Happy New Year 2012

Well we're into the New Year at last. 2011 was happy, joyful, sorrowful, disastrous, enlightening, tearful, ecstatic etc etc. I spent more time on the internet even investing in a posh phone so I could access the internet everywhere I went. That got stolen just b4 Christmas and to date is sitting in a police station because I went to collect it and left after nearly an hour without the phone. I started 2011 with funerals. Lots of them. and did on average one a week sometimes 2 in one day. The generation that came to England in the 50's and 60's have died of exhaustion, discrimination, industrial diseases. As a community activist and teacher I know many people and sometimes it's difficult to say why I went to a specific funeral especially if I was supporting or had supported the deceased in one of my many roles through Child /Sex Abuse, domestic violence, disability issues, etc. True west Indian style we attend funerals of people we know or if someone we know is affected. we may not be invited to Christenings and weddings anymore but funerals have not become 'invitation only' event's. Starting the year with my cousin's Mildred Queely someone who I loved and respected as a mother, teacher, friend, then Ossie's where I had a panic attack, the first of the year. Friends, family, acquaintances I've been to most of theire final journeys. Sam Eldrige's was truly difficult. Having the same birthday and being so close for over 30 years I said my goodbyes a few days b4 he actually passed. I still expect to see his car/van parked outside my house when I get home. He used to come, knock once then go back to his vehicle. Whenever I managed to get to the door b4 he drove on he would say, 'just making sure you're still alive.' The year ended with Johnny Max's funeral on 9th December. He was uncle to my youngest brother. I didn't know him in those days because my brother died at 7 months with my mother in 1958. Max became a friend thorugh a previous partner. When I lost Natalie my first live birth after numerous losses, Max was there to comfort me. When I lost my friend, his girlfriend Mary the same year, we comforted each other. Max meant many things to many people. I could not find out the date of his funeral though I tried desperately hard. Yesterday I saw the Order of service for the first time.
I wasn't as active last year as in previous years. My health is deteriorating. I missed most of Arts Fest, Leeds Carnival, Rainbow Circle Camp, Gay Fest, Malcolm Marshall Cricket, Lord Mayors Show, IVC events and other events that I normally frequent. I tried to move house 3 times. I was involved in a horrific court case with previous staff of Birmingham Centre for Inclusive Living on accusations of Disability Discrimination and Racism. They won, only because I did not receive their letters which they'd purposely sent to BCIL office. The organisation had been closed since September 2010 yet their letters were sent in December 2010. Finally in October 2011 after months of distress and over 400 pages of lies, false accusations, abuse they dropped the case against me though tried to pursue against BCIL. I'm still waiting to hear the outcome of this.
Being Libran I try to balance my life. Shirley's Tribe is thriving growing stronger. Nearly everyone in Shirley's Tribe has been affected by Benefit Issues: home visits, cuts, withdrawal, embarassing and humiliating ATOS medicals, fraud charges, loss of home, debts, refusal of community funds, loss of heating, damp, abuse. We have had successes, people re/housed, new love relationships, success out of court after one member had 2 accidents, deaths (see above and previous blogs) told our stories about our stolen children, gone to numerous events including a very tense Birmingham Carnival, visited each other in hospital, found new clubs to go to, welcomed new members, petitioned against disability abuse, and finally at Christmas supported each other at Christmas Shelter (details in future blog) and New Year Opening. It was a memorable year. Similar but not as bad as 1972 which still goes down as my worse years . But maybe because I've experienced some of these things b4 and time is a great healer, I am better able to cope with these issues. Looking forward to a thriving, prosperous, healing new year and wishing you the same.