Greater Manchester Older People's Network

28/09/2026

After years of working together - we're making it official.
From 1 October, Talking About My Generation becomes the voice of the Greater Manchester Older People's Network.

As part of this partnership, the GMOPN page will close, and all updates will move to the Talking About My Generation page, where more than 9,000 people are already part of the conversation.

To stay connected with GMOPN and Talking About My Generation, please follow the Talking About My Generation page and keep an eye out for our full announcement and story on 1 October.

Talking About My Generation Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/TalkingAboutMyGeneration/

05/09/2026

A small but enthusiastic turnout for the very first GMOPN parkrun!

We kicked things off at Chadderton Hall parkrun in Oldham, where Yvonne Johnson, representing the 75-79 age group, completed her 432nd parkrun with a cracking 42:43 5K! Alex joined the tail walkers for plenty of laughs and conversation while walking her dog, Olive, and Mike Dodd provided some great support from the sidelines.

The rain held off and we enjoyed a beautiful September morning getting out, getting moving, and spending time together in the community.

Thank you to the parkrun volunteers who make these events possible and made the day enjoyable.

We’ll be planning another GMOPN parkrun/parkwalk soon. Let us know if you’d like us to visit your local parkrun next!

04/09/2026

Older people are facing a digital divide according to a report on BBC Breakfast News, being cut off from services like banking, NHS and parking.

Age UK is calling for more simpler tech to support older people in our digital society while also protecting off line services.

According to the charity in England 15% (1.6 million) of older people use online technology routinely and 13% (1.4 million) never go online.

You can still watch the BBC report on iPlayer (o4/09/26) where Elaine Unegbu from Greater Manchester Older People's Network shares her views on the digital disparity. Well done Elaine!

What do you think can be done to support more older people who are falling through the digital gap?

26/08/2026

GMOPN members from across Greater Manchester came together this week for a social event at the Imperial War Museum North.

With members joining us from boroughs across the city-region, it was a lovely opportunity to spend time together, explore the museum, catch up over a cup of tea and have some fun outside of our normal meetings and activities.

Our social events are a great way to bring members together, strengthen connections across the Network and give people the chance to get to know one another a little better.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and made it such an enjoyable day out. Here are a few photos from the day

21/08/2026

What’s on your doorstep?

This International Day of Older People, we want to celebrate the people, places, and services that help older people stay active and connected across Greater Manchester.

Maybe it’s a community group that brings people together, a welcoming café, a brilliant local volunteer, a park or green space, or a service that helps older people stay active and connected.

Big or small, we want to hear about it! This is not a competition; every nomination will be recognised.

Nominate a person, place, group, service or organisation in your community that deserves a shout-out and tell us why it matters to older people.

Make a nomination: https://www.gmopn.org.uk/whatsonyourdoorstep

Nominations close: 20 September 2026

24/07/2026

The GMOPN invited the Greater Manchester mayoral candidates to respond to five questions shaped by our members.

Every candidate was offered the same opportunity to provide either a written or video response.

We’ve created a webpage where you can see the full list of candidates and any responses received. Where a response is not shown, we’re still waiting to receive one. Click on the button below to take you to the page.

If further responses arrive, the page will be updated accordingly.

Publishing these responses does not imply endorsement of any candidate or party.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mayoral Election will take place on 30 July.

We are grateful to the candidates who have taken the time to engage with our members’ questions.

The GMOPN invited all Greater Manchester mayoral candidates to respond to five questions shaped by our members. All candidates were offered equal opportunity to submit either a written or video response. Below is the full list of candidates, and where responses are not shown, we’re still waiting t...

24/06/2026

The June 2026 GMOPN newsletter is now available!

This edition includes:

✅ Information about our new membership renewal process and why we are refreshing our membership records
✅ Details of our upcoming social event at the Imperial War Museum North, a great opportunity to connect with others and enjoy an afternoon out
✅ Updates from our Working Groups, including recent discussions and upcoming meetings
✅ Stories and highlights from recent events

Whether you’re interested in health and social care, housing, transport, tackling loneliness, or helping to shape change across Greater Manchester, there’s something for everyone.

Take a look and find out what the network has been up to, what’s coming next, and how you can get involved.

Not a member yet? Join us and help ensure older people’s voices are heard across Greater Manchester.

Join as an individual: https://www.gmopn.org.uk/join-as-individual

Join as an organisational member: https://www.gmopn.org.uk/join-as-organisation

Link to newsletter: https://canva.link/lcb2z075esv53xv

Check out this A4 designed by Alex Burgess.

17/06/2026

Today, our members came together for an enjoyable social event in support of Loneliness Awareness Week. Special guest, comedian Smug Roberts, brought plenty of humour and laughter to the day, as he led his 'Pick-a-Picture' activity, using personal photographs to spark conversations around connection, belonging, and the people, places, and moments that matter to us.

12/06/2026

A huge thank you to Juliette Yardley for leading our Standing Up, Standing Down workshop with GMOPN members.

We spent the day talking about confidence, communication, and how we can create spaces where everyone feels able to contribute and be heard.

It was great to learn from each other and reflect on how these skills show up in our work at GMOPN and in everyday life.

Thank you again, Juliette, for creating a welcoming space and sharing your time and expertise with us.

28/05/2026

Standing Up, Standing Down
Building confidence in yourself and others

Join us for a friendly and practical workshop about confidence, communication and helping everyone’s voice be heard. The day will explore how we speak up when it matters, listen well to others, and create welcoming conversations and groups where people feel comfortable taking part.

Whether it’s in meetings, community groups, appointments, family life or everyday situations, many of us have times when we need more confidence or want to communicate more effectively. This workshop is about building on the skills and life experience you already have.

During the day, we will explore:

-Practical ways to build confidence in speaking up and sharing ideas
-How to encourage quieter voices and include different perspectives
-Recognising when to “stand up” and when to “stand down”
-Ways to handle conversations and discussions more positively
-How our everyday experiences already shape the way we lead and support others
-The session will be relaxed, interactive and welcoming, with plenty of opportunities for discussion, reflection and shared experiences

The workshop is free to attend and lunch will be provided.

Register Here: https://www.gmopn.org.uk/event-details/standing-up-standing-down-workshop