World Book Day (on a budget!)

February 9th 2022

Edit: for those that have read this before, I have added a few more.

World Book Day is coming up soon, in March 2024. I love seeing the photos people share of their children on their way to school; I don’t love the stress that parents and carers have, worrying about sourcing and paying for a costume. It’s a wonderful thing to celebrate but, we’re all busy and, well, sometimes inspiration takes its time to strike.

So, I thought I would give you some ideas, many of which can be done on a budget, with things you already have at home.

I love the Little People Big Dreams series of books. They are a fantastic introduction to people that have achieved incredible things. And some of them have surprisingly easy outfits to replicate; here are a few ideas:

David Bowie - a suit and shirt with a face paint/make up lightning flash over the right eye and cheek. A shiny/sparkly shirt would also work;

Harriet Tubman - a dark dress and a turban;

Audrey Hepburn - a black dress and a string of pearls; you could string together some form of white beans to make a necklace if you don’t happen to have pearls (I certainly don’t!);

Jane Goodall - jeans/trousers and jumper or shirt, and take their favourite primate cuddly toy;

David Attenborough - a jumper and trousers with some binoculars; you could glue two toilet roll centres together to make the binoculars; you could also add a favourite animal or bird toy.

Roald Dahl characters are a great choice, too. For Charlie, a simple jumper or shirt (they can even be a bit tatty!), and have a pretend bar of chocolate, a drawn Wonka wrapper around a bit of cardboard. Matilda could be a simple dress, a ribbon in the hair, and carrying a favourite book. And, for a child that doesn’t like to dress up, you could have them carry a toy crocodile (or you could make one with a shoe box; a quick Google of crocodile shoe box will give you lots of suggestions) for The Enormous Crocodile.

Alice is simply a blue dress and an Alice band; you could include a toy cat to accompany them on a trip to Wonderland. Or dressing as Dinah, her cat, is another option; just add ears and whiskers. There are so many wonderful cats in literature that you could probably find one to match any colour outfit.

Julia Donaldson’s books are also a brilliant source of inspiration. For The Scarecrow’s Wedding, your child could wear either dungarees and a shirt, or a floral dress; if you don’t have straw from your pet rabbit’s hutch, you could use some shredded yellow paper. For The Smeds and the Smoos, your child could either wear all red or all blue and maybe even paint their face to match. For the fabulous witch in Room on the Broom, include a favourite cuddly toy to accompany your little witch on their broom (pretend or otherwise). For Zog, a large white shirt will be great for a doctor’s coat; if you have one, a toy dragon would be brilliant. Or have a look on Google for how to make a cardboard one.

Another favourite book is We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. Another simple outfit, too: trousers and jumpers or a dress, with a bear to hunt (and hide and run from!).

Then there’s the characters from the Harry Potter books: Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Draco. A grey and black school uniform, with a scar and glasses for Harry, a book for Hermione, a grubby nose for Ron, a sneer for Draco. And a stick makes a great wand.

Joseph Coelho's Luna wears a stripy blue top with a bright skirt or dress; you could stick blue stripes on a top, made from paper or material offcuts.

I love Ben Lerwill and Beatrice Blue's 'Harriet. The strongest girl in the world '. She wears different clothes through the book but she always has her hair in little buns at the top and, the most important thing, a badge that says: Just be you.

In 'A Pack of your own', there's dogs of all different breeds, colours and sizes, so you could just pick a dog to match your wardrobe. And every animal, probably, has appeared in a book at some time, so, if your child wants to go as a giraffe ('Giraffes Can't Dance'), a frog (obviously in fairy tales, but my favourites are either 'I am not a prince', or 'Frog in Love'), or a gecko, just Google the animal and say, "gecko in a children's book", which is what I will do, as one is not immediately coming to mind. And these can all be done with clothes of the same colour as the animal that you already have with some paper, pen, or material offcuts to make the spots, stripes, and any other distinguishing feature.

In 'I am every good thing', the lead wears his blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a rucksack. That outfit could also work for 'Me, My Dad, and the End of the Rainbow ', and, add a rainbow to the t-shirt and you have 'Glitter Boy'.

Dressing as a pirate would cover many characters, from 'The Pirate Mums' to 'Treasure Island '. Trousers, a stripy top, and a bandana tied around the head. You could add some costume jewellery to show off your treasure.

And, well, I can't do a blog about books without mentioning my own, can I?! Your child could dress as Emily, in her blue t-shirt and leggings, pink tutu, and a cut out pink heart on her t-shirt. They could carry a toy cat. Or, again, dress up as a cat. Although, as the books are all about imagination, they could go as anything they like, ready for their own adventures. And, for the child that doesn't like dressing up, there is one sentence from Who Am I?, "You are you, and I am me, and we're wonderful just as we are"; support and encourage your child to believe how wonderful they are, just as they are.

Happy Being Who on Whoever You Want To Be on World Book Day!

#WorldBookDay #WorldBookDayOutfits #BudgetWorldBookDayOutfits #BudgetDressUp #Reception #KeyStageOne #KeyStageTwo #EarlyYearsTeacher #EYFSBooks #InclusiveBooks #WorldBookDay2024

A Love of Reading

March 3rd 2022

I have loved to read stories aloud most of my life.

I would volunteer to read stories in the reading corner when I did work experience in schools. I would love to read stories to the children I cared for as a Nanny; reading times were frequently part of our schedules: pre-nap, post-nap, and always before bed. Even though most of the families I worked for had lovely collections of books, library trips were a regular occurrence, with plenty of time to choose, and, if we went shopping, book shops were visited, too.

I didn't want to get bored of reading the same stories over and over, so I would read them with energy and enthusiasm; it was also important to me that the children enjoyed listening to them, whether it was the first or the hundredth time, and, if they heard boredom in my voice, that would have taken some of their enjoyment away. We would often make the stories interactive; sometimes, that was easy, such as with "We're going on a bear hunt" by Michel Rosen, loving the onomatopoeia, we would sway for the "swish-swash" of the grass, do sticky walking for the "squelch squelch"; other books, the actions weren't so obvious so we would try to read books, such as Dr. Seuss's "Fox in Socks" very, very fast, or create actions for particular words. Some of the books were so loved, that we would often recite them on car and bus journeys.

I wanted to encourage a love of reading in every child I looked after because I knew how important it was to have that passion, that imagination, that escapism.

I don't remember many books being around when I was a child; I have a recollection of there being Roger Hargreaves "Mr. Men" books, but little beyond that. But I do remember the joy of going to the library and picking books to borrow; I would sometimes get big books out, such as "The Sound of Music", and Louisa M. Alcott's "Little Women", which also had "Little Men" (her story; not a collection of Roger Hargreaves’ characters) at the back, upside down, because I wanted the pleasure to last longer. When I started getting pocket money, and was allowed to shop without adults, I would spend my £2 on a 99p Sweet Dreams/Sweet Valley High book or two (sometimes I would get seduced by a Constance Carroll nail varnish, or piece of make-up, so that would mean only one book).

With my Community Interest Company, I use my passions for inclusion and acceptance as an excuse to buy more children’s books; I love being able to share these wondrous books at events and at book readings. One day, I will get around to writing a list of brilliantly inclusive books so people can buy them for their shelves, too.

I recently did a book reading at the wonderful October Books with my book, Who Am I?. Donna, the fabulous illustrator (Art & Murals by Donna Mcghie), and I had a wonderful time, but there was not one child there; instead, we shared the book and activities with a fantastic group of adults with learning disabilities. We all had a lot of fun! We even had an impromptu singalong, changing the words of a well-known song to fit the book.

I don’t know about other authors but, for me, things that have made my books feel real, are when I first see them in the “flesh”, with my name on the front cover, and when I have people in front of me, listening to me read from it. It is a pinch myself moment; these humans are here to see me, me, the author; then, watching them respond is delightful!

It was from one book reading that a little girl talked to me about sea unicorns; from that, I talked to Donna and she agreed it was a fabulous idea, so, in one of the illustrations in Who Am I?, you will see a little sea unicorn bobbing along; it’s always worth suggesting to authors what you would like to see, especially for picture books, because you might see your suggestion in print, too.

But I haven’t done a reading with La Vie Est Belle yet; the first one is next week, on International Women’s Day, and, I will admit, I am nervous. When my children’s books started leaving me to go to their new homes, I felt like I was sending a child I loved very much out into the world, without a coat, and without preparing them for the occasional sadness and cruelties there can be; with La Vie, it feels like a little piece of me is going with each book.

With the Emily books, people could say they didn’t like the story and, although that would be sad, we don’t all like the same stories, so it would be understandable; with La Vie, it’s my life, it’s me, so it feels more personal. And, reading it to people, seeing their reactions, well, that feels a little vulnerable.

But I am looking forward to it.

And the lovely Bay Leaves Larder are doing food and they do good food!

Tuesday 8th March 2022 at 7pm

Bay Leaves Larder, Chandler’s Ford,.
An Evening with Vie!

I will be doing a book reading from La Vie Est Belle, having a Q & A, and there will possibly be some extra fun.

You can book your ticket HERE! The ticket price includes food so please do let me or Bay Leaves know if you have any dietary requirements.

It would be wonderful to see you at one or more of the readings.

Here are the public ones that are booked in the coming weeks.

Saturday 5th March 2022

Bitterne Library, Southampton at 2.15pm.

There’s another couple of local children’s authors, too.

You can book by going into Bitterne Library before Saturday, or by emailing catherine.miller @southampton.gov.uk

Tuesday 22nd March 2022

October Books
189, Portswood Road, Southampton,
6.30pm - 8pm
Author talk: La Vie Est Belle

by Vie Portland

A book reading of La Vie Est Belle

and a Q & A.
This event is free but you do need to reserve your space; you can book HERE

And there are a couple of private readings, too. I’m doing a whole day in a school next week, too!

It’s all very fancy! I’m an author, you know!

It would be wonderful to see you there, as friendly faces really do make a huge difference.

If you would like to talk to me about doing a book reading somewhere, please do get in touch.

And I would love to hear about your favourite children’s books!

I would love to read them.

Love,

Vie

#Author #WorldBookDay #BookReadings #InclusiveBooks #DisabledAuthor #Libraries #SupportLocal #Southampton #ChandlersFord #Bitterne #Portswood #SupportLocalEvents #ChildrenWithDisabilities #AuthorEvents

How to run a crowdfunding campaign.

May 10th 2022

Quick tips for crowdfunding

I ran two successful crowdfunding campaigns for my first books, and, since then, I am frequently asked for tips on how to do it, so I thought I would write a blog to share some of what I have learned.

Before running the first one, I asked around to see what I could expect; everyone said it’s 24/7; I thought they were exaggerating; THEY WERE NOT EXAGGERATING!! Running a crowdfunding campaign, on whichever platform you choose, is time consuming and exhausting.

It’s wise to post regularly across your social media channels; it can feel like you are spamming but, the night before my first campaign ended, I messaged lots of people that I thought would be interested in the book, and, despite me posting several times a day for over a month, several people said they didn’t know I was writing a book. Remember that algorithms don’t always work in our favour, and, if people are getting a little miffed at your frequent posts, they can hide you for the month (or however long); though, if they aren’t happy to support you, why are they on your social media? I digress.

Going back to algorithms, don’t just dump and run; people will interact with you more if you interact with them; spend time responding to, and commenting on, posts, and all of this pushes you up to be shown to more people. Don’t expect people to find you; everyone is busy so put yourself where they can see you, and that often means popping up on their newsfeeds.

You need to regularly update your campaign, letting supporters know what’s happening, and altering rewards. You need to network a lot; the more people you speak to, the better. Do press releases; they might not lead anywhere but you might catch someone’s attention.

So, yes, it’s exhausting! It is worth it, though.

In my research, I found that it was recommended that you go for all or nothing campaigns. These are stressful, as, if you don’t hit target, you don’t get anything; however, if you go for a keep what’s donated campaign, apparently, people are less likely to donate, as there is no urgency.

It’s similar for the length of the campaign. Experts recommend doing four week campaigns so that supporters have a sense of urgency to donate. I did both of mine for five weeks, as I wanted to hit two pay days. When a campaign goes on for months, it’s easy for people to put off donating, saying, “definitely next month”, and, with things being tight for many of us, sometimes that extra cash isn’t there next month, or the one after.

Have a wide choice of rewards. Some people can only afford a little but want to support, so have options of something small; also include big packages, ones that you would love to go but think it’s unlikely; I did that with both of mine; the first time, nobody did the big ones but lots of people donated around the £30 mark (buy a book and donate a book on my campaigns); on the second one, I had far fewer people do the £30 but I had a few people do the £100 Christmas package (one of each of my books and a collection of other things I create), and I had one lovely man who did the bronze package (donating ten books to a school or organisation of his choice); he has also become a friend, so that’s an extra bonus for me.

Because I network a lot, and I interact with people on Facebook, I had a few people offer support in ways I wasn’t expecting. One kind lady, who runs a printing company, made mugs, coasters, and notebooks with Emily, the main character in my children’s books, on, and donated them to the campaign. They worked brilliantly as an extra that most people could afford for those that didn’t want the books but wanted to support. And who doesn’t love a notebook and mug?!!

Think about when you are going to run your campaign. Don’t plan to do it in a month where you have seven family birthdays, the PTA Easter fete, as well as your first solo performance of Morris dancing. I cannot stress enough that you will have time for very little else but the campaign unless you have help.

Think about when people are likely to have money to spare; think about when people would like to have, or give, what you are offering. My first campaign was from the end of September to the beginning of November; it was far enough from Christmas, and after school holidays, that supporters had a little bit of spare cash; the book came out the following March. For my second campaign, I asked if people wanted to have the books for Christmas, or to wait until March; it was a resounding yes for Christmas, which meant, as I asked this in July, I had to run a campaign through August. I was then told that August is the hardest month to raise money in. Great!

Through the August campaign, I did have to lower the target, as it didn’t look like the original target was going to be met; this was relatively easy to do but you do need to give the crowdfunding platform a good reason why. The people behind the platforms are definitely worth chatting to; everyone I spoke to at Crowdfunder was lovely and very helpful.

Because I ran the campaigns through my Community Interest Company, and as I chose Crowdfunder as the platform, there were options for me to apply for match funding; this is definitely worth doing if you can. In both campaigns I gave people options to donate the books, which, again, worked well, as it fits with the ethos of my CIC. I’m fairly sure that you don’t have to be a governed organisations to do it this way; you can do it if you are part of a community group, raising funds for a youth group, or something, and for businesses and personal causes.

Something to consider when planning how much money you will need, is think about all of the things that you are going to need to spend money on. As well as paying to create an item, if that’s what you are doing, think about how much it will cost to package them up, how much to post them; then think about the extra posting for those that inevitably get lost in the postal system and you have to pay to post again. And add a small percentage on top to cover all the things that you will have forgotten to include. I should say include the cost of your time, but, well, I didn’t as I felt it made the target too high. It’s your choice, though.

I found that people also really appreciated the little extras. In mine, I send a handwritten note, a bookmark for each book, and, with the Emily books, I also sent a list of 25 alternative uses for the box I sent it in. Yes, they are time consuming, but I felt, I still feel, that it’s important that your supporters know you are grateful for them; and it’s good they know you see them as a kind person and not a wallet.

Once the campaign is over, keep updating your supporters. Write posts on your platform telling them what’s happening, including them, valuing their opinions (my supporters chose the cover for my second Emily book), and keep saying thank you; it would have been really hard to reach your target without their support, so let them know you are continually grateful.

I’m sure there are things I have forgotten to share but I do hope you find this useful.

Now, happy crowdfunding, and don’t forget to eat, drink (water, not gin), and sleep!

#Crowdfunding #Crowdfunder #SocialEnterprise #CommunityInterestCompany #Fundraising #Author #InclusiveBooks #CrowdfundingCampaign #HowToRunACrowdfundingCampaign #Kickstarter #IndieGoGo

Here’s the brilliant business, and man, that supported my campaign by buying a Bronze package: https://hostcat.co.uk/

And here’s the great work of the lovely lady that donated books to me: https://www.facebook.com/HampshireDesignStudios/

Please do support their fantastic businesses!

I used Crowdfunder, who I think are brilliant, but I have supported campaigns on other platforms and everything went well.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/

The Joys of Inclusion

May 30th 2022

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to go to see ABBA Voyage at the ABBA Arena in Stratford, London, UK.

I had bought the tickets off of a lovely lady I met in a group for people with disabilities; I was a little concerned about transferring them, and how easy things would be.

Well, I really couldn’t have asked for anything better!

The ticket transfer was simple and painless; TicketMaster were incredibly helpful. And they emailed to confirm everything the day before the show! I also loved that my plus one was referred to as my companion, and not my carer; yes, my partner does have to care for me sometimes but, going to an event where I could just refer to him as my companion, making it feel more like a date with him, rather than being with the person who has to help me up and down stairs (and many other things), was much more preferable.

I saw that I could get Blue Badge parking. I haven’t had my badge long, even though I have been disabled all of my life; I was reticent to apply for one, due to my own internalised ableism, and thinking I just wasn’t “disabled enough”, but, having had it for a few weeks now, oh my goodness!! I love it!

In non-disabled parking spaces, I would have to put one leg out of the passenger door at a time, twisting my hips and back, causing twinging and spasming, and more so if it was a cramped space; my left side is usually worse, so it would put extra pressure on my arm and shoulder as I maneuvered. Being able to park in disabled spots is so much better! I can swivel my whole body around a quarter turn left, putting both feet down at the same time, and use my right arm on the top of the door to pull myself to standing. It hurts so much less! And there’s space to wiggle in! There’s no trying to squeeze between cars, making sure my stick doesn’t touch anything but the floor. Brilliant!

Anyway, I booked the Blue Badge parking (which is free!) at the ABBA Arena. I was expecting to just be in a spot, a little closer to the door, and I would have been okay with that. But, oh no! This is an experience! We followed signs to the disabled parking area, and every staff member we passed on the way was lovely and helpful, giving us directions (they were very simple directions, which is good). We got to a shut gate; I held up my badge with a smile and we were greeted with bigger smiles and welcoming beckons to come on through.

As we were getting out of the car, a delightful young man came over to us, introduced himself (Wonderful WIlliam; I added the wonderful), and said he and his colleagues were there to help our day go smoothly. He escorted us the very short distance to the entrance; then got us through bag and ticket checks quickly, before showing us into the foyer. He pointed out where everything was, told us where to go to get to our seats, and said he would be around at the beginning of the show if there was anything we needed assistance with. We thanked him profusely and went to find food.

There were hardly any queues at the food stands (we went to a 3pm show, which might make a difference) and the lovely person behind the counter made sure I got my vegan hot dog the way I wanted it (no mustard).

We looked for somewhere to sit. This is one of the few issues we had but it has absolutely nothing to do with the venue or the organisers, but more to do with inconsiderate audience members. Although there was quite a bit of seating, nobody offered it to me, or anyone else that was using a walking stick; myself and another lady propped ourselves up against a wall (to be fair, it was a higher standard of wall).

When we had finished eating, we went to the shop. A very tall couple knocked into me a little, then stepped in front, jumping the queue; again, audience inconsideration, rather than anything at all to do with the event. Sometimes, I would say something but I was in such a good mood, and so excited to be there, I just did a simple gratitude mantra of being grateful I am me and not someone who would step on others - literally!- to get ahead.

I generally have a policy when using the toilet that, if the toilets are on the same floor, I will use the mainstream ones, as I can get in a cubicle with my stick; however, on doing that the first time, there was a long queue, so the other times I used a disabled loo. I would say that the sound of flushes from close by toilets seems to be louder in the disabled toilets, so something to be aware of if there are any sensory processing issues.

We went into the auditorium.

We couldn’t quite work out where our seats were so we went down a few shallow (so much better for me) steps to ask a member of staff where they were; he apologised for making me walk down steps! It was very kind of him but it was entirely our fault that we couldn’t work it out; he then escorted us back up the few steps and took us to our seats, reassuring me I wouldn’t have to walk up or down another step in the venue afterwards.

Our seats were fantastic! The accessibility seats are a single row around the stadium, with a low partition in front, so there was no need for anyone to walk in front of us; that’s always a relief, as, at events normally, I am constantly on edge, trying to ensure no-one gets close to my blistered, always painful, feet, or waiting for people to jostle into me.

The auditorium was beautiful! Looking around, it seemed that, no matter where you were sitting, you would get a fantastic view. Where the stage was, was a projection of a woodland scene, where movement occasionally happened. Even though the auditorium was full, the gentle sounds of the calming music and bird song covered the noise of people, without being intrusive.

On the way into the auditorium were signs asking us to not take photos or video the show; before the show started, a voice over the tannoy said they would like to keep elements of the show a secret, so reiterated to not take photos or film. Obviously, there were selfish idiots who did not care about that and continued to take photos and film. The person sat next to me, who was a carer for a young adult using a wheelchair, filmed, ignoring the person she was with, until a member of staff reminded her, very gently, that she wasn’t meant to be filming; it was only then that she started interacting with the young person she was with and joining in with the crowd as we sang and clapped.

And that’s enough negativity. Back to the amazing bits!

The lighting was incredible! I have never seen lighting used so effectively and so beautifully. It was very clever!

And, the show, well, WOW! Just WOW!!! I won’t tell you much, as it is a spectacle to enjoy first hand but I will say that I got a bit emotional at 'Thank You for the Music" (like many people, music has been a large part of my life; if you've read my book, you'll know how much), and, with the excitement of the event and the utter awesome-ness of it, the happy tears were hovering; A bit later, “Dancing Queen” came on; I will say that it’s not my favourite ABBA song to dance to (that, and others I love, had already been played), and that I had happily been chair dancing, but, caught up in the emotion, I turned to my partner, as he was already lifting my stick up off the floor, and I stood up and danced!! I was so caught up with the overwhelmingly joyful feeling throughout the auditorium that it felt almost spiritual! I will also add that the space enabled this; again, I didn’t have to worry about people getting too close, so I could just join in, without worry (I may have invaded my partner’s space a little, though, as I was so immersed.)

Then, at the end, ABBA, the real life, human, ABBA came on! (It's opening weekend so I don't think it will be an every show thing). My tears flowed! I just felt so happy! I turned to my partner and just said,

“It’s all so wonderfully emotional!”

Back in the foyer, we chatted to a few people, pretty much all just going, “Wasn’t that wonderful?!” And I got to have my photo taken with two gorgeous humans, who I thought looked utterly fabulous!

We headed back out to the car park and the car parking staff were all so lovely! I felt like I was a VIP (my actual initials! 🥰), Everyone was so smiley and attentive. And Wonderful William was there, chatting to everyone, being incredibly helpful, checking we had enjoyed the show.

He shook our hands, wished us a safe trip, and said he hoped to see us again soon; we said we very much hoped for the same.

Useful links

https://abbavoyage.com/

access@abbavoyage.com

#ABBA #ABBAVoyage #ABBAArena #TicketMaster #Accessibilty #DisabledAccess #Inclusion #BlueBadgeParking #TheBarriersWeFace #AbleismExists #DisaBodyPosi #BrokenButBeautiful #InvisibleDisabilities #DisabledDancer #InvisibleIllness #AllBodiesAreGoodBodies #AccessibleVenues #InclusiveEvents

Not Again?!!!!

Jun 14th 2022

I really didn’t want to be doing this. It’s hard work. It’s stressful. It’s tiring. It can be demoralising. It can be disappointing. It can lead to feelings of rejection. But, here I am, putting myself through it again.

And the “it”? Another Crowdfunder campaign.

Big sigh.

So why am I doing it again? Because it feels like my only option. Which is also worrying.

When we moved to this new area, I read a leaflet that had come through the door (I like learning about things going on in the local community, whichever community I am in) and saw that there was still time to apply for local council community funding (how many times can you fit the word “community” into a sentence? ;-) ).

I did a detailed explanation of what I wanted the money for: £2500 was to raise awareness of my Community Interest Company, VieNess Discover You Love You CIC, in this new area, through marketing, PR, and print; £2500 was to fund ten days in schools in this new area, free of charge to the schools, running my self-esteem and confidence workshops. All of this would lead to more people knowing about the CIC, which would lead to more paid bookings, and more free workshops.

And they said yes!!! Sort of.

They said “yes” to half of it (surprisingly, the marketing side; I thought the free days would be preferred) and that I have to match fund the other £2500 to receive anything.

STRESS!!!

I started contacting local businesses, applying for community funds; my other plans were pushed aside as this was the priority. Many had already spent their community funds; others were only funding food banks (very much needed!); others were only funding specific areas, such as sport, engineering, and the environment. I was getting nowhere.

One day, I got home from a meeting and, very unusually for me, I had a nap (I’m generally not a napper; are you? I tend to find that any minute napped during the day is doubled in minutes lost at night). I woke up and decided that I had to try another Crowdfunder campaign.

I hoped that, as June is the CIC’s birthday month, people might be more willing to support. And, as the CIC turns 3 on June 26th 2022, I decided to try to fundraise £3333. A bit more than I needed to match the fund but a much needed buffer for the business.

I broke down how much it would cost to reach a child/young person as part of a group, how much it would cost to reach four children, ten, a class, a school, and put them as rewards, hoping people would think they would love to cover the costs of reaching x amount of young people.

And I really hoped that all the people that say how much my work is needed, that tell me they wish their children had someone like me in their school, that they wish they had had someone like me when they were at school, would contribute, knowing how important it is. I hoped all the people that say how inspirational, and lovely, and change-making, and kind, I am, would think, “I would love to support Vie in what she does” would donate, too.

I’m ever-hopeful, me.

Many social enterprises are struggling. All of us do good work, needed work, yet funding is, post-lockdowns, even harder than it was before.

When I set up VieNess Discover You Love You CIC in June 2019, I planned to have at least two fundraising events a year; one on International Women’s Day in March and one on the business birthday in June; then maybe little ones here and there. I wanted to provide value for the fundraising; I wanted people to enjoy whatever event I had sold tickets for and not feel I was begging for money.

After founding in June, I had three clothes sales, a dance night, and a big event in March 2020; the clothes sales and the dance night raised a few hundred in total; and the big event, well, that happened just before we went into lockdown so it wasn’t very big (It was fabulous, though!). All of these meant there was a little bit of money in the bank to tide the business over for a few months.

Through the pandemic, I struggled to raise much. I set up a Kofi account, where people could donate the cost of a cup of coffee to me; a generous estimation is ten cups of coffee were bought for me. I asked people to make regular donations, and I am very grateful to the five that do. But, sadly, it’s not enough.

I do wonder if people think I should do my work for free, as it’s community based, or because I am a nice person, but then I wonder what they expect me to live on? I still need to pay daily living costs yet I don’t earn a living wage.

Our attitude to social enterprises and charities can be skewed; the giant charities, paying their CEOs £150k plus a year, spending lots of money on staff, spending lots on marketing, spending lots on schmoozing, but often missing those of us in the community that would benefit, have little trouble attracting donations, whereas those of us on the ground floor, with direct links to the people that will benefit from our organisations, have to fight and struggle for so much. I love this TEDX talk with Dan Pallotta; he explains it beautifully; it’s based on American figures but it’s still relevant for the UK. https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_charity_is_dead_wrong?fbclid=IwAR0HqkyKgbTeqh_2cCEwxstVeVt5rIiDat-1k9IXOIvojsJuksukNNgNklY&subtitle=en

I genuinely LOVE what I do; I am grateful I have the skills to do it (that I gained through hard work and determination); I am privileged to hear the stories that are shared with me in classes, and to see the changes my workshops make; but I can’t keep doing them for free. Some schools do pay for the workshops, which is fantastic! However, some can’t afford to; neither can the youth groups or the groups for vulnerable women that ask me to teach classes for them. I set up as a CIC so profits could go to the community, so I could reach those people that couldn’t afford it but, sadly, if I can’t get funding, I won’t be able to offer those free sessions; it will only be the children and young people in more affluent schools that can afford it; the children and young people who live in poorer areas will not benefit because of their circumstances.

It doesn’t seem fair. It isn’t fair.

But, with more support for local community organisations, MY community organisation, we can reach those children and young people that might get missed otherwise.

In one workshop with me, a child or young person will learn tools to carry them through life; tools that will boost their confidence; tools to help them see their worth; tools that will help them reach their potential. These might seem like lofty dreams but they’re true statements; one young person I worked with had grown up in a horrible situation, where they were told how stupid and worthless they were; their dyslexia and ADHD diagnosis had come late, and they had slipped through the net of extra help because they had had to move frequently because of the dangerous situation at home; I said to them that I could help them see how wonderful they are, and they didn’t believe me because they believed, they said, they were “a piece of crap”; by the end of the session, where I worked with several young people, that young person had seen how resourceful they were, how, even though they couldn’t read or write well, there was still so much they could do; how they had potential; how they were a worthy and wonderful human. This is not a rare incident; I work with young people like this far more than others would imagine; in every class and group I teach, there will be at least (at LEAST!!!) one person who will feel worthless, and my workshops help them see that they are very far from that.

Isn’t that worth £10, £20, £40 of your money?

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/joyful---and-hopeful---june

Thank you.

#Crowdfunding #Fundraising #SelfEsteem #Confidence #ConfidentChildren #ConfidentTeens #BoostingConfidence #BoostingSelfEsteem #GrowthMindset #Community #SocialEnterprise #SocEnt #CommunityFunding #LocalGiving #SchoolWorkshops #ConfidenceClasses

The Red Dress

October 1st 2022

I do love my work. I share joyful parts of my days with children and young people but I rarely share the stories of my women clients. It’s quite easy to be vague about who the children are, which school or group they’re at; with women, if I share something on my page, there’s a chance that they could be identified, as they are likely to be on my social media.

A Lovely Woman I have recently worked with has given me permission to share her story; I am so pleased!

I run a Facebook group for people in the UK who live with one of my disabilities; it’s a lovely group full of wonderful people.

The Lovely Woman in this story joined the group earlier this year and we met at a conference back in May; we had some great chats.

In the summer, she put a post in the group asking if people with our condition often found it difficult to remove (language is important; I talk about this in La Vie Est Belle) weight; I offered to listen if she wanted to talk about why she was unhappy in her body.

We arranged a two hour session.

During the session, we talked about her history, the things she had been told, what she believed, how those beliefs affected her. Then we challenged them. There were tears, there were smiles, and there were lots of deep conversations.

And there was transformation. It was wonderful to see!

A few weeks ago, I said in the group that we met in that I was going up to the hospital in London that’s my closest specialist centre to have some treatment. The Lovely Woman said it would be great to meet for lunch and go to the shop, Vivien of Holloway, where I buy most of my clothes. I happily agreed! Being encouraged to go shopping there is hardly a chore!

She met me at the hospital and we made our way to Holloway Road. We had a delicious lunch, more chats, then made our way to the shop.

On the way, I explained that the clothes are vintage sizing so it was highly likely that she would be a size or two bigger; other women have rejected the idea of the clothes, as they were so concerned about what the number on the label said; the Lovely Woman was not at all concerned. I was very pleased!

We walked in and, as with all newcomers to the shop, she was asked if she wanted to be measured, again, another difficult obstacle for many, so she knew what size to try; the Lovely Woman was happy to be measured. Excellent!

We started gathering clothes to try on. The Lovely Woman picked up lots of dresses and skirts and we started our trying on session.

She had picked up a few red dresses to try. Initially, I thought it was just because she liked red. However, when she came out of her changing cubicle, she told the two lovely ladies working there how she felt about red dresses.

The Lovely Woman said that she had wanted a red dress for a very long time, but she had believed that she could only wear a red dress when she became slim. She had tried so many diets; she had skipped regular meals; she exercised as frequently as her body would allow; but her body retained the weight. The Lovely Woman had berated herself regularly. She had been unhappy.

But, she said, then she had her session with me!

She said that talking with me had helped her see that she is wonderful just as she is, right now. She had realised that she could wear whatever she wants, that she didn’t have to live a life restricted by limiting beliefs. She now appreciated that she had every right to live a life as full and happy as she wanted.

And, there she was, trying on red dresses! Looking beautiful in them all!

It was wonderful to see her so joyful, so vibrant, and so full of the jubilant life that she deserved! I felt so proud of her!

After my work with clients, I often get messages, thanking me, saying their lives are much happier, and much fuller, but it’s not often I get to see the results in person. That was delightful!

Before I finish, I thought I would share this, too; when I asked the Lovely Woman if I could share her story, this was her response:

Of course you can use my story! You really helped me and if it helps others get the amazing help I got from you then all the better! xx

Isn’t that wonderful?!

If you would like to feel this good about who you are, do get in touch.

I love what I do!

Edit: another comment from the Lovely Woman that she's just said I can add 🥰.

So thank you, thank you, thank you for taking me there!! I have never been so excited about any dress other than my wedding dress xx

#Confidence #SelfEsteem #ConfidenceCoaching #BoostingConfidence #ConfidentWomen #VivienOfHolloway #HappyClient #ConfidentWoman #BoostingWomensConfidence #SocialEnterprise #ConfidentChildren #ConfidentTeenagers #ConfidenceCoach #AwardWinningCoach

A Christmas Full Of Kindness on a Budget.

November 6th 2022

Many of us are struggling financially right now, and many of us are concerned about the waste we create, so I thought I would write a short blog with some ideas of gifts you can give at minimal cost.

The first thing is Christmas cards. I really LOVE cards! Birthday cards, just because cards, you are wonderful cards. But, as much as I love the prettiness of Christmas cards, and the humorous ones, I stopped sending them years ago.

One of the things I love about cards is that they are personal; the card was chosen for me, with a little note; but, at Christmas, because everyone felt they had to write so many, there was little to nothing beyond, To Vie, Love Me. I didn’t like feeling like I was adding to someone’s already overbrimming to-do list. I also realised that I was sending over 100 cards at Christmas, which cost a lot in time, money and trees! And there was rarely time to write a personal note.

So, a few years ago, I decided I wouldn’t send them anymore. I was concerned about people being annoyed, but, when I said I was going to donate the money to charity instead, which meant I was doing something good in far less time, they were happy. Now, I buy Greggs gift vouchers and give them to homeless people. What’s especially lovely is that others on my social media feeds now do similar. And, as someone who runs a community project, we REALLY appreciate any donations.

********

Many of us are fortunate enough to have too much but, sadly, this year, many of us are struggling financially, and Christmas feels extra stressful, so I thought I would share some ideas that I hope will help.

First, lots of us like decorations but it can be expensive to buy new. Now, I am someone who loves to do crafts in theory but, in reality, I have glued my fingers to each other, and I’ve even managed to sew myself to myself. I’m not a natural! But I saw this on YouTube and I thought it looked fun to make; and the main “ingredient” is the inner tube of toilet rolls! It’s also a great activity to do with children. https://youtu.be/ANp4J_ZZtKI

And there’s always paper snowflakes. Instead of using new paper, you could use stuff from the recycling bin. All the possible colours available in there! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ua_tS8Zmv8

And now a few ideas for gifts.

I am going to share a few things I do with my clients and that I have done for friends. And they can nearly all be created with things from around your home, with possible top ups from your local pound shop. They’re also great things for children to make for relatives and their friends. It’s great to share the activities with children, as it’s an ideal opportunity to just chat, as well as having an activity to entertain on these colder days.

As a large part of what I do is about showing people how brilliant they are, these gifts are all about showing the recipient that you think they are wonderful!

Lots of us use sauces or jams that come in jars; give them a good wash as these are ideas to use them.

First idea, make a wishes jar. Clean a jar and lid then fill it with these things or with ideas of your own: a coin, a plaster, a wrapped sweet or other food item, a tissue, two pieces of paper. On one piece of paper write words to this effect:

A coin because I wish you always have enough to buy what you need;

A plaster because I wish you healing from all hurts;

A wrapped sweet because I wish for you to never go hungry;

A tissue because I wish you will always have someone to dry your tears;

And, on the other piece of paper, write a note about why you appreciate them, under, a note saying because I always wish you love.

Put the lid on and, if you have it, wrap a piece of ribbon around the lid to make it a little prettier. You could even put a bit of glitter in the jar to add a bit of sparkle, if you have it.

The second gift idea for a jar is a notes of love jar. Gather together lots of little pieces of paper; on each piece, write a short note about why you love/appreciate the gift receiver (you can do this over several days, as, even when you love someone, under pressure, it can be hard to think of lots of reasons why). On the outside of the jar, stick a piece of paper that says, “Reminders of why you’re loved”, or something similar. Again, add a ribbon and glitter if you want to. The recipient can then open the jar and take out a note whenever they feel they need to.

Another gift idea is a memories jar. This is an especially lovely gift for a child to give parents and grandparents. Write lots of notes of favourite memories shared. This is a beautiful way to show that moments matter more than things.

Another beautiful gift from a child to a relative is a framed photo; now, you could print off a photo and buy a frame; or you could do my next suggestion. The child could draw a picture of them with the relative, perhaps doing the most favourite thing they love to do with them, or their best memory with them, or all the things they love about them. Then you can both make a frame out of cardboard (it could be a cereal box, or a tissue box; any kind of cardboard) and decorate it. Here’s a how to for a photo frame: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZfKPpucr5w And here’s another, as I tend to mix and match to what suits me:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG54jgqesn0

One thing that most of us feel we don’t have enough of is time so these next ideas will help with that. First, radical suggestion, ask them for what they need! Then, if you can, give them vouchers for what they need. Here are some suggestions:

Babysitting for one night (or a weekend, if you are especially kind!);
Cook them a meal;
Do some cleaning - you can suggest a time limit or specify what you are going to clean, like the oven, or defrosting the fridge/freezer;
Do some gardening - again, you can say for two, or so many, hours, or to do something specific, like all of the weeding;
Offer to do a car boot sale and sell some of their stuff;
Walk their dog, or offer to pet sit;
Pamper them! Give them a mani/pedi or a shoulder massage.

If you have your own business, and you have friends that do, too, swap skills! You could swap two hours of marketing for two hours of accountancy; or graphic design for PR. And, if you work in the health or wellness industry, you could offer a massage or reflexology treatment in a swap for whatever your friend does. Please don’t think people will think you are cheap; as a business owner, who talks to lots of other business owners, I can assure you that there are lots of us that would love to do this!

Please do add your own ideas in the comments! I know they will be really helpful.

It can be hard to tell people you’re doing something different but always remember that how people respond is entirely due to them and not you; if you tell someone that you need to do Christmas on a budget and they don’t like it, or don’t understand, that’s their issue; if you tell someone that you want to have a more environmentally friendly Christmas, using the whole reduce, re-use, recycle ethos, and they disagree, maybe reduce them off your Christmas list.

I really hope these ideas have helped, or at least given you ideas of things to do. If you do any of them, please share photos with me; I would really love to see them! And I would love to see the responses of the people you gift them to.

If you would like other ideas, although not specifically written as Christmas gift ideas, there are things that can be adapted from my "A Little Box Full of Family Fun" cards, that were written to boost family communication and confidence, without costing a lot of money; in fact, like the ideas in this blog, most things can be done with things you already have at home. The box of cards also makes a great gift. Here’s the link: https://www.vieness.co.uk/product-page/a-little-box-of-family-fun

Christmas shouldn’t be about stress; it shouldn’t be about proving someone’s worth in monetary value. True Christmas spirit is in love and kindness; I wish you lots of that.

#ChristmasOnABudget #BudgetGifts #ChristmasGifts #GiftsToMakeAtHome #BeMoreEco #ReduceReuseRecycle #SkillsSwap #KindnessMatters #MomentsNotMoney #GiftsForRelatives #GiftsForFriends #ChristmasSpirit #Regifting #ChristmasLove #ChristmasIsComing #HandmadeGifts

World Kindness Day

November 12th 2022

On November 13th it is World Kindness Day. Personally, I feel every day should have many moments of kindness in, but, in reality, life gets in the way and we sometimes forget how little gestures can mean so much, both as giver and receiver.

I could give you the evidence of why it’s important to be kind but I am sure that you know it feels great, and isn’t that a good enough reason? Another great reason is that, often, one act of kindness can have a ripple effect, reaching far beyond where it started! That's incredible!

I thought I would give you a list of ideas; I would love to hear how these go, and of any others you do.

Acts of kindness

Phone a friend.
Smile at a stranger.
Pay a compliment to a stranger.
Make a tea/coffee for someone.
Buy a drink for a stranger.
Make/buy a cake and give it to a neighbour.
Offer to take a friend's dog for a walk.
Pay everyone you spend time with a compliment.
Buy a Greggs voucher for a homeless person.
Give someone you love a hug.
Read a child's favourite story to them.
Ask someone to dance.
Make someone a meal.
Listen to someone talk about their favourite subject.
Go for a walk with a friend.
Ask someone how they feel and listen to the answer.
Share a friend's business.
Raise some money for a local cause.
Open a door for a stranger.
Say thank you to a colleague that may feel unnoticed.
Share a cause that's important to you on social media and say why.
Offer to share a skill.
Give someone a reason to smile.
Plan a day out with a loved one.
Make/buy a just because gift for someone.
Buy a gift for a child in care.
Write a card or letter to someone, telling them why you think they're brilliant.
Tell yourself that you're a wonderful human.
Learn about someone who is different to you.
Look on Amnesty International and sign their petitions.
Play a game with people you care about.
Pick something beautiful, give it to someone and say it reminded you of them.
Sit with a homeless person and have a chat.
Book tickets for a local event; if you can’t go, gift them to someone.
Clear out a food cupboard and donate a few bits to your local food bank.
Go through a wardrobe and donate what you don’t wear to a local charity shop.
Give some old towels or duvet covers to an animal shelter.
Buy a cheap bunch of flowers and hand a flower to people you pass, or the people in the shop you bought them from.
Do a potter around where you live and pick up bits of litter.
Donate a gift for a local raffle.
Offer your seat on public transport.
Write a love poem for someone.
Write a love poem to yourself.
Leave a review for your favourite local businesses.
Give your postie a bar of chocolate.
Make up a memory book for someone you love; write down favourite memories of them, what you appreciate about them, and put in photos.
Offer to babysit for a friend.
Send an "I appreciate you because…" text to friends.
Offer to volunteer at a local community event.
Share a happy song that always makes you think of someone special with them.

Now, because you'll have done one or more of these acts of kindness, put your arms in the air and say loudly, "I am wonderful!" Because you are!

Now, a large part of my work is about kindness; I listen to people; help them feel seen; show them how great they are; and encourage them to do all of that for others. With an anticipated 4,000 social enterprises expected to close this winter, due to rising costs and less support, if you would like one of your acts of kindness to support the work I do, with children, young people, and vulnerable women, it would be very much appreciated! You can donate via PayPal, at fundraising@vieness.co.uk , or you can buy my books and cards, for yourself, or as acts of kindness for others, at www.vieness.co.uk/shop Or, if don’t have money to spare, please leave a review for something you have benefitted from that I provide, or share my website with others. Thank you!

And thank you for making the world a kinder place 🥰.

Love,

Vie

#WorldKindnessDay #KindnessMatters #BeKind #RandomActsOfKindness #SupportLocal #ShowYouCare #BeAFriend #BeTheChange #Community #SocialEnterprise #SocEnt #CommunityProject #CommunitySupport #Volunteer

Memories and Hope

December 24th 2022

On my Facebook memories today (24th December 2022), on my VieNess Discover You Love You CIC page, there was a post from nine years ago; it said: Merry Christmas Everyone. Thank you so much for liking my page and for joining me at the start of this journey. Xx (I always put kisses; I occasionally worry that it’s not professional and then I think that it’s who I am and what I do, so I carry on.)

Nine years! I sometimes forget how long I have been doing all that I do.

Nine years ago, my business was just called “VieNess”, and I was teaching burlesque and vintage dance forms, as so many people had seen me dance and perform, then asked me to teach them. I had no long term plans but, after years of not being able to work due to health issues, I was just glad to be doing something.

The classes were so much fun! We laughed a lot! What I really loved was seeing women come into the classes, especially the burlesque workshops, with them saying, “I don’t know why I’m here”, “I can’t do this”, “I can never be sexy”, “I can’t dance”, then leaving with their heads high and a wiggle in their step. The next day, I would often get messages saying, “I walked the kids to school with my head up today and lots of people smiled at me; it felt really good.”

After a couple of years, people started saying that they wanted to feel the way the women that came to my classes did, but they didn’t want to dance, and they definitely didn’t want to take any clothes off (usually, in my workshops, the only clothes taken off were ones I had asked them to put on over the clothes they were already wearing. Anyway…), but could I teach them how to feel that good, too? The body confidence workshops were born!

Also on my memories today, a post from six years ago: I have recently become a Body Image Movement Global Ambassador 😍. It’s an incredible group, and one where we all celebrate body diversity and positivity. I’m very pleased 🙂. xx

I began showing the film, Embrace, created by Taryn Brumfitt, the woman behind the Body Image Movement, and having Q & A discussions after. The conversations were fantastic! And so helpful for everyone to see how many things we can feel alone in are actually shared concerns.

A few months on, I started voluntarily running a branch of the brilliant Red Box Project; it was a great organisation that aimed to eradicate period poverty in schools. People were very generous with their donations, and regularly gave period products, pants and toiletries, for me to take into schools in my area. I would take the products in big red boxes (the clue was in the name 😉); the teaching staff would ask what I did outside of the project and I would say about the confidence workshops. “We really need that in our school”, they would say.

I knew how much many schools were struggling financially, so I started to investigate how I could teach in schools without them worrying about the money, if they couldn’t afford it. I eventually found out about Community Interest Companies; social enterprises that could run in a similar way to charities, being eligible for some grants, able to take donations, and have people fundraise for them.

A little while on, I found out about the School for Social Entrepreneurs, linked to Action Hampshire; they offer courses, with great support from Lloyds Bank, to people who want to set up social enterprises. After a stressful time of applications and interviews, I got offered a place! In September 2018, I started the course, with 19 other entrepreneurs, all of us excited, and probably a little bit scared, to be starting towards creating our own projects. It was a fantastic course and I learned so much.

In June 2019, the CIC was born. I was just going to continue as VieNess CIC but, in Companies House, there was already a Vieness, a property developer, I think, so I needed to add more to the name; Facebook friends suggested Discover You Love You as they were already on my logo.

I started networking a lot; I went to meetings at the local council; I contacted schools. I organised a few small scale events to raise awareness and funds, and started organising a big event for March 8th 2020, International Women’s Day. Things were getting exciting!

Well, I think we all know what else happened in March 2020. The event wasn’t as big as I wanted, as people were, understandably, scared to venture out, but it was still wonderful. Anyway, we all knew that this new virus wasn’t going to be around long, didn’t we?

Oh but it was. And it had a huge impact on so many of us.

The CIC was not exempt from this.

Bookings were cancelled and schools were not having any external facilitators in. The only way the CIC could survive was by diversifying.

Thankfully, just before the first lockdown, I had met the brilliant Dr. Jennifer Jones (I am fairly sure that is her superhero alias), and she had suggested I wrote a book to establish my expertise. I was a bit slow to start the book she suggested, but I did start writing decks of cards and a children’s book that had been in my head for years.

2021 brought the March release of Where Are We Going?, then the December release of Who Am I?, the second children’s book, and La Vie Est Belle. Learning to live hopefully ever after, the book Jennifer suggested I write. These all got published with huge thanks to the wonderful people who supported the crowdfunding campaigns.

My profile has been raised, fantastically helped by being mentioned in national and global articles (I shall put the links at the end), but those articles don’t pay.

In honesty, I have been hanging on by the skin of my teeth (where does that saying come from?!). Regular donations have dropped off; fundraising has almost been impossible; grants are getting harder to qualify for and be approved for; and I feel I am starting again with contacting schools.

I am still paying myself the nominal fee I started with in June 2019, which equates to me paying myself just over £1 an hour. That’s not sustainable, sadly.

As we approach 2023, decisions need to be made.

I can say, with every ounce of me, that I completely LOVE what I do. I know I make a difference, and I know I can continue to do so. I want to have the options for schools and groups to pay on a sliding scale, because I know they are struggling even more financially than they were in June 2019, and I know my work is needed much more than ever before.

And I know that others believe all of this, too. Pretty much every day someone tells me how much my work is needed, someone tells me how brilliant I am. That’s truly lovely, and I appreciate every compliment. However, those wonderful compliments do not pay my rent or bills.

I would love to continue to do what I do, and I am fairly sure that there are lots of you that would like me to continue what I do, too, so, can you help? Could you make a regular or one off donation to fundraising@vieness.co.uk (or the bank account)? Or perhaps put on a fundraising event to raise funds for the CIC? Maybe you could suggest to your workplace that I come in and run a workshop for the staff on workplace wellbeing? Or, if you belong to an organisation that has guest speakers, perhaps you could encourage them to book me for a slot? Being paid for workshops and talks enables me to run the subsidised workshops for those who can’t afford them; it would be awful for them to miss out because I could only afford to charge full price, which is my other option.

Can you help? It would be incredibly wonderful if you can help support the CIC to run. It would be fantastic to be able to say to the children and young people I work with that there are beautifully kind people in the community who want them to live happier, kinder, more confident lives. Can you help make that happen?

As always, thank you for reading these blogs, and thank you for your support.

Wishing you a wonderful festive period, and a 2023 full of love and kindness.

Vie

Here is a link to the brilliant Dr. Jennifer Jones’ website; I highly recommend her if you would like to write a book. https://ewc.coach/

Here’s a link to Action Hampshire and the School for Social Entrepreneurs: https://www.the-sse.org/schools/hampshire/

Here are the recent articles that I/the CIC have appeared in.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/dec/03/homemade-christmas-gifts?fbclid=IwAR2bTYOcdmbqTE_ojGoq-dsGmi1HEkFLqw8KsNvbZLfE-sjy8769mH9pVks

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/forget-resolutions-microlutions-bitesize-intentions-135731613.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9sLmZhY2Vib29rLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEmUwP8dL_YAOaflX8YP1yL6ZB2-RZeVH_l3Pkm9dy4dEc49CYjWaIIgMrbx6acuz-gC6rcgW2ewniUGIkHwUr7Q3puWRKhnt1rPmC-wbvOzUy8RgV_MkIjXWWzxEZHL4909CVmtwXx8oBFQKI1Wym0pEGfxz6clpEo-C3xyemyq

Experts Share Their Top Tips for Beating Seasonal Stress (incrediwear.com)

#LloydsBank #SchoolForSocialEntrepreneurs #SSE #ActionHampshire #SocialEnterprise #SocEnt #Community #Confidence #SelfEsteem #TheGuardian #Yahoo #IncrediWear #BodyImageMovement #BIMGA #Embrace #CommunitySupport #Donate #Support #Kindness #Hope