Agewell Social Network at The Lawns.

I work for the Thames Discovery Programme, based in Shoreditch.

Our programme would be a great opportunity for any of your members to get involved with an interesting archaeology project, and use their newly-developed IT skills as well.

Over the next three years, the archaeologists from the programme will survey 20 archaeological sites along the tidal Thames. This will be supported by the work of the Foreshore Recording and Observation Groups (FROG), who will monitor the surveyed sites for changes, as the daily tides scour away the remaining archaeological features. The FROG will be made up of volunteer members of the public, who will be trained in foreshore recording techniques, health and safety and digital recording by the TDP team. We are running a regular programme of free training events for anyone interested in joining the Thames Discovery Programme as a FROG member, interested in getting involved in background research, joining in with our public events or just to find out more about the Thames Discovery Programme. More detailed information can be found on the Thames Discovery website .

We run the FROG training events on a three-monthly cycle, with an Introductory evening, followed by a classroom-based Day 1 training event about a month later and a foreshore based Day 2 training event a month after the Day 1 training. A central part of our project is digital outreach, and we want as many people as possible contributing to the website. People can write for it and add their own photos or film of the Thames foreshore.

Our next introductory evening will be held at LAARC, Mortimer Wheeler House, Eagle Wharf Road, N1 7ED on 1 May 2009 from 6 to 7.30 pm. All are welcome, and no previous archaeological knowledge is expected. All of our events are free.

Lorna Richardson,
Archaeology Outreach Officer,
Thames Discovery Programme,
‘Community Archaeology on the Thames foreshore’.
Phone: 0207 566 9310 .
Email: l.richardson@thamesdiscovery.org .

I hope that you all remember the presentation I gave last November on a study I am conducting called “Design a Better Computer for Senior Citizens”. I am now at a stage were recruitment can begin, so I am looking for participants who would be willing to complete a Pack containing a workbook, questionnaire and a 7-day diary and attend a 1-day workshop.

The workbook contains 22 questions and exercises that will ask you about your computer use and preferences e.g. how and when you use a computer, why you use a computer, your likes and dislikes, and who taught you how to use a computer.

The questionnaire contains 40 questions related to your background (e.g. your occupation, education and personal characteristics). There will also be questions about how you deal with specific situations and people.

Finally, you will be asked to complete a 7-day diary were you will report your experiences and feelings while using a computer.

The Pack will need to be completed within your own time preferably wherever you use a computer, you will also be required to spend approximately 20-minutes per day completing these tasks.

Once you have completed the Pack, you will then be asked to attend a Creative Workshop to be held at City University London. You will be placed in a group with 6 other participants and asked to design a device for senior citizens.

Participants who complete both parts of the study will receive a £20 M&S gift voucher. If you have any questions or you would like to register your interest, please contact Helena Sustar ( helena.sustar.1@city.ac.uk ) by 15 April 2009. Please note, only 15 participants will be permitted to take part in the study.

If you have any questions or you would like to register your interest, please contact me: by email — helena.sustar.1@city.ac.uk .

Thank you for your time.

Helena Sustar
PhD Research Student
City University London.

P.S. If you know of any other mid-lifers friends who you feel would be interested in taking part I this study, please could you past on my contact information.

Hackney is diverse in many respects. There are people of different ages, some who have lived here for 20 years or more, and others who have just moved in. There are people of different social classes and from many different countries.

Our study aims to find out how people feel about this neighbourhood, what the good and bad things are and whether they feel comfortable living here. What do people have in common and share, and how do people make new friends in this neighbourhood? We would also like to find out if there are any problems for people living here, and what these problems might be. Are there any conflicts between people?

Similar research is being undertaken in European cities such as Berlin and Amsterdam. The researchers are Susanne Wessendorf and Katharina Schmid. Susanne lives in Dalston.

We hope to write a book about the area and pass on good ideas to local services and organisations.

Are you still in touch with friends you made when you were younger? Have you got a friend you meet with now whom you would say was as close to you as family? What would you do if you didn’t have your friends around you? Would you like to be in a BBC documentary to talk about your thoughts on friendship?

Who I am and what it is.

My name is Simon Draper. I’m making a short film for the BBC about friendship and I’d be really interested in talking to you. My filming style is very informal. It’s just me and a hand-held camera filming you as you go about your business. The film will be 5 minutes in length and I hope to get it commissioned by the BBC to make into a full length 60 minute documentary in April 2009. The documentary will look at the rise in popularity of friendship websites, such as Facebook and MySpace, that offer people the chance to make literally hundreds of new friends at the click of a mouse. I am interested in finding out whether ‘virtual’ friends are as good as real friends and I believe it’s time to explore the value of what friendship really means.

Who I want to speak to and what I want to do.

I would like to film senior people and their friends to hear their thoughts on the value of friendship. I am especially keen to meet senior people who still have long-term friends, dating back to when they were much younger. By contrast however, if you have made a friend only recently but consider that friend to be your life-line I would love to hear from you too. I would like to film you and your friend(s) sharing time together – whether at your local club, society or parish meeting. Or on the allotment, local amateur dramatics or bridge club. Frankly it’s who you are and what you want to say that’s important so a chat over a cup of tea or taking the dog out is just as good. I’m a one-man band and live in Hackney, so can easily come to you or meet at your regular spot with your friends.

Where and when.

I am keen to meet as many people as possible in the next 2/3 weeks (19 January 2009 onwards). Filming would normally take about an hour. If you’re happy to be filmed and have something to say, then please get in touch. It will be a fun and an interesting experience and your informed opinion is crucial to the film. Please contact me from the details below. I really look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,
Simon Draper.
Mobile: 0797 1980 311 .
Tel: 0207 241 3578 .
Email: simon.draper@hotmail.co.uk .