Mike Priestley: Who's Counting?

That's very encouraging and will no doubt win his party a few votes. But there's another factor above and beyond tax incentives which could see a much-needed strengthening of the traditional two-parent family: grandparent power.

Last week's one-day conference on "Grandparenting in the 21st Century" heard that many grandparents - and particularly grandmothers - are growing thoroughly sick of having to look after their grandchildren on a more-or-less full-time basis while their single-parent mothers (either divorced or never married) go out to work.

Most grandparents love to spend time with their grandchildren. However, they'd prefer not to have to spend ALL their time with them. For a start, it's hard work. And they have other things to do and lives of their own to lead.

They blame the breakdown of their children's marriages for the pressure being put on them to become child-minders.

"Many grandparents believe that grandchildren should be brought up by both parents," Professor Geoff Dench told the conference.

"They are happier if their daughters work part-time as it lifts some of the burden. Grannies are feeling: 'Why should I work so hard bringing up your children if you are not going to balance your life properly?'."

A very good question. The same conference heard of the heartbreak suffered by grandparents who have difficulty gaining access to their grandchildren after their parents have divorced. Sometimes they never get to see them at all. It doesn't bear thinking about, does it?

Let's hope all this focus on the problems of family breakdowns marks the start of a new hardening of attitudes among grandparents to use their influence to encourage their offspring to get married and stay married - not just for the sake of the children, but also for the sake of Grandma and Granddad.

While we're on the subject of grandmothers....I had a call from reader Jennifer Gregory to complain on behalf of the Who's Counting? generation over a newspaper headline about a "Battling Gran", Catherine McGinty, who fought off a knife-wielding robber in Haworth Church.

"She's only 50," said Jennifer. "That's younger than me and you and the same age as Lulu. And she's a student at Bradford University. Why did they have to focus on the grandmother bit?"

Why indeed. The word "Gran" suggests someone with white hair in a Crimplene frock sitting by the fire in a cottage with roses round the door. Doughty fighter Mrs McGinty, in her walking boots and backpack, hardly fits into that category, does she?

It's stereotyping, and too many newspapers are guilty of it - including this one, from which (I'm sorry to say) this example was taken.

The proposal to set up a special ministry to look after the interests of Britain's 10 million pensioners is a sign that the Govern-ment is at last taking the older generation seriously.

Ten million people is ten million votes. Pensioners can make or break any Government with their clout at the ballot box.

With that in mind, I suggest that one of the first tasks of the new ministry should be to ensure that next year's increase in the basic State pension is considerably higher than the derisory 75p or less than people have been granted this year.

I Don't Believe It!

Small print should be large print. That's the opinion of Peter A Rushforth in response to a complaint here last week from John Killick about the conditions writ diminutively on an IMAX offer card.

"Why should we have the oft-quoted 'small print' anywhere, especially as the small print often contains clauses which can severely affect people's rights?" asks Peter.

"On guarantees, life insurance policies etc, it often says 'See overleaf for conditions'. The conditions are printed so small that they are difficult to read. The same applies to advertisements for mobile telephones.

"I changed my glasses only a few months ago but find it difficult to read this 'small print'. Next time I go for an eye check I'll take one of the ads along.

"It reminds me of my National Service. The company commander for a short time - while he was waiting for demob - was a Major Turner. One of my tasks was to tot up the number of men in the camp and estimate how many would be in the camp three days hence, taking into consideration men being posted out and posted in, those on leave, etc.

"This figure had to sometimes be guesswork. The numbers were required for catering purposes and Major Turner had to sign the slip.

"On one occasion he queried the three-days-hence figure. 'Is that 365?' he asked. I felt he was challenging my figure. 'Yes,' I replied. "But I'm estimating the number.'

"He again demanded: 'But is it 365?' I said 'Yes'. His response was: 'Oh, good! I managed to read that without my glasses!"

Thanks for that story, Peter. And I like your suggestion for a campaign to have the important "small print" always in large print so that those of us whose eyesight is past its best, like Major Turner's, don't miss something vital.

And thanks, also, to Peter for reminding me of a spot of information that Mike Priestley was supposed to pass on to you weeks ago, but forgot. You can't get the staff, you know!

It concerns the wonderful fund-raising effort by the mature-ish ladies of Rylstone WI, who famously posed while tastefully unclad for photographs for one of the fastest-selling calendars of our times, on behalf of leukaemia research.

Apparently the late John Baker, whose final illness prompted the idea for the calendar, lived at Briardale Road, Heaton, until he married Angela and left the district.

So it was a brave response to the tragic death of a Bradford man which prompted this marvellous Dales enterprise.

If you have a gripe about anything, drop a line to me, Hector Mildew, c/o Newsroom, T&A, Hall Ings, Bradford BD1 1JR, email me or leave any messages for me with Mike Priestley on (44) 0 1274 729511. If you've already sent in a grumble and it hasn't appeared yet, don't worry - it will do.

Yours Expectantly,

Hector Mildew

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