Torbay has been accepted as part of the World Health Organisation’s Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities.
It joins 1,114 cities and communities in 44 countries covering 262 million people worldwide that are aiming to ensure that older people are included in community life as well as promoting healthy and active ageing.
In the UK there are more than 40 UK cities, towns, boroughs, districts, counties and city regions – the only other ones in the South West, being Bristol and Melksham in Wiltshire – working together to share learning and promote age-friendly practices.
Torbay Council and Ageing Well Torbay are working together to ensure the Bay, where around 50% of the population is over the age of 50, is Age-friendly and a place where people grow up, grow old and age well together.
The WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities was established in 2010 to connect cities, communities, and organisations worldwide with the common vision of making their community a great place to grow old in.
The mission of the Network is to stimulate and enable cities and communities around the world to become increasingly Age-friendly. The Network seeks to do this by:
– inspiring change by showing what can be done and how it can be done;
– connecting cities and communities worldwide to facilitate the exchange of information, knowledge and experience; and
– supporting cities and communities to find appropriate innovative and evidence-based solutions.
John Arcus, programme director for AWT, said: ‘I would like to acknowledge the work of Torbay Assembly, Ageing Well Partners as well as Torbay Council and the Health and Wellbeing Board for the preparation of this application. Joining the Network is recognition of the collective work that has gone in over recent years, including our community response to the pandemic. We maintain weekly contact with the UK Network and are currently establishing commitments to the Age-friendly principles with local organisations through the Torbay Charter.’
Cllr Steve Darling, Leader of Torbay Council commented; “I am delighted at this news, it has been a real team effort from our communities and the private and public sector to achieve this status. We want Torbay to be a place that empowers its people and this is a key milestone on our journey. We look forward to working together to take our next steps and will be seeking best practice from the global network around the world on how to achieve this”
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