OPAG Visits the Mayor's Office

With a kind invitation from the Mayor of Camden Eddie Hanson, Older People’s Advisory Group (OPAG) was joined by Age UK Camden’s CEO Ross Diamond and Age UK London’s Marketing and Communications Officer Dee Byrne in a visit at the Mayor’s Office at Camden Town Hall on 30^th October 2025.

The OPAG forum members introduced themselves to the Mayor one by one, talked about their involvement in OPAG and Age UK Camden’s community engagement activities and shared the positive impact they had on their lives. Mayor Hanson was inspired by the members’ sharing, the impact of Age UK Camden’s community engagement initiatives in addressing isolation, and Age UK Camden’s role in assisting Camden residents to access better community care.

“We couldn’t thank Age UK Camden enough, because services to support older people are needed more than ever, “said Mayor Hanson. “I’m pleased to be invited to this OPAG meeting. As a Council, we value what OPAG has been doing, and we are here to listen what is promptly needed by the residents in Camden.”

Ross Diamond presented Age UK Camden’s 2024-25 Impact Report, talked about the range of different services provided by Age UK Camden, and encouraged OPAG members to suggest improvements or innovations that the charity could potentially develop.

Dee Byrne asked OPAG members about their experiences of ageism in London and received a variety of responses and lived experiences. She introduced Age UK London’s latest campaign London Against Ageism to the group and the accompanying survey for collecting responses on ageism experiences in the city. The survey results will contribute to developing the campaign for action, which is to be launched in early 2026.

After the OPAG forum, Mayor Hanson led the group on tour around the Mayor’s Office.