What is Age Concern Gosport?
Age Concern Gosport is a small independent charity which provides free information and support to people over the age of 55, in the Gosport area. Established in 1962, Age Concern Gosport is managed and operated by a team of dedicated trustees and volunteers. The charity provides:
- Assistance with form-filling including claims for Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and ‘Blue Badge’ applications.
- Sign-posting services – directing people to other organisations that deliver support and elderly services in Gosport.
- Community services and projects
With an increasingly ageing population, Age Concern Gosport’s services to older people are more essential than ever. Today, more than 20,000 people in Gosport are over the age of 55. That’s around 25% of Gosport’s population who are eligible to access this free local information service.
How Age Concern Gosport is Funded
A small annual grant of around £1,400 comes from Gosport Borough Council. The remainder of the charity’s revenue comes from donations, fundraising and corporate sponsorship.
Unlike many charities, Age Concern Gosport doesn’t have large financial reserves. The service is entirely dependent on the support of the people of Gosport. If you can help Age Concern Gosport to maintain its services to the community, you can donate online here.
Age Concern Gosport’s service is delivered entirely by volunteers who give up their time to help others. While the charity’s financial needs are modest, money is still needed to maintain their services. For more information, you can download the latest Annual Report here.
Local Authority Funding and Support
The Age Concern Gosport Trustees would like to thank Gosport Borough Council and members of Hampshire County Council for their ongoing support and assistance, without which the charity could not operate.
The Age Concern Gosport Trustees
Age Concern Gosport is managed by five voluntary Trustees, who oversee the service provided by the charity’s volunteers:
- Chair of Trustees: Angela Gill
- Treasurer: Judith Coleman
- Funding: Ray Ruzewicz
- Trustee: Nicky Staveley
- Trustee: Margaret Wilkinson
Meet the Age Concern Gosport Volunteers
Age Concern Gosport’s team of six volunteers staff the charity’s information centre:
- Angela Gould – Centre Co-ordinator
- Maria Bonney
- Elaine Burgess
- Kathy Preece
- Lisa Powell – Reports Co-ordinator
- Ian Reeves – Presenter
Community Project
In 2016, Age Concern Gosport received a grant of £8,956 from the Big Lottery Fund for its innovative community project ‘Live Life for Today & Plan for Tomorrow’. This project included workshops and events to help people make informed and important choices about their ‘end of life’. This project has continued into 2018 and you can find out more information on the Community Services page of the website.
Download the Age Concern Gosport’s latest Annual Report here.