Empowered Magazine Issue 4 by empoweredmagazineuk

EMPOWERED MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | APRIL/MAY

FROM THE ASSISTANT EDITOR

Wow 4th issue. I am so proud of us right now. What can I say about this month? First of all, a special Ramadan Mubarak to our Muslim readers! Ramadan is in the 9th month of the Muslim calendar. I remember many friends of mine at primary school celebrating Ramadan therefore, learnt a lot about it. Secondly, Tracy Kearns, our parenting columnist will sadly be leaving us. This issue will be her last as she has many things going on outside of the magazine, along with trying to complete her masters so, we at Empowered Magazine UK wish her all the best in the future!! We have many amazing articles this month. I have had the privilege of reading the majority of these. We have been swamped with emails which have been amazing to go through. Since my last letter, I have started my new module with the Open University Investigating psychology, I have also completed and passed my first assignment of his module, pretty impressed with myself to be honest. Now to smash the rest of them. LOUISE RIDGWAY HOPSON ASSISTANT EDITOR

LIFESTYLE CHRONIC PAIN AND THE NICE GUIDELINES By Claire Helen Swain

The pain is throbbing down my entire spine, electric shocks shoot down my legs, the sweat drips from my forehead and trickles down my pulsating neck. I have been laying here for weeks, the odour from my body is revolting and the rumble in my stomach is becoming an ache. My eyes are bloodshot red, my cheeks are swollen, and my pillow is soaked from my despair. The ring of the telephone continues to drill through my ear, more warnings of payments that are overdue and a manager’s angry tone at me no longer being there. The flicker of the Christmas lights shines through the corridor, a festive tune jingles with the aim of spreading joy but my heart feels like it will hurt forever more.

I lost everything. My home, numerous friendships, my passions, my goals, my career that I put my entire being into and my overall independence. I have suffered from chronic pain for fourteen years (amongst other health conditions). Continually fighting my body to enable me to achieve and having to battle with health/medical professionals for effective pain relief to enable me to function. Yet, it was on that Christmas described above that my body could not cope any longer. The doctors in my hometown would not help me but I was lucky that my now husband welcomed me into his home, and I was able to see a doctor in a Leicestershire who supported me with a referral to a specialist neurologist and stronger pain relief which has not cured me but has enabled me to have some quality of life. Instead of spending my entire life in bed, I can now communicate with my loved ones and engage in some activities that are meaningful to me.

Over a third of the population suffers from chronic pain (The British Pain Society, 2021) still it is highly stigmatised. General Society and even several health/medical professionals appear to struggle to comprehend that an individual can be in severe pain twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Chronic pain is devastating, disabling and countless people are unable to work due to the severity (The British Pain Society, 2021). The British Pain Society (2021) reports that the treatment of pain is a human right. Yet, there is a huge gap between the needs of patients and what happens in practice. However, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK published cruel guidelines for Chronic Pain Patients in April 2021. I have been campaigning against these barbaric changes since 2020 (I began when the changes were in the proposal stages).

LIFESTYLE NICE only approves Acupuncture, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance Therapy, Exercise and Antidepressants (NICE, 2021). NICE no longer approves vital pain relief medication and treatments that a vast amount of chronic pain patients need to function. Dr Rajesh Munglani (2021) who is a pain consultant and a member of the British Pain Society states that many chronic pain patients rely on the medication that is no longer approved for any quality of life. He also states that removing pain medication from those in desperate need is a cruel health policy. The guidelines are for primary chronic pain patients, which is awful in itself. However, as the Faculty of Pain Medicine (2021) states there is a real risk that the new guidelines will be used for a large number of people including those with different Identifiable causes of pain. And primary chronic pain patients who subsequently develop secondary chronic pain will neither be recognised or treated appropriately. In my communications with NICE, they report that health/medical professionals do not have to follow the guidelines and that there is a lack of evidence to support the no longer approved medications and treatments. Yet, Pain Concern (2021) and The Faculty of Pain Medicine state that “The guidance is based upon crafted-together evidence rather than scientifically-strong evidence.” Also, I was previously a health professional, and I am aware that the NICE guidelines are seen as the gold standard. Therefore, many health/medical professionals are reluctant not to follow the guidelines in case of possible repercussions such a medical negligence claim. In addition, health/medical professionals are under severe pressure in hectic environments, and it is highly unlikely they will have time to analyse every reference used. So many chronic pain patients have been contacting me via the campaign reporting how distressed and some suicidal over the changes. Please help us fight this cruelty – Hashtag #ChronicPainisNotNICE Facebook @ChronicPainisNotNICE and Instagram @Clairebearmelmel & LinkTree https://linktr.ee/clairechronicpain

LIFESTYLE Claire's research comes from: Pain Concern (2021) https://painconcern.org.uk/pain-concern-statement-on-newnice-guidelines-2021/ The British Pain Society (2021) https://www.britishpainsociety.org/about/ Dr Rajesh Munglani (2021) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/09/painkillers-cruelhealth-policy-nice-guidelines The Faculty of Pain Medicine (2021) https://fpm.ac.uk/fpm-concerns-regardingnew-nice-chronic-pain-guidelines The British Medical Journal (2021) https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n942 NICE (2021) https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng193

LIFESTYLE AIRCRAFT NOISE AT RAF FAIRFORD IS NOTHING TO WHAT UKRANIANS ARE EXPERIENCING By Chris Roberts MBE – www.chrisrobertsmbe.co.uk

I have lived in Fairford for nearly 30 years and covered the local news as a freelance journalist for 22 years. I have also been a Fairford Town Councillor for 22 years and was elected Mayor of Fairford in 2005. In those roles and for all those years, I have been involved with personnel and events that happen at the RAF Fairford air base. I have met with the RAF base commander at RAF Fairford and have met and had dealings with probably around ten possibly more – I’ve lost count – different USAF air base commanders. I’ve been invited to their homes, parties, dinners, lunches, celebrations, changes of command and got to know their families. These are normal men serving in the military representing their country and making a living to provide for their wives and children.

LIFESTYLE They obviously knew when they signed up that there could be a chance they might have to fight for or on behalf of their country, but the world stage has been relatively calm for years and it was unthinkable until recently that anything was going to change their status quo and the stability and peace of the world. My home is approximately two miles from the main gate to RAF Fairford and I frequently see and hear the aircraft flying in and out of the air base. Only a couple of months ago, I was invited to RAF Fairford to meet another new base commander and see a demonstration of a B1-B bomber take off, circle around the airfield and then come back in to do a touchand-go landing right in front of us in the control tower. They are noisy, very noisy, but nothing to what the poor people of the Ukraine are enduring at the moment.

As you would imagine, there’s a lot of activity at the NATO air base in Fairford at the moment due to the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. B-52 bombers, which first flew in 1952 and can carry nuclear bombs, and F-15E fighter jets have been seen and heard in the skies around Fairford and on the runway. They are noisy, very noisy, but nothing to what the poor people of the Ukraine are enduring at the moment. RAF Fairford officially opened in January 1944, just before the end of World War II and was initially intended to be operated by the United States Air Force. But the RAF used the base to lift British troops for Operation Market Garden to help the Allies towards the end of WW2. Since then both British and American personnel at the base have been part of Fairford’s rich and diverse history.

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In 1948, the Americans occupied RAF stations around the UK including Fairford to build up a deterrent in Europe against the Soviets. Seventy four years later, we seem to have come full circle! When USAF returned with the KC-135 Stratotankers, the airbase was activated again in 1978 with refuelling support for USAF operations, deployments and re-deployments as well as participation in NATO exercises. In fact, Fairford has been at the centre of many of the world incidents. Its most prominent use has been as USAF’s only European airfield for heavy bombers – using B-52s and KC-135s in the first Gulf War in 1991 plus B-1Bs in Operation Allied Force in 1999 and later, during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Iraqi Freedom included B-52s and the iconic B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and U-2 Spy Plane nicknamed Dragon Lady. They are noisy, very noisy, but nothing to what the poor people of the Ukraine are enduring at the moment. My claim to fame – if you can call it that – is that I have sat in the cockpit of a B-52 bomber, climbed the steep and treacherous steps into the miniscule cockpit of the B-1B bomber (or Bone, as it is known), got up close and personal with a B-2 Stealth in its custom-made hangar and flown in a KC-135 Stratotanker.

LIFESTYLE The latter experience was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There were about eight privileged people invited to take part in a refuelling exercise over the English Channel just off the coast of East Anglia. I was lucky enough to be one of those invited. After being strapped into the lateral seating along the sides of the monster cargo plane (no passenger seating), we took off from RAF Fairford for the short flight to rendezvous over the English Channel with the F-15 fighter jet. It was an incredible sight to watch, lying on the glass floor of the undercarriage of the KC-135, I was almost eye-to-eye with the pilot in the F-15 Lightning fighter jet below. The two planes flew conjoined together courtesy of the fuelling pipe for quite some time before the mechanism disengaged and the F-15 fully fuelled roared off into space. For two years between 2000 and 2002, the runway and fuel systems underwent a $100 million upgrade – the largest NATO-funded airfield construction project within a NATO country since the end of the Cold War. Additional improvements continued until 2008, including the construction of two climate-controlled hangars for the B-2 stealth bombers. For a few years from 2010, all was quiet at the RAF Fairford NATO air base as the US government withdrew most of the uniformed personnel based there, leaving only around 100 civilians working on base as part of RAF Fairford’s Lean Operations to maintain it on a ‘care and maintenance’ basis. The local population did wonder if there was ever going to be activity at RAF Fairford again and actually missed the noise and variety of the aircraft, the camaraderie of the Americans visiting our local pubs and restaurants and hankered after the dances and functions usually held free of charge for the residents of Fairford and its nearby villages. There was a huge flurry of activity when, in September 2014, President Obama paid a visit to Fairford on his way to the NATO conference being held in Newport, Wales.

LIFESTYLE I think the whole of the Cotswolds came out in force to stand by the perimeter fences along the country lanes to see Air Force One approach and land at Fairford escorted by Merlin helicopters. I was lucky enough to have been told about the President’s visit beforehand and managed to get some great photos of the US President landing on Fairford soil. A few months before President Obama’s pit-stop at Fairford, regular heavy bomber exercises returned to RAF Fairford with the B-52H, B-2A and the B-1B making frequent appearances in the skies of the Cotswold Market Town and its neighbours. Currently, as a result of the rising tensions between Russia and the Ukraine, there are more B-52 bombers on deployment at RAF Fairford and the noise from these and the engines of other aircraft can frequently be heard in the early morning or through the night. They are noisy, very noisy, but nothing to what the poor people of the Ukraine are enduring at the moment. I think we are all hoping that they will not be used in anger and this crisis in the Ukraine can be de-escalated soon.

LIFESTYLE AUTISTIC PEOPLE ARE AMAZING! by Tracy Kearns

Don’t put your thoughts and social expectations on your child! They do not see the world in the same way you do Truth is no one does! As parents, the words should, and must, would be best left out of your vocabulary!

My 16-year-old is the most imaginative and amazingly blunt person I know, he is always telling you exactly what he is thinking and why he thinks that even if the reason is from when he was 3! My son is an autistic person (language is important!) and he was diagnosed at 7 after spending years battling a system that didn’t want to support and help us when at that point, we had a struggling family who had no idea why! I want to share with you the most important information that I wish someone had told me when my little man was small. He also says it’s something that everyone should know!

My son tells me that he feels, sees, and expresses things in his life differently and he is very proud of this! When little, a lot of our biggest disagreements, looking back, had been me thinking he must do things like going to groups or complete work a certain way, the way expected within the boundaries I had built in the world! Choose your disagreements wisely. Why are you pushing? One of my most powerful Parenting tools and tips that I give people when coaching is offering controlled choices, pick yourself up off should and must mode, into choice and could you.

LIFESTYLE It’s important to give children choices, encouraging engagement and decision-making skills. You are also showing that you value their individual view of the world! Use some words like This or that How would you do it? How many? Who could help us? As they get older stretch those questions What would make that work for you? How do you see it? What does that look like for you? So I can hear you shouting how do I get them to do anything! Well first get clear on what you want them to do and why, because I said so is not a compelling discussion! Offer limited choices for example : Shoes or boots today? Would you like to walk fast or slow? Could you count fingers or toes? Would you like mum or dad to read a book Blue or red shirt? Empowering choice gives your child control over the small things, so the big things are less overload! Communicate in the way that works for them when giving these options, my son used to need humour to take pressure off of situations so we always added a silly answer and that’s what he picked, he then either pointed to or grabbed which one he was really picking! The important lesson in all this is to empower your child with as many choices as possible, empower them to feel in control to create their environment!

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BULLYING Our main feature this issue is about the harsh reality of bullying. All of the stories in the next section are real stories by real people so before you hit the section we wanted to put a trigger warning up for anyone who struggles with this topic.

NORRY ASCROFT COVER STAR LIFESTYLE THE TRUTH ABOUT BULLYING Norry reached out to us via email after seeing our call out on social media for magazine articles. He asked us if we were planning on doing a feature on the growing bullying problem in the UK so we discussed it and jumped at the opportunity to interview Norry and have him on the cover.

What made you want to write a book on bullying? I was emotionally driven to write the Truth About Bullying book after I had read another heart-breaking story of a young girl who died by suicide because of bullying. Being a parent, it hit me emotionally, because that could have been my daughter if she didn't know the true human weakness behind any form of bullying. I researched all the anti-bullying websites that were available at the time, and although the information was very good, I knew it didn't go deep enough with the bullying problem. The book was one way I could get the information directly to more parents and teachers. I kept the book simple to read and as short as I could so that it was a quick read. Parents and teachers can get through the whole book in around 90 minutes.

NORRY ASCROFT COVER STAR LIFESTYLE Do you feel we can help change the way others look at bullying? Absolutely, 100 percent. I have seen this happen many times already from the teacher trainings and parent sessions that I have done. If this information is consistently taught and learnt in schools and at home, the difference will be remarkable. The problem we have had is that AntiBullying sessions tend to be one-offs, or at best irregular messages of HOW bullying is wrong. The Truth About Bullying first helps you truly understand WHY people bully, and then HOW to deal with it.

Should personality differences and the equation in your book (thoughts>emotions>behaviour) be taught to children from primary age? Yes, it should, and it is being taught in some primary schools already. The teachers can adapt the information to be age appropriate in their class. My program is meant to complement what they are already doing in class, regarding behaviours. It isn't designed to replace any other programs; it is there to be used alongside them. The information is based on the foundation of human behaviour and can be used for any age group.

Do you feel schools and their faculty should be taught new ways to approach bullying? They have to be. The bullying problem in schools and online has been continuously getting worse. If you want a different outcome or result, you have to do a different response. The Truth About Bullying is totally different to anything that has being used in schools. It is my goal that every school will use this information to make a direct difference with our children's mental health.

Should schools be making children aware more of social media bullying as it is increasing? I actually think that schools are doing a lot to bring awareness of cyberbullying on social media and chat groups. But awareness doesn't solve the emotional problems that bullying creates. Logically, no one should bully another person, but we're not dealing with a logical problem. Bullying, and all other weak behaviour is emotionally driven. This is why I believe so passionately about the information I share.

NORRY ASCROFT COVER STAR LIFESTYLE Do you feel we should be installing the E+R=O from your book into our lives so it is as natural as walking and talking? This is exactly what E+R=O is all about. It applies to every single thing that we do and feel in life. Once it is learnt fully, it changes all areas of your life. When parents and teachers use it in their own lives, then they will automatically drip-feed it into the children on a daily basis. This is the key to success with the bullying problem. It gives you the power and ability to respond rather than react. To be in a stronger emotional state to deal with bullying.

How has your book and training helped others so far? I have had some wonderful feedback from parents and teachers. To read comments of how it has helped children gives me true fulfillment. I have also had parents and teachers tell me how the information has helped them personally with their own issues. A primary school in Greater Manchester has even put the information from the book and training into their official school behaviour policy.

Do you feel making bullies aware of what they are doing and perhaps why they do it will help control the bullying situation? This is an essential part of what is needed. The bullies don't actually know the real reason they bully others. By exposing the con-trick behind all forms of bullying, we can definitely reduce the number of bullies. The honest truth is that there will always be some bullies because it's a human behaviour weakness. But we can dramatically reduce it, and make sure that our children don't lose their self-esteem and confidence to it. You can find Norry's book The Truth About Bullying on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Truth-About-Bullying-EssentialTeachers/dp/1838046801 You can also find Norry on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/norryascroft/

LIFESTYLE WHAT DOES BULLYING REALLY MEAN? By media consultant and mum Fiona Scott.

We all think we know what bullying means yet it can take many forms and it can come from any direction – at school, in the workplace, in the home or from wider family members. Also for some of us, people can receive our behaviour and interpret it as ‘bullying’ when we’ve never intended that or we simply saw it as ‘banter’ or as trying to ‘motivate someone to make a change or push forward’ and they simply cannot do it. I’d be lying to you if I said that hasn’t been raised with me in the past once by a family member. On at least one occasion I’ve had to reflect and consider how I behaved in the future and on another occasion I felt the accusation was unreasonable. Even with the latter though I changed my behaviour by withdrawing from their circle of friends. Better safe than sorry, I felt.

LIFESTYLE Then it started to get physical – pinching, pulling my hair, pulling off my back pack and throwing it on the floor and pushing me off the kerb into the road. Even now I suspect these two women, now in their early 60s, would deny that happened. It happened. When you are bullied you remember those particular details. What I cannot remember was how long I put up with it. I guess it was a few weeks however I eventually refused to go to school. My poor mum pleaded, threatened, even smacked me (normal then) and I didn’t budge. Anything was better than being in their company. Eventually she got the story out of me and, to my amazement, believed me from the outset. And that’s the key. Tell someone you trust as they will believe you. So many schools now have a real weakness when it comes to bullying such as it’s ‘six of one half a dozen of the other’, they seem to try to make the victim of bullying take the action over dealing with the bullies. Unless it’s a police matter, they don’t want to know. As a parent, my mum didn’t hesitate. As these girls were neighbours, she marched down that evening and knocked on the door of one of them. As it happened, the offending teenager came to the door and, in front of this girl’s mother, my mum pinned her to the wall and said “you touch or come near my daughter again and I’ll show you what a bully really looks like.” The mother was flapping around going ‘oh dear, oh dear’. Mum and I walked away and even then I said to my mum ‘what if the police come around?’ and mum’s answer was clear ‘let them and we’ll list all the things she’s done to you and we’ll see what happens then?” The police didn’t come around. The next morning the other girl, who lived opposite and who hadn’t been in the previous evening, crept out of her house and crouched down to crawl behind the cars on her way to school. My mum was waiting for her and yelled her name across the street. Clearly she’d been talking to her partner in bullying overnight. My mum pinned her against the wall and she started crying ‘I’m sorry Mrs Bune, I’m sorry Mrs Bune…”. No defence, no denial, a complete capitulation.

LIFESTYLE I think it’s because I’m an extrovert, I’m a ‘doer’ and I can get impatient when others don’t ‘do’ things my way or speedily. In other words, I preface my personal experience of bullying by saying that anyone can be a bully. The fact is that a good person accused of bullying will examine their behaviour, own it and seek to not repeat it if they recognise they were in the wrong. They will say sorry, they will recognise the impact they have had on another person even if that negative impact was not intentional. I was first bullied while in my first year of secondary school or ‘big’ school (now called Year 7 in the UK). It started off very slowly, a word here or there from two girls who were neighbours and who were older and went to the same school. My mum thought it would be nice and safe for me to walk to and from school with two girls we all knew. It was not nice and soon it was not safe. As a pretty naïve kid, this year at school was a huge shock to my system. It was big, there were 100s of children and I was one of the smallest and my safe little world of primary school was gone. Everything assaulted my senses. Big school meant big crowds, language I’d not heard before, an obsession with sex and sexuality – none of which I’d been exposed to (and nothing’s changed by the way). The bullying started by laughing at me. Trying to get me to repeat French phrases and words and then laughing at my pronunciation – as I had only just started French lessons. Then it was about what I was wearing (my family were not well off so I didn’t have the latest fashions, I had chunky shoes built to last), then it was about my behaviour, then it was about my friends. I remember I did try to stand up to those 'friends’ however I wasn’t great at having a smart quip or ordering my argument in the moment. There were two of them and one of me so I was being ganged up on every day. It was a real power thing from two girls I now recognise as terribly pathetic.

LIFESTYLE I never walked to school with either of them again. In fact I barely spoke to either of them since that time. I realise that it could have been a lot worse if my mum had not taken such decisive action without hesitation and fully aware of the consequences. I’ll always be grateful for that. It has meant as an adult that as soon as I recognise anyone for bullying behaviour I have called it out. In my professional career, I saw it a few times and was able to act quickly to diffuse a situation, particularly with celebrities, to ensure that they knew straight away that my boundaries were tight and secure and I would not be treated with disrespect. Having said that on one occasion, someone was bullying me and it took me a long time to recognise it. They’d been a close ally, someone I respected for several years and then something changed. I’m aware what it was and the impact of that personal situation was taken out on me. It was not until someone else called them out on their behaviour towards me that I had that moment of clarity. I was allowing this person to speak down to me on an almost daily basis simply because we had a relationship going back a long way. I’d refused to recognise it. I acted that day and put measures in place to disrupt that behaviour as I still had to deal with this person. And in the workplace that’s really hard. Over time, this person stopped that behaviour due to those measures however the friendly working relationship never quite recovered. There was always a slight distance there, a frostiness. I accepted that was a consequence of the whole situation. With my own children, especially when they were younger I showed them what bullying was, I schooled them about how not to be a bully and what the consequences of that would be at home. I supported them when they were bullied, usually taking matters up with parents direct rather than the school or university. I discovered this, my children are resilient, I cannot protect them from bullies I can only give them tools to deal with it – and as for the education system, absolutely nothing has changed. The bully always seems to be given the benefit of the doubt and the blame placed on the shoulders of the bullied. Teachers will even tell you that they know you are right however the ‘system’ or ‘process’ is this or that.

LIFESTYLE My best advice is this – make yourself such a pain in the arse of the school, university or senior management that they have no choice but to make a change which takes you or your child out of harm’ way and, if possible, calls out the behaviour of the bully. Also if you are a bully at school and you are not called out on it, you will probably be a bully in life. You will keep on repeating destructive behaviour and, if you don’t recognise that, you will go to your grave wondering why no one really liked you and you had no close friends or even partners.

*Picture shows Fiona with her eldest daughter Samantha, now 22. You can find Fiona Scott at www.scottmedia.uk

LIFESTYLE BULLYING BY CLAIRE HELEN SWAIN

My heart is racing, I can hear the pounding in my chest. I look down to the pavement, walking as quickly as my feet will take me whilst gripping tightly on to my school bag. Another jolt shoots through to my shoulders and upper spine. Damian has been kicking my backpack continually since I have left the school gates. “You are a fat cow!” Kick.. “You are going to end up like a disabled freak like your mother.” Kick… Damian is older, taller, and stronger. He is one of many who enjoy bullying me daily. The school I attend has never felt like a safe environment and the cruelness spills out even after the last bells rings. “Go away, go on!” My Auntie states as I reach the next street. Relief floods through my body as I see Damian sulk away. “Thank you.” We both smile as we walk around the corner to my Auntie’s home. Yet, my temporary relief soon starts to fade when I think about the next school day. I attended school in the 1990s and early 2000s, Bullying was seen as a ‘right of passage’. Something we all had to go through. My late mother reported the severe bullying to the education establishments, she explained it was the same as physical and verbal assault. Yet, it was never taken seriously. I was bullied throughout my school education and the experiences have not left me psychologically. The impact of bullying on a young person's mental and physical health has been well documented since the early 1990s. Bullying has a significant long-term and short-term impact, according to a large body of studies (Anti Bullying Alliance, 2022).

LIFESTYLE One of the short- and long-term effect of bullying is mental health issues. In my early teenage years, I was diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Depression. Leaving the house became a mammoth task. I experienced intense panic attacks when attempting to attend school or even just leaving the house. When eventually I was unable to leave the house at all without the support of a trusted person. It took me several years, but I am grateful for the expert care I received from the mental health services and support from my loved ones. I did not achieve any GCSE’s due to such a long absence from school. However, I restarted my education as an adult, and I am now educated to master’s degree level. I have achieved in my life despite the cruel bullying I have experienced, yet I often think I would have achieved or experienced more in life if those experiences didn’t occur. All schools are required by law to have anti-bullying policies in place. The participation of a school in combating bullying should not begin when a student has been bullied. When bullying occurs, schools must act quickly to respond, support the bullied student, and guarantee that bullying does not occur again (The National Bullying Helpline, 2022).

Claire's Data is from: The National Bullying Helpline (2022) https://www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk/ Anti Bullying Alliance (2022) - https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/toolsinformation/all-about-bullying/prevalence-and-impact-bullying/impactbullying

LIFESTYLE BULLYING COULD HAVE COST ME MY LIFE… by Julianne Ponan, CEO of Creative Nature and ambassador for Anaphylaxis UK.

Bullying, for me, was not like you might imagine. When someone thinks about bullying, they often think of name-calling, ganging up on someone smaller or quieter even physical violence. However bullying didn’t show up for me in that way. You see, I was already different. I already stood out and from the moment I started school I found out what loneliness could truly be and I believe this happens to children like me today too. Now in my early 30s, happily married and running a successful business (Creative Nature, offering delicious, nutritious snacks and baking mixes which are free from the top 14 allergens) – I can look back and realise that my experiences of bullying have served me in my life. However I wouldn’t quite say I’m glad about it.

LIFESTYLE The truth is that it was discovered when I was a toddler that I have very serious and life-threatening allergies. I collapsed after eating a cookie and tests revealed my allergies and that I also have anaphylaxis. Indeed today I’m an ambassador for Anaphylaxis UK spreading awareness of this lifethreatening condition. To give you a clue of how bad my allergies are, I once collapsed and ended up in intensive care because I inhaled the fragrance from my dad’s aftershave. If I’m exposed to allergens and have a reaction, it will soon affect my ability to breathe. I’m allergic to all nuts and cannot have them near me, I cannot consume them, put any product on my skin or hair which contains any nuts or be around anyone who has eaten any nut product. I’m allergic to sesame, chickpeas, lentils and far more. When I have an allergic reaction I, and those around me, have to act fast to disrupt it and prevent it getting any worse. Therefore we do all we can to stop it happening in the first place. Now imagine being at school with allergies like this. From the beginning of primary school I was often alone. I sat and ate my meal alone on the so-called allergy table. Parties with friends were difficult, especially then when there was so little choice of ‘snacks’ or party foods for someone like me. It was easier to leave me out than count me in. School trips could be tricky as my allergies also affect the food choices of others around me. I now work with someone else with allergies who used to have to wear a sign around her neck on school trips so everyone knew not to give her certain foods. Allergies often isolated me, they felt like the bully on my back every single day. One incident I remember clearly was putting on my coat to go home and feeling something in my pocket. Some other kids had thought it would be funny to stuff my pockets full of walnuts. Funny to them, life-threatening for me. I had to run for help and take action to prevent an allergic reaction escalating to anaphylaxis and I was just a kid.

LIFESTYLE I don’t want to suggest that I didn’t make friends. I’ve always tried to ‘fit in’ where I can and my closest friends got used to my situation and it became normal for them too. I went on to university and a plan was made to work with my allergies. I was not made to feel ‘different’ or ‘odd’. I was made to feel welcome and included. I now try to encourage other children to do the same. There is always a way to have the best possible life. Yet even now unexpected moments occur where I feel on the back foot or that my allergies make me feel like a ‘pain’. In business, I’ve found this multiple times at networking events where they will not guarantee that there will be no ‘nuts’ in the room and I’m talking about nuts you eat, not any other kind of ‘nut’! Last year I organised a destination wedding for myself and my husband Matt overseas which was allergy free – it was truly a journey of planning and yet a journey of such joy when we finally made it. Even then I had an allergic reaction as a hair product had nut traces in it which we had not realised! In business, many women can find themselves bullied because of their age, their gender, their size without taking into account something like allergies. However there’s always a way through and if there is not someone supporting you – then you can always flip the switch and be a support to someone else.

You can find more about Creative Nature here: https://www.creativenaturesuperfoods.co.uk/

LIFESTYLE MY BULLYING JOURNEY By Indigo Camryn

I was bullied literally from nursery through to the end of school. I’ve been beaten, humiliated, stalked and more. When I was 13, the school counsellor tried to get me sectioned because I just wanted to die. I went to five different high schools in different towns but it always ended the same. I was even put in a school in a hospital to get me away from mainstream school but nothing changed. Several times I was pulled out of school and taught at home by my mum but the schools - whose teachers were aware of the situation and completely unsympathetic reported us to Truancy Officers. At my final high school in my final year, I’d had enough. I had to make something positive come of this before leaving school for good, something that would continue long after I left. My mother and I talked and came up with an idea which we put forward to the school and they agreed to. I met with the headteacher and so the Peer Mentor Scheme was created. The idea was that senior students would support younger students who were being bullied or struggling to settle into high school.

The concept was approved and the students who wanted to be involved underwent a day of training by the school counsellor and the school support worker. After that day of training, the students who were chosen were given a badge to wear that would indicate to others that they were a trained Peer Mentor and safe to approach. The Peer Mentor would then set aside some time and have a one to one meeting with the younger student, listen to them, advise them (unless it was something very serious, in which case a teacher would become involved) and report back to the school.

LIFESTYLE They would also sometimes be assigned a student if they were requested - whether it was because a student had interacted with and felt more comfortable with that particular Mentor or maybe all the other Mentors were taken. It was important that the Scheme didn’t interfere with the Mentors’ studies so it was a balancing act for the school but, as well as helping their peers, it also taught them important life skills such as empathy and really listening to another human being. I was home-schooled by tutors from the school for my final year as I couldn’t face going back to that building but knowing that I’d created this programme and it was really working was extremely fulfilling. I went through purest hell my entire school life and I didn’t want any more kids to experience what I endured. The Peer Mentor Scheme continued on for years after I left - I don’t know if it’s still going but even if it’s not, I’d like to think that it wasn’t just the students who learnt from it but the school itself too. That’s something I’ll always be proud of. There was no point to what I went through for all those years - so I made one.

LIFESTYLE SAMANTHA JAYNE APRIL IS A MONTH FOR BOLD ACTION! As we entered March a new cycle began, one that has us all wanting to commit to our own personal goals. A time where even though there are challenges, we may find ourselves motivated, inspired and driven. The perfect mindsets to achieve what matters to us most. For some this may mean taking a leap of faith into the unknown. Starting projects that provide us with the opportunity to be creative, use our imagination and build the things we dream about. Things that allow us to fully be who we are in a positive way. We should feel powerful, sexy, creative, intuitive, attractive and energised through this cycle. All of this makes us magnetic and able to attract what we desire. This is a time for making important changes in our lives and our businesses. Major transformations can occur now and beautiful new relationships can begin. You should find yourself feeling much more optimistic about life through the month of March and into April.

April is a month for bold action, there may be an energy of competitiveness in business and in work but this is a great time for coming together and working together in groups to make a difference in the world. We will need to keep it real though. We need to be realistic about what we can achieve in the month ahead even though we have big goals for our lives and our businesses. This is a time for bringing in major change and truly stepping into a life you have designed. Will you be turning the pages to start the next chapter somewhere in your life?

LIFESTYLE Over the last decade I have been blessed to be able to volunteer with charities and other organisations to help people who had fallen through the safety net of life. The manager of one of those charities asked me if I could help someone she knew who had a dream that seemed impossible to make come true. From the basic background information, it wasn’t impossible at all, just a dream in need of a different approach. So a meeting was arranged with Tom and over a cup of coffee at a local hotel, his story and dream unfolded. Having made some bad decisions in life, Tom had lost everything and become homeless. Life on the streets was very tough and after some time out there, Tom was offered a place in a shelter. The accommodation was fine but due to alcohol and drug issues with some residents there he couldn’t bear to stay around during the day preferring to head out for a cup of coffee and a sensible conversation where one could be had. Tom’s dream was to work with young people to help them stay off the streets. When he spoke about the dream, he had such passion about him that I knew it simply had to happen. He didn’t have qualifications or practical experience of working in this field so all doors seemed to slam in his face.

TOM'S STORY BY RAY DAWSON

We agreed to work together to make the dream happen and research was done and introductions were made. Weeks and months passed but Tom was motivated and would not give up. One major charity actually declined his application on the basis that he didn’t know much about being homeless. That made no sense. The rejection hit very Tom hard. A conversation late into the night revealed that he felt like giving up so I asked him what he was doing the next day. “Nothing really” he replied. “Good then how about meeting me tomorrow at a business fair but you need to trust me, all will be explained tomorrow”.

LIFESTYLE Tom and I met up but he couldn’t see why he was there as he wasn’t in business. I asked him to tell his story and weave his dream into it in just a couple of minutes. Tom created his on the spot elevator pitch for his dream. His passion shone through his words and a business friend sat with us and listened to his pitch. She said how inspirational Tom was and she promised to help find an opportunity for him. We headed into the hall where Tom told his story to three business people who agreed to listen. The feedback was amazing and honest. Tom got his motivation back. Shortly afterwards, he was accepted as a volunteer in his chosen field, then became a full time preventing youth homelessness worker with the charity. He loved it and thrived as his dream came true. He was already empowered to make this happen, he had just forgotten how.

LIFESTYLE LIFE AFTER UNIVERSITY YOU DON'T OWE ANYTHING TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF BY CHLOE QUINN, 29, NORTHERN IRELAND

I graduated in 2016 after four long, difficult years studying a degree that I wasn't meant for. I pushed myself into a career that was more suited to sharp tongued devils with quick wit and an inability to be compassionate. But, believing I could disguise myself as one of them, I persevered. I put myself through the certifications and dove head first into the dangerous world of the meat industry. At first I was able to fool myself, but after a while it became apparent that my compassion would be my downfall. You can't be gracious and caring in an industry dominated by men, most of them butchers and hard as nails. To them a cut is a cut, but as a health and safety officer a cut is a potential claim, and it needs to be reported. I was merely an inexperienced, meek little woman, who did I think I was telling them what to do? The anxiety bloomed, and soon my work followed me home. I would lie awake at night thinking about all the things I had to do, the men I had to look after, the reports I needed to file and even the claims I needed to deal with. Had I done this or filed that? Had I performed first aid or assessed the damage correctly? My training was, to say the least, minimal. I was shown once and expected to remember and know the next step as if I were magic. Bare in mind, I was fresh faced from university and thrown into an industry I had very little knowledge of. There were machines and dangerous things I'd never even considered before, yet I was expected to know as if I'd been working there for years. It wore me down until I was nothing more than skin and bone in quite a literal sense. And the day I filed my resignation was, looking back, a joyous day. I was free to start again. But at the time it all seemed so dark, my mind was clouded with grief after several family bereavements and my ongoing mental health recovery.

LIFESTYLE I've come to learn that I don't owe anything to my younger self. She thought she wanted fast paced, a high salary, a title and respect. Now I realise that all comes with stress and responsibility, far beyond what I actually want. There was a time that I felt ashamed for letting that part of me down . But now, as I sit here as an accomplished writer and illustrator, working a casual side job and with plenty of time for hobbies, I realise I owe her nothing. Recovery and freedom from the 9-5 has taught me that money and job titles aren't the be all and end all of life. My mental health has improved to the point where I no longer need to take my antianxieties and I've been discharged from eating disorder services for well over a year at this point. Neither of these things would be possible if I were still working in my old job. Life is what you want to make it. We only live for a very short time and I find it difficult to grasp that we're expected to work ourselves into the grave. Yet, at a time I would have just accepted it. Now my life is about living, creating and spending time with my cats, my husband and my family. It's about vacations (now that we can), celebrating every small achievement and being the best friend that I can. If you're struggling with your path in life and everyone is giving you their opinions; Stop. Sit down and think about where you would like to be in 5, 10 or even 15 years. Think about what you as a person can handle and don't be ashamed if the answer isn't the same as your friends. You owe nothing to the version of yourself you dreamed of as a child or even a young adult. Don't be afraid to follow your true path.

LIFESTYLE ONE MUM OF A CHILD ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM HAS DECIDED IT IS TIME FOR POSITIVE CHANGE.

When her son started school, like many parents, Polly was a little nervous but genuinely excited for him. He'd loved nursery school so why not 'big school'. Within weeks she was struggling with a near constant barrage from his teachers pointing out negative behaviours. Her personal circumstances as a single parent were regularly highlighted as ‘reasons’, the suggestion being that she was failing as a parent in some way. It didn’t make sense. Her son had always been a happy child. There had been no real issues in the relatively relaxed structure of the nursery and his older brother was healthy, happy, secure in himself and his life, had friends and was achieving at school. The process to access support was (as described by the Education Committee) a ‘treacle of bureaucracy’. It was draining, physically, mentally and emotionally. The paperwork, the complicated and tedious forms, the ‘parent blame’ all seemed never ending.

LIFESTYLE Polly worked for a Military Charity at the time, and it was thanks to her knowledge of service delivery in this sector that, she identified the processes public services were required to deliver. She involved her then MP, who was extremely supportive, writing letters on their behalf, she pointed out when services didn’t follow their own rules, complained when she found inconsistencies or additions in processes or when governance and compliance were not adhered to. It worked. Her son, who has a complex diagnosis on the autism spectrum is now in a specialist school setting where he is finally thriving. In fact other parents asked how she got through the process so ‘quickly’. Her son had been in mainstream school four years by then, and for her, those years had been a constant battle for her son to get the support he needed. And that is considered ‘quick’ in this sector. Four lost years of education – and this doesn’t even touch on how difficult those years were for her son. During those years she was shocked at the lack of information volunteered by sector professionals, and even when it was made available it was often confused or contradictory. Parents and carers have to do endless research and know the ‘right’ questions to ask – and often ask them several times before getting any answers or they are left in the dark. Polly heard so many times ‘someone should do something’ from other parents, carers and even sector professionals who want to make a difference but can’t because the system doesn’t allow it. She put her head together with a friend and they came up with SEND unlocked. SEND unlocked – about to launch the first stage of their programme – will provide parents and carers of children and adults with specific needs, a pathway through the maze of bureaucracy surrounding access to SEND support, by taking control of the information and delivering it through the innovative, user friendly, SEND unlocked SEND Directory.

LIFESTYLE JOURNEY TO MY SON’S AUTISM DIAGNOSIS By Sally Willbanks

When he was little, my son met all his milestones. He seemed to be a very happy baby, he was a great sleeper, and he was totally chill. At about 10 months old, he did spend a lot of time spinning metal bowls on the floor, and I do recall thinking along the lines of, “That’s interesting, that’s what autistic people do”. But still I was clueless. At around 16 months old, my husband discovered my son on his back, arms and legs splayed, eyes wide and frightened, unable to roll over. From then on, he could not or would not roll over, and lying him on his back was near impossible. When we did, he would go stiff as a board, with wild hysterical eyes and start to cry. Changing his diaper was a problem, but we were able to do it if we put him on his change table, facing the same direction every single time.

LIFESTYLE When my son was two, my friend mentioned to me that I might get him assessed for sensory processing disorder. My son hated mess, refused to touch things, needed everything to be cut up in bite sized pieces so he could use a fork, and refused at all costs to take his shoes off. He still would not lie on his back and couldn’t be spun around in any way. He was also very angry, but we thought that was just the terrible twos hitting hard. When my son was three, I went to a nearby not-for-profit organization supporting children of all abilities, and a team of different therapists assessed him over three days. They were not able to give him an official diagnosis, as they were not registered to do so. However, they were the ones who told me it was autism. But guess what? I didn’t believe them. My knowledge of autism was very limited, and I thought they had it wrong. My son’s sensory issues were undeniable though, so on their advice I found a reputable OT who started doing occupational therapy with my son every week. This OT’s previous job had been with Autism Australia, so she was very experienced working with autistic kids. After three months of therapy, I gathered up my nerve and asked her if she thought my beautiful boy was autistic. She nodded her head. My son was almost 4 years old. After that it was all appointments. We immediately went to our pediatrician who looked at me like I was crazy and spoke to me like I was an overbearing and overprotective mother but told me that he would send my son to be assessed by a trusted child psychologist who specialized in autistic, ADHD, and gifted children. When leaving the pediatrician’s office, he assured me that my son was not autistic. We had four sessions with the child psychologist, but after the first session she let me know that my son had many ‘red flags’ for autism. We left after the fourth and final session, assessment complete, with a diagnosis of autism, level 1/2, most likely ADHD (she thought he was too young to give an accurate diagnosis), and gifted. We went back to the pediatrician’s office, and he gave me no apology. He signed off on the diagnosis and it was official, my son was autistic. Everyone’s journey to diagnosis is different. Since then, my quirky and amazing daughter has also been diagnosed as autistic, with ADHD and giftedness. It is so worth finding the people you trust and dismissing the people you don’t.

LIFESTYLE OUR STORY By Nicola Reekie Everyone told me my son would grow out of ‘toddler tantrums’. My husband and I were met with constant meltdowns and upsets. Just getting him dressed and taking him to nursery on time was impossible. But things got worse. He was extremely fussy about food. If two different items on his plate touched he wouldn’t eat them, he would leave anything charred and he’d even refuse chocolate if a piece was broken. Other children told me my son was controlling when they played with him. He would only play with certain toys in a regimented way. On top of all this, he barely slept. Me and my husband were permanently exhausted - we looked like the walking dead! It was hard to get a diagnosis. I felt the professionals saw the anxiety of my son instead of the autism. When my son was diagnosed at 9 years old, we sought the help and support we needed… and realised there wasn’t any due to the lack of recognition of PDA. The PDA profile is frequently overlooked by both parents and professionals due to little awareness. For example, the PDA profile of autism is not used in diagnostic tools for ASD.

LIFESTYLE We had no PDA-specific support, despite difficulties we faced on a daily basis. One day I noted everything I asked my son to do when he got up; dress, eat breakfast, brush teeth, put shoes on, be out by a certain time. I realised if you asked me to do all those things at once, I would be overwhelmed too. By using non-directive language, offering choices when he was younger and changing the way we ask him things has made a huge difference. For example, “which pair of shoes would you like to put on? when do you think you'll have your food?” I used to sit quietly thinking of how to rephrase questions I asked in different situations. We still make mistakes as life constantly changes. It took months of applying these strategies to create changes. As a family we learned to become a low demand household. Changing our language, reducing demands and looking after our own wellbeing have made a massive difference to our lives. The biggest change was our thoughts and beliefs as parents of how we ought to parent a child. By understanding PDA we’ve implemented strategies to create a calmer and more peaceful environment - for us all. When life is challenging, we know what life is like for our son and we understand certain behaviours. In 2019 I did several talks on wellbeing for parents of young people with a PDA profile, as I knew first-hand how important self-care is. From these talks (e.g. Autistic Minds, Cardiff) many families and professionals told me they needed a deeper understanding of PDA.

LIFESTYLE So in 2020 I started to organise a PDA conference but, like everything else, it had to be cancelled. But the silver lining is that we created an online summit in a Facebook group instead. We are now running the 4th PDA Summit with 30+ speakers coming together over 3 days (1-3rd April 2022) to discuss PDA in detail and share lived experiences, educational challenges and therapeutic support. Originally the aim of the global summit was to raise awareness of PDA but now it also empowers, educates and supports families and professionals to get to grips with PDA and learn new techniques that might work for different situations and needs. The PDA Summit is FREE to access with a paid option to have access until March 2023. www.thepdaspace.com https://www.thepdaspace.com/summit-2022

LIFESTYLE THE JOURNEY TO A DIAGNOSIS IS A LONELY ONE By single mum of two Samantha Goldman

The fight to get help for James has been long, difficult and disappointing. While I knew, from the time when james was just a few days old, that there was something not quite neurotypical (although I didn't think it in those terms, I thought that there was something off and different about him), my concerns were dismissed by almost everyone, including professionals, that I spoke to. They convinced me that it was all in my head, that, instead of there being something different about my son, there was something wrong with me for 'looking for something to be wrong'. Some of this, I'm sure, is meant to be reassuring in some way. I still get these comments now, "oh there's nothing wrong with him", "Oh if only he could talk you'd think he was normal", "He doesn't look any different". Although people may think they're being nice, or kind in some way, it makes me want to physically attack them.

LIFESTYLE James is my son, I spend 24 hours a day with him, I get 10 hours away from him a week. The other 158 hours I'm with him. I'm caring for him, soothing him and doing my best to stop him from hurting himself. People spend as little as 30 mins with him then they try to tell me i'm wrong and he's fine. He is fine. He's the perfect version of himself and I love him for all that he is and ever will be. This doesn't mean it's not hard, that I don't cry late at night when it's all got to be too much for me, but every day I do it all over again, because I don't have another option. I first started seriously looking for help for James when he lost his ability to talk, he started talking at the normal age then stopped completely overnight. When I called up.my health visitor to talk about my concerns I was dismissed, told that it could be due to trauma which, honestly, made me feel like I was being accused of something, this feeling carried on when I was asked invasive, unnecessary questions, by the professionals I was begging for help from, about my finances and if I had social services involved with my children.

LIFESTYLE Shortly after this conversation I researched how many visits my son should have had from the health visitor, James had not been seen since he was 6 weeks old by my health visitor, despite the guidelines being that he should have been seen at very least twice in that time, apparently we 'slipped through the cracks'. From this I put in a complaint with the NHS, and suddenly we could be seen that month. When we were seen, my son scored over 100 points below the minimum for getting help and support, and a referral was put in for speech therapy, to OT, physio, audiology and the paediatrician. That was back in June 2020. Since then we've seen the physio, OT and audiology, we've also had our first appointment with the paediatrician (over teams). There are so many hoops to jump through, I've had to go on course and be 'signed off' on so many different things that all eat into my very precious 10 free hours a week, and even though I have not found them helpful (probably because of my care background), I've done all that has been asked of me. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that it's the parent that screams the loudest for help (and just keeps on screaming and chasing) that gets the help they need. Day to day life is hard with James, he is non verbal, self harms, has only slept through the night 5 times in his entire life and, although he doesn't mean it, is very violent towards myself and his older brother. People either see autism as a superpower (oh hell be the next Einstein!) Or as something not quite human. James is human, James laughs, cuddles, eats, plays and loves jumping in puddles, he just sees the world a bit differently. I often try to put myself in his shoes, the world must be such a confusing place for him, he likes his routines and things to be the way he likes them. He prefers being at home, I think this is because things make sense for him at home, it's not too noisy, bright and People aren't always trying to get his attention, he can just be himself. The hardest part for me is the lack of support, I'm a single parent without any family nearby and it's incredibly isolating.

LIFESTYLE REVIEW OF “THE PLOT” BY JEAN HANFF KORELITZ; PUBLISHED BY FABER.

BY JANE LACEY-CRANE

Hey there Booklovers – how the Devil are you? The world is a tough place to be in right now, isn’t it? Or perhaps that’s just me. Full disclosure – I’ve had to up my medication for depression and anxiety in the last few months. As I write this, it’s 1pm. I took my kids to school this morning and then retreated back to my comfort zone to hide; I’ve only just emerged from my duvet cocoon, blinking at the light and in desperate need of a shower. But that’s how my brain likes to roll. As always during these dark days, I have taken great comfort from disappearing into the fictional worlds created by some wonderful authors, and the book I’m reviewing this month was one that spoke to me immediately and kept my depression riddled brain busy enough so it couldn’t focus on all the other stuff. As someone who writes fiction, the premise of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s “The Plot” really struck a chord with me. It’s the story of Jacob Finch Bonner, a writer who has had some considerable success with his first book but finds himself struggling to come up with the dreaded ‘Book Number Two’ – I can totally relate! So, when a young writer he is tutoring dies before completing his first novel, Jake helps himself to its plot; a plot which Jake’s former student described has having the most original plot ever seen. The resulting book is a huge success – we’re talking film rights, Netflix specials and meetings with Steven Spielberg – but someone out there knows what Jake did and they are determined to make him pay for it. Anonymous emails begin to arrive and if Jake can’t figure out who he’s dealing with, he risks losing everything.

LIFESTYLE I found this book to be an enjoyable, gripping and clever literary thriller, for the most part. I say that because, although it was an intriguing read, it had a few issues. Since I hate it when reviews give away plot spoilers, I’m going to have to be very careful with what I say but there are a couple of unfortunate obstacles to The Plot's ultimate success. As we read, we are given snippets along the way of the book that Jacob Finch Bonner writes. It’s called “The Crib” and is a twisty tale of murder, revenge and family. But the much hyped ‘plot twist’ is actually quite easy to guess and is a staple of crime fiction. The second is that the identity of the blackmailer is, I would say, immediately guess-able. This book is a slow burner, and not only at the beginning. But it’s worth persevering because it’s still an enjoyable read. One of the ways that Jean Hanff Korelitz sustains our interest is by withholding the details of this supposed 'greatest plot ever' for most of the story, although as I said, you may feel a little cheated when you discover what the amazing twist is, as I'm not sure it quite lives up to the hype that the novel creates around it. For the most part the main character is a likeable anti-hero, but I suspect my sympathy for him, and his creative plight might have more to do with having been in that situation myself. Quick note here – I have never stolen a dead person’s story idea! – but I have experienced the utter desperation he feels when he is unable to find that one idea that will spark his imagination and light that creative fire. When the muse doesn’t want to come out to play, it can be a dark and difficult time for a writer. Perhaps this book should be required reading for anyone who wants to become a published author as a handy guide to the industry’s perils and pitfalls? The book also raises an interesting question about the moral quandary of helping oneself to the plots of other writers, given that the best authors unashamedly borrow and steal from others, so what exactly constitutes plagiarism? You can't copyright an idea, but here it's the idea that's stolen. Our main character writes every word and changes all the little details. Is he still wrong to have stolen the story? Or is it wrong just because of where the story came from? You as the reader must make that distinction for yourself.

LIFESTYLE In the end I think I will give the final word on this to a writer who is much greater than I am, the inimitable Mark Twain, who wrote that: “There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.” Jean Hanff Koreltitz is an incredible writer. All her books are strikingly original and “The Plot” is no exception. If you enjoyed watching Hugh Grant being quietly, and pretty sadistically, evil in Sky Atlantic’s recent mini-series The Undoing, you might be interested to know that it was adapted from a book by the same author. So that’s it from me for another two months. I wish you all peace and joy and hope and, of course, plenty of time to read lots of lovely books. As ever, I’m always happy to hear from readers of this wonderful magazine so please get in touch if you want to tell me about books you’ve read, or if you just want to reach out and say Hello! Much Love, Jane x Facebook – Jane Lacey Crane – Author Instagram – @janelaceycrane Twitter - @JaneLaceyCrane Amazon Author Page - Amazon.co.uk: Jane Lacey-Crane: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle

BUSINESS INTRODUCING MARIAN EVANS Marian Evans, has recently been awarded inspirational businesswoman of the decade

Marian is a UK business coach and advisor for top-tier executives and leaders with reviews that frequently mention her first-class results. Marian Evans, as a business coach, is often sought after for her ability to unlock people’s A-game. She gets them to set themselves higher goals whilst giving them a clear roadmap on how to get there. She is a highly valued coach and mentor with a unique ability to unlock people’s potential whilst also supporting them to overcome any obstacles holding them back. She is one of only five people in Wales who have been awarded the Fellowship of the Institute of Leadership and Management. Marian, now runs multiple businesses and also founded Elevate BC in response to individuals and businesses seeking a confidant with a proven, market-leading track record. Her qualifications and credibility as an executive coach, mentor and consultant allows her to facilitate at an unparalleled level due to her impeccable reputation which shows results and discretion. Marian has built her career with one eye firmly on the next milestone and is also a school governor and Ambassador for ‘Women on Boards.’

BUSINESS In 2019, Marian won the award for the most ‘Inspirational Woman of the Decade’ at the Wales Women in Business awards. In 2018, Marian won the coveted ‘UK Mentor of the Year’ (WIFAAWards, London) and she was recently recognised as one of the UK’s top 10 Role Models. Along with being an ambitious businesswoman, the most important roles to Marian are enjoying being a mother and a wife. Marian recently hit the headlines when the secret got out, about her purchasing her childhood dream home, Llansteffan castle. The fact that Marian bought the Castle is a great example of her track record for achievement. Marian maintains a reputation for exceeding expectations and doing what she sets out to do. Quietly, Purposefully and Politely!!

You can find out more about Marian here: https://www.elevatebc.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/marianevansuk/

BUSINESS 5 LEADERSHIP LESSONS I’VE LEARNED IN MY 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS Marian Evans was recently awarded inspirational businesswoman of the decade. She is a UK business coach and advisor for top-tier executives. Business coach Marian Evans is sought after for her ability to unlock people’s A-game and to set themselves higher goals whilst giving them a clear roadmap on how to get there. She is also one of only five individuals in Wales awarded the Fellowship of the Institute of Leadership and Management. Below Marian lists her 5 leadership lessons which she has learnt during her 20 years in business as an industry leader. 1. You can’t control people’s behaviour, you have to inspire it. 2. Don’t make yourself smaller to make yourself fit in. Expand your environment to match your potential and growth. 3. Empathy is key to effective leadership. 4. You will get things wrong. But it doesn’t need to hold you back. 5. The sooner you can self-validate your vision, the quicker you can share it with others and see it become a reality. And I’m still learning. That’s an attitude central to any kind of growth; an acceptance that you will never know it all… I love listening to and speaking with other like-minded leaders. Exchanging knowledge and experience is what keeps me thinking differently and reviewing my perspectives or approaches. As an advisor and coach to top executives and a multiple business owner, I owe it to clients to stay agile and open in my thinking. What about you; who are you learning from as you build your career or business?

BUSINESS 3 BIG MISTAKES I MADE WHEN I STARTED MY BUSINESS By Cassandra Farren I must have been mad to even consider setting up a business. I was a single parent on benefits. I ended my marriage and subsequently lost my house. I knew nothing about marketing, sales, accounts, social media, branding or business strategy.. I had no business plan, just a £400 temporary overdraft and the hope that I could make my children proud and make a difference in the world. There were 3 things I thought I needed. A website, a Facebook page and some business cards. I nearly quit before I started as I thought I would embarrass or humiliate myself or that people would judge me. I took a very deep breathe on the 10th of January 2013 and took a big leap of faith in to the unknown and launched my first business. These are the mistakes I made; 1) I asked strangers for advice I would ask anyone I knew what they thought of my my business, I was told “Don’t have a Facebook page” “You HAVE to be on Twitter” “You HAVE to blog every week” (I had to Google what a blog was!)” You have to pay for a have a business phone number” I went from feeling proud of what I had achieved, to feeling really deflated. Lesson: Ask likeminded, supportive, people in business for advice They will be able to give you constructive feedback based on who your ideal customer is as they understand that launching your business and website is super scary.

BUSINESS 2) I thought I had a successful business within 6 weeks! Within 24 hours of launching, I had my first paying client! I had over 100 likes on my FB page, I had been asked to speak at a networking event, I’d been asked to write an article for mums’ online magazine, I had an enquiry from New Zealand. Wow! This is going to work I thought to myself! Within 3 months everything stopped, and nothing moved forward. Lesson: It takes time! You have to take the time to learn about your ideal customer, what their needs are and then connect with them in ways that appeal to them whilst building up trust and rapport. 3) I hid away from the real me I am ashamed to admit that I used to avoid questions that would reveal that my last job was working as a cleaner. I used to hope and pray that no one asked me if I had a degree. Lesson: Be true to yourself and be proud. As my confidence in my business and myself increased I learnt that people loved the fact I had started my business with nothing more than sheer determination and hope. They loved the fact I was trying to create a better future for my boys. People have been moved to tears when I’ve shared my journey of the adversity I’ve overcome to set up and then had the courage to continue with my business. If I can do it, then you can too! Cassandra is a writing mentor who helps heart-led women to write life-changing books that make a difference. Cassandra has published 7 books which have received over 300, 5* reviews on Amazon. With no degree, no writing mentor and no former writing experience Cassandra believes that there are no excuses for not sharing your message with the world. www.cassandrafarren.com hello@cassandrafarren.com Join her FREE group, Heart-Led Authors here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartledauthors

BUSINESS WHY I SET UP MY BUSINESS By Michaela Hanna

Michaela tells us the reason behind starting her business 'With M' and shared her tips for others who may want to start their own business.

After a varied and interesting career, both in professional kitchens and in events and project management, I found myself becoming frustrated at not being able to influence change within organisations. I wanted to be fully accountable, so I became self-employed and set up a freelance private chef business. I thoroughly enjoyed the process, and the freedom, but there was still something missing - I missed spending time with people, interacting with clients and creating engaging events. I wanted to continue doing what I loved most, cooking for people, but also, I wanted to address these new issues. That is how I came to launch ‘With M’ in 2021. I developed unique retreats which combined my love of cooking and feeding people with the stunning Yorkshire Dales scenery - bringing like-minded people together to enjoy their favourite activities, and food! Building a business that brings people together to create lasting memories With M was set up with the vision to provide an immersive experience for guests, placing as much emphasis on the joy of the food as on the activity – retreats that allow guests to spend time doing the things they love, having a carefree, fun time, learning more about cooking, eating and making joyful memories along the way.

BUSINESS I decided to develop a fully engaging experience that captures guests’ enjoyment of food. Not only do they eat delicious dishes, but they can contribute to the content of the cooking demonstrations and expand their culinary knowledge during their holiday. The original ‘Active Gourmet Getaway’ experience I set up was out of my own passion for outdoor activities, creating short breaks that I knew anyone who liked to move a lot would relish. I collaborated with expert guides and coaches to provide feasting holidays that offered trail running, hill walking or cycling. As the business develops, I’m running regular half-day ‘Run and Brunch’ events and offering relaxing activity-based retreats, such as Feasting, Art and Gardening, Feasting and Holistic Relaxation, and creating bespoke events for celebrations, corporate away days, stag and hen parties. My tips to others These tips can apply to many different industry start-ups or people thinking about self-employment: Starting your own business can be scary, and hugely challenging – try to embrace those feelings. Those feelings are balanced with having full-control over your life and work direction, following your joy, which in turn creates freedom and opportunity – and you have full ownership of that. Give yourself a good dollop of self-belief and take things one step at a time. Don’t be afraid to try things out for fear of failure. It isn’t about failing, it's about learning what is right for you, and what you’re trying to achieve. When you explore the possibilities, you’ll discover what works. Ask for help and advice - absorb as much knowledge and expertise from people as you can – you can’t know and do it all. This will only add to your foundation of knowledge and allow you, and your business, to grow.

BUSINESS WHY DID I SET UP MY BUSINESS? By Celia Gaze

I was working as a Programme Director in the UK National Health Service in 2010 when I experienced work-related stress and corporate burn out which led me to question what I was doing with my life. Walking to work with so much stress that you experience chest pains, you are not sleeping due to worrying about your project and you are snappy with your partner when you return home, made me question was it all worth it? You would think that I’d just accept I was stressed and take time off to relax, but I couldn’t. I wanted to understand more about stress. I became obsessed with the causes of stress and enrolled on a stress management course. I based my coursework on the perfect vision of a business that would help individuals be as stress-free as possible. I recovered from stress by throwing myself into designing this perfect business, visiting 195 venues around the country to get ideas and assembling my vision and hope into a business plan.

BUSINESS My vision was based on applying the ‘Five Ways to Mental Wellbeing’ (New Economics Foundation, 2008) model to a business – these five activities were at the heart of my decision to change my life: 1. Connect – running events and courses from the farm; 2. Be active – llama trekking; 3. Take notice – the farm’s stunning location in the tranquil countryside; 4. Keep learning – transforming parts of the farm into meeting rooms and a cookery school; 5. Give – at the heart of the business model was the focus on sustainability. I used this framework to transform my partner’s neglected farm to create a perfect visitor experience purposely designed to help their wellbeing – this is how I came up with the name of the business – The Wellbeing Farm. I had read loads about the calming effects of animals, so central to the model was finding an animal which could live in a stable, survive challenging weather and didn’t take much in terms of looking after – llama’s ticked all three boxes and llamas started to play a central role in my business from initial llama trekking, to wearing bow ties and creating an amazing wedding experience. In the years that followed I can’t say it wasn’t hard, and I did experience more stress than I originally experienced in the NHS, but the stress is different – instead of frustration it is passion. It is the freedom that I have to run my business and design the life that I want. The decision I made eight years ago to do something to change my life and to transform a neglected farm into something special has paid off. The combination of sustainability, the focus on wellbeing, the growing popularity of llamas, my love of food and the setting of the farm have resulted in a business which has won many awards and has a secure future in terms of weddings booked at the farm. My book ‘Why Put a Bow Tie on a Llama’ tells the story of how I created and grew the farm from a once-neglected farm into an award-winning wedding venue. The morale of this story is if you have a crazy idea, don’t let anyone stop you; take the gamble. You only have one life, don’t waste it all thinking ‘What if?’ Live your life now and give it a go – what have you got to lose?

BUSINESS Celia Gaze Founder / Chief Amazement Officer & Head Stable Maid for the Llamas The Wellbeing Farm Wedding and Events Venue Wellbeing Corporate Co-Director Wellbeing Lancashire Author of Amazon best seller 'Why Put a Bow Tie on a Llama?' - National finalist in the Business Book Awards 2021 UK Winner of 'Best Events Team 2020' at The National Wedding Industry Awards Ambassador for The Burnt Chef Project Mob: 07967 681461 01204 852113 Wheatsheaf Hill Farm Plantation Road, Edgworth www.thewellbeingfarm.co.uk www.wellbeingcorporate.co.uk info@thewellbeingfarm.co.uk

BUSINESS BUSINESS WRITING AND TONE OF LANGUAGE BY LIS MCDERMOTT

In many people’s minds, we have got very lazy in our use of language. Some of it is down to the changing patterns of language and how we speak, influenced by our age, or social standing, and I’d say also, a great deal, down to our use of mobile phones and social media outlets, where we use shortened versions of words, or even emojis. Does it matter? My answer would be; it depends who your readers are. If you are in a business where there is a more serious professional expectation to how you behave, dress, speak and write, then yes, it does matter. However, if you are in a freer, possibly more creative business, then it may matter less. But, if you want to be seen as professional, it is still worth making the effort to write using the correct language and grammar. Especially, if you work with a lot of older clients. One of the things that I regularly hear and see, is people using ‘of’ and ‘should of’, rather than ‘should have’ and ‘must have’.

BUSINESS However, when writing fiction and dialogue, or writing informally, then you have the option of using the contractions, should’ve and must’ve. I.e. “That must’ve been annoying, mate.” Rather than the correct, ‘That must have been annoying, mate.’ Writing dialogue is completely different, because you are imparting something of that person’s character, and how they speak validates that. Plus, it can also show their age and background. Many of us use shortened versions of language when we speak to our friends, but again, these short cuts are not always appropriate when you want to appear professional and are talking to clients. An example I often use, is of a young dentist who when I first met him, recognising I was nervous, tried to calm me. However, he added the word ‘yeah’ as a question, at the end of every sentence. e.g. ‘I know you’re nervous, yeah? But, I can soon sort this out for you, yeah?’ Rather than putting me at ease, it had the opposite effect. He didn’t give me any confidence in his abilities. He didn’t give me any explanation about what he could do for my teeth problems. OK, probably my perception, but when I’m with a doctor, or a dentist, I expect them to use language appropriate to their profession. Had I met him at an informal event, it would still have got on my nerves, but it wouldn’t have worried me. In speech when we are lazy, people say things like, shoulda’, coulda’, woulda’. Basically meaning; I regret not doing something, but it’s too late to dwell on it now. Many people think it is a shorted version of:

BUSINESS I should of done my laundry on Sunday. However, it should be: I should have done my laundry on Sunday. I could have taken a shorter route. I would have gone shopping yesterday if I’d had time. Therefore, the correct shortened version for informal writing would be: should’ve would’ve could’ve In the long run, it is far safer to write the correct version when writing in a business-like, formal context.

You can find Lis at https://lismcdermottauthor.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/LisMcDermottAuthor

BUSINESS MY WRITING HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR A BOOK ABOUT “SUCCESSFUL WOMEN IN BUSINESS” BY CHRIS ROBERTS MBE

I am thrilled to have recently been invited to write a chapter for a book entitled Successful Women in Business. Not only has my chapter been chosen for inclusion in the book, but excerpts from the chapter are being used for the book launch. As a freelance journalist, I usually write about other people, events and businesses. My strapline is: ‘I poke my nose into other people’s business and then make up stories about them’. However, this time, I am writing my own story about my own personal experiences.

I am so excited to have had my writing recognised and included in such an inspirational and thought-provoking book. I have always wanted to write my own book, but have never had the time. This is the next best thing. The book, which has been launched by The Energy Healing Magazine and published by Lovely Silks Publishing, has been compiled to help female entrepreneurs on their journey to success in their business. Jacqueline Rose, editor of The Energy Healing Magazine said: “Women entrepreneurs are rarely satisfied with the status quo. During the course of researching this book, we have come to realise that breaking down barriers for women in the workplace is key to success for companies and for countries.

BUSINESS “That’s the message we hope readers will pick up from this book. When more and more women are seen at the top of organisations and running high growth technology businesses, the more this will be regarded as the standard and a perfectly normal and logical path to choose.” Delphine Beaumont, the Community Manager at The Energy Healing Magazine said: “Through perseverance, determination and a refusal to accept second best the 19 women showcased in this book will have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to become an inspiration to countless women across their professions and, in many cases, the world!” In my chapter, I explain how I didn’t have the best start in life – born as a total surprise to a dying, cash-strapped unmarried woman! There were a lot of hurdles for my mother to overcome and for me to deal with whilst growing up, but I try to show in the chapter how I overcame these handicaps and was able to take my first step on to the ladder of success. At the age of 16, I said I wanted to be a journalist, but was told ‘to get a proper job and be a secretary!’ So, for over 30 years I was a thwarted journalist working as a secretary in an office. However, with a little bit of luck and a lot of determination, I started writing for the local newspaper and, as the saying goes, the rest is history. In 2009, I was humbled and privileged to have been awarded an MBE by HM The Queen in her 2009 Birthday Honours. It was one of the most glorious and memorable days of my life being presented to Her Majesty, chatting to her and receiving my medal in front of my husband, daughter and son. I was literally bursting with happiness. During the 2020 pandemic, I started my own PR business – Chris Roberts MBE PR – and this has proved even more successful than I ever imagined, especially as I suffered from ‘imposter syndrome’ and truly believed that no one would actually want to pay me for what I did! I now have a number of paying clients that I write for on a regular basis; new clients wanting to engage with me each week and I continue to produce my regular rags and mags stories.

BUSINESS I love hearing about other people’s lives and businesses and then promoting their unique and interesting stories. Very often, stories are more powerful than paid adverts to promote what you do and who you are, because stories evoke emotion, are more engaging and build rapport and relationships. For example: if I was to create an advert about say a photographer and state that this particular photographer is experienced in child photography, portraits, animals or weddings, then you probably wouldn’t be overly interested as you have heard it all before, and many other photographers can claim the same thing.

If, however, I wrote a story to say that this photographer had won an award for a beautiful photograph of a child picking daisies in a meadow, then your interest would increase. It paints a lovely picture in your mind. If the story then went on to say that this child was the son or daughter of a well-known celebrity, then you might be even more interested and maybe even consider using the photographer yourself. This is how the right story can make a powerful impact. Sadly, or maybe fortunately, not everyone deals with celebrities, but every business has an interesting story to tell. It’s just a question of finding the powerful hook! Since starting my business in October 2020, I have been very busy. I never like to say ‘no’ to anyone, so will always try to fit a new or existing client into my busy schedule. I work very hard and quite long hours, but I enjoy what I do and get a real buzz out of making someone happy with a story that has been published for them. My job is a labour of love and something that I am pleased to have made happen after my initial desire to become a journalist 57 years ago!

BUSINESS Looking back on the successes and achievements in my life, I think I can put these down in part to my dysfunctional childhood – being brought up as the only child of a terminally-ill, financially-handicapped, single parent! A psychiatrist would probably diagnose that I suffer from ‘only child syndrome’. Children with this syndrome can be spoiled, selfish, selfabsorbed, bossy, but also have advantages such as achievement, intelligence and creativity. I believe that, over the years, I have managed to be resourceful and determined and not accept the hand that fate originally dealt me. And the ‘only child syndrome’ really does seem to have worked for me and has made me try much harder in life than I might otherwise have done. It is this philosophy that has helped me become relatively successful in life. My dysfunctional childhood and early life illustrates that anyone can overcome hard times; anyone can defy the odds and use adversity as a reason to find the strength and determination to build a better life. I escaped a life of being brought up by an ailing and sometimes bed-ridden single parent on benefits in a Council house in the rough end of town to living in a lovely home in a beautiful part of the country with a wellrespected business, comfortable life-style and enjoying family life with my husband of over 40 years and the two children that I always wanted. I believe that I have managed to beat the odds and have made good, positive things happen for me. Anyone can do this too if they want it badly enough. If you have enjoyed reading the above and a few little snippets from my chapter in the book Successful Women in Business, please read the whole chapter at: https://chrisrobertsmbe.co.uk/how-to-turn-adversity-intosuccess/. Alternatively, if you would like a copy of the book to other similar success stories, please let me know at chrisrobertsmbe@gmail.com.

BUSINESS STEM & GLORY

In the increasingly competitive restaurant business, it can be tough for newcomers to find their place; not so for award winning plant-based restaurant and bar brand, Stem & Glory. Having raised just under £100,000 via crowdfunding in October 2016, the brand launched their first location in Cambridge before opening their flagship London store in 2019 following their 2018 record breaking crowdfunding campaign. The efforts met their £350,000 target in only 5 hours– the fastest crowdfunded restaurant in history at the time. Founder Louise Palmer-Masterton and their acclaimed restaurant chain have used these funds to create the UK’s first carbon negative restaurant. Since it opened its doors in 2016, the vegan restaurant chain has used 100% renewable energy. To date, Stem & Glory has been operating at less than 20% lower emissions than the average restaurant and less than 23% of the average SME. Along with their unparalleled eco credentials, Stem & Glory are also pioneers on the new frontier of crowd supported businesses. Their newest development, set over two floors with an extensive vegan bar, will be located in London’s historic Broadgate Circle, and is scheduled to open in April 2022. This new location is being designed by the renowned Afroditi Krassic (Dishoom, Itsu) transforming it into a completely unique space – fitting for a brand quite like no other!

BUSINESS

To date, Stem & Glory has been 100% funded by its crowd in a testament for the adoration consumers and investors alike have for the brand and this new restaurant will be another chance for investors to grab a slice of their vegan pie! With the rapid growth of environmentally conscious living, and Stem & Glory’s largest Crowdfunder yet just around the corner, it has never been a more exciting time to get involved with the restaurant that is paving the way for a brighter and greener future. With Louise Palmer-Masterton having steered Stem & Glory to Best Enterprising Business as the National SME Awards 2021, the plant-based brand is driving the future of hospitality in an ever-increasing climate conscious world. And of course, in amongst all this innovation, can be found some exceptional Vegan food. Recently voted as the Best Vegan Restaurant in London, Stem & Glory are keen to show the world that good food can be healthy and delicious and still feel like a luxurious treat, without leaving an indelible mark on our planet. Founder Louise Palmer-Masterton shared this about her vision for her business.

BUSINESS “Sustainability underpins all our business decisions, and we are a carbon neutral business … The backdrop to our success has been the rapid and exponential shift in attitudes towards plant-based cuisine. We now see animal welfare and veganism regularly in the media, and corporations, supermarkets and ordinary folk are becoming more and more willing to make a stand for healthier and more ethical lifestyles. Our hope and aim is that we can make a contribution towards this shift in consciousness, in order that we can all live in a more peaceful and harmonious world.” If you’re interested in learning more about Stem & Glory, you can find further information here. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stemandglory Twitter: https://twitter.com/stemandglory Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stemandglory/ Website: https://www.stemandglory.uk

BUSINESS THE PREGNANT FITNESS JOURNEY LEADING AN EXERCISE REVOLUTION

Imagine you are mid-workout; you look to your side and see a pregnant woman lifting weights – what are your immediate thoughts? Best-selling author and personal trainer Charlie Launder is smashing the stigma around exercise during pregnancy with her new online fitness business, Bumps & Burpees. Charlie says, “When I found out about my second pregnancy, I knew I was in a unique position to connect with mums to-be across the world! They’re able to join a fitness class and think ‘oh, she looks like me. I can do this’. I wanted to show that they are not alone, they are not failing, and I am here to help them feel their best mentally and physically.” For the past seven months, the Bumps & Burpees community have been following Charlie’s fitness journey while joining on their own. Beyond the physical capacity of the program, the network of expecting mothers share in the day-to-day realities of their situation. Cardio, weight training, and dealing with toddlers walking in are all the name of the game for Bumps & Burpees!

BUSINESS “The style is very authentic so when things aren’t perfect, I show that!” says Charlie. “When my toddler comes in in the middle of a class, I keep it in.” Charlie’s down-to-earth and inclusive approach to fitness has seen her grow to become one of the communities leading personalities. Since founding Bumps & Burpees in 2014, Charlie has released the best-selling acclaimed book Bumps and Burpees, created and taught on the FIIT post-natal plan, and has become the pre/post-natal trainer on Alice Living’s app. As well as exercise, it’s the sense of community that being a part of the Bumps and Burpees family can bring that’s equally as important to Charlie. She says: “Physical and emotional strength is at the forefront of everything we do and helping you to realise the importance of looking after yourself as well as your baby is a big part of what we do. Learning how to keep fit and healthy as a new mum can feel intimidating so Bumps & Burpees is here to guide and motivate you when you need it. I am a “normal” mum with normal challenges, like everyone else. I want everyone who follows me to feel like I am a friend going through it with them.” With various levels of membership available, from as little as £10 a month, up to full membership which costs £29 a month, there is something to suit every budget, and at every level of membership you get the benefits of being part of a supportive and knowledgeable online community. Motherhood can be an isolating experience, especially for new mums, and Charlie’s mission to bring women together and to provide them with the tools and expertise to make exercise part of their everyday self-care routine, is an undoubtedly important one. If you’d like to learn more about Charlie and the Bumps & Burpees community, you can find more information here: https://boon.tv/bumpsandburpees Instagram – Bumps & Burpees: https://www.instagram.com/bumpsandburpees Instagram – Charlie Launder: https://www.instagram.com/charlielaunder/?hl=en Website: www.bumpsandburpees.com

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