My working life...
Moving on to 1966, a year that will go down in sporting history - England beating Germany 4-2 in extra time on the 30th July at Wembley Stadium. Who can forget Geoff Hurst's Hat-trick. Getting back to when I left school - Friday, 13th May. After saying farewell to Regis, I started work on Monday, 16th May at a well known paint firm, Mander Bros, (at that time in Old Heath Road). Like my first day at school, I was nervous until I got used to the surroundings. I soon settled in, making new friends, some unaware of my epilepsy (a fact I kept to myself until I got to know the people who I was working with better). As a junior I was asked to work in different departments. This was to gain experience and to see what job suited me the best. This led me to work in the factory amongst factory workers who teased me as I was the only female working alongside them. At the age of 16 I gave as much as I got, through it I gained respect from my fellow workers. My job title was Viscosity Taker ( a property of fluid in resisting change in the shape or arrangement of its elements during flow). Woe betide anyone who thinned the paint to much, the job was ruined and the firm lost a contract. One day, whilst on my lunch break in the canteen, I had an accident. As a result, I sustained a Three Degree burn to my upper right leg. Apparently, the canteen floor had been 'buffed' and I slipped, the plate of egg and chips which was on a tray flew up in the air and landed on on the inside of my right inside leg. As Corporal Jones in Dad's Army would say: 'Don't panic, don't panic!', well people in the canteen were fussing around me, one taking me to the first aid room to have my leg looked at. At first it was thought I had a seisure, but that wasn't the case. After treatment, I was taken home to rest.
It was only when mom (a trained nurse), had a look at the Injury, and having further treatment at our local surgery, that I realised it was a Third Degree burn. The incident in the canteen led to me being sacked, a job that I liked doing.
It transpired that my supervisor used my epilepsy as an excuse to terminate my employment with the firm. I couldn't believe that someone with a disability could be sacked in the way I was. Thankfully, that does not happen today.
After leaving Manders and, after a short stay in hospital, I spent two months in a Rehabilitation Centre in Egham, Surrey. This was to see what job would suit me best. From there I went back to working in a factory inviroment at Chubbs, as a telephonist working the G.P.O. Switchboards of the day. I LOVED it so much, my confidence returned enough to tell my colleagues of my epilepsy. Even my Boss - a lovely man named Jack Beech - called someone to take over answering the switchboard whenever I had a seisure or wasn't well. What a difference, one sacked me because of my epilepsy, the other showed me compassion. I remained with Chubbs ( at the time in Park lane, Wednesfield) , for 6 years before leaving to go to Wulfrun College, now part of Wolverhampton University - in Paget Road taking a course in typing and office practice. I was encouraged to take up typing by my Boss and was supported by my mom & dad. I passed the course gaining a high percentage in both office practice and typing ( the latter doing over a 100 words a minute.) I soon found employment working in a local firm. I soon found that working in a office environment didn't suit me after working in a factory office so, I left to seek other employment. That came not long after in Crown Street opposite the incinerator plant. The firm was a crane hire company, my job was yet again a typist/telephonist and I was there until I was made redundant in December, 1980.
It wasn't until 1983 that I found employment, albeit on a part-time basis. It was a local Day Centre for the Elderly, St Columba's, and I became a founder member of staff (the centre being built and admitting its first intake of members). I loved being amongst people older than me and treated with Christian love and respect. Today I'm still associated with the centre 28 after it was opened being a former Director of the Centre up till my Father died six years ago. My last job before my rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed, was a home help. I well remember during the interview saying: ' I may well be doing myself out of job here but I have to tell you I've had epilepsy since birth'. The response wasn't what I was expecting. I was thanked for my honesty and they would let me know after speaking to the clients. Well, much to my surprise, I got the job. I even requested a meeting with the person who interviewed me to ask why I was chosen. I was told it was my honesty about my epilepsy that swung it for me and not to worry about anything as my clients won't ask you to do jobs that would involve step ladders. I was taught to ask questions that other people wouldn't dare ask and to be honest ( like in my school days where I never lied to teachers) . It pays off in the end.
The voluntary work.
The year is 1986, I'm still inbetween jobs so, when Easter arrived, and after I had won an Easter Egg in a raffle to raise funds for Compton Hospice, I decided to go and work for them as a volunteer; working at that time, in their lodge which held 6 terminally ill patients. I loved working alongside nurses, helping them feed the patients, making beds etc., it was like being an auxiliary nurse. I loved it so much that the nurses began to rely on me to help out in emergencies if any evening volunteers didn't turn up. On one such occasion that's what happened. I went off duty at 4pm. one day, got home only to have the phone ring to ask if I can come back as the evening volunteer hadn't turned up. After having something to eat, my Dad took me in the car save walking. I had worked that day from 1pm.- 4pm then 5pm. - 9pm. The lodge is now a coffee shop, opened in 1994 by the then manager of Wolves - Graham Taylor, and as a volunteer, I was the first to welcome him when he walked through the door.
I worked in the coffee shop helping out when they were short staffed before being transferred back to the charity shop on the main site. By this time mom had started working with me, and we achieved history for the hospice - first mother & daughter to receive 'long service badges' on the same day. After that, mom decided to leave on health grounds, I went on to work in the fundraising dept until my Father died in 2005. I was an active volunteer for 20 years, now I help raise money for them as a supporter. They looked after my dad before he died and helped mom & I through our grief with councilling sessions. I have happy memories of my time working for the hospice but strange as it may seem, when mom died, and I decided to go back volunteering, I chose the former PAWS charity shop, now called MART (Midlands Animal Rescue Team). Mom loved going in the shop, making friends with the former Manageress, its where I feel close to mom. After Dad's passing, I took time out from volunteering concentrating on looking after mom who seemed to go into her shell for awhile and was having treatment from our Doctor for symtoms relating from the bowel cancer she had in 2001. I was, in effect nursing mom through her grief and taking her to hospital for appointments. Mom suffered what I would call 'a Widow's Grief' pining so much that she suffered an aneurism ( or what was thought to be one by her consultant at the hospital.) Mom never really got over Dad's passing and it led to her having a stroke on September 11th 2009. Taking her ability to speak or swallow. Up until mom died, she was fed via a tube through her stomach.
As I said previously, mom loved shopping in the local charity shop, spending money, raising funds to help animals. She was well loved by the staff, two of which attended Dad's funeral and sent letters of condolences to me with apologies for non attendance when Mom died. A month after Mom died, and still not able to shed a tear, I went into the shop donating some of her belongings. Within 5 minutes, I burst out crying and was consoled by my friend who was working there. I was asked if I would like to go back volunteering. I came home after having a mug of tea, thought about it and, the following day signed up as a volunteer for MART. I've been working there now for 5 months, I work 3 afternoons a week and I cover for volunteers when they are sick or on holiday. Its a place I love and I feel at peace and close to mom, I feel her presence whenever I'm on duty. I've made new friends, friends who gave me a 60th birthday to remember presenting me with a HUGE flower arrangement with a card signed by all the volunteers. I'm lucky to have met and worked with so many lovely people down the years who have accepted me for what I am and supported me through my working life - living with Epilepsy.
It was only when mom (a trained nurse), had a look at the Injury, and having further treatment at our local surgery, that I realised it was a Third Degree burn. The incident in the canteen led to me being sacked, a job that I liked doing.
It transpired that my supervisor used my epilepsy as an excuse to terminate my employment with the firm. I couldn't believe that someone with a disability could be sacked in the way I was. Thankfully, that does not happen today.
After leaving Manders and, after a short stay in hospital, I spent two months in a Rehabilitation Centre in Egham, Surrey. This was to see what job would suit me best. From there I went back to working in a factory inviroment at Chubbs, as a telephonist working the G.P.O. Switchboards of the day. I LOVED it so much, my confidence returned enough to tell my colleagues of my epilepsy. Even my Boss - a lovely man named Jack Beech - called someone to take over answering the switchboard whenever I had a seisure or wasn't well. What a difference, one sacked me because of my epilepsy, the other showed me compassion. I remained with Chubbs ( at the time in Park lane, Wednesfield) , for 6 years before leaving to go to Wulfrun College, now part of Wolverhampton University - in Paget Road taking a course in typing and office practice. I was encouraged to take up typing by my Boss and was supported by my mom & dad. I passed the course gaining a high percentage in both office practice and typing ( the latter doing over a 100 words a minute.) I soon found employment working in a local firm. I soon found that working in a office environment didn't suit me after working in a factory office so, I left to seek other employment. That came not long after in Crown Street opposite the incinerator plant. The firm was a crane hire company, my job was yet again a typist/telephonist and I was there until I was made redundant in December, 1980.
It wasn't until 1983 that I found employment, albeit on a part-time basis. It was a local Day Centre for the Elderly, St Columba's, and I became a founder member of staff (the centre being built and admitting its first intake of members). I loved being amongst people older than me and treated with Christian love and respect. Today I'm still associated with the centre 28 after it was opened being a former Director of the Centre up till my Father died six years ago. My last job before my rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed, was a home help. I well remember during the interview saying: ' I may well be doing myself out of job here but I have to tell you I've had epilepsy since birth'. The response wasn't what I was expecting. I was thanked for my honesty and they would let me know after speaking to the clients. Well, much to my surprise, I got the job. I even requested a meeting with the person who interviewed me to ask why I was chosen. I was told it was my honesty about my epilepsy that swung it for me and not to worry about anything as my clients won't ask you to do jobs that would involve step ladders. I was taught to ask questions that other people wouldn't dare ask and to be honest ( like in my school days where I never lied to teachers) . It pays off in the end.
The voluntary work.
The year is 1986, I'm still inbetween jobs so, when Easter arrived, and after I had won an Easter Egg in a raffle to raise funds for Compton Hospice, I decided to go and work for them as a volunteer; working at that time, in their lodge which held 6 terminally ill patients. I loved working alongside nurses, helping them feed the patients, making beds etc., it was like being an auxiliary nurse. I loved it so much that the nurses began to rely on me to help out in emergencies if any evening volunteers didn't turn up. On one such occasion that's what happened. I went off duty at 4pm. one day, got home only to have the phone ring to ask if I can come back as the evening volunteer hadn't turned up. After having something to eat, my Dad took me in the car save walking. I had worked that day from 1pm.- 4pm then 5pm. - 9pm. The lodge is now a coffee shop, opened in 1994 by the then manager of Wolves - Graham Taylor, and as a volunteer, I was the first to welcome him when he walked through the door.
I worked in the coffee shop helping out when they were short staffed before being transferred back to the charity shop on the main site. By this time mom had started working with me, and we achieved history for the hospice - first mother & daughter to receive 'long service badges' on the same day. After that, mom decided to leave on health grounds, I went on to work in the fundraising dept until my Father died in 2005. I was an active volunteer for 20 years, now I help raise money for them as a supporter. They looked after my dad before he died and helped mom & I through our grief with councilling sessions. I have happy memories of my time working for the hospice but strange as it may seem, when mom died, and I decided to go back volunteering, I chose the former PAWS charity shop, now called MART (Midlands Animal Rescue Team). Mom loved going in the shop, making friends with the former Manageress, its where I feel close to mom. After Dad's passing, I took time out from volunteering concentrating on looking after mom who seemed to go into her shell for awhile and was having treatment from our Doctor for symtoms relating from the bowel cancer she had in 2001. I was, in effect nursing mom through her grief and taking her to hospital for appointments. Mom suffered what I would call 'a Widow's Grief' pining so much that she suffered an aneurism ( or what was thought to be one by her consultant at the hospital.) Mom never really got over Dad's passing and it led to her having a stroke on September 11th 2009. Taking her ability to speak or swallow. Up until mom died, she was fed via a tube through her stomach.
As I said previously, mom loved shopping in the local charity shop, spending money, raising funds to help animals. She was well loved by the staff, two of which attended Dad's funeral and sent letters of condolences to me with apologies for non attendance when Mom died. A month after Mom died, and still not able to shed a tear, I went into the shop donating some of her belongings. Within 5 minutes, I burst out crying and was consoled by my friend who was working there. I was asked if I would like to go back volunteering. I came home after having a mug of tea, thought about it and, the following day signed up as a volunteer for MART. I've been working there now for 5 months, I work 3 afternoons a week and I cover for volunteers when they are sick or on holiday. Its a place I love and I feel at peace and close to mom, I feel her presence whenever I'm on duty. I've made new friends, friends who gave me a 60th birthday to remember presenting me with a HUGE flower arrangement with a card signed by all the volunteers. I'm lucky to have met and worked with so many lovely people down the years who have accepted me for what I am and supported me through my working life - living with Epilepsy.