Partnership with Older People (POP)

What is Harrow POP?

Harrow Partnership with Older People (POP) is about older people and organizations working in a partnership to improve local services and facilities. This initiative aims to improve services for older people and give them more say in how those services are run.

Who is in Harrow POP?

The partners of POP are organizations providing or interested in services for older people as well as local older people themselves. The following make up POP:

Partner organizations - includes Harrow Council, the Primary Care Trust, Police, Fire Brigade and the Pensions Service.
Older People - Harrow residents aged 50 and over
Older members of the public
Designated councillors
Associates and Friends of POP

How does POP work?

The POP Partner organisations meet together every two months as the Harrow Older People's Reference Group to report and advice the Harrow Strategic Partnership and oversee the workings of the POP, identifying individual and joint issues and opportunities to be addressed.

The POP Panel - is a group of 40 Harrow older people, aged over 50 and selected anonymously from applications. It meets every six weeks to identify and discuss local, regional and national issues for older people. All panel members belong to at least one POP Sub-Group.

The POP Sub-Group's Officers and representatives from Partner organisations work closely with POP Panel members on six POP Sub-Groups:

Access to Information
Community Safety
Health, Fitness and Care
Housing
Intergenerational
Transport

The sub-groups meet every six weeks to confirm and pursue items they identify as important to older people.

POP Events

POP Partners (and Associates/Friends) and older people also work together to organize and promote POP events. These are for over 50's and aim to introduce or reintroduce older people to services and facilities available in the borough.

Dancing to Health

Over 300 older people attended a fun and friendly POP (Partnership with Older People) dancing afternoon on 25 October at the Harrow Baptist Church.

Dance tutors volunteered their services to provide a choice of seventeen dance sessions from ballroom, belly and bollywood to folk, line and country - and others in between. Age Concern Harrow managed to squeeze their display into the packed venue and be available for information and advice - and, of course, to join in the dances!

A wonderful time was had by all and many visitors confirmed their intention to join a dance or exercise group or class.

“The best thing about today was everyone joining in, regardless of their origin”

“It was such good fun and it didn't matter if you were on your own”

“So useful to know what's on offer dance-wise”

“I'm going to start dancing again - I'm sorry I stopped”

The “Dancing Opportunities” information leaflet produced for the event which details local dance classes and opportunities is available from the Age Concern Harrow office (020 8861 7980/7994). It will also be available from local libraries from late February.

Becoming part of POP

Organisations: if your organisation is involved in supplying services, facilities or opportunities for older people and would like to join POP, do telephone or write to the Project Director for more information.

Older People: Any Harrow resident aged 50 or over who is interested in becoming a member of the POP Panel can request an application form from the Project Director. We encourage applications from individuals from all ages, ethnicity and diversity including housebound older people.

Further Information

For further information contact the Project Director on 020 8861 7994.