Yes, I accept charity
The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me has got to be pretty much everything my friend Catherine has ever done for me. When I was training to be a midwife I met Catherine- we were in different years but same hospital and we were pretty much instant friends. I didn't really have any other friends in the town and I spent so much time round at hers with her and her family. She and her then-husband gave me a job at their restaurant and many lovely evenings and weekends, dinners and even a couple of trips away. She lent me the money for my flat deposit when money was tight.

Then I was reassessed for my student loan and bursary and awarded a whole £1400 for a YEAR. That and I was diagnosed with ME so couldn't work on top of my course. I was ill, depressed, away from home, struggling to stay afloat with uni and placement and could not even afford to drop out of uni as I was too poor to defer! And the contract on the house I was in ran out on 8th August; a month and a half before my course finished. I was penniless, in a hell of a lot of debt and now homeless.

Catherine insisted I stay with her and her family, rent and board free. In return I helped out with the kids and generally was an extra pair of hands but it wasn't enough and I don't think I will ever be able to convey how grateful I am for all that she did for me during a spectacularly poor time of my life, given that she effectively saved my career.

Thank you, Catherine- and you know you can ask for anything, any time. One day I'll find something big enough that I feel I've paid you back!
(Clarabelle is reverting to type on, Fri 3 Oct 2008, 17:07, Reply)