INDEPENDENT LIVING NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER ISSUE www.communitygateway.co.uk
WHAT’S ON
UPDATES
Bingo Night Christmas Party
Bird Feeding Pendant Information Front Door Chains
RECENT PHOTOS
Take a look at some of the photos we’ve taken at events over the past few months
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Dear Residents
With the colder weather creeping in and the cost of energy creeping up, there are lots of tips and tricks to help you save money and reduce heat loss in your home.
Turn your thermostat down by one degree One of the simplest energy saving tips is turning your heating down a single degree. You might not think such a small amount would make a difference – but according to the Energy Saving Trust, going from 20C to 19C (for example) can cut your heating bill by 10%. For the average three-bed house, that could be up to £145 every year.
Move your furniture away from radiators Big items of furniture can stop the heat from a radiator reaching the rest of the room. Got a bed or sofa right next to a radiator? Move it at least an inch or two away. This will improve the air circulation and you’ll notice the room gets warm and cosy much faster.
Wash your clothes at a lower temperature to save energy Most of us wash at 40C out of habit, but modern washing powders work well at 2 Independent Living Newsletter - Oct/Nov 2023
temperatures as low as 20C. Why not try making 30C your standard wash? The lower the temperature, the more energy you’ll save. Although it’s probably best to wash bedding, towels and underwear at a higher temperature – at least 40C.
Keep the heat in by closing the curtains at night Warmth starts to escape from your home when the sun goes down and temperatures start to drop. Closing all the curtains or blinds in your home is a simple but effective way of stopping heat loss – especially if you have older windows.
Use the microwave more to save electricity They’re not great for everything, but you can’t argue with the energy efficiency of a microwave. Cooking accounts for around 14% of electricity demand in UK homes, so using the microwave more is a simple way of saving energy in the kitchen. Air fryers and slow cookers also use far less energy than your hob or oven.
Our Independent Living Officers will soon be in touch to gather your feedback on the type of activities we provide and what you would like us to keep, change or introduce in the next twelve months.
Dry your clothes more efficiently
You may have already completed this survey in the summer. If so, thank you for your views. These will be taken into account when we develop our next Activities Programme. We have kept the survey open for a little longer so we can get more feedback from our tenants across the Independent Living Service and we look forward to hearing from you.
Tumble dryers are handy but energy hungry. So, dry your laundry outside when you can to save on energy bills. And if you dry on a radiator, hang clothes nearby rather than directly on the radiator. Wet clothes cool the radiator, which makes your boiler work harder to keep things cosy.
Defrost your fridge and freezer The fridge and freezer are some of the biggest energy users in your kitchen. And they’re also working 24 hours a day, unlike other appliances. Regularly defrosting them keeps ice under control and means everything can work efficiently.
Use eco mode whenever you can Lots of household appliances have eco modes which are designed to use less energy – usually by running at different speeds or lower temperatures. Try using these as your standard option and you should see real savings over time.
Bleed your radiators This sounds a bit technical, but it’s surprisingly simple and can make your heating system more efficient. If you have cold spots on your radiator, bleeding them can really help.
Always try to wash a full load Get in the habit of only using your dishwasher or washing machine when it’s full to save on electricity. In fact, a full dishwasher can be more efficient with water and energy than washing by hand. So, there’s some good news! Independent Living Newsletter - Oct/Nov 2023
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Save Energy and Money
Source: Energy Saving Trust
£ Typical Annual Saving
Use LED lighting
£35 Spend a minute less in the shower every day
£7
Turn off the lights when not in use
£15 Switch to a water efficient shower head
£70
Use a bowl to do the washing up, don’t leave the tap running
£25 Switch appliances off rather than leaving them on standby
£30
Only fill the kettle up to what you need
£7 4 Independent Living Newsletter - Oct/Nov 2023
Independent Living Newsletter - Oct/Nov 2023
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Scheme Updates Please do not feed the birds!
Pendant information
Chains on your front door
No trick or treating here
We are still receiving reports that residents are continuing to feed birds by leaving food on the ground in the communal garden.
The pendant we have provided to you is for you to get help in an emergency.
Please do not keep your chain on your front door when in the property.
Please make sure you’re wearing it or keeping it in a safe place near you. If the battery dies, we will replace it for you at no extra cost.
In the event of an emergency where we need to gain entry to your property, this holds up the process and results in having to wait for the police or ambulance to come and gain entry.
We have politely asked that there is no trick or treating at our Independent Living Schemes this Halloween.
However, if you lose or break the pendant, you will be charged £52.72 and we will organise the replacement.
Please only use your chain when answering the door and then remove once the door is shut.
We must ask that you DO NOT do this, because it can attract vermin. Independent Living Officers suggest placing any seed or alternative bird food on a bird table in the communal gardens to prevent this.
We want to make sure our tenants feel safe and secure, hopefully with minimal disruption.
Please think of others before putting food out.
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Independent Living Newsletter - Oct/Nov 2023
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The Monthly Snapshot Take a look at this month’s gallery, highlighting what’s been happening throughout our Independent Living Schemes over the past few weeks.
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Independent Living Newsletter - Oct/Nov 2023
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Upcoming Events
Welcome to Games Corner!
Find out more about the upcoming events happening at the different Independent Living Schemes.
Get stuck into some new puzzles and see how successful you were with the answers from last month...
Get your dabbers out, it’s time for bingo! There are lots of great prizes to be won. Date: Thursday 23rd November 2023 Time: 4:30pm Venue: Baytree Farm Cost: £3 per person
It’s time to let you know about our 2023 Christmas Party! Date: Tuesday 5th December 2023 Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm Venue: Deepdale Labour Club Cost: £3 per person Please let an Independent Living Officer know if you wish to attend either of these events and if you need transport.
What’s On - October/November
WordSearch - Hello Autumn
Q R U T I F L E A T R E J F O Y J L E E O L G S L W O O T S W L I C Q K B Q E J P D
I A T H C C P U M P V E S D L E S G W Z O T B A L L U Z S B B R I Q H C A R E C A U T U M Z L D X E R E J B O E M B O N D C M U S D F A L L
I K A Z L A J R N K J F H R
D E R N T I N F S X R B E H B F V K A G R D P L K B A L L C T D A O J O W I W F J K D E O E B I E V U U E N Y I R E Z J R O O M S A K I N G
Can you find the following words? YELLOW CIDER PUMPKIN RED FALL TREES AUTUMN PLAID HALLOWEEN BONFIRE LEAVES SCARECROW HARVEST MUSHROOMS RAKING FOOTBALL
Breast Cancer Awareness Month - October Each year, October is recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also known as Pinktober. This is an effort to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of breast cancer through education about screening, symptoms, and treatment. Supporters aim to raise funds for better care, more knowledge and a reliable, permanent cure, which is done through organised events like dress down days, bake sales, or a ‘pink day’. There are some events organised for specific communities, like Global Pink Hijab Day and Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week.
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Scrambled Cities Below are eight names of world capital cities. Each phrase contains the name of two cities. Can you unscramble them and figure out what they are?
TOOK MY ORE CRIMSON ELBOW LION JOB ENDING RAPID DISARM Independent Living Newsletter - Oct/Nov 2023
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Answer Time - mark your puzzles from the last edition
Spot the difference
Riddles 1. If there are three apples and you took away two, how many do YOU have? 2. There is a bush, a pine tree, and an oak tree and it is the autumn season. If the wind is blowing towards the west, which way do the leaves on the pine tree fall? 3. I’m tall when I’m young and I’m short when I’m old. What am I? 4. You’re a bus driver on an autumn leaf tour. At the first stop, four people get on. At the second stop, eight people get on, at the third stop two people get off and, at the fourth stop everyone gets off. The question is what colour are the bus driver’s eyes? 5. What falls but never breaks? 6. What asks but never answers? 7. I have a tail and a head, but no body. What am I? 8. I can travel at nearly 100 miles per hour, but never leave the room. You can cover me up, but that doesn’t slow me down. You will not know if I come only once or again and again and again. What am I? 9. I run, but I don’t walk. I drip and drop, but I can’t pick myself up. You have to consume me and sometimes I surround you. What am I?
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W O Q F I R S T W O R L D W A R S T A R T E D M
D C R D O D F S T N L W E H D P O S M Q G S N Y I D L Q L J I U R X G O K S I V C S W N O L J L
I G E U R H C N K F S W Q I L S P B R D A M I Q
Z R L M F U E O R U P C I G M A L F V L I A D A
Z E L I R S E I A D Y N X M R U R A I N S S S Z
N O X Y G E N D I S A T T R A I N R O B I K A N A I D S S E L U Y G L A D I O L E U N I O N S O G J D N E R A W D L R O P S G N I K R E H T T A C A V O C Z Z Y P T N E M E S U M A C B T T J X Q R R T C D Z S T E E N I O S W E X N Z E O L M U I I F X L N U Q G T I T J O I M L S A M D O T N B H E C T T I S G U B R M I H H A N S I S V O N E S L S G D Q Z N C R V E L I J X P A I I T I Z X J G Q D P N H B T O R M H E J G F I H S E L V O Y S K D O M E O W U D X R G T J U F U O K U
AIR CONDITIONING FESTIVALS GEM STONE AGATE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY HUMID MODEL T FORD PARKS POOL RED CROSS FOUNDED SUNCREEN VICTORY OVER JAPAN
AMUSEMENT PARKS FIRST WORLD WAR STARTED GLADIOLUS GRILLING LEMONADE MONA LISA STOLEN PARTIES PRINCESS DIANA KILLED REUNIONS SWIMMING COLUMBUS SET SAIL
C B C U L W U M I C T Y R G M S S E L N I A R S
O V E R E D G E R Y Z N V A N I R P M I R S X O D R W U O O P C V H Q D N O C E S G L N I T R A M D D K W N G Y V R I Y N A H I S L I I D N C X F S I E O T L G C N D X O B E V E N Y R L M C E U G Y P S V R O J O Z T W C F A V U O X S S E E Q N Q N S P R D E O U O A J M A N S R R A T G D N C X P M A D U D S A D T A X E L N G E M W R G
GATHERINGS GOLFING HOT MARTIN LUTHER KING SPEECH OXYGEN DISCOVERED PICNICS RAINLESS SECOND WORLD WAR ENDS VACATION
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Riddles
Hidden Objects
1. Why did the ice cream man avoid August? Because it was too hot to handle. 2. No matter how little or how much you use me, you change me every month. What am I? A calendar. 3. Why did the August chicken refuse to cross the road? It didn’t want to get fried by the heat! 4. I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I? An echo 5. What did August say to the other months when it saw them all packed up for vacation? “I guess I’ll just stay behind and chill for a while!”
Star Words
rowed, hawks, lower, byway, towns
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timer, baker, briar, flier, razor
Independent Living Newsletter - Oct/Nov 2023
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This newsletter is also available at where you can use ‘Recite Me’ to translate it into another language or read it out loud. months, let us know about it. Harbour House, Port Way, Preston, PR2 2DW customerservices@communitygateway.co.uk 0800 953 0213 Join us on social media to keep up to date with what’s @CGAPreston @CGAPreston Join our Tenant Only Facebook Group /groups/CGAEngagement
please recycle me along with the rest of your cardboard waste.
Contact Details Between 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday, The Independent Living Service can be contacted on 01772 268065. press your pendant or pull your cord. 16 16Independent Living Newsletter - Oct/Nov 2023 - Oct/Nov 2023