Photography lets you find yourself. It is a passport to people and places and to possibilities.”
― Annie Leibovitz -

I started years ago,  quietly writing  names in a secret list.  each individual was linked to the next by an invisible thread of encrypted adventure. One day there will be a photograph of them I told myself. I asked  Caro Howell MBE, director of The Foundling Museum. Caro approached Jane Ferguson,  the editor of The New Review at The Observer.  Jane gave the green light.  The date was set. July 4th  2022.  

It was an understated summer morning. Light threaded the London Plains and spun sugar glass through the air. Suki Dhanda set up her cameras outside the museum and checked the atmosphere. She’d visited the day before to scope it out. Everything was right All we  had to do then,  was wait for the invitees from my list.  All good ideas need to find a time and place.  Wait. Wait wait

Dr Sylvan Baker  arrived by Black Cab.  Kriss Kezie Akabusi MBE arrived too.  If Kriss is here everything is going to be okay I thought.  My dear friend Sophie Willan appears.  Allan Jenkins saunters in with all his warmth. Jeanette Winterson is amongst us. Winterson brings magnificence and strength. I am glowing and slightly panic stricken.

Once the room is full to bursting Caro claps her hands and welcomes all to The Foundling Museum. It was my turn to speak. Every one of us in the room was either fostered adopted or orphaned. That’s what my list was. That is the invisible thread which connects us. Our journeys have been singular and not wanting to make lazy assumptions I took a deep breath and said “Everyone of us has a different story and you are all here for your own reasons”. What!? Ugh. WHaaaat!!!

I am writing this blog to correct my daft speech. What I should have said was this: “They said I should be ashamed of my story, that people like me should be ashamed of their past. They  were wrong. I collected your names as the years passed: I am not alone. We are not alone. We are many. From the bottom of my heart thank you for being here. Let’s go outside and take a photo”.  

We filed out through the doors of the foundling museum into the summer air.  I see Luke Wright with an inquisitive frown. I see Loo How making her friend Barrie Sharpe smile.  Bruce Oldfied, the couture designer has an open face and he’s warm which I am so incredibly grateful for. Kriss Kezie Akabussi MBE smiles and raises his chin. Maybe he noticed the photographer, the decisive moment. .

 They are all majestic in my eyes. Suki holds one hand high to get our attention. But the moment before she clicks is the moment to freeze this whole scene. Freeze them all. Except me.

I’d walk around them. Look in their eyes. I’d take each one of them to the park across the road. There’s so much to say. maybe one person would ask why I am doing this or tell me why they were here. We’d get a coffee and and hatch ideas…. then  after seeing every single one of them I’d  walk back to my place, click my fingers and unfreeze to let Suki’s index finger press down on the shutter button. Click.

On the 24th July 2022 the idea produced by The Foundling Museum became the cover story of The Observer News Review. We are making history. The photograph below is the one inside the paper. Below it is the identifying graphic with all the names and below that is a gallery of photographs from the day.

We are all out there living our best lives. Some of us, not all of us, have struggled to reconcile with childhood. The past is a life long project. This photograph makes me realise most of all that we are many. When it comes to ‘success’ there is a line in a song made famous by Nat King Cole. It was written by a homeless man. He said “The greatest thing, you’ll ever learn is to love and be loved in return.” Click. Do leave me a comment.