What does it mean to grow up between places?

Debra was born in Lagos and came to the UK as a small child, arriving first in London before her family eventually settled in Salford. At school she was often one of the only Black girls in the room, and even her name sometimes made her feel like she stood out.

She reflects on the long process of finding her footing, taking in faith, identity and the expectations that come with being the daughter of immigrant parents.

It’s a conversation about belonging, confidence and what it really means to call a place home.

Credits

Debra was in conversation with Jennifer Vickers. Production and sound design is by Emily Zurowksi. The theme music is by Oscilloscope.

Arrivals is produced by Levenshulme Old Library.

Sound effect: "Badore, Lagos" by Emeka Ogboh (Radio Aporee) is licensed by CC BY-SA 3.0

https://aporee.org/maps/?loc=7402

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Growing up on a housing estate in Kraków where the world of art seemed impossibly remote, Magda developed a restless curiosity that pushed her beyond that environment, first teaching herself make-up artistry as a teenager and then working on Polish film sets.

Eventually, this instinct led her to Manchester, where she arrived with no job and no clear plan. But she discovered a city full of creatives and, through volunteering and chance encounters, Magda began building a creative practice rooted in the community.

Magda's story is one of risk, reinvention and what can happen when a place makes space for new voices.

Credits

Magda was in conversation with Jennifer Vickers. Production and sound design is by Emily Zurowksi. The theme music is by Oscilloscope.

Arrivals is produced by Levenshulme Old Library.

Sound effect: "Main Square, Kraków" by Anna Nacher (Radio Aporee) is licensed by CC BY-SA 3.0

https://aporee.org/maps/?loc=11573

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Martin arrived in Manchester from rural Ireland in the 1960s, aged just 14.

He looks back on a childhood spent on the small farm where he grew up, in a close-knit community where neighbours helped each other through hard times and life moved to the rhythm of the seasons.

Manchester, when he first arrived, was a shock. The city felt overwhelming and unfamiliar and Martin wondered if he would ever settle here at all. What followed was a lifetime woven into the city, building a career in construction and becoming part of Manchester’s Irish community.

Credits

Martin was in conversation with Jennifer Vickers. Production and sound design is by Emily Zurowksi. The theme music is by Oscilloscope.

Arrivals is produced by Levenshulme Old Library.

Raluca was born in Bucharest just weeks before the Romanian Revolution of 1989, part of a generation often described as the first to grow up free.

In this episode she talks about how family history and identity have shaped her life, from stories of formidable women in her family to a childhood spent chasing opportunities to travel.

This curiosity eventually brought her to the UK, where a scholarship opened the door to a new chapter in Manchester.

Along the way she has learned a great deal about belonging, migration, politics and the complicated ways people learn to trust - or distrust - the systems around them.

Credits

Raluca was in conversation with Jennifer Vickers. Production and sound design is by Emily Zurowski. The theme music is by Oscilloscope.

Arrivals is produced by Levenshulme Old Library.

Sound effect: "Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania - Nightwalk in Bucharest" by mara710 (Radio Aporee) is licensed by CC PDM 1.0

https://aporee.org/maps/?loc=18907

https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

Hana grew up in Gujranwala in Pakistan, the youngest in a close-knit family raised by a single mother whose determination shaped the course of her life.

In this episode she reflects on how a decision to ride a bike to her school eventually led her to Manchester, where she now lives. Along the way there has been homesickness, curiosity, the comfort of familiar clothes carried across continents and the kindness of Mancunians who helped her find her feet in a new city.

Credits

Hana was in conversation with Jennifer Vickers. The production and sound design is by Emily Zurowksi. The theme music is by Oscilloscope.

Arrivals is produced by Levenshulme Old Library.

Background music: "Punjabi Folk Songs" by Shri Asa Singh Mastana and Group is licensed by CC BY-NC 4.0

https://archive.org/details/dni.ncaa.ICCR-372-VHS

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Sound effect: "Bath Island, Karachi, Pakistan - Evening Azhan and Birds on the roof of the guest house" by Chris Weaver (Radio Aporee) is licensed by CC PDM 1.0

https://aporee.org/maps/?loc=33724

https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

Arrivals is a five-episode podcast series sharing first-person migration stories from people who have made their lives in Manchester.

Starts 10th March 2026.

Across the series, participants reflect on place, memory, family, identity, work, belonging, and what it can mean to arrive somewhere new and begin again.

Arrivals is produced by Levenshulme Old Library and is supported by the Windrush Community Engagement Fund.

If you or someone in your family has ever been unsure about immigration status, documents, or right to stay, free and confidential help is available through the Windrush Help Team:

0800 678 1925

In some cases, people may also be eligible for compensation if they experienced losses because they could not prove their right to stay.

More information: gov.uk/apply-windrush-compensation-scheme