Local Authors

LOCAL AUTHORS

Hospital dietitian and publishedchildren’s author Alison Falkonakis has been reunited with the high school English teacherwho inspired her to write.

Alison, who works at the University Hospital North Midlands (UHNM) County Hospital, Stafford, was surprised to find now retired teacher Mr John Mills on herpatient list recently.

Alison, aged 51 of Stone, attended Blythe Bridge High School from 1981 to 1986, where she was taught by Mr Mills. She has now publishedsix children’s books.

Alison said: “When Isaw that Mr Mills was apatient Iwanted to thank him and give him acopy of my book. “I loved John’s English lessons at school. He had a fantastic imagination and this inspired me alot, we also used to play wonderful gamesinclass and Ialwaysused to look forward to them. Ihad the good fortune to have him twice throughthe five years Iwas there and Iwas just so pleased to come back. It was his evident love for English and for language and the variety of words that drew me in, Ireally enjoyedit. “It’s surreal that the pupil is now sitting here reading the teacher’s work. Iabsolutely adored how John wrote in his book how he feltabout my writing, becausenomatter how many people say to you that they enjoyedyourwork, to have someone who was your teacher say it’s really good actually means more to me than any other critique I’veeverhad. You believe it then because he’s the teacher, it’s really touching. “Theexperience has meant an awful lot to me. It’s almost like a returning home to be able to come back to somebody and to be able to say you know, you made a real impact on what happened. As much as John is very modest and perhaps doesn’t want it, he really did. Ijust want to thank him and make sure he understands that.”

Mr Mills, aged 69 of Stone, has now retired from teaching but recently published abookof poetry.

Mr Mills said: “I wasn’t expecting to see Alison. It’s great that people canbecome reunited again after all these years. And it’s lovely to meet former pupils and see what’shappened in their lives and how they’ve grownand developedaspeople. What we as teachers can do is awaken what is already within theperson and give them theopportunity to learn how to flower. “It’s wonderful because it makes me think -you can kind of blunder through life -but when I meet someone like Alison it makes me think –yeah, maybe I got it right and that gives me great pride. I’m more proud of her book than Iamofmyown. “I didn’t mind sharing my emotions whenteaching, Istill can’t get to the end of ‘Of Mice and Men’ without crying. It says there that we’reall capable of great compassion and I’d like to think that Ishowed alittle bit of that in the classroom. Alot of teachers teach at people and I hope Itaught with them.”

Mr Mills is currently receiving treatment for Parkinson’s disease and cancer at UHNM. In his book ‘No guiding star’ John writes about his experience with both illnesses.

John added: “When Iperform poems Ican educate people a little about what it’s like to have Parkinson’s. People think you just sort of sit there and wobble a bit, but Istruggle to do buttons and things like that. And you can do it in ahumorousway as well so people are learning abit about the disease as wellasbeing entertained. “The care I’ve received at UHNM has been better than first class. The positive attitude of the nurses and the receptionists are brilliant. You come in frightened and they put you at ease, so you get off to agood start and the nurses are kind to you and very positive and professional.”