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82 Wanstead Village Directory<br />
Old enOUgh tO…<br />
In the third of a series of articles looking at the work of Age UK<br />
Redbridge, Barking & Havering, Janet West explains the importance of<br />
Older People’s Week and looks at what will be happening in Wanstead<br />
The United Nations General Assembly<br />
passed a resolution on 14 December<br />
1990 declaring 1 <strong>October</strong> as an<br />
International Day of Older People. The<br />
day is to acknowledge and appreciate<br />
the enormous contributions and<br />
achievements that older people make<br />
to the functioning of society and the<br />
economy.<br />
According to the United Nations, almost<br />
700 million people are now over the age of<br />
60. By 2050, two billion people, over 20% of<br />
the world’s population, will be 60 or older. The<br />
increase in the number of older people will be<br />
the greatest and most rapid in the developing<br />
world, with Asia as the region with the largest<br />
number of older persons, and Africa facing the<br />
largest proportionate growth.<br />
Each year, the International Day of Older<br />
People has a different theme. Last year’s<br />
theme was ‘Celebrating Older Human Rights<br />
Champions’ and for <strong>2019</strong> the theme will be<br />
‘The Journey to Age Equality’.<br />
Age UK Redbridge, Barking & Havering have<br />
been working alongside Redbridge Council<br />
and other local organisations for many years,<br />
arranging events to celebrate Older People’s<br />
Day. In fact, in Redbridge, there is usually a<br />
whole week of celebration and this year is no<br />
exception!<br />
There are events planned throughout the<br />
week, ranging from information sessions<br />
about keeping safe at home, to health and<br />
wellbeing, leisure and culture, and there<br />
will also be opportunities to try out new<br />
exercises in classes around the borough for<br />
free, and a celebratory lunch with the Mayor<br />
of Redbridge at the Allan Burgess Centre on<br />
2 <strong>October</strong>.<br />
In fact, Wanstead’s Allan Burgess Centre has an<br />
event each day during the week commencing<br />
30 September. There will be a performance<br />
from Redbridge Music Lounge, the Redbridge<br />
Rhymesters will be having a poetry session<br />
with the children from Snaresbrook Primary<br />
School, a general knowledge quiz will take<br />
place and a comedy performance will keep<br />
everyone entertained, all in addition to the<br />
Mayor’s celebratory lunch.<br />
Programmes are available from the centre and<br />
from local libraries, as well as from Age UK in<br />
Ilford. We hope to see lots of people enjoying<br />
events throughout the week. Do pop in to the<br />
Allan Burgess Centre and join us and enjoy<br />
one of the events as well as a home-cooked<br />
meal, which will include a free glass of wine on<br />
the day of the celebratory lunch.<br />
For more information on Age UK<br />
Redbridge, Barking & Havering, call<br />
020 8989 6338 or visit wnstd.com/ageuk<br />
For more information on Older People’s<br />
Week in Redbridge, visit wnstd.com/opw<br />
To advertise, call 020 8819 6645 or visit wnstd.com
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