The beginning

My friend and I started to do what we do almost 9 years ago now.

We met under strange circumstances, her now ex husband who I had known many years earlier as my eldest son had his eldest daughter were at nursery together, fast forward 15 years, this man drove by our house and was asking if anyone had seen his sons bicycle which had been stolen that evening, everyone said they hadnt and that was that, well till 11pm that night when I heard a loud knock at the door, the man from earlier was stood there and started to tell me my name and where I came from, hmmmmm bit of a shock as I didnt recognise him at all.
I did eventually recognise him but it had been 15 years!!!!!
This man became my stalker to the point that I informed a close friend that if anything happened to me then it would be down to him.
One day he brought his wife over and introduced us, she was lovely.
I invited her and her youngest son to my little boys birthday party and at the party I told her that I could only be friends with her if I could be completely honest with her, I then told her that her husband was stalking me, she looked straight at me and said dont worry I am divorcing him he is a bully, from that day on we have had a wonderful friendship and from there we developed what we have done for the last 9 years and still continue to this day.

I should add that the soon to be ex husband blamed me not only for this divorce but also for the 1st one 15 years previously, he to this day takes no responsibility whatsoever for his behaviour towards ladies and has now no contact with his 2 sons which has been 100% his choice, he doesnt know what he is missing both boys are growing into fine young men.

My friend had a terrible time when she 1st left, we managed to secure temporary accomodation and moved her during the day while the husband was out, we used baked bean tins to dismantle bunk beds and moved everything in an old Ford Escort.
One month later after endless phone calls we secured her a house only 4 doors away from me, it was the safest place on earth for her to be as she would have immediate support if it was needed and as was proved it worked very well.
The house had no glass in the windows, no gas no electric and was poorly decorated but we worked hard, I cooked all the meals here and we got a sofa bed which my friend slept on whilst the boys slept in the bunk beds, it might sound terrible to think that someone would live like that but it was heaven on earth for them because they were safe and there is no other feeling like that.

I myself had been both homeless with 2 young children and in a wonens refuge with 3 young children almost 21 years ago now and I always promised that I would give something back for the kindness shown to me at the most difficult times in my life when complete strangers offered me a hand up, I have never and will never forget a single one of them and thank them all from the bottom of my heart for helping me then and for helping me to become who I am today.