Humans of Shepherd's Bush - No 15

Meet Gary Rawlings, the finest window cleaner in Shepherd's Bush.  Gary knows everyone in our neighbourhood; his family have been in the area since 1880; his great-grandfather was a local coffin maker.

Today, Gary cleans the windows of the Bush with rain water he collects in his garden - purer than water from the mains, and better for your windows. 

Gary is a busy man and his order book is pretty full - but his inside-and-out service is well worth the wait.

Humans of Shepherd's Bush - No 14

Amar, aka Tony

Meet Amar, also known as Tony. Amar's father, Amaro, came from India to London in 1954 and started this shop at Shepherds Bush Market in 1960.

In the beginning Amar sold men’s ties in Petticoat Lane in East London on Sundays; he moved the business to W12 a few years later.

"Most of the shops here were run by women during the week, while the men had day jobs in factories.  My father cut rubber at a foundry nearby and worked in the market on the weekend for an extra income. The market ran for three days as it was also hard to get much stock in due to London rebuilding after the war".

Tony’s mother, Manjit, joined his father 15 years later from Punjab. She was chosen by his grandmother as a suitable wife for the then 19 year old Amaro while he was still in London. 

Humans of Shepherd's Bush No 13 - Michael Schumm

Head Teacher Michael Schumm

Michael Schumm is the Headteacher of one of Shepherd's Bush best local primaries - St Stephen’s CE Primary School on the Uxbridge Road.

St Stephen's is an excellent local school, one where parents are invited work together with staff to produce outcomes which have earned the school the classification of "Outstanding" from Ofsted.

Visit a classroom at St Stephen's and you will see happy children eager to learn, in an environment that feels both challenging (expectations are high) but also supportive and nurturing. Parents are encouraged to get involved and also to put their hands in their pockets for FOSS - Friends of St Stephen's.

In this interview, republished from an original interview at https://www.resource-arm.net/, head teacher Michael Schumm explains how he led St Stephen's from being a failing school in special measures to "Oftsed Outstanding" today.

Humans of Shepherd's Bush - No 12

Kamal

"I cut hair at Hamada barber shop on the south side of Shepherd's Bush Green.

I grew up in Libya, where I married young and had a family; that's what was expected of us back then.

I left Libya in 2013, and since then I've been living in North London.  I got re-married in London and I have a four year old son.

I was raised a Muslim but I like to keep an open mind; I visited the Hindu temple in Wembley recently just to see what they are up to.

Most of my family still live in Libya. Things are very bad there; the country is lawless; they will even rob you at the airport.

Humans of Shepherd's Bush - No 1

Human No 1

"My car is a mini cab eleven months of the year, but for one month we drive home to Morrocco.  I love that country, but I prefer to be here because I like that all cars have MOT and it is all more organised.  Did you know that more people are killed in Morrocco from accidents on the road than from anything else? I hate it. 

The UK is good because there is order and you know that the cars are all checked and no one is going to steal it either - well, probably not at least!

I have been in the UK since 1996 and its a great country - even if it is a bit freezing - but I know that I can get to Morroco in two days.