April 2021 Issue 148 www.bopag.org.uk
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April 2021
Issue 148
www.bopag.org.uk
Sponsored by
BUCKS COUNCIL LOCAL ELECTIONS
Elections will take place on 6 May 2021 for: Buckinghamshire
Council Town and Parish Councils, Police and Crime Commissioner for
the Thames Valley, Ickford Neighbourhood Planning Referendum, Great
and Little Kimble-cum-Marsh Neighbourhood Planning Referendum.
To quickly register to vote online, visit; www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
If you are not already registered to vote, the deadline to register for
the 6 May elections is 19 April.
Vote by post or proxy; Postal vote and proxy vote application forms
are available to download and print from the Electoral Commission’s
website. If you are unable to print the form, telephone 01296 798 141.
Completed forms can be either: scanned and emailed to;
postalvote@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or posted to: Electoral Services,
The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF
Postal vote deadline is 5pm on 20 April, but apply as early as
possible. Completed forms can be either: scanned and emailed
to: proxyvote@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or posted to: Electoral
Services, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF
Proxy vote deadline is 5pm on 27 April, but apply as soon as possible.
Polling stations will be open to vote in person and to keep you
safe, additional measures will be in place. For more information go to;
www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/your-council/council-and-
democracy/election-and-voting/register-to-vote/
If you need help to register to vote go to;
www.gov.uk/contact-electoral-registration-office
Page 2
Note from the editor: Hello everyone, this months publication
is looking for a catchy new name, can you think of one? See details on
the back page and please let us have your ideas.
We have lots of information for you to digest and now that
lockdown end is in sight, we have a few more events for you to
consider. We also have our BOPAG Zoom meeting happening in April,
see the back page for more details and we will hopefully be able to
continue with our face to face meetings once our venue is up and
running again.
I have some gardening tips for you and some help if you need to
make a complaint about something and are not sure who to reach out
to. Keep an eye out for those scammers and fraudsters who are
always keen to catch you out; there seems to be so
many at the moment and I am still hearing about
family dogs going missing so please take care if you
are out dog walking. Enjoy the Spring sunshine when
it’s here and Happy Easter to you all..………Paula
Contents
Page 1: Bucks Council local elections
Page 2: Note from the Editor.
Page 3: Scams and Frauds
Page 4: The Budget
Page 5: Connaught Opera. Your Bucks Magazine.
Page 6: Radfield Home Care advertisement
Page 7: Gardening Tips for April. Benefits calculator.
Page 8: Neighbourhood Watch. Older Drivers Support.
Page 9: The Advocacy People. Moneywise guide.
Page 10: What’s On. Easter Bin Collections.
Page 11: Resources.
Page 12: Notices.
Page 3
Scams and Frauds
Trading Standards has issued a warning over a
Census Form Scam
Trading Standards have issued a warning, after receiving
reports from victims who claim to have been contacted by someone
purporting to be from the authority, and acting on behalf of the Office
of National Statistics.
The caller suggested that the individual’s Census form was
completed incorrectly, and they had to pay a fine. The caller asked for
basic identification details, which they said was to confirm the Census
record, and the individual’s bank details, so they could process the
fine.
The Office of National Statistics are aware of similar scams in
other parts of the country where money has been taken from an
individual’s bank account. The Office of National Statistics have
warned that they would never ask for this type of personal information.
You will only be contacted about the Census by letter, never text or
phone.
When filling in the Census you will be asked for personal
information such as your date of birth, your occupation and where you
live. You will never be asked to provide your national insurance
number or financial details.
Beware a new BT scam
As a number of people use BT as their telephone and broadband
provider, please be aware of a new scam which carries the BT logo. If
you receive an email with an attachment headed ‘Service Cancellation
Notice’ apparently from BT – IGNORE IT. This is a scam. DO
NOT click on the ‘Confirm your account’ as this will give the scammers
all your personal details.
Postal Scam
If you receive a card through the post from a company called
PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) saying they are unable to deliver a
parcel and to ring this number 0906 661 1911. Do Not Call
but ring Royal Mail Fraud line on 020 7239 6655.
Page 4
BUDGET: WHAT DOES IT £1,073,100 until April 2026. The
MEAN FOR THE VCSE adult ISA annual subscription limit
SECTOR? for 2021-22 will remain
unchanged at £20,000.
Across the VCSE sector,
(the voluntary, community and Covid-19
social enterprise) organisations An extra £1.65 billion cash
are expressing concern about the injection to ensure the Covid-19
lack of targeted support for the vaccination roll-out in England
sector in the Chancellor’s budget. continues to be a success. £28
I have added some of the million to increase the UK’s
information available here; capacity for vaccine testing,
Support for people support for clinical trials and
The temporary £20 per week uplift improve the UK’s ability to rapidly
in universal credit has been given acquire samples of new variants
a six-month extension, after of COVID-19. £22 million for a
charities warned of rising poverty world-leading study to test the
which will only increase when the effectiveness of combinations of
uplift is cut. People in receipt of different Covid-19 vaccines. This
Working Tax Credit will receive a will also fund the world’s first study
one-off payment of £500 in April assessing the effectiveness of a
2021. The National Living Wage third dose of vaccine to improve
will increase to £8.91/hour from the response against current and
April 2021, for workers aged 23 future variants of COVID-19. A
and over. The personal basic rate further £5 million on top of a
tax free allowance goes to previous £9 million investment in
£12,570 from April 2021. The clinical-scale mRNA
higher rate level goes to £50,270. manufacturing, to create a ‘library’
Allowances will then be frozen for of vaccines that will work against
three years. Covid-19 variants for possible
Public finances rapid response deployment.
Maintaining inheritance tax Extending £500 Test and Trace
thresholds at their current levels support payments in England until
until April 2026. Fuel duty will be the summer.
frozen for the 11th consecutive To read the whole budget follow
year. Alcohol duties will be frozen this link;
across the board for the second www.gov.uk/government/news/bu
year running saving drinkers £1.7 dget-2021-what-you-need-to-know
billion. Maintaining the Lifetime
Allowance at its current level of
Page 5
CONNAUGHT OPERA
(Registered Charity Providing Musical Entertainment Throughout
Greater London)
CONNAUGHT OPERA have applied to the Heart of Bucks fund
to present 10 free concerts for older people in their area of benefit
(Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, South Bucks and Wycombe.)
If you know of a care home or day centre in these areas who
would enjoy a concert, please contact Maria to have your centre put
on the list; maria@maria-arakie.com
The concerts are often themed, with two singers and their
pianist, featuring light classics and songs from the shows, with a
strong emphasis on nostalgic music for
dementia sufferers.
Visit: https://www.connaughtopera.com .
Call on 020 7262 7401
Your Buckinghamshire magazine
Buckinghamshire Council produces a 24-page full colour free
magazine for residents that is sent every four months to all
households in Buckinghamshire. Their latest edition, which was sent
out on w/c Monday 8 March, includes news and information on
Buckinghamshire Lottery, recycling & waste, council tax, community
boards, Census 2021 and lots more.
If you live in the Buckinghamshire Council area and haven't
received your copy of the magazine by Friday 12 March, then please
call the editorial team on 01296 585216, who will be able to send you
a copy.
You can also contact the team via
email: magazine@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
Page 6 Advertisement
Page 7
Gardening tips for April
Sunshine and showers
Spring is finally in evidence as daffodils and flowering
trees start to bloom. Expect the inevitable April showers this month but
with sunny days too, when you can turn your attention to the lawn. It's
an exciting month, with indoor-sown seeds well into growth, and it's
also time to start sowing outdoors. Just watch out for frosts…
Top jobs this month
Keep weeds under control - Protect fruit blossom from late frosts -Tie
in climbing and rambling roses - Sow hardy annuals, herbs and wild
flower seed outdoors - Start to feed citrus plants - Increase the water
given to houseplants -Feed hungry shrubs and roses - Sow new lawns
or repair bare patches - Prune fig trees -Divide bamboos and
waterlilies
Preparation for planting
Try growing on plug plants in your greenhouse. They are a
relatively cheap source of large numbers of plants, which avoid the
need for propagation facilities and time-consuming pricking out.
You could use also use spare space in the greenhouse to warm
up grow-bags before for planting.
For more information and gardening tips visit;
www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/april
Telephone: 020 3176 5810
BENEFITS CALCULATOR
Take 10 minutes to calculate what benefits you could claim with
this free tool built for MoneySavingExpert by benefits specialists
Entitledto. To get your most accurate results, grab any info you’ve got
on savings, income, pensions and existing benefits, for both you and
your partner, before you start. Don’t worry, any details you provide are
kept anonymous. Go to;
www.moneysavingexpert.entitledto.co.uk/home/start
Page 8
By becoming a member of Neighbourhood Watch
you will have taken the first step to making the area that
you live a stronger and safer place to be. They
encourage you to connect with your neighbours and
others within your community who also share your
desire to help others.
Neighbourhood Watch are pleased to announce that their
members now qualify for a discount of 20% on Ring Video Doorbells
and related items. Ring doorbells are suitable for those who have
access to smart phones and enables you to monitor your home from
your smartphone. You can see, hear, and speak to anyone on your
property, wherever you are. This offer expires on 30th June 2021.
Thames Valley Police is very much in favour of video coverage of
this kind, as it helps with gathering evidence as well as acting as a
strong deterrent to criminals.
Membership is free and comes with lots of benefits. To find out
more visit their website;
www.ourwatch.org.uk/support/benefits-membership
or call them on
0116 402 6111
Older Drivers Support
Buckinghamshire County Council is committed to supporting
mature drivers and their families, they have developed a free online
e-learning module, similar to their award-winning Winter Driving
module. The Older Driver module contains all the information you need
to retain independence and drive safely for as long as possible. It
covers fitness to drive, ability, medication, improving your skills,
vehicle, licencing and driving assessments.
You can access the module, and book an older driver assessment,
here: www.buckscc.gov.uk/olderdrivers
Buckinghamshire Council also operates a £37.00 driving
assessment scheme for Buckinghamshire’s residents called “Be a
Better Driver”. Contact the Road Safety Team on 01296 382416 or
email roadsafety@buckscc.gov.uk requesting an application form,
or visit http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/beabetterdriver
Page 9
Independent Health Complaints
Advocacy (IHCA)
Do you need support in raising a complaint when care and
treatment provided or paid for by the NHS hasn’t been at the standard
you expected? If so, the advocacy people can help.
Sometimes things don’t go as well as we would expect when we
receive care and treatment from the NHS.
When this happens, we have lots of questions: why did this
happen, how can it be put right, will it happen to someone else?
The Advocacy People can support you to make a complaint
and get answers to your questions. They offer different levels of
support. Their self-help factsheets can guide you through making your
own complaint. Or one of their Independent Health Complaints
Advocates can work with you from the beginning or at any stage.
For more information and to make a referral:
Call: 0330 440 9000
Visit: www.theadvocacypeople.org.uk
Email: info@theadvocacypeople.org.uk
Text: 80800 start message with PEOPLE
Write to: PO Box 375, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 9HU
Get your Moneywise Guide
Money can be tight when you're living on a fixed income. If you're
struggling to make ends meet, there may be benefits you can claim or
other ways to boost your income and save money on bills.
To help you get started, take a look at the information and
advice on the Independent Age website. Click below for a free copy of
their Moneywise guide.
www.independentage.org/get-
advice/advice-guides-factsheets-
leaflets/moneywise
Or call their Helpline:
0800 319 6789
Page 10
What’s On?
Chiltern Arts Festival 2021: Rescheduled 21st–27th May 2021.
PHONE: 01442 920303. www.chilternarts.com/whats-on/
MMDF; Making Marlow Dementia Friendly for Marlow residents Zoom
Meets on a Tuesday morning at 10.30am Contact Jan on 07771 982903
for more information
COAM; Chiltern Open Air Museum, accompanied walks for the 65yrs
and over, from March 2021, following government guidelines. Contact;
outreadh@coam.org.uk or call 01494 871117
Bucks Council; Calendar of meetings for April follow;
www.buckinghamshire.moderngov.co.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?
GL=1&bcr=1
Amersham Museum; Guided walks through Amersham Old town; A
fascinating walk, led by a guide, around old Amersham. Tickets £5.
contact; Email: info@amershammuseum.org Telephone: 01494 723700
National Trust Chilterns Countryside; Walking in the Chilterns has it
all from sweeping views across the Aylesbury Vale to classic beech
woodlands and Red kites to mysterious looking ant hills. They have a
range of self led downloadable walks to allow all ages and abilities to
get out and enjoy the area all year round.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chilterns-countryside/lists/downloadable-walks-
in-the-chilterns-countryside Telephone; 0344 249 1895
EASTER BIN COLLECTIONS
8 Mar 2021 – 10 Apr 2021
Due to the Easter bank holidays, bin collections in Buckinghamshire
will be operating to a revised schedule.
Usual Collection Day Revised Collection Day
Friday 2 April (Good Friday) Saturday 3 April
Monday 5 April (Easter Monday) Tuesday 6 April
Tuesday 6 April Wednesday 7 April
Wednesday 7 April Thursday 8 April
Thursday 8 April Friday 9 April
Friday 9 April Saturday 10 April
www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/events/easter-bin-collections/Page 11
RESOURCES
Bucks Online Directory for Buckinghamshire (BOD); Find activities,
groups and services near you; a helpful resource based on your
postcode to find what you need quickly and easily. Please visit:
https://directory.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/
Age UK; 01296 431911 for help with loneliness or help with household
chores, befriending, computer training and general advice.
Mind Buckinghamshire; are continuing to create and develop
innovative ways of delivering mental wellbeing support that focuses on
tackling social isolation and promoting positive emotional wellbeing. Call
on 01494 463364
Red Cross Buckinghamshire; For help following a stay in hospital call:
01296 739303
Wye Valley Volunteers; offer a service in which volunteers use their
own cars to drive clients to medical appointments. Areas covered;
Bourne End, The Wooburns, Flackwell Heath and Little Marlow. They
ask for a small donation (the suggested amount based on mileage) to be
paid directly to the driver towards his or her petrol expenses. call on
01628 521027 or email enquiries@wyevalleyvolunteers.org.uk
Voices and choices; offer a community companionship project aimed at
reducing loneliness in our communities. You can be assigned a volunteer
to assist you in finding an activity or local group to join to alleviate
loneliness. Cal 01494 784566l
Power of Attorney: for help and guidance visit;
www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
Leap; Wellbeing packs on offer funded by Bucks Public Health Team
and Sport England, 10,000 of these are being distributed this month.
Contact; www.leapwithus.org.uk call 01296 585215
The Advocacy People; providing a health complaints advocacy
service. This service is there to support anyone who wishes to make a
complaint but may need some help through the process.
Email; info@theadvocacypeople.org.uk phone 0330440900
website www.theadvocacypeople.org.uk
The Princes Day Centre; The Princes Centre at both Princes
Risborough and Bourne End have now re-opened to clients offering
some much needed respite to carers and older people. Call 01628
527024 or 01844 3451052021 BOPAG MEETING
14TH APRIL 2021
Contact Details for the Bucks 2pm VIA ZOOM
Older People’s Action Group:
Paula can be contacted on All are welcome to attend, a link for
07753 987973 or the meeting will be sent out via
paulawatts.bopag@btinternet.com email so do let me know if you
would like to attend by emailing me
Andy can be contacted on paulawatts.bopag@btinternet.com
01296 622122 Or call on
E-mail: info@bopag.org.uk
BOPAG, c/o Hunter Hill Cottage, 07753 987973
Blind Lane, Bourne End
SL8 5LF Chiltern Arts Festival 2021
21st–27th May
A week of live in-person concerts;
Name our Magazine the vibrations of the room, those
competition…. real human moments, and the
Can you think of a really good sheer joy of sharing the
name for our BOPAG experience with others. They can't
magazine? wait to welcome both new friends
Now that our monthly newsletter and familiar faces to what they
had become more of a promise will be a safe, comfortable
magazine we felt it needed a environment. call 01442 920303
good name to go with it. for tickets
The BOPAG ————— www.chilternarts.com/whats-on/
We are asking for your help,
please send your suggestions to Centre Talks - Behind the
the email above or call us and scenes of a TV Quiz Show
we will announce the winner Faith Powell gives an entertaining
in next months account of her exploits on TV
edition. quizzes. The talk is on Thursday
15th April 2021 at 20:00.
This is an online talk delivered via
For daily updates on local news Zoom. Bourne End Community
and events please follow and Association
like our Facebook page; Contact telephone: 01628 522604
www.facebook.com/bopag.org/
Visit our website: BOPAG cannot endorse or recommend
services or products featured in this
https://bopag.org.uk/ magazine although we do take care to include
those with valid recommendations and
accreditations to their names.You can also read
