Supporting Older Residents

Created in 2006, Crawley Older Persons Forum provides a key meeting place for fifty organisations, who engage with our older local residents, to share information, assess local need and raise issues facing older people in
Crawley with local decision makers.

Over the past nine years, COPF has worked closely with organisations such as Age UK, CAMEO (Come and Meet Each Other Club) and Crawley Wellbeing – the latter, with whom they created a helpful directory with:

“The most pressing issue facing older people, which has been identified by forum members, is the issue of isolation,” Lisa Phillips from Crawley’s Community and Voluntary Service, who co-ordinates the bi-monthly meetings explains.

“So many older people live alone and don’t see other people regularly. Unsurprisingly, this has a negative impact on both their physical, and their mental health and wellbeing. Addressing this issue is complex and multi-faceted, but one thing which forum members felt contributed to the issue of isolation was lack of information about support and activities available to older people in the local community.

“COPF, in partnership with Crawley Wellbeing, has been instrumental in producing a local
paper directory, Crawley Older People’s Directory, which was launched last summer, and is currently in circulation around the town. The directory includes information on services, support, activities and help available for older people in Crawley. Copies can be obtained, free of charge, from Crawley Wellbeing at K2.”

Representatives from local charities and organisations, who work with older people in Crawley are invited to join the bi-monthly Monday morning meetings at the Civic Hall to learn more about local services and to find ways to work together, creatively.

Jim Piercey, Chairman of the Older Persons Forum said: “The Crawley Older Persons Forum is a unique network of local groups and organisations working with older people in Crawley.

“We meet regularly to learn, assess and report on the local needs of older people, and to share information about the services and support we all offer.“

“We always welcome new members to the forum. If you represent a local group or organisation, and would like to know more about what’s happening locally to support older people in Crawley – get in touch!”

Crawley Older Persons Forum can be contacted by calling: 01293 657011 or emailing: lisa.phillips@crawleycvs.org.