Fun had by all at St Albans & District Older People’s Day
Hundreds of older people discovered new activities, tapped into useful advice and got creative at St Albans & District Older People’s Day event at the Alban Arena yesterday.
They accessed information on health, independent living, safety and leisure activities from more than 30 organisations at the free event organised by St Albans City and District Council.
Citizens Advice St Albans District, Computer Friendly, Oaklands College, Hertfordshire Independent Living Service and the Alzheimer’s Society were among the many other organisations with stalls.
The police, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Services and the Council’s Community Safety team were on hand to offer advice and tips on keeping safe.
Representatives from St Albans Volunteer Centre also attended the event providing advice and recruiting volunteers to help run activities and services.
One of the key attractions was a ‘Living Room’ set up to showcase equipment to aid independent living that can be purchased with grants from St Albans Old People’s Trust. Demonstrations and tips on simple household decorating jobs were also provided by the Bell Group.
Visitors were invited to decorate shopping bags around the theme of Human Rights for Older People and to try their hand at indoor golf. Stories on the theme of Human Rights for Older People written by members of the U3A Creative Writing group were on display for visitors to enjoy.
Visitors were also given the opportunity to have their say on issues affecting older people and the decision-making process at a stall staffed by District Councillors for Local Democracy Week.
Free tea and cake were provided by Herts Belles and performances from two U3A Ukulele bands helped entertain visitors.
The event was delivered with the support of volunteers including ten pupils from Loreto College. The volunteers helped serve refreshments and deliver arts activities, staffed the welcome desk and chatted with visitors about their experiences of volunteering.
The Mayor of the City and District of St Albans, Cllr Rosemary Farmer, who attended the event, said:
It was wonderful to see so many older people taking the opportunity to access useful advice as well as information on activities they can enjoy. Older people are a key part of our community and need to be supported so that they can continue to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.
Cllr Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Inclusion at St Albans City and District Council, said:
With an ageing society, it is important to ensure that older people feel that they are still valued in our community. Events like these help make it easier for older people to access services and information that meet their needs. They also enable older people with skills and time on their hands to discover new activities and volunteering opportunities.
Councillor contact:
Cllr Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Inclusion at St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01582 767621, Bus email: cllr.b.ellis@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson, Senior Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317, E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
Photos: Credit Stephanie Belton
Above: Enjoying tea and cake at St Albans & District Older People's Day
Getting creative at St Albans & District Older People’s Day
At the Hertfordshire Asian Women’s Association (HAWA) stall: The Mayor of the City and District of St Albans, Cllr Rosemary Farmer with members of HAWA
Trying out the furniture in the ‘Living room’ at St Albans & District Older People’s Day
U3A Ukulele band