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The week began with a pleasant surprise—a phone call from an old friend. Many friends, aware of my dementia diagnosis, tend to be cautious when they reach out, uncertain if I’ll remember them. Fortunately, my long-term memory remains strong, even if locating simple items like a notepad or phone can be challenging.
When I picked up the phone on Easter Monday, I immediately recognized the voice of Fiona Armstrong, a former ITN colleague. Although she introduced herself, I knew it was her and recalled the last time we met—at a debate on Scottish Independence in Edinburgh, which I chaired.
Fiona, now Lady MacGregor of MacGregor through her marriage to Sir Malcolm MacGregor, is a journalist, author, and the Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries. She’s passionate about Scottish culture and media. Visiting mutual friends in Hampshire, she and Malcolm stopped by our place, which, while modest compared to the grandeur of Exbury Gardens, looked respectable enough. We had a lovely chat outdoors.
Fiona still works with Border TV alongside our mutual friend Catherine Houlihan. Their current work is more gentle than our intense ITN days. One of their recent projects was on Scotland’s last commercial tomato grower. Fiona and Malcolm are also avid anglers and had recently fished the River Spey, a place I know well thanks to former MP George Hollingberry’s family estate there.
Our conversation extended to Fiona’s daughter Natasha, who’s also working in television. They kindly invited us to visit them in Scotland—an offer we’re eager to accept.
Later in the week, we also welcomed a team from Brooke, the international equine charity for which I’m a patron. They visited to film with our two charismatic donkeys, Hobnob and Iggle-piggle, ahead of International Donkey Day on May 9. Brooke’s ambassador, TV vet Dr. Scott Miller, joined us. His expertise and genuine care for animals shone through, making the shoot both successful and enjoyable. Organiser Maz Olivier, now a dear friend, coordinated it all with warmth and professionalism.
We also had a couple of medical appointments—one for a follow-up ultrasound and another with my NHS audiologist, who fixed a troublesome hearing aid. The consultant, pleased with how much I remembered, joked about my diagnosis, adding a bit of humor to the day. Good communication from the medical team makes a big difference when managing dementia.
On our way home, we tuned into Radio 4 where my friend Andrea Catherwood was discussing the BBC’s charter renewal. She mentioned the absence of a senior BBC representative for the discussion, which said a lot about the Corporation’s engagement. The panelists and callers did a fine job.
The political moment of the week came during the elections. Chris Mason commented on Labour defending a strong majority, which made me recall when an MP lost his seat after punching a constituent. This time, Reform UK won the seat after a recount—a moment that felt like a repeat of the SDP’s impact on old Labour. Reform seems to be disrupting both major parties.
Locally, there were no elections due to Rayner’s reorganization in Wessex, which many of us found frustrating. I don’t support the push for a metropolitan mayor, and local government still matters to me—especially with looming NHS staff cuts in Hampshire, which is a serious concern given the care we’ve received.
