Meet Elizabeth, an inspiring young woman who has overcome childhood trauma, foster care, the care system and personal struggles to become a powerful advocate for her community. In this heartfelt interview, Elizabeth shares her journey from childhood in Bradford, navigating foster care, pregnancy as a teen, and overcoming loss, to creating positive change through her community-led initiatives like Ruby of Bradford CIC. Her story highlights resilience, the importance of community support, and empowering young females to pursue their dreams while addressing key social issues like exploitation, mental health, and youth empowerment. Learn how Elizabeth transforms her adversity into strength, inspiring others to believe in hope, change, and new beginnings.
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Welcome back to the YouTube channel and today
I have what I will call an inspirational young lady. Um, and you’ll get to hear about her story.
So I’m going to welcome you all to the wonderful Elizabeth. Hi everyone. How are you? I’m all
right. You sure? Relaxed, chilling out. It’s been a bit of a journey, hasn’t it? Yeah. Um I
was just speaking to my sister on the way just saying obviously I’ve got to do this podcast
and what I’d really speak about. Yeah. Well, like I say, most people me most people watch this
and they know that it’s not about glorification. It’s not about hyping anything up. It genuinely
is about the story for you. And people only come on here that I want on. Yeah. Yeah. So, it’s not
a thing where I’m trying to chase something. It’s just simply that if I think you’ve got a story
to tell or I think you could be an inspiration to a lot of people, you come on the show. It
genuinely is that simple. So, that being said, um I’m going to take you back in time. Oh, no,
sorry. Before I say that, so I only have one question that’s across the board and then at the
end you get to ask me any question that you want, even though you’ve been fishing for the last
20 minutes trying to get things out of it. Um, so yeah. So my first question to you
is very simple. Who are you? I am an independent young lady. Okay, so that’s who
I am and I’ve got a story to tell. I’ve got a lot of life experience for my age. I think
personal experience which has brought me to where I am today. Um, and just different roots
in my life, what I’ve been through. Okay. So, yeah, I think I’m a quite strong person. I feel
like people in my family are quite strong. Like, we are strong people. Strong minded, I’d say.
Okay. So, let’s go back in time. Yeah. So, cuz I know I know your sisters here and we we’re
from a generation where it used to go primary, middle, then high school, whereas you won’t, but
you’ll be primary straight to high. Yeah. So I want to take you back in time for your earliest
memory. So from your earliest memory through to the end of primary school. So that would have been
11 years old before you start in secondary. Uh are you on about my experience in school? Just you.
All right. So growing up I grew up in a block of flats in the Bradford area on Manchester Road.
There was around six flats. Lived on the fourth floor. The lift used to break a lot. My dad used
to make the same food every day. Sorry when he did. It were all right. But that I miss the food
now. But he used to make this soup and it had like boiled dumplings in there cuz he told me you were
a chef when he came to this country. But I don’t know if he were lying cuz he used to do that a
lot to me. Okay. And he wouldn’t tell me how to speak. So where was your dad from? He were from
Dominica. All right. Okay. We were born in 1934, my dad. So quite old school, right? Um, and with
my dad, he did try. He was a good dad actually to be honest with you. And he brought me up on his
own cuz my mom had learning difficulties. She tend to go out a lot. So my dad were the one who like
changed my nappies. He fed me. He used to carry me on his back. He used to have a bicycle. I’d
sit on the back of the bicycle. We used to go to Morrison’s together and he used to get me spare
ribs cuz he used to make them them a lot. Okay. Yeah. We always had like really healthy food in
the house. Um he used to be in the betting shop a lot. My dad um what else did he used to do? We
used to play music really loud. I used to get be a bit deaf. Okay. Cuz he was shout he used to just
shout my name out the flat window. So So what age are you there? From around 9 till about 12. Okay.
Um used to shout my name out the window. Quite a good household. It was all right. Yeah. used to
shout my name out the window scene Elizabeth all the time all the time I just don’t know why
but obviously I used to climb on the rooftop you like a garage rooftop so I used to be quite
adventurous and used to shout my name all the time um it was just me and my dad and then he had his
friends around used to play dominoes and I can I remember all the songs because I’ve got really
good memory of like songs so many rivers to cross Jimmy Cliff my dad used to play that all the time
I remember one time he won money at the betting shop, but it were quite a lot of money. What he
won back then like 700 or £800. So, he bought this TV. Okay. Where you could play more music
and we had a sound system. We put a disc on it and we used to collect them cuz my mom used to be
a hoarder. She used to like hoard so many things, phones, deodorants, clothing, a lot of things.
Okay. So, that’s your primary that’s your that’s your memory of primary household. Yeah. Okay.
We don’t have Christmas. Okay. We had trimmings, but we didn’t have a Christmas tree. I didn’t
get presents or anything like that because I just don’t think my dad knew about how to do Christmas.
Okay. I don’t know really the answer for that. I just don’t think my dad knew about Christmas. So,
I don’t remember if we got a Christmas dinner. I don’t remember stuff like that. Um, what else
do I remember? He used to take me out. We used to do decorating. used to take me to his friend’s
restaurant which is in Marley Street. Used to do a lot of decorating on there. What else did he used
to do? He used to bed and shop a lot though my dad. So I were free to do what I wanted basically.
Okay. From the age of 11. Do you know like obviously you have like a mom and dad where you’d
have rules. I didn’t have rules so I allowed to do what I want if you know what I mean. Yeah. So
you just you’re just out with your friends. I used to walk about a lot. Okay. Um get into a lot of
trouble. So how was school? school. I used to have learning mentors working with me in school because
sometimes I came to school, my hair was a afro. I couldn’t brush my hair. I used to get nits a lot
in a Fran. My sister used to brush my hair for me cuz my sister was the one before I went into care.
My sister basically took took me on. So, she used to provide me a meal. Um cuz I didn’t I used to be
hungry a lot. I know this is going to sound thingy how are you going to be hungry when your dad used
to cook all that food? Because I used to be on the streets from the age of like 11. I used to be in
flats. I’d be in town going to the cinemas area, the bowling area cuz we used to hang around there.
The what is it? The ice skating ring. Ice. My mom used to take me ice skating cuz she wasn’t that
poorly then. She used to take me ice skating. I had my own ice skates cuz that was something I
really enjoyed. She’d take me on a Saturday and I think she used to take me on a Tuesday. Um, what
else did she used to do? She used to buy me things like a happy meal after school. She’d meet me at
the bus stop or in town. Um, she got me a phone once cuz everyone had these phones and obviously
I wanted a phone cuz like when you’re growing up and you don’t have things like that and your
parents don’t really understand like about the newest trainers, it’s really hard to thin. So So
when you’re you’re at that age, so you’re going up to 11 years. So in primary school, you’re saying
you have learning mentors that I Yeah, they were supporting me in school. I used to go in there
and speak to them because I feel like I needed, you know, like someone to speak to because as time
went on, my dad had a stroke when I was 11. Okay. That were really hard for me to be honest with
you because he was he got really better. My dad, he had two strokes. I think within like a year
or something, I can’t really remember. So, we’re living in the household. We had carers
coming in. But what he said to me was like, “Can you help me?” So I used to help him sometimes with
medic, you know, things what I shouldn’t be doing at 11. So I had to grow I basically have to grow
up really quick. So you had to grow up above your above your normal age. Yeah. Okay. So from there
we go into secondary school. So we’re now we’re heading into the 12 year old area now. So your dad
has a stroke when you’re around 11 12. Yeah. But I were getting rest bite then. Okay. So basically
I was going to rest bite probably twice a week or every fortnight where I’d do activities. I might
do like some arts and crafts. I’d do some cooking, baking, meeting other young people. Um I’d sleep
over there too. Okay. Um I used to I used to go to a lot of other projects. So basically, do you
know for vulnerable young girls about how to keep safe in the streets? So I used to go there. That
was like an organization in Bradford where they they do a lot of activities and support with young
females. Okay. Okay. Black enrichment trying to like give you like um confidence and boosting your
confidence. So, how old are you here? This is from 11 till 14. I will go in there through the social
services. They arranged it. So, you’re still in school. Are you still going to school? Yeah,
I’m still going to school. Um I chose my school, secondary school. Okay. Because my dad’s a
Monday night to do a form and I wanted to go to Yacht Matters cuz all my friends were going Yacht
Matters. That was like a m I’d say it was a mixed school. There was like a lot of different ethnic
minorities. There was like mixed race kids. There were black kids. There were white kids. There were
Asian kids. But it were people. All my mates were going there. So it was it was something it was
going to be somewhere that you felt comfortable going where I can have a chill basically. Okay.
Sorry. Where can you want to go to school? I want to chill out. I wanted to have a bit of fun in
school there. Okay. So you’re making school fun now. bringing loads of sweets for everyone because
my dad used to give me money, didn’t he? Well, I want to take you back though because you
said you talked about care going in care. So, at what age does that happen? We’re getting rest
bite. Yeah. And I went into care at the age of 11 into a children’s home, a mixed children’s
home. So, female and male children’s home. Okay. Um in Bradford area. So, basically that was quite
different actually. And I got Christmas presents there. Okay. They did Christmas. If I needed hair
products, they helped you get stuff like that. You got a key worker. So that were really good.
I remember my key worker called Rose. So you still able to You still have contact with your
family though while she was in your children’s home. Okay. So that was good. I was allowed
to go to my dad’s um flat where he lived, which was 15 minutes. So if you crossed over the
road, the flats were there. Okay. Cuz they tried to basically keep me in Bradford so that I’d have
like family. So you’re not too far away from your family. So you still got that connection, aren’t
you? But I didn’t want to be in Bradford. Well, you didn’t want to be. No. No. I didn’t want
to be in Bradford because there’s a lot of things that were going on back then. Um, a lot of
exploitation were going on. So I didn’t want to go into Bradford, but obviously I wanted my mom and
dad. So it was kind of a bit of a situation where cash22 and they weren’t listening to me. Do you
know the social services? My social work weren’t listening to me because I told them I need to move
out of Bradford, but they just wouldn’t listen. And they finally listened, but they’ll still put
me in West Yorkshire where I can still get to Bradford. And you’re always going to go back cuz
I kept running away. I used to run away a lot. But you’re going to you’re always going to return
back to what you know, aren’t you? Cuz that’s that’s the key thing because obviously my mom and
dad are my mom and dad, but obviously I can’t live with him because obviously it’s not safe for me
to live there. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I I get it. So, how long are you in in social
care for then? From the age of 11 till 18. Oh, wow. A long time. I don’t know what care order
I basically what care order they gave me cuz I don’t know anything about that. I know that my
mom used to go to court a lot to my hearings, but I don’t think she understood what was going
on cuz my mom had learning difficulties. So, my mom would go to the court hearings for me.
She used to try and fight for me. My dad would get really annoyed with the social workers. I can
imagine. A proud Caribbean man. I just used to get annoyed with him because he didn’t understand
obviously how the system works. I think obviously because they took him they took me from my dad.
I think a lot of people in the country didn’t understand how the how the care system worked to
be fair. So I can imagine it was even stranger for a man coming into the country and trying to
understand the care system because if we’re going back in time, not that we’re talking of ages,
but the care system back then wasn’t what it is now. No. So it would especially for especially
for people of color, shall we say, I think it was even more difficult especially when you’re
talking about learning about people’s cultural backgrounds. I don’t feel like they safeguarded
me properly. Okay. So what what makes you think that though? Their duty of care, I don’t feel like
they basically their duty of care wasn’t in the right place. The reason being is because of what
was going on in my life. Okay. Um they might say, “Oh, Elizabeth, you kind of brought that on
yourself. You chose to make them choices.” But how can a young child of 11 to 14, we’ll say
around that age group, make the right choices in life if she’s not got the right role models. Yeah.
And she’s actually in care already. Because again, if we go back to it and you’re saying it’s
like when you at 14 when you’re saying, “I chose my school, but it wasn’t the school that
you wanted to go to to for education. It was more you wanted a school that you could chill.” The
good thing about school was though there was um like a man and I I find it really inspirational
at the time because he used to take us out a lesson to learn us about black history. Okay. So I
I’ve always found black history quite interesting and it was called a so they take it was called
African Community Association. It’s still actually ongoing now. So they take you out of lesson and
you’d go with your friends and you’d learn about black history. Okay. And I found that really
good because we got a bit out of lesson two. But we’ve got to learn about black history at the
same time. At the same time. Okay. Cuz I feel like they need to bring that in schools, I think. So
more your honest opinion of you in education. So I good at PE. I was really good at running. Okay.
I the fastest actually. Is that because you was always running away from home though? Yeah. Well,
hiding in staircases. Okay. Okay. Or hiding in staircases because cuz you do come across as quite
adventurous. So, not scared. I’m not going to say it was scared, but I think more and if I’m wrong,
I’m wrong. But more tomboyish. I can imagine you being quite a tomboy when you was younger. Yeah.
Um I remember one time I think I told my sister that I wanted to do boxing. Okay. She said, “You
don’t want to do that.” She a bit annoyed with me. But I remember I got that pierced. She got
pissed off with me then. Sorry. No, no, you can swear it’s not I got my earpiece at the top. She
got annoyed with me cuz she was like my mom. Okay. She didn’t like me. Just for any microphones, we
can over hear the sister is actually here in the background. So, if you hear a little bit of
a squabbling going on, you’ll know why. Um, so take me to GCSEs. Did you do your GCSEs? No.
I was kind of This is why the care system failed me. Okay. They promised me this that I would go
to another school to do my GCSEs. I was having um education Bradford they was teaching me in the do
you know a tutor was coming in to do homeschooling with me and basically in the children’s home this
is the other children’s home so from the age of 15 till 16 I was in there in 2006 this was um they
basically was doing some kind of like tutoring with me and they said right we’ll get you into
another school to do your GCSEs but I didn’t get to do them because I really wanted to do them you
know so I basically went to do a college course, health and social care. So, what did you
want to be? Was it Was the uh I wanted to be a police officer at start. Okay. When I were
younger. That’s interesting, actually. You know, in Bradford, there used to be an old police
station with the water fountains. And I remember writing a letter and I told my mom to take me
there cuz, you know, when someone got arrested, you could actually speak through the little holes.
Okay. It’s strange. It’s like an old fashioned police station, but it’s not there now. Oh, right.
Okay. Yeah, it’s where the old probation service is. I don’t I be honest with you, there’s a lot
there’s a lot I know about I know about Bradford, but it’s more nightclubs more than anything else
if I’m honest. I do want to be a police officer, but obviously I didn’t do that. Then I thought
travel and tourism, but health and social care could get me where I needed to be because it opens
a lot of doors. And I had a leaving care worker, too, who who I’ve known for a long time. She was
she she basically her daughter and me were friends in school. So, I’m guessing that your aspirations
more than anything was to get out of Bradford, weren’t it? I’d still tried to get out of
Bradford like five years ago. I applied for housing in Manchester and I got onto the
housing cuz I really I feel like with my boys, I’ve got two boys, 16 and 15. Okay. And well, hold
on. We’ll come we’ll we’ll get there. We’re going to get there. So, we’re with 2006 when you’re
16. Yeah. So at 16 you wanted to do your GCSEs. The social social services let you down there. Um
promised you X Y and Z. So what happens from 16? Because now you’re 16 years old. I was pregnant
at 15. Ah right. Okay. But I was doing a Duke of Edinburgh award course. Oh right. Okay. A lot of
people were working with me. Maybe they’re from like I don’t know where they’re from but there’s
a lot of community involvement in Bradford at the time. There might have been youth workers, but
they were coming into the children’s home cuz there was a lot of young people that were a mixed
home again. Okay. Where they might want to do some kind of like English and math’s, but it won’t
be a GCSE. Might be adult literacy and math’s. Okay. But it’s equivalent. Yeah. Cuz I always
wanted to get some kind of course in my life or some qualification. That’s who I I am. That’s
me. So whilst you’re I don’t want to not develop anything in life. Yeah. So you’re actually there’s
there’s a purpose. There’s a purpose in your I need to get where I need to be in life. Okay. So
then what happens obviously at 15 get pregnant. Did my health and social care course. I passed it.
Okay. Cuz I realized I could get free child care because obviously that provides stability for my
son and it made my life easier and then I can get where I need to be. Right. So let’s let’s let’s
let’s right. So 15 we get pregnant. Bradford. Still in Bradford. Yeah. In the health in
the social care. Yeah. Then from being 15, I’m guessing. So you said you had a boy. You
have a little boy. Then you do your half and social care. Yeah. But I’m living in temporary
accommodation now because I’ve got a leaving care worker. They’ve transitioned me on to get
a leaving care worker. Okay. So by that time I’m having to do a taster flat where you learn about
budgeting skills, you learn about food shopping, how to pay gas and electric. It was like a top
meter. Um I mean in essence you was getting a lot of help, weren’t you? Yeah. You had a lot from the
leaving care. That was good then. And I had a good um key worker in the do you know the other
children’s home the 15 to 16 one I had a good key worker called Janet. Okay. So so have a kid
and then you do your health and social care then you get your accommodation. Yeah. So from a house
and you get a house. So this is all leading up to so we’re now 16 and they did I used to come to
leads to like a parenting class where they did a lot of essentials for free for young young teenage
pregnancy. Okay. So I used to go to a lot of teenage pregnancy groups and even in the leaving
care system they used to have run groups where you’d meet other parents. Okay. At your age but
yeah at my age that were quite good. you and then as you developed on um you basically go into like
a transition where you meet other people and then what do you do then? You bring the baby to the
group. So it’s like a baby group. Okay. Which were quite good. So it’s I think because one of that as
well I’m guessing cuz at 15 16 I’m guessing that’s more of a a community of your own peers is it? So
it’s like saying you’re not on your own. You’re not the only person that’s going through it. Cuz
I can imagine at at 15 16 years it’s quite scary. It was scary being I don’t know if is it single
parent or is it Yeah. Yeah. So it’s single parent. I was a single parent and basically I don’t know
how I did it you know to be honest with you and and people that are watching single parent period
is hard work. It’s I think it’s a single parent at 15 16 it’s very difficult but with that leaving
care worker she were amazing you know she were the one who really helped me in my life to be honest
with you she stayed with me till I think I was 18 or 19 so we when you’re in leaving care you
get like um an allowance every week so you can either you have to go collect your money or this
then they started meeting me in town where you do like you’d meet them to have you know to speak
about if you’ve got any issues or if you need any support then they’d have a nurse who can help
you too. Okay. So that’s all right. So you did have a lot of support surrounding you. Yeah. So 16
you’re in your own accommodation now. Yeah. You’ve learned all the little tricks of saving electric
everything else. So let’s go on to when we’re moving from 16 to 18. I was pregnant again. So 16
to 18. Yeah. You’re pregnant again? Yeah. Right. Okay. So there’s 11 months age gap between my boys
and same father. No. Okay. What were I doing then? Let me think. Cuz I always I got a job. Okay.
And my mom used to help me. Can I just say I got a job. I remember I remember getting this
job. You know what’s so good is that the biggest Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I got a job because it would I
needed a little bit of um stability in my life and so that I could provide something for my boys.
It might be the smallest thing, but I got a job and it was working in a fish shop. Okay, I got a
few jobs actually to be honest with you cuz I was doing a college course and then I remember my mom
my mom wasn’t that poly then. So my mom used to meet me at about4 to 7 every morning cuz I worked
in B&M sweeping the floors. Okay. So that was all right. And then she’d drop the boys off to nursery
cuz it was all around the same area cuz I knew that my mom How old are you now? I’m 33. Not now.
Sorry. Sorry. How old were you then? I was 18. 18. So quite you’ve got quite an incentive. You’ve got
quite a few jobs back then. Worked in a fish shop. Then I worked in a pizza shop in the local market.
Um I was doing studying too. So I weren’t just working. I was doing level two. I think I did.
But in college, was you back at college? Yeah, back at college doing ICT some kind of English and
math’s I was doing. Plus, it was really it’s kind of good that I meet other people. So, that’s
why it were good for me to go to college. So, I know you’re saying your mom your mother was
better then. Was your dad still alive? Yeah, my dad was alive, but he was in a nursing home by
that time. Okay. Um, my mom wasn’t that poly. She deteriorated as time went on. Okay. So, my mom
would help me out and my mom has helped me out to be honest with you. My mom when I was pregnant
used to help me out. My mom was there when my son was born, but she couldn’t handle the situation.
So, my key worker was there, too. Okay. So, yeah, my mom was a really good help for me to be honest
with you. Oh, that’s good. Yeah. Even though she had her difficulties, she was help. She did
help me out a lot. And you have got I mean, just speaking to you’ve got quite um you’ve got a
go getter attitude like you’re not just going to sit back. You’re going to keep because always
your dream is always to get out of Bradford. still chasing that dream of getting out
of Bradford. I feel like now though, as time’s gone on, I feel more settled with my
housing situation. Okay. And well, you’ve got more things going for you, aren’t you? Which we
we’re going to get to. Yeah. So, 18. 18. Yeah. We’re doing all these jobs. Can I ask you a quick
question though? At that time, at that up from earliest memory to you’re 18 now. Yeah. Who’s your
hero? H because the reason why I’m asking you that and I’ll tell you why I’m asking you is because
through this journey we’ve gone from there’s certain parts where sometimes your emotions can’t
hide. So your emotions automatically come out of you and you don’t realize what’s going and
I’m looking at you face to face. So I look at emotions of your dad quite being inspirational
with the food and music because I know you’re a music lover. We’ve then you’ve mentioned about
two or three different um people with social care that helped you out and you also spoke about work
when you got your first job. I tell you something, what really gave me like a sense of who I am in
life was work. Yeah. Because who was your hero? my hero up to 18 because heroes changed over and you
can have multiple heroes. I think I think my dad will always be part of my life to be honest with
you. Okay. Because of the struggles what he came from from when he come to this country plus him
looking after me as an Afro Caribbean man of his age and everything like that. So my dad I’m trying
to think who else really. I feel like the people who supported me in my life like Loretta Loretta
that’s my learning mentor. So I seen her the other day actually. That’s great. She follows me on my
social media but she said if I ever want to speak to her she can just drop. I can imagine she’s
going to be very proud of you to see where you’ve come. Yeah. So I’m I’m actually loving this. I
enjoy because I just believe when people have a story to tell and one of them I’m going to tell
you another reason why I wanted you one. Yeah. is because I know you’ve got a story to tell and
I know that there’s going to be many many young females out there that are going to go through
the journey going to listen to your journey as you go along and going to go she did it. Yeah,
that girl she did it. And I’m just and I know I know factually you’re going to be an inspiration
for a lot of women cuz I genuinely believe you are. Just I’ll just say that. Now there has to be
a turning point in everybody’s life, doesn’t it? I feel like another thing is what I find really
hard is positive relationships. Okay. I find that really difficult because do you know when you’re
in a relationship you need someone to uplift you? You need someone to like be supportive. Okay.
You know some people they’re not really strong. But I’m guessing but there’s a difference here is
there because when you’re saying you need someone strongly because but sometimes you don’t need
someone you know. No you don’t. But what I’m going to say is this is you had those people but
are you talking on a personal relationship? I’m on about like relationships partners you know
like as time gone on obviously with me I don’t give up on anything in my life and I try to
make things last longer but with relationships it’s really hard because everyone has their own
goals in life where they want to go don’t they? Yeah, of course. It’s a bit difficult sometimes.
Okay. But but then we we we’ve got to go. So 18, two children, single parent. Doing all right,
actually. Single parent. Yeah. You’re doing your studying. Doing my studying. Working your jobs.
Getting better jobs though. Okay. Applied for a job within like a resource center. Okay. Working
with people with learning difficulties and autism. Because I spoke a little bit about my life. That’s
what I feel like when I speak a little bit about my life experience. I can get the jobs I want.
Yeah. So, I’m getting more jobs actually. I did an apprenticeship. Okay. With um dance and arts
with people with learning difficulties. Okay. So, that were quite good for me to be honest with
you. A sense of giving back. Yeah. But mainly I wanted to just see how what I can do in my life
really, you know, like career-wise. Just see what type of jobs are available. Yeah. And that’s it
really with my jobs. But yeah, you go from that job to I don’t stay in jobs long to be honest with
you. And I I don’t know why that was why I don’t stay in jobs long. I don’t know because obviously
I don’t have the answer for that. You’re always chasing different jobs. like I might stay in a job
for a year and then I worked in resource center for like two years but I feel like I need to do
something better like I can do better than that. But I did hear somewhere along the line. I don’t
know how I think it might have come out of your mouth when it was on a on a on one of your Tik
Toks. But didn’t you work in a children’s home as well or something? I did youth work in South
Yorkshire leaving care. So that was a very good job. I enjoyed that. Was working with young people
from 16 to 19. I worked in leads too with a young fellow. He was involved in knife crime. It was
like a I think he’d been adopted and there was some kind of he went into like children’s homes
foster careers but do you know what I did for it? I feel like I made a difference. I don’t know if I
made a difference but I basically did an education session with him and I never really didn’t
did that in my work. So basically I put like um a documentary on and I said come sit down with
me. Let’s watch this documentary about like gangs and knife crime. And that’s what I did with
him because I had to record every session and I really enjoyed that job. What made you leave?
Cuz I have to bring my boys up, daughter. I have to. It’s the main thing in my life is my boys not
really getting involved in crime. Okay. And it’s a challenge actually. Have you been successful
though? I think like I’ve done all right. Well, listen, just a lot of young people don’t like
school, do they? Yeah. And I feel like with the schools, I I got my my son into another school in
Leeds. were like from 14 to 16 but they do more like work with them but the school won’t fund it.
Yeah. So what it is is in these we have a thing where they can go to like it’s like a like a mini
college I think from 14 at the age of 14 to 16 because it’s more hands-on. So when you do I think
that’s what my boys needed plastering mechanics. So yeah, it’s quite it’s quite good. But again,
like you say, but I’m always, you know, with my boys, sorry, with my boys, even like the one who’s
15, I’m like, what do you want to do in your life? Like they need drive. I think young people, do
you know what I will say from working with young people? And and I’m sure you’ll understand it
is your thought process will often change every six months. Like people won’t believe when I was
younger, my first early memories, there was two things I wanted to be. First was to be a police
officer, believe it or not. And the second one was um to be to be a fireman. Yeah. So yeah, because
and I’ve always had a fascination with fire, which can be quite dangerous, but I’ve always
had this fascination with fire because it’s a breathing organism. If you look at it, if you give
if you give fire oxygen, it’ll breathe. So it gets bigger. But if you add fuel to it and you feed it,
it also So I’ve always been I’m like that in life. And I think with young people, my advice is always
this is we work with young people either prior to getting into trouble or are already in trouble.
And I think for the advice I always give is look, the knowledge we’re going to give you, I don’t
necessarily know when you’re going to use that knowledge. Yeah. However, what I’m saying to you
is is just log it because at some stage you are going to use that knowledge and when you do,
you’re already steps ahead of everybody else. I just feel the knowledge, aren’t you? Do you
know with opportunities for young people, it’s really hard. Yeah. 100%. It’s 100%. And I do worry
about my boys. I don’t know what they’re going to do in their life and all. My son, I got him into
music studio actually. He’s really good. He was really good at music, my son. And he’s actually
got a music video out on YouTube. So I got him into the studio at 12. We’re always in his room.
He’s all He likes to be in that room. So we were always writing these lyrics. So I said, “Come on
then. Let’s get to this music studio.” But that’s died down. Okay. There’s no greater love than
a mother’s love, is there? See? Okay. So, we’re going through life with different jobs. So, where
are we now? We’re around 25. We’re around 25ish. But I want because So, are your mom and dad still
alive? My mom’s alive. My dad passed away. I think it was 2011. Okay. He deteriorated as he went into
the nursing home. as time went on. Um I just find it I suppose it’s hard to watch as well is it when
you watch I used to take him out though. Okay. In a wheelchair. Remember that cuz he didn’t like
that food in there. He don’t he like he wanted his soup. He wanted He wanted I used to try making
it but I just couldn’t make the food right then. But I would if I what I have in my life now I
would make all that food for my dad. Yeah. And I would have got my dad to Dominica. And I know me.
You would have done it as well, wouldn’t you? Oh, 100%. I don’t doubt you. I went there. That’s what
I went there because every time I asked my dad or my auntie, my auntie’s 98, you know, okay. And
she lives then. Yeah. I said to her, every time I ask him, I want to know about my family, they
won’t tell me. So, I just did a bit of research, right? And I spoke to him for over a year. So, I
knew where the village were from, my dad. And then I got speaking to him. And then I used to sell
food. Saved up the money to get the ticket and I went with my son. Well, I’m glad you said about
selling food, making food. Yeah. Because I love selling food. We’ve I need to get to the stage of
how we’ve how because I didn’t get introduced to you. How did you I don’t know. It just came across
you. It was just one day it just came across you on on on TikTok, was it? And then it just starts
us taking advice and he was in a live. I jumped in. Oh, good. Good live. We got a few people
that jumped in the live with us, didn’t we? Um, and it was all about cuz I want to know cuz this
is where we get to the key thing cuz when funny enough, sorry, cuz I have to laugh about this cuz
funny enough when I do meet you, you’re crippled. You’re sat hos you’re sat in hospital. I don’t
you can see the crutches that are on here now. Um, so when I first in meet you virtually, sorry.
Yeah. You’re you’re on a hospital bed in a eating food. Eating food. Ordering a takeaway. Ordering
a hospital food. In fact, I think it was food. You’re ordering samosas. I love them. My sister
makes good ones. You said I met you. You’re at A&E. You laid on the bed and you’d been in A&E
about 10 hours or something. you’ve been there a while and then we start a conversation. So
I want to know all about where the idea comes from the name the charity name. Yes. So obviously
you’ve got Ruby of Bradford. Yeah. CIC. Yes. And and know only I know that that’s named after your
mother because your mother’s called Ruby. Okay. So when does that thought process emerge? Where what
what year are we in? So, I’ll give you a bit of a backstory about my mother. I became my mother’s
carer in 2019. Okay. That would enable me for my mom to have a suitable place where she can live.
I couldn’t let my mom go cuz you just see your dad had already been there. Can’t let my mom go.
There’s a lot of people taking advantage of my mom in the streets. Okay. Cuz my mom was very lonely.
She liked to go sit in the town center quite a lot. She loved the fish shop. She loved Greggs.
Same as when I was younger, she used to take me to the the Rosson Market. That was the old market in
Bradford to Rita’s Cafe. That was a long time ago, too. She used to take me there. She used to take
me to the parks. She used to do a lot of things with me. But with my mom passing away, I kind of
still shocked about that to be honest with you, okay? Because my mom was only 62 years old and
I was pregnant when my mom passed away. I got a phone call. It was strange actually. I got
a phone call off this woman asking who I am, asking me and am I the next of king for my
mom and I was like I’m confused. I put the phone down because I’m thinking my mom I spoke
to my mom like 5 days ago or something and my mom’s died now. Okay. So I didn’t understand I
can’t understand that because my mom were living with me. I will get I just got her a new flat.
Okay. Um and basically she goes, “I want to go back to the flat, Elizabeth.” And I said, “All
right, then just go back to the flat for a bit just for two days.” Cuz my mom’s independent. My
mom’s got capacity. This is a problem I always struggled with getting a diagnosis for my mom cuz
my mom can make her own mind up. Do you know what I mean? Like my mom can choose if she wants to
have a fish and chips today. Yeah. How to get on the bus. you know, certain things in her life
cuz my mom can do what she wants, but she still needs a little help with bills and things like
that and budgeting. So anyway, um my mom said, “I’m going back to the flat.” So my birthday this
4th of October, so there were these people who were taking advantage of my mom. They took my mom
to the bank and they took money out of the bank. And basically my mom would always get me a card on
my birthday cuz that’s my mom. Anyway, I’ve rang my mom. I even went round there. My son rang her.
I found them people in my mom’s flat on the floor. Do you know the warden people who supposed to go
do house checks? I authorized that for my mom to get checks. Do you know where they can go around?
Yeah. And check my mom cuz if I’m not there sometimes I was eight month pregnant. They can
go around and they didn’t they didn’t go around to my mom’s flat. It were too late cuz my mom had
already got a taxi to their property. Okay. So my mom had sepsis. I don’t know about sepsis. I don’t
know about that, do I? Yeah, sepsis is that blood poisoning. Yeah. I don’t know how my mom got
blood poisoning because I already did a blood test three weeks prior to my mom passing away and
that blood test was fine. Okay. Some I don’t know what’s happened to my mom. So anyway, my mom’s
gone to the flat. My mom knows how to ring me. That phone number is saved in my mom’s phone and
they’ve just rang the ambulance and just sent my mom in this ambulance all alone. My mom would
have needed me in the A&E. Do you know how busy the A&E is? No A&E in any hospital. She would have
needed me to explain what was going on and things like that. So, my mom went into the hospital
pretending it was like 6:00 p.m. And the next day, 9:00, my mom had passed away. And I didn’t find
out for two weeks that my mom had passed away. I kept ringing the phone and thinking my mom’s
alive. And that phone was still ringing prior to my mom dying, three months after my mom died and
her bag’s missing. So someone’s charging the phone clearly and kept the phone. I went police station.
They didn’t listen to me. Wow. I did, you know, where you do a video call. Yeah. Or like where
you report it online. I went there, did that, they didn’t listen because obviously my mom’s passed
away. There’s no victim or something. Then what else did I do? I went to the police station. I
put a report in. I never heard anything back from that. Have you continued to to chase that up or I
ran the phone network. They couldn’t give me any information because I’m not a solicitor or police,
but I’ve had a lot going on. Yeah. So, I tried. I had a lot going on. Well, look, I don’t even know
the the police number now. I forgot all that. It’s like in life we have sometimes there’s things
especially when you’ve got I had to get everything out the flat. Remember, because they said if you
don’t do it, we’re going to charge me money and there was a lot of stuff to get out of the flat.
So, I gave You said your mom was a hoarder. Yeah. Yeah. So, she had a lot of stuff. to get a lot of
stuff out, but I gave it to a few homeless people, a few charities, and I had to get rid of
everything. So, that’s the backstory. Oh, yeah. So, that’s the back story. So, then in March, as
time’s gone on, I’ve obviously had my little boy and I’ve got better and healthier. I basically
I started giving sandwiches out to people in the city center. Okay. I know them because I used
to work in hostel settings in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. So I kind of knew them and
that I’ve got a good relationship with some of the people I support in Bradford. Okay. So these
homeless people or some of them have got drug and alcohol addiction. Right. Okay. And I’ve known
them some of them I know from growing up living in the flats cuz the area we lived in. There was a
lot of crime. The poverty was quite low there. Um. Yeah. So you’re making food. I’m making because
you enjoy making food and you’re also taking it in for free into Bradford giving me any funding or
anything like that. I know that I can I know how to make affordable meals. So I used to do sandwich
packs, okay? And I used to like get donations off my friends and things like that. Then I just
started going around and speaking to people. I started feeling good about it, okay? Getting a
kind of fulfillment. Then I got I kind of like got my sister on board with me cuz my sister has a lot
of experience in her life. So it’s kind of brought us back together cuz I don’t have a big family.
So I kind of brought us back together cuz you know what like me I’m like don’t listen to people or
just sometimes fall out of people but I can’t be bothered with that in my life anymore. You seem
I don’t I’m not going to say that um I I’m I’m saying this from observation. Yeah. I’m not going
to say that you’re a person that actually falls out with people. I think what happens sometimes is
that you can be very focused that the peripheral vision of other people doesn’t come into sight.
Yeah. Cuz you’re quite focused. It doesn’t mean I’m self-centered. No, no, no, no. It doesn’t. Far
from it. It just means you have a focus and you’ve got a drive. It’s a bit hard sometimes. 100%.
Like friend, it’s hard with friendships though, isn’t it? Sometimes in friendships, I’ve realized
some friends have not been there for me when I needed them. So, I kind of like step back from
them and just keep going where I’m going. Not in a bad way. No, no, no. Definitely not. So, how does
how does Ruby of Bradford start? Is that is that the beginning of it? So, we was So, we’re giving
out sandwiches. We’re engaging with people. We’re seeing how they’re doing. We’ve got my sister on
board. We’re doing all these videos. We’re trying to get more volunteers. We’ve got my nephew on
board. My nephew’s quite good. Your nephew’s absolutely brilliant, by the way. Shout out to
your nephew. Honestly, he’s absolutely brilliant. I’ve seen I’ve seen the last video clips that
you did. I think you was I think you was at the market. You’ve been shopping in the market. I
wanted to check this market out. It’s expensive, you know. I heard you say it. Sorry. So, you get
So, I’m going to give you back. So, you’ve got every you get your sister involved, your nephews
involved. What What’s What’s happening then? We’re getting a team together. I’m thinking I’m getting
a lot of views here. I’m getting a lot of people are giving me donations. Hm. What shall I do
with this? What shall I do with this? Where can I develop this? So, I feel like with my social
media, that has been a really help to me. I’m getting a lot of volunteers. I’m getting a lot of
people giving me donations. And then to be a CIC, I thought about that after. But, okay, with me
and my sister and my nephew and some people in the group, we decided to put a table up. This
is the first time we ever did this table thing. I thought we’ll get a table up and then we’ll we
have all the clothes on the floor. We’ll do it like that. Okay. Get this music going. I don’t
know. And I can’t stop this music. That’s from memory, isn’t it? Because music I know every song
you can think of actually. And they do like music, you know. I like to get the story. I like
to get their stories out. I think you like it more than them though to be fair. Sorry. I
mean, you got Shag picking a mic up by and just singing. I like singing. So, where we’ve got
the stuff on the floor, you’re getting people around because from the information that I
was given back from a person that came over, they he said to me, his words was as soon as
they see you, they automatically come. Yeah, they do. It’s good actually. But at the start, as
is tried and tested, it’s all a learning process. So, at the start, we were putting things on the
table. Okay. So, they can get any toiletry one, any of the biscuit, but they were just going
like quick and it’s not fair on other people. Everyone else has to get some kind of like food.
You know, if I don’t have anything left over, then how am I supposed to give food to them? So,
now we’ve got structure. We needed structure and organization. So, there’s a queue. They don’t
like it when we kind of tell them that they have to queue up for the food. Sometimes they want
it we want they want them to bring it to us. They want us to bring them the food. They sit down
and think it’s some kind of service. So I’m like, you need to queue. If you want food, you really
need to queue for your food. So what are So what are you supplying? So when you So cuz because
you’re based in Bradford. Yeah. And you’re going to the Bradford city center, aren’t you? I want
to move that though. I want to walk around the city center. Okay. But what what what So for the
people out there, let I want them to know what you offer. So what do you offer within the week guys?
I do a food parcel service. So I provide like food parcels for people on low income people who are
struggling dayto-day cuz I know that the food parcels they have like a limited access where
they only can get one food parcel a month. So I have got the essentials to provide them like
rice, beans, dah, like vegetables. So they can make a meal and they’re allowed like I think two
a month. Okay. So I do food parcels. I’ve got my reviews on my Facebook. You can check the reviews
out. So, is that So, what days is that on? That’s throughout the week. I’ll get private messages and
then I just go deliver them. But then on a Friday, Friday is the main outreach where we run an
outreach every Friday from 4 till 7. The time may differ depending if I have to collect food because
I have a lot of donations coming from takeaways and they message me these takeaways and then
obviously they’re doing a lot of collaboration and I’ll go pick up the food. So we did I think I
collected some food from Kefir. I picked up around 25 meals. Okay. So that was quite good. some
Chinese food cuz I I know I can go get a Chinese, but I mean with the people we’re supporting and
the mental health or the drug addiction, they might not always have the capacity to get some
food or so if I can give them a nice Chinese like once a month. Yeah. And so what is what’s what’s
your what’s your plan or what’s your idea or where do you see Ruby of Bradford being in five years
time? We’d love a soup kitchen setting where we can do cook and eat sessions. We can do budgeting
skills. We can do benefit advice. Learned this from the hostel. So I know how to do good at
filling forms in and all. Okay. Um so we’d like a soup kitchen because it’s really hard in the
streets. Yeah. Take a lot of abuse from people. Um me I get all the abuse at me. Okay. People
throw food at me because they don’t like rurals, do they? And they’re only allowed one meal. And
they can have much drinks and chocolate what they want, but they’re only allowed one meal because
the reason being is I have to make that food last for other people. Yeah. There’s more than just one
person that you There’s different there’s three different options though. Yeah. So this the food
options what we have are like there’s a hot meal sandwich or cold pasta and there’s vegetarian
options. Okay. So you’ve you’ve got a little bit of a plan for the next five years or where
you want to be in about five years. Yeah. Well, now I’m going to ask you, so this is a double
question. Yes. Um, so if you could go back in time and you could change anything. Yeah. One, what
would it be? And two, why? Maybe not running away from the foster careers. Didn’t run away for one
year, you know. Okay. I used to run away because was kind of going through some personal stuff
there where I can explain it. I thought I was in a relationship with someone who’s older
than me. Okay. But it wasn’t true. It was not real. Yeah. Do you know what I mean by
that? Yeah. Yeah. I thought it was real at the time cuz I were looking for someone. You
was you was searching for that father figure. It wasn’t real as time went on. So, I used to
run away thinking I’m in this relationship, but it’s not real. So, at a young age, you’re
being manipulated basically. Yeah. Yeah, I get that. And that’s what you would change. It doesn’t
necessarily change your path, does it? I feel like the foster care is um would that that placement
would have opened more opportunities in my life. Probably would have gone to uni. I can still go
to uni now, though. Yeah, of course you can. Um, but yeah, the foster carers were nice people,
but obviously because of who I were and I used to manipulate. Sorry, I’m quite manipulative. Yeah.
Yeah. And I used to run away basically. So yeah, I used to pretend to go to school, but I didn’t
go to school. Yeah, I think a lot of people have done that. I think a lot of people do that. Even
those that were living at home where, you know, they pretend they’re going to work. They haven’t
been there. I was meeting this person I was in a relationship with. Oh, you thought you was in a
relationship with? Yeah. Can be can be difficult, can’t it? Yeah. But the age gap wasn’t a big age
gap. It was probably around it is bad. So I was 14 and the person was 19 or 20. It is bad. Yeah. And
that’s really bad to be honest with you. Okay. So now that that being said, what advice I want to
do something with going into schools and doing cse workshops with young girls about exploitation
and grooming. Yeah. Yeah. And that would be coming from experience. I want to do that because sorry
I want to do that because it’s important that I do that and I don’t feel like they do a lot of
education around that. You know what I mean? I’ve realized as time’s gone on that them relationships
were not real real relationships based on the circumstances taking advantage of people. Yeah.
because I was like didn’t have like parent good parenting. You kind of look for that, don’t
you? Yeah. Yeah. You’re searching for it. You’re looking for that father figure or even the big
brother, you know, somebody that could put around friends, you know. Yeah. Sometimes it was just
going like out of Bradford, going to Blackpool or something like that. Things like that. Smoking
weed. Smoking weed then. Um, but weed was only £5. I used to get reefs. I used cuz I used to tell
my dad right that them reefs didn’t have alcohol. There was it was alcohol. Yeah. We don’t know.
Yeah. Yeah. I know exactly what Yeah. You mean you’ve had a you’ve had a you’ve had a life,
haven’t you? But I think you you’ve come out the other end now where you actually are giving back.
You’re giving you’re giving back to your community as well. And I think you are going to you’re
doing all right. I think 100%. You definitely are. So I really like to speak obviously we’re
speaking about that but with regards to like the exploitation I’ve kind of like got my head around
it now. Okay. Cuz I’ve done I’ve done really well in my life and I’ve come a long way with it. Do
you know what I mean? So I’m going to I’ve got one more question for you and then obviously you
know you you can ask me any question you want. So my final question to you is usually I would say
the advice you would give to your younger self. We’ve kind of covered that. So what I would ask is
is what advice would you give to younger females? What advice would you give to them? I’d say this
ladies, chase your dreams to be honest with you. And any support you can get out there, take the
support because people, you might think they’re not really there to support you, but they are.
It’s not just a job to them. I used to think, oh, they’re just doing it for the money, but they have
they do care about you guys. And I think if you’re good at singing, if you’re good at any skills
in your life, take the role and do your do your best. Do your best. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry, I started
there. No, it’s all right. Listen, I think you I think you you people will understand exactly what
you’re saying. People get it. So, it’s over to you. Right. You can ask any question now. So, what
made you have a CIC with on the verge like what made you come up with a name? Well, originally
I didn’t come up with a name. It was my partner, a guy called Marcus. He actually came up with the
name originally u cuz we was we was with another organization doing same work. Yeah. But one of the
key things for us is people keep saying um it was all about early intervention and they kept saying
early intervention was in secondary. Yeah. Year seven, year eight, year nine. And we kept saying
it’s not early intervention is primary year five like 9 years old, 10 years old, 11 years old.
You don’t know about this the situation at home because by the time they Yeah. By the time they
get into secondary school, they’ve already been formed. They’ve already formed a relationship.
They already listening to certain music, acting a certain way. Friendship groups are already
involved. So for us, it was more primary le, but I credit Marcus to the name. Marcus Marcus had
the name. Um, and what do you plan to do in your future? Oh, so you got two questions. Right. I got
a few. Okay, I’ll give you I’ll give you a couple more. So, what do I plan in the future? I think
for us, it’s it’s not about being the biggest and it’s not about being the best. Yeah. It’s
about the name, the name itself. So like you have Ruby of Bradford. Um ours would be On the Verge.
Yeah. So it’s not about the person that you saw or the person that works with you. It would be the
organization. You go, I can’t remember his name, but that guy that works with On the Verge. That’s
the advice he gave us. So that’s what it’ be. It’s the name. Do you think you make a difference
to the young people you’re supporting? 100%. Oh yeah. 100%. 100%. Cuz we’re constantly getting
We constantly get that referrals. Yeah. Yeah. So, we constantly get that feedback. We constantly
get referrals, whether it be from schools, social services. So, we are we are getting them. And can
I ask you a bit about your personal life? I mean, you’re asking a few you’ve had a few people
only get one, right? I give you one question. Go on then. What’s one question? Um, what was
it like for you growing up in Leeds? For me, it was it was quite fun. So, Leeds was quite fun
back then. There was no we didn’t have you know you often people not care in the world you can
leave your door unlocked this that and the other but it was fun it was it was all about fun and
for me in leads it wasn’t until later on where the violence comes into it and the gangs and
stuff like that where stuff like that but I was never I was never a follower so I was always
like a leader just doing your own thing so I was always just doing my own thing but for me my
my downfalls was always I’d like to I’d like to have a fight did you Yeah. So it’s probably
or like people would always say my eyes. So everybody would always believe I’m giving them
dirty looks, but I wasn’t. So a lot of issues I always had was because of that. And I think be
back in the day being mixed race was quite hard, were it? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was quite hard
cuz you know, you’re not you’re not black enough for the black group and you I find it hard, you
know. Yeah. I think it’s a lot easier now. Yeah, it’s a lot easier now. It is easier now. But
I mean, I went to this Dominican club, right, association, just cuz I just like to go there and
I feel like it’s really difficult in there. Like obviously my sister’s a bit older, but just the
way I not really welcoming me. Do you know what it is? I think I find it hard. I think sometimes um
depending on ra depending on social groups, racial groups, I think sometimes it’s always better to go
in with the intentions to give because most people think you’re coming with the intentions to take.
Yeah, that that would be my best advice because a lot of people look at things and they go, “Ah,
they’re just coming here to take take.” Whereas if you go there with the intention to give and
not take anything from that, then eventually they end up giving they end up giving back. Yeah. So,
yeah. But listen, I want to congratulate you on the work you’ve done so far. Yeah. And I will I’m
going to definitely stay in and I’m going to come over. Delete that video, though. Which one? It’s
that black lady. She’s doing that good song. Oh, right. I need to delete that. I I thought that
there was a few videos, but because I like to get I like people getting involved. Yeah. No, it’s
good. I I wouldn’t leave them out anyway if I was you. Got a lot of views though on there 100%.
Well, look, I want to thank you for coming over and I wish you all the success in the world. So,
thank you for coming over. Thank you. No problem.