Age Concern Liverpool opens up over-50s database for MR

The charity, which is part of the Age Concern group, said the resource is one of the UK’s “biggest and most accessible pools of experience” and would give it a major funding boost. Project proceeds will be used to support front-line services in the Liverpool and Sefton areas.

David Rowland, strategic manager for business development at Age Concern Liverpool, said: “Older people are no longer invisible; they have opinions – and spending power. What we are now giving them is the ability to influence the way that certain products and services are shaped for the future.”

Age Concern Liverpool has worked with marketing consultants Generation to monetise the database. Generation will continue to serve the charity in a variety of roles, including selling access to the database and holding and moderating focus groups.

Brian Roberts, a director at Generation, said that as well as focus groups, researchers could also use the database to recruit for face-to-face, telephone and email-based research.

Age Concern Research Services, the national charity’s market research‚ insight and evaluation unit, previously recruited a research panel of 10,000 over-50s in partnership with GfK.