Defying the Odds

About the Book

This book is an attempt to explain how, as a family unit, we came to terms with living in this society and my further experiences as a nurse, wife, and mother; how we adjusted to what was still a strange environment; and how society is changing. I would also like to leave a record of my life in England so that my children’s children and their children will know what life was really like for a black West Indian woman living in England before the middle of the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century. Some of my comments will be general reflections and opinions and extends from what I said in my first book, My Windward Side. After retiring, I threw myself into community work mainly to take my mind away from my back pain. I became a volunteer for many organizations, and as the saying goes, “I wore several hats.” I will be writing about each “hat” in a separate chapter because each has played a large part in my life and afforded me many opportunities that I would never have had. I have call this book Defying the Odds, for although my life has been filled with many barriers both as a woman and being black, I have tried to break down most of them and grab the opportunities that came my way. I feel I have done all and more than I have wanted to achieve.

About the Author

Jannett continues to record her journey from St,Vincent and the Grenadines in the late fifties as a young woman travelling to England to train as a nurse. She found a cold hostile place and many barriers. Despite the odds that were stacked against her, she completed her training, got married and raised a family. She climbed the career ladder in nursing to become Sister in charge of an intensive care unit at night. Shortly after completing a degree in education she retired and threw herself into community work and was awarded the Citizens Award for volunteers by Stockport Metropolitan Borough and the MBE by the Queen. Jannett is now a widow and a great grandmother and continues to do community work.