Maidenhead & Windsor

The views of the Royal Maidenhead Borough's senior citizens will be top of the agenda at a meeting to be held next week in the Town Hall, Maidenhead.

The first meeting of the Maidenhead Older Persons Advisory Forum on Thursday January 12 represents a major step forward in plans to set up a regular forum for the representatives of older people's groups to discuss issues of interest and concern.

Thursday's Maidenhead meeting – organised by social services and the Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead Primary Care Trust – will feature speakers from social services and a representative from Slough Older Persons Advisory Group. Future meetings will encourage discussions on issues ranging from crime, community safety and lifelong learning to waste recycling, transport issues and tackling ageism and discrimination.

Maidenhead Cllr Pam Proctor, lead member for social services, said: "We have been working for some time towards setting up a regular forum for older people, which would meet three or four times a year to discuss issues of importance to some of the more vulnerable members of our community.

"This inaugural meeting will be a wonderful way of bringing people together with a common aim – to give a voice to our older citizens and enable them to help shape the future of services provided for them. We hope as many people as possible will come along to the meeting and help to create the basis for a strong, successful forum which will truly reflect the views of our older citizens."

The inaugural meeting of the forum takes place in the Desborough Suite in the Maidenhead Town Hall from 3 – 5pm on Thursday January 12. Tea, coffee and sandwiches will be provided free of charge, and social services is also offering provision for respite care for carers who wish to attend as well as providing assistance with travel arrangements or travel costs.

For further information contact Louise Gray on 01628 796763.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead