Mature student at UEA wants to use creative writing to combat addiction
72 year-old Carole Taylor now studies English at the University of East Anglia- and was previously a prison educator in the City
A mature student studying in Norwich tells us she wants to use creative writing to combat addiction.
72 year-old Carole Taylor now studies English at the University of East Anglia- and was previously a prison educator in the City.
Carole has been personally affected by this. She lost her son to drugs when he was 35
Since then she's been working family of addicts, and those living with the disease themselves, by volunteering with Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon.
In 2024, Carole entered UEA’s Changemakers competition, which sees students develop business ideas that benefit people and the planet, with successful ideas receiving funding, a training package, and mentorship to help turn their ideas into a viable venture.
Although still in the business planning stage, Carol describes her long-term vision of “a creative writing workshop within prison that facilitates prisoner input into books I write for children with an addicted parent or parents.”
"Since starting my degree I’ve never felt fitter"
Carole said: “Since starting my degree I’ve never felt fitter and it’s the sense of purpose and the relationship to my fellow students that has given that to me.
“In society it can feel like a person retires and it’s almost a given that they're banished to a care home long before they need it.”