Students from the University of Bath have been working with older people to help them get their voices heard.
Alice Williams, Julie Eagles and Danielle Allen, who are in their first year of a social work course, are helping Age UK B&NES to set up a independent forum for older people.
They visited St Michael's Day Centre to meet people helped by the service, and find out about the important issues they face.
The aim is to set up a forum that will provide an opportunity for older people to get their voice heard across the area.
Alice said: "We're all very excited to be working on this project with Age UK B&NES and we can see potential in what a forum could give to individuals and the community as a whole.
"Through working on this project, we've gained a greater understanding of the importance of ensuring older people's voices are heard."
Age UK B&NES supports around 12,000 older people, their families and carers every year.
It has a small team of staff and around 150 volunteers who assist with a variety of tasks including day care and lunch club provision, toenail cutting and home from hospital services.
Chief executive Janet Dabbs welcomed the work of the students, saying the introduction of a forum would be valuable for Age UK and its users.
She said: "It is increasingly important that older people have a voice and can challenge decisions made about their care and that of others and also contribute to the county's older people's strategy.
"A forum would provide a way of finding out what older people think about local services, and of coming up with new ideas about how we can work together as a community to improve things."
To find out more about Age UK visit www.ageukbanes.co. uk or call 01225 466135.
