PEOPLE aged 50 and over in Bolton are set to get a new body to help tackle the threat of ageism.

Bolton's Older People's Charter, and the town's first ever Federation for the Over 50s will be officially launched next week.

Both launches will celebrate the achievements of Bolton's Better Government for Older People project, which has won national acclaim.

Bolton was one of only 28 authorities across the country chosen to pilot and participate in the major

Government initiative designed to highlight the huge and important contribution of older people in all aspects of community life, and challenge the way statutory, voluntary and other organisations work with, and on behalf of older people. Among the project's many achievements, one of the most significant and far reaching has been the

creation of a Charter for Older People.

This sets out a vision of how organisations throughout Bolton aim to work with, and involve older people, more fully and effectively in their work, for the future.

The Charter has the backing of Bolton Council, Age Concern Bolton, Anchor Housing, Asian Elders' Initiative, the recently established Over 50s Federation and all major health care organisations across the borough.

Both the Charter and the Federation will be launched at a special ceremony in the Albert Halls in Bolton Town Hall, on Monday. Bolton Council Executive Member for social services and health councillor Cliff Morris said: "Bolton's Better Government project was a major success locally and nationally. It forged many new and exciting partnerships, most importantly with older people and with organisations that represent them.

"The Charter is an acknowledgement of this, and offers a blueprint for how organisations work with, and involve

older people, more imaginatively in the future. I am delighted, too, that we now have a strong and effective voice for older people in the new Federation. It has already received a very warm welcome, borough-wide and

will, I'm sure, go from strength to strength."