Lizzie's story-overcoming struggles

Uh, so Lizzie, how long have you lived in Stockport? And in total, I've lived in. About 15 years in Stockport. Oh wow, yeah, which part, which area do you live from Reddish from reddish to 12 years now. Oh, lovely, you're just around the corner from me

So what's life like for you at the moment? Well, at the moment, you know. I've just managed to manoeuvre myself to figure out my own life, you know, even though I've not, I've not gotten there yet, but um, I believe I've got to help myself as well, so. Yeah

So Bentley. Because It's been a kind of a struggle, a kind of challenge since I moved to Mapo. That was when my challenges started

But, um, I did not allow the challenges to break me. Instead, I allowed it to build me. So by engaging myself, you know, helping people, even though I have my own struggle there, doing a a lot of community works, you know, bringing up my own children as a single mother and I'm glad even though I'm, I'm not rich, but looking at my children, it's, it gives me that, you know, hope that, you know, I'm a winner, despite all the challenges I face, they are turning out good this time, so

Which is one good aspect why I did, I never regretted living in Maco because um. If you look at a map with a kind of community whereby, you know. Um, it's very peaceful, and then that's still in my children, you understand, they are very calm, they are very peaceful, and anywhere they go, you know, people recommended that they are very respectful all this time, which I believe is that they will result of both myself and the community

Yeah. So when you said, do you mind me asking, when you said troubles started, do you mind me asking what happened? Oh my God, it was when I first moved to Ma. Maybe I don't know if it's not if it has to do about the colour of it

We face a lot of challenges, you know. Um, in the school with my children, which resulted with whatever is going on, I don't know, which resulted in one of my child having what was that for autistic anyway, kind of big house balls. He was going down mentally he was going really, really, really down, you know, which I think when I sat down to look at the whole team, it's like he was not being

Treated failures so you understand that is where they made the problem started from because it wasn't like to communicate with people. So if anything goes wrong, they just pick our name and can you tell me this is what I'm going through. I understand

So then when they got to this stage, everything just dropped down. And he was out of mainstream school. It was kind of school, you know, that the support came, the schools, everybody stood up to help him

So we are getting the same that, you know, so. So you did get support from the school and the school, the social worker, and I can tell everybody you know why they're, you know, for a single mother to be going through it was so hard and then if I look back and I'm like I just can't say anything down to party I say that, you know what, you've, you've come this far, you understand, and you will get this. Which I've always always using my story to inspire people, and that is the main reason why I decided to continue with the voluntary work because I know a lot of people are there struggling, but they will think they are a no, you know, if I could fight it, if I could be strong

You know, I believe if I tell them my story, they will draw strength that um trouble is not there to last long. It will only reshape you and rebuild you if you want it to. I'm glad, you know, children are doing pretty well

Yeah, amazing. So what are hopes and dreams? What do you hope for the future for you and your family? Yeah, with my daughter, I can't ask for. Anything more because with all the experiences and everything and the way I brought her up and the environment she grew up, she moved down to Manchester and now

The recommendation from the boss and everybody, you know, just for me give me peace of mind, with my other sons I haven't, you know, help. Looking back from where we were and where we are now, I can, you know, I just, you know, believe that he will get there. And the last one is in college now, he's doing absolutely brilliant even though he doesn't really know what he wants to do in the uni for now, but he's one of those kids that, you know, he's got it all there and, you know, so with them, I worry less about them now

And myself, I'm just trying to figure out. What I wanted to do for myself, you understand. But in terms of education, I don't know if I would be able to go back to school

You understand that looking for the right employment for myself is. Kind of because I don't want anything that will always remind me of what I've been through with my son, which one of the reasons why I don't want to get into nothing or a care job because that it will affect my moment if you always take me back to the memory lane. So what would you like to do? Honestly, like they all know me

I'm a very, you know, hardworking person. I, you know, I can be in the kitchen 24 hours without getting tired, you understand. I do cook and give them to my community, don't give to people, you know, voluntary, you understand

I love cooking. I, I can't do anything apart from the fact that I don't really want to be in the hospital. Yeah, no, no, I can understand that

No. Yeah. Oh, thank you so much, Lizzy

It's getting busy now. We better stop. Thank you

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