Discussion ideas

Is the NHR still going? I too was a member in the seventies. Made lifelong friends there. We each took it in turn to hold the evening in our homes. Lovely memories.

Minimalism vs clutter.
The history, philosophy and success or failure of recycling our rubbish.

I hope you're still collecting ideas as you say the meeting is not until tomorrow evening.

Could you add something of you own to the wonderful Warning poem by Jenny Joseph? Each choose something you might do 'when you get old'.... ?
I will wear shorts and welly boots together, even when it isn't raining ?

You could discuss
NHS v. Social Care why are the not better connected.

Caring during the last few year of a loved one's life

Sandwich carers (caring for grandchildren and an elderly parent)

What is an unpaid carer?

I know these are all serious subjects, but all worth discussing sooner or later and lots of the ladies will be there now.

Hello Pensionpat
One of the possibilities your group might like to consider to discuss is the fact that there is no statutory duty on Councils or other possible interested parties to engage, support, or assist in any way, the children of women who are sent to jail.
These children are considered less than second class. They are paying the price for the sins of their mothers.
This differs greatly from the children in other social situations , I.e. where there is a statutory duty on councils to look after the children of women in domestic violence etc.
In these cases where children are not supported in any way by the State the grandparents, aunts, and any other family members are called in to help. With no financial support at all.

Unbelievably It is a Dickensian throwback where women who are gailed, together with their children are paying the price of our hypocrisy.
A wider audience needs to know this happening in 2021. I leave the thought with you.

How about "When is Cinnamon not Cinnamon - when it's Cassia?"

and how about boring but essential and oft aired subjects of old age ....i e retirement flats (very expensive ) and beyond the reach of most (unless you buy an old one like I have ..still have enormous charges, management fees, etc etc ) (bought it so I could travel ...ha ha in 2019 !) and of course should you be guilty that you have owned you own home (often a really hard struggle as once the interest rate was 15% on a mortgage....meant at least two jobs ...no meals out, no holidays ...but Thatcher said if you buy your own house wealth will cascade down the generations ! oh yes ? I think it was a government actuaries idea ....get the people to buy houses as an insurance so that when.if they need care WE CAN take the house off them ........wealth will never cascade down the generations !!!! Now the government is toying with the idea of OAP;s paying National Insurance on their incomes to help pay for care and a £50,000 cap on what you can keep ...........I asked one retirement builder (Girlings rental) what would happen when you ran out of money if you lived longer than the money you have ..............the answer ? you would have to find alternative accommodation ....what as ? a cardboard box ...........the younger generation have said recently in the press that us, the older generation should pay as we were 'lucky' to own a house ...but then we could not help our children.grandchildren who unlike previous generations, do not care for their elderly parents (some close families and foreigners do as they consider it their responsibility ) .....what do you think ? don't necessarily think our future care should be free ....but I find it hard that someone who has given up a lot in order to own a house has to then subsidise someone (through no fault maybe, of their own) has no savings property or money ...............)

Two ideas :
The best book you have read during lockdown. If you haven't read any books, what have you done instead.
Assuming you are all of a similar age, do you think it's better to be a child or young person now or was life better when you were a young person.

It used to be called The National Housewive's Register, Sheilasue and I joined in the 1960s or early 70s.

Now it is the National Women's Register. I am no longer a member since I moved a few times but I know there is a small branch near me and I was invited to a couple of meetings.

I think the thing that put me off was the meeting in each others' houses - some of them lived in large, fashionable, immaculate houses and put on a lovely spread for the meetings. I didn't feel up to that!

But it does keep your brain active and involved.

Are new build homes too small for practical living?
The benefits and negatives of mobile phones and devices.
Should we wear clothes made of man-made fabrics and what could we wear if keeping animals was banned if vegans were in charge?
Have you researched your family history and do you have any interesting stories?
Meanings and origins of surnames - you could research all their surnames

Favourite plants, places in the world that mean a lot, music eras/composers/tunes, classic films, travel on a train, favourite beach, favourite walk, hill climb, an inspiring person, I could go on but then it gets boring.

Topics we've discussed in the past: Desert Island Discs (favourite 8 records & why); interesting/unusual news articles; meaning behind your name/ interesting place names - I'll see if I can remember any more.

Am so pleased to hear this organisation is still going. It saved my sanity in 1980 when we moved to a new area with a newborn baby and a 2 year old. Another more enterprising newcomer set it up in our newly created town and I made friends, went to the book group and even was part of a dinner party circle. Happy days!

Thank you for this magnificent response. I shall impress them all on Tuesday night with suggestions. I may even disclose where they came from!

A couple of related topics which interest me and might engage others:

The power of introverts. Susan Cain had a good TED talk to get you started on this:

www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts?language=en#t-221177

Her book is called Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Quiet activism. Sarah Corbett's TED talk and Jenny Eclair's BBC programme:

www.ted.com/talks/sarah_corbett_activism_needs_introverts?language=en

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000rxn0/craftivism-making-a-difference

I am 75 and wear Boden.
I love their clothes - well made, colourful and stylish.
I will never wear beige!

I was in NHR (NWR) in the 1970s. I helped to organise their Edinburgh conference.
Back in those days it was for women at home with young children whose brains were turning to soup.
I think you were expected to leave as soon as you were 40 or when your youngest child was 5, whichever suited you.
The theme of the conference was Quo Vadis? or where are you going?
We had a strong panel of ecologists and excellent speakers including Lady Isobel Barnet. Remember her?

We were young and idealistic in those days and I immediately joined Friends of the Earth and other pressure groups to try to stop the rot.

In our fortnightly groups we had talks and discussed abortion, antiques, violence in the home, gifted children, the ethics of childbirth, bullying, divorce, how to be vegan.
We never ran out of subjects.

Just today at my church group I heard of a book just published called "Losing the Sky"
100,000 satellites are about to be launched to add to the litter in Space so Déjà vu could be a topic!

Ref above. (Dina). I emphatically agree. Just bought two Bretons . Wrote two reviews. They are good and cheapest one was £16 in sale.

Diane7 I am in awe of you! Well done!!

Iwtwab12bow

This might sound very silly,but am l too old to wear Boden clothes ? I'm 76 and have always loved bright colours. I really don't want to end up in beige with a cardi.

No, you're not too old.

Lots to discuss, I'd like to see features around women's health, women's safety, women being able to progress in life, how women differ from men and how we interact in able to come exist (not just as partners either) but as work colleagues, neighbours and the like, I'd like to see women celebrated and taking care of one another, our elders educating the young and the young educating the elders, on a lighter note I'm very crafty so adore anything that allows me to use my hands.

Do you people from ethnic backgrounds have the same viewpoint as the government and many organisations on what is politically correct?

The advantages and disadvantages of downsizing. A lot of people consider this once the children are off their hands and it would be interesting to discuss how successful it is.

How about the effects encountered both mentally and financially following the delay of fifties women receiving their state pension.

We have a mid week social club at my local amdram theatre, restarting this week in the flesh, so to speak (!), after months of Zoom!

Past topics included reviews of recent live productions, favourite piece of music (with CD to play to the group), presentation about a special holiday, favourite poem, a visit from a local poet or author, discussion about Brexit (a stormy one!), April Fools’ japes, Burns Night, living in France (DH olddudders led that session.) etc.
Hope that helps.

We do NWR walks as well and next week Adam Brooks from the Sewing Bee is coming to speak to us about what it was like filming for it during Covid. He is also bringing some of the things he has made.