Dorset Council has become the 100th place in the UK to become an Age-friendly Community.
The local authority joins a growing network of places representing more than 30 million people that also includes Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire and Cardiff. All the Age-friendly Communities work together to support people to remain active and more connected for longer. This supports better health outcomes, and less reliance on critical and crisis responses.
The UK network covers a population of more than 10.5 million people aged 50 and over – a figure larger than the entire population of Greece.
The Centre for Ageing Better works with Age-friendly communities to provide guidance, connect places and offer support to member communities as they work towards making their services and infrastructure more age-friendly.
Sarah Parsons, Dorset Council Ageing Well lead; Lynita Harris, Volunteer Centre Dorset Operations Manager; Councillor Steve Robinson; Dorset Council Adult Social Care Portfolio lead; Sarah Howard, NHS Dorset Deputy Director of Place; Rebecca Heath, Age UK Dorset North and West, Head of Home Services and Jon Sloper, Help and Kindness Co-Founder.
Dorset has one of the oldest populations of any UK county, with 30% of its residents over 60, compared to an average of 19% nationally. And by becoming an Age-friendly Community, Dorset will be in much better position to enable its older population to age well and live a good later life.
Councillor Steve Robinson, Dorset Council Adult Social Care portfolio lead, said he wanted residents, the voluntary sector and businesses to help shape Age Friendly Dorset, adding that the council would be launching a survey in the next few days:
“We see Dorset as a place where growing older means living well at any age and any level of ability, and where every generation feels valued and contented.”
“We want to hear from residents, so we are reaching across Dorset to listen to older people’s experiences to see what’s working, what could be better and what do people want for their future. Your voice will help shape a county-wide Age Friendly action plan, guiding our next steps.”
Related item: Councillor Steve Robinson on ‘Age Friendly Dorset’
Paula Bennetts, Dorset VCSA Programme Director, added: “As Dorset joins the Age-friendly Community network, we recognise this milestone as a powerful opportunity to amplify the voices of older residents and strengthen collaboration across our voluntary and community sector. The VCSA is proud to support this journey, ensuring that local organisations, charities, and community groups are central to shaping an inclusive, responsive, and compassionate Dorset for all ages.
“We’re committed to working alongside Dorset Council, the Integrated Care Board, and our sector partners to co-design solutions that reflect lived experience, promote wellbeing, and foster meaningful participation. Together, we can build a county where ageing is celebrated, and every individual feels connected, valued, and empowered.”
The Age-friendly Communities approach was developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2007, in consultation with older people around the globe.
Its growth has been based on the evidence of what supports a healthy and active ageing in a location – and what supports older residents to influence where they live.
Local groups, leaders, councils, businesses, and older residents work together to identify and make changes in both the physical and social environments. This includes improving transport, outdoor spaces, volunteering and employment, leisure, and community services.
Dorset officially became a member at the end of last month, alongside North Tyneside and the London Borough of Bexley. The event was celebrated with a cake cutting ceremony involving Councillor Robinson, Sarah Parsons (Ageing Well lead) with representatives from the voluntary sector, including Age UK, Help and Kindness, Volunteer Centre Dorset as well as the Dorset Integrated Care Board.
Natalie Turner, Deputy Director for Localities at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “We’re thrilled that Dorset has joined 99 other Age-friendly communities in the UK, and this is testament to the county’s commitment and hard work.
“Dorset gains by becoming an Age-friendly Community by being part of a wider structure. The WHO Age-friendly Communities Framework is an evidence-based, globally-recognised approach for creating communities that are better places to grow older.
“And the Centre for Ageing Better will work with the county to provide guidance and connect it with other places to share learning in its efforts to become more age friendly.
“We encourage other places in the UK to follows in Dorset’s footsteps. By becoming an Age-friendly Community, an area is showing a demonstrable commitment to its population and acknowledging that the needs of older populations must be recognised and understood.”