Manchester Withington MP Jeff Smith has backed campaigns to encourage retailers and high streets to provide more seating for elderly people in public spaces.

Anchor, the largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for older people, is launching a campaign following new research showing that many shopping centres are currently inaccessible for older people due to the lack of seating and resting areas.

The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the issue and encourage retailers, councils and shopping centres to ‘Stand up 4 Sitting Down’ and pledge to increase the amount of seating available.

Jeff said: “Ensuring that elderly people feel able to enjoy our high streets is important to our community and to our local economy.

We already have a great example of this in action locally through Southway Housing’s Old Moat age friendly campaign, which has persuaded shops in Withington village to provide seating for older residents to use.

I support Anchor’s campaign and I’m encouraging all local retailers to think about how they can make all our high streets more accessible.”

You can find out more about the campaign, and get involved, here.