Who is lucky?

Sunday 16th Nov 2025

I have won £100. An email came yesterday to tell me the good news. I imagine myself wandering the stores for a much-needed new coat, I am thinking I will get one brighter than my usual safe navy. I read the rest of the email to find out that someone is ‘delighted to send me £100 gift card’. But all is not what it seemed and I must buy through a firm on the internet. There are words like ‘apply’, ‘fill in your details’ and ‘sign up’ that are ringing alarm bells.

 I have not entered any competition or put my name in a raffle, nor have I had an advert telling me about a reward if I get a new product. My shopping spree is rapidly disappearing and when you next see me, I will still be wearing my old coat.

I saw someone yesterday who was meeting me for the first time, but she knew me from this column in the Shropshire Star. I was at a Craft Fair selling my books. We talked of my teeth which I wrote about not being white enough. She said that they looked good, so I am very pleased about that.

One thing that I am not pleased about though is the increasing number of mobile phones that are being snatched. But I am my own worst enemy. There I was sitting with a friend in our favourite café when I realised that my mobile was out on the table near the edge. Someone could easily have snatched it and run with it to the door and out. I could not possibly go after them with any speed at my age. I quickly moved it and put it away. What would I do without my phone? My friend nearly had to recently, whilst riding her bike.

It is called ‘Mind the Grab’. People walk along the pavement near the kerb reading their mobiles. They take no notice of their surroundings or what is happening. I am sure that we have all done this at one time or other. Then suddenly someone on a moped drives along and reaching out with their left hand grabs your phone. They scoot off and the mobile owner is left helpless.

My friend was on her bike with her mobile fastened to the handlebars, why would she do this? She is young and was perhaps listening to music. Well one of those riders came along and leant over her bike and tried to take her phone with his left hand. He got a shock; the phone was locked onto the handlebars and this time it was the would-be thief who was helpless and left empty handed.

(Taken from my column in The Star)