ARI Newsletter Feb09

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Welcome to the

new ARI News

This issue will give you news from

ARAs around the country on what isgoing on and what ARAs areplanning for 2009. The issue willalso provide you with updates onwhat is happening at national levelwith ARI and other organisations wework with.

ARI and the 462 local associationsaim to promote positive ageingthrough a wide range of activitiesthat keep our members active,independent and well. With all the

news about the economicdownturn, it is good to see such apositive attitude coming from the ARAs.

Congratulations to all thosemembers who supported ourposition on the return of theuniversal medical card to over 70s.Your participation at the Irish SeniorCitizens’ Parliament march to theDáil and subsequently at the ARIgeneral council meeting was

Active Retirement Ireland NewsFebruary 2009

The golden girls - Babs, Peig, Bernieand Co have done it again as theGolden Years Festival in November runby the Sacred Heart ARA in Waterfordwas an outstanding success. Activities

included talent shows, going to thedogs and bowling. A gala ball to finishoff the festival brought out the finery.

dignified and showed strength ofvoice coming from ARI members.

ARI will continue to voice theconcerns of our members on the

governments approach to olderpeople and argue for the return ofthe universal medical card to over70s.

At national level ARI promotesgrowing older as a process ofdevelopment that ensure olderpeople do things for themselves,organise their own activities andrun their local associations, regionalcouncils and national organisationthemselves.

Contd. inside »

What’s inside?

• Active’s five-year

strategic plan

• Places to go:

Things to do

• Bealtaine Festival 2009

• Older & Bolder Update

• The Importance of Being

Elders

• Drawing Studies – A Celebration

• ARA activity around the

country

• Useful information

• Dates for your diary

Have your Say

This newsletter is an

opportunity to have your say.

Send us your items of news,views or photographs and wewill try to include them in thenext edition.

Email us at [email protected] 01 679 2142 or write to:

Active Retirement Ireland,Shamrock Chambers1-2 Eustace Street

Dublin 2

Golden Years Celebrate in style



This issue will also give youinformation on Older & Bolder, Age& Opportunity along with useful tipsand information.

The organisation’s first five-yearstrategic plan update is included foryour information.

I hope you enjoy reading ARInews.

Maureen Kavanagh

CEO

The legal name of ARI is Active

Retirement Network Ireland-the namethat is on the limited company.However Active Retirement Ireland ARI is still used as our everydayname.

From October 2008 – January 2009the organisation has been workingwith Partnership Solutions to developa five year strategic plan. This workhas been made possible by aplanning grant from AtlanticPhilanthropies. Following a series of

consultation meetings with membersaround the country and the NationalExecutive Committee, the five-yearplan was put together and is now atfinal draft phase. The contribution ofyou, the members was essential andfeedback was incorporated into thefinal draft.

Over the next 5 years the organisationmust consolidate the work to-dateand fix our communications with local ARAs.

The plan outlines the purpose of Active Retirement Network Ireland –to enable retired people enjoy a full

and active life and advocate for them

There are three clear strategic

outcomes that need to be achieved

The strategic outcomes for 2009-2013 are to:

• Be an organisation that peoplewould be proud to be part oflocally, regionally and nationally

• Be a recognized voice for retiredpeople on social, health, learningand economic issues incollaboration with otherorganisations

• Develop the database, structures,skills, funding sources andactivities of the organisation in aprofessional manner.

The NEC plan is to bring the strategicplan out to the members through aseries of regional meetings so thatthe members can clearly understandwhat the plan is about and moreimportantly find out how local ARAsand their members will benefit fromhaving a five-year vision.

2 Active Retirement Ireland News «February 2009»

Places to go:

Things to do

Art for the Actively Retired – Open dayon 5th March 2009 in the National ArtGallery, Merrion Square for all ActiveRetirement Associations. BryanDobson, RTÉ presenter, and AnnaManahan, the well-known actress, willlaunch Art for the Actively Retired , aspecial day of free events (music, artworkshops, tours, dancing, drawingdemonstrations) being held onThursday 5 March (11.00am-4.30pm) inassociation with Active RetirementIreland. A programme will be providedon the day for visitors to pick andchoose the events they wish to attend.It promises to be a great day ofentertainment and art.

Bealtaine Festival 2009

May is now recognised as the month tocelebrate the creativity of older people

(Age & Opportunity). The BealtaineFestival-coordinated by Age &Opportunity is the ideal chance for ARAs to show case their pool of talent

and creativity. Gorey ARA has planneda 3 day celebration for the festival witha talent show, dances and storytelling.Ballybunion ARA intends to host an artexhibition and launch a compilation oftheir work by the writers’ group.

PALs –Go-For Life

Physical Activity Leaders is a greatprogramme for active members of Active Retirement. To train as a PAL youmust be willing to take part in eight PALworkshops where you will learn to planand lead health-enhancing physicalactivity sessions for older people. If youare interested contact Age &Opportunity, Go For Life at 01 8057733for more information

Welcome to the new ARI News Contd.

Members of Rathmines ARA display some of their art & crafts during Bealtaine 2008

Active Retirement Network Ireland five-year

strategic plan 2009-2013



«February 2009» Active Retirement Ireland News 3

ARI AGM 2009

The Annual General Meeting of ActiveRetirement Ireland will take place between the

21st and the 22nd April 2009. The venue will bethe Clare Inn, Co. Clare.

The annual Art Exhibition will also be takingplace and we look forward to seeing the greatworks that will be displayed.

The results from the 2008 Art Exhibition were:

1st Prize Jacqueline Heaton –

Salthill, Co. Galway

2nd PrizeSylvia Coombs – Bantry, Co. Cork

3rd Prize Lilian Enright – County Limerick Civil Defense

The People’s Prize went to Teresa Cullinan of Ballycallan, Kilmanagh, Killahoe,Co. Kilkenny. Many more came highly recommended. The paintings were judged byartist Dolores Lyne and the main sponsor of the Exhibition was Galway City Council.

Older & Bolder Update

This year, 2009, is going to be a busy and excitingyear for the members of the Older & Bolderalliance, including Active Retirement Ireland. Themembers of the alliance are committed to a jointNational Positive Ageing Strategy Campaign. Wewant an effective strategy that will improve thequality of life of older people. This will onlyhappen if older people have their say in thedesign of the strategy. There will be opportunitiesfor older people to make their views known overthe next six months. Members of Older & Bolder arenow working on ways of ensuring that we all makethe best possible use of those opportunities.

A Cross-Departmental Group has been set up by theGovernment to develop the Strategy and theMinister for Older People has said that she wants tohear the opinions of individuals and organisations.There will be a public consultation with an invitationto make written submissions and regional meetingsorganised on behalf of the Minister. As you know,

the European and local elections are taking place inJune and will give everyone another chance to raiseissues of relevance to the National Positive AgeingStrategy.

Older & Bolder is encouraging everyone involved inthe alliance to make theirvoices heard during the publicconsultation and the elections.Shortly, we will provideinformation and materials aboutthe National Positive AgeingStrategy to back up yourinvolvement. Meanwhile,Maureen Kavanagh, ARI’srepresentative in Older & Bolder,will keep you in touch with thelatest developments on thecampaign trail.

Patricia Conboy

Kevin Molloy, ARI Chair chatting to

Maire Hoctor, Minister for Older

People at Older & Bolder conference

Ar t E x h i b i t i o n

7




The group takes two or three holidays a year, as wellas several days out, and they meet from Septemberto July.

Mountbellew ARA have had an active first threeyears! Founded in 2005, the group consists ofapproximately 40 members. They have attended themusicals “Oklahoma”, “My Fair Lady” and “MammaMia”, as well as many places of interest. In 2007,

local TD Paul Connaughton invited the group to theDáil. Thanks to Michael Kitt TD, they also took teawith President McAleese in Áras an Uachtaráin thatyear! Last year’s excursions included Armagh (wherethey met yet another luminary in his EminenceCardinal Seán Brady!), Belfast and Giant’sCauseway.

Kingscourt Active Retirement have been on the gofor almost four years now, and were deeply upset tolose a former chairman in Jim Patterson, whopassed away last September. Jim’s last meetingwith his ARA saw him pressing for a defibrillator for

Kingscourt, so his fellow members decided upon afitting tribute to their friend.Raising €5,000 from sponsorship cards alone, theywere kindly sponsored by local businesspeople andheld a very successful Quiz Night in Blake’s Pub.The final night of fundraising was a spectacular

evening of Christmas music. With help from Pulse Ireland andfour local entrepreneurs, Kingscourt ARA managed topurchase seven defibrillators and donate €1,000 to the HeartFoundation!

St. Brigid & St. Patrick’s ARA in Limerick had a wonderful

break in Killarney last summer, staying in the Gleneagle Hotel.They loved the entertainment each night andenjoyed a trip around the Ring of Kerry. Theyalso put their craftwork skills to work,creating a beautiful St. Brigid’s cross usingknitting, weaving and crochet. The cross iscurrently on display in St. Brigid’s Church inLimerick.

St. Ruadhan’s Active Retirement

Association in North Tipperary had a verybusy 2008! They took a four-night holiday inDonegal, organised through McGinley

Travel, whom they would thoroughlyrecommend to other ARAs for their excellentservice. Some of their members are involved

with Arts and Crafts and held an exhibition

ARA activity around the country

Listowel Active Retirement meet everyTuesday for two hours in the early afternoon. Aswell as light exercise, singing and a range of funactivities; the group is very active in all aspectsof town life, from committees and hospitalvisitation to their deep involvement in Listowel’stwinning with Downpatrick, Co. Down and the

development of a local Day-care Centre.

Members of Mountbellow ARA on a trip to N. Ireland stopping off at

Armagh where they were greated by Cardinal Seán Brady

Listowel ARA Members socialising




for Bealtaine ’08. At the same time,their Creative Writers Group publisheda booklet of their short stories andpoetry entitled “Take a Leaf”. Theseactivities and displays have given St.Ruadhan’s the reputation as the bestorganisation to be set up in the parish,which makes all the hard workworthwhile.

Wicklow ARA recently took part in aneight-week course called “Ageing with

Confidence”, sponsored by WicklowCounty Council in the FurtherEducation Centre in Wicklow Town. Thecourse had a wide and varied agenda,including Self-Confidence and Ageism,Self-Knowledge and Stress in LaterLife, The Emotional Self and Spirituality.These and other subjects were dealtwith at great length, with a lot ofinteraction between members andfacilitators. The main point of thecourse was trust, meaning that

members felt they could speak freelyinside the meetings. According to allsources, the course was very enjoyableand informative.

Phibsboro Active Retirement

Association held three major events inthe build-up to Christmas. As well astheir Christmas Party and a trip to theBotanic Gardens, they held their annual

Dinner Dance in Jury’s Hotel Ballsbridge.Tickets were €65, which includedtransport to and from the Hotel bycoach. The group are planning a holidaythis coming spring with Wales andEngland among the venues mooted sofar.

Letterkenny ARA spent a magical dayat the races last November when theyattended the meeting at PunchestownRacecourse. Heartily welcomed by PRO

Jessica Collins and her father, RonanCollins of RTÉ, a good day out was hadby all. The highlight came when one oftheir members, Eileen Farrelly, was

named ‘Best Dressed Lady’. This wasone of many excursions organised bythis ARA and they certainly hope torepeat the experience in 2009.

Broadford Active Retirement were thevery special guests at a Garden Party at Áras an Uachtaráin last July. Themembers really enjoyed meeting thePresident and readers of the BroadfordParish Newsletter were treated to apicture of five members with herExcellency and her husband Martinshortly after.

Portarlington Happy Hearts Club ARA

were busy last autumn making abeautiful patchwork quilt comprisingalmost 1500 separate pieces. Theyraffled the fruit of their labours in aid oftheir local Meals on Wheels and raised€1,284! Local Social Services Official

St Brigids Cross now hanging in St Brigids

Church Limerick

St Brigid & St Patricks ARA at the

Geneagle Hotel Killarney

Members of Letterkenny ARA at the Punchestown Races with RTÉ personalityRonan Collins

Portarlington ARA quilt




gratefully received the cheque on 5th

November last. raffled the fruit of theirlabours in aid of their local Meals onWheels and raised €1,284! Local SocialServices Official gratefully received the

cheque on 5th November last.

Ballina ARA are planning to be veryactive, they have already attended theirfirst tea dance of 09 in Claregalwaywhere they not only danced but have agood old sing-song as well. Otheractivities planned are aqua aerobics, matbowling, Irish classes and the monthlytable quiz keeps the brains active.

“Flights of Fancy…for all ages” is thetitle of Galway Senior Writers’ latestrelease. This booklet of poems andstories, beautifully illustrated by BernieKeogh, contains over twenty pieces oforiginal work by the Galway ActiveRetirement Association’s Writers’ Groupand makes a beautiful gift (if even foryourself) at only €10. It is available fromthe Writers’ Group directly and ispublished by Clódóirí Lurgain ofIndreabhán.

Bray Active Retirement Association.

The Association has been in existencefor the last twenty years and during thattime its numbers have swelled to well inexcess of 200 members. Originally from

Ballina, Co Mayo, Anne moved to Dublinas a young bride in the 60’s . Whilerearing a family of four, she managed athriving B&B, which was situated in thepicturesque port of Dun Laoghaire. She

moved to Bray in 1996 with her husbandGeorge and, since then, has become anactive member of the local community. Anne is a member on the board of theBray Partnership and she also sings withthe Holy Redeemer Choir.

She says: “I came to live in Bray in 1996.My husband George and I thought that itwould be a good idea to join the ActiveRetirement Association, as it would helpus get to know people in our community;we found it a great way to get to know

people while socialising and enjoyingourselves.

Sadly, my husband passed away in 2004and I, obviously, found this very difficultbut I had to keep going and stay strong.During this time, I started to get moreinvolved in the Active Retirement Association and I started organisingafternoon tea dances at Bray Golf Club.These proved to be a runaway successattracting members, not only from Braybut from Wicklow, Greystones andfurther afield. Over time, I became moreand more involved with the associationand I was honoured when I was asked

to take over as Chairperson lastSeptember.

In my free time I enjoy singing and I’m amember of the Holy Redeemer Choir;

that’s something that I thoroughly enjoyas singing has always been a passion ofmine. A recent highlight was singing atmidnight mass on Christmas Eve, it wasparticularly exciting because the entireevent was being televised for RTÉ. Theatmosphere in the church was amazingand it really helped to enhance thefestive atmosphere. I’m also agrandmother to three energetic toddlers,so let’s just say that keeps me busy!!

Since I took over as chairperson, I’ve

really enjoyed working to help improvethe lives of the older people in Bray. The Active Retirement Association is vitallyimportant because it provides newstimulus, newfriends, socialcontacts and achange ofroutine for all ofour members.”

Anne Heffernan Bray ARA

The Importance of

Being Elders

We are Elders

And our Roles have been tremendous,

We have carried forth our culture, And our Heritage with splendour, And we have placed them on thethreshold, of thisfledgling millennium.

We are Elders,

We are carriers of wisdom,Gathered and collated,On our journeys, through life’s agesWe don’t know where we’re going,But we know from where we came.

We are Elders, And on our journeys through life’s stages,We have helped to shape this Nation,Paid our taxes, - and lived by the laws oflegislation,

And we volunteered, without hesitation,To lighten the load, of the over-laden, And make their lot, - a lot less painful,Our time our energy, - we gladly give itWith never a thought, of compensation,Other than our Rights, as Citizens,In the Economic Changes.

We are Elders,

An important, an integral part,Of this Country’s Population,We seek only, income,- that is relevant to our ages.We seek proper transport, and properEducation,- And proper living places.We seek rights, to be engaged in themaking,Of the Policies,- that are relevant to our ages,

And we seek the goodwill of ourneighbours,- In our hours of tribulation.

Máire Uí Fhlatharta

Tirellan ARA

h




My wife and I decided to go to see“The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” inthe Savoy in Dublin recently. Therewere no ramps to the box office, norwere there lifts to where the filmwould be shown. One member ofstaff kindly directed me to theCineplex on Parnell St. When wereached the Cineplex, I was able to goup the ramp to the foyer, where asecurity guard directed me to the boxoffice. A kind young man told me that

my wife could sign a form as my carerand see the fi lm for free. Two cinematickets for €7 – what a pleasantsurprise! After a coffee, weproceeded to our screen. Thethree steps outside proved noobstacle, as a very pleasantyoung lady was already waitingto operate a ramp. She told me

ARI will be running IT training across the country inconjunction with Computer Gym – a mobile ITtraining centre. This project – funded by the Dept. ofCommunications, Marine and Natural Resources –will start by training sixteen of our members in eachregion to become tutors themselves in techniquessuch as how to send emails, book holidays on-line,google information etc. Each of the sixteen, uponcompletion of their training, will pass on their skillsto members of their own ARAs.

A Good Experience

with my Scooter

she’d be back there to help as soonas the film was over. What service!Every member of staff we metwas so polite and helpful it wasobvious they were used to

helping people. We will gothere again and again.

Ac t i v e R e t i r e d i nT e c h

no l o g y

Drawing Studies – A Celebration

The exhibition “Drawing Studies: A Celebration” is an exhibition ofadult work, reflecting the artists’ studies in the National Gallery ofIreland. The resulting drawings are symptomatic of the joy andcreativity that occurs when people of all ages engage with thecollections of a museum or gallery.The exhibition showcases the extraordinary range of work thatpeople in later life create when motivated. “Drawing Studies: ACelebration” is not a fanfare show – it is constructed along simplelines with the clear aim of representing a cross-section of the workof students in the oldest art form: drawing.

Comprising 26 works, “Drawing Studies: A Celebration” is touring

to venues all over Ireland and is accompanied by a 48 page full-colour catalogue.

Feb/March – Kildare Education Centre

9 March-10 April – Wexford Education Centre

14 April-31 May – Waterford Museum of Treasures

For more information or toarrange National Gallerydrawing classes, pleasecontact: Brina Casey(Education Officer:

Outreach), National Galleryof Ireland, Merrion Sq.West & Clare St. Dublin 2.01 6633506 / [email protected]



If you are interested in developing aFáilte Isteach Project in your area,

please contact the Third AgeFoundation on 046 9557766 for

further information and assistance.

The Community Foundation for

Ireland’s Small Grant Scheme makesgrants to not-for-profit and voluntarygroups working in Ireland. They favourall projects leading to the socialinclusion of people and communitieswho are excluded by reason ofgeography, race, age, disability, family,circumstances, poverty or gender.

Applications are accepted on anongoing basis and assessed three timesa year. Closing deadlines for 2009 are:

27th February (successful grants

received in August)

31st July (successful grants received in

September)

30th October (successful grants

received in December)

Applications must adhere to theguidelines on

www.communityfoundation.ie/grants/Email [email protected] Or write to:The Community Foundation for Ireland32 Lower O’Connell St. Dublin 1 formore details.

The Artist in the Community Grants

Scheme offers grants to enable artistsand communities of place or interest towork together on projects. The schemecovers all art forms. The scheme ismanaged by Create, the nationaldevelopment agency for collaborative

arts.The application forms will be availablefrom mid-January and there are twodeadlines for the two distinct phasesof the scheme: 26th February and 25th

June. For further information call

Create on 01 4736600 or email

[email protected]

Useful information

Services For The Elderly is a newservice provided by South MeathSocial Economy Ltd. It provideshousehold maintenance at asubsidised rate for the over 60s andthe disabled in Co. Meath. All theiremployees are trained in a wide rangeof skills, such as building,maintenance, landscaping, cleaningand recycling. They are also trained inhealth and safety, Safe Pass andmanual handling. For moreinformation, contact Services for the

Elderly on 046 9437282, Freephone

1800909000 or email

[email protected]

Fáilte Isteach is now going NationalFáilte Isteach was established in 2006by the Third Age Foundation inresponse to the difficulties that newmigrants were experiencing in theirdaily lives as a result of a lack ofEnglish. It is a unique project, whichutilises the skills, talents and expertiseof older volunteers. It harnesses theirdesire to contribute positively tosociety and make a difference byproviding conversational Englishclasses for new migrants.

A manual has been published to helpothers who would like to provide thisservice in their community. It containsinformation on how to research theneed for such a project, how to set upand advertise the classes and it evenincludes suggested lesson plans.

Dates f or y our diary

Active Retirement Ireland News

Email us at [email protected]

Call 01 679 2142

or write to: Active Retirement Ireland, Shamrock Chambers 1-2 Eustace Street Dublin 2

The views and opinons expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of ARI.

An Garda Siochána havea number of useful

crime preventionsheets, two of whichare on PersonalSafety – BogusTraders/Callers andPersonal Safety-Holiday Security.

For furtherinformation contactyour local Garda CrimePrevention Officer or visitwww.garda.ie

A r t f or t he A ct ively Ret ir ed – an openday in t he Nat ional Galler y of Ir elandon T hur sday Mar ch 5th 2009. A ll A R A sar e invit ed t o come and en joy t heent er t ainment and wor k s of ar t .

A RI A GM 21st & 22nd A pr il 2009 – Clar e Inn, Co. Clar e

A RI A nnual A r t Exhibit ion at t he A GM

Ir ish Senior s Cit izens Par liament A GM17th & 18t h A pr il Gleeson Hall, DIT Dublin 8

ARI Newsletter Feb09

Documents

Transcript of ARI Newsletter Feb09