Protests all around the country yesterday. In Bristol a statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston was torn down by the crowd. The protestors used ropes to drag the statue to the ground and later it was pulled through the streets of Bristol and thrown into the harbour. Edward Colston was a member of the Royal African Company which transported about 80,000 slaves to the Americas. I have to wonder how they got to use the word royal in their name. The Bristol slave trader left his wealth to local charities and therefore streets and buildings were named after him which has caused controversy and divided Bristolians for many years. My mother was evacuated from London to Bristol during the last year of World War 2 when she was expecting my younger sister Lesley. As far as I know we spent a couple of years there and can claim to have one Bristolian in the family. My grandson Henry is at university there, or at least he is when it’s open. Let’s hope he gets back there in September and lets hope that life is altogether more peaceful.
I’ve read that a freelance journalist will not be seeing his elderly parents even though new guidelines say he can. His parents messaged him suggesting that they should get together but he has decided what is best for his parents. Well as an elderly parent I can emphatically say that I will decide what I can and can’t do. Not that my brood have said otherwise. I’ve got my peer group of friends and I have been meeting with them and going out for our exercise walks. We’ve been careful, socially distancing and knowing that we don’t have symptoms. Just because we passed the age of seventy doesn’t mean we became unable to make a sensible decision on our health. Most of us spend the majority of days on our own doing just that, virus or no virus. And seriously, it’s no bloody joke being in lockdown on your own especially when you’re used to being busy.
The BAFTAs are due in July but it seems they will be held virtually this year and the winners will receive their prizes virtually too. There’s one slightly awkward aspect this year as the Prince Andrew interview on NewsNight has been nominated for Best News Coverage award and listed as a finalist. NewsNight, BBC and journalist Emily Maitlis would receive the award if chosen as the winner. Prince William and Kate normally attend the award ceremony and the prince has been president of BAFTA since 2010. Oh dear, life isn’t easy when you are a royal, is it?
Tomorrow I shall go to meet a friend for a walk along the clifftop then weather permitting, I’ll go for a cup of tea in her lovely garden with her and her partner. Any comments anyone? Good night, thank you for reading and sleep well.