Independent

Frank and I moved to Church Street in Market Deeping over 40 years ago, intending to stay for only a short while due to our work commitments in Education and Social Care.  We soon found the friendliness of the neighbourhood (and closeness of the Vine Inn!) to suit us and we decided to settle here.  Over the following years we raised our two sons and fostered troubled teenagers from different London boroughs.

Whilst the boys were still young, I took a break from teaching and established the Cherry Tree Nursery at the back of the house.  Its entrance came through our back garden from the little neighbouring park.  Although the nursery is no longer here, its memory lives on because the local children still refer to it as the Cherry Tree Park. 

When Frank's health began to decline, I returned to work full time at Stamford College and it seemed that it wasn't long before the nursery children I had taught at  four years old became college students that I saw in the classroom again as young adults. It raised a smile when students were puzzled at how their parents already knew me.  

Other family members also moved to Market Deeping in the 1990s and quickly settled, joining in local activities and taking on community responsibilities.  For all these years, this has been the safe and supportive community that we hoped it would be. 

With the passing of time and early retirement, I have achieved my research Doctorate studying the development of positive environments.  I now have additional knowledge and opportunity to support residents in the community and am leading on initiatives to improve our environment so that others can feel safe here too.  There have been changes over the years but Deeping is still a good place to grow up and grow old in and my purpose in life now is to continue to give something back to the community that has looked after me and my family so well.