Our culture is very biased towards the young. It prioritises beauty over wisdom, and innovation over experience. It assumes older people are neither beautiful nor innovative. As our population ages, we need to build a society which is kinder, more generous to its elders.

This autumn Storyhouse, together with Age UK Cheshire and Brightlife, will give its focus to combating loneliness within Chester’s older residents.

Monday 21 October is the Festival day which will include a Market place, singing workshops, Poetry Open Mic and Music. There will also be additional events on the days around the festival day.

We want to welcome older people into the cultural centre and give them pre-eminence. It will be fun, creative and informative.

Age UK Cheshire is a local social enterprise and charity that is dedicated to later life. We co-produce excellent services, make opportunities, connect people meaningfully and influence positive change. Because of our work, people love later life in Cheshire.

Brightlife is a partnership of organisations from across the public and third sectors in Cheshire West and Chester and forms part of a national Ageing Better programme made possible by National Lottery funding from the Big Lottery Fund. It works to reduce loneliness and social isolation amongst the over 50s by commissioning a range of services and activities that have been co-designed with older people.