every ever felt trapped in a situation where you weren’t being true to yourself
where you weren’t being true to yourself
where you weren’t being true to yourself in 2011 I was at the lowest point of my
in 2011 I was at the lowest point of my
in 2011 I was at the lowest point of my life I was working in Canary Wharf and
life I was working in Canary Wharf and
life I was working in Canary Wharf and I’d recently had quite a traumatic
I’d recently had quite a traumatic
I’d recently had quite a traumatic breakup with my then fiance I was lost I
breakup with my then fiance I was lost I
breakup with my then fiance I was lost I was broken and I hated the person I was
was broken and I hated the person I was
was broken and I hated the person I was becoming something had to change since I
becoming something had to change since I
becoming something had to change since I was growing up always always always
was growing up always always always
was growing up always always always loved being creative and I love
loved being creative and I love
loved being creative and I love performing I think I was always destined
performing I think I was always destined
performing I think I was always destined to as my older sister used to dress me
to as my older sister used to dress me
to as my older sister used to dress me up as Leroy from Fame before I could
up as Leroy from Fame before I could
up as Leroy from Fame before I could even talk and she was disappointed to
even talk and she was disappointed to
even talk and she was disappointed to have her brother and our sisters used to
have her brother and our sisters used to
have her brother and our sisters used to put dresses on me and call me Claire as
put dresses on me and call me Claire as
put dresses on me and call me Claire as well I eventually learned how to stand
well I eventually learned how to stand
well I eventually learned how to stand up for myself though see when I was
up for myself though see when I was
up for myself though see when I was growing up all my heroes were comedians
growing up all my heroes were comedians
growing up all my heroes were comedians not football players like the rest of my
not football players like the rest of my
not football players like the rest of my friends instead of reading shoot
friends instead of reading shoot
friends instead of reading shoot magazine I’ll be up in my bedroom
magazine I’ll be up in my bedroom
magazine I’ll be up in my bedroom reading fry and Laurie and Monty Python
reading fry and Laurie and Monty Python
reading fry and Laurie and Monty Python scripts see when I’m being traitor
scripts see when I’m being traitor
scripts see when I’m being traitor forget the most beautiful feeling
forget the most beautiful feeling
forget the most beautiful feeling imagine like a soft gentle breeze just
imagine like a soft gentle breeze just
imagine like a soft gentle breeze just blowing across your brain that’s what
blowing across your brain that’s what
blowing across your brain that’s what it’s like it’s like in that moment
it’s like it’s like in that moment
it’s like it’s like in that moment anything’s possible
anything’s possible
anything’s possible and I’m truly free and there was in
and I’m truly free and there was in
and I’m truly free and there was in London doing a job I hated doing too
London doing a job I hated doing too
London doing a job I hated doing too many hours not being allowed to be
many hours not being allowed to be
many hours not being allowed to be creative drinking too much and getting
creative drinking too much and getting
creative drinking too much and getting myself into a deep depression
myself into a deep depression
myself into a deep depression one cold drizzly noia on the way back
one cold drizzly noia on the way back
one cold drizzly noia on the way back from yet another trip to the pub I
from yet another trip to the pub I
from yet another trip to the pub I bumped into a young homeless couple Jack
bumped into a young homeless couple Jack
bumped into a young homeless couple Jack and Lucy were so friendly and I was
and Lucy were so friendly and I was
and Lucy were so friendly and I was especially taken about weather
especially taken about weather
especially taken about weather positivity i sat down and shared a
positivity i sat down and shared a
positivity i sat down and shared a cigarette with them as they tracked
cigarette with them as they tracked
cigarette with them as they tracked jokes and purse mile on my face I went
jokes and purse mile on my face I went
jokes and purse mile on my face I went home that evening with a bounce of a
home that evening with a bounce of a
home that evening with a bounce of a step something that and had for quite a
step something that and had for quite a
step something that and had for quite a long time there was in such a privileged
long time there was in such a privileged
long time there was in such a privileged position had a well-paid job a lovely
position had a well-paid job a lovely
position had a well-paid job a lovely flat in Greenwich great circle friends I
flat in Greenwich great circle friends I
flat in Greenwich great circle friends I was miserable
was miserable
was miserable Jack and Lucy were there sunny
Jack and Lucy were there sunny
Jack and Lucy were there sunny dispositions and positive outlook had
dispositions and positive outlook had
dispositions and positive outlook had left his massive mark on me and they
left his massive mark on me and they
left his massive mark on me and they inspired me to make a change I organized
inspired me to make a change I organized
inspired me to make a change I organized an internal transfer from work and I
an internal transfer from work and I
an internal transfer from work and I move back up to Edinburgh again and
move back up to Edinburgh again and
move back up to Edinburgh again and being around close friends and enjoying
being around close friends and enjoying
being around close friends and enjoying life more solving woke up there sort of
life more solving woke up there sort of
life more solving woke up there sort of dormant creative passion had inside me I
dormant creative passion had inside me I
dormant creative passion had inside me I started writing comedy again
started writing comedy again
started writing comedy again even tried Mohandas stand up to various
even tried Mohandas stand up to various
even tried Mohandas stand up to various degrees of success and also realized I
degrees of success and also realized I
degrees of success and also realized I wanted to start working with people who
wanted to start working with people who
wanted to start working with people who were less fortunate than I was so I said
were less fortunate than I was so I said
were less fortunate than I was so I said what about saying on my own charity
what about saying on my own charity
what about saying on my own charity raised voices I knew who I wanted to
raised voices I knew who I wanted to
raised voices I knew who I wanted to work with the homeless and those living
work with the homeless and those living
work with the homeless and those living on the margins the problem now is just
on the margins the problem now is just
on the margins the problem now is just working out exactly what I was going to
working out exactly what I was going to
working out exactly what I was going to do see creativity can take many
do see creativity can take many
do see creativity can take many different forms sometimes people are
different forms sometimes people are
different forms sometimes people are being creative without even realizing it
being creative without even realizing it
being creative without even realizing it from playing peek-a-boo with a little
from playing peek-a-boo with a little
from playing peek-a-boo with a little baby and creating a little giggle –
baby and creating a little giggle –
baby and creating a little giggle – hiding and jumping on your partner to
hiding and jumping on your partner to
hiding and jumping on your partner to scare them that’s my personal favorite
scare them that’s my personal favorite
scare them that’s my personal favorite it’s also a massively powerful we all
it’s also a massively powerful we all
it’s also a massively powerful we all know a song they just hit yeah a film
know a song they just hit yeah a film
know a song they just hit yeah a film that makes her cry
that makes her cry
that makes her cry a timer friends made you laugh so much
a timer friends made you laugh so much
a timer friends made you laugh so much you thought you’re gonna be sick always
you thought you’re gonna be sick always
you thought you’re gonna be sick always so with that in mind I decided I was
so with that in mind I decided I was
so with that in mind I decided I was going to say a weekly creative writing
going to say a weekly creative writing
going to say a weekly creative writing class the story’s hard to get people to
class the story’s hard to get people to
class the story’s hard to get people to come along to the charity as no one had
come along to the charity as no one had
come along to the charity as no one had heard of me let alone the charity so for
heard of me let alone the charity so for
heard of me let alone the charity so for that first year I found myself working
that first year I found myself working
that first year I found myself working alongside other homeless organizations
alongside other homeless organizations
alongside other homeless organizations building relationships but more
building relationships but more
building relationships but more importantly getting to know more about
importantly getting to know more about
importantly getting to know more about homelessness and what it means to those
homelessness and what it means to those
homelessness and what it means to those people who are or have been affected by
people who are or have been affected by
people who are or have been affected by it they’ve turned out that creative
it they’ve turned out that creative
it they’ve turned out that creative writing was quite well catered for
writing was quite well catered for
writing was quite well catered for so I decided then to setup a drama group
so I decided then to setup a drama group
so I decided then to setup a drama group I didn’t want it to be any old drama
I didn’t want it to be any old drama
I didn’t want it to be any old drama group I wanted it to be much more so I
group I wanted it to be much more so I
group I wanted it to be much more so I thought what we could do is use the
thought what we could do is use the
thought what we could do is use the plays and the skits that we create as a
plays and the skits that we create as a
plays and the skits that we create as a means to raise money that we could then
means to raise money that we could then
means to raise money that we could then donate to other charities see it can be
donate to other charities see it can be
donate to other charities see it can be quite demoralizing sometimes to always
quite demoralizing sometimes to always
quite demoralizing sometimes to always be the receiver of benefits or of
be the receiver of benefits or of
be the receiver of benefits or of charity and I wanted to enable our
charity and I wanted to enable our
charity and I wanted to enable our members the chance to get that boost to
members the chance to get that boost to
members the chance to get that boost to self confidence to self esteem to get
self confidence to self esteem to get
self confidence to self esteem to get that warm feeling you get when you do
that warm feeling you get when you do
that warm feeling you get when you do something for someone else so far we’ve
something for someone else so far we’ve
something for someone else so far we’ve raised money for a charity that helps
raised money for a charity that helps
raised money for a charity that helps council parents of lost children before
council parents of lost children before
council parents of lost children before birth when infancy we’ve raised money to
birth when infancy we’ve raised money to
birth when infancy we’ve raised money to pay for essential kits for rough
pay for essential kits for rough
pay for essential kits for rough sleepers we’ve raised money for enemy
sleepers we’ve raised money for enemy
sleepers we’ve raised money for enemy sick kids plus many more all through
sick kids plus many more all through
sick kids plus many more all through being creative there are many strategies
being creative there are many strategies
being creative there are many strategies that the government has
that the government has
that the government has to try and combat their many complex
to try and combat their many complex
to try and combat their many complex issues to deal with homelessness but I
issues to deal with homelessness but I
issues to deal with homelessness but I believe that the work we do raise voices
believe that the work we do raise voices
believe that the work we do raise voices can answer a lot of these and in a lot
can answer a lot of these and in a lot
can answer a lot of these and in a lot quicker time than he can ever hope to
quicker time than he can ever hope to
quicker time than he can ever hope to manage also the confidence and skills
manage also the confidence and skills
manage also the confidence and skills that some of our members are getting is
that some of our members are getting is
that some of our members are getting is driving them forward to want to seek
driving them forward to want to seek
driving them forward to want to seek meaningful employment or to do further
meaningful employment or to do further
meaningful employment or to do further voluntary work I want to tell you about
voluntary work I want to tell you about
voluntary work I want to tell you about one particular member leecej al he was
one particular member leecej al he was
one particular member leecej al he was homeless for two years and he’s in the
homeless for two years and he’s in the
homeless for two years and he’s in the process of rebuilding his life when he
process of rebuilding his life when he
process of rebuilding his life when he first joined up raised voices I was
first joined up raised voices I was
first joined up raised voices I was taken aback by his desire to better
taken aback by his desire to better
taken aback by his desire to better himself his keenness and also his diaper
himself his keenness and also his diaper
himself his keenness and also his diaper dressings he’s a really shortly just
dressings he’s a really shortly just
dressings he’s a really shortly just chap now lead didn’t quite have the
chap now lead didn’t quite have the
chap now lead didn’t quite have the confidence to act when he first joined
confidence to act when he first joined
confidence to act when he first joined up so he helped backstage but over time
up so he helped backstage but over time
up so he helped backstage but over time he’s been building his confidence and
he’s been building his confidence and
he’s been building his confidence and started to have parts just with one line
started to have parts just with one line
started to have parts just with one line at first but then moving on to more
at first but then moving on to more
at first but then moving on to more complex parts to the extent in the last
complex parts to the extent in the last
complex parts to the extent in the last show he’s sang the song that closed out
show he’s sang the song that closed out
show he’s sang the song that closed out the whole event not only this Lee is in
the whole event not only this Lee is in
the whole event not only this Lee is in the process of training up to become a
the process of training up to become a
the process of training up to become a tour guide and he passed his training
tour guide and he passed his training
tour guide and he passed his training with flying colors and he phoned me up
with flying colors and he phoned me up
with flying colors and he phoned me up the other day to tell me that once he
the other day to tell me that once he
the other day to tell me that once he starts getting paying customers he wants
starts getting paying customers he wants
starts getting paying customers he wants to donate some of his earnings to
to donate some of his earnings to
to donate some of his earnings to another homeless charity I was blown
another homeless charity I was blown
another homeless charity I was blown away and so so proud because in a
away and so so proud because in a
away and so so proud because in a nutshell this is what we’re all about
nutshell this is what we’re all about
nutshell this is what we’re all about we’re a very small group of incredibly
we’re a very small group of incredibly
we’re a very small group of incredibly passionate and creative people all
passionate and creative people all
passionate and creative people all coming together to raise money for other
coming together to raise money for other
coming together to raise money for other people who may need it and all other
people who may need it and all other
people who may need it and all other while we’re building skills confidence
while we’re building skills confidence
while we’re building skills confidence and friendships that will endure and
and friendships that will endure and
and friendships that will endure and allow us to push on forward both
allow us to push on forward both
allow us to push on forward both individually and as a group a lot of our
individually and as a group a lot of our
individually and as a group a lot of our shows touched on homelessness but we
shows touched on homelessness but we
shows touched on homelessness but we don’t dwell on it and we also don’t to
don’t dwell on it and we also don’t to
don’t dwell on it and we also don’t to make them too downbeat as Jacqueline
make them too downbeat as Jacqueline
make them too downbeat as Jacqueline Lucy taught me that can be positivity
Lucy taught me that can be positivity
Lucy taught me that can be positivity everywhere we try and highlight this in
everywhere we try and highlight this in
everywhere we try and highlight this in the shows that we do this year we’re
the shows that we do this year we’re
the shows that we do this year we’re going to be pushing ourselves even
going to be pushing ourselves even
going to be pushing ourselves even further and we’re putting on a show one
further and we’re putting on a show one
further and we’re putting on a show one at the Edinburgh Fringe
at the Edinburgh Fringe
at the Edinburgh Fringe if you’re told is this a couple of years
if you’re told is this a couple of years
if you’re told is this a couple of years ago we all would have been terrified but
ago we all would have been terrified but
ago we all would have been terrified but not anymore we can’t wait now of
not anymore we can’t wait now of
not anymore we can’t wait now of starting raised voices went a long way
starting raised voices went a long way
starting raised voices went a long way to get movie started but I was still
to get movie started but I was still
to get movie started but I was still working in finance I wanted to be able
working in finance I wanted to be able
working in finance I wanted to be able to work with people all the time and
to work with people all the time and
to work with people all the time and especially worked creatively with
especially worked creatively with
especially worked creatively with all the time but luckily with the
all the time but luckily with the
all the time but luckily with the support of my amazing family especially
support of my amazing family especially
support of my amazing family especially my fiancee I was able to quit my job and
my fiancee I was able to quit my job and
my fiancee I was able to quit my job and now I work as a care worker and I’m also
now I work as a care worker and I’m also
now I work as a care worker and I’m also at college doing traited Community
at college doing traited Community
at college doing traited Community Learning and Development some people say
Learning and Development some people say
Learning and Development some people say that life’s a journey
that life’s a journey
that life’s a journey the late great Bill Hicks said life’s
the late great Bill Hicks said life’s
the late great Bill Hicks said life’s just a ride why you see life has been
just a ride why you see life has been
just a ride why you see life has been like a piece of music sometimes a
like a piece of music sometimes a
like a piece of music sometimes a person’s situation dictates oh they
person’s situation dictates oh they
person’s situation dictates oh they can’t hear the music playing I believe
can’t hear the music playing I believe
can’t hear the music playing I believe working creativity allows someone to
working creativity allows someone to
working creativity allows someone to hear sing and dance to their music even
hear sing and dance to their music even
hear sing and dance to their music even if it’s only for a short time now being
if it’s only for a short time now being
if it’s only for a short time now being creative creativity is amazingly
creative creativity is amazingly
creative creativity is amazingly powerful and we’ve all got the ability
powerful and we’ve all got the ability
powerful and we’ve all got the ability so I encourage you all to harness the
so I encourage you all to harness the
so I encourage you all to harness the positive effects so sing the song write
positive effects so sing the song write
positive effects so sing the song write the book crack the joke you don’t know
the book crack the joke you don’t know
the book crack the joke you don’t know who it might help and where it may lead
who it might help and where it may lead
who it might help and where it may lead thank you very much
”
Be First to Comment