‘my mother was brave to leave my dad and pursue her dream’

My own mum despised me from the moment I was born

A beauty queen whose abusive father was killed by her uncle wants to show the world her traumatic childhood won’t define her future. Marcie Reid, now 30 and living in York, was three years old when he

Laura London, 41, lives in north London and is a professional magician. I saw magic for the first time when I was eight and was instantly obsessed. After that, I spent all my pocket money on tricks. I

I’d grown up wondering why I looked so different from my family. But it took 35 years to discover the truth.

Three women share how persevering against all odds can lead to a wealth of new opportunities

I’M up at my mum’s old house, going through a trunk full of photographs. There is a biscuit tin of medals here, awarded to my grandfathers after World War I. I pull one of them out and realise it was