Driven home by the war

A CROSS-IN-HAND woman has had a spell of voluntary work in Pakistan cut short by the war in Afghanistan.

A CROSS-IN-HAND woman has had a spell of voluntary work in Pakistan cut short by the war in Afghanistan.

Anne Grigg has moved from pillar to post living out of three bags and on the generosity of friends and relatives since being evacuated from Pakistan three weeks ago.

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She took on a two-year post with Voluntary Services Overseas a year ago little knowing that her work would come to an abrupt halt halfway through. Just a week and a half after the terrorist attacks in America she was back in this country.

We heard about the attacks on the Wednesday, were called to Islamabad at the weekend and it was while there I discovered we were being moved out. All I had with me was a small bag. I hitched an overnight lift back to my flat in Lahore. It was an eight hour road journey. I then had half an hour in my flat, threw things in a suitcase and left. The following day I left the country, said Anne, 64.

She was one of 20 people working with the VSO evacuated from Pakistan. A further 20 who were due to be flown in were not.

Anne has a home in Cross in Hand but tenants are living there. I can t start a process to get my home back because I don t know what the future holds. They are good tenants and I need the rental income, she said.

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At the moment I am wandering about with three bags moving between friends and relatives. Everybody has been so nice. It is very heartwarming.

Anne, who has three children and three grandsons, was a member of the Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council before she left for Pakistan and remains a member of the East Hoathly Tennis Club. She attended a dinner at the club at the weekend.

While in Pakistan she embraced life enthusiastically, wearing muslim dress and living within the muslim community. I had 20 a week, which was enough to live on and people were very kind, generous and helpful to me. I was invited to weddings, birthdays and religious events.

Anne was working as a probation development officer in the province of Punjab, an area the size of Britain. She travelled to different cities training probation and parole officers. She is sad to think that her work could be set back years as a result of the VSO withdrawing from the region.

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I am in touch with the VSO all the time. We had a de-briefing session in London last week and they will inform us regularly of the situation and any plans. They are retaining our property in Pakistan for three months in case we manage to get back and they will offer us alternative postings if we are not able to go back.

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