This week, I had a sharp reminder of the minefield that IT is for those of us with Dementia. And do remember that according to data from Alzheimer’s Research UK, one in two of us will either develop Dementia or be affected by it.
Last week at the Cheltenham Festival, Sally went off to try to buy a pair of very specific equestrian boots. Alas, the manufacturer, who had a stand in the shopping area, didn't have the size she wanted… “Try online they said…” My heart sank…
Nevertheless, earlier this week, we did exactly that and found what she was looking for - an achievement in itself. But when it came to paying for them, I got the log-in and password wrong so many times I was eventually locked out. My bank’s 24/7 helpline suggested re-registering for online banking, which seemed extreme.
Now, because it was all beginning to panic me, not good for blood pressure or dementia, Sally said why don’t we go to the local branch of the NatWest bank. Brilliant idea, I thought, they are great and have helped me out before. But it meant going into Winchester because our nearest market town and shopping centre - Alresford - doesn’t have a branch of my bank anymore (nor any bank may I add). In fact, believe it or not, it only has one ATM at the local Co-op. So, off we went to Winchester which is heaving with Banks and Building Societies and ATMS.
Alastair Stewart laments IT problems and mourns the tragic death of F1 legend Eddie Jordan in this week's Living With Dementia diary
GB NEWSYears ago I did some work with a charity I support on the ‘unbanked’ problem in the third and developing worlds. It leaves millions relying on boxes under beds and no access to loans etc. We took the issue to Davos with the support of the Clinton and Gates Foundations.
When we got to the Winchester branch of my bank we were met by a woman doing a sort of triage! Having explained my ‘lockout ‘problem she agreed with the 24/7 phone advisor so we all went into an office and she simply set me up again. She assured me no data would be lost, my personal bank number was anyway unique… and she also set me up with ‘biometric’ login-in and payment approval. I mastered the fitting of my face precisely into a sort of egg-shaped oval trick and she told me to speak more softly when we set up voice recognition… Tricky for me with my booming tones.
Anyway, with charm, patience and professionalism they sorted it all out. We were both very grateful - as with my phone company they seemed to know how to deal with customers with dementia - it really isn’t that difficult. Short of going back into Winchester it has proved very difficult to say a personal thank you to the two lovely women. You can’t just phone up the bank branch, to communicate with them which I think is a negative… not even social media worked…
I had hoped to go up to GB News next week to work on the Spring statement but sadly a dear friend has died and her family have organised the funeral for that day. She was one of Sally’s closest friends and Sal is doing the eulogy. I’d have wanted to be there anyway as I loved her too and one of her grandsons is also my godson. She was a remarkable woman, we first met back in the southern ITV days so it will be a celebration of a life well lived.
Talking of celebrations, GB News is holding a reception as they name their new Westminster studios after me. My friend Sir Lyndsay Hoyle, the Speaker, has apologised saying he couldn’t make it - but invited me to Speaker’s House for a drink so kind.
I was saddened by the death of F1’s Eddie Jordan, who appeared on one of my GB News shows. I last saw him at the Rolling Stones’ 02 concert. Eddie was a great fan and a fair drummer himself and one of his former drivers, my friend Damon Hill, is a good guitarist. They and others would always do a gig the night before the British GP. Eddie was fun and a good man who will be much missed.
He was also one of the best TV pundits, as the lovely Lee McKenzie remembered in her glowing tribute to the man she called her kind and generous mentor.
Sally has just got back from the vet having got one of our dogs Lilly’s boosters done. The vet also said an email about her ID chip being out of date was a scam so pet owners beware.
Politically Labour's modest reforms of the welfare benefit system were interesting. The old left, like Dianne Abbot, John McDonald, Clive Lewis, and many others, objected making it clear Starmer’s modernisation of the Labour Party remains a work in progress.
The best line came from Liz Kendall’s Shadow, Helen Whately MP, who finished her scathing criticism by saying the Secretary of State will now put on her angry face and blame us for not having resolved the issue when we were in Government, leaving Labour with yet another ‘inherited' crisis. I think Helen spoke for many when she said, "We all now know Labour won the General Election and we lost, now it is for them to govern and for us to oppose and critique their policies".
