Camden News: Old People's Charter | Martin Davies | Roundhouse | Chalk Farm

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Camden News - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 13 November 2008

Audrey Whiting, Pamela Bailey, Cllr Martin Davies, Philippa Fraser and Peter Woodford at the Roundhouse

Round table talks: Elderly hear details of new charter for improving quality of life

AT the launch of the borough’s second so-called “Old People’s Charter” council chiefs told a gathering of pensioners how they want to make their lives easier.
Social services chief councillor Martin Davies told an audience of more than 30 elderly people on Friday that he was committed to making the quality of life for Camden’s 50,000 over-50s one of the highest in the country.
The glitzy event held at the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm was the setting for the launch of Camden’s new five-year plan, called “A borough of opportunity for people in their 50s and beyond”, which laid out seven areas the council wanted to improve in, such as transport and safety.
Cllr Davies said: “I think it’s poignant to have launched in the Roundhouse, a place for the young and trendy and the chic. This is about the ‘prevention’ agenda, it’s about helping people to enjoy life.
“People think when they’re old they’re on the scraphead and this is about challenging that.”
He added: “Older people have told us what they want – now we have to go and deliver.”
He said the council was committed to maintaining the Freedom Pass and the roll out of the ScootAbility scheme, which allows people to pass on scooters and “powerchairs” to each other and has a membership of 500 so far.
He said they were also looking at ways of increasing take up of other schemes and reviewing ways of making life more comfortable for the elderly in future.
Peter Woodford, a member of the Quality of Life panel, said: “I find every time I think something needs doing, it’s already being done.”
Mr Woodford, from Hampstead, was impressed with current inter-generational projects and said mixing generations was “wonderful”.

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