Active Retirement

This section outlines the community organisations of interest to older people. It also gives information about lifelong learning, leisure and exercise opportunities so that older people can enjoy an active retirement.

Please note: This page contains external links which are not part of the Haringey Council website. Please read our legal disclaimer before using these links.

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Lifelong learning

• Floodlight (external link) is the annual directory of all the classes for adults in Greater London. You can get it from a newsagent, consult it in a library or look at it on the Internet. For information about daytime and evening classes leading to qualifications, as well as courses for creative and leisure interests, please contact your local library (which keeps a comprehensive set of prospectuses).
• Learndirect Learning Centres (external link) provide information on local courses.
• Haringey Adult Learning Service (HALS) offers community courses for adults, ICT, family learning and English for speakers of other languages. Courses range from Tai Chi to IT.
• Open Learning Centres can also be found at Wood Green Central Library and Marcus Garvey Library.
• College of North East London (external link) provides a wide range of courses, including adult reading classes and help with reading and writing.
• University of the Third Age (U3A) (external link) is run by and for the people who take part. Activities take place in a relaxed atmosphere and could include classes, talks, study trips and film screenings.
• Collage Arts (external link) is the main arts development organisation in the borough. It runs a range of creative courses open to everyone. New programmes are put together on a regular basis so contact them for up-to-date information.

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Sport and fitness

The Eazy Card is a leisure pass which lets you enjoy great savings at all of Haringey's Leisure Centres.

The main sports facilities in Haringey are:

• Park Road Pools and Leisure Centre
• Tottenham Green Leisure Centre
• White Hart Lane Community Sports Centre

See the activities for Older People page for a list of activities suitable for older people.

Enjoying the outdoors

Haringey has more than 600 acres of parks, recreation grounds and open spaces and has achieved Green Flag status for seven of our parks - the highest awarded to a London borough! The parks Friends Groups play a major role in achieving and maintaining these high standards.

To get around on public transport make sure you have your Freedom Pass. The pass is available to Haringey residents aged 60 or over and gives free travel or reduced fares on most public transport in London after 9.00am weekdays (9.30am on most National Rail Services within the London region) and all day at weekends and public holidays.

See also:

• Better Haringey Walking Trail
• Allotments

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Leisure and entertainment

There’s always something to do in Haringey. The following links will help give you some ideas of what to do with your free time:

• What’s on In Haringey (search for events)
  • What’s on in Libraries
  • Events at Bruce Castle Museum
• Cinemas
• Theatres
• Music
• Comedy
• Galleries
• Restaurants
• Places to Visit
• Local History and archives

Libraries

Haringey has nine libraries and a mobile and housebound library service. It is free to join and they offer a range of services including borrow books, videos, DVDs, CDs and cassettes, events, exhibitions and drop-in sessions. Silver Surfers computer sessions provide an introduction to computers and the Internet for people over 50. They are currently available at four libraries. As they are very popular, it is important to book your session in advance. Libraries are also good places to find out about other local activities such as walking groups, reading groups and more. Ask in your local library for more details.

Tape and Braille services

Your local library can also put you in touch with the Calibre Cassette Library, the Royal National Institute of the Blind’s Talking Book, Cassette and Braille Libraries, the National Library for the Blind and the Clear Vision Braille/Print Library.

Talking Newspapers Association of the UK (TNAUK) (external link) is a registered charity that provides national and local newspapers and magazines on audiotape, computer disk, email and CD-ROM for visually impaired and disabled people who find reading a strain.

Age Concern’s Time Capsule website (AgeUK) (external link) is an opportunity for all generations to share their memories on a communal website.

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Holidays

Age UK (external link) publishes a free fact sheet – Holidays for older people: fact sheet number 4 – on where to get information on holidays for older and disabled people.

SAGA Holidays Ltd (external link) is a commercial company offering holidays exclusively for people over 50. They also offer a wide range of additional products (such as insurance and utilities) and advice services, such as health advice.

Visit Britain - Tourist Information in Britain (external link)
Tel: 020 8846 9000

National train enquiries (external link)
Tel: 0845 74 84 950

National Rail - assistance for disabled people (external link)
Tel: 0845 74 43 366

National Express coaches (external link)
Tel: 0870 58 08 080

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Volunteering

Helping to make a difference

• Want to meet new people?
• Want to put something into your community?
• Want to learn a new skill or do something different?

Then the following organisations can help you:

Age Concern Haringey (AgeUK) (external link) gives you a chance to have a great time while helping others. Whether you have a lot of time or a little it is likely that we have a volunteering opportunity to interest you. Age Concern provides induction training and on-going support to volunteers working in administration, driving, escort service, assisting at events, day centre and club assistants, handypersons, information assistants, welfare benefits assistants, IT trainers and befriending visitors.
Tel: 020 8885 8359
Email: info@acharingey.org.uk

Haringey Volunteer Centre - HAVCO (external link) can provide information on opportunities for volunteering and local services.

Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) (external link) exists to encourage the growing number of those aged fifty plus to participate in their local area.

REACH (external link) matches the skills of experienced people to the needs of voluntary organisations.

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Support for ex-service men and women

Royal British Legion (external link) provides financial, social and emotional support to millions who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and their dependants.

Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) (external link) is a welfare advisory service for families of service and ex-service men and women.

The Royal Star and Garter Home (external link) for disabled ex-service men and women offers nursing care and rehabilitation for anyone who is physically disabled or incapacitated and has served in the Forces.

Women’s Royal Army Corp Association (external link) is open to all Female Army members of the ATS or WRAC.

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