Relatively Irrelevant Things

My climb to the top (or at least the idea of it)...

2023-02-09T22:48:00.001+00:00

Last year, a good friend of mine took her step-son to climb Yr Wyddfa to watch the sunrise. She had said to me how beautiful it was and that we should go together next year (now this year)... to my surprise, I found myself agreeing to take on the challenge. Now, for her, she is fit and healthy, whereas I am overweight and not so healthy. In June 2022 I injured my fibula by jumping onto a rope swing - a definite case of my mind being younger than my body - and in August I fell down the stairs and sustained a grade 3 sprain to my ankle which hurts on a daily basis. So what really pushed me to say 'yes' to what is for me, going to be the challenge of a lifetime?

My 'why(s)'

1) My son, nearly eight years old, has struggled with anxiety since the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. This has snowballed since then and has become a daily battle for him. From the panics of him losing his dad and me, my parents and my partner's mother to him feeling like he 'is having a heart attack' before bedtime, seeing him with these struggles at such a young age breaks my heart.

His school has been fantastic in working with us to help him to manage his thoughts and fears. He has been put forward to the Thrive programme - a programme that is so valuable in schools in this day in age but is not readily available to every child. At home, we encourage him to complete his daily journal (which can be found here) that helps him to reflect on the good and not so good things that happened in each day. Not only does it help him to regulate his thoughts, but it also helps us, as his parents to find other ways to help him. But is this really enough? With waiting lists for both children and adults mental health services at an all time high, is this really enough? In all honesty, no, I don't think it is - but aside from what we can do at home and in school to help give him the best childhood possible, there is little to no access to support for our children who have been caught up in a snowball effect of anxiety or poor mental health.

2) Working in Further Education with students with additional needs has taught me that there is little access to young people who struggle with their mental health. After sitting with students who have openly discussed suicide and have handed over sharp objects to you as an adult whom they trust, it is evident that our young people are not getting access to the support that they need in order to look after their mental health. It is heartbreaking to think that there are so many young people are in crisis because the funding for services is inadequate. Change needs to happen, but unfortunately falls down to charities such as Young Minds or Childline to provide the resources aimed at helping individuals [at the very least] to cope.

Back when I was 16 (some 20 years ago now), online bullying, negative influencing videos/websites were not on the radar. I mean sure, bullying was around, but with cyberbullying a whole new dimension is added to the lives of our young people. As if every day school and college life isn't already a minefield with social groups, academic achievements and expectations, social media is a minefield that can be the good, bad and the ugly all mixed into one.

3) I could do with the challenge... I started training with my first hill walk in January. This challenge will not only be a positive step in helping our selected charity, but will also help me to train and get my health and fitness back on track. Plus it will be an experience of a lifetime... I mean, who doesn't want to climb a mountain in the dead of night to watch the sunrise?

I will climb for Young Minds along with a group of friends. A date is yet to be set for August, but regular updates will feature on my page.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for your support.

Over and out. L x

Let's Talk

2020-02-25T22:54:00.000+00:00

Nokia 3210 - Guardian Online, 2015

What happened to conversation? Why are we so immersed in [the] online that we no longer have the time nor the skills to start up a conversation with a stranger? And what can we do to engage with 'reality' again?

Perhaps you remember the days before 'the smartphone' - incidentally these are now the norm - perhaps you don't. Perhaps you were born knowing how to use the camera on a phone, or apps on a tablet, or maybe, you have had to learn with the technological development - but whichever side of the digital age you were born on, at some point, you will have undoubtedly been introduced to the consumption of a digital device.

When I consider the amount of time that I spend on an electronic device of some kind - be it phone, laptop or tablet - I'm horrified. From the ringing of my alarm, to the reminder to start my fasting app, the engagement in WhatsApp conversations in numerous groups to writing uni assignments, whether we like it or not I live in the age of the gadget. No matter how hard I try for my family to be device free of an evening when we get home from school and work, somewhere along the line, either my partner is glued to his mobile device, my son is watching television, or I am engaging in my 'Mothers' Meeting' chat on WhatsApp. I would love, absolutely love to break free from the shackles of technology for a week... I'm just not brave enough. If I want to know the answer to a question, or want to find the best place to go for lunch in an unfamiliar place, I take my phone out and 'Google' it.
What time is the local pool open? Google it. Has my son got Forest School today? WhatsApp it. Need inspiration for garden landscaping on a budget? Pinterest it. Everything is at my fingertips.

But is all of this technology making us lazy? Kids are making friends with strangers online, which of course has its own issues, but as a society we have lost the art of conversation. We are consumed in conversations with our 'smart speaker' (which in the not so distant future will go in the same direction as the smartphone/phone and become known simply as a speaker) that it is easier to communicate with someone in a different room through a device rather than physically going and striking up the conversation. This is some Black Mirror shit. The first mobile phone I had as a teenager was a Pay As You Go Nokia 3210. It didn't have a camera, nor did it send messages over WiFi - in fact at this point most households that were lucky enough to have internet access were on dial-up. To send a text you had 459 characters, which included any spaces, and were generally charged at 10p per message - if you went over to 460 characters, you were charged the cost of two text messages. Generally, you would only send a text if you were confirming plans with a friend... after all, you would actually be able to tell them everything when you saw them!

I fear for kids growing up in a digital age. With the dangers of social media, online bullying, the concept of catfishing and the very fact that the internet is plastered with our personal information. A persons career could hand on the balance of what they have previously posted on Facebook or Instagram. We have become a generation of mutes, our thumbs do the talking - I wonder whether trigger-thumb and carpal tunnel syndrome have become more common medical issues in the past ten years.

However, with each negative that has come from the emergence of the digital age there must be a positive, right? You can have a (virtually) instant conversation with someone without having to have a phone glued to your head for an hour - no more crick neck from cradling the phone and also no more interruptions once the kids have gone to bed and all you want to do is watch the Great British Bake Off. Internet banking... no wait, mobile banking is just so bloody convenient - no more cheques ('whoooooooooooooooo?') or having to go into the bank to move money around. Weight loss apps - (does this one count?) I have so many of them promising to help me lose weight and yet I still can't lick that one down (although I guess I can't really blame an app for my downfalls). Oh, and the fact that you have every little thing at your fingertips - so much information that I can even find out pointless information about what the longest word in the English language is (it's pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis by the way). I might just share the longest word in my WhatsApp groups - see, knowledge is power 😉

Over and out.

L.

It's been a while...

2013-11-03T23:22:00.001+00:00

Hello and a very good morning, noon and night to one and all wherever you may be!

I am very aware that I abandoned my blog for a while. It has been one heck of a year and I cannot believe it is almost over! I have been through a range of emotions this year - from the relief of starting a new job (back in January), to the stress of being stupidly busy and run down by said job, but nonetheless it's been a goodun'. My well earned annual leave begins tomorrow and I am not back at work properly now for 2 weeks... although I am sure that it will fly by and I won't necessarily be any more relaxed as my partner and I are preparing to buy a house.

It hit me the other day that actually, I am rather 'grown up'. My mind keeps telling me that I am still 23, but every time I look in the mirror I think to myself 'another day older and still got a lot of growing up to do' (I am 27 in little over a week). Then I think that buying a house for the very first time is a massive deal. Maybe I have become a more mature individual. I mean after all, I have graduated from university, been through the motions of having to find another job and already pay bills. The comforts of my mom's cooking seems like a distant memory. Living in London for just over seven years has meant that I have had to stand on my own two feet with everything - not such a daunting task anymore.

Currently I work at a university - I look at the Freshers' coming in to the new academic year, they appear shy and timid and some don't look much younger than I do... then it hits me, I have a good seven years on most of them. It is strange to think that when I was a student I expected to graduate and walk straight into a job (even if we were entering a recession). Obviously this didn't happen, but as a student and graduate, you kind of take it for granted that you are still within this system, a sort of protective bubble. Once you graduate, after a month or two, that bubble suddenly bursts and you get a weird 'oh shit' moment when you realise that you are on your own to fend for yourself in a competitive job market. Honestly, I didn't think I would end up working in the role that I am currently in (I had never even heard of the role before), but I can tell you that I have met some of the most interesting (in both good and bad senses of the word) and fascinating people in just 10 months.

It's been a whirlwind six months - I have thought about everything. I have analysed my life, where I am, where I want to be and how to get what I want... I am still searching for these answers and instead of wading through haze and reaching a new form of clarity, I seem to have confused myself more and continue to pass through muddy waters. There was a short time where I was thinking and worrying about death - it was sinister. It wasn't anything in particular - just horrible thoughts about losing those that matter most around me. No matter how much I tried to keep my mind off it, occasionally it would creep up on me as if it was preying on my thoughts - hungry to force me to face the realities of life. The strange thing is that I have never been one who has been remotely concerned about death - it is part of life and I have to say that when it is my time to go, I will be gone. There is nothing that anybody can do about it - but it is different when I consider my own fate, this doesn't upset me one bit. It is when the death of loved ones creeps up on me that it completely throws me into this weird abyss of thoughts that I really do not want to be thinking. That said, it also makes me realise how lucky I am to have the people that I have in my life.

Perhaps it is because I am getting older, and I guess I am adding to my life experience as I go along that I am reflecting more on every aspect of my life. I have to say that I have been very fortunate - and even though I haven't done what I set out to do and my plans have changed, I feel incredibly privileged to have so many amazing people in my life who have got some fascinating stories to share. I am looking forward to making my own stories and memories to share with new generations... I mean come on, I still remember the days of the 'cassette tape', 'VH' and 'dial-up internet' - I bet that the 'Beliebers' of the world have never even heard of 'dial-up'.

I think I will leave my ramblings here for one evening. It's getting late, and really this post has no relevance whatsoever, but if you take anything away from this post it should be this - live life one day at a time, but remember your roots, remember the growth of your roots and remember every branch that flourished because of those roots. Nothing is forever, but cherish your memories however distant they may appear.

Over and out. Weez

Nuisance caller? Nope, nuisance receiver…

2013-01-31T19:15:00.000+00:00

In the age of annoying calls about family members having mythical accidents, or an individuals unawareness about PPI and how to make a claim – these nuisance calls are becoming the bane of many household telephones across the country. Think of it like this, in the ‘olden days’ people used to send letters, and then telegrams – there simply wasn’t the platform to be hassled the way that these reprobates trouble the households of the UK.

Every day, when I arrive home from work, I see at least two missed calls on my landline – either from private numbers, or ridiculous numbers (such as 942) which I have no doubt are not numbers associated with the UK. It’s annoying – no matter how many times you ignore these slippery buggers, they are resilient and ridiculously persistent. Time after time I am informed of an accident I had two years ago, or that I have been paying PPI on a credit card that doesn’t exist… so tonight, I had my own fun.

A caller (from a call centre in India) told me that I had compensation waiting for me and that he needed to take my details in order for me to claim it. At this point, I was pretending to wrack my brains over whether I had been in an accident or not. He was adamant that I had previously been in an accident despite me saying clearly that I had definitely not been involved in any such accident. To which he replied ‘Well our records show that you had an accident ma'am and there is compensation waiting for you, perhaps your injury made you forget it’. Time and time again, I told him that I had not been in an accident – when he decided that I definitely had, I said ‘If it's free money, feel free to write me a cheque, but I didn't have an accident. Look, I know that Valentines Day is coming up, but you don’t need to try and give me compensation, all you have to do is ask’. At this point, the line went quiet – I was sat giggling to myself when all of a sudden I heard the ‘dead-line’ tone. Considering that he called me, I thought that hanging up on me was rude.

Note to self – the way to get rid of those pesky callers (although it’s only temporary – but fun to do) is to wind them up, mock them and make them hang up on you. It makes handling those annoying calls that much easier.

Over and out. Weez

Happy New Year with new resolutions (to break)

2013-01-03T11:47:00.001+00:00

I wonder how many people manage to see their resolutions through 365 days of the year - do they set achievable goals that they really want to achieve or ones that were simply made to be broken?

We all know that each New year that we see in will have it's challenged for us, yet we wish for the best over the coming months - I for one have usually forgotten that I even made resolutions by the time March pays us a visit.

For anyone who has seen their resolutions through in previous years without falter, I take my hat off to you. This year I have pledged to lose the pounds that I have stacked on in the past four years of my relationship - last year I pledged the same and ended up putting on more weight. That said, my problem is that I don't see my resolutions through to the end. They sound like a brilliant idea when plied with alcohol.

Every New Year I say to myself 'Ok, this year I will save to travel next year'. Don't get me wrong, I would love to go travelling, but at what point do I have the money to even save? Along with rent and bills, I have to eat (granted, probably less than I do) - this leaves little room for saving many pennies to go travelling. Here again I stumble at the hurdle of my resolutions.

This years plan is plain and simple; I want to lose weight and succeed in my new job. I want my family and friends to remain happy and healthy, and the economic situation to pick up so I can start living life as it should be lived.

To everyone reading this post, Happy New Year! Have a great 2013 and don't give up on your resolutions and goals.

Over and out,

Weez

'Thanks for the warm up'... time for the cool down

2012-09-10T00:03:00.001+01:00

As the Paralympic Closing Ceremony drew a line under London 2012 (with the exception of the Olympic and Paralympic Parade of course) the whole country anticipates the metaphorical hangover. In a previous post, I focused on my enjoyment of the Olympics and the sheer joy and emotion it had left me with - I wished that as a nation we would support Team GB through the Paralympics and show the world how it is really done.

I can truly say this summer, that I am proud to be British. As a country, we have come together to show our support and admiration for all of the participants from across the world - particularly those from our 'home team'.

Now, this is only my opinion, but I felt a greater sense of pride for our Paralympic Athletes. Yes, of course I supported Team GB in the Olympics and I was particularly inspired by all of the athletes that have worked so hard to make it to London 2012 - I was also proud to be able to say that I went to school with Team GB's very own Alex Gregory - but there was something extra special about the Paralympics. Arguably, for the first time ever Paralympians have not only been treated as equal, but also been put on a pedestal from which every spectator looks up to. Channel 4's introduction absolutely rings true - in their own right, they are superhuman.

Many were dealt their cards from birth, whilst others were dealt them through their life journeys. Yet, they have overcome, triumphed and defied stereotypes. Hopefully somewhere along the way, as a society, we will make way for a very much needed and heightened understanding of individual challenges that they face. This is an inspiration in itself. The willing, the motivation and the determination of these athletes has been incredible. Many, against all odds, have exceeded expectations of themselves, their coaches and the countries in which they represent.

I was fortunate to have tickets to the Paralympic Stadium (as it became known) on Day 3... suffice it to say, it was one of the most incredible days of my life. Ok, so I am only 25, going on 26, but it could well have been that 'once in a lifetime opportunity' that everyone keeps going on about. I was also lucky to have tickets to the ExCel on Day 6. On both days, I had become a walking flesh covered sack of emotion. I laughed, cried, screamed, cheered and shouted - trust me when I say, the atmosphere at the Stadium was crazy.

Chris Whitehead celebrating Gold in T42 Mens 200m Race

On Day 3 I attended the morning session: Richard Whitehead won Gold in what was one of the most electrifying events of the morning - the stadium overflowing with excitement and pride, cheering all athletes competing and letting out roars, wails, screams, whistles and massive 'woohoos' every time the home team surfaced. It was a time of togetherness, not just for the Brits but the other supporters who were cheering their own countries. Houssein Omar Hassan appeared to have injured his Achilles tendon early on in the race but showed extreme willing to finish despite the seven-minutes-plus time difference separating the race winner from himself. The stadium stood tall, cheering him on as he reached every length of the track – the focus was not on him to win the race, but solely on his determination that was openly tugging at heartstrings of onlookers. The stadium united to see this athlete and spur on his determination to finish what he started.

Houssein Omar Hassan: T46 Mens 1500m Race

It is so hard to imagine the intensity that Olympic Athletes endure – then you see the Paralympic Athletes with such a diverse range of disabilities and classifications, it has brought a new meaning to sport. Barriers have been broken, stereotypes torn, attitudes changed, world records blown out of the water and infinite possibilities for not only Britain, but across the globe. My hope is, that as a nation, we will carry the spirit of the Paralympics and continue to not only accept our differences, but also celebrate them.

I want to thank all of the Olympic and Paralympic Athletes for bringing so much joy to London this summer. A big well done to each of the volunteers. It has been an amazing couple of months. Such a shame that we can't do it every year.

Over and out. Weez

Dis - Lek - See - Uh

2012-08-22T15:21:00.003+01:00

Dyslexia [noun] Pronunciation: /dɪsˈlɛksɪə/ [dis – lek – see – uh]

A general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence.

- Oxford English Dictionaries

Let me first introduce the nature of my post – if you haven’t guessed already, it is about Dyslexia. Call it a follow-up to my previous blog post ‘Are we a dyslexic nation or is it an excuse that we hide behind?’. In this post I want to consider what it really means to be dyslexic.

Firstly, I want to point out that I have been tested for Dyslexia – I have the really long report explaining the areas in which I struggle most and advice on how I can combat the niggles that in the past have been more than challenging. Consider the irony…

Educational Psychologist + potentially dyslexic individual = a really long and wordy report for the newly tested dyslexic person to read.

I found that rather amusing – it didn’t jump up and slap me in the face straight away, although this could be because I was busy concentrating on reading the whole report several times before processing any of the information in it.

So if you read my previous post, you will have understood that for me, being dyslexic has not held me back in the slightest. Yes, I feel that if I had have known earlier on in my education that I would have found my school days easier, but when I think about how hard I worked to achieve what I did, it makes me proud. I survived first school, middle school, high school and college through sheer hard work, knowing something wasn’t quite right but I was still determined to prove to myself that I could do it. I often wonder if some of my teachers thought I was a lazy pupil – regardless, it doesn’t matter now that I have come out the other side unscathed.

That is my account, but for some children (and indeed adults) this isn’t the case. For some, they feel that their difficulty to comprehend through reading and writing has held them back – arguably made them feel inadequate. This genuinely makes me sad because I feel that I managed to achieve a great deal against these odds, but for others it can be such a rocky road. In some cases it has lead to discrimination in and outside of the classroom.

The problem

Dyslexia is mapped on such a broad spectrum – but once it is understood where an individual’s difficulties lie, life can become much easier. For example, it takes me twice as long to read black text on white background as someone who can read perfectly well, but for every area that I find challenging, there is an area that I excel in. To combat my problem with reading I use what I believe is called Apple Green acetate over the paper, or if I am working on my computer I may change the background of the page to speed up my reading. Dyslexia cannot be characterised to one specific area and no two individuals are affected in the same way. Sometimes this is where confusion begins.

I truly believe that the support available to children with Dyslexia in schools is much better now than it ever has been. Teachers are now more aware of the ‘tell-tale’ signs and how to help children overcome their learning difficulties – but more needs to be done. In order to teach children with learning difficulties effectively, the teacher first and foremost needs to understand the conditions and capabilities before bombarding individuals with more overwhelming (and sometimes patronising) ‘ways to combat’ said problems.

The statistics

According to the Dyslexia Action website, 1 in 5 school leavers struggle to read and write, 1 in 10 people have Dyslexia and 1 in 5 children are excluded from the classroom due to reading difficulties.

The solution

In my opinion, there is no one solution to help those with Dyslexia – there are many. The Government could start by making it essential for teachers in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) to be taught about learning difficulties and ways in which they could help children to push down their metaphorical learning barriers. Not only will this be a great help to the children who have already established learning difficulties, but it will also be easier for teachers to identify signs of those who have not been previously screened for Dyslexia or other associated learning difficulties.

With the appropriate teacher training, the quality of education that is offered to every student will arguably be more valuable to those who had previously struggled. With a better understanding of learning difficulties help can invariably be put in place to ensure that every child gets a chance to achieve.

Every child has the right to be taught in a balanced and fair environment where opportunity is available to everyone. Teachers work hard to provide quality education, they inspire the children that they teach on a daily basis – but how do they get through to the children who have come to believe that they aren’t capable of achieving?

I believe that with introducing compulsory teacher training in Special Educational Needs (SEN) during ITT it will help to raise standards of not only the lives and education of the children, but also improve the levels of literacy in schools.

On another note, please vote on my poll (to the left of the blog post) about whether or not you think that dyslexic individuals should be allowed to teach. My aim is to create a blog post that provokes open comments about this topic.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

Over and out. Weez.

Olympic fever – contagion soon to clear

2012-08-12T23:51:00.001+01:00

Image courtesy of TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/GettyImages

I have to say that I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about the Olympics – when they announced that it would come to London in 2012, I let out a huge sigh whilst millions of people cheered. My first thought was, albeit selfish, that it would disrupt my travel to work, going anywhere in London would be a nightmare and that I simply couldn’t wait for it to be over.

This year I could not be more proud to be British!

To the unbelievers, the ‘Brits’ pulled it off… you should now eat you metaphorical hats. For the past two spectacular weeks we have been entertained, proud and noisy… this is how we do.

The opening ceremony had me hooked from the beginning. The only reason that I had tuned in to the BBC on opening night was because I didn’t want to be the only person in the world not watching. Danny Boyle put on a phenomenal show that would introduce Great Britain and its athletes to an incredible Olympics. From the industrial revolution to Winston Churchill, through to ‘The Queen’ jumping out of a helicopter with James Bond. This year was our year.

We came out of London 2012 with 18 more medals than in the previous games – perhaps it was because our athletes were on home turf, perhaps it was something in the drinking water or maybe Boris eliminated the toxins in London skies? Whatever happened this year it was quite the performance - from the opening ceremony to the events leading up to the closing ceremony, this is one to go down in British history.

London 2012 - 65 Medals

29 Gold Medals

17 Silver Medals

19 Bronze Medals

Beijing 2008 - 47 Medals

19 Gold Medals

13 Silver Medals

15 Bronze Medals

Since it began I have been glued to the television, when at work the live stream commentary on the Internet. Considering that I don’t like sport, I was dosed up on the Velodrome and couldn’t get enough of diving at the Aquatics Centre.

It is a shame that tickets became so hard to come by – the website for London 2012 tickets was an absolute nightmare. I don’t know if I was the only person to find that every time I tried to reserve tickets the page would freeze, then when trying to search for tickets again there would be one event showing rather than the 11 that were showing two minutes before. For me this was the only downside to the Olympics – said by a true couch spectator. The only thing that could have possibly been better in my eyes is if I had had tickets and been part of the supporting crowds to Team GB.

The closing ceremony (directed by Kim Gavin) has given an entertaining shock of realism to London… our time has come, been and gone for us to show the world what our Olympic games were made of. In a show of colour, flashing lights and loud music, we have been represented as a strong and proud nation. The torch relay saw the coming together of a nation where millions of people turned up to support the torchbearers who represented every curve and crevice of Great Britain.

I now hope that the rest of Great Britain will join me in supporting Team GB’s athletes in the Paralympics and hope that we can continue our successes.

2012 has been such a memorable year for everyone – the Queens Diamond Jubilee and then London 2012… what a year! I hope that as the success carries over to the Paralympics that we will remain as optimistic and excited in support for Team GB. Congratulations to those who took part, to those who took home medals, to those who broke records and last but not least to the thousands of volunteers – it has been amazing. Roll on 2016.

I can honestly say that I am very proud to be British.

Over and out.

Weez

UK Cancer Research's Race for Life - Regent's Park 14th July 2012

2012-07-17T17:54:00.001+01:00

At approximately 7:30am on Saturday 14th July 2012, I woke up, stretched, then opened the bedroom blinds, fed the cats and went for a shower before realising that it was once again a wet and rainy day. I was dreading the hours to come - I knew from the previous Race for Life that I had taken part in that I would be coming home wet and painted in mud if the rain was to keep pouring.

I have to admit that my mood wasn't particularly great - but then I can't say that I am usually happy when I have been rudely awoken by the annoying sound of my alarm - but I knew the day was all for a good cause.

My friend and I reached Regent’s Park with our two amazingly dedicated supporters (who sacrificed staying at home in the dry, for standing in the rain on a muddied parkland area). In front of us a sea of pink (and the occasional person dressed in a cow costume) gathered in front of us, jumping up and down to the beat or annoying chart topping singles. I have to admit that I opted out of the warm-up, maybe that wasn’t the smartest choice I have ever made, but I was only walking it so what’s the fuss? Aye.

Although the heavens had opened and the rain was beating down, the atmosphere was incredible. We walked the 5K in the rain in 52 minutes, there was very little room to manoeuvre due to the floods of pink winding through the course - it was wet and warm but also enjoyable.

To those who have also taken part in the Race for Life - well done! The weather has created challenges for everyone, and at Regent’s Park it was no different. It impacted heavily on the joggers and runners creating mini mudslides around the course (which was the deciding factor for me to walk).

There is still time to donate to our sponsorship page: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/running-in-circles. We are half way to our target and need to make one final push to get there.

I would like to thank everyone for supporting us on the run up to the Race for Life and for the sponsorships.

Thanks for reading.

Weez

UK Cancer Research's Race for Life

2012-07-13T11:45:00.000+01:00

Courtesy of www.nationalcynical.com

Tomorrow I am meant to be running in Cancer Research's Race for Life, but unfortunately due to having an operation on my nose two weeks ago I shall not be running anywhere because of the pain. Instead, I intend to walk briskly and enjoy the view from Regents Park.

If anyone feels like sponsoring me and help my team reach our £500 target, please visit http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/running-in-circles.

Here you will be able to sponsor me and my team mates as we join the fight against cancer.

Thank you and much love,

Weez

Letter to Dear Ol' July

2012-07-06T15:50:00.001+01:00

Dear July,

I have had no correspondence from May and was wondering if she had, in fact, passed on my message? As soon as the future seemed to be getting brighter and the moods and spirits of those around me lifted, it was taken away and spiralled into an abyss of grey darkness.

June brought us very little in the way of sunshine, perhaps she didn’t have the winning bid on eBay – it appears that Spain may have won those stolen moments with the UV rays and warmth. It’s a shame really, I quite like the sun, it makes everybody cheerful and happy – well apart from one of those things made out of that frozen creamy stuff, they either melt or get eaten. I’m not really sure that I would want to be one of those little ice creams; life would seem a little more unpredictable than that of a human.

Yes my dear July, I am being rather sarcastic. I hope you understand the frustrations the inhabitants of Britain have. We have had very little summer so far, and weather forecasts are more depressing as the weeks go on. I am usually one with a sunny disposition, but I think that must have been previously sold on eBay to cover the costs of postage and packaging for the rain. I mean seriously, the cost of making clouds can’t be cheap.

In fact, it has been raining so much that I have considered taking my fish for a walk – unfortunately, I could not find a lead small enough to fit around it’s head.

Begging at this point July is not beneath me – please deliver us some sunshine, for I fear I may emigrate and join the Expats. Please bring the sun home. Thanks.

Yours faithfully,

Weez

Karma - a bit like Marmite

2012-06-27T22:33:00.000+01:00

"Karma moves in two directions. If we act virtuously, the seed we plant will result in happiness. If we act non-virtuously, suffering results."

Sakyong Mipham

I often find myself among the masses of morning commuters in London, completely agitated by those who don't know where they are going, those who walk slower than I do, those who weave unnecessarily blocking the only clear pathway through the crowd of tens and counting. I also often find myself sniggering when something goes kaput on the Victoria Line and you hear a communal hum of sighs from 80% of the people in the carriage.

Today was no different.

Today I giggled quietly to myself in the corner when the driver gave the announcement that would undoubtedly annoy hundreds ... "I must apologise ladies and gentlemen but the train appears to have over-shot the platform and now I can't open the doors". There are two things that made me laugh about this statement - firstly, no the train did not over shoot the platform, the driver was going to fast and could not stop the train in time. Secondly, there were a lot of unhappy moans and groans the minute people were told that the doors would not open at King's Cross. It's strange that everyone understands the unspoken meaning behind the words of the driver - all it takes is for people to read between the lines. What he really meant was, "in order for customers to leave the train, we would have to go forward to Euston".

Well, that situation was fine for me. Yes, it may have meant that I quickly needed to develop sharp elbows to stop myself from being pushed around by far more than the average traffic of bodies that pass through Euston at 8.30am (especially those much taller than me), but I knew that when I got to Euston I would be on the home straight and regardless of the minor inconvenience on my way to work I would manage to get to my course on time (the ultimate goal of today).

How wrong was I?

After being stuck underground on a sweltering hot and stationary train for 10 minutes at King's Cross, the driver gave another announcement. "Hello again ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately this train has now become defective and we will attempt to get one door in each carriage open. You will have to change here and find an alternative route" - well I guess that was Karma. For laughing at the small misfortunes of others, I too had to find an alternative route.

My alternative probably only added on an extra five minutes to my journey, not bad going really. Hop on the Northern Line at King's Cross to High Barnet and make an extra change at Euston to head towards Edgware - at least I avoided what had become a severe delay on the Victoria Line for the sake of one stop.

Moral of the story - no matter how insignificant, don't laugh at the misfortune of others.

FYI - I made it on time (with 15 minutes to spare) for my course.

Over and out. Weez

Letter to Dear Ol' May

2012-06-08T23:45:00.002+01:00

Dear May,

In all honesty, I feel that you've let me down. I usually look forward so much to getting to spend time in the sun with you - this year, not so much. I spent my time digging out my wardrobe simply wondering what to wear in your company, but truly nothing seemed good enough for you. I have never been one to be told what to wear and when to wear it, but you honestly dictated my every move. There were so many times that I didn't want to leave the house because I didn't know what you would do.

You have changed so much since our last encounter. Last year you were warm and had a sunny disposition. This year you seemed so cold and your personality was as much fun as a wet lettuce. Talking of lettuce, I should probably let you know that my homegrown lettuce and beans are thriving - so for this I guess I must thank you. I have to say that there were a couple of weeks where you seemed a little brighter and weren't so depressing to be around - I even sported mild sun stroke because I enjoyed your company and the fine weather.

You gave us (not so much) sun, massive hail stones, thunder and lightening along with many rain storms... not a month to be proud of. So far, June hasn't been much better - perhaps you could put in a word for all of us Brits. When we meet again, please make sure that it is on better terms. You always appear in my favourite season and usually make so many people happy. Out of all of the months, you are the bestest best month EVER!

Please take on board my comments, and I hope that you don't take it too personally - a little constructive criticism never hurt anybody. So long my friend. I will see you in 2013.

Much love,

Weez

P.S. **SINGS** I can’t stand the rain!

Double Dip – The Fizzy Side of the Recession

2012-06-07T21:12:00.000+01:00

Definition: Double - Dip Recession - When gross domestic product (GDP) growth slides back to negative after a quarter or two of positive growth. A double-dip recession refers to a recession followed by a short-lived recovery, followed by another recession (Definition courtesy of Investopedia.com).

We have all had to tighten our belts in one way or another since the first dip in the global economy in the last quarter of 2008 – in little over a year it was announced that the UK had defied the gravity of a mass financial downward spiral and had exited the recession with weak 0.1% growth. So even though the growth was slow, we as a nation were heading in the right direction right? Wrong.

Britain was headed for partial recovery after the initial crisis hit during the tail end of 2008. The crisis hit businesses in an often-perishable fashion seeing the closures of company branches as well as the administration and widespread insolvencies across every sector. One of the industries that were hardest hit by the downturn was real estate, housing markets and business activities according to the Association of Business Recovery Professionals. People were losing their jobs, homes and the country simply lost control of economic activities. Statistics show that shortly after the financial crisis hit, the unemployment figure was at 5.3% (approximately 1.6 million) - by 2009 the figure had sharply risen to 7.7% (approximately 2.5 million people out of work) and in 2010 increased by a further 0.1% according to World Bank data. By the end of 2011, employment rates began to rise – for some this appeared to be a glimmer of hope, the reality is that although there has been a rise in employment statistics show that there has been a decline in full-time work opportunities and an increase in part-time workers.

It seems that nobody is safe these days as far as employment is concerned. People applying for jobs, the lucky ones who make the cut from the interviews and the employees who have not been under threat with a company ‘shake-up’ or restructure – as soon as we find ourselves with a job (of sorts) things can change. The amount of applicants applying for one job has risen substantially since the beginning of the recession – some jobs have more than 70 applicants fighting it out for one position. Arguably sectors in customer service or admin have the higher number of applicants. The number of temporary positions has also soared as well as part-time vacancies on offer.

Until February I was juggling my life around two part-time jobs in completely different industries – fair enough, they were both customer facing but one was in an educational institution and the other was a bookmakers. In my opinion, it is increasingly difficult to choose a career path in these tough times – many employers require experience in order for an applicant to be successful, however how can one gain experience if there are no genuine ‘entry-level’ jobs where the experience can be gained? Not everyone can afford to take unpaid work experience. I graduated in 2009 in Television Production and would love nothing more than to become an editor, unfortunately when I was studying I had to work to keep a roof over my head and couldn’t juggle unpaid work experience.

With the battle becoming fiercer between applicants, it is an incredibly hard slog for school leavers and graduates who have limited experience. Perhaps it is time to go back to the drawing board and before making that decision about going to university ‘for the uni experience’ really think about what it is that you want to do and plan to go through the tough route – it is not unheard of for students to be under the assumption that they will be able to walk straight into a job… hell, I was one of them. This is why I personally would advise anyone currently going through school or Sixth Form to consider what they want to do and how they will achieve it. Anything is possible, it is just harder in times of recession to get what you want – don’t make sacrifices, plan ‘in case of’ the tough route and the easy route will be a doddle.

I should take my own advice and plan for the tough times… easier said than done.

Over and out. Weez

The Vanity of Weight Loss

2012-05-12T18:52:00.000+01:00

Millions of women have a complex about their weight, even the ‘size zeros’ amongst us are weight conscious – so regardless of the blame game directed towards the media (rightly or wrongly so) we are living in a self-conscious and self-obsessed society where we are all searching for the perfect body.

Whether a woman wants to ‘shed the pounds’ before her big day, or ‘kick the clump’ after giving birth - it appears that weight loss is at the forefront of self-loathing. It can lead people to yo-yo dieting (of which I am a serial offender) which not only makes weight loss ineffective, it arguably sets a trap for a repeated sense of failure. Yo-yo dieting (or the yo-yo cycle) was a term created by Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D and refers to the constant cycle of dieting to lose weight, which eventually (in varying and undetermined periods of time) lead to relapse. With this in mind, how far are we prepared to go to shed the weight that we have become so desperate to control?

There are numerous diet plans ranging from subscription groups and classes to personalised nutrition plans from dieticians, and more recently companies that have jumped on the diet bandwagon including those that deliver pre-prepared dietary meals to your front door. This all appears to be the tame version of the norm in comparison to a new ‘craze’ diet that has arguably swept American brides-to-be by storm. This new diet is said to help people lose 20lb in ten days – so how safe is the K-E Diet?

Put quite simply, the patient walks around with a K-E tube inserted through the nostril and into the stomach for ten days where their calorie intake will total 800kcal worth of protein and fat per day - it totally eradicates sugar intake which shocks the body into a state of Ketosis. According to the NHS website Ketosis is a serious condition where raised levels of Ketones are found in the blood. The cause is often due to the effects of a low carbohydrate diet (carbohydrates provide the majority source of our body’s energy) – carbs convert into glucose, which is what this diet aims to eliminate. It relies on the body’s lack of carbs (therefore lack of glucose) and the fat is broken down in a process called ‘fat metabolism’. The body will run off a reserve tank and in non-dietary circumstances is said to be linked to starvation, diabetes mellitus and alcoholism.

One leaflet offered to potential customers has printed guidelines on how the procedure works and what the results will be. Under the heading ‘Is it safe?’ the leaflet says ‘The K-E Diet was developed in Italy and has been used safely over 100,000 times with amazing weight loss results’ … well that totally puts my mind at rest, if it was developed in Italy and has been used over 100,000 then it must be a reliable quick fix – seriously, give me a break. Now I am no doctor, and I never will be, but brief research into the risks of Ketosis has taught me that due to the high levels of acid in the blood there is a higher risk of kidney and liver problems – plus it is unbelievably expensive!

NOW ON TO THE TANGENT

This whole process reminds me of the Suffragettes, although they were fighting for something much more worthwhile and less self-absorbed than a quick fix to weight loss. Didn’t this constitute as a punishment when the Suffragettes went on hunger strike? In fact, the women who were fighting and often gave their lives for our right to vote sacrificed their own lives in many ways; does this not seem to be a total U-turn?

WSPU Poster 1914

Force-feeding through the mouth was the more common form of gavage (force feeding), although failure to do so resulted in insertions through the nostrils. Feeding through force had become an attempt by the government to get ahead of a political war – the women battling for suffrage were often arrested for smashing windows of shops and defacing public property including acts of arson and public disorder. The hunger strike was an extremist strategy developed by Marion Wallace-Dunlop after being charged on 25^th June 1909 "with willfully damaging the stone work of St. Stephen's Hall, House of Commons, by stamping it with an indelible rubber stamp, doing damage to the value of 10s". After fasting for 91 hours she was released due to government fears that she would be a martyr to the suffrage cause - which shortly lead to other Suffragette prisoners going on hunger strike. However, this soon led to the gavage initiative lead by wardens in prisons. Force-feeding was endured by hundreds of women up until the Temporary Discharge for Ill Health Act (nicknamed the Cat and Mouse Act) was set in place in 1913, which allowed the women to go on hunger strike, and as they became weaker they would be released posing as little threat to the government. However, once these women were strong and healthy enough, they would once more be arrested and the vicious cycle continued.

The Illustrated London News, April 27, 1912

[Rosa] May Billinghurst was born in 1875 in Lewisham, London and suffered with total paralysis throughout her life. She became an active Suffragette in 1907 and encountered arrests and force-feeding on several occasions throughout her life. She told in her account of how five wardresses and three doctors pinned her down preparing her for force-feeding which went on to create a wave of revulsion and lead this political outrage to new depths of contempt: “[They] forced a tube up my nostril; it was frightful agony, as my nostril is small. I coughed it up so that it didn’t go down my throat. They then were going to try the other nostril, which, I believe is a little deformed. They forced my mouth open with an iron instrument, and poured some food into my mouth. They pinched my nose and throat to make me swallow”.

BACK ON POINT

Although my comparison may seem a little extreme, it strikes me that what it once meant to be a woman in Britain now means something completely different. The Suffragettes fought a militant battle to gain a glimmer (at that point) of gender equality for women and the Suffragists spearheaded non-militant campaigns to give women a better quality of life – different tactics led to one combined effort at gaining the women’s right to vote. Whereas the modern day woman is arguably so wrapped up in self-image and media ideologies that she has sought comfort in a practice that resembles that used by the government as a matter of punishment and degradation to women prisoners.

Perhaps my understanding of this new ‘revolutionary’ diet is weak and my comparison to gavage is graceless, but I believe that the idea of having a tube inserted into the nostril and being fed a meager 800kcal per day to lose weight as a quick fix is incredibly vain and devalues what being a woman stands for.

At what point did we transcend beyond being proud of who we are and valuing our self-image? I sympathise with anyone who is in a constant state of unease about their appearance - as I mentioned before I am a serial yo-yo dieter and struggle to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, but I do not think that any promised ‘quick-fix’ is the answer. There are large health risks to many things that we do in life, but the health risks associated with the K-E diet are arguably an act of vanity.

Over and out. Weez

Information used in this blog can be accessed at: -

Aurora Metro. (n.d). Marion Wallace-Dunlop. Retrieved 05 08, 2012, from The Suffragettes: http://www.thesuffragettes.org/map/outer-london-boroughs/ealing/marion-wallacedunlop/

Archives Hub. (n.d). Autograph Letter Collection: Letters of Rosa May Billinghurst and Dr Alice Ker. Retrieved May 09, 2012, from Archives Hub: http://archiveshub.ac.uk/data/gb1069-29?page=1#id590539

Kelly D. Brownell, e. a. (1986). Understanding and preventing relapse. American Psychologist , 41(7), 762-785.

NHS. (n.d). NHS Choices. Retrieved May 09, 2013, from Ketosis: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ketosis/pages/introduction-old.aspx

Purvis, J. (1995). The prison experiences of the suffragettes in Edwardian Britain. Women's History Review , 4 (1), 103-133.

Are we a dyslexic nation or is it an excuse that we hide behind?

2012-04-11T10:19:00.000+01:00

People tend to criticise things that they don’t understand and they run scared of things that seem ‘abnormal’. It is difficult for both children and adults in today’s society to come to terms with being told that they have a learning disability – the fear of judgement from others, the fear of being rejected for a job all because of a ‘learning disability’ it all contributes to a self-confidence crash.

Arguably, children have it hard when finding out that they are in fact not illiterate, they are dyslexic - which is why they struggle with spelling, reading or writing. They need extra resources to help them move forward and in some cases, when dyslexia goes undetected it can cause illiteracy and severe learning difficulties. Not only do they have to cope with finding out that they have a common ‘disability’ but it is made obvious to their peers that they are struggling, which unfortunately leaves them prone to bullying.

I frequently went through my school years thinking that I was incapable of learning and often mentally punished myself for being unintelligent. I used to sit next to my best friend trying to copy her work – not because I could not do the work myself, but because she had such neat writing. It strikes me as being really silly now, I did not often confer with other peers for answers (except in maths – which the less said about at this stage the better) – I just really liked her handwriting. I was envious of how her intelligence seemed tie in neatly and flow through the tip of her Parker pen.

Needless to say, I was one of the ‘lucky’ ones. Nobody even knew that I am dyslexic. Not the other children, nor the teachers and neither did I. In fact, it was not until I was sat in my A-Level Media class and we were given five minutes to read a page – when asked if everyone had finished reading, I was the only person in the class that answered “no” in a chorus of “yes”. It was then, that the first person noticed that I was that little bit slower and found it more difficult to engage in reading than my peers and advised me that when I get to University I go to be tested for dyslexia.

At the age of 20 I have to say that neither the test, nor the results bothered me in the slightest. I have always known that I struggle with reading – black text, white background, forget it. It takes me approximately five minutes just to read through a paragraph because the white is so piercing and bright. I tend to find the nice shade of apple green acetate helps me read at a slightly less than average speed but faster than my normal white with black text speed. Spelling, well I am okay, not brilliant but then who is?

So enough about me and back to my main point. It is now being acknowledged more in classrooms, children appear to be getting more support now than ever, which is great news for whatever statistic the government wants to brandish at dyslexia. Hold on, I seem to be missing out one important thing – the cynics.

There are two parts to our society, those who tolerate and those who do not. Fine. A minority of people are blind sighted by the very thought and understanding around dyslexia and appear to think that it is not a case of children or adults having a legitimate learning disability, and that it is a case of laziness or lack of intelligence. This is simply not the case. Like I said in previous paragraphs, I am dyslexic. I completed GCSEs, A-Levels and received a First Class Honours at University – all because I worked extremely hard. I took no extra help, but it was the knowing about the condition as well as knowing measures that I can use to help myself that made me achieve more than I could ever imagine.

In 2010, BBC Three broadcast a documentary about Kara Tointon (Dawn, Eastenders) and her living with dyslexia. ‘Don’t Call Me Stupid’ was broadcast to raise awareness of dyslexia and how to live with it. It was like looking in the mirror. Like Tointon, I struggle to read books from cover to cover and wish I could experience the same depths of imagination as a non-dyslexic person experiences when they read books. By watching this documentary, I realised that what I have to work through, is what many other people with dyslexia feel too. It helps to know that there are always people out there who are willing to help and advise.

Through the lack of understanding many people dismiss dyslexia too easily. Dyslexia is a broad learning disability that does not affect everyone in the same way – those who live with it, will do so for the rest of their lives – some of who do not realise that they have it. Dyslexia Action say that approximately 10% of the UK population has some form of dyslexia. They also state that ‘it doesn’t affect intelligence but predominately causes difficulties with reading, writing and spelling… The social impact of dyslexia is extensive. If you cannot learn to read, you cannot read to learn and everything we do at school and throughout life requires us to have the skills to be able to access written information. Above and beyond the difficulties and barriers dyslexia presents it is the damage that low self-esteem can have, which is life-long’ (Dyslexia Action, 2010).

So are we a dyslexic nation? Well, like I said in the previous paragraph, 10% of us are. Do we hide behind it as an excuse? No, it is essentially a matter of tolerance and understanding towards those who have it. I will not use the phrase ‘suffer with it’ because it is not necessarily something that we have to suffer with – I certainly did not. Though there are many who do struggle through because the help they need is not as readily available as it should be. If awareness is raised, then we are certainly going in the right direction to help others who are feeling held back by something that should be seen as insignificant to their lives.

To find out more about Dyslexia Action, visit www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk.
Please take a minute to sign a petition for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) to provide mandatory teacher training in dyslexia - to sign, just follow the link: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20674

Over and out.

Weez

Good things come in small packages, better things come from small charities...

2012-04-08T21:45:00.001+01:00

So you have all heard the phrase ‘good things come in small packages’ – a phrase that indicates that the smaller things in life are more valuable. In many ways that notion rings true. When a doctor delivers a baby, it is a small bundle of joy that is precious to both the family to which it has been a blessing to, but also to the pure existence and evolution of mankind. It is the small things that we value more in life – they are usually the things that we consider to be insignificant and take for granted, though without paying close attention to detail they are the things that we work hardest for and endeavor to maintain.

Charities exist for the mere fact of making a difference in the world – whatever the cause, their individual objectives all strive for a communal primary objective – to provide help and aid to those in need.

Small charities appear to be the shiny diamonds that are so rare to come across. They work hard to secure things that will make a difference to the cause, rather than adopting the ‘spend money to make money’ model. Many of the larger charities employ large amounts of people to dictate vast areas of the ‘business’, although they are run under a ‘not for profit’ structure they rely on methods that involve large sums of money being spent on advertising and paying the wages of street fundraisers to generate an income. So really how much money is generated and given directly to the cause?

With smaller charities, there are fewer beneficiaries and it is notable that any money raised (through fundraising events or other charitable causes) goes directly to the cause in which it has been raised for. Take for example, the two surgical tables that have been donated by St. Thomas’ Hospital in London to a desperately under equipped hospital in Uganda. Through the Ganda Foundation and Dr. Sangeeta Mahajan (Ambassador of Ganda Foundation), two six year old hydraulic operating tables will be handed over at a prestigious ceremony being held at Kawolo Hospital Uganda in a few weeks time. This is a huge deal. This small charity has provided a hospital that has had no new (or even used) equipment since it was built in 1967 (see Ganda Foundation website for more information). Instead of appealing for funds through advertising and street fundraisers, this charity has taken the bull by the horns and approached establishments that can make a difference immediately upon receipt.

Another noteworthy charity that I have had the pleasure of being introduced to is UK Travel Goods Industry Support for Schools, which is a small charity aimed at rebuilding community schools and raising awareness and funds for orphans in Zimbabwe. This charity, like Ganda Foundation, puts the cause at the heart of everything they do – any money raised from events (like the recent That’s Entertainment gig held at IndigO2), functions and donations get pumped directly into building schools and providing basic amenities that we take for granted to the communities in Zimbabwe.

This leads me directly to my point that neither of these small charities that I have mentioned, rely on hounding people for money or spend a small fortune on advertising – they simply do things that earn recognition and support. I am in no way saying that large charities don’t do their part for the causes in which they support, because they do it to the best of their ability. However, I am saying that it is the smaller charities that seem to be overlooked because they are not publicised to the same extent. They seem to make a noticeable and dramatic impact to communities but somehow still go by unrecognised. These charities are run by the hearts of their founders, volunteers and workers – not by their organisations. It seems to all boil down to charity awareness.

For more information about the Ganda Foundation or UK Travel Goods Industry Support for Schools follow the links below:

www.gandafoundation.com

www.support4schools.org

Over and out for now. Weez

Street Fundraising VS The People

2012-04-03T20:33:00.001+01:00

I am constantly hounded by street fundraisers in my local town, I have grown to resent their mere existence – and although I have an incredibly big heart when it comes to charity, I dislike being hassled and given the ‘hard sell’ in order to extract money out of me. Crossing the road was once the advisable thing to do when you saw a street fundraiser, you were safe then to go about your business – but these days street fundraisers have evolved to another strain of irritant that you don’t want near your skin in fear of contamination and the very fact that it will burn a hole in your pocket.

Like I said before, I have a big heart when it comes to charity, but it has to be on my terms. I don’t want to be forced into parting with my money – particularly when I know that charities these days ask for a direct debit to be set up and it will be taken straight from my account. I like to walk up to the (arguably ‘out-dated’) man with the collection box and put in the loose change that I can afford. Unfortunately, these are few and far between – now they have young and aesthetically pleasing (both male and female) street fundraisers approaching people with charm and whit. Regardless of whether you pretend to be in a phone call, or if you are talking to your friends, they are fearless and interrupt what you are doing to persuade you to set up a monthly transfer.

I am actually not against street fundraising – I think that if it is executed properly then it is a wonderful thing. I am against the fundraisers that do not leave you alone if you say no, or tell them that you simply cannot afford that monthly transfer. What really got to me was when I was walking through my local town and was hounded by a girl from an animal charity, not only did I tell her that I was not interested in setting up a direct debit, but I told her that I simply couldn’t afford to pay more money from my account each month – her response, ‘well if you eat less, you will spend less on your weekly shop. That way you will be able to afford to donate each month’ – suffice it to say, I ended the conversation with a hole in my lip because I was trying to chew my way out of the situation without being rude.

On another occasion, going back to about 2005, I was walking through my hometown with my ex-boyfriend and my brother, when a fundraiser outside Woolworths approached us. I kept my head down, trying to go unnoticed but the fundraiser gently grabbed my arm and stopped us. I felt guilty as we weren’t going to stop, when my ex said that “the trick is to simply confuse them, watch this… sorry mate, I’ve got no arms” – sure enough the guy stood there, looking at my ex, then back to me and back to my ex again, he was totally confused. So maybe this is the way forward. Maybe confusing the ‘lesser-spotted’, scratch that ‘common’ fundraiser is the best thing to do – it will leave them pondering for a few minutes while other potential victims manage to scurry by unscathed.

Fundraising is a huge thing to charities, without it you have no research, you have no funds to fight for the cause you stand for and you have no way of integrating the charity into the public eye – but I do believe that there should be something put in place to stop passers by from being hassled by a string of people asking for money. In the local high street there are fundraisers hassling not only those who are only just eligible for a current account, but also pensioners, and it appears to be a different charity every day – yet the local council do not appear to have a problem with the very fact that people are being bullied in to parting with their money, which in the current climate is increasingly hard to keep hold of. These days you cannot cross the road to get away from the intrusion and the guilt selling that is put upon you and there is no getting away from the other fundraising minion a few metres away.

The process has become an ugly one. Fundraisers are trained to sell the charities in which they work for. Fine, I get that, but so much money is spent on them being on the street and getting people to sign up, people just do not want to be hassled anymore – it is high time that charitable organisations realise this and go back to basics. This is what smaller charities do; they cut out the middleman and go direct the jewels that are going to bring them assets for the charity. I will write more on this in my next blog ‘GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES, BETTER THINGS COME FROM SMALL CHARITIES’.

Signing off for now. Over and out.

Weez.

It’s like learning a new language…

2012-03-29T12:48:00.000+01:00

I know very little about professional writing even though it is plastered around the globe in every corner we turn to. Be it on the Tube or bus, in a newspaper or a novel, the very presence of writing in a 'professional' context is intriguing, yet elaborate. There is so much to think about. 'Will the audience appreciate what I write? Will they even notice that it's there?' - these are two questions that are really the fundamentals of written communication, particularly as we know it.

What is a newspaper without an audience? Who will buy products without effective marketing? Our very economy and existence depends on the art of communication. Written communication is highly understated.

Earlier this month there was a large buzz generated by the topical debate of adult numeracy – it has been reported that a large portion of adults in the UK struggle with basic mathematics and almost half of the adult population have math skills equating to those of 11-year old school pupils (The Telegraph, 2012). I myself am numerically illiterate – I am unfortunate enough to have dyscalculia and run as far away from numbers as possible – and would love nothing more than to have a firm grasp on the intricacies of mathematics and even the basic understanding of anything numerical. In terms of the responses that have been generated in the media of late, it seems that mathematics and the lack of understanding seem to be more prevalent than a basic grasp of not only the form of written communication, but also the basic concept of the English language.

With technologies and social networking changing at a rapid pace, the desire to use ‘text speak’ and slang appear to be the most commonly used form of a modern language. The use of ‘text speak’ has been adapted over the years, shortening words such as ‘you’ to ‘u’, to a whole new language created by Internet socialites, consisting of letters and numbers such as ‘1337’ (elite). So where do we draw the line?

As the growing Internet communities get younger and we move on from the iPod generation we push boundaries on technologies impacting on the way we use the English language. It is becoming ever apparent that people are incorporating their spoken words into their written language (such as essays or job applications), this will essentially lead to problems when it comes to composing professional letters or emails. So why is literacy being overlooked by professionals?

Maybe it is not just a case of overlooking literacy; maybe it is a case of ignoring requirements and capabilities. Perhaps it boils down to accents – a primary school in Essex was recently in the news regarding elocution lessons for children, it was reported to have benefitted the pupils reflecting in the standards of reading and writing (BBC News – Essex, Feb. 2012). This said, I grew up in a rural part of the country with nothing but fields and farmland – I have a slight accent, but this is not reflected in the way in which I write.

Please take a minute to sign a petition for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) to provide mandatory teacher training in dyslexia - to sign, just follow the link: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20674.