{"id":614,"date":"2021-12-07T10:38:32","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T10:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agealive.org.uk\/?page_id=614"},"modified":"2025-06-09T12:46:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T12:46:24","slug":"about-us-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.agealive.org.uk\/?page_id=614","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAbout<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHome - <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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About Us<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Newport and District BME 50+ Network
Championing Diversity<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Newport and District BME 50+ Network \u2013 Championing Diversity.<\/p>

Age Alive is an independent group run by a volunteer committee of members, for the benefit of people in the local community.<\/p>

We currently run a number of activities for the benefit of our members. Please take a look at our \u2018What\u2019s On?\u2019 page to see our current activities and events.<\/p>

We promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people (in particular, but not exclusively, socially disadvantaged minority ethnic people over the age of 50 years) from becoming socially excluded, by relieving the needs of those people who are excluded and assisting them to integrate into society.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOur History<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t
Age Alive was created in 2008 as part of the Welsh Government\u2019s Community First initiative by a group of people from the community, led by Leanne Teichner. The aim of the Communities First initiative was to develop partnerships between the community, statutory and business sectors in order to tackle poverty in the most deprived areas of Wales.\n\nIn 2008 the BME Communities First Partnership began in Newport, hosted jointly between GAVO (Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations) and Newport City Council, with line management involvement from SEWREC. The BME Partnership was set up to bring communities together, to act as a voice for the BME community in Newport, and to work with partners to tackle poverty.\n\nA member of the BME Communities First Partnership, Leanne Taylor, conducted research to identify the needs of the BME community who were over 50 years old. The results from this research were pivotal in the establishment of Age Alive\u2019s BME 50+ network.\n\n\"\"\n\n \n\n\"\"\n\n \n\n\"\"<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Age Alive aims to develop the capacity and skills of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people over 50 years old of socially disadvantaged communities in Newport and District, in such a way that they are empowered to be able to identify and help meet their own needs and to help get their voices heard within the community. Additionally, the organisation aims to reduce isolation and loneliness, build confidence, and bring people together. To achieve this, the organisation provides opportunities such as creative writing, performing arts, story-telling, choir singing, handcrafts, walking, swimming, healthy eating sessions, and exercise classes. These activities enable members of the group to participate more fully in society as well as bring people together from different cultural backgrounds, allowing members to share with each other their rich, cultural heritages and experiences. Although aimed at BME people, you do not need to be BME to take part in Age Alive\u2019s activities and events as the group is open for all older people over 50.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Age Alive became a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 12th<\/sup> April 2017.<\/p>

Age Alive is an independent group run by a volunteer committee of members, for the benefit of people in the local community.<\/p>

Needs more info<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOur Committee & Trustees<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

Chairperson\/Trustee \u2013 Roy Grant<\/p>

Secretary\/Trustee \u2013 Rakhel Smith<\/p>

Treasurer\/Trustee \u2013 Bilquis Chohan<\/p>

Social Secretary\/Trustee \u2013 Yasmin Jethwa<\/p>

Committee member \u2013 May Laida<\/p>

Committee member \u2013 Jahanara Kahn<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOur History<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

Age Alive was created in 2008 as part of the Welsh Government\u2019s Community First initiative by a group of people from the community, led by Leanne Teichner. The aim of the Communities First initiative was to develop partnerships between the community, statutory and business sectors in order to tackle poverty in the most deprived areas of Wales.<\/p>\n

In 2008 the BME Communities First Partnership began in Newport, hosted jointly between GAVO (Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations) and Newport City Council, with line management involvement from SEWREC. The BME Partnership was set up to bring communities together, to act as a voice for the BME community in Newport, and to work with partners to tackle poverty.<\/p>\n

A member of the BME Communities First Partnership, Leanne Taylor, conducted research to identify the needs of the BME community who were over 50 years old. The results from this research were pivotal in the establishment of a BME 50+ network.<\/p>\n

Roy became Chair in 2008 and started the process to transform the network. In 2011, the Age Alive brand was adopted as it became necessary for the network to gain its own identity.<\/p>\n

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Roy M Grant BEM<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

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 <\/strong>Founder, Visionary, and Former Chair of Age Alive<\/span><\/p>


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Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1942, Roy M Grant\u2019s journey is nothing short of remarkable \u2014 a testament to perseverance, purpose, and unshakable resilience. At the age of 14, Roy made a bold declaration to his parents: he wanted to be an engineer. Fascinated by how machines worked, he dreamt of becoming someone who made them work better.<\/p>\n

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But his path was never straightforward. As recounted in his recent publication \u201cIt Will Never Work\u201d, Roy lost sight in one eye at just two years old due to a freak accident. Despite scepticism from others and the societal limits placed on disabled children, Roy remained determined. At 17, he began training at an engineering school. At 19, with the full support of his family, he left the family home to pursue his dream \u2014 against all odds.<\/p>\n

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What followed was an extraordinary career. Roy trained and succeeded as an engineer and became a skilled toolmaker. He developed a rapid cutting tool for the tufted carpet industry, earning his first newspaper feature. Though such an invention in today\u2019s world would likely bring fame and fortune, Roy\u2019s accomplishments went largely unrecognised \u2014 a reflection of the systemic racial inequalities rooted in both the legacy of slavery and ongoing discrimination in Britain at the time.<\/p>\n

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Despite this, Roy built a 22-year career in engineering. He later ran his own taxi business for 7 years, before operating a mobile catering van serving snacks to businesses around Newport. Like many Black men of his generation, Roy had to work \u201cboth sides of the coin,\u201d often twice or even three times as hard as his white peers just to receive a fraction of the recognition. This unrelenting work ethic led to physical consequences \u2014 Roy developed diabetes at age 37, the result of years of overwork.<\/p>\n

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Despite providing tirelessly for his family, this high pace of life came at a cost. The very conditions that made others doubt him \u2014 his blindness in one eye and diabetes \u2014 eventually led to the loss of sight in his remaining good eye, leaving him completely blind and unable to work for over 30 years.<\/p>\n

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But Roy\u2019s story doesn\u2019t end in hardship. Rather, it transforms.<\/p>\n

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He redirected his energy into community volunteering, becoming a founding member of Duffryn Community Link and launching the first Cycle Care Club for children, in partnership with Newport City Council and Gwent Police.<\/p>\n

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His drive and community passion didn\u2019t stop there. Roy joined the Black Minority Heritage Association, working alongside influential community figures such as Lester Freckleton, Vernesta Cyril, Unis Taylor, and Fred Isaacs. Their mission? To uplift Minority Ethnic voices that had long been silenced by disability, health inequalities, and racial barriers. Roy was determined that every Black person who made Newport home should have the chance to share their story.<\/p>\n

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He began recording and writing these stories, which became the first-ever Black literature collection for Black History Month in Newport (2010). This led to the launch of the Back A Yard Project, which digitised and archived these vital life histories for generations to come.<\/p>\n

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Roy\u2019s visionary leadership helped launch other key initiatives, including the Windrush Elders Project and It Will Never Work, which later expanded into Silent Voices \u2014 a powerful literary piece capturing the heritage and lived experiences of Age Alive\u2019s diverse members, including both Caribbean and Asian communities.<\/p>


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 A Legacy of Cultural Preservation & Creativity<\/strong><\/p>\n

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