I am a Lancashire lass, a Blackpudlian, who spent a very happy childhood, along with my elder sister growing up in what was back then, a buzzing, family resort.  Our parents had a Newsagents/Sweet Shop so you can imagine how good that was!

I worked for Yorkshire Bank and then War Pensions Agency, typing up hospital notes for the appeals process.  I met Vince, my husband in 1979 (after splitting from my first husband after four years of marriage).  We’ve been together ever since. Between us we have two children and four lovely grandchildren.  

I was offered early severance by the Civil Service in the late 1990’s and that led to us moving to Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District to buy a guest house.  We ran it for twenty years and achieved a Five Star rating.   We sold it in 2019 and lived with our son for four months, whilst looking to buy a house in France for our retirement.  We had a week here looking at a number of houses and on the day before flying back, put an offer in on the house we are in now, signed the paperwork on the morning of the return flight and that was that! 

I am a keen crafter, and enjoy tapestry, watercolour painting, and since retirement have begun to learn macrame, making small items from Polymer clay, and have recently started to learn patchwork quilting and am edging towards learning English Paper Piecing.  YouTube is a wonderful thing!

We have made some good friends here.  Sue Fairweather told me about the DLCI and I was encouraged to join.  My mum, who is 96, lives with us and she is very frail and can’t be left for any length of time.  (Hubby is a big help though.)

Our rescue dog, Bobby fusses round her every morning.  

Through the DLCI welfare system we were lucky enough to be contacted by a lovely lady, Dawn Kidd, who offered to come over to sit with mum maybe once a month, to allow us to get out for a break and lunch together.   

We look forward to the respite offered and are grateful to the DLCI for giving us that opportunity!  Thank you ladies!