A campaign has been launched to give a voice to elderly people across the district.

Tendring Older People’s Forum has put together a survey to find out what concerns elderly people have.

The move is designed to highlight any issues, so the forum can tackle them and make Tendring a better place for its elderly residents.

Chairman Jean Allen said: “We decided this would be an excellent way for us to give a voice to the elderly people in Tendring.

“Concerns are raised at meetings of the older people’s forum, but we know that not all worries or issues are going to reach us that way.

“We have a good attendance at the forum, but we realise that we need to keep in touch with everyone we represent in Tendring.

“With so many issues floating about, it is hard for the members of the forum to be in touch with how people really think and feel.

“We often have a hard time hearing the views of the silent majority, but we are hoping to receive more views back this way.

“As a forum, we want to hear from a wider range of older people than we normally would.”

Data collected from the questionnaires will be analysed by an independent body and then handed over to the forum so members know which issues to target.

Ms Allen added: “We would like to bring the relevant people to the forum to answer for the concerns that are revealed and, hopefully, we will be able to ease those worries and make Tendring a better place for older people.”

The survey can be completed by anyone aged 60 or over.

Organisers also hope it will boost the forum’s profile and increase membership.

An open forum meeting takes place at the Weeley council chamber on March 30, from 10am to noon.

Surveys can be returned to Older Persons Survey, Freepost CL3705, Council Offices, Thorpe Road, Weeley, CO16 9AJ, or taken to the offices of the Clacton Gazette and Harwich and Manningtree Standard in Jackson Road, Clacton.