Age Friendly Middlesbrough started off as a Partnership of people from Ageing Better Middlesbrough, a National Lottery Funded programme aimed at reducing loneliness and Isolation in Middlesbrough and was supported by an action group of older people; the Ageing Better Middlesbrough Action Group (ABMAG) and Public Health South Tees. There was also support from Middlesbrough Council and in 2021 a Council Executive decision was made to include Age Friendly Middlesbrough as a priority on the Council Strategic Plan; to address the causes of vulnerability and inequalities in Middlesbrough. Through working with local people, communities and other public services the Council is committed to improve the lives of older people in Middlesbrough.

We will be working collaboratively with Council directorate leaders such and Transport, Regeneration and Housing, to ensure that wider policy and strategy that affects the lives of older people is discussed and aligned with the Age Friendly programme and this will help us to achieve our ambition for Middlesbrough Council to be recognised as an Age Friendly Town.

Dementia Friendly Middlesbrough has been a Strategic Priority for Middlesbrough Council since 2015 and in 2016 Middlesbrough Council received National recognition from the Alzheimer’s Society for our work in creating Dementia Friendly communities. We currently have 167 local Businesses and Organisations working towards being dementia friendly which is to improve accessibility for people living with dementia and their carers. In 2020, Public Health, through a collaboration with Adult Social Care and the Tees Wide Mental Health Trust, established a Dementia Hub in Middlesbrough; which is a one stop shop for people living with Dementia and their Carers for pre and post diagnosis support. A full programme of activities is delivered at the hub and is accessible for older people and those living with other mental health conditions.