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Alastair Stewart laments Prime Minister's Questions, broadband contracts and Quakers in this week's Dementia Diary
A crucial matter for all of us with dementia cropped up this week.
I received an email from BT saying that my broadband contract was coming to an end.
Like many people, broadband is a lifeline for me, as well as a source of much pleasure.
I did not want it to lapse, so I set about comparing costs, promised speeds and bandwidth.
Alas, when we started a comparison search on U-Switch, it did not recognise my postcode.
When we sorted that out, the site said there were no suitable alternatives available.
My daughter said that was nonsense, as she knows many people who use a different provider.
As for the other comparison sites, no matter how many meerkats and opera singers regale me, I find them all quite impenetrable.
A search site that was genuinely dementia-friendly could find a big and eager market awaiting it, from insurance to electricity, via broadband.
BT scores bonus points for actually having human beings one can talk to.
After extensive further research, they retained our business.
In other news closer to home, Alexander’s in-laws are both Quakers and used to manage the Friends’ Meeting House in Winchester.
They remain very involved and told Sally of a forthcoming event, asking if our beloved Home-Start charity would like a stall to sell our celebrated homemade cakes.
It is a great example of a fine Faith Group working generously with a charity.
A feisty PMQs demonstrated that the battle over defence spending remains well short of an armistice.
Burnham said the matter would be put forward in the Autumn Budget.
There was a rich ideological clash, too, over Labour’s refusal to cut, but rather increase, benefit spending.
Burnham criticised Tory plans to cut benefits such as housing support, saying that you shouldn’t have national security at the cost of social security.
The PM also committed to more help with the cost of living and for the beleaguered hospitality sector: although it is worth remembering there is no such thing as a free lunch.
