Environment and roads

Growing older in rural Hertfordshire

Growing Older in Rural Hertfordshire was a follow on conference from one held in 1998. It was organised by the Community Development Agency for Herts and the Herts Rural Forum in partnership with Age Concern, East and North Herts District Council's and Hertfordshire County Council. The conference was funded by Herts County Council and the East of England Development Agency.

In total over seventy people come through the conference throughout the day. The aims of the conference were:

• Raise awareness amongst service providers and celebrate the role of older people in rural Hertfordshire.
• To facilitate networking and information exchange amongst organisations and agencies providing services for older people in rural communities.
• Encourage service providers to carry out or undertake intergenerational working.
• Market good practice by service providers involving older people.

The conference programme included keynote speeches from one of the founders of the University of the Third Age and one of the directors of the Beth Johnston Foundation. A number of practical demonstrations were held for delegates followed by four workshops on:

• How to promote active and healthy living
• Intergenerational working
• Rural Herts in 2016
• Involving older people in local decision

A report containing recommendations of the conference is attached below. The recomendations have been presented to the Hertfordshire Older People's Steering Group and it is hoped that partners will be able take forward many of the suggestions contained in the report in the future.