In 1971, things began to improve when Jill got her first guide dog and slowly began to regain he independence. When pregnant, she was first advised by doctors to have an abortion and then, straight after having the baby, was sterilised on medical advice. Imagine that you receive, each month, several bundles of around 600 very detailed appeal papers concerning claimants with a wide variety of disabilities. NHS Digital data shows that 1,135 people in Southend were registered as being blind or partially sighted in March 2017.

This was designed to stop people parking on the pavements and encouraging garden owners to cut back overhanging trees and bushes so that any blind pedestrian could not get an uncomfortable or sometimes painful slap in the face.

On my first day out with Topsy, we were refused entry to the local library – Jacqueline went in on her own. At the end, one is left with an overwhelming impression of someone who, by force of circumstances, was thrown into a role for which she was not originally intended – a challenge she met with admirable energy, endurance and strength of character. She has had seven guide dogs in the last 51 years and relies on them both when she is out of the house, and at home in Westcliff. But this hasn’t stopped this remarkable woman from campaigning, fundraising and continuing to support and inspire local people.

At the age of 70, Jill continues to fight for the cause, and hopefully her story will inspire others to take up the baton. As a result, Jill found herself on her own, newly married and shortly with a young child but little in the way of help, unable to go out by herself and believing that the active life she had previously enjoyed was at an end. The Thatcher and Major Governments were sympathetic to her many suggestions; ministers such as Linda Chalker (transport) and Tony Newton (local government) provided the legislative platform for many of her proposals in the fields of transport and the built environment.Yet rather than turn her anger inwards, this extraordinary lady has spent her life campaigning on behalf of the blind, particularly on the issue of access for guide dogs. From the age of eight, the dogs are monitored by the charity to ensure they are still fit - and willing - to work. My vision had started to go blurry the night before but the doctor said it was probably just nerves. Health and Social Services failed her badly, providing nothing in the way of information or support.

Southend West MP Anna Firth has previously led a campaign for Mrs Allen-King to get a new guide dog and to be placed on the “priority list” for a sighted guide. On behalf of everyone at Trust Links, happy birthday Jill, thanks for all you have done and continue to do. What little advice they did give was plain wrong, such as that her eye condition made it necessary for her to be sterilised after the birth of her daughter so that she had no more children. Like its title says, ‘Just Jill’ is simply the moving story of the everyday life of a truly inspiring woman whose achievements have improved the quality of life of thousands of others.

The joy that her guide dogs have given to her and the freedom and independence that they have made possible for her shine out. Jill Allen-King, 86, may be left without her crucial companion because of an enduring shortage of trained animals since the coronavirus pandemic.

No one can fail to be inspired by Jill s perseverance and achievements or by the fantastic work that guide dogs carry out for their owners. She recently told us “I have been given an MBE and an OBE, but my greatest honour was becoming Patron of Trust Links in 2011.Appalled at how few places allowed guide dogs – including one instance where she was denied entry to a public library – Jill began campaigning for better access to public spaces for the vital support animals. But then I also came up with the idea for textured pavements at road crossings – we got the first one laid at the House of Commons in 1982. However, she added two ladies from the Cinnamon Trust, which provides support for elderly and terminally ill people with pets, have been helping take Jagger out for a walk, which she “really appreciates”.