Age NI
| Charity | |
| Founded | April 2009 |
| Headquarters | Northern Ireland |
|
Key people
|
Anne O'Reilly |
| Website | www.ageni.org |
Age NI is a registered charity in Northern Ireland, formed in April 2009, which combines the operations of the previously separate charities Age Concern NI and Help the Aged in Northern Ireland to form Northern Ireland's largest charity for older people. The charity operated under its original charity names as "Age Concern NI and Help the Aged in Northern Ireland" until the new brand launch on 26 March 2010. It also works interdependently with charities for the nations called Age Cymru, Age Scotland and Age UK.
Age NI was formed from the merger of Age Concern NI and Help the Aged in Northern Ireland, creating an organisation with a combined income of around £5 million, raised through corporate partnerships, fundraising, public funding and charity shops.
Anne O'Reilly, previously Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission, was appointed Chief Executive of the new charity in April 2009. Her previous experience includes ten years as Director of Help the Aged in Northern Ireland, Chair of NICVA for six years, Chair of Engage with Age (an interagency community development partnership) and Director of Women’s Resource and Development Agency.
Age NI adopts shared governance as part of its organisational culture. This is to ensure those primarily affected by the decisions of the organisation are given the opportunity to be involved in the decision making process.
Age Concern's origins are British and can be traced back to a realisation in that country of the effects on aged people of the Second World War; the dislocation and breakdown of family life arising out of conscription led to a recognition that existing poor laws failed to provide effective support for old people separated from family support networks.
In 1940, the Old People’s Welfare Committee (OPWC), chaired by Eleanor Rathbone, was formed as a forum for discussion between government and voluntary organisations. OPWC was a sub-committee of Liverpool Personal Service Society (PSS). In 1944, the committee changed its name to the National Old People’s Welfare Committee (NOPWC), and took on responsibility for coordinating the activities of numerous local OPWCs.
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