‘PRISON WAS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME... IF I HADN’T GONE THERE I WOULD’VE BECOME A DRUG ADDICT’
Reformed burglary getaway driver won an award for work with London’s disadvantaged – now the Potteries is in his sights...
A MAN who grew up in one of Stokeon-trent’s most notorious addresses is returning to the city after 35 years away with a mission to give back to the community that shaped him.
Maurice Thaw overcame a challenging background – including time in jail – to become an award-winning community champion. Over the past two decades he has helped change the lives of disadvantaged young people in London – now he wants to support those in need in his home city.
Maurice was born in Burslem and went on to live at 200 Waterloo Road in Cobridge with his parents, eight brothers and three sisters.
His dad Harold Augustus Thaw, known as ‘HT’ and part of the Windrush generation, was a legend in the area, and the family home became the centre of vibrant Caribbean culture as well as some notorious activities.
Maurice says: “My dad was a serial entrepreneur and always working.
“He was a real community person. There were always parties going on at our house.
“The Blues parties started in 1965. They were unheard of in those days. I think there were only two black families in Burslem at the time and they both lived in the same street. On Friday and Saturday nights the young people would take the furniture upstairs and then there would be a party downstairs. My dad organised them and got complaints from the neighbours.
“Dad was well known and basically had a community in his house. When we moved to Cobridge there was even more people coming around because it was a bigger house. People would visit every day – it was somewhere the Caribbean community felt safe.
“They could come and smoke marijuana, drink, play dominos or cards and sell dodgy goods. It was a safe place for them. It was a fantastic and loving upbringing but there was a dark side to it. Living in that environment you didn’t realise the toll it took on the family – some more than others.
“When you look back that lifestyle had an effect on our relationships and education.”
Maurice’s older brother Carlton Thaw – also known as Captain Thaw
– is a repeat offender. Prison time is something Maurice has experienced himself, but says the experience changed his life for the better.
“I came out of school with no qualifications,” he adds. “I realise now it was because I had dyslexia but there was no support for it back then. I remember telling my careers officer that the only place I didn’t want to work was a potbank – and that’s where I ended up being sent. I came up against a lot of verbal racism and I became lippy. I was good at chatting. I never forget a colleague at the potbank told me I should go into sales.
“At the time I saw people making money and wearing nice clothes and I wanted a piece of the action. I did a burglary at a music shop in Newcastle.
“I was the driver and it was my first attempt at crime. We got caught and I did nine months in prison. It was the best thing that happened to me, it was the perfect wake up call. I believe that if I hadn’t gone to prison I’d have ended up a drug addict.
“I realised I needed to get out of Stoke. So I went into sales and started out at a firm in Stafford before moving to Wolverhampton where I met my wife – we’ve been together 35 years.
“We then moved to London and I set up my own recruitment company.
“But I became fed up. I wanted to work with youth, I wanted to do something I was really passionate about – coaching and mentoring.”
In London, Maurice founded Collab Training Academy CIC, working with some of the most complex and disadvantaged youth in the country. His efforts didn’t go unnoticed, earning him an award for volunteer contribution from the mayor.
But the pull of home was strong and Maurice has been back in Staffordshire for six months. “I’ve been talking to local youth, community leaders, the police, and many more,” said Maurice.
“I wanted to understand the needs of my community before bringing Collab here.” Collab’s services will include workshops, training programmes and employability events. Its flagship project, It Takes a Village Community Garden in Burslem, aims to bridge generational gaps while creating jobs.
Maurice’s ultimate goal is to support 1,000 people in Staffordshire over the next two years. “We’re bringing successful programmes from our work in London and adapting them to meet the specific needs of Stoke-on-trent,” he said. “We can’t do this alone.
It truly takes a village.”
Dad was a serial entrepreneur ... a real community person. There were always parties going on at our house