Maisy

Maisy (not her real name)

I was churning out piles of cards during the opening hours of my shop Petal n Paper, based in Ford Village. Tasks including: colouring, folding, calligraphy, bagging, printing, packing, labelling, sending out orders. One day I realised, as well as having volunteers, how great it would be to give an apprentice an opportunity to learn.

After an email to HeadInjury Newcastle upon Tyne, several talks, meetings and risk assessments, after some months, Maisy arrived. Her true life story I need to protect, but after a motorbike accident, Maisy had lost a huge chunk of her capacities and skills. She had been a manager, and raised a family, but now she could not retain learning or reading, amongst other issues.

Maisy was a quick learner, she proved to have a great eye for detail, and she also brought fun and laughter. I taught her some italic writing and soon she was off! She created some beautiful cards of her own, next to learning to work the till and deal with customers.

We did have one problem though… and luckily we could have a good laugh about it! Maisy always came by bus, the stop was conveniently right outside my shop. The problem was she forgot to get off. Maisy would be on the bus, but would forget where she was going or what she was going to do. She would read some pages of a book, or a whole book, but would not be able to re-tell any of it, in turn would start the same book again. In this instance she simply did not remember the aim or goal of the journey. Therefore I always had to appear at the bus stop.. Just to make sure she got off and did not end up in Wooler or Alnwick.

Thanks so, so much Maisy for our fun times. You are a star.

A corner in Petal n Paper Ford Village