'SPLASH & GRAB' AND 'TRIP' MAGAZINE FEATURE 'A DAY AT THE RACES' // /  by sophie green

See more here ---> http://splashandgrab.co.uk/ and here ---> http://tripmag.co.uk/a-day-at-the-races/

MY VICE 'PICTURE PERFECT' DOCUMENTARY IS OUT NOW ---> /  by sophie green

I started 2015 with a very exciting collaboration with Vice. They've been filming me as part of their documentary series called 'Picture Perfect’ which broadcasts on Vice.com.

See me step in front of the lens as Vice follow me shooting my projects 'Bangers & Smash' and 'Tomorrow's People'.

Check it out here ---> http://www.vice.com/en_uk/video/picture-perfect-sophie-green

HAPPY ACCIDENTS // /  by sophie green

THE SUNDAY TIMES MAGAZINE // /  by sophie green

Bangers & Smash got published in The Sunday Times Magazine...

Tomorrow's People - Exhibition Prints // /  by sophie green

Over the last two months I've been working intensively on a portrait project for the charity; Tomorrow's People. I've had 18 shoots in all four corners of the country. This work will form an exhibition for the charity which will run through out 3 major fundraising and political campaigning events over the next 6 months. I hope this series will raise awareness of the incredible work the charity does and to also give recognition to the amazing, personal and unique stories of each individual. Big happy proud smiles from me. Thank you c_p_i for the amazing prints.

Tomorrow's People - Steven // /  by sophie green

"Over the years I, like most people, have had a few issues to overcome - death, break down of relationships and unemployment. I had a job where I was earning good money, I’d obtained a mortgage, bought a home, I was king of my castle, it was a nice place and I felt content. Then I lost my job, it was just free fall for the next few years. After around three years of juggling to stay afloat, I obtained another full time job and it was a job that I enjoyed immensely, I met a fantastic woman and things started to get back onto an even keel; once more my life was filled with joy, laughter and excitement. This was short lived as my relationship faded and we drifted apart. When I met her it was as if somebody lit a match and the fireworks had begun, I miss that time in my life. My job was lost again; that's when things got really dark, there were times I wish I could be swallowed up by the world and that my pain and hurt would stop; my thoughts were as dark as you could imagine. Everything had gone for good this time and I had no more fight in me.

Then I moved into supported and sheltered accommodation, the residents there have a whole host of issues. If I'm honest I felt embarrassed being there, thinking how and why am I here, I had a house and job, what's happened?

I then met my Tomorrow’s People coach, Phil, and now my real journey into becoming a person again starts. This was a focal point on my road to recovery and I’m glad to say Phil is a good friend to me now and I couldn't have done this journey without him. The future is unknown but I’d like to be happy, financially secure, with a lovely partner and maybe some miniatures running around. Before long I will have the strong foundations to be able to build the dream life I want but I couldn't do this without Tomorrow’s People and their strong network and the influence they had on me to say ‘I do matter, I can do this’."

Portrait // Steven, Liverpool. 38.

Portrait // Steven, Liverpool. 38.

Tomorrow's People - Charlotte // /  by sophie green

"I think I can say that I have felt every possible emotion that a young person can go through. I’ve been happy, sad, confused, heartbroken, lost and hurt. I was bullied at school. It took everything out of me. I was so upset and crying all the time. I just wanted to end my life because it wasn’t worth living. I wish I had stuck up for myself more but I didn’t have the confidence. I didn’t understand why I was getting bullied, I didn’t understand what I had done wrong to deserve it. It put me off wanting to meet people my own age because most of them weren’t nice to me.

I think if you have problems you should talk about it straight away because then you’re not constantly on edge and worried. It makes me feel good that I can help people and talk to them about my experiences and how I helped my situation and it might inspire them to want to do something about theirs. I am able to act as a role model now and say ‘I know how you feel’. I hope it can make them feel like they could speak up. I love helping people, that’s why I want to be a policewoman.

I’m in a much better place than I was all those years ago. If I hadn’t been bullied in school and if I didn’t leave college when I did, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I am so proud of myself for achieving so much. My favorite quote is: “Never let the fear of striking out stop you from playing the game.” This quote taught me that even if people are being negative to you don’t let it stop you doing what you want.

My journey being at Tomorrow’s People has been amazing; I have had the best time meeting new people and now I have more confidence than I ever thought possible. For the first time in a very long time people have accepted me for who I am and not judged me. Tomorrow’s People taught me that it’s ok to be who you want to be. They were patient, positive and honest with me. I’m back in college and in a job that I love, so thank you to everyone who helped me come this far. It means the world."

Portrait // Charlotte, Brighton. 19.

Portrait // Charlotte, Brighton. 19.

Tomorrow's People - Devin // /  by sophie green

"I started smoking weed at a young age, I fell into the wrong group of friends, started committing offences, robbing motorbikes and sheds. I then got into harder drugs - speed, coke then the new drug methadrone came out, I would go on binges where I didn’t eat or sleep for days, even weeks sometimes. I was even paranoid to leave the house. A driving offence led me to being put on tag and working with probation, having regular meetings and weekly drug testing.

I then signed up for Tomorrow’s People. I found it hard at first but they made me feel very welcome, they always had time for me, helped me in whatever way they could, they would praise me on a weekly basis for staying off the drugs and being a better person. I made some new friends there and finally cut myself off from the negative people in my life.

I am now volunteering for the British Heart Foundation, I’m really enjoying it, I feel such a better person. My next step will be to secure a paid job. I want to become a mentor because I feel I can relate to and support people with similar experiences and make them realise that it’s not the way forward taking drugs and they don’t have to carry on having an addiction - there is support and help out there, you just have to take the first step. I have changed my life around and it’s a much better life. I want to help others get though their hard times in life I guess."

Portrait // Devin, Lowestoft. 24.

Portrait // Devin, Lowestoft. 24.

I photographed an amazing guy called Devin in Lowestoft who has the most incredible but sad stories. Devin has had support from the charity, Tomorrow's People for 2 months now and has completely turned his life around. I shot him in the alley way behind the house he grew up in. Devin thought I was such a weirdo because I liked the washing lines so much. When the shoot finished he went and told his mum that I had taken pictures of the washing lines and he thought it was because I didn't have any where I was from.

Tomorrow's People - Donna // /  by sophie green

"My deafness was found when I first started pre-school - I was diagnosed as profoundly deaf and told there was nothing they could do for me. I was fitted with two hearing aids and then I had to attend a school for the deaf. As I was growing up with my brothers and sisters, I felt like an outsider because I went to a different school. I lacked confidence in myself, I always thought people where looking at me because I was deaf. Throughout my life I have been discriminated against, one of my past employers told me that ‘if I had know your hearing was so bad, I wouldn’t have employed you’.

When my marriage broken down six years ago my confidence was knocked right down once again and I felt very lonely. Thankfully I have my daughter but I went through a bad time with her a couple of years ago and she went back to live with her dad in Manchester. I still have days where I break down crying as I miss her so much. Pain is hard to explain, it’s not been easy for me.

When I found out about Hearing Dogs for the Deaf I got in touch with them and I was matched with Kizzy in 2011; she has done wonders for my self-esteem. I couldn’t imagine life without her; she makes me so happy. Every morning I look forward to starting our day together, she jumps on my bed and touches me with her paw when my alarm clock goes off. She is the first best friend I have ever had in my life.

Last year I decided to do something with my life because it felt empty without my daughter. I was put in touch with Tomorrow’s People who helped me to get on different training courses that have got me where I am now volunteering for the Stroke Association as a Communications Support Volunteer. I also do presentations and talks on the Deaf Association’s Hearing Dog Programme. Tomorrow’s People have helped me a great deal. I have now got a new life with an amazing boyfriend and his family too. I am very happy that my life has turned around."

Portrait // Donna, Liverpool. 47.

Portrait // Donna, Liverpool. 47.

Tomorrow's People - Alex // /  by sophie green

"I was just a normal teenager, got home from school, had tea and played on Xbox. My mum, who suffers from epilepsy, had fits which sometimes happened 5 or 6 times a day, it confused me, I didn’t know what was going on, I started to get used to it but it was frustrating. It had an impact on school but I still went and carried on with life. Mum had a really bad psychosis fit on the morning of my English GCSE exam, in the state of her fit she thought I was a burglar and attacked me. When her fits happen she forgets who everyone is and doesn’t understand what’s going on around her. When she came round and I told her what she did, she broke down crying and apologizing.

It was at that point that my dad and me knew it wasn’t safe to stay at home. We were living on edge, worried about what she was going to do next. We had to leave the family house and became homeless, and have been living in our car since. Being homeless is miserable and depressing and boring and it’s so cold. I’m used to it, I suppose it could be worse; it’s just the way things are. It’s my strong relationship with my dad that helps me through it. We’ve helped each other.

Tomorrow’s People were the first organisation who had time to listen to me, they are always happy to talk. They helped me to forget what happened, they keep me busy doing projects, it’s helpful to get out so I don’t think about things. I would be in a different place if it weren’t for them. When I met my coach I felt like I found a mate who was happy to help, I started feeling more happy and confident, I trusted him.

Me and my dad are looking for a house now with the help of the council who have given us a bond. I’m most looking forward to having somewhere to live. We’ve had family and friends who are supportive to us, they helped us if we didn’t have any food, they would take us out or cook for us and they would give us somewhere to wash.

I believe that with my engineering course going well hopefully in the future I will be working offshore, just anywhere to stay out of Lowestoft, I don’t mind Lowestoft but it’s hard to get a job round here."

Portrait // Alex, Lowestoft. 16.

Portrait // Alex, Lowestoft. 16.

Tomorrow's People - Kirstie // /  by sophie green

"When I was four I had complicated surgery to remove a life threatening brain tumour due to my epilepsy. The doctors said this would come at a risk and following the operation I was left with severe learning disabilities. The doctor's told my family that I would be dependent on carers my whole life and that I wouldn’t be able to drive, go to school, or work. I proved them wrong, I can do all those things, I’ve even moved out of my family home and into supported accommodation. The next big thing I wanted for total independence was to get into full time employment.

I went to so many different organisations and none of them really understood me and my needs. They all discriminated against me and didn’t speak to me with respect. It shattered my confidence. The problem with society now is people just judge. I was treated like a number. I’m writing to the government to make things better for myself and for other people in similar situations to me. I want them to acknowledge that they put me at great health risk - because of the way I was treated I became depressed and anxious. I felt I couldn’t trust anyone.

Tomorrow’s People helped me and supported me without judging. They were so patient and kind to me and didn’t put me under any pressure. My life turned around when I met them. I had so much encouragement and support from them. It’s nice to be around people who accept me for who I am. I was suicidal before; I’d faced rejection so many times that I’d begun to accept it as the only possibility. The staff at Tomorrow’s People realised it might take me a bit longer to do things but they didn't write me off. It was a relief to find someone who believed in me.

Now I wake up in the morning and feel healthy and happy. I’m doing a dream job working with animals at Green World Garden Centre. Animals make me so happy and make me feel cared for and loved. I have a purpose in life. I think if you stand up and fight for what is right, you can achieve anything."

Portrait // Kirstie, Maidstone. 28.

Portrait // Kirstie, Maidstone. 28.

Tomorrow's People - Chelsea // /  by sophie green

"I’ve been through a lot in my life, I’ve still managed to come so far and achieve things even though I might not have had the best time. My coach told me to ‘never give up, never loose hope, keep trying and never give up the goal you’re working towards.’

My mum was an alcoholic; she went into rehab for a year and a half when I was 12. I didn’t have a permanent home, me and my siblings were always moving around. You never know what’s going to happen around the corner. You can’t always know what the future is going to bring for you. My mum and me went through a bad time, we would always fight. She would get drunk and pass out and I would look after my brothers and sisters, it’s a big responsibility but sometimes people have to take things on, sometimes people don’t have a perfect upbringing. These things make you grow into the person you are. I know how to be independent, the things I went through took away my childhood because I was acting like an adult.

Tomorrow’s People were working with my school, I was supposed to get kicked out and they challenged my coach to get me back on track and he did; since our first meeting, coach has made me a better person, I’m not so violent and angry now. Coach has made me come so far, he gave me encouragement and it made me feel more confident. I’m determined to stay off benefits; it makes me feel like I’ve done nothing with my life even though I have. I want to have my own hairdressing business, that’s my dream. I’m 18, it’s my life and I can choose what I want to do with it now."

Portrait // Chelsea, London Fields, London. 18.

Portrait // Chelsea, London Fields, London. 18.

Chelsea Outtake //

Chelsea Outtake //