London to Paris cycle for Independent Age

Congratulations to Care Services Manager Victoria Richards, who has cycled 200 miles from London to Paris to raise funds for Independent Age.

Over five days, she overcame steep hills, strong headwinds, a late ferry to cross the English Channel, and knee pain to finally reach her goal.

As you can see from these pictures, she made it to Paris--and she reached her fundraising target of £1300.

Thanks to everyone who sponsored Victoria on her own Tour de France and helped Independent Age!

A blog we like

Sarah Reed (above) is an expert on older people's issues who has worked with the charities Contact the Elderly and Independent Age for the last fifteen years. She is one of Independent Age's trustees, and keeps a blog, The Age Page, where she writes essays examining how older people are treated in British society. Her blog is sharp, thoughtful and entertaining, and well worth a read.

Sarah also has had an over 35-year career in media communications, and she applies these skills to Many Happy Returns, a project designed to bring older and younger generations together through reminiscence and conversation. To find out more about this project, you can visit her website, http://www.manyhappyreturns.org/.

Less than a week left to enter the Age, Snapped photo competition

Age, Snapped is a photography competition run by the Department of Work and Pensions in time for National Older People's Day. The competition aims to challenge stereotypical representations of older people.

To enter you will need to submit photographs in a high resolution jpeg format and provide a 100 word summary of your image. The closing date for all entries is Monday 24th August 2009.

For more information or to request at application form please email: fulloflife@uk.grayling.com or 020 7255 1100.

Private Tour of Clarence House

Wednesday 9 September 2009 from 4.30pm – 5.45pm

Built between 1825 and 1827 to the design of John Nash, Clarence House takes its name from its first occupant, the Duke of Clarence, later William IV.The rooms remain arranged much as they were in the time of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, with important works from Her Majesty’s collection. An expert guide will show visitors around the five rooms on the ground floor. The tour will end with a glass of champagne and a gift of a copy of the official guidebook.

The tour is restricted to 20 people and there are only a small number of places remaining. Tickets are £50. For more information, or to buy tickets, please contact Sarah Kneafsey on 07989 975033 or email Sarah.kneafsey@independentage.org.uk.

Bus pass means testing? We say no

Free bus passes for over-60s have made travel easier for many older people in the UK, and helped them to stay independent. But now the Local Government Association (LGA) has published a report suggesting that free bus passes should no longer be free to all, but subject to means-testing. Independent Age disagreees, and has issued the following statement:

“Our research tells us that the free bus pass has been of great benefit to the vast proportion of our beneficiaries across the UK. Making public transport easy and accessible is vital to addressing and preventing social isolation often felt by older people, and we must be careful not to underestimate its importance. Receiving the bus pass is seen by many as one of the few perks of getting older and introducing an element of means testing to this could instead be inhibiting to some.

At Independent Age we are already aware that means testing and the stigma attached to this can deter older people from claiming their entitlements. We strongly hope that this will not become the case with the bus pass, particularly as its use is so publicly visible.”

What do you think? Do you use a free bus pass, and should the service continue for all? Leave a comment below and have your say.

Run the Royal Parks Half Marathon for us!

Would you like to run 13.1 miles through some of London's most attractive parks, while raising funds for Independent Age? We have places available for this year's Royal Parks Half Marathon on Sunday 11 October. If you would like to take part, please email Harriet Steele, or phone her on 020 7605 4288.