February 2020

62 Wanstead Village Directory
Old enOUgh tO…
In the seventh of a series of articles looking at the work of Age UK
Redbridge, Barking and Havering, Janet West explains the operation of
their user involvement service Voices of Experience
Voices of Experience is Age UK’s user
involvement service, which has been
established in Redbridge since 2004.
It was set up to enable older people to
have their say on a number of issues that
affect their daily lives. The service consists
of a questionnaire group and a citizens
panel of 15 members, who meet monthly
for discussion and to hear from speakers
from the council, Clinical Commissioning
Groups and other statutory and voluntary
organisations.
The coordinator of the service engages with
older people through questionnaires, face-toface
discussions with groups of older people,
as well as one-to-one phone discussions, so
people get the chance to have their views
heard in a way that suits them. It might be
about a current local authority consultation,
for example, and their views can be given
back to the council to ensure their voices are
heard. Discussions are also held at the Allan
Burgess Centre in Wanstead with older people
who have popped in for a coffee and a chat or
for lunch.
In fact, Alex Wilde and the Redbridge
Rhymesters, who frequently attend the
Allan Burgess Centre along with children
from Snaresbrook Primary School, first got
to know us through a chance discussion
with me when I was the coordinator of the
service. I had come across a poem of Alex’s
and contacted her to ask permission for the
poem to be used in the Voices of Experience
newsletter. Alex was delighted and thereafter
a wonderful relationship between Alex and
Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering was
established!
Sometimes, the group participates in Age
UK’s campaigns, most notably on improving
Panel members
Pearl and Bert
social care, accessible transport and tackling
loneliness. The panel has met with MPs at
Westminster and been given the chance to
question them on their plans for social care.
The photo shows panel members Pearl and
Bert – both very active members of the group
for many years – during the campaign ‘On
the Buses’, which was aimed at making bus
travel safer for older people by providing
appropriate training for drivers to help
prevent falls on buses. (Bert sadly passed away
recently, but remained an active member up
until the end of 2019.)
Members of the group have said it makes
them feel valued and listened to and some
have been with us for many years. There is
now a new coordinator in post, Pat Fitzsimons,
as I have moved on to another role in
the organisation. Pat has some new and
innovative ideas for the service and is looking
forward to 2020 and new ways to include older
people and give them a voice.
For more information on Age UK
Redbridge, Barking and Havering, call
020 8220 6000 or visit wnstd.com/ageuk
To advertise, call 020 8819 6645 or visit wnstd.com