I was visiting a few of the residents at the Continuing Care Unit, when I suddenly thought how much having Bermudian artists' work on the walls would brighten up the area. How art would make the CCU more homely for those people who are, basically, long-term residents there. I'm definitely not and never have been involved really, although my twin sister, Natasha, is an artist. I just thought (the walls were) a perfect canvas to put up people's work. I thought it was something that would really make a difference to the lives of people there and the people who work there as well. No. I got on the phone. I went to the phonebook and looked up all of the artists in Bermuda. Literally, I went to the yellow pages and looked under 'A' for artists. I didn't know anyone really. I either called, or wrote letters and follow-up letters to them about the idea; how I wanted to try and brighten up the ward, give it a bit more warmth. They did. I was really overwhelmed with people's enthusiasm. A lot of them said they'd always wanted to do something like this but it was just a case of having someone organise it. So I had this amazing response, started collecting the artwork ? most people were very happy to donate prints ? but it was all unframed work. It's incredibly expensive to get frames done, which is something I didn't realise.

So I had to look into funding it. I contacted a number of the exempt companies and Axis Specialty Limited offered to sponsor the framing of the artwork and one of its employees, Bill Fischer, offered to match that donation. I took the prints to Frameworks who, gave a donation themselves, and did the rest of the framing at a discounted rate.

Q: Which artists donated?

A: So many. (But off the top of my head), Lisa Quinn, Amy and Vaughn Evans, Michael Swan Gallery, True Reflections, Joanne Forbes . . .

We've kind of always been involved. My grandmother, Dorothy Coquillon, has been a Pink Lady for over 30 years. I first became involved with the Continuing Care Unit because my mother, Stephanie Shaw, ran some craft classes for the residents and also organised visits by school students to the CCU and my sisters ? Natasha and Anna ? and I were involved with that.

I was off the island for a while but when I came back to Bermuda I started going again because a friend of my grandmother's is there.

I first had the idea in January. I wasn't doing it militantly, but I knew I was leaving in May, which gave me a time frame. So it took three or four months to put everything together.

It definitely has. For some reason I haven't ever really shown that strong an interest in art. Seeing the artwork where it is now has really given me a greater appreciation. I've come to understand why people love artwork. I have a better grasp of the effort that goes into creating the pieces, and how someone can, hopefully, appreciate it for the rest of their lives.

Yes. They are definitely really pleased. Everyone's saying what a difference it makes and how much they're enjoying it.

No. I went to the London School of Economics where I completed an undergraduate degree ? a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Population. Quite a lot of my degree involved looking at healthcare systems, but more in the developing world; the issue of sustainable development.

We did study quite a bit on ageing populations and demographics and the kind of social policy issues that arise. So I guess I've kind of been made aware.

: No. It was okay. I always found it quite easy. Sometimes you're not quite sure what to say. They are quite elderly, but the more you go, the easier it becomes. But I admit it's definitely not your average situation. You do have to adjust. That, and because my grandmother's friend was there, initially. But I've always had a really soft spot for older people. They're the ones who are often forgotten. Also, I'd always lived with my grandmothers, so I could imagine how if we didn't live with them, or they with us, how lonely they would be. So I've always been aware of older women. Yes. I think they taught me the importance of just being aware more than anything. To realise how fortunate I am and to try and do my little bit while I could. When I was England, particularly when I was at LSE, people there were quite active and conscious of things like that, so I volunteered at UNICEF and with the Central London Law Centre. I did some research with the ISIS Foundation a few summers ago.

It's a legal foundation dedicated to funding health and education projects, particularly in Nepal and Uganda. It interested me because of the nature of my undergraduate degree, a lot of it was looking at global health and education responses to HIV/Aids, all that type of thing.

I didn't realise it at the time, but I was interested in law even then. I had thought I was drawn more to development issues; non-governmental issues. But the more I volunteered, the more I realised that someone like me could be more effective if I took the legal route.

I also volunteered with a lot of organisations like the Women's Resource Centre, all of which gave me a good insight; put my legal career aspirations in a broader context.

Yes. I've spent the past year working at the Supreme Court as a law researcher which has been absolutely brilliant. I've loved every minute of it. I plan to go to London to do a one-year law conversion course and then do the bar course and exams after that.

I haven't quite decided. Working at the courts been a great opportunity to see all the various practised areas of the law. I'm quite interested in criminal law. It's really good. It's such an interesting environment to be in and I would encourage anyone who's interested in studying law to apply for a job there. They offer a one and a two-year position for future law school students as a law researcher. It's essentially being a court associate so you're able to attend the judges in court and in chambers. It really is a fascinating experience. You're able to work quite closely with the judges and meet a lot of the lawyers, particularly the litigation lawyers who come to court.

It really opened my eyes to the reality of the law and also, it's been very encouraging meeting people who are dedicated to their various practice areas.

The full list of contributing artists to the CCU is: The Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard, Melissa Berger, BLESS, Amy and Vaughan Evans, Bill and Carolyn Fischer, Joan Forbes, Justine and Graham Foster, Frameworks Gallery, Dianna Higginbotham, David Hill, Carole Holding, Lisa Quinn, Jill Amos Raine, Scott Stallard, Michael Swan Gallery, Robin Trimingham, Sharon Wilson and True Reflections.