Annual conference

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SPF Annual Conference 2021

The SPF held our first online annual conference in June 2021 and it was great to meet up with our members and affiliates to discuss the many issues affecting older people across Scotland, albeit digitally.

Guest speakers included Lynne Campbell from Glasgow’s Golden Generation, who gave a passionate speech on the charity’s work on behalf of older people during the pandemic and Eireann McAuley, STUC Equalities Policy Officer. who spoke on the need for generations to work more closely together.

Motions to conference included one from Unite Scottish Retired Members Committee calling for residential care for older people to be brought back into public ownership and from Elinor McKenzie calling for an appropriate enquiry on the discharge of elderly patients from hospitals to care homes during the early weeks of the Covid 19 pandemic. The content of both of these motions will be included in the SPF work plan moving forward.

Although the conference went really well, it’s not the same as all being together in person. Our annual conference is an important event in our calendar and we always look forward to welcoming our delegates and engaging in a healthy debate which helps shape our work for the year ahead. Fingers crossed we will all get to meet in person to celebrate our 30th year in 2022.

SPF Annual Conference 2019

Maureen Gardner, SPF Chairperson welcomed the 128 delegates to the Conference and introduced Provost Ian Borthwick to deliver the formal civic welcome which would open conference proceedings.

In his address Provost Borthwick warmly welcomed delegates to Dundee and called on delegates to continue working together to ensure that older people were heard within their communities and would be better provided for in their later years.

Following the Civic Welcome, the Conference was addressed by Minister for Older People and Equalities, Christina McKelvie MSP. In her delivery to conference, Ms McKelvie spoke on the SPF’s work on helping to create the Scottish Government’s Older People’s Strategic Action Forum, which Ms McKelvie now chairs, giving older people a direct voice to government and in helping to shape policy.

SPF Annual Conference 2018, Glasgow

The SPF Annual Conference took place on Tuesday 5th June 2018 at Glasgow City Chambers with over 140 delegates in attendance.

Guest speakers on the day were Jeanne Freeman MSP, Minister for Social Security and Older People, Richard Leonard MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party and Jack O’Neill, STUC Youth Committee.

Formal business on the day included the election of the Executive and Standing Orders Committee for 2018/2019, the SPF’s work on loneliness and isolation in older people and a discussion on the need for intergenerational solidarity.

Motions to conference seen an endorsement from delegates that the SPF would challenge and campaign for the removal of VAT on gas, electricity and other sources of heating and a commitment that the SPF would work with the STUC, Trade Union Councils, The Poverty Alliance, other anti-poverty groups, and the National Pensioners Convention to redouble their efforts to help eliminate poverty.

SPF Annual Conference 2017, Dundee

Rose Jackson, SPF Chairperson welcomed the delegates to the Conference and introduced Provost Ian Borthwick to deliver the formal civic welcome which would open conference proceedings.

In his address Provost Borthwick warmly welcomed delegates to Dundee and called on those in attendance to work together to campaign for better pensions and services for older people in Scotland.

SPF Annual Conference 2016, Glasgow

The SPF Annual Conference took place on Tuesday 7th June 2016 at the City Chambers, Glasgow with over 165 delegates registered to attend.

Baillie Gerald Leonard delivered the Civic Welcome on behalf of Glasgow City Council and began by congratulating the SPF on its 25th conference and informing delegates that he was pleased that after so many years the organisation was still a force to be reckoned with in terms of its campaigning work and ensuring that older people’s voices were heard.

Baillie Leonard stated that he was fully aware that poverty amongst pensioners was still a very real issue and that in this day and age no decision should ever have to be taken on whether to either put food on the table or to heat homes. Baillie Leonard also shared the concerns of the SPF on the welfare rights of older people, particularly during this period of austerity and he concluded by wishing delegates a successful conference and informing them that they could rely on the support of Glasgow City Council to help improve the lives of its citizens and that he hoped that other local authorities would also pledge their support.