Have you noticed how popular we have become all of a sudden?

Letters addressed to you by your first name from people you have never met, or if you did once meet them it was probably at a fund-raising event at which anyone would sign a cheque became a friend for life, to be forgotten the moment the ink was dry.

Little billets doux arriving through our door, hand-delivered by the party faithful inviting you to a barbecue, garage sale, a bun fight or some sort, with a coy little note in the corner which mentions a "donation to party funds" when there you were, innocently think that your new "bestest friend" wanted to see you for our own sake.

And then there are all the articles in the newspapers about the value of the "grey vote". My, my, we have suddenly become visible and not only visible but valued, at least until after the May elections, which we are all assuming will be national as well as local. I have been invited to the workshop for older people to discuss ways of making our voice heard and to press for better government for older people in Brighton and Hove, which looks a very interesting agenda about which I will be writing next week.

Entitled Making Sure Older People Are Heard, it proposes an older people's council for Brighton and Hove as well as suggesting we should have some say in the future regeneration of the city. It may be that our priorities are not always those of the council. Who knows what ideas might come out of the workshop?

Nationally, all the main parties are seeking our support. Promises are flying thick and fast and we are all going to have to look carefully at what is on offer. Not only what is on offer but also at the likelihood of the offer becoming flesh.

Will you be better off with the fuel allowance and the free TV and an extra bit on the basic pension or would you rather have the choice of more on your weekly pension and no freebies? Do you want to fill in the many pages of the form which will open the door to means-tested extra money or do you want back more of your own money by having your savings tax-free?

I doubt if you would get the same answer from the first ten people you stopped in the street because some would vote one way come what may, others would look at what best suited their circumstances. But it is something we need to look at very carefully before we cast our votes.

We are a large group of voters with real power if we only use it. We should make sure our voice is heard on polling day, whichever way we vote. There is no doubt that there is still age discrimination at many levels in spite of all the pious words about equality of opportunity.

Brighton and Hove has a large population of older people, many of whom are active in the arts, with charities and other voluntary organisations, such as the University of the Third Age, all of which contribute to a vibrant lifestyle.

We should make sure our day-to-day contribution is not forgotten and only wheeled out at election time.

If our leaders want our vote, ask them what they are planning for the benefit of our generation.

We have done our share - now it is time for the next generation to do something to help us.