8th July 2011 - updated 21st March 2012
Bournemouth Older People's Forum
Extract from TMSTH Area Forum minutes of 20th. October 2011:-
"Ms Pat Lewis (ex Kinson Councillor) addressed Forum. She said the Older Peoples Forum was new to Bournemouth, but there are 55 across the South West.
As a Councillor, she championed the rights of older people and the Forum puts them forward. There was an overwhelming "Yes" to the formation of an Older Peoples Forum in Bournemouth and 30 people volunteered to be part of the planning group. 9 were chosen and between them have experience in finance, secretarial work, computers, communications and promotion skills.
The committee met last week and the draft constitution is nearly ready. The first launch will now be the end of March, so keep an eye open in BH life and the Echo.
The Forum will deal with issues that affect older people and Pat noted that loft clearance as mentioned in the Winter Warmth presentation, is a big issue".
The first meeting of the Bournemouth Older Peoples Forum
will be held on Friday, 23rd March 2012 // 10am - 12.30pm
at the Premier Inn, Westover Road
OLDER people could be given a new chance to make their views heard in Bournemouth.
A meeting is to be held in September with a view to setting up an older people's forum in the town.
Pat Lewis, who was the borough council's older people's champion until she lost her council seat in May, has won grant money for an open meeting to gauge interest in the idea.
The meeting will be on Friday, September 16, from 10am to 1pm, at the Pavilion Ballroom.
Mrs Lewis said the forums were a good way for older people to make themselves heard.
"We've got about 55 forums in the south west.
"A lot of other places in Dorset have got them but we haven't got one in Bournemouth," she said.
"At this open meeting, it was just to ask the question: do they want to have one in Bournemouth?"
She said a forum could also help older people to take part in shaping official policies for the future.
"We would be in at the beginning when the decisions are made.
"In the past, often there's been consultation on something with some options already on the table. We'd rather be in at the beginning," she said.
If the meeting backs the idea, a planning group would be set up, and the first forum meeting could happen by Christmas.
The funding for the open meeting came through a grant from the Community Foundation Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Active At 60.
Anyone interested should get in touch so organisers know how much tea and carrot cake to have ready. Contact Linda Nelson of Access Dorset at officemanagers@accessdorset.org.uk or phone 01202 771336. Details at www.accessdorset.org.uk/4-bop
Pat will be invited to Forum on October 20th 2011