A call for volunteers to carry out on ambitious study of Bermuda's seniors has met with an enthusiastic response, according to Age Concern.

The charity has been appealing for people to conduct its massive Seniors' Test for Ageing Trends and Services (STATS) survey and already has a large group willing to take part.

Age Concern executive director Claudette Fleming said: "A diverse group of volunteers, consisting of professionals from the financial services industry, church members, advertising and law firm employees, public servants and common citizens, have responded to the call."

She said the majority were from the local business and corporate sectors, indicating "that the spirit of corporate responsibility is alive and well in Bermuda".

The first training session for volunteers took place on Monday with a team of technical advisors, led by Melinda Williams from the Government's Department of Statistics, explaining how to administer the detailed questionnaire.

Small teams will soon be sent out to survey 1,000 of Bermuda's elderly people from next month until January.

Mrs. Fleming said: "Thank you seems like such an inadequate expression of our gratitude for the generous contribution of time and talent exhibited by those individuals and organisations who have responded.

"We nonetheless stress our appreciation to these individuals who, through their commitment, will help to put Bermuda on the map with respect to undertaking an innovative approach to addressing the needs of its ageing population."

Age Concern is still looking for volunteers. Anyone interested should call 238-7525.