vispsilver 60+ realizes its first project and opens the Generationen Café vispträff zur Mühle
How it came about
A quarter of Visp's population is aged 60 or over and by 2030 it will be a third. Demographic change will not only pose challenges for society in the future, but also for the municipality. In order to meet these challenges, the municipal councillor responsible at the time, Michael Lochmatter-Bringhen, commissioned the HES-SO Valais-Wallis to carry out an analysis of the current state of the municipality of Visp in terms of generational policy. One of the proposed measures was the formation of a steering group consisting of active 60+ people. In March 2024, the external project manager Christian Kalbermatter, Bruno Schmid, Helena Mooser Theler, Ida Häfliger, Marie-Therese Albrecht-Grichting and Markus Lehner joined the steering group under the leadership of Michael Lochmatter-Bringhen.
A central concern of the steering group was to actively involve the entire population.
actively involve the entire population. An information event held in June 2024 with the participation of specialists met with great interest from the population. People who were interested in getting involved in the two large group workshops planned for October and November 2024 and expressing their needs were registered there. The creation of a Generations Café was the first priority.
Since the beginning of 2025, vispsilver has been the responsibility of municipal councillor Denise Fux, who is highly committed to the project and is supported by the municipal council. vispsilver aims to implement projects aimed at integrating older people into the social and cultural life of the municipality, promoting their interaction with the younger generations, valuing their experiences and seeing them as an asset to society.
In July 2025, an operating group was founded, which is responsible for the operational implementation of the "Generations Café" project. For the past three months, the catering, personnel, program & offer development, finance, communication and property & technology departments have been working very actively. All the people involved are volunteers and are retired senior citizens. The municipality has allocated a 25% community work position for coordination, which is attached to the youth work office and headed by Daniel Willa.
Opening of vispträff zur Mühle
On October 7, 2025, the Generationen Café vispträff zur Mühle will open its doors with an open day from 11.00 am to 6.00 pm. All generations from the Visp agglomeration, young and old, are welcome. Drinks, aperitifs, coffee and cake will be offered. We look forward to your visit.
The following opening hours are on Tuesdays from 09.00 - 12.00 and from 14.00 - 18.00 and on the 1st Sunday of the month from 14.00 - 18.00. The restaurant is closed at lunchtime because we do not want to compete with the surrounding restaurants. There is no obligation to consume and it is intended to be a low-threshold offer for everyone. There is also a children's and reading corner. Social institutions such as the lunch table for senior citizens, the Alzheimer Valais Valais dance café and the mother-father advice service will also be able to use the premises on other days in future.
Something big is being created in Visp. Many thanks to the municipality of Visp for its support and to all the active helpers. As Jean-Baptiste Massilion says so beautifully: "Gratitude is the memory of the heart!"