New Report Highlights Age UK Norwich Achievements in 2022/23

Age UK Norwich has released its annual "Our Impact" report, detailing the charity's achievements in supporting adults over the age of 50 in the Norwich community throughout 2022/23.

The report showcases the positive difference Age UK Norwich has made in the lives of thousands individuals. It highlights the various services and initiatives undertaken by the charity, along with the impact they've had on health, wellbeing, and social connections for Norwich's residents in later life.

Key findings of the report include:

• Made more than 3,100 befriending calls and ran over 370 social or activity club sessions across Norwich.
• Secured over £1.47 million for our clients in unclaimed benefits and debt reduction.
• Handled 18,302 incoming calls, web chats and emails, with 6,600 contacts made advising on topics such as benefits, housing and care planning
• Made over 1,700 welfare calls and 225 home visits supporting people in their community to stay safe, giving practical and emotional support.

The report also outlines Age UK Norwich's plans for the future, focusing on expanding services to meet growing needs and advocating for better support for over 50s in the city, particularly in the most deprived areas of Norwich, where life expectancy is lower by nearly a decade. This includes the use of new technology, exploring new services such as a ‘handy person service’ and improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in Norwich.

Dan Skipper, CEO of Age UK Norwich said “I’ll let the report speak for itself, I’m just extremely proud of the hard work from all the Age UK Norwich team and what we have achieved with our local partnerships. We have strong ambition to make Norwich an age friendly city and improve the quality of later life for our beneficiaries. We thank all our funders, supporters, and volunteers. Their support is paramount to our success and impact.”

The charity is calling for city residents who are interested in supporting their age friendly campaign to help influence decision-makers.

Dan said “We want to hear from people who would like to share their story or help work behind the scenes. Part of the campaign is showing what later life is like in Norwich – good and bad. We want to hear from people where age is no barrier to their lifestyle, people who make the city work through their job or volunteering, and people who feel the city is not supporting them enough.  The more we talk about age and ageing, the more inclusive our city will become.”

This publication serves as a testament to the dedication of Age UK Norwich's staff, volunteers, and supporters in making Norwich a more age friendly city. It highlights the essential role the charity plays in ensuring older adults can live healthy, independent, and fulfilling lives.

The report can be accessed and downloaded directly from the Age UK Norwich website. Alternatively, you can listen to the report on our YouTube channel.