TV star launches £20 million lease of life for older people in Wales
8 Jun 2010The star of hit comedy TV shows High Hopes and Gavin and Stacey, Margaret John, today (Monday June 7 2010) launches the Big Lottery Fund’s (BIG) new £20 million AdvantAGE programme, which aims to improve the quality of life for older people in Wales by reducing social isolation and developing support services to empower them.
To celebrate the launch, Margaret, best recognised for her portrayal of the much loved Elsie "Mam" Hepplewhite in the BBC Wales comedy, High Hopes, will join a group of older people at the Aberavon Beach Hotel who attend a regular lunch club organised by Age Concern Neath Port Talbot. Margaret will see the positive impact the lottery funded ‘Promoting Independence through Neighbourliness Project’ has had on their lives and will share her experiences of life as a pensioner in the limelight.
Just over 1 million (11%) of people aged 65 or over in the UK say they are always or often feel lonely* and nearly half of all older people (about 4.6 million) consider the television as their main form of company**. These people are more at risk of depression and ill-health caused by isolation and loneliness.
Other statistics from Age Cymru reveal there are only 19 services across Wales which specifically provide advocacy to older people. This equates to one paid advocate per 35,000 older people in Wales***.
In response, the £20 million AdvantAGE programme is the largest strategic investment to be launched by BIG in Wales and is designed to improve the quality of life and fill gaps in service provision for older people over 50 by:
- reducing loneliness, improving confidence and increasing wellbeing and social interaction through the funding of befriending projects;
- and taking action through developing support services to empower older people by securing their rights, representing their interests and obtaining the services they need.
At 83 years of age and with no sign of putting her feet up, Margaret John epitomises what can be achieved and shows that age is no barrier when it comes to success and living life to the full. The recipient of a BAFTA Cymru Lifetime Achievement Award last year, Margaret still performs to sell out audiences at the Wales Millennium Centre, works on big screen films and has families in stitches with her performances in award winning TV comedies.
Highlighting the importance of keeping active and stimulating her mind in improving her quality of life, Margaret John, said: "I’ve been lucky that my occupation has kept me busy and kept me going. Retirement certainly isn’t a word that’s in my dictionary and I’d be bored to death if I didn’t have my work. I meet new people and work on new projects all the time. Keeping busy is the only way to keep your brain going and I’m a strong believer that a healthy mind makes a healthy body."
She added: "For some people however, it’s physically impossible for them to get out and about. I also think it’s difficult when people retire. They lose contact with a lot of people they worked with and they lose contact with friends. I suppose it’s easy for them to get stuck in a rut and become isolated and it must be very difficult for them. I’m glad this new programme aims to improve the quality of life and improve essential support for older people in Wales."
Explaining the reasoning behind the development of the programme, Big Lottery Fund Wales Committee Member and Chair of the AdvantAGE Programme Committee, Fran Targett, said: "Wales has a higher proportion of older people over 50 than any other country in the UK. As we see in Margaret John, many older people view ageing as an opportunity and an exciting new life chapter. For others, however, older age brings challenges which, without support, can be daunting and lead to social isolation and loneliness.
"Social isolation can be a risk for older people facing life transitions such as retirement, bereavement and long-term illness. Our extensive research with key organisations which provide services for older people identified this as a key area where we could make a positive difference and that’s why we are making up to £20 million available to tackle social isolation and loneliness to improve older people’s wellbeing and quality of life."
Delighted with the announcement of the programme, the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Ruth Marks, said: "It’s important that older people live full and active lives and have access to relevant information and services. I support the aims and objectives of the AdvantAGE programme and feel it is a step forward in improving the quality of life for older people in Wales."
"We have an ageing population, and it is vital that services are fit for purpose. Through working together we can achieve our aim of building a Wales that is a good place to be old, to grow old and treats older people with the dignity and respect they deserve."
The AdvantAGE programme will make grants of between £200,000 and £1 million available for projects running for between three to five years to voluntary organisations. The closing date for applications is Friday 29 October 2010.
For further information, please visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk and use the ‘Wales’ specific search facility.
Sources:
* One Voice: Shaping our ageing society, Age Concern and Help the Aged, 2009
** Spotlight 2006 survey
*** Advocacy Counts’ 2 survey (2008)
