Charmaine with Kai, 13, and Esme, 11. Theatre practitioner
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‘Men literally just have to change a nappy in public and they’re seen as the greatest father. They don’t have to do much. You’re always judged as a single mother.’
Aaron with Kai, Esme and his partner Chloe. Training to be a drama teacher
Fran with Penny, 13 and Dominic, 11 NHS Covid-19 vaccinator Fran was 36 when she left her partner.
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‘He went to work. By the time he came back, we’d gone. We took no clothes, nothing. We just walked. I went into a photo booth and took a photo of the three of us. I call it my liberation photo. I never looked back.’
Jana with Izaan 5, and Yanna, 2 University student Jana fled an arranged marriage two years ago.
'Two years ago, if someone had told me I'd be living in London by myself, taking care of my children by myself, and had a place at one of the best universities in the world, I would have never believed it. My old self would have never recognised wh
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Barbeline and Elijah, 10 Print designer Barbeline grew up in care and had Elijah when she was 18. She was with his dad for two years. She set up a business producing designs for clothes, cushions and wallpaper in 2012. ‘Elijah’s dad wasn’t ha
‘I cook African food. Mostly vegetables. I make cassava leaf stew, bean stew, stew with leaves from bamboo trees. But Elijah doesn’t like these vegetables. He says they’re too soft.’
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‘I don’t share a bed with Elijah any more. I moved into the sitting room. Even if you have a teenager the council won’t give you a bigger flat. A lot of single mothers live like this. It builds sadness.’
Gemma with Freya, 8, Jack, 6 and Elsie, 2 University administrator Gemma met her partner at university. They lived together, graduated together, got jobs together. He left her with three children.
‘From 5pm to 8pm it’s all about getting ready for bed. I have to sing the same songs every night in the same order: London Bridge is Falling down; Twinkle Twinkle Little Star; Ba Ba Black Sheep; Silent Night. I sometimes try and skip some of the ver
‘I was always in awe of single mothers. I couldn’t imagine having to do it all by myself. Now I’ve come to realise that actually I was doing it all myself anyway.’
Carike with Seren, 4 SEN classroom assistant Carike didn’t plan to have a child. ‘I was 40, I decided fine, it’s alright, I can do it. I don’t need him to be in our lives.’
Bristol Magazine
Bristol Magazine
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