Voluntary Action South Ayrshire
Building Age-Friendly Communities in the County
Fiona Craig
South Ayrshire has it all – miles of dramatic coastlines, a vibrant cultural heritage, golf courses, a university recognised internationally for world-leading research, and a proactive Health & Social Care partnership currently playing a key role, in conjunction with Voluntary Action South Ayrshire (VASA) and the wider third sector, in building Age-Friendly communities across South Ayrshire and beyond. We are one of only three Age-Friendly communities currently in Scotland.
South Ayrshire joined the network in June 2023, in response to the fact we have the fastest ageing population in Scotland, and have been building on the movement ever since, aiming to make South Ayrshire the best place in Scotland to live and age well.
In 2010, the World Health Organisation (WHO) established the global network for age friendly cities and communities. In the UK, the network is supported by the Centre for Ageing Better with over 85 members up and down the country.
Ageing Well in South Ayrshire, now in its second year, launched its award-winning Ageing Well in South Ayrshire Strategy which sets out the Who, What, When and Whys of supporting the movement which is now embedded in Community Planning. The strategy reflects the consultation with an extensive range of partners, not least the voices of local people aged over 50 – our Ageing Well Champions Board.
You can follow along with our South Ayrshire couple, Ian and Margaret. As our Champion, Margaret works to encourage Ian to be less sceptic and more age positive. The Champions Board meets in Ayr, Girvan and Troon every two months, reviewing the ongoing work that makes South Ayrshire Age-Friendly, and as the name suggests, you’ll meet a welcoming bunch.
We are launching the Take A Seat campaign in South Ayrshire, a simple initiative inviting local organisations to offer a seat to an older person for a couple of minutes to catch their breath before moving on – the aim being to support members of the community to maintain their independence. We are also asking organisations if they can, to offer access to toilet facilities (Take A Seat Plus) – an absolute necessity for many. There is no charge to take part as an organisation or for members of the public.
The Big Cheerio on 28th May at Ayr Town Hall, sees VASA and the Ageing Well Champions Board hosting an event thinking about the practicalities of the inevitable, where you will be able to find out all the information you need to make plans for the future, have all your wishes written down, and paperwork in order for friends and family who may need to organise your final farewell. Are you aware of all your options? Did you know you can apply to be buried at sea? In Scotland! All of this is done in a friendly, positive, light-hearted way with representatives from organisations there to help.
Throughout the coming months, the Champions Board, VASA and partners are ‘on the road’ with our Social Fit Roadshow events. We are offering a range of information on activities available in the local community. Stay Ahead of the Curve team and colleagues in Intermediate Care Team are providing Fitness MOTs, checking blood pressures and blood sugar levels, and providing a wide range of information to keep us all Ageing Well in South Ayrshire.
It’s a busy time for the Age-Friendly partners and we would love to hear from you. Anyone over 50 living or working in South Ayrshire is welcome to come along and join the Champions Board – there’s plenty of opportunities to have your say and get involved! We recognise the huge amount of life experience, skills and expertise that you can bring to this initiative. You can make a real difference.
If you want to know more, chat about Ageing Well, or join the board, give us a call on 0800 432 0510 or email us at ageingwell@vasa.scot
