Why
Olivia’s star keeps rising
Down-to-earth actress Olivia Colman chats to Yours about her latest roles and the secrets of Broadchurch By Alison James ust hearing about Olivia Colman’s work schedule is enough to make you want a sit down. The popular BBC comedy Rev, in which she plays vicar’s wife Alex Smallbone, has two further episodes of its third series to run. She’s just finished filming new BBC drama, The Secrets with Alison Steadman, there’s a comedy series, Mr Sloan, on Sky Atlantic soon and in May, she starts filming the second series of iconic ITV thriller Broadchurch. And that’s not to mention the films she’s involved in! Olivia must be exhausted – yet she neither looks nor seems it. “I just like working and want to do as well as I can,” she says, smiling that disarming, charmingly lopsided smile of hers. “It’s wonderful that I’m offered such a variety of roles – I don’t really have a preference, I like it all. I go
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❙ star chat ❙
From right, clockwise, Olivia with David Tennant in Broadchurch, with hubby Ed Sinclair and on set with her Rev co-stars
The first ended with DS Ellie Miller (Olivia) discovering that her beloved husband was the child murderer in a crime that had the nation completely hooked. It will be fascinating to see how series two pans out. “Don’t ask me,” laughs Olivia. “I am doing it but I think that’s all I’m allowed to say. I’m quite good
‘I’m quite good at keeping secrets – I just stay at home and don’t go outside…’ at keeping secrets – I just stay at home and don’t go outside.” Broadchurch series one was, of course, last year’s runaway TV smash hit. Was Olivia surprised by it success? “Yes,” she admits. “I can’t believe how well it took off. I knew the script was great but I
think that about a lot of things. You never know what people are going to like, but the British viewing public are an intelligent bunch and Broadchurch didn’t patronise anybody, which I think programme makers sometimes forget about. “There was also the fact that the story didn’t just concentrate on the case. It showed the impact on all these normal families who didn’t want to think about this awful thing happening, and yet were having to watch the fallout and the town just crumbling as a result. “It was awful to watch but also fascinating. I liked the fact that my character was strong – she’d worked her way up – but she was funny, too. But then, it was all done so well. I loved the way the excitement was able to build, a whole week between each episode, no secrets revealed, not even to us as cast members. I’m hoping series two will be just as compelling.” With Olivia Colman as leading lady, we’d say that’s a dead cert. ✢ Rev is on Mondays on BBC2 at 10pm. YOURS
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PIC: ITV, REX FEATURES, ALAN DAVIDSON/ THE PICTURE LIBRARY LTD,, DAVID LEVENE/EYEVINE, BBC
on whether I like the story and if I think I could do it well. I don’t get overwhelmed because I just take it project by project, job by job.” That’s not to say Olivia (40) is complacent. Anything but. “Oh I really do appreciate those BAFTA wins and I have to admit it is nice getting awards,” she goes on. “I’ve worked hard, I’ve been lucky and it’s very nice to be recognised. It’s like a nod that you’re doing something right. When I left drama school, I couldn’t get arrested! I kept failing at the audition stage. I did a typing course and worked as a temp and as a cleaning lady. “I can’t forget what it was like to struggle to pay the rent – it’s important that I don’t forget that. I’ve always enjoyed my work as an actress and feel lucky to be doing it. It’s a lot nicer now I’m doing more of it but there’s still that feeling that it could all go wrong.” But work, important though it is to her, is only part of what Olivia is about. She has a happy and fulfilling home life with her writer husband, Ed Sinclair, and their two young sons, aged six and eight. How does she combine motherhood with being an actress at the top of her game? “Oh but I have lots of time at home,” she replies. “I’ll work for a week, for instance, then have a week off, then a week on again. I love my job, and I love my home life, and there isn’t a tension between the two. “When you’ve got children it’s easy to do that thing of keeping a tally of who woke up earliest and whose turn it is to put them to bed. But I think the important thing is to appreciate and love your partner and to show that appreciation. My priority is my family and if that’s all OK, only then can I branch out.” The second series of Broadchurch is probably ‘the branch’ that has us most gripped.
By Carole Richardson
Here’s to
hen power! W hen warden Lynne Walker introduced her elderly residents to hen keeping, she never guessed how it would bring them out of their own ‘shells’ and create a party atmosphere. Ask any of the residents on this North East sheltered housing scheme how they like their eggs in the morning and the answer would be the same – fresh. Whether they’re poached, boiled, fried or scrambled, they can guarantee they’ll be just that – because they’ve been laid on their doorstep. Loved and cared for by a group of 70 to 90-year-old men and women at Wood Green sheltered housing, Gateshead, the happy hens were introduced by Lynne 18 months ago and there have been some surprising benefits. Cheap, tasty, golden yolks for breakfast is just one! “I’ve been the warden here for 37 years and I’ve never seen such a dramatic change in people since we starting keeping hens. The men in particular are socialising more, so there’s less isolation and loneliness caused by shyness. It has even helped people coping with bereavement. They’re learning about each other – not just hens – and getting back into life. You can actually see the life reappear in some people’s eyes. I get very emotional just thinking about it,” she says. Yet when Lynne first mentioned the HenPower project, a scheme backed by National Lottery funding, she initially got some strange looks. “Some people thought I was daft,” she admits. “They couldn’t understand where we’d keep them and were worried about noise and attracting vermin as well as the responsibility of
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How one warden’s passion for feathered friends is helping to transform lives
Warden Lynne (right) is thrilled with how caring for the hens has brought her residents together
feeding and cleaning them.” But after a group discussion, they agreed to give it a go. In October 2012 the first brood of eight – Ethel, Joyce, Doreen, Jocelyn, Jenny, Rose, Pam and Belle (named after residents) – arrived to live in a special pen in the car park near the communal lounge area. Almost instantly, they became a conversation piece as residents mucked in together to learn how to provide the best care. “We knew
nothing about hens to start with so it was a challenge for everybody,” adds Lynne. But within no time they’d mastered the basics and as well as collecting 14 eggs a day, were bonding with their neighbours like never before as they shared the responsibility for their care. Resident Pat Cain (77) who was widowed a year ago when her husband Les died after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease and dementia, admits
‘We knew nothing about hens to start with so it was a real challenge to everybody’
❙ real life ❙ from the project. “Men on their own tend not to mix socially as well as women,” says Lynne. “They don’t get together and chat the way women do. But the hens have really given them something to talk about and they tend to do the handson work of caring for them.” Many of the women are happy to make cakes, quiches and
‘They’re great entertainment – you could watch them for hours’
the hens have been a big help in coping with her grief. They’re great entertainment; some are bossier than others – you could sit for hours just watching them and chatting with the other ladies. It’s become a real focus.” As widow Doreen Railton (88) admits: “We love them! It is like living in the country. You know the eggs are fresh and different from the supermarket ones because they have such beautiful yellow yolks.” Soon her grandchildren – particularly the youngest, Zac (4) – were looking forward to taking home an egg from Nana’s hens.
“Another advantage has been how it has bridged the generation gap,” says Lynne. Children from the local community visit and some have hens named after them. The residents visit local schools and groups to give talks about henkeeping. “They have become experts and their confidence has grown massively,” says Lynne. It is the men though, who have perhaps benefited most
✢ Hen Power is one of 430,000 projects that has benefited from the National Lottery Good Causes fund. To find out more, or to find a good cause in your area, visit lotterygoodcauses.org.uk YOURS
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PICS: JOHN MILLARD/UNP
Eggstra special – Lynne shows off one of the hens. Residents say they all have different characters
egg-based dishes for communal buffets so everyone gets a taste of their success. Since they started, the brood has expanded and they now have 24 hens and three cockerels. They’ve hatched 17 chicks in an incubator in the laundry room and hens have been sold at auction by residents. Whatever money is raised goes back to the fund to buy food for the hens. Eggs are left in a basket and residents are asked to make a small donation. “To other people thinking of doing the same, I’d say go ahead,” Lynne urges. “I’ve found out more about the residents through this project than ever before. “Sometimes I just go home and laugh at the antics of the day. I can be helping one resident put his support stockings on while arguing with him about who’s laid which egg! It’s quite comical really.”
Good to KNOW... Meet our expert
Barbara Bloomfield is a Relate couples and family counsellor and Clinical Supervisor with 14 years of experience in the counselling field
hink back to the early days of your relationship and it’s sure to conjure up memories of romance and the excitement that comes with the first flushes of love. But fast-forward 30, 40 or even 50 years, and that same relationship is likely to look very different indeed. With the best of intentions, longterm relationships can, by their very nature, become like a pair of comfy old slippers, comforting in their familiarity but as far from fresh and new as it’s possible to be. And with children often being cited as the glue that holds a relationship together, is it any wonder so many people feel despondent when they’ve grown up and flown the nest?
T
MoT YOUR
RELATION S Taking time to focus on your relationship now could keep you both happy for years to come By Elaine McLaren
PICS: SHUTTERSTOCK
‘It’s important to listen to your partner and not to interrupt them or try to problem solve’ Official statistics show the proportion of couples splitting up in their 60s has increased by a staggering 58 per cent in recent years and is predicted to keep rising. A new study carried out by the relationship charity Relate, and the Mature Times newspaper, found that a third of the 2,000 over-50s questioned no longer made love or else did so less than once a year on average – a loss of intimacy experts say is damaging to any couple. Relate couples and families’ counsellor, Barbara Bloomfield, who co-authored the study, believes there are practical steps towards reviving a waning relationship. “People can so easily get distanced from each other and it’s 52
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surprising just how quickly we can start living what essentially amounts to separate lives,” says Barbara. “But as fast as it can happen, it can just as easily be repaired.” One of the exercises Barbara suggests is the Ten Touch Test – a fun way of reintroducing intimacy into a relationship. “This isn’t necessarily about reigniting passion
in the bedroom, but more of a way of reconnecting with your partner and remembering what it feels like to touch them,” says Barbara. “One of the saddest things that came out of our research was the number of people who admitted never having a cuddle from one year to the next, when showing affection is the one thing that makes a marriage different
Your
N SHIP
Story
‘Making time for each other is key’
Denise Gyllenspetz (54), from Gloucestershire, has been married to husband Ian (56), for 36 years. “Ian and I had only known each other for six weeks before we got married, and three of those were waiting for the banns to be read in the church. I was 17 and he was 19. “ Inevitably, our personalities and outlook on life have changed over the years. But we’re from a generation where walking away isn’t an option, so we have to work
to a brotherly/sisterly relationship.” Barbara recommends thinking of ten different ways you can touch your partner in a week, whether it’s a cuddle when you wake up in the morning or a kiss goodnight. Another common downfall is lack of communication. “I’m often amazed by how little couples talk to each other, especially about the things that matter in their relationship. “A common misconception is that when you’ve been with someone for a long time, you know everything about them or what they’re going to say, but if you try to talk to them, I think you’ll be surprised.” Set aside 15 minutes each week where you can talk to each other without distractions or, better still, make a date of it by going out for a coffee or to the local pub. Ask things like, ‘Tell me about your grandmother, I’ve always wanted to
hard at making sure our marriage stays strong. “There have been times when it’s been extremely tough, but by talking to each other about our feelings, we’ve worked through it. “Other demands can be a huge factor when it comes to drifting apart, so we always take time to remind ourselves that it’s ultimately about the two of us. Talking things through, especially when one is at a low point, making time for just the two of us and, most importantly laughing, has helped us to stay together.” know more about her,’ or choose a series of topics, whether it’s politics or films, and take turns to talk about them. “The important thing is to listen to your partner, especially when you’re talking specifically about the relationship, and not to interrupt or try to problem solve,” says Barbara. Re-embarking on a hobby you once enjoyed together is another great way to reconnect, helping you enjoy each other’s company once again. ✢ The Mature Times Guide to Relationships, Love and Sex, by Barbara Bloomfield and Jane Silk, is available now, rrp £9.95
✢ NEXT ISSUE How to haggle for what you want!
FINDING LOVE AGAIN Whether widowed or divorced, finding yourself single in later life can be daunting. Here are some of Barbara’s tips if you’re looking for a new partner… ✢ Take time to think about what it is you’re looking How to be mindful
elms us, When life overwh ness’ can help practising ‘mindful e positive…after a restless us feel morfeelin sted exhau g d Do you wake up grumpily contemplate the myria night’s sleep and you? of tasks which await
for. Do you want romantic relations with no strings attached, something more meaningful or just companionship? ✢ Be prepared to step out of your comfort zone in your efforts to broaden your social circle. Just because you’ve never tried a particular club or activity before, doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it now. ✢ Track down old friends,
Missed our feature on... mindfulness?
Read it now at
or even old flames. If you liked someone when you were 20, chances are you’d like them now. But beware if you’re looking for love; they might have a partner who won’t appreciate your friendliness! ✢ Don’t rule out online dating – it can be a great way to meet new people. Try the Yours dating site www.yours friendshipandromance.co.uk
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Time of my
life
‘I was the belle of Butlins’
Joan Carmen Smith's first-ever holiday turned into the stuff of dreams...
A slightly unwilling Joan joins the beauty contest line up!
That moment: boyfriend Jim’s proposal was caught on camera YOURS
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t was the summer of 1958, I was 19 and on holiday with my boyfriend Jim and his family. Hard to believe these days, but it was my first experience of a family holiday. Although my parents and older siblings had gone camping in Wales for a week when I was eight, I was in hospital at the time and missed it. Having invited me to share their holiday and got permission from my mum and dad, my boyfriend’s parents booked three adjoining chalets at Butlins in Filey. The middle chalet was for my boyfriend’s older brother and his wife, I shared one with his mum, and my boyfriend shared with his dad – this was the Fifties after all! Unlike today, chalets were very basic; a small wooden bed on each side of what was really only a hut, no en-suite bathrooms or other mod-cons,
I
but then many people didn’t have indoor toilets at home either so it all seemed quite normal. I can’t remember if there was a wardrobe; unlike today’s lightweight, skimpy holiday clothes, my cotton dresses and skirts, fluffed out with sugarstarched underskirts, took up rather a lot of room, so I suppose there must have been. I can remember some of those outfits, even without resorting to photos taken at the time. One of my favourite skirts was white with red flowers; I’d sent away to a women’s magazine for it and it arrived in sections ready to be sewn together. My most memorable outfit though was a flowered cotton dress, probably bought in C&A in Church Street, Liverpool. Although I was fond of it, as dresses go, it was really nothing out of the ordinary; it was what happened the day I wore it that made it memorable. My boyfriend’s father, Jack, was a lovely man; kind, gentle, and most importantly
Chalets were very basic; a small wooden bed on each side of what was really only a hut
Yours
wants to KNOW
number 13! We paraded around the hall a couple of times then stood still while we were ‘judged’ by a panel; it was all very demure by later beauty contest standards. When the results were announced I could hardly believe it – there were cheers from the crowd as I was awarded third place! The rest of the day was something of a blur. My boyfriend was really mad that he’d missed all the excitement, yet knew that I wouldn’t have done it if he’d been there. Pictures went up around the holiday camp and complete strangers would come up and congratulate me; some even suggesting that I should have won! My prize? A year’s supply of shampoo – I think it was Silvikrin – which arrived at my home in a large cardboard box some weeks later. My boyfriend’s father was so proud you’d have thought I was his daughter rather than his future daughter-in-law. Yes, my boyfriend proposed on that holiday, I have a photo of him on his knees to prove it, and we’ve been married now for 54 years. My lovely father-in-law died 40 years ago, but I’ll always remember the precious gift he gave me that day – the gift of confidence. It was the first, and only, time I entered such a competition, but it still gives me a kick to remember that although I didn’t quite make it as that week’s Miss She, I’d given it a go, come close, and enjoyed the experience. And I still have the photographs.
Have you got an amazing story to tell? We’ll pay up to £100 for every story we print. Send your story (no more than 1,000 words) and pictures to: ‘Your Memories’, Yours magazine, Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Or you can email your stories and pictures to valery.mcconnell@bauermedia.co.uk
Quirky connections
Radio puppet Archie Andrews, voiced by ventriloquist Peter Brough, was made by the most skilled puppet maker ever, Leonard Insull. On radio, Educating Archie got 15 million listeners but sadly didn’t survive a move to TV in 1958…
… due to Peter’s rather poor ventriloquist skills! But one Ray Alan, probably the best ‘vent’ Britain ever produced, became a TV hit after appearing with his posh puppet Lord Charles on The Good Old Days – also made by Leonard Insull and based on the face of Stan Laurel...
Ray went on to host his own successful children’s TV series, Tich and Quackers in 1964, featuring cheeky schoolboy Tich and his pet duck Quackers. Quackers was operated by an up and coming talent called Tony Hart...
… who went on to host Vision On, with Pat Keysell. Originally for deaf children, its mix of craft and comedy appealed to a wider audience. In 1977 we were introduced to a plasticine character, Morph, created by Peter Lord...
PIC: ALAMY, BBC, REX FEATURES
for me, someone who gave me confidence. One day in the middle of the holiday, when the rest of the family were going to the outdoor swimming pool, he held me back saying, “No, we’re not going with them, I’ve got another plan for you today. I want you to go back to your chalet and get all dressed up, I’m taking you somewhere.” Completely baffled, but trusting him implicitly, I did as I was told and emerged from the chalet a short time later dressed in my favourite flowered cotton dress, complete with sticky-out underskirt, white shoes and handbag, and short white gloves. I almost died of embarrassment when I saw where he was taking me. In one of the halls they were holding a Miss She competition. At the time, She was a glossy magazine which held weekly ‘Day Wear’ heats at Butlins, the winners going forward to the annual final. My boyfriend’s father had actually entered me in this competition without any of us knowing. I simply couldn’t believe it! There were dozens of very glamorous-looking entrants; I was all for backing out, until I saw the look of disappointment on Jack’s face. “Go on, love, you look lovely,” he encouraged. “It won’t do any harm to give it a go. I knew you’d be too embarrassed in front of the others; that’s why I didn’t tell them.” Before I could protest, I was standing in a long line of girls and women and had been given the
… He went on to co-found Aardman Animations and help produce Wallace and Gromit, among others. He has plans to bring Morph back to our screens this year... YOURS
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0 1 BEST... of the
Historical
church tours Explore fabulous architecture, hear local stories that will take you back in time… and there’s even a pop-up opera! The following tours (except the pop-up opera) are organised by the Churches Conservation Trust, include light lunch and return travel from the named train station and cost £40 per non-member. To book, call 0800 206 1463 or visit www.visitchurches.org. uk/historicchurchtours. Of course, you can go along to any of the churches mentioned in your own time, too.
✢ Evangelical Trends in Rural Churches
✢ From Romans to the Industrial Age
JUNE 5 LINCOLNSHIRE See 19th Century painted texts at St Mary’s of North Cockerington, enjoy the Victorian charm of St Helen’s at Little Cawthorpe, and some Romanesque and Gothic restoration at St Martin’s of Waithe. ✢ Coach leaves Grimsby Town station at10am, returns 5pm
JULY 23 SHROPSHIRE The church of St Andrew at Wroxeter is built on the Roman site of Viroconium. St Leonard’s at Linley dates back to the 12th Century, whereas St Mary the Virgin of Shrewsbury houses various features spanning from the times of the Saxons to the 1800s. ✢ Coach leaves Shrewsbury station at 10am, returns 5.30pm
✢ Lords and Gentry
SEE THE LIFE-SIZE FIGURES!
✢ Patrons and Dynasties MAY 7 WORCESTERSHIRE This tour takes you from St Swithun’s in the town centre, to All Saints in Spetchley and St Mary Magdalene in Croome. You’ll see Capability Brown landscape design and learn about the Berkeley family and their estate. ✢ Coach leaves Worcester Shrub Hill station at10am, returns 4pm
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JUNE 18 SURREY Pugin designed the chapel at Albury Park, there are brass memorials aplenty (the oldest military brasses in England) to discover at Stoke D’Abernon, and there’s a Tudor church in Esher that the Churches Conservation Trust describes as ‘an interesting jumble of sandstone and brick’! ✢ Coach leaves Esher station at10am, returns 4.30pm
St George’s, Esher houses a threedecker pulpit!
JULY 25 LEIGH DELAMERE, WILTSHIRE St Margaret of Antioch will host the famous ENJOY THE Mozart opera this POP-UP OPERA summer. Come for a picnic beforehand at Leigh Delamere House, and bring a cushion for the pews! Please note there is no wheelchair access to the church.
✢ Memorials and Monuments AUGUST 5 SOUTH YORKSHIRE One of the major attractions of this tour is the chapel memorial to William Rokeby, Archbishop of Dublin, at the church of St Oswald in Kirk Sandall. There are also 14th, 16th and 17th Century religious monuments to pore over in Wentworth and Throapham. ✢ Coach leaves Doncaster station at10am, returns 4pm
Wentworth effigies, at Holy Trinity church
✢ Tickets £30, (includes £5 donation to the Churches Conservation Trust and refreshments). Available from Mrs H Tupper, Leigh Delamere House, Chippenham SN14 6JZ, or email h_tupper@hotmail.com. Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm performance. Visit www.popupopera.co.uk
✢ Town and Country AUGUST 27 SUFFOLK Gothic revival, 15th Century glass and Victorian decorations await you on this trip from Halstead to Chilton and Sudbury, that takes in the Holy Trinity, St Mary’s and St Peter’s.
St Mary’s: the only complete medieval church in Shrewsbury
✢ Coach leaves Colchester station at10am, returns 4pm St Leonard’s is well worth a visit
✢ Along the River Wylye SEPTEMBER 10 WILTSHIRE St Nicholas, Fisherton Delamere, was rebuilt in the 19th century, whereas St Leonard’s at Sutton Veny was abandoned in the 1860s. See the old schoolroom at St Mary’s, Old Dilton, too.
✢ First World War Tour OCTOBER 8 SOMERSET As this year is, of course, the First World War centenary, it seems fitting for the tour series to end with the golden stones of St Thomas at Thurlbear, and the story of its enigmatic local Captain. There’s also the chance to track the records of men who fought and returned to the village of Ottersey. Note: This tour may not be suitable for those with mobility problems. ✢ Coach leaves Taunton station at10am, returns 4pm
✢ Coach leaves Warminster station at10.30am, returns 4pm
HOUSES DRAMATIC GARGOYLES
✢ South Downs Wayfarers SEPTEMBER 24 WEST SUSSEX St Mary Magdalene at Tortington features Norman carvings similar to gargoyles. Enjoy rare stained glass in North Stoke before heading to St Botolph’s where you’re likely to encounter walkers from the South Downs Way. ✢ Coach leaves Arundel station at11am, returns 4.40pm
10 of the best... Hotels with literar y links
r Jane Aus ten? e Eyre from youwith bookish Know your Jan urite hotels Discover our favo s… historie
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✢ NEXT ISSUE Top ten places for you to get away from it all!
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WORDS: ALEX FRISBY; PICS: ALAMY; MASTERFILE; CONSERVATION TRUST
✢ Così Fan Tutte
mfrom y lessons life…
Songs of Praise presenter and novelist Pam Rhodes talks Christianity, cats and why she’s made the decision to be happy
Whether you are a Christian or not, you couldn’t meet the people I’ve met and talked to over 26 years on Songs of Praise, about terrible unforeseen changes in life like bereavement, illness, and divorce without believing in prayer. Whether it’s millions of us praying at the same time for a common goal, or one voice calling out in despair in the night, prayer works. It’s a real power that changes things.
✢ Treat people the way you want to be treated
The world of TV is very competitive, and there is quite a lot of treading on people to get to the top. I have never fitted into that ‘marching over people’ to get anywhere. But I remember someone saying “everyone you meet on the way up, you will also meet on the way down”. It’s advice which works in every area of life.
✢ Dancing is great for relationships
I taught dancing for many years in youth clubs and decided it was a way to get fit in my middle years. So I took up Ceroc and modern jive. The joy is that you get to dance with so many different men! It could be a butcher, a baker, or in my case a roofing contractor called Richard who I met there and married ten years ago. I remember eyeing him across the room and one day he commented on an article about me in the parish link. It turned out he sang at the local church. As you grow older you look for different things in marriage. I am not sure Richard would have chosen me, or me him, when we were 20, but at our age we suit each other very well
✢ Listen to your loved ones
When I met Richard he had six daughters, including twins, and I had a son and a daughter so our children were aged 21 to four. It worked because we made sure that all the children knew they were being listened to individually.
✢ Attitude is everything
Besides being on Songs of Praise, and writing my novels, I get asked to do such a lot of things and I always answer yes, unless there’s a very good reason to say no. The moment you start saying no I can’t, or no I won’t, then life closes down on you; the world goes on without you and someone else will do those things.
✢ Happiness is a decision
I’ve had challenging times in my life. When my first marriage broke up it was awful and I wasn’t sure what lay ahead. But someone told me that happiness isn’t something that happens to you, it’s a decision you make.
✢ Cats are good companions
We run a cat sanctuary and at any one time can have up to 40 residents. Cats see right through you without using words, which is why they will come and sit on your lap whenever you are feeling down. ✢ Pam was talking to Pam Francis. ✢ Her latest book, Casting the Net, a heart-warming tale centering around an English country parish, is out now, published by Lion Fiction, priced £7.99.
WHAT MADE YOU WHO YOU ARE TODAY?
Cat lover Pam with husband Richard YOURS
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My mum. My dad died when I was only 14 and he was 44, and from that point I had to grow up. My mum became my friend, and that friendship shaped me as a person. As a widow with no money, she worked her way up by her fingernails to run the Toyota Knitting and Sewing Machine academy. She was a remarkable woman.
PICS: EDWARD LLOYD/ALPHA; PICK & MIX IMAGES/ ALAMY; GILLIAN THORNTON
✢ Prayer is powerful