Council invites entries for new Age Friendly Calendar
13 August 2024
Local people are being invited to share their talents by submitting photos and artwork to feature in the new Age Friendly ‘Happy Place’ Calendar.
The calendar will help support older citizens and will be distributed locally as a joint initiative to reach people living within the Western Health and Social Care Trust area. Anyone who would like to have their work considered is invited to share photographs and artworks highlighting their personal ‘Happy Place’.
Derry City and Strabane District Council has joined up with the councils in Fermanagh and Omagh and Causeway Coast and Glens, South West Age Partnership along with the Western Health and Social Care Trust and the Public Health Agency to produce the calendar, which will be delivered to 10,000 homes.
Funded by the Public Health Agency to mark Positive Aging Month, the calendar addresses emotional health and wellbeing, encouraging people to age well, and use the Take 5 steps to improve their health and wellbeing - to connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and to give.
Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor Lilian Barr, said she looked forward to seeing the submissions. “We have a wealth of talent amongst our older community, and the calendar is a great platform to showcase that creativity. It’s also a great way of sharing happy memories and capturing special moments. Council is always looking for new ways of engaging with the older community and providing opportunities for people to play an active role in their local area and engage with others. I am really looking forward to viewing the works and would encourage people to take part.”
The competition is open to anyone aged 50+ and entries should feature photographs or a painting (without people) of a special place within the Derry and Strabane Council area. The winning submissions will be shared with 10,000 households and Council will distribute the calendars across the Derry and Strabane area to community and voluntary groups, community centres, libraries and healthy living centres and leisure centres.
For anyone interested in taking part in the competition, please submit your entry by email to [email protected] or alternatively post to Age Friendly Co-ordinator, Derry City and Strabane District Council, 98 Strand Road, Derry. BT48 7NN before 5pm on October 1st. Please note that posted entries cannot be returned.