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James Deuchars
Chairman - Grandparents Apart
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James Deuchars loves to tell everyone that he was born in a Castle in June
1944.
No, he was not of royal descent; the castle was Lennox Castle, a
temporary maternity unit in Lennoxtown, at the foot of the Campsie Hills.
It really was a mental hospital, but it was turned into a
maternity unit in wartime.
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Jimmys
family lived in the Gorbals for 4 years before moving to the north side
of Glasgow. Jimmy left
school at 15 and had a few labouring jobs. At the age of 17 he joined
the Territorial Army, the MT Platoon of the 5/6th Highland
Light Infantry.
The unit
was trained to ever ready status but was never mobilised. Jimmy ended up
as a Lance Corporal. He took a government training course as a joiner
and achieved City and Guilds Full Technical Certificate in Building.
Jimmy,
regrettably, gave up the building trade because of arthritis at the age
of 30 and spent the next 15 years as a Glasgow Hackney Cab owner
driver. Driving a Taxi-Cab in the City was/is an eye opening experience
and jimmy believes that he could write a book about his experiences.
He was eventually force to give up Taxi work when his arthritis became
more painful.
Jimmy has
two sons, Jim and Alan. Their daughter, Susan, who had 2 girls, died at
the age of 25. Jimmy and Margaret are immensely proud of their sons,
Jim the oldest son, is a Professor studying the brain at Leeds
University and have 2 sons. Alan is a shop manager in Bath and has one
son.
Jimmy and
Margaret had had problems contacting his daughters children when their
son in law remarried. They were horrified to learn that grandparents had
no legal rights to their own grandchildren. They felt that, having lost
a daughter, losing the grandchildren, that had lived and bonded with
them, was devastating.
However
they managed to resolve the problem and now see the children regularly.
During their struggle to resolve the problem they felt terribly alone.
There was no where to go to seek advice or comfort when they needed it.
They realised that they would not like other grandparents to go through
the torture they went through, without help, and so they started
Grandparents Apart Self Help Group Scotland in 2001.
The group
have achieved much in five years. When
they first started the support group, grandparents were regarded as
irrelevant persons, shut out by governments, social services, and other
professionals that dealt with children. They have increased the
profile of grandparents from an irrelevant status in grandchildrens
lives to being recognised as important members of the wider family.
Initially
the groups? main focus was on the grandparents
but this has now developed into focusing on the children. Their motto
is
For the sake of the Children.
The group
has been invited to consult with, and assist the Scottish Executive in
the creation of the Charter for Grandchildren,
which was introduced on 4th May 2006. Jimmy considered
this as a huge step in the right direction.
The Charter
states;
On occasions professional organisations such as social work
departments or the courts can become involved and may have to make
decisions that will have a lasting impact throughout a child's entire
life. In these circumstances it is vital that the loving and supportive
role that the wider family, in particular grandparents, can play is
respected and protected for the child.
The charter
goes on to say:
Family life is usually happy but sometimes there can be difficulties.
These can range from family quarrels through to divorce and separation
to ill health or death. During these times, the children in the family
may need extra support. They may want someone to talk to, or simply a
safe place where they can have fun. Grandparents can and do play a vital
role in helping children to maintain some stability in their lives.
Although
recognition has been achieved, Jimmy and his group will monitor the
effects of the Charter for Grandchildren and continue to campaign
for grandparental legal rights, for the protection of grandchildren
everywhere.
See his web site at:
www.grandparentsapart.co.uk
Editors Note:
Jimmy really is a Seniors Champion and runs the charity from his
wheelchair - ably assisted by his wife Margaret. |
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