Janet and Bill Scott were married for 30 years. They met in 1983 when Bill was a bus driver on Canvey Island.

“She was on her way to a keep fit class and I had a couple of minutes to waste at the Haystack bus stop. She was my only passenger, we got talking, and that was that!”

They married in 1985.

Following Janet’s diagnosis of cancer in 2014, she had two years of chemotherapy, and was then referred to Fair Havens Hospice for respite care by her MacMillan nurses in 2016.

“She was virtually bed bound, but I looked after her as best I could,” said Bill. “When she spent seven days in respite, I went to visit her every day. It was great to know she was there and it gave me time to come to terms with the situation on my own. Even though I was going down every day, it gave us both a rest.”

Following that, she went to the Day Hospice at Fair Havens one day a week for the next two months. “She seemed happy when she came out each time,” continued Bill. “When she was there, I used to sit here thinking what’s best for her. Fair Havens gave us both a chance to assess where we were. The staff were excellent – nothing was too much trouble for them.”

Janet died in Southend Hospital at the end of May 2016.

“I think being cared for at the hospice is a good idea as it helps the person dying and the person left behind,” says Bill. He has decided to leave a legacy to the Hospice because of the support both he and Janet were given.

“I’m leaving some money to Fair Havens to look after people,” he said. “Janet would be grateful that I’m doing something in her memory.”