Janice and Roger Klimke and their daughter Zoe have lived at The Firs, Little Thurlow for the past fourteen months. Roger works as a motor mechanic in Broxted, Essex and Janice as a meatpacker in Haverhill. Zoe goes to Parkway school. Janice and Roger were both born in London, Janice in Westminster and Roger in the East End. Zoe was born in Chelmsford. Warren, their son, was born in Rochford, Kent and has now left home.

Zoe belongs to the Haverhill Majorettes. They all enjoy swimming, both at Thurlow school and Haverhill sports centre and using Thurlow school swimming pool in the summer has proved a very good place to meet people. Janice does machine knitting and reads. They all watch motor racing, both car and bike.

They have found Thurlow a friendly, tidy village with many activities. The busy road and the quantity of traffic are negative aspects of living here.

There are very few changes apart from the landlord at the pub since they arrived. Janice is very concerned about the number of door-to-door salesmen going to call on the very elderly living alone.