Blackbright News for the Over 50s

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50s

(a true story)

My Life in Crisis

Changing Perceptions of the Over 50s SPECIAL EDITION

BLACK - BRIGHT

09/04/2009

H e a r t ’s F l u t t e r f o r t h e O v e r

Issue 13

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by Myrna Loy

EDITORIAL

09/04/2009

The description of the over 50s is quite alarming, not least because these perceptions come from an age group that is likely to be employed in HR/Recruitment/Personnel Sector)! so in this current economic climate, it could appear that our If this is the perception, the future of an over 50 in the job market looks bleak unless of course you can change that

When asking some under 35’s, what kinds of jobs they saw the over 50s doing, some said they saw them gardening or sewing, while others imagined them being retired, too old to work. When I asked them what they thought the over 50 retirees would be doing, the responses ranged from: “sitting on the sofa with thick tights/slippers watching Coronation Street”; “in the bookie or betting shop with their beer bellies”; “looking after grandchildren”; “smoking”; playing Bingo”; “watching the news”; to “listening to Radio 1!”

What a distorted perception of the over 50’s don’t you think?

A few described people over 50 as being wise, wellinformed, interesting, grandparents and financially secure but the majority held the stereotypical view.

I spoke to approximately 50 people under 35 years old to find out what sprung to mind when they thought of someone over 50, and needless to say, they had no idea of my age.

The adjectives used to describe 50+ were: “elderly;” “moany”; “smell funny”; “they wear high waisted trousers/ skirts/old peoples’ clothes”; “Zimmer frames”; “their lips tremble and their hands shake” “they are forgetful;” “they have rotten teeth”; “receding hairlines”; “depressed”; “they keep wanting to talk”; “they have white hair and distorted frames/hunch back”; “they hobble around/doddery” “have pockets or a purse full of loose change, particularly pennies;” “they want to pay for an item that costs £24.99 with loose change”; “they hold up queues”; “they keep saying ‘eh??”; “they repeat themselves all the time”; “they speak in murmurs” and “their heads shake”. Judging from these descriptions, they are probably thinking of people in their 90s suffering from dementia and have no concept what someone in their 50s looks like.

This was the description that prompted the decision that through Black-Bright, I would challenge misperceptions of people who are wrongly identified, in this case, the over 50s.

I have therefore dedicated most of this edition to this issue.

The Over 50s “...keep saying eh?”

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ISSN No. 1751-1909

(electronic version only)

www.blackbrightmagazine.com or www.myspace.com/blackbrightnews

Photos on front cover & Page 12: taken by Yvonne Hector Front & Back Cover Design: Lakshmi Narayan Gupta Back cover & ‘Girls’ Photo on Page 12 taken by Garfield Features: Clive Borthwick & Laiton Holgate BLACKBRIGHT LTD Studio 57 Saywell Road LU2 0QG (UK) Tel: 01582 721 605

Founder & Managing Editor: Myrna Loy

Black-Bright News is a voluntary publication, so there is no payment for written contributions, but the circulation is global and distribution wide and your name will be credited if you want to be recognised.

ADVERTISERS - PLEASE EMAIL FOR A COMPETITIVE RATES FORM.

I am also looking for stories, articles, photos and poems from anyone who has anything to say, whether positive or negative about the over 50s or other misperceptions.

Please email them to me at blackbrightnews@aol.com.

I hope that the articles in this issue help to change perceptions of the over 50s, regardless what age group you fall in.

I also hope that future editions will help change perceptions about other things, too.

The current requirement is not what you can do - but how you do it, so start thinking how you do things. How do deal with queries, what is your objective when you pick up the phone? How do you streamline your work - what do you do that is different from someone else? Things you could take for granted become important in a job interview so start thinking about the way you work and why you work that way. Don’t apply for any job regardless of what anyone tells you - apply only for jobs you are qualified to do and feel comfortable doing. They used to say it 10 seconds for someone to form an impression, now they say it takes 2!!

So look smart but trendy (nothing above the knee!), black is always best with a white shirt for both men and women, and flattering shoes. Confidence and a smile will take you a long way!

So what is the answer. The answer is to challenge that perception, first by your appearance, and then by your manner.

Refuse to give them the monitoring form until after the interview - technically it should be a separate document anyway, and focus on your skills.

It is difficult enough for a person under 50 to find employment, so it will be slightly more challenging someone in their 50s when competiing against Generation X and Y unless you look like the lovely lady below!

perception!

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Kylie Minogue (20%) and Angelina Jolie (19%) are most likely to set young mens’ hearts fluttering, whereas the older romantics opted for Jennifer Aniston (18%), followed closely by Julia Roberts (17%) and proving that a way to a man’s heart truly is through his stomach, 16% chose Nigella Lawson.

This certainly applies to over 50s’ love lives as over one in four proclaim to feel more romantic the older they get and over half believe in love at first sight, 6% more than cynical under 50s.

69% of over 50s consider themselves romantic; a sentiment put into practice when, as part of the These over 50s Casanovas were discovered by study, the majority lovingly picked their husband, Saga and BHF as they investigated what makes wife or partner as a dream date even when they hearts flutter, as part of the launch of a new could have picked celebrities such as George 2

36% of over 50s consider themselves more spontaneous now than they were in their 20s and 30s and the numbers of over 50s claiming to live life to the full actually increases the further over 50 they get

Ideal celebrity dates vary slightly among age groups, younger ladies prefer Johnny Depp (29%) or Robbie Williams (22%) whereas those over 50 would rather romance Sean Connery (20%) or Mel Gibson (16%), only one man featured in the top 3 of both age groups – the ever popular George Clooney.

Clooney and Jennifer Aniston.

Hearts Flutter for Over 50s

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Hearts fluttering, spontaneous romance and love at first sight might sound like the pages of Mills and Boon or at least teenage fantasy, but hearts are racing a plenty amongst the over 50s too according to a study by Saga and the British Heart Foundation.

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It’s imperative - Order your copy now! (£10) 3

Douglas Rouse, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the British Heart Foundation said: “The money raised through our fundraising partnership with Saga, will help us in our fight against heart disease, which remains the UK’s biggest killer. Through this partnership, we will highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy heart, so romance can continue to blossom for the over 50s.” (from: www.saga.co.uk)

Andrew Goodsell, Chief Executive, Saga Group said: “It is good to know that today’s over 50s are making the most of love and romance and better still, that this is good for our hearts. We are proud to be working with the British Heart Foundation and I am confident that working together we will raise money and awareness of why the nation’s over 50s should keep fit, healthy and active.”

“On the other hand, family discord and conflict between partners may raise risk. There are direct links between these emotional states and our biological responses in everyday life. With research funding from the British Heart Foundation, we are trying to understand these processes in detail, so that we can work out exactly how our emotional lives affect the heart.

Professor Andrew Steptoe, BHF Chair of Psychology at University College London said: “There is a serious side to thinking about love and affection as we grow older. Clinical research has shown that people who enjoy high levels of emotional support and who have lots of social connections are at reduced risk for developing coronary heart disease.

As part of the partnership Saga will be publicising the work of the BHF to Saga customers and jointly promoting fundraising activities. Saga aims to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds over the course of the partnership.

fundraising partnership between Britain’s leading services provider to today’s over 50s and the nation’s heart charity

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One Crisis One Age One Family

by Clive Borthwick Letters from the Over 50s

12.

14.

ISSN No. 1751 - 1909 E-magazine

We will be celebrating with some exciting feature stories!

It’s Blackbright’s 3rd Anniversary on 31st May 2009

Poems & Letter by the Over 50s

Make-up Mogal receives MBE

by Donna Yearwood

8.

11.

Life in Crisis

by LLH

4.

Life After 50

Hearts Flutter for Over 50s www.saga.co.uk

2.

10.

Editorial

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* Sexy, Bubbly, Adventurous & Fun *

New-Age 50s

CONTENTS

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Lady Loy is a Theme DJ, so no two programmes are the same!

You expect the Unexpected as Lady Loy recognises events and people 20:00hr - 22:00hr EVERY SUNDAY Not sure? check http://loyonlife.podomatic.com or www.myspace.com/jamrocksundays

www.jamrockradio.com click on ‘radio’

‘Jamrock Sundays’ w/Lady Loy for the best in Reggae

When Lenworth L H - [Lenny to my friends] - let out a wail soon after birth on that cold February day it was the most robust cry the hospital had ever heard and as it was coming from the first Black baby to enter the hospital it was even more eventful My mother still has the newspaper cutting to this day, recording the facts - it was 1954 in Ware Hospital, Balham, south London. It was so cold that year that many babies died in the first few months from hypothermia.

(A SICKLE CELL SUFFERER’S LIFE STORY)

MY LIFE IN CRISIS

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Around this time I started running errands for my mother, she would send me with a note to the local shop or I would have to go to the Town Hall to pay the rates as they were 4 called then; sometimes I would have to go to the Bank to

For my sins I went to the local Honeywell Primary and Junior school. Here my sickle cell symptoms were apparent - I was always thirsty. I remember around midmorning when we had our bottle of milk, I was never satisfied, until I discovered that milk-monitors were allowed to have seconds. I was a milk monitor from that day forward. I also drank a lot from the water fountains that were dotted around the school playground. Not realising what was wrong with me I was led to believe I was just plain greedy.

In fact back then the British were so ignorant about ethnic minorities that it was believed to touch a black baby was good luck. My mother stopped taking me out because wherever we went we drew crowds of British people. On one occasion my mother took me to Hyde Park. A little way off she saw a large group of people on what she assumed to be a guided tour; she sat on a bench and watched. It was only then she realised it was not a guided tour but the crowd were fascinated at the sight of a Black baby - ME

We were the first Black family to move into Altenburg Gardens, which is close to Clapham Common. It was not like it is today where every other person you meet is a ‘brother’ - it was very different, it seemed quieter. We lived in one of the many big houses that have now been converted into expensive flats. My parents had a mortgage as in those days having a council house was considered a privilege and we were far from privileged.

As a toddler I suffered very badly with eczema and was referred to Woolwich Hospital as they were the leading specialists in childhood skin complaints. I once spent two months in hospital. My parents came to visit every Sunday.

Can you imagine the journey from Battersea to Woolwich?

Even their trip from the West Indies could not have prepared them for this. The specialists concluded that as I was kept very warm my natural oils were drying out, however if I was not kept warm I became ill. Again this is a symptom of sickle cell - sufferers need to be kept dry and warm at all times.

At the age of about two years I became very ill with ‘pneumonia’ and had to be placed in an oxygen tent. Looking back I often wonder if this was my first sickle cell crisis. No one realised then that I had the sickle cell disease, in-fact few people today know about sickle cell, so you can imagine the ignorance was rife back in the late 1950s.

I was the third of four children from a close family. My father worked for British Rail and my mother worked from the front room as a dressmaker.

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Surprise, surprise, I was given a clean bill of health, Canada was calling and I was answering, I felt so pleased with myself that I thought I was going to burst. However on the

Wrong building or not, I got the place and started my engineering degree course. Here again I had no obvious symptoms of sickle cell disease and enjoyed my time immensely at university. It was while I was at university that 1 was offered the position of Trainee Lab Technician. I accepted and about a year later was made redundant. This preceded a run of employment followed by redundancies. This was the time of the three day week’ and things looked gloomy, so much so that I saw a Government funded job opportunity in Canada and decided that as Britain did not have much to offer I was leaving. First I had to be interviewed by my proposed employers • a large engineering company - and I also had to have a medical.

On securing these grades I applied for a place at the London University Imperial College. I attended the interview with my parents and I can remember a member of staff telling us that we must have made a mistake and come to the wrong building!! I suppose looking back when they received an application from a “ Lenworth L H” born in 1954, in England, it did not conjure up visions of a BLACK MANI!

I was then taken on as a Junior Draughtsman on a work experience-training programme at Roehampton Hospital where they make artificial limbs. Although I found the job very rewarding I found it emotionally difficult when it came to physically fitting the limbs to children. I decided to go back to school and sit a further three ‘0’ levels.

I applied to Ford’s Motor Company for the position of Trainee Draughtsman but after three interviews I was rejected. However my English friend with fewer qualifications than myself was offered the position. I had faced prejudice before in my life but this time it hit me harder than at any other time - after all this was my future at stake.

Between 1968 and 1971 I ran for London in the 100 yards and then in the 100 metres. During this time I had no problems with my health.

I worked hard at Secondary school and enjoyed attending. I can remember my mother saying to me “you don’t have to go in if you don’t feel up to it”, but I loved going to school and couldn’t get enough of it so I went religiously.

For the most part school was pretty much uneventful. I do however remember one occasion when I was crossing the road and felt really bad, the lollipop lady noticed this seconds before I collapsed. I later learnt that both she and the local fishmonger took me home.

pay in my father’s wages. I ran everywhere and became well known in the neighbourhood. I was a familiar sight dashing across Lavender Hill with cars missing me by inches.

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After three weeks of intensive care, a Senior Physician Mr Small who had eight first year graduates under his guidance, saw me, and yes, more tests. It was a Dr Littlemore who 5 diagnosed sickle cell disease.

After three days on ice-chips and water I hallucinated - early one morning about 2.30am one of the nurses was doing the rounds. I watched her as she poured blackcurrant juice in with my ice-chips and she told me not to say a word to anyone. She left and continued her rounds. I desperately wanted a drink but couldn’t reach it so I called the nurse on duty. To my dismay the drink was plain water and ice. I had imagined the whole incident. I told the nurse about this and she noted it down on my chart. The following morning the doctor took out one of my drips.

As I couldn’t sleep I was given a remote control TV. I learned all there was to know about ice hockey and in particular the ‘Toronto’ and Montreal Maple Leafs’.

What complicated matters even more was the only medical records Montreal General had for me came from my prospective employers, who had given me a clean bill of health, so of course with me at death’s door after having been pronounced okay it was a little confusing to say the least

Here they too tested for everything probable, possible or borderline! Finally I was put in the intensive care unit [meaning no food]. Both my arms were hooked up to a saline drip and I was fed on ice chips while - yes you’ve guessed it - more tests were done.

The hospital ran tests and then more tests. After some hours it was decided that I should be discharged. As it was too late to go to my colleague’s house as was the original plan, I was put up for the night in a hotel. During the night I felt worse, and to make matters worse, I was now passing blood in my urine. I telephoned the hotel receptionist and I was taken to Montreal General Hospital, as this was a leading teaching hospital.

The arrangement was that when I arrived in Canada I would be staying with a colleague’s family until I made my own arrangements. Therefore he was at the airport to meet me as I was taken from the plane on a stretcher bound for the hospital. The staff there thought 1 was suffering from food poisoning. Even I, in my state found this hard to believe, I felt as if I had not eaten anything in months but I could not eat anything as I could not swallow.

Aboard the plane the fun really started. We hit turbulence and I thought I was going to die. I felt really terrible, I had the worst stomach-ache I can remember, I was sweating and begging for mercy or anything else that would help. There was a spiritualist on board at the time who was praying for me, but the more she prayed the worse I felt -1 also did some praying myself. How I regretted not having had more than just a salad before boarding the plane.

day I was leaving England I remember I felt quite sad, I had never been away from home for any great period, my plane was late so I went to have something to eat as I had time to kill, uncharacteristically I had a salad.

Facing up to sickle cell was traumatic. Do I tell employers?

After leaving hospital 1 wanted to return to England. I was advised not to fly but to travel by sea - I flew. Mercifully I was all right, oxygen was on standby and I prayed until we touched down at Heathrow.

Historically it is said that people with a sickle cell disease were less likely to die if they caught malaria. In the past in countries where malaria was very common, people with similar blood disorders survived where others died. However whereas malaria might disappear, sickle cell remains.

Sickle cell is one of the most common inherited genetic diseases. It is estimated there are 6,000 sufferers in the UK. It affects Africans, Caribbean’s, African-Americans, Mediterranean’s and people from the Middle East; to a lesser extent, sickle cell affects Caucasians.

Haemoglobin SC Disease (which is the type 1 have), is an inherited disease of the red blood cells. For your information, it is not contageious - you cannot catch it!

‘Sickle Cell’ is used to describe a number of inherited abnormalities of haemoglobin that have in common the fact that they sickle.

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would be appreciated. Email: blackbrightnews@aol.com

This is a brilliant, well-written article, and any comments

By LLH, Luton

I honestly believe that I owe my outcome largely to the way I have been raised. In the fact that I was treated no differently to my “well” siblings - obviously it helped that we did not realise I had a sickle cell disorder. I was never wrapped in cotton wool and anything I wanted to achieve 1 have always been encouraged. It sounds simplistic but I believe that all illness is 50% physical and 50% mental. For example if, during the course of your work you cut yourself, you could continue working for hours without realising it; however if you stood and watched while someone inserted a needle into your arm, no matter how slight, you would feel that pain. I don’t feel that because I have sickle cell I am any less of a person.

Of course there are some limitations, I would love to be able to fly an aircraft one day or ski down a mountain slope but I have resigned myself to being an onlooker. I know that whatever I decide to do there will be no one better at what I do than me.

I decided to work for myself once I returned to England - for a number of reasons - but primarily so that I could dictate when I work and so that when I am having a crisis I don’t have to feel guilty that I cannot give one hundred per cent.

However there are times when I work much harder than if I was an employee, and since running my own security company for the past nine years 1 certainly have had more stress than even I could have thought possible.

I would book into hospital under my mother’s maiden name, because sickle cell sufferers not only face stigma but have to deal with all sorts of problems for insurance purposes when their condition is discovered. However, it occurred to me one day while I was in the hospital, that should anything detrimental happen to me it could take months before anyone realised who I really was, and because of this I decided that it was all wrong and felt angry that I was put in this situation.

I have learned to handle my disorder - it’s a part of me, it might be responsible for the goals I set for myself, it might be despite of it, but nevertheless it’s me, the whole package.

Blood is made up of lots of red cells in a clear liquid called plasma. Every blood cell will live for about 4 months before being broken down; new red blood cells are constantly being produced. The blood cells are rapidly replaced and this explains how people can donate blood often.

Blood gets its colour because the red blood cells contain a substance known as haemoglobin this does the job of carrying oxygen from the lungs and distributing it where it is required. In order to do this effectively the red cells are round in shape and very pliable so they can squeeze through the tiniest blood vessel. However in sickle cell disease when the haemoglobin gives off its oxygen the cells can become distorted and form a crescent or ‘sickle’ shape. These sickled cells cluster together and block the flow of blood. This causes immense pain and is known as a ‘sickle cell crisis’. When I am having a crisis, the pain is so severe that I cannot move, every part of my body aches, my fingers and feet swell (caused by the blocked blood vessels), I will be sweating but feel cold and have this incredible thirst.

I used to go to hospital every time I had a crisis, or friends would literally carry me there. The medical staff would offer me pain relief but I always steered clear of any medication preferring instead the hot Jacuzzi. On average my symptoms last for approximately 24 hours.

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When I told my parents what the doctors diagnosed they wanted to know how and where I could have caught such a thing and even now I think it is hard for them to understand the complexity of this disease, and so I will try to explain it as simply as I can...

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How will it affect future relationships? What exactly do I tell them? I didn’t want pity so I decided only to tell people if it was absolutely necessary. Some people are surprised when I tell them I have sickle cell and many people know of somebody who has the disorder.

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In some ways I think I was relieved to hear this. Relieved to finally be able to put a name to what was happening to me and relieved that I was not going to die, not just yet anyway!

It was at this time I was finally allowed to have a meal, my first in three weeks.

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Black-Bright has provided employment opportunities for its volunteers and the Founder is obtaining the requisite qualifications to enable her to teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector so that she can assist adults with their literacy and numeracy needs. The Founder is currently assisting KS4 students with their GCSE English and is also assisting EEC & Asian students with English Literacy, pronunciation and Grammar. She hopes that by helping one person at a time, she can eventually enable the Luton community.

Blackbright News was nominated for the Nationwide Award for Voluntary Endeavour in 2007. Blackbright News was nominated for and received: the Black Business Initiative Award 2006 for using social entreprenurialship to enlighten the black community; the Mayor’s Citizenship Award 2007 for its outstanding service to the local community and the African-Caribbean Achiever’s Award 2007 in recognition for outstanding accomplishments in Luton and nominated for Learn Direct Award in 2008.

Implementing ethical, moral and spiritual character building strategies within articles and stories for the upliftment of its readers.

BLACK-BRIGHT Elevates by:

Focussing on the emotional needs and aspirations of its readers; identifying ways to rejuvenate, rebuild and reshape our culture; encouraging positive attitudes and realistic expectations to enable a sense of wellbeing.

BLACK-BRIGHT Motivates by:

subliminally developing readers who are limited from their full potential because of life experiences; removing the ceiling that limits that potential through awareness raising strategies; providing a new paradigm of thinking (hence its award-winning appeal and global readership); and acting as a cross-generational and cross-cultural advocate for life-long learning.

BLACK-BRIGHT Educates by:

encouraging our readers to further develop their talents, views and positive ideas; actively inviting participation from people who have constructive ideas, enthusiasm and a passion for expressing issues; providing a medium where readers and contributors can express themselves to a global audience.

BLACK-BRIGHT Stimulates by:

Readers say they have found Black-Bright “relevant, useful and informative”

Black-Bright - It’s about Challenging Perceptions

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Yana Johnson

09/04/2009

Yana Cosmetics is the only British Independent Premium Make up brand for the ethnic market, which started by specializing in custom blended foundations for black women and has developed a full range of make up and skincare that is suitable for ALL skin types.

Born in Birmingham to Jamaican parents, Yana is flying the flag for Black Britons with only six per cent of this year’s Honourees coming from ethnic minority communities. Commenting on her award, Yana Johnson MBE said, “It is extremely wonderful to have been recognised for that which I am truly passionate about, considering that I also represent the very market that I serve. It’s a case of standing up for what you believe in and doing something about it”

Yana Johnson MBE has been supplying women of all shades with cosmetics for 7 years and in that time she has put the UK on the map in the International cosmetics industry. She has won a string of National and International awards for her business prowess and entrepreneurship including the European Federation of Black Women Businesses Owners Award, British Female Inventors & innovators Award and Black Enterprise Award.

Founder of Yana Cosmetics and successful business woman Yana Johnson has been awarded an MBE for “outstanding achievement and service to the cosmetics industry” in the 2009 New Years Honours List.

Make-up Mogul awarded MBE for Services in the Cosmetic Industry

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You would think that with the monthly fees of nursing homes ranging from anywhere between £3,000 upwards, tha residents would be treated like royalty, but no! Many are being forced to move into a residential home because their children haven’t got the time, the room or the patience to look after them. The elderly are being forced to sell their homes in order to pay for something they don’t want and in most cases treated abominably! One elderly lady I interviewed explained that she had rented out her home while she was in residential care and now wanted to go back, but the estate agents were reluctant to get the tenants out. She could not afford to stay in the nursing home as the nursing home fees were £3,700 a month and the rent she was receiving was only £1,200 a month - she could not afford the difference on an ongoing basis. She was also very unhappy at the nursing home; she had not settled and had lost over a stone since moving there. She told me that when she first arrived there they took the residents out on a regular basis but this was no longer the case. This nursing home was 3 miles from the nearest town so she could not go by herself as it was too far. She felt isolated, was very unhappy and she wanted to go back home to be near her friends. What can be done about expensive nursing homes that the elderly fear? Let me hear from you.

The Expensive Home We all Dread to Go!

http://www.yanacosmetics.com

Yana Cosmetics aim is to become a household name by adding to the choice of make up currently available by embracing diversity and providing empowerment opportunities. The Yana make up brand features innovative, make up foundations designed to match the skin tone, powders, blushers, eye shadow, lip gloss, lip sticks, mascara and skincare. The Yana make up Representative Programme allows interested individuals to resell the Yana brand as a make-up rep with training and support that gives an understanding of diversity and empowerment. The Yana brand has been recognized internationally and is currently concentrating on business development and growth strategies.

About Yana Cosmetics

For more information or to arrange an interview please email donna@glenyearwoodgroup.com or call 07875 188 929

In (2008) Yana expanded the brand by launching the Yana Make-up Representative Programme (YMR) bringing empowerment to women through reselling Yana make up and providing them with the skills to become Make-up artists.

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Literacy Skills

09/04/2009

Email: culturalgarden@aol.com, for more details.

If you are a worried parent, teenager or someone whose first language is not English, contact the Cultural Garden - it is the place to blossom and grow.

Friendly, clean surroundings & personal attention.

Why would anyone want to broadcast that you can’t complete forms or do basic calculations?

There is a lot of hype about our children leaving school without basic skills, but there are many that do.

One of my students is repeatedly receiving ‘A’s and she is disappointed when she get’s a B grade. She is 16 on 4 April!

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said “,, we now have 70,000 more young people leaving school with five good GSEs including English and maths than we did 10 years ago..”

So why should our children became a statistic of the approximate 30,000 youngsters in England who are expected to leave school with no qualifications at all?

Our children can be one of the 70,000 that will leave school with good GSE grades with positive reinforcement!”

Estelle Morris, the Secretary of State for Education, claims “that one in five of the adult population does not have the skills of the average 11 year old and are good at hiding this from family and friends”

If you don’t have them, there is no need to feel embarrassed. Adults of all nationalities and ages suffer the same problem and it is not until you are required to complete an application form for a job, or some other forms that it really becomes important. In this time of recession, being able to read, write and speak in a socially acceptable way is important. It makes the difference between being glossed over or accepted.

Do you, or anyone you know have them?

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Back Issues, Art Cards and Myrna Loy’s Travelogue “The Other Side of Tourism” (Buy Now for only £5) (It’s the funny side of being British in Jamaica!)

Tel: 01582 721 605

please email blackbrightltd@aol.com for more info: www.blackbrightnews.com

www.myspace.com/blackbrightnews and click on the Paypal button and you will receive it within 3 - 5 days. Just £3.00!!

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FREE online future editions of BBN?

09/04/2009

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Google and find out who they are?

Black Brits It is time to increase our numbers!

Canada’s Governor-General is Black?

The FTSE 100 boss at the Prudential is Black?

The fastest human on the planet is Black?

The most successful brain surgeon in the world is Black?

The Superbowl-winning Head Coach is Black?

The brightest Astrophysicist under the sun is Black?

The fastest racing driver in the world is Black?

The highest grossing actor worldwide is Black?

The top female tennis players in the world are Black?

The greatest golfer in the world is Black?

The best known media mogul on earth is Black?

The head of the Republican National Committee is Black?

...The most powerful politician in the world is Black?

DID YOU KNOW...

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Michael Atkinson.

Be alive, while you are alive!

I know what I am going to do once I hit 50 in August though, because I don‘t want to be an old grouch, miserable, walking up and down the streets like I have tourettes. No! I am going to throw out all non-essential numbers: weight, height, age, and let the doctor worry about it. I am going to keep learning about things like computers and other crafts, just to keep my mind ticking, because as they say, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop” and it’s called Alzheimer’s. I am going to surround myself with all the things I love, Jesus, my wife Donna, family, football (Chelsea) movies, music, hobbies, etc. I am going to enjoy and appreciate all the simple things in life, which I am proud to say that I already do. Cherish my health, don’t do guilt trips, tell the people I love that I love them, at every opportunity. Laugh often, long and loud, because I have learned that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by what takes our breath away.

Well I will be 50 this year, and I still like to party, shake my thang (though my body tells me not to), party with the guys and gals after work or on the weekends, and I am still one of the kindest and friendliest people you could ever meet. I still have the manners that my parents inculcated me with, and I respect all my fellow citizens, including people younger than me (which there seems to be more of with each passing day), and my elders (which there seems to be less of with each passing day).

Then when I hit my 30’s, it was like something went wrong. Once people knew my age, they started to look at me as if I was old milk, sour and needed to be discarded.

All I know is that when we were young, we used to add on to our ages to either pretend that we were more mature than we really were, or because we tried to get into places like clubs because we were under aged.

Some people say that once you have hit the 50 year old mark, you automatically become more rude to the rest of civilization. You just become an old miserable grump and try your best to make all the happy people around you as miserable as yourself.

Life after 50

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Roy is 82 years Old and his grandchildren call him “mate”.

Now we - are all the same.

For-ever Young.

My sisters were younger My brothers were older.

With a smile.

You could reach ninety.

Have a joke Seventy or eighty.

You could make it.

We’ve expanded our Brains If you listen - and take it in.

Don’t smoke - stay trim.

Forty all grown level.

Sixty and seventy Old. It is claimed.

Inside we all feel the same.

My sisters were younger, My brothers were older.

When I was four.

For Ever Young (by Roy Barker)

Greg is 81 years old. He has been a Teacher of English for 19 yrs (including. 2 years in Kampala, Uganda);

(This poem was first published in the chapbook ‘Christmas Delinquent’ published by Erbacce Press)

unfathomable scores its chances (love’s fingers plucking the strings) can’t you see – this lame heart dances can’t you hear – this dried heart sings

dream has shaken its sheets out a freshness (discarded) restored muted rhythms let loud beats out (scared hopes being reassured)

this astonishing flow of longing that gives the dulled glass a shine and so many lost wants thronging (must i fear the eyes aren’t mine)

in a mirror long put-by – denied the least touch of light (there being no cause but to let it hide) yet now there’s this sudden seeing

do you think an old heart can’t sing do you think an old heart can’t dance with a love that belongs to spring – nor i – till i took this glance

Song and Dance (by RG Gregory)

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I read an article a while ago about the Eskimos and how they dealt with their elderly. Once a member of their people reached an age where they could not chew blubber, the individual would be placed on a small floating piece of ice with some provisions and set adrift. Later it was stopped, and those who reached an age where they could not perform as they once did in their youth, did other things that were useful, needed and helpful to the tribe, or clan they belonged to.

They were accommodated and given other tasks that gave them a sense of purpose; contributing to the existence of their clan - not to mention dignity in their old age! When you think of someone 50 years old in these times - 50 is relatively young. With the advances in medicine and people living much longer than they were (say) 60 years ago, the warped perception of some young people about older people is no longer viable.

However we live in a society/age that is obsessed with staying young, a society that puts the emphasis on being young and looking good. In the U.S that is so prevalent, especially within Hollywood and those of us who live our lives through celebrities. Many of us as we age (I am one that falls into that category}; still dresses fairly youthful and try to look somewhat younger than we really are.

I for one know an up and coming publishing mogul in her own right named Myrna Loy, who always makes me smile whenever I see a new hair style, glasses and outfit that she puts together.

Gone are the days that you would work with someone older and he or she would then pass down what they have learned over the years and then retire. There is an unofficial guard motto (I forget the General whose name it is attributed to), that I never forgot it because it says a lot: “Youth and skill, are no match for old age, cunning, well placed lies and deceit”. After reading this, I could not help but to meditate on it. I am familiar with Sun Szu - The Art of War, and this book has been read by many in the business world and many of his tactics and strategies are used in the corporate domain by many executives. In fact, for some companies it is a prerequisite. I am not sure I would agree with the latter being superior to the previous (Youth and skill), after all looking at the amount foes to beat, it would be a formidable task, for sure. One thing, though, old age equals time to learn from ones mistakes as well as others before you. Cunning in itself has some sub-components that lies with the seen and unseen (Chinese proverb says: “what is seldom seen is often times misunderstood”), yet well placed lies can be hard to counter and deceit is related to well placed lies. However youth and skill, brings with it, a certain stamina and unpredictability to the table. In the Asian culture there is a belief, especially when it comes to martial arts or teaching in general, that says “it is the duty of the student to surpass the teacher” - he or she gives the teacher face! I think it would be better if overall respect and true caring returned to our [so called] civilized society and the older sector of the population can live and grow old with dignity.

HOW OLD IS TOO OLD (by Amir Akwete)

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It’s about as relevant as saying that under 35’s (OK – mainly under 25’s) wear (in the case of boys and young men) clothes that clearly do not fit, amble around shopping centres as if they don’t have a job, and have no intention of getting one and wish everybody within a thirty yard radius to hear all about the latest girlfriend – or in the case of the girls, their latest boyfriend (“he’s

I was disturbed when Myrna (Editor of BB) told me of her conversations with under 35’s (and I expect that included lots of under 25’s!) about their perception of those of us over 50 (which I am – a full two years older than Myrna!) included references to people who “sit on the sofa”, “watch the news” and “have white hair” – to which I say “what’s wrong with any of that!”.

One crisis, one age, one family (aka the human race) – and a new President!

by Clive Borthwick

One Crisis... One Age...

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Photo by Yvonne Hector

Similarly, most people in their 50’s or 60’s who have children in their late teens or in their twenties would love to be in a position to help their kids buy a flat or house when they are ready – and in other cases, where money is tighter, that help takes the form of a child (or sometimes partner) living with (and often partially at the expense of) a parent or parents because they can’t afford to rent or buy their own place.

You may not agree – more rantings from some late 50’s guy who has nothing better to do than send Myrna articles that she is too nice to throw in the waste bin!

However, I see inter-generational support in action a great deal – but would like to see more. Quite a number of people that I work with could not work if a parent, other relative or neighbour did not pick up their child from school and give them their tea until their mum or dad gets home from work – often on more or less a daily basis!

So, let the generations (and the races and the classes/income groups) stop slagging each other off not only is it “a good thing” to pull in the same direction – but we have no choice!

(note – it’s not just money and having a good time).

Photo by Garfield Hall

Having got all that off my chest, let’s get down to some key issues – it looks like western economies are shrinking (that’s less jobs for all, young and old), the population is ageing (that’s a problem for you under 35’s – you have to pay for the 50 plus generation as we age) and the UK, the rest of Europe and the US (and the Caribbean!) need to establish what’s important in life

got an Audi – cool man”).

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So, we are all in it together – parents supporting children, the children become adults and support their own children and may also have to give a helping hand to their parents (as the 50+ become 60+ and 70+), grandparents helping out their working children (may be child minding, may be money or accommodation, may be all of these!).

If Obama has two terms in office, he will at the end be 55 – having worked around 16 hours a day for more or less 7 days a week for 8 years – and there are lots of other over 55’s (most of them, actually!) working a full day whether in a shop, factory or office and then at home (keeping the house going, going to the supermarket, paying the bills, doing the DIY, keeping the house clean and functioning) – and (to all under 35’s) that’s what life is like, more or less until you drop!

That brings us to Obama – how come? Anyway, he’s only 47! And he is black and he is bright (Blackbright!). It seems to me that he spans the generations – remember his visit to, and clear affinity with, his grandmother, who had brought him up and who died a few days before the election in November?

Think of his responsibilities to the young men and women in the US military (which many young blacks join as one of the best (and sometimes only) way that they can get a college education or technical qualification) in overseas theatres of conflict? Think of the massive – forget that, potentially overwhelming – sense of duty that he owes to the generations of black Americans who have been denied rights and opportunities and who he now represents as a highly educated and highly sophisticated black man at the head of what is still the world’s most powerful nation? He has to deliver education, jobs, healthcare – and a more peaceful world (not to mention some progress on climate change!).

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Clive Borthwick

I will now get off my soapbox.

I am a middle aged (nearing the end of my 50’s actually) white man who is a big Obama fan and who hopes that he will deliver harmony and fairness and do a great deal to make the US (and the western world) more of a cohesive society where young and old, rich and poor and black and white get every encouragement and opportunity to develop themselves and thereby make a contribution to society!

hope that it is!) – forget age, forget class, forget money, forget race – see the big picture of mutual dependence and support because otherwise we are all the losers!

OK, it is annoying when a 50+ person asks you to repeat something (at least my wife finds it annoying!) but so what – there are bigger issues.

I think that all of this is part of Obama’s message (I

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Hi, I have just read with great interest the on-line article (on the Luton Today Web site) – (Are you aged over 50 and fit, sassy and with it?), concerning “the notion that anyone over 50 is over the hill”. Well I’m not too sure about the sassy bit but I have hit the ripe & apparently rather old’ish age of 51. My face may look a bit lived in but I consider that I am quite physically fit & that is despite (& shock horror), being a very proud Grandfather for the last two years. I am also more than a little pleased with what I have been able to achieve in recent times. In fact I have not long returned from Tanzania in East Africa where I made it to the summit of the evocative & infamous Kilimanjaro. At 5895 metres it is the world’s biggest free standing massif & one of our planet’s largest volcanoes. I had also managed (just

Roy Barker.

------

I’m 82 and I believe my great-grandchildren think I am exactly the same as them. In fact sometimes they call me “Mate!”

A young child is blind to the aging adult - judging them from the way they behave as a person only. Just my thoughts and do not say owt about 2nd childhood.

Myrna, I had a phone call by my great grandson’s mum just 10 mins ago. My great grandson came on the phone (age 3 years, 6 months) to ask me to go round to his house to play Star Wars with him. He is one of 6 great grandsons - all of whom we help with; baby sitting , fetching from school etc. I’m bothered now as I do not know how to play Star Wars.. I told his mam and she said Rory would show me how to do it. The game is on a games console.

Letters to the Editor

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Gloria (Suthers)

I have a new lease of life, my daughter has had a little boy who is now aged 2 yrs 7 months, and Colin and I absolutely love having him on a Saturday, and other times when asked. We both seem to have a new lease of life, and he keeps us young.

I was made redundant from local Solicitors about 5 years ago and I since got a job processing mortgages.

I suffered a very bad accident to my left ankle, and whilst in hospital in Poole, I was made redundant again. I was able to secure a job and started at a Chartered Surveyors in Luton and love it.

Well I have passed the dreaded 50 and am coming up to the dreaded 60 at the end of June.

Hello Myrna,

Justin Banville

Anyway, these days with anything one does there is always a Web site; so if you’d like to see a few pictures or learn a little more the URL is: www.kili.me.uk

5 weeks earlier), a very “tough” winter ascent of Jebel Toubkal in the High Atlas Mountains, South Western Morocco. I would sincerely love to attempt all coveted seven summits though I am afraid & purely for financial reasons that is simply not possible. Unfortunately I do not have the necessary funds to chuck at a ‘maybe’ in the death zone (Everest). I do feel however, that my age & current level of fitness would certainly offer no barriers, & I do plan to have (among other adventures), further summit challenges in the not too distant future. I do appreciate however, that scaling summits is not for everyone irrespective of age, though if you’re in your fifties, still standing upright, smiling & feeling positive about life, then metaphorically speaking there is also every chance you’ve already scaled a mountain or two. Exodus Travel a leading adventure tour operator state in their trip notes that the final ascent up Kilimanjaro is for many of their clients, the hardest physical & mental challenge of their lives. I can affirm that it is indeed incredibly challenging but I’m not sure it was actually the toughest thing I’ve ever gone through. For instance just three years ago I was 3 stone heavier, flirting with alcoholism & deeply embroiled in a very volatile & destructive relationship; now putting that lot right really was one hell of a challenge!

Photo of Back Cov

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Photo of little girl by Garfield Hall Back Cover by Lakshmi Narayan Gupta

Founder & Managing Editor: Myrna Loy

www.myspace.com/blackbrightnews or www.blackbrightmagazine.com email: blackbrightnews@aol.com

Gives Hope to a New Generation!

Blackbright News

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