Celebrating older people

A special information fair to celebrate UK Older People's Day 2010 is being held in Southend on Friday 1st October.

The event, which runs from 10am to 3pm at the Civic Centre in Victoria Avenue , features a wide range of organisations offering services to the elderly.

There will be lots of information on display about healthy eating, exercising, concessionary travel, safety, leisure, socialising, getting involved in the community and most importantly, having fun! The fair will also include music and dance performances too!

Admission is free and everyone is welcome. There is no need to book in advance - you can just turn up to the event whenever you like any time between 10am and 3pm.

Under the 'Full of Life' banner the Government and other supporting groups have made UK Older People's Day the focus of a wide programme of activity aimed at celebrating later life.

The UK event coincides with the United Nations' International Day of Older Persons. This year's theme is 'getting and staying active in later life'.

In Southend it aims to celebrate the achievements and contributions older people make to the Borough, provide information on services and give older people an opportunity to make friends and have a great time.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Corporate Director for Adult and Community Services, Simon Leftley, said: "There are an estimated 30,000 people over the age of 65 in Southend and this figure is expected to increase over the next few years. It is vital, therefore, that our older people know what services are available to them and how they can achieve a good quality of life.

"Encouraging people to prepare well for, and enjoy, a positive later life benefits each of us individually and society as a whole. Encouraging people to stay active especially as they get older

• helps maintain independence
• is a good way of maintaining and increasing social networks
• gets people out and about in the local community
• is an opportunity to learn new skills and
• increases energy levels and zest for life.

"Everyone has a parent or grandparent, colleague or friend who they look to for advice and to learn from. Older People's Day is all about bringing older and younger people together to create better understanding and respect.

"People are living longer. By 2020, half the population of the UK will be aged 50 or over and this will bring fundamental changes to the nature of society. This is a long-term challenge that will need the support of everyone. Together we need to change attitudes about ageing and older people, and do more to value the contribution older people make. "

For more information about Older People's Day events visit www.direct.gov.uk/fulloflife