‘Our Writer’s Corner’: Nicola Bradshaw

Almost five years ago I moved from the countryside of Portarlington to Vancouver, Canada with my partner Jack Moran, a Portlaoise native. What was supposed to be a two-year working holiday visa turned into an adventure we couldn’t quite say goodbye to. You see, the thing about Vancouver is; it is a city that inspires you to be your best self and follow your dreams and that was exactly what I did!

When I was in secondary school in Coláiste Iosagáin, Portarlington, I developed a keen interest in photography and this interest has stayed close to me throughout the years. In Vancouver I began a career in Construction Safety and began to create a portfolio of construction, machinery and Vancouver worksite photographs. I thought maybe one day these pictures might be useful!

Becoming a writer, let alone a published author, has always been on my bucket list, so, with a creative flare and a lot of courage I decided to pen a children’s story book, “The Safety Lady”, and use my collection of photographs to bring children and even adults on a colorful adventure of a real life construction site in Vancouver from the safety of their homes.

The Safety Lady story book is about trying to set a safe example to children from a young age. Children who dream of building homes or building bridges and reminding them about what dangers may lay around the corner, and making others aware; and most importantly working together as a team to create a safe, friendly, working environment for future construction workers.