Ageing Britain

The drive for broadband is building with the publication of Lord Carter’s interim report “Digital Britain”. I spoke, a little, about this requirement in a short presentation concerning Newham’s NeAT programme at the “Ageing Population 2009” conference at the QE II Conference Centre. I got there by mid-afternoon, having attended Alan’s funeral, in time for the afternoon keynote by Rosie Winterton, MP, Minister of State for Pensions. My session, following presentations from the RNID’s Jackie Ballard, and Councillor the Honourable Joan Taylor from the LGA, became the last before a panel Q&A session, which I joined. By now, the event had slipped behind schedule and the audience was dwindling, but it had been a sell-out, with coverage broadcast to an overflow audience in an adjacent room earlier in the day.

The event subject clearly struck a nerve; hardly surprising, given projections that men retiring at 65 will be able to look forward to another 24 years of life, on average, and women 27 years, as Rosie Winterton told us. Further conferences are planned, and I trust that digital Britain and Assistive Technology and TeleHealth will play a full part.