A round peg in a round hole....Eventually!

It seems a long time ago now, when a women I knew and will always have a massive soft spot for walked into my life and changed it forever. I had just come back from Bosnia and really did not know what to do with myself and she was just about out of a rather strange relationship and looking for something she didnt really know what.

I have no idea really why I fell in love with her, because in actual fact she really could and still can be the most annoying stubborn bugger I ever met, but there was just something about her. A vulnerability that was matched by a concrete wall a mile high one had to climb in order to help her and usually totally against her will. Indeed, many was the kicking I would get in later years for trying. But above all that she also had a streak of cleverness and obvious ability that just needed a chance and direction. I guess linked to the fact that she has a heart as big as a bucket it was obvious that her life would revolve in helping others.

Her first outing in that direction came when we saw a job vacancy for area manager for the Prince of Wales business Trust. She was totally too young for the post. But a trip to a charity shop, purchase of the most disgusting granny frock you ever saw and the tucking of a Daily Telegraph under her arm sorted that. She blew the selection committee away probably because she has pretty good legs and got the job. Then to everyone's amazement, but mine, she did very well indeed. Going from area manager of Thames Valley to HQ in London in charge of the European Women's Business initiative. In this capacity she traveled Europe meeting some heavy weights along the way. Amsterdam, Spain, Brussels to name a few she ticked off the list of place to be seen in and became the euro business girl and was set to fly high.

Then not for the first time she decided to stand up for the oppressed against the mighty and paid the price. Politics in those days were a bit out of her league and the irony was that the girl she stood up for kept her job and Lisa did not.

However, she was a fast learner and wouldnt make the same mistake twice. So, on to new pastures and the look for something else to try her skills and attributes took her to a charity so small it only had four staff. The Child Brain Injury Trust. It was based in a cabin behind the Churchill Hospital in Oxford and was really not much more than a helpline and a lot of dead flies.

How it survive those early days would make a very good film. Because not only did Lisa take it from that Cabin to the national charity it is today, but she also helped a man (me) get over a stroke and brought up the off spring. One of whom inevitably it seems will soon be a special needs Nurse. Lisa in the time it was my honor to live with her certainly grew and I was lucky enough to help a bit here and there, but she without doubt did it through share hard graft and application all by herself. Indeed the Child Brain Injury Trust is really Lisa's charity and due to Lisa's efforts in direction and policy.

And tonight I was proud as hell when her charity was selected to be on Children in Need on BBC1. Not a bad effort for someone who once had a board rubber thrown at her by the Religious Instruction Teacher for being a bloody nightmare. That Teacher is now in the Lords and a good friend to Lisa and supports her charity actually, probably from shock and wishing to know what she gets up to next! Yep, not bad for a Hayes Skin head.

My own memories I have many. But my favorite was her love affair with certain cars (she is a petrol head) an MG Metro we called Motsey Go Faster that she loved to boogy around in. She backed it into a lorry and smashed the back end one day and her classic excuse I will always remember, "the lorry wasnt there when I parked it".

Also, a tatty MG Midget Arkely called Tonka. Watching her wrap herself in a fur coat, scarf, blanket, gloves and french woolen Beret before cranking up this mini tank that sounded like a buzz saw and blasting off on her trips will always stick in my memory. I think she got a speeding ticket in every car she ever owned. Including one in a very old Austin 1100 I didnt think could go that fast. Naturally she tried to talk the Chief Constable out of it.

Along with that though I have etched on my heart those days when she would come home dispirited sometimes totally depressed and dog tired.. Really achingly dog tired from the miles she pounded getting the charity to grow. The sight of her kicking off her shoes and dumping her bags will always pull at the old heart strings and stay in my memory forever. Bless lisilou you done it dux.  I could say more.. but lets leave it there. Well done Lisa. Nice one and I am so very proud of you. What you going to do next......Astronaut?