THE BENEFITS OF 200 YEARS OF IMMIGRATION
On Monday 15 March I am returning to school in Harehills. As a five-year-old I went to Harehills County Primary School, which no longer exists, but there is a new primary school on its site so to me, it feels like much the same place.
Under our Corporate Social Responsibility policy we are now giving all our staff time off to do volunteer work in the community. So there are something like 11 other colleagues from thebigword joining me, as our project is to paint a huge mural on the school’s interior wall with its logo ‘Growing Together’ translated into 10 different languages.
When I went to this school it was quite a working class all-white school, and when I left in 1959, immigrants from Jamaica were just beginning to join the school. Their parents had been encouraged by the British Government to come and work in the UK. Now amazingly, some 40-plus years since I left school in Harehills, 35 per cent of pupils are non-native English speaking and 27 different languages are spoken in the school.
I have a special affinity to this particular cause. Firstly it is because it is where I grew up, and secondly my great-grandparents were immigrants themselves, arriving in Leeds in the late 1800s, escaping the pogroms in Russia and racial attacks in Poland. It is at times like this I can reflect on what a brilliant country the UK really is. Despite its many challenges, and over 100 years later, immigrants are still fairly well treated. It is not perfect, but we should be proud of how good it is.
I also think what is great is that other people of my age come from similar backgrounds, and have been able to flourish in this country. Again I hope in some small way this can give hope to people who are struggling in their new environment.
At thebigword our business has been enhanced by the immigrant population coming from all parts of the world, and especially new members of the EU. It’s not just the work they have created in our telephone interpreting business, but it is a fact that many of them are enriching our own workforce with their excellent language skills and their determined effort to succeed. I think that is a major reason for our success, and I must add that this is not just in the UK but applies to our other centres in the United States, Europe, Japan and China.
Last week I wrote about the challenges in New York in relation to our new home there. I am glad to say the chairs have arrived and my daughter is well on the road to recovery. I really love New York, but I have to admit I also miss the UK and it was great to get back on Wednesday. I think I am tremendously lucky in having the opportunity of living in a number of places, although the packing and unpacking and the constant travelling can sometimes be a little hard – but I am not complaining.
Have a good weekend.
Under our Corporate Social Responsibility policy we are now giving all our staff time off to do volunteer work in the community. So there are something like 11 other colleagues from thebigword joining me, as our project is to paint a huge mural on the school’s interior wall with its logo ‘Growing Together’ translated into 10 different languages.
When I went to this school it was quite a working class all-white school, and when I left in 1959, immigrants from Jamaica were just beginning to join the school. Their parents had been encouraged by the British Government to come and work in the UK. Now amazingly, some 40-plus years since I left school in Harehills, 35 per cent of pupils are non-native English speaking and 27 different languages are spoken in the school.
I have a special affinity to this particular cause. Firstly it is because it is where I grew up, and secondly my great-grandparents were immigrants themselves, arriving in Leeds in the late 1800s, escaping the pogroms in Russia and racial attacks in Poland. It is at times like this I can reflect on what a brilliant country the UK really is. Despite its many challenges, and over 100 years later, immigrants are still fairly well treated. It is not perfect, but we should be proud of how good it is.
I also think what is great is that other people of my age come from similar backgrounds, and have been able to flourish in this country. Again I hope in some small way this can give hope to people who are struggling in their new environment.
At thebigword our business has been enhanced by the immigrant population coming from all parts of the world, and especially new members of the EU. It’s not just the work they have created in our telephone interpreting business, but it is a fact that many of them are enriching our own workforce with their excellent language skills and their determined effort to succeed. I think that is a major reason for our success, and I must add that this is not just in the UK but applies to our other centres in the United States, Europe, Japan and China.
Last week I wrote about the challenges in New York in relation to our new home there. I am glad to say the chairs have arrived and my daughter is well on the road to recovery. I really love New York, but I have to admit I also miss the UK and it was great to get back on Wednesday. I think I am tremendously lucky in having the opportunity of living in a number of places, although the packing and unpacking and the constant travelling can sometimes be a little hard – but I am not complaining.
Have a good weekend.
