Get ready for winter advice for older people in Wales

'Get ready for winter’ – that’s the advice today for over 65s from an older people’s charity and the Welsh Government’s warm homes scheme.

Age Cymru and Nest are teaming up to give away handy ‘Winter Wrapped Up’ guides which contain advice on preparing for winter.
The ‘Winter Wrapped Up’ guide has information about issues including:
· Getting your central heating system serviced by a Gas Safe-registered engineer
· Insulating and draught-proofing your home
· Making sure your smoke alarms are working properly
· Installing carbon monoxide alarms in your home
It’s part of Age Cymru’s annual ‘Spread the Warmth’ campaign to help keep older people across Wales warm, safe and well over the winter.
“With winter just around the corner it’s a good time to plan ahead to make sure we are able to keep ourselves warm, safe and well over the colder months” said Age Cymru’s Spread the Warmth coordinator Angharad Phillips.
“Working with Nest, we have put together our ‘Winter Wrapped Up’ guide which is full of handy tips and advice about simple jobs to get done around our homes before the wintery weather arrives.”
The Welsh Government warm homes Nest scheme helps to make people’s homes warmer and more fuel efficient.
“Nest offers a wide range of support and advice to help people who are struggling to heat their homes and we’re very happy to be working with Age Cymru to help make sure that older people across Wales are ready for the coming winter months” said Lee Parry Head of Nest.
“Nest is open to all householders in Wales and provides advice on saving energy, money management, energy tariffs and benefit entitlement to help reduce the cost of energy bills.”
The Age Cymru and Nest ‘Winter Wrapped Up’ guides are available for free from:

• Age Cymru’s free, confidential and impartial advice service, Age Cymru Advice by calling freephone 08000 223 444
• Age Cymru Sir Gâr, Unit 5-11, LEC Workshops, 100 Trostre Road, Llanelli, SA15 2EA. Telephone: 01554 784080. Email: info@agecymrusirgar.org.uk

For more information about Age Cymru’s ‘Spread the Warmth’ campaign, visit www.agecymru.org.uk/stw
Age Cymru works nationally and locally through its network of independent local Age Cymru partners.
Age Cymru is committed to achieving an age friendly Wales where older people have equal rights to respect, opportunities and the same access to services as the rest of the population.

About Age Cymru
· Age Cymru is the national charity for older people in Wales
· We are the force combining Age Concern Cymru and Help the Aged in Wales.
· Age affects us all in different ways. We cannot promise good health, but we should be able to ensure good care for all of us. When we find loneliness, we will reach out. When age becomes a burden, we will lighten the load.
· Age Cymru will campaign. We will fundraise. We will research. We will make the powers that be listen.
· Age Cymru is a registered charity 1128436.
· Company limited by guarantee and registered by in England and Wales 6837284.
· Registered office address: Tŷ John Pathy, 13/14 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff, CF24 5PJ.
· We work with local Age Cymru Partners across Wales to improve life for older people.
· Age Cymru is funded by donations from the public, corporate partners, our retail and trading enterprises and the Welsh Government.
· www.agecymru.org.uk www.facebook.com/agecymru www.twitter.com/agecymru

Advice films -
· http://bit.ly/AgeCymruFilm

Winter Celebration Grants
As part of our national Spread the Warmth campaign, we're encouraging applications for a ‘Winter Celebration’ grant of up to £150 from new and established groups, so that older people can come together for a social occasion between 1 November 2016 and 28 February 2017.
Social connections give us the opportunity for emotional support, material help, and information that we need to thrive and enjoy quality of life and good health. For more information about our grant, please visit our website

About Age Cymru Sir Gar
We are a local charity that has been supporting older people living in Carmarthenshire for 20 years. The support we offer is wide ranging and much of it can be accessed for free.
For example, we offer an advocacy for the over 50s in Carmarthenshire.
Do you have a problem you can’t resolve and need some help and guidance? We have advocates that can help you and others to understand the problem, look for a solution and get it resolved.
Find out more on our website, or get in touch.
Website - http://www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru/sirgar/
Address:
Age Cymru Sir Gâr
Unit 5-11
LEC Workshops
100 Trostre Road
Llanelli
SA15 2EA
Telephone:
01554 784080
Email: info@agecymrusirgar.org.uk