Launch of Age Partnership Belfast & Queens University report into service provision for men aged 50+
11.00am – 12.30pm, Friday 26th September 2014 Banqueting Hall, Belfast City Hall
Registration / Tea & Coffee from 10.30am RSVP Pamela at Volunteer Now on:
028 9023 2020 Email: pamela.higgins@volunteernow.co.uk
Over 60 people gathered at Belfast’s City Hall on 27 March to attend the ‘Are you lonesome tonight?” seminar to share experience and examine issues raised by the Big Lottery funded HOPE project.
The seminar arranged by Engage with Age and funded by the Big Lottery and Belfast City Council heard from keynote speaker Professor Mima Cattan, Northumbria University, who has written extensively on the issue of social isolation and loneliness in later life. Dr Cattan said,
“Loneliness can affect anyone at any time and in any place. The tragedy for older people is when their social connectedness declines through ill health or loss leading to chronic loneliness.
An older person who sees no one and has no one to talk to day after day, week after week has lost their personal social value, which most of us take for granted.”
Ms Cattan has carried out research which has shown that effective interventions for isolation included groups that provide educational and problem solving or targeted support activities where older people are active participants and which enhance self-esteem.
Closing the event, Claire Keatinge, Commissioner for Older People said,
Friendship, company, feeling part of something, taking up or going back to hobbies and interests, being valued and making a contribution are all hugely important to older people.
Too often older people are particularly vulnerable to loneliness and isolation – friends may have died, family may live far away, poor mobility or ill health make it harder to get out and about, and reduced income can make participation difficult.
Being lonely is miserable, frightening and bad for health and wellbeing
The HOPE project is a great example of the determined and practical steps that Engage with Age have taken to find older people who are socially isolated and may be lonely – and to offer them a range of ways that this can change
The benefits are clear both to the older person and our wider communities. Improved health and quality of life, volunteering, reducing dependence on health and social care are seen again and again
Loneliness and social isolation damage older people – the HOPE project is really making a positive difference”
” The HOPE project has worked with over 200 older people over the past 2 years including a significant number of men in their 50’s, who are particularly isolated. The project offers friendship and fun through activities planned with older people, from fishing and furniture restoration to cooking and cinema”
“Just ask the lonely”…….. lessons learnt from the Engage With Age BIG Lottery funded HOPE Project 2012 – 2014
Engage With Age is delighted to have been awarded a runner up GSK IMPACT award for 2014, in recognition of our clearly demonstrated impressive commitment to health and wellbeing of older people. The Manager, Margy Washbrook (second from the left), was invited to Stormont to collect the award from Minister of Health Edwin Poots.
On 21st February Castlereagh Lifestyle Forum held a hugely successful Tea Dance in Orangefield Presbyterian Church Hall on the Castlereagh Road in Belfast.
Members of the Forum welcomed friends from across Belfast to an afternoon of dancing and fun. The afternoon got off to a great start with the help of Patience Bradley who successfully encouraged everyone to get up and join in the dancing. The entertainment continued with songs and music provided by Gerry Clooney. The refreshments provided by the church volunteers were lovely and we all went home happy.
Words Alive Writing Club were proud to present a selection of their work at a reading in the Group Space in the Ulster Hall in Belfast in February.
The reading, one of the Literary Lunchtime events, allowed the members of the club to present their work to a wider audience and through it they met with other like-minded people who are also developing their writing skills.
Words Alive have been meeting now for a few years under the wise guidance of Ruth Carr. They have published a book of poetry (available from Engage With Age) and have a programme of monthly readings and visits to older people’s groups and facilities.
Friends of the Asian 50+ Club from Castlereagh Lifestyle Forum and South Belfast Lifestyle Forum were pleased to be invited to join them for a party in February in the Olympia Community Centre in South Belfast. William Dickson from the local community association was glad of the opportunity to share with the members of the Club his work in the local community and Lesley Clarke from the South Belfast Lifestyle Forum and Finaghy Friendship Group was one of the lucky prize winners.
Engage With Age is promoting the Active Ageing Programme for 50+ – East Belfast
Click here to view
Active Ageing Programme – East Belfast
This June join the millions of people coming together for The Big Lunch, the UK’s sixth annual get together for neighbours. A simple idea from the Eden Project, made possible by The Big Lottery, aiming to get as many people as possible across the UK to sit down with their neighbours and local community once a year in a simple act of community, friendship and fun. To find out more about how to have a Big Lunch in your local area and have your neighbourhood counted in simply register online now for your FREE Big Lunch pack, stuffed full of useful resources, Free seeds and a sprinkling of inspiration to help you organise a day to remember.
The Big Lunch: http://www.thebiglunch.com/ or contact your local rep Grainne.mccloskey@thebiglunch.com 07703189048
Big Lunch Extras
All those who have a Big Lunch this year and want to take further steps in their community can apply for an all expenses paid Community Bootcamp at the Eden Project, Cornwall. This camp is funded by Halifax and Big Lottery. First off, you’ll come to Eden, in Cornwall, for a weekend to meet folk like you from across the UK get inspiration, skills and the confidence to make real, positive changes within your community. You’ll then get the opportunity to attend regional events near you and access a network of people just like you to share ideas and resolve problems together.
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Engage with Age can accept referrals of individual older people aged 50+ who are at risk of loneliness and social isolation, inviting them to participate in group activities. Engage with Age offers one-to-one telephone befriending support for individual older people but does not currently provide in person visits to individual older people. To make a referral please complete the on-line Referral Form and submit or alternatively please print off a copy of the PDF Referral Form and send it to us. See also the Referral Criteria for details of who can be referred.
Referral Form Referral Criteria
