“It Was Quite a Shock”: Local Journalist Reunited with Tale From 1971 in Age UK Norwich Archive

A forgotten story resurfaces

As Age UK Norwich prepared to mark its 80 Years in the Making celebrations with a landmark exhibition at The Forum (held earlier in August this year), an unexpected story from the past resurfaced, reconnecting a local journalist with an article he wrote more than five decades ago.

While searching through their archives, Age UK Norwich staff uncovered a 1971 newspaper clipping featuring Emily and Billy, a Norwich couple speaking candidly about the challenges of making ends meet on a pension at Christmas. A quote from the article, written by Evening News journalist Rob Kirk, was shared on the charity’s social media. A friend tagged Rob in the post, sparking a touching rediscovery of his own words.

The article was written by journalist Rob Kirk after Age Concern (now Age UK Norwich) produced a report on pensioner incomes, and Rob decided to find out what it was like to live on a pension at Christmas. Rob still has the original article in his personal archive.

Journalist reflects on the past

Rob said: “It was quite a shock – and a bit flattering. It was even more surprising to find that I had the article in my files at home.”

The rediscovery of Rob Kirk’s 1971 article highlights the richness of Age UK Norwich’s archives, and the ways these historic records can spark new conversations today. It demonstrates how the charity’s story is deeply interwoven with the lives of older people in Norwich – and how the digital age can unexpectedly reconnect people across generations.

Stories with lasting impact

Megan Durrant, Communications and Marketing Lead at Age UK Norwich, said: “It was such a lovely surprise to connect with Rob. When we were looking back through content for our archive, we couldn’t believe how much was there… The fact that Rob remembers Emily and Billy so fondly is a lasting legacy to the impact our work has. To get to know one of our clients is to be forever changed: by their rich stories and past, and by the wisdom they share. I’m immensely pleased Rob has the article still and hope we can connect even more people who have supported our charity over the last 80 years with these fond and precious memories.”

Life in 1971

On reviewing the article and its contents, Rob reflected: “Life was tough. Their four gas radiators were only switched on for an hour each morning, and only again if Mrs Thoules felt chilly. I asked what they’d do if they had a bit more money, and Mr Thoules said he’d like to give Emily – a mother of five – a good holiday.”

Challenges that remain today

Sadly, for many pensioners in Norwich and Norfolk today, the struggle to balance heating, food, and daily essentials remains a pressing issue. Age UK Norwich continues to see first-hand the challenges faced by those on limited incomes, which is why our work to connect people with the support they are entitled to is so vital. In the past year alone we have helped unlock over £2 million in unclaimed benefits and financial support for older people in Norwich and Norfolk.

Dan Skipper, Chief Executive of Age UK Norwich, said: “Emily and Billy’s story is not just history, it’s still the reality for too many older people in our community. The cost-of-living crisis means we are meeting people every day who, like the Thoule’s family in 1971, are making impossible choices about whether to heat their homes or enjoy a modest treat. Our recent success in unlocking £2 million of unclaimed financial support is a reminder that help is out there – but that older people need champions to make sure they can access it.”

80 years of impact

This rediscovery is more than nostalgia. It illustrates Age UK Norwich’s legacy of supporting, listening, and advocating for older people for eight decades. The 80 Years in the Making exhibition, along with the charity’s work to digitise its full archive for use in reminiscence projects, is not just a look back, it is an opportunity to connect communities with their shared history, and to reflect on how much has changed, and how much remains the same, for older people today.