The Time of Their Lives

BBC Four, Monday 20 July, 7.30pm

The Time of Their Lives is an inspiring film about three women — Hetty Bower, Rose Hacker and Alison Selford — with a combined age of nearly 300.

Hetty Bower, who is now 103 years old, is well known to Stop the War, having been a virtual ever present on our demonstrations since we were founded eight years ago.

Hetty's commitment to the cause of peace is unquenchable. The film shows her training through vigorous walking for Stop the War's demonstration in March 2007, which was her 84th peace march, and after which she complained that it was "too slow"!

Rose Hacker, who sadly died, aged 101, during the making of the film, was a working journalist up to her death and also an inveterate anti-war campaigner, particularly for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

The commitment and fortitude of these remarkable women would put to shame many activists a fraction of their age.

The film is an uplifting testament for a range of reasons, not least in the humour and sharp intelligence that Hetty, Rose and Alison show as they approach the last days of their long and eventful lives. They are, as one reviewer wrote, "truly inspirational characters, and it is a privilege to share in the time of their lives". Not to be missed.

The Time of Their Lives (58 mins)