Help stop discrimination against volunteers
31/12/2007
It is now illegal to age discriminate against a person if they get paid - but perfectly legal if they are a volunteer. The Government has repeatedly stated that volunteers are the backbone of the country and how much they are appreciated - but then excludes them from the Age Discrimination Act.
As a magistrate with the Central and South-West Staffordshire Bench, I am aware that there are magistrates who are not happy with being forced to retire at seventy simply because of their age - and certainly not because of their continued ability to do the job.
I have been campaigning to change the law as it now stands since last March 2006. My motives are entirely unselfish as I am 63 and not due to retire from the Bench for another seven years, and nor do I belong to any political party. I am simply against all forms of discrimination, and my only motive is to achieve a more just, fair and sensitive arrangement.
The protection from the law should not depend on whether you get paid or not. As well as my work as a magistrate, I have been a parish councillor for the past ten years and a member of a hospital radio station for seven years. I am very happy to put something back into the community that I care for a great deal, without seeking any personal reward.
The European Commission is now investigating the British Government to find out whether the UK law contravenes any EU laws relating to age discrimination, so I am now petitioning the Prime Minister to change the law. This is a monumental task which I cannot achieve by myself, so I would appreciate it if your readers could join in to support me.
I need 100 signatures by March 13th 2008 before the Government will respond. The current situation effects not only magistrates but all volunteers - and I am sure that many Mature Times readers are, like myself, proud to be a volunteer. The address to sign is linked below.
Richard Ellison JP
Alternatively, to support Richard in his campaign you can write to: 6, St Mary's Road, Little Haywood, Stafford, ST18 0NJ. Please make sure you include your contact details.
Older volunteers in action: In Rhondda Cynonn Taff, Wales, older volunteers are proving their value to the community in a whole raft of ways - including an imaginative initiative which has taken older members of the community into local schools to support the children's learning.