We can start to claim back those precious values

LOOKING back in order to move on, I find it awesome that at least seven generations of my family now lie in the church-yard of St Bartholomew. On the Point, overlooking the bay, at Newbiggin by the Sea.

- Hilton Dawson

I visited them all last Saturday, counting them as part of our latest project, wondering about them. While in another place our oldest grandchild turned adult and another dropped in, on her way to visit a university. It's been a week where I've felt the pull of generations, past, present and future. When I've reflected on change, so inexorable and inherent, through every passing moment of our little lives.

However small some worlds might seem, no life is lived in isolation. I've also been thinking about the values which I've taken from parents, grandparents, but also church and school. In common with many people I don’t really do church, or religious faith, or worship. However, I think my values are Christian and indeed British - justice, tolerance, kindness, fairness, good manners, a sense of humour, respect for others whether or not I'm any good at living up to them.

I blame Mrs Thatcher, really I still do. Her elevation of the pursuit of money, so vulgar in itself, her 'freedom' a narrow-minded selfishness, over generous individualism. Then the lack of care for people in the wholesale destruction of communities and industries and ways of life.

Yet some of these attitudes are so pernicious, her changes to our lives and landscape so overwhelming, that we've adapted to them, even while trying to fight back. After all, Margaret Thatcher claimed as her greatest achievement 'Tony Blair.