I was 13-15 and the school had a trip to London. I remember nothing about how we got there (from the North East to the capital is no short trip), or where we stayed or even where we visited.

One event sticks with me, even now some 45+ years later.

It was a cafe. I don’t mean a cafe as in posh, cream teas etc. Think formica tables, closely packed. I’m sitting along the right as you walked in along with other pupils, the door was in the middle of the ‘wall’ and tables up the left side. It was just us and teachers.

The food/drinks had been ordered - no idea how. A few minutes after the food was plonked in front of us, but after enough time that we had eaten what we wanted, the door opened, a woman came in.

I don’t remember what she was wearing so it would have been non-descript, but I do remember her holding a few carrier bags.

She sat at the nearest table, said to my fellow pupils “Have you finished?” and immediately started taking their unwanted food from their plates and eating it.

That didn’t last long.

The cafe staff flew at her, yelling, shouting, hauled her out.

She did not resist, said nothing.

That experience shaped me, still does.