Offaly's local link bus service nominated for national 'age friendly' award

TFI Local Link Laois Offaly bus service has been nominated for a 2026 National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Award.

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 8, at The Strand Hotel, Limerick, hosted by Limerick City and County Council.

The Annual National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards showcase age friendly initiatives from around the country that are contributing to making Ireland a great place in which to grow old.

TFI Local Link Laois Offaly has been recognised for creating meaningful improvements to the everyday lives of older people, contributing to inclusive communities where older people can live well, feel valued, and stay connected.

Now in their tenth year, the National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards were created to recognise the outstanding work being done by organisations, community groups, businesses, local authorities and individuals across the country to make Ireland a better place to grow older.

The Awards consist of ten categories; each aligned with a World Health Organization (WHO) Age Friendly Theme. These include awards for best in Age Friendly Transport; Active Living and Leisure; Business Innovation; Safety and Security; Communications; Environment; Community Innovation, Housing; Intergenerational; and Active and Healthy Ageing.

Catherine McGuigan, Chief Officer of Age Friendly Ireland, said: “This year’s finalists demonstrate that adopting an Age Friendly culture requires a top-down and bottom-up approach, and our collaborative efforts stem from the voice of older people, at grass roots level, co-designing solutions to everyday issues.

"However, local innovation must not remain local, and the strongest ideas should be recognised nationally, shared and replicated across the country.”