Had a few criticisms about my outing last night – along the lines of ‘most pensioners can’t go out for champagne and canapes, you know.’ Hang on, though. There were quite a few over 60’s at the BFI last night including champion Oldie Joan Bakewell. And although Dame Joan is hardly representative, there are quite a few women and men like her – older but still active, interested and probably extremely well educated. So my night was representative, just not in the way that we perhaps wrongly classify ALL pensioners.

To right the balance however I hit the library today to see what provision there is for people who might prefer to have a few freebies thrown their way. And although Islington Council gets knocked for quite a lot, in my view its provision for the 50+ people in this borough is great. Free swims, yoga, walking tours and also a drop in centre for Grandparents and toddlers, which encompasses those thousands of grandparents who help their adult children continue working by looking after their kids. I’m going to go on an Archway Amble tomorrow, which I’m looking forward to, and if I’m brave enough, belly dancing at 5.30. I know this is an excercise and we are all pretending, but suddenly I feel a bit more valued.