I am not very good at drinks parties so, rather than hosting one I decided to put together an evening with five speakers talking on subjects connected to the theme for my High Sheriff’s year  –  “The Opportunity and Challenge of Old Age”.    More than 250 people gathered in the Mitchell Theatre at Packwood Haugh School for what turned out to be an extraordinarily stimulating evening.

Professor James Goodwin, head of research at Age UK, got things under way by giving us an insight into the extraordinary scale and pace of change to our global and national demographic,  Dr Bill Gowans, a GP in Shrewsbury for 25 years and the clinical lead of FutureFit, the programme to transform NHS services across Shropshire, Telford and Powys talked passionately about the local implications of this change.  Baroness Mary Warnock, an astonishingly youthful 91 introduced the idea of Teach Last.   Teach last is her scheme to encourage people in later life back into the classroom,  for example to help the teaching of foreign languages, a subject where there is a severe shortage of teachers. Virginia Ironside, an agony aunt, author and performer made us all laugh, and Mark Stevenson, an expert on global trends and innovation warned us that ageing may become optional after which everyone needed the amazing curry supper that Packwood cooked up.   So far the event has raised over £4k for Age UK and the Severn Hospice – a BIG thank you to all who have given so generously.

Photo: Left to right Dr Bill Gowans, David Stacey, Professor James Goodwin,  Mark Stevenson, Baroness Mary Warnock, Virginia Ironside.