Helen has cared for 13 year old Cindy all her life. Her granddaughter knows there's nothing Nan wouldn't do for her, and there's not much she wouldn't do for Nan. That's just as well, because at the moment, the pair are living in a hostel for the homeless. They recall happier times, and their hopes for their future life... (their names have been changed)
Helen: "My favourite memories were when my kids were little and seeing them grow up and get married. The biggest thing of all was when I saw my eldest grandaughter married - on my birthday. There were over 300 hundred guests and the Best Man got them all to stand up wish me Happy Birthday.."
Cindy: The best thing was one Christmas. That year my Nana invited some of the family round and my Nana had got me a camera and I got a picture of my grandad washing up - and Nana just laughed and laughed and laughed - it was just so funny ..."
Helen: "Cindy’s been with me since she was born because her mother couldn’t cope with her. When she was three there was a court order for me to keep Cindy until she’s 18. My relationship with my daughter’s not happy. She’s got married again and had another baby and now she’s up for adoption. I’d take her home, but they wouldn’t let me take anymore - they weren’t looking at my age, they were looking at the two major operations I’d had for cancer on the bowel. But they thought it was too much for me to take on another one. I told Cindy she was a very lucky girl! We’ve had our problems, she’s carried on like all kids do, but at the bottom of it she knows if I hadn’t taken her, she’d have been where her sister is…"
Cindy: "I do love my Mum - but I love my Nana more than anything, I love her more than my Mum. My mum brought me into this world, but my Nana’s been there for me. She’s gone through the bad stages with me, and I never used to think I could talk to my Nana, because she were my Nana, but I can talk to my Nana about anything - I can say anything to her and she’s always got the answer."
When we first came here we felt weird, we’re not used to being in a hostel, we’re used to being in a house. We’re used to being at home, watching TV, sitting down and having a good old family chat. It’s been hard for us both, trying to get used to things, but I suppose sometimes it’s got to come.
Helen: "Let’s put it this way. It’s a roof over your head, and somewhere to put your head down and somewhere to be safe. Whereas if I was roaming around, I wouldn’t have anywhere. They’ve been good to me! But it’s just the rules! For Cindy - well kids don’t seem to bother as much as us - with the rules, she can’t do what she wants and I had to pull her down a bit and explain to her that she’s got to abide by these rules. She says, ‘Nana, let it not be long before we can get a house so that we can be together - we can get with our lives without anyone breathing down our necks"
Cindy: "I hope someday my Nan’s dream will come true - just to get out of here and touch wood she don’t die in a place like this. I want her to die at home with all her fmaily round her bed. She was in hospital last year with cancer. She's scared she’s got cancer somewhere else. I hope she hasn’t. Most of all I miss my family and my baby sister who got put into care last year, and it’s been hard for us both, because they won’t let me and my Nana see her.
Helen: "But we did speak to a social worker and the people who had taken her are not going to let her forget she’s got a Nana and a sister who still love her. I feel bitter, because I can’t do what I want to do, much as I want to. It hasn’t been easy, but as I say, I love her to bits, and I won’t let anybody harm her. I’m a stubborn woman, I’m determined I’ll pull through, and that Cindy and I will get a home, where we can live our lives and get on with it. What I want now is for her to get into school, keep her education up, so that she can do something useful with it!
Cindy: "I want to be a school nursery teacher, and the best mum that any kid could ever have, and for my Nana to see me grow up. I want her to see me grow up. If I could have one wish now, it would be for all our family to get on with each other, and all of our family to be in their rightful places and with their rightful parents but most of all, it would be to have my sister home with me.. I wish it every night but it never seems to come true."
