A reflection on the Gloucestershire Active Ageing Network – March 2026
Our latest Active Ageing Network brought partners together in a vibrant, collaborative space dedicated to helping older people in Gloucestershire live active, healthy and connected lives.
Last week, we welcomed partners from across Gloucestershire to another vibrant and inspiring gathering of the Active Ageing Network. The room was full of energy, collaboration, and shared purpose as professionals, volunteers, and community organisations came together around one central belief: every older person in Gloucestershire deserves the opportunity to live an active, healthy, connected, and fulfilling life.
A Growing Network With a Shared Mission
The Active Ageing Network was created to help connect the dots across the county, sparking new partnerships, sharing learning, and shining a light on the brilliant work already happening to support older adults. We know Gloucestershire’s population is ageing, but we also know that not everyone has the same opportunities to age well. Factors such as where we live, our financial situation, education, and gender can all influence how actively and joyfully we experience later life.
Through this network, we remain committed to tackling these inequalities and shaping a county where everyone can Live Longer Better.
Stories, Learning and Inspiration
There was a real buzz in the room, helped in no small part by our guest speaker Sarah Bourne, CEO of The Churn Community Hub. Sarah shared the latest on the Age Friendly Cotswolds project, an inspiring multi‑partner initiative, delivered with organisations including Age UK Gloucestershire, and a brilliant example of community‑led, long‑term change with older people at its heart.
Reflecting on the session, Chris Davis, Strategic Lead for Health, Active Ageing and Disability, said:
“I was inspired to see so much commitment to community action in a climate that seems to present wave after wave of ‘approaches’, ‘models’ and ‘frameworks’ for us all to grapple with. One thing that always cuts through the complexity and brings optimism, inspiration and learning…is partners telling their story. Journeys of change that lean into partnerships (not always easy) and unite people and organisations around a shared vision for ageing well in Gloucestershire made for a great guest slot at our latest network.”
Alongside the formal content, it was refreshing and grounding to hear real stories of partnership working in local communities. As Chris highlighted, it’s these stories that remind us why this work matters: communities taking action, organisations coming together, and older people shaping the future of their towns and rural areas.
A Sense of Momentum
We know from recent data that many people are spending more years in poor health as they age. But last week’s network offered a powerful reminder of the creativity, dedication, and collective effort already happening across Gloucestershire to change that pattern.
Ben Langworthy, Senior Project Officer – Health and Active Ageing, captured the feeling of the day:
“There was so much passion in the room and it was fantastic to see connections being made across new and existing members of the network. With recent data highlighting that we are spending more time in poor health as we age, I came away from the network full of energy and inspired by the amount of great work happening across Gloucestershire to help older adults to live healthy lives, allowing them to live longer better.”
There was a clear sense of momentum, people linking up across organisations, finding shared purpose, and building a stronger, more connected movement for active ageing in Gloucestershire.
Thank You
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us, those who contributed, questioned, listened, shared insights, and inspired others. The strength of this network lies in its people, and your collaboration is what makes it such a powerful force for change.
Want to take a closer look at the content from the day?
If you’d like to revisit the key themes and insights, you can view the presentation slides below.
Join Us
Whether you’re an activity provider, part of the NHS, involved in a VCSE organisation, or simply passionate about improving later‑life wellbeing, we’d love to welcome you to future network events.
Together, let’s keep building a Gloucestershire where older adults are supported, valued, and empowered to stay active for longer.
