I feel the need to tell you about the kindness of others to me.
I bought a farm in Zimbabwe at Harare South in 1999, it was an ad in the paper, couldn't resist, sold my business and paid the money to the estate agent. There was a problem with title deeds. This farm was beautiful www.property.htmlplanet ,com it had a history it belonged to VP Nkomo and had been confiscated due to a cache of weapons being discovered there. It was allocared to three down from the president who dies prior to taking occupation, his wife advertised it worried that it would be given to another. Simultaneously the Zimbabwe land issue started, I thought I'm had lost everything and had my twi children to support.
I went to see the Minister of Justice Munagagwa, I explained my situation that I was a British national and had never been a Rhodesian or held duel nationality and had no local vote,, was apolitical, and understood that there was an agreement that all agricultural land should be owned by Government in 1990, and that Britain did not have the funds for compensation - I thought it ridiculous that 4000 farmer and the British embassy could fund an opposition party that would succeed and reverse the agreement at independence against millions of people. He listened to me and said, It will take three months to draft but I will issue you with new title deeds, they arrived duly signed by the president, the only Zimbabwean farm title deeds at the time possibly to date. He then said he would like a favour from me, as I was apolitical he would like me to assist his PA Mr Nyati for two years whilst I awaited my children at school, I agreed it was an honour and I couldn't believe the kindness of issuing me title deeds so I could support my family. It was hard with the violence around me but we were left in peace. Later I was allowed to sell my farm unlike everyone else. It still has title deeds today.
I had a stroke as a result of an operation for a broken leg eleven years ago and was left 50% disabled. Imagine you break your leg expect to leave hospital in a few days in a plaster cast and are told you have had a stroke are 50% paralysed and have three infections from the operation including that super bug that closes down hospitals in UK. I sold my home to pay for medical attention and send my children home to thev UK when they completed school.
The lady I was taking out at the time stayed with me and looked after my children as I was a single parent from aged 2 and 3 until they left home and now me. In hospital I didn't imagine she would stay with me, perhaps one of the reasons for my stroke. I wasn't used to kindness or consideration.
It cannot have been easy, it is difficult to adjust to disability - the anger and frustration of not being able to use hands or arms. I am not sure I could have put up with myself.
My children in UK have paid for a trip to UK in June for my 70 th birthday..
We are short of money, I get a reduced British pension of 128 pounds a month so I contacted the organisation in Camborne, Cornwall where I have my name down for an apartment.
They have guest apartments for residents and asked we could have one so I could show my partner the area where I want to stay.
The manageress said it was not booked and she has booked it for us and also in view of my condition she has spoken to her friend in Truro and booked that as well and we could choose as the one in Camborne was a bit basic,really kind as I'm not a resident but she said I am top of the list.
I then asked online for a rail disability card and it was sent immediately to a daughters address.
My partner although British her grandmother and late husband who had a brit passport has a SA passport.
I really want to show her the apartment in Cornwall and hope she will come and live with me, but she is very proud.
She doesn't want to get married for a passport and says people might think that, I think she is very British already.
I am dreading trying to get her a British passport which she deserves, we have applied for a visa for her to come with me- 3 hours to complete online.
A friend in UK suggested she could claim as a carer to help out financially, but she would not hear of it.
I am really very lucky and see a lot of kindness, I thought it would be hard to get disability cards overseas in Zimbabwe as I am but Age UK are very good and helped me.
I am really looking forward to coming back to the UK.
I feel very fortunate she was there when I had speech therapy, when I went from a disability car and wheel chair to crutches, there are times when I feel surrounded by angels.


  • Zimbabwe