Catherine's husband left her in 1983. I'd be queuing every week at the social with kids hanging out of me. There were times when I was so depressed it was indescribable. It was a friend of mine who asked the St Vincent de Paul to come and see me they were my lifeline. I still couldn't do it without them.
Life is better than it was then.
She collects her deserted wife's benefit and children's allowance on Wednesday, and cashes her wages cheque on Friday. Between the two lies a finely balanced array of outgoings. On the Wednesday I pay the bills - the ones I can. And my biggest bill is my two loans men. Shopping for five on that is very difficult.