Fatima Whitbread
Fatima Whitbread is a former British Olympic javelin thrower and world record holder. Overcoming a challenging start in life, Fatima rose to international fame in the 1980s, winnin...
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What would you say to your younger self?
I would say to my younger self, you didn't do too bad kid did you? And now you're here as living proof to help others too, that are coming through the care system like you did when you were a child. I'm extremely proud and I accept my moral obligation to support the care system sector and to give hope to all those other children and young people.
What did sport mean to you when you was younger?
I loved my sport. Sport gave me a sense of freedom and it was important for me to work with my peers in school because academically I struggled because of my mental health issues to concentrate. But with sport, it gave me a sense of freedom and I loved being a part of a team and being involved with other young people that were succeeding in school as well. So I stepped out of being the kid in the children's home and became a good sports player.
Who are you?
My name is Fatima Bred. I'm a former international athlete, but I was also brought up in the care system, abandoned as a baby and some would say left to die. A neighbour heard a baby crying in a flat and hadn't seen anybody coming or going in a couple of days, so she called the police who banged the door down, rescued the baby, which was myself. And then I was taken into a hospital to recover for seven months with malnutrition and nappy rash. Pleased to say I got over the nappy rash and during that period of time, I was then made a ward of court by Hackney Borough Council, which saw me in the care system and institutionalised for the next 14 years of my life.