I always took it for granted that Britain was so much more advanced than we really are. I always thought if there’s one good thing about this country it’s that we have in place facilities to support people who are vulnerable. And that’s not necessarily the case, and the tragedy is that I think the facilities were there, I think and know that the National health service has been in much healthier positions. I know there were good services established because when I was in Scotland I can remember them. But now some of the things that I remember are no longer in place I feel if you want support you have to really look for it, it’s sad.

​​When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I had to have a mastectomy, I felt that I had to look for support, I had to telephone people rather than people coming out and that’s quite sad because unfortunately at that time there wasn’t really anybody to ferry me here or there, or offering me services, if you want that help you have to ask for it.

Now that’s all very well but when you’re depressed and you’re shellshocked and you’re feeling down the last thing you feel like doing is being motivated to do those things- you actually need people to be proactive towards you, rather than you being proactive to find them.

So now I’m looking for a job and the job I am looking for is classed as self-employed

I have gone for this type of work because it does pay a little better because you’re a live in carer and I am used to that role.

There’s more chance of getting a job in that area than in other areas. And I need something quite immediate, but at the same time I am being taken away from other things that I would really love to be doing, and I just feel that because of necessity some of the skills that I do have I’m not getting a chance to implement them.

I would love to make a difference in the health service for example, where I could make a difference in working with older people and working with people who have cancer. and working in education and I’m not getting a chance to use any of those skills because the way that the system is you get a company like British Gas who are demanding the claim for extortionate fuel payments, and so the knowledge I have is being robbed. And that’s sad because you’re robbing people of something valuable and that can make a difference because of other needs which are not as important really, and that’s tragic, but it seems to be the nature of things at the moment.