By Ruby Howells
One of the most inspirational women in my life is my grandmother – or Nana – Molly. For her whole life, she has always helped others, and is the most selfless person I know. When she worked, she was a carer for adults with severe disabilities, many of whom she became friends with for their whole lives. I remember one of her friends who she cared for, Cathy, would occasionally come and stay with her where I grew up in Shropshire (Nana is originally from Orpington in South London), and they would write to each other and exchange Christmas cards. Nana has always loved animals, particularly dogs, and she has rescued around 15 dogs from shelters, many of them seniors. At one point, she had four at once! Nana has also sponsored other animals over the years including donkeys, and she supports so many charities that I wouldn’t be able to count. Despite being 75 herself, she seems to enjoy ‘adopting’ those older than her, being a friend for them to chat with over cups of tea and biscuits – the most recent being a nonagenarian in a bungalow just down the street from her. She’s a coeliac warrior – gluten-free before it was cool – but partial to some naan if we have a takeaway from our local South Asian restaurant! When I’m her age, I want to be just like her; I feel very fortunate and blessed to be 21 with all of my grandparents still here, and I hope that when I’m 75, if I have grandchildren, they will look up to me in the same way that I look up to my Nana.
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