North Yorkshire is planning to celebrate the work of older people in the county with a service of thanksgiving in Ripon Cathedral this Sunday.

The service has been organised with the Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev Keith Jukes, county Councillors Bernard Bateman and Shelagh Marshall, and Gloria Sturdy, a representative from the voluntary sector in Harrogate and Ripon. Many other events around the county to celebrate the United Nations Day of the Older Person have been organised during the following week.

In a county where the percentage of the population of retired people is high, the county council has good reason to celebrate the contribution which older people make to the wellbeing and sustainability of our small villages and hamlets.

"At a time when the media often portray our growing older population as a burden, it is time to view our retired population in a more positive light, suggests county Councillor Shelagh Marshall.

"Those who come to North Yorkshire on retirement also bring their professional skills with them and are willing to use them to the benefit of the community in which they live."

Cllr Marshall's role in the council is to champion opportunities for older people and to look at how older people can actively contribute. Many of the villages in north Yorkshire are situated in remote areas and it's one of the council's responsibility to ensure that those who live alone are not socially isolated and lonely. These sparsely populated villages don't even have enough people to sustain a public bus service.

Volunteering to fill the gaps is usually the work of retired people and the county council is deeply indebted to the work of all the voluntary organisations in the county.

Cllr Marshall said, "It is a joy to be able to 'Celebrate Age' and to thank God for the energy and work done by older people in north Yorkshire. We hope the cathedral will be filled with people of all ages."

Rev Jukes added, "All those of us who work in voluntary organisations know the tremendous volume of work done by older and retired people.

"Without such commitment, the life of our communities would be seriously diminished.

"This service is one way for the people of North Yorkshire to gather and to give thanks for all that older people do with us and for us."