Saturday 1 October 2005

ALFRED

Saturday, my last weekend in Prison!
I still have not taken that in. Maybe it is because all the days before have been the same, boring and repetitious, that time cannot be measured easily. And of course, there are still three more days of it to go.

Visits on Saturdays are in the morning, and Una came into the visiting hall looking bright and fresh. When the canteen opened, a little late, she fetched us coffee and a biscuit or two. She had to tell me the arrangements that have been made for Tuesday assuming that my release would be on time, about 10.0 a.m. She and Joel and Anne, who will come up from Barnstable, will be here to meet me. Una would be coming to the prison with the television team from the Trevor Macdonald programme. But there would be reporters and cameras and other broadcasters and newspapers, and all our supporters. It will really be something.
I shall have to pose for the cameras, and make a very short statement, and invite them to the Saracen's Head, in Towcester, for a little longer statement.
I intend to buy a pint of beer, and toast those who have been so good to me in HMP Woodhill.
It seems so unreal to me, and I will have to think about it hard before then.

A party was mentioned a few days later, paid for by the Trevor Macdonald programme. If I get a chance, I would like to talk about the democratic contract, made at an election, between the electors and those we have been elected. This is the first priority, and not to be chucked away by those elected. No longer can Members of Parliament or Councillors say we are elected and we do what we want, and blow you all. After all they are our servants.
Una explained all these arrangements to me, and it was a busy visit. Saturday visits are shorter than usual.
I watched Una leave.

I missed my shave this morning as the toiletries' cupboard was not open when I left the wing, but I did have a shave late, yesterday. I shall have to make sure I get a razor tomorrow.
And I must also tell the office to cancel my Monday visit, as there will be no one coming in to see me.

I did manage to get out into the exercise yard as I came back from the visit. While we were there, two officers had got themselves chairs and sat near the door.
I managed to pick up a couple of feathers to clean my pipe. They have to be slim enough to be pushed up the stem, and have to have sufficient softness to actually clean it inside. Looking around at my fellow inmates, I would be glad to meet anyone of them again on the outside.

As I expected, we were banged- up all afternoon and evening, and ate 'in'. I learned prison officers got every other weekend off, and I am glad for them. I would not like to their work.
In the evening I wrote out my address and telephone number several times, and cut up the paper into slips. On Monday I would offer them to those who had been especially friendly. I am looking forward to the chapel service, tomorrow. When at home I still take Sunday services in various Parishes which have a vacancy, or are waiting for a new Priest to be appointed, or when one of those who are in office wish to have a holiday.
In these days, clergy wives also have jobs, and when they have weekends off, their husbands are busy. If there are no weddings they could share Saturday, unless that is the time their husbands prepare their sermons.
I have found it a very satisfying experience to be in the congregation, while I have been in Prison.



UNA - OCTOBER 1ST 2005

This is the last Saturday that I visit Alfred in Prison and tomorrow will be the final visit.
There has been very little time to think further than each day, and I am only now beginning to realise how close Alfred is to his final day in Prison. I can now begin to imagine the actual moment when he steps into our world again.

Sitting in the reception area with my numbered ticket ready to be called forward, I am questioned by a visitor who has come for the first time. She needs help finding her way through to the visiting hall, and because I feel able to help her, I realise that I have become more confident about this visiting procedure. We stick together and receive mutual support as we go from stage to stage.

Alfred today was tucked into the furthest corner from the door leading into the huge hall. It's quite a distance to walk, picking my route through the rows of desks where prisoners sit waiting. It was so good to see him. We talked mainly about our hopes that the children, Anne and Joel, might be included in all the arrangements made for October 4th and especially for lunch, which would be our first family meal together for some time. Jake, our grandson would be busy at school undisturbed by these unusual events.
The guest list for the party organised by the Trevor Macdonald programme on October 10th, was talked about too. Those that belonged to the local support group, South Northants Together Against Council Tax (SNTACTI) were certainly part of this, and we both wanted many others from contacts we had in Towcester to be included. It was obvious that no time should be lost in making sure that invitations were given out as soon as possible. We were limited to about 60 people and some already were coming from long distances. Two of these were Tony Constable and Brian Jay who had achieved a second stage hearing in the European Court for their Petition, hoping to prove that the council tax system in this country is illegal. They had been to two Court Hearings in support of Alfred and are very active in working with the Isitfair group to promote reform.

The house was empty when I returned home. Joel was away catering for a wedding reception and would be home at the end of the day.
There was a stack of things to do while I had the house to myself. I left the ironing till last and tackled the grass-cutting at the back and front of the house. The garden's appearance always improved when this had been done. Then, starting upstairs the house cleaning was tackled. As the rooms were tidied and freshened so I began to perk up. Cups of tea and the radio, combined to give me energy, so that somewhere in the middle of the afternoon I had progressed to working down a list of phone calls.
These were made to ask various folk to the party. Not everyone was available on a Saturday afternoon but I was making a start. I knew that Alfred would be disappointed that Reg Ward would be away on a two week holiday at this time. He had worked his socks off distributing publicity for our group meetings, and being a part of our delegations in the past to meet with Councillors and Northampton's Police Committee, all in the attempt to make them aware that we, as part of their electorate, need our views to be understood. We emphasised their primary concern should be to spend our money, the taxpayers', carefully. This is rather simplistic but our message could not be clearer. There has been so much wastage.
I made a list of those I would try phoning later or they might respond to messages I left on their phones.

For a minute, I paused from opening today's post to look at the many cards stacked generously around the room and felt the tremendous care and support they represented. If only we could build on the growing numbers of people in the country, keenly aware of the need to achieve council tax reform so that the quality of daily living could be improved
Among the letters that arrived today was one I wanted to use in the daily letter to Blair. I took it with me as I went upstairs to the Word Processor. The letter I had chosen was from Dr Henry James who lives in North Yorkshire. He had been protesting since 1999, well before we had seen a need to do so.
After more than 12 years experience of voluntary work with the Citizens' Advice Bureau, Dr Jones saw for himself how many people suffer from " this iniquitous tax and those who administer it, issuing Court Summonses at the drop of a hat."
Dr Jones goes on to say that the Chancellor has fleeced us all by denying local authorities the necessary funding to pay their way.
He is also distressed by seeing Gordon Brown make political capital out of his public show " of donating our taxes to help the poor oppressed people in Africa, yet dares not mention or take any action against the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe," ............ in pursuit of self-interest and self-aggrandisement."
My own memory of Gordon Brown not having pensioners at heart was from his failure to explain why he failed to keep his promise to cut out Means Testing for the elderly of our country. He spends far too much time justifying himself, but people have memories and are not easily fooled. What is tragic is the fact that they have very little influence on the politicians who hold too much power.
I finished my letter to Blair and put it ready to post. I often used part of a letter or an article to hammer home that others as well as myself share a common belief that, as Prime Minister, he fails in his responsibility to those suffering unfairly from this unpopular council tax system.

Speaking afterwards to Christian from the Daily Mail, I learned that Anne and Joel are included in the lunch we shall have together next Tuesday, a family gathering to celebrate Alfred's release. It is good to be sure of this arrangement.

When Joel came in he saw that I was reading a magazine that is issued by the Age Related Macular Society. He asked how my eyes are. For two years I have lost the central vision of my left eye but fortunately the other one is doing well. I went to Moorfields Eye Hospital for checks and met the great Professor Bird there who has researched this eye disease. Because I have the wet condition of AMD and there might be treatment at some stage. Who knows?
Recently I heard that Peter Sallis, the actor, suffers with AMD in both his eyes yet manages to learn his scripts for " Last of the Summer Wine" using audio equipment. It is amazing how we can help ourselves to continue doing what is important to us.
Those who have AMD never go completely blind I am told.

Now it is suppertime and the chance to listen to Joel's news.