After Tom’s wife died after 22 years of marriage, he was unable to express the deep grief he felt. When his cooker also broke down, Tom felt as if things were conspiring against him. He contacted St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), a Catholic charity, and volunteers visited him to find out exactly what he needed – and discovered that the kitchen appliance had very little to do with it.

SVP member Claire says: “The first time we met Tom he was grumpy and embarrassed to be asking for help. We listened to his needs over a cup of tea. We were able to find him a cooker fairly quickly, but far more importantly, Tom has become a very dear friend, with whom we have shared many, many cups of tea. As is so often the case, the cooker was the cover for a much deeper need.”