I was born into a gypsy family. My birth mum was white, and so was her husband, but when I was born I was mixed-race.

My birth mum asked for me to be adopted as she believed a mixed-race child of uncertain parentage would not be accepted by the family and would lead to both me and her being ostracized. She never let on who my birth father was.

When I was just four weeks old I was badly burned in a caravan fire. After being rescued from the blaze I spent four months in hospital with third degree burns. I was then fostered by Margaret who went on to become my adoptive mum.  

When I was 13 I was told that my birth mum had died in a fire.

I had to wait to be adopted. It took six years for it to happen for us. My first memory around adoption is the realization that some families are made, which is wonderful, but when you’re adopted you’re chosen, which is also an amazing thing.

Being adopted is only one part of your story. And going through life in a different way can give you so much; strength, compassion, kindness and patience.

To my mum I would like to say thank you. For picking me up, keeping me, for being cheerful, kind, getting on with it all and enjoying it so I could too. There’s nothing I needed as a baby or child, not your hair, skin tone, habits or things. Just you. Thank you for being there and for all we got through. You are fully my mum. Without the blood, before the certificate and of course with it too.

I am now a TV presenter and my husband Sam and I live in Surrey with our three year old son Sonny and seven month old daughter Lennie. The centre of making relationships, a family and anything else work is love and the connection it brings. That’s what my mum gave me.

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