Lockdown to living the dream!

I was born with spina bifida and when I asked my mam if I could be a ballerina aged four, she said, “Sorry darling, but I cannot afford the shoes, but if I win the pools you may have them.”… it never occurred to me it was because I had poor mobility with limited coordination and I believed if you worked hard you could have your dreams and the only limitation was within yourself!

Thirty years in operational, project and risk management across health, public, voluntary, and private sector I was very focused on work, and then one day they said STOP, you are on furlough due to the pandemic!  Husband's at work, children were no longer living at home, sister in isolation and I am sat with our dog Munchkin for about six months. Makes you think. I did my degree part-time in my thirties as I left school with no O-levels and below average CSEs but had studied continually for over twenty years to become a well-respected Health, Safety, Environmental and Compliance professional. I have a varied and interesting career, but I had wanted to do a Master’s degree for around ten years. However, I wanted to do it for me this time, not for work, I absolutely LOVE health and safety as you can make a difference every single day and I applied to Leeds Beckett University as I had studied there before and went to the open day. I enrolled for a part-time MSc in Health & Safety, and commenced studies in September 2020. I have always been described as hard working, determined and competent but always felt like a ‘square peg in a round hole’.

I contacted Disabilities Services and admitted I had been struggling with learning all my life and said out loud for the first time, “I am dyslexic, and I don’t understand the words and I take forever to read a book”. I asked the disability advisor, “How many times can I fail before you throw me off the course because I am a bit thick but will really really try."

Sara said, “You are amazing, you will not fail. Let's get you a proper assessment and see what we can do to help you reach your full potential.”

At fifty years old, I was formally assessed with learning difficulties with a full range of support provided by the university in a bespoke and tailor-made package. I feel that a door has opened, and my mind is full of knowledge… I have the ability to learn in my own way with great support from Kendra Morley and I am on track to graduate with a MSc in Health and Safety with distinction. 

I have learned something new about my profession in every module, as each lecturer shared their great life and academic knowledge, as well as great resources, reading lists and support. I planned my work each week, did loads of research and embraced ergonomics, law, occupational health, enforcement and even risk assessed a chemical plant. More than this they have given me encouragement to follow my dreams, the tools to apply my skills with academic application and nurtured my passion for learning and sharing knowledge. I have started to deliver lectures on the course that I love in the university that helped me reach my full potential. When I entered the first online lecture I was not sure I would have the confidence or the ability to achieve my hidden dream of teaching.  

For those that have not discovered it yet!... Believe it, work hard and you could have your dream job. The only limitation is within yourself!

Leeds Beckett University and in particular the School of Health have enabled me to have my dream and I now feel I have so much more to offer… watch out for me starting a PhD and I would not do it at any other university!