Celebrating Age

5.27.00pm GMT Mon 2nd Oct 2006

David Howarth with Celebrating Age chair Dorothy Runnicles

Today David Howarth attended the launch of Cambridgeshire Celebrates Age, a series of events to celebrate the contribution made by older people in Cambridgeshire and to encourage policy makers to engage much more with older people.

Many different organisations representing older people including COPE and Age Concern joined with representatives from the County Council to discuss the role of older people and how best policymakers can listen to older people.

David commented:

"It was a very interesting morning, meeting with difficult organisations from around the county. We heard from Brighton and Hove, where there is an elected Older People's Council which has been successful in making the voice of older people heard in local decision-making.

"Older people have a vital part to play in our local community and it is important that we do not segregate them into so-called 'older people's issues'."