Celebrating Our Volunteers and Looking Ahead to 2026

On Tuesday 25th November, Age Friendly Salford hosted a day dedicated to appreciation, reflection and planning for the future. Our Staff and Volunteer Day was an opportunity to recognise the invaluable contributions of our volunteers and to strengthen the shared vision that drives our work.

A special thank you to CommUNITY Little Hulton for providing such a welcoming space, which created the perfect setting for meaningful conversations and collaboration.

Starting Conversations That Matter: Ageism Awareness

One of the key sessions focused on ageism, an important topic for building inclusive communities. This interactive discussion encouraged participants to share experiences and explore practical ways to challenge stereotypes. Together, we examined:

• Institutional ageism – policies or practices that disadvantage certain age groups
• Interpersonal ageism – everyday comments or behaviours that reinforce stereotypes
• Internalised ageism – when individuals adopt negative beliefs about their own age

Your insights will help shape our Ageism Awareness Workshop, which we plan to deliver in 2026. We will review all feedback and update the course early in the new year. Look out for new sessions around February, volunteers may be invited to support delivery.

Supporting Volunteer Wellbeing

Bringing everyone together provided a valuable opportunity to discuss how we can better support volunteer wellbeing. Suggestions included:

• Allowing time for reflection and decompression after activities
• Creating space to discuss challenging conversations with participants
• Using meditative practices to reduce stress
• Inviting volunteers to join delivery team meetings periodically to strengthen collaboration

These ideas will be considered in the new year, and we’ll keep you informed about next steps.

Recognising Your Contribution

This year, volunteers contributed over 3,000 hours to the Age Friendly programme, a remarkable achievement that has made a real difference to people’s lives in Salford. During the celebration, each volunteer received a certificate as a token of appreciation for their commitment and kindness.

We ended the day with a wellbeing walk in Peel Park, a simple way to connect and we shared practical wellbeing tips, such as reading before bed or taking an afternoon stroll.