The Big Lottery Fund have launched the Silver Dreams Fund which invites groups to put forward projects that will pioneer ways help vulnerable older people to deal more effectively with life changing events. The £10 million fund is the first of the Big Lottery Fund's dedicated investments in older people in England, and is being delivered in association with the Daily Mail.

As part of the decision making process, it is critical that older people have a real and meaningful input and therefore they are looking to recruit three older people willing to be part of the decision making panel. This advisory panel will decide which projects are awarded funding through the fund.

They will join Big Lottery Fund committee members and independent experts to select which groups will receive between £50,000 and £200,000 each to test and develop innovative new projects to help older people.

Applicants to join the panel must be aged 50 or over, with personal experience of the issues and concerns facing older people. They must be available for meetings in March next year. Reasonable travel and accommodation expenses will be paid.

Anyone interested in obtaining a short application form to sit on the panel should email silverdreams@dailymail.co.uk. The closing date for completed applications will be 28th October.