The Nation's Favourite Granny Tackles Elderly Isolation and Marketing Ploys

June 10, 2010 - PRLog -- Gavin and Stacey actress, Margaret John who is 85 years old will be launching a £20m lottery funded scheme in Port Talbot later this year.  The scheme is part of lottery funded organisation AdvantAGE, designed to tackle loneliness in elderly people of Wales.

Loneliness is one of the major concerns of elderly people with many claiming that the television is their only source of company.  It’s important that older people live full and active lives and have access to relevant information and services.  Margaret John couldn’t be a better role model for the elderly population.

The UK population is ageing and over the last 25 years the percentage of the population aged 65 and over increased by 1.5 million people between 1983 and 2008¹.   Wales is particularly is the most ageing nation in the UK.  

In an interview with Margaret John, she revealed to be most concerned when she is home alone and confronted with nuisance sales calls.  “I get 4 – 5 calls in just one day and the most annoying this is that they call at the most inconvenient of times and that really gets my goat!”

The elderly are known to be anxious and frightened when alone and receiving nuisance calls, especially during evenings.  In 2004, 56 per cent of women aged 85 or over lived alone, this figure is projected to rise to 70 per cent by 2024 ².  

“I get people calling me and they just won’t take no for an answer, they hear my voice and think that I’m a push over.  I’d be more than willing to put my name to the Call Prevention Registry if it means that I’m helping stop these sorts of calls to people of my age” says Margaret John.

Isolated elderly people are often subjected to scams and pushy sales tactics simply because they want someone to talk to and many marketing companies are exploiting this.  Even charities are known to play on their compassion by convincing them to donate money.  They grew up at a time when hanging up on someone was considered rude, no matter how pushy and domineering the caller was.

The Call Prevention Registry can help to eliminate these types of calls including overseas based companies.  They have an expert customer care team who works tirelessly towards dealing with complaints and handling companies who avoid the industry guidelines.

“We are often receiving calls from hundreds of elderly people claiming to have been bombarded by sales people.  The saddest thing is that these people are being targeted by companies for their vulnerability” says Kathryn Powell of the Call Prevention Registry.

Customers can register their details with Call Prevention Registry by calling freephone 0800 652 7780 or by visiting www.callpreventionregistry.com. E-mail is available at info@callpreventionregistry.com.    Customers can be assured a top level of privacy with a fast and friendly call back service.

¹  National Statistics Online: Ageing.  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=949
² Age Concern Research Services/University of Kent, ‘How ageist is Britain?’ 2005
Photograph taken by BLF Wales, taken from: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047448&id=11963587...

ENDS

About Call Prevention Registry:
The Call Prevention Registry was established in 2005 and has since become the UK's market leading service provider in stopping nuisance calls. Call Prevention Registry is totally independent from any marketing or telephone sales agencies and are entirely funded by our members. This ensures our impartiality and guarantees our obligation to uphold our customer's requests for protection from unwanted nuisance calls.
The Call Prevention Registry is the only organisation with the capacity to block unwanted calls from telemarketing companies based in the UK and overseas.

The Call Prevention Registry supplies more than 1,500 data houses with our do-not-call lists free of charge, on an international scale.  Whereas the Telephone Preference Service will charge each company up to £11,250 for their lists.

Media Contacts:
For further information or an interview, please contact Miss. Kathryn Powell, Head of PR for CPR Global.
Telephone:    (01792) 454180
Mobile:       07792221267
Email:      k.powell@callpreventionregistry.com
Post:      CPR Global, York Chambers, Swansea, Wales, SA1 3LZ.

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The Call Prevention Registry was established in 2005 with the primary aim of becoming the Consumer Champion in nuisance call prevention. After finding that our nuisance calls were getting out of hand, we first registered with the Telephone Preference Service which unfortunately didn't have the desired effect for us. So we setup our own independent body which actually chases the companies who continue to pester our members with unwanted phone calls. We employ a team of 22 people in our hi-tech offices in Swansea and we work tirelessly for our customers. Our highly trained staff are able to deal with issues, complaints and rogue companies with ease - the law is always on our side. With our customers providing much positive feedback about our service, is it any wonder we are all highly motivated to be the only choice you need to put an end to nuisance phone calls.