Gwynedd given age-friendly status

Gwynedd has been acknowledged as an Age-Friendly Community by the World Health Organisation (WHO), following a successful application led by Cyngor Gwynedd.

This means that the Council and more than 30 partners, are working together to ensure that Gwynedd is a pleasant, safe and accessible place for people as they get older.

Gwynedd is the sixth county in Wales to reach this goal and contributes towards the Welsh Government and the Older People Commissioner for Wales' target that every county in Wales be age-friendly by 2026.

In order to reach this important milestone, Cyngor Gwynedd submitted a strategic plan to the World Health Organisation to show how the authority and key partners – including voluntary groups and housing associations – will collaborate to ensure that public services are age-friendly, celebrate successes in the field and, more importantly, identifies what needs to be developed in the interest of people as they age.

Gwynedd's Age-Friendly Partnership will now press ahead to develop plans and present a series of events in the autumn term to celebrate and share the work.

Councillor Dilwyn Morgan, Cyngor Gwynedd Cabinet Member for the Adults, Health and Well-being Department and Gwynedd Age-Friendly Champion said:

"I am very proud of the united front shown here in Gwynedd between the Council and all partners to ensure that older people are central to our work and our developments. We will continue to work to ensure that the county is a pleasant, accessible, and fair place for everyone, whatever their age.

"There are over 1,400 cities, counties and communities across 50 countries all over the world which are Age-Friendly by now. Our hope is that by joining this global network we will have the opportunity to learn and share experiences with other communities across the world.

"I emphasise that this is only the beginning of the journey, there is a lot of work ahead of us as a partnership to ensure that everyone from all backgrounds can age well here in Gwynedd.”

Heléna Herklots CBE, Older People's Commissioner for Wales said:

"I would like to congratulate Cyngor Gwynedd for their successful application to join the World Health Organisation's World-wide Network as part of their work to make its communities more age-friendly.

"This confirms Gwynedd's commitment to ensure that all of its residents are being supported to age well and shows the progress we are making in Wales to add life to years, not only years to life.

"Joining the Network will provide opportunities to learn from countries, communities and other organisations across the world, as well as enabling Gwynedd to draw attention to the work it does to support older people to age well on a world-wide platform.

"I am very glad that another local authority in Wales has become a member of the Network, and that many others are currently completing their own applications to join, which brings us a step closer to realise our ambition of an age-friendly Wales." 

Councillor Dilwyn Morgan added: "Now that we have received this recognition, the next step for us will be to go out once again to meet the people of Gwynedd to listen and learn what is needed.

"We are arranging a series of events across the county in autumn to move the agenda forward. The sessions will be an opportunity for people to share experiences but also an opportunity for all the partners to share what they have in place."

The Council is developing new ways of contacting people who are interested in matters in this area. To register to receive information on the Age-friendly Gwynedd programme, please get in touch. Either email:
OedGyfeillgar@gwynedd.llyw.cymru or write to Age-Friendly Gwynedd, c/o Supporting Health and Well-being Manager, Cyngor Gwynedd Headquaters, Shirehall Street, Caernarfon, LL55 1SH.

More information, and a copy of the action plan, is available on Cyngor Gwynedd's website: Age-friendly Gwynedd (welsh.gov)