Did anyone see Imagine with Lemn Sissay earlier in the week?

[CrowdedHouseinQuarantine]

recommended

what an amazing man though

Yes I saw this, completely randomly. I wept. What a story and he is amazing. I will check out his poetry.

SS back then... 😳

Yes I watched it and was surprised as I am sure I have seen a similar show about him a few years back (Who Do You Think You Are or something).

And yes his story is so grim - and yet he seems to positive!

I wonder has anyone ever asked his foster parents why they behaved like they did? Or even contacted their children who he thought of as his siblings.

The bit I didn't know was the school friend who made all that effort to find out where he had disappeared to. It seems like no one else did.

And I am sorry that things dont seem to have worked out with his mother (or did I misunderstand) and how strange for her to have what it also her story broadcast to the world.

This is the earlier film blog.lemnsissay.com/2012/10/29/internal-flight/#sthash.IFmmH1uu.dpbs

He is now a trustee of the Foundling Museum!

And this seems to be a follow up post to the Imagine programme about this father who I dont think was mentioned blog.lemnsissay.com/2020/07/24/the-men/#sthash.qsDYGfs5.dpbs

Oh thank you @stumbled, I listened to the desert island discs he did today which was also thought provoking

I remember the c4 super kids programme he did.
It was inspirational and heartbreaking all at once. Not sure if it’s still available...
he worked with young care leavers

I love him, he’s fab - Superkids (which is brilliant) was still on all4 last time I looked.

‘Went’ to a bbc Q&A on Zoom with him before the film screened which was fab. He has a few radio things on bbc sounds too that are worth a listen

Yep it’s still on there, here’s a link: www.channel4.com/programmes/superkids-breaking-away-from-care/on-demand/68392-001

Thank you, kirsty young called him ebollient, once I checked the meaning I had to agree

Yes I happened to watch it by chance too. My god, how utterly heartless and cruel his foster parents were. It seems that he was saved by that school, where he felt safe and valued. I missed the very beginning about his birth mum - what happened to her? So incredibly sad.

Also, I was shocked by that very short clip of Jim Davidson doing his 'my mate Chalky' routine. I remember he was hated at the time by alternative comedians but was popular with the ITV type audience - but hearing it now is really appalling.

He was the guest director of this year's Brighton Festival - which of course was cancelled - so has been re-scheduled for next May.

He is incredible. I was lucky enough to hear him speak several years ago, truly inspirational.

When I said 'he was hated' I was referring to Jim Davidson, not Lemn Sissay!

I've seen him in person. He is so inspirational. Looking forward to watching this.

Brilliant man.

He is on a great podcast, Elizabeth Day interviewed him on 'How to fail with Elizabeth Day.' It's brilliant

Its all a bit vague about his mother - and this is what makes me feel it hasn't really worked out for them.

From one of the posts on his blog it seems that she became pregnant after a "one night stand" but was already booked to do further education in England. That is why he was born here. She thought (I think) that he would be in temporary care until she finished her studies. But it seems the social worker was (a bit nutty saying the child should be named after him!) a bit manipulative.

blog.lemnsissay.com/2013/03/08/one-extraordinary-woman-in-my-world-now-yemarshet-sissay/#sthash.x7rhQeNZ.dpbs

Worth remember that at this time social services in England were still separating children from single mothers claiming it was better for the child. And many of the children ended up being shipped to Australia and South Africa to terrible institutions. And some of the mothers thought their child was only in temporary care. There was a film about this - Oranges and Sunshine(?) and The Leaving of Liverpool.

Not trying to dimish the awfulness of what happened to Lemn Sissay but social services' attitude to the children of single mothers was brutal.

It is hard to believe, this is 1966, which seems more enlightened times, but obviously not.

however it was the late 1970s when his foster parents gave him up, which was totally appalling and they said in the programme if that happened now there would have been a court case about it.

He is such an amazing and admirable person, he really is one in a million.

Apparently the transferring of children in social care to Australia, South Africa and Canada continued into the 1970s.

just shocking

My DM absolutely loves this guy, as she was raised in the care system and could relate to so many of his heartbreaking stories.

His book is also worth reading "My name is why"

I read the book but haven’t seen the tv program.
I could not believe that in the late 1970s foster parents would give up a child like that. It was horrific, like sending a rescue dog back to the pound.
Did the tv program mention whether he had been in touch with his foster brother. They were close. Surely the brother and sister must have wondered what happened to him.

Thankyou for reminding me about this meant to watch it, I think he (and his poetry) is wonderful.