Himal Mandalia
“The world is about people, not about places.” I’m Himal Mandalia and you meet me at a crossroads in my life. I am currently travelling the world sharing my thoughts and experiences as a sort of stream of consciousness online, but it wasn’t always this way. My parents were both immigrants, my father was from […]
Kerry Tottingham
“Social inequality can only be combated by giving those who have been a victim of it, a voice and power to implement change.” My name is Kerry and I started a family business around greater Manchester that offers support for organisations involved in social work. I was the oldest sibling and I was a bit […]
Amna Akhtar
My name is Amna Akhtar I am from Birmingham and cofounder of GirlDreamer, aiming to serve women of colour in the UK In my childhood my parents came from Pakistan in the 60s, I am the youngest of 4.I was a very creative and adventurous child, playing a lot of football, cricket and basketball. I […]
Kate Appleby
Trigger Warning: This story discusses experiences of mental health struggles, mention of suicide, sexual abuse and chronic illness. “I believed I was a burden to those around me, and that by removing myself from the equation, I was being considerate. I wasn’t thinking about the impact it would have on others; I just wanted the […]
Steve Hill
“When you stop using the word can’t and start using the word can, you’ll soon realise that the person you thought you were is no match for the one that you really are.” I’m Steve, Oldham born and bred, I have been teaching children for 28 years and I still believe it is the greatest […]
Pete Barty
We are human beings, not human doings” My name is Pete Barty, or Peter if I am in trouble, originally from Kent. I am a husband, father, civil engineer, fundraiser, explorer and, now, a therapist. As a young man, I wouldn’t have described myself as academic, I barely scraped my A-Levels but was able to […]
Vicki Roberts
“Anorexia is like the devil on your shoulder you do not know when it is going to come back up” Trigger Warning: Anorexia and Suicide My name is Vicki Roberts I was originally from Milton Keynes and then moved up to Manchester at 18. At the moment, I’m running A Balanced Collective, an operations strategy […]
Pete Sincock
Trigger Warning: Child Abuse and Suicide “People need to understand that there are two very different things, a cry for attention and a cry for help” I’m Pete Sincock and my journey through life has been rocked with trials and tribulations, but resilience and the power of human connection have helped transform my life. I […]
Jenny Dakosta Van Mputu
‘Nothing worth having comes easy. Your hard work will lead you to your goals.’ Hello, I am Jenny Dakosta Van Mputu, a 48-year-old man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. My life story unfolds as a 12-year odyssey marked by struggle, resilience, and an unwavering fight against injustice. Join me as I reflect on […]
Yatin Mistry
‘when you let your light shine you give others permission to do the same’ My name is Yatin Mistry, I’m a proud, gay, British Indian, but it hasn’t always been this way… I grew up in the 1980’s in Essex and went to a school where everything was whitewashed and racism was merely accepted. I […]