Lisa’s life story interview

DOROTHY: Tell me about your family.

CHARLOTTE: Tell her about your family, Lisa.

LC: I don’t know.

SW: So…

DOROTHY: What are your parents like?

LC: I can’t remember. That’s a long time ago.

CHARLOTTE: Are your parents still alive? Are your parents still with us? Yeah?

LC: Yeah, they’re fine.

CHARLOTTE: Okay, so… What are they like now? Tell us what you think about what they’re like now.

LC: They’re both lovely. I’ve got two handsome brothers.

DOROTHY: What are their names?

SW: What’s mum and dad’s name, Lisa?

LC: Marie and Bryan.

DOROTHY: What did your parents do for work?

SW: What did Mum and Dad do for work?

LC:  Mum was a nurse.

SW: That’s right. She was.

LC: And my dad was a gardener.

SW: And he also was a painter, wasn’t he?

LC: He was a painter, and that is my brother.

CHARLOTTE: Can you tell us a bit about this? Because you just said your dad’s a painter. Tell us a bit about what you’re doing.

LC: I’m doing that for Father’s Day.

DOROTHY: What question do I ask? What is that?

LC: It’s a painting of a wolf, my dad’s favourite.

DOROTHY: Do you like colouring a picture, Lisa? So, I just want to ask, Lisa, that picture of what you’ve done there, are you going to put that on your bedroom wall?

LC: No, I’m giving [it] to my dad for Father’s Day.

DOROTHY: Oh, So, you’re giving your picture to your dad?

LC: That’s right.

DOROTHY: Do you make lots of pictures?

LC: For my nephew’s and nieces’ birthdays.

DOROTHY: Can you tell me more about that?

LC: I don’t know.

SW: So, for birthdays, for family, you like to make lots of cards, don’t you?

LC: That’s right.

SW: Yeah.

LC: You put money in.

SW: You do put some money in sometimes, don’t you?

LC: Yeah.

SW: And you colour all the pictures in in their favourite colours.

LC: Actually, Brian, he’s eagle. The moon, the moon’s at the back. That’s just Brian’s favourite thing, he likes.

DOROTHY: How do you make them?

LC:  I can’t remember.

DOROTHY: So,-

LC: that’s fine.

DOROTHY: And Lisa,-  How do you make them, Lisa? Them pictures what you’re doing, Lisa. How do you make them?

SW: How do you make your pictures, Lisa?

LC: Put it on the card.

SW: Put it on the card.

LC: Yeah.

SW: What do you use to stick it down, Lisa?

LC: I’ve got loads of cello tape at home.

SW: Sellotape, and…

LC: Yeah.

DOROTHY: Yeah. I just want to ask, what is this?

LC: Sometimes go around the picture.

DOROTHY: Oh.

LC: Yeah.

CHARLOTTE:  So, Dorothy’s holding up – just so I can describe it for recording. Dorothy’s holding up, it looks like a scratching paintbrush that you’d scratch off with? Can you tell us a bit more about?

LC: It’s like that.

DOROTHY: Ah, so you use this pen to do the pictures, Lisa?

LC: You’ve done the first one with water. The blue thing is that.

CHARLOTTE: She is holding like a scratching pen. Lisa’s showing us a picture etch, it’s like a black background and then scratches.

LC: That’s a tattoo one.

CHARLOTTE: Tattoo art. Can you describe the picture there that you’ve done, Lisa? What is it of?

LC: First I’ve got 3 pictures. One is a lady and that and that.

CHARLOTTE: What is that of?

LC: That’s a wolf [that] my dad likes.

CHARLOTTE: Okay, the wolf and the – what’s the other pictures? There’s one lady, one wolf, and what’s the other picture?

LC: That’s a fish.

DOROTHY: So, the other one on there is a fish, did you say Lisa?

LC: That’s another one.

DOROTHY: Ah, is that a fish or a crab?

LC: No, it’s a fish.

DOROTHY: Oh. And the second one behind it is a lady. That’s like you, Angela? (GIGGLES) Also, you got another picture when it was… Who’s that one, Lisa? Is that a lady or is that a girl?

LC: Woman is like Angela.

DOROTHY: (GIGGLES) OK. How long do they… How long do they take to do?

LC: I’ll put this back, all right?

SW: How long do the pictures take to do, Lisa?

LC: Half an hour.

CHARLOTTE: Half an hour. Put your pictures away. They’re very nice. Thank you for sharing them.

LC: That’s all right.

DOROTHY: Did you buy that packet, Lisa?

LC: About 3 pictures. I got one – Right, 1- 2- 3 pictures in one packet.

CHARLOTTE: Lovely.

DOROTHY: What did your dad paint?

LC: He’s done his metal work in the garage.

DOROTHY: Can you tell me more about that?

SW: What colour did he paint the metal work in the garage, Lisa? Can you remember?

LC: I can’t remember.

CHARLOTTE: Black, brown, white?

LC:  Sometimes he makes one of the… The bed heads, he’d put it on the bed and just screw it like that.

CHARLOTTE: What, like a headboard?

LC: Yeah, it’s a headboard.

CHARLOTTE: OK.

LC: That’s his major work he’s doing in the garage.

SW: Oh, is he doing metal work?  That’s interesting.

LC: Yeah.

DOROTHY: Did you go to any clubs like Brownies?

LC: I was in Brownies, Mum did. And my friend Sarah did. Mum’s friend called Geraldine’s daughter Sarah.

SW: OK.

LC: She’s my best friend of mine.

SW: You showed me a picture of you in your Brownie outfit, didn’t you?

LC: That’s right, I did.

SW: You looked fantastic.

LC: Yeah.

DOROTHY: Did you enjoy it?

LC: I love it.

DOROTHY: What was the best bit?

LC:Going to Brownies

SW: You liked going to the Brownies.

LC: And Guides.

SW: And Guides.

LC: Yeah.

SW: Meeting up with all your friends.

LC: Yeah.

DOROTHY: Did you keep badges?

LC: About 3 or 4.

SW: Yeah?

LC: Yeah.

DOROTHY: Do you remember what for?

LC: I can’t remember now.

SW: I think if I remember, there was one for sewing, wasn’t there?

LC: That’s right. Yeah.

SW: Because you love to sew.

LC: Yeah.

DOROTHY: Where did you go to school?

LC: I can’t remember where it is now.

SW: Is it Hollywells? Was it Hollywells? What was it?

LC: It’s Hollywells High.

SW: Say again.

CHARLOTTE: Was it Hollywells High?

LC: That is. I went there.

SW: OK.

LC: And Sainsbury’s.

SW: That was when you had your job?

DOROTHY: What were your favourite subjects at school?

LC: That’s a little far back.

SW: Yeah, but is there any particular subject that you like? Could it be Maths, English, PE?

LC: Yeah.

SW: Cooking? Yeah?

LC: I did Cooking, Art and Crafts, Pottery.

SW: There you go.

DOROTHY: Wow.

SW: Pottery.

DOROTHY: Pottery. Can you tell me more about that?

LC: Sometimes Cooking with the cooking lady. One thing I can make.

SW: What was that?

LC: Red velvet [to] take home.

SW: Making me hungry now.

ALL: (GIGGLES)

SW: You’re really making me hungry, Lisa.

LC: And chocolate cookies and chocolate chips in dark and white.

SW: Ooh… Did you used to make the Christmas cakes for your family?

LC: I don’t know.

SW: Christmas log?

LC: Log?

SW: Log. Yeah.

DOROTHY: I just want to ask, when you say about pottery, Lisa, what was your favourite thing you did you do in pottery?

LC: I used to step over it.

SW: What did you make in pottery? Can you recall any of it?

LC: Maybe.

SW: So, what did you make in pottery?

LC: I was making the baskets.

SW: Oh, baskets.  Okay, yeah.

LC: Yeah.

SW: Yeah.

LC: Well, when we did have Easter, I’m making the baskets.

SW: Oh, okay. Okay, lovely.

LC: Yeah.

SW: You decorated it?

LC: I did.

SW: Oh, beautiful. Sounds absolutely beautiful.

LC: Well, so are you.

SW: Oh, thank you.

DOROTHY: Have you ever had a job or done any volunteer work? Sainsbury’s, I believe?

LC: What is that?

DOROTHY: Can you tell me more about that?

LC: I can’t remember now.

SW: What did you do when you worked at Sainsbury’s?

LC: Washing up.

SW: In the kitchen area, the restaurant area, yeah?

LC: Yeah.

SW: OK.

DOROTHY: How long ago was that?

LC:  I used to work in the coffee shop. A long time. It closed down.

SW: Probably over 10 years, isn’t it?

LC: Yeah. About 10 years.

SW: Maybe longer even.

LC: Maybe.

DOROTHY: Where would you like to work now?

LC: White house.

CHARLOTTE: Would you like to work now? I think that’s what Dorothy’s saying. Would you like to be doing some work now in a job?

LC: I can’t remember now.

SW: Do you want to have a job now?

LC: Not really.

SW: OK. Don’t blame you. Not really, I’m joking. I have one but…

DOROTHY: What have you liked? What have you liked best about your life so far?

LC: I can’t remember now.

SW: What do you like most about your life?

LC: With the family.

SW: Yeah, with your family.

LC: And friends like Jenna and Karen.

SW: There you go, keep going. You’re doing really well.

LC: Yeah.

SW: Yeah.

LC: And Dorothy and John.

SW: Yeah.

DOROTHY: Do like all the staff at Factory?

LC: First, I like you, Julie.

SW: Thank you

LC: And Barry and Fred. And Don. He calls me woman.  He’s a nice man. He is.

 SW: He definitely is a nice support worker.

LC: And Hannah?

SW: Yes, Hannah.

LC: And Don.

DOROTHY: Do you like living with Jenna and Karen?

LC: Yeah, I do. You’re lovely too.

SW: (GIGGLING)

DOROTHY: Is it a United Response Supported Living house?

SW: Yes.

LC: That is.

DOROTHY: How are you supported?

SW: What support do you get, Lisa?

LC: Loads of stuff.

SW: Yeah, and how do we support you?

LC: I like all the staff around me to do things.

SW: What sort of things do we support you with?

LC: Washing. Sometimes [we have] bad weather, being inside, putting it in a tumble [dryer]. I do that.

SW: And what else do we support you to do?

LC: I’m doing…We’ve had bad weather…

SW: Yeah?

LC: I’ve been in… Putting it in tumble [dryer] about half an hour.

SW: So, what else do we do with you? What are the things that we do with you?

LC: Money.

SW: Yeah, money. So, we do your finances.

LC: Cooking.

SW: Yeah. Your medication?

LC: That’s right.

SW: We need to do your medication, don’t we?

LC: Yeah.

SW: What about one-to-one days?

LC: All right.

SW: Go out on adventures, don’t you, with the staff? Staff take you where you want to go, don’t you?

LC: Yeah.

SW: Yeah. Do your personal shopping.

LC:  Asda

SW: Marsden Heath, you love going there.

DOROTHY: What kind of adventures do you go on?

LC: I love going to Marsden Heath and get plays up there.

SW: You love going there.

LC: Yeah.

SW: Taxi, whatever you do.

LC: Bus or taxi up there.

DOROTHY: How do you feel about the support you get?

LC: I can’t remember that one.

SW: What do you think about the support you get? Is it good? Is it bad? You know, is it – you know, how do you feel? Are you happy about getting support?

LC: That’s right.

SW: Yeah? You are happy about getting support through things?

LC: Yeah.

SW: Because it helps you, doesn’t it?

LC: That’s right.

SW: So you can achieve your goals. and what you want to do?

LC: Okay.

SW: Yeah?

CHARLOTTE: What do you think about the staff that support you?

LC: Do things like cooking, washing and everything?

CHARLOTTE: What were you saying earlier? You were saying some very lovely things about the staff earlier.

LC: And I’m into football now.

CHARLOTTE: Oh, football.

DOROTHY: What is your worst habit?

LC: You alright? 

SW: What’s your worst habit, Lisa?

CHARLOTTE: Do you have any bad habits?

LC: No.

SW: No.

LC: And that’s all. I can’t say.

DOROTHY:  What do you think are your best qualities?

LC: Music. Dancing.

SW: Housework?

LC: That’s right.

SW: Yeah.

LC: Cooking.

SW: Yeah, you are a good cook actually.

LC: And what’s her name?

SW: Charlotte.

LC: Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE: Yeah?

LC: This is. I like doing line dancing.

CHARLOTTE: Oh, wonderful.

LC: Yeah.

DOROTHY: I’ll ask a question about that. What days do you do your line dancing?

SW: Well, there aren’t any groups at the minute, so she used to like to do it, but hopefully.

LC: I did [at] Spring Road, I did that.

SW: Yeah, you did it at Spring Road, did you back in the day?

LC: Yeah.

DOROTHY: Do you want to tell me anything else about yourself, Lisa?

LC: Me, I’m feeling okay. Happy times. I’ve got you and John. You’re both lovely. Me with Jenna and Karen. Having a drink, something. And then, I got to tell you, Charlotte, I got some cousins.

CHARLOTTE: Do you want to tell us about your cousins?

LC: They live in California. Long way.

SW: Yeah, they came to visit, didn’t they, a couple of years ago?

LC: Yeah, they came over. I have to tell you, Charlotte, my cousin called Mel and Darren, husband and wife. She’s got a daughter called Morgan and Mark, her husband. They’ve got a Great Dane, a dog. And this one is a good dog. Guess what the girl’s name is?

CHARLOTTE: I don’t know, what is that?

LC: Rosie, it’s a girl.

CHARLOTTE: Lovely.

LC: It’s called Rosie. It’s a Great Dane.

SW: Yes.

LC: One day I’m going up there, say hello.

SW: Fly over there?

LC: Yeah. And then they’ve got two sons, Rory and Corby. There are the two sons they’ve got.