Developing 'age-friendly' cities has become increasingly important with places in the UK and abroad starting to develop initiatives to improve the quality of life for older people living in cities.

As part of the Festival of Social Science Manchester City Council's Valuing Older People team have joined forces with the Economic and Social Research Council and Keele University to host a one-day event bringing together a range of practitioners and researchers in urban design and planning from the UK and abroad to discuss the latest initiatives and thinking behind the planning of age-friendly urban environments.

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With presentations from Ruth Finkelstein, Director of 'Age-friendly New York' and Professor Robin Means (Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, UWE / President of the British Society of Gerontology) and Professor Chris Phillipson, Professor of Sociology and Social Gerontology, Manchester University this event will be a chance to explore new and creative initiatives behind the development of age-friendly environments.

Councillor Sue Cooley, Manchester City Council's lead member for Valuing Older People, said: "Manchester is trail blazing the way as a progressive city in identifying the needs of its older population. It’s vitally important that people start thinking about how their own cities might become an Age-Friendly City. We support all programmes and initiatives that encourage innovative and creative thinking on how we might make our cities more age-friendly."

(CD/GK)