RUTH MAGUIRE MSP URGES OLDER CONSTITUENTS WITH HEARING
LOSS TO DROP IN TO AGE CONCERN BOURTREEHILL
Ruth Maguire MSP is urging older people in Broomlands and Bourtreehill who have hearing loss to pop in to Age Concern’s local centre to enjoy a cuppa, participate in the group’s recreational activities and get informed about social security benefits.
The centre at 7 Lower Vennel was a hive of activity during a visit by the MSP for Cunninghame South this week. Betty Weir and a dedicated team of her fellow volunteers highlighted a range of social, musical and arts and crafts opportunities which older residents can join in as well as various types of support they can access.
A monthly social security advice session at the centre, run by Jayne Armour from charity Action on Hearing Loss Scotland, has so far supported 25 local people who have hearing loss with information about benefits such as Attendance Allowance, Housing Benefit, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Betty Weir, Age Concern Bourtreehill chairperson, said: “We were delighted to show Ruth Maguire MSP around our centre which is the ideal place for locals to meet for a cuppa or a blether and we often have plenty of entertainment on offer too!
“We’re pleased to host Jayne’s monthly drop-in where she is helping many people who have hearing loss to understand how benefits interlink and dispel some of the myths. It’s great to see this service working so well and we’d be happy to see Jayne being kept even busier, if you’d like to pop in for some advice.”
Jayne Armour, Action on Hearing Loss Scotland’s Welfare Rights Officer, said: “I appreciated the chance to speak with Ruth Maguire MSP about our service which, thanks to the support from the Age Concern volunteers, is helping dozens of local deaf people in Broomlands and Bourtreehill to become better informed about social security benefits they may be entitled to and can make a real difference to their everyday lives.
“If you are deaf and need some help to apply for support, or are confused about letters you have received regarding your benefits, I’ll try my best to help you make sense of it all.”
Ruth Maguire MSP said: “I was very pleased to be able to see the important work being done by Action on Hearing Loss Scotland at the Age Concern Centre in Bourtreehill. We know that people don’t always claim the benefits they are entitled to and this great service helps people with hearing loss to access what they are due.
”The volunteers who run the centre are very welcoming and friendly and I thoroughly enjoyed spending some time with them over a cuppa.”
The next social security advice session will take place in the centre between 11:30-13:30 on Tuesday 11 December 2018. To contact the service, call/text: 07741 164096 or email: SocialSecurity@hearingloss.org.uk
The image above shows Ruth with Age Concern Bourtreehill volunteers Alan Kesson, Peggy Burt, Betty Weir (Chairperson), Pat McClennan, Jean Reader and Jayne Armour (Welfare Rights Officer for Action on Hearing Loss Scotland).
Action on Hearing Loss Scotland is a charity which supports people who are Deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus to live the life they choose by campaigning for equality and developing technology and treatments.
For further information about Action on Hearing Loss Scotland or to become a member, visit hearingloss.org.uk/Scotland, contact Action on Hearing Loss’s Information Line on 0808 808 0123 (freephone) or 0808 808 9000 (textphone) or email: scotland@hearingloss.org.uk.
Ruth Maguire MSP 