Engage with Age’s Dementia Friendly Artist in Residence programme, under the artist Anna O’Kane, has been going from strength to strength.

From January 2025 there have been workshops in centres in North and West Belfast in Hemsworth Court, Newington Day Centre, Ballyowen Day Centre, and Cullingtree Meadows. The workshops have been with people living with dementia, in which they have determined the media to be used (paint, drawing, collage etc) and also directed the subject matter which has included places from their past, interests, and their hopes.

Over 40 workshops have taken place, and they have generated an exhibition called “Life’s Colourful Collage”.  The exhibition is touring through North and West Belfast.  The tour dates are:

6^th – 20^th June 2025

Chichester Library

Salsbury Avenue, Belfast BT15 5EB (tel:  028 9050 9210)

20^th June – 4^th July 2025

Girdwood Community Hub

10 Girdwood Avenue, Belfast  BT14 6EG (tel:  028 9521 9850)

4^th July – 1^st August 2025

Falls Road Library

49 Falls Road, Belfast  BT12 4PD (tel:  028 9050 9212)

Please note that opening times vary.  Make sure to visit “Life’s Colourful Collage”.

Engage with Age has just published a report on the impact of its work empowering older people across Belfast to lead happy, healthy, independent and more connected lives.

It is crucial for charities to be able to understand it its work is effective and it they are helping the people they have set out to support.  Over three months from September – November 2024, Engage with Age went through a process of having conversations with the older people it works with to get their views on the difference EWA’s work makes.  There were 429+ surveys, 17 focus groups, 35 interviews with individuals, and 23 case studies produced in order to create a picture of the effectiveness of EWA’s work.

The results have been astounding.

In the 2023/24 period, EWA had 15,000+ direct engagements with older people, delivering over 780 activities, 2,100+ befriending phone calls, with publications reaching more that 5,000 people per month and exhibitions reaching over 30,000 people.

98.6% of those surveyed were satisfied with Engage with Age’s work (77% strong satisfied), 29% were new attenders, 77% said they learned something new, 80% said they do or would use what they have learned, and 95% said they would attend an EWA event again.  The most common things people said about Engage with Age include:  “Great staff”, “Volunteers do a great job”, “Lovely people”, “very good”.

The Impact Report has 26 pages of detailed analysis.  To read the report, click HERE.

Marianne Skelcher, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Engage with Age says:

“After nine successful years our Chief Executive is moving on, and we are now looking for the right person to pick up the leadership reins.

It is a great time to be joining us at Engage with Age. We are just coming to the end of year two of a three year strategic plan, we have great relationships with our core funders and are in a good position financially, despite the challenges facing all organisations in the charity sector, which are not to be underestimated.

We are looking for someone who is empathetic, energetic, passionate and positive, and who understands the needs, vulnerabilities and strengths of older people, recognising their value and contribution to society. The successful candidate will be an excellent leader and creative problem solver, possess strong financial acumen, and a well-developed ability to build and nurture sound relationships with funders and other stakeholders.

If you fit the bill, we would be delighted to hear from you.”

The deadline for applications is 4pm Friday 28th March 2025.

For an application pack and application form, log on to Community NI at https://www.communityni.org/job/chief-executive-officer-52

After nine years at the helm, our Director Eamon Quinn is moving on from Engage with Age to pursue a career in consulting and freelancing. It’s been a wonderful nine years and it has flown by in a blink. Eamon will be around for a while, departing in mid-June after handing over to a new Engage with Age CEO.

Watch this page for news of the job advert next week. But for now, well done Eamon and many thanks.

Engage with Age sends best wishes to everyone for a wonderful 2025.

What better way to start the year than by signing up to receive our PAL Gazette Newspaper.

The PAL Gazette is published every month. It is written by older people, for older people and it is packed full of articles, information on opportunities for older people, quizzes, recipes, crafting and more. The gazette is a printed paper that is currently posted free of charge to 1,500 older people in Belfast and circulated online far and wide.

It’s free to sign up. If you would like to join the PAL Gazette mailing list, email info@engagewithage.org.uk or telephone 028 9073 5696.

If you would like to look at previous editions of The PAL Gazette, click this link to be taken to the Gazette pages on this website: https://engagewithage.org.uk/media/pal-gazette/

The PAL Gazette is funded by the Community Fund of the National Lottery.

As we come to the end of the year we’d like to thank everyone who has supported Engage with Age this year. Everyone who has attended a session made an artwork, danced a dance with us, volunteered and telephoned as a befriender, our funders, supporters, the venues and community centres we use every week, our partner organisations, and our board and staff.  We would like to wish everyone good wishes over the festive season and wish you all a happy 2025.

We are delighted to welcome Colin McKinty who has joined Engage with Age as our new Development Officer for South Belfast.  Colin McKinty has worked with a range of community and voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland.  He has worked with Headway (the brain injury charity), Glebe House, and most recently NI Environment Link.  His work has included working with older people, delivering mental health programmes, and environmental and nature projects.

You can reach Colin by email and phone: colin.mckinty@engagewithage.org.uk telephone 028 9073 5696/ 07468 695593

Just when you thought it was safe to dance!!!

It’s back and it’s super spooky.

The Spooky Slipped Disco

7.30 pm Wednesday 30^th October 2024

At the Oh Yeah Centre, 15-21 Gordon Street, Belfast  BT1 2LG

To book your tickets call Engage with Age on 028 9073 5696

Or book online at:  https://TheSpookySlippedDisco2024.eventbrite.co.uk

Full bar, fancy dress encouraged!

Engage with Age’s Dementia Friendly Artist in Residence programme has its exhibition on tour, visiting 2 Royal Avenue.

The “Presence in the Past” exhibition has been to Saintfield Road Library, the Skainos Centre, Holywood Arches Library, and throughout October will visit 2 Royal Avenue in Belfast’s City Centre.

The exhibition is a collection of work made by people living with dementia, facilitated by Artist in Residence Anna O’Kane.  The artworks are in a range of media and all are inspired by the memories and interests of the participants.  Participants have come from five centres in Belfast – Sydenham Court Support Living Centre, Kirk House, Edgecumbe Day Centre, Mount Oriel  Day Centre, and City Way Day Centre.

“Presence in the Past” is at 2 Royal Avenue 1^st – 31^st October 2024, with the venue open 10am – 6pm daily.

October sees an incredible array of activities for older people through Belfast City Council’s Positive Ageing Month, which runs from 1^st-31^st October.

This year’s programme has a significant mix of activities which include dances, talks, crafts, and film screenings.  As ever there are also session on advice and benefits, support with IT, and health talks and workshops.

Most of the events are free of charge, with only minimal charges for a small number of events.

To look at the full programme, click here:  https://online.flippingbook.com/view/937679580/

For further information telephone 028 9032 0202