We should be fighting for better care for the elderly

Anyone who has walked through County Square regularly cannot have failed, as time went by, to begin to recognize some familiar faces seated on the benches there.

Most are well past the flush of youth and many take up their regular positions, nodding or chatting to passers-by. At first, these familiar figures are merely part of the landscape; we don’t spend time wondering about who they really are and the lifetime of experiences which brought them here.

But as the faces become more familiar, we maybe begin to exchange nods and “how dos”, Later, perhaps, the casual greetings develop into casual conversations.

One day, a familiar face is missing. An inquiry reveals that he is unwell and then, as happened a few days ago, a single rose appeared on the bench where he usually sat.

“Nobby” Hills joined up to fight in the Second World War. He landed in Normandy on D Day and was soon captured and sent to work in a Polish coal mine for the duration of the war. In the winter of 1944, Hitler ordered that the prisoners of war in Poland should take part in what became known as ‘the long march home’. They were forced to march more than 1,000 miles on starvation rations. Many didn’t survive.

And then, seventy years later, after a lifetime of living and

‘I shall miss his sharpeyed, friendly wave and “How do chap” greeting’

marriage and work, Nobby could be found in County Square sitting on his favourite bench and chatting to his chums, to the girls in the perfume shop or to the County Square staff. I shall miss his sharpeyed, friendly wave and “How do chap” greeting.

Fran Burt, the County Square manager has agreed that a brass plaque can be fixed on the bench in Nobby’s memory.

As the weather gets colder, we can expect to see more and more people sitting on the benches in County Square. Some will be seeking human contact, one or two will be homeless, others relying solely on state benefits or minimal pensions will be there to seek the warmth they can’t afford to pay for at home.

We live in a strange society, where billions of pounds can be spent on the machinery of war and billions more given to high-flying executives while funding to the care industries is savagely reduced and some citizens are forced to rely on food banks and charity.

Maybe next year’s elections will see the beginnings of change.