October 15, 2008 Archives

Whenever I see headlines saying the 'UK has highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe', I can't help but ask myself....why?

Meet the Killeen family - the live in Birmingham, they're a genuinely nice family, warm, welcoming and loving but what makes them stand out is that the Killeens have three generations of teen mums.

Jodi, now 19, had Kyle at 18 and son Lucas at 19. Toni, now 18 had Sinead when she was 15-years old and Darren, now 16 had daughter Serena just over three months ago. Their mother, Lisa also had children from a young age with her first at 18 and her fifth by 26.

Recent goverment research shows, on average, that chlidren born to young mums are two thirds more likely to end up living in poverty. But what struck me about the Killeens is that they don't see anything wrong with parents so young which is very different from the goverment.

While some may judge Lisa and her family, the Killeens are proud and say they wouldn't change anything because their children have made their lives better.

I also Kim Longman, who at 15, is studying for her GCSE's while raising her 18-month old son Tyler. She told me that having him has encouraged her to get back into education.

Even though Kim's determined to defy the official statistics that say 40% of young mums will leave school with no qualifications, she had one message for children her age...."Think before you act because you have to face the consequences afterwards."

Can't see Gyles' film? Click here to watch again.

The One Show's Gyles Brandreth has taken a nostalgic look at old telephone exchanges and British telephone etiquette.

In the days before the mobile phone, there was an element of charm and romance in making a call - even a sense of occasion.

But now? Have the old fashioned courtesies disappeared? Does telephone politeness belong in the past?

Do you pick up the phone elegantly, then say your number, followed by your name, and "how may I help you"? Or maybe you have your own special telephony routine? Share your telephone manner with us!

Please leave your first name and location on your blog comment, if you'd like it to be mentioned on The One Show programme.

The lights are going out in Powys. As Anita Rani found out, the local council has decided to switch off non-essential street lights after midnight in order to save money.

Anita met the Mayor who explained that the reason for the switch off is that there has been a 45% increase in fuel bills, and that their grant from the Welsh assembly has only seen a 1.3% increase this year - against 4.6% inflation.

Other councils considering a post midnight switch-off include: East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Bucks County Council, Madlon and Uttlseford in Essex, Gloucs, Herts, Cornwall and Devon.

Are there cut-backs in your area?

We're facing another recession, and the Local Government Association says 108 councils in England and Wales are affected by the collapse of the Icelandic banks.

So, have you noticed that your council services are being cut-back? Would you support a street light switch-off in your area? Add your experiences here - let's try and create a picture of how council services across the country are possibly being affected.

Your comments may be mentioned on TV, so please leave your first name and location.