Celebrating Age Awards are being handed out to commend the accomplishments of older people in the local community as part of International Day of Older Persons and Celebrating Age Festival.
The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Older Persons is celebrated annually on 1st October to recognise the contributions of older persons and to examine issues that affect their lives. The theme of International Day of Older Persons 2017 is ‘Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older Persons in Society.’
This year’s day is about enabling and expanding the contributions of older people in their families, communities and societies at large. It focuses on the pathways that support full and effective participation in old age, in accordance with old persons’ basic rights, needs and preferences.
Locally, Age UK are holding their ‘Celebrating Age Festival’, offering a range of activities for those over 50. The festival is supported by the Big Lottery Fund using National Lottery funding.
Through National Lottery funding, the Age Friendly Island projects can help to improve wellbeing and tackle isolation and loneliness.
Over 9 million people in the UK feel lonely or isolated. Thanks to National Lottery players, older people are being supported by the Age Friendly Island project to help them lead happier and healthier lives.
Age Friendly Island is a part of the Ageing Better network. Ageing Better is a £78 million investment of National Lottery funding from the Big Lottery Fund to support people in later life. This supports 14 partnerships across England: Birmingham, Bristol, Camden, Cheshire, East Lindsey, Hackney, Isle of Wight, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Sheffield, Thanet and Torbay. Partnerships work with older people to create new and enjoyable ways for them to be actively involved in their communities, helping to combat social isolation and loneliness. They do this by bringing services together to improve their delivery and make them easier to access.
Find out more at www.agefriendlyisland.org.
