Talk It Out founder Tracy Carr gives us an insight into the people who help make the charity run day to day, without whom none of the work they do would be possible.
Meet Adrian Friend. My uncle. Adrian has been with me at Talk It Out Deal from the beginning. He helped me with the financial running of Talk It Out until donations came in, and we fortunately then met Colin Smith MBE who also joined our committee and helps to find all our grants.
Adrian began delivering care packages during the pandemic and is still delivering to this day thanks to more of Colin’s awesome grants. Even in between grants Adrian has delivered fresh produce and basic supplies to anyone who has needed it, and so many people look forward to his knock at the door and just to see a friendly face.
Come Christmas time he is always Santa. Every year my granddaughters help me make a grotto in my garage and we invite children from various groups and the wider community to visit it; this year my sister Sarah Friend and her husband Kelvin brought along 2 beautiful miniature donkeys so to see the children’s faces light up at Santa and the donkeys was pure magic.
Adrian is running the warm bank again with me this winter and often makes his very popular chilli which always goes down well with everyone who attends.
We are very lucky to have Adrian who helps out with our events too. During carnival season he drives the tractor with our float, and I think he enjoys it as much as we do. He can often be found helping with allotment duties, especially at potato planting time.
We often get calls from very distressed people and he is the first person to drive around trying to find them, no matter the hour of day. He has a very calming influence on everyone and is very reassuring to people who can be feeling very anxious or scared.
We are very fortunate at Talk It Out Deal as everyone does it because they want to, and it wouldn’t be possible without the kindness and generosity of people like Adrian. Adrian looks out for so many of us and is a very valued member of our team and I am extra lucky to call him family.
I wish you could bottle what we have at Talk It Out as it’s like gold dust.