Written by Ms. D, a volunteer with Educafe
I volunteer with Educafe, in Newbury, Berkshire, a wonderful organisation and how I wish an organisation like this had been around when I arrived in England on my own in 1978, at 28 years old with 1 suitcase and £400. What a huge difference it would have made to my life. To understand this, I need to give you some of my background…
I am white British but fourth generation African, third generation born in Africa. I started high school in January 1964, a month after Kenya gained Independence. The company my father worked for in Kenya was British and they told all their British employees that they had been advised that all people with the British Overseas Passport, did not have the “right of abode in England”. As they were a British company, they had been given permission to have all the passports of their British Nationals stamped with “The right of Abode” in Britain.
At the time, I was in my first year as a boarder at High School, so twelve years old. We had two 1-day exeats either side of half term and half term was Friday evening until Sunday evening. On one Sunday exeat that year, my parents said they had something important to discuss with me. They explained the above to me and they said that they felt I was sensible and mature enough to have some input. I asked what they were doing and they said they would have the stamp so I decided to do the same.
I still remember my mother’s final words on this subject: “There may come a time you have to leave Kenya and with this stamp, you will be able to live and work in UK. The only advice we can give you is: “Look forwards and not backwards and do not cry over spilt milk. It will be hard but there will be opportunities and you will have to make the most of it”.
I finally arrived in the UK at the age of 28, with 1 suitcase, a lot of determination and £400, the total amount of money I could leave Kenya with at that time. I did not think it would be too bad, by then, I had had several holidays in England both with my parents and on hockey tours. How wrong I was, talk about a culture shock!! I did not understand the people at all, so many things I did would have been sensible for Kenya but were not sensible for the UK.
I moved to London, I thought it would be easier to get jobs, which it was but London was so busy. I moved out of London, that had its issues, so I moved back in. I have had some very difficult times in my life but moving to UK was one of the hardest. I will not bore you with all the details. I “hid” behind my white skin and English as my mother tongue, watched and learned, it was incredibly hard and so lonely. If only there had been an Educafe near me, how much easier I would have settled in, been understood, and made friends.
When helping at Educafe I spend most of my time helping in the Chatty Corner, such a warm, friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Helping some people practice their English or others just chatting. Keeping an eye out for any that may perhaps be having difficulties and signposting them to suitable help. I started with Educafe at their beginning and have helped in different areas.
Oh, for a mum and toddlers group when I had my child, I was in Cornwall then and it turned out my daughter had a serious dairy allergy and it was the Health Visitor who identified it, not the Doctor. Now I understand there is not the same availability of Health Visitors, at least the mum’s and toddlers can get help and advice plus make friends at Educafe. The Knit and Natter group, again company for many who would otherwise go without perhaps meeting people all week and doing something useful which always helps. For others just the opportunity to sit in the café area and meet and have a coffee and not feel so isolated.
Hopefully my story highlights how much poorer Newbury residents would be without our wonderful Educafe. The support it offers to newcomers is priceless. I’m so lucky to benefit from volunteering and can see what a difference it makes to people.
