Added: 24/05/2008

Category: Suffolk County Council

Suffolk Partnership with Older People (POP) is working in collaboration with libraries, museums, Age Concern, local councils and other organisations to promote a programme of activities for 2008/09, the 'Year of Opportunity' so that more people will take advantage of what's on offer locally and try something different.

Councillor Graham Newman, Portfolio Holder for Suffolk County Council's Adult and Community Services, will host the event and cut a celebratory cake to launch POP's 'Year of Opportunity' at the Suffolk Show at 1100am on 28th May. There will be yoga and Tai Chi/Qi-Gong demonstrations and a competition will be run throughout the show.

Cllr Graham Newman says, "The 'Year of Opportunity' serves to remind us of all the effort that people around the county are putting into events and activities of all kinds. We want to make sure that people don't miss out on all these opportunities just because they don't know about what's going on in their local library or village hall."

"These days we can look forward to around twenty years of retirement and getting out there and getting involved seems to be the key to a good quality of life in our later years. I can't emphasise enough how lucky we are in Suffolk. There's no reason for the skills and energy of older people to be wasted - theatre, photography, walks, crafts and exhibitions - there is such a range of activities to choose from, or simply join a group where you decide exactly what you want to do."

Jill Stewart, Development Manager for POP has been travelling round the county finding out what is planned for the coming year. "Collaboration with organisations such as Suffolk Artlink, Age Concern and the libraries and museums, has made me appreciate just how much is going on. This launch event reinforces what the Year of Opportunity is all about - people finding out about trying something different and making new friends," says Jill. "We want to tap into the creativity that's out there. We hope that when people see what other people are doing, they will think about starting up similar projects of their own."

POP will be at the Suffolk County Council Stand 602 on Flower Show Avenue alongside representatives of Age Concern, Suffolk Artlink and the 'Give it a go' service which supports volunteers.