Age shall not wither us...

Thanks to the two people who contacted me on the issue of ageism. Interestingly, both were travel writers. One tells me she's lost work as commissioning editors retire - a hazard of getting older I hadn't thought of.

The moral here, though, as always for freelances, is to try to keep building up your client list - sharing eggs out among baskets. Both felt that travel is an area where the young get priority - especially on television, where youth is seen as the main market. This seems misguided, but it did come across that the perceived audience/readership was the problem - less so in print than in television. Us oldies should start making a fuss about being ignored - if we feel up to it.

Secondly, I've been trying to find out more about how freelances with disabilities cope with the labyrinthine benefits system. That is, how can you work without losing at least as much as you gain? Any thoughts on this from freelances with disabilities - in confidence - would be most welcome. Contact me at jenroy@dircon.co.uk

© 2002 Jenny Vaughan
Branch Equality Officer