EMBARGOED UNTIL 11:00AM 21.05.15

Age UK London Hosts Mayoral Hustings and Launches Mayoral Manifesto

Age UK London is hosting a London Mayoral Election Hustings for older Londoners featuring four leading candidates.

Sian Berry, Zac Goldsmith, Sadiq Khan and Caroline Pidgeon will all be taking part in the fourth Age UK London Mayoral Election Hustings. The event will give older people the opportunity to ask the candidates questions and hear their plans for older people in London.

Age UK London will also launch its London Mayoral and Assembly Election Manifesto, ‘Making London A Great Place to Grow Older’ which outlines areas for action the next Mayor of London should work on to make London a great place to grow older.

Areas for action in the manifesto include digital inclusion, making London’s housing age friendly and making transport in London accessible to all.

Specific calls made in the manifesto include asking candidates to commit themselves to: retaining the Freedom Pass; ensure that a range of suitable, accessible and genuinely affordable housing options are available for older people in all London boroughs; provide funding for digital inclusion programmes for older Londoners; and appoint a Deputy Mayor or Mayoral Adviser to an Age Friendly London portfolio.

Sam Mauger, Chief Executive of Age UK London, said: “Each and every one of London 2.2 million older people deserves to have their voice heard when it comes to the future of their city. The Age UK London Hustings will give older Londoners an opportunity to ask Mayoral candidates the questions that matter to them.

“We want the candidates to hear what older people are saying and we want London to be a great place to grow older, so we call on the candidates to commit themselves to the points raised in the manifesto.”

ENDS

Media Contact:

Danny Elliott Direct Line - 020 7820 6778 Outside Office Hours/On Event Day – 07845678519 Email – [email protected]

(M/F) Hustings and Manifesto Launch Event Details: Venue: Clifford Chance, 10 Upper Bank St, London E14 5JJ (Canary Wharf) Time: 11.00am-1.00pm Confirmed candidates attending:  Sian Berry, Green Party councillor for Highgate, Camden Council  Zac Goldsmith, Conservative MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston  Sadiq Khan, Labour MP for Tooting  Caroline Pidgeon, The Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group

Programme: 11.00am – Welcome 11.10am – Age UK London Mayoral Manifesto Launch 11.20am – Introductory Statements from Candidates 11.40am – Q&A 12.40am – Closing Statements from Candidates

Please arrange attendance with Danny Elliott, details above.

Notes to Editors:

1. Age UK London acts as the collective voice of Age UKs and Age Concerns in London. It works to improve the quality of life and enhance the status and influence of older people in the capital. As well as working with older people, it works with all Age UKs and Age Concerns in London and with London's regional and local governing bodies and local community groups. Age UK London is a member of Positive Ageing in London and the Age Action Alliance. For more information, visit www.ageuk.org.uk/london

2. ‘Making London a Great Place to Grow Older: Age UK London’s Manifesto for the London Mayoral and Assembly Elections 2016’ is an Age UK London report. A copy of the report (embargoed) is attached to the email you have received. The report will be available to download after the launch here: http://www.ageuk.org.uk/london/news-- campaigns/publications-and-films/publications-library/

3. Full list of topic areas covered in Age UK London’s Manifesto:

Three Key Areas for Action

 Digital Inclusion  Make London’s Housing Age Friendly  Make Transport in London Accessible to All

More Areas for Action

 An Age Friendly London  Age Friendly Environments  Crime and Safety  Information  Health and Social Care