Ceredigion County Council’s 50+ Strategy is looking for people aged 50+ from across Ceredigion to apply to become a delegate on the Ceredigion 50+ Forum. The 50+ Forum will play an advisory role to Ceredigion County Council and key partners and will highlight issues affecting older people. The quarterly meetings, held in the Council Chamber in Aberaeron, will be chaired by the county’s Champion for Older People, Cllr Catherine Hughes.

There is a written application process and the 50+ Forum membership will be made up of a total of 12 representatives – two each from the six town areas. They will be chosen by a panel led by the Champion for Older People and including representation from the Commissioner for Older People’s office.

However a March annual conference, which will be open to everyone aged 50+, will also be held. This year’s St David’s Day conference is being held at 1.30pm on Monday 3 March 2014 in the Council Chamber, Penmorfa and it will provide an opportunity for older people to express their views on the future of services provided by Hywel Dda and Ceredigion County Council.

The County Council is also setting up a 50+ electronic ‘information’ network which will be open to all and they will also be looking at working more closely with existing groups.

Cllr Catherine Hughes, Ceredigion County Council’s Champion for Older People added: ‘It is vital that there is regular dialogue between older people and service providers in the county. A county wide forum is one way of achieving this and I would encourage those people who care about others in their communities to apply’.

For application forms or more information on the various initiatives outlined above, please contact Gweneira Raw-Rees on (01545) 574019 or gweneira.raw-rees@ceredigion.gov.uk. The closing date for applications is 1 May 2014.