JCIP #297 - Jay Williams & Niru Williams

In episode 297 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Jay Williams, and his mother Niru Williams. Jay is a childhood friend of our Founder Freddie, who met whilst playing at Wanstead Cricket Club together. They have now known each other for over 20 years. Jay first came on the podcast in September 2020, when he appeared as a guest on our Mind On The Game series.Since we started VENT, Niru has been a big supporter of the platform and the podcast, so we invited them both on for a check-in. Niru also held the role of Safeguarding Officer at Wanstead Cricket Club from 2020, until she gave up the role in Christmas 2024.In this episode we firstly discuss Niru's upbringing, which included moving to the UK from the Gujarat region of India aged nine years old. Prior to that, she and her three older sisters were predominantly brought up by her mum and grandparents due to her father working overseas.When Niru moved to the UK, in 1965, she was one of the first big waves of Indian immigrants to arrive in the country. We explore the challenges Niru had to face growing up in 1960s Britain, specifically Coventry in the midlands, and her inter-racial marriage.We then discuss how she and her husband Roland brought up Jay as a mixed-race child.Afterwards, we explore Jay and Niru’s relationship as Jay navigated adolescence, the values she and Roland instilled in him, and how sport and Wanstead CC were integral to shaping him as a character and a man.We discuss the mental health impact that Jay leaving home to study at university had on Niru, the ADHD traits the two of them share and Niru's experience of burnout during one point in her career. We finish by discussing Jay’s wife Elinor and the joy she has brought Niru and Roland, the time they all spend together, including family holidays and the relationship Jay and Niru have now as adults. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can listen to Jay's episode of Mind On The Game here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/mind-on-the-game-jay-williamsSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvkSupport Us:PatreonPayPalMerchandise