PENSIONERS in Ryedale are helping to shape the policy of world governments towards elderly people.

Their experiences of issues, including transport and health, are being used by the United Nations under a new scheme to formulate a 50-year care plan for the world's ageing populations.

Ryedale older people representatives were among a handful from across the UK asked to attend a special meeting in London recently.

The results of the meeting - held at Whitehall and organised by the international arm of Help the Aged - will help formulate policy towards older people around the globe.

Pickering-based Rob Salkeld, who is a member of Ryedale's Older Persons' Committee - set up to look into issues affecting elderly people - was one of those who attended.

"It is exciting because the purpose of this and future meetings will be to set up a strategy for looking after the world's increasingly ageing population," he said.

"As people live longer the number of elderly people in the world is increasing.

"Governments around the world - including our own - are coming to realise that older people are a growing and important part of their society.

"Ryedale was invited because we have got our older persons' committee off the ground quicker than other areas across the UK."

Mr Salkeld said the meeting was a chance for him to make delegates aware of problems faced by Ryedale pensioners.

"One of the main issues was one of transport - in Ryedale it is not up to a decent standard to cater for elderly people," he said.

"Another was the importance of health care and access to that.

"Both these issues are of particular concern to many older people in Ryedale who live in rurally isolated areas - I had a chance to highlight these issues at the meeting.

"Another problem I was able to raise was that of pensioners who don't collect all the benefits to which they are entitled.

"This seemed to be a problem raised by many of the delegates, but it is a particular concern in Ryedale.

"It was useful for me because I came back with some ideas about how we might present the care of older people in Ryedale."

Updated: 09:21 Monday, December 17, 2001