A FORMER social worker who has “dedicated her life” to supporting others has been appointed as her authority’s older people’s champion. 

Caldicot Cross councillor Jackie Strong will take on the role inteneded to speak up for older people in Monmouthshire where a quarter of residents are aged 65 and over, a figure expected to rise “significantly” in the coming years. 

She said: “My whole life has been dedicated to supporting people, children, families and carers, professionally and in my own personal life.” 

While she was a teenager the councillor and her twin sister became carers for their mother who suffered a “massive stroke and was given six hours to live”. 

The councillor said: “Overnight my twin and I became ‘young carers’ not that we knew it at the time.” 

The Labour councillor also recalled her parents had been involved in campaigns to support incomes for disabled people and said in her role she wants to see departments across the council support older people and to tackle isolation and loneliness. 

She joined the authority as a social worker in 2008, working with older people, and then with its training team, and was elected as a councillor, having left its employment, in 2022. 

Councillor Ian Chandler, the Green Party cabinet member for social care, said Cllr Strong had qualified as a nurse more than 30 years ago before training as a social worker and working with adults and children with a range of disabilities. 

“Since becoming a councillor she has actively promoted the rights of carers, people with disabilities and people with dementia and is keen to work with a range of people to make Monmouthshire an age friendly county.” 

Portskewett councillor Lisa Dymock said the Conservative group welcomed the creation of the older people’s role and the appointment of Cllr Strong but asked if the cabinet is considering further member champion roles, which are unpaid, they are discussed with group leaders to give all members the opportunity for consideration. 

The council agreed in January it wanted Monmouthshire to be an Age Friendly County and a six week consultation received more than 1,200 responses. 

While 85 per cent agreed Monmouthshire is a good place for older people to live and there are cultural, social and spiritual activities available concerns included availability of public transport, health services including access to GP appointments and transport to hospital appointments and the need for more age appropriate housing including bungalows.