As summer approaches, we’re planning outings and activities that are more outdoors-based. In August we have a coach trip to the seaside planned for our clients over 60. This annual outing is always popular, and even in the heat waves we’ve frequently experienced, I’m put to shame by how most our clients pack in a full day’s sightseeing. At half their age, when it’s 90 degrees in the midday sun, I’m found wilting in a shady café, but many of our clients are made of sterner stuff – even when wearing smart shirts and jackets, they’re out there seeing the sights , immune to the sunstroke I’ve worried about.

It’s also encouraging to hear that for some people this has been their first trip to the beach in years, and how much they’ve enjoyed it. Mobility is a real problem for many of our older clients, and while we try and facilitate attendance by booking mobility coaches and providing free places for carers, there are still many people who can’t manage to get out to our trips.

I’m also planning our summer outing for families who’ve received a children’s grant from ScotsCare, and we’ll be going by train again. That way we save money ( as we don’t have to buy tickets for no-shows); it’s greener; and it also means the trip is more flexible for families, who can leave when the kids are tired, while there’s more room for children to stretch their legs on the train than the coach.

We’re also doing a canal cruise for one of our tenants groups in June, on a riverboat along the River Lee, a tranquil green waterway which offers a beautiful escape from London city life.

Our regular monthly lunches for Scots over 50 continue at Euston, Bloomsbury and Luton, and we welcome new faces. Camden Council Libraries staff visited our London lunches this month, to encourage our clients to attend new computer courses being run in the borough, and several people have signed up for this. (Hopefully they’ll be reading this on-line now!) I also met with Age Concern Camden, and we’re hoping to develop more collaboration between our organisations.

Happy New Year to everyone! After a busy festive season, January brings a welcome chance to clear up, calm down and move into a new year. December was packed with Xmas events, outings and mince pies. Our Luton group’s Xmas party took place on 11 December, with 50 people getting together for a tasty three-course dinner at the Celtic Club, with entertainment from an Elvis impersonator and disco. Seems Elvis had had more than a drop of Xmas spirit before going on (following his idol’s overindulgence), which led to me hiding behind the bar in fear of being dragged onto the stage for a duet.

The next week we had a Xmas lunch for 80 Scots seniors at our Bloomsbury venue, with music and magician.It was good to see so many familiar faces and some new ones too. And it’s always touching how so often it’s the people who have most to deal with in life who are the most generous to others.

We also had an over-60s outing to the ‘White Christmas’ show at the Albert Hall, a real old-fashioned night out, with fantastic performances, lighting and ambience. The conductor looked like Lembit Opik MP, and when the glamorous guest singer undulated onto the stage a la Marilyn Monroe (or was she a Cheeky Girl?), he started jumping up and down with excitement. The audience was in stitches and our clients really enjoyed the show. Thanks to Ann-Marie Michel for photos

Our last outing of 2008 was a visit to the beautiful outdoor skating rink at the Natural History Museum, surrounded by huge trees and Christmas lights, where over 200 children and parents joined us for a whirl on the ice.

Thanks to the staff team who helped deliver these events and to our volunteers, especially Teresa, Jean and Ann for their input. And to the clients, managers and trustees who kept us fuelled with seasonal treats of chocolates, mince pies and cakes… guess now we’re back to New Year, new diet, but it was great while it lasted! Vegetable juices and walking to work from now on….

Although this year I started organising our seasonal events earlier than ever, suddenly Xmas looms closer and closer, and now I am waking up 2 hours before the alarm goes off, worrying about how to fit everything in. This week we had our first Xmas event, where 30 Scots seniors from our Euston lunch group went out for our Xmas meal. Very pleased that more people attended than previous years, and that everyone was happy with the menu and new venue. Top marks to the Prince Arthur pub, NW1, for fresh, tasty, well-cooked food (unlike last year’s at an unnamed hostelry in Camden High St, where the food was definitely not home-cooked and where the first person had finished eating before the sweating landlord has finished nuking the last person’s dinner …). And as ever when you’re already busy, admin delays with other services take up more time, leaving me with yet another mailout to fit in – when?? Site visits to the Albert Hall and Natural History Museum have to take precedence, plus checking 250 skating tickets individually for right age/right sessions/right day/ right price as marked. This coming week is even busier, with a lunch for 120 people (got to finalise catering details, payments, name labels, rota, raffle, magician’s brief, pianist’s repertoire, minister’s email, decorations, setting up…) and then another party on Thursday in Luton (sort electrical capability as venue says caterers can’t use full equipment, more payments, Elvis impersonator timing….) so more late nights, I expect. Thank god for yoga ( and white wine, tho’ not together). Looking forward to Monday’s class with inspiring teacher, candlelit studio, complete peace and focussing only on how far we can hold the ‘ego-eradicator’ posture…

Hi, this is Una and my job at ScotsCare is organising the programme of social events and activities for our clients. We have 3 priority groups – people over 60; families and children; and men aged 25-45.

The run-up to Christmas is always a busy time, and at the moment I’m pulling together a range of events. These include a skating trip for around 250 children and parents; a Christmas concert for around 70 seniors; and three Christmas parties for upto 100 people in Luton and London. So for the last month I’ve been liaising with venues, entertainers and ticket agencies, reserving large numbers of tickets, then mailing our client groups and now that we’re getting final numbers in, we can confirm who’s going where when. As ever, late bookings mean more hassle, having to keep calling the agency back and ‘You know our booking for 200 seats , could we add another 24 adults, 13 children, one aisle seat, yes, I know you’ve done the invoice, but another person booked late…’ Aaargh!

Other tasks this week are calling the Elvis impersonator, booked for one Xmas party, for the sixth time since September – this time for the first time ever the phone is answered, by a member of his family, but I’m told he’s up a ladder. Don’t want to call him while he’s balanced there, can’t afford any falls before the Xmas show. Also trying to sort out the offer of a karaoke machine for another party – if it doesn’t work, how much to hire one? And these days, some venues won’t allow us candles at Xmas dinner, so searching for flameless candles online has been another task. As we rail at the risk-averse nature of modern life, a colleague tells me how her hair caught alight in a candlelit restaurant and had to be dowsed in red wine, so I guess Health & Safety has a point… I order 43 flameless tea candles.