Paul was transferred to St Leonard's Children's Home in Hornchurch, which use to be situated between a bus garage and a park. Read more: Man abandoned in telephone box breaks down as he finally discovers why his mum left him at six days old: ‘Horrendous’ I had to wait a year and a half to go to Crown Court, and all I could hear was the people who’d brought me up in children’s homes saying to me you’re a low-life Irish scumbag and the only place you’re gonna end up is in prison.” Paul has spoken of how the children would not go to school as they would be bullied following the abuse at the children's home, and instead would go and ride horses. In and out of trouble with the law since he was very young, Paul Connolly was not well pleased when, in his twenties, two policewomen came to his door. The news they told him stunned him. Of all the children in his dormitory at the abusive orphanage where he’d grown up, only he and one other were still alive. Most likely as a result of the horrendous sexual abuse they had suffered, nearly all his friends had committed suicide. The news made Paul reconsider the direction of his whole life and start to make something positive from it. The Best You discovers how despite the worst of beginnings, Paul Connolly became a famous celebrity fitness trainer and a bestselling author – even though he only learned to read when he was 25 years old.

Paul Connolly put out with the rubbish as a baby Long Lost Family Paul Connolly put out with the rubbish as a baby

Literally abandoned with the rubbish at 2 weeks old and taken into the care system of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Paul Connolly was sent to the notorious St Leonard’s home in Essex, where he regularly heard that he was 'not normal' during years of mental, physical and sexual abuse. Childhood friendships made and lost. Total Neglect. Starvation. Sending an illiterate, very angry young man out into the world.Shaun appears on Long Lost Family with the extraordinary request to find his entire family. He says: “My adoptive mum and dad loved me. They looked after me. It was special, and still is. Digging deeper, Shaun discovered that his birth parents had two further children together: his full sisters, Michelle and Natalie. In very emotional scenes, Shaun meets them, and finds out the real reason why they gave him away. St Leonard's Cottage Homes was built around 1890, and began with trying to house 'pauper' children away from the workhouses. Most cottages were looked after by a house-mother and a house-father.

9781982908713: Not Normal: The uncensored account of an

We provide specialist trauma-informed therapy and support to children and young people just like Paul. Our sincere thanks go to him for supporting Kids Inspire’s services, raising awareness of the adversity children and young people can face and for inspiring hope for a positive future." Big Boys Don’t Cry will be screening in the UK with special charity partners and is available on DVD from September 5. It is available to rent and buy on VOD from October 7. Sue Bell OBE said: "Paul Connolly’s story is one of hope. After experiencing years of extreme abuse at St Leonard’s children’s home, followed by years of gang-related violence in London, he turned his life around. When Paul Connolly was just two weeks old, his mother put him out with the rubbish. “one of the neighbours heard me crying and called the police. They came and got me, and I was taken away by social services.” Born the seventh boy of eight children to an Irish Catholic family in Stratford, in london’s east end, he spent his earliest years living with nuns in a convent.

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He actually saved my life, the Father in charge of the children's home beat me to a pulp and it was a particularly bad beating. Read More Related Articles

Not Normal By Paul Connolly | Used | 9781982908713 - Wob Not Normal By Paul Connolly | Used | 9781982908713 - Wob

Paul Connolly discovers the truth about his origins on Long Lost Family (Credit: Wall To Wall Productions/ITV) Long Lost Family Paul Connolly: ‘My mother put me out with the rubbish’ He works with various charities and is a core participant in the IICSA historical child abuse enquiry providing a voice for many no longer able to speak up. Above all else, Paul is most proud of being a loving father to his two sons.He became involved with Operation Mapperton to uncover the child abuse that took place at the children's home. One of his trainers threatened his house-father over Paul's abuse and the harrowing torture stopped. These were the first sort of serious role models that I found weren’t trying to bugger me or beat me up.” he recalls. He left school at 14 and started work on a veg stall in Romford market. He looked set to become a professional boxer and was about to sign a contract at the age of 18, when a severe accident meant that he technically died from loss of blood. The next few years were a struggle. I have just finished reading about Paul Connolly's horrific life in a London care home for children. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY. I have also been reading about the paedophile rings in UK involving entertainers, politicians, so-called pillars of society from the 70's - 80's. And not forgetting the appalling behaviour of religious priests and nuns in the Irish care homes for children. My God! How did this poor little boy and all those like him suffer for their entire childhoods at the hands of mongrel adults without the judicial system protecting them or even believing them. On behalf of all the decent, caring parents and people out in the world, I offer my most sincere apologies to you Paul. I'm ashamed of my fellow man who has ever laid their perverted, disgusting and revoltingly cruel hands on you. To destroy a child's life is the worst crime of all, and to think these ignorant, self-obsessed individuals have gotten away without punishment is beyond me. SHAME on you who turned a blind eye and allowed this to continue. Paul, I am so proud of your determination to better yourself and protect others, despite the huge disadvantages of physical, emotional, educational, psychological abuse you were tormented with.

Not Normal: The uncensored account of an extraordinary true

It emerged that one house-father, Bill Starling, 94, had indecently assaulted, raped or buggered 11 victims, aged between five to 14 years old over twenty years, The Guardian reports. Paul Connolly is a very experienced personal trainer, massage therapist and physical rehabilitation expert. He is also an experienced public/motivational speaker and has regularly appeared on TV/radio. Great friends and a loving heart transformed Paul’s world and he has gone on to help thousands of people as a specialist conditioning coach, sports injury expert, celebrity personal trainer, presenter and best selling author.Directed by Steve Crowhurst , who also wrote the script. He made the film under the title Six from Eight . Crowhurst had already taken on Connolly's story in the short film of the same name, which he presented in 2019, in October 2019 in front of the Royal Society of Arts.