CARING

I found myself in the caring profession at the age of 10 when a local group of Junior Red Cross cadets was formed. We all felt very important in our uniforms and were encouraged to help the older people of Pett village.

We had to learn to march and always attended special church services in Pett village. Our Officer decided she needed a secretary and set everyone the task of writing a letter to her about the group. Guess who won? And I began my life- long interest in voluntary work. I can remember one year we had to enter a procession along Hastings sea front. Several of us were dressed up on the back of a lorry and I had to depict an elderly lady being attended to by a cadet.

I was most indignant that even my mother didn’t recognise me in my grey wig, head scarf and long dress?

My Mother was often not well so it was left to me to cope with the general household chores after my sister and brother had left for the forces. I learned basic cooking at an early age so that father always had a hot meal at lunch time if mother was not well enough to cook it. I can remember papering and painting the front room when I was 16 paying for the necessary paper and paint out of my own wages.

In later years I can also recall that I saved up and purchased Mum and Dad’s first Television also a refrigerator and cylinder carpet cleaner. These actions were not unheard of in the late forties early fifties most of my friends acted similarly. I suppose in some way I was trying to compensate my parents with my existence knowing and being told all the time that I was a mistake.