I was born in the Punjab. I came to England and got married in Bradford. My mother in law wanted me to learn how to use the sewing machine. I had to learn very quickly. I was used to clothes made by tailors in India. Now I had to make a suit for my wedding.

I got a job doing assembling parts for TVs. I enjoyed it. But then we bought an off licence in Richmond Hill. We also had a clothes shop in Bradford while my husband worked in textiles in Dewsbury. And I had 5 daughters.

People said things to us like “Paki, go home”. It hurt. But you have to accept. We had bought the shop from some Indians. Their advice was not to be too soft. But not too harsh either. At first when I cooked my food people said to us “You Paki. You smell.” But then they ask for the food and buy garlic from us.

One day a man came in with a seven inch knife. He said Give me money. And he took some and went to another shop. But the police caught him. And also one day a boy came in with a gun. And he said Gimme gimme gimme. We didn’t think it was a real gun. But when we tried to take it from him he fired and a pellet hit me twice and my husband as well.

My younger daughter was very brainy and got a place at Liverpool University. But because she saw how busy I was in the shop she lied to me and said she hadn’t got a place. It was only some years later she told me. But after she was married she studied and she’s now a Chartered Accountant.

I left the shop after 27 years. But I was soon bored. I’d been busy for so long I still needed to go somewhere. I went to a church hall for exercise. And then I heard about this group. After so much time working, working, running the shop, going to the cash and carry, going to the Bank, I was so delighted to meet people speaking my language. And it’s so important to keep the brain active.