The Causeway Coast and Glens Age Friendly Partnership has been formally set up, uniting organisations from across the Borough — including Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council — with a shared goal of fostering an inclusive, supportive and age-friendly place where people can enjoy a positive quality of life as they grow older.

Providing strategic leadership for the Causeway Coast and Glens Age Friendly Action Plan, partners will collaborate to ensure the voices, experiences and priorities of older people are central to local decision-making, shaping services, policies and initiatives that enable healthy, active and connected ageing.

At its inaugural meeting under new governance arrangements, members confirmed Councillor Tanya Elder as Chair of the Age Friendly Partnership. She said: "I am delighted to have been appointed Chair of the Causeway Coast and Glens Age Friendly Partnership.

"By working together across organisations and with older people themselves, we can continue to build communities where people are supported to live well, stay connected and age positively. I look forward to working with partners to deliver the priorities we have agreed and to continue making a real difference for older people across the Borough."

Since the launch of the current Age Friendly Strategy and Action Plan, tangible progress has been recorded across a wide range of priorities, with work underway on many of the plan's 37 actions. Examples include activities during Global Intergenerational Week bringing younger and older generations together; a Walking Football World Cup Council Tournament promoting health, wellbeing and social connection; the Walk, Talk, Tea and Treats event encouraging older people to stay active and reduce social isolation; and ongoing engagement via the Older People's Forum to ensure older residents help shape local priorities.

Stephanie Scott, Age Friendly Officer with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, said: "The strength of the Age Friendly Partnership lies in the commitment and expertise of the organisations involved and, most importantly, in the contributions of older people themselves.

"By working together, we are already seeing positive progress across the Action Plan and I am excited about the opportunities ahead as we continue to develop new initiatives and build on the excellent work already taking place across the Borough."

The Partnership will continue to work jointly to deliver the Action Plan and support older people to remain active, connected and valued members of their communities.

Partner organisations include: U3A, COAST, CRUN, NACN, BCRC, Mae Murray Foundation, Dementia Concern Causeway, North Coast Community Transport, Causeway Volunteer Centre, Living Well Moyle, Rathlin Development and Community Association, RBID, Alzheimer's Society, Connect North LW, Age NI, WHSCT, NHSCT, PSNI, NRC, Ulster University, Linking Generations NI, NI Housing Executive.