HOW does it feel to be ageing, living alone and without family on days of celebration such as Christmas Day and St Valentine's Day?

York campaigner, theatre maker and festival organiser Sue Lister MBE has created a new play, No Kidding?, in response to co-ordinating Ageing Without Children (AWOC) for the past two years.

"I've taken this issue of ageing alone, without the support of nearby children, as the theme for our Real People Theatre production on March 9 and 10 for this year's York International Women’s Festival," says Sue.

"Loneliness and isolation are key issues at the moment, so the show is timely. We have already been invited to Todmorden to take part in their Pushing Up Daisies festival in May and will take our show to the York 50+ Festival in the autumn too."

Ageing Without Children started four years ago when Kirsty Woodard realised it was not only a personal issue – she was unable to have children – but also that government policies and statements kept referring to "the family" and "your children" as the support on hand when social services could not keep up with demand.

"Well, sorry to say, for millions of people there’s a black hole instead of that kind of support," says Sue. "And that’s what needs to be put on the agenda of national and local government: private companies and charities working with older people all over the country.

York Press:

"No Kidding? will provide an opportunity to discuss what it means to be ageing without children," says Real People Theatre artistic director Sue Lister

"Millions of older people come under the AWOC banner. Perhaps they couldn’t have children or never wanted to have children. Perhaps the right partner never turned up. Perhaps their children have moved away or are disabled and need help themselves. Perhaps parents and children are estranged and families broken. Or perhaps parents simply don’t want to be a burden on their children. All are 'awocs', and it's all part of the loneliness and isolation picture."

One solution is to form peer support, self-help and campaigning groups in every part of Britain, suggests Sue. "AWOC York has been meeting monthly for the past two years and now has more than 100 people on its circulation list," she says. "About 12 to 15 meet regularly on the second Wednesday of the month in the private room at the Cross Keys pub in Goodramgate.

"Meetings alternate between 2pm to 4pm and 5.30pm to 7.30 pm with either a lunch before or a dinner after the meetings for people to socialise. We have a wide range of speakers, all focusing on how their services can be of use to people ageing alone."

Anyone interested in joining can chat to Sue on 01904 488870. Meanwhile, swapping her AWOC co-ordinator hat for her artistic director one, she is directing No Kidding? as her 19th Real People Theatre show for York International Women’s Festival.

"A cast of eight women is rehearsing the play every Saturday between January and this month and we've put together an exciting collage of scenes, life stories, music and poetry," says Sue. "There'll be plenty of opportunities for audience interaction, using the programme items as a springboard for discussion, and Robin Hadley, who has done research into how childlessness affects men, will be sending a video from across the Pennines to add to the show.

"From lonely Sundays to scam phone calls, from the grief of childlessness to scattered families, from hospital discharge to women’s experiences in Kenya, No Kidding? will provide an opportunity to discuss what it means to be ageing without children."

No Kidding? will be performed by Real People Theatre at the wheelchair-accessible Theatre 4, York St John University, Lord Mayor’s Walk, on March 9 from 7.30pm to 9.30pm and March 10, 2pm to 4pm. Tickets cost £6, concessions £5, on the door. More details can be found in the York International Women’s Festival brochure.