Evergreen

96 EVERGREEN Autumn
From the Editor’s
Desk
In a summer which was woefully short of good news I came across a story
which really made me smile. It concerned a lady named Betty Bromage,
from Evergreen’s home town of Cheltenham. On a clear June day, this
former nurse took to the skies strapped to the wings of a vintage biplane and
achieved a new record by becoming the UK’s oldest female wing-walker.
Betty, you see, is 88 and firmly believes that: “You are never too old.” Her
astonishing achievement saw the grandmother of two breaking her own
record, which she set in 2016. Admitting that she had always been “a bit of a
daredevil”, both her airborne feats were for charity, the latest for the Cobalt
Health appeal, and she reached heights of 200 feet at 140 miles an hour! What’s
more, she’s promised that, as long as she’s fit, she’ll do the same next year.
What I loved about Betty’s story, was that it epitomised the determined,
exuberant and generous spirit of the older generation. Here was a joyful
affirmation of age in an era that is obsessively focused on youth. Valuing
those who represent the future is vitally important, but it shouldn’t be at the
exclusion of peer groups from the past and present. They still have so much
to offer.
Of course, neither you nor I need reminding of this. The wonderful
memories you share with us, and the incredible history you have lived
through (your ages range from 50 to over 100!), are a source of admiration,
fascination and delight. However, I am also aware that in certain areas of
society, appreciation of and respect for the elderly are painfully lacking.
The wisdom and vast experiences gained from a long life are often belittled,
or harshly dismissed. Just lately, though, I’m detecting that thanks to the
effervescent, indomitable character of the golden generation, attitudes
towards age are finally starting to change.
Forget the “Youthquake”, we are living at a time when the number of
centenarians has exceeded 14,500, the highest ever. With better health