Middlesex University hosted celebrations on Age UK national day to help older people feel valued and less lonely

A group of people stand in a covered quadrangle — Visitors to Silver Sunday included local community group The Burnt Oak Nepalese Community.

Hundreds of people visited Middlesex University’s Hendon campus on Sunday 6th October in one of the largest celebrations in the country of Silver Sunday.

Silver Sunday is the national day dedicated to celebrating the contributions of older people to society and to tackling isolation among the elderly.

The university was holding its second Silver Sunday in partnership with Age UK Barnet and the London Borough of Barnet while a wide range of community groups from across the borough got involved. The initiative, now run by the charity Age UK, aims to promote social connection and tackle loneliness in the elderly.

A wide range of free activities and advice were available to visitors from talks and performances, to classes in art, creative crafts and dance, to health checks, and advice sessions.

Hundreds of people came together across the day to sing, dance, take part in activities and listen to talks.

Creative workshops included Indian crafts, drawing and dance, while health checks were available from organisations that support health and wellbeing. Visitors could check their blood pressure and enjoy a free 10-minute massages from an osteopathy student. A number of advice talks included a session led by Age UK Barnet on awareness of scams, and legal support provided by local solicitors Fahri LLP.

Performances and workshops were provided by a wide range of community groups including the North London Rock Choir, Barnet Ukulele Group, and Dare2Dance, in addition to a seated-yoga taster session and sessions in Bollywood dance and ballet barre exercises.

Talks included a presentation from author Charlotte Osho and her daughter actress and comedian Andi Osho about Charlotte’s recently-published memoir The Jagged Path, which explores her experiences of domestic abuse and migration. Prof Kurt Barling, a Middlesex University Professor of Journalism and an award-winning investigative journalist, gave a talk to mark Black History Month.

Age UK Barnet’s CEO, Helen Newman, who was awarded a Middlesex Medal by the university earlier this year for services to the community, opened the event followed by a welcome speech from Middlesex University Vice-Chancellor Professor Shân Wareing.

Prof Wareing said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be able to host Silver Sunday again. The role of Middlesex University in the community is very important; we work closely with local partners to share knowledge and expertise. We are not just a university based in Barnet, we are a part of Barnet. Our students and academics have a huge part to play in supporting this area and its development, just as we have a huge amount to learn from the people and businesses that surround us.”

Paul Farmer, CEO of Age UK, came to the Middlesex University event. He said: “We are enormously proud at Age UK to be taking on the mantle of Silver Sunday. It’s all about celebrating older people and recognising the fantastic contribution that older people make in our society, and it’s about partnership; I can see so many organisations here contributing to make this a brilliant event.”

Other high-profile visitors from the community included David Pinto-Duschinsky, the MP for Hendon, the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Tony Vourou, and Councillor Gill Sargeant, Barnet’s Aging Well Champion.

Thanking Age UK and Age UK Barnet for the event, Mr Pinto-Duschinsky said: “It was a great morning at Silver Sunday at Middlesex University. It was marvellous to see old friends and meet with so many dedicated local organisations working hard to help others.”

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