Service contract with FEBH signed

Agreement with the Association of Senior Citizens in Hafnarfjörður

„There's just young old people here,“ said Valgerður Sigurðardóttir, chairwoman of the Eldri borgarar Hafnarfjarðar (Hafnarfjörður Pensioners' Association), joking as she signed the association's service agreement with the City of Hafnarfjörður yesterday regarding the running and activities of the Hraunsels community centre.

„Yes, we are about to sign an operating agreement here, as is done with the largest organisations in the town. But the senior citizens“ association has grown a great deal in recent years," said the association's chairman of ten years.

The club is growing

„It's the baby boomers who are reaching retirement age. That's when it seems appropriate to join us at the Pensioners“ Association – because we have a lot of younger older people here. But in reality, there are three generations who belong to the Pensioners' Association here with us. We have six members who are 100 years and older," said Valgerður, adding that one could join the society at the age of sixty.

„I feel a big step has been taken. This is a milestone in the history of the association, which will turn 58 on the 26th of March,“ said Valgerður as she signed the operating agreement with the mayor.

Samningurinn hljóðar upp á húsnæði fyrir félagsstarfið en félagið greiðir allan rekstrarkostnað. Þá leggur bærinn 3,5 stöðugildi starfsmanna, þar af 1 stöðugildi verkefnastjóra sem fer með daglega umsjón. Hafnarfjarðarbær um starfsmanna- og launatengdan kostað. Þá greiðir bærinn viðhald og búnað og greiðir hálfa milljón í umsjón viðburða. Þá fer 250 þúsund mánaðarlega til verkefna unnin af hendi stjórnar og nefnda og fyrir almennu skrifstofuhaldi. Gildistíminn er út árið 2027.

Visionary company nominated for IT award

The association is forward-looking, as demonstrated by its nomination for the UT Diversity Model 2025 award at the UT Fair held last week. It was nominated for its modern approach to welcoming members.

„We are very proud of it and although we didn't win the award, the biggest tech companies in the country were there. We are in their league and it attracted a lot of attention,“ says Valgerður. „Congratulations, everyone.“ The nomination read as follows:

„Association of Senior Citizens in Hafnarfjörður

The association works proactively against loneliness and isolation. The association's activities are self-sustaining. In 2018, the decision was made to stop selling coffee and instead offer it free of charge on behalf of the association. Digital membership cards were introduced in 2023 as an additional option. In 2024, the activities were presented on the homepage febh.is in Icelandic, English and Polish. At the same time, the association published a weekly programme of its activities in Icelandic, English and Polish. In 2025, a new website was set up based on the old one, with the aim of making it more accessible and simpler. The association's goal is to meet the needs of older people in modern society to ensure that no one is left behind due to language or cultural differences.“

Support for the association increased

Valdimar said that Hafnarfjörður municipality was proud to formalise the operating agreement in this way. „This has been support for the club for many years, and now it would be enhanced,“ he said. The Family Council had been unanimous on the matter.

„The work here in this house is exemplary and is noted throughout the country,“ said Valdimar. „This is a big day and it is pleasing to be able to formalise the cooperation in this agreement.“

Congratulations to everyone on a fantastic club and your success!