UK Urban Ageing Consortium
The UK Urban Ageing Consortium brings together four strategic partners: Manchester City Council,
the Universities of Keele and Manchester and the Beth Johnson Foundation. The Consortium was
established to share and develop learning around age-friendly cities and communities and advance
both practice and debate on urban ageing.
The UK Network of Age Friendly Cities
The World Health Organization defines an Age-friendly City through eight separate but interrelated
‘domains’: outdoor spaces and buildings, housing, transportation, social participation, respect and
social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, and
community and health services.
The UK Network of Age-friendly Cities is comprised of the following Cities Belfast, Leeds, Sheffield,
Manchester, Newcastle, Stoke-on-Trent, Brighton & Hove, Bristol, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Nottingham,
London Borough of Camden and Glasgow.
Each member of the UK Age Friendly Cities Network has analysed the demographic changes
unfolding today and has recognised that the future economic and social well-being of their city
depends upon unlocking the social and economic capital of different generations. In order to realise
the full potential of an ageing population each city, using three core ingredients: political leadership,
strong older people’s engagement and well established partnerships, has developed authority- wide
strategies, programmes and projects. Here is a snapshot of work happening around the UK:
1
Age- Friendly Manchester
Age-friendly Manchester is all about improving the quality of life for older people and making the
city a better place to grow older. The programme sets out how the city will develop its expertise,
infrastructure and capacity as an age-friendly city. Key elements include:









Creating age-friendly services and neighbourhoods
The involvement and empowerment of older people
Developing age-friendly knowledge and innovation
Developing Manchester as a centre of excellence in ageing research, policy and practice
Positioning Manchester as a national and international leader on age-friendly cities
Delivering work Economy and Ageing project, involving academic and corporate partners
Applying an ageing lens to city plans and strategies
Developing the successful Age-friendly Cultural Offer programme further
Integrating into Greater Manchester Devolution
For more information contact Paul McGarry at [email protected] 0161 234 3503, or
Patrick Hanfling at [email protected] or 0161 234 4188 .
www.manchester.gov.uk/agefriendly
Brighton & Hove City Council
Brighton & Hove has more than 35,000 people aged 65+, 11,500 of whom are over 80 and a growing
number of people live alone. Making the city friendly for them will make it friendly for everyone.
The Brighton & Hove Age Friendly City programme is led by the city council in partnership with older
people’s organisations and older people’s groups. We work together to find new approaches and
solutions to reshape the city’s environment and services to be age friendly; create projects that help
older people stay healthy and well; challenge stigma around ageing. We want older people to enjoy
all the city has to offer.
Last year:
 37 events celebrated Older People’s Day, attended by over 1000 people
 26 organisations worked together to find solutions around transport and housing
2





30 new neighbourhood projects for older people got underway
Over 100 arts events, project and courses were for an older audience
4951 new older people participated in sports and physical activity
3 citywide photographic exhibitions promoted positive images of ageing
The city offered over 1000 regular free or low cost activities for older people
For more information, contact: Annie Alexander, Public Health Programme Manager at
[email protected] King's House, Grand Avenue, Hove BN3 2LS or call 01273
291083
Leeds
Making Leeds the Best City to Grow Old in
Our approach
Our approach to ‘Making Leeds the best city to grow old in’ is a citizenship approach, applying to the
entire population. It goes beyond health and social care to ensure that there is a strong focus on
social networks within neighbourhoods and the city. It promotes participation; age-proofs and
develops universal services; reduces social exclusion and works to change social structure and
attitudes
There is strong national interest in the work in Leeds at a Government and Local Authority level.
Building on present work
The Leeds Older People’s Forum was established in March 1994 and has grown to a citywide
membership of over 100 voluntary sector organisations working with older people across Leeds.
Leeds has 37 Neighbourhood Network Schemes which are community based, locally led
organisations that enable older people to live independently and pro-actively participate within their
own communities. They provide services that reduce social isolation, provide opportunities for
volunteering, act as a “gateway” to advice/information/services promote health and wellbeing and
thus improve the quality of life for the individual.
Leeds Time of our Lives Charter was developed by older people in the city.
http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=69694 The charter identifies the
outcomes local older people wish and the behaviours they expect of organisations which include
Public Health and Adult Social Care, but also vital areas including: Parks, Sports, Libraries Museums
and cultural organisations in the city.
Highlights
Leeds is committed to being a Dementia Friendly Community, so Le Grand Depart of the Tour De
France last summer was a DF event. People with Dementia and their families were front and centre.
3
Edinburgh
The Scottish Older People’s Assembly brings together politicians and older people to explore themes
raised on local campaign trails. Both are arranged by the City of Edinburgh Council through A City for
All Ages. The 2014 Assembly examined many issues raised by older people, including the Community
Empowerment (Scotland) Bill which aims to improve and strengthen the voices and involvement of
people in developing and providing public services.
The Assembly was webcast live from the Scottish Parliament and included Shona Robison MSP, the
then Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games, Sport, Equality and Pensioners’ Rights addressing
‘Older people in Scotland following the Referendum’. There were questions and workshops on the
following themes which has resulted in the 2015 SOPA Action Plan:
* Transport, Travel & Environment
* Pensions and Money Matters
* Health and Social Care
* Community Safety and Housing
* Community Empowerment
* Communication and Information
Contact Glenda Watt The City of Edinburgh Council Tel: 0131 469 3806
[email protected]<[email protected]>
http://www.scotopa.org.uk<http://www.scotopa.org.uk/>
Age Friendly Belfast
Our vision is that:
Belfast will be a city where older people live life to the full
The development of Belfast as an age-friendly city
4
Bringing together older people from across the city is a key element of making Belfast a good place
to grow old. Greater Belfast Seniors Forum is voluntary group who meet on a cross-Belfast, crosscommunity basis. They identify the common interests and needs of older people in Belfast and
ensure that older people have regular contact with decision-makers, politicians and policy-makers.
Key themes:
Age-friendly Image - creating a positive view of ageing developing an Age-friendly Charter and
encouraging intergenerational work
Age-friendly Lives – reducing life inequalities and isolation by support for an older workforce, social
isolation Grants, Age-friendly Belfast Convention, an Arts Festival and Older Volunteer Awards
Age-friendly Neighbourhoods – by creating a walkability toolkit, active ageing programmes, leisure
service improvements, Age-friendly parks, increasing awareness of housing options, work on
transport issues, involvement of older people in community planning and tackling fear of crime
For further information on Age-friendly Belfast contact:
Elma Greer
Gillian McEvoy
Healthy Ageing Co-ordinator
Senior Environmental Health Officer
[email protected]
[email protected]
028 90502073 / 07967646146
028 90320202 ext 3765 / 07713684705
Age Friendly Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
“a great place in which to grow older”
So far, Stoke-on-Trent has:
Set up a group to lead and oversee the City’s Age-Friendly City work, made up of a range of local
organisations including those that support and represent older people
Asked local older people for their views on how Age-Friendly the City is and how we can improve
and produced an action plan
Stoke-on-Trent’s Age-Friendly City activities include:
 Funding for community groups and organisations to tackle loneliness and isolation among
older people
 Age Awareness Training
 Work with local groups and organisations to encourage them to become more age-friendly
and play their part in building a more Age-Friendly City
5
Contact Kate Edwards | Health Improvement Manager Social Determinants of Health
Directorate of Public Health City of Stoke-on-Trent Civic Centre Glebe Street Stoke-on-Trent ST4 1HH
T: 01782 234579 E: [email protected]
Nottingham City Council
In Nottingham we believe all our older citizens should have fulfilled lives – feeling valued by all
sections of society, living as independently as possible and playing an active role in their local
communities. Age Friendly Nottingham has set up a cross-sector steering group including citizens to
take this work forward. The work has strong political support and councillors are supporting
intergenerational activities in their local neighbourhoods. Achievements to date include:
 Development of Nottingham’s Older Citizens Charter – setting out the values and standards
that older citizens expect from the council and other partners.
 A Loneliness Working Group which is prioritising the development of age friendly
neighbourhoods and introducing a ‘Take A Seat’ campaign in three areas.
 Annual celebrations to mark International Older People’s Day that have included an Older
People’s Festival.
 Raising the importance of arts and older people which has resulted in the innovative
‘Imagine’ project being offered to people experiencing dementia.
 The bimonthly Age Friendly Nottingham electronic newsletter that is being circulated to
more than 2000 contacts - older citizens, their carers and families and organisations
supporting older people.
 A commitment to develop Nottingham as a Dementia Friendly City.
For more information contact Sharan Jones, Health and Wellbeing Manager on
[email protected] or go to www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/afn.
6
Newcastle – a city adapting to demographic change
Driven by the projections that the number of older people will increase, Newcastle is
focussing on adapting the city’s infrastructure and services to demographic change. We
have incorporated ‘becoming an age friendly city’ as a cross-cutting theme in the Wellbeing
for Life Strategy and it also has prominence in the Council plan.
With cross-party political support a dedicated portfolio has been established working to the
Deputy Leader. The portfolio holder chairs a multi-agency group which brings together local
partners. Older citizens are championing, supporting and co-producing local developments.
The Elders Council and other community groups contribute to many developments.
The city is now ensuring that adapting to demographic change is embedded across the
policies and practices of the Council. All Directorates are challenged to consider the impact
of demographic change as part of all decisions and actions. This will help to make once in a
lifetime changes in transport and housing infrastructure as well as public service reform.
As the “silver economy” is vital to development Newcastle City Council, North East Chamber
of Commerce and other partners are hosting workshops with local businesses to identify
shared actions in relation to housing; business innovation; skills and the labour market.
The Universities of Newcastle and Northumbria are key strategic partners. A current
example is the EPSRC funded MyPlace project which is testing tools and technologies to
engage citizens in navigating the city and in reflecting their views in planning and design.
Newcastle University is currently establishing the new National Centre for Ageing Science
and Innovation.
For further information contact:
Barbara Douglas [email protected] 0191 208 2706.
7
Age Friendly Glasgow
Of the 82,000 people living in Glasgow who are over the traditional retirement age of 65,some are
the most active and engaged in our community; however some are also the most vulnerable
Glasgow City Council works with older people and their representative organisations, to identify
issues and to develop solutions together to address them. In particular, it is interested in how
outcomes for older people can be improved through the design of places and services and ensuring
the most appropriate level of care and support when required.
Our objectives include:






improving bus services
removing barriers to active travel for older people.
making better use of and improving the infrastructure in parks
ensuring the city’s housing stock is more adaptable to the needs of older people
encouraging older people to get more involved in volunteering
ensuring older people are more involved in development of policies that affect them
Public consultation on Age Friendly Glasgow and its associated priority actions is planned for Spring
2015.
For more information contact Laura Moran at [email protected] or call 0141 287
0071.
8