Bearsden great-grandmother Joan becomes a children's author at the age of 85
Joan's stories - told to her children when they were wee - only came to light when daughter Arlene found them hidden away in a cupboard
Gillian LoneyEditor
Joan Porter (Image: SWNS.com)
Glasgow woman Joan Porter is about to become a published author at the age of 85 - and her book can sit on the shelves of her seven great-grandchildren for years to come.
Joan, who has Alzheimers, lives in sheltered accommodation in Bearsden.
But 40 years ago the playgroup supervisor was writing down the bedtime stories she would tell her four daughters, all of them inspired by wildlife near their Kilberry home, on the west coast of Argyll.
Pages from the soon to be published books of Joan Porter (Image: SWNS.com)
It was only when daughter Arlene Harrison found the tales in one of her mother's cupboards that the children's books came to light.
Now, her work will be released as part of a series, with the first two books due out this month.
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Daughter Arlene, from Milngavie, said: "When I first told her we had sent her books off, she kept asking me not to make a big fuss of it and said that no-one would be interested in her ramblings.
Joan Porter with daughters Arlene, Doreen, Lynne and Joan (Image: SWNS.com)
"She still can't believe that her writings are being made into children's books. It's got her talking about writing more. It's a lovely legacy to leave.
"She really is wonderful - she never lets her dementia stop her doing anything. She is proof that being a pensioner and having dementia shouldn't get in the way of fulfilling your dreams."
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