The Age without Limits Action Day, which took place on March 20th, was an event celebrated across the UK, its purpose was to contest the often adverse and stereotyped depiction of older individuals prevalent in our society. The theme for this year? SEE and BE SEEN. 
Community groups nationwide held over 60 unique events, celebrating the invaluable contributions of older generations.
Belmont Academy was the venue for South Ayrshire’s event where VASA joined forces with Belmont Academy’s Rotary Interact Club to make the event an outstanding success.
  
This day was filled with activities and dialogues, bringing together over 70 individuals, including guests aged over 50 and enthusiastic S2 students. The intergenerational gathering started with an introduction by Sara Maskell, a member of the Rotary Interact Club, and Rita Miller, Chair of South Ayrshire’s Ageing Well Champions Boards.
After quick introductions, half the attendees participated in walking football matches, refereed by Paul Wright from South Ayrshire Council’s Thriving Communities while, the others engaged in learning new skills. The Rotary Interact Club demonstrated some of the “new tech” available while “old-school skills” included making fortune tellers that many remembered from years ago.
Kate Lapping, Heritage Outreach Officer at Carnegie Library, showcased items from the library’s collections that sparked interesting discussions and Cycling without Age Scotland brought along a Trishaw which proved to be another popular topic of discussion, not to mention a welcome resting spot.
Post-lunch, the groups switched activities, ensuring everyone got a taste of everything on offer. The day ended with stimulating debates on ageism, a fun game of Beetle and a certificate of participation for everyone present.
The event was a great success, fostering connections that might not have occurred otherwise, thanks to the efforts of the Belmont Academy staff and the Rotary Interact Club.
Special thanks goes to the huge effort of members of the Rotary Interact club both at the event and in the planning stage. Particular thanks to the staff at Belmont Academy for their support with a special mention for Head Teacher Kevin Boyd who also participated in one of the walking football matches. |
