William and Janet met when William was 19 and they have been together through bad times and good for a long time. They lived in the Community for three years some time ago, leaving when they found a job and a flat. Like many other Companions, both William and Janet had undiagnosed dyslexia. William explains: “You know what it is; at the time when we went to school they didn’t know about dyslexia and just thought we were thick. So we had a lot of problems with reading and writing and no help from the teachers. We didn’t get any qualifications at all. But in the last few years I've been really trying. I’ve worked hard and got my NVQs level 1 and 2 and level 2 Basic Food Hygiene Janet got her level 2 BFH as well. She is a real worker and it’s her that really pushed me along to get my levels 1&2, otherwise I’d have sat down like a cabbage and watched TV! Now I’m working towards level 3 so I can get a proper job in a restaurant with high standards. It could take years to get to head chef level. It was difficult to find a course at first. It’s all been difficult but I look on it as a challenge. What’s pushing me is that I saw that famous chef with only one arm and I thought if he can cook wonderful meals, run a restaurant and a five star hotel as well, then even if I have got dyslexia I could get my NVQ3. It’s difficult though. You work your way through various stages, first it’ s soup and sauces and you learn to make a really good stock, then you move on to meat dishes and finally desserts. It’s going to take me years but it’s all very professional and I enjoy it.

 

Janet took over the story: “We both love working with people and being busy. Even though we work in Emmaus 5 days a week we do voluntary work at the weekend. We like to help; I specially like working with children and old people. I am a WVS volunteer at the hospital and look after the coffee machine and the till and lots of other things in the outpatients cafe. I really enjoy meeting people and some of them are lonely and worried and need someone to talk to and take their mind off their worries. William cooks Monday dinner for 40 people at the Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Projects. They pay 1.60 for adults and 60p for children and they get a good hot dinner and pudding. Second helpings are free if there are any leftovers! We had a difficult time before we came here. We were in a flat for eight years and I was very ill with ulcers and couldn’t work. William had to stop work to look after me so he lost his job and we couldn’t pay the rent. Mathieu our Community leader let us come back here - it was good to be back in Emmaus again.