Welcome.


Hi everyone and welcome to Bristol Grandparents Support Group blog. Although we are Bristol based we have grandparents from all over the UK and beyond as members.

It is estimated that over one million children in the UK are denied contact with their grandparents due to family breakdown which may have been caused by divorce/separation, alcohol/drug dependency,domestic violence,bereavement or family feud.
Every child has the right to have contact with their grandparents
if they wish and unless proven unsafe for them to do so. To deny contact from a parent or grandparent has to become as socially unacceptable as drink driving.
I hope to keep you up to date with what is going on in BGSG and I shall continue to campaign for the rights of children to have a loving and meaningful relationship with both parents and their extended family. So please join in as good to hear your views, not just mine!
I also will support via Skype.
There is no membership fee to be part of Bristol Grandparents Support Group.
Esther Rantzen says, " To every grandparent, links of love can never be broken in our hearts."

Please contact during office hours.
07773258270


Thursday 27 June 2013

Author of Divorce Poison.

This is a link to a video with Richard Warshak author of Divorce Poison.
High Conflict Divorce
Divorce At School

Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Speak out and be banned from social media?

Our grandparents and great grandparents fought and lost their lives, fighting for democracy and freedom, what would they say if they were able to see where we are now?
It appears that we now live in a country that does not allow freedom of speech when it becomes politically uncomfortable.
When I go and vote, and yes I do always vote for the same reason as my first sentence, many women fought hard for women to have the right to vote, so I owe it to them.
I expect my MP to carry out the manifesto they were elected on, so if they then go back on their 'promise' do I not have the right to ask them why, and to expect an answer?
Are they not answerable to us?
As recent events have shown, when an organisation fighting for Fathers rights to see their children is banned from social media because an MP  doesn't like the questions being asked of her.
Accusations of harassment etc.
There is that word 'harassment' popping up again!
If mediation is the new buzz word within The Family Justice system, may I suggest that MP's also need to mediate with their constituents, that quite simply means talking to one another.
The reality in the UK is that millions of families are in melt down, society is falling apart a generation of children are growing without a stable family life, what does the future hold for them?
We can not just sit back and accept what is happening, we owe it to past generations to fight for the right for true democracy and freedom.
Those of us who support families, those of us who are directly involved need to be able to question our government and to expect proper answers.
We may not always agree with one an others point of view, but we should be able to debate these serious issues without being threatened with being banned from talking freely.
On a personal note it is important to say that my MP Charlotte Leslie has always been very supportive.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Wednesday 26 June 2013

PIN's, I quote,"do not constitute any kind of formal legal action."

Last year we raised concerns re grandparents being accused of harassment and being issued with a PIN, (Police Information Notice) for sending birthday cards/presents etc to their grandchildren.
When asked specific questions this is the response from The Home Office:


Thank you for your e-mail , in which you ask for information, held by the Home Office, on the use of Police Information Notices by police forces, specifically:
1) How many Police Information Notices have been issued since the Act came into operation?
2) How many of these Police Information Notices have been withdrawn?
3) How many of these have resulted in criminal proceedings?
4) Therefore, how many of these relate to purely family breakdowns in relationships?


Your request has been handled as a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.
We have carried out a thorough search and established the Home Office does not hold the information you have requested.
These notices are not provided for in the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and do not, in themselves, constitute any kind of formal legal action. Therefore there is no formal police procedure which must be followed and no set time limit during which they have effect.
As these notices have no formal legal basis, police forces are not required to report figures to the Home Office on their use and so the Home Office does not hold figures on their use by individual police forces. Police forces may keep their own records of their use of Police Information notices.


I personally find it very alarming that although Police can issue PIN's , there appears to be no account of them centrally.
Grandparents are severely  affected by this, if it happens to them, they are generally just ordinary people who have never experienced any thing like it before, being questioned by the Police etc, it as enormous shock, some get so distressed by believing they now have some sort of criminal record they have suicidal thoughts. And yet as you can see from this response, it is in fact no form of formal legal basis.

At this point it important for me to stress, that although this support group is based in Bristol, the incidents I am aware of over harassment warnings and PIN's are NOT in Bristol. 


Jane

www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk


Support for Mums who are denied contact.

I have been asked if there are any support websites for Mums who are going through denied contact and here are links that I have mentioned before.
http://www.matchmothers.org
http://www.mothers4justice.co.uk

It is important to remember that both Dads and Mums find themselves in this intolerable position.
The outcome is the same for both, a parent being denied the opportunity to a loving and meaningful relationship with their children.
I am not in the business of the 'blame game' it is because of blame that children find themselves in this separation heartbreak in the first place.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk







Who can we trust?

I will always support children in any way I can, my granddaughter has been denied the love and care of her Dad and her extended family for over 6 years now, so when I see that children are setting up a website to support each other when their parents are going through separation/divorce of course I will support it.
I appear to have had my hands slapped today, indirectly.
So from now on I will not be supporting any organisation at all or groups as it seems that someone somewhere will make me feel bad for doing so.
This is the reason why all of those who are directly involved in denied contact never make in roads of working together, because of distrust. I give up.
No wonder we are in this terrible situation of family breakdown, trust no longer exists anywhere.
I seem to have been down this road before.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk


Grandchildren reunited.

Such great news for some grandparents this week, tentative contact has begun.
I am thinking of you all and your grandchildren.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Sunday 23 June 2013

30,000 Hits on the blog!

WOW, WOW,WOW,
Today the Bristol Grandparents Support Group Blog has reached another amazing milestone, 30,000 hits!
Thank you so much for those of you have taken time to visit.
The other side of the coin is of course, there should be NO need for a website and blog like this, we should not be living in country where the voice of a whole generation of children are growing up without one of their parents, due to family breakdown and a Family Justice System that is letting them down on a daily basis.
Once families were the bedrock of society, respected and celebrated, the society we now live in is fragmenting around us, 200 children a day are losing contact with a parent.
When a child is created hopefully it is within a loving and meaningful relationship, a relationship where two parents have a responsibility to continue to love and care for that child, equally.
I have just posted the children4justice video, where children are talking the truth, the absolute truth. Adults whether that be their parents, social workers or the judiciary  are not listening to them, we have to enable these chidden to shout louder.
However angry, sad or desperate we may be feeling because of our own hurt, we have to focus our attention on the children, it is all about them, we are supposed to be adults and we make our own decisions. They are powerless.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparetssupportgroup.co.uk

The voice of the denied contact, the children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-xgtAc2xaI&feature=c4-overview&playnext=1&list=TL3sFEuOJ3rYU

Jane

Friday 21 June 2013

The Children Speak The Truth.

For anyone out there reading my blogs, if you ever had any doubts about the effect of denied contact please watch Aimee. She is speaking the truth, she says stuff that some are afraid to say in public.
She has been attacked by feminists for speaking out.
How dare anyone do that?
Aimee is one of a whole generation who has been let down by a succession of people, so say professional people,  Judges, Counsellors, CAFCASS the whole Family Justice System , they obviously weren't listening.
I want people to be held accountable for this outrage, these are children's' lives you are messing with.
As Aimee says, don't hide behind things will change, they have to change now.
Please share this video.
http://youtu.be/pjz12QXnHBk

Jane

Sunday 16 June 2013

The Big Sing in Bristol.

I make no apologies for publicising an event that I am involved in on Saturday July 6th at The Amphitheatre, Waterfront Square, Bristol Harbourside in support of WaterAid.
One thousand singers from across the West will come together to perform pop,world,spiritual songs and sea-shanties. The Big Sing is at 3:15pm.
Not only is it a great event to be part of, its about raising much needed funds for WaterAid and I just happen to have a just giving page for that purpose, it would be amazing if you feel able to donate if not just come along to the free event, sit back and listen!
http://www.justgiving.com/Jane-Jackson11/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=Jane-Jackson11&utm_campaign=pfp-share


Thank you.
Jane

Friday 14 June 2013

Leading Women for Shared Parenting.

A great website, and a great mission statement. Leading Women for Shared Parenting.
http://lw4sp.org 

Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

American Grandparents Support.


Alienated Grandparents Anonymous Incorporated
 
Thursday, June 20th  7:00 P.M.
 
Saint John the Evangelist  Library
 
825  111th  Avenue North  (Immokalee Road West) Naples, FL 34108
 
Topic:  Learning to Use Technology for Communication with Grandchildren
Bring your smart phones and laptops
   
           Support Group Meeting
           Understanding what is happening     Knowledge is Power
           Strategies  Coping Skills 
           Committees for AGA’s Goals
 
Amanda
AGA, Inc. President/Founder
www.aga-fl.org
Email: info@aga-fl.org


Thanks for this.
Jane

Wednesday 12 June 2013

The Perfect Father's Day?

It arrives every year in the Summer month of June,
When days are long, bright and full of flowers,
Its time to celebrate, to spend time to say 'I love you,'
A special day just for them, a card maybe tea in bed?
Soggy cornflakes, spilt milk, crumbs between the sheets,
Glitter from the card, appears to have got everywhere!
A family lunch, all together , a walk and laughs along the way.
A perfect world.


Sadly as we all know we don't live in a perfect world, to the thousands of Dads who will be just dreaming for the perfect world, dreaming for just one hug, one card from their children, I for one will be thinking of you. Willing you all, never to give up hope, hold your head up high, you are a Dad, an extraordinary person who does deserve to be  part of your children's lives, if you are dreaming of a perfect Father's Day, they are dreaming too.

Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Monday 10 June 2013

Young grandparents required for research?

Can you help?

Subject: Research study - Becoming a young grandparent - Participants required

Comments:
Hi, I am currently studying for my PhD at the Centre for Health and Wellbeing Research, University of Northampton.  My research is exploring the lived experiences and meanings of becoming a young grandparent (40 years and under).  I am enquiring if there is a possibility that you could put details of my study on to your website?  I am struggling to find young grandparents living in the UK to take part.  I can send you more information including my contact details and full criteria to take part if you can help at all.
Kind Regards

Melinda Spencer
PhD Student
Centre for Health and Wellbeing Research
University of Northampton
07977 120681

One million children growing up without a Dad in their lives.

Didn't we all know that already?
http://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed114337
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Sunday 9 June 2013