Episode 5 Going Back Giving Back

One of the things I love about us Brits is our spirit of generosity.

If I can give back to somebody who had a similar struggle to my own,

then that's what I'd like to do.

Last year, nearly three quarters of us gave to charity.

'But what if you had the chance to go back and relive moments from your past?'

I wish I was 18 again!

THEY LAUGH

I'm expecting Mum and Dad to walk out now and say, "I'm home," you know?

Yeah.

'Moments which would inspire you to want to help someone today.'

I want to give back to those people that are going through what I went

-through in the beginning.

-If I can give something to somebody else that

will change their lives, I'd really love to.

Fantastic.

'Someone who had no idea this life-changing windfall was coming.'

I have got, potentially, her dream

-in my hand.

-How are you feeling?

Nervous.

'There'll be surprises...'

-How are you?

-Hello, Kim!

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you!

'..with acts of generosity that will change people's lives...'

I'm really excited.

-We're all crying!

-Do you need a hug as well?

-Yeah, thanks.

'..forever.'

-That was brilliant.

-Somebody that just does that for people, it's just amazing,

-it really is.

-This is Going Back Giving Back.

Today, we're going back to the 1950s. It's a story of happiness and

joy, it's about a woman whose eyes were opened to a different world,

and that's what's driving her to give something back today.

What makes a woman who had an idyllic and carefree childhood

want to help someone today?

I thought everybody enjoyed this sort of life that I had,

I thought that was normal, and it was only when I went away to London,

really, that I discovered people who'd never seen the sea.

What's driving her spirit of generosity?

Coming back here today,

has it reinforced that feeling that you want to give something back

-to someone?

-Oh, definitely,

because just being in an environment where everyone's so happy and

enjoying themselves is one that I'd like everyone to share.

Can she bring some joy into the lives of a family living in the city?

I asked Taylor yesterday about the countryside,

I can't remember what question I asked, and she said, "What is that?"

And I nearly cried, because I thought...

-Actually...

-So she's only ever seen it in photographs?

-Yeah.

'And there's anticipation all round...'

How you feeling? I'm excited.

Are you? I'm really nervous. I'm always nervous at this position,

it's terrible.

'..as we prepare for the ultimate surprise.'

-How are you?

-Hello, Kim!

-Thank you.

-Just delighted.

I'm in Cornwall to meet a woman who, up until the age of 18, lived in

an idyllic village by the sea, surrounded by a loving family.

It was only when she left home and moved away to start her adult life

that she realised just how lucky she'd been.

I can't wait to meet her and hear her inspiring story.

'63-year-old Jan is a retired global management consultant who is now a

'full-time artist.'

-Hello.

-Hello, good morning.

-Lovely to meet you.

-Come in.

Thank you very much.

'A lot of Jan's brightly coloured abstract paintings

'are inspired by nature and the landscape in Cornwall.

'Although today she lives in London,

'Jan grew up in the tranquil Cornish village of Mawnan Smith,

'which is where I've come to meet her.'

What a gorgeous part of the world.

-Isn't it amazing?

-And you grew up here?

-I did!

I am so lucky.

I've enjoyed amazing times on the beach,

just exploring crabs and shells and walking along,

and it's just been great.

It's what they call a carefree childhood, isn't it?

Definitely, very, very carefree.

Jan grew up in this picturesque seaside village with her twin sister, Jill,

her mum, Phyllis, and dad, Jim.

She remembers many happy hours spent at the beach.

What's so special about the sea, would you say, for you?

It's just the endless pleasure of hunting in rock pools,

skimming stones and just simple things.

Jumping waves, swimming in the sea...

Just the sounds and the smells are just wonderful.

Jan's dad was the local mechanic with his own garage and petrol station.

He was a popular man and highly respected in the community.

Your father, it seems, was a real motivating force in your life, as well?

He was, he was wonderful, and a real live wire.

He worked really hard.

It seems that he was right at the heart of the village.

He always made me laugh.

He said, "Everybody has to come and get petrol,"

so he ingrained in me the fact that everybody is a human being

and everyone is equal,

and he helped keep them moving - in more ways than one!

Jan's father had a strong sense of community,

which was passed down to her.

She supports various charities in the art world,

and is a strong advocate for helping people -

whatever their circumstances.

It sounds to me that

without the background that you've had here,

you wouldn't be the person that you are today.

That's so true. Oh, very, very true, yes.

It gave me lots of values.

It gave me confidence and...

a form of strength, I suppose, to just

accept people for who they were,

treat people as people,

with respect, no matter what their background.

-Everyone's equal.

-Everybody in society.

'Jan left Cornwall in 1971 to go to university,

'and then settled in London, where she's lived for 40 years.

'It's her experiences of living in the capital that's opened her eyes

'to another world.'

Do you think you took it for granted when you were a child,

-growing up here?

-Oh, I definitely did,

I thought everybody enjoyed this sort of life that I had.

I thought that was normal.

It was only when I went away to London, really,

that I discovered people who'd never seen the sea.

I just realised even more how lucky I was and how lucky I'd been.

That's what's motivating you, in a way, to give something back?

That is really why I want to give back, absolutely.

Jan's father and mother have been her inspiration.

Sadly, they've both passed away,

but it was their mutual respect for others that's driving Jan today.

Listen, in order for you to give back, I think we need to go back.

-Brilliant.

-If you're up for it?

-I am.

-Let's go for it.

OK.

We're taking Jan back to relive her tranquil childhood,

and we hope this will increase her desire to give something back today.

So I thought we could go on a little guided tour of the village.

-Yes.

-So I'm in your hands, why not?

OK.

This historic village of Mawnan Smith is three miles south of Falmouth,

on the south coast of Cornwall.

It's believed to date back to the 13th century.

Mawnan Smith's a great name, isn't it?

-Isn't it great?

-There was a massive history of smithies in this area?

Yes. So much of the transport in those days was horses,

and so a lot of the work was actually shoeing the horses.

Of course.

In 1851, Mawnan Smith had four working blacksmiths serving the area's rural community,

made up of 19 working farms.

Up until the beginning of the 20th century,

people relied on horsepower to work the land in the countryside,

and for regular transport in towns and cities.

Traditionally, blacksmiths were at the heart of every country village,

but they didn't just shoe horses,

they forged iron and steel to make everything from farm tools to weapons.

The one that was alive in my lifetime was a guy called Dryden James.

-Right.

-He was still doing a lot of

ironwork and metalwork during

my lifetime, and as a child we used to...

I used to run to school and I'd been told not to look into the smithies

because of all the blue and yellow sparks that come off when

-they're welding.

-Right.

But, of course, children have a natural curiosity anyway.

-Of course they do.

-So I used a peek through my fingers and have a look

and hope my eyes were still OK!

Although there's not a huge demand for blacksmiths today,

the village still has a master craftsman in the centre.

Of course, I'm definitely used to driving down these little lanes as well.

It's very similar to North Wales, Cornwall.

Yes, it is, it is, and of course there's a Celtic connection.

-Yep.

-And in fact, the Cornish language, I personally don't understand it,

but I understand... If you understand Welsh,

I think you can understand Cornish.

-There are some words that are exactly the same, yeah, yeah.

-Very much the same.

So we could have done this interview in Cornish and Welsh.

We could have done, if I'd spoke Cornish!

Oh, what a shame.

Buaswn i wedi dweud bod hi'n ardal hyfryd yma.

That means it's a beautiful area - in Welsh, not Cornish!

THEY LAUGH

With its own flag and language,

Cornwall as a whole retains a strong cultural identity,

with many villages like Mawnan Smith

proud of its industrial and maritime heritage.

To celebrate the spirit of Cornwall,

this county is famous for its long tradition of carnivals,

festivals and celebrations.

How do you feel when you come back here now?

It's really funny because I meet people and they say,

"Oh, you remind me of your father," because I...

have his facial characteristics.

And for me, it's a bit like going back in time.

It hasn't changed...

Some things have changed, but the local community is still strong,

and that hasn't really changed.

A lot of this community spirit is down to Jan's father.

In 1962, he used his hard-earned savings to buy up a second garage

that came up for sale in the centre of the village,

with the vision to build shops and create a square to benefit

the community. And it's still here today,

albeit a bit more developed than 46 years ago.

We're going to go and have a look at the square that your dad created,

-yeah?

-Yes.

-Where's that now?

Which I'm really proud of.

That is just around to the right.

OK.

'Jan's father wanted to create employment for locals and a community hub,

'and it's still the heart of the village of Mawnan Smith today.'

So this square is all down to Dad?

It is.

-Shall we go and have a look?

-Shall we go and see now?

-Yeah, come on.

Jan's father went from mechanic to property developer when he took on

this project. He built five shops,

one of which became Jan's mother's clothes shop.

-Welcome to the square.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-Isn't it fantastic?

Yeah, you can see where the old petrol pumps were.

Petrol was there, and before they developed it,

over on that right-hand side was the bowling green.

-Gosh, right.

-As a child, I can remember running up and down the bowling green,

-just treating it like a big lawn.

-Oh, OK.

-Wonderful, wonderful.

So you can actually see this being the hub of the community, can't you?

-Yes, it is.

-It's got lots of different shops, little restaurant,

-cafe as well.

-Mum and Dad used to call it the heart of the village.

You must be dead proud that they created this?

Oh, I am, because they went through a lot to actually get this to happen,

and it wasn't easy to make it happen.

How much of an influence were your parents on your life?

Hugely, because they were both in business and this was a sort of business

for them. I got all my business skills from them.

So they influenced me on a skills level, a values level,

treating people as equals.

Was your dad, by all accounts, a bit of a local celeb?

Well, yes, because, I mean, it's a small community and they were very

central to the whole village, particularly with the garage,

because the garage was being run whilst this was being built,

whilst my mother was in the shop, so they were just full-on,

-active people.

-How do you feel when you're standing here?

I love the fact that this is still a meeting place and it's a centre for

chatting, because we love chatting in Cornwall!

I can see there's a cafe on the corner and someone very dear to your heart

is waiting for us in there.

-Let's go and say hello.

-Fantastic.

Jan's family connection with this village goes back generations.

Her father was born,

bred and lived here all his life and there's one person who's followed in

his footsteps, that's Jan's twin sister, Jill.

Here we are. Here she is.

-How are you?

-Hello, how are you?

-Nice to see you. I'm all right.

-Good.

-You got the coffees in as well.

-Yes, already.

-Lovely to meet you.

-And you.

So you're the one that stayed in Cornwall?

I've stayed here all my life.

What's so special about this village?

It's just my home, and I love being by the sea.

Do you feel closer to your parents as well,

because your dad had such a part in this square?

Oh, yes, yes, very much so.

-What was it like growing up with this one?

-Um...

-Good, fun...

-You can be as honest as you want! JAN LAUGHS

To be fair, we were known as the twins of the village.

So we grew up together and ran around the village together, and

we had lots of friends, obviously in the village, but also it was just fun.

It was safe and fun.

My mum worked in the shop.

-Oh, in this shop?

-When they bought this site and developed it,

then my mum had a clothes shop.

-And now it's a lovely cafe, thank goodness for that.

-We can have a nice cup of coffee.

So it's still a lovely meeting place,

where everyone comes, and it's really great.

And have you never been tempted to up sticks and follow Sister to the

-big city?

-No, I couldn't live away from the sea, I know I couldn't.

It's funny, the sea keeps being mentioned.

What's so special about the sea for you?

I think I just like everything and every sport that you can do with

the sea. I've tried most things.

How does it make you feel when you're on it?

Great, in the rain, in the sun, just to be on there.

I row every week, rain or shine.

-OK.

-We go in the sea.

There's a team now, just for fun.

I used to compete, but I don't any more.

-OK.

-And then I just do the local regattas, because it's just fun.

And there's one on today, isn't there?

-Yes.

-Listen, I can't wait to see this regatta,

-so shall we jump in the car and go down?

-Yeah.

-Come on, I'll drive.

-Sounds good!

-Let's go.

-It will be good fun.

-Do you think?

-Yes.

Coming up, we've been on the hunt for a family with young children who

haven't been lucky enough to experience Jan's idyllic childhood.

And we think we've found them.

They're a young family from East London

who've never been outside the capital.

I would like to go to a seaside place.

Because it's really nice there and you can swim in the water.

That was good. Really good.

They think we're making a programme about children living in London.

They have no idea the real reason behind Jan's visit,

and that they could be in for a gift of a lifetime.

Yeah, well done.

-OVER TANNOY:

-'Come in, number seven.'

Every year, towns and villages in Cornwall hold festivals,

carnivals and of course, being by the sea, sailing regattas.

It's what Jan grew up with and it's a great day out.

So, go on, what's happening here today?

So, we're here at a local regatta.

It's fantastic. Lots of rowing.

-And swimming.

-And that's your sister out there, isn't it?

Yes. She goes in as many rowing races as she possibly can.

-She's already on the start line, there's no-one else there yet.

-There's no-one there, that's true.

She's so keen. But, yes, she's good.

She just knows how to do it.

-Do the turns.

-Yeah.

I love it that she's out there before anyone else.

Awesome.

It's fantastic, seeing young and old all together.

Yes, it is. And everybody joins in.

And they have sort of mother-daughter races, land and sea,

so they row out and somebody else does the running.

Oh, he's capsized!

Oh, no!

But there's a rescue boat, so we know they'll be safe.

And a life jacket on, brilliant.

He's out, look at him, he's fine.

This is typical Cornish life

and one that's ingrained in Jan and her sister, Jill.

This is the Helford Passage Regatta,

which has been taking place for years.

It's a family event, with beach and water races and lots of games.

Every penny raised goes to the RNLI.

So, this is my sister.

She's in pole position.

So she'll be nearest the buoy.

So she can get a cleaner line.

-Right.

-And she'll go round the buoy.

But because Richard, who is a long family friend, is on the outside,

-he's stronger and he may get to the buoy first.

-Looks like he's going to.

-So I think Richard stands a stronger chance.

-Yeah.

Yeah, he's going to win, isn't he?

So even though she was on a better line,

-she's in with three men.

-She is. Good on her.

I know.

And how do you feel, being this close to the sea?

Oh, I love being near the sea, actually.

Even though I love London. This, just being near the sea and saltwater,

is lovely. Healing effect, I think, for me, personally.

And it just makes me feel more alive and energised.

You can tell, everyone's got plenty of energy here.

Yeah. And really happy.

You can tell, people are really happy, even though we've got clouds above,

-rather than brilliant sunshine.

-It's not raining so far.

-It's good, it's good.

Regattas like this are held all across Cornwall and date back over

hundreds of years. They typically involve

lots of different types of boat races.

And coming back here today and witnessing all this,

people having a good time, the sea,

has it reinforced that feeling that you want to give something back

-to someone?

-Oh, definitely.

Because just being in an environment where everybody is sort of happy and

enjoying themselves is one that I'd like everyone to share, you know.

So I'd love it that a child from London who's never experienced

this, or from anywhere, a city, who has never experienced it,

it would just be wonderful.

I think we should now go and experience a burger, what do you think?

-Sounds a good idea to me.

-Maybe a hot dog. Come on, let's go.

-Let's go.

'It's easy to see how being by the sea here in Cornwall is such a tonic

'for Jan, and making everything that much clearer.'

Just being in an environment where everybody is so happy and enjoying

themselves is one that I'd like everyone to share.

'Going back and remembering how her dad inspired her has been really

'poignant for Jan.'

He ingrained in me the fact that everybody is a human being

-and everyone is equal.

-'But more importantly,

'it's made her all the more determined to give something back.'

Bringing Jan back to this beautiful part of the world has brought back

so many happy memories for her.

It's clear that it's her idyllic childhood that's driving her to want

to help somebody in a less fortunate position today.

Of course, there are many people who could benefit from Jan's generosity,

but we think we've found somebody whose story will hopefully move her.

On a built-up housing estate in Newham, East London,

lives 46-year-old Kim with her husband, Michael,

and their large family.

-"I love my mum and sister and my cat."

-Excellent.

The couple have been together for 27 years.

They have seven children, with six of them squeezing

into a three-bedroom house with Mum and Dad.

Kim does all she can for her children in the circumstances, but the youngest,

Taylor, who's eight, dreams of open space.

There is a lot of houses near my house and

there's not that much parks,

but there's a lot of cars there.

Like Jan, they all enjoy painting in their free time.

But while Jan is able to take inspiration from her hometown in Cornwall,

with money being tight,

Kim and her children have never ventured out of London.

I would like to go to a seaside place because it's really nice there

and you can swim in the water.

Jan is keen to help a family who perhaps haven't enjoyed the carefree

childhood she had, so we thought they should meet.

I'm off to meet Kim

and I'm going to hear all about her story and how she grew up here.

And the life that they're living now.

And I'm hoping to meet a couple of her children as well.

This meeting could give Kim and her family an exciting new experience,

so it's really important they all get on.

-Hiya, hello.

-Hello, Kim.

-I'm Jan.

-Hello, Jan. Pleased to meet you.

-Nice to meet you. Hello.

-You are...?

-I'm Lucy.

-You're Lucy. And...?

-Hello, I'm Taylor.

-You're Taylor.

Fantastic. Lovely to see you.

Kim, Lucy and Taylor think we're making a programme about

children living in London.

They have absolutely no idea that they could all be treated to

a gift of a lifetime.

OK, tell me, what do you enjoy doing around here?

I like playing football.

And I like playing in my back garden.

Playing in the back garden. And, Lucy, what's your favourite sport?

-Gymnastics.

-And which part of gymnastics...

Do you like doing the floor?

-All of it.

-All of it.

Pole vault, all of it.

-Amazing.

-All of my children are very sporty.

So anything they put their mind to, I believe they can do it.

-They can do well at.

-Yeah.

-That's fantastic.

-I believe in them, yeah.

But it's not possible for Kim to help her children develop their sporting abilities,

as they can't afford coaching or training.

It's really horrible. My husband is on a very low income.

So we just have to live...

on our income.

Kim's husband, Michael, is a self-employed painter and decorator,

so he doesn't have a guaranteed income.

20 years ago, when her oldest children were very little,

Kim was diagnosed with a debilitating spinal condition

and she's had to give up work.

It means the family has to survive on one person's pay.

There's no spare cash for luxuries.

And that includes holidays.

-So how do you spend your school holidays?

-Um...

Sometimes we go to my auntie's,

or we go to the park, or we just stay inside.

Watching TV or playing, like,

-in my back garden.

-Depending whether it's raining or sunshine?

-Yeah.

-Yes. And where does your aunt live?

-Manor Park.

-Manor Park, OK, so in London?

Yeah.

Taylor and Lucy's auntie lives just two miles away.

It means Kim's children have never had the chance

to enjoy a break outside the Big Smoke.

I'd love to have a chat with your mum.

Are you happy to go and have a play?

-Yes.

-In the park?

Now that Jan has a good idea of what life is like for the children,

she wants to understand what it's like for Kim.

So, now, tell me what it's like.

They've obviously only ever seen this area and no others.

But how have you found it, living here?

Um... A bit isolating.

It's been hard, trying to bring up a big family.

Kim dreams of being able to provide a better life for her children.

Something that I'd like to be able to...

Just have space and somewhere to reflect and...

Yeah. Somewhere for the children, where they can play.

-Yes.

-And not be scared to go outside,

because I don't let them outside at all.

Why don't you let them outside?

Because I'm scared for them.

It's a big, built-up area.

-Right.

-And I couldn't bear the thought of anyone taking them

or them getting hurt in any way.

It frightens me.

The area her family lives in isn't Kim's only worry.

She has to manage a painful back condition that means sections of

her vertebrae are corroding.

I've got a degenerative spine.

So I had a major operation in 2014 and I'm still trying to get over it.

-Still recovering.

-I had a major spinal fusion.

-Wow.

-Yeah, so I'm still trying to recover from that.

What does it stop you doing?

Playing with the children,

which is one of the main things that I miss so much.

Just playing with them.

Life is far from easy for Kim.

Last year, she became very depressed and felt she couldn't cope any more.

Yeah, I went through a really tough time last year.

It's never happened again. I think I just got to the point where I just

didn't know what else to do, where else to turn, because

I've always wanted for my children what I never had.

And I've not been able to provide them with that. And it just...

got me to the point where I just gave up.

But they know I'm happy now.

I'm a lot happier than where I was.

-Which is great.

-The more that I smile,

the more I see them smile and it's just really beautiful.

I love it so much.

Kim is in a much better place now and she tries not to let things get

to her. Instead, she taps into her creative streak.

She writes stories and poems and, like Jan, is artistic

and uses drawing as a distraction.

And what type of drawing do you do?

My expressions on how

I feel about my life at that point.

-Yes.

-And they're normally...

either charcoal or lead drawings, black and white.

I have some that have got a little bit of colour in,

-but I think the expression comes out more when you can see it in black and white.

-I do paintings, too.

-Oh, OK.

-But mine are colour.

-OK.

-And very abstract.

-Oh, excellent.

-So they are, again, based on emotion.

I love drawing, just the expression when you're living in this built-up

area, to be actually able to put something down on paper.

So once it's out on paper, whether it is written or drawn, it's gone.

-Yes.

-The feeling's gone.

-Yes.

-It's just a sense of letting go of the emotion.

-Yes.

-So instead of holding on...

it just releases.

Once it's there and it's written, it's gone.

-Yeah.

-It's just fantastic. I personally find it very freeing as well.

-Yeah.

The parallel of using art as therapy is clearly resonating with Jan.

There's no doubt Kim has a lot of adversity to overcome, but Jan can

also see how she puts family first.

And what life would you like to have?

Oh...

-What's the most important thing?

-Just something that's comfortable,

a home that the children are comfortable...

Somewhere they can sit down and do their homework.

I've always loved the thought of the countryside.

I've always loved the thought of a thatched cottage.

I've seen beautiful pictures...

-They just seem like my dream.

-So, very British, isn't it?

Wow! Stunning.

It's about warmness and quiet.

It's just so busy everywhere that you don't get a chance to just have that little peace and quiet.

Somewhere to reflect and...

Yeah. Somewhere for the children, where they can play.

Yes. So you'd love to go to the country?

And...get some peace.

Just to see what it really means.

I asked Taylor yesterday about the countryside,

I can't remember what question I asked, and she said, "What is that?"

And I nearly cried.

I thought...

She's only ever seen it in photographs?

Yeah, this is her countryside.

The park, it's her countryside.

-Yes.

-And that's really sad.

-It is.

-It's really sad.

Jan can see how much Kim wants her children to get a richer and more

liberating experience of life, one outside the confines of London.

A holiday could make all the difference,

and that's what Jan wants to explore further.

So, let's talk a bit about holidays.

If you could give your children a holiday,

what sort of holiday would you want to give them?

Well, one they more desired.

Whether it be seaside, whether it be country...

I haven't got to that point where I've been able to ask them where they want to go.

You've never thought about it because you couldn't afford it,

-I presume.

-Yeah, yeah. So I wouldn't bring up anything that I knew that

-couldn't really happen.

-You don't want to set them up to be disappointed.

-No, not at all.

Kim's predicament is clearly moving Jan.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with me.

I really appreciate it.

Yeah, and it was fun to do, thank you.

-Good. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

-Thank you.

Girls?

Come and say goodbye to Jan.

Come, run!

It's time for me to go.

-Say goodbye to Jan.

-It's been lovely to meet you, Taylor.

-Bye.

-Goodbye. Goodbye, Lucy.

-Bye.

-Been lovely to meet you. And thank you so much, Kim.

-Take care. Thank you, Jan. Take care.

-Bye.

-Bye.

There's no doubt that Kim,

Taylor and Lucy have made quite an impression on Jan.

It was really interesting meeting Kim, because she is such a family person

and is so determined to give her children the best that she can.

I come from a very strong family background and I sort of feel

the same sense in Kim, that she will make life fun for her children,

even though they've never been out and had a family holiday.

Which I find incredible in this day and age.

And never been to the seaside.

Again, I find that...

..hard to understand, I think.

Jan wanted to meet a young family unable to enjoy the carefree existence

she had growing up by the sea in Cornwall.

And clearly she's found that in Kim, Taylor and Lucy.

But she still needs to decide whether they really are the family

she should help. So she's talking things through with her close friend, Cath.

-Hi.

-Hi, Jan.

-Lovely to see you.

-And you.

-How are you?

-I'm fine.

-Come and take a pew.

-Thank you.

I've got a story to tell you.

Today, I went to Newham and I met a family,

and the family there have never had a holiday.

-Never had a holiday?

-And they've never been to the seaside.

So I met a lovely lady called Kim and I met two of her children.

-How old are the children?

-Lucy and Taylor, eight and ten.

-Oh, super.

-And so they were lovely.

-Yeah.

-Very happy.

Which was nice to see. And smiley.

So they have a happy life, but they've had a very limited life

and they live in a very noisy, busy part of London.

-Yes.

-Because of the road systems around there.

-So what would they do during the summer holidays?

We met in a park, and they do spend time in the park.

-And I did ask the children that.

-Yes.

And they do have an aunt and they visit the aunt.

But their whole world is in that area.

So as much as these spaces are beautiful green spaces,

it's not quite the same as coming from the countryside.

No, absolutely not.

And of course, the sea is just so vast and big,

you can't get that feeling, looking at the river or even a lake, can you?

Not at all. And so I was wondering what you'd think about if I sort of

helped them out. Would you think it would be a good thing to do?

It certainly sounds as if there is scope for helping them in some way.

Is she on her own, the mother?

-Or is there a...?

-The father works, but they're on very low income.

And the mother has a terrible spine, bone, degenerating disease.

But again, I was sort of

moved to feel that I could help her, perhaps.

Yeah, good on you. I think that sounds like a really lovely idea.

-You must let me know how it all goes.

-I will. I will.

And thank you so much for coming and listening.

It's all right. It's a pleasure.

It's important for Jan to have reassurance from Cath that she's doing

the right thing, and after hearing Kim and her young children's story,

it's obvious they're so worthy of her generosity.

We've gone back. Now Jan needs to go forward and decide exactly how she

can give Kim and her family that Cornish seaside experience.

It's been nearly three weeks since I met up with Jan in Cornwall, and I

know during that time, she's met up with Kim and her lovely family,

who are living very much a hand to mouth existence here in London.

I wonder if Jan sees a way that she can help the family.

Let's go and find out.

Jan is waiting for me in Kim's local park,

just around the corner from where Kim and the children are spending

the afternoon in the sun.

So, time to find out exactly what Jan intends to do.

-Nice to see you.

-It's lovely to see you, too.

-And you've got the teas in.

-I have.

-You're lovely. Putting me to shame.

So you've met up with Kim and her family.

-How did it go?

-Yes, I did, and they are a lovely family, really,

really nice. And talking to Kim,

I cannot begin to understand the struggles that she's been through.

She has mobility problems and

the family have a very small budget to live off.

Right.

-And...

-Am I right in saying that some of the kids haven't ever seen the coast or

-anything like that?

-No, they've never been to the seaside,

they've never really, from what I understood, really been outside London.

-OK.

-So their aunt is five miles away.

So they go to see their aunt, and that was almost their equivalent of

-a holiday.

-Right.

-So their experience of countryside, I think,

is next to nothing.

How do you think you can help them?

Well, I want to give them a holiday in my village.

-OK.

-And I have arranged, because you have to book well in advance,

I have arranged an Easter holiday and reserved a bungalow for them.

-OK, brilliant.

-And I've arranged also for them to have an experience

on the water - we had such fun at the regatta - and to get them out on boats.

-Fantastic.

-And Lucy loves gymnastics.

There's nothing better for your balance than being on a boat.

That's true. Absolutely.

Having fallen in quite a few times myself, I've got to say.

So I just know that...

And Taylor just wants to try anything she can in life, which is fantastic.

This is very, very generous of you. How much is all this costing you?

I think it will be about 1,800.

OK. Gosh, that's very, very kind of you.

-It's my pleasure.

-And I'm sure they will be bowled over.

Have you put all these thoughts down in a letter?

-I have.

-Right. They're here somewhere in the park, apparently.

I've kept an eye open, but I can't see them.

-Shall we go on the hunt and surprise them?

-Yes.

-Let's do it.

Come on, let's do it now.

'It's a big moment, revealing to Kim and the children what we've really

'been up to and for them to find out what Jan's got in store for them.'

I can see Kim is just over there, underneath that gazebo.

-With her back to us, thankfully. I'm not sure how many kids are with her.

-No idea what's coming.

'Kim is with Taylor, Lucy and her 17-year-old son, Luke.'

-How are you feeling?

-Oh, excited.

I'm really nervous. I'm always nervous at this position.

It's terrible.

Her child has almost seen us, I think.

-I think Taylor has, yes.

-Taylor has seen us.

Oh, dear. Here we go.

-Hiya, Kim.

-Hiya.

-How are you?

I'm Aled, I'm Aled Jones from the BBC.

-How are you?

-Hello, Kim.

-What is happening?

-I'll tell you.

You thought we were making a programme about children living in the city.

Hiya, by the way. It's not the full story, is it?

-Go on.

-I was very moved by your story, and it's all in this letter.

And we'd really like you to read the letter.

If you read the letter out loud, if that's OK.

-Oh, my gosh!

-How are you?

Oh, my gosh!

-Wow!

-Your face when you saw me!

It's such a lovely face.

-Have you seen Mummy like this before, Taylor?

-Don't fall over.

-If you can read it out, if that's all right.

-I'm going to be really nervous.

-Don't be nervous.

"Dear Kim, it was such fun meeting you all in the sunshine, and thank

"you for sharing your story.

"When you spoke of never having been outside London, I was deeply touched.

"It reminded...

"It reminded me..." Sorry.

-Don't worry.

-"It reminded me of when my parents gave a holiday to a

"nine-year-old London child who had never been...

-"..been..."

-In the countryside.

-"..in the countryside.

"She was speechless, running around,

"enjoying farm animals and jumping waves with an infectious grin.

"You spoke of peace, quiet..." Sorry.

-Thatched.

-"..thatched cottages, fields and seeing another way to live.

"With this in mind, I would be delighted if you would accept a Cornish

"Easter holiday for you and your husband and your youngest children.

"I've arranged for you to stay in a bungalow within short walking distance

"to the harbour."

I can't read it now.

Do you want me to help you?

"To the heart of Mawnan Smith village, where I grew up."

-Oh, my gosh!

-Do you want to carry on?

"I would like your children to grow confidence through a love of

"watersports, so included in this is

"a £300 donation...

"..to the Helford River Children's Sailing Trust,

"where I have arranged three afternoon boating sessions."

Oh, my gosh!

"I hope you will accept my gift and may wonderful surprises continue in

"your life. Wishing you lots of love, filled with happiness...

"Jan." Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

-Will you say yes?

-Thank you, yeah.

-That's all...

-Sorry.

-It's OK.

-How are you?

-Nice to see you.

-Wow!

-I'm really speechless.

-And you must be Luke!

Will you enjoy this, do you think?

Oh, my gosh!

I can't even think about what it's going to do.

-It's going to be great, isn't it?

-I can't wait.

I can't wait to tell my children.

-I can't wait...

-They all should be thrilled.

-You're going sailing!

-Wow!

That is so beautiful. Thank you so, so much.

-I can't...you don't understand....

-No, I don't, actually.

But I can appreciate what it's like being in the country.

And I really hope that you can enjoy it.

-Thank you so much.

-Just that first experience, it's just a joy.

-Wow!

-It'll just be wonderful.

Thank you so much.

Listen, we'll leave you as a family to enjoy your afternoon.

I'm really sorry to surprise you, OK?

-Beautiful. It's a beautiful surprise.

-Your face was a picture.

-It's an absolutely beautiful surprise.

-Good.

-Wow!

-Really nice to meet you.

-Thank you, Aled.

-Take care, my love.

-Thank you. Take care.

-Lovely to see you.

Nice to meet you as well, Luke. All the best to you, mate.

Take care. Take care.

-Right, Jan, let's go.

-Are we off again?

-We are.

-Okey doke.

-Take care, guys. See you later.

Wow! Going on holiday.

We're going on holiday. We're going on holiday.

We're going to go to the countryside.

Yeah? We're going to stay in a cottage, in a bungalow.

Yeah? Have fun. Yeah? Oh!

It's complete and utter shock. I'm just...

-completely blown away.

-Meeting Kim and realising

what she'd missed in life was truly moving.

And it's just given me so much pleasure to actually

give her this gift.

Just to be at one together,

us to actually be united and be somewhere where we've never been and

experience something so beautiful together, it's going to be amazing. I can't wait.

It will make her feel better, it will make us all feel better,

and it's just going to give us a nice peace and quiet and a different

vibe for us to talk, for us to actually join as a family.

That's what we need. Yeah, just some peace and quiet.

Yeah, we've got a nice area around us, beautiful.

That's amazing. That is really good. I'm thankful.

I think Mum should deserve a break because she's been,

like, looking after us. Even though she will be looking after us,

she won't have the hassle because, like, I'll be with my dad as well,

so my dad don't have to go to work.

I can actually answer the question for Taylor that she asked,

"What is the countryside?"

She'll be able to see. And so will we.

Jan's upbringing in Cornwall couldn't be more different to the family's

tough life here in London.

Jan was brought up in a carefree environment with plenty of freedom in the great outdoors,

something that Kim and the kids could only dream of.

Well, thanks to Jan, that dream is now going to become a reality.

The whole family are off on holiday together for the very first time

and I'm sure they'll all like to be beside the seaside.

Two months later, Kim and her family have started

the countdown to Cornwall.

I checked it out and the first thing was the colour of the water.

I was looking at all the thatched cottages.

And I just can't wait to go.

I'm really excited to see the sea

because I haven't seen it before.

The children are so excited about going sailing.

So they can actually say, when they go back to school, that they've been

on holiday. Which will be a first.