Don't Tell Me I Can't...Graduate With My Daughter

- Anna Verdon And Lucy Needham

Watching my daughter Azara take to the stage in her cap and gown, I couldn’t be prouder. I knew just how much work she’d put in to get her degree. Only, unlike the other parents, I wasn’t cheering from the audience, I was right beside her…

Growing up, I’d never been academic and didn’t enjoy school. I was dyslexic, so I found it hard. Back then, I didn’t think university would ever be an option. That’s why, at 16, after falling pregnant, I left school and started working as a cleaner. My son Jim was born in September 1983, followed by Azara in 1990, and Carlos three years later. But then my partner and I separated.

Being a single mum was tough, but the four of us were a team. And as Azara got older, our bond grew stronger. Like me, she was dyslexic and would chat to me about her struggles at school. But she’d also come to me for boy advice and we’d share clothes – we were more like best friends. In June 2006, Azara left school and started working with me. Only, I couldn’t help but think there was something more out there for her – and maybe for me, too.