The story of one of Hook Home Help’s first clients

This was one of my first clients and the only one who was really chuffed at the idea of being a model. She was delighted by the prospect of being on leaflets. My daughter was the photographer. It was a lovely afternoon, one of many.

This was a client whose family lived far away. The son used to come to Hook on a regular basis, but when he needed treatment for cancer, he needed some back up. He said, "I can no longer come up from Margate to change a lightblulb!".

I was booked in for weekly visits with the proviso that I would also pop over any time for lightbulb type emergencies. Every week I sent him an update to let him know how she was.

I heard so many stories of a long life that started in Newcastle and then went all over the world with a husband in the army. I heard every detail of her three babies, from their births to the birth of their children, and even their grandchildren. (I keep a whole host of family trees in my head these days).

I loved hearing these stories and seeing her face light up with the memories. I know that families can get bored of hearing the same stories over and over again but they were new to me and I never mind hearing them again. I love to hear about times that have passed and places that I will never go. I love to hear about what remains important at the end of life, and what has faded into insignificance.

She talked a lot about the passing of her husband and her grief and the struggles of living alone. I was her sounding board and her confidante. Some things she didn't want to discuss with her family, but she needed company, she needed to share her sadness and her worries for her family. Meanwhile her son was so grateful to have someone checking in on his mum and being on hand to help with practical issues.

She really just needed a listening ear and some moral support. For many months, this small gift of time was life changing for both her and her son. They made sure that I knew what a lifeline this was for both of them. And the more time I spent doing this, the more time I wanted to spend doing it. So now I am doing it all the time and I feel so grateful for the chance to contribute to people's lives in this way.