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
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