About Us

Age Concern Norfolk is an independent charitable organisation with over 60 years experience dedicated to promoting the well-being of all older people throughout the county of Norfolk and to help make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.

Age Concern Norfolk began at the end of the war in 1947 as Norfolk Older People’s Welfare Association. This followed a need to find ways to provide basic help and assistance to older people during the aftermath of the war years and to provide a voice for their rights and dignity. It grew as an organisation out of the many clubs and groups organised for and run by older people throughout the county. This grass roots membership is still an important part of the way Age Concern Norfolk works with older people, as is finding a voice for older people, whether this is directly through campaigning and advocacy or indirectly through providing information and advice to older people.

During the 1970s the first paid staff were employed to manage the increasing work of the organisation, particularly when Age Concern Norfolk was asked to manage the county council’s new short stay residential home, Ethel Tipple Court, in 1977. Throughout the 1980s the type of services and support that the organisation provided for older people continued to increase with the introduction of a home security service and a vacancy advisory service for residential homes. The first charity shop also opened to provide much needed independent income for the charity.

It was in the 1990s, however, that Age Concern Norfolk changed and grew dramatically with the changes in government legislation concerning community care and the change to contracting for services. During this decade the charity has seen more than a threefold increase in paid staff to 150 members and a similar increase in volunteers to over 200.

These have been due to substantial increases in services and support that are now provided by Age Concern Norfolk, including the management of a second short stay home in Acle, day centre provision in five different locations around the county, and the increase of its core work of community development and information and advice provision. The county office of the charity moved twice during the 1990s to accommodate the changes in its growth. This has allowed for the assets of the charity to be increased by the purchase of a building for its new county office. It has also meant that a separate building could be specially renovated for use as a training centre by the voluntary and public sectors as well as for its own staff.

As a member of the national Age Concern federation that brings together Age Concerns, we work closely with all Age Concerns in the County.  This allows us to be part of a bigger picture but still retain our independence. The federation sets standards for us to work within and also provides support and guidance on the work that we do.

The Norfolk Council on Ageing or NCoA is the working name of the membership organisations that make up Age Concern Norfolk. The NCoA comprises of 47 organisations including 9 local Age Concerns and 38 other organisations, all of which have an interest in issues related to ageing and older people. The NCoA meets quarterly and meetings usually include a keynote speaker on a topical subject.

We offer an information and advice service to members of the public on a wide range of issues. We operate a range of community development projects involved with identifying and supporting the needs of older people.

Age Concern Norfolk works in close partnership with Norfolk County Council Adult Social Services Department in providing community support centres, including respite and day centre facilities. Everyone using services provided by Age Concern Norfolk has the opportunity of being involved in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of those services.

• Age Concern Norfolk Accounts 2009

Age Concern Sustainability Across Norfolk (ACSAN) is the trading company for Age Concerns in Norfolk, set up in 2001 to generate independent income. ACSAN promotes three main activities: a range of personal insurance policies; other products such as energy services and funeral plans; and four Age Concern charity shops in Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Swaffham.

Page last updated December 2009.