I’d like to show you all something a little different today. A little while ago, and I neglected to tell you all this, I met with a photographic journalist, David Cross. He is an incredibly calm, compassionate and empathetic man who made telling my story very easy. David is the founder of the Centre for British Documentary Photography and his work, and the work of other photographers is meaningful and inspiring.
David attended the preliminary hearing of Module 4 of the Covid-19 Inquiry in May and this module is focused on vaccines and therapeutics, of which UKCVFamily are core participants, meaning the members, like me, are also represented.
At this hearing David met several Trustees and members of UKCVFamily and from there he chose to work with us to tell our stories. David visited myself and several other members to listen to our stories and take some powerful photographs. He asked the right questions and he’d discuss lighter topics between the heavy ones so they weren’t all consuming. He truly listened to understand. Quite frankly, he’s wonderful and I’m grateful to have met him.
Mr Postman has just been by and delivered my copy of the Humanity magazine fresh from the press. I have read it cover to cover and let myself get absorbed by the words, the stories told and the photographs alongside them. Not just David’s work but the work of other photographers and their subjects.
I am going to share a copy of ‘my’ page here. I don’t fear my story, I know my story holds power and it matters. That’s why I do this, why I share with you all my darkest moments and highest highs. But I would strongly encourage anyone to order a copy of Humanity (rb.gy/9sl6m) and read the stories of others like me, and unlike me. Regardless, they are all my ‘family’ now, and their stories hold just as much power and matter just as much and probably more than my own. But they are not mine to share, so please do hit the link above and read them for yourself.
It was an honour to have someone want to share our stories and all credit goes to David who truly worked with each of us and our individual needs both in preparation for and during our interviews.
