In this moving testament to a remarkable life, Dame Stephanie ("Steve") Shirley begins this interview by discussing her dramatic rescue to England from Hitler's looming war as a Kindertransport child. Her early years as an adopted child, along with her sister, were safe and largely pleasant and she attended good English schools. She began her working life at the British Post Office research center at Dollis Hill, a highly stimulating working environment, though one in which she realized that as a women her horizons were limited. This reality gave Shirley the motivation to begin her own company, by women, for women, in which she hired women who had professional training but who had given up work to raise families. Shirley’s unique approach to work allowed these women to continue being caregivers while also advancing their careers. Shirley's company was very successful after a decade of challenging times. She later sold the company and retired, becoming one of the UK's best-known philanthropists.
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Kindertransport; Dollis Hill; Concorde; Balliol College; Oxford Internet Institute
