60th anniversary real life stories: Cheryl
“I truly believe an angel must have been looking after us, or maybe Wales & West Housing are the angels, because we were offered a new house.”
Cheryl Litchfield-Payne was just 26 when she made her home in Merthyr Tydfil. Now, at the age of 60, she reflects on the landmark moments in her life as a Wales & West Housing resident. She shares her story with In Touch
“I spent most of my adult life living in a Wales & West Housing home in Twyncarmel. My daughter was born there; I met my husband and got married there and worked as a teacher in the community.
We’ve done so much as a family. We’ve seen happy and tough times and Wales & West Housing staff have supported us along the way.
I first moved to a flat in Twyncarmel in 1991. It was beautiful there with a real sense of community and good neighbours.
That’s where my daughter Lauren was born in 1996. I still remember all my neighbours; they were all so good to us.
Lauren’s father left when I was three months pregnant, but my neighbours were all like aunties to her. Betty, my next-door neighbour, would look after her if I had to go out. Other ladies living in the block would do my ironing and bring us food, they were an immense help to me as a single mother.”
As Lauren got older, we moved to a house with a garden, where we lived for several years. At the time I was working as a basic skills teacher for the local council and Alison Chaplin, who was WWH’s Community Development Officer at the time, asked me to run children’s art classes in the estate’s housing office. I had the pleasure of teaching there for several years.
When a house in a quieter street became available, I applied, and we moved again. That’s where I was living when I met my husband, Neil in 2011.
We got married three years later. On my wedding day, I made the journey from my house to the register office in a camper van and my neighbours were there to watch me on my way.
After we were married, I left teaching and became a self-employed artist, selling my paintings online.
When Lauren turned 18, she left school after completing her A Levels and started an art course in college.
It was at this time that our family went through a difficult time. Lauren had been struggling in education; she felt that she didn’t fit in. It all got too much for her mentally and she attempted to take her own life.
“It was the worst time of my life.”
Wales & West Housing were really supportive and did what they could to help us. They helped us to find courses that Lauren could do to focus on her art at home.
We realised that if Lauren was to cope and get on with her life, we would need a fresh start.
We heard that there were houses in Hay on Wye, which was perfect as Neil was working in that area.
I truly believe an angel must have been looking after us, or maybe Wales & West Housing are the angels, because we were offered a new house.
In January 2018 we moved for the final time to Hay on Wye. It was the best thing we ever did. Life is now so much better for Lauren.
She was diagnosed with autism in 2020, when she was 24, and the diagnosis has helped her to become more settled.
She now has a full life and has been embraced by the town and local people. She has made friends and she’s become famous among the local people for taking her tortoise Cookie around the town. People stop and talk to her when she’s out walking with Cookie, and she is much happier.
