UK | Age UK Norwich has celebrated its 80th anniversary, commemorating with a series of events and exhibitions to mark the occasion.
Turning 80 is a milestone worth celebrating in style, and this year, Age UK Norwich is doing exactly that as it marks eight decades supporting older people across the city.
Formed on 27 April 1945, as the Second World War neared its end, the Norwich Older People’s Welfare Committee was created by local leaders and volunteers as a response to the food shortages and difficult living conditions faced by many older people, to contribute towards a better and fairer society.
Over the years, the committee’s community work and services for local older people continued to grow, until it eventually became the hub of support that Age UK Norwich is today.
To celebrate this special birthday, Age UK Norwich has already hosted an abseil challenge, a garden party, and is working towards raising GBP 80,000 for its local services. But today marks the launch of the pinnacle of the celebrations: a week of events, talks, workshops and an archive exhibition, taking place in the glass-walled splendour of The Forum in Norwich city centre, officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Paul Kendrick, and the Sheriff of Norwich, Stuart Wright.
Before the afternoon’s programme of talks and Q&As begins, the atrium of The Forum is already bustling with visitors. Holding their attention is the archive exhibition, which communicates the story and work of Age UK Norwich.
In 2023, Age UK Norwich committed to helping make the city truly age-friendly, through improving services and influencing change. For Megan, who has benefitted from the work of Age UK Norwich, events like this celebration are a crucial way to start the conversation about what it means to grow older.
“Events like these play a vital role in tackling social isolation, promoting intergenerational understanding, and reaffirming the value of older people in society,” said Megan.
“It’s given us a platform to raise our most pressing concerns about ageing in the area to our local MPs. And it’s meant that older people get to see their lives and contributions acknowledged in such a public and celebratory way. Preserving and sharing our history is a way of building pride, purpose, and belonging across generations.”
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