Ian Wright's Everyday People

For the final episode of the season, Ian meets William Carter, a remarkable student from South London who is refusing to let the barriers presented by severe dyslexia and dyspraxia stand in the way of the highest academic success. 

William struggled at school so much that he didn’t learn to read until he was 13 years old. He went on to achieve record breaking exam results, a first class degree and a PhD scholarship at the University of Berkeley in California. 

He’s had to fight for access to education at every stage, and is determined to ensure that future generations are not held back by educational inequality. 

A Somethin' Else production.

Unite Foundation: Providing free accommodation at university to care leavers, young carers and estranged youth - https://thisisusatuni.org

Southward Scholarship: University tuition scholarship for low income students in Southwark, South London - https://www.southwark.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/help-you-to-find-a-job-or-training/southwark-scholarship-scheme-2021

NHS: Information and support for Young Carers - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/support-and-benefits-for-carers/help-for-young-carers/

You can find information and support on learning disabilities and differences in the UK through Mencap: https://www.mencap.org.uk/learning-disability-explained/what-learning-disability

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Meet Jawahir ‘JJ’ Roble, a football referee blazing a trail on the pitch. 

JJ is one of the few female, Muslim referees in the country, and though still in her 20s she hopes the strides she’s making today will inspire other young women to follow in her footsteps.

A Somethin' Else production.

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Ian meets Tilly Lockey, a teenager testing the prosthetics of the future. Tilly, 15, lost both her hands as a baby after beating Meningitis. Frustrated by the prosthetics available to children, Tilly and her mum Sarah went on a journey to challenge this.

At age 9, she became the first child in the UK to be fitted with a hero arm - a bionic prosthesis with life changing possibilities. Today she’s busy co-designing the prosthetics of the future, helping manufacturers to meet the changing needs of young people today.

To find out more about the bionic Tilly, head here: @tilly.lockey @openbionics

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There’s a saying. If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together. For DJ and poet Charlie Dark, these are words to live by. In 2007 Charlie founded Run Dem Crew - a running crew for people who don’t typically consider themselves runners. 

It’s been a lifeline for its members, who’ve not only found fitness but made lifelong friends. 

In just over 10 years, the collective that Charlie started to fight his way through depression, has members from all walks of life and has inspired crews and offshoot collectives in cities all over the world.

Insta:

@run.dem.crew

Twitter

Websites

Mental health help and support:

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Meet Lizzie Carr, an environmentalist and adventurer going the distance to keep our waterways clean. After surviving cancer Lizzie took up paddle boarding to support her recovery. 

But while out on the waterways she made a shocking discovery that would change the course of her life. Find our how a paddle board enthusiast initiated a global movement against single use culture in this episode of Everyday People.

To learn more about Planet Patrol and Lizzie’s latest adventures head to https://planetpatrol.co/ / or follow along at @lizzie_outside and @onplanetpatrol

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Meet Gary Crosby and Janine Irons, a couple mentoring the artists of the future. Together they founded Tomorrow’s Warriors, an organisation devoted to nurturing aspiring jazz musicians. 

Over the past three decades, they’ve supported thousands of artists on their journey to becoming professional musicians - never once charging a penny for their time or expertise. Today their alumni are some of the most exciting names in British Jazz.

To learn more about Tomorrow’s Warriors and to support the work they do in the community head to www.tomorrowswarriors.org/support

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What does it take to care for some of Britain’s most vulnerable children? This week Ian meets Andy Hider, a devoted foster parent who has taken in more than 150 children, over three decades.

Andy says she grew her heart and her home to accommodate some of society’s most vulnerable kids, and she did this work while raising her three biological children as a single parent. In 2020 after 38 years, Andy retired from fostering. 

That same year, she was recognised for her services to children. Think you’ve got what it takes to foster a child and would like to learn more? Head to: The National Fostering Agency; or here; or here. 

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How did a socially anxious young man go from a bag of nerves in the classroom to one of Britain’s best new teachers? Today Ian is in conversation with Abed Ahmed, an inspirational teacher from Birmingham who defied the odds to make it in his dream career.

To keep up with Abed’s journey in teaching, follow him at,

@stammer_teacher on Twitter.

To learn more about stammering and to access help and support head here or here.

A Somethin' Else production.

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