Older people’s champion is reappointed

WARRINGTON’S champion for its older, more vulnerable residents has been reappointed – allowing her to continue her campaigning for the needs of the town’s older population.
Cllr Maureen Creaghan has been re-appointed “Older Peoples Champion” for the borough.
The Mayor, Cllr Faisal Rashid, offered a warm welcome to “champion” councillors from across the North West, at a champions business network meeting in Warrington.
Cllr Creaghan said: “I am really pleased to be able to continue in this role and continuing the networks’ focus on some of the most vulnerable and potentially excluded older people who live in our neighbourhoods and communities.”
Cllr Pat Wright, the council’s lead member for health and adult social care said: “The network of champions provides an invaluable service for our ever-growing ageing population. Not only do they share good practice and lobby government they also help to raise the profile of older people as valued citizens in their communities and not just people who use health and social care.”
At the meeting Cllr Creaghan introduced two examples of good practice in work with older people. Simon Kenton, assistant director integrated commissioning and Emma Coxon, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, highlighted their work to improve the lives of older people.
Warrington Borough Council is a founder member of the North West network of champions whose aim is to influence their local authorities to perform better in the context of age and ageing and to share good practice.
The Older People Champions network was created 10 years ago by the Better
Government for Older People initiative – designed to place older people at the heart of policy development, service delivery and evaluation, specifically in the public sector.
It is currently lobbying for a Minister for Older People, is maintaining an open lobby against Mass Marketing Fraud and has supported the Think Jessica Campaign to reduce financial abuse of older people.