It was before the Happy House opened that Mama Sue was awarded the honour of being Lancashire Woman of the Year for her work to get impoverished children in Kenya into education and on the road out of poverty.
At that time, in 2008, work on her Happy House had only just started, the foundations were being laid, and little did any of us know what the next four years would bring.
How far Sue, now Mama Sue, has brought us in that short time.
Her Happy House is alive with the buzz of a busy, and ever-growing, family of children. A new child, or children, could arrive today, or tomorrow, we never know who or what a day will bring, but we do know, as Mama confirms, no child in need will ever be turned away. There will always be room for another.
We have greenhouses in the garden taking us toward self-sufficiency in fruit and veg, and our school has been added, and is also growing, and producing astounding results.
There is so much more to come as, and when, funds allow. And each project is a trailblazer for change.
All this is an extraordinary achievement by one woman who was so deeply touched when, on holiday in 2000 she came, by chance, across a small school where pupils were sitting on stone floors, counting with stones, their teacher without any of the most basic resources required to teach, that she vowed to make a difference to children's lives.
In the 12 years since, hundreds and hundreds of children, have been given a chance in life thanks to the three schools developed by Sue.
Today as she is back at the Lancashire Woman of the Year luncheon to update them on all that has happened in the past four years, she is one week away from the Inspiration Awards for Women where she is one of six finalists in the Most Inspirational category.
She is an unsung heroine, she's never been in it to win honours. The kids have been her focus and it is they who have driven her courageously forward through her darkest moments when she has suffered so much physical and emotional pain.
Lancashire Woman brought her charity recognition in her home county, the Inspiration Awards would bring it national attention and help us to grow secure our fam,ily, and to grow it bigger even faster.
YOU can help by giving Mama Sue your vote in an online poll which will help judges of the Inspiration Awards decide the winner. Voting closes on Friday at 6pm, but please don't wait. Please click here to cast your vote now: http://www.inspirationawards.com/voting/index.php
