From charity homes to one-bed flats at £104k

Jack Cunningham, Labour politician, Jarvis, actor, Georgina Hale, actress, Broudie, musician/ producer

Mary Decker, former track athlete, Barack Obama, former president of the United States Lee Mack, comedian, BEING brought up in the Methodist tradition, I would often attend coffee mornings and bring and buy sales in support of Methodist Homes For The Aged.

I wonder how many people like myself believed that this was the charity arm of the Methodist church. Providing accommodation, singly or in a residential setting for people over the age of 65 in ‘lean’ financial circumstances?

How surprised I was to find a recent advert in the Manchester Evening News with a full page entitled ‘Property and living retirement special.’

It detailed an upscale development in Urmston, Manchester by a private developer selling luxury 1,2 and 3 bedroom retirement apartments starting at £104,250 for a one bedroom. They advertised themselves in partnership with MHA with their logo.

Apparently the 24-hour onsite core that can be utilised if required is provided by MHA.

I am sure that many people would be surprised and feel that this is a big departure from its original purpose when it was set up over 70 years ago. WITH regard to a recent Examiner column urging us to check out our coughs.

I had a bad productive cough for many months along with breathlessness. After a number of steroid courses and antibiotic courses the doctor referred me to the practice nurse for what was a primitive breathing test. Frighteningly the nurse told me I had the lungs of an 80-year-old (I was only 54-ish at the time) and that I had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

I decided to self refer and see a lung specialist in Salford Royal. He did blood tests and wanted me to have a scan but as I couldn’t afford the scan privately, he managed to persuade my GP to let me see him on the NHS.

I was diagnosed with Aspergillus which is an allergy to a mould and such things. I am being treated very successfully for this. Apparently my lungs are and always have ben healthy.

The message is please ask for a blood test to see if its possible that this could be your problem too as I don’t think it would be in the forefront of the GP’s mind. I LIVE near the bottom of Shelley Park estate and we have never had buses that go direct to town. We never have a bus at all down our way in the evening – they stop just after six – and none on a Sunday. So if you haven’t a car you get a taxi.

Well today I went for the No 83 bus and it goes up to Kirkburton, Highburton and Lepton, comes past Aldi then onto the main road at Waterloo to town.

Everyone didn’t know what was happening and they were all complaining as one said if we had wanted to go on a tour we would have booked one.

I had set off at 9.20am, got into town just after 10.30, didn’t make the 11.15 bus to come home, so I had to get the 12.15 and got home at 1.10 pm.

They have knocked off the 84 at the bottom and the no 80 (that went round Lepton) at the top. Why have they done this, it would be better if four people shared a taxi. There’s many that haven’t got a car and so need the bus. It’s hit the old folk again. ONE trade I would like to see return from the past is the cobbler. I think it died a death when trainers became popular and most people chose to wear them as opposed to boots or shoes.

But now if you do wear boots or shoes and they can’t be repaired they are thrown away.

My late father in his first job worked as a cobbler. When he changed jobs he still repaired our shoes when they needed doing.

I can recall a cobbler’s at the top of Laund Road in Salendine Nook in the 60s and people would go there for shoe repairs and the shop always appeared to be busy.

Cobblers saved people money and were a useful trade which helped many people keep their favourite footwear tidy.