DESIGN FOR SUCCESS

BY ROSANNE PLUMMER

My brother Alex Starkie was born in Burnley and raised in Nelson by his dad. Alex is my biggest inspiration, he’s been there for me in some of my darkest times and managed to help me through them.

He’s also been there for the rest of our other seven siblings and at the same time has been successful in securing a place on a BA course in Gaming Design at Cheltenham University this year so that he can become a character designer when he graduates.

His selflessness and motivation has inspired me to get up and move on in life. because of Alex’s encouragement I’m trying my hardest to become the best I can be, so I can achieve my dream of becoming a police detective. Whilst growing up in Nelson, he thought it was “an alright place to live”, because he was a close to his family and loved ones.

His motivation is knowing that every step he takes, he’s managing to get somewhere instead of being up all-night playing video games. After university, Alex is thinking of moving back up north to work in gaming studios so that he can live closer to his family again.

His motivation is knowing that every step he takes, he’s managing to get somewhere instead of being up all-night playing video games.

My brother thinks his greatest accomplishment was managing to get a distinction, B*s, Bs and Ds on his GCSEs although he found getting his first job with no qualifications and putting up with our other seven siblings quite challenging.

Alex says that the “difference between the north and the south of England is that up north things are a lot cheaper than down south. Also, people pretend you don’t exist down south but when they do acknowledge you most of them are nice.”

Alex has shown me that nothing’s impossible, it is just challenging. If there’s something you really want in life then reach out and grab it!

 

MAKING SACRIFICES

BY NIKITA BROADBENT

For the first three hours of my life my Nana was the one to hold me and I like to think that that important initial contact is part of the reason behind the close bond we have always shared, and I value so much.

Throughout my life my Nana has always been there to help, hold and inspire me. I look up to her as an example of the kind of person I want to be because of the love and selflessness she displays every day. In 2014, my Nana and Grandad, Nicola and Mike, moved over 250 miles, about five hours by car, from Southampton to Lancashire to take care of my Nana’s mum.

For the first three hours of my life my Nana was the one to hold me…

“Well, it’s family, isn’t it?” There were challenges of course, “The weather!” she exclaimed with a laugh, “not knowing anybody – it’s a different culture up here to how it was in Southampton.”

Six months after my Nana and Grandad’s move, my mum, sister and I followed them up because we missed them so much (and Nana’s baking of course!) Moving up here has been fantastic. We’ve been able to explore new places, meet new people and make so many new memories! And after a couple of months, well, who am I kidding… years, we’re finally able to understand people’s accents!

When discussing the benefits of moving up here, one of the first thing that came to my Nana’s mind was the stunning scenery we’re so grateful to see and live in. “We like visiting Morecambe Bay for the sunsets, and also, the Lake District. We’ve made some lovely friends and we’ve got to know new people we’d never have met if we hadn’t moved and that’s been really nice, that’s opened up other opportunities like learning Romanian!” I feel the same, the people are so friendly, aside from some good-natured jesting to us southerners with our so called ‘posh accents’.

ColneLife Autumn 22