On 5 October, Age UK and communities across the country marked this year’s Silver Sunday: a national day of free, fun activities to celebrate older people.
With dozens of events happening across the capital and hundreds more throughout the rest of the UK, we set out to visit as many as we could in one day and to capture what makes Age UK's Silver Sunday so special.
11am
Our first stop of the day was Age UK Barnet’s annual Silver Sunday celebration, where residents of the Barnet area were once again congregating at Middlesex University for a lively day of activities. Remarkably, this year’s event proved to be even bigger and more popular than last year, with some 800 people coming together to enjoy an afternoon of live music, health checks, talks and much more.
Fresh from his recent appearance on the red carpet interviewing the stars of The Thursday Murder Club, Age UK’s Chief Executive Paul Farmer reflected on what the film, and the books that inspired it, are reminding the general public about older people in our society.
“They tell us a story about older people not being invisible and contributing to our society,” explained Paul in his opening remarks. “That’s what today is all about as well – bringing older people out into the community.”
There was plenty for older community members to explore at Age UK Barnet’s event, with stands featuring information on the local Age UK’s many services, as well as stalls celebrating the area’s diversity. These stands acknowledged the contributions of the African Caribbean and South Asian communities, illustrated with clothing, food, musical instruments and more. Plus, the nearby Disco Room provided a space for people to cut loose – especially during a freestyle dancing session.
One of the day’s dancers was particularly recognisable. Strictly Come Dancing’s Katya Jones made a special appearance, getting everyone to their feet for a spot of salsa, including the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich, who enthusiastically threw himself into proceedings.
Katya explains that she’s witnessed her mother benefitting from embracing new things – in her late fifties, after decades supporting Katya’s dancing, her mum decided she wanted to give it a go herself.
“She’d brought her children and helped bring her grandchildren up, and decided it was her time now,” explained Katya, proudly. “So she took up Argentinian Tango.” Now aged 62, Katya’s mum now travels the world to dance at a competitive level. Inspirational stuff!
11.30am
Next was a free tour of Soho Fire Station. With a history dating back to 1888, Soho Fire Station is now one of the busiest fire stations in Europe, dealing with an average of nearly 4,000 incidents a year.
Participants on the tour got to hear directly from Soho’s firefighters about the biggest challenges of the job, had the opportunity to try on uniforms, and even experienced the dizzying heights of going up in a fire engine’s aerial ladder.
“This Age UK Silver Sunday tour has been an eye-opener for me, seeing how these fire crews work on a daily basis,” said Chris, one of the attendees.
“For us, it was just 5 minutes on the aerial ladder. But the crews could be up there for several hours in smoke and flames. I really appreciate what they do – it’s so impressive.”
12.30pm
With feet firmly planted on the ground again, we made a run for London’s home of cricket. There, at Lord’s Cricket Ground, a special Silver Sunday tour was underway, led by one of the venue’s expert guides.
Attendees got the opportunity to see some of the most iconic parts of the most famous cricket ground in the world, including its Grade II listed Victorian Pavilion, all rounded off with a delicious afternoon tea.
“Silver Sunday is a special day in our calendar,” said Ricky, Head of Programmes at Marylebone Cricket Club, who own the venue.
“We’ve been involved for a number of years, and it’s a great opportunity for us to celebrate the older generation. Every year we see different people from different backgrounds coming together and experiencing the beauty of Lord’s.”
2pm
Our next stop took us to Church Street Library in Westminster for their all-day Silver Sunday celebration.
From Bollywood dancing to arts and crafts, attendees enjoyed hours packed with creativity and fun that they could join in with, or simply sit back and watch.
“Events like this get people out of their houses and out of their flats,” said Patsy, who works at the library. “It makes people feel part of something and like they’re not alone.”
“We’re so grateful for our library members from the older community,” continued Nasima, Patsy’s colleague. “This is a way to say thank you.”
2.45pm
Our Silver Sunday tour continued at St Marylebone Parish Church. Visitors to the beautiful surroundings of the church could enjoy a free afternoon of wellbeing activities – from nail and hand massages to mindfulness sessions.
Fashion-conscious attendees could also get a free colour analysis from an expert stylist, to learn which colours flatter them best.
3.45pm
Rounding up our day of Silver Sunday celebrations was an afternoon tea at Lillington Gardens Community Centre in Pimlico. The hall bustled with attendees enjoying cake, cups of tea and a good chat, with some of the baked goods homemade by the participants.
“We’ve been very lucky that our Silver Sunday celebration has grown year on year,” said Darlene, who organised the event. “It grew from a tiny event, and now we’ve got a room full of people who really look forward to coming along. It’s very fulfilling.”
How will you get involved in next year’s Silver Sunday?
Our Silver Sunday tour may have taken place across London, but every year there are Silver Sunday events happening in every corner of the UK.
