Forum Project History 

Long Eaton 50plus is one of several forums for older people sponsored in the county by Derbyshire County Council. Each forum has a Support Officer  employed by DCC. Their management committees are given complete freedom to run their own programmes in addition to organising the Open Forum Meetings 4 times a year.

 

 

Forum Projects 2005 to 2023

Below are the projects we have initiated since our founding in 2005.

Project Title

Opinion Surveys

Bus Shelters

Computer Courses

IT Drop In Sessions

Budget Coach Trips

Lap-It -Up Sessions

Toton Sidings Heritage

Shoes Recyclng Collection

Duration

2005 to 2007

2006 to 2008

2006 to 2014

2008 to 2023

2009 to 2020

2011 to 2014

2016 to 2018

2019 to 2020

Helped Who?

Local Community

Local Community

Forum members

Forum Members

Forum Members

Forum members

Local Heritage Interests

Shoe Aid Charity

Partnerships

Trent Barton (buses)

Erewash Borough Council

Long Eaton Library

Adult Community Education

Silverdales Coach Company

Erewash Borough Council

Erewash Museum and HLF

Shoe Aid Charity

There was a lovely family atmosphere about these trips. Ian used to grab the bus mike at the end of the day and thank everyone for choosing 'forum tours'!

 

The late Ian Neill organised several coach trips a year from 2009 to lockdown. These were very reasonably priced but usually ran a slight surplus for our funds. We did have a contingency fund to allow for overrun. 

At their peak we needed two coaches to cope with numbers. Booking had to be done at the Open Forums which kept our attendances up!

Picture above: Chair Pete at Liverpool 2013

 

Ian with Cindy Woolley and friend at Burghley House 2016

Ian spent an awful lot of time on the phone before these trips as people rang to report changes etc. We had drivers who didn't quite know the way and one or two late returns due to lost sheep but Ian remained cheerful throughout. What a star!

 

Steam Railways were a popular destination for our trips. Ian would book whole carriages for the forum and members would enjoy a ride but also be able to do some shopping and sight-seeing at nearby places of interest. We visited the North York Moors Railway (2010), Severn Valley Railway (2011), Keighley & Worth Railway (2014), East lancs Railway (2016), Nene Valley (2017).

Picture below: East Lancs Railway, Bury 2016

 

2009 Chester, York, Doncaster

 

2010 Pickering and NYMR

 

2011 Shrewsbury, St Albans

 

2012 Oxford, Bridgnorth ( SVR)

 

2013 Bristol, Liverpool

 

2014 Cambridge, Gloucester, Howarth (KWR)

 

2015 Castle Howard, Greenwich, Houses of Parliament, Southport

 

2016 Burghley House, Bury (East Lancs R), Whitby

 

2017 Llandudno, Peterborough (Nene Valley R), Tewkesbury

 

2018 Anderton Lift

 

2019 Manchester

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT Drop-In Sessions

 

The demand for computer help grew to the point where Roy Smith, who started the whole idea, has arranged for us to offer weekly drop-in sessions. These run on Monday mornings from 9.00 am in Long Eaton Library.

 

There is always a welcome refreshment break half way through the morning.

 

On Monday afternoons the Adult Education Centre is also available from 1.00 to 3.00 pm.

 

Coach Trips

Lap-IT Up Sessions

From 2011 the group ran some monthly seesions at Parklands in Long Eaton. Hire of the venue was funded by Erewash Borough Council.

 

Members could bring their laptops and make use of the location Wi-Fi connection. Volunteer tutors gave short talks and then individual queries could be addressed.

Opinion Surveys

Topics Covered

 

Shoe Aid Collections

Following a talk about Shoe Aid to the forum in June 2019, we decided to make a shoe collection in Long Eaton & District. Our appeal was very successful and we soon passed our initial target of 2,000 pairs and then a second of 3,000.

 

Major contributions were made from some local churches and schools but individual responses to our appeal were also much appreciated. Two local rotary clubs made major contributions to the cause

 

The picture shows a local headmaster with a very large contribution for us.

Details of our railway heritage project may be found at www.totonsidings.com.

Toton Sidings Heritage Project

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