LIBERTI magazine : Jan / Mar 2015 by Duncan Williams

JAN - MAR 2015 • £3.50

WHAT’S your FLAVOUR tasty ideas for your home

Making good choices Cheryl Ladd on being an Angel

Jude Trenier

Failing Well Squadron Leader Ruth Shackleton - airborne

Philippa Hanna

Every body is precious Entertainment • Fashion • Health • Interviews • Movies • Shopping • Sex • Travel • TV

2 thousand years ago

JESUS

went out of his way

Honour, Restore and Release women He still Does. to



It’s time to RING THE BELL for women to live in freedom.

e have a dream to reach women all over the country with the liberating message that Jesus is good news for women; we’d love you to help us.

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Winter 2015

17 LIBERTI features 2 4 S q uadron L eader R u t h S h a ck le ton 3 1 C h eryl L a dd

On being an Angel

LIBERTI living 15 Fi tness

17 Leadershi p

9 A pp A le r t

62 Fi nance

1 0 Ch e c k o u t Gadg e t s

3 8 P h i l i ppa Ha nna

LIBERTI culture W h at ’ s y o u r flav o u r

56 Bo o k sh e lf

Every Body is Precious

4 3 Hol y a nd Horn y

59 M u sic t o o u r e ar s

5 2 C h arlotte Eades

61 A t t h e Cin e m a

LIBERTI women 5

Fi rs t W ord

LIBERTI faith 46 What you tol erate , you’l l never chang e

13 G re e n mu m 49 Fai l i ng wel l 2 2 W omen in th e News 7 0 Las t Word

64 T o bo ldy g o

CONTENTS JANUARY - MARCH 2015

International baffler and funny guy EDITOR

A Man Out Standing In His Field

Bekah Legg

bekah@libertimagazine.com

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

Duncan Williams

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

Fiona Hinton

DESIGN

Tina Grobler

williamspublishing@yahoo.com

fiona@hintonmediaservices.com

tina@pegasusgraphics.co.uk

Halcyon

DISTRIBUTION

COMAG

CONSULTING EDITOR FOR SCM

www.halcyonline.co.uk

Steve Legg

steve@libertimagazine.com

ÂŠ Liberti Magazine 2015 Liberti is published by Son Christian Media (SCM) Ltd. The acceptance of advertising does not indicate editorial endorsement.

SCM holds names and addresses on computer for the purpoe of mailing in accordance with the terms registered under the Data Protection Act 1984. Liberti is protected by copyright and nothing may be produced wholly or in part without prior permission.

CONTACT Liberti Magazine PO Box 3070, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6WX, UK

Just perfect for your next Comedy Night, Family Event, Breakfast, Dinner, Alpha Launch and Fun Day

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PPA Member

Tough Choices I split the kids into two groups; one side had to argue for this statement and the other against. I didn’t anticipate what this great bunch of kids would come up with. I expected them to think it was a stupid quote and to swiftly agree to disagree with it. We’d just watched a film of children working in a quarry for pennies because their father was bonded into slavery. They hadn’t chosen to be there; even their father hadn’t chosen to be there. Nevertheless, the vote today said that poverty is, in fact, the result of choice, not luck. These clever kids argued magnificently that poverty everywhere around the world is the result of somebody’s choice. It’s the result of governmental choices, of slave trader’s choices, of business’ choices. It is the choices of the warlords and the power mongers to neglect the rights of the innocent. And, they pointed out; it is the result of our choices when we choose to buy those labels that perpetuate slave labour. It is the result of our choices when we choose to increase our financial security instead of seeing and relieving the needs of the poor. Poverty is the result of hundreds of millions of people choosing to walk on the other side. I am slightly in love with the kids I worked with today. They saw through the obvious to the truths behind with a clarity that often only kids possess. I have always been pretty vocal about taking responsibility for the things that we do. But this has challenged me once again to think about the things that I don’t do, the tough choices I swerve, the fears and frustrations that I allow to blur the edges of the truth. We’re called to make good choices, even when they’re tough, even when they will cost us. Maybe especially when they will cost us. We follow a God, who didn’t look the other way when he saw our need, and it cost him everything. Surely, we can do the same.

Bekah Bekah Legg | EDITOR BekahLegg

BEKAH LEGG

led a workshop today, looking at poverty. What it is; what it looks like, feels like, smells like even. I gave this bunch of 12-year-olds a quote to discuss, hoping to provoke a reaction. It said this; “Poverty is a result of poor choices not of poor luck.”

letter from the editor

FIRST WORD:

WHAT’S your These days with country, urban and retro furnishings available almost everywhere, we can mix and match all day...

FLAVOUR

Country

cushions, shaggy rugs, pretty patterns, shabby painted furniture and traditional values.

LIBERTI

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Winter 2015

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Retro

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brightly coloured, graphic prints, streamlined design, midcentury classics.

LIBERTI

culture

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 Palermo Dining Table - £149, www.tesco.com  Sagaform Blossom Teapot - £28, www.scandinavianshop.co.uk  Jonah Kingsize Bed - £649, www.made.com  Jersey 2-Seater Sofa - £299, www.made.com

Urban



stainless steel, functional design, sleek and sassy, high-tech all the way. 

 Balham sofa - £995,



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 Mido Slate Teapot

- £30, www.verynicethings.co.uk

 Industrial Chic Dining Table - £299, www.hampshirefurniture.co.uk

 Mia Bed - £769, www.livingitup.co.uk Winter 2015

Winter 2015

A LIMITED NUMBER OF PLACES ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE - FEES COVERED BY A TRUST SPONSOR

{app} alert by SUE RINALDI

WORD PLAY

culture

“Don’t gobblefunk around with words”, warns Roald Dahl in his muchloved book ‘The BFG’. So in order to avoid doing this, let’s learn the lingo and hunt out some great word games and word-workout apps to improve our vocab skills and train our dictionarial dexterity!

BONZA WORD PUZZLE

LIBERTI

A new type of crossword that mixes word search, jigsaw and trivia, creating a word challenge that requires you to push boxes around with your fingers. It’s fun, thought-provoking and addictive with a pleasant looking interface. Free starter packs and daily puzzle with in-app options to buy more packs. Released free for iOS and Android

WORD WALL

A word association game that thoroughly works the brain! Think outside the box to find connections between words and stars are awarded according to time taken to solve the puzzle. I must confess I held my breath the entire time! 40 free walls with in-app purchase options. Released free for iOS and Android

DEFINITIONADO

If you consider yourself a smartie at definitions and riddles, then challenge your brain with this mind-boggling game. Each clue requires a certain amount of general knowledge and humour - sounds easy enough but I had to use a hint to solve the first one! Note to self…more practice needed! Released free for iOS and Android

A NOVEL IDEA

Dreaming of being the next Anne Lamott or Jodi Picoult but don’t know where to start? This writing app breaks down the process into manageable chunks as you develop scenes, characters, locations and ideas. You can store several novel ideas within the app and is ideal for categorising your blue-sky thinking, turning creative chaos into structure. Released free for iOS with in-app purchase for other features

WORDWEB DICTIONARY This comprehensive dictionary is a perfect resource for definitions, synonyms and antonyms – and no adverts! Intelligent word entry and search variables with helpful cross-referencing to Chambers Dictionary and Thesaurus, Wikipedia and Wiktionary. Ideal for word games and writing novels! Audio version offers recorded pronunciations. Released free for iOS – Audio Version £2.49

Winter 2015

A REVOLUTION IN TIME

The age of the smartwatch is in full electronic swing! With so many options of wearable time-pieces already available, the hour has come to find a footpath through the crowd and eye-up three of the newest ways of turning a wrist into a hub of digital haptic activity.

{gadgets}

SUE RINALDI

CHECK OUT:

APPLE WATCH

LG G WATCH R

Gasps of delight were heard from all four corners of the globe when Apple announced their long-awaited timepiece! Unfortunately, louder gasps of frustration were heard when news of a delayed release was leaked Spring 2015. A sapphire crystal screen that differentiates between a tap and a press, a ‘Digital Crown’ dial to zoom and select, a bounty of sensors that tell how you are and who you are plus a ‘taptic’ engine allowing users to feel notifications, are functions worth waiting for. With three finishes and two sizes, rumours of innovative, compelling and market-leading abound!

This round-faced, Android-wear may just be smart enough to avert eyes from the Apple watch. Once synced to your compatible handset and Google Now enabled, stacks of useful information is at your disposal, all nicely displayed on a crisp resolution screen. The usual Google apps are available plus fitness related features including heart rate monitor and pedometer. Good processor, great battery life and flawless performance make for an attractive device.

Anticipated £300

MOTO 360 Hailed as the catwalk model of Android-wear smartwatches, this classic circular design maximises display area while ensuring feather-light comfortability. Looking stylish with a choice of six pre-loaded digital watch faces, it displays notifications, responds to voice, tracks steps and monitors heart. Despite an average battery life, it does include a charging dock and if fashion is more important than function, this is your best choice. RRP £200

Winter 2015

RRP £225

SLEEP

Scientific data warns about the negative effects of not getting enough sleep, so Withings Aura to the rescue! Combining feedback from a slimline sensor under your mattress and a sci-fi looking device on your bedside, Aura creates personalised sleep and wake-up programmes so you can benefit from high quality, peaceful sleep and wake feeling fresh and alert. Imagine that! Compatible with iOS devices and requires wi-fi. Available at Amazon from £ 249.95

SUE RINALDI

WITHINGS AURA – SMART SLEEP SYSTEM

TEFAL COOK4ME Cooks, browns, boils and steams and preloaded with 50 sweet and savoury dishes with a maximum of six ingredients. The simplicity of ‘choose, follow on-screen instructions and eat’ sounds like a dish made in heaven. Keeps food warm for 90 minutes after cooking, easy to clean and has a timer function. Your very own unsupervised Gourmet chef! Available at www.lakeland.co.uk £220

SMILE

LISTEN

SELFIE STICK WITH BLUETOOTH SHUTTER

iPHONE 5 & 6 CASES

Great, stylish cases for your precious iPhone. The selfie craze has just got merchandised! Mount your phone on the stick and with the Bluetooth shutter, you can shoot whenever you’re ready for the perfect picture. Don’t forget…say cheese!

Great, stylish cases for your precious iPhone. Trendz Folio Case Oriental for iPhone 6 offers a smooth-finish perfect fit, easy access to all buttons and simple to insert or remove. The CAT Urban Active for 5 and 5s (in a choice of 6 colours) provides excellent robust protection with anodised metal sides and bold colour design.

Available at www.getselfiestick.co.uk £22.99. Stick only £15.99

Folio available at www.ontrendz.co.uk £19.99 / CAT at Amazon £22-25

Winter 2015

CHECK OUT:

{gadgets}

COOK

connect with us

Jess Cook

Presents the UCB request hour

3-4pm Every weekday.

on DAB, UCB.CO.UK and iPhone app

Company Registered in England 2182533 Registered Charity 299128 Registered Office: Stoke on Trent ST4 8RY

greencook:

greenmum

New Year! Time for resolutions! Current meat consumption trends are having an adverse effect on the environment as well as encouraging intensive and inhumane factory farming methods, so how about observing Meat Free Mondays throughout the coming year? Below are recipes for two of my family’s favourite suppers to get you started. Both serve 4, but double up if you’re a hungry crew.

EMMA GREENWOOD

Two quick and easy recipes to save the planet and your purse in 2015.

Bean Burgers Get This: 400g tin of butter beans 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tsp garam masala salt and pepper wholemeal flour to coat oil to fry Do This Zizz butter beans until smooth (add a little water if too dry) Stir in onion and spices Season and make into patties Coat with wholemeal flour Shallow fry Serve with burger rolls, salad, ketchup and mayonnaise © iStock | VeselovaElena and margouillatphotos

Emma Greenwood is the Green Columnist and Fashion Editor at Liberti magazine. She joined Greenpeace protests aged 8 and has been wearing pre-loved vintage chic since she was 14. She eats the end of the cucumber, boycotts slave-chocolate and restricts meat to weekends. When she’s not writing for Liberti, she writes fiction for young adults and has mentorships with two publishing houses. Emma is married to comedy guy Mark Greenwood and has two young crazy-girl children. Twitter: @emmajgreenwood

Falafel Get this 400g tin of chickpeas 1 onion, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp coriander ½ tsp chilli powder 2 tbsp wholemeal flour salt and pepper oil to fry Do this Zizz the chickpeas, onion, garlic, flour and spices until smooth Season and roll into balls Naughty: deep fat fry Nearly as nice: shallow fry Serve with pittas, salad and a yogurt and mint raita.

Winter 2015

LIBERTI

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See www.fit-fish.co.uk for more details and to book

The Natural • • • •

Circle those that you love that are natural (not processed or man made) What other natural foods do you love that aren’t on your list? Add them in and circle those too. Aim to eat the circled foods 80-90% of the time.

The Processed

There are thousands of different foods in the world, too many to number, approximately 2,000 different plant foods for a start.

•

So it makes sense that all of us can find natural foods that we love that form part of our normal eating pattern. Foods that we don’t just like, but LOVE.

•

Write down all of the foods (natural and man made) that you eat on a regular basis over a period of say two weeks

Now it’s time to think about the foods that you don’t love. Would you be missing out on nutrients if you didn’t eat the

•

Put a box around the other more processed and man made foods on your list that you love What others do you love that aren’t on your list? Add them in and put a box around those too You can eat the foods in boxes 5-10% of the time!

Fine Tuning

fitness

It’s easy to get into the mindset that food is ‘bad’ for us. We decide we shouldn’t eat much, shouldn’t snack much, shouldn’t think about it too much and indeed shouldn’t enjoy it much either in case we find that we do one of the above. But food is a gift. Created in all different colours, tastes and varieties it gives us energy, nutrients, warmth, satisfaction, memories and pleasure.

GAYNOR BURTON

A Practical Guide to loving your food natural ones that you don’t love? If so aim to include them every now and again. What about the man-made and processed foods that you don’t love, but just eat because: ‘they’re there’, ‘I was bored’, ‘it’s a habit’. This is where you can cut down. These two categories might make up 0-10% of your diet but should gradually drop closer to zero as your tastes change and you think more about whether you really want to eat something.

Gaynor Burton is the founder of Fitfish, a Christian fitness organisation that helps people find a balance between the physical, spiritual and emotional. Retreats, recipes and the organisation’s popular ‘Your Plate of Plenty’ personalised eating plan are all things that Gaynor is massively passionate about. She loves seeing lives changed! Follow Fitfish on Twitter: @FitfishTweets.

Winter 2015

leadership

HEIKE PRENTICE

Lead as if you were sitting at the table. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know about you, but I have wasted too much time of my life acting as if I was not sitting at the table. I longed to be noticed, recognised, promoted, released, consulted, invited. I have been a director of a church network, but I am also familiar with seasons of obscurity. The danger has been to allow either of those times to define me, assuming they were linked to merit.

ÂŠ iStock | mariakraynova

But no longer; I have made a decision to lead as if I were already sitting at the table, whether that is my current reality or not. You may well think I am deluded. But I believe that is the right attitude and mind set for any woman who aspires to, or already is in, leadership (whether in the church, the marketplace or any other setting.)

So, instead of thinking about the significant people in your life who are not opening doors for you and the system which is holding you back, I want to invite you to imagine what you would be like if you had a place on the board of your church, company, or community. Would you feel, pray, think, speak, act or love differently?

Feel as if you were sitting at the table. How we feel is actually very important. I have noticed that negative feelings do hold me back, and feeling rejected and ignored can leave me paralysed and isolated. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why it is so important that we understand that God has already invited us to the table; we are seated with Him in heavenly places. Picture yourself sitting in a boardroom with Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit at the table - a divine place of business, transaction and authority. If you really sat in that spiritual place, how would you feel? Probably grateful, excited, empowered, privileged and energised by the possibilities. You are invited to pull up that chair, sit in it and play your part in His plan of redemption.

Winter 2015

Pray as if you were sitting at the table.

leadership

HEIKE PRENTICE

There are many great examples of people praying like that. Abraham pleaded with God for the lives of others, Jacob wrestled with God all night, and David was not afraid to ask ‘How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?’ These are people who engaged with God, not from a distance, but with raw honesty and intensity. And they obviously believed that their words carried weight. People who sit at the table expect to be heard and they pray like that, they pray for this world, for people and situations as if their words mattered.

Think as if you were sitting at the table. Think out of the box, think intelligently, think strategically. If you think that’s not you, think again. Let me give you examples of strategic thinking: doing the weekly shopping for a household, trying to get a handful of kids out of bed, dressed and to school on time, multi-tasking, organising meals, parties and fundraising events. All of these seemingly mundane tasks require strategic thinking which simply means that you are able to think of a way to get to where you want to be. And the more creative and out of the box you can think, the better. We all use complex and unique ways of thinking. What separates us is that some of us believe it, and others refuse to believe that they can. It’s up to you! The way you think is a gift you are supposed to accept, own, cultivate and use!

Speak as if you were sitting at the table. People who sit at the table know how to listen and they know how to speak up. You have a voice, and it needs to be heard. If you find it hard to speak publicly or in meetings, come prepared with something to say, or get a coach to help you overcome reticence. If you tend to talk too quickly and too much, do the same. Prepare what you want to say and get a coach to help you harness your

natural communication ability. Make the most of Q&A opportunities at public meetings by thinking of a question during the first five minutes of a talk, so that you are ready. There is no need to be clever or impressive, it’s actually better to make obvious points and ask obvious questions, because others are thinking them too. You have a voice, and others depend on you using it.

Winter 2015

Love as if you were sitting at the table.

leadership

Behave and act as if you have influence. Expect what you do to make a difference, every time. The way you walk into a room, the way you listen, smile, speak and connect with another person. Your presence, participation and attitude throughout the day have an impact, so be intentional. It depends on how you are, not on who you are. Do not wait for somebody else’s permission or an invitation to tackle the causes God has laid on your heart. If they say “No”, ask God how and keep going. Ask, seek and knock. Be inventive, creative and collaborate whenever you can. Only as we keep going, regardless of the discouragement and obstacles which are put in our way, will we see attitudes shift and systems change.

HEIKE PRENTICE

Act as if you were sitting at the table.

First love yourself! This may be an obvious thing to say, but it needs to be said: if somebody offers you a position, unless you feel the Lord says “No”, take it. If a door opens, walk through it. Do not step back because the door didn’t open for your best friend or because you think somebody else could do a better job. And love others. Don’t be resentful towards those who are holding you back. Someone who sits at the table can afford to be generous and celebrate others. Look out for those who deserve to be promoted and encourage them along the way. I believe that if we lead as if we were sitting at the table, the table we are meant to sit at will eventually find us. We may not be able to change the opinions of those around us. We may not all get top jobs, although some of us will. But that doesn’t mean we have to wait; we can have an impact right now. Poverty, wars, injustice and the endemic exploitation of women and children, call for women to lead as if they were sitting at the table. Women who live like that, one day at a time, every day. © iStock | shironosov and Massonstock

So pull up your chair, you’ve work to do.

Heike Prentice is a direction and leadership development coach and currently exploring ordination in the Church of England. She likes to think through new ideas, concepts and strategies and believes it’s important to have a laugh! Contact Heike: coaching@heikeprentice.com

Winter 2015

PIPPA, FROM RYE,

*Names and faces have been changed to protect identities.

Winter 2015

COMPASSION UK CHRISTIAN CHILD DEVELOPMENT 43 High Street, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 8BB Registered Charity No. 1077216 Registered in England No. 3719092

Poverty had told Saolo* there was no hope. Saolo lives in a one room shack with his parents and five siblings. Many days his father comes home from fishing without any fish. He often used to go to bed hungry.

TOLD SAOLO* “I’M HERE FOR YOU” Saolo’s life changed when Pippa sponsored him for £25 a month. Now he smiles because he has food to eat, he has regular health checks, and he goes to school. Each week Saolo looks forward to visiting the Compassion project at his local church where he is loved and supported and taught about Jesus. He treasures the letters and pictures he receives from Pippa and her family that tell him he is never alone.

There’s a child like Saolo waiting for you to sponsor them. Will you tell a child I’m here for you?

TRANSFORM A CHILD’S LIFE TODAY

01932 836490

Winter 2015

COM100665

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‘That Bottom’ JUDE TRENIER

women in the news

Just when you thought that perhaps the sun was rising on a new dawn of gender equality, you open the Internet are blindsided by…

we (un)dress up our inequality in a popular culture that tries to pass itself off as art. To say my mouth was still hanging open after the first picture wouldn’t be quite the full story. I think I was mostly sighing in despair for the massive step back it felt we as women - as society - had taken. Especially in light of recent news coverage of Emma Watson’s speech to the UN on behalf of the HeforShe campaign. While her speech was widely criticised even by many self-identified feminists, I felt that it was most definitely a solid, positive example of a young woman using her celebrity to give voice to a cause that affects all of us. For many men, even some I know and greatly admire, feminism is more about ranting and scary women than an issue that affects people they love. I’ve even had conversations with some of them who are genuinely confused and a bit clueless that inequality is even still an issue. Yet Kim Kardashian’s bottom has received far less negative backlash than Emma Watson’s speech to the UN. How is this possible? I think it is because, as much as we may want to embrace the idea that we are in this third wave of feminism, perhaps we aren’t as far along as we hoped we were.

One thing that really struck me as we went through the course, was that they were all open and honest about the source of the inequality. They knew it was a huge problem that they wanted to find ways to change.

JUDE TRENIER

And that’s not all. Two days after ‘Paper Magazine’ in NYC released the picture of Kim balancing a champagne glass on her naked derriere as an arc of bubbly went from bottle to, well, bottom, they pushed things a step further and released the full frontal nudity shot.

I recently spent significant time abroad working in a particularly unequal culture - one where women did all the work both in the fields and at home, raised the children and still had to walk behind their men and know their place. It was part of my role there to write and pilot an education course on gender equality. I trialed it with a group of both male and female indigenous students.

women in the news

Kim Kardashian’s bottom.

Coming back to the UK I found it fairly depressing that we aren’t so honest. We claim to have more equality than many of these developing nations. In actual fact, we (un)dress up our inequality in a popular culture that tries to pass itself off as art. It can often feel like we are taking one step forward and ten steps back, especially when celebrity women still so often insist that getting naked is the path to female empowerment. But before we throw our hands in the air in despair or resignation, maybe there’s something we can do. In fact, I believe there are many things we can do to make a real difference in the fight for equality. It’s pretty simple: be kind to yourself – when it comes to how you look, perform, think and interact – do it on your own terms and try not to buy into the stereotypes we’ve all grown up with that demand some kind of perfection. When it comes to other women in your life encourage them, build them up, champion them. They are not your competition. You are in this together. And when it comes to the men in your life? Have the hard conversations, challenge the #everydaysexism and be patient – their experience is not the same as yours but if they love you, they will want to understand and act. It only takes one person to start a quiet revolution in their everyday and just maybe that person is you!

Winter 2015

LIBERTI feature

By STACEY HAILES

Red Arrows Celebrate 50th Display Season 24

Winter 2015

ÂŠ iStock | darrenturner

To commemorate, Liberti talked to Squadron Leader Ruth Shackleton.

In 1964 the Royal Air Force amalgamated its display team into one premier unit – the Red Arrows. The team represents the United Kingdom and the values of the Royal Air Force. It is the Royal Air Force’s public face as every display shows how talented, motivated and precise the team are. In the first season of 1965, the team – flying seven aircraft in a display and based at RAF Fairford – performed 65 shows. Their first aircraft flown was the Gnat, which had been used by the Yellowiacks. The first official display was at a media event at RAF Little Rissington on May 6th, with the first public performance in the UK taking place on May 15 at Biggin Hill Air Fair.

had been its base since 1966. Apart from a period at RAF College Cranwell between 1995 and 2000, the Lincolnshire station has been the Red Arrows’ permanent home ever since. During the team’s world tour from October 1995 to February 1996, the Red Arrows performed to nearly a million people in Sydney on Australia Day. In 2002, the Red Arrows flew with a British Airways Concorde over London to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. A decade later, the Red Arrows performed another series of fly-pasts over the capital for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the 2012 Olympic Games Opening

LIBERTI feature

For those of you who have seen the Royal Airforce Aerobatics Team aka the Red Arrows, you would have no doubt been entertained by their spectacular air show that leaves you holding your breath as they fly in close formation. This year marks 50 years since their first exciting air display.

Ceremony (seen by a global television audience in excess of one billion people) and the Athlete’s Parade. The 4,500th Red Arrows display took place at the RAF Waddington International Air Show in July 2013 – in the Team’s 49th season. What many people do not realise though is that the team is made up of 120 people including pilots, engineers and essential support staff. Behind each show is a large dedicated team. Squadron Leader Ruth Shackleton, who began her career as a flight attendant with Saudi Arabian Airlines, is the team manager for the Red Arrows. She has been in the RAF for 15 years.

The team permanently increased to a nine display aircraft group in 1968 and the “Diamond Nine” became the Red Arrows’ trademark formation. The BAE Systems Hawk, a modified version of the RAF’s fast jet and weapons trainer for the 1980 season, replaced the Gnat that had flown 1,292 displays. Permission was also given that year for the team to have the motto “Eclat”, meaning excellence.

RAF Scampton, the station famous for its role in the 1943 Dambusters raid, became the team’s new home in 1983, moving from RAF Kemble that

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Ruth Shackleton What first got you interested in the Red Arrows? When I was small I remember seeing the Red Arrows on TV. I thought how great it would be to be part of a team as special as that. Never did I imagine that one day I would be the Team Manager! I was the first female cadet in the Combined Cadet Force at Glenalmond College, which gave me exposure to the RAF. My father used to work abroad and I just loved anything to do with airports and aircraft and travel. So it was a mixture of things really. What does your role entail? In short, ensuring that the team is in the right place at the right time, every time. There are 120 people on the team. In order for the team to be successful everyone must do their part. It is teamwork on a grand scale. My role involves all the coordination behind the scenes and representing the team at events and performing

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TV interviews. I am also responsible for arranging overseas tours. Last year I arranged a 35day tour through the Middle East (ten countries, 15 displays). With 11 Hawk aircrafts, a B747 cargo aircraft, an A321 passenger aircraft and 70 people. I oversee PR, Corporate Sponsorship, Marketing, VIP visits and protocol, logistics, administration and photographers… the list is endless. It is certainly a job like no other in every respect. One day I may be speaking with an ambassador, the next I may be giving a lecture to a local school. No two days are the same. Some would say I have a dream job. Do you have some fun facts about the Red Arrows that people wouldn’t normally know? The team has performed over 4,500 times during their 50-year history in over 55 countries. The Hawk aircraft that the team uses has been used for over 30 years.

The global audience for the recent Commonwealth Games flypast was estimated at more than one billion. What is it like to fly in a Red Arrow plane? I have flown on several occasions. It is very thrilling and quite physically demanding. I encountered G forces of around 4G (the pilots reach 8G in a full display). What amazed me was the proximity between the aircraft. On the ground the aircraft look pretty close but it is even closer when you are airborne. Probably one of the most exciting things I have ever done and knowing too that very few people indeed get to fly in a Red Arrow. What has been a highlight/memorable moment for you since working with the Red Arrows? There have been so many memorable moments since I became team manager but the day we displayed in Doha, the capital of Qatar, stands out. This was the first display of the 2013 Middle Eastern tour. The display was to occur on the Corniche (seafront) in the presence of many Qatari VIP’s including the Prime Minister Minister and the Defence

ÂŠ iStock | ShaunWilkinson

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Minister. Timing was critical and because of the proximity to the International Airport, the Qatari’s shut the airport for one hour to allow us to perform our display (which of course had repercussions for air traffic down the entire Persian Gulf). The display occurred just next to the central business district and the noise of the jets reverberated against the skyscrapers. The display was so immense that traffic came to a standstill and the capital became gridlocked. An amazing experience in every respect but especially since I had coordinated it I felt elated it went so well. What do you feel has been your biggest achievement to date? Arranging one of the largest foreign tours in recent Red Arrows history and coordinating the 50th Display Season. Both I know are oncein-a-lifetime events and I feel

very privileged to have been part of the team for them. How has the 50th display season been celebrated? Over 85 displays in around ten countries. Documentary programmes, articles, books, simulator rides, product launches, gala dinners, reunions with old team members, painting commissions, concerts and a Red Arrows Theme Tune composition. Redesigning the aircraft tail fin. Iconic flypasts for the Queens birthday, start of the Tour de France, start of the Great North Run and the Commonwealth Games.

privileged career. Conversely, I’ve encountered dangerous, difficult situations and immense stress. Yet for all the highs and lows of my life I could not have done it had the Lord not been by my side.

Is there anything else you would like to say? I feel that I have been lucky and very blessed in life. I have a wonderful family, amazing friends and I have had a very

Winter 2015

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LIBERTI feature

Making Good Choices

Cheryl Ladd on life after Charlieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Angels and faithbased film, The Perfect Wave

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Since her big break in the 1970s as Kris Munroe in the cult TV show, Charlie’s Angels, Cheryl Ladd has steadily become a pop icon and thoroughly enjoyed a well-rounded career in both television and film. Ladd has gone on to star in numerous well-known shows and movies such as Ironside (1973), When She Was Bad (1979), Millennium (1989), Poison Ivy (1992), Charmed (2003), NCIS (2011), Love’s Everlasting Courage (2011) and Chuck (2012), and that’s just naming a few. “I think I was always destined for this type of life,” Cheryl admits. “I was constantly performing as a child. From the time I was very small, I was all about the acting, singing and dancing. I would see things on television, and I would re-enact it. Whatever it was I saw, I would play with that.”

The Perfect Wave Throughout the years, the South Dakota native has made (and starred in) several movies of her own and has recently landed a major role in the faith-based film The Perfect Wave, alongside fellow actors Scott Eastwood, Rachel Hendrix, Diana Vickers and Patrick Lyster. Based on the true story of Ian McCormack’s life as a young carefree surfer searching for the perfect wave, The Perfect Wave is a story about faith, hope, redemption and the incredible strength of a mother’s love for her son. But during his quest to find the perfect wave Ian forsakes it all for a new passion – to win back the girl that he loves by chasing her all the way to Mauritius. On one particular night, heartbroken and feeling lost, Ian decides to join some of his friends on a night dive in the dark, sinister waters of the Caribbean island.

God has to be in it at every turn, not just the ones that are convenient Alone and in the open, Ian is repeatedly stung by five poisonous box jellyfish. He is rushed to the hospital, pronounced dead soon after and wheeled away to the morgue. But, that is not quite the end of the story. Ian is unexpectedly taken to the afterlife and given the option to stay

in paradise or go back to earth. Fifteen minutes later, after being declared officially dead, Ian inhales his first breath. “Having met Ian McCormack, I had him tell me the story. Sitting on a couch, one on one, I was...” Cheryl pauses for a few contemplative seconds. “There’s nothing like Ian telling his story himself; it’s astonishing. I was just so moved and so wanted to play his mother. To play that praying mother, and the woman that so trusted God to take care of her and her family; who really had this personal relationship with God – I wanted to play her.”

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“It was a wonderful experience,” Cheryl recalls. “There were people on the set praying for all of us every day, and our director, Bruce MacDonald, is such an incredible guy. He wanted to do this film for God and to have this story told because he is also a surfer, so he is connected to it in that way too.” “This film is affirming for many of us who have been Christians for a long time, it’s a confirmation of the truth. It’s great for young people who are genuinely searching for what life is all about and why any of it matters. It has already bought a lot of young people to the Lord, and I hope it continues to for a long, long time.”

A life of faith The recurring themes of second chances, restoration and faith portrayed so effortlessly in The Perfect Wave can also be seen in Cheryl’s personal life. Growing up in a small town, in a loving family, Cheryl regularly attended Sunday School with her sister. “My older sister and I would walk to Sunday School ourselves because we really loved Sunday School. We loved being in the church; we loved the songs, and when I sang Jesus loved me, I really believed it and I’ve never lost that.”

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I was eating peanut butter sandwiches for dinner and just scraping by.

At 14 years old Cheryl encountered what she describes as the moment she knew without a doubt this faith was the truth. “I was in a church basement, and I saw a Billy Graham film and I just fell to my knees. It just affected me emotionally. Over the course of my adult life, I have found that every time I find myself in a really sad or difficult time, God’s always there for me,” Cheryl explains. “As I live more life, the more I understand that God has to be in it at every turn, not just the ones that are convenient. Sometimes I think that we make him an afterthought but I have learned that the further I am away from the Lord, the less happy I am. The closer I am to the Lord, the more in constant communication I am with him, the happier I am, and that’s just the way my life has been.”

Hard choices But being a Christian and a celebrity has not always come easy to one of TV’s most glamorous detectives. As one of the original Charlie’s Angels, Cheryl, who starred as Kris Munroe for four years until the show’s departure in 1981, describes her time in Hollywood as interesting. “When I think back to some of the choices I made in my twenties in a business that can so quickly invite you off the rails, I think I made some really good choices and some not so great ones. But one of the great choices I made was that I was never going to date anyone that could hire me when I was in Hollywood. So I was either going to make it or break it on my talent.” “My other one was that I was never going to take my clothes off. I knew I wanted to be a mother, and it was not the way I wanted to represent women. It’s not that I couldn’t be attractive or sexy orwhatever else the role required – I just wasn’t going to do nudity,” Cheryl shares. It wasn’t all plain sailing; “When I started to set these markers for myself, I didn’t get very much work. I was eating peanut butter sandwiches for dinner and just scraping by. Then of course Playboy magazine came and offered me a whole lot of money to take my clothes off, it’s interesting.”

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Shortly after she landed the role of Kris Munroe and then the show’s ratings went up and stayed there. “I was pretty relieved,” Cheryl confesses candidly. “When Farrah left, stepping into those shoes was quite daunting. But we created a character that we thought people would respond to. I wasn’t trying to be Farrah or replace Farrah, I was coming in as her little sister. And I was comedic, especially the first few seasons because I was allowed to make the mistakes or not be completely confident in how I was going about things.”

Playing Angels Charlie’s Angels was the first TV show in the 1970s that depicted women in roles that only men would have been seen in beforehand. The angels played secret agents working in a fast-paced and dangerous industry that was primarily dominated

by men. “We were all good girls. We were like grown up girl scouts, but we were smart and tough, capable and powerful.” “We were great friends with each other on the show. We really got along and looked after each other, and I think that message for women was important. It’s what was exciting about the show; we were young, we were attractive, but we were making a statement about being powerful, young, intelligent women.” “At that time women were stepping out and taking on other roles. We were used to being the teachers, the nurses and the stay-at-home mums. There’s nothing wrong with any of those things but we’d been confined to that.” For now, the former angel resides happily in Texas building a new house for herself. Although her lips are sealed, Cheryl also has a couple of exciting new projects that will happen next year. Patience Takyuka is a feature writer currently residing in South West London. She a recent journalism graduate and likes reading, art, laughing and eclectic music.

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“It’s amazing how quickly you get tempted when you are trying to do all the right thing. But I made a choice and I didn’t do it; I just kept eating peanut butter sandwiches for a few more weeks.”

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LIBERTI feature

is precious EVERY BODY

By CHARLOTTE WALKER

With International Women’s Day fast approaching on 8 March 2015, The Leprosy Mission is working to empower young girls living below the poverty line in Mozambique. Charlotte Walker reports…

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Road to the future One of The Leprosy Mission’s projects in the province is a schools project named Iphiro Yohoolo, meaning ‘road to the future’ in Macua, the local language. The project offers education to 200 youngsters affected by leprosy and disability at any one time and has a particular emphasis on the education of girls who face many challenges to finishing their schooling. One key issue is child marriage. Many girls are married without

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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV )

their consent. The Leprosy Mission see this as nothing less than a violation of human rights. Consequently, it has established girls’ clubs to educate young women on sexual violence, HIV and sexual health as well as the pitfalls of early marriage. Through roleplay and mentoring, the clubs work to build their confidence to challenge community attitudes and to teach girls to support each other. It is not enough to talk to the children, who after all are still minors. The project works

One in five girls in Mozambique are married by the age of 15 and more than half by the age of 18, Population Council statistics reveal. This is the latest challenge for The Leprosy Mission as it works to enable youngsters from some of Mozambique’s most marginalised communities – both boys and girls – to finish their education. Leprosy is a disease of poverty and, as a result, communities affected by leprosy tend to be made up of the poorest of the poor. The Leprosy Mission runs health, education and livelihood projects in Cabo Delgado, a desperately poor province in the north of this African nation where people mainly survive as a result of subsistence farming. Government figures reveal the women’s literacy rate in Cabo Delgado to be just 32 per cent, the lowest in the country, and the province has the nation’s highest chronic malnutrition rate for the under fives.

Leprosy-affected Amina in Mozambique puts on her specialist shoes to protect her numb feet

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with parents too; encouraging them, in turn, to encourage their daughters to finish school, helping them to see the benefits of doing this instead of putting pressure on girls to stay home to help with household chores. Stitched in some other way Christian singer songwriter Philippa Hanna is a passionate supporter of the project and has offered to help support The Leprosy Mission in raising awareness of the plight of young girls in Mozambique. The Sheffield-born star says she has had a heart for people affected by leprosy since watching the 1959 historical drama Ben Hur as a youngster. Leprosy causes nerve damage resulting in a person having numb hands and feet, which mean they lose the gift of pain. And pain is a gift; without it ulcers can unknowingly form and become infected. In severe cases, this leads to the shortening of limbs and even amputation. It’s a disease we don’t see in this country, but worldwide there are three million people living with irreversible disabilities, including blindness, as a result of the late treatment of leprosy. The suffering doesn’t end there; there is an age-old stigma attached to leprosy and many of these people have been cast out by their families and communities. Before becoming a Christian 10 years ago, Philippa was wracked with self-doubt and insecurity which she openly talks about in her 2013 book Following the Breadcrumbs. In fact, her best-known song is the autobiographical Raggedy Doll, the lyrics of which tell

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Teenage mum Anatancia in Mozambique is being treated for leprosy of being beautifully and wonderfully made despite sometimes wishing we’d been ‘stitched’ in some other way.

One in five girls in Mozambique are married by the age of 15 and more than half by the age of 18 Life changing moments Philippa made her first visit to the developing world in 2009 when she visited Haiti shortly before the 2009 earthquake with the Christian charity Compassion UK. “It was a spiritual detox and made me question why people had to live in poverty and die from curable diseases,” she said. “God has given me so many blessings in my life and has put me in a privileged position. When you’re in that position,

you’re in it for a reason and that’s to do something with it. I felt God was saying to me, ‘I’ve given you the resources now what are you going to do about it’?” After returning from this lifechanging trip, Philippa released the single Ave to Love, donating all proceeds to Compassion’s work in Haiti and becoming an ambassador for the child development charity. Now, she is looking forward to a 31-day tour date with Collabro, winners of Britain’s Got Talent 2014 and offering her support to The Leprosy Mission’s projects. She said: “My song Raggedy Doll tackles confidence issues and feeling like the odd one out and this really resonates with the work of The Leprosy Mission. “When I heard about The Leprosy Mission’s work, it really touched my heart; there’s no one who would understand the experience of being marginalised so much as someone affected by leprosy. “We need to remember that a body that has been changed through illness is still so

LIBERTI feature

precious to the one who made it. These people need to know they’re beautiful and valued. It’s a huge thing for their self-esteem as they come up against people’s view of them.”

I have had funny looks from people for being a female guitarist.

Philippa is a great encourager for young women in the UK to stay true to their faith and beliefs. “This is not something unique to the UK and applies to women all around the world,” she said. “As a woman in the music industry, I see a struggle surrounding gender on a daily basis. Some women think it empowers them to dress alluringly and a woman artist is often judged by her physical self. But in reality our appearance decorates a jar of clay that holds the treasure within it.” “I’ve a lot of friends struggling to find true love and they tend to focus on sex, their appearance and what a man wants rather than what’s inside them. A lot of the time we don’t know what can be done until we do it differently. Looking back at my career, I have had funny looks from people for being a female guitarist. If I make a complaint about the sound quality I would be called a diva whereas it would simply be viewed as being professional if a man did that. I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way to tackle this is to get on with your job and do it well.” “I’m sure this is something the first woman Prime Minister or the first women in Congress have had to do and this is the attitude I would encourage these girls in Cabo Delgado to take with their education and their futures.”

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LIBERTI feature

holy AND

hoRNy Theology graduate and accomplished actress, Tonya Bolton has been performing her play Holy and Horny to sell out audiences around the UK. Intrigued by the eye-widening title, we caught up with her to ask her what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about:

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What prompted you to write Holy and Horny? How did your own experience feed into the play? I wrote Holy and Horny when I discovered that an alarming number of women, particularly from faith communities as well as Black and Asian women, are not reporting sexual and domestic violence. As a survivor of domestic & sexual violence myself, I have a personal insight into the challenges faced by these groups.

Holy and Horny addresses taboo issues such as domestic violence, sexual health and sexual abuse – subjects rarely discussed within churches. And it looks at the gentler side of sexuality, singleness, and celibacy. I wanted Holy and Horny to provide a realistic insight into the sexual struggles faced by Christians wanting to remain true to the tenets of their faith experience. All 20 characters are played by me including Sheila, the frustrated Christian and her alter ego Eve, a sexually uninhibited poet. Using comedy, mime, physical theatre, song and poetry, the audience follows Sheila’s journey as she embarks on a set of disastrous dates that lead to unexpected and lifechanging consequences. Writing and acting in a play about something that is close to home for you must be very hard, how do you protect your own heart within that? In honesty, it is an honour to be able to turn the trials and traumas that I’ve experienced in my life into a powerful message that can transform lives. I think that as Christians we need to share our experiences more. We need to keep it real and tell it like it is. I’ve overcome a lot of challenges – being bullied, being homeless, domestic violence and sexual abuse. I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility to stand up and speak my truth and help other people do the same thing. In doing so, I’ve found a strength I never knew I had. It’s an intriguing format - a one-woman show, why did you choose to do it that way?

Photo by Pamela Raith

It’s vital that as women we become comfortable with our bodies 44

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Truthfully? Because I love it. I think it’s an incredibly rich form of theatre. My one-person play has enabled me to connect deeply with diverse audiences in ways I don’t think conventional theatre could. Theatre is effective because it influences the way we think and feel about our own lives and encourages us to take a hard look at ourselves. It brings people together and, in an age when most of our communication happens in front of a screen, I think that this gathering function of theatre is, in and of itself, something valuable.

The support for the play has been phenomenal. Holy and Horny broke box office records on its premiere performance in 2011 and has continued to go from strength to strength. When the show toured in 2012 and in October 2014, it exceeded my best expectations; performances were fully sold-out. We’ve received a lot of feedback from both men and women and we know that numerous women in the audiences reported their own rapes to police, received counselling, accessed support services and began their journey to recovery as a result of watching the play. That’s all the response I need. What do you see as the struggles between sexuality and spirituality? Sexuality of any type is not often discussed in many churches and cultures. From In my experience, many churches have found it hard to talk about sex and relationships. As a result, many of the Christian men and women I speak to feel isolated, sexually frustrated, inadequate or confused. The themes explored in Holy and Horny are very current. With the rising use of the internet as a tool to communicate as well as hook-up with the opposite sex and the increased use of text messages for sexting, the opportunities for women to be sexually exploited, whatever their faith, have now increased. Throughout history women have been seen in opposing sexual terms; either as completely nonsexual or perpetually sexually available. But we need to dismantle these stereotypical notions and reclaim women’s sexuality while embracing the biblical perspective. Being a Christian woman doesn’t mean that you should ignore your sexuality. Sexuality is a crucial part of a woman’s health and well being – mentally and physically. It’s vital that as women we become comfortable with our bodies and talk about what’s going on inside, including sexually. Can you tell me a little about the schools work that you do? I run a not for profit organisation called ICU Transformational Arts Limited. We work with a wide variety of people; particularly vulnerable young people and women as well those already affected by sexual exploitation and self-harm.

One of the programmes that we run is called Breaking the Silence. It works with girls to help prevent them falling prey to sexual exploitation. So far, more than 3000 girls across the UK have participated in the programme and it has enabled a significant proportion of them to come forward and talk about abuse that has happened in their life. Young people nowadays face a barrage of pressures that perhaps their parents didn’t - what do you think parents need to do to support and protect their kids? Kids are facing all kinds of challenges – online bullying, pornography and sexual expectations in relationships. Most of the young people we work with desperately want to talk with their parents about the pressures that they face, but the reality is that many of them are afraid of being judged or getting into trouble. Others don’t want their parents to worry about them and some feel their parents are just too busy to make time for them. The key thing for parents to do is to keep talking to their kids and cultivate a loving relationship where their child feels free from judgement or unrealistic expectations. The reality is that if you are unapproachable and unavailable to your child, they will go somewhere else for support and they don’t always make great choices. It’s important to role model good relationships too: treating each other well, communicating well, owning it and apologising when we get it wrong. Over a third of the young people taking part in our Empowerment programmes this year thought it was perfectly acceptable behaviour to be shouted at by a partner if they ‘deserved’ it. They nearly all gave the explanation that it can’t be wrong because their parents shout at them and each other. Young people learn as much from what we do as what we say. If there is a discrepancy between the message in our words and the message in our actions, children may learn a different lesson from the one we are trying to teach them. We need to make sure that some of our messages to children don’t actually contribute to their victimisation, and set examples of respectable behaviour through our own actions. For further information visit: www.holyandhorny.com www.icu-transformational-arts.com https://twitter.com/tonyajoybolton

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How has Holy and Horny been received?

ARIANNA WALKER LIBERTI faith

What you tolerate, you’ll never change

What you tolerate, you’ll never change; the oyster knows this. The oyster has within its DNA an intolerance to violations of its boundaries. Even a small parasite or grain of sand cannot be tolerated. Tolerating it, ignoring it, and hoping it will go away in time will allow that small violation to slowly corrupt the soft, fleshy part of the oyster; the part that gives it life. And so the oyster releases nacre, the very substance a pearl is made out of, and as it does so, it not only saves its own life but produces something of great value. There are times when we should have the same response because tolerance paralyses change. When we tolerate our negative attitudes, our lack of self-discipline, the mistreatment of others towards us, the destructive self-talk and toxic thoughts, we will slowly be corroded away from the inside out. Unless we are prepared to do

Winter 2015

what it takes to arise within ourselves and say, ‘No more!’ we will continue to live in a cycle of destruction. Maybe for you it’s time to have that brave conversation with your boss, or make an appointment to go to the doctor’s even though you are afraid of what they may tell you. Maybe you need to get some counselling or talk to a friend about what’s really going on in your life. Whatever it is, whatever you’ve been putting off unless you get to a point where inside yourself you make a decision to act, to respond, to stop digging your head in the sand, nothing will ever change. There’s a story in Luke 8 about a woman with the issue of blood. She is one of my heroines. This woman had been bleeding for 12 years (a disgraceful disorder that carried immense

She had to battle through the crowds who stood in her way; she faced rejection and ridicule from people she knew; she had to crawl on her hands and knees, and yet she refused to back down. This woman reached out with all she had and touched the hem of his garment. Her breakthrough came, not because Jesus found her, but because she chose to rise up and find Jesus. In darkness, we rise Proverbs 31:15 says this: ‘She gets up whilst it’s still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.’ I do not like mornings: fact. I’m terrible at getting up in the mornings. I genuinely believe that we shouldn’t have to get out of bed until the sun says so! So when I read this scripture many years ago, I wanted to ignore it. In fact, for a long time I did ignore it, until one day I felt drawn to it. Again and again I read those words: ‘…she gets up whilst it’s still dark’, until suddenly I heard a whisper: ‘In other words, whilst darkness surrounds them, the people of God rise up.’ It totally changed my perspective on that verse. When darkness surrounds us, when circumstances tell us to stay down, to throw the duvet over our heads because we cannot face our lives, it’s in those very moments that our response should be to rise up! Rising up to a place of action, is a response to difficulty that will instantly increase your chances of overcoming.

I know that some of you reading this will think that it’s easy for me to write this when I have no idea of what you are facing. You may think that there is simply no way forward; no way to rise up when what you are facing is so beyond

your strength and ability to endure. And you would be right; I can’t possibly know what you are going through right now, but I do know that God is not asking you to rise up in your own strength. Look at John 5: 5-8... ‘One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”’ (New Living Translation) I find it interesting that Jesus asked a man who had been sick for over three decades if he wanted to be well. Why did He ask him that? I believe it’s because Jesus knew that this man would need to be at the point of no longer wanting to tolerate his condition in order for him to be healed.

ARIANNA WALKER LIBERTI faith

shame and stigma in those times). She could have given in to despair, and yet something inside of her refused to give up. She had an inner strength; a spark of hope that refused to be extinguished. And so, on this particular day, she chose action. She had heard of Jesus’ fame, of His ability to heal the sick, and instead of staying on her sick bed, her response was to rise up and push through.

You see, so often we blame everyone else. We blame our past, our hurts and our dysfunctions, as the reasons why we just can’t quite make it up off the floor of our lives. We find excuses for our dysfunction and in doing so, create a space for it to exist. Then Jesus comes along and offers us hope. He asks us if we want to get well. And often, like the man in the story did, we immediately give Jesus the reasons why we can’t be well; why we can’t rise up; why we will be the ones who are left behind yet again. But Jesus knows that you are crippled. He knows that you’ve got good reason to still be sitting down waiting for your life to change; and yet He says the same thing to you and me that He said to that man 2000 years ago: ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!’ We are never meant to try and get up in our own strength; all we need to do is be obedient to His Word. That crippled man had laid low for 38 years, and had every reason not to believe that Jesus’ words could give him the power to rise up. The cripple didn’t say: ‘Heal me first and then I’ll walk.’ He simply believed and obeyed, and in his response to the Word of God, the miracle came.

Winter 2015

If you feel you cannot rise up, that you simply have no strength of your own, that’s ok. Jesus will give you what you need. All you need to do is believe, respond, and decide in your heart that when Jesus says, ‘Stand up’, He will give you the ability to do so. Rising up for purpose There is no shame in finding yourself in a dark place. We all experience times of feeling downtrodden with the weight of darkness around us. Jesus felt it too. In fact, He was down for three days. For three days He was surrounded by darkness. He had every opportunity to stay down, to give in to death and submit to the pain of His crucifixion. But He chose to rise up! Jesus rose up amidst His darkness and in doing so, He conquered death and made a way for each of us to do the same. The fact is that rising up, like the Proverbs 31 woman we looked at earlier, is never just for our own benefit. You see, this woman rose up for a purpose. Daylight was on its way, and she knew there would be mouths to feed. There are people on the other side of your breakthrough. There are those who are attached to your life right now who need you to rise up. Your staying down - your playing it safe - does not serve them well. Darkness is your rising up time; it is your chance to learn the tools for overcoming adversity, because daylight will come. And when daylight comes, there will be many who need the lessons you’ve learnt and the tools you’ve applied, to be explained to them. We need to be those who learn lessons in life not just for our own benefit, but so that we can be carriers of truth, of hope, and of freedom.

Arianna Walker is a speaker, an author and the Executive Director of Mercy Ministries UK- a Christian charity that works in partnership with churches across the UK to provide residential care for young women who are dealing with life controlling issues. For more info: www.mercyministries.co.uk Twitter/Instagram: @AriannaWalker @MercyMinUK

Failing Well TRENIER

Failure. It’s not a word that exactly fills you with a sense of optimism, and it’s definitely not something you go out of your way to put on your life’s ‘to-do’ list. It can happen in any sphere of life – spiritual, personal and professional. It doesn’t discriminate. Failure affects us all. We often equate ‘failure’ with things like ‘weak’, ‘incapable’, ‘stupid’ and even ‘worthless’. But what if we could change our perspective? Instead of doing all we could to avoid failure, we embraced it as something that expanded our lives and us, rather than made us smaller and buried in shame? Yeah, I know, it all sounds a little Mary Poppins doesn’t it? But recently I’ve been looking back on life a little, thinking about the things I’m proud of and stuff I wish had turned out differently. The feeling of shame at my ‘failures’ is strongest in the realm of romantic relationships; the times I didn’t stand up for myself or speak up. Even still being single and childless when so many expect me to be otherwise.

For others, it can be feeling they have failed at being a good parent, or spouse or friend. For many of us, spiritual failure can feel like it becomes a repeating battle of trying and falling…hard. The spiral of shame increases until we start to wonder what the point of trying is anymore. For many,

professional failures can be at best humiliating and at worst mean an end to gainful employment. Failure is tough. There’s no denying it. But in my recent ruminations of life I’ve begun to realise something else – failure is also beautiful. Some of the world’s recognised ‘success’ stories were considered failures at one point of another. Both Bill Gates and Walt Disney had huge business flops before they found what worked. Oprah Winfrey grew up in poverty, was fired from her job as a news anchor and repeatedly asked to change her name, appearance and, well, just about everything that made her who she was (including being “too emotional”). She went on to become the woman we know now; one of the richest and most powerful celebrities in the world. Harrison Ford who went on to become a highly soughtafter actor was fired from Columbia Studios and told he’d never work again. Failure teaches us about our own strength – we discover that it isn’t the end after all as

JUDE TRENIER LIBERTI faith

by JUDE

we pick ourselves up, take a breath and step out again –it helps us build resilience. Failure makes us wiser – we learn from what didn’t work and hopefully do things a little differently next time. Failure teaches us about love and community – when we are open and vulnerable about our failings, we give those around us permission to fail too. We experience love and connection which turns that shame into hope and possibility. That goes for God too – in those moments when we open ourselves to God, we allow Him to come closer and feel our pain with us and find a sense of peace and comfort. Failure teaches us about what our priorities are and can give us a new perspective. It can clarify the vision and enable us to find alternative ways to realise those hopes, or indeed, find new, better ones! I think I’ve discovered that a truly ‘successful’ life is not about avoiding failure. It’s about failing well. It’s about failing beautifully.

Winter 2015

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LIBERTI feature

Winter 2015

LIBERTI feature

Charlotte Eades: Giving cancer a good kicking by CHRIS CAHILL Photos by www.alistaircampbellphotography.co.uk

Having completed her GCSEs and with plans to go to college, 16-year-old Charlotte Eades was excitedly looking to the future. Her teenage dream, however, soon became a tragic nightmare, as she was diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma - a rare form of brain cancer – in July 2013. “I’d been having headaches for a few months and was eventually admitted to hospital with pressure behind my optic nerve. Just a few weeks later, I was told I have a brain tumour,” she explains.

“Whilst at the shop, I also decided to donate my hair; my ponytail was cut off and put into a plastic bag, and it felt good knowing that it could be used to help someone else.

Facing hair loss

“But, when I woke up the next morning I hated what little hair I had left, so I decided to shave it off completely. Coming to terms with it was horrible; hair forms such an important part of a teenager’s identity.

The cancer had spread to her spine, and the Brighton teenager soon started intensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy. “When I was first diagnosed I remember realising I was going to lose my hair,” she tells us. “In preparation, I went to the wig shop with my family and we chose a long, dark brown style, which looked and felt fantastic. It was made from real hair so I had the freedom to style it however I liked.

Losing my hair made me feel like an outcast Winter 2015

LIBERTI feature

“The experience was especially awful for my Dad, because he was the one who had to shave my head. Two weeks earlier we’d been blissfully unaware of the cancer, and now he was using his clippers on me. It was a very emotional moment. Perceptions of beauty “After undergoing treatment, I was bald for around four months. I wore the wig for a while, but it started to become very hot in the summertime, so I experimented with various headscarves and caps. I found beanie hats made me feel most comfortable, because they’re popular amongst my age group and look pretty cool. “Losing my hair made me feel like an outcast, because the media is always bombarding us with adverts for hair products. Every time I saw one I was reminded of the fact that I was bald, and I became very envious of girls who had hair. “I also realised that I’d never seen a children’s television programme or film where female characters have short hair. All Disney princesses have long, flowing locks and – whether you’re six or 16 – that influences perceptions of beauty. I’d like to see the wider media show more consideration and variety in the way they approach this. ‘Everyone’s got a bald head – it’s just that most people have hair covering it’ “When I wasn’t wearing a hat or wig, I felt quite vulnerable at first, but soon grew in confidence as I was determined not to let the cancer get

Winter 2015

Having cancer has put a lot of things into perspective the best of me. I started to embrace the fact that I had a bald head, and I want to reassure others who suffer with hair loss – whether through cancer treatment, alopecia or something else – that they’re still as beautiful as everyone else. Don’t let anybody tell you different!

book called ‘16’, chronicling my childhood and the journey I’ve been on since being diagnosed.

“If people want stare at you in the street, just smile at them. They won’t be expecting you to do this, and smiling will help you look and feel more confident.

I’ve been advising girls on how makeup can be used to divert attention away from hair, as I used to wear a lot of makeup when I was bald as it felt like a nice mask; it gave me more confidence.

“I know it’s easier said than done, but you can prove that it’s acceptable to have short hair or no hair at all. At the end of the day everyone’s got a bald head – it’s just that most people have hair covering it.

“I’d love to be a published author one day, and I’ve also created a YouTube channel incorporating videos about living with cancer. For example,

“Now that my hair’s started growing back, I’ve decided that I’m going to keep it short because I’m happy with the way I look.”

“I’ve also been discussing issues such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, which are common side-effects of cancer. I started the channel because when I searched for online advice, I couldn’t really find any, so I decided to make my own videos in the hope that they can help others. I think it’s good reach out and make sure people don’t feel alone.”

Helping others

Passion for fashion

At the height of her illness, Charlotte lost sight in her left eye and plans of going to college were scuppered. However, recent scan results have shown her tumours to be shrinking, and she is hopeful for the future.

Charlotte has received support from CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading charity for children and young people with cancer. She was recently made an ambassador for the organisation, and has been promoting their in-house clothing range, Fix Up Look Sharp.

“Having cancer has put a lot of things into perspective and made the smaller things that I used to worry about seem like they no longer matter. I’ve got big ambitions for the future, and I’m currently writing a

“I’m really grateful for all the help my family and I have received from CLIC Sargent. They’ve guided us through everything with practical and

“I love fashion so I was elated to get involved with Fix Up Look Sharp – their upcycled clothing line, which transforms unsold charity shop items into fresh, new designs. I love the whole ‘upcycling’ ethos – taking old clothes and giving them a new lease of life – and it’s amazing how they turn these donated fabrics into bold, colourful pieces that really stand out.

It’s ethical fashion at its finest

“Making my modelling debut was great fun, and the people are great. My favourite garments are the denim skirts, and the sweaters with sewnon eye-catching patterns. It’s ethical fashion at its finest – reusing material that would otherwise go to landfill, while also funding CLIC Sargent’s great work. Staying strong Charlotte is still undergoing treatment, but her appointments are becoming less frequent and she has a positive outlook. “I’m not cancer-free, but I’d love to get the all-clear one day. Lots of people are praying for us and I’m feeling hopeful. I’d also love to start my own charity one day, helping other

LIBERTI feature

emotional support, and I don’t know what we’d have done without them.

cancer sufferers and advising them throughout their journey. “My saying is ‘Giving cancer a good kicking’, which sums up my attitude, and it helps me stay strong whilst I battle through these difficulties. “If anyone is in a hard situation, my advice is to stay focused and face problems head on. You can do it. Be a fighter.” Follow Charlotte on Twitter: @CharlotteEades_ Visit the Fix Up Look Sharp website: www.fuls.clicsargent.org.uk Chris is a freelance writer and video producer based in Bristol. He has recently been working with CLIC Sargent and met Charlotte during the photo shoot for Fix Up Look Sharp’s autumn/winter collection.

Winter 2015

THE BOOKS I LOVE We spoke to two of our Liberti readers to find out what books have influenced

them and which books they simply could not put down, this is what we found...

From Pain to Pearls Arianna Walker

Presence Books, 2014

I’ll say right from the off that this is a stunning book. It unlocked a wonderful truth for me about the processes that God uses to help us overcome those bruising times in our lives. Arianna describes nacre – mother of pearl - the beautiful substance that oysters secrete around a foreign body that has got into their shell. Over time and repeated layers of nacre, the hard, jagged edges are smoothed over and coated to produce pearls of great value. The book describes several practical ways that we can allow the release of spiritual nacre into our own lives and turn our own pain into something of value. If you are struggling to deal with past hurts, this is a must-read book.

~ Rachel J Lewis

Rachels’ favourite read Winter’s Tale

Mark Helprin. (1983) No book has made me gasp at the literary beauty between its covers as this one has done. A complex story, spanning a century, it tells the story of Peter Lake’s quest to bring Beverly Penn, his deceased love, back to life. It’s a dense but richly-rewarding jewel of a story that challenges you and leaves you pondering the implications long after you’ve finished reading.

Rachel J. Lewis

Rachel combines writing with working as a church administrator. She's married with a teenage daughter and is strategically managed by two cats.

AND CAN’T PUT DOWN The Approval Fix Joyce Meyer

Hodder Faith, 2014

Derived from material in her 2005 book Approval Addiction, this is a pocket guide to have to hand on all occasions if, like me, you are one of those people who’s spent far too much time looking for approval from people and not from God. Joyce Meyer is always readable and in this little book she outlines several key biblical truths and the practical steps we can take to break the hold that the desire to please people has on our lives. ~ Rachel J Lewis

Clares’ favourite read The Island

Victoria Hislop. (2006) Alexis longs to know more about her mother Sofia’s secret Cretan past. When she is given a letter to hand-deliver to an old friend in Plaka, Alexis finds herself near the island of Spingalonga - a former leper colony. She then learns about her great-grandmother Eleni, her two daughters and their link to the island - and discovers why Sofia kept her past hidden. An intimate, heart-warming read that transports you to 1950’s war-time Crete and absorbs you completely.

Clare Cox

Clare is married to David and lives in Bristol with her two sons. She works part-time in marketing for a children’s cancer charity and enjoys reading and cooking.

MUSIC TO OUR

ears

Nostalgia - Annie Lennox

SUE RINALDI

Who would have predicted the theatrical androgyny of ‘Who’s That Girl’ and ‘Sweet Dreams’ in her dazzling ‘Eurythmics’ days would evolve 3 decades later into a sophisticated unmasking of the Great American songbook? Of course, we have witnessed significant stages in-between those two imaginative extremes. The delicious depth of ‘Diva’ in all it’s ‘Why’ and ‘Little Bird’ glory, three more solo albums styled in a soulpop intensity that Lennox exemplifies, a customary compilation and an angelic ‘Christmas Cornucopia’.

music to our ears

With the release of ‘Nostalgia’ it seems fitting to look back and acknowledge how Annie Lennox has journeyed from iconoclastic synth-pop artist to beloved music-legend, activist and philanthropist.

As she transitions into ‘Nostalgia’, we find our pop luminary and justice-campaigner extraordinaire, diving heart-deep into some of her favourite childhood blues and jazz songs including ‘Georgia On My Mind’, I Put A Spell On You’, ‘God Bless The Child’ and Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit’. Yet again Lennox sings with the conviction of a saint, and with every fibre of her being, absorbs herself within the melody and meaning of each song. Contained, explosive, measured and unconventional, Lennox is all those things, simultaneously, and her latest release simply confirms her already impressive persona.

Set Apart - Worship Central Recorded in March 2014, ‘Set Apart’ captures the thrill of a live recording with songs led by the popular ‘Worship Central’ team including Tim Hughes, Ben Cantelon and Luke Hellebronth. A movement designed to train and equip worship leaders, musicians and singers to serve the local church knows how to write and deliver high-quality anthemic songs. ‘The Way’, ‘Stand Up’ ‘Let Go’, ‘Pursue Me’ and the title track will become firm favourites. What’s not to like about the sound of enthusiasm?

Love so amazing - Pam Rhodes BBC ‘Songs Of Praise’ presenter Pam Rhodes, is a fount of knowledge when it comes to hymns and ‘Love So Amazing’ collects forty recordings of her choice. Choral in nature, ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’, ‘Be Thou My Vision’, To God Be The Glory’ and ‘In Christ Alone’ are some of the great hymn-pieces on offer - timeless classics traditionally arranged - illuminating the rich musical heritage of the Christian faith. “Hymns speak to us and for us, heart to heart, soul to soul”, says Pam, and to help us connect further, there is a companion book to the album where Pam writes a meditation for each of the forty hymns featured, reflecting on the stories behind them and their meaning.

Winter 2015

Show you mean business. Go back to school.

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Sport Lecturer joins a triumphant England squad A lecturer at the University of Portsmouth has been named as a member of the England Women’s Rugby Elite Squad, reports Duncan Williams. Zoe Saynor, who joined the Department of Sport and Exercise Science this year, is one of 16 additions to the squad, which will compete in the Six Nations and the IRB Sevens series this season. Zoe balances her love of rugby with research focused on the benefits of exercise testing and training in patients with chronic disease, particularly children and adolescents. She currently plays for Richmond Rugby Club in the English Women’s Premiership. Zoe says: “I’m thrilled to be part of a fantastic squad which is on a journey as they regroup after the World Cup win. Women’s rugby is currently thriving in England and worldwide is one of the fastest growing forms of the game. “The 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup saw unprecedented media coverage for women’s rugby and I am excited to be part of the next chapter. I am lucky to have a supportive employer who sees the value in the combination of both my sporting endeavours and my professional life, particularly when I can translate some of my experiences as an elite athlete into my teaching”. The England Women’s Rugby Team won the Rugby World Cup in 2014 for the first time in 20 years.

AT THE

{cinema} by SOPHIE LISTER

The Theory of Everything (1 January)

SOPHIE LISTER

The Theory of Everything follows Stephen (Eddie Redmayne) through his early years as he discovers both his mental powers and physical limitations. The real focus, however, is on matters of the heart; shortly before his diagnosis, Stephen meets fellow student Jane (Felicity Jones) and falls deeply in love. Can their relationship endure the challenges which lie ahead?

at the cinema

True stories don’t get much more extraordinary than that of Stephen Hawking. A brilliant physicist who began to make breakthroughs whilst at university, his future seemed dazzlingly bright. But a diagnosis of motor neurone disease came at just 21, with doctors predicting that he had two years to live. The decades which followed, as we all now know, would see him defy the odds.

Foxcatcher (9 January)

Big Hero 6 (30 January)

This dark, critically acclaimed drama – also based on a true story – offers a chance to see two popular actors as you’ve never seen them before. Channing Tatum and Steve Carell are both tipped for awards glory this year after their respective performances as wrestler Mark Schulz and his shadowy trainer John du Pont. As emotions run high in the build-up to the 1988 Olympics, a chilling sequence of events is set to unfold.

For something a little more cheering to get you through the winter chill, check out Big Hero 6, the latest family animation from the team behind megahits Tangled (2011) and Frozen (2013). Set in a futuristic hybrid of San Francisco and Tokyo, the film centres on the friendship between young Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter) and his adorable robot companion Baymax (Scott Adsit).

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (27 February)

Even more cosy, and aimed at those a little further up the age spectrum, is comedy sequel The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Judy Dench and other stars of the first Marigold film are joined by Richard Gere for more gentle misadventures in picturesque Jaipur.

Sophie Lister is a writer with Damaris which provides free resources for Damaris Film Clubs as well as the Damaris. Film Blog. See damaris.org/filmclubs and damaris.org/filmblog

Winter 2015

New Year

Money Makeover by MIA HUBBARD

With the festive season over, it’s easy to feel guilty about how much money you spent but that’s not going to fix it. Just like we need to cut back on the mince pies to stop our waistline expanding LIBERTI finance

further, the sooner we take action on our

January - Be honest

finances the sooner our bank account will

Make a point to sit down this month and take a realistic look at your finances. Dust off the bank statements and create a simple budget to see what you having coming in and out. If things don’t look great, don’t panic; you just revealed a problem that was already there. For this month, work on sticking to a budget and commit the rest of this year to getting back on track.

be back in shape. Here is your twelve-month financial fitness plan: February - Balancing the budget You made it to payday; now it’s time to create a plan that will ensure you stay focused to reach your goal. With your budget at the ready, have a look at what you want to achieve and how you can get there. Perhaps that will involve cutting down on things or even cutting them out? How about savings? If you need some help, try a free CAP Money Course. Go to capmoneycourse.org to find one near you.

May - Saving for summer If you know you are likely to want to go on holiday, start putting aside money each month now, rather than putting it on the credit card and getting stung by interest charges later.

Winter 2015

It might be counter-cultural, but it’s statistically proven that using cash will help you spend less. It’s way too easy to tap a piece of plastic and not know where your bank balance is at. Handing over cash feels very different; you see how much, or little, you have leftover. This month, give it a try and put the value back into your money.

e vi elfRe ot s f the r to n o de ck te lri u’re end in Blo lua re a m Ap if yo the d re nts. o ev s the u t , k en d oo co h ap ac Ev oye a g ac nt rh t b n in pl is ur mo . Pe cu ve It’s em ear r yo this ing can re e gs? ur ’ y x ve e go u u vin yo ta k o tim t is yo yo sa ew ec e e as be ur vi ch som udg are ay yo y re n to b re r m se arl tio t ou the mo ? O crea gul tua w e er in re l si any ho som urth to to cia in s. f n d n r e e ar , or sitio goo fina acto ang f ch in po ys a a w al

March - Take the cash only challenge

July - Stick with it

Did you know that we form spending habits fro m as young as seven years old ? If you have children, sp end some time teaching them th e value of money. Set them a challen ge to save up for a summer activ ity. If you don’t have children, pe rhaps you have a friend who could benefit from what you’ve learn t?

Septem b Christ er - 100 day mas s to

It may fe finishe el like summe d, but on 16 S r ’s barely Christm eptem as will ber, be away – that’s o just 100 day s nly fou packets rp to go! It’s wor ay the stre th takin ss awa y now ahead. by plan g Save a ning litt instead of hitti le ever y mon ng the th easy cr edit.

August - Back to school

Stocking up for school can really throw your budget, especially when you’re in the shops surrounded by a hundred things your child ‘has to have’! Write a list together beforehand or try to buy online. Sticking to the plan is key and will help you stay on budget.

NEW YEAR MONEY MAKEOVER LIBERTI finance

June - Pass on w isdom

You’re half way through so don’t give up now! Whilst summer brings many temptations, keep pressing on - it will be worth the effort. Look back and congratulate yourself on how far you have come, and remind yourself again of the end goal.

October - Lower your energy bills

This is the perfect time to make sure you are ready for winter by checking your house is properly insulated. Some people even save up to £200 a year by switching suppliers, so it’s worth checking you are on the cheapest tariff. Go to www.uswitch.com.

November Home sprint You are on the last leg now, keep going. If you are feeling good about things, now might be the time to think about your goals for next year, or even further into the future. © iStock | Ju-Lee stockcam and South_agency

Mia is half Norwegian but grew up in CAP’s home city of Bradford. She has just completed CAP’s Reach internship programme, where she has been an integral part of the Communications team. She now plans to move to Norway and start work as a primary school teacher. Having published her first children’s book last year, Mia also intends to continue pursuing her passion for writing.

December - Celebrate Pat yourself on the back; you have made it through! Hopefully, you’ll have saved enough to enjoy a credit-free Christmas. You should also now be in a position where simple maintenance of your budget will keep you going long into the future. If, however, you’ve found yourself limping over the finish line then get some extra help today, visit capuk. org or call 0800 328 006.

Winter 2015

To Boldly Go... Liberti fashion log, stardate Twenty Fifteen. Our destination: the future. Regulation uniform: metallic fabric, sequins, space age accessories. Observe mid-late twentieth century broadcast media for guidance.

Winter 2015

Top Shop Bronze metallic dresses from ÂŁ75

Take the Force with you TO BOLDLY GO

winter fashion

Join Princess Leia fighting the bad guys in white with silver accessories…

Top Shop White organza bra top £30 White organza skirt £39 Block heeled platforms from £39 Chunky space age cuffs from £8.50

New Look Floor length sequin dress ÂŁ54.99

TO BOLDLY GO

winter fashion

...or be bad Princess Aura in bright metallics and plenty of eyeliner. Go Flash Go!

Winter 2015

Travel with the Doctor

TO BOLDLY GO

winter fashion

and send half your wardrobe Into the future…

Dorothy Perkins Green Parka £75 Green sequin cropped cami £32 Green sequin pencil skirt £45 Black sandals £29

Winter 2015

May the odds be ever in your favour as you wear dark sequins .Katniss styley..

TO BOLDLY GO

winter fashion

Marks & Spencer M&S Collection sequin embellished trophy jacket £89 Autograph jumper £79 Per Una Speziale skirt £65 Belt £12.50

Check out Liberti fashion editor, Emma Greenwood, on Pinterest (this month’s Fashion Board: To Boldly Go...).

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Last word:

Drive Time The time has come, so fasten your seatbelts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; literally. My oldest daughter is turning seventeen and will soon be able to drive a car.

last word

CATHY MADAVAN

Before us are the heady days of exorbitant insurance premiums twinned with freedom and independence, which is all very exciting. When I say exciting, of course, what I actually mean is terrifying. My precious child is going to be let loose in a tin can with wheels. Moving faster, it now seems to me, than humans should realistically be able to travel, and at the mercy of the other muppets on the roads and their random driving habits.

When I say exciting, of course, what I mean is

terrifying

This was spectacularly brought home to me this week when we were travelling along the M3 and about to join the M25. Obviously, this is a large and hectic junction so you can imagine my horror when a man in front of me suddenly went from 70mph to a complete standstill. Fortunately, with my years of experience, I was able to yell loving words, hit my horn and attack my brakes. All the while checking my mirrors to see whether I was about to be rammed by another car from behind.

Winter 2015

Some people, it seems to me, are gifted at stopping. With no prior warning or indication, they pull out of commitments, abandon skills and even bail on relationships when the going gets tough. Most of us know these people. I have certainly worked with them, served with them and been friends with them. I have come to realise they are often oblivious to the potential carnage they leave around them. In contrast, other people relentlessly keep motoring on forever, never pulling over to refuel, to rethink or even to rest. They either amble forwards in the slow lane in a giant rut or accelerate continually in the fast lane of life with a focus so blinkered that they are equally unaware of all that surrounds them. These people are not sure how to stop and can be absolutely exhausting. We are all constantly wearing L-plates when it comes to learning to love others and navigating their behaviour

and odd habits (as well as becoming aware of our own). Although we are never officially put to the test, learning to adapt and respond appropriately and wisely is the key; to our emotional safety and to getting to our destination with everybody in one piece and feeling positive.

We are all constantly wearing L-plates The good news is that while people may always drive you crazy, there is sure to be another important lesson booked for today. So remember: check around you using your mirrors, indicate your intentions clearly and manoeuvre when it is safe to do so.

Cathy Madavan is a regular speaker for Care for the Family, on the Spring Harvest leadership team, a writer for CWR and is working on her first book. At home, Cathy is married to Mark, a church leader, and they have two busy and wonderful teenage girls. www.cathymadavan.com twitter: @cathymadavan Facebook: Cathy Madavan Speaker/Presenter/Writer page

ÂŠ iStock | Okea

Meanwhile, after considering his options, with cars veering and gesticulating wildly around him, the driver apparently decided he was good to go and proceeded along the motorway in his own happy world. We, in turn, finally let out our breath and followed suit.

ay s D ch râ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ar he ot M M

th 15

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