Karen Bradley: In this week's column the local MP has discussed an upcoming pensioners' fair in the Moorlands and encouraged people to come along and take part.

Following on from my very successful Senior Tea Dances and Loneliness and Isolation Conference, 'Beyond the Front Door' and Loneliness Directory, I am pleased to announce that I will be hosting another Pensioners' and Carers' Advice Fair in Leek on Saturday 16th July from 10 – 12. The event is kindly sponsored by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and Sporting Communities and will take place in the Churnet Room at Moorlands House.

The aim of the event is to showcase all the excellent work done by charities and services in Staffordshire Moorlands, to provide advice to pensioners and their carers about services available to them and where they can turn for help should they need it. The Fair will also provide information about opportunities available for people to get involved in locally.

As your MP, I receive a significant number of requests each day for help and support from my constituents, and a sizeable proportion of my casework is from older people relating to a wide range of issues including accommodation, pensions, benefits, financial advice, healthcare, befriending, safety in and outside of their homes, transport, and general wellbeing in the community.

All too often, though, I am only contacted when the sender is in a crisis situation. My aim with this fair is to turn that negativity on its head: older people are at the heart of our community, and with some assistance from the fantastic services available in the Moorlands they should be able to live life to the fullest.

I am inviting both local and national charities and organisations to come along and have a stand. There is no charge for participating and I am hosting the event myself so if you are an organisation that would like to take part, please do contact my Leek office for more information.