One way in which local councils want older people to keep in touch with the community is through voluntary service – and in Bristol, there can't be many more enthusiastic volunteers than Nan and Harry Cuckow, of Frenchay.

There's scarcely a weekday when they have a blank calendar, and between them they do what amounts to a full working week – all unpaid. So are there never times when they say: "Blow this for a lark"?

"Maybe just occasionally," says Nan, a 67-year-old retired teacher.

"But there's so much satisfaction in being able to put smiles on faces that we never feel that for long."

Both Nan and Harry, 71, a former engineer, see their leadership of Walking The Way To Health outings in Bristol and Kingswood as central to their work. This is part of a Government initiative in which older people and others are encouraged to take gentle exercise with rambles – or ambles – of up to four miles.

The St Paul's Health and Wellbeing Project is a focal point of this, and Nan is also involved in an arts group there.

Harry drives minibuses for Bristol and Kingswood community transport, both were involved in the railway bridge mosaic project at Barton Hill in Bristol, and Nan was on the people's panel that helped choose art for exhibitions at Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.

Closer to home, they are on the rota of volunteers who keep the museum at Frenchay up and running, and Nan is treasurer of their local Neighbourhood Watch.

"I suppose we must be fit enough, but we're not without our health issues," says Harry.

At the Celebrating Age Festival, on October 4, Nan and Harry will be leading two walks from the Council House.

"I really see Nan and Harry as inspirational older people," says the city council's Janine McCretton. And like a lot of other people in Bristol, she will be pleased to know they have no intention of slackening the pace in the foreseeable future.