Kaska and I met outside Mrs D’s in a sort of excited anticipation as to what to expect when we came in. The mission we had was vague and mysterious… ‘Sorting out papers/writing letters for Mrs D’ and ‘She will need your support with sorting out financial paper work and potentially writing a letter’.

I’d even come equipped with pens and a highlighter, ready to release my inner Wordsworth. We knocked on the door and were greeted by Mrs D, who ushered us in and made sure we had somewhere comfortable to sit.

It transpired that there were no letters to write, or papers to go through. Mrs D had a lot of stories to tell instead… We started with her issues getting her pension out this week, before she shared tales of her youth in Yugoslavia (helping her Uncle and Grandad run a shop), her move to London in 1964, about her career as a carer, her hairdressing, how she nursed her son, and about how much has changed in the 60 years she has spent in Acton.

Although we didn’t really get the mission ‘completed’, Mrs D seemed delighted to have some company, and enjoyed having four willing ears to chat too. We also got some useful advice back - how the best way to clean a wall is with a mop, and that you should never drive in London!

It was tricky to find a gap in the wonderful tales she was telling for us to leave! But she wished us all the best, and made us promise to visit if we passed by again. She said she had plenty more stories to tell!

It wasn’t the mission we had anticipated or expected (my pens stayed sadly put) but we did lighten up a vulnerable older persons day. And we at least know that the thing she really wanted (other than our fantastic company) was a cleaner, and not someone to help her with a letter.