THE KILKENNY AGE FRIENDLY COUNTY PROGRAMME

The Kilkenny Age Friendly County Programme is a multi-agency voluntary partnership dedicated to making County Kilkenny a welcoming, supportive environment for older people. Working closely with the Kilkenny Age Friendly Alliance, local authorities, the HSE, Gardaí, the Recreation & Sports Partnership and a wide range of public, private and not-for-profit providers, the programme shapes policies, plans and services that reflect the needs and aspirations of the county's ageing community.

Key activities include the development and publication of strategic documents such as the Second Kilkenny Age Friendly Strategy (2017-2022) and annual reports that track progress across the eight WHO Age-Friendly themes. The programme also produces practical resources - for example, the Thomastown Age Friendly Directory of Services and the Thomastown Age Friendly Town Plan - and delivers a varied calendar of events, from health-focused seminars and volunteer training to inclusive sport sessions, radio-production courses and cultural outings. These initiatives aim to enhance social inclusion, access to information, community support and active participation for older adults throughout Kilkenny.