The Ipswich Flyer IpswichFlyer_Sep2018_For_Web | Page 25

The Age Flyer UK Age UK Suffolk Celebrates 70 with Platinum Friends population. The aim of this event is to inform, educate and advise partners as well as offering an excellent opportunity for businesses to work together for the benefi t of the Suffolk community. Local charity for older people celebrates 70 with local business supporters. Age UK Suffolk is celebrating a milestone, or “platinum” anniversary this year. The local independent charity is turning 70 – a signifi cant birthday for a charity which works for and with older people across the county. To mark this birthday, Age UK Suffolk are seeking 70 business supporters from across Suffolk to pledge their support – or become “Platinum Friends” of the charity. In return for a donation of £200, Platinum Friends of Age UK Suffolk will gain from networking events including an informal meet-up event planned for October. There will also be a larger business networking and information conference on 31st January at Wherstead Park. This will be a full- day event focusing on the outcomes of supporting a local charity and business issues surrounding an ageing Age UK Suffolk are a local charity – an independent part of a wider brand network of local Age UKs from across the country. Every penny that is raised in Suffolk stays in Suffolk. Jo Reeder, Head of Fundraising and Marketing explains “With an ageing population, the services of Age UK Suffolk become more vital each year and with a decline in public sector funding, the support of local businesses is absolutely invaluable to our survival. With the support of some fantastic local businesses, we hope to be around for another 70 years and beyond.” Age UK Suffolk provide essential information and advice to older people and their families and carers – often at times of crisis. They also tackle the growing issues of social isolation and loneliness through befriending schemes and allow older people to remain in their own homes for longer through the provision of independent living programmes and aides. There is support available for older people and their carers who are living with P le a s e m e n t i o n ‘ T h e F l yer ’ wh en r esp o n d in g t o ad ver t isements dementia. All of these programmes allow more dignity and independence for older people in Suffolk. Jo Reeder remarks “We hope that businesses will really benefi t from becoming Platinum Friends. We wanted to provide supporters with something valuable and have tailored the package to include information which we hope will benefi t businesses in a changing marketplace. The UK is ageing rapidly and as this changes, so does the business and employment environment. Our conference on 31st January will address several critical issues but we also hope to share information in a collaborative and informal manner – with our “Friends.” Topics for the conference on 31st January are set to include; The Benefi ts and Challenges of an Ageing Workforce, Why Businesses should be “Dementia Friendly” and How to Make Corporate Social Responsibility Work. Age UK Suffolk have already reached some way toward their target of 70 business supporters from across Suffolk. “We are really pleased with the diversity of the businesses who have become Platinum Friends to date” says Jo Reeder. “We have a real mix of owner-managed businesses through to iconic Suffolk brands and a real variety of business types from retail, recruitment, fi nance, law and accounting through to transportation. The diversity of businesses is really refl ecting the Suffolk business landscape and we really look forward to getting everyone together to share ideas and have some fun too – after all we really should celebrate 70 years in Suffolk in style!” To join Age UK Suffolk’s Platinum Friends scheme please contact Jo Reeder or Lindsay Long at Age UK Suffolk: [email protected] Letters to the Editor Send your club news, reports, events and articles to News desk, The Flyer, Flyer House, Bridge Road, Felixstowe IP11 7SL or email newsdesk@fl yeronline.co.uk T H E FLY E R | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 25