We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy
Christmas and a peaceful new year. We can’t believe it’s already that
time of year again, and would like to thank everyone who has got
involved in our work over the last year, our staff team and also the board
of trustees. It has been a really enjoyable year and here’s to another
one in 2024. Merry Christmas from all at Engage with Age.

Engage with Age is delighted to welcome new staff to its team to work
on the PAL Project.

Joining Engage with Age are (pictured left to right), Sarah Gordon, Paul
Hendry, and Hannah Lockart. Sarah and Hannah are job sharing and
will be running the PAL Project Befriending Scheme. Hannah starts in
November, while Sarah will join Engage with Age in March 2024, until
which time her part of the role will be carried out by Eileen McQuillan.
Paul is running the PAL Project Activity Groups and made a start at the
end of October.

For further information on our new team check out our staff team page
on this website at: https://engagewithage.org.uk/about-us/our-people/

It’s back, it’s spooky and it’s groovy!

Join us at the Spooky Slipped Disco, 7.30pm Monday 30th October 2023
at the Oh Yeah Centre.

Enjoy the best hits from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, played by DJ Groover
and DJ Rhythm Bandit. Admission is free though booking is
recommended as the event often sells out.

There will be prizes for best fancy dress (fancy dress is optional), there
is a full bar, and the event runs from 7.30-9.30pm.

To book online click this link:
https://TheSpookySlippedDiscoOct2023.eventbrite.co.uk
or you can call Engage with Age on 028 9073 5696.

Positive Ageing Month is back and it offers a wide range of activities for
older people across Belfast. A project of Belfast City Council’s Age
Friendly Belfast programme, Positive Ageing Month has advice
sessions, excursions, film screenings and social events. The ever
popular “Be Prepared” event is back, as is the Older People’s
Convention.

Engage with Age is delivering 12 different events for Positive Ageing
Month including “MOT” sessions for older people’s groups, the
“Remember I Forget” exhibition at 2 Royal Avenue throughout the
month, online dementia training, and The “Spooky” Slipped Disco™.

For more information on Positive Ageing Month log on to:
https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/community/children-youth-and-
seniors/seniors/age-friendly

For information on Engage with Age’s activities follow us on Facebook
on https://www.facebook.com/EngageWithAgeBelfast

Engage with Age is recruiting trustees to join its board. Can you spare
some time to help us improve lives for older people in Belfast?

Engage with Age seeks to empower older people to lead happy, healthy,
independent, and more connected lives. As a registered charity, Engage
with Age has a board of trustees that is responsible for making sure the
charity provides good benefits to the community. The Trustees’ work
includes helping to develop a strategy for the organisation and
supporting and seeing that this strategy is delivered.

Engage with Age also seeks to recruit a new Treasurer on its board of
trustees.

Trustees with Engage with Age meet five times per year to support the
charity’s ongoing work. Trustees also meet as members of sub-
committees working on finance, governance, and operations. The
Trustee role is voluntary though reasonable out of pocket expenses are
paid.

To find out more, get a Trustee information pack and apply, please log
on as follows:

Trustee applications: https://www.communityni.org/job/trustee-engage-
age-voluntary-role

Treasurer applications: https://www.communityni.org/job/treasurer-
trustee-engage-age-voluntary-role

Engage with Age is recruiting. Come work with us.

Engage with Age’s PAL Project has received the support of the National Lottery Community Fund for its work addressing loneliness with older people.

Two posts are being advertised: A full-time, three-year fixed term post for the PAL Project Development Officer for Group Activities, and a full-time three year fixed term Development Officer post for Befriending (job share considered).

The posts are being advertised through Community NI Website.

We are looking for committed and enthusiastic individuals with a can-do attitude. If you think you fit the bill we would love to hear from you.

Here are the links:
Development Officer Activity Groups: https://www.communityni.org/job/development-officer-pal-project-group-activities
Development Officer Befriending: https://www.communityni.org/job/development-officer-pal-project-befriending-officer

For further information email: info@engagewithage.org.uk or call 028 9073 5696

Engage with Age is delighted to announce that the Dementia Friendly Artist in Residence exhibition, “Remember I Forget”, is now open for the public.

Dementia Friendly Artist in Residence Anna O’Kane has worked with 6 centres across Belfast since January 2023, facilitating art workshops with people living with dementia. The themes of the workshops have been directed by the participants have focused on their lives, treasured memories, and hobbies. A wonderful range of artworks in a variety of media have been created and are now available for viewing.

The ”Remember I Forget” exhibition dates and venues are as follows:

12th June – 7th July: Nazareth Care Village
516 Ravenhill Road, Belfast BT6 0BW. Tel: 028 9069 0600

7th – 31st July: Tullycarnet Library
Kinross Avenue, Kings Road, Belfast BT5 7GF. Tel: 028 9048 5079

31st July – 17th August: Lisburn Road Library,
440 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6GR. Tel: 028 9050 0223

17th August – 29th September: Skainos Centre,
241 Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 1AF. Tel: 028 9045 8560

1st – 31st October: 2 Royal Avenue
Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1DA. Open 10am-6pm Mon-Sun

Please call venues for opening times.

Engage with Age is delighted to announce it has been awarded a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund of £385,172 for its PAL Project over the next three years. The PAL Project name stands for “People Addressing Loneliness” and is a peer lead programme enabling older people to address loneliness and isolation. Having run since 2018 the PAL Project features older people getting involved in activity groups, mostly run my themselves, and also volunteering as telephone befrienders for older people who want some one to one company.

This funding will enable the project to continue for another three years and benefit an estimated 500+ older people who are experiencing loneliness over the next three years.

Previous beneficiaries of the PAL Project said that the project has “given me a new lease of life.  I feel physically and mentally alive again”, and “I always look forward to the call and I always enjoy the chat. It’s one of the best bits of my week. I love it.”

For further information contact eamon.quinn@engagewithage.org.uk

Engage with Age is commencing a new programme in South Belfast just off the lower Donegall Road.

The St. Simon’s Community Hub on Nubia Street is a recently renovated community hall. Engage with Age is working in partnership with the centre offering a weekly a programme from the 24th April – 6th June 2023. Eash session starts at 10.30am and runs until 12noon. Activities will include “Eat Well Bingo”, crafts, exercise and more.

The programme is open to all older people in the area. For further information please contact Leanne on 028 9013 6393 or by email leanne.andrews@south-city.co.uk

The Christmassy Clipped Disco is back at the Oh Yeah Centre.

7.30-9.30pm, Monday 12th December 2022.

Join DJs Groovery and Rhythm Bandit for the best in 1960s and 1970s tunes, with a liberal sprinkling of your favourite Christmas tunes. Think Slade, Roy Wood and Wizard, and Mud!

Admission is free though booking is required.

To book telephone: 028 9073 5696, email eamon.quinn@engagewithage.org.uk or log on to

https://thechristmassyslippeddisco2022.eventbrite.co.uk