Family One (Issue 2)

Family One E-Z I N E

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GAMING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

ISSUE 2

Out of T h i s Wo r l d C R E AT E T H E PERFECT SPACE THEMED BEDROOM

fa m i ly Nutrition

o n ta r g e t

C A N F AT S R E A L LY B E H E A LT H Y ?

ARCHERY! A SPORT FOR ALL

Capture The Moment W H Y F A M I LY P H O T O G R A P H Y I S S O I M P O R TA N T

CONTENTS 5

9

17

29 23

20

3-4

The Perfect Space Themed Bedroom Family One

26 - 27

5-8

Can Fats Really be Healthy?

Catherine Jeans

9 - 16

Ebo Town Community Nursery School Paula Howells

29 - 31

Archery! A Sport For All Archery GB

17 - 19

A Charity Where The Name Says It All Look Good Feel Better

32 - 37

Custom Murals Naomi Roberts

20 - 22

Mackerel with Horseradish, Rhubarb, Dill Chris Cleghorn of The Olive Tree, Bath

39 - 42

Capture The Moment The Xperience

23 - 25

Gaming to Make a Difference Greener Games

43 - 47

The Perimeter Quintin Lake

28

Maternal Mental Health Letters of Light Remembrance Day Crafting Little Crafters Boxes

M A K I N G T H AT P E R F E C T U N I S E X

S PA C E THEMED BEDROOM COLOUR

Creating your little astronauts bedroom should start with your colour palette, a dark midnight blue will be great for creating that night sky feeling but can darken and shrink the room, so a use sparingly and try pairing with a neutral tone like dusty pink, light beige or terracotta for the main wall colour.

Looking for something different? Try using the dark colour on the top third of your walls and up onto the ceiling or your child’s room.

WALL TEXTURE Just because we’re creating a space themed room, that doesn’t mean everything has to planets and solar systems. This terrazzo wallpaper used in an alcove or on a chimney breast will create a subtle nod to the theme through its colour and pattern.

Available from Lust Home

RUGS

A round Jute Rug can become you little astronauts service of the moon. This hardy jug is durable and will texture to the room.

Available from LeRedoute

DECOR

This large Solar system mobile spans over a metre will be a focus of the room. Perfect for over your child’s bed, they can dream of outer space will they drift off.

Available from Pavilion Broadway

FURNITURE This bold sunrise bed can be sun in your child’s solar system.

Adding a pop of colour to the muted palette will create a warm and playful vibe.

Available from Habitat via Argos

CUSHIONS Using a mixture of textures, patterns and sizes you can create the perfect cushions stack, emphasising your theme and softening your room.

Available from Made, Amara & The Bebe Hive

TOYS We understand many parents try to only buy wooden toys for their children and for that reason we love this rocket ship dolls house.

Available from Kidly

STORAGE This locker storage comes in a range of colours to suit your palette and children’s flavourites.

Available from Acorn and pip

LIGHTING This simple minimalist lamp will be the perfect night light. Our bedroom has some statement pieces, so this lamp still fits our theme without making the room feel busy.

Available from Lights.co.uk

WALL ART Create a selection of space theme wall art, try to remember your colour palette when choosing. Display options can be a gallery wall or on picture shelves.

Available from Postery

CLICK THE IMAGES OF ITEMS TO VISIT STORES

Can fats really be healthy?

CAT H E R I N E J E A N S aka The Family Nutrition Expert has dedicated her career to one thing – to empower people with nutritional knowledge.

Her aim is to guide everyone to eat well for life, so that you and your family know how to make the right food choices, look after your stress and understand what may be causing any symptoms of imbalance. We have been lucky enough to speak to her recently and here is what she had to say!

Despite eating as healthily as I could, in my early twenties I found myself in a pretty stressful job. I was constantly burning the candle at both ends which led to the inevitable decline of my health.

I developed a debilitating inflammatory bowel condition, suffered with bad skin, constipation, gradual weight gain and constant low energy. It was not until I broke my back in a serious accident though that my life changed forever and for the better.

Concentrating on one area of nutrition in particular, how can busy parents ensure that they are making the right nutritional choices?

Let’s concentrate on fats because did you know that the right kind of fats are incredibly important for your health? Many people are stuck in the mentality that eating fat makes you put on weight, but the reality is that we need good fat in our diet and in fact it can actually help us to lose weight and be healthier.

Most fats are really good for you and every single cell in your body needs fat. Certain ‘fat soluble’ vitamins such as A, D, E and K, can only be absorbed by the body if consumed with some sort of fat. Your heart and your brain need good fat, the right kinds of fat can help to reduce inflammation and can even help you to lose weight by getting your cells to listen to insulin and your thyroid hormones. Fats also help us to feel full, so we do not crave the wrong kind of foods.

Hi Catherine! What led you to the world of family nutrition?

I started working with a nutritional therapist during my recovery and my eyes were opened to what a good diet and lifestyle changes could do for my body. Over 15 years later, despite a hectic lifestyle as a mum of 2 running my own business, I’m healthier, f itter, slimmer and mostly clear of any bowel issues. I eat well, I enjoy healthy food (because I know it doesn’t have to be boring) and this makes me feel energised, strong and able to recognise and deal with stress. For me, good nutrition truly is empowerment and I want to share that with as many people as I can.

So, a low fat diet is not necessarily good for us?

At f irst glance, scientists thought it made sense to cut fat f rom your diet when you want to lose excess body fat, and this misunderstanding has been preached and followed by millions of people for decades.

It’s been the nutritional basis behind every single diet f rom 1950 to fairly recently.

This ideology has led to the development and sale of countless ‘low fat’ and ‘fat f ree’ foods that still populate our supermarket shelves today. The idea of eating low fat has become deeply ingrained into our collective cultural conscious. When I work in my clinic with people trying to lose weight, I often see a fear of fat… because so many mainstream diets have told them they can’t go near anything fatty.

The only problem is… low fat diets are not healthy, long term. And often they don’t work. Yes, some people do lose weight on

So why do our bodies need these good fat?

Our bodies are genetically engineered to crave fat. It’s what keeps us going, keeps us warm, and keeps up our energy levels.

Each and every cell in our body has fat surrounding it, and it’s these fats which give our cells insulation and allow messages and nutrients to be transported into our cells, and waste products out.

Whilst good fats do have more calories than the same amount of carbs or protein, they take much longer to digest. The result?

They keep us feeling full and satisf ied much longer than any other type of food.

No, this does not mean that you can f ry up a mountain of streaky bacon in melted butter for breakfast! I’m certainly not a fan of eating loads of f ried foods and endless amounts of fats.

Balance is the name of the game when it comes to a healthy diet and weight loss.

“Our bodies are genetically engineered to crave fat”

“The idea of eating low fat has become deeply ingrained into our collective cultural conscious”

a low calorie, lower fat diet. Plenty of people have done it.

But for most people it’s not sustainable, it takes a lot of willpower, and it doesn’t lead to long term health benef its.

The vast majority of people end up giving up, and then yo-yo back to their original weight and end up putting on even more than they lost in the f irst place. Continual calorie counting just isn’t good for your metabolism!

What kind of fats are healthy?

The thing to remember is that not all fats are created equal! Let’s quickly run through a few sources of healthy fats that you might want to increase within your diet;

•Avocado: One of my favourite healthy fats, it’s packed with monounsaturated fat (which features heavily in the Mediterranean diet, as well as heart healthy Vitamin E). Add this delicious f ruit to salads, sandwiches to replace butter, wraps, or put some slices on top of eggs or grilled meat. Avocados are also delicious mashed up on toast, turned into guacamole and even in smoothies!

• Olive Oil: choose cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil – it makes a great base for salad dressings (mix 3 tablespoons of oil with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, plus a half teaspoon of mustard.

Shake in a jam jar – and hey presto!) Olive oil can be used to f inish and flavour all sorts of food, and I encourage most people to include a teaspoon every day. Look for cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil to dress your salads – and don’t waste this fantastic oil in your f rying pan, or you’ll be destroying a lot of the goodness. Instead use coconut oil or some butter for cooking, and keep your cold pressed extra virgin olive oil for dressing salads or veggies.

• Nuts and Seeds: Another healthy snack that you can keep at your desk, in your bag, in your car and in your cupboards. Nuts and seeds are full of healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Eat them on their own, make your own healthy trail mix, or sprinkle them on your salad. Remember when buying nuts and seeds, avoid the roasted, sweetened or salted versions – instead buying the plain version. You can also use nut butters such as Whole Earth, Pip and Nut or Meridian, all available now in supermarkets. Do also remember to watch how many nuts and seeds you consume – you can have too

much of a good thing! A handful or two per day is ideal… and research shows that nut eaters seem to live longer than those who don’t eat nuts! Flaxseeds and chia seeds are especially rich in heart and brain healthy omega 3 fats, and a must for those on a vegetarian or vegan diet. Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your porridge or yoghurt every day.

• Coconut Oil: I love using coconut oil for baking and cooking. It’s really stable at high temperatures, so perfect for your stir f ries!

It also gives a lovely sweet taste to baking.

• Omega 3 rich oily f ish: I couldn’t write this article about healthy fats without talking about omega 3 rich oily f ish.

Mackerel and sardines are the best source of omega 3, with salmon and f resh tuna also contributing (but most salmon are now farmed, so not as rich in omega 3 fats as they used to be). Research looking at the health of different populations has clearly demonstrated a benef it to eating f ish – with f ish eaters generally living longer. I always advise my pescatarians and non-vegetarians to include oily f ish 2 to 3 times per week (but don’t overdo the tuna as it can be quite high in mercury). If you’re not a f ish fan, do consider supplementing an omega 3 f ish oil – the health benef its have been studied extensively and very much linked to heart and brain health, and helping to reduce inflammation around the body.

“Nuts and seeds are full of healthy fats”

Toasted Super Seeds Recipe If your family isn’t keen on seeds (no they are not just for birds), then this is a great way to get them on board! Add to salads, soups and stir f ries.

• Put a handful of mixed seeds into a dry pan over a medium heat. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds work well, you could also add in some amaranth for crunch or some pine nuts.

• When they start to pop and jump a bit, add half to 1 teaspoon of tamari/soya sauce and stir well for about 1 minute.

• Serve on salad or as a tasty snack.

• You can also make a sweet version by

using cinnamon, vanilla extract and a teaspoon of maple syrup.

“through my Online Nutrition Clinic or you can join one of my group online programmes ”

You can also add seeds to your baking – f rom flapjacks to cakes.

If your family aren’t keen, just grind them up f irst!

Catherine, thank you so much for taking the time to separate myth from fact regarding fats. If our readers would like to find out more about your inspiring work, where should they look?

I would recommend that your readers take a look at my website where they will f ind all sorts of nutritional advice for all of the family within my blog. Of course there is a section with some of my favourite recipes too! If my work strikes a chord with you and you would like to work with me, I do work with people on a one-to-one basis through my Online Nutrition Clinic or you can join one of my group online programmes which specialise in family health, the gut and digestion, weight loss, hormones, metabolism and burnout. I also teach yoga, breathwork and mindfulness to help you with stress management, flexibility and functional movement.

Good nutrition literally changed my life for the better and it is a great feeling to help others turn their lives around too.

Thank you!

The Family Nutrition Expert Sign up to my newsletter for new recipes and nourishing notes Sign up to my newsletter – Nourishing Notes

P A U L A

H O W E L L S

EBO TOWN COMMUNITY NURSERY SCHOOL I did not start this journey back in 2014 expecting to become a registered UK charity and help as many families as I have done, yet here I am 7 years later preparing to employ new staff, enrol new children, and open the doors of our newly built second school. It has been quite a journey and I would love to share the highs and lows with you!

So where did it all begin? After receiving treatment for cancer between 2009 and 2012, I had a burning desire to make a difference.

Having visited The Gambia before, we knew that our money would go a long way to helping so in 2014, we booked our flights, packed our bags and with an extra £200 set off to find our project. One day whilst at the beach, we started chatting to a local juice bar owner and this conversation would ultimately change our lives forever. His name was Badou Ceesey and he spoke of a struggling

school called Mandela in the heart of Ebo Town. He asked us to go with him to see it for ourselves and we obliged. We did not know what to expect but when we arrived, we were confronted with a tiny room, mud floors, no furniture, no proper blackboard and a teacher, called Donald who taught over 125 children in those conditions. I knew instantly that this was the place we had been looking for, so we got to work.

“We all looked into the children’s eyes and knew we could not disappoint them” We obtained quotes to concrete the floor, fit new windows and add a large blackboard which was agreed at £200 and was happily completed before we headed for home.

The Gambian government do not support schooling for children under 7 so nursery school education is private. I knew I had to do something to help children in their early years so when I got home, I started asking for donations of just £8.50 to buy a child a uniform, educational equipment and pay for Donald’s’ wages. This was a great success and we soon raised adequate funds for the school, or so we thought! On our return in 2016, we found that Donald had unfortunately enrolled 175 children and at this point had come to the awful realisation that the school was being

run illegally. Mandela was not registered under the Education of The Gambia guidelines so sadly the school was shut down instantly due to the lack of playground space and sanitation. At this devasting point I was in The Gambia with my Mum and a good friend Rick. We all looked into the children’s eyes and knew we could not disappoint them, so the search was on to rent our own classroom, find our own teaching staff and run a school by ourselves.

After walking the dusty streets in over 30 degree heat, eventually we found it! The room was designed to be a kitchen area and was attached to a government school in Tallinding, next to Ebo Town. It was not the

ideal location as the walk was long but both the head and the school committee were very welcoming and could see that I was on a mission to improve children’s lives. They handed us the keys and we immediately concreted the floor, got furniture made, found a tailor, designed logos, shipped over many boxes of educational toys, books, pens and pencils galore! Above all else though, we needed to raise more and more money to facilitate all of this extra expense. It was a massive leap of faith but seeing the children smile and reach out their hand to say thank you drove me forward along with the support of my family and good friends.

“The trustees and the children however made me see that children are the future” We employed a friend of Badou Ceesey, as he at this point had left The Gambia to seek a better future for himself. Steven had also worked on the beach and was a very educated young man who lived with his wife and child. Steven worked hard to assist us getting everything set up so that we could open the doors of our own rented school in September 2016. I employed another 3 staff to look after 80 children in two classrooms, but none were qualified early learning teachers.

As of this moment though, we have put 3 teachers through Teacher training college in The Gambia which is a 3 year course. It is so heart-warming to look at the full picture and see that not only have I personally helped educate many children to date but have also educated 3 adults and improved their prospects.

In 2016, I registered with the charity commission in the UK, and have had some wonderful trustees working alongside me.

At present, we have 8 trustees, each having strong assets in different areas. Only 1 of the 8 trustees have not yet been to The Gambia and witnessed first-hand the heart wrenching conditions and stories of hardship and that is our Chairlady, but we feel this is positive to us all, as she is able to rule with a clear head instead of her heart. We have had many trials and tribulations, and there has been many moments we as trustees could have thrown in the towel and said enough is enough.

Corruption is always trying to sneak its ugly head above the door. A huge turning point of the project was when our ex-head of school Steven, unbeknown to trustees and myself had an affairwith someone close to the charity who had visited the school on a number of occasions. I was told that he was leaving his employment to go to Germany only to then find out that he was living 15 miles away from me in the UK with this lady. How could I ever trust anyone again? The trustees and the children however made me see that children

are the future. It was not their fault, and we could pick up the pieces and move on again. One trustee took over the sponsorship programme, and still to date is assisting and supporting me amazingly, and I personally owe her so much gratitude.

In 2018 whilst writing a newsletter to our sponsors, I felt strongly in my heart that I should build a school of our own but, I had so many questions in my head like where will the money coming from? How? Land? At this point, the sponsorship programme was so successful that we were able to support not only the children with a FREE education, but also help their families with rice, mosquito nets, cleaning products etc. Naively, I thought that £25,000 would be enough to build an adequate school, and with lots of fundraising, promotion and belief in ourselves as trustees we could do it.

“I received a telephone call from Thomas Cook out of the blue, confirming that the full amount applied for had been granted!”

It was on a trip in April 2018, that a piece of land was shown to us in the heart of Ebo Town. A corner spot close to electric and water. The price was higher than we could afford, so there was lots of negotiating but we managed to purchase it! I personally walked through many official departments to get the paperwork completed before I was due to fly home. It was at this point also that Concorde College in Shrewsbury chose us as their nominated charity to receive funds from their students second hand book sales.

They generously gave us the resources in those early stages to keep the project moving forward and the faith in believing that we can reach our goals. A heartfelt thank you for that! We employed a builder in 2019 to take the project forward, sending over money in stages as and when we had the finances to do

so. It was to be a 3-classroom school with 6 toilets, 2 showers, staff room, store room and living accommodation for staff. Sadly however, corruption reared it’s head and the builder ran off with our money and never completed the job.

In March 2020 a trustee and myself were in The Gambia enrolling children for the new school year when we were sadly repatriated back to the UK early due to Covid 19.

Everything stopped. Schools in The Gambia were closed and we made the difficult decision to pause the sponsorship programme as people had enough on their minds.

Thankfully however, a miracle happened!

We had applied for a grant from The Thomas Cook Children’s Charity in November 2019, having just 15 minutes spare before the

application deadline closed we submitted and kept all our fingers crossed, however only days later Thomas Cook announced it was sadly going into administration. We assumed our chances had gone too but in the dark days of the first lockdown, I received a telephone call from Thomas Cook out of the blue, confirming that the full amount applied for had been granted! The news bought tears of jubilation to all trustees and sponsors who have supported and believed in us over the years. It meant that we could complete the school build and buy furniture. Thomas Cook - words cannot express what you have done, and one special lady in particular, thank you. After being floored by corruption yet again, we as trustees picked ourselves up, focused on the mission of the children, and drove forward to getting the school complete!

“It seems crazy that a 6 hour flight takes you to a place of hard living conditions and visiting is the most humbling of experiences” We called in our dearest and most faithful friend - a man of truth and integrity and a member of the initial Ceesey family who started the whole project. He got his whole family on side, plus extra workforce employed from Ebo Town and the build started all over again with new ambition and dedication everyone wanted this to succeed for their own community. In August 2021 the build is complete, with water connection and soon there will be electricity. The school has been sign written so now looks like a school! A new head of school, a qualified teacher, a trustee consultant and caretaker/security have been employed. We will be enrolling new children who will start at our school in September with their own uniforms. I can proudly say that it will be a school in the heart of the Ebo Town community that also reaches out and makes a difference to those families living in hardship and poverty.

It seems crazy that a 6 hour flight takes you to a place of hard living conditions and visiting is the most humbling of experiences. To educate a child in our school costs £60 per year (£5 per month) which to us is the price of 2 cups of coffee. Children are the future.

When a child gets an opportunity to join our school, they will learn English through song, play and storytelling. They learn to write simple sentence structures and learn simple mathematics. They mix and make friendships, learning to interact and gain confidence. To see a small 4-year-old join our school so timid and leave at 7 years of age, speaking English confidently and flourishing in life melts my heart but it is also about their families, meeting them and listening to their stories. Never in our wildest of dreams would we have ever thought that we would own our own school and be able to offer a totally free education. This would never be

possible without the sponsorship programme and kind donations of help and support. We work from our hearts and to date every single penny goes to the children and the school.

A new chapter is about to start! It is becoming a reality as the time approaches to open our doors, but it comes with trepidation as we will have added expenses. Proudly we can say, that after the journey we have been on we are stronger than ever and believe that behind the eyes of those beautiful children is a soul that will flourish into beautiful young adults. Each child has a story, each child is special, and each child is loved.

LIFE IN EBO TOWN COMMUNITY Ebo Town is located along the Brikama – Banjul highway, dividing the communities of Tallinding and Jeshwang. It has a population of 70,000 people and is known to be one of the poorest communities in The Gambia. During the monsoon months, it is prone to bad flooding which brings with it many diseases such as cholera and malaria.

Families tend to live together on a compound, which comprises of many rooms. Each small room can sleep between 5 to 10 people and toilet facilities are generally a hole in the floor surrounded by corrugated iron, no roof. A shower comes in the form of a large plastic bucket and a plastic mug and for the poorest of families a walk to the nearest tap or well point. A kitchen is made from corrugated iron sides and roof, where large tin pots are used to cook the staple food of rice. For those families that have a little extra money, vegetables, fish or chicken may be cooked in to a stew like dish named Yassa, benechin, or domada.

cock a doodling and the noise and hustle and bustle is immense. There is a distinct odour in the air and the heat and humidity hits as you step outside. Women sit outside their compound walls on the street side trying to sell food to passers-by for breakfast and throughout the day. Streets in Ebo Town all look the same and are all unnamed.

There is an area in the heart of Ebo Town that has a daily market and connected to that you find tailors, hairdressers and general stores.

As you walk the streets children run barefoot, playing with old car tyres and sticks, some very young children run around totally naked and have large rounded bellies showing signs of malnutrition. Children run up to you and greet you with a handshake and you could end up with up to 4 children holding one hand. In the distance you here little voices shouting tumba, tumba, tumba which means white person. I personally tell them my name is Paula and encourage each child to call me by my name.

Stagnant water from the monsoon season makes walking and getting around Ebo Town tricky to navigate. Donkeys are used as vehicles and have wooden carts attached to them. The poor animals are so neglected and abused as the weight you see loaded onto these carts is immense and whips are used to make them work. It is so sad to witness but many can be seen navigating the streets.

Goats and chickens roam freely it is so surreal as it’s a far shout from the civilisation we live in just a 6 hour flight away.

A wealthier family may own chickens and goats, and enjoy the benefits that owning one of these animals brings. On sunrise each morning the call to prayer can be heard bellowing from the mosques, chickens are

After walking the streets and witnessing firsthand the hardship and dire living conditions, we decided that we had to help the community, which was a turning point. We appealed to our sponsors to see if they wished to help further by donating either a 25kg rice bag at £12.50 or a 50kg rice bag at £22.50 with the larger bag feeding a family for one month.

Mosquito nets are handmade and cost £5.00.

Approximately five people would sleep under one, protecting them from catching

malaria. Cleaning packs which contain soap, bleach, and washing powder cost £2.00 per pack. These appeals were done twice a year April and November when team trips over to The Gambia went out, as this enabled us to meet families and build a relationship with them. The support to our appeals grew and we could happily help families that did not have children connected to our school. I should maybe explain that since 2015, teams of between two and six people would buy their own flight tickets to The Gambia and work with love from their hearts for two weeks helping at the school in the mornings then to walk up to 7 miles in the midday sun looking for families that needed support and help. Suitcases were loaded with clothing, bedding, and gifts off the children’s sponsors in place of our own clothing and toiletries.

Extra baggage was sometimes given free by the airlines or paid for by the charity to ensure that we could get as much over to help as many people as we possibly could. We too sent over donated clothing, bedding and school equipment on a container to allow teams to reach out further. Life was crazy busy planning, collating and shipping in preparation for the team trips over but it was all worth it for stories like these…

FATOU We could tell by the amount of stagnant water at the entrance of this particular compound that any family living here would be living in tough and difficult conditions. On the right was a well and on the left sat a young girl sitting on a broken wooden seat in the shade. She was obviously disabled with twisted hands and so much dribble down her face.

Flies swarmed around her, the clothes on her body were ripped, dirty and wet from saliva. The whole team focused to find out who her mummy was and what her situation was. Her mother was sleeping but was awoken by the noise and excitement that had arisen since our arrival, she could not speak English so we had someone interpret for us.

Fatou was eight years old and was born a normal healthy child. At the age of two she developed severe pains all over her body, she lost the use of her legs, her hands became twisted and her brain ceased to work as it previously did. Due to the lack of medical facilities and finances, Fatou found herself severely disabled. Disability in The Gambia is frowned upon as Gambians believe the family to be cursed. As a team we became emotional and emptied our ruck sacks to give her as much as we had. We asked her mummy to visit the school and promised a large 50kg rice bag, mosquito net and cleaning pack. Fatou’s mummy hugged and thanked us and we left the compound in silence. Outside we had a team group hug as many team members where in

tears and emotions where high. What more could we do to ease Fatou’s young precious life? This was a Friday so we had a weekend to gather our thoughts and find a way to help.

With a furniture maker and an all round DIYer on our team, after long chats we all decided that we would make Fatou a chair that would support her body and line it so that it was waterproof. On the Saturday morning the two men went off to find materials that could be adapted to suit. The men spent hours in the heat going shack to shack and returned with beaming faces to show us what they had found. Incredibly they had found a wheelchair which was very untidy and dirty. It was overpriced as wheelchairs are like gold dust, but having shared Fatou’s story, the kind shop keeper agreed that we could have it on our budget. On the Sunday both men went to collect the chair and bring it back to for the team to wash it and make it fit for Fatou to enjoy. The team went through all the clothing and shoes that had been shipped over and in storage to find this beautiful girl quality outfits!

On the Monday morning the team left for the school, ready and eager armed with a spotlessly clean wheelchair and top notch clothes and shoes. After school the team had a little lunch together to gather energy and thoughts before commencing on a long hot walk through the dusty streets of Ebo Town to find Fatou’s compound. We were greeted by many children smiling, singing and dancing as they saw the gifts that we had bought for this precious girl. Fatou got carried out by her mother and the smiles from her face and her mum’s gratitude bought tears once again but this time they were tears of happiness. The mother and children wheeled Fatou around the compound, the singing and noise of jubilation was immense. Fatou was taken outside into the street where other children ran up to her and wanted to wheel her around, scenes never to be forgotten.

We only had one day left as we were due to fly home so we asked mum if she would bring Fatou to school and join in with the singing and lessons. We as a team were hoping above hope that her mum would take us up on the offer and waited in wonder if she would push Fatou through the community and to our amazement, a site each team member will never forget in the distance comes Fatou and her dad proudly pushing her to school, dressed so beautifully in the donated clothes with shoes on her feet and ribbons in her hair.

Fatou’s smile and the look in her eyes

melted our hearts, this is what makes all the hard work worthwhile. Seeing an innocent child have the freedom to explore a total life changing experience.

On our return trip over we visited Fatou and her family, to find her wheelchair had a flat tyre and had been out of action as the family did not have the finance to get it repaired. We took the chair to a bike repair shack and got the puncture fixed for five pounds. Fatou’s father had disappeared and to date her mother is still struggling on. We think that we have things tough here in the United Kingdom, but really we don’t. This precious sweet girl is treated as an outcast in The Gambia and has no prospects, but hopefully in the tiniest of ways we have made little difference.

BUBACARR We met Bubacarr in April 2017 when his mother had queued for hours to enrol but by the time Bubacarr and his mummy had got to us, we had filled all the allocated spaces and were sadly and heartbreakingly turning children away.

I vividly remember this little four year old boy and his mother. Thanks to an interpreter the mother shared her story of how her husband had sadly passed away and how she struggled to cope to feed her family and herself. As a team she pulled our heart strings as it was clearly obvious that this mum needed a break and an offer of help to educate her son free of charge.

We explained that we would write her details down on a reserve list and wished her the best for the future. When school opened in September 2017, we opened at full capacity of eighty children. The head of school at that time contacted us explaining a grandmother of a four year old boy was appealing to join our school.

The grandmother described me perfectly and was told by her daughter on her deathbed to go to the school and Paula will help Bubacarr. The grandmother explained that Bubacarrs mother had contracted malaria in the monsoon season and had sadly passed away so we knew we had to help. Bubacarr was

enrolled into Rainbow class but sadly soon after, we learnt that Bubacarr’s grandmother had lost her life too and an uncle had taken him in.

This poor child looked downtrodden and beaten. We noticed that he came to school with no ruck sack, food or drink. We purposefully sat next to him in lessons which he battled to participate in.

One day we walked him home to meet his uncle and extended family. We gave them a ruck sack and water container and asked if they would kindly ensure Bubacarr had a little food and water for school. We brought him a new pair of trainers and gave the family a large bag of 50kg rice and a mosquito net , which they kindly accepted.

This was the start of us building a relationship with the family and this young boy. We kept Bubacarr on at our school one year longer than required as the free education helped the family greatly and being the oldest child in our school, Bubacarr grew in confidence. He left our school to go to Grade one in July 2021. We pride ourselves in nurturing him and giving him stability with an education. He is one little boy that we will always remember.

We will continue to work hard to help improve the lives of the people in Ebo Town and if you would like to help us, please visit our website and get in touch; Click HERE Thank you for taking the time to read our story.

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CHARITY WHERE THE NAME SAYS IT ALL

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In 2017, mother of four sons, Sally M., detected a lump in her breast, although it was a month before she booked an appointment to see her doctor. From that moment on, her life was turned upside down.

Sally was referred to a clinic where she was diagnosed with grade three breast cancer which had also spread to her lymph nodes.

“It was like a nightmare,” says Sally. “I was taken aside and offered tea as I tried to take in the consultant’s fateful words.”

This is the conversation none of us ever wish to have, however many may have to face at some point in our lives. Cancer does not discriminate: it can affect any one of us, at any point of our lives, whatever our background and wherever we are from. Terrifyingly, according to Cancer Research UK, someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer every two minutes.

For Sally, the effects of the cancer treatment, which followed straight away, changed everything. She gained weight, lost her hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, while her skin became sore and her nails brittle. She was constantly exhausted, and felt stripped of her femininity. By now, Sally could barely recognize herself, her self-esteem hit rock bottom and she began to avoid looking at herself in the mirror.

It was at this stage that she became aware of independent national cancer support charity, Look Good Feel Better, which provides practical workshops and advice for women, men and young adults undergoing treatment for any type of cancer.

For those not familiar with the work they do, the charity hosts regular group sessions which are led by trained volunteers and provide a chance to meet others in a similar situation, as well as teaching useful skills and techniques to manage the side-effects of cancer treatment such as skin changes or loss of eyebrows and eyelashes. Just as important, however, is that the workshops can help improve levels of confidence and self-esteem at what is a particularly difficult time.

With workshops held in 140 hospital and cancer centres across the UK, Sally knew she had to sign up.

With considerable trepidation, she booked herself onto a workshop, unsure as to what to expect. When she arrived, the room was filled with other people looking shy and vulnerable, all at different stages of cancer treatment. Some were wearing wigs, some had no hair, but all had one awful thing in common.

Cancer.

Sally remembers: “I needn’t have worried. Laid out in front of each of us were bags bursting with an array of amazing cosmetics, creams and lotions. It was all so welcome, especially at a time when I felt that everything had been taken away from me.”

“We picked up our mirrors, confronted our reflections, and then over the next couple of hours, learned new techniques from our caring and knowledgeable volunteers.

How to look after our skin after the cancer treatment had taken its toll, how to apply make up to bring out the best in each of us, which creams work best on skin affected by chemotherapy and other really practical advice.”

As the workshop progressed, the group started to relax and soon the room was filled with laughter, conversation and camaraderie.

Stories were exchanged, friendships were forged and amongst all this, people were given the space to just be, and to start to feel good about themselves again.

As Sally confirms: “Look Good Feel Better gave me the tools to cope with the huge changes brought about by cancer treatment. It’s more than just cosmetics, it really made me feel better and everyone around me responded in a more positive way. To see the sparkle return to the eyes of those around me who had lost themselves amongst the trauma was a moment I will never forget and in that moment at least, cancer was forgotten.”

For Sally, the outcome has been life changing and happily she is now in remission. Feeling fabulous and more in control of her own life, she now urges anyone going through the same experience to get in touch with the charity.

A W O R D F R O M O N E O F O U R M A N Y V O L U N T E E R S

As a self employed hair and makeup artist my work is really varied and the best thing about working for yourself, is that I can fit it in around my lifestyle and volunteering for some really worthwhile charities, one of those being Look Good Feel Better.

My good friend and colleague became regional co-ordinator for Look Good Feel Better in the Royal Bournemouth Hospital 3 years ago and when she set it up, she asked me if I would like to volunteer as a professional on the sessions.

I was quite nervous to begin with, as hair and makeup I’m used to being behind the scenes and wasn’t sure about talking to a group of ladies but after the first session I realised what an amazing charity this was, and what it does is so much more than just showing people how to apply makeup! It’s about making these ladies smile, giving them more confidence and they get to meet other people going through similar experiences to them and it’s such a humbling experience, honestly I just love it! I’m so grateful to my friend for introducing me to the charity and monthly sessions are always booked into my diary.

MELANIE TILSED BOURNEMOUTH BRIDAL HAIR AND MAKEUP

Click here for Melanie’s Facebook

Click here for Melanie’s Website

The charity is always looking for volunteers. So, if you have at least one year’s experience in the beauty industry and you have a few hours to spare, the charity would love to hear from you. Alternatively, if you would prefer to get involved in one of the many exciting fundraising events that take place throughout the year, please visit www.lgfb.co.uk or call 01372 747500.

T E L E P H O N E : 0 1 3 7 2 747 5 0 0 ADDRESS: LOOK GOOD FEEL BETTER, WEST HILL HOUSE, 32 WEST HILL, EPSOM, SURREY KT 19 8JD.

Registered Charity No 1031728 Company Registration No 2850925

Chris Cleghorn MICHELIN STAR AWARDED CHEF OF THE OLIVE TREE, BATH

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Ingredients RECIPE FOR 2 PEOPLE

Mackerel:

Rhubarb Granita:

1 Mackerel –fileted (around 800g fish)

300g Rhubarb Juiced Sugar to taste

Cure For Mackerel: 100g Table Salt 100g Caster Suger

Horseradish Mayonnaise: 2 Lion coded Medium Egg yolks ½ tsp Dijon mustard 280g Blended rapeseed oil 75g Creamed Horseradish

To Finish: ¼ stick of Rhubarb 4 Dill Sprigs ½ lime Maldon sea salt

Equipment List Must Haves: Electric juicer Non-stick tray Non-stick frying pan

The Method Best Done Night before:

Mackerel:

Place a flat non-stick tray in to the freezer as far in advice for quicker results. Start with top and tailing the rhubarb and wash it well. Keep back ¼ of stick for plating the dish. Chop the rhubarb into 3cm batons and place through an electric juicer. Keep back 50g of juice for later. Bring the rest of the juice to the boil with a little sugar to taste. Remove and pass through a sieve and pour onto a metal tray and place in the freezer over night or for 8 hours. With a fork scrape the granita and continue till firm.

Ask the fishmonger to take it of the bone if you’re not confident in doing so. Trim off any bones belly and remove excess bones with a fish tweezers. On a flat tray mix the salt and sugar and place the mackerel fillets, flesh side down onto the mixture. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge to cure for 30 minutes. Wash off under cold running water and dry on a cloth. In a hot non-stick pan add a splash of oil and pan fry the skin till crispy. Turn the fish to seal the flesh side and remove from the pan. Add lime juice and Maldon salt.

For the Mayonnaise:

To Serve:

Whisk the egg yolk and Dijon mustard and slowly whisk in the oil. Adding a little warm water when it gets too thick, this stops it splitting. Add the horseradish and season to taste. Place in a piping bag and refrigerate until needed.

Pipe the mayonnaise on the plate, add some thin slices of raw rhubarb sprinkle with a little sugar. Add the dill sprigs and the mackerel. Add the granite last minute and serve straight away. For best results make sure the mackerel is served warm.

The Olive Tree will be at Pub in the Park Bath from the 19th to the 21st of June 2020.

For More Information Click Here

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GAMING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Let us introduce you to a gaming company out to make a real difference in the world of Mental Health. John & Ria, the founders of Greener Games have a unique focus, using Virtual Reality technologies to create games to improve the well-being of the user. Creating beautiful worlds to immerse yourself in, take control of and simply enjoy. Let’s find out more!

Can you tell us a little bit about you and how Greener Games came to be?

I’ve been in the video games industry for nearly 20 years working in art related roles. Over the years I worked for and held senior art positions at several large studios including Sega and Electronic arts before making an effort to work independently and leave the large, and in my opinion stressful studio life. I wanted to settle and start a family, thankfully I managed this, although it does come with its own challenges.

Greener Games was conceived around 2010, I was thinking of ideas to create non-violent experiences using my core skills of environment

creation. My wife Ria was working at home for adults with learning disabilities at the time. We spoke about the difficulties facing carers to give these individuals a nature experience so, the idea of Greener Games and Nature Treks was born. It was never intended to replace a walk in nature but even bringing some of the shapes, colours and sounds could make a difference and generate some positive outcome.

When did you first see the positive consequences that VR had on Mental Health?

Initially anecdotally from individuals or health care professionals that were exploring VR as a potential tool to accompany their work. I would wake up and check my email to some genuinely moving messages. I remember one message from a health care worker who recalled an elderly lady whom was sadly at the end of her life trying out Nature Treks. Apparently, she had always wanted to visit Africa but had never managed it and was emotional after experiencing the giraffes and elephants in one of the environments.

Your first project Nature Treks has been incredibly popular. Can you tell us a bit about it please?

Apparently, he was in tears which really was overwhelming feedback.

The success of it has surprised me if I am honest.

I think people are looking for something new and positive. Nature Treks at its foundation is a virtual nature simulator but as you bring in other layers such as music, sound effects, exploration and interaction it can be a powerful sensory experience.

You have a new game called Nature Treks: Together. Where did the idea for this game come from?

What features does the game include that you feel improves the wellbeing of the user?

I don’t think it is one outstanding thing. The key to the experience in my opinion is the way people can access the layers instinctively and sub consciously. It is important to me that players are never prompted but is a comfortable and restful place which is completely unique to each individual, their mood and their memories. I just try and give the user the elements and means to choose and customize that place. From laying down in a grassy meadow to generating solar systems above the earth, it is possible for the player to change their experience within seconds.

Can you share any stories of how it has impacted on people’s lives?

I shared one early but another that sticks in my mind was a message from someone using it at a care home in Australia. An elderly gentleman had spent much of his life diving but unfortunately he was no longer able to do it. The underwater experience was able to give him some feeling of doing that again, swimming with the fish, dolphins, manta, and many other sea creatures.

The idea came during the first UK Covid lockdown.

Obviously, many people turned to technology as a form of communication. I felt like it might be of value if I could create something different to the usual social media platforms. A place where people could rediscover the fundamentals of connection and emotion, primarilyy using visual and audio tools. A place that strips away complexities and lets people just be.

Being a teenager is tough at any time but especially during Lockdowns.

How important was it for you to create a world where people could affect the environment and communicate emotions.

One of the things I think that is of particular importance to teens is the idea of just letting your emotions out and leaving them somewhere without judgment or consequence. It is normal and it is ok to feel emotions, all of them. Once you introduce a multiplayer element and people can share a space, it is a natural instinct for them to want to communicate. The challenge and intention from my perspective was to provide them with enough tools to communicate but also subtly restrict the tools to encourage the players to change their pace and relax into a slower sensory rhythm. One example of this is the way we do voice chat as, all VR chat applications that I have tried felt very noisy. In Together you can chat but not as soon as you arrive.

You must collect wood and only then people can chat around the campfire in which you have collected wood for. The hope is that these restrictions encourage corporation and the chat element becomes a feature that players truly appreciate. It becomes a genuine joy to hear another person’s voice that you have been off swimming with for the last 10 minutes. The application tries to encourage the idea that it is ok just to be next to someone without all the social noise, once you get past the initial social awkwardness and accept it, its surprisingly calm and liberating.

The freedom to paint and play ‘instruments’ are also features that I believe are useful for selfexpression. The player can dip their finger into a ‘painting palette’ and literally paint with their finger.

Each drawing is also a unique instrument based on the selected colour, width and length. Players can then play their own drawings or of course those that others players have created. It is hard to put into words the moments this can create but it can be quite a powerful sensory experience.

The artwork is truly stunning. inspirations come from?

Where do your

The foundation is nature, we do our best to create a representation of it and put a lot of time and effort into it. Thankfully, nature is an inexhaustible inspiration and honestly I don’t think we truly come close to doing the complexities and details justice, but we have to work with the technology available to us at the time.

How do you want the user to feel once they have taken off their headset?

Calmer and somewhat refreshed, like waking from a pleasant dream.

Do you feel that embracing new technologies to treat Mental Health is integral going forward?

I think technology can provide us with new tools and insights into mental health but on the flipside however, I do also think that technology can also be a part of the problem. I constantly try and measure those pros and cons and will always do so as we develop.

WWW.GREENERGAMES.NET

Putting the Darkness of

Maternal Mental Health

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it threw at me on a daily basis finally ran dry. And me and my confused and weary head ended up shipwrecked, waving a white flag to my demons and a goodbye to the old me.

You see after months of consistent fear, confusion and the downright oddity that had replaced my rational thought, I had as a result become comfortable with the abnormal. At ease with the terrifying. Day’s spent caring for my toddler and new-born as I manoeuvred my way around the demon lurking in the living room. And the nights settling And, I had (almost) become ok with this. my youngest in her cot whilst trying Resigned to the fact that this was my lot. to unimagine the dark shadowy figure That things were not going to get any breathing hot fear on my neck, had made better. me pretty resilient.

The idea of being well again. Back to the old me. Free of the perpetual fear and darkness I was battling, became something that (I felt) was no longer an option available to me. Mental wellness and feeling confident in my ability to be a mum were simply not on the menu.

This resignation did not come of its own accord or without resistance. However, the ocean of energy and self-belief it took to battle my mind and the ugliness

However, it was this realisation of how resilient I had become and how accepting of the belief that my mental state was not going to change, that kick started my

recovery.

I got angry and indignant that this was happening and rather than the quiet whisper of acceptance and submission I instead started to fuel the fires of discontent. I started to fight back.

And this is what I want to drive home to anyone who may be reading this and currently feeling that their abnormal feelings are coming to be more normal than what is, well, normal. Please take it from me (someone who has recaptured their mind twice and is now living well and happy) that recovery is not some far off mythical land that you are never to return to. And that there is no such thing as a small step in getting there, when it comes to your mental health.

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rom taking your medication to showing up for your therapy session to taking a breath, a shower, a break. For showing up for yourself. For simply showing up every day. There are no small wins when it comes to reclaiming your mental health.

It’s all big stuff which at times feels too heavy to carry because it just is too heavy. But at other times it is huge and monumental in a good way showing you that you do have the grit to get you through. That you are enough. Because you know what? You are and you can!

When going through a maternal mental health illness the idea that you will ever be you again is such a remote and distant thought that it’s almost impossible to imagine what life may look like after it.

Let alone believe you have the strength to get through the hell of a journey it’s going to take to get there. But I’m going to let you into a little secret; No matter how dark your horizon feels at the moment. Or how impossible it all

appears, if you are reading this fully in the knowledge that things do not feel right and that they haven’t for a while.

Or feel a hint of recognition at my words and know things have to change, then my friend you are already on your way. And with the right help and support you will not only be well again but the darkness and struggles you’re going through now will shed their power of destruction and instead become your superpower.

sends handwritten letters of peer support from women with lived experience of maternal mental health to women currently suffering. We’ve received an overwhelming response to the project since its launch, gaining support from women and leading organisations worldwide and being featured on This Morning and in Red Magazine.

The wonderful women involved in writing the letters continue to tell us For me I found strength and my how it has helped them to bundle up superpower in putting my darkness to their darkness and put it to work to help another woman in need. And we are now receiving requests to write a letter from the women who received them when they were ill. It’s pretty powerful stuff!

And thanks to all our courageous letter writers we are now providing letters to NHS Trusts, Mother & Baby units and Maternal Mental Health organisations across the UK and around the world.

work. I came out of the other side of my illness and found myself questioning why I had gone through it? This question and its lack of immediate answer left me feeling a little in limbo and pointless.

Until I realised I wanted to put my darkness to work to help other mums.

This work to date has involved me writing a book about my experiences and setting up The Letters of Light Project which

No matter what shape your recovery takes and no matter how you choose to use your experiences – whether it is being able to emphasise with a friend who’s struggling or fulfilling a dream project.

No matter what form it takes – it is valid and it is worthy. Most importantly please remember that no matter what part of your recovery you’re on, that recovery is not some far off un-navigable destination but quite simply a way of life – and you’re doing amazing!

You can find out more about The Letters of Light Project on their lovely website www.lettersoflightproject.com where letter writers can sign up to write letters and organisations can register to receive them for the women in their care. Liv’s bestselling book “Bonkers: A Real Mums Hilariously Honest Tales of Motherhood, Mayhem & Mental health” is available on Amazon - HERE You can also follow the project over on social media

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Little Crafters Boxes With Remembrance Day just around the corner, And this year feeling like it has a particular poignancy, with current affairs like Covid, and events in Afghanistan. It is a serious topic, but one that is important for children to learn about, and understand the history of their country.

Radha (38), former STEM teacher and founder of Little Crafters Boxes Ltd designed a craft kit like no other this year, to help educate children about Remembrance Day, and raise some money for charity “Help for Heroes”. It is packed with craft activities that children can do with their families.

There is a special edition of the company’s STEAM loaded magazine and with the box, which includes an interview with a gentleman, whose grandad fought in World War I, and an RAF engineer, teaching children all about how biplanes were used in the war. Radha said “I feel honoured that we can be part of this in 2021, and give something so important back to the British community, and such a great charity”.

Remembrance Day is a national event and anyone can order a box, or a single product from the collection until 25th October 2021.

We are proud to be supporting Help The Heroes so each box sold will be raising money for a great cause.

ARCHERY! A SPORT FOR ALL

ARCHERY GB Most of you will have seen it on the tv in a film or series or you may have seen it at a county fete where medieval reenactments take place, but did you know that there is a great chance that archery is at a club near you?

Archery GB is the main governing body for archery within the UK and on their website you can locate a club near you via their club finder link, or just pop in google archery club near me.

Archery is a fabulous sport. There are 2 seasons winter is indoors and summer outdoors and lots of clubs that have their own grounds will shoot outdoors all year. It can help with your physical fitness, concentration, focus, mental health, co-ordination, maths and most of all its fun and sociable. You can be part of a team and/or an individual, you can be 8 years all the way to 100 years, you can be male or female, and more importantly anyone of any ability can take part as there are so may ways to be able to shoot a bow safely with the correct support and guidance. Another popular aspect of the sport is that it can be a family affair.

As many of you have come to realise, over this last year, is the importance of sport, not only for our physical fitness but also for our mental fitness and archery certainly is a sport that can be helpful for both. Archery is about focus, its about making that shot to the gold. When you are on the shooting line, looking at that target, surrounded by fellow archers, out in a field with hopefully sunshine everything else disappears for a few seconds as you aim that arrow and release it to the target. The sound of the arrow hitting the target is an achievement in itself and then if you hit the Gold I can safely say you will do a little dance in your head and certainly smile. Archery is a sport for all!

Back in the medieval days you would find longbow archers nestling at the top of their castle defending it from the enemy down below, times have now moved on but the longbow is draped in history and is still to this day an integral part of the modern day sport of archery. We now have several bow types and the 2 that most of you may be familiar with are Olympic recurve and compound. Both these types are featured in the Olympic games and at grass roots level are the two main types that archers choose to shoot. There are however, other types of bows coming through and one is barebow. This is like the Olympic recurve but with everything stripped off, no sights nothing and totally relies on the archers natural ability to aim at the target and hit gold, whereas the Olympic recurve has lots of technical equipment on it to help the archer. The important fact to remember though is that any bow an archer shoots its the archer that has to train, learn, practice the skills to hit every arrow at that gold.

Along with a variety of bows there is also a variety of styles of shooting. Most will associate archery with hitting that very colourful round target with Gold being at the centre followed by red, blue, black and then white. These are all scoring zones anything out of the white black line is a miss. There are other types too and the popular ones are Field which will be a course set out either in a field or woods and various targets, usually in shapes of animals, will be set out and archers will have 3 attempts to hit target if they hit with first arrow that is their scoring arrow and no need to shoot the other 2. Clout is another style and is also proving popular amongst archers. This is set out at various distances depending on Junior, female or male, everyone stands on a single shooting line and fires their arrow safely up in the air hoping it will land in the target circle which is highlighted by a flag for the centre in the grass.

Imagine you are at top of your castle and you are defending it from the enemy on the ground below.

As with many sports training is the key and archery is no exception. All potential archers are required to complete a beginners course prior to them being able to join their local club and Archery GB. Most clubs offer these throughout the year and this is where you will get the very important safety rules, which all archers have to adhere to, and how to put a bow together, learn basic technique, how to load arrow into bow and more.

WWW.ARCHERYGB.ORG

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Naomi is the painter and interior stylist behind Martha and Arthur Furniture and Finishes.

She has worked as a residential furniture designer, a project manager and specialist art teacher. In 2019 Naomi stepped back into design and founded Martha and Arthur Style.

Having met whilst studying Three-Dimensional Design, Naomi and her partner Dan are clearly design addicts. Dan who has exceptional creativity is a talented craftsman; his furniture is regularly featured in British lifestyle magazines and fills beautiful interiors across the world.

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I created my first mural for Martha’s nursery. At the time I was working as a teacher but still spent my free time sewing for relaxation. The style of our house at the time was very eclectic, we have always loved visiting antiques fairs and collecting vintage ceramics; anything 60s retro, and I wanted the mural to really ‘pop’. Children are drawn to bold colours as their eyes are not fully developed yet so they are drawn to the contrast.

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I didn’t paint another mural for a few years (being a new mum was tough on time) but I didn’t forget the enjoyment and I did begin sketching and painting again.

Drawing has always been my happy place and I can literally while away a whole day sketching with the radio just for company - it’s my own bit of therapy to recharge my mummy batteries! For years family and friends encouraged me to focus on my painting so in 2019 I took the plunge and set up Martha and Arthur, Furniture and Finishes.

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Having worked with children for 16 years, I am passionate about creating environments that are not only functional but as unique as our children. I understand the day-to-day demands of spaces and ensure that our children, no matter what challenges they face, are able to get the most enjoyment from their personal environment.

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bedrooms have different functional requirements, but their spaces all reflect their interests and their unique spirits.

As I get to know my client, I bring their ideas to fruition with sketches and colour schemes that complement their personalities. Expectant parents radiate excitement and it’s such a wonderful time in their lives and it’s such a pleasure to create a warm and safe space for them and their baby.

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Designing a nursery is how many of us begin welcoming a new arrival to our home. Creating a soft and cosy space for us to bond with our baby is key. It is incredibly fun however, it can feel a little overwhelming at times, especially with the ever-growing list of ‘must-haves’ - most of which are completely unnecessary.

My advice is think: soothing not stimulating; seen but not heard and timeless classics.

They will not be a baby forever!

When designing a space for babies think beyond the next 2 years, realistically you want to think long term and not get caught up with the cute baby furniture.

I always begin by creating a mood board, either digital or physical and focus on textures. You want this

space to be calming and nurturing but also somewhere that before children you would enjoy being too so a reflection of your personality – you want it to be children friendly not childish.

I choose purposeful furniture and tactile textiles. Living with a cabinet maker, I’m aware of the environment impact of mass production and try to steer clear of items that I know in all reality would end up in landfill. We’ve also had some great finds from Facebook.

The key is to keep it timeless.

If you are using heirlooms or pieces of sentimental value focus on these first. Martha’s changing table was Dan’s chest of drawers from his childhood. Dan made a changing top for it which allowed us to return it to its original form a few months later. Think longevity. Oh, and don’t forget the big comfy chair and footstool.

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Before you start spending a small fortune on testers, take some time to sit in the room at different times of the day. How much natural light does it get? Where does the light land? How does the light affect the mood of the room?

Bold colours are great in environments that need to stimulate people - this room is mostly about sleep and somewhere you will need to feel relaxed too. Corporations have used the science behind colour psychology for decades, likewise we as parents need to be aware of the effects of colour on our mental and physical wellbeing. Numerous studies have found that when we are exposed to certain colours it

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can improve sleep habits, and more interestingly, mental cognition including memory and mental processing.

Cognitive psychologists have discovered different design principles to enhance memory performance and colour is one of them; even enhancing academic performance.

There is a great deal of research showing how colour can impact not only feelings but behaviours too. Children are naturally drawn to bolder colours as they only seen in black and white at first and it takes time for them to see tones - but we have all seen the result when a child dresses themselves!

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Think of colour as warm or cool.

Warmer colours (orange and yellow) bring happiness and comfort. But using the right tone is important too; the brighter the yellow the more stimulation it frustrates and in research has shown it made babies cry more than any other colour. Red has been known to increase the heart rate and therefore increase alertness and the appetite, yet cooler colours such as blue and green tend to have a calming effect. Green which is made of yellow and blue, is the perfect balance: it promotes concentration, soothes the mind and doesn’t overstimulate communication or creativity. In current trends, green has seen a rise in popularity; symbolic of nature. It compliments all other colours, so it is really easy to style.

But this does not mean you can’t have rich ‘grown-up’ colours to provide contrast for baby’s eyes, nor inject some personality with a bold mural. A dark space can be lighted up using a split wall with a scallop edge, and lighter textiles.

Using darker tones can create a level of sophistication such as Farrow and Ball’s Pelt – a rich deep purple. This is a place for rest and relaxation for you too so you need to feel comfortable both physically and mentally.

Ultimately, we should remember that our psychological responses to colour are deeply personal. We all feel differently about a colour based on our own cultural and personal experiences with that colour. So, if your little loves red, don’t worry about the science, just be clever with your application use it as an accent in the mural and in the textiles.

EN NO TER W

Click HERE to win a fun family portrait session & desk frame in total worth £175!

T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F

FA M I LY P H O T O G R A P H Y

In a world now saturated with photography thanks to social media and the smart phone, you would think that the professional portrait ought to be on a decline. However, more and more people are visiting the professional photographer to make sure they have great looking images that last beyond the moment.

The role of the professional photographer is to bring energy, emotion and imagination to the portrait and not just a record of the occasion.

Everybody wants to look better than in real life and that is exactly what a professional portrait does. The shoot gives you and your family the perfect experience to remember the emotion and relationship between each other.

When the tragedy happens, which is all too often, the thing we reach for is photographic memories. That’s why our Xperience photographers dedicate themselves to creating images that will bring smiles across generations, helping to give you memories that are made to last a lifetime and beyond.

So don’t put off getting your Xperience portrait!

Speak to one of our photographers so they can discuss your ideas, your needs and your family.

“THE PERFECT PHOTOGRAPHY XPERIENCE F O R A L L . .”

The Xperience Group is an independent collection of Professional Photographers based in the UK & Ireland, specializing in a variety of photography subjects but with one goal: The Perfect Photography Xperience for all.

The variety of studios which are spread throughout England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, all represent a pursuit of excellence in creativity as well as the perfect image and presentation for the clients home or business.

As experts in our field, we specialise in making our subjects look amazing. From family to pets, our creative use of light guarantees that every subject looks natural with their character being brought forward, no matter who or what they are.

From CEO to the Mail man, Sole trader to Celebrity, Pedigree to Rescue dog, all our clients value the professional images that we have created for them.

“E SPECIALISE IN MAKING OUR SUBJECTS LOOK AMAZING”

After your portrait session, each Xperience photographer chooses the best images before enhancing them to create your personal wall art.

The viewing process is an awesome experience by itself. The Portraits are viewed larger than life in the studio viewing room or in your own home, the unique cinematic show brings the portrait to life.

During the viewing, we will help you make the right selection as well as giving you ideas on how the portraits can bring new life to your home and interior design Presentation & framing will vary between the different photographer’s depending on their individual speciality and style. However, you can be assured they are all professionally printed and framed through our specialist partners. All offer a creative and inspirational design element with specialist finishes making each portrait perfect for your home.

To find out more about the Xperience Group, see your nearest Xperience photographer click the links below.

I wanted to walk around the edge of Britain to get under the skin of our mysterious island nation and to find photographic inspiration. I’d previously only been able to find unique photos abroad but that all changed after I walked from the source of the Thames to the sea with my tent and a camera in 2012. On that trip, I slowed down enough to see Britain with fresh eyes, especially when the river became coastal. I was hooked and wanted to commit to the coast for a prolonged period.

The Perimeter, my walk around mainland Britain, totalled 6,835 miles and took 454 days of walking, 268 days of photo editing and countless days of planning over five years. I would walk in sections of between 2-9 weeks at a time before returning home to edit the pictures, earn money from selling the prints, and prepare for the next section. I walked a daily average of fifteen miles in which I allowed for three hours of photography. I sustained this rhythm for five years throughout all the seasons as it made the photography more diverse. I mostly slept in a tent to save money but also as I felt sleeping on the soil connected me to the landscape and meant I could be optimally positioned for dawn and dusk photography.

I carried up to twenty kilograms on my back and was self-sufficient in terms of food, fuel and power for five days at a time. On the

fifth day, I would stay in a B&B or someone would put me up where I had sent ahead ration packs of dehydrated food.

I set off from the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral on 17th April 2015 towards Kent before heading clockwise west along the South Coast. The urban was sloughed off after a single day and it was only a few days before reaching the enigmatic desert of Dungeness, a part of the coast that’s gradually growing as the current builds up more shingle around the headland. Soon I’d reached the chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters in Sussex where walking along the rolling grass feels like flying above the sea. On reaching the Jurassic coast in Devon dramatic cliffs become the norm which carries on into Cornwall where the coast path often involves hundreds of metres of daily ascent.

Quintin Lake

The Perimeter

“The Welsh coast path was consistently fascinating” The exhilaration of walking across the Severn Bridge was palpable as the crossing marked one quarter of the journey and the entry into Wales. My diet was now supplemented by Bara Brith and Welsh Cakes rather than Cornish pasties. The Welsh coast path was consistently fascinating and seeing plumes of steam rise from the Port Talbot steam works were as jawdropping as Worm’s Head in Gower which seems to reach into another consciousness. I loved stopping in cafes and hearing the music of spoken Welsh around me before heading along an unknown clifftop path.

At Barmouth, the rail bridge runs like a zip across the landscape a perfect harmony of the natural and humanmade with Cadair Idris and the surrounding mountains behind.

“that confirms the Right to Roam is alive on the ground” By the time I could see the Liver Birds in Liverpool, I was limping heavily, my typical remedy of food, sleep and painkillers not helping. It transpired I had split a tendon in my foot as a repetitive strain injury which meant I needed to get help and wear an immobilising boot for seven weeks while it healed. After this hiatus, it was only by the time I reached Cumbria that I was trail fit again and able to relish the views of the fells from the sea. When I pitched my tent near a milecastle on Hadrian’s Wall I realised just how close I was to Scotland.

As I following the Solway away from Gretna Green the first person I meet in Scotland in a farmer who, rather than tell me to get off his land, as would happen in England, lets me know the easiest way to cross and asks me if I’m alright for provisions. This is such a heartwarming encounter and one that confirms the Right to Roam is alive on the ground. I leave him with a grateful wave as he returns to fixing his fences which, like many I’d seen today, had been flattened by last weeks heavy flooding.

“I felt a greater sense of loss on leaving Scotland than ending the whole journey” Almost half the journey, two hundred days, were in Scotland and was a completely distinct experience as the right to camp and walk anywhere gave me a sense of belonging that I never had in England.

Physically the walking in Scotland was far more challenging as the lack of paths requires more initiative to move over the often very mountainous landscape.

The Knoydart Peninsula in Scotland was both the most beautiful and the toughest section of the walk. As the mountains fall steeply to the sea, the easiest route in this pathless terrain is via mountain ridges and passes, which at my time of passage, was complicated by the wet winter and gale-

force winds. As it was winter four hours of everyday involved night hiking with a head torch and each evening, I poured water out of my boots and peeled off wet clothes before entering the sleeping bag and the sanctuary of the tent.

I felt a greater sense of loss on leaving Scotland than ending the whole journey, but I was cheered up by just how beautiful Northumberland is with pristine beaches and extraordinary evocative places like Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne which I walked to on the pilgrims path over wet sand at night guided by a full moon.

“I succeeded in hauling myself up some steep ground, collapsing at the top” My most terrifying moment came in Holderness in Yorkshire, where the cliffside erodes five metres every year. Here, over time, roads crumble into the sea, and whole villages have been lost to the waves. I didn’t know any of this, and was walking on the beach below the cliffs, assuming that when night fell and the tide came in I’d be able to find a pathway up to the clifftop. But as the tide started approaching, I could see no way off the beach. As the water lapped over my boots, I panicked and thought I’d have to scramble up the cliff-face, goodness knows how. I began to jog along the beach, then broke into a fearful run, my flashlight bouncing around as I tried to beat the tide.

Eventually, and probably just in time, I succeeded in hauling myself up some steep ground, collapsing at the top and panting with the adrenalin.

“By the time I got back to the trail in August I was determined to finish in a Single push” I bid farewell to the last high cliffs of the journey and entered the flatlands and expansive skies of East Anglia that encouraged a change in my photography to capture its subtle and abstract beauty. Just as I was starting to think that I might be able to reach my goal the coronavirus pandemic struck and when lockdown was announced I left the sanctuary of my tent in the Dunes of Norfolk to return home for four months.

By the time I got back to the trail in August I was determined to finish in a single push.

Even a few days from the finish line at London, there was one final major challenge: The Broomway. This is a 9km tidal path connecting the mainland to Foulness Island and is know as England’s most dangerous path as it’s taken over 100 lives because the tide comes in faster than a person can run and is affected by wind and air pressure.

Furthermore, the path (which is invisible on the ground) must be followed very precisely as on one side there is sinking mud and on the other side there is unexploded ordnance. When I walked it alone, the clouds were reflected in the wet mud like a mirror, so it felt like walking on water.

The last night in the tent was by London gateway Port where I heard the clanking of containers being unloaded. For the first time, I could see the twinkling of the lights of places I had already walked: Kent across the Thames estuary. For three more days, I followed the funnel of the Thames to the centre of London where I was reunited with my family on the steps of St Pauls.

Britain is a small island but has a vast coastline; 1/4 of the circumference of the globe, yet the dense variety of geology and history means the landforms, plants, buildings and accents vary at walking pace. Walking the British coast felt like a beautifully choreographed piece of music – one or two weeks had a particular mood, and then that mood would evolve as the topography changes.