Monday 30 July 2012

The recruitment

Only read this with an open mind. If you have already made your opinion on me, the show, Thelma, the traveller & gypsy community or anything else along those lines, do not read any further as you will not reap the full benefit.
I will start from the very beginning...
I didn't read about the programme online like most of the girls, the first i heard about it was when some of the film crew were "scouting" around local sites in the area and they visited mine. Originally I was only going to help them ask some of the other girls but i was told that there would be a city & guilds on completion of the course and that it would be like an apprenticeship with Thelma herself. I was also informed that if i did not wish to be filmed then i could just come along to the recruitment day and apply for the course on it's own without being part of the "documentry".
A few weeks later I recieved a call asking if I was available for an interview, at this point I thought things were going well as this is the protocall I have been used to when I have applied for previous jobs. Upon arrival the two members of the crew had their cameras at the ready, that should have been my first insight into the running of the show. It took me, my Mam, my Granny, and a call to the series producer to confirm that they had agreed I did not need to be filmed before they gave up. They then moved on to quizing me about my culture, which I can safely say is far from any other "job interview" I've had. They couldn't have cared less about my capability, instead they kept pushing for more juicy details. I did foolishy think of that as pretty fair at the time as people outside the community tend to be quite quizative towards us, so I agreed to go ahead with the recruitment day along with one of my friends.
After waiting half an hour for the taxi that the show arranged we (me, my friend, and my Mam) arrived there to find the camera crew creeping around like snipers. Not trusting the crew to keep to their word and keep me and my friend out of the frame, we waited in the taxi until my Mam phoned one of the crew and confirmed we were not to be filmed. We then left the taxi to wait on a staircase for an hour and a half after which we were seperated into those which did and didn't wish to be filmed, where we then waited a further hour for Miss Madine to arrive and make her entrace which took 3 attempts. Once she had listed her expectations she made a prompt exit and all of us were hearded into seperate room filled with colouring pencils and paper, it looked very much like one of my primary school classes but with less organisation. It was clear that Thelma's expectations of us were already extremely low to say the least. Some of the girls were beginning to get restless and so were getting a little rowdy, as teenagers do, there was no "family fued" going on. Aprox 5 hours later I was asked to take my interview but told that if i was not filmed during the interview then there was "no point" as I wouldn't be considered for the placement, seeing as I had left college for this chance I agreed to be on camera but my Mam did not sign the release form. My friend had better sense and did not agree to be on camera. Two hours later Thelma, Pauline, and Leanne had made their decision and came through to tell the girls. My name was called out first and I immediately felt sick, the thought "what am I doing" ran through my head over and over... why didn't I listen to my gut instinct... :(

29 comments:

  1. This really is awful Bridget. It's embarrassing that you have been treated so badly. Well done for speaking out about it.

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  2. Bridget, i'm glad you've taken the time to write down your experiences and share them. It's important that you're able to speak out when you've been treated unfairly and exploited.

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  3. @jrobo86 i know it was unbelievable! thank you so much xx
    @travellingahead i'm glad that you've taken the time to read it :) and i know right! haha got to love the internet <3 xx

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  4. Well done for going public on this - you have been one of the few girls on that show with any class and dignity. Best revenge is living well - good luck to you

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  5. thank you so much! haha i plan to do so :) thanks again and i wish you luck in all you do to ^.^ xx

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  6. Read this last night from your twitter link

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  7. I think Thelma was motivated by jealousy; for all her wealth and success, she and some of her minion still have an inferiority complex. A shame they took it out on you - still, by their ways you shall know them. It's a very British thing, to know your place and resent those who try to better themselves. Money alone doesn't change this.

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    1. Quite right.
      Far from doing TM's business any favours, this programme will come back and bite her on the bum, then she really *will* be sh*****g herself over her bank statement........

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    2. You both make excellent points :) thank you for sharing them ^.^ xx

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  8. Hi Bridget,
    Thought I'd tell you that there is an awful lot of support for you online, and a lot of disgust at how Thelma treated you.
    http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1690330
    Thelma should be ashamed of herself, and you're better off away from those awful girls.

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    1. Thank you so much for your support, i will check that link i later :D xx

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  9. Good job, watched the show last night. I began to think it was incredibly exploitative right off the hop. You could tell Thelma and the producers of the show were more interested in trying to get drama out of the group.

    Was sickening.

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    1. Thank you! :D and i honestly don't see how some people are blind to it as they weren't being very subtle at all xx

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  11. (Removed previous post because of typos!)

    You walked away from this fiasco with your head held high - you should be proud of yourself.
    You're far too good for a tinpot firm like that - there are plenty of better companies who would welcome you with open arms.
    Many people are disgusted by Thelma Madine's remarks on Twitter and are telling her to grow up.
    I ran a couture vintage bridalwear co. for many years & would have been pleased to have had you on my team. No one who worked for me would have dreamt of treating anyone the way you were treated, and neither would I have tolerated it for one moment.
    As an experienced (and pretty ancient!) couture designer/dressmaker myself, its plain to me that even at that early stage you have shown geniune flair and aptitude for the work and if it really *is* something you want to do, please don't give up as you'll find an employer who will give you proper professional training (believe me, if what was shown on the programme was what really happened, then that was not it!) and you'll learn a fantastic skill that you can use anywhere; one that not many people have any more, and which will give a you decent income for the rest of your life.
    BTW, I thought your Lycra dress was actually the nicest one of all and the most flattering, wearable one too.
    The remark Thelma Madine made about the puckered seams was v. unkind and unfair, as Lycra is a tricky fabric to work with, even for experienced seamstresses & unsuitable for first attempts at dressmaking. It will always result in puckered seams unless a special machine is used that's made for 4-way stretch fabrics and apart from that, the seaming on the other dresses was no different to yours, probably because they were made on straight stitch machines too.
    It just looked like a spiteful witch hunt from where I was standing.
    Good luck in whatever you decide to do Bridget, you're articulate, intelligent and have the guts to succeed, dont be discouraged by this experience, they're a bunch of idiots.
    You deserve better.

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    1. I would just like to start by thanking you for taking the time to write such a detailed comment! and for the kind words within it :) i assure you that i will take everything you have said on board and i would also like to state that i actually worked on all of the dresses not just my own so if there was a problem with mine it's because i was too busy with the other girls and it wasn't my first attempt at dressmaking as i have been taught by my family and at a GCSE level, i was actually working on the wedding dresses in the first week but i also had to do the same tasks as the other girls for the show, but i really do appreciate what you said <3 thank you again and i will make sure i am not discouraged, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger ;D xx

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    2. Hi again Bridget, I'm not at all surprised to hear that you've got sewing experience (sorry if I sounded patronising in my last post; I didn't mean to :0) and neither am I surprised to hear that you helped the other girls but of course this wasn't shown in the programme.
      You'd be a real asset to any couture workroom - I can just picture you in a 'House of Eliot' scenario!
      Some top-end couture houses, e.g. Chanel (who as far as I know, also have workrooms in London) are still run very much on those same lines, and their way of working couldn't be further removed from TM's workroom......
      As an alternative suggestion, the London College of Fashion, near Oxford Circus, offers a selection of really excellent specialist courses, if you're up for studying any aspect of the subject in real depth.
      I studied there, way back in (cough-cough) and the excellent all-round training has stood me in great stead and continues to do so to this day.
      Whatever path you choose, I know you'll go on to do great things!
      xx

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    3. you didnt sound patronising at all! i am so greatful for all your comments and advice :) <3 thank you so much! xxx

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  12. This was very insightful on how you first got roped into the show. I'm watching episode 4 now, and I was so mad at TM and that other woman for their comments about your dress and how whatever her name was, was basically disgusted because you and Grace wouldn't actually wear the dresses yous had made. She's like anyone else, she thinks that Romany, Irish Travellers and English Travellers are all the same. But just how they act in general about you and all the girls. You're a great and sweet girl and I really can't stand Thelma. I really can't.

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    1. thank you so much <3 and yeah your pretty much spot on there xx

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  13. Hi Bridget, I, too, thought that the last episode screened was a disgrace and that you were very badly treated. They seemed to have it in for you from the start because you were quiet and not like the other girls (thank the Lord!). I've worked with behaviourally challenged students throughout my working life - nothing Thelma was doing was right in repsect of how she was dealing with the challenging behaviours shown on the show. Instead of always focusing on the rowdy students, Thelma should have been pointing at you as the ideal of behaviour in the workplace and giving you obvious praise for it, whilst ignoring the others, until they fell in line with the higher expectations of behaviour. Any behaviour specialist would have told Thelma that, but I doubt she even bothered to take any advice at all - she thinks more of her place as the Irish travellers' 'dressmaker of choice' to rock the boat, I fear. Making a stand against bad behaviour would have had far-reaching repercussions which is obviously what Thelma didn't want. Did you get on with Grace better? I know she was quite a bit older than you, but she seemed quite put out, as you did, about being tarred with the same brush as the Irish travellers. Out of all the apprentices I'd say you and Grace had the most potential, not just in skills, but in terms of personality. I mean, would anyone want to employ Victoria? (If she wanted to work, that is!) You are well out of it, Bridget, and don't let Thelma get you down any more. Someone else has pointed you in the direction of the Digital Spy forum thread about this show, which I have also commented on - you will find lots of support for you there!

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    1. thank you so much and yes i got along well with Grace :) she stayed on my grannys site for a while so she knew my family ^.^ and your very right in saying Thelma wasn't interested in dealing with the behaviour of any of her staff, not just the girls xx

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  14. Hi Bridget, I want to join the others in voicing my disgust at the way you were treated in this farce of a TV show. You are clearly a very bright and capable young woman-please don't let this bad experience put you off taking up any further education or training opportunities.

    You might be interested in this reaction of an Irish traveller woman to the show:

    http://www.politico.ie/social-issues/8687-self-styled-settled-saviour-travellers-thelma.html

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    1. Thank you so much and I really do appreciate your comment and all its contents :) i will be sure to check that link later <3 xx

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  15. Hey Bridget,
    I just want to say well done on standing up for yourself. After watching all the episodes so far it is obvious how fake Thelma is. She says she looked at her bank account and is shitti*g herself, but then organises a huge and obviously extreamly expensive party at her house. It dosent add up for me :)
    Best of luck in the future , your a credit to your family and community :)

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    1. so glad that people have open wide eyes now :) good luck to you to! and thank you so much <3 xx

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  16. I just like to say Bridget I have been watching the program and I am a traveller myself, and from what I have seen you are a very decent and respectful gal! There ain't many travellen gals like you today with your old fanshioned pricinibles, and I wouldn't worry about it, you will do good in life, and the best of luck to you!, you have showed a perfect example of a English travllin gal! X

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    1. aww tar michael :) means a lot to hear that, best of luck to you to! xx

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