A Helping Hand
By Dave Asthouart
‘You Are Not Alone’ is a Nacoa slogan. Many people, not just children of alcoholics, can bravely struggle on believing they are alone and many will not survive because they lack the helping hand they need.
My novel, ‘Elizabeth The Ordinary’ is not about a child of an alcoholic, but it is about someone brave who struggles on against the odds.
That said, it is not a novel that pretends that if one tries hard enough one will always succeed. There are several points in the novel where success – survival even – comes down to receiving a helping hand when the obstacle is too great to be overcome alone.
I think that ‘helping hand’ reflects Nacoa’s role with children of alcoholics. This excerpt from the book is one of those points when the helping hand was needed. The narrator is the central character – Elizabeth.
An extract from Elizabeth The Ordinary
In the workhouse, mum had appeared strong – and in many ways she was–but, as we headed out of Liskeard we had to keep stopping for her to rest.
Some of these stops could be used, quite conveniently, for me to feed Emma Grace but progress was, quite literally, painfully slow.
As we approached a little hamlet called Merrymeet I realised that I had been foolish and that all my pondering during my period of lying-in had been a pipe dream.
I had taken my mother, my baby … and myself into a pipe dream that was going to result in the disgrace of us turning around to go back to the workhouse with our heads bowed in shame once more.
We struggled on to Merrymeet and then sat dejectedly by the side of the road. I knew we would have to turn back. But sometimes – just sometimes – the extraordinary happens.
We had been passed by one or two riders and carts on our journey. Pleasantries had been exchanged sometimes but often we had been ignored so I expected little when I saw a very nice pony and trap approaching.
I expected it to go past but instead it stopped. It was being driven by an elderly man and in the trap was a young woman of about fifteen or sixteen years of age. She was very well dressed – clearly a young lady from a family of some means.
“Are you lost?” she asked, “I’ve not seen you in these parts before.”
I was startled by the confidence in the voice of this young woman.
“No, Ma’am, we’re not lost exactly. We are heading for South Hill – well Bicton actually, where I intend letting my mother wait while I go on to see someone.” It did not feel strange calling this slip of a girl ‘Ma’am’. She was clearly of the upper class and she had such authority about her.
“And you have a baby – and quite new to the world it would seem.” She gave me a broad smile.
“Yes,” I affirmed proudly. “This is Emma Grace. I named her after my sister, Emma and my mother here, whose name is Grace.
“And you are?” she enquired, looking at me “Elizabeth Ann Jelbard, Ma’am.”
“Bicton, you say? That is quite a trek.” She looked at my mother before addressing her driver. “Colin, we have room for two and a little one don’ t we? And I’m sure that Felicity can pull us all can’t she?”
“Absolutely no doubt, mistress. No doubt at all.” With much gratitude we clambered aboard.
“Thank you Ma’am,” said my mother as she was helped up.
“Quite my pleasure Mrs…?”
My mother failed to detect the question so I answered for her, “Jelbard, Ma’am … same as me.”
“So that only leaves me as anonymous,” she smiled. “I’m Emily Hobhouse…..”
You may or may not be familiar with the name ‘Emily Hobhouse’ and the encounter above is only part of a work of biographical fiction but, just like Elizabeth, Emily Hobhouse was a real person and one who, as an adult, went on to give a helping hand to many people who would not have survived without her.
She often faced indifference and sometimes vociferous opposition from the political establishment – something which might be compared to the lack of funding or cuts in funding that Nacoa and other charities face today.
My connection to Nacoa
I am a fundraiser for Nacoa. One of the ways in which I raise funds is by donating to Nacoa all the royalties that I earn from the sale of my novels.
If you liked the extract above, want to read more and want to support Nacoa then here is a link to the Amazon page where you can buy the book (ebook or paperback).
You can also order the paperback at your local book shop.
Finally, please tell people about the book and how the money goes to Nacoa.
The more people who are aware of the book the more people who might buy the book and the more money Nacoa will receive – even those who provide a helping hand need a helping hand!
