"Oranges and Sunshine" is the story of Margaret Humphreys and the formation of the Child Migration Trust. This truly moving account, set in the 1980's, tells how Margaret a Social Worker from Nottingham, discovered vulnerable children- who had been placed into the care of the State- had been shipped to far flung Commonwealth countries to start new lives. This was done without the knowledge or consent of the parents and in some cases the children were told their parents had died and that they had no choice. They were promised better lives but in many instances they ended up being split from siblings, living in hardship and for some in abusive situations.
Migrant children arriving in Australia.
The film focusses on the displaced children sent to Australia but in reality many were also sent to Canada, New Zealand and (the former) Rhodesia, with the knowledge and approval of the respective governments.
Britain had also sent vagrant children from London to Virginia, the first British outpost in America, back in the 17th century in order to boost the population. Forced migration would continue for some 350 years, with over 100,000 children being affected. The Home Children scheme as it was known ended with the last arrivals in Australia in 1970 but it was not until 2009/2010 that the Prime Ministers of those countries (Gordon Brown and Kevin Rudd) formally recognised and apologised on behalf of both nations.
Margaret's book "Empty Cradles" has been re-released (to coincide with the film) and sales have helped fund the work of the Trust.
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