RECENT research shows that many people are worried about how society is going to treat them once they turn 65. Older people are too often dismissed by the rest of society and are frequently the butt of jokes and disparaging remarks.

While age discrimination is still legal, older people can be denied access to medical treatment simply because they're "too old". This is a moral outrage in the 21st Century.

The Government has proposed an Equality Bill in its next Queen's Speech. There's now an historic opportunity to get ageism outlawed.

Please write to Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street, London SW1 2AA, demanding legislation to ban age discrimination.

Let's make him live up to the promise he made in his 2007 Labour Party Conference speech when he spoke about ending discrimination.

The Government now has the chance to end ageism once and for all.

I urge people of all ages to support Help the Aged's Just Equal Treatment campaign by calling 02072-391982 or visiting www.helptheaged.org.uk/takeaction Time is running out. Please take action on behalf of all older people.

Reg Davison, Wear Valley/Auckland Branch, North- East Pensioners Association, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham.