We have all read the glowing headlines saying that fifty is the new forty, welcoming us to the fabulous fifties. There have been countless reports telling us that for anyone over fifty, now is the time of their life. And there are certainly many reasons to celebrate growing older...

The over fifties have a wealth of experience and skills, gathered over a lifetime of working and living. Whether they have done the same job since leaving school, have raised a family or hopped from one job to another, by the time they reach their fifties, they are multi skilled and informed like never before.

Oscar Wilde said that wisdom comes with winters and as people get older, they tend to make better decisions, for themselves and others. Decisions about work, family and love, all of these are best done as people grow older. According to research by the University of San Diego, the older our brains get, the less they are ruled by the chemicals which fuel emotion and impulse, so an older brain’s response is a more thoughtful and wise one.

Patience is a virtue and as people age, they have more time to do things properly and are no longer in such a hurry to fit everything in. In the words of Elizabeth Taylor, "it is strange that the years teach us patience; that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting."

On top of all of this, research shows that the older people get, the more trustworthy others think they are. Too many companies overlook the benefits of recruiting from an older workforce, but one new company has embraced the many values of age and only employs over fifties.

Local Treasures was set up in Petersfield, Hampshire three years ago and is a one stop shop, providing all sorts of help in and around the home.

"We celebrate the fact that all of our Treasures are over fifty because it means they have a wealth of experience that is helpful to other people." says founder Sarah Heyworth. "By the time people reach the age of fifty, they have a great deal of knowledge in a huge variety of areas, from gardening to DIY, admin to dog walking – you name it Local Treasures does it.

"Local Treasures was set up to make good use of skills gained over the years. Many of our Treasures need to keep working for financial or social reasons and Local Treasures provides them with an opportunity to keep working, doing something they enjoy, in a way that suits them.

"Our customers know that because of their age, our Treasures take a mature, responsible approach to the work they do and they know that the job will be well done because of their experience."

Hopefully, over time, more businesses will begin to see age as a virtue.

Local Treasures is expanding across the UK during 2016, so if you have any skills that you feel could be put to use, contact them at [email protected]