OOPS #18 Keep on Putting one Foot in Front of the Other WIGO member Frances Hasler reflects on what might seem like an ordinary summer’s day: a walk on the cliffs, singing with friends, a peaceful swim, time in the garden. Yet woven through these... Continue reading

OOPS#16: Still Useful After All These Years For much of our lives, we define ourselves by the roles we play – parent, protector, organiser, fixer, looker-after. But what happens when age begins to make those roles harder to fulfil? A recent trip to A&E, a... Continue reading

OOPS #15: A Holiday ViewPoint OOPS (Outspoken Older People Subverting) is a series of occasional reflections on the business of getting older — what catches us by surprise, what makes us think, and what seems to matter more with each passing year. In this guest... Continue reading

OOPS #14: The Long View WIGO member Penny Shepherd reflects on a lifetime spent thinking about ageing — shaped by growing up in a family where old age was always close at hand. Drawing on experiences of caring, loss, mutual support and work in social... Continue reading

OOPS #13: Wildflowers and Warm Eggs As we grow older, many of us begin to think differently about time — not simply how much of it we have left, but what it means to use it well. In this reflection, I explore the gradual shift... Continue reading

OOPS #12 Growing Older Is Not a Wellness Project As friends begin celebrating their seventieth birthdays, our guest OOPS-blogger Jenny Collieson reflects on what ageing really looks like — beyond the glossy language of “wellness”, “longevity” and “conscious ageing”. Drawing on family history, voluntary work... Continue reading

OOPS #11: I’m FINE Welcome to OOPS — our occasional reflections on the experience of getting older: what surprises us, what makes us pause and think, and what seems to matter more with each passing year. We say “I’m fine” to keep things simple. To... Continue reading

OOPS #10 Adventures in Lithuania   Welcome to OOPS — our occasional reflections on the experience of getting older: what surprises us, what makes us pause and think, and what seems to matter more with each passing year. WIGO member (and ex-colleague from Community Catalysts)... Continue reading

OOPS #9 NHS Bingo (and Other Identity Shifts) It turns out that navigating the healthcare system isn’t just about managing a condition—it’s also about holding on to a sense of who you are. Well, I’ve nearly completed my NHSE Bingo Card: five consultants, four specialisms,... Continue reading