Sir,

I invariably enjoy the weekly column ‘Straws in the Wind’ written by Meyrick Brown. Topical, educational, informative, and with light touches of humour thrown in.

Last week’s offering on the subject of people who find themselves living ‘in the back of beyond’ was of particular interest. He listed a number of disadvantages of living in the countryside, most of which applied to the able, young and active. He could have written easily as much again on the subject of difficulties encountered by the older members of our society.

One of the most obvious ones is the problem of mobility. There are very few people who do not have the ability to drive. So convenient to jump in the car, switch on, and go for a drive, short or long, business or pleasure to the bank, the post office, the supermarket, the surgery or hospital clinic.

In most cases nowadays, both husband and wife are drivers, each having their own car. But what happens if those partners experience health problems both at the same time and become incapable of driving. It almost amounts to being cut-off from the outside world and you become totally dependent on relatives, friends and good neighbours (if you have any!).

There are some alternatives such as Hospital Cars, Cars for Carers and Country Cars, but there are limitations on the use of their services. Then there is public transport - if you can find something convenient. Going to church or evening meetings is impossible, as the buses only run weekdays and during the day.

So we end up with expensive taxis, or face the prospect of filling in our days sitting around at home with newspapers, TV, books and handicrafts. A trip to the shops for a little retail therapy is not replaced by internet shopping. In the first place you need computer skills and secondly you can’t have some cheerful banter with a lap top.

We are constantly being reminded to socialise, go to meetings, luncheon clubs and similar group activities. A splendid example is the U3A which offers a multitude of subjects to enjoy. Such good advice, but not all rural communities have these facilities so, again, transport is the key.

A rural life is great when you are young and active. But don’t leave it too late before you move back to the obvious conveniences and advantages of an urban environment.

Name and

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