The Committee soon gained recognition and in 1944 adopted the title National Old Peoples Welfare Council (NOPWC) to distinguish it from the growing number of local OPWC's that were springing up elsewhere in Britain.

Doubtless this activity at national level did not go unnoticed in the Chesterfield Borough Council, for in 1946 the authority acted in response to a report by Dr Bailey of its Public Health Department and initiated the Chesterfield OPWC, using the model constitution to bring together representatives from both statutory and voluntary agencies.

This places Chesterfield Borough Council as the first authority in the County to initiate action to bring about the establishment of a voluntary agency in this category. This preceded similar action taken by Derbyshire County Council two years later.

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Chesterfield & District OPWC were consulted when Age Concern appointed Development Officers in 1984/85. It was with this staff increase that the County Age Concern produced its strategy of creating across the whole county District Age Concern Committees. It was intended to use the pattern of the eight local authority districts as the basis of area allocation. Four officers were appointed. It should be recorded that in the former Boroughs of Ilkeston, Glossop, and Chesterfield, Old Peoples Welfare was firmly established. In both Glossop and Ilkeston premises had been provided for the sole use of elderly people. In other Urban Districts, mainly Dronfield, Staveley, Clay Cross and Bolsover, buildings had been erected and allocated for the exclusive use by elderly people.

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In 2009, Age Concern England and Help the Aged merged to form a new charity, Age UK, and the relationship between the 350+ Age Concerns and the new charity changed. Many larger Age Concerns applied to become Brand Partners of Age UK, whilst smaller ones, including Chesterfield, were encouraged to become Friends of Age UK whilst retaining their name and independence.

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In Derbyshire, Age UK Derby & Derbyshire and Age Concern Chesterfield & District have a friendship that has lasted for over 40 years. We know that we need to work together to ensure that people in later life have access to the opportunities and activities that they want and need locally.

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Chesterfield and District Age Concern became a Charitable Company limited by Guarantee during 2011 and this has allowed us to remain as

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“A LOCAL SERVICE USING LOCAL FUNDS TO PROVIDE OUR SERVICES TO LOCAL PEOPLE"