Newport has become a member of the World Health Organisation’s global network for age friendly cities and communities.

After signing the Dublin declaration on age friendly communities in 2013, the city council set out its own commitments towards fulfilling the pledge.

A committee made up of representatives from the council, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, third sector and community groups, was set up to drive the ambition of Newport becoming an age friendly city.

The committee found out from older people in the city about their needs and views on things like transport, outdoor spaces, housing and social participation to see how they could be improved.

Older people’s commissioner for Wales Rhian Bowen-Davies said: “I’d like to congratulate Newport for its successful application to join the World Health Organisation’s Global Network as part of its work to make its communities more age friendly.

“This reaffirms Newport’s commitment to enabling its residents to live and age well, and will support a wide range of action focused on ‘adding life to years, not just years to life’.

“Joining the network will provide opportunities to learn from other cities, communities and organisations throughout the world, and will also enable Newport to highlight and showcase the action they are delivering to support older people to age well on a global stage.

“I am really pleased that another Welsh local authority has become a member of the Network, with many others currently finalising their own applications, which brings us another step closer to making Wales an age-friendly nation.”

Councillor Pat Drewett, Newport City Council’s cabinet member for communities and poverty reduction, said: “Achieving the age friendly status does not mean the work stops there and we will continue to strive to make sure older people in Newport can participate fully in their communities, feel valued, feel empowered to make decisions about their own lives and stay healthy.”