Stockport’s multi-agency All Our Tomorrows Partnership recently played host to delegates from around Europe at an international conference aimed at raising the profile of services designed to ensure that older people feel a valued part of their local community.

The conference follows a successful bid for over £200,000 of European funding to be used to provide extra financial support and advice to older people via the Cities in Balance (CIB) programme. The money will be matched locally by additional funds and resources to further develop Stockport Council’s Silver Entrepreneurs business start up scheme for the over 50s and Age Concern Stockport’s ‘Managing your Money’ scheme that provides financial advice and helps older people avoid financial difficulties through the use of appropriate services and products.

The programme for the event included keynote speeches from John Schultz, Chief Executive of Stockport Council, Councillor Maggie Clay, Executive Member for Adults & Health and Dr Christian Schmidt & Mr Jörg Michel from Hagen, Germany.

Councillor Maggie Clay, said: “This conference has placed Stockport firmly on the European map of places providing high quality services for older people. We welcomed the chance to share our knowledge and expertise, both with colleagues from the UK and from Europe, and to demonstrate the good practice that we have developed in recent years”.

Margaret Brade, Chief Executive, Age Concern Stockport and Chair of the All Our Tomorrows Board said: “The conference proved to be a great success and enabled good networking and a number of opportunities for shared learning. Colleagues were able to promote existing services and initiatives and explore the opportunities for new and improved services all focused on the full involvement of the older people themselves.”

For information about the CIB programme contact:

Vincent Fraga, Project Manager
Adults & Communities Directorate,
Stockport Council
Stopford House (4th Floor), Stockport SK1 3XE
Tel: 07800 618 822
Email: vincent.fraga@stockport.gov.uk

Pictured at the conference (left to right) are Councillor Maggie Clay, Dr. Christian Schmidt, Deputy Mayor, City of Hagen, Margaret Brade, Councillor Shan Alexander, Executive Member for Leisure and Terry Dafter, Director, Adult Social Care.

Pictured at the conference are attendees from around the UK and Europe.

Delegates during the consultation event at the Village, Cheadle.