Age Friendly
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Guest Speaker:<br />
Choosing an appropriate guest<br />
speaker is possibly the most important<br />
organisational detail for your launch.<br />
Brainstorm on local and national<br />
well known people who have links to<br />
your county. For example, actress,<br />
Maureen O’Hara launched the <strong>Age</strong><br />
<strong>Friendly</strong> programme in County Kilkenny.<br />
Saxophonist, Paddy Cole was the<br />
popular champion of older people who<br />
launched the programme in his native<br />
Monaghan. Check with people in<br />
sports clubs and arts organisations for<br />
suggestions of a suitable guest speaker.<br />
Make contact through email or telephone<br />
and find out if he/she is willing to do the<br />
honours. Don’t finalise your date until<br />
you’ve confirmed your guest speaker<br />
and checked that the date doesn’t clash<br />
with another big event in the county.<br />
You should also check the county<br />
calendar to see if the launch of the <strong>Age</strong><br />
<strong>Friendly</strong> programme might coincide with<br />
a complementary event. For instance,<br />
hosting the launch of the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong><br />
programme in your city/county during<br />
Positive <strong>Age</strong>ing Week or Bealtaine would<br />
help improve its public profile.<br />
Venue:<br />
Choosing a venue and a suitable time<br />
to hold the launch of the <strong>Age</strong> <strong>Friendly</strong><br />
programme in your county is another<br />
important dimension that requires careful<br />
planning. Is there a hotel with adequate<br />
parking that is a central location in the<br />
county? Is there a large community venue<br />
(for example, a local sports and leisure<br />
centre) that might be more affordable? Is<br />
there an arts centre with an open plan foyer<br />
that will hold the number of people you<br />
expect to attend? Can people get to the<br />
event on public transport? Is it wheelchair<br />
accessible? Once you’ve chosen your<br />
venue, think carefully about a time that will<br />
suit everyone – older people in particular.<br />
Late morning can be a good time to host<br />
a gathering. Consider holding it at a time<br />
when older people come into the town/city<br />
anyway. Consider that you’ll need about<br />
an hour for all speeches and then about<br />
another hour for refreshments. If you can<br />
provide lunch, that’s an added incentive for<br />
people to come and mingle after the official<br />
business is over.<br />
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