We need voice for older people, says 96-year-old would-be councillor

A 96-YEAR-OLD woman standing in this week’s council elections has vowed to stand up for the elderly and for teachers if she wins a seat.

Florence Kirkby, running for the Conservatives in the newly-created Manor Park ward in Newcastle upon Tyne, is believed to be one of the country’s oldest candidates.

Miss Kirkby unsuccessfully stood for election in Westerhope several years ago, but decided to try again this year because several voters asked her to.

She said: “If I am elected I will be looking to the future for Newcastle. My particular interest is in education and in health.”

“There needs to be a voice for older people – about a quarter of people in their 80s and 90s are in homes or being cared for, so that leaves three-quarters who are looking after themselves.”

Miss Kirkby is a long-time member of the Carers Association and said elderly people who are not in need of urgent medical care are often isolated and in need of other kinds of support.

“When you hear about older people (in the media) it’s usually that there are too many of them and they are absorbing all the resources of the health service. There’s no acknowledgement about what they can contribute,” she said.

The candidate spent her entire career in education, having first worked as an English teacher at secondary level before going on to become headmistress of several schools.

She also served on the governing body of Newcastle University and in 2013 she was awarded an MBE for services to education.

John Grogan and three other Yorkshire MPs have criticised the loss of free-to-air highlights of the Champions League from next season.

In a Parliamentary motion, 13 MPs, including Dan Jarvis, Alex Sobel and Kevin Barron, called upon the Government to add Champions League highlights to the events which must be offered to the free-to-air television channels.