Join Calderdale Forum 50+ and be the voice for older people in Calderdale

Posted on Apr 29, 2022

Calderdale Forum 50 Plus is looking for more members who can help support and represent older people in Calderdale.

Thanks to funding from The Community Foundation for Calderdale and Calderdale Council, Calderdale Forum 50 Plus is expanding its information provision for older people and looking for new members and contributors who can help shape its direction.

This is an exciting time for the Forum as the council has recently committed to making Calderdale an “ageing well” region.  With more than a third of residents now aged over 50, the role of the Forum will become more important in future years.

This funding will be used to signpost older people to high quality, trusted information and advice on later life issues, tailored to their needs and concerns. It will also help connect them with community groups, activities, societies and volunteering opportunities that are tailored to an older population.

To ensure the Forum can be a voice for the over 50s in Calderdale as more age-friendly policies are adopted by the Council, they are looking for local residents who can bring in fresh feedback, opinion and insight on what it’s like to be an older person in Calderdale.

If you are aged over 50 and would like to speak up for older people and help contribute to their activities, consultations and communications, then they would like to hear from you.  There are two ways you can get involved:

·        Join their insight panel to give your views and feedback on local issues and on their communications.

·        Become a committee member. Attend bi-monthly meetings and speak about the issues that concern you, your friends and family.

Forum Chair Malcolm Kielty said:

“During the pandemic, visits to our website tripled, reflecting our status as a trusted, independent and, above all, up-to-date source of information. We published daily updates on lockdown restrictions, food supplies, face masks and vaccinations and in 2020 we were nominated for a community spirit award for our communications during the crisis.

“A significant amount of that “traffic” growth has been retained and and our focus now is broadening our research base to ensure we can bring more views and opinion from older people to our Council, local NHS and other public bodies.”

If you are interested in finding out more, contact info@calderdaleforum50plus.com

About the Forum

Calderdale Forum 50 Plus is a voluntary group that supports and represents people aged 50 and over in Calderdale and highlights information and issues which are useful and important to this age group.  They also signpost and connect older people to local groups, clubs, societies, charities, as well as events and service providers. They collate guidance on key later life issues such as housing, benefits and finance, care of all kinds and physical and mental health.

Their committee meets bi-monthly with one Annual General Meeting each year and directs the work of a small team of communications professionals that provide a trusted, informed and independent source of information for this age group through a modern website, social media and regular newsletters.

The group has been running since January 2011 and have developed strategic partnerships with public, private and statutory sector groups such that we are seen as the voice of the over 50s in Calderdale.

For more information or to arrange an interview with the Chair of the Committee, contact Julie Ingham on 07791 106648.