Members of the OPC:
Profiles:
Profiles:
Brighton and Hove OPC members 2012 :
Marion, Francis, Penny, Jack, John, Val, Janet
Colin, Mike, Harry, Peter
Michael Whitty (Chair)
Co-opted - Westdean
Michael was co-opted in 2016. Elected as Chair in 2018.
Colin Vincent (Vice Chair)
Hollingdean & Stanmer and Moulsecoomb & Bevendean
Colin has an interest in Social Care, an issue of primary concern to the elderly and those approaching that period of their life in the city. He expects to utilise his life experiences through work in the private, public and voluntary sectors by contributing to the advancement of the interests of the elderly citizens of Brighton & Hove and in particular those who reside in Patcham & Withdean.
Mary Davies
OPC Secretary
'I Joined the OPC in February 2019. I have worked in social care and health all my adult life, and have knowledge & experience of how these services operate for older people, and of areas of unmet need. I have studied social policy and have a good understanding of the effects for older people of certain policy decisions e.g. locally based, means testing, rationing etc I held an Equalities brief at national level for 3 years for a trade union in the early 1990's. I currently hold a portfolio of interest for older people's issues within health, and as part of this attended a book launch by Brighton university: 'Re-Imagining Old Age'. One of the central platforms of this was to involve and consult with older people in developing the agenda. I am a member of an Older Person's Forum to progress policies affecting this age group - albeit with a recognition that the needs of people in their 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, & 100+ may be very different. As a psychotherapist I am part of a 'Creative and Conscious Ageing' Google group in the United Kingdom council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) I support the 'Age Friendly' objectives of the council, and the framework developed by the OPC to develop this. We will meet with the council soon to try and progress this, including attempting to forge closer working links. Recently, I, together with other members of OPC, attended a Carers' event to promote the work of the OPC
Mike Bojczuk (Treasurer)
Central Hove & Westbourne
Mike was born in Oldham and studied at Essex, Canterbury and Reading. He spent 10 years teaching Chemistry and Sciences before switching to a career in computing where he has worked for computer manufacturers, software providers and Central Government as a programmer, project manager and consultant. Retiring in 2015 after eight years working for a Housing Group in London, he hopes to use his experience to improve communications and make the work of the OPC more widely known, and also to better organise how the OPC manages the work it does. In the past years he has done this through maintaining the web site, letters to the press, campaigning on issues such as Active Ageing & becoming an Age Friendly City, and representing the OPC on national forums - SEEFA and EngAgeNet.
Val Caine
