Leaving a lasting legacy

At the end of March we will be saying a fond, and very grateful, farewell to Heather Osborne, Chief Executive of Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, as she retires after an extraordinary career dedicated to improving the lives of older people.

Heather’s contribution to our charity, and to the wider voluntary and public sector across the county, has been nothing short of remarkable. Highly respected by colleagues, volunteers, partners and stakeholders alike, she has combined professionalism, charisma and strategic vision with a warmth and approachability that have shaped our culture in lasting ways.

A career rooted in care

Heather has dedicated most of her professional life to supporting older people. Before joining Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, she served as Joint Commissioner for Older People’s Services across Telford & Wrekin Council and the NHS. Prior to that, she spent 10 years at Manchester City Council, where she managed a range of older people’s services, including the local authority’s day centres.

This depth of experience has always been evident in her leadership. Heather understands not only the big-picture strategy, but also the practical realities of service delivery, something we’ve all seen first-hand through her trademark hands-on approach. Whether working through a complex funding issue or helping a team shape a new initiative, Heather has never been one to lead from behind a desk.

Growing with purpose

Reflecting on her time as Chief Executive, Heather says: “The thing I am most proud of is the team and our ethos. Everyone has a focus on how can we make life better for older people.”

And that ethos has driven real, measurable growth. During Heather’s tenure, the charity has tripled in size, mirroring the growth in Shropshire’s older population. When she first joined, Heather analysed local data and demographics and concluded that we would need to grow by approximately 5% each year to keep pace with demand. Impressively, until the coronavirus pandemic, we achieved exactly that.

This wasn’t growth for growth’s sake. It was thoughtful, evidence-led expansion designed to ensure that older people across our diverse county could access the support they need.

Innovating to meet emerging needs

Heather’s leadership has also been defined by innovation and responsiveness.

Recognising a significant gap in support for people newly diagnosed with dementia, she championed the development of our dementia services. Following a successful 60th anniversary appeal and a well-attended public consultation in Shrewsbury, a steering group was formed to design a service for those in the early stages of dementia. From those early discussions, Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin now proudly operates several specialist Dementia Support Groups that are a lasting legacy that continues to transform lives.

Another standout achievement for our charity during Heather’s leadership has been our Digital Inclusion project. During the coronavirus pandemic, it became clear that many older people owned digital devices but lacked the confidence or knowledge to use them fully. From online shopping and banking to downloading the NHS app for appointments and prescriptions, digital access was becoming essential.

True to form, Heather and colleagues responded quickly. By combining strategic thinking with deep insight into the needs of older people, the charity developed and delivered practical solutions that made a tangible difference at a critical time.

An enabler at heart

Shropshire is a large and diverse county, and Heather has always championed a flexible, inclusive approach. She has often described the charity as an enabler: “We are able to offer our expertise and knowledge, provide operational templates and help promote these services, but I see us as an enabler that establishes various sustainable groups that can be run by local people.”

This philosophy empowers communities while maintaining strong standards and support and has helped ensure our services are both sustainable and locally meaningful.

A lasting legacy

Heather leaves Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin in a strong position. She has guided the charity through periods of growth, challenge and unprecedented uncertainty, always with a steady focus on our core purpose. As she has often reminded us, funding may come and go in cycles, but culture and clarity of mission endure.

Her legacy is a charity with a strong, values-driven culture where “older people first” is not just a phrase, but an attitude embedded in our everyday interactions.

What’s next for Heather?

In retirement, Heather plans to take some well-earned rest before restoring her physical fitness with walking, gym sessions and perhaps even taking part in the type of activities we offer to older people ourselves. And in what may be her boldest commitment yet, she jokes that she fully intends to never look at another spreadsheet ever again!

On behalf of everyone at Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Heather for her exceptional leadership, dedication and inspiration. She will be greatly missed but her impact will be felt for many years to come.

We wish her a long, happy and spreadsheet-free retirement.