Episode 10 Going Back Giving Back

One of the things I love about us Brits is our spirit of generosity.

If I can give back to somebody who had a similar struggle to my own,

then that's what I'd like to do.

Last year, nearly three quarters of us gave to charity.

But what if you had the chance to go back and relive moments

from your past?

I wish I was 18 again.

I'm expecting Mum and Dad to walk out now and say hello, you know?

-Yeah.

-You know?

Moments which would inspire you to want to help someone today.

I want to give back to those people that are going through

what I went through in the beginning.

If I can give something to somebody else that

-will change their lives, I would really love to.

-Fantastic.

Someone who had no idea this life-changing windfall was coming.

I have got potentially her dream...

in my hand.

-How are you feeling?

-Nervous!

SHE LAUGHS

'There'll be surprises...'

-How are you?

-Good?

-EMOTIONAL:

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

-Aww.

'..with acts of generosity that will change people's lives...'

-We're excited!

-Aww.

We're all crying!

-You need a hug, as well.

-Yeah, thanks.

'..for ever.'

Look at that, that's brilliant!

Somebody that just does that for people,

it's just amazing, it really is.

This is Going Back, Giving Back.

Today we are going back to the 1950s to hear the remarkable story

of a young boy who overcame huge adversity.

His resilience and determination helped him to succeed,

and it's his childhood experiences that's motivating him

to want to change somebody's life today.

Can this successful barrister's early life struggles

motivate him to give something back today?

There was no other way to deal with racism and abuse

other than sometimes just to fight.

What was the extraordinary family secret

that, as a child, he was made to keep?

There would have been a huge scandal, so I kept their secret.

Wow, what a door.

'There's a surprise reunion.'

MAN LAUGHS

When was the last time you saw him?

Well, in the flesh, 40-odd years ago.

And can he give one inspiring young man the opportunity of a lifetime?

-Wow, thank you.

-Pleasure.

-Thank you.

-All right.

I do appreciate it and this will go a long way to helping me

reach my goals.

There was a real sense of community spirit back in the '50s -

everybody knew everyone else, kids played out freely on the streets,

there was a real sense of belonging.

But if you were a black child growing up as part of a white family

in a Northumberland village, then, eh, life was very different.

The person I'm going to meet made a virtue of these difficulties,

and I can't wait to hear his fascinating story.

59-year-old Peter is a high-profile barrister and part-time judge.

He has dedicated his life to justice and has been awarded an OBE

for his work on equality, diversity and human rights.

A father of two, he now lives in London,

but he grew up in Northumberland, and that is where I'm meeting him.

-Peter, good to see you.

-Hi, nice to meet you.

So, go on, what is motivating you to want to give back today?

As a kid growing up in the northeast,

I experienced a lot of racism,

a lot of racial attacks - in spite of a very happy childhood -

and therefore if I can give back to somebody

who had a similar background to my own,

that wants to struggle and achieve, then that's what I'd like to do.

Peter had a tough start in life.

He was born to a black father and white mother,

and soon after his birth he was put into care.

At the age of two, he was adopted by a white family

and taken to live in a predominantly white village.

Being one of the only black kids in the area was often a real struggle.

What were some of the things that happened to you, then?

The first day at primary school I was attacked with coking coal,

so there were rocks thrown at me in the playground.

And, eh, I started to fight back.

But it was hard because there was about five or ten kids,

no teacher in sight, and there was a white kid who came up,

and I remember him saying clearly, "I think you need some help."

-So we both had a go.

-Gosh. Wow.

The support of others has been crucial to Peter

in the challenges he has faced throughout his life.

Now, he in turn wants to help someone else.

It's a huge thing that you are doing, though, isn't it?

it could change somebody's life.

If this helps to inspire one person, or more than one person,

-then fantastic.

-In order for you to give back,

I think first of all we need to go back.

Shall we go and head on a journey?

-Yeah, let's go.

-I'm parked just over here, come on.

We're hoping that by taking Peter on this trip back into his past

and reminding him of how far he has come,

it will help him make the massive decision

of how he can give something back today.

So, have you got any idea where we are going now?

Well, you're not far from Widdrington,

which is where I grew up from when I was about six years old.

Then I left when I was about 19 to go to Leicester University.

So, these back roads you'd have

seen me cycling around at some point.

-Oh, really?

-Yeah, and playing cricket.

What does it feel like to be back?

Lots of memories - for the most part good, I think.

My childhood was generally a happy time.

But obviously...

the '60s were a hard time to be a black kid anywhere in the UK.

After World War II, the United Kingdom

became far more racially diverse.

We needed immigrant workers to help rebuild the nation, and so

these citizens of all British Commonwealth countries

were given the right to live and work here.

But they were often met with prejudice and bigotry,

and growing up black in Britain in the 1950s and '60s

could be a tough experience.

As a young person, obviously you know you're different,

and there are times when that is a real struggle.

So there were some very hard days.

Peter grew up in a family that valued fairness and equality.

His white mother encouraged him to learn about his black heritage

and about the struggle for black civil rights

that was being waged during the 1960s.

Who were your role models when you were growing up as a kid?

Well, it was generally people of African descent

that you would see on television,

so my mum was very good and said,

"Look what's happening in South Africa with apartheid",

and so role models of Mandela, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X.

-Right.

-So I had a very good political awareness.

-Even as a youngster?

-As a youngster, yeah.

Today, Peter works hard to combat prejudice

by campaigning on issues such as

the racist murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

Peter's strong moral principles were instilled in him in childhood.

He grew up in a religious family,

so the first stop on our return journey is his local church.

This is a place with a few memories, I bet.

How often were you dragged here?

Normally every Sunday, and then when I was a teenager I rebelled a bit,

so we agreed a compromise of once a month.

I couldn't sing, unlike some people, so I couldn't contribute very much.

-I read the odd lesson.

-Did you?

You know everyone can sing, don't you?

Well, no, you seriously haven't heard me

and you would not want me to sing.

So would you say faith played a part in your childhood?

Yes, it did, although I think at one point, you had to fight,

and so that part of it is not quite akin

to the Bible of turning the other cheek.

I did some boxing in school to defend myself,

and, erm, it did help.

There was no other way to deal with racism and abuse

-other than sometimes just to fight.

-Confront it.

Yeah, head-on.

-Shall we move on?

-Yeah.

-Come on, then.

We've reached our destination.

The village of Widdrington is in the southeast of Northumberland.

During the late 1800s, a colliery operated here for nearly 50 years.

Today, however, it's a mainly agricultural area.

At two years old, Peter was adopted by a vicar and his wife,

and a few years later they moved here, to the vicarage.

It may have been an extraordinary start in life,

but Peter was happy with his adoptive parents.

-So this was home?

-Yes, it was.

So you were how old when you were here?

Six years old when I arrived.

-Right.

-Or five, probably five.

So when was the last time you were in the vicarage?

Gosh, that must be about...

'82.

-Wow.

-A while ago.

-Many, many years ago.

-Yes.

-Coming back here is bound to evoke powerful memories for Peter.

It was here that he learned a shocking truth about his parents -

a secret he was made to carry for years.

Do you want to go back in?

Yeah, go on, then.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah, there's nobody...

What's going through your mind now?

This is the quietest you've been.

Yeah, well, my uncle passed away the year we left, so...it's quite sad.

-A lot of memories in there.

-Yeah, yeah.

But I remember my parents were sad when I went to university,

because I didn't look back.

Sometimes you should look back.

-Or we can look back properly by going in. Come on.

-Yeah.

Are you ready for this?

Yeah. Yes. Wow.

Gosh. It seems quite big.

It does, doesn't it? It's empty now.

'The house is currently unoccupied while the local church

'awaits the arrival of a new vicar.'

I used to do my studies here,

and I came here to read the results of my O-levels,

because I didn't want anybody else to find out.

-How did you do?

-I got nine.

-Well done.

-To my great surprise...

-Hey, well done, congratulations.

..and everybody else's.

These rooms may be bare, but for Peter, they're full of memories.

He shared this house not only with his parents,

but also his maternal grandmother.

-There used to be an Aga cooker...

-Right.

..and my grandmother used to have her traditional pig's foot,

because a lot of the meals that

working-class people in the northeast had

were what people in the Caribbean had, actually,

-because it was offcuts...

-Yeah, yeah.

..and bread and dripping,

some really weird stuff which I never liked.

I just had my baked beans and that was it.

But, yeah, that was my cricket pitch, my tennis court.

Yeah, I planted a tree - yeah, it's still there -

-when I was about seven or eight.

-Gosh.

-This was the front room.

-Yeah, yeah.

My mum had a baby Bechstein grand piano here.

Wow, it must have been massive.

It filled the room, but a baby grand.

My mum used to play, erm, Negro spirituals, and...

Yeah.

It was good, it was very good.

It's all coming back to you, isn't it?

Yeah, it is. Yeah, yeah.

-Shall we head upstairs?

-OK, yeah.

'The memories are flooding back for Peter.

'For him, this house was a safe place,

'a refuge from the prejudice

'he often faced outside the family home.'

There was a time when I was at boarding school, when I was...

I think I was about seven years old,

and I had been playing rugby and I came back to

the changing room, and after some of the abuse I think

I remember trying to scrape the skin off the back of my hand

to see if it would come off.

But you would go to incredible lengths

to actually, sometimes, make yourself fit in...

ALED EXHALES

-..as an alternative to always having to fight for your identity.

-Mmm.

But sometimes, Peter still ended up fighting.

On his first day at grammar school.

he faced racist name-calling from his classmates.

I jumped across the desk and started beating them in the head -

to the horror of this grammar school class!

And the RE teacher pulled me off, took me down to the deputy head,

who sat me down and said, "You can't do this here."

I said, "Well, I'm sorry, but if people treat me like that,

"I'm going to beat them."

And he said, "Well, let's agree this,

"you don't hit people,

"you tell me who they are, and I will deal with them."

-Wow.

-And he did it immediately.

He called the boy down that abused me,

gave him six of the best with a cane,

sent me up back up to the class and that was the deal.

That saw me through about six years of grammar school.

Although he had been adopted,

growing up, Peter maintained regular contact

with his birth father, who came from Sierra Leone, West Africa.

There was a tradition of Sierra Leone and West African doctors

coming to practise dentistry and medicine in Newcastle.

My father came on a troop ship here to the UK in 1945,

before the end of the war, to study medicine.

It was whilst he was studying in Newcastle that Peter's father

had met his mother.

And he began a very short relationship,

from what I gather, with my mum, who was married at the time.

And, erm, along I came.

And they couldn't really work out what to do.

Aware of the impending scandal of a married white woman

giving birth to a black child that wasn't her husband's,

Peter's mother left Newcastle and travelled to Scotland,

where she placed Peter in care.

I think that is the reason why I was born in Edinburgh,

because it would have been an awful lot

of explaining for everybody to do, to have done.

-Right.

-Everybody would have lost their job

-if this scandal had broken.

-Mm-hmm.

While Peter always knew who his birth dad was,

he had always been told his birth mother was dead,

but it was in this house that he learnt the shocking truth.

And it was only when I was 11 that I forced my mum, in fact,

to say what the reality was.

And she...

-told me in here, actually.

-Right.

Peter's adoptive mother revealed

that she was actually his birth mother.

She'd placed him in care as a baby

before adopting him at the age of two.

That way, the potentially scandalous secret

of an affair between a white vicar's wife

and an African doctor was concealed,

and the family's respectable reputation was preserved.

What went through your mind?

Erm... Relief, I suppose. It's nice to know who your mother is!

-Absolutely.

-So that was a very heavy thing to say to a child,

and what followed was, they asked me to keep it a secret.

So... Because the consequences,

even in '60s Britain, is that my adoptive father

was a vicar, Church of England,

my father was a general practitioner -

an anaesthetist, actually -

and it would have been a huge scandal, so I kept their secret.

I can tell, even by telling the story now,

-it moves you.

-Yeah. Yes, yes.

It must have been so tough for you at that age.

It was. It was hard, but, you know,

children are formidable, in a way, and you rise to the occasion

and you realise the damage that it can cause.

You're relieved because YOU know,

and it doesn't care what anyone says,

you have that confidence of knowing.

From the age of 11, Peter grew up secure in the knowledge

of his true parentage. He enjoyed a close relationship

with his stepfather, who he referred to as his uncle.

My uncle, as I called him, treated me as his natural son.

My father, I didn't have a brilliant relationship with,

but he was my father.

He worked very hard, he was an excellent doctor

and had a very strong West African tradition

of education and excellence.

Is the spirit of your family still here, do you think?

Yeah, it is. Well, my uncle died in the next...

Passed away in the next room,

my grandmother in a room two doors down.

So it has... That's obviously sad.

-Mmm.

-For anybody, I think,

going back to where you have that bereavement,

you recall images of people who were very important in your life.

Hopefully, they would be proud of me.

I'm certainly proud of them.

Peter has succeeded in life thanks to the support

he received in his youth from his family and teachers.

Could returning here convince him to help somebody else in return?

Isn't it amazing that we are back in a room that means so much to you -

lots of key events have happened in this room

but actually they've made you who you are today?

It gave me the strength to actually

make me understand exactly who I was,

and to be proud of all that heritage.

And being back in this room, in this house today,

has it reinforced in you that desire to give something back?

Well, it does, I mean, if my story can inspire somebody to achieve

no matter what, then it's a success.

Going back to the house where he grew up

has clearly strengthened Peter's desire

to make a positive contribution to someone's life.

Coming up - our team have been on the case to find someone

whose story will really strike a chord with Peter,

and we think we've found them.

This inspiring young man's life

has remarkable parallels with Peter's own.

He thinks we're just making a programme about Peter.

He has no idea that he could be in for a real life-changing gift.

Meanwhile, back in Northumberland,

Peter has one more place to visit on his trip down memory lane.

I've brought him back to Stobswood Cricket Club,

where he spent many happy hours as a youngster

playing in the village team.

Yeah, this is where I used to play cricket,

or what passed for cricket for me.

Comparisons to great West Indian bowlers,

of which I had no resemblance whatsoever!

Certainly in the cricket. We used to play village teams all the way

from Hexham up to Bamburgh Castle.

-OK.

-Where, if you hit the castle wall,

you got a six. Which I never did.

-Really?

-No, no.

But, yeah, great times. It was very friendly,

and I was very much part of the local community.

-Shall we go and have a wander in?

-Yeah.

'What Peter doesn't realise is that there are

'a few old faces waiting for him inside.'

THEY LAUGH

-How are you?

-I'm good!

How's things? Long time, eh?

My gosh. Looking good. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

'Ian and Laurie are two of Peter's childhood friends

'and old cricket team-mates.'

You weren't expecting this, were you?!

I was not expecting this! I was not expecting this.

Have you got that tenner you owe us?

I think HE'S got it!

Eh... Not today!

When was the last time you saw him?

Well, in the flesh, 40-odd years ago.

Really? He hasn't changed a bit(!)

-We've never changed, have we?

-Not at all, not at all!

'Peter used to come here every weekend.

'Like his family home, it was a place he felt safe,

'away from the abuse he often received at school.'

What's it feel like being back here?

It's amazing. I just didn't expect...

Cos I thought it was deserted,

I didn't know you'd be here, so that was a lovely surprise.

There were lots of times earlier on today

where you've been talking about some of the abuse

you experienced as a kid, but there was none of that,

it seems, here - everyone was the same?

So quiet, yeah.

Probably you'd get relief here, wasn't it?

Yeah, it was a very happy time,

and treated with respect was, in a sense, part of it.

Sport's great for that, though, isn't it?

It is, it can do. The friends I made here were solid.

Seems like it was a really happy place to be,

-and a lot of jokes, a lot of fun.

-Yeah.

It's still like that now.

-Is it?

-It's very much like that now, yeah.

It's not changed, really.

The idea is that Peter's come back

because he wants to help somebody who's going through

a similar situation as he was as a child.

What do you think of the idea that he's going to help somebody?

I think it's ideal, isn't it?

Perfect guy to do it, you know what I mean?

From where you've come from and what you've done with your life now.

I was very lucky. I had a lot of love growing up, as well,

a lot of support, so, in a sense, this is part of it.

If it helps anybody to succeed, then fantastic.

You'd be a perfect role model for someone, you know? Ideal.

What do you think about it?

I think it's great,

it's over 40 years and he's come back again,

starting afresh, more or less.

Do you fancy going into the middle?

-Go on, go on.

-Are we going out there, are we?

-Yeah.

-Come on, then, let's go.

'40 years after he last played here,

'could this be Peter's chance to show his old team-mates

'he's still got what it takes on the cricket field?'

Look, your bad cricket's been saved by the weather!

We can play in this - this is just a drizzle!

Well, you've won! Thanks very much.

Yeah, you can play on your own if you like.

Come on, let's go to the bar!

'Rain may have stopped play, but it's not dampened Peter's spirits.'

It's clear that bringing him back to where he spent his childhood

has sparked powerful memories.

My parents were sad when I went to university

because I didn't look back.

Sometimes you should look back.

Along the way, he's shared his experience of a remarkable childhood

shrouded in secrecy.

He began a very short relationship, I gather, with my mum,

who was married at the time, and, erm, along I came.

But most importantly,

this return journey has helped focus Peter's mind on giving back.

If my story can inspire somebody to achieve, no matter what,

then it's a success.

Well, this trip down memory lane has been so enlightening for Peter,

hasn't it? His extraordinary resilience has allowed him

to turn his life around and he's now willing

to help other people and give something back.

Of course, there are many people who could benefit

from Peter's generosity, but we think we've found someone

whose story will hopefully resonate with him.

22-year-old Kwasi was born into a London family

with West African roots.

He's a young man who's overcome plenty of challenges.

Like Peter, he spent time in care.

Due to issues he was experiencing at home,

at the age of 11 he was put into a foster home.

It was hard, I was quite upset and scared about that.

To be taken away from my mum at that age for such a long period of time

was quite traumatic for me, and, yeah, did affect me.

During this time, Kwasi also started secondary school.

He feels his disruptive home life was the cause of

his behavioural problems.

My behaviour at school was pretty bad.

I also felt that the teachers didn't get me or understand me,

and I felt sometimes I was just kind of written off rather than

maybe given a bit more focus, or them see my potential.

Sadly, his foster carer felt she couldn't cope,

and he was moved into a children's home.

This was another huge blow for Kwasi.

Yeah, that really did hurt me.

I actually liked where I was at the time, so that did kind of upset me.

At 17, he left the care system,

and although he struggled for the first few years,

he's now turned his life around and is studying politics at university.

Like Peter, he has a passion for wanting to help others.

I believe in giving people a fair chance,

and in creating a fairer and better society for everyone.

We are about to find out whether Kwasi's story

will resonate with Peter and motivate him

to make a massive contribution to this young man's life.

It's always exciting to give back to another person who's starting out,

in a sense, on their journey

and I had many people do the same thing for me,

when I was at this stage, so it's always good

to give back in that way, whenever you can.

We've arranged for Peter and Kwasi to meet.

The two men have a great deal in common,

including a shared West African heritage.

This encounter will crucially help Peter decide

whether Kwasi is the right person to benefit from his support.

-Hi, Kwasi. Peter.

-Have a seat.

-All right?

-BOTH:

-Nice to meet you.

-Yeah.

Kwasi thinks we're making a programme about Peter's life

and has no idea that he could be in line

for a life-changing gift from Peter.

So I understand your parents are from Ghana and Nigeria?

Yeah, so my dad's side of the family is from Ghana

and my mum's side is from Nigeria.

OK, have you been back home at all?

I've been to Nigeria once when I was 11.

OK. How'd you find it?

I really enjoyed it, I really got to see what

-it's actually like back home.

-Do you live with your parents?

-I'm not, actually, I'm staying with my uncle at the moment.

-OK.

Peter is keen to learn more about Kwasi's time

in the children's home.

That must have been very hard,

because, I mean, being a black kid in any children's home

in the UK is hard work.

-Yeah.

-I spent the first couple of years...

I'm not sure where I was, actually,

I think I was in a children's home

or catered for by foster families,

and I was 12 by the time I knew who my mum was.

-Yeah.

-Ended up living with my mum, but it was hard.

The unique thing about this children's home

-is that it's catered to black children.

-OK.

So actually tried to help my needs and actually tried to cater to me,

so I think it was quite useful for me.

I still had some issues,

but I think over the years I was able to calm down

and actually...behave correctly.

Like Peter, Kwasi has been lucky to have positive role models

to guide him in life.

The carers in his children's home encouraged him

to work hard at school,

but when he left the home aged just 17,

Kwasi lost direction for a while.

If it wasn't for the strong guidance he'd had earlier in life,

things might have gone wrong for Kwasi.

Care leavers are five times more likely to end up in prison

than the general population.

I think one of the things that's difficult when you have those issues

is that you can go either way.

It's very easy to get into the criminal justice system,

so to avoid all of that is a major achievement.

It's like a journey, and as long as you can keep to that goal

you've got and get through it, then you've done fantastically well.

After a shaky start on leaving the care system,

Kwasi succeeded in turning his life around and applying himself

to his studies. He overcame massive odds

to win a place at Essex University studying politics.

Only 6% of young people who leave care like Kwasi manage

to get into university - six times less than the national average.

You're the first person to go to university in the family,

or there's been others before?

-No, I'm the first.

-The first? OK, OK.

Well, that's amazing.

-So are you enjoying that?

-Yeah, I'm really enjoying it.

It's stimulating, from the pressure and that.

Kwasi's determination and work ethic have earned him the respect

of his fellow students.

Whenever I see him on campus he's always got something

to do or he's always going somewhere,

so he always seems to be a busybody,

so that kind of like makes him out to be someone

who's always got plans and someone

that's always making plans,

and that kind of person you know is going to go somewhere with his life.

What are some of the hardest things

you've had to overcome, do you think?

You know, just in getting to where you are, because that's...

Actually to get to study politics at university is quite

an achievement, so did you have any real struggles getting there at all?

I guess in some parts of my life I was written off,

people tried to determine my future by what I've done,

but I guess I actually know what I'm capable of

and I know that young people in similar positions,

sometimes they just need the opportunity

that's put around them that's genuine.

Kwasi is passionate about challenging the kind of stereotypes

that have affected him personally.

He isn't just studying politics at university -

like Peter, he is also putting it into practice.

Off his own back he's set up a political society on campus

which promotes equality - a subject he cares deeply about.

He's also been helping out at a local charity

whose cause is close to his heart.

I'm also doing a volunteering and shadowing thing

at a local charity that tries to help the employment...

the employment rates of young black men in London,

which has been quite interesting.

So once you've done your degree, what do you think

of yourself doing after that? Where do you want to be?

I want to get into politics, but I don't want to be a politician.

Why not?!

-Just a lot of backstabbing...

-OK.

..and if I want to be a politician, I think I want to be genuine

and that, and I don't want to get corrupted by the system.

Maybe the system's got to be a bit more reformed

-before I'll think about...

-Don't close the door, though, because...

-Yeah.

-Just keep your options open.

There's some people who can be honest and have some integrity.

So what do you want to see in a few years' time

when you've done all this and you've...

Where would you like to see yourself in five years' time?

Sort of what they ask you in an interview sometimes, you know?

One of the personal goals I've set myself

is actually setting up a charity -

ideally something that will bring actual change in people's lives

and there's a few options I've had, so, like, maybe

going into schools and actually trying to get young people

engaged in politics, give them an actual voice

and help them find themselves politically.

Kwasi's ambitions will soon be tested in the real world.

He's about to enter his final year at university.

Before long he'll be joining a crowded job market,

where he'll be competing against graduates

from far more comfortable and well-connected backgrounds

for valuable work experience placements or internships.

-I've been applying for quite a few jobs.

-Right.

I'm competing with graduates, so I guess it's quite hard.

Even trying to get an internship,

if you're not financially stable, it can be quite hard

to do an unpaid internship.

While internships provide vital work experience

and connections, they're often unpaid.

Right now, Kwasi doesn't have the money he'd need

to live on while on a placement.

So how do you manage your finances?

Because it must be quite hard coming through that.

Do you have a part-time job or...? How do you get by?

No, I'm living off my student loan at the moment.

So if there was something that you could use right now

to help you achieve one of those goals, you know, what would it be?

To get paid, practical work experience,

where you're actually making proper change and getting paid financially

will help me be more independent.

Yeah, that sounds good. No, it makes a big difference, so...

Excellent, yeah.

Well, listen, it's been really great to meet you.

I really enjoyed hearing about your story.

-Thanks for sharing that with me.

-OK. Nice to meet you.

-All right.

So what impact has this meeting had on Peter?

In Kwasi, he's met a young man whose life has strong parallels

with his own - from the early years spent in the care system,

through their shared academic success

and their passion for charitable work.

Does Peter feel he can make a positive contribution

to Kwasi's life?

I think there are certainly some very concrete things

I can do to make sure he gets to be that person he wants to be -

whether it's financially or in terms of mentoring,

he would clearly benefit from direct help to get to where he wants to be,

and I think also, importantly,

he would help others in the same position themselves -

he isn't somebody who would get to where he wants to be

and then just forget about it or pull up the ladder.

There are many people who are very ambitious, but just for themselves.

He's clearly ambitious not just for himself,

but to help other people in a similar position,

which I think is extremely important.

It's clear that Peter has been deeply impressed

by Kwasi's determination and political commitment,

but before he can make up his mind how he might be able to help him,

he's going to discuss this life-changing decision

with two old friends.

Peter and his seven-year-old son Emmanuel

are sitting down for a chat with

fellow barrister Joy and her husband Michael.

Over the last week or so I've been telling a bit

about my personal history and story.

I came across a young man who has a similar background in terms

of being through some hard times when he was young,

but he's also somebody in need probably of a bit of inspiration

and encouragement and self-confidence

to achieve everything he can do,

and I'm thinking of the possible way I could help him.

So I just wanted to basically discuss it with you

and get your ideas,

whether you think that will be a good idea.

Michael, what do you feel? You've known me a long time.

It's not easy for young black students

to try and achieve anything.

You face many difficulties, like you've told me in the past.

But you have an OBE, you've arrived. I'd put it that you've arrived.

My first impression is it's a fantastic idea,

given your journey through the system and the establishment,

I think you have a lot to offer as a mentor for such a young man.

When Peter was a trainee barrister, he was fortunate enough to be

surrounded by fellow students who inspired and motivated him.

His story resonated with me because of the racism we faced at the bar,

finding it hard to get some support,

so we effectively supported each other.

When we started, there were very few senior people,

or people who were in a position to actually help

and encourage us to progress in the career.

So I think that's one of the things that,

if I can give back in that respect, would be very, very helpful,

whether a mentorship or financial,

I'll try and do it. And hopefully he will achieve what he wants to,

and actually, the other thing is,

he said that he wanted to help other young people in the same position

as him who are less fortunate,

which I think is brilliant, because, as we know,

the place is littered with members of our community

who do, but just do for themselves,

and then once they've got where they are going, that's it.

So I think it's very good to have somebody who's actually committed

to giving back themselves.

Having Joy and Michael's support is crucial for Peter.

His journey into the past

has clearly revived memories of how challenging

life can be for a young black man in Britain.

Peter has gone back - now he needs to look to the future.

It's time for him to decide what impact

he can make on Kwasi's life today.

So it's exactly a week since I saw Peter up in Northumberland.

Well, today, I'm in London,

which is home at the moment to the inspirational young man Kwasi.

Age and financial security separate them both,

but otherwise they are kindred spirits

with very similar life stories and very similar ambitions.

Peter, of course, has the means to help Kwasi fulfil his potential.

Let's go and find out if he's ready to change someone's life.

Kwasi is enjoying a kickabout with his mates in the local park.

In a restaurant just around the corner, Peter is waiting for me.

It's time to find out what he's decided to do.

-Hey, Peter. How are you?

-Hi, Aled, how are you?

-Good to see you.

-Really good to see you.

So, how's it going?

-Yeah, good.

-You've met Kwasi.

-I have, yes. Yes.

Really interesting young man, very motivated, and, eh, yeah,

he shared some of his experiences with me,

and he's obviously somebody who's been through a lot.

He's quite ambitious, as well, isn't he?

I think the thing that really impressed me is,

despite the adversity and the struggle to achieve,

he hasn't been put off. He's been in foster care,

been in a children's home for many years,

and despite all of that and having his own personal battles,

-has come through...

-Yeah.

..and achieved what is, in a sense, exceptional in such circumstances.

It reminds me of somebody that's sitting right in front of me now.

I don't know who that could be!

Have you decided that you're going to help him, then?

Yes, yes. Yes, I have.

He's achieved it, it will be his own achievement,

but if I can help in any small way then that would be fantastic.

'Peter's career as a high-profile barrister and part-time judge

'means he's been able to come up with a gift

'that should make a massive difference to Kwasi.'

So in what way are you going to help him?

Well, there are three ways. Firstly, practically,

is to give him a donation of £1,000,

which should help fund the internship

-that he wants to complete.

-OK.

'Peter's donation means that Kwasi can now afford to undertake

'the placement that he so desperately wants to do,

'and Peter has even arranged that, too.

'Kwasi will spend several days at Race For Justice -

'an organisation which works towards racial equality.'

Secondly, to give him a book which inspired me,

which is called Staying Power: The History Of Black People In Britain,

which is actually 1,000 pages of our history here.

-OK.

-I think that would make a huge difference to his self-confidence

and motivation. And the third thing is to offer a mentorship,

and that means he can spend time with me whenever he wants.

I sit as a part-time judge,

he can come to court with me and sit on the bench with me.

-Right.

-And basically see the justice system from that side.

-Wow.

Because he's obviously got an interest in criminal justice issues

-and equality and diversity.

-How fantastic.

Wow, I can't wait to see his face.

I can imagine how that's going to set him up for life, really.

It's a start. I mean, at the end of the day,

this will be his achievements

and I think that's just to emphasise that all you do

-is provide a little help, actually.

-Yes, it's an arm on the shoulder.

It is, that's all,

and I think that's essential for many people in our community

-as they don't have that.

-No.

And therefore, if it makes a difference in some small way

and other people can watch him and his achievements,

I guarantee he's somebody who will do the same.

-OK.

-And that's what's important.

'Peter has put down on paper exactly what he wants to tell Kwasi.'

I've written a letter - can't answer for the handwriting,

-but I've written it.

-OK, well, I suppose there's no time

like the present. He has no idea that we're going to do this,

of course, so shall we go and give him a nice surprise?

Yeah, absolutely.

The combination of work experience, financial support and mentorship

that Peter is offering could be a life-changer for Kwasi.

He doesn't have a clue what's about to happen.

Just how will he react?

I can just see that Kwasi is playing football with his friends.

-He has no idea we're coming. How do you feel?

-Excited.

No, it'll be nice to watch his reaction.

I think he's somebody who's got that potential

and will make the most of his opportunities.

I think also he's somebody who is very committed

to helping other young people, as well.

-He is, yeah.

-When he gets to where he wants to be,

which I think is very important.

Hi, Kwasi. Sorry to interrupt your game.

-I'm Aled Jones from the BBC.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

Now, you thought we were doing a documentary

-about this fellow's life, didn't you?

-Yeah.

It's not the whole story, is it?

No, not quite, not quite.

No. It was a pleasure to meet you

and I think you have an inspirational story.

It connected a lot with me and my experiences as a young person,

so I wanted to be able to reach out

and help you to achieve what you want to achieve,

so I want you to just read this letter I wrote you, quickly,

-and see what you think.

-Will you read it out loud?

-Yeah, I'm a bit out of breath.

-You are, aren't you?

"Dear Kwasi, I was really impressed with your personal achievements.

"I was moved to see how you have made sure you have overcome

"your experiences in the care system.

"Yours is a powerful story.

"It was very heartening to see a conscious young black man

"who wants to get involved in politics and help change

"the lives and destinies of our people.

"I want to provide you with a sponsorship of £1,000

"to help fund an internship with our Race For Justice programme.

"I will also provide you with a black history book

"of our struggles in the UK.

"It will be my privilege to mentor you

"as you progress in your chosen career.

"Yours in the struggle, Peter."

Oh, wow. Thank you.

-Pleasure.

-Thank you.

-All right.

-How do you feel about that?

Yeah, awesome, it's a bit of a surprise,

but, yeah, I'm very happy, actually.

It sounds to me like it's going to make a huge difference to your life.

Yeah, it really is. I wasn't expecting this,

I'm a bit lost for words. But it does mean a lot to me.

You know you've got that story to tell

and you've got that strength within yourself

to make a real difference.

You know, one of the things you said is that you were going to

give back to other people. I was very, very impressed,

I wanted to give that help to you, as well, so it's my pleasure.

I do really appreciate it and this will go a long way

to helping me reach my goals later on in life, so...

I'm really pleased it's worked out for you.

I've heard such brilliant things about you, and well done.

Really great to see you, as well.

-Pleasure.

-And enjoy the football, boys.

All the best, see you later. Take care.

'This is the end of an emotional

'and very personal journey for Peter.'

Well, I saw something of myself in him.

I mean, you have to have that passion for changing society

and commitment to justice and equality, diversity,

and also a belief that you can do that,

and that is something that is not found

in everybody, but it was certainly in him.

It's what you've been working on for a long time.

A lot of time people just need that one chance,

people need someone to believe in them or support them.

I was surprised, but he does deserve it a lot,

like, all he's been through. He's worked, like, really hard.

A lot of people could have just given up.

He will think of others more than himself,

but, like, this money will help him,

instead of him helping others.

Having met someone like Peter is actually, I guess, life-changing,

because we've had the same experiences

and he can give me real insight and real depth

and advice on how to move on and how to better myself.

Yeah, I'm really excited to start.

I want to start tomorrow.

In terms of this young man, he was something,

somebody who will definitely achieve great things in the future,

and he already has achieved great things to get where he is.

I'm so pleased that two such courageous

and inspirational men have met,

and how great that Peter was willing to give back and help Kwasi.

I think he sees such promise in him, such potential.

And Kwasi now, thanks to Peter's generosity of spirit,

can really look towards a brighter future.