Tracey has pledged her support for Silver Sunday, the first Sunday in October, where local communities and individuals put on free events for their senior citizens. Older people aged 65+ can celebrate the fourth Silver Sunday by taking part in a packed schedule full of free events and activities across the UK on Sunday 4th October. Tracey will visit the Pilgrims View Care Home in Snodland to meet with the elderly constituents, their family and carers to help raise awareness around the campaign day.
The day aims to combat loneliness and presents an opportunity to bring generations together. It also helps us celebrate the contribution of older people, while increasing their happiness and wellbeing.
Silver Sunday 2014 was a tremendous success with over 350 different events taking place across the country; thousands of people were able to get out of their homes, attend a special event and gain the opportunity to make new friends and connections. On this basis, it is a reasonable assumption that Silver Sunday 2015 will have just as much if not bigger impact.
There are over 100 free events taking place across the UK from the South of England all the way to Glasgow. Highlights of this year’s events include a rock ‘n’ roll Sunday disco in Waltham Forest with the DJ spinning the finest classics from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, a centenarians tea party in Southend for those who are over 100, a murder mystery over a three course in East Sussex, a tour of Botanical Gardens in Belfast and many more.
Silver Sunday was launched in 2012 by Cllr Christabel Flight, Lord Mayor of Westminster and Older People’s Champion to help overcome loneliness, after a report discovered more than a third of people over 75 said they were lonely. The aim was to celebrate older residents and to help them get out and about and meet new people.
The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Christabel Flight says: We have a mother’s day, a father’s so why not have a day to celebrate older people. My aim now is to get Silver Sunday in the diary and on the calendar, much like Mother’s Day.’
Silver Sunday supporter, Angela Rippon, says: “Who cares what it says on your birth certificate – it’s how you feel about yourself that matters. We all have just one life to live. Make sure you live it to the full.”
Diana Moran, former ‘Green Goddess’ and TV presenter, says: “Silver Sunday: A day not to ignore older people, but celebrate and remember the important role that they play in our society. Older people are often undervalued by society and by getting involved in events such as Silver Sunday we can help to tackle loneliness and build a fairer society.”
Tracey Crouch MP says: “I am delighted to be supporting the Silver Sunday campaign and hope constituents in Chatham & Aylesford will get involved or even host an event of their own. With an ageing population we have more Senior Citizens than ever before and not all of them are blessed with family and they can often feel isolated. I am therefore looking forward to visiting one of the care homes in my constituency in support of this cause and am confident that Silver Sunday will be a fantastic opportunity for many communities to come together.”
Record-breaking long-distance cyclist Mark Beaumount says: “Silver Sunday is growing in events and popularity year on year – what a wonderful excuse for the retired generation to meet and make new friends and for us to benefit from their knowledge and life experiences.”
For details of events taking place across the UK and to submit your own Silver Sunday event please visit www.silversunday.org.uk
