Single Mum and 21st Peasant. Breaking out of Benefits Jail. Book Preview

Single Mum and 21st Peasant ~ Breaking out of Benefits Jail

Copyright © 2022 by Julie Hawkins

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted at any time or by any means mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Any advice provided in this book is for general guidance only and you should seek professional legal, accounting and financial advice based on your individual circumstances

This book is dedicated to my Dad, my hero, Michael Hawkins. Dad suffered as a result of our broken system, before I could make enough impact to help him, nothing will ever make that okay. Avoidable strain on our NHS, means that I can never hug him again. My Dad was noble, and kind, he used his life always to try and help others, whether via policing, his work within his local council, or as mayor. He fought to save Westbury Hospital and always treated others with kindness and respect. For him to leave us without any end of life care, or pain relief, is simply unnaceptable, it is too late for him.

You loved it when I worked hard Dad, and work hard I shall, in your name, in our name. Hawkins.

Dad, Michael Hawkins, 23.09.1946 29.11.2022

Introducon

Thank you for purchasing this book. Whether as a single parent, parent, reporter, member of government, family member, or a professional who works with this community, I hope that this book helps you, and those you come into contact with, to create a beer future, for us all, and for our children.

It took me many years to unravel the complexity of the world of work and benefits, to live with the real trauma that resulted, and to make enough sense of it all to enable me to help others; I had to overcome my own fear and shame to free me from the constraints that kept me silent. However, now that I am stronger, and now that I have been able to reflect, I am able to share my story with you; I am unafraid to unveil the tax evasion that I have witnessed, and I am unafraid to share my journey, if it means that I can help you on yours.

Secon by secon we will look at the key ingredients to living without hate, shame,

welfare, anger, bierness or judgement. We will look at the ways we can improve our outcome, despite humble beginnings, and ways that we can ensure we can all make a posive impact with our limited me here, and ensure that we are in the best possible posion to help those less fortunate. We will take responsibility; learning what we can change, whilst accepng what we cannot.

Everybody pays the price for a dysfunconal economy. One man’s greed is another man’s tragedy. As quoted by Ghandi; the Earth provides enough to sasfy every man’s need, but not, for every man’s greed.

Our mental health is a direct result of our surroundings; our surroundings, the disorder, lies outside of us, not within us. That means, we have the power, each and every one of us, to right the wrongs of today, to enable a beer tomorrow. If you are distressed as you begin to read this, I promise, that pain will turn to power, that confusion to clarity, and that helplessness to hope.

Our brains are the most powerful tool we have, we must learn to use them wisely.

With gratude

I will never forget those who helped me on my journey, and on reflecon, there are so many of you! Some of you will not realise your impact on my life, wellbeing, and not quing. Hopefully now you will. Of course there are many, many people who held my head under water, but that is part of the perseverance, and part of the shame, of feeling like a 21st Peasant, as you have to beg, beg, beg and beg, whether it’s for exposure, an audience, a loan, or inclusion. With every person who helped me there have been 20 who I have begged, and this is an important perspecve, for those who think I am lucky, and those who understand the pain and need to remember to keep moving forward regardless of resistance. I don’t care to focus on those who held me back, they just do not maer, I will remember of course, but leng it all go is power.

So may I forever record my gratude to:

My Dad of course, my Uncles and Aunes, Patricia Hurley, Val Hood, Mike Lewis, Karen Davies, Nehaya Zitawi, Laura Callaghan, Dennis Sproul, Natalie King (Bell), David Collier, Piers Linney, Sophia Khan, Ms T and all of my SMBN ladies, Lucinda Dore, Carly Wheeler, Noreen Khan, Duncan Parker, Paul Carbury, Alison Cork, Marie Hall, Beryl, Marn Baker, my Mum, Kay Hawkins, my sister, Jacqui Hawkins and of course my beauful daughter Kaylyn Hawkins, who is my reason.