Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2007 | Page 26

life

INTERVIEW

Photo: Wendy pictured with PC Clive Richardson
invited by Road Safety to record her story
with Isle of Wight Radio: a hard thing to ask
of a grieving mother. She grins at Clive,
who, in his capacity as family liaison officer
had supported her from almost the first
hours since the accident, and who came
with the request. “You knew I’d say yes!”
Clive Richardson describes himself as an
ordinary PC. As a family liaison officer his
role is not to counsel but to see families
through the due processes – the inquest,
the criminal court, and any possible
appeals. But he is available to his assigned
family at more or less any time. “My biggest
regret,” he says, “is knowing so much
about Martin without having met him.”
He is pragmatic about this aspect of his
work, but it must take its toll. Why else

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would he and fellow liaison officers have a
monthly debrief, to offload the impact the
bereavement of others has on them? He is
matter-of-fact about it, and says he doesn’t
use the proffered counselling service. “My
wife puts up with me going on,” he shrugs.
It is hard to dispute Clive’s opinion that
Wendy is heroic, though she denies
it – profusely. Wendy, telling her story in
the lovely gardens of Afton Apple Orchard
where she works, is not the empty shell
you would expect, or a lantern in which
the light is extinguished. She joshes with
Clive, who teases her – they have become
firm friends through all this – and rocks with
laughter at his expense when our afternoon
tea is interrupted by a chap asking his
help to do up his trouser zip. “When in

difficulty ask a policeman!” she hoots.
It is of course because she remains so
normal that she has so much impact in
the campaign. “People need to see how it
affects you. When you can hear the emotion
in someone’s voice, it becomes real,” she
says. One of the events she took part in
was a day for convicted dangerous drivers
to attend instead of having points on their
licence. “They all came in thinking they
were going to hear some blooming woman
moaning. They walked out like lambs.”
But being emotionally raw she is torn
apart when she hears of other accidents.
“You feel the enormity of other people’s
losses. Even if you don’t know the people,
you think ‘Oh my God, that poor family.’
It is emotionally exhausting feeling for

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