Although there can’t be many people who haven’t heard the name, Tessa Cross or been lucky enough to meet her in person, for our first Volunteer of the Month feature, we at INCO thought it would be nice to get to know Tessa a little better and to celebrate all she does for our members.
Tessa works tirelessly as a link to all things hospital and medical and assists and supports expatriates in what can be a stressful time.
INCO asked Tessa to tell us how she came to be in Crete and what made her decide to make it her home along with her husband, Tony.
"Tony and I first came to Crete on our honeymoon in 1986 and fell in love with the island and always thought Crete would be a lovely place to live. By 2005 we had retired and moved aboard a 14m yacht, Little Roundup, and sailed across the Mediterranean. We finally arrived at the marina in Agios Nikolaos in October 2006 and spent the first of many winters here. That was the year I joined INCO, where the wealth of help and advice proved invaluable. We sold the yacht in 2017 having decided to move ashore to an apartment in town with our beloved rescue basset hound, Rudy. Sadly, Rudy passed away in 2022, a great loss to us both. We now have a cat, Trixie, who we rescued from VOCAL, the local cat welfare group, who has filled a very large hole left by Rudy.
My background is in sales and customer service as I am very much a people person, In my main role as a call centre manager I often gave life skills and healthy living advice to the younger members of my team. I’m also a fully qualified fitness trainer and still ensure I keep myself, and Tony healthy and in shape.
I have been involved in INCO almost from that first year. I have at times been co-opted onto the committee. In 2021 I ran a very successful lottery to raise funds for the local hospital. With the money raised, INCO was able to buy an endoscopy table and re-cover the chairs in the paediatric department.
Medical Equipment
For many years now I have been looking after the INCO store of medical equipment, the issuing of items and logging thereof.
I keep a simple spreadsheet to keep track of all the equipment that INCO has, who it’s on loan to and how long they have had it. Whilst there are no time limits, I do like to check that the equipment is still being used. We are fortunate that many people who choose to buy their own equipment (walkers, crutches, etc.) donate them to the INCO store when they have finished with them.
Hobbies
My hobbies include singing: the whole street can hear me singing along with Songs of Praise each Sunday! I’m a compulsive cross stitcher, and an all-year-round swimmer, weather permitting. I am passionate about animal welfare and am involved in various dedicated groups within the area, especially VOCAL, for whom I am a fundraiser."
For information or advice concerning medical matters or to borrow or donate equipment, INCO Members can get in touch with Tessa on:
+306944272622 or email
If you have someone in mind worthy of being celebrated as our Volunteer of the Month, kindly reach out to our editorial team at
