From Mike Bomford, Exeter 382173, May 13, 2008

Local organisations providing day to day public services to people over 50 are coming together to present an Information Fair on Monday 19 May, in Exmouth.

The fair will run from 2pm to 4pm, at The Pavilion, the Esplanade.

Devon County Council has organised the afternoon to make people more aware of what services and support are available locally to people over 50.

Services represented will include:

The new Senior Council for Devon, Age Concern, Time for Life, East Devon District Council, East Devon Ring and Ride and Shopmobility, Care and Repair, the Fire Service, PALS, East Devon Community Volunteer Scheme, Carers' Link, East Devon Home Safeguard Scheme, Rethink, and the RNID.

Devon County Council's Community Transport, Special Library Services, Adult Education, Direct Payments team, and Care Direct which is part of the Council's Customer Services, will also be attending.

The County Council was chosen by the Government last year to pilot new and better ways of supporting people over 50. With a range of other statutory and voluntary organisations, not for profit agencies and charities, the Council is working to improve people's quality of life by making it easier for them to access help and other services.

Devon County Council's Champion for Older People, Cllr Eileen Wragg, will be attending the Exmouth Fair.

"The event is particularly relevant in light of the Government's intention to provide care for older people in the future announced this week. Increasingly we will need these organisations more and more to provide the quality of life for people who are living longer.

"The Fair is an excellent opportunity for people to come along and meet the many organisations who provide services to people over 50.

"People can call in for as little or as long as they like, chat to the experts and take information away that might be useful to them."

Devon County Counicl's Executive Member for Adult and Community Services, Cllr John Rawlinson, said:

"The County Council is doing everything it can to encourage and enable older people to remain living in their own homes for as long as possible Events like this will help inform people about the many services that can help towards that goal, and with it bring greater satisfaction and quality of life for people."