Our Second Chance At Friendship

Whether it’s been months or years, the best friends are the ones who find their way back to us – as these women discovered...

- Sarah Holmes

Helen Collier, 54, lives with her husband Phil, 51, and daughter Grace, 19, in South wales.

The first time I saw Alex she was skipping across the hopscotch chalks in infant school. ‘Come and play, Helen!’ she called out, beckoning me to join. Just like that, a lifelong friendship began.

It was the 1960s and growing up in the South Wales valleys there wasn’t an awful lot to do. But in Alex I found my perfect partner-in-crime.

We were forever getting up to mischief. I’ll never forget the day we climbed the trees outside my parents’ house, and shook the branches when somebody walked past. The expressions on their faces as they looked up had us in fits of laughter. We were so naughty!

Alex will tell you I was the ringleader, but she was always there by my side egging me on. That’s what I loved about her. She was such fun.

Before long, she became an extended part of the family. Mum would automatically set a place for her at the table, and we even invited her on our family holidays.