"London without old people is just a factory floor, with no past and no future"

"The capital is a cruel city for the elderly if they are not in the moneyed 1%. Old age has separated me from much of the city that once gave me happiness – but it doesn’t need to be this way"

Link to The Guardian

"When I was younger, a visit to London always charged my soul with a sense that anything was possible and that all could be overcome through pluck, determination and defiance in the face of insurmountable odds. I guess I felt that way because I was first introduced to London during the second world war.

"Back then the city behaved like the capital of a great nation should during a time of conflict: with dignity and perseverance. London stood as a beacon of hope to all of its inhabitants and citizens of Britain. Both young and old felt connected to London’s destiny and that meant everyone believed they were an integral part of this dynamic city. Everyone put their shoulder to the wheel to help London survive those dark days.

"Time has moved on and London in 2016 is not threatened by Hitler's bombs. But other threats do imperil this city’s reputation as a metropolis which can be considered both a beacon for excellence and an inclusive home to all its residents regardless of wealth, ability or age. London – like the world – has become more polarised by wealth and status than it has since the days of my boyhood in the late 1920s and 30s. Now London venerates youth and elitism rather than the common-sense wisdom that can be acquired through a long life."