This webinar is being hosted by Kirsty Woodard:
Kirsty Woodard (founder of AWOC, Ageing Without Children) and Trish Faulks (AWOC group East Lindsey) Talk about setting up groups for people ageing without children
From being unable to join in with conversations about being a parent or grandparent, dealing with thoughtless or tactless comments about childless and childfree people, to feeling unable to talk about their own circumstances because it is too painful for example, they have outlived their children or because they are part of a community that can already face social isolation, people ageing without children do not always feel comfortable sharing their experiences in mainstream groups for older people. Connecting with other people in a similar situation or with similar experiences can help reduce these feelings of isolation.
AWOC groups give people ageing without children the opportunity to get together to form friendships and connections as well as raising awareness of the issues that affect them locally and nationally
Kirsty & Trish will discuss the background to AWOC, why groups became an important part of AWOC's work, how to go about setting one up and tips for overcoming challenges
NB: Whilst Kirsty and Patricia are based in the UK, the principles of setting up a group can apply to anywhere in the world
Date: Wednesday 15th September 2021
Time: 11am Pacific Time US, 1pm Central Time US, 2pm Eastern Time US, 7pm London UK
Register for this webinar here
Kirsty Woodard
World Childless Week Champion
Kirsty has nearly 30 years experience of working in the voluntary sector. She began in 1992 running an advocacy service for MIND before managing an advocacy and advice service for older people in Richmond up[on Thames. She then became the manager of Well & Wise healthy living centre for older people in Camden before going on to advise Age UK on social care policy and service development models. She has been a freelance consultant and trainer since 2007 working with third sector organisations on redesigning services for and making them more sustainable.
In 2014 she founded AWOC (ageing without children) dedicated to campaigning for older people without children or family support. She has volunteered at We the Curious in Bristol since 2019 and joined Voluntary Action North Somerset in May 21 to support the Volunteer Vaccination Programme.
Patricia Faulks
Formerly an estate agent and business owner in the East Coast seaside town of Skegness with its large, wide population, Trish has led a varied life. Before selling properties she owned newsagents shops (with her mother) in the same town for several years. Having grown up in the city of Leicester she left Alderman Newtons Grammar for Girls with seven GCE 'O' Levels and 2 'A' Levels with an idea of breaking into fashion design. The civil service (and its regular wages) beckoned instead in the form of Leicester County Court, for several years.
The move to Skegness was because her parents, gran, plus herself and husband decided to sell their respective houses in Leicester to purchase the Charnwood Hotel in Skegness. It worked, hotel was ultimately sold and they all stayed within the area as life moved on.
Now, at 72 years of age, and with much water under bridge, she finds herself campaigning for those AgeingWithoutChildren from her home in Lincolnshire.
She helped run a big campaign for Save the Children during estate agency years and has tried to transfer her sales and marketing experience to this, albeit very different, subject.
Sometimes difficult for those with children to understand the emotions behind it, but it does seem to be taking off. People are sitting up and taking note.
Register for this webinar here