

Those who arrived early were served tea and invited to look at the display of photographs and information on the boards, whilst Rick finished setting up the equipment for his presentation. Rick showed photographs to illustrate his talk on fire safety in the home and also asked participants to share their ideas, thoughts and experiences in relation to issues raised throughout his presentation. At the end of the session Rick arranged home safety visits with a number of those present.

Margo handed out information sheets and talked about the importance of eating a variety of different types of fruits and vegetables each day. Participants shared their thoughts, views and experiences about diet and asked lots of health related questions. The majority of us were previously aware that there were particular health benefits relating to highly coloured fruit and vegetables.

As we had a delayed start a number of people had to leave at this point. However I gave a short input about Angus Gold and, in particular, invited people to visit the Magpie’s Nest exhibition, which was being staged by Angus Gold members from Arbroath and Brechin, in the Meffan Institute.

Mary had arrived towards the end of the session but indicated that she was interested in finding out more about Angus Gold and was happy to have her contact details added to our group data base. I also gave her a note of the date of the next Forum meeting.

Photographs were taken of the assembled crowd before everyone headed for home.

Date of the next Forum meeting: Tuesday 15 June, at 10.15am in the No1 for Youth/Angus Gold base.

Forfar Angus Gold Forum

Note of Meeting

No1 for Youth/Angus Gold Base

Tuesday 13 April 2010 

Present: Pat Gouck, Babbie Gouck, Isobel Redman, Betty Hosie, Isobella MacDonald, Betty Phillip, Helen Scott, Barbara Stewart

Apologies: Peggy McBay, Gladys Nelson, Margaret Ritchie

It was good to see so many people at the meeting. The average attendance over the first four recorded meetings last year was 11, whereas the average for the first four recorded meetings this year has been 6. However there are always apologies and I am optimistic that we will recruit some new members during our Information Event in May.

It was agreed that the format for the Forfar Angus Gold Forum Information Event, to be held on Tuesday 18 May, in No1 for Youth/Angus Gold, between 10.00am and 12.00pm, will be a drop-in. Rick Moore, community engagement practitioner, Tayside Fire & Rescue will be asked to respond to questions/requests for information and, if there are sufficient people present at the same time he can perhaps give a short talk on home safety. Other information, on health topics, Discovery Award, etc will also be available and visitors will be offered tea, coffee and biscuits. Whilst this is an opportunity for existing Forum members to gather some information for themselves it is also an opportunity to meet other people and recruit new members to the Forum.

Next we looked back at ageUK’s six challenges to politicians, discussed at our last meeting. We had discussed in some detail the first three topics, which were equal respect, support to be independent and enough money and we ran out of time to discuss feeling well, taking part locally and thinking global but all those present were given photocopies of all the information, to read at their leisure. This time we rounded the topic off by agreeing that it is important to let politicians know what issues are important to us as individuals, as well as collectively for our age group, and what issues are most likely to make us turn out to vote for a particular politician/party.

Copies of an NHS Tayside leaflet, Ask Me 3, were distributed and prompted a discussion about how people hold the thread of conversation and flow of information during visits to their health clinic, the difficulties of getting an appointment with a doctor, the side effects of drugs on different people and other health related matters.

We had a quiz to consider what role age played in the achievements of 10 famous people. The scores weren’t very high but it was a bit of fun and people were surprised to learn the age at which these individuals had accomplished their achievements, whether at a very young or much older age. It was agreed however that the six older famous people were high achievers from a young age and the four younger famous people continued to be high achievers. It was therefore agreed that the attainment of high achievement in these cases was not really related to age! However people felt enthused to know others could do amazing things at either end of the age spectrum.

In the final activity for the meeting Forum members were asked to tell me one thing they had read in the paper or heard on TV/radio/out and about, since we last met, which has made them;

 1 unhappy:

• The news that a female in the army had won a discrimination case; which on the face of it was thought to be unreasonable as she was reported to have been unable to attend to her duties because of child care issues, was dismissed or disciplined and claimed she was being discriminated against on the grounds of being a woman with child care responsibilities;

• Three MPs who were reported to be getting legal aid to fight their ‘expenses’ cases. Whilst accepted that they are innocent until or if proven guilty the view expressed was that people who get legal aid should have to pay it back if they are found guilty.

• The length of time for viewers to vote for their choice of a new Dorothy for the Wizard of Oz is too short!

 2 cheer up:

• Christine, from the One Show, water ski-ing across the channel for Sport Relief.

• The television search for a new Dorothy for the Wizard of Oz.

• On a personal note Betty is very cheered up by having her cast and boot removed!

 3 want to more about:

• There are 10 (25%) vacant flats in Kirkriggs and residents can’t get an answer as to what will be happening to them, despite repeated requests. Residents have, however received notice of a planned meeting and suggestions were made as to how the situation might be tackled.

 Forum members mentioned that they were ‘caught on the hop’ with this activity but as the Forums exist, partly, to discuss and tackle local and national issues, this was just another way of asking what issues have arisen since our last meeting. I will be continuing to ask the question so keep your thinking caps on and try to remember what has caught your interest or attention, that might also be of interest to other Forum members.

Date, venue and time of next meeting: Forfar Angus Gold Forum Information Event, No1 for Youth/Angus Gold, Tuesday 18 May, 10.00am until 12.00pm