Aspire to Shine

Monique Watson

I grew up with my dad playing football and my younger brother also played. I always wanted to join in with my brother and the lads he’d just met at the park. He was really confident and I was nervous so always stood on the side waiting to be asked to play. The lads in the park would say, ‘she’s a girl she can’t play.’ But me and Daniel rinsed them. Soon they wanted me to play as they knew I was good.

My mum encouraged me to join a team, so I joined an under 11’s local team. I did 2 years grass roots, then trialled at Leeds United Centre Of Excellence and got in. I did 4 seasons at Leeds. I always worked hard! 2 training sessions and a match every week at Leeds. I’m super grateful I had parents and family that were willing to drive me to training. I also did a training session with my dad and brother at least once a week focusing on technique. I was also coached by a company called Catalan Soccer in which they refined my playing technique and ability on the ball. So I played football 6 days a week throughout high school and that became the norm. I loved going to training and I was football mad but in a good way. It paid off because now I’m a decent player aha.

I enjoyed being at Leeds and got kept on so never had the experience of getting dropped. There were challenges though. I once had a review. Me, 2 coaches and my dad. They were really friendly and nice, saying what I wanted to hear I guess but they weren’t keeping it real and it didn’t sound as if I needed to improve. My dad just asked me, ‘Is what they’re saying, matching up with what you are seeing on a Saturday?’ I was playing but I wasn’t one of the big players. They were nice but it wasn’t that helpful. This stuck with me! I wasn’t getting that much game time so was the review that good? That’s stuck with me when interacting with managers, I often ask them to be honest because protecting my feelings won’t make me a better player.

Once I finished the under 17s at Leeds, the question was where do I go next? I was offered Doncaster Rovers, pro-football club in Women’s Super League 1. I was in and out of the first team at 16 but played against Man City and Chelsea. We got battered but I didn’t care. The experience was crazy! Doncaster was my highest option at the time. It was massive to play in the 1st team with the players I was playing with- international players and professional footballers! And to play at the highest level of womens football in England against the top teams was mad! We got relegated that year but in my second season we won the Women’s Super League 2. I got a medal for that and I was only 17.

I got scouted for England and did a full year in the under 17s and trained at St George’s Park. A driver picked me up, I was fed for the week, we trained twice a day, it was mad! I felt pressured but the pressure comes from myself and from my own standards. When you are in that environment, in the camp, you have to perform but it’s also important to remember I was there for a reason because I was good enough to play along the top 20 players in the country at my age. The other girls had been playing within the England set up from youngsters, they had known each other but the environment was welcoming, competitive but that elite mentality has stuck with me. A lot of the girls were from from academy’s like Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea and sometimes I felt like I had imposters syndrome but I was there to learn and improve and every action I did was to help me get 1% better.

I next moved to Nottingham with the intention of completing 3 years of university but I only completed a year. Whilst there I went for a trial at Derby County who are tier 3, semi-pro level. I got injured which unfortunately pulled me out of the England squad and pushed me back for half a season at Derby. The 2nd season, I felt like I wasn’t enjoying football, I didn’t want to go to training and I had never felt like this before. I persevered but I dreaded it and it felt like a chore, I lost my confidence in my ability. I didn’t know what to do. I was 19 or 20 so it wasn’t down to my mum or dad to speak to the manager, I had to do it for the first time. I thought I was done playing football, it was me, within myself rather than talentwise. My manager was fantastic with dealing with me, she allowed me to take as long I you needed. She said “don’t be done, you’re too good to be done.” But It was a factor of things: living away from home, having a full time job, being a semi-pro footballer, and being out from 7am-10pm most nights, was all too much. I was becoming a ‘zapper’, a person who starts zapping energy from the team and it becomes infectious and that can affect the team. I’m an energiser and I was zapping, that wasn’t me and I didn’t like it. Then COVID hit and my prayers were answered as I got the chance to stop, reflect and reset.

I moved back to Leeds and I enjoyed not playing and I always had an excuse not to start playing again. I wasn’t doing any sport, no gym, no runs, and I had done some kind of sport since I was 4 years old. The season after I was ‘thinking’ about playing. Things were going back to normal following covid. I started working for the coaching company where I had trained when I was younger. They were encouraging me to look for clubs. People were asking, ‘How’s football?’ For the whole summer I kept saying, ‘I’m thinking about…’ Someone said, just go and do it. So, I sent a message to Brighouse in Tier 3 and they were keen to have me down at training and playing preseason games. I had no excuse, I had to go. I hadn’t played for 2 years and my lungs were not up for it. But the manager said sign now! I said to him that I didn’t think I was good enough for the first team and that I would go in the reserves but he wouldn’t listen.

I’ve been at Brighouse for 2 seasons. The first season was bumpy, I wasn’t playing much but I was there. The manager kept saying I was good in the first few weeks but I knew I wasn’t my best. I was annoyed as my standards are high and I couldn’t reach those standards. The second half of the season I went on loan to Harrogate Town (lower league at the time) to improve my fitness and get more game time. Going to Harrogate was 2 leagues lower back but with the intention of going back to Brighouse and making the jump to play consistent game time in the Womens National League. It was challenge playing at Harrogate as it wasn’t the same standard of game. I wanted to play football and not get fouled!

Pre-season 2022, I worked my socks off. Running, training and tracked my exercise on a calendar. I was doing extra sessions and keeping myself accountable. My goal was to be in the starting 11 in the first team at Brighouse, I had comments that I should be a squad player instead which I didn’t like. But I came back and played in the starting 11! The first season at Brighouse, my fitness was so bad, I could only manage 20 minutes I didn’t even play a full 90 game so I was nervous for this season. First game, the squad was low and I had no choice to play the full 90 minutes. I lasted 90 minutes and got player of the match.

This season I’ve had Player of the Match 6 times in the league and 2 in the cup. My best friend at Derby County is number 1 in the league for having the most awards. She's an incredible player and very consistent and that’s what I am working on. I’m smashing it this season! As an individual I’m performing better, I’m meeting my high standards and that’s what I’m proud of. I held myself accountable over the summer and it’s paid off. The season isn’t done yet, I’ve got to keep performing, but I don’t want to feel like its pressure because I know the time I put in will get me there. Before I was relying on talent but now my effort is matching my talent so it doesn’t feel like pressure. I just need to be consistent to do the same thing for the second part of the season.

Olivia Wittich

As a teenager I absolutely hated school because I never felt safe there. In Year 11 I tried my best to focus on my GCSE’s, but I didn’t really know what I wanted to do in the future and had no confidence. I just remember feeling really lost. I tried to apply to my sixth form, but my predicted grades weren’t good enough, so I didn’t get in. When results day came, to the surprise of most of my teachers I passed all my exams and got 11 GCSEs A-C. They gave me a chance to come back, and I accepted the offer because I didn’t know what else to do. Two months later, I quit because I knew deep down, I returned to try and prove a point and I genuinely hated every minute of it. Little did anyone know that quitting would end up being the best decision I ever made.

Before I decided to quit, my parents made it clear to me that I needed to find something to do and fast! So, whilst looking for work I started volunteering at my old primary school and I really enjoyed it. Eventually I got a job in retail and quickly realised that I much preferred working than being in the classroom. At 17, I felt a bit of pressure to try again with education, so I went to college and while I achieved a qualification in hairdressing, again it wasn’t a pleasant experience and afterwards I still felt really confused. Then one day I saw something online about apprenticeships and I really liked the idea of learning on the job, gaining experience and skills at the same time. I knew I was much happier working, and I loved my volunteering experience with primary children, so I applied for an apprenticeship at a local secondary school. I knew that I could relate to teenagers because of my age and school experience so I applied for the role, was successful and ended up securing a permanent position there a year later. Fast forward 11 years and today and I am currently a Project Manager for an award-winning project called NEXUS which has positively impacted the lives of nearly 15,000 young people. The girl who once hated education is also about to graduate from the Open University at 29 years of age with a 2:1 in a Bachelor of Science.

I share this story because I want to show people that success is not a one-way street and the traditional route of finishing school and then staying in education isn’t for everyone. I also want young people to understand that it’s not how you start but how you finish that counts. If you would have told me at 16 that I would end up working in a school, the place that traumatised me and that I would have a degree, I would have thought that you were crazy, but little did I know that my negative experiences are what equipped me for the work I am doing today and could be turned into something positive all these years later. I will forever be an advocate for apprenticeships because this opportunity not only helped me reengage with my education, but it also transformed my life by boosting my confidence and helping me find my purpose.

Michael Earle

When I was younger, I worked in a call centre for 7 years and alongside this I did some voluntary work with young people. It was here that my manager encouraged me to become a social worker. I hadn’t considered it before but decided this could be a good path for me. Looking back now I can see that it is good to be around positive people who can influence you in a positive way, and she did this for me.
I decided to become a social worker even though I didn’t have any a-levels. I went back to study at 32 and I did an Access to Higher Education course, then went onto to do a Diploma and Degree in Social Work. I enjoyed being a social worker for 13 years, working on the front line, helping children and young people but then I decided it was time to make a change. I realised that it wasn’t too late to change career. You can change career, you don’t have to stay where you are. As long as you are breathing, you can change and choose a different path.

I had always been interested in my own wellbeing. From a young age I had always been active playing sports and running for Cardiff. I continued to exercise regularly and eat as well as could, so I have always seen the benefits of being healthy and became passionate about it. I had noticed that many of my colleagues in social care were going off work with stress. I realised that if you are not well, you can’t work, you can’t earn any money and you can’t look after your family. This is the knock-on impact of not looking after your mental and physical wellbeing.

Six years ago, I decided to use my passion to help others and started my own wellbeing consultancy. I provide 121 with individuals and work with organisations including schools, in-person and online to provide wellbeing workshops and encourage people to ‘always take your lunchbreak’. Wellbeing is an ongoing journey, it is constant and needs to be worked on every day.

I am passionate about encouraging men to be more conscious of their health. Men are less likely than women to get support around their mental and physical well-being and health. Some may be more concerned with going to the gym but not to the Dr or feel able to talk about their health concerns. I encourage all to get an annual check-up from their GP. This is available but you need to ask and can literally be a lifesaver.

I have an ongoing drive for people to make their well-being non-negotiable and a priority. The first thing that you need to put into your diary or calendar every day is your lunchbreak. Your lunchbreak is a personal appointment with you that you need to keep with yourself. Prioritise yourself! As self-care is not selfish.

Leanne Hanson

Leanne spent most of her childhood growing up in north london where she was raised by her mum. She loved to decorate, sew and draw. Leanne has always been creative and could be relied upon to get things done well.

Leanne is now an interior designer of residential and commercial premises. She has travelled internationally and has designed restaurants, bars, shops, exhibitions and offices. Since buying her first property and converting it from a studio to a one bedroom flat, Leanne has enjoyed redeveloping properties and project managing builds until her ideas become a reality. She has an eye for detail being able to make just about anything beautiful.

Her latest personal project was the development of a property into 2 residential apartments and a retail unit. Leanne set up Gray and turned the retail unit into a cafe selling homeware and gifts, with her brother as the chef and her mother as the baker. It became a community hub with people travelling from all areas to try the delicious gourmet food and cakes. Leanne had to learn the skills needed to start up, run, market and manage a successful business, all whilst continuing to work on interior design projects.

Leanne’s work ethic is immense taking working 12 hrs a day, 7 days a week to another level. Why? She believes that nothing should hold you back and if you want to achieve something you have to work hard for it. Yes life is hard, yes we all struggle but use that struggle to motivate you and achieve your goals.

Dalton Powell

As a young boy growing up, I lived within a very close community where everyone knew everyone. Our elders would monitor your behaviour out on the streets and low and behold if you were misbehaving. News would quickly find its way back to your parents!

I must say, I truly believe God has given everyone a gift, and whilst some will tune into it quickly its up to you to find what that gift is.

My first gift was running. I was a natural, one of the fastest on our estate. Age eight, I can remember doing my first school sports day and winning all my races. I came home with at least 5 ribbons.

The jubilation of winning in front of my parents which was rare, as they were always working providing for the family, still fills me with pride to this day.

This set in motion my love for track and field. During my years, I have competed both in county regional and national level as well as international level where I have competed at 8 World Police and fire games winning 16 golds in my discipline, the 100m and 200m meters, and World Masters Championships. I still compete and represent at the masters athletics. I’m currently preparing for the World Masters indoor championships in Poland in March 2023. My success has given me the opportunity to represent my country at the European Bobsleigh Championships both in the two man and four man events.

I remember age 10, we were sitting down for our evening meal with my brothers and sisters and parents. Sirens were blaring outside. We ran outside to see what was going on and there were flames bursting out of all the windows from my school friend's house down the road. Thank god everyone got out.

The shear intensity of the heat could be felt and we were a good fifty meters away. That was the moment I knew I wanted to be a firefighter. Seeing those firefighters fighting the flames stuck with me throughout my youth and young adulthood, I knew this was my path. My friend's parents had lost everything and I could remember how the whole community had rallied round and donated clothes, money and accommodation.

It took me five attempts over the years to get in to the fire service, failing on little infringements like spelling errors or just running out of time with the questions. My dyslexia did not help so I got support with my maths and spelling to get me through the selection.

It paid off! I was successful, I started with Oxford fire and rescue, the first BAME firefighter in the organisation to join where I worked at Bicester fire station. I loved every minute of it working with the community and dealing with all types of incidents. I later joined London Fire Brigade. I was empowered to see so many people from my community had joined during the late eighties both men and women.

Whilst the metropolitan brigades were successful in their recruitment process, there was still a long way to go for representation in the shire brigades.

I’ll never forget my passing out parade with my parents there, the nerves of marching onto the parade ground and demonstrating what you had been trained to do for near 24 weeks. That sense of pride!

During my career, I later transferred to my own town of Nottingham where I was brigade secretary for Black & Ethnic Minority Members of the FBU (BEAMM), then progressing to the BEAM National Committee as National secretary. Throughout my career I have mentored and promoted the fire service as a fulfilling career to our community. Yes there are still challenges like most organisations but there are those that are willing to open their eyes and allow the fire service to reflect the community that it serves. I retired last August 2021. Proud that I now have four cousins who have joined and making there contribution to the community.

Richard Lewis

I grew up with both my parents and my brother in Walpole in Huddersfield but have lived in many different postcodes over the years. We grew up in a household where manners and respect were part of our DNA. I went to Catholic primary and secondary schools, and I was even an Altar Boy until I was 13. Sport helped me focus on life, but it didn’t distract me from seeking an alternative life. I did ‘bad’ all by myself! It wasn’t because of my parents it was because I chose to despite the positive upbringing that I had.

I had my first daughter and the relationship I was in at the time broke down and this was the start of things going wrong for me. I went off the rails and was involved in criminal activities. In this time I had 2 more children. The turning point for me was when I was 34 years old and my partner was pregnant. I was standing in the dock in a courtroom receiving my sentence, when I made the decision that I was never going to be in that position again. I couldn’t have my freedom being put into someone else’s hands.

I was on probation and I was put in touch with St Giles, a charity, and I started volunteering with them and working on a project. I loved the project! After 9 months I was encouraged to apply for a job with them but it had been drilled into my head that if you have a criminal record you can’t work with vulnerable people. This role involved mentoring young people involved in criminal activity and violence. But I applied, I was successful and I was given the opportunity to work with them!

St Giles gave me the chance to turn my past into my future as I was able to use my life experiences to help others. A role came up with Kirklees Council doing the same thing, helping young people and I was encouraged to apply again. But again, I didn’t feel that they would employ me because I had a criminal record. I spent the longest time deciding what to do, discussing it with my partner. Should I apply when they probably won’t give me a chance? Then I decided that the worst thing they could say was no. I applied and I got the role! I started with Kirklees in 2021 as part of the Youth Engagement Team working with young people at risk of exploitation. I now strive to empower young men and women to be all that they can be and to know that their past does not define their future.

In 2018, I set up a support group called ‘Help the Creators’ with Frances Walsh. Here, grass roots people help other grass roots people understand jargon. Many institutions often use terms that people don’t understand and we help with this. This group has evolved so that now we provide an information service to everyone, where you can ask a question and we will help you.

I have shown that it is possible to break the stigma that black men with a criminal record, are employable and can positively help to change the lives of vulnerable people. It doesn’t matter where you have been, the things that you have done, you can still make a change and succeed.

Shola Adigun

I started my t-shirt printing business because I was looking for a Christian t-shirt but couldn’t find one that I wanted to wear. The messages on the t-shirts that I found just didn’t resonate with me and I decided that I would create my own. I then shared these with my friends and family who said I should start a business selling these. I had found a niche market. Customers can request a specific message or scripture for their t-shirt, this is always personalised to them.

My talents have always been to hear people’s stories and help others where I can, whether that be in my professional or personal life. I haven’t always wanted to share my faith but I know that God has put me in a position to help others and this is another way to do that. By creating t-shirts for others, I’m connecting with them and helping them to get closer to God. I’ve found that as I’ve got older and wiser, I realise that for God’s message to be spread, you have to be a person who is willing to speak out and share your beliefs. These t-shirts are a way to do that. Have courage, follow your calling and speak out about what you believe in.

Day 31 - Gerald Gambrah

At school I was always classed as having average ability as I wasn’t at the top of the class but I would always put the work in and succeed. Things didn’t always come easy to me. I have always been a person that sticks at things. I got my head down and just got on with it.

I come from a working-class background and was brought up in Tottenham but school was a place that provided routine and stability which was good for me. I’m quite idealistic, and believe that you have to go to school and take what you can from it. I was always a child that wanted to do the right thing as this made me feel good. I enjoyed the trust of teachers and the responsibility this gave me. I also had some good friends around me who shared my morals and ideals. So, my childhood may not be described as extraordinary but maybe a common one.

I don’t like changes so after school I went on to sixth form and then went to university to become a teacher. Going into teaching meant that I would still do Maths, English and Science, so it was like continuing school. There was no change and that’s why I enjoyed it.
I always had people around me who wanted to help me, including friends and teachers. I make friends easily as I am very personable. An author helped me by giving me advice on how to improve my essays and this really helped to boost my written English skills. I advise anyone, be friendly and open to meeting new people as you never know what you can learn from someone else.

My journey and progress in my career has taken longer than most people. As a black male teacher in a primary school my career journey has not been easy. I’ve always focused on what I needed to do even when I’ve been strangled from reaching my full potential. I’ve pushed on and always tried to do my best and that has eventually been recognised. I now act and not react. If something isn’t going right, I find a solution and it will eventually work out.

I now work with universities training Student and Early Career Teachers, I’m the Lead Moderator for schools’ assessments for the Local Authority, I’ve trained teachers on how to support disadvantaged children in their schools and I’m undertaking a Leading Teacher Development qualification. All of this whilst being a Year Leader and a subject leader in a school with a full time teaching commitment.

I work in a predominantly black African Caribbean school with teachers from diverse backgrounds but when I went to university, I was one of two training to be a primary school teacher. Although times have changed, we still need more black male teachers teaching our children and being role models in the classroom, being there for them, having their back and giving guidance when they need it. Give children role models so they can aspire to be a good role model for the future, in whatever they choose to do or be.

Day 30 - Aron Barrow

I never grew up knowing what I wanted to do as a career or even knowing what it meant to make a name for yourself. I didn’t have the privilege of anyone sitting me down and mapping out my educational life and linking it into my adult life. I had many interests as a child but no real passion for one thing. When I think about it now, it makes sense as to why I’m a “Jack of all trades”.

I was the bright kid in school that didn’t really need to work to get decent grades, but never reached their potential as I never really applied myself. I was in the top set for all my GCSE subjects but got mediocre grades. I failed my first year of A-Levels so had to retake them as my friends did well and continued to their final year. Once I got to my final year (third year) I decided that school wasn’t for me I left before completing my A-Levels and went to work.

My first job was at Krispy Kreme, and thankfully I had a manager that saw potential in me, built me up and allowed me to grow. After a year of working as a supervisor I began to manage my own store making me at the time, their youngest manager. I learnt a lot about myself during this time; I was resilient, hardworking, I cared for people and justice, I had a good eye for detail, I was creative and innovative, a trendsetter, a born leader, and I had found a passion. My passion wasn’t on sales or making money, although we did reach our targets but was more on the deeper workings of the business. I wanted to work out the controls of profit and loss, how to professionally conduct myself in meetings, and how to train staff members. This greater depth led to me to become a UK Trainer traveling around the UK opening new stores and training staff and managers. I had enjoyed my time at Krispy Kreme, but it got to the point where I couldn’t see myself climbing the ladder anymore so after 7 years I left.

With no real direction again, I had a few jobs here and there. Worked for an estate agent, managed another retail store, had my second child and then decided I wanted to work for myself so I could manage my time and how much money I could make. So I decided to become a Driving Instructor, random I know, but I loved driving (passed on from my dad) and I loved teaching (passed on from my mum); just made sense to put the two together. I started off being trained by The AA and went on to take out a franchise with them. The training was very thorough. I remember coming out of training sessions with a migraine but look where it has taken me now, I wouldn’t change it for the world. The Regional Director saw something in me and appointed me to be a regional support manager to support and conduct monthly meetings with the other instructors in my area, North London. This role later got abolished and an opportunity to be an Instructor Trainer arose which I jumped at.

Fast forward 7 years I now run my own driving school separate from The AA however, I still support them in training their instructors to a high standard. My business is starting to form thanks to God. I have a trainee instructor that works with me doing automatic lessons while I take on all manual lessons. Within the year I plan for it to grow and have another manual instructor which will leave me to go and pursuit other ventures. This time though I have direction; I have my 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 year plan. I know where I want to go and what I want to do. I have grown in my Christian faith which has put good God-fearing people around me that has grounded me and supported me. I am now married and have a family to fight for. My wife is my biggest cheerleader, my business partner and the Queen of the castle.

To wrap this up my life has had its ups and downs; and I mean some low low downs. Throughout all my story I failed to mention a few things. I became addicted to ci******es and dependant on alcohol, I thought suicidal thoughts. Praise be to God that I no longer smoke nor am I dependant on alcohol and yeah, my life is not my own to take but is God’s to use for His glory. I was a single parent to 2 girls and found out, being a single dad is probably harder than being a single mum because dads don’t get any rights and must jump through so many holes to get equal footing to mothers. I returned to education in 2016 to study Business Psychology BSc at Birkbeck University and graduated 2019. I am currently taking a course in Agile project management to facilitate a career in project management. This is my story, it’s only a snapshot and it’s only the beginning. Thank you for reading this far and I pray that God bless everyone reading this. AB x