Wendy in her 'Lock Keeper's Cafe'

Dave, in the bluish shirt, asked me to meet Eileen, in her green jacket, this morning, down at the Cotswold Canal Trust's Visitor Centre beside Wallbridge Lock, near the centre of Stroud. He has been leading the whole redevelopment of the six miles of the canal regeneration through Stroud, working for Stroud District Council, in partnership with the Canal Trust. The specific redevelopment of the new A46 Brewery Bridge and the complete renovation of the lock at Wallbridge has been short-listed for the Waterways Renaissance Awards 2012.

Eileen came by train to produce a report to take back for the judging panel and Dave asked me to represent Stroud Town Council, who are seen as another key part of the 'partnership', which is the category we are being considered for. She quizzed us on the history and fulfilment of the project, with considered questions that showed to me she understood a lot of the prevailing issues. I think she was impressed.

As I walked her back to the station, she mentioned how struck she had been by Wendy, seen her speaking to them from behind her counter, as she epitomised everything that the Awards were hoping to represent. When we sat down to have a coffee and some wonderful cake, Wendy sat with us and Dave asked her to tell how she had become involved.

After being made redundant, she'd dutifully applied for more than seventy jobs, had one unsuccessful interview and didn't know what more to do. She decided to volunteer through an outside agency and was given the role of litter picking which she did one day a week. Then she heard that the Cotswold Canal Trust wanted volunteers to help with associated works around the lock and canal at Wallbridge. One day there, she was eating her packed lunch beside the lock when her friend turned round, pointed at the old disused bar beside the Visitor Centre, set under a railway arch, and suggested that she could open a cafe in there.

Wendy had for years had a business plan for running a restaurant, which she had always wanted to do. So she very swiftly made enquiries and within weeks had taken on a lease to run a cafe and bar, with financial help from friends who believed in her, and her wonderfully sunny disposition.

Her sons very quickly helped to cleanse, build, redecorate and fit out the cafe. It is now absolutely buzzing and I could tell when we entered that Eileen was taken aback by the great atmosphere which has resulted. Wendy was so excited to tell us of her success and what it meant to her, to be given an opportunity to help herself, and by doing so, to help the community, all from from a standing start within twelve months. You can even visit there yourself vicariously, as they have this website.