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


Friday 30 November 2012

Charities warned about interfering in politics?

Another reason why Bristol Grandparents Support Group is not affiliated to any other organisation and does not receive government funding.
I am unsure about this article, as a great deal of charities bring concerns to the public eye and raise awareness  we certainly try to do this, I would love to hear your views.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9711825/Charities-warned-to-stop-interfering-in-politics-by-new-watchdog-chief.html

Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Thursday 29 November 2012

BGSG's Tree of Hope.


As we are fast approaching December a reminder that we will for the 4th year running be having a Tree of Hope in our garden for grandparents,parents and children to come and put their messages on.
It is something that has become a 'tradition' we have children coming year after year asking if they can write to the children who wont be seeing their grandparents at Christmas. Some of the words they write are truly moving.
Thank you to everyone over the years who have helped to fill our tree with love.
If you are unable to come and write your message, email me and I will write it for you and put it on.
This photo was taken just a couple of days of going up last year, as we move closer towards Christmas it fills up.

Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Children and Poverty.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/nov/28/child-poverty-debate-conservatives-analysis

Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

The response from The Independent is....

A few days ago I shared with you the article in the Independent re domestic violence and the fact that there is no mention of male domestic violence, this is their response:

Dear Jane,

Thank you very much indeed for your email. I’m sure you weren’t the only person who read the piece and came to that view. I’ll certainly bear it in mind in future.

Best wishes,


Tuesday 27 November 2012

Emails.

I am experiencing an issue with the emails on the grandparents website, I have only just discovered that my emails are not getting through.
If you have emailed me via the website please accept my apologies if you haven't received a reply, I am looking into it.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Film Request.

I have been approached by a student at UWE, let me know if you are interested in taking part.

Subject: SOCIAL GROUPS - University research


Hello there,
My name is Jess Mascilo and I am a second year student at UWE in Bristol, studying Filmmaking and Creative Media.

I am currently in a group, who are producing a documentary about "Loneliness in the City".

At the moment, myself and Josh who I am working with are looking for social groups in Bristol who may have a few members that have felt lonely in the past, and perhaps have a good story to tell.
We are designing an interactive website, where you would click on the person the audience may be interested in, and perhaps a video clip will show up of the person telling us their problems, or a sound clip, or just a paragraph on what they have said.

It would be of great help if you could help us in finding individuals who would be interested in being part of our website, and that don't have a problem in speaking about their experiences.

Thank you very much!

Jess Mascilo



Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Monday 26 November 2012

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Pre-legislative scrutiny of the Children and Families Bll

Listen live.

Pre-legislative scrutiny of the Children and Families Bill 
Witnesses
  1. Mrs Justice Pauffley DBE, Family Judiciary, Mr Justice Ryder, Family Judiciary
  2. Clare Chamberlain, Project Manager, Tri-borough Care Proceedings Pilot, Steve Crocker, Deputy Director (Children and Families), Hampshire County Council, Anthony Douglas, Chief Executive, Cafcass, Bruce Clark, Director of Policy, Cafcass
  3. Ken Anderson, CEO, Families Need Fathers, Paul Apreda, National Manager, FNF Both Parents Matter Cymru

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=11829

Jane.

Monday 19 November 2012

The Role of Grandparents and Mediation.

When parents separate children will often believe it is their fault that it is something they have done, a grandparent is an important person at a time when children feel vulnerable.
A grandparent can reassure at a time of change to ensure the children know they are loved and that they can to talk to their grandparents, when sometimes they find it difficult to talk to Mum and Dad.
It is vital that we understand that the children may be having conflicting loyalties and we must not at anytime 'take sides' that way children will be able to talk to us without worrying.
When grandparents find themselves being denied contact, and all lines of communication have broken down you might consider mediation.
Of course mediation needs two parties to agree, mediation is  a safe place for families to try and work towards  decisions that are in the best interest of the children.
You can contact National Family Mediation on T: 03004000636 to find offices in your area.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk


Friday 16 November 2012

Dads Falsely Accused.

My heart goes out to anyone who has had a false allegation made about them.
This is right up there in the full view of the public eye at the moment, but we know that thousands of Dads and to a smaller extent, Mums, get falsely accused of all sorts of horrendous things, where are the lawyers, PR people, public figures etc telling the public about them, supporting them?
They are the forgotten victims.
In English law it says that 'a man is innocent until proven guilty,' so the onus should be on the accuser to prove the allegation.
I am referring here to false accusations within a family breakdown conflict.
We know that does not happen.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk




Check your email address.

I have had several emails on the contact us button on the website, where my reply has been returned stating invalid address.
Of course this could be due to the fact that these people as not who they say they are or genuinely people have emailed their incorrect address.
If you have emailed me and not received a reply,as I reply to them all, contact me again.
Make sure that your email address is correct.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Small Steps but in the right direction.

I keep reading so much negativity since yesterdays announcement from a variety of groups, and ok its not perfect, but it is a small step forward, if resident parents continue to deny contact then they can have their passports, driving licenses, etc confiscated ,at last a consequence.
I have said it over and over again but we are looking for a cultural shift in the way that parenthood is looked at, denying contact has to be as socially unacceptable as drink driving.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9656507/Absent-fathers-to-get-legal-right-to-spend-time-with-their-children.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2228410/Access-law-change-means-children-legal-right-parents-divorce.html




Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupport group.co.uk

Friday 2 November 2012

Shared Parenting Consultation to be published.

I understand that the Government is intending to publish the response on the Shared Parenting Consultation and their response on Monday Nov 5th.
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk