YORK will be celebrating the contribution of older women to the city at a series of events on Saturday to mark the International Day of Older People.

Older women who have each in their different way made a contribution to York will be talking about their lives and experiences at the Castle Museum from 11am-4pm on Saturday.

The women are:

  • academic Marilyn Crawshaw, who was a driving force in York gaining Human Rights City status
  • former York St John University vice-chancellor and 'champion of all things around old age' Prof Dianne Wilcocks
  • Sue Lister and Ann Murray, who were the first same sex partnership in York to be joined in civil partnership, and who started the York 50+ Festival
  • poet, memoir writer, community activist and founder of York Racial Equality Network Yvie Holder
  • lawyer, councillor and three-time Labour Lord Mayor Janet Looker

In other events planned throughout the day, from 11am to 3.30pm York Theatre Royal will be presenting a 'virtual reality experience' of recent shows as part of a project to extend theatre enjoyment into day centres and other places outside of the theatre.

Radio York, meanwhile, will be broadcasting the live and recorded voices of older people throughout the day, while York Hospital Radio will be telling stories designed to engage with older patients.

Older people's stories will also be told through social media, and on-screen in StreetLife.

The events have been pulled together by volunteers from York Older People’s Assembly (YOPA), Age UK York, Older Citizen’s Advocacy York, Herstory and others.

Prof Willcocks, who is herself vice chair of YOPA, said: “York is unique and York is brilliant....importantly, York can boast an incredible generation of different groups of elders who have made and continue to make community life in our creative city the place that we can all love and value.

"Saturday is about honouring each of them and saying a warm and heartfelt ‘thank you'. The contributions, the memories, the resilience and the sense of fun that older people share will be told through the voices of elders from our community and through activities which we can all join in."

Simon Holmes, the chief executive of Age UK York, added: “We are delighted to be working together with York Older People's Assembly and other wonderful partners.

"Each day, Age UK York's staff (and) volunteers hear so many inspiring stories from those we meet.

"We are delighted to be able to share some of these as part of the International Day of Older People. We encourage people to discover these for themselves by attending the exciting events planned and the continued contribution of older people across York."

Full details of events can be found at yorkassembly.org.uk