Eula Harrison was born in Cuba in 1925. After growing up on a farm in Jamaica, Eula moved to England in the 1950s.
Interview Excerpt:
Interview Summary: Eula Harrison
Eula first became involved with Manor Gardens following her retirement in the mid-1980s. After responding to a newspaper advert she became a member of the ‘Islington Older Learners’, a learning group that she participated in over the next five years. Eula recalls learning to use a computer there for the first time and embracing poetry. She continues to write poems to this day.
Eula also began volunteering with the centre during this time, which she continued to do for seven years. In particular, she recalls helping with reading activities in local schools. Eula says that whilst many of the children she worked with are now grown up, they still occasionally recognise her in the community.
More recently, Eula became a Mental Health Champion through Manor Gardens. She helps to provide assistance for people with mental health issues by creating information brochures as well as acting in community centre performances! Eula is also currently a member of Islington Pensioners Forum.
During her interview, Eula also speaks about what it was like moving from Jamaica to London, meeting Prince Charles at Clarence House as part of a volunteering event, and what it means to her to have been a volunteer at Manor Gardens. In particular, volunteering encouraged her to get out of the house and allowed her to get involved with other people. She feels that there is a strong sense of community around Manor Gardens, where she continues to attend various events.