Sponsor Sally Hough's Land's End to John O'Groats Cycle Ride - 8-23 May 2010

Sally will be cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats and is raising money for Independent Age.

Last year she cycled Ireland end to end to celebrate her birthday (a significant one!) and this year she has a new challenge. She will be cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats via the scenic route which will be about 1100 miles, safer than major roads but possibly hillier! She will also be taking seven ferries as she will be cycling via the Western Isles of Scotland.

This trip is entirely self funded, therefore all the money donated will go to Independent Age. To donate and support Sally's cycle ride, go to: http://www.justgiving.com/Sally-Hough .

Congratulations to our London Marathon runners

Here are Moira and Michael Penney, wearing their medals-and huge grins-after completing the Virgin London Marathon for Independent Age last Sunday.

We had 9 runners in the London Marathon yesterday and so far between them they have raised over £11,000 with more money coming in!

A big thank you to Philip, Karen, Diana, Eileen and Amanda from Independent Age for coming out to cheer our runners on! The marathon is a real highlight of the fundraising year and their support was greatly appreciated by the runners.

Here are their times:

Kevin Sharkey - 3hrs 36mins
Abby Cockerton - 4hrs 50mins
Bill Maloney - 4hrs 15mins
Pam Gray - 5hrs 28mins
Russell Ings - 4hrs 9mins
Andrew Mark - 4hrs 55mins
Thomas Phillips - 3hrs 51mins
Moira Penney - 5hrs 8mins
Michael Penney - 4hrs 22mins

If you would like to run in a marathon, or take part in another sporting challenge for us, please check our website for details of upcoming events or email Harriet Steele to find out more.

Cheer on our marathon runners this Sunday!

Just to remind you that it is the London Marathon this Sunday 23^rd April. We have 10 runners taking part this year and it would be great if you have some time to come down and show your support. The marathon is always a fun event – so if you can, please join us!

We will be setting up a cheering point on Byward Street near to Tower Hill tube station (Circle / District Line). See links below for map and transport information. The cheer point is near the 23 mile mark and we will expect our runners through from about 12pm – 2pm. There should be someone at the cheer point from 9am to get a good position so feel free to come early to watch the elite runners.

Email harriet.steele@independentage.org.uk if you would like to come along.

A helpful resource: Ireland's National Centre for Protection of Older People

We would like to introduce our readers to an institution dedicated to making sure that older people are safe from violence and abuse: Ireland's National Centre for the Protection of Older People (NCPOP).

The NCPOP is an interdisciplinary research institution, based at University College Dublin. Researchers from medical, nursing, social science and public health backgrounds combine their expertise to understand and combat elder abuse.

We have linked to their website on the useful links of our Independent Age Ireland website: www.independentage.ie/useful_links.

This spring, the NCPOP will be presenting a series of talks about elder abuse, and the details can be found on their website, http://www.ncpop.ie This website is also full of links and resources for people who are concerned about elder abuse in Ireland, but many are of interest to people in the UK and elsewhere.

New book by Independent Age Trustee explains dementia

Dr. Nori Graham, Independent Age Trustee, is an expert in Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and the psychiatry of old age. She has co-written the new book, Understanding Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias. The book is a straightforward, plain English guide for people who may have dementia and their families and carers, and it explains these diseases while putting to rest much of the misinformation and myth surrounding them.

You can read a sample chapter or order the book from the Family Doctor UK website.

Place available for Virgin London Marathon, 25 April

We have a last minute golden bond place available for the 2010 Virgin London Marathon on 25 April. If you would like to run for us, we ask runners for a deposit of £100 and to pledge to raise at least £1000 for Independent Age.

To apply for this place, please contact Harriet Steele before 21 January on 020 7605 4288, or email events@independentage.org.uk.

You can find out more about the Virgin London Marathon at their official website:
http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com

Keep Warm, Keep Well

The first big snowstorms of the winter have hit the UK, and the Met Office promises worse to come. Older people are especially vulnerable in this weather: icy pavements can lead to falls and broken hips. Arctic winds and plummeting temperatures can cause frostbite, and cold weather combined with lack of proper heating can exacerbate health conditions.

To help, the government has published a booklet titled 'Keep Warm, Keep Well', full of tips to keep healthy and safe during cold weather. Tips include:

• Have regular hot drinks and at least one hot meal a day - if possible, eating regularly helps to keep energy levels up during winter
• Wear several light layers of warm clothes
• Keep as active as possible
• Remember to wrap up warm if you need to go outside on cold days

You can learn more from their website by clicking here.

photo by bron from www. sxc.hu.