Congratulations to the 50 Plus Forum who celebrated 25 years of working to address the concerns of older people in Slough from everyone at Slough CVS!

The group, led for the last 23 years by Marcia Wright invited guests from local voluntary groups and Slough Borough Council to attend. She gave a brief history of the group’s formative years, history, challenges faced with COVID-19 and sourcing funding and the enormous benefit provided to members through regular e-newsletters containing valuable information along with in-person information sessions, where key members from the statutory sector are invited to be on Q&A panels to answer the members’ pressing questions.

Thanks and a tribute were paid to the group and to Marcia Wright by Together As One’s CEO, Rob Deeks. One Together As One member, Owen, also congratulated the group, saying that many young people don’t have a grandparent they can learn from, so attending Slough 50 Plus Forum sessions with the members to interact, talk and play board games has been fun and aspiring. There has been an opportunity to break down stereotypes on both sides. A garden party is being planned this summer for the groups to get together again! Dolly Bhaskaran read out a poem she had written about getting older and spoke about getting involved with the Slough 50 Plus Forum, both as a member and a Trustee.

The Mayor of Slough, Cllr Amjad Abbasi, thanked the group for their long service to Slough’s older residents saying as a town with a high young population, there is much to learn from the older generation. Leader of Slough Borough Council, Cllr Dexter Smith, spoke about the changes in the town and opened the floor to questions from members. He addressed their concerns about the changes and development of the town centre, the closing of the Post Office and health inequalities in Slough. The event concluded with an afternoon tea and final remarks from Marcia, who said that the group has a diverse membership and is open to everyone who has an interest in whatever is going on in Slough. No-one is ever turned away, whatever their age or background.

The Forum aims to empower older people to ensure that their voice is heard and they influence the way in which services are planned and delivered, maintaining and improving the wellbeing of older people living in and around the Borough of Slough. The group meet monthly on the third Thursday of the month at Kingsway United Reformed Church, Church Street Slough SL1 1SZ from 1:30pm-3:30pm.

For further information, please contact Marcia Wright at marciaw1937@gmail.com

Slough 50 Plus Forum is a #OneSlough funded project.