Episode 9 Going Back Giving Back

One of the things that 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!

LAUGHTER

I'm expecting Mum and Dad to walk out now and say hello, 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 that,

that I went through in the beginning.

If I can give something to somebody else

that will change their lives, I would love to.

Fantastic.

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

I've got potentially her dream in my hand.

How are you feeling?

Nervous.

'There'll be surprises...'

-How are you?

-Very good!

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.

LAUGHTER

'..forever.'

Brilliant!

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

it really is.

This is Going Back Giving Back.

Today, I'm going back in history,

to uncover a really moving story, actually.

It's a tale of fear and family secrets,

and I'm hoping that by unlocking these mysteries,

one person can change another's life forever.

How will a daughter react when she hears for the first time

why her father's illness was kept a secret?

It was like something that you were ashamed of or it was a stigma.

Yeah, well, I think people used to think that people were mad.

But will his story inspire her to make a huge difference

to someone else's life today?

If you can withstand that,

you can pretty much get through anything in life, can't you?

Can she make life easier for one brave young girl?

She was crying a lot, she was very upset, she went to sleep,

and she woke up and she was just completely paralysed.

'And the tension builds as we prepare for a massive surprise...'

They have no idea that we're here, OK?

Come on, let's go! I can't wait.

'..with a gift that will transform her life.'

-Thank you so much!

-It's a great pleasure.

We're about to meet someone from the baby boomer generation,

someone who was born into the golden age of post-war Britain,

when there were opportunities at every corner.

However, for this particular baby boomer,

what was happening behind closed doors was a very different story.

63-year-old Anne has made the huge decision to give something back.

So I have asked her to meet me

in the beautiful market town of Abergele,

in the Welsh countryside.

Her life today as a former college principal and senior civil servant

is a stark contrast to her humble childhood,

growing up in Moss Side, Manchester.

-Hi, Anne.

-Hi, Aled.

-How are you?

-Great to see you.

-Great to see you.

-What a lovely day.

It's always like this, isn't it, in North Wales?

-It's always like this in Wales, yes.

-THEY CHUCKLE

Anne's desire to help someone is driven by her experiences

of growing up with a disabled father.

It must have been very tough for him.

-Oh, incredibly.

-It was tough for you, of course, as a child

-but also...

-It was tough for the family.

As a young child, her dad was extremely ill.

When he was five, he contracted TB, which left him with a severe limp.

Despite being physically disabled,

Anne's remarkable dad worked relentlessly in his butcher shop

to take care of his young family.

It was that that's what you did,

you got on with life and you earned a living.

You battle through.

I think that that was quite a tough thing to do

and a brave thing to do.

I do admire him for that.

And my mother, indeed.

Already disabled when Anne was four,

her father suddenly developed epilepsy,

which meant he suffered massive seizures.

This life-threatening condition was like a ticking time bomb,

but her family kept it a secret from the outside world.

Your family never really talked about the epilepsy, did they?

No, epilepsy was never spoken about.

In fact, I don't even think I heard

the word "fit" or "seizure" mentioned.

But maybe it was because

it was something that was a bit of a stigma,

it was associated with it,

there was a lot of fear and worry about what it was...

and so it was kind of best covered up,

people didn't really talk about things in the same way then

in the '50s and early '60s.

Anne's mum was a strong and constant support to her dad.

She passed away 15 years ago,

but her 90-year-old father lives in a residential home near Anne.

It's their resilience and ability to get on with life

despite her dad's disabilities

that is inspiring Anne to give something back today.

Have you thought about the enormity of what you are doing,

the fact that you could change somebody's life forever?

Um...

-Well, I...

-It's pretty big, isn't it?

I hope, I hope that...

..however big a change it is to somebody,

it does help and it makes a difference.

In order to focus your mind on the task ahead,

I think it might be a good idea

if we take a journey back in time as well.

Are you willing to come with me?

-I'm willing to come with you.

-I'm glad you said that.

-Shall we head off?

-OK, let's do that.

I've parked just over there. Right, here we go.

We are taking Anne back in time to help her understand

where her father's resilience and strength comes from.

As a family, they hardly talked about his disabilities

but his was a childhood blighted with illness.

I'm hoping that discovering the reality of what her dad went through

will reinforce Anne's desire to help someone today.

So, the million-dollar question - any idea where we are going?

-I think I might have worked it out.

-Oh, really?

Well, because, first of all, Abergele is not a big place,

and I have just seen a sign that says hospital and...

"Abergele" and "hospital" have a particular resonance

for me and my family because my father was here from age five.

As a young child, Anne's father was diagnosed with TB,

a highly contagious disease.

From as early as 1911 through to the 1950s,

patients like Anne's dad were separated from their parents

and sent to sanatoriums to be treated.

How long was he there for?

I think about five years, from age five to ten.

I certainly know he went in '31

and I have a picture of him in 1934

and he's aged eight.

Ah, OK.

In that picture, he's standing up, for the first time, with his mum

-after three years of laying down...

-Goodness me.

..and not being able to move.

That must have been pretty momentous.

I don't think he came home then, I think it was another year or two.

Today, TB is easily treated with antibiotics but at the time,

it was believed that fresh air and rest was the best cure,

so the children were made to stay in bed at all times.

In many cases, for years.

The disease mainly affects the lungs,

but it can also infect other parts of the body, including bones,

which is what happened to Anne's dad.

And what impact did the TB have on him?

He was left with a physical disability,

in that he had one leg that was longer than the other...

-Ah, OK, right.

-..so he always had to have his shoes built up.

By the late 1950s, with the introduction of the BCG vaccination,

TB became preventable and curable with medical advances

so the sanatoriums were closed down.

Guess what, you were right.

LAUGHTER

You were very crafty, weren't you? You saw that hospital sign.

I just noticed, yes.

This is Anne's first visit to the Abergele Sanitorium.

So will the revelations of what her father experienced here

at such a young age inspire her to want to help someone in need today?

-How do you feel being here?

-What a building, goodness gracious.

You've only got to imagine that in 1930.

My dad arriving here

as a five-year-old little boy with his mum and dad in tow.

-Must have been terrifying, don't you think?

-So scary.

It probably wasn't a sunny day like this,

it was probably grey and rainy, and, you know,

you were going to be left here when your parents go back to Manchester.

-Goodness.

-So would they visit him then?

I think they did come and visit him but only weekly,

and if they were lucky,

because I think there was a bus that came from Manchester

and brought the parents of all the children that were left here.

I know my grandfather had a motorbike at some point,

and they were able to visit, but I think it was weekly visits,

nothing more than that, maybe even longer.

It doesn't bear thinking about, does it, these days?

I mean we're talking pre-National Health Service, aren't we,

and the understanding of the need of children to be with their parents

to actually make a recovery better in a family environment,

to be totally separated,

it really must have felt like Velcro being torn apart, I'm sure.

Did he ever talk about it?

No, no. Even now, we have to encourage him to say things,

although he does a lot more now.

When my sister and I were growing up,

we were aware that my dad had been in hospital,

but he never really mentioned it and he just got on with life,

so we never asked him about it, obviously.

-Shall we go and have a little wander?

-Yeah, that'd be great.

-Are you OK?

-Yes.

-It is quite overwhelming, isn't it?

-No, it will be fantastic.

-Come on, let's go.

'This is obviously a very moving visit for Anne.

'Even today her dad Norman is reluctant to speak

'about what life was like for him here,

'but we've arranged for someone to meet us who remembers it very well.'

-I might have a little surprise for you here as well.

-Right.

I hope you like surprises.

Come and meet this gentleman.

How are you?

-Very nice to see you.

-Nice to see you, sir.

-Hello.

-I'm David.

-Hello, I'm Anne, good to meet you.

-Very nice to meet you.

David has one thing in common with your father.

-Right.

-Which is?

-I was an ex-patient here, I was in from 1945 to 1950.

-Really?

-Gosh.

-What was it like?

Well, we knew nothing else.

And you lay in your bed?

Yeah, just strapped down on a frame.

-Yeah, that's what Dad says.

-Yeah, on a frame, yeah.

-Strapped down?

-Strapped down.

-The cure at the time was complete stillness and fresh air.

-That's right, yeah.

And that's what you got - strapped down on your frame

and shoved out, hail, rain or shine.

If it was raining, you were under the veranda.

-If it wasn't, you were out.

-Out there.

The Abergele Sanatorium was opened in 1931,

specifically to treat children with TB from Manchester.

The disease thrived in overcrowded industrial slums,

and reached epidemic proportions in the north-west of England,

killing tens of thousands of people.

It was hoped moving children to the countryside would cure them.

How old were you, David, when you came here?

-I was...three when I came here.

-My dad was five when he came here.

-Eight when I went out.

-Yeah, and Dad was about ten.

That must have been quite scary, wasn't it?

Again, it was all we knew.

How was it saying goodbye to parents and things like that?

It was a bit heart-wrenching,

cos you knew you weren't going to see your mum and dad

-until next weekend, next Sunday.

-That's right.

It's amazing that you're smiling about it.

For someone of my generation,

the idea of being strapped down in your bed and wheeled out,

as you say, rain or shine, it sounds absolutely horrendous,

you know, being on your own without your parents.

Well, you had your mate next door, we were all pals.

We were like brothers and sisters, you know what I mean?

David's parents kept a record of his time at the sanatorium,

regularly taking photos that depict what it was like here.

What have you got in here?

Basically, really, my stuff.

-That is me in plaster.

-Yeah, exactly.

-So, what? They plastered you...?

-Oh, yeah.

Some children with TB had radical operations to fuse joints and bones

to stop the disease from spreading.

It then meant huge parts of their bodies

were covered in plaster while the bones recovered.

Look at that! I had no idea!

That wasn't so bad, really.

The worst part was having your plaster replaced -

that was horrible.

It was like laying in a swamp for two days while you dried out,

-it was terrible.

-So this plaster would be from here...

-From here, to here.

-Oh, my goodness me.

-Gives you a bit of insight into what your dad went through.

-Doesn't it?

David's first-hand account is bringing to life

what Anne's dad must have experienced from the age of five to ten

and I'm hoping will fuel her desire to give something back.

-So where are you going to take us?

-I'm going to take you to the ward,

the babies ward and then the ward that I was on for the duration.

-Where was that, down here?

-Yeah, yeah.

So this is where your dad would've been then.

I know, exactly, in here.

Even though the sanatorium closed 60 years ago,

the building has not changed

so Anne can see exactly where her father was cared for as a young boy.

How do you feel, coming here now, knowing this is where your dad was?

It is incredibly moving.

It's very moving to think of these little boys in his case,

and in your case, David,

actually lying flat on their backs in beds,

wheeled in and out, according to the weather,

but mostly, it sounds as if you were wheeled out

because the fresh air was to cure the TB.

It was stillness and fresh air.

It's a good explanation to me as to why my dad is so cheerful

and so hardy, and I don't know whether you are the same.

If you can withstand that,

you can pretty much get through anything in life, can't you, really?

And so I think it must have developed incredible resilience.

David has given Anne a vivid insight into what her dad lived through

as a child with TB in the 1930s.

It's incredible to think how he dealt with his childhood disability

with such positivity

and Anne can finally understand where her dad's strength comes from,

and it's what's driving her to want to support somebody today.

-You've been a gentleman, thanks so much.

-You're welcome, sir.

It's been good, hasn't it?

It's been utterly fantastic, thanks so much.

-So how do you feel now?

-Well, what an afternoon.

I'm deeply moved by having been here,

very grateful, and it's just fantastic.

It's a magical place, isn't it?

Has it, in a way,

reinforced the idea that you want to help other people?

Oh, yeah, this is just inspirational

and if I can give something to somebody else

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

-Fantastic.

Thank you.

Coming here to North Wales and to the sanatorium,

where her dad spent his early childhood,

has really impacted on Anne.

Her dad's always been very guarded about his experiences here.

For the first time,

I feel that Anne has a clear idea of what he went through.

This place, obviously, made him the man he is today.

Armed with a new knowledge of what life was like in a sanatorium

has made Anne even more determined to want to help someone.

Coming up, we've been on the hunt for someone

whose story will resonate with Anne and we think we've found them.

She's an inspirational young girl whose childhood, like Anne's dad's,

has been overshadowed by disability.

Her family thinks we're making a programme about children with disabilities.

They have no idea the real reason behind Anne's visit -

that they could be in for a life-changing gift from her.

Hello, girls. Hello, Harriet. I'm Anne, nice to meet you.

So the big question is, how will they get on?

But first, Anne wants to meet up with a key person

who's inspiring her to give back.

Hi, Dad.

Hi, darling. You OK?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Good, good.

Anne is visiting her 90-year-old dad Norman

at his residential home.

She's hoping that, finally,

he'll open up to her about his time in the sanatorium.

Look, Dad, thanks for doing this.

I just want to talk a bit about yesterday when I went to Abergele,

which I realised I'd never, ever done,

even though we went to Wales quite a lot.

Do you remember very much about it?

A considerable amount, in various ways.

After learning about the types of treatment

given to children at the sanatorium,

Anne now wants to know exactly what her dad went through.

I was...

..put on a frame.

Your feet were actually bound and taped

and threaded through the bottom of the ring,

and then it was tipped to an angle of 30, 40 degrees.

The results of the frame did quite a lot of damage to...

-..the tops of both my feet...

-Right.

..because the actual strappings

had bitten themselves into the flesh...

-Gosh!

-..of my feet.

Did you have to go into plaster?

Eventually, yes.

So it must been quite frightening, all of that?

But TB was just one life obstacle Norman had to deal with.

His young life continued to be blighted by illness

when he developed epilepsy when Anne was just four.

The treatment he received was brutal.

The way of treating it in those days

was electric shock treatment through the head

or possibly injections into the spine.

-Right.

-They tried for a long while to actually get into my spine,

joining the lower regions of my spine

and were not successful

and gave it up eventually.

But it wasn't just a fear of the extreme treatment

that made the family keep his epilepsy a secret.

It was also the social mind-set of the time.

People didn't really talk about epilepsy then, did they?

-No, not at all, no.

-Is that your recollection of it?

-Yes, very much so.

-It was like something that you were ashamed of

-or it was a stigma?

-Yeah.

Well, people used to think that people went mad.

Yes, it was associated with madness.

Because it's a shivery movement, you know?

The whole body goes, I understand.

It's only recently that attitudes towards epilepsy have changed.

For years, there was a huge stigma surrounding the condition,

and many were left unemployed or sent to workhouses or asylums.

In the late 19th century, as understanding of the illness grew,

epileptic colonies were opened to offer employment and treatment.

Men worked the land and learned trades,

while women did domestic chores in the home.

But for Norman, having spent five years in a sanatorium as a child,

the family lived in fear of him being sent to another institution,

which explains why he wanted to keep his condition a secret.

Dealing with TB and dealing with epilepsy...

..are two big barriers in life.

Well, yes, I suppose they are in some ways.

All I can say is that you've got a very positive attitude

to dealing with what many people would feel

is huge adversity and a huge blow to life.

The way you've dealt with those, I think, is truly inspirational

and I think you should acknowledge that.

Well, if that's a help to anybody, I don't mind.

It's been a great help to me.

I really was quite moved by talking to my father.

I was moved by how much, in a way, he has

affected me and my desire to want to help another.

So I'm very motivated to help somebody else now.

Going back and understanding what her dad went through as a child

has been emotional for Anne.

You've only got to imagine my dad arriving here

as a five-year-old little boy. It must have been...

-So scary!

-..terrifying, don't you think?

And she's finally discovered why his epilepsy was kept a family secret.

People used to think that people went mad.

Yes, it was associated with madness.

Uncovering all this has helped focus her mind.

This is just inspirational,

and if I can give something to somebody else

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

-Fantastic.

I think this has been a real revelation for Anne,

learning about the treatment her father received at the sanatorium

and the fear he must have felt about being sent back to an institution

because of his epilepsy.

It's no wonder his family kept his disabilities a secret.

Anne's father showed real courage trying to live

as normal a life as possible.

And it's this strength, I reckon,

that's driving Anne on to want to give something back today.

Of course, there are many people

who could benefit from Anne's generosity

but we've found someone whose story, we think,

will strike a chord with Anne.

They are a family determined to live life regardless of their situation.

They're a remarkable family.

Hi, baby!

In a Northamptonshire village lives Harriet,

a severely disabled child who relies entirely on her mum, Jane,

and sisters Sophie, 19, Chloe, 17, and Emmylou, who's nine.

12-year-old Harriet has an extremely rare genetic disorder.

Although she has the mind of a 12-year-old,

she's trapped in her body and unable to use her limbs,

hold up her head or speak.

Just like Anne's dad,

Harriet's childhood has been overshadowed with disability,

albeit on a much more severe scale.

But while Anne's dad was sent away from his parents

to an institution to be cared for,

Harriet is surrounded by a loving and inspirational family.

And just like Anne's mum was a constant support

to her disabled father,

Harriet's mum, Jane, is her family's rock.

With these parallels, we've arranged for them to meet.

It feels a bit strange, but I'm excited

and I'm apprehensive, and I'm curious.

And I hope it's going to be lovely to meet them.

This is a hugely important meeting,

which could transform this family's life.

Let's hope Anne feels a connection between them.

-Hi, Jane, I'm Anne.

-Nice to meet you.

-Thank you for having us here.

-That's all right, come in.

Hi, girls. Hello.

Hello, Harriet, I'm Anne, nice to meet you.

-This is Emmylou.

-Nice to meet you, Emmylou, as well.

It's great to be here, thank you for having us.

Mum Jane thinks we're making a programme about children with disabilities.

Do you fancy a cup of tea?

I'd love a cup of tea, Jane, thank you.

-We can sit in the garden, actually, and have a chat out there.

-That would be delightful.

Do you want to carry on playing the computer?

Jane has absolutely no idea

that she could be in for a generous gift to help Harriet.

So, you know, your life changed drastically then, 12, 13 years ago.

So just tell me a little bit about that.

So, Harriet was fine when she was born.

Normal baby, nothing wrong with her at all.

And at nine months old, she developed a tremor

and it didn't go away so we took her to the doctors.

The GP, obviously, had a very good idea

that it was something to do with the brain,

because he spoke to the hospital immediately and got her straight in.

They did CT scans and everything immediately.

But, by the next day,

her hand had actually set itself like that and didn't move again.

-My goodness.

-She came home after a couple of weeks,

and literally 24 hours later, her other hand started doing that.

Oh...

They could not find what it was that was causing it.

They knew it was in the brain.

Doctors were completely baffled.

But then, things took a devastating turn for the worse

for little Harriet.

She was crying a lot, she was very upset.

She went to sleep and she woke up,

and she was just completely paralysed.

Oh, my goodness. And that was just overnight?

Yeah.

Within the space of a few hours,

nine-month-old Harriet was struck down by this mysterious illness.

Jane's world was turned upside down.

So, suddenly, she was like a newborn baby again -

couldn't hold her head up, couldn't sit up, couldn't do anything.

Didn't speak, she lost...

Not that she could talk, obviously, but she was babbling, you know?

And she couldn't do any of that at all.

Absolutely devastating, shock, and everything else.

It took five years for Harriet to be finally diagnosed

with a rare genetic disorder

that's only been found in less than 50 other people in the world.

But Harriet's family just try and get on with it

and despite her severe disability,

Harriet is happy, extremely resilient,

and adored by her sisters.

She definitely has a personality.

Even though she doesn't speak, her personality definitely comes across.

She's got a funny sense of humour.

-She's always smiling, which is amazing.

-Yeah.

We love her to pieces.

Harriet's sisters and Jane clearly worship her.

But as she's unable to communicate,

it can be challenging and heartbreaking at times.

She's beautiful. She's a normal, little 12-year-old inside that head,

stuck in a body that won't do as it's told.

When she's upset, trying to work out what it is...

-It's very difficult.

-..is it emotional?

Is it because her TV programme's finished or someone died in it?

Is it because she's hurting?

If she's hurting, where is she hurting?

Is it her stomach? It could be her shoe rubbing.

Because, before we know, we've gone through everything,

taken her and got her ready for bed, and she's got a blister on her foot.

And I feel, it makes me cry, because I'm thinking I've let her down,

you know what I mean? And it's the stress and the worry of that.

If she could just talk!

Then... Oh, that sounds awful, doesn't it?

Jane is a single mum who gave up full-time work

as a company general manager to be Harriet's main carer.

And she has a lot to contend with, hoisting Harriet in and out of bed,

giving her medication through a stomach pump,

feeding and changing her,

but Jane just gets on with everything without complaining,

earning massive respect from her daughters,

just like Anne felt with her mother.

There are so many things that she does for Harriet that

no-one could ever dream of the amount of things that she does.

All I do is make her laugh.

That's our job, we make her laugh.

She does so much on her own.

With us three and Harriet, a fully dependent child,

she just does so well.

The way Jane and the girls cope with such adversity -

and indeed, Harriet, who always has a smile on her face -

is really resonating with Anne.

The way you have responded to this, and your family, the girls,

is incredibly inspiring, isn't it?

I mean, you just seem to get on with it and deal with it.

We don't have a choice.

I mean, a lot of people say, "Jane, how do you deal with it?"

I mean, you know...

It's your daughter, you don't have a choice.

Anne's main focus now is to find out

how she could help this inspirational family

and make life easier for Harriet.

So, Jane, with all that you contend with,

what would make a difference to your lives, in fact?

Both of you, and the family's?

There's a lot of little, simple things that would make a difference.

She's had this hip replacement

and while she was in a lot of pain before she had it done,

and while she was recovering,

the school very kindly lent us this chair.

It's on wheels, it's got a base

and this big beanbag that you position her into.

Sadly, they were only able to borrow the special chair for a few weeks.

They can't afford to buy one themselves,

but it would make all the difference to Harriet.

So she can be comfy, we can strap her in, she's safe,

and we can wheel her around.

And she can be in the lounge with us,

instead of being in a rigid chair.

-So she'd have her wheelchair as well.

-Yeah.

It's just like a chair.

It's ideal for someone like Harriet.

Yeah, yeah.

The way Jane and her family deal with Harriet's disability

has had a big impact on Anne

and this meeting has been pivotal in her desire to give something back.

Jane, thanks so much, it's been so lovely to meet you.

Lovely to meet you too.

It's always nice to have a chinwag.

Well, indeed. Especially in the garden, when it's been so nice.

-Take care then.

-Lovely to meet you, bye, Anne.

-Bye.

I was very moved by Jane's tenacity...

and it reminded me of my own mother, who also was a feisty fighter...

..and didn't let things get her down.

She could keep things going for the family

and that, very much, is how Jane is.

She, clearly, is devoted,

as you would be, to all her children

and she's devoted to Harriet's care

and I find that profoundly moving and inspirational.

Anne's obviously been hugely moved meeting Jane

and hearing all about Harriet

and how the family have coped looking after her.

But before making up her mind whether she can help them,

Anne's going to discuss this important decision

with one of her oldest friends.

Michael, I've been on such a journey,

I've got to tell you.

It started on Sunday, when I went back to Abergele, in North Wales,

-where my father had been with his TB for five years.

-OK.

So I've been uncovering a little bit of the origins

-of some of his disabilities and difficulties.

-Right, OK.

Then, I've just come from meeting Jane and her daughter Harriet

and Harriet's sisters, one of Harriet's sisters,

and their story is very similar, in some ways, as a family...

to what I experienced.

So there's a resonance there?

Well, there is, and it has been interesting to watch how Jane,

as the mum in this family, has dealt with disability

and it kind of reminds me of my mum

and how she coped with things when my father got disabled,

as well as, of course, how my dad, as a disabled person,

also deals with things now.

He's incredibly resilient, and this young 12-year-old, Harriet,

who I've met today, is also a very spirited and resilient person.

Gosh. How interesting!

-Tell me more, tell me more.

-It has been fascinating.

Well, this is it.

The next step now is that Jane and Harriet

are really, very much,

in need of just a few things that would make their lives a lot easier.

I was just wondering what you thought, really?

You've actually been through the same process

in your life, haven't you?

And I can certainly see that helping an individual,

well, I think it would be fantastic!

I want to do this, there's no doubt about it.

If you can do it, do it.

-All right?

-Thank you.

THEY CHUCKLE

Having Michael's support and knowing dad Norman

has also given his blessing are crucial for Anne.

By introducing her to Jane and Harriet,

we've found a family that have been facing adversity

like she and her family experienced.

We've gone back - now Anne needs to move forward.

She has a hugely important decision to make -

how can she help make life easier for Harriet?

It's the last thing left for her to do.

It's been a week since Anne and I visited North Wales,

and during that time, she's met up with Harriet and her family.

It must have been like looking in the mirror for Anne,

seeing how determined Harriet and her family are

to just get on with it and live as normal a life as possible.

It must have really resonated with Anne.

After all, that's what her own father wanted.

Shall we find out how she's feeling

and ask her the million-dollar question -

is she ready to change someone's life?

Anne's waiting for me around the corner from where Jane,

Harriet and her sisters are enjoying a picnic.

Time to find out exactly what Anne's decided.

-Hey, Anne, how lovely to see you.

-Hi! Good to see you.

-How are you?

-I'm very well, thanks.

-You got the teas in as well!

-I have indeed, yes.

-Thank you very much.

So, you've seen Harriet and her family, haven't you?

I have. I've met Jane and Harriet and her sisters.

-How did it go?

-It was fabulous.

It was really, really good. Very inspiring and very moving.

Have you decided what you're going to do?

-I have.

-Go on, tell me!

I won't keep you in suspense any longer then.

What will make Harriet's life a lot easier

is if she has one of these special seats.

-Wow.

-It looks like a sort of padded beanbag,

but it's actually on wheels, moves around the sitting room

and, principally, what it does is it helps cushion her,

so that as she's moving around,

her head can be held, she can be very comfy.

Got you. Yeah, it looks very comfortable.

And I suppose this will include her in the family?

Precisely. I mean, she wants to be able to sit

with the family and watch TV.

It's a small thing to give, isn't it, really,

to make that possible.

How much does it cost?

It costs £1,900.

-Wow.

-Specialist piece of kit, you see.

That's a huge amount of money.

It is a lot of money but it will, I think, make a huge difference...

because, at the moment, Harriet is stuck in a wheelchair all the time

and if she gets out of that, she has to go and sit on the sofa,

the sofa can't hold her up properly -

this will just make it comfy, safe and stable.

Well, that's very, very kind of you.

I've got a letter,

and this tells Jane and Harriet what I'm going to do.

I can't wait to see their faces.

It's going to make a big difference to her life, isn't it?

-Do you think so?

-And not just hers, but, as you say, Jane,

and all the other kids.

I know they're having a picnic around the corner.

-Shall we go and surprise them?

-Why not?

-Come on, let's go.

-Thank you.

It's the big moment -

owning up to Jane, Harriet and her family what we've really been up to,

and discovering how Harriet's life is going to change.

So, just how are they going to react to all this?

Listen, Anne, they're having a picnic just over there.

They have no idea that we're here, OK?

-How are you feeling?

-Excited, nervous

but I think it's going to be a great surprise.

-It is, isn't it? Come on, let's go for it.

-I can't wait!

Right. Are you ready?

Here we go!

-Hello.

-Hello.

How are you? Hi, I'm Aled Jones...

I know, I recognise you!

..from the BBC. Nice to see you.

-Hello!

-Hello!

-Nice to see you!

Lovely to see you again, Jane.

You haven't met my oldest two, this is Chloe and Sophie.

You thought we were doing a programme

-just about children and disability, didn't you?

-Yeah.

Well, it's not the full story, is it?

-I've got make-up on, don't make me cry, OK?

-Oh, Jane!

It was so lovely to meet you two

and I just wanted to bring you this letter today.

It's for you. I just wondered if you might open it,

and if you would read it out to us?

"Dear Jane, it was lovely to meet you and your girls this week.

"Thank you so much having us in your home

"and also for telling me about Harriet's condition

"and the way you have dealt with it.

"I wanted you to know how moved I was by the cheerful

"and determined way you and your family manage Harriet's disability.

"It is both humbling and amazing."

HARRIET LAUGHS

She just laughs at everything!

"And inspired, no doubt,

"by Harriet's own resilience, spirit and sense of humour.

"As I mentioned to you, my own father is disabled.

"The way in which you and Harriet cope

"with what life has thrown at you

"reminds me of the way my own parents dealt with things.

"When we met, you told me there was one thing

"that could make Harriet's life a little bit more comfortable.

"Therefore I'd like to offer to pay

"£1,900 for the special seat you need for Harriet.

"If I could help you in this way,

"it would give me an opportunity

"to make a small difference in your life.

"I hope you will accept my gift. Best wishes, Anne."

You're just laughing because I'm crying!

I hope you will accept it.

We're all crying!

-It's a lovely thing, isn't it?

-Thank you so much!

It's a great pleasure.

Sorry to surprise you.

Sorry, sorry!

What difference is that going to make for you?

It's going to make life so much easier. She loved having it.

-I don't know if you've seen it?

-I have, yeah.

-You've seen it?

-Yes, I've shown him some pictures.

-It's fantastic.

And she was so comfortable in it, weren't you, Harriet?

It means she's got her own armchair-type thing in the lounge,

and it can be wheeled about, can't it?

Aw, you're so excited!

THEY CHUCKLE

And so you can watch TV together and everything else?

It's like she's got her own chair in the lounge,

because she has to sit in this...

Well, we tried putting her on the sofa, she just can't...

She just slides out and everything.

Well, listen, I'm glad that you're happy

and I'm glad that you're happy as well.

I'm so glad you're happy!

We'll leave you to it, we don't want to spoil your picnic.

-Very nice to see you.

-Thank you, lovely to meet you, girls.

And you enjoy your chair, OK?

-Thank you.

-All the best.

-Lovely to meet you.

Nice to see you all. All the best.

-Oh, sweetheart.

-Thanks, Jane. We'll be in touch.

We'll be in touch, and I'll stay in touch, yeah.

-Don't worry.

-Please do.

Bye, Harriet.

See you soon, darling.

-Bye, girls.

-Bye, guys.

-Lovely to see you.

-Thank you, lovely to meet you, bye.

THEY LAUGH

My brain couldn't process everything that was going on at the time,

because I'm here with the kids and it's very, very surreal.

It was a surprise, yes!

It felt great, actually.

They clearly, clearly needed it.

I'm very happy to give it

and they were also surprised and pleased, I think, really,

to get something for Harriet so I'm thrilled I did this.

I'm so excited... It's lovely.

It's really, really... For people...

I mean, Anne...

I mean, what can I say?

Somebody that just does that for people,

it's just amazing, it really is.

It's amazing.

It's just going to make such a difference.

It's been an absolutely fantastic experience to go on this journey.

I've learned a lot, I've met so many interesting people,

and it's ended here with Harriet and Jane,

and I'm able to do something for Harriet which is just terrific.

Seeing Harriet's, Jane and the girls' reaction

to Anne's generosity was something so special, wasn't it?

Much like Anne's own family,

they've shown great courage and resilience over the years

and now, life's got a little bit easier for all of them,

especially Harriet. And, boy, does she deserve it.

What an inspirational and uplifting end to the programme.

And the great news is, since we met Harriet,

her special chair has now arrived,

and she's a very happy girl.