Social Life

Talking to somebody in Bradwell the other day, they told me they had read my latest book. I hung on to every word, such readers being rarer than hen’s teeth. They wanted me to do for [...]

For many people it has become de riguer to claim childhood poverty. However, this must stop. It is a valid claim only to those of us who really experienced childhood poverty. What is that, you [...]

The words ‘conspiracy in Shrewsbury’ really appealed to me. That medieval town, surrounded by the loop of the River Severn, is hardly the obvious place for such goings on. It was a [...]

The throwing of statues into Bristol Docks and our past investments in sugar cane touch on a sore that has long plagued humankind. This topic struck me because Ann is reading a book called [...]

Here, in the wilder Shires, life is good, even in the winter. Four cows are snug in the byre. Hay is piled outside and you can smell its aroma way before you reach it. The cats sit about calmly, [...]

The countryside is a wonderful place. You go for a three mile walk, meet a few people from the village, hear and see all the news. On Main Street, a skip had been placed outside the Butchers [...]

We have no right to feel too comfortable in this life. Sometimes, I have to challenge myself by considering other people’s stories. Consequently, I listened to the life of poet Lemn Sissay [...]

I have tried to ignore Prince Charles. Certainly, his treatment of Diana was diabolical. However, his rather weird behaviour has always made him look eccentric. In Britain, we have always ignored [...]

The hazards of being a pensioner creep up on you. However, at 75, I am now quite skilled at avoidance techniques. This really started after we did a long walk in London and stopped at a cafe [...]

We found it, finally, and felt flushed with success. Having parked by the Beggars Plot, we walked into Bradwell along rows of cottages built of limestone rubble. They looked cosy but the [...]