Digest-June2025
“Digest” – June, 2025
“All would live long, but none would be old”
(Benjamin Franklin).
Pensioners win campaign for Winter Fuel Payments.
We are pleased to hear that the government has u-turned on it’s policy on Winter Fuel Payments, giving 9 million pensioner’s extra help to heat their homes and afford nutritional meals. The NPC has been campaigning with other organisations for this for many months.
Last month’s Meeting:
Barry Linton, a volunteer with Essex Police gave the second of two talks on the subject of keeping safe online. Barry quoted a number of stories of people who had been attacked online in a number of different ways. The fraudsters are now very clever at gaining our confidence on the phone and computer. The serious attacks on our retail sector recently have been a wake-up for all of us.
In Committee:
Fourteen Members have not renewed, and will be removed from the Membership list. Jean Howes will find out if IT students can give our Members lessons in the use of “My Southend”.
Marketing SDPC:
If you know of any local charity or voluntary organisation who may host an indoor community networking event or an open day, please let us know. We would be keen to attend to advertise our Campaign and meet other campaigning groups in the area.
Campaigning:
We will continue to monitor how the Co-Production Project develops, so that we may decide whether we will still need an Older Person’s Champion or not. We have started to encourage residents to register on “My Southend” so that they canreport any issues they have in detail to the Council. Officers will then be able to respond. We are campaigning to keep our pavements clear of obstructions and trip hazards.
40th Anniversary Meeting, 15th October 2025
This special celebration will run from 2.00pm till 5pm. The Committee have agreed the invitation system, and chosen our preferred caterer.
NPC Report: Issy Isaacs reportedhe will be asking questions about the government considering raiding some of the money in employment pensions to help restore the economy.
Thanks to Jill Allen-King for sending
us details of the decision to extend the £3 fare cap on buses until 2027. This is good news, and you can get more detail from Southend Area Bus Users Group Website.
Thanks’ to Majzoub Ali for this info:
Disability & Carers Action Group.
This Group helps to raise the profile of people with disabilities, promote independence and reduce isolation. Their aims are to help others and support people to obtain access to services. To join this group and influence the way disabled people are cared for in our community contact Sue Rickard on 0800 833160.The meetings at 11am on the second Wednesday of the month at the Civic Centre.
Refreshments provided and no donations are required.
I’m grateful to Alan Grubb for the following information:
Southend-on-Sea Community Liaison Group meeting:
New waste collection service – wheelie bins • Tuesday 28th October: first bin collection in Southend on Sea • More than 200k bins delivered to properties: 7.5k bins per week, next meeting is on 5th August 3-5pm Civic Centre.
Our President, Jill Allen-King sent me this to promote the 25th Anniversary of TrustLinks.
To kick off our year of celebration, we are organising a Trust Links 25 Year Anniversary Celebration Event on Thursday 10th July, 2025.
at our founding site, Trust Links Westcliff, 47 Fairfax Drive, Westcliff, SS0.9AG. The programme for the event is:
* 2 pm – 3 pm Networking, cakes, garden tours
* 3 pm – 4 pm Speeches to include members, founders, key
supporters
* 4 pm – 7 pm Music, networking, garden tours, games,
stalls.
* 5 pm – 7 pm BBQ
Please register your attendance here:
www.bit.ly/25-celebration<http://www.bit.ly/25-celebration
Dates for your Diary:
Jazz Centre UK. Live concerts on most Saturday afternoons. 2pm till 4pm. Beecroft Art Gallery, Victoria
Avenue, Southend. SS2. Tickets £10-£15.
Southend Central Museum. Victoria Avenue, Southend. The Princely Burial. A permanent exhibition. Southend Council Concert Series. Monthly serious music concerts continue, but the venues now alternate. Friday evenings. From 8pm.Book by phone 01702. 215011
Wednesday, 2nd. July, 12.30pm SDPC Friendship Lunch. At Toby Carvery, Eastern Esplanade, Thorpe Bay. Please contact Margaret Haydon on 07814 714 937 to book.
Saturday, 12th, July. 7pm. Southend Bach Choir: Summer Concert. St. Alban the Martyr Church, St. John’s Road , Westcliff. Music by Sir John Rutter.
Wednesday, 16th July. SDPC Meeting: 2pm till 4pm. BalmoralCentre, Salisbury Avenue, Westcliff. SS0 7AU. “Ladybird’s” Song Group”.
Please send any items for publication in your “Digest” To Bob Howes (Editor), Email: howes01702@outlook.com or 91Brightwell Avenue, Westcliff on Sea, SS0 9EG.