Twenty Years Ago Today.

Hello My Lovely Friends,

How are you all, well I hope. Thank you for all your wonderful support for "E" and myself, it has been a comfort.

What were you doing this day 20 years ago, can't remember. Never mind, I won't remember by just looking at the date or if I didn't write it down on every calendar I have ever had for the last 20yrs.

This day 20yrs ago, I along with millions of others from all over the globe was glued to my television. Waiting for the very first glimpse of a man who the outside World had not seen for 27years.

I was at my house that day with friends and family, the kids were all on a half term holiday, so they were all there too playing and waiting.

Suddenly there he was Mr Nelson Mandela walking out of the gates and into freedom.
I remember bursting into tears at my first sight of him and all my family laughing and reminding me of how many times I had been arrested because of Mr Mandela and that I should be jumping for joy.


Feb 11, 2o10 – It is years twenty since Mr Nelson Mandela was released from prison.

On February 11, 1990, after 27 years of incarceration, Mr Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison outside Paarl, following the relaxation of South Africa’s apartheid laws by the then ruling National Party and President FW de Klerk.

Mr Mandela was accompanied by his then wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, and was greeted at the gates of the prison by thousands of waiting supporters. From there, Mr Mandela was taken in a motorcade to Cape Town City Hall, where he addressed a 50 000-strong crowd and millions of television viewers in South Africa and worldwide from the balcony.

Before he began his speech, Mr Mandela greeted the world with “Amandla!” (“Power!”), an expression used as a rallying cry by activists and organisations through the decades of racist policies and persecution by the apartheid government.

In the speech, Mr Mandela described himself as a servant of the people, and placed the remaining years of his life in their hands. At 91 he is still very much off the people and for the people of a country that once locked him away for 27yrs. If you have never read the book he wrote about his time locked away for 27 years, do yourself a huge favour and read it.

It is without doubt an amazing story of trail and tribulation, but more importantly it is the story of a remarkable human spirit. Yes people will tell you that he was a terrorist, but it has been said before, that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. I have not always been able to make up my mind as to what is or is not a terrorist, as opposed to a freedom fighter and to be honest I would will leave that to greater minds than mine. What I will say is that Nelson Mandela has been a huge hero of mine and one I will continue to draw inspiration from.

I remember it like it was yesterday, there we all were at my instance that my family and friends be there to enjoy this historic moment. I spent ages holding my breath, willing him to appear on my T.V.

Suddenly there he was Mr Nelson Mandela walking out of the gates and into freedom.
I remember bursting into tears at my first sight of him and all my family laughing and reminding me of how many times I had been arrested because of Mr Mandela and that I should be jumping for joy.



I was inside, but outside I was overcome with emotion at the sight of my first ever hero becoming a free man. I had been introduced to Mr Mandela's struggles as a youngster, I even had an old poster of him on my wall for years and years. As a teenager I went to South Africa House in London and protested outside. In fact the first time I was arrested on a protest was for Mr Mandela and to this day I am still proud of that fact, I have in fact been arrested several times for protesting and a few times for protesting against apartheid. Mum always said I was a "Rebel Without A Clue", but I always knew what I was protesting for and about.

He's 91 now and still one of my hero's and I would still be arrested for him any day of the week, having said that I would also sit down next to Rosa Parks on the bus, because I truly believe that under the skin we are all the same, with the same dreams, wishes and goals in life and I don't care what colour, nationality, sexuality or culture you come from.

We are all from the same race.....THE HUMAN RACE.

Much love Lia xx

Ps Did you know that as late as April 2008 the United States still had Mr Mandela on the list of terrorists not allowed to enter America without special permission. I do hope that's changed, I'm sure that they have and I suspect it was more an oversight, than a deliberate thing.

Click HERE to read more

For anyone interested in the book click HERE where you can read the first 8 pages.