As a childin the UK, I grew up watching Dad's Army. I loved it and more than 30years since the series stopped, it is still being shown on TV! Thatis testament to its enduring legacy of wonderful writing, wonderful acting and wonderful humour. I was watching one of the reruns at theweekend and, as ever, was thoroughly enjoying it. 

One of my favourite characters is Lance Corporal Jones, played by Clive Dunn, whose stock phrase of "Don't panic, don't panic!" always brings a smile to myface. You can't help but like the elderly soldier - kind, gentle, loyal, bumbling but always well-meaning. So successful was he as an'old man' that he actually had a number one hit single "Grandad" in1971, where he sang with a children's choir. They couldn't have chosen a better person for the song - he looked every inch a loveable, wise, gentle grandpa! 

Many of us, perhaps, have not been fortunate enough to grow up with a grandfatheraround (both of mine died long before I was born), but we can still learn from them and be inspired by them as we look at old photos and listen to our parents talk about them. I have grown up listening to my mother talk of her father, whom she adored.... READ MORE