Tracey has signed the Age UK Winter Pledge, supporting action to help save the lives of older people this winter.

Supporting the campaign, Tracey aims to raise awareness of the dangers of cold weather for older people and ensure that they are prepared for the winter months. Last year 4,280 people over the age of 65 in the South East died from the effects of the colder weather, a figure which Tracey believes must come down.

Tracey says: “The level of unnecessary winters deaths in the UK is far higher than in most European countries, including those with much colder weather. By raising awareness and making sure that older people are prepared, we can end this completely avoidable tragedy. The Government’s protection of the basic Winter Fuel Allowance and the new Warm Home Discount Scheme will support over two million homes, including 600,000 vulnerable pensioners, by providing a £120 discount on energy bills. This will make a real difference for older people heating up their homes this winter.”

Backing Age UK, Tracey aims to promote preventative measures which older people can take before a cold spell, encourage all sectors of the community to make tackling winter deaths a priority and challenge energy providers to produce simpler tariffs to make it easier for people to lower their bills.

The Pledge is part of Age UK’s Spread the Warmth Campaign, which aims to make winter warmer for 360,000 older people by providing information, advice and practical services. These include getting warm and nutritious meals to older people, helping to keep homes warm and giving free information and advice throughout the year.

Older people and their families can call Age UK Advice for free on 0800 169 65 65 orvisit www.spreadthewarmth.org.ukfor advice, to get more information about the campaign and learn about local Age UK services.