To
the Irish Forum [Thoughts
of a Luton Irish Forum Service User]
I
came to London in the fifties as a ten year old boy.
After living in Ireland it was a complete culture
shock. The only
accommodation we could find was in a catholic hostel in North
London where we shared a room, my father and I, with fourteen
other men in a large dormitory, as this was in the dark days
of the “no Irish, no blacks, no dogs need apply”.
In a perverse sort of way I was quite proud to be top
of the list to be refused.
We
moved, my family and I to Luton in the early sixties, where I
found an apprenticeship at fifteen years of age.
Through the sixties, seventies and eighties there were
some really good times and of course some bad and sad ones.
The
nineties came and that’s when my problems started.
I was made redundant from my work and diagnosed with
Cancer all in the space of eighteen months.
After recovering from the operation I suffered from
post operative trauma and was unable to find work;
consequently I spent all my savings.
I lost my house and moved to a small rented flat.
My finances were in a mess as I did not understand the
benefits system. I
just somehow existed from week to week.
I was in despair until someone suggested I visited the
Irish Forum for advice. As a person who is naturally apprehensive about
organisations, my first visit made me quite nervous.
Within
five minutes of entering the Irish Forum offices I was totally
put at ease, given a cup of tea and asked what problems they
could help me with. Since
then the Irish Forum team, especially Mick [Michael] Maguire
has been a revelation with helping me with housing and any
other benefits, that I did not realise I was entitled to, and
numerous official forms and listening to my personal problems.
The
Irish Forum as a team has the unique knack of being warm and
friendly and also being very efficient at the same time.
Talking to various members of the community, I find
this is a view common to anyone who has had the good fortune
to make contact with the Forum.
On
a personal note I love what was done for the St Patrick’s
Festival. I know
the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
It was so wonderful to see the good spirits and happy
smiling faces on the day of the parade.
Good
luck Luton Irish Forum, you are an asset to the community.
Yours
A
Luton Irish Forum Service User
