A GREENOCK gran who hid her own terrible tragedies to devote her entire life to helping others has vowed to carry on caring after winning a ‘Heart of Gold’ award.

Inspirational Rachel Way was named as one of the Tele’s Community Champions for her volunteer work with some of the area’s most vulnerable people, giving up her own time to feed the homeless, support carers and act as a buddy.

But Rachel herself has battled against the odds since her mum left when she was just ten-years-old, looking after her brothers before ending up in care.

She later survived years of domestic abuse and escaped with her two sons only when a local policeman stepped in to save her.

At the same time the retired auxilliary nurse suffered the heartbreak of losing her two-year-old daughter to meningitis.

Speaking about her extraordinary life, Rachel said: “I always believe that there are people out there who are worse off than you are.

“I have always felt the need to help others and I don’t like to think of anyone on their own.

“I just want to reach out and do what I can.”

Rachel, who retired from her job at Inverclyde Royal Hospital because of ill health, took up volunteering with the Carers’ Centre and Your Voice.

She acts as a buddy for the vulnerable, elderly and isolated, and helps to run groups at Your Voice.

But unknown to those she cares for, Rachel herself has fought through a string of heartbreaking personal tragedies.

She said: “I was only a teenager when I got married. I was a battered wife and it was a local policeman, Peter Galbraith, who saved my life. 

“He had been to my house too many times. On the last occasion he said that enough was enough and he was getting me out of there, which he did.

“Eventually my ex-husband moved to Glasgow and I even got my house back. Peter said that I would have ended up dead otherwise.

“I was one of the first people to speak at Women’s Aid when it started in Inverclyde.

“It was different times back then. You used to run to the police station in your bare feet and they would just turn you round and send you back home.

“I can’t thank Peter enough. He still keeps in touch with one of my boys to this very day.

“It was a very long time ago though. You try to bury these things.”
The 65-year-old began caring at a very young age, looking after her three younger brothers James, Brian and William when her mum left and their grandmother died.
Rachel, who lives in Wren Road, said: “My grandmother passed away four months after my mum left. I was just ten but I was left to look after my brothers and I would get them out to school in the morning.
“But my dad wasn’t managing and we ended up in children’s homes.”
Later on she cared for her father Joseph when he ended up in wheelchair until he died aged 76.
Rachel is also the legal guardian for her youngest brother George, who was born after her mother left the family home.

He suffered brain injuries after being involved in a car accident.

Rachel explained: “My mum died seven months after his accident.

“I was the only one left to care for him. I just get on with it and deal with everything as it comes along.”

Rachel is a devoted mum to her sons Michael, 48, and Martin, 46, and dotes on her four grandsons.
She adds: “I am very proud of my family.”

But Rachel is still haunted by the death of her two-year-old daughter.

She said: “Angela died from meningitis. She would have been 45 on her birthday, which was July 1. You just never forget, the death of a child stays with you forever.”

Rachel first started volunteering in the 1980s when she worked as a cook in social work department while also working as an auxilliary nurse in the hospital.

She said: “The social workers needed somebody to help feed the homeless. I used to cook the food in my kitchen and we used to give it out people.”

Rachel went on to help in prisons, and that is where she met her husband John, 64,  also a volunteer, and they have been happily married for 30 years.

She has continued to volunteer and care for others, adding:

“I do it because I love it.”

Your Voice member of staff Stephen Harrison was so moved by her commitment he nominated her for the Tele award.

He said: “Rachel is amazing and the work she does here is incredible.

“She deserved to win.”