Wokingham

A well-deserved thank you was awarded to Tony Waring for his work in setting up an innovative older people’s initiative in Earley by Wokingham district council’s chairman Cllr Iain Brown last Friday (March 31).

The Wokingham chairman presents an award after each main council meeting to a person, group or organisation that has given good service to the community. To mark the council meeting in March, chairman Wokingham Cllr Iain Brown presented a civic shield and a bottle of gin to Tony during a special presentation on Friday.

After a conference held by Wokingham District Council under the Better Government for Older People Initiative, there were requests from many older people for localised forums, in addition to the district-wide older people’s forum. The council worked in conjunction with Age Concern Berkshire and the Voluntary Sector Forum to establish localised older people’s groups, and Earley was the first area to be targeted.

Tony offered his time and support to establish an Earley Older People’s Forum. Working with the CResCent Centre staff, Tony established a steering committee for the forum, which agreed to call itself SAGE - Senior Action Group Earley, and chaired the group’s monthly meetings.

“SAGE has now been established for more than two years and regularly attracts around 80 to 90 older people from the area. A variety of speakers from the council and other local agencies have attended, and the group has supported many local campaigns such as the proposed closure of the Maiden Place Post Office,” said Rose Green, community development worker, who nominated Tony for this award. “Councillors from both the district council and Earley Town Council attend regularly, and Tony has worked long and hard to make the group a success.”

After recent heart problems and an operation, Tony’s GP has advised him to cut down on his community work. He has therefore reluctantly resigned from the leadership of SAGE.

“The award is a tribute to the work he has done,” said council chairman Cllr Iain Brown, when he presented Tony with his award. “I wish him a very happy retirement from his duties. He has set up an extremely valuable service that I am sure will be developed and expanded by the older people of Earley for many years to come.”

Tony said: “This award has come as a complete surprise particularly as my tenure of SAGE has been curtailed at short notice. I would like to congratulate the council for taking up the Better Government for Older People Initiative and forming four local forums in the Wokingham district of which SAGE is just one.

“It has been a pleasure working to set up SAGE. There is an excellent team spirit and I regret having to resign prematurely. I would like to thank the chairman for his kind award and I am very proud to have received it.”

Wokingham District Council