Page 174 - Guerin Media Ltd | Active Retirement Ireland Members Annual 2016
P. 174
DUNCAN STEWART ENVIRONMENT
A “Hand-Up” Movement
with Duncan Stewart
“Older people can be building the resilience locally – they have the resilience personally and they
have the capacity within the structures of the local areas to ride crisis. Could there be an emerging
movement that could spread across the country as an enabling movement with all of their abilities,
resources and experience?”
Few of us are really aware of the full scale of the diet was simple and health giving, many more of you have the
challenges ahead but Duncan Stewart is one person who has skills of growing food, knowledge of soils and local
been really speaking out to wake people up to how much conditions. There is probably a wealth of information,
more we all could be doing to make a lasting difference in knowledge and awareness that you possess that could be
our world. Speaking with Sharon Ní Chuilibín on the invaluable to your community only if there was a chance to
important role that older people of Ireland can have in put it into practical application.
shaping a positive future for the next generations. Values such as “waste not want not” are to be remembered and
As we get older we have so much to offer, we all have imparted to the younger generations. The youth of today are
knowledge, skills and experience. Some of us have financial totally unprepared physically and mentally for challenges that
resources. Coming together as a group and taking stock of are facing us down the line. Many of us elders have essential
these many gifts we have to share can lead any Active skills that are totally lacking among those who have grown
Retirement Association to realise the great opportunity that is up in a disposable culture.
there for them to be able to make a real and lasting Dealing with loneliness among older people can rather be
difference in their local area. While loneliness can be an issue turned on it’s head – let’s put the focus on inviting people to
for some older people, can’t we turn this issue on it’s head? actively engage with a project in their locality that involves
Let’s put the focus on inviting people to actively engage with collaboration. If there is a purpose that someone can be
a project in their locality that involves collaboration. If there passionate they will see that it’s not about going to some old
is a purpose that someone can be passionate about, they will folks gathering – it’s about making a difference!
see that it’s not about going to some old folks gathering – it’s How about recognising that we are the ones who have the
about making a difference. You are needed, you all have opportunity and great abilities. We feel that we could be the
something to offer. You might not realise it yet but you do. ones who teach the teachers. We have to be the ones who
And it is a matter of great urgency now that local pass our knowledge experience and skills on to the the new
communities across Ireland take ownership and responsibility generation.
in shaping our future. Radical change is needed and we have This is already happening through a number of ARAs around
to bring our focus back onto our local communities as being the country and we can applaud their initiative and courage.
part of the solution. We no longer can look to the government However, there is still much more that can be done! Active
to solve Climate Change. Those who are members of this Retirement Ireland can be an enabling association that helps
organisation will remember living through times of people to come together locally focusing on a wealth of
upheavals, some of you have parents who lived through knowledge, skills and experience all can share.
a world war. Some of you lived through it yourselves. The
younger generations do not have such an experience. Many of
you can recall a time when food was locally produced, and the
174 Active Retirement Ireland www.activeirl.ie
A “Hand-Up” Movement
with Duncan Stewart
“Older people can be building the resilience locally – they have the resilience personally and they
have the capacity within the structures of the local areas to ride crisis. Could there be an emerging
movement that could spread across the country as an enabling movement with all of their abilities,
resources and experience?”
Few of us are really aware of the full scale of the diet was simple and health giving, many more of you have the
challenges ahead but Duncan Stewart is one person who has skills of growing food, knowledge of soils and local
been really speaking out to wake people up to how much conditions. There is probably a wealth of information,
more we all could be doing to make a lasting difference in knowledge and awareness that you possess that could be
our world. Speaking with Sharon Ní Chuilibín on the invaluable to your community only if there was a chance to
important role that older people of Ireland can have in put it into practical application.
shaping a positive future for the next generations. Values such as “waste not want not” are to be remembered and
As we get older we have so much to offer, we all have imparted to the younger generations. The youth of today are
knowledge, skills and experience. Some of us have financial totally unprepared physically and mentally for challenges that
resources. Coming together as a group and taking stock of are facing us down the line. Many of us elders have essential
these many gifts we have to share can lead any Active skills that are totally lacking among those who have grown
Retirement Association to realise the great opportunity that is up in a disposable culture.
there for them to be able to make a real and lasting Dealing with loneliness among older people can rather be
difference in their local area. While loneliness can be an issue turned on it’s head – let’s put the focus on inviting people to
for some older people, can’t we turn this issue on it’s head? actively engage with a project in their locality that involves
Let’s put the focus on inviting people to actively engage with collaboration. If there is a purpose that someone can be
a project in their locality that involves collaboration. If there passionate they will see that it’s not about going to some old
is a purpose that someone can be passionate about, they will folks gathering – it’s about making a difference!
see that it’s not about going to some old folks gathering – it’s How about recognising that we are the ones who have the
about making a difference. You are needed, you all have opportunity and great abilities. We feel that we could be the
something to offer. You might not realise it yet but you do. ones who teach the teachers. We have to be the ones who
And it is a matter of great urgency now that local pass our knowledge experience and skills on to the the new
communities across Ireland take ownership and responsibility generation.
in shaping our future. Radical change is needed and we have This is already happening through a number of ARAs around
to bring our focus back onto our local communities as being the country and we can applaud their initiative and courage.
part of the solution. We no longer can look to the government However, there is still much more that can be done! Active
to solve Climate Change. Those who are members of this Retirement Ireland can be an enabling association that helps
organisation will remember living through times of people to come together locally focusing on a wealth of
upheavals, some of you have parents who lived through knowledge, skills and experience all can share.
a world war. Some of you lived through it yourselves. The
younger generations do not have such an experience. Many of
you can recall a time when food was locally produced, and the
174 Active Retirement Ireland www.activeirl.ie
