Tell Me Something I Don't Know: A Life of Love, Passion, Purpose and Success

“Tell me something I don’t know” was the “catch phrase” created by Allyson WilliamsMBE, in order to survive the racist onslaughts she suffered as a young adult training tobe a nurse. However, it was the beginning of her journey across eight decades.This autobiography describes Allyson’s happy life as a child and teenager in Trinidad,and then her subsequent move to London, having answered the call to help rebuild themotherland. You will be drawn in to the passionate and sensitive way in which shehandles the racist taunts and was never defeated by them, a far cry from her idyllicchildhood. Allyson will describe her mother’s huge disappointment when she changedher plans to migrate to New York. Instead, she met and married her husband Vernonand they had two children.Allyson wanted to share the Caribbean style family values such as respect, high moralstanding and discipline, which she learnt from her parents and elders. These qualitiesshe lovingly passed on to her children. Allyson enjoyed a multifaceted life experiencethat may inspire others. She describes the dynamics of juggling a busy and constantlyevolving midwifery career, with marriage and family life.This book has helped Allyson to realise a dream of writing and sharing skills andstrategies what worked for her, which in turn will inform someone’s life in a positiveand confident way.“Tell me something I don’t know” is a celebration of resilience and triumphs overadversity.About The AuthorAllyson Ingrid Layne Williams lived a happy and family orientated life inTrinidad, before she answered the call from the British Government forpeople from the colonies to train and rebuild Britain, following the SecondWorld war. In May 1969, Allyson arrived in London to study nursing andmidwifery, but she was unprepared for the hostile reception and overt racismshe received during her training.After training, she met and married her husband Vernon and they had twochildren, Symone and Kevin. Allyson chose to practice midwifery, as she feltit was such a privilege to bring new life into the world.She enjoyed a challenging but rewarding career, both in clinical andmanagerial roles. She lectured extensively, wrote many professional articles,studied up to Masters degree level and became a popular and knowledgeableadvocate for women. In 2002, she was awarded an MBE from the Queen forher “outstanding contribution to the development of the midwifery servicesfor women in London”.Allyson also worked closely with her husband, who was already established asan original founder member of the Notting Hill Carnival in 1966. Theircostume band Genesis achieved many milestones and travelled extensivelyaround the country teaching the art of mas.Since her retirement, Allyson’s hobbies include travel, volunteering,consultancy and clinical work. She had travelled extensively through Northand West Africa, Europe, the United States of America and the Caribbean. Read more