Guest blog by Rachel Cooper, Leeds Older People’s Forum
What’s the latest time you’d expect to see an older person in Leeds City Centre? 4pm? 6pm? 8pm? 10pm? Many of our members tell us that the city centre is a no-go area for them from tea time onwards. Others don’t come into Leeds at all either because physically it’s difficult, or because they feel it doesn’t offer anything of interest to them. Instead, they prefer to access activities and services within their own communities. Considering that 40% of the population of Leeds is aged 50+ this presents a huge challenge (or maybe I should say opportunity?) for older people in accessing cultural events. I want to come back to The Culture Vulture blog with a more comprehensive consideration of these issues, but for now, in the spirit of Laura Wellington’s post earlier this week, I want to highlight the International Day of Older People (IDOP) celebrations that are happening in Leeds this week and next.
Voluntary organisations, volunteers old and young, Councillors, along with staff from NHS Leeds and the Council come together to make IDOP happen. 30 different community events, in 19 different areas of Leeds will take place over a period of 9 days. This year we are trying to both take events to people’s neighbourhoods and bring people into the city. The community events include such activities as; curling, a heritage tour, reminiscence, live music, Indian folk dancing, Bollywood movies, Zumba, a Tea dance, Wii gaming, Cooking, Line dancing, Tai Chi, and Yoga.
The community events lead up to a series of grand finale events that will take place as part of Light Night on the 7th October. Older people that have attended the community events along with members of the public will participate in a ‘Silver 70’s’ session. Leeds museums service will have their social history collection on display and people will be encouraged to share their memories of that groovy decade, we will be tweeting them live on the night and they will also contribute to an exhibition of the same name in January.
Leeds City Council last year identified that few (if any) people over the age of 65 attended Light Night and we have worked together to try and change that this year. You might bump into us taking a mini tour of Light Night events in the Civic Quarter. What I love about Light Night is its ability to transform the city centre into a warm, family friendly fun place to be. This year let’s make it truly family friendly and make sure people of all generations are there to join in the fun.
For details of the community events and grand finale event visit the website
Since when are mere spring chickens of 50+ “older”??? I’m 60 in December. I’m signed up for a Light Night event which isn’t a backward-looking Silver 70s (and if you call me a silver surfer I’ll come and haunt you).
Yes it’s lovely that Light Night can “transform the city centre into a warm, family friendly fun place to be”. But that’s also the problem with Light Night. If this year we “make it truly family friendly and make sure people of all generations are there to join in the fun” is that somehow accepting that the other 364 days have to be a cultural desert devoted to teenies who can’t control their drink?
Sorry, you caught a raw nerve. Nice seeing your presentation at the Leeds Arts Partnership meeting a couple of weeks ago.
The definition of the term ‘older people’ differs depending on who you’re talking to and what the purpose of that definition, it tends to be either 50+, 60+ or 65+. Our aim with Light Night has been to involve older people who don’t come into the city centre in the evening and who wouldn’t normally go to Light Night. The 50+ definition is often of little relevance to the lives of fit and active older people.
Reminiscence sessions like the ‘Silver 70’s’ event certainly aren’t for everyone. It’s a stereotype for an older generation, in the same box as knitting or bingo, but the fact is there are many people that enjoy it. The session is part of a broader programme that will hopefully cater to a range of tastes.
I agree with your comments about the other 364 days of the year. It’s certainly an issue that we will continue to pursue.
The presentation at the Leeds Arts Partnership (my redeeming feature!) wasn’t even me I’m afraid.
Silver Surfer is a comic book character as far as I’m concerned.
Have a good Light Night.
Rachel.
Personally, I wish Leeds centre had more night cafes. That would diversify the night time economy, and provide a greater mix of age ranges.
I agree completely with this, and I’m fast approaching my mid 20’s, so I don’t believe that this would just benefit the 50+ population of Leeds.
AGREED 1000%
I think Trinity will change this- late night shopping in this catalyst should encourage other stores to stay open until 20:00 on weekdays in line with most other major cities. A hub of restaurants, cafes and a cinema at Trinity should give a similar experience to The Light, but on a bigger scale. At the moment the retail quarter dies around 18:00 as focus moves to the Civic and Riverside Quarters, so this will give a new function to the retail quarter in the evening.
I hope to see visitors from the arena, Grand Theatre and City Varieties in particular make more use of the retail quarter once Trinity has opened too.
There’s three comments I have on this:
Maybe older people who stay in their communities do so because they want shop assistants who remember their names, because it’s easier to shop local to get things home, or so they can spend time meeting people who have time to stop and chat? I know many young people who shop locally because it’s more convenient, or go out at night in their community rather than coming into town.
Also maybe some old people like doing more traditional activities that are well-served in local communities (such as bingo, activities with local churches, walking in the park) rather than wii gaming and tai chi? If activities people enjoy can be accessed locally, there’s probably not a lot of demand for them to be put on in the city centre where running costs are higher and people have to travel.
Finally, I saw a lot of older people whilst helping to run an event at Light Night, and we’ve already had interest from many 50+ at the event we’re running this year. I also see lots of older people in pubs at night (not to mention at events such as opera/theatre) in the city centre. A lot of people would say that events such as opera and theatre tends to attract older people rather than younger because of ticket prices and reputation.
I’m not disparaging the work you do, because I think it’s great, but I think it’s foolhardy to take a small cross-section and think that it represents the whole of the older population. Hopefully lots of older people will come to your events and let you know this!
Confused? What are the odds of two different Henrys commenting on one thread? *
FWIW I’m not ready for the bingo yet, and after a taster session I’d love to be doing tai chi but the classes always clash with other commitments. But I agree about not generalising from a small sample.
* Unless I have undiagnosed Alzheimers and the 11.16 post was me but I don’t remember it. Would other Henry like to find the 12:15 Henry Tickner on facebook and set my mind at rest? Cheers.
Hey Henry,
I’ll take them in order…..
Many older people do prefer their own neighbourhoods, though thats about more than shop assistants. I think that’s fine to an extent but there should be a choice, the city centre and the events that take place there should be accessible to all.
The Tai Chi, Wii gaming etc is taking place in communities, not the city centre. That’s intentional. I’m advocating a mix of city centre and community based, traditional and not so traditional activities. I think that’s pretty well covered in the programme.
I’m pleased to hear that you saw older people at last years event. Our focus is on those who don’t feel safe to come into the city at that time and who wouldn’t normally go to Light Night. What we are trying the tackle with the Council is the low number of 65+’s. The opera and theatre do attract an older audience but which older people? As you mention, those who can afford the ticket prices. The prominent media image of the fit, wealthy older person is far from representative. Many older people live in poverty, suffer from ill health and as I highlight in my article, don’t have access to the city centre and to cultural opportunities.
To take a “small cross section” of the older opera going population and see it as a representation of the older population would be “foolhardy”…….. not to mention grossly unfair. The programme isn’t based on speculation its based on regular conversations with a range of older people in Leeds and backed up by research.
Rachel