Sheffield over 50s celebrate the art of 'Ageing Better' at first National Lottery funded event

More than 150 people gathered in the city this month for the two-day Ageing Better event, which saw them share their skills, stories, and experiences of growing older. The programme is the result of a £78 million pound investment by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.This event, which was the first national event of its kind, saw people travel to Sheffield from all over the country, to take part in activities and workshops to help develop creative ways for people aged over 50 to be more actively involved in their local communities.The ultimate aim of the programme – one of five major programmes set up by The National Lottery Community Fund to test and learn from new approaches to designing services intended to make people’s lives healthier and happier – is to combat social isolation and loneliness. Ageing Better empowers older people to challenge stereotypes, campaign about important issues, and set up activities they would like to see in their communities. There were also walking tours of Sheffield for visitors from other part of the country, to showcase a city known for its steel, snooker, and theatres.

Joanne Stevenson from Ageing Better Middlesbrough, said: “It was wonderful to see how open and friendly people are across the different programmes. The event was really a great way to celebrate all the work we’ve been doing and share ideas on the future.”

Visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk for details of the programme.