Candlelight vigil remembers elderly who died from the cold in Sunderland

A candlelight vigil has been held in memory of older people who have died from the cold in Sunderland over the last 10 years.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Feb 2016, 12:57 BST
Updated 6th Feb 2016, 12:59 BST
Age UK Sunderland candlelit vigil to remember the older people who have died from the cold in Sunderland over the last 10 years, as part of this years Cold Homes Week (1-5 February 2016) and in support of age UKs annual campaign for Warm Homes. Julie Elliot MP and Bridget Phillipson MP with Alan Patchett, director of Age UK SunderlandAge UK Sunderland candlelit vigil to remember the older people who have died from the cold in Sunderland over the last 10 years, as part of this years Cold Homes Week (1-5 February 2016) and in support of age UKs annual campaign for Warm Homes. Julie Elliot MP and Bridget Phillipson MP with Alan Patchett, director of Age UK Sunderland
Age UK Sunderland candlelit vigil to remember the older people who have died from the cold in Sunderland over the last 10 years, as part of this years Cold Homes Week (1-5 February 2016) and in support of age UKs annual campaign for Warm Homes. Julie Elliot MP and Bridget Phillipson MP with Alan Patchett, director of Age UK Sunderland

Age UK held the event at its Bradbury Centre, in Stockton Road, Sunderland, to remember those who have perished in winter.

The event was attended by MPs Julie Elliott and Bridget Phillipson, who represent the Sunderland Central, and Sunderland South and Houghton constituencies respectively.

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A spokesman for the charity said: “Every winter in England and Wales one older person dies every seven minutes from the cold. Many of these deaths could be prevented if all homes were warm homes.

“Age UK nationally has calculated that in the last 60 years there have been 2.5million avoidable deaths among older people in England and Wales due to winter cold.

“Cold weather causes a massive spike in associated health problems, such as heart attacks and strokes and there is a strong relationship between poor insulation and inadequate heating of houses, low-indoor temperatures and excess winter deaths among older people.”

The charity has held Cold Homes Week from the start of this month, calling for action on fuel poverty and excess winter death and helping people find out how they can keep warm.

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Age UK is calling for the Government to reform its energy-efficiency programmes, make it a priority and commit to bringing two million low-income homes up to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2020, and all six-million low-income homes up to that standard by 2025.

More details at via www.ageuk.org.uk/warmhomes

Related topics:Age UKSunderlandMPsWalesEngland