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Stirk Family

For five years Vivian Stirk dreamt about moving to New Zealand, but the future she wanted presented the toughest choice of her life. So where are the family now?

The Stirk family wanted to find out if emigration could offer them a better future.

In 2012 Viv and Darren Stirk lived with their three children in Cleckheaton in West Yorkshire. Darren was a telecommunications engineer, Viv a school administrator, Daniella a student midwife, Emma a keen gymnast at 16 and Ben 12.

The family were born and bred Yorkshire folk and were very happy living there. But Viv was looking for better. At first it was simply a quest for better weather, but the Stirks were such an active outdoor family - the Kiwi lifestyle Viv dreamt of seemed perfect for them.

While Viv's hopes grew over the years, husband Darren took longer to come round to the idea of emigrating. But Viv knew that despite the risks, New Zealand would give her children a better life and better tomorrow. The two youngest were willing to give it a go, but eldest daughter Daniella had a much more difficult decision to face. She would be leaving her boyfriend of three and a half years.

There was a lot at stake for the Stirks. Ahead was a week that would challenge them all half a world away from their home in Yorkshire, so five years later, it's time to find out where the family call home.

44 minutes

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Nicki Chapman
Series Producer Jacqui Berkeley
Executive Producer Paul Connolly
Production Manager Joy Hines

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