Northampton☘️Podiatrist

Sheila Kirwan retired Podiatrist

[Mr PitBull Stories @MrPitbull07]

"I’m 79. My name’s Agnes. I walk to Oakwood Elementary every Tuesday and Thursday at 2:45 p.m. Not for my grandkids, I don’t have any. I go for them. The kids waiting for parents who are late. Again.

It started three years ago. I saw Miguel sitting alone on the school’s concrete steps, tracing math problems in the dirt with a stick. His mom worked double shifts at the canning factory. His homework was smudged with tears.

I didn’t say much. Just pulled a folding chair from my tote bag (I carry it everywhere, bad knees) and sat beside him. "Show me where you’re stuck, mijo," I said. He flinched like I’d startled a bird. But he showed me.

I was a teacher for 42 years. Fractions, state capitals, how to hold a pencil, I know them like my own heartbeat. That day, we solved 3 problems in the dirt. When his mom finally rushed up, breathless and apologizing, I just nodded. "He’s got a good mind," I told her. Her eyes got wet. Not from sadness. From being seen.

Next week, I brought my old teacher’s stool and a clipboard. Set up under the oak tree across from the school gates. No sign. No fanfare. Just me, my red pen, and a jar of butterscotch candies.

Kids started coming. Not all at once. First Miguel. Then Aisha, whose dad’s truck broke down again. Jamal, who whispered, "My grandma’s sick." I never asked why parents were late. I just opened my clipboard.

Some days, I only helped one child. Other days, five crowded around my stool. I taught multiplication tables while braiding Maya’s hair. Showed Leo how to write his name in cursive on a foggy window. Never took money. Never called the school. This wasn’t their job. It was ours.

Then came Mrs. Chen. She stood at the edge of the sidewalk for weeks, watching her daughter Linh hover near my bench but never approach. One rainy Thursday, Mrs. Chen finally walked over. Her hands shook. "I failed school," she admitted in broken English. "I can’t help her." I slid my stool aside. "Sit," I said. "Today, you do the math. I’ll hold the umbrella."

Last month, the principal found me packing up in the rain. "We’ve had complaints," he said gently. "About ‘unauthorized tutoring.’" I braced for the end. But then Linh ran over, dragging her mother. Aisha brought her little brother. Miguel stood tall beside his mom, the one who once cried on the steps. Twelve parents and kids formed a circle around my soggy stool. "This bench stays," Miguel told the principal. "Or we all leave."

Today, the PTA provides the folding chairs. Retired nurses check kids’ ears for infections. A barber gives free trims. But the homework bench? That’s still mine.

Last Tuesday, Linh placed a college acceptance letter on my clipboard. "You taught me numbers," she said. "But you taught Mama something bigger." She pointed to Mrs. Chen, now helping a boy sound out words. "You taught us we’re not broken."

I packed up my red pen that night, my hands steady for the first time in years. Here’s what nobody tells you about growing old, The world doesn’t need your savings or your spare room. It needs your stubborn, ordinary love. Show up. Sit down. Make space. The rest will grow around you like wildflowers through concrete.”

Let this story reach more hearts....

By Mary Nelson

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

On the buses, Nick Brown: Mallorca’s Public Transport Insider https://t.co/o55n8eWjzX

[Damian Fogarty @DamianFog]

I called @MattChorley show on @bbc5live to express my despair with this #AssistedDying vote. Almost no one speaking has actually spent time with someone having a good end of life experience so this really reflects underinvestment in palliative care & poor experience as highlighted in the @mariecurieuk surveys.

England & Wales has close to 700k deaths & only 600 palliative care consultant physicians. In my experience only a small number (~1-5%) of people have unmodifiable EoL pathways.

This bill reflects how bad our NHS has become.

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

@devlin_jp And to you JP
Was in Belfast for my son Patrick’s wedding with Terry and Mary

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

@devlin_jp Me too

[Partha S Kar 🇮🇳🇬🇧🏏🎥 @parthaskar]

Trained as an orthopaedic surgeon
Practiced as General Practitioner

One of the key men involved in discovery of #Insulin
Won #NobelPrize 1923

Sold patent for #Insulin to University of Toronto for 1$

Sir Frederick Banting

Saviour of many
Born 14 Nov 1891

#WorldDiabetesDay 💙

[Damian Fogarty @DamianFog]

Looking forward to a special week at the first ever World Cup Football for Transplant recipients. Starts tomorrow in Italy. 11 teams-Italy, France, Spain, Ireland, England, Wales, Romania, United States, Chile, Australia & of course little Northern Ireland! Wish us luck🤞☘️💪🦵

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

@thepersuaders Lovely to meet you today!

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

I’m so so impressed with the new Fraility unit at the #RVHBelfast -https://t.co/KCuitslj6O
The staff are lovely, so caring and totally suited to this age group. Tonight a daughter serenaded her dad and we all joined in. Magic.

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

Please invent one!

[Margaret McCartney @mgtmccartney]

Is there some kind of app that you can put the bin calendar in and it will tell you which one to put out and when and send you an alarm alert

Please

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

Type O urgently needed!
https://t.co/fqFzip9t4z

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

@devlin_jp Is the chiropodist still there?

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

@devlin_jp Xxx

[Roshan Rinaldi @Roshan_Rinaldi]

Too soon?

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

@Liz_ORiordan Xxx

[Northampton☘️Podiatrist @Northamptonpod]

The Day I Wanted To QUIT (WHW Ep6) https://t.co/QwRBzql96X via @YouTube

[Mrs Fox 🕊️ @CaliforniaFrizz]

This is Frank and he has had a coffee stand at the top of the steps at Bethnal Green tube for as long as I can remember.

When the new restaurant/coffee shop next door opened along with another high street outlet opening across the street, Frank suddenly found that his license from the council had been revoked and he was chucked off his stand.

I believe it was to make way for these new shops to take his regular custom. They didn’t need him in the way of gaining maximum profit... so Frank was gone.

Well the locals were having none of it and a petition started demanding his return.

How dare they do this to him.
How dare these people smash his business and leave him with nothing.

After a lot of pressure the council backed down and Frank had his licence and pitch returned to him but sadly by that time Frank had sold his equipment to feed his family and try to survive.

So the good people of Bethnal Green started crowdfunding and here’s the result... Frank back in business on his old pitch with brand new equipment and even a little hut now to shelter him from the rain... Brilliant!!

He is truly the happiest man in East London and it’s wonderful to see.

It really does show that if we all stick together, stand up to them and just say no... the little guy can win.

If you’re in Bethnal Green come and have a coffee with this lovely man. 🧡