1. society
2. crime

Senior
Siren
Brought to you by the Senior Citizen Liaison Team
Interview with
Sir Robin Knox Johnstone CBE
Crime Prevention Advice
Useful Contacts
Puzzles
The Senior Citizen Liaison Team (SCLT) provide opportunities for senior
citizens to benefit from crime prevention advice, victim aftercare, social
inclusion events and much more. To arrange a talk from the SCLT or to
find out more information please contact us on tel. 07879116009, or visit
our website sclt.moonfruit.com
Issue 11
2012
Senior
Siren
Brought to
you from
r Citizen
the Senio
Liaison Team
Next
Edition
Due Out
March
Senior Siren Editor
Michael Wedlock Reports
Helping to detect Rogue Traders
senior
rtunities for
social
provide oppo
aftercare,
Team (SCLT)
e, victim
or to
ntion advic
Citizen Liaison
the SCLT
crime preve
The Senior
e a talk from
9, or visit
To arrang
benefit from
0787911600
citizens to
much more.
ct us on tel.
events and
please conta
inclusion
information
it.com
find out more
te sclt.moonfru
websi
our
I would like to start my editorial by thanking
all of you that have recently sent us kind
messages of thanks and appreciation. I
assure you that your kind words never go
unnoticed and often serve to refresh the
inspiration of the team’s volunteer work force,
so thank you.
In previous editions of the Senior Siren I have
talked about how not to become the victim
of a “Door Step Crime”, however in this
edition I am changing tact and asking for
your help to identify offenders so that the
police can catch up with them before they
commit crime.
Rogue traders are criminals that provide you
with a service which is either grossly over
priced and/or of poor quality. Rogue traders
can be persuasive, intimidating people who
will stop at nothing to defraud their victims
out of thousands of pounds.
Rogue traders often do allot of work to soften
up their victims and make themselves appear
legitimate before they actually commit their
crime. They use a wide range of techniques
to achieve this, one of which is a leaflet
drop offering services at rock bottom prices.
Typical of the services that they offer on
these leaflets is driveway, roofing/guttering
and gardening services. The leaflets that
they use can look very official and appear to
have recognisable trader’s marks on them,
however there is nothing official about the
services that they provide or the price that
they charge. Far too often people are tricked
into believing that the traders are legitimate
because of there professional looking
literature.
I’m sure that you have received these types
of leaflets in the past and thought nothing
more of them other than they are an
annoyance to pick up and throw into the bin.
This is where I am asking for your help, the
police and trading standards can gain a
massive amount of intelligence from these
leaflets which can help to detect offenders.
The information that the police and trading
standards can get includes, being able to
follow national crime trends, forensic links
to the offenders (fingerprints and DNA) and
an early warning of what area may next be
targeted by rogue traders.
So I ask the readership of the Senior Siren
to assist the law enforcement agencies by
sending us any leaflets offering services at
unbelievable low prices or any other flyers or
mailings that you feel may not be legitimate.
Any leaflets sent to us will be passed to expert
detectives who will use all the tools available
to them to identify if in fact the leaflet is
bogus and who posted it.
Any leafle
ts should b
e sent
to:
Senior Citiz
en Liaison
Team,
Bishopswo
th Police S
tation,
Kingshead
Lane,
Bristol BS13
7DD.
Please inc
lude your
name and
rough time
add
that the le
aflet was p ress and the
we can m
osted. Tog
ake a diffe
ether
rence and
offenders
h
elp to brin
to justice.
g
An expert in all things senior, Audrey replies
to your queries, worries and concerns.
Dear Audrey, I have recently been
having problems with my adjoining
neighbours who often disturb me
by playing loud music late into the
night. I have previously asked them
to politely turn the music down
however this only served to make the
problem worse, is there anyone who
can help?
The Noise Pollution team are a
department within the council. This
team can help you and will often
attend addresses to monitor noise
problems; if the noise is over an
acceptable level then the team
can issue a noise abatement order.
The Bristol Noise pollution team can
be reached on 0117 9222500 with
other regions available on your local
councils telephone number.
and live alone,
Dear Audrey, I am 92 years old
lly for
I have a pet dog called Walter (Wa
often my only
short) who is my best friend and
ut what will
companion. I am concerned abo
how can I
happen to Wally after I’m gone,
s away.
ensure he is looked after if I pas
a new service
The RSPCA have just launched
service that
call “Home for Life”. This is a free
deceased
looks after the pets of recently
animals until
people, The RSPCA care for the
nent home
such time as a suitable perma
me for Life
can be found for them. Tel. Ho
0300 123 0239.
Dear Audrey, motorist who par
k on the
pavement often cause me to hav
e to go into
the road to get around their veh
icles, this is
dangerous and an inconvenienc
e, what is the
rule about pavement parking.
Parking on pavements has lon
g been a hot topic
of discussion, the police use the
rule that if you
could get a child’s double bug
gy (pushchair)
through then it’s not an obstruc
tion. In order to
clear any obstructing vehicles
you should report
it to the local police using the
101 telephone
service.
The essential Do’s and Don’ts
when you become the victim of a doorstep crime
Do - call the police as soon as
Don’t - ever think that
you realise that you have become
a victim, if appropriate use the 999
system especially if the offender
has only recently left.
becoming a victim was in anyway
your fault. The blame for this type
of crime sits squarely with the
offender.
Do - make a written note
Don’t - delay contacting the
of everything that you can
remember about the offender, a
physical description including full
details of their clothing.
police because you think you will
be wasting their time, your call
could stop others from becoming
a victim.
Do - have a good look around
Don’t - clean or touch anything
and establish what has been
taken while being careful not to
disturb any areas that the offender
may have touched.
Do - when the police arrive
check their identification
thoroughly and then tell them
as much information as you can
remember.
that the offender may have
touched as it could contain
important forensic evidence
especially a cup or glass the
offender may have used.
Victim Support
Tel. 0845 303 0900
Victim support offer help and advice to help
you cope after becoming the victim of a crime.
Mailing Preference Service (MPS)
Registration can be made online
www.tpsonline.org.uk or by phone on Tel. 0845 703 4599.
The Mailing Preference Service (MPS)
supports your right to choose the mail you
wish to receive. It is a free service.
Telephone Preference Service (TPS)
Registration can be made on line
www.tpsonline.org.uk or by phone on Tel. 0845 070 0707
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is
a free service to enable the user to opt out
of receiving unsolicited sales or marketing
calls.
NHS Direct
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Tel. 0845 606 46 47
NHS Direct provide advice about any
medical concerns that you may have.
Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM)
Tel. 0845 126 8600
The drive check 55 is a chance to get your
driving checked by a qualified IAM instructor.
This is not a test just a chance to be reminded of
good driving habits if it’s been a while since you
passed your driving test.
Crime Stoppers
Tel. 0800 555 111
This service can be used to report things to the
police anonymously.
Neighbourhood Watch
First Floor, 52 London Road, Oadby, Leicester
Tel. 0116 271 0052
Join your local NHW and receive regular
information about local crime trends and crime
prevention advice. Also available is information
about how to set up a scheme in your local area.
Police - Senior Citizen Liaison Team (SCLT)
Bishopsworth Police Station, Bristol –
Tel. 07879116009.
www.sclt.moonfruit.com
Local police non emergency.
Tel. 101
For all police quires of a non emergency nature.
Citizen Advice Bureau
12-14 Broad St, Bristol –
Tel, 0870 121 2134
The Citizen Advice Bureau offer you a
range of free advice including a benefits
check which enables you to ensure that
you are claiming all of the benefits you are
entitled to.
Avon Fire and Rescue
Headquarters Tower Hill, Bristol –
Tel 0117 926 2061
Avon Fire and Rescue Service visit you at
home to provide a free fire safety check.
This includes the supply and fitting of
smoke detectors all free of charge.
Soldiers, Sailors , Airmen, Families
Association. (SSAFA)
19 Queen Elizabeth Street, London Tel. 0845 1300 975
If you are ex-military personnel or the
dependant of an ex-military personnel
then SSAFA may be able to cover costs for
numerous things e.g home improvements,
mobility scooters.
Age UK
Tel. 0800 169 6565
Age UK offer a wide range of help and
advice for Senior Citizens. They can be
contacted on the above telephone
number for free advice on all of their
services.
Doorstep Scammers are professional criminals who make their livings by
visiting you at home in order to steal from you. There are two types of
doorstep scammers,
The Distraction Burglar-
The Rogue Trader-
Distraction burglars visit you at
home unannounced and use a
variety of scams and deceptions to
confuse or trick you into letting
them in. Tricks such as posing as
utility engineers or council officials
are commonly used by this type of
criminal. Once inside your home
either they or an accomplice will
attempt to steal cash or other
valuable items from you.
Rouge traders visit you at home
unannounced and use a variety
of scams and deceptions to
confuse or intimidate you into
paying for a service that you
didn’t really want or that was
grossly over priced. Scams such
as telling you that you
require urgent home repairs or
unnecessary gardening work are
commonly used by this type of
criminal.
Combating these criminals has become known as the “Battle of the Doorstep” and
here are some helpful tips in winning it.
-
Try to use chains and spy holes before opening the front door fully.
Check the callers photographic Identification properly (get them to post it through
the door rather than opening it).
Contact the callers company to ensure that the caller is genuine (source the
telephone number for yourself, never use one that is on the ID card or that is given
to you by the caller). Do this with the caller outside and the front door shut.
It is illegal if a doorstep sales person fails to immediately leave your property if
asked to do so.
It is illegal if a doorstep sales person tells you that their job or livelihood is in
jeopardy if you don’t buy their service or product.
Remember, if in doubt keep them out.
Mailing and Telephone Scams.
Unsolicited letters and telephone calls are a real and
constant annoyance to many people across the United Kingdom. The
trickster has used this medium for many years to defraud people out of
their hard earned money with billions of pounds stolen each year in the
UK alone. The Telephone and Mailing Preference Services (TPS) (MPS)
can help you avoid becoming the victim of one of these scams and
can cut down the amount of unwanted letters and telephone calls
that you receive. Full details of how to register for these services can be
found in the directory section of this publication.
Personal Safety.
It is important that at all times when out and about that we think about our
personal safety. Not all criminals use clever tricks and deceptions, some are
just happy to grab a handbag and run as fast as they can. Here are a few
simple suggestions that might lessen your chances of becoming a victim of
crime.
-
Keep all values close to your person as visible cash and jewellery can
bring you unwanted attention.
Where ever possible travel with a friend and use well lit and busy
routes.
Avoid carrying large amounts of cash and valuables out and about.
Don’t put all of your valuables in a handbag as this is often the
primary target of street criminals
Carry a personal alarm. These can be used to draw attention to you
in an emergency.
When Should I dial 999.
The police service depends heavily on members of the public
to use the 999 telephone service appropriately in order to
prevent crime and catch criminals. There are two instances, in
which 999 should be immediately dialled,
Where you know of a criminal offence at which the offender(s)
is still at the scene.
Where life or limb, or serious damage to property could be
prevented by immediate intervention.
When speaking with the telephone operator please remember
to speak in a calm, clear voice. Tell the operator as much
information as you can about the incident, its exact location,
and try to give detailed descriptions of the offender(s).
Finally Some Good News
Thankfully the crimes that we have spoken about in this
section are rare and it is highly likely that you will never
become the victim of one. Crime generally is at an all time
low and statistically people in Britain have never been safer.
Please don’t let crime prevention advice scare you, instead
think of it as a tool which can be used to increase your
confidence and reduce previously unforeseen risks.
Word Wheel –
Joke – A bear walks into a bar and says
to the barman, I’d like a……………..
………………………… gin and tonic
please, The barman replies what’s with
the big paws (pause).
Try and make as many
words as you can from
the letters in the wheel.
Each word must use
the centre letter.
Siren M.D.
unity
• Boosting imm
rt of
Get Green:
as a regular pa
n
ke
ta
n
e
h
w
,
h to be
Green tea
own by researc
sh
n
e
e
b
s
a
h
t
ie
nt
your d
as an antioxida
l
u
rf
e
w
o
p
re
o
e
100 times m
warm cup of th
a
k
rin
D
.
C
in
m
ay
than vita
n tea twice a d
e
re
g
e
in
e
ff
a
-c
naturally low
n.
in the cold seaso
• Angina
Love lemons:
Lemon is thought to prevent the clogging
of blood vessels by cholesterol, which may
help prevent angina. Try to take lemon
every day in your diet – a good way is to
use the fresh juice squeezed into hot or cold
water, or on salads as a dressing.
• Varicose
veins
r:
h lavende
it
w
e
g
a
al oil,
ss
Ma
der essenti
n
e
v
la
re
u
ard
Using p
s in an upw
in
e
v
e
th
. After
massage
s the heart
rd
a
w
to
el
n
directio
begin to fe
l
’l
u
o
y
s
te
ts
aling effec
a few minu
e
h
,
g
in
lm
e ca
relief as th
.
nder kick in
of the lave
Home Remedies
• High cholesterol
Get a grape:
Red grapes have high
levels of antioxidants, which
are thought to help lower
cholesterol naturally. Eat them
raw or juice them (with skins)
for a liquid treat. Shop brought
red grape juice will work too,
but might not be as potent
without the skin.
•A
sthma &
Breathlessness
Sniff some hone
y:
For immediate
relief from
wheeziness cau
sed by
asthma, hold a
jar of (open)
fragrant honey
under your
nose. Honey is th
ought to be
one of the best
anti-asthma
cures, and eve
n smelling it
can help make
breathing
easier.
PC Roger Ibrahim reports
Unclaimed
Unclaimed World War 2 campaign medals.
World War 2 took a terrible toll on all those
who lived through it. Similar to service in
any war the memories of the conflict often
remain a mixture of pride and pain in the
minds of the veterans who served in it.
Many ex-service personnel have never
spoken about their wartime service and
never made a claim for the war time medals
that they are entitled to wear. For many
claiming medals was the last thing on their
mind as they returned home to friends and
family.
As such hundreds of thousands of these
unclaimed war medals sit in warehouses
to this day waiting for their owners to claim
them.
Ingredients
Veterans wishing to claim
their wartime medals can still
do so. If you know someone
who didn’t claim their world war two medals
and would like to do so please write us a
letter with their details and one of our case
workers will be able to assist you in making a
claim.
If it’s to hand on to the next generation
or maybe just to wear on remembrance
Sunday we can help.
Please write to:
Mike Wedlock
c/o Bishopsworth Police Station
Bishopsworth
Bristol
BS13 7DD
Christmas Cake
•100g/3½oz dairy-free margarine
(or whatever kind of butter that you can eat)
•1 large ripe banana
•2 large lemons, finely grated rind and juice only
•100g/3½oz soft prunes, stoned and halved
•75g/3oz raisins
•75g/3oz sultanas
•75g/3oz currants
•150g/5oz soft dried apricots, chopped in fairly large
pieces
•50g/2oz mixed peel (if you don’t want to use ready-
made mixed peel which will include sugar, you can
scrape the pith from the rinds of two oranges and two
lemons, chop it small and blanch it for three minutes in
boiling water)
•75g/2½oz walnuts, halved and 25g/¾oz hazelnuts,
chopped OR 75g/3oz large pumpkin seeds and
25g/¾oz sunflower seeds
•2 eggs OR 2 level tsp gluten-free baking powder
•75g/2½oz coarse polenta and 75g/2½oz rice flour
and 1 level tsp xanthan gum OR 150g gluten-free
flour that already includes xanthan gum
•2 heaped tsp ground nutmeg
•1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
•1 heaped tsp ground ginger
•½ teaspoon ground cloves
•2 tbsp brandy (optional)
Preparation method
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/300F/Gas 3.
2. In a food processor beat the butter/margarine with the
banana and the lemon juice and rind. Pour into a bowl.
3. Mix in the dried fruit and nuts or seeds.
4. Beat the eggs if you are using them.
5. Sieve which ever flours you are using with the baking
powder (if you are substituing it for the eggs) and the spices.
6. Fold the eggs (if you are using them) into the fruit mixture
alternately with the flours. Add some brandy if it is too dry.
7. Line a 20cm/8in cake tin with greased greaseproof paper.
Spoon the mixture in and level off the top.
8. Bake for about two hours or until a skewer inserted in the
middle comes out clean.
9. Remove from the tin and cool on a rack.
10.Eat as it is or store to be iced for Christmas.
Senior
Spotlight
Presents
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston CBE
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston CBE was born in 1939 in Putney (London) and following education he served
for a number of years in the Merchant Navy and the Royal Navy Reserve. This early career choice
inspired a profound love of the sea, and all things maritime and in 1968 he made seafaring history
when he entered his 32-yacht ‘Suhaili’ in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, and in the process
became the first person to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe (For
which he was rewarded with the CBE)
Believing that competitive sailing should be accessible to more people, In 1996 Sir Robin established
the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, which allows many non-seafarers the opportunity to
compete in the prestigious international event on an annual basis, and gain an introduction to
maritime sporting activity.
Far from putting his feet up in retirement, Sir Robin continues his life of adventurous sailing and in
2006 & 2007 successfully competed in the VELUX 5 Ocean Races, becoming the oldest yachtsman to
complete a solo round the world voyage at 68-years of age. Our Senior Spotlight reporter Ash Jones
shares a moment with Sir Robin to get his views on older adulthood.
You have been involved in international sailing from
a young age, what sparked your interest in the sea,
and what keeps you motivated to continue your
adventures?
All I know is that by the age of 8 I had become
interested in matters maritime, and that of course
made presents easy, I was given books about the sea,
and it just grew from there.
If you could invite 3 people, living or dead to a dinner
party, who would you choose and why?
Francis Drake ~ a self made man who became the
second person to lead a voyage around the world,
and first Englishman.
James Cook ~ one of the greatest navigators and
explorers. His legacy of scientific and geographical
knowledge still influences people today.
Ramesses 11 ~ King of Egypt for over 28-years, notably
during the period of the decline of the great Egyptian
state.
If you had not chosen a life closely associated with
the sea and sailing, is there another career that you
would like to have followed?
Probably a game warden or farmer due to my love of
the outdoors and the countryside.
What is your secret to staying active and energised as
an older adult?
Having a keen sense of curiosity.
What book is on your nightstand at the moment? Or
is there any author or fictional character that inspires
you?
Currently there are three. A history of the Lancaster
Bomber, a book about the sinking of the Tirpitz,
and a new one called Bodyguard, by the person
who escorted John Simpson, Ran Fiennes and I in
Afghanistan (during the filming of the BBC programme
Top Dogs: Adventures in War, Sea and Ice)
If you were the Prime Minister for a day, is there one
law you would like to pass or get rid of which you
think would improve society for all?
A throwback to my merchant navy days is that I
would enforce a requirement that all British registered
vessels must have British Officers. This would ensure
that all officers have the very highest standard of
qualifications.
You have a very active
life, how do you relax and
recharge your batteries?
Reading or pottering on my
boat.
And finally……how would
you like to be remembered?
Someone who helped
thousands of people take up
the sport of sailing through
Clipper Ventures.
Our Design and Print
Services
I
T
DES
IGN
F
& PR ALL YO OR
U
INT
NEE R
DS
We offer you:
•
Freequotations,competitivepricesandawiderangeofsolutionsforallyour
designandprintneeds.
•
Productsrangingfrombespokecorporateandbranddesign,occasionand
eventservices,largescaleprints,calendars,businessstationeryandmore.
•
E-publicationsandvariabledataprintservices.
•
Anextensiverangeofqualitymaterialsincludingvarioussizedandtextured
paper,cardandcanvas.
•
Afullrangeofqualityprintfinishingservicesincludingfolding,bindingand
laminating.
•
Qualityproductscompletedtomeetyourdeadlines.
•
High-enddigitalandlithographicprintingin
eithercolourorblackandwhite.
.uk
Contacuntit:@avonandsomerset.pnn.police
t
Email: prin
16051/52
elcome/
Tel: 01275 8
one.co.uk/w
t
s
e
w
h
t
u
.so
Web: www s/design-and-print/
e
ic
v
r
e
-s
r
ou
unton
ead and Ta
h
is
t
r
o
P
:
Offices