Insights
From the US election to supporting people with Cancer in the UK
An evening with Jonathan Dimbleby
Picture: Stonehage Fleming's Guy Hudson Anton Sternberg and Hamish Sinclair with Jonathan Dimbleby, second from right
It is often assumed that the older you get the wiser you become. British broadcaster and historian, Jonathan Dimbleby, isn’t so sure. “With age you realise that you accumulate some knowledge – if you’re lucky enough to have a memory. But whether you accumulate wisdom is another matter. And I rather doubt it,” he told guests at a Stonehage Fleming Alumni and Friends drinks reception in our London offices in September.
The assembled guests, though, felt very differently, as the veteran presenter of current affairs and political radio and television programmes, answered a wide range of questions from Guy Hudson, our Head of Marketing and Communications.
The discussion, on the topic The geopolitical landscape after a year of extraordinary political change in 2024, ranged widely. Jonathan opined on a variety of subjects from the US election, through the war in Ukraine, via the result of Brexit on the Special Relationship, the state of India’s premiership, the influence of the orthodox church in Russia to the reasons why wealthy families may or may not choose to leave the UK.
Finally, Jonathan alighted on a subject close to his heart, when asked if there is cause for optimism about cancer. “One in two of us who are alive in this year will acquire a cancer at some point during our life. A great many more of those are being cured and a great many more lives are being extended. There are scores of people who could be cured of their cancers now. There is much to be optimistic about if we can afford to make those breakthroughs available,” he said.
Jonathan chairs the Richard Dimbleby Cancer Fund, which was set up in 1966 following the death from cancer of his father, journalist and broadcaster, Richard Dimbleby. He told guests about an invaluable tool that the charity has developed. Cancer Care Map is a simple, online resource that aims to help people find cancer support services in their local area anywhere in the UK.
“Working with the NHS, we’re in partnership with MacMillan Cancer Support and we believe it is a unique service. The response has been phenomenal from both patients and organisations. We would grow faster if we had more resource.”
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