Enfield Borough Over 50s Forum secretary Aaron Charles on how the charity has bounced back from recent struggles to continue building on an impressive legacy

Enfield Borough Over 50s Forum’s annual general meeting was held at Enfield Civic Centre in June (credit EBOFF)

Enfield Borough Over 50s Forum (EBOFF) is a charity that has served older residents in Enfield for over 30 years.

Under the chairmanship of the inestimable and tireless Monty Meth – who was still heavily involved as forum president when he died in 2021 aged 95 – the forum became a formidable campaigning organisation of more than 6,000 members.

EBOFF has a number of significant achievements under its belt, such as extending bus route 307 into the grounds of Barnet Hospital, working with the council on community toilet and ‘shopmobility’ schemes, and stopping the use of expensive 0844 numbers by GP surgeries.

Regular Dispatch readers will know that EBOFF came close to folding last year. Ill health affecting members and some long-standing and experienced trustees contributed, as did a general reduction in finance as membership fell and costs rose. The decision this year by the council’s leisure provider, Better, not to continue the concessionary rates to forum members also contributed, as membership fell to 2,500 active members.

Despite these challenges, we have continued our campaigning efforts. This included petitioning Enfield Council over library closures, winter fuel payments and making the case for adequate and appropriate housing for older people as part of the Local Plan public engagement process.

Older residents today continue to face challenges; exclusion in the face of an increasingly digital world, social isolation, age discrimination in the work place, health in old age and poverty (the ‘triple lock’ is good, but insufficient for those solely dependent on the state pension).

To these issues we can add affordable accommodation, limited downsizing opportunities, surviving increasingly cold winters and hot summers, to which older people are particularly vulnerable, and increases to the state retirement age.

To address these challenges, we have now recruited four enthusiastic and committed trustees, refreshed our bi-monthly newsletter, and are optimistic about a future of service to older people in Enfield – a service which is more necessary than ever.

EBOFF is committed to providing good advice through our newsletters and monthly forums at Enfield Civic Centre, to which everyone is welcome. We intend, soon, to refresh our website, reinstate our regular face-to-face support, and find other concessions for members.

We actively seek opportunities to lobby politicians and decision makers. For instance, next month members are visiting Westminster at the invitation of Enfield North MP Feryal Clark to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on older people, and this month council officers will be attending our forum to consult us on various proposed policies, including new 20mph limits.

EBOFF social events, visits and clubs are extremely wide ranging. An award-winning film-making club, bingo, book, poetry, writing, tea, coffee and lunch, cinema, gardening and crafts clubs are all on offer. Organised visits to the Bank of England Museum and RHS Garden Wisley are coming up, alongside tempting holidays and day trips. There is truly something for everyone!

Membership of Enfield Borough Over 50s Forum costs just £13 a year. For more information about becoming a member, trustee, or just getting involved:
Call 020 8807 2076
Visit enfieldover50sforum.org.uk

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