by Clayton Goodwin
It was a sunny Sunday afternoon and I arrived all too early for the fashion show at Batter sea Arts Centre, south-east London. There was nothing to do except to quench my thirst with a beer in the adjoining bar while waiting for the doors to open. That was when …. I walked straight into Natalie Maximin, or, rather, Natalie saw myself and walked across the bar into me. It was difficult to recognise her at first as we had not met for several years, and here she was dressed and all dolled up as the models in the show. Indeed, I understand that she had been invited to take part and can well understand why.
For that is where I remember Ms Maximin on the stage at the Polish Centre in Hammersmith for the running of my last promotion of the Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth beauty contest in 2012. Was it that so long ago? She had been a contestant the previous year – representing Trinidad & Tobago – and was now putting the current contestants through their paces at the rehearsal before the public were admitted and the curtain went up. She had also delivered a homily from the stage later in the schedule.
What had Natalie been doing in the meantime? Taking up the pen. She told me that she holds a BA (Hons) in Travel and Tourism Management and a post-graduate degree in English. The main thrust of her current activity, however, is in her two published books, which are available on Amazon *, which reflect the challenges of her life. It was her ambition to show what a single mother could achieve which inspired her to enter the Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth initially and encourage others in a similar situation. That dedication cuts through also into her books.
Natalie cites the Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth and Miss Trinidad & Tobago UK contests as proving the impetus to boosting her own confidence which had been lacking earlier. It was appropriate, therefore, that we were soon joined by Angela Cox, the former director of Miss Trinidad & Tobago UK, with which her name will be always associated and to whom Caribcommx would like to pay tribute in a future feature. Ms Maximin has been inspired also by the example of Dr Eric Williams, the pioneer Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago’s independence. She was particularly proud of being the youngest member of a panel which paid tribute to Dr Williams’ legacy on the 100th centenary of his birth.
Natalie recognises the importance of mental health and psychological well-being in helping those from disadvantaged backgrounds coming to terms with themselves and their latent talents. When she addressed the audience of Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth she paid tribute to Clayton Goodwin, the promoter as “giving chances to those who had had no chance” – a fact which is recorded in the book Sorry but I thought you were black. Natalie also stresses the importance of changing lives in her own books – Divine Holiness and Yahweh Miracles.
Very soon the doors opened for the fashion show, and I was privileged to sit with Angela Cox and Natalie Maximin and to listen to their observations. As I left shortly before the end – to catch my train to Kent – I ran into George Ruddock, editor/general manager of the UK Weekly Gleaner for some 37 years (if my arithmetic is correct)and it was up-lifting to realise that although the Covid lockdown and intervening years had dented its continuity the spirit of the Caribbean heritage community had not been broken and that the older generation were still available to bring encouragement to their younger contemporaries.
- The books can be obtained via hhtps://www.amazon.co.uk/Prayer-Book-Divine-Holiness-Breakthrough/dp/BOBGN67ZHT