While my mother was giving birth to me in Sheffield in 1957, my father had just started as a consultant pathologist in Lincolnshire. During my childhood I moved many times and lived in many counties. As a third-generation nurse, I began my training in London and continued the nomadic lifestyle as I collected post-registration qualifications.
My husband and two sons settled eventually in a small village in Lincolnshire where I work as a practice nurse in the local surgery. Following the death of my mother from cancer, I added Marie Curie nursing to my skills and became involved in fundraising for the charity.
As we had a granny annexe built on, we decided to become foster carers, and for the last 16 years we have had four children in long term placement. Six years ago we were asked to take a three-year-old with complex medical needs who is still with us.
It was then I started reading the Guardian. I had been brought up to read a broadsheet and I chose the Guardian as I feel it gives a more balanced view. Downtime for us is one weekend a month which we spend on our narrow boat on the Grand Union canal. My hobbies continue the outdoor theme: dog-walking, cycling and horse riding.
The Saturday morning time out with the Guardian is sheer indulgence. My particular favourites are the readers’ contributions in the Family life section and Tim Lott’s Family column – I have become a big fan of his book Water Strider. I enjoy the Review, and Tim Dowling’s weekly column in Weekend magazine amuses me as it reflects life here in Lincolnshire.
The Guardian articles of most interest to me are related to subjects close to my heart. I really appreciated Viv Groskop’s in-depth interview with Sally Phillips on pre-natal testing for Down’s syndrome, and I’ve enjoyed articles and poetry by Lemn Sissay. He had personal experience of the care system, and his account of his journey through it is commendable. So here’s to the next six years of a great read.
