When I decided that the time had come to uproot myself from our family home of over sixty years, at the outset it seemed that the process would take years not months. My daughter had tried a few times to help me tackle the massive sorting process, but it had felt pretty overwhelming so we hadn’t got very far. Enter Fiona with her encyclopaedic knowledge of the recycling scene and so much else besides. When in doubt, out came her mobile phone and the problem was frequently solved in a jiffy. The situation was not helped when I fell quite seriously ill not long after the start of the operation. Fiona has been a tower of strength throughout. Endlessly patient and tactful, she never made me feel hassled during the often painful process of making up my mind as to what should be disposed of, passed on or kept. She also worked kindly and cheerfully alongside my daughter, mainly at a distance of 400 miles but sometimes side-by-side, when I was in hospital and recovering afterwards, and she always communicated clearly and kindly. Six months on, the process is complete, my house is on the market, and without Fiona that could not have happened. It feels to both myself and my daughter that Fiona has become a friend, whilst always remaining professional, and we will miss her.
Kathleen Henderson: Edinburgh