Page 79 - IT'S A RUM LIFE BOOK FOUR Volume 1 "Northcote 1984 to 1998"

Alan is one of those natural speakers, his gift can make your hair stand up on end at the
back of your neck.

On this particular evening I just could not concentrate on anything at all. That darned
Scottish woman had got under my skin.

It wasn’t until the final hymn of the evening that anything registered at all.
Alan suddenly stood and said that he was changing the hymn that had been announced,
for something else.

That something else broke the spell for me. In the last verse there was such a strong
message about help being there if only you ask, that I took the idea on board immediately.
Well almost straight away.
It was, as I remember the next day. Saturday, and I was mucking out on my own.
There is nothing like 2 hours of shifting horse muck and wet straw for concentrating the
mind.
I began talking to God. The work went on in automatic pilot and the conversation
developed.

FRANCIS
The first advice I received was get some help from voluntary helpers. After duly involving
the local newspaper and explaining our situation, we had our very first volunteer.

This was Francis, an ex Prison Officer who had been suffering with acute cancer. Francis
had not reached the age of retirement but had been unable to continue working full time
due to his illness.
Voluntary work had been suggested to him and he duly turned up on our doorstep in smart
slacks with military creases and beautifully polished shoes.

Picture of Francis at Remembrance Parade Burgh le Marsh.