Members of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Community Services Team, leading on Age Friendly travelled to London this week to attend the UK Network of Age Friendly Communities Annual Conference.
A delegation of regional representatives from the Age Friendly Network NI attended the UK wide conference, providing not only a fantastic networking opportunity but a chance to showcase best practices within the Age Friendly sector.
Organised by the Centre for Ageing Better, the two-day conference held on 22-23rd November in London’s City Hall attracted over 100 delegates involved with building an age friendly movement.
The conference included an array of keynote speakers, workshops, panel sessions and in-person networking to share ideas and information on how to build age-friendly communities.
Keynote speakers at the conference included Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of UCL institute of Health Equity, Helena Herklots, Older People Commissioner for Wales and Dr Thiago Hérick de Sá, Technical Officer from World Health Organisation.
Derry City and Strabane District Council are one of over 60 areas from across the UK that have committed to becoming age friendly and are linked with the Centre for Ageing Better which provides weekly peer support, networking, training and learning to support and develop age friendly communities and initiatives locally and regionally.
Ciara Burke, Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Age Friendly Co-ordinator who attended, said: “Attending the conference has provided a wealth of networking and best practice opportunities to be shared both locally and internationally which will build on the current work and partnerships to help build Age Friendly across our community.
“The ongoing support provided to the areas by the Centre of Ageing Better is instrumental in the Age Friendly journey locally.”
“It was great to hear from key note speakers like Professor Michael Marmot, an internationally recognised expert on health inequalities, and gain insight from experts with the Age Friendly movement as well as sharing approaches being undertaken locally and regionally here.”
For more on Council’s Age Friendly programme, visit: https://www.derrystrabane.com/agefriendly or the Centre for Ageing Better please visit www.ageing-better.org.uk
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