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s r e t t Le of Life xx
About The Project
Letters of life is a campaign set up to help end loneliness in the elderly. 11% of people of over the age of 65 get contacted by a loved one once a month. This project was set up to help connect older generations withthe world. The project allows a space for over 65s to share their life stories to be seen by todays generations. People will then have the oppertunity to write back to ask questions or to share moment from their life with another person.
Share Your Story
Peter Beeching
Im 82 and a half years old, which means I was born in 1937. I went into the army as a national servicemen when I was 17 and three quarters. And I spent two years in the Army and I came out just before my 20th birthday. Now things were totally different then to what you children, children, I’m sorry. Your, generation can’t imagine how difficult and different it was, I bought my first car when I was 20, 21. Because we used to celebrate people’s 21st first days in those days but we don’t celebrate that anymore its 18 or whatever. But I bought this car, my mate, my good friend, Terry jukes, who’s not with us now. He used to be a member of a football team and the manager of that football team was going to sell this car. Now, you got to imagine what this car was because I think it was 200 quid that he wanted for, I think, its a long time ago, cause where talking about 1958,59, something like that.
Anyway, his name was Bert, and he was a good old boy, he really was a good old boy. So I made arrangements to go around and look at the car, now the car was built in 1936. 1936 that’s nearly 100 years ago for God’s sake, because that’s all I could afford. And It was a Ford weiter a three door It was ,It was a two door actually but they used to call it a three door for some strange reason. So I looked at it tried it out and I said Yeah, I’ll buy that. And he said, ok come in and I had the money with me so I went in and I sat down I was a right scruff-hound really cause I had this silly old white scarf on and I hadn’t had a shave or a haircut I was a right scruffy old devil really. So I went in there and Bert’s wife looked at me and she must have thought god almighty Anyway, I was sitting there waiting for Bert to get the registration for me and this beautiful creature walked into the room and I was absolutely spelled-bound. Her name was Valerie and it was bert’s daughter. And I fell in love, instantly. I really did. But it took me about another three years to stump up the courage to ask her out for a date.
anyway, since then, we’ve had four children, god knows how many grandchildren and we’ll be married 60 odd years, no not married 60 odd years we’ve known each other for 60 years. We got married in 1961, so next year will be our 60th wedding anniversary and I’m not looking forward to it but it will be a nice anniversary, to be around for. Now we had four children we had Stephen, then mark, then we had Andrew and Lynn. Since then we’ve had seven grandchildren, plus one this adopted us. So obviously one of our children is married and is a partner of someone else who had another child. So we got eight of us, and we love every single one. Now, I don’t want to go on and on forever, but since then I bought another car off of Bert but he never had another daughter for me to marry, so I had to stick with the one that I had. And I’ve had a wonderful life, you children, you youngsters can’t imagine how different it was. I should say thank you very much for listening to a silly old fool like me, but then there are a lot of us and if you live until 83 you’ll be a very very
About The Project
Next Upcoming Event:
Picnic In The Park
On the 23rd of august there will be an picnic int he park held an Langcton on the green, this willbe a chan ge fopr people of all ages to gather and share their expiernces with each other. The event will help peopl meet possible pen pal pr friends friends who share things in common and a chance to get your story out there.