Empowered Magazine UK Issue 3

EMPOWERED MAGAZINE ISSUE 3 | FEBRUARY/MARCH

FROM THE EDITOR

I can't believe it's time to write another letter! This issue seems to have come around so fast and I have loved putting it together.

We're celebrating having our first male cover star, the ever wonderful Jamie McAnsh of See No Bounds. You might remember his wife in our last issue sharing her story about planning their wedding and tips that she would give all future brides!

The response we had to call outs for this issue have been amazing and we've touched on some big topics that come up over the next two months including International Women's Day, Endometriosis Awareness Month and University Mental Health Awareness Day. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. We'd love to hear your thoughts and stories - email us on empoweredmagazineuk@gmail.com

HANNAH EDWARDS EDITOR

Words by Jane Lacey Crane

LIFESTYLE

CELEBRITY EVENT PLANNER LAUNCHES BIOGRAPHY What do you do when Kensington Palace calls and gives you two weeks to organise a ‘next level’ charity ball with Taylor Swift and Jon Bon Jovi?

How do you pull Harry Styles out of a hat to deliver an 18th birthday cake?

And organising the birthday party of which outrageous diva is a step too far even for ‘The Millionaire Party Planner?’

The answers to these questions and a whole lot more are revealed in Taylor Made - a new book about the life and career of celebrity event planner, Liz Taylor. Over the last thirty years, Liz has built a multi-million-pound events management empire from humble beginnings.

She started the company with just £200 and has gone on to become the favourite event planner of the rich and famous. Budgets for the events that Liz creates can run into the millions, but the pressure for each event to outdo the last can be tremendous. Thankfully, it’s pressure that Liz thrives on.

“Combining my pathological attention for detail, steely business focus and endless creative drive, I forged successful businesses spanning over 35 years. Creating lavish events for stars of stage, screen, music, and sports, alongside business icons and political leaders. Recessions, three failed marriages and Covid-19, life has undoubtedly dealt me challenges. Each has made me strive harder. Finding my brand of optimism in everyday things.”

Taylor Made is the fascinating story of an unflappable, unstoppable entrepreneur who knows the ultimate power of networking, in fact she has built her career out of it. Liz describes her experiences and motivations for writing the book: “There are times when I have to pinch myself. As I stand in Kensington Palace co-ordinating an event for the future King. Thanksgiving dinner with Robbie and Ayda Williams and their A-List guests. Or ironing Howard Donald’s shirt, as the Take That star practices his best man speech. Insane moments in a roller coaster life.”

Despite an address book filled with high powered celebrity names, Liz credits something far closer to home for keeping her going – family. She says, “A multi-million event management business and a thriving consultancy keeps me motivated. And the pinnacle of the last three decades - two incredible daughters and four grandchildren whom I adore. My journey is not a typical entrepreneur’s guide, but there is nothing typical about my world. It’s a real life told in fabulous memories.”

Whether she’s rescuing the nuptials of Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright, making an impression on Simon Cowell, or bonding over chicken soup with Sharon Osbourne, Liz’s book makes for a fun packed read but one that also illustrates that, when it comes to building a multi-million pound business, there is no replacement for sheer hard work, determination and focus.

Liz Taylor is the CEO of leading event planners, the Taylor Lynn Corporation (www.tlc-ltd.co.uk), whose client list is a ‘who’s who’ of the celebrity, sports, business, and entertainment world. Liz is also a successful hospitality and luxury brand consultant, podcaster and motivational speaker with her sister business, Liz Taylor Consultancy (www.liz-taylor-consulting.co.uk).

WORLD BOOK DAY

LIFESTYLE

By Claire Swain

World Book Day is celebrating its twenty fifth year this March. Their wonderful work to provide children and young people with a book of their own and to encourage pleasurable reading is inspiring (World Book Day, 2022).

World Book Day (2022) states that “reading for pleasure is the biggest signal indicator for a child’s success.”

Yet, my personal love of reading did not start in childhood. I struggled to read and write when I was a child but would attempt to hide this fact out of embarrassment. I was dealing with severe bullying and looking after my beloved late mother who was disabled. I just found it to be another laborious task on my ever-growing list. It was not until; I started my education at college that I received the diagnosis of Dyslexia. Which with the support of the institution I was able to find ways to cope with my learning difficulty and most importantly the ability to read and write effectively.

As an adult I can escape to many wonderous adventures, meet numerous fascinating characters, and empathise for the story all from the comfort of my chair. As author George R.R Martin suggests “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one” (Goodreads, 2022).

My favourite novel is ‘Alfie the Doorstep Cat’ by Rachel Wells and all the proceeding Alfie books. My favourite fictional character is Alfie from the above books. ‘Alfie the Doorstep Cat’ pulls at my heart strings, I want to lift Alfie into my loving arms away from the vulnerable situation he first faces due to his loving owner passing away. I feel such empathy for Alfie as he experiences a mixture of intense grief and fear, whilst trying to survive in the cold streets. Yet, Alfie overcomes his challenges with intelligence, grace, and humour with the support of his new friends. Alfie finds a friendly new street where he meets Claire, who is a lonely human that takes pity on Alfie. Throughout the story, Claire and the accompanying neighbours realise that Alfie is an incredibly special cat, and he makes a positive difference in all their lives.

Even though Alfie is a cat, I feel he is relatable and likeable to most humans. He will sacrifice all for those he loves, he can empathise with others and loves a good nap following a delicious meal. Rachel’s writing is clear, has a great balance of show and not tell with no over description. All the stories provide me with enjoyment that I continue to read again and again. They are such heart-warming tales that will uplift your cat lover’s soul.

Claire is a Chronic Pain Advocate and a Writer (Author to be). She is the lead and founder of the #ChronicPainisNotNICE campaign. The campaign’s aim is to reverse the cruel chronic pain NICE guidelines.

For more information, please visit Instagram @clairebearmelmel or Facebook www.facebook.com/ChronicPainisNotNICE References: World Book Day (2022) - https://www.worldbookday.com/about-us/what-is-world-book-day/ Goodreads (2022) - https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/reading

LIFESTYLE ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. For those who are unaware Endometriosis is a long-term condition that is painful and debilitating for some women. The following articles are first-hand accounts written by women who have been diagnosed with this condition.

Here at Empowered Magazine UK, we wanted to share their stories with you.

Endometriosis symptoms include pain in your lower stomach or back, severe period pain and pain during or after sex.

There are treatments including painkillers and hormone medicines. It isn’t clear what causes this condition, and we want to raise awareness using the platforms that we have at our disposal.

If you are someone who suffers with this condition and would like to share your story email us on empoweredmagazineuk@gmail.com

LIFESTYLE HEATHER C. GUIDONE

My work and passion to facilitate positive change and empower others to live better in spite of endometriosis has been shaped by my own diagnosis of stage 4 disease in the late 1980s. My disease almost derailed my life – it affected every single aspect of my existence from work to fertility to relationships to daily functioning.

After struggling for many years with pain and infertility accompanied by poor treatments (including more than twenty failed surgeries and multiple rounds of a GnRH agonist), it was not until I found an actual endometriosis specialist – one I had to fly 1,000 miles to – that my health and quality of life were improved – as was my fertility.

I am the Program Director of one of the first and foremost centers of expertise in endometriosis in the world, the Center for Endometriosis Care.

Over the past three decades, we have treated over ten thousand patients from more than sixty countries to date, including among the highest number of extra pelvic endometriosis cases of any treatment centers. I am also an endometriosis non-profit board member and Advisor, a disease research coordinator, an endometriosis educator, a peer-reviewed journal editorial board member, a BoardCertified professional Patient Advocate and more, and I have served the endometriosis community for nearly 30 years in various capacities, including as co-author of the first national awareness resolution (H Con Res 291) passed in the United States establishing March as Endometriosis Awareness Month.

I have continued my professional work on varied endeavours in the disease space since the early days of my diagnosis, from working with and educating lawmakers and the public to liaising with the research community. It remains my enduring hope that my efforts (no matter how small), leveraging off my somewhat unique combination of personal and professional perspectives on endometriosis, will help make life a little easier for someone else struggling. It is also an endless uphill battle to dispel the persistent myths and misinformation about this painful and enigmatic disease (e.g., that endometriosis is just painful periods, that the disease is caused by normal endometrium vis a vis retrograde menstruation, that hysterectomy, pregnancy and menopause are cures, that drug therapy treats the disease and is equivalent to quality surgery – a powerful myth heavily pushed by pharma-funded “endometriosis thought leaders;” etc. etc.) and to raise public knowledge of the significant impacts of endometriosis not just on the affected individual, but society at large.

As you are likely already aware, so much remains unknown about the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of this disease affecting 190+ million individuals around the world, but we do know that endometriosis is correctly defined as the presence of endometrial-like tissue located in extrauterine environs. This tissue or “lesions” – which are similar but not identical to the normal eutopic endometrium - results in a sustained inflammatory response, accompanied by angiogenesis, adhesions, fibrosis, scarring, and local and neuronal infiltration.

It’s important to note that contrary to much of the public doctrine surrounding the disease, native endometrium and endometriosis are not identical, as once touted and some still believe.

There are various differences at the biomolecular level between the tissues, and this matters because it factors into how the disease is approached from a treatment and research standpoint. Unfortunately, there is no universal, established cure and the disease cannot be prevented, but early diagnosis and timely, multidisciplinary care are critical to the longterm outcomes and lived experiences of those with endometriosis.

LIFESTYLE Often called a “disease of theories,” definitive causes have been under debate for over a century. That said, current research implicates certain genes (for example HOX genes, which are dysregulated in those with endometriosis), stem cells, epigenetic aberrations, certain immunologic factors and more in disease origin. However, no single theory explains endometriosis in all affected; more likely, a composite of several mechanisms is involved. Endometriosis is so much more than a disease of painful periods, with symptoms routinely occurring far and apart from menses and in those who do not menstruate at all. Endometriosis has even been found in a few cis males. The disease has major systemic implications and is associated with various co-morbidities ranging from GI difficulties and gynepathologies like adenomyosis and fibroids to slightly increased risk of certain cancers. Moreover, while endometriosis is a leading cause of primary and secondary infertility, it is also associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including loss, preterm birth, spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy, obstetric bleeding, pregnancyinduced hypertension, preeclampsia and more.

This is also an incredibly costly illness in more ways than one. Data indicates the direct and associated costs of endometriosis (meaning surgery, prescriptions, in and outpatient care, lost productivity, work absenteeism and presenteeism, etc.) is staggering – with some studies estimating costs as high as nearly $70 billion in the United States alone and $119 billion globally.

Endometriosis can even impact career choices, lowering the likelihood of working in one’s desired profession and lending higher weight to health-related considerations when making career decisions.

We also know that those with endometriosis have higher sick days – yet the majority will work through their pain even when suffering and use mechanisms to try to compensate for work loss, such as utilizing vacation or putting in overtime. This is during an era when data indicates sick time and even unpaid family/medical leave is often inaccessible and disproportionately excludes women, Black, Indigenous, and multiracial workers.

Symptoms vary but can quite often become chronic. Depending on where the disease is located, there can also be presentations like collapsed lung or coughing up blood. Organ dysfunction, painful sex with or without penetration, and significant bowel or bladder issues are extremely common. Secondary pain generators are frequent and range from a number of concerns like pelvic floor dysfunction to painful bladder syndrome, highlighting the further need for a truly multidisciplinary approach towards diagnosis and treatment of all pain drivers, not just the endometriosis lesion alone. Not all patients will have all symptoms, and pain is not relative to stage of disease.

Unfortunately - many signs of endometriosis are normalized, trivialized and/or outright dismissed at the healthcare level by nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals - and despite the preponderance of body wide symptoms and the very definition of endometriosis as a disease outside the uterus, some still focus on the womb as the source of the problem and relegate endometriosis to just painful periods. This leads to long delays in diagnosis, poor treatments including what may be an unnecessary hysterectomy, and repeated failed interventions like those I suffered through.

Diagnosis may be suspected on the basis of symptoms, and imaging can be helpful in lending towards the diagnostic process.

However, without histological - biopsy confirmation, the diagnosis is considered uncertain.

LIFESTYLE Unfortunately, many practitioners feel uneasy about diagnosing and treating patients who may have the disease, and this contributes to the significant delay in intervention. There is also a growing movement by non-specialists to clinically “diagnosis” and medically “treat” symptoms, which leaves many patients without a true diagnosis and left without inroads to better care. Endometriosis cannot be diagnosed by symptoms, imaging and/or pelvic exam alone, nor is it easily treated with one size fits all approach. As you would expect, the lack of non-invasive diagnostic tools combined with a lack of education and awareness about endometriosis inevitably leads to lengthy delay and dismissal, leaving some patients to go years and even decades without proper diagnosis and care. Disease awareness is so poor not only among the public, but employers and the healthcare professions as well. There are routine calls for increased awareness and training of medical staff to provide sufficient knowledge to recognize symptoms of the disease and make timely referrals as needed but unfortunately, the persistent delays in diagnosis continue to range between 6-12 years.

Some of the most vulnerable among us will be subjected to even lengthier delays and dismissal, which can lead to progressively negative impact as a result of their endometriosis, and they need our advocacy more than ever. Adolescents, for example, are often told they are too young to have the disease or that it will simply just go away which it won’t. In fact, endometriosis has the potential to become destructive and has future impact on quality of life and fertility status. BIPOC patients are also unfortunately less likely than white peers to be believed, diagnosed, and treated for endometriosis in a timely manner. Among indigenous peoples with the disease, some studies show they are less likely to have access to specialized care, and less likely to report improvement even after treatment.

Black women are more likely to undergo hysterectomy via more invasive approaches and with higher rates of complications. These are just scant examples of how the enduring narrative of endometriosis as a disease of socalled ‘rich, white career women’ has carried over into modern day, with real world implications on countless lives. And there are significant barriers for the LGBTQAI+ population struggling with endometriosis as well, with the disease often being ignored or otherwise approached improperly - largely because of erroneous assumptions made about gender, sexual and/or fertility preference. As a result, individuals may face additional and significant barriers to obtaining timely diagnosis and care for their endometriosis largely in part because of ill-conceived notions about who the disease affects and how in what is a traditionally cisfemale-identified space. It’s imperative to be inclusive and representative, but also to think outside the narrowly defined box to ensure all patients receive the care and dignity they deserve.

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of barriers at the healthcare level, either. And that starts with training. At least one recent study found that some Minimally Invasive Gynaecologic Surgeons, while being among the first of practitioners to treat individuals with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) gynepathologies like endometriosis, commonly report feeling underprepared or dissatisfied with their training.

This is directly linked to the care CPP patients subsequently receive. So there needs to be increased focus in FMIGS curriculum and educational experiences to close those gaps.

We also already know that financial access is limited when trying to obtain specialist care, particularly in a setting where most endometriosis specialists are out of network/in private practice due to the failed coding and reimbursement structure that has been upheld in gynaecology for eons. But beyond the financial toxicity of the disease, is the potential that healthcare staff at every level has to leave a patient with negative impressions and feeling hopeless, depending on how they minimize or even outright insult a patient’s concerns.

LIFESTYLE Treatments vary and are often combined, but they start with what is hopefully a confirmed - surgical - diagnosis and removal of the disease in the same encounter. Laparoscopic Excision (LAPEX) is the preferred surgical method by endometriosis specialists, but LAPEX is also often limited to their specific centers and not typically found in the obgyn generalist settings as it requires highly advanced, high-volume training and expertise. When the disease is left behind, such as through superficial ablation of lesions (not to be confused with endometrial ablation, a different and unrelated procedure), persistence and recurrence is rapid and almost certain. It is not unusual outside the centers of expertise for patients to undergo multiple unsuccessful surgeries, unfortunately. Leaving disease behind means the patient will invariably be subjected to a painful but largely ineffective surgery and likely be placed on suppressive medications thereafter, many of which of have a host of costs and side effects, followed by yet another invasive but ineffective surgery down the road at great physical, emotional and financial cost.

Medical suppression is for treating associated pain/symptoms, not endometriosis. There is no medication that can either “diagnose” or eradicate endometriosis. The medications are all contraindicated to fertility as well. The rationale is the same for all medication and efficacy is similar; to induce amenorrhea and quiet the lesions, providing temporary symptomatic relief. Not all therapies are equally tolerated and there is a vast difference in costs and side effects. Patients need to be carefully counselled in order to make truly informed decisions about their options. Unfortunately, studies have indicated that it is often the experience of the provider and not the patient preference that factors into options offered.

LIFESTYLE In general, suppression is viewed quite unfavourably among many in the global patient community, though it is a valid to help afford temporary relief for some.

Hysterectomy has a place in endometriosis and of course pelvic pain in general, particularly in situations where the uterus is the source of pain, such as with adenomyosis. However, it is not a cure for endometriosis as once mistakenly believed and the overarching goal should be to remove disease while retaining healthy organs and tissue whenever possible. The same is true of oophorectomy, which is rarely indicated in younger patients. There is an abundance of data demonstrating post-oophorectomy, posthysterectomy, and also post-menopausal endometriosis.

There are also many adjuncts that can be used in combination or alone. What is really important is considering a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach that is tailored to the individual, whether that means adopting an antiinflammatory diet or undergoing post-excision pelvic floor therapy (or both and everything in between). Support is also, of course, key, as finding others who understand the journey can be critical to the patient’s experiences. Sharing our stories and accurate disease education can help empower other patients - and also help make positive changes to the way the endometriosis is diagnosed, research and treated.

Endometriosis has long remained so largely neglected, but those of us who live with and work professionally in the disease space are striving endlessly to change that. Our collaborative, collective efforts continue, ranging from research direction to funding to better education of healthcare professionals to increased support of those struggling. There are a few key areas of constant focus where our efforts remain relentless

Research: endometriosis remains among the most underfunded of diseases, and many current studies are redundant, lack rigor, and/or are of little translational benefit, and despite advances, fundamental problems in understanding and diagnosing endometriosis remain essentially unresolved. Funding more quality, unbiased, independent research that does not serve an industry agenda and which elucidates disease origins apart from the flawed Sampson model, focuses on the cancerendometriosis connection, and supports and promotes the critical need for improved outcomes and reduced cost burdens will in turn improve care at the practice level and close the gaps we know exist and persist.

Compiling population data can establish better mechanisms to surveil the disease, because as we know, “what gets measured gets done" and doing so will allow us to identify these unmet needs and address them head on.

Policy: we also need to continue to effect strategic changes in policy, which in turn reduces endometriosis-associated stigma; increases care equity, coverage and accessibility for all; develops and implements better workplace accommodations; strives for value-based, standardized care; increases public education; and facilitates improved appropriations at legislative levels.

Increased policymaker awareness of the public health burden of endometriosis helps improve, identify and implement policies that will, importantly, reduce the existing insurance and financial gaps that limit patient access to correct care, such as the coding and reimbursement structure that has been a stark barrier to endometriosis care for most for quite a long time.

LIFESTYLE And finally, formal recognition of endometriosis as a true medical subspecialty. By establishing better care standards - including standardizing a multidisciplinary approach through a chronic care model – we can reduce costly, unnecessary and often ineffective treatments for those affected. Moreover, while no primary prevention for endometriosis currently exists, tertiary prevention efforts must focus better on reducing the significant, distressing impacts of endometriosis on the lives of those already affected.

Strides must continue to be made collaboratively to increase awareness, disseminate proper disease information, work towards better and increased policy intervention, and close the research, training and access gaps in order to empower all those affected by endometriosis. I would add that a robust public health campaign for proper endometriosis education is critical, as misinformation matters. Misinformation continues to shape the narrative of this disease – how much funding it receives for research; how, when, where and which patients will be able to access care - and what type of care they will receive; and it takes away the centeredness of the disease from the community. Facilitating an authoritative public education program to inform on symptoms and when, where and how to obtain proper help from the right sources at first signs of possible endometriosis not only raises accurate disease awareness but can lead to better evaluation and improvement upon existing programs and policies.

When we use our own experiences to advocate for others, it is entirely possible to achieve reduced diagnostic delays, improve access to quality, value-based care, improve policies and beltway advances, to fund and promote meaningful, unbiased research, and dismantle the current barriers to care so many continue to face today. Still too little has changed since my own diagnosis decades ago despite our best efforts, and real progress needs to be finally, universally implemented on behalf of all individuals.

Far too many struggling still cannot access timely diagnosis and proper care, and that is a travesty.

http://www.centerforendo.com Join us on social media: IG@centerforendocare FB@centerforendometriosiscare

STEPHANIE ANDREWS

The truth behind endometriosis symptoms…

Oh the symptoms…where do we even start with this!

I guess for me the main symptom I remember vividly before being diagnosed was the back pain and the cramps. Feeling like I couldn’t actually walk. No teenager should be in this much pain!! But yet, there I was in the doctors office crying because the pain was so real.

I’ve had so many more symptoms and as the years have gone by, I’ve learned to understand what pain is coming from where and whether it’s endometriosis or adenomyiosis pain.

But it hasn’t been easy. It’s been nearly 10 years (and counting) of countless ups and downs. and the older I get and the more I learn about myself and my symptoms I realise just how much others find it difficult to cope.

I never knew how many different kinds of stabbing pains there were. There’s the deep pains I feel way inside almost to the core of my womb. There’s the jagged pains in my groin when I’m half way through my cycle. Then there’s the splintered pains in my ovaries when I’m ovulating. The list never ends!!

LIFESTYLE The tiredness…we all know chronic illness comes with chronic fatigue. It is so much more than just being tired! It’s having a full night sleep and waking up feeling like I’ve not slept for a week. It’s doing a simple walk to the ice cream shop and back home and feeling like I need to have a nap for 2 hours just to recharge my batteries. No matter how much sleep I get I always seem to be tired. I clean the house and by 9PM I’m ready for bed. I joke with my family that I’m just getting old but in reality in my late 20’s I should have so much energy I don’t know what to do with it!

I’m always finding new ways to deal with my symptoms because I find they work for a short amount of time then my body gets used to it and basically tells me it’s not working. I’ve tried different sleeping methods but the one that seems to be most effective is meditation music in complete darkness. it’s so peaceful and really helps drown out any stresses of my day.

I’ve always loved hot water bottles and they have honestly become my best friend but there’s only so much heat my tummy and back can take until I’m physically burning myself and leaving marks.

I’ve found stress is a big cause of my flare ups so keeping myself as calm as possible is definitely something I’ve had to learn to do.

But it sounds easier than it actually is! If you’re like me, the smallest things stress you out. And a lot of the time my stress comes after the incident.

It’s only recently I’ve actually been able to admit to myself and others that I am actually ill. I have a disease. And as the days go on I find myself with new symptoms or more prominent ones that I have to learn to adapt to. It’s never going to be easy. But unfortunately it’s something us unlucky few that have no choice but to get up everyday and crack on.

We are FIGHTERS!!! https://theendowarrior.co.uk/

LIFESTYLE JODIE FRASER

While less common, endometriosis can also grow in other areas, including on blood vessels, the cervix, diaphragm, lungs, nerves, ureters, vagina, and inside of caesarean or other surgical scars.

Although exceedingly rare, endometriosis can even invade other vital organs and structures such as the kidneys, the eyes, liver, pancreas, brain, bone, heart, skin, and nasal cavity My friend suffered with Endometriosis on her bowel, which obviously made going to the toilet incredibly painful. I was there for her to chat to, but I couldn’t relate to the level of pain she was in. That is until I stopped taking my contraceptive pill so my husband and I could start trying for a family.

Endometriosis – what does it mean and what help is out there?

I hadn’t really heard about Endometriosis until a friend of mine was diagnosed with it. However, I always thought that it affected your womb, but that isn’t the case.It certainly wasn’t for my friend, and a year later it would be a different story for me as well.

Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes and ultimately affects fertility.

Endometriosis can be found in every organ and anatomical structure in the body. However, the lower abdominal cavity (pelvic cavity) is the most common general area where endometriosis occurs, and the most common include the peritoneum (lining of the pelvic area), rectouterine pouch, rectovaginal septum, uterosacral ligaments, ovaries, fallopian tubes, all over the outside of the uterus, including underneath it and behind it, the appendix, bowel, bladder, and rectum.

Suddenly, every month like clockwork, the pain I was in was excruciating. So bad in fact that some days I couldn’t even stand up straight. Because the pain was around my umbilicus (belly button) it didn’t really cross my mind that it could be Endometriosis. Why would I only get pain there? It didn’t make much sense and the GP didn’t seem to know what the problem was, so they sent me away with codeine.

This continued for around 6 months and then suddenly I noticed a lump had formed in my belly button that was starting to turn purple and the pain got even worse. Again, the GP didn’t know what it was and sent me to the hospital for a general surgeon to check it. I suppose from their point of view, they see a lump and they think cancer, so they did what they thought was right. However, for me, it was another mis diagnosis.

The general surgeon told me it wasn’t anything to worry about and if I wanted it to be removed, I would have to pay for it as an elective procedure. I know our NHS is overwhelmed and under funded but you don’t just grow lumps for no reason. But I accepted what they said.

LIFESTYLE However, back in September 2021 I decided I should follow up with the consultant and he suggested I go on the progestin only pill rather than surgery to control the pain. This means that it prevents menstruation, which can stop endometrial cells from shedding and causing inflammation and irritation.

Well, that’s all great if you’ve stopped having children, but what about all the women who still want a family. Do they have to wait for surgery and suffer in pain every month?

One day, I was with a friend of mine, who had worked for many years as an ICU nurse. She noticed a blood stain on my top and we realised that the lump had started bleeding. She took one look at it and said, that’s Umbilical Endometriosis. I’ve never seen it before, but I’ve read it about it in medical journals.

The symptoms of endometriosis are very similar to other common conditions and it's important to share as much information with your doctor as possible.

I started researching it and she was right.All the symptoms fit and I ended up seeing a private consultant for a formal diagnosis.

The only definitive way to diagnose endometriosis is by a laparoscopy - an operation in which a camera (a laparoscope) is inserted into the pelvis via a small cut near the navel. The surgeon uses the camera to see the pelvic organs and look for any signs of endometriosis. If endometriosis is diagnosed, the endometriosis may be treated or removed for further examination during the laparoscopy.

The presence of endometriosis in the umbilicus rarely occurs. Primary umbilical endometriosis (PUE) is often not recognized based on its clinical appearance, and knowledge about the pathophysiology is scarce.

Scans, blood tests and internal examinations are not a conclusive way to diagnose endometriosis and a normal scan, blood test and internal examination does not mean that you do not have endometriosis.

In my ‘rare case’, I presented with a painful coloured nodule in the umbilicus, which turned out to be PUE.

Because endometriosis manifests itself in a variety of ways and shares symptoms with other conditions, diagnosis can be difficult and often delayed. Recent research shows that there is now an average of 7.5 years between women first seeing a doctor about their symptoms and receiving a firm diagnosis. I guess I was lucky that my friend noticed the problem.

The ultrasound showed a nodule of 2cm x 2cm and I was scheduled for surgery. Then, I got pregnant and the surgery was obviously cancelled. Upside, the pain immediately went away when my periods stopped and nearly 3 years on, I only get a small amount of pain.

LIFESTYLE I tried taking the pill for 2 months, but it didn’t work for me. I was bleeding more and for longer and the whole point was to stop my period and therefore stop the pain.

Although it can’t be cured, I am trying to control it and manage the pain by cutting certain food groups from my diet that will cause inflammation. This is dairy, processed food and refined sugar. There’s a great cook book called Whole New You that I highly recommend – here’s the link - Whole New You: How Real Food Transforms Your Life, for a Healthier, More Gorgeous You: How Real Food Transforms Your Life, for a Healthier, More Gorgeous You: A Cookbook: Amazon.co.uk: Tia Mowry: 9781101967355: Books At the moment there is no cure, so it’s up to us to manage our symptoms as best we can. Even surgery to remove the tissue isn’t always successful. I just hope that a cure can be found for the thousands of women out there who need help with this debilitating disease.

Jodie Fraser is the Managing Director of https://www.fraserallenem.co.uk/

LIFESTYLE "MY CHILDREN ARE THE REASON FOR MY SUCCESS"

I was entered into a young writer’s competition, The Portico Prize for Young Writers by my teacher at the time, Mr Green. He inspired me creatively and encouraged me to write for the competition, and that I did, especially with the inspiration of the human that was growing inside my tummy, although I had no self-confidence and low selfesteem, I knew I had to become someone, because I was going to be a mum, a young mum who wanted her dreams to come true. This was my first piece of published work, a poem on Alan Turing and a journalistic piece on stereotypes and how you cannot judge a book by its cover. My son was born in July 2011, I fell in love with my boy, Cullen instantly. I then knew I had to work extremely hard. I went onto do a college course that I didn’t enjoy, the college would not let me do my A levels due to my circumstances and because I had no Maths GSCE. I really struggled with Maths; I still do. I eventually quit college and began working a retail job, though I didn’t feel fulfilled.

I’m Hallie Fletcher, a dyslexic, twentyseven-year-old poet/writer from NorthManchester. It all began when I was fifteen, I was a troubled teenager, going through a lot of trauma. I grew up in a deprived area and attended a high school in Moston. I fell pregnant at fifteen years of age, this was just the beginning for me, although many thought it would be the end.

I always knew I wanted to be a writer (especially after writing my own books when I was in primary school, which my mum has kept until this date). I was entered into a young writer’s competition, The Portico Prize for Young Writers by my teacher at the time, Mr Green.

I knew there was something missing, this was when I took a leap and applied to do an access to higher education course in Creative Writing. I remember being interviewed and being accepted onto the course; this was a new chapter for me. It was time to make something of myself for myself and my son. I worked very hard for eight months straight and decided to take another risk, by applying to study an undergraduate degree at the Russell Group, University of Manchester. I needed very high grades to be offered a place and I was leaving the house at 6am to travel to the other side of Manchester on two busses in rush hour traffic, just to attend college to get those grades. You know what though? I did it! I got the grades, and then it all fell into place.

I began my undergraduate degree at the University of Manchester in 2015, It was a tough three years, within those three years, I self-published two books, Love, Sex and Death, and Moth.

LIFESTYLE

All whilst studying and working behind a bar and being a mum to my little boy. I then fell pregnant with my little girl, Cordelia. This was all whilst in third year, whilst writing and researching my dissertation. I graduated in 2018 two weeks before giving birth to my daughter. My children are the reason for my success. They pushed me along with my mum and dad, Grandma and Granddad and my amazing partner, to succeed. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be. After taking two years out on maternity leave. I then began an MA in literature, something that my heart wasn’t really in. I eventually quit after a year and decided to apply for an MA in creative writing.

This was the best thing I have ever done. The MA which I’m studying now, is perfect for me, I’m enjoying every second of it, it’s also distance learning, therefore I can now enjoy more time with my beautiful children. On top of that I’ve been writing content for magazines, blog posts and I’m releasing a third book, collaborating with an amazing artist. It’s all so very exciting. I also got back in touch with the Portico Library, which is where it all began for me. They asked me to be on the Society of Readers and Writers, which I accepted, I am a long-list judge for the 10,000-pound Portico Prize and on top of that, I am a judge for the Sadie Massey Awards, which is the young readers and writers’ competition that I myself was entered into at the age of fifteen.

How amazing is that? It’s brought back a lot of memories and has made me realise how far I have come from that troubled teenager I was. Last but not least, I have taken another leap and I have applied to study a PhD, which I’m waiting to hear back from. This would be a dream come true.

Honestly, I want to thank my parents, my partner and most of all my children, without them, I would be nothing. If I could give one piece of advice, it would be, follow your heart and keep going, no matter what life throws at you, you have got this. There is still more to come from me yet, this is only the start.

JAMIE MCANSH COVER STAR LIFESTYLE WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE WORLD What does it mean to be inclusive?

The word inclusive based on the Dictionary means to include others or another. If the term relates to people on an interpersonal level it means to include everyone.

Personally, I don’t think this will ever be completely achievable until we stop complaining, stop ridicule and start being encouraging to others. I do feel that we can all try to make small changes that will over time have great impacts. This will need to be accepted by everyone and then we will see great things happen.

I have always loved this subject, it's so vast and open for debate. There are books written about how to become inclusive, degrees based around equality and courses that are spread over several years to make you an expert in this very subject.

But, what about the single person in the world who is aiming to just treat people right? Is that not the very best and most fundamental element of inclusion and equality that you can get? Simply treat people as you would like to be treated do your very best and surely that would resolve a lot of the issues we face in the world.

I talk from experience. My own experience, what I don’t do is claim to be an expert on the subject.

I am also very open to different opinions and ways of looking at things. However, I am very much realistic about how the world around us can impact on inclusiveness but also on how we as individuals can adapt to make things easier. I have witnessed first-hand how people can be awkward for the sake of creating an issue where one is not needed purely to make a point. I have been the subject of a company so frightened about being inclusive and my safety that in fact they achieved the exact opposite by making life so restrictive that I was not able to do anything. Like everything, there needs to be balance.

A little background on me Jamie McAnsh.

I was once considered an able-bodied person. “A normal person” before one day waking up paralysed, left in a wheelchair and being catapulted into a world that I knew nothing about. However, even before I ended up living life in a wheelchair, I lived with a neuro diverse condition that restricted my abilities with reading, writing, telling the time, knowing my lefts and rights and there is so much more.

JAMIE MCANSH COVER STAR LIFESTYLE

Not bad for someone who was stuck in a wheelchair constantly being told what they could no longer do, not bad for someone who in February 2014 thought that the only thing for me was to end my life. Not bad for someone who thought he was nothing more than a burden on those around me a waste of space and no use to the world.

And now, I get to say that against all the odds I have created little influential waves that may change the world for ever. The world around us is changing in many ways for the good we need to know that, and, we need to be confident to play our part.

I just feel that there are two very strong influential parties that need to be considered when we are looking at inclusiveness. There are those that require the assistance to be included, who have a responsibility of understanding and respect that not everything is a possibility. And, there are those who need to consider every effort possible to make sure that they are acting as inclusively as they can.

This to me still seems such a mammoth task but Desmond Tutu once said that “there is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” Maybe being inclusive does not actually have to mean being completely inclusive, but being as inclusive as you can be. I want to give you an example.

Let's take a nice little restaurant in an old city. The building is Victorian with a small front door and steps up to the entrance. No other way in so of course not wheelchair friendly. However, all menus can be translated, be available in large print and brail if needed. They welcome people of any age into the restaurant and cater for any dietary requirements or allergies.

JAMIE MCANSH COVER STAR LIFESTYLE The menu has several vegan and halal choices to offer and they welcome all religions and beliefs into the restaurant as well as having a small quiet area for those that may need it, such as those living with invisible disabilities or parents that live with children with sensory conditions. They offer a baby bottle warming service for the very little guests and even have charging points outside to allow people with mobility scooters to charge up while they dine.

This restaurant would still be considered as non-inclusive because there is still the factor that you cannot get in there if you were a wheelchair user even though this makes up only 6% of all disabilities and an even smaller percentage of all considerations when looking at any characteristic covered by inclusivity.

And here lies the problem when you talk about inclusivity and why the result is so far from being achieved. If that nice little restaurant was to advertise as inclusive, then they would soon be shut down, ridiculed, and criticised. Not because of what they do offer but because of what they cannot offer at no real fault of their own. All because of their one little flaw. No wheelchair access.

So many people shout about what they feel they are being excluded from. The noise is so loud that the positives can’t be heard. The people that are eating the elephant one chunk at a time, doing the little things that make the small changes and yet those small changes can in fact be the start of how we change the world.

Imagine if that nice little restaurant felt safe to shout about all the good, they are doing.

More people started coming because they were so accommodating, soon they would be fully booked, and business would be booming. Other businesses nearby would come to hear about what they are doing and follow suit to keep up with the competition. Some will have better wheelchair access and that would put them ahead of the inclusivity race and so on and so forth. Suddenly inclusivity becomes the normal. As a consumer you could look online and see what they offer as a service, you would know what to expect and there would be no disappointment on arrival.

So much stays the same because of fear or misunderstanding, lack of knowledge and most of all ignorance. We all have a responsibility to create an inclusive world, but we also have a responsibility to encourage those who are trying the best they can to make their little mark on creating a better world.

Let’s change the direction and instead of criticising what people are not doing, lets celebrate what they are doing. Shout about their achievements, talk about the small changes being made, promote the company that introduces brail menus and get it all over the news, promote the insurance company that offers assistance to neuro diversity with all the paperwork they have to produce. What font do you need this in if any? Such a simple fix but such a massive impact.

I hope that on reading this article I have encouraged you to think outside the box of the normal. We all need help from time to time. We all need little accommodations to make our lives easier less complicated and more enjoyable over all. And if a company gets it right shout about it from the roof tops, but if they get it wrong, don’t blast them for it. Educate them and explain why it's so important. That’s how we eat an elephant one simple bite at a time.

Jamie and his wife Charlott run the fantastic online community See No Bounds: https://seenobounds.co.uk/

LIFESTYLE KNOW YOUR CHILD! A young boy sat in a school office, he was again getting in trouble.

His mum turning up to the office ready for that battle.

But it didn’t matter how hard she fought he was expelled.

He didn’t even remember what for!

This was only primary school so you can imagine how much of a reputation ate at the rest of his school years!

This person at 18 had already run away from home, failed education, and couldn’t hold down a job for more than a few months!

But let me skip ahead

One of the hardest things of living in a neurodiverse household is hearing other people ask these questions: “Will they ever get better?”

“What if they can’t do……..”

My developed answer over the years instead of screaming at people is: “My amazing ………. Is themselves and they will get exactly where they want and need to in their lives” Let me tell you the story of my partner!

By the time he got to 23 after years of acceptance and exploration, he had studied online random topics, never anything he wanted to relate to a job, that would come with too muchremembered pressure!

But randomly he decided he would go to university for ecology, for someone who was hyper-focused on computers this was not expected which is exactly why it worked, something new, something without expectations!

Skipping ahead again at 37 years old he has held down jobs for years, got a master’s level education, and works day in day out at a job he loves!

LIFESTYLE

Yes he is still neurodiverse Yes we still have to work to understand what that means in some situations Yes it can mean adjustment and changes Yes, it means that he is amazing!

If you had told that little 7-year-old and mum in that office that this is what would have happened they would not have believed you for a day!

When my neurodiverse son turns around and stresses out because someone has yet again pointed out that “maybe he will grow out of it!”

I turn around and tell him that no he won’t BUT he can grow into it!

He is amazing, he is unique, and he owns who he is!

If you are that parent looking into that fight, I understand, I have been there and the best advice I can give is that you know your child!

Your child also knows themselves, their limits, their space, their boundaries, and you are their voice!

I have often been called by my other half and my son a translator, they say I speak ….. ok well maybe I won’t tell you that bit!

Give your family space to be individual, don’t let that get squashed. It may be hard ( I never said it wasn’t ) but you are raising a human confident in who they are!

LIFESTYLE LETTERS TO OUR YOUNGER SELVES In this issue, find out what our book review, Jane, would tell her younger self!

If I could write a letter to my younger self, here’s what it would say.

Dear Jane, Don’t be tempted to put a ‘Y’ in your name – it will not make you anymore exotic or interesting. It will just confuse the heck out of people and get you into all sorts of trouble with the Student Loan Company.

Don’t buy into anyone else’s ideas about who you are – be strong enough to stand up and challenge those beliefs and ideas. Even if they come from those closest to you. .

Don’t listen when they tell you that you’re not confident enough to become an actor, or not disciplined enough to finish your first manuscript. Don’t allow them to tell you who they think you are and what you’re capable of. That’s for you to decide Stop worrying about what you look like. Dress size is unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

Learn to love yourself and don’t let your mother put you on a diet at the age of nine. Her fear of fat is her problem. Don’t let her project that stuff onto you.

Try not to give up when things get difficult. This advice goes for everything from playing netball at school, to trying to get your dream job as a full-time writer. (That last thing will happen, but it’s going to take a while. Stick with it!) Anything that’s worthwhile will take time and effort to achieve.

Don’t be in such a hurry to find a boyfriend and don’t believe everything you read in the pages of all those Mills & Boon romances that you devour. Happily ever afters are much more complicated and messy than the books would have you believe. And whilst we’re on this subject, the boys who dump you will not suddenly realise what a catch you are if you clean their dirty bedsit or become a full-time taxi service for their Mum. These things will make you look sad and desperate and will only make you feel worthless and pathetic every time you recall them. Even when you’re almost fifty, the image of yourself on your hands and knees scrubbing your ex-boyfriend’s dirty kitchen lino (in the misguided hope that this will somehow convince him you are the perfect girlfriend) will make you cringe with shame and embarrassment. Don’t do it! You are better than that!

Most importantly, be happy. Take each day as it comes and don’t listen to the negative voices in your head. Re-write the conversation you have with yourself. Look in the mirror and appreciate how fabulous you are. Don’t be afraid to be confident and to show that confidence off! Don’t allow anyone to make themselves feel big by making you feel small. Don’t shrink to fit whatever box they want to put you in.

I realise that’s a lot of don’ts, so here’s a ‘do’. Do the thing that scares you, do the thing that you aren’t sure you should do, do the thing that is unknown. That’s how you get to live a full and happy life.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday March 8th is International Women’s Day, so Hannah sat down with three powerful women and spoke about the day and what it means to them and more.

Fiona Scott (FS) of Scott Media works in PR and Journalism and has been in the industry working in television, supporting some amazing businesses with their PR and as a journalist getting stories seen!

Samantha Scott (SJ) is our resident psychic coach and medium. She has supported businesses to grow and women to overcome boundaries in their mindset.

Jodie Fraser (JF) is Managing Director of Fraser Allen Estate Management an award-winning Property Management Company.

FS: To lead and to appreciate it and be curious when you start to realise others are taking the lead from you. It may not be obvious because you may not be a team leader, or a manager, or a director in a business with a large team. You may, like me, be a solo entrepreneur who suddenly finds that others are listening to you, copying you, asking you the same things over and over again. Then you have to believe it and work it - accepting that for some you will never be 'their' leader and that's fine. Focus on those who are inspired by you.

SJ: Owning the journey you have been on. To be the hero in your own story and then help others to find the courage to take the steps too.

FIONA SCOTT OF SCOTT MEDIA

What do you think it takes to be an inspiring female leader?

JF: Compassion, honesty, and purpose. I strongly believe that by leading in this way brings out the best in people, from staff to clients, to contractors. Working towards a common goal and doing it with kindness is what makes an inspiring leader. Compassion, honesty, and purpose. I strongly believe that by leading in this way brings out the best in people, from staff to clients, to contractors.

Working towards a common goal and doing it with kindness is what makes an inspiring leader.

What do you think it takes to be an inspiring What financial concerns are female business owners are facing after the pandemic? leader?

JF: Obviously, I cannot speak for all, but what I have experienced or noticed over the past 2 years is that the responsibility of childcare will generally fall to the mother. This means that the earning potential of a mother decreases.

Several women have felt the need to give up their jobs to care for children who have been unable to attend school during the pandemic, which in turn has affected their ability to climb the career ladder because they have been required to take a career break because they had no other option.

LIFESTYLE FS: It depends on their personal circumstances and whether they are the only or the main breadwinner. Many female business owners got zero financial support from the Government throughout the pandemic in the UK. Some may have got grants for their business premises costs, some may have been able to furlough staff however many will have got no support with their own income and, if they have a bigger company, they may have taken out a loan to survive. So they may now be in debt when they have never been in debt before. The help offered by government - and worldwide - significantly impacted negatively on women in business. Women, in the main, run small, home-based or cottage based businesses and therefore were excluded from meaningful support. Many women in business will be focussing on surviving this next year with a view to thriving in 2023.

SJ: I think we are still rebuilding. So there is still the need to increase our client lists and improve our financial position. Most of my clients are back to where they were before the pandemic if not ahead. For many a new vision in their businesses after having to pivot so much during the pandemic. I think we are now in a time when we need to be sure we are creating the business we want to have.

What does International Women’s Day (IWD) mean to you?

JF: It’s a great opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women. It wasn’t that long ago that married women were not allowed to work. Women were only granted the right to vote in 1920, and even in 1970 women couldn’t report workplace discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, women couldn’t own credit cards under their own names or obtain birth control. With the freedoms that we have now, we should celebrate how far we have come.

FS: It's a moment to celebrate women in business and women in general - and it's still not widely supported by a minority of men and even fellow females. However, statistics show that women still lag behind men in almost all areas of business around pay, access to funding, access to 'meet the buyers' seats on the board, diversity in vertical markets. If we don't speak up for ourselves then who will?

SJ: IWD is for me a day to celebrate being a woman and to remember how powerful we can be as women.

JODIE FRASER OF FRASER ALLEN ESTATE MANAGEMENT

Have things changed for women in business since you started your business?

JF: I think so. Certainly, in my industry there are a lot more women working in property management, but not many who go on to start their own companies. I would love to see more women leading and influencing in the industry.

LIFESTYLE FS: There are more laws in place however largely it's not changed that much. Women are still not recruited if they are deemed to be of 'child-bearing' age, they are still denied a seat at the table if they cannot work very long hours, just look at Parliament for a start and women still put up with sexual harassment in the workplace even if you are self-employed.

However, women are beginning to step up and speak up and call things out. Some women are using their celebrity status to be a voice for females and that's a good thing.

Also, more men are, I think, appreciating the strong woman, especially in business.

SJ: Absolutely. When I started 20 years ago it felt like we had to fight much harder to be taken seriously, especially in my industry. So many industries were, and some still are, male dominated. Women think differently when it comes to business. Women are more creative and I think braver in business.

Do you feel like the gender gap is still a thing?

JF: I believe it isn’t as bad as it was, and as I’ve said above, when women take career breaks to have children, or look after children, then we will always be behind on the pay scale because we can’t continue working in some instances.

However, I do believe that when a man and a woman are doing the same job, with the same level of experience, the pay should be the same.

FS: Yes, it is. Less so in the freelance world, although many companies will seek to beat a woman down on price, over a man. So, the key thing is for women to know their worth.

SJ: Definitely! I see it in my clients when they relay their stories to me.

SAMANTHA SCOTT OF THE PSYCHIC COACH

As a female business owner have you experienced harassment?

JF: Unfortunately, I have. I have experienced sexually harassment as well as harassment in general from a client. The issue with the client is the hardest thing I have had to deal with as a business owner.

SJ: Yes countless times. At the age of 16 I remember being in my first job in a major car company in Newbury, the boss called me into the office, I had been there a few weeks, I can’t remember what was discussed because all I remember was as I turned to walk out he literally kicked me on the backside and painfully. All I could do was stop myself crying as I walked back into the team. It was so painful. When I mentioned it to my Supervisor, her response was ‘don’t worry that’s just @@@! I have also been offered roles in TV, performer slots at Spiritual Retreats if I was willing to have sex with the organisers. I have turned them down every time.

LIFESTYLE FS: Yes - though what worries me more is the opportunities you've been denied silently because you are female, have children to care for or might have children. It's those decisions which are quietly taken before you as a woman even know about it. It's happened to me once or twice after the fact when the only reason I didn't get that job, promotion or contract had to be gender, especially when you look at who did get that role. I'm pretty realistic and I know and can accept if I wasn't quite the right fit. Since running my own business I've been assaulted once and had to make a run for it and I've called one person out on their behaviour once too (that behaviour was directed at a female colleague in business).

What advice would you give to a female who is experiencing problems with things that shouldn't be a problem .i.e. maternity leave, pay gap, generally walking down the street and getting cat called.

JF: Hold you head up high, stand up for what you believe in and seek advice where you can.

There is always someone who can help you and I would be more than happy to help anyone reading this and point them in the right direction if they are in a situation that they do not know how to resolve.

FS: With things at work - get legal advice or speak to your trade union/body if you are a member. If you are out and about generally call the police if something bothers you - what's banter to one person may be abusive to you. Also learn to stand up for yourself and call people out. Use the media to do it if you have to and feel there's no other choice. It's a powerful tool.

SJ: I’m not sure until I’m in the situation

What advice would you give to your younger self?

JF: Keep going for what you want and for what you believe in. Don’t let anyone try and tear you down. Keep working hard and everything will be ok.

FS: Believe in yourself, you truly are enough (and everyone who told you 'no' can fuck off).

SJ: To be braver and use my voice. To not think it is disrespectful to question things said my people in positions of power.

Is there an inspirational female that you look up to (doesn't have to be famous!)?

JF: There are so many women that I look up to, many that I work with on a daily basis. I take inspiration from my team, my business coach Taz Thornton and a number of famous ladies, such as Marie Forleo and Michelle Obama.

FS: Loads - first and foremost my sister Dr Alison Rellos who is a single parent to three wonderful children. She lost her husband when he died suddenly when she was 40 and their youngest was five months old. He was 49 years old and she was on maternity leave. She then lost her job. A few years later, an electrical fire broke out in her home and she lost everything.

Yet this woman got back up, retrained as a teacher (she was already a lecturer but had to retrain to get the right piece of paper for a secondary school) and has kept going. She's the strongest woman I know.

SJ: Mel Robbins and Pink! Both live their truth.

LIFESTYLE As a female, what topics in the news have caused you concern recently?

JF: In America, in certain states, it is against the law to have an abortion, even if you are raped.

I find this sickening and despicable that a group of men can make decisions over a woman’s body. It scares me to think that in 2022 women still have to fight for their own reproductive rights.

FS: The global lack of support of women in business - and the lack of recognition of their value by governments the world over. I include the UK government in this as I think they have behaved appallingly to women in business.

The lip service to the climate emergency which is upon us and we have to adapt our lives to look after our planet and I believe women will need to stand up and drag society along with us.

The continued acceptance of cultures which treat women as second-class citizens, force them to marry against their will or while still children, undergo female genital mutilation and be treated as having less value than men and boys. Cultures where women are denied choice, where they have to be subservient to men and have to have their lives defined by men. Cultures where successful women often have to become 'honorary' males to be deemed of value - even in a domestic setting. Cultures which think this is acceptable in any way should be ostracized and outlawed from civilised society in my view.

SJ: I don’t watch the news

Contact our interviewees You can find Jodie Fraser at www.fraserallen.co.uk You can find Fiona Scott at www.scottmedia.com You can find Samantha Jayne at https://samantha-jayne.co.uk/

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

LIFESTYLE

By Sophie from Lingo Copy and Content

International Women’s day is an annual calendar date that occurs on the 8th March. Whilst the day has been observed over the year during different milestones in women’s history, the day of celebration was made official by the United Nations in 1975.

The day isn’t just about celebrating women, it is also about recognising outstanding achievements women make, a time for reflection on the trailblazers before us, and, a time to discuss different women’s rights.

International Women’s day (IWD) focuses on achievements women make in their workplaces, in their communities, or politically. It’s an opportunity to thank the women before us who paved the way for women to have even the simple right of being able to vote, a right that still isn’t afforded to women in some countries. Or helped to make a shift in society to accept women in what would have been classed as a ‘man’s job’.

IWD helps raise awareness around issues such as equal pay, equal treatment of women and create positive change worldwide. It is a time for women all over the world to come together with one common goal, regardless of age, race, language, countries or orientation.

Unfortunately, even in 2022, we still live in a world that is not equal for women, whether that is being treated differently to male colleagues, not having the right to vote, being subject to a gender pay gap, struggling to retain their job after having children, or sexual violence.

The key message of IWD, is to provide women with hope and inspiration for their future, preserve women’s dignity, give women ambition, empowerment, appreciation and respect.

This years International Women’s Day campaign theme is called #BreaktheBias, helping to tackle equality and diversity issues for women. The campaign encourages women to call out inequalities in their personal and professional lives.

How can I celebrate International Women’s Day 2022?

Wear a purple garment. This is the colour of IWD. Hold up your fellow females crown! Celebrate your female counterparts by saying something complimentary and encouraging.

Hold a coffee morning with friends and raise funds for a women’s charity.

Take time to reflect on history, and the lives of women today.

Hold an IWD stand at work to raise awareness and get more people involved in the conversation.

Read about female empowerment and share with children.

Create a playlist of all female artists to listen too.

Whilst there is still a lot of work to do, we have come so far in making the world a more accepting and safer place for women. Change is a united effort, and we can only achieve change with education, support and standing strong in unity. Celebrating days like IWD, helps to keep women’s issues in the limelight and encourage further progression.

Join us in celebrating International Women’s Day and breaking down barriers in 2022.

Facebook: @lingocopyandcontent Twitter @lingocontent Insta: @lingocopyandcontent Tik Tok: lingocontent

Email: info@lingocontent.co.uk Website: www.lingocontent.co.uk

LIFESTYLE

SAMANTHA JAYNE FEBRUARY — NEW MONTH, NEW MOON! The beginning of the new year already seems a distant memory as we step into what is to be astrologically, a powerful month. This month the energies are driving us forward and we now need to focus on our goals knowing that the hard work will pay off. That way you can at least distract your attention from gloomy winter weather and low level thoughts if you are struggling with winter blues.

This month will feel like we’re slowly waking up after recent months and coming of needing to do a lot of inner work and reflection.

This is a month for self-improvement. Especially in the area of career. There is a need to feel connected to the work we are doing, some may struggle to turn up for work if they are simply doing it for the money.

Uranus is giving us the strength we need and it blends with Taurus, which will boost your determination. Watch though for only being focused on career and business success, there must be balance in your world. We cannot be well if our energies and focus is only on one aspect of our lives. We must appreciate and love all of life to truly feel abundant and experience joy. Your ambitions your dreams, your goals are so important but so is maintaining a balance at home.

According to Numerology, February 2022 is an 8.

Are you ready to feel powerful?

The number 8 is all about money, wealth, power, and influence. It brings rewards, and it brings recognition! So: This is a month where you will get to see who you are in this world, as in who you are perceived as in this world and you will be rewarded accordingly.

This is a month where we need to stay grounded as getting recognised, our work being picked up, getting a promotion, could go to our heads and we don’t want to spend too much time in the ugly energy of the ego.

This month growth is most likely come in your work and career, an increase in income is possible too, but the energies will also be playing out in peoples relationships.

This is very much the month of love. Is your relationship out of balance? Are you giving away your power? People are going to be reminded about their personal power so some may experience power struggles. This can be in the workplace but it most definitely will be in our romantic connections.

This is a month where we can truly make progress in our lives and the best way forward is to treat your life like a business.

To take leadership. We need to have a business-like approach and a strategic attitude to get the best out of lives and utilise these energies so that they serve us well. So make a plan, and work your way through it. Commitment and consistency will pay off this month in all aspects of life.

LIFESTYLE HOW TO PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AT UNIVERSITY Hello! I’m Nath, one of two directors of Mental Health Monster CIC, and today I’m going to share 5 tips to protect your mental health at university that you may not hear elsewhere.

University is a very influential period of our lives. It poses challenges that we may not have encountered before, whilst also treating us to positive experiences that we never thought we’d get.

Everyone has a story to tell about their time at uni. I personally have some great memories, some hilarious, some that I’m proud of and some that have shaped the person I am today. (And of course, some that won’t ever be shared!).

However, if there is one thing that I have learnt during my studies, it is that my mental health deserves to be my utmost priority. This wasn’t obvious straight away. From dropping out of my first university as a result of naively neglecting my mental health, to achieving first-class honours and picking up lasting friendships, valuable achievements and lifelong stories along the way. All whilst competing with a couple of my mental health monsters, such as an anxiety disorder and grief, at the same time.

Which leads me on to the juicy bit, here I will share with you 5 things that helped me on this journey that I’d love you to use too!

Commit to Self-Learning Don’t worry, when I say self-learning I don’t mean teaching yourself an entire subject from vague and mysterious lecture slides the night before an exam (although this isn’t too unlikely). I mean learning about yourself. One of the best things you can do for your mental health is to figure out who you are, what drives you, what you enjoy, what you need to relax, what environments you work best in etc.

A good way to look at it is to imagine your perfect roast dinner, with all of the ingredients you need for it to be the best that it can be, in your eyes.

Without some of these ingredients, your roast dinner isn’t going to be as good as it can be. This logic can be applied to your mental health.

In order to find your favourite ingredients that work for your mental health, an open mind is key. Throw yourself into new experiences, be open to meet new people and treat everything as an experiment, you will gain a powerful self-understanding that will help you navigate through university as easy as your circumstances will allow.

Avoid The Comparison Trap Everyone has a superpower. Yes, you included. That superpower is being you.

It is more than okay to want more from yourself and to use other people as motivation. But constant comparison is the enemy of self-esteem.

Figure out what gives you your superpower, what makes you unique, and own it.

LIFESTYLE Avoid Toxicity You will come across many people at university, hopefully most of them will have a positive impact on you. But unfortunately, some may not.

In many cases this is a lot more difficult than it sounds. But you are the only person in charge of your university experience and you do not deserve to have it clouded by other people’s immaturity and manipulation.

Try to stay away from people that don’t contribute to your happiness and build relationships with those that do.

My one tip for dealing with toxic people?

Don’t.

Use The Services University services are there to help with a whole host of things, careers advice, financial support, living conditions, mental health and more. Plus it is worth remembering that you don’t need to have a mental health condition to seek support with your mental health.

Even professionals at the very top of their game still get coached, remember that.

This was one of the most important things I did at university, and it was all free!

Prioritise Your Mental Health, Always Lastly, nothing compares in importance to your mental health. Failing to prioritise it leaves us all at a higher risk of developing debilitating mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, though you wouldn’t be to blame of course.

With this knowledge alone, I have every belief that you will look back on your university experience fondly, not least because you will have taken steps to look after your mental health.

For regular mental health tips, tricks and education, follow @MHealthMonster on the socials or visit mhmonster.org on the web.

LIFESTYLE

BEING AT UNIVERSITY WITH DYSLEXIA

Nick White sits down with Adam Kearney for University Mental Health Awareness Day on March 3rd 2022 Can you say a bit about your background and what course you are attending & which university?

I worked at Ford Motor Company for 18 years in various roles, and for the last 15 years I’ve worked at BT/Openreach where I am currently employed as aCPP Assurance professional. I statrted on the BOst (Hons) Osteopathy Programme with the College of Osteopaths in September 2021. The course is run through the University of Derby.

You’ve been diagnosed as having dyslexia since starting this course. Can you share your experience?

I was diagnosed as being dyslexic in November 2021, which even though I had suspicions I might be, still came as a massive shock. I have a MSc Environmental Management for Business, BA Hons Business, DipHe Foundation Degree IT & Business along with HNC & HND IT Solutions for Business.

All of these qualifications have been studied part-time as a mature student. The realisation that I had probably had to work 3 times as hard as my fellow students just to scrap a pass is very hard to take. Since I was a child I had always thought I might not be that bright as I couldn’t grasp things as quickly as others. The dyslexia diagnosis has proved to me its nothing to do with my intellect, but due to my learning difficulty.

How has this affected your mental health, both during this course and any time before?

I actually became quite unwell and suffered with anxiety and depression, but didn’t know what had been triggering it.

What support has been available to you?

College of Osteopaths have been really supportive and arranged for my assessment. I have filled in a DSA form and have had my case approved and will now be getting software to help support my study along with a dyslexia tutor who will help me find new ways of studying. My employer has been fantastic and are helping me find another role within the company where my dyslexia doesn’t expose me as much. I really seem to struggle with large data sets and manipulation. They are also going to supply me with literacy support software.

Has it been helpful?

The assistance and support I have been offered has been a real lifeline to be honest. I felt completely lost and out of my depth with so many aspect of my life. I now know its dud to a recognised condition, it is almost since it has been labelled it has helped me to not stress about it as much.

What would you say to others facing the same situation?

I would say ask for help straightaway. Don’t just put up with it, it’s a recognised condition that many people have and struggle with. And you don’t have to struggle and put up with it. You will feel much better when you start talking about it and getting the help you deserve.

LIFESTYLE UNIVERSITY AND MENTAL HEALTH MY EXPERIENCE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PRIOR TO AND DURING UNIVERSITY.

BY CHLOE QUINN, 29, NORTHERN IRELAND Prior to attending university in 2012, I had suffered from years of depression, anxiety, high cortisol levels and anorexia nervosa. Needless to say, my mental health wasn’t perfect to begin with but it was managed with medication. However, shortly before moving into my new university accommodation, I found myself relapsing into bulimia and anorexia. The move exacerbated the symptoms, and as the campus was far from any civilization, I was left alone for the majority of my days and nights miles from any friends or family. All I had were my TV shows, my studies and the obsession with food and weight that had crept back into my life.

Shortly after starting my first year I attempted suicide on the 11th of November, 2012. It was after this attempt that I was immediately referred back into eating disorder services and removed from campus halls. I instead rented a room in a house shared with my boyfriend (now husband), and some of our friends. My mental health improved, however my relationship with my family declined so much that during my second year they were largely absent from my life.

My second year was arguably the worst year of my life. There were several points where I didn’t see a future for myself, never mind in regards to my studies. But I pushed on despite various suicide attempts, delincining mental health and anorexia, and made it through to my placement year. It was at this point I was forced to move back home so that I had somewhere to live while I worked. Again, this year was difficult, made more so by the presence of my family. But I worked hard and by the end of it my husband and I were able to move back to the city permanently to start our lives together. I attended my final year of university feeling determined. I worked, I studied and I did very little else. Against all odds, I graduated with a BSC Undergraduate degree in Environmental health.

How I managed my mental health.

Truth be told, I managed my mental health as best as I could. I was able to apply for DSA, which is Disabled Students Allowance. This meant that not only was I given a small amount of financial aid, but I was also given additional time for exams, assignments and allocated a mentor. We remain in touch to this day and she was honestly one of the best things about university.

DSA and the benefits that came with it were very helpful to me in my first few years. But by the time that my fourth year came around I was in a better place and alot more determined to complete my degree with flying colours. During this time I set myself a strict routine, kept a daily diary of notes from lessons and ensured that my work life never came before my studies.Most importantly, I steered clear of things that were likely to cause a relapse, and took my medication as instructed. I continued to meet with my mentor to discuss university and life in general. I was a lot more open about my mental health and my struggles during this year, and so asking for additional help when I needed it wasn’t as taboo as I once made it out to be. Therefore I was able to get the help I needed to make the most of my degree. I managed to pull my grades up from a 3rd to a 2:1 in a matter of months, and my dissertation is still one of my proudest achievements.

LIFESTYLE MY EXPERIENCE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AT UNIVERSITY

BY CLAIRE L. COUCHMAN I attended a BA(hons) at college in 2005. I studied menswear fashion design which I mostly loved after previously going to college and studying womenswear yet I learnt very little through no fault of my own. I had the most inspiring tech who pushed my garment construction abilities. Things were going well until it came to finishing up our graduation collections, when our tutor sat us down individually to give us "the worst interview" to prepare us ( so he said ) as we would then know how to deal with any interviews when leaving. This did the absolute opposite to most everyone, since we were all so exhausted from working all-nighters to complete sewing our collections (as we were broke students). After this exercise we got zero help and advice on our career when leaving the course, the only thing we got told all throughout the course was how we were going to be designers. Yet since leaving I found out about so many other parts of the fashion industry. I feel it can easily be thought by others that you would just know the different career paths from university.

Yet when you are only being told about being a fashion designer your thought process gets fixed on it and I never even asked questions. I never even wanted to be a designer. I actually have always clicked more with pattern making.

When I graduated I spent a year and half applying for and attending interviews. Near the end of this time I was attending interviews for M&S. I got through to a second interview which I had a design project for and after a catch up with the design team who originally interviewed me I met the head designer. She then proceeded to ask me questions unrelated to the role of a junior designer, which many others have confirmed are unrelated. I left a little baffled but it wasn't until I received the let down email that I realised the inequality of the fashion industry and how I clearly didn't fit in. This led to my depression for 2 years screaming at myself about how i wasn't good enough, I had worked so hard for my degree and all for nothing. I had no love life, few friends around me as I had moved back home, I was very low. I felt useless, like I had done all that work for nothing. That my parents had spent all that money on helping me attend university (yet they never said anything about letting them down nor asking for the money back) and I had wasted it. I was a mess and internalised everything. I would sit on my bed with a pair of scissors to my wrist and my eyes closed wanting to do something, I didn't know what just for something to happen to take my internal pain away. I never actually cut myself, I never even wanted to, I just wanted the pain inside to stop. I did this a few times and cried so hard, my parents just left me; they didn't know what to do. It was years later when I said anything about this time to my mum, she said she had no idea I felt that bad.

One day I slapped myself out of a crying session to stop feeling sorry for myself and do something with the skills I had learnt. After all I had overcome going on holiday by myself, so using my skills to sculpt my own path in work will be my only way forward.

I have always felt different to others, or been made to, so what better thing than to use this to my advantage. I decided that whatever I did I would make a better industry for others, and that moto has stuck with me throughout my journey. I am now a business owner of 3 years trading as The Ethical Tailor, Couchman Bespoke. I teach sewing skills, make to order garments and conduct alterations all whilst giving back to people, planet and animal welfare projects.

LIFESTYLE HOW TO HANDLE UNIVERSITY STRESS AND STAY SANE

BY SYLVIA TILLMAN OF TREMENDOUSTRE Student life can be stressful: exam preparations, essay writing, deadlines … on top of all that, you want an exciting social life, too. It's important to look after yourself and your (mental) well-being and here are a few recommendations: Allow yourself downtime, whether it's physical exercise – ideally outdoors – or some gentle stretching.

Even a disco nap can work wonders, but make sure not to enter the deep sleep phase. My tip is to lie down, hold a bunch of keys in your hand, and let your hand hanging over the edge of your bed.

Just before you enter into deep sleep, your hand will let go of the keys and the noise will wake you up. You will have had a good nap, you won't feel groggy afterwards and if it worked for Aristotele, Dali and Einstein, it might well work for you.

It might sound boring, as we do it automatically, but give your breath a bit more attention. It's a fascinating subject and if you'd like to learn more, check out the work of James Nestor.

A tip your granny might have given you already: eat real food. Your mood as well as your ability to function and concentrate can be massively improved if you nourish your body appropriately.

Laugh much more: Laughter engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which means you can't be stressed or anxious at the same time. It really is one or the other – you choose.

Last but not least, I'd love to introduce you to my favourite modality. It's niche, it might be unusual, but it's innate, easy to learn and so effective: You simply – and literally – shake off tension, stress, anxiety etc.

Really? How does it work?

When mammals – and that includes us humans – experience a threat, they mobilise energy to defend and protect themselves, which is helpful. But if they wanted to run or fight and couldn’t, that energy doesn't get used up and remains in the body.

Anxiety is a symptom of a nervous system stuck in high alert, i.e. high on adrenaline and cortisol.

This is exhausting and can stay on until the body is able to discharge the excess energy. Once the stress hormones get used up, the nervous system is in balance.

TRE (Tension Releasing Exercises) is a somatic stress management tool that can support you to get back into balance and to build resilience.

As up to 90% of illnesses are caused by stress, a somatic modality can be so helpful to nip many ailments in the bud – typically all the pain caused by tension in the body, e.g. tension headaches/migraines, neck/shoulder/back pain, teeth grinding, gastrointestinal issues, anxiety.

Once you've learned TRE, it's your tool to use and you can pro-actively support your health and well-being – without relying on anybody else “to fix” you.

Our bodies are amazing, let them do the work. Ready to give it a try?

LIFESTYLE BOOK REVIEW - JIMMY CARR, BEFORE & LAUGHTER; A LIFE-CHANGING BOOK

BY JANE LACEY-CRANE

Well, we made it to 2022! Thank Heaven’s for that. After the world struggled through the seemingly unending lockdowns and restrictions of 2020, we all headed in 2021 full of renewed hope and plans for holidays abroad. Unfortunately, 2021 failed to deliver on its promise, and so now 2022 is here, I think we should all just sit quietly, not touch anything, and for god’s sake, don’t antagonise it!!

For my part, I have resolved to spend 2022 catching up on my reading and, hopefully, publishing a new novel. After the past two years, I find myself lacking in drive and enthusiasm, and short on laughs.

To this end, I made the decision to choose a non-fiction, self-help book, designed to encourage me to get my menopausal old lady bottom into gear. I should say that generally, I avoid self-help books like the plague; I find their persistent navel-gazing and tendency to state the bleeding obvious, as a bit of a downer. So, in an attempt to keep it light, the book I chose to kickstart my reading mission for 2022, was “Before & Laughter”, written by comedian, Jimmy Carr.

Now, I realise that Jimmy is a bit like Marmite for many people. You either love him, or you have a pathological hatred for him. Full disclosure – I love Jimmy Carr. Despite the tax evasion scandal, new hairline and fake donkey teeth, not to mention that awful laugh, I am a fan.

Perhaps if you’re not, then this book might be a struggle for you. Having said that, if you’re looking for a self-help book that doesn’t dress up its advice in platitudes, you might still get something out of it. I know I did.

In preparing to write this column, I read some of the reviews for Jimmy’s book online, and there were two things that seemed to crop up frequently, and they annoyed me so much I feel I need to share them with you. (Don’t mention it, you’re very welcome.) The first complaint being that many people bought the book with the idea that it’s an autobiography, a tell all memoir about Jimmy’s life, filled with anecdotes about his celebrity pals and details about how the young Jimmy went from working in the marketing department at Shell, to being one of the most successful stand ups of recent years. I’m here to tell you that it isn’t.

LIFESTYLE Sorry to disappoint. Having said that, there is a great anecdote in the book about the time that Jimmy met Bruce Springsteen; I won’t spoil it for you but if, like me, you’ve found yourself in situations where you just wish the ground would open up and swallow you, it’s a fabulous tale! But conventional autobiography it is not.

However, it is a book for anyone who believes in the power of taking control of your own destiny and it’s for anyone who is fooling themselves that opportunity will one day knock on their door, without them ever having to lift a finger to make it happen. The message that comes over loud and clear in this book is that, just like Jimmy Carr, anyone wanting to achieve anything in life will have to be prepared to put the work in and build their skills. Carr’s analysis of comedy and how it works – or sometimes doesn’t! – can be applied to almost anything you want to achieve. It’s a testament to the fact that luck and natural ability are just code words for learning, trying and practising.

And, that by identifying what you want to do with your life and putting the work in, you can achieve great things.

The other complaint about the book that seemed to crop up frequently, was its use of “bad language”. The eagle eyed among you will notice that I’ve deliberately put that phrase in quotation marks because I think that what can constitute “bad” language, is very subjective. I don’t subscribe to the idea the swearing is inherently bad. Never have. Growing up in a family of East End market traders, the liberal use of a few choice swear words was pretty much par for the course. In fact, my Auntie Pat still insists to this day that the first full sentence I ever used was ‘F**k off, Pat.’ I don’t believe that swearing implies a lack of intelligence or a lack of vocabulary, they’re just words. What I think is important, is the sentiment, or intention, behind those words.

And that goes for all language. And for all human behaviour, as a matter of fact. As you can probably tell, this is a debate that I’ve had many, many times over the years. As the author of four novels, I can say with some confidence, that I do not have an issue with the size or variety of words I choose to use, but there will always be times where the use of the word ‘B*ll**ks’ will be the only right and proper response. Anyway, I digress. Suffice to say, if you don’t like swear words, then you won’t like this book. Or probably this review for that matter. Horses for courses.

Each to their own. You do you, boo. (I threw that last one in for the younger readers – my teenage daughter assures me it’s a thing!)

This book made me laugh and inspired me at the same time. I knew the book would be funny and I was expecting it to be a little shocking in places too - in the same way that Jimmy’s stand-up likes to play with expectations, assumptions and boundaries. But what I didn’t expect was the emotional impact the book would have. When Jimmy talks about the importance of being with someone you love when they die, or the impact of becoming a parent for the first time, it is genuinely moving.

I will be heartily recommending this book to everyone I know. It’s self-help but without the pyscho-babble; this book is for anyone feeling like they aren’t doing what they should be, or even struggling with anxiety or sadness. I’ve highlighted so many passages that have hit home for me, and the information is passed on in a way that’s delivers the perfect tone, it’s genuine and warm.

Even if you aren’t sure about the man himself, I would suggest that you might want to give this book a chance, you could be pleasantly surprised by what it has to offer.

As always, happy reading to you all and if you’d like to get in touch with me, I’m always happy to hear from you! You can find me in all the usual places.

Facebook – Jane Lacey Crane – Author Instagram – @janelaceycrane Twitter - @JaneLaceyCrane Amazon Author Page - Amazon.co.uk: Jane Lacey-Crane: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle

BUSINESS M VINE – YOUTUBER OF THE YEAR SN1PREXIC M is a 13-year-old girl living in London who already earns money from her YouTube Channel, which is called Sn1prexic. She posts a video or two every single day, mainly about gaming, Roblox and Bee Swarm Simulator. But from time to time she surprises you with something unexpected and equally interesting!

M started her YouTube Channel in February 2021 and within 6 months she got over 1,000 subscribers and over 4,000 public watch hours, which means she was able to start making money from it. The best thing is that she does it all from her phone! In March 2021 she downloaded a video editing app, self-taught herself how to do everything needed for a successful YouTube Channel, had fun while doing it and here she is, showing us that achieving our dreams is possible when we do what we really like.

In August 2021 M won Youtuber of the Year award at Flame International Awards Gala in London, she very confidently gave an interview to the camera BBC One and her mum had to order business cards for M as people and kids everywhere ask about her YouTube Channel.

M has built a community around her Channel and many people who started their channels around the same time M did, didn’t even get close to 1,000 subscribers and were asking her how she achieved that. Let’s ask M what is the secret to her successful YouTube Channel.

When asked, M says: ‘’I post one or two videos a day. Since February I posted almost 600 videos. I reply to every single comment and that would be many thousand of comments so far. I like what I do and it doesn’t feel like any hard work at all; it is my hobby. I like to interact with my subscribers and my community and am always and polite, friendly, supportive and always try to help and encourage people to do well on YouTube’’.

We asked M about her future plans: “I want to be a Roblox game creator, famous YouTuber, and I want to create my own music: I want to both sing and to create electronic piano music. I want to have a minimum of million subscribers to my YouTube Channel and people to recognize it everywhere’’.

To contact M’s mum email e.vine2@gmail.com

BUSINESS

DEPRESSED MESS TO RUNNING SUCCESS

The past few years have been challenging for most of us but before Covid came I was already going through my worst times. I’d spent my adult career working in marketing and finally I felt like I had become ‘successful’. I worked hard and convinced myself this was how it should be!

I found my dream job joining a company at a time of strategic rebrand. I loved it and counted myself lucky to work there and enjoy going in every day! My team was awesome, the branding process was incredible and I was in my element! 6 months in and the new branding was in roll out phase so I took over comms and PR. Working on social media, planning campaigns, liaising with agencies and influencers, running shows and exclusive blogger events - HEAVEN! Then a year later…it stopped.

I was called into HR, I was sat down and handed an envelope. I was told that my copywriting skills were not good enough for me to keep my position and could leave with immediate effect.

I can’t remember the exact conversation but I do remember asking if I could go and say goodbye to my team?

‘No, I don’t think that’s a good idea, they have had a pretty rough two weeks, you should probably leave by the side door’ I was winded, knocked sideways and my world fell around me.

I wasn’t the only person this happened to. I’ve half joked since that it resembled the final episode of a Game of Thrones series when half the main cast unexpectedly get wiped out.

I found myself in a bad place. I think that I’d probably walked a fine line with depression since having my daughters, and on more than one occasion previously had found myself in the Dr’s office completing the form to establish my level of depression (never quite depressed enough). This happening catapulted me over that fine line and into the abyss.

Yes, I know, no one had died, it was just a job. I had a fabulous family and good friends around me. But I’d lost my family’s security, my sense of worth and every scrap of confidence I had. I’d been told I wasn’t good enough, my secret insecurity became reality.

I’d discovered running 3 years earlier. Initially starting ‘couch to 5k’ because it was cheaper and less time consuming than the gym but I learned to love it and it became my go-to stress reliever. The year I lost my job I’d pledged to run 6 half marathons for Mind… oh the irony! My poor mental health was stopping me running and I was at my lowest.

But… mums do what mums do and we pick ourselves up and crack on! We have to! There’s kids to raise and a mortgage to pay. Later that year fate played a kind hand and I landed a role with a lovely graphic design agency who helped me rebuild my confidence and my faith in humanity.

Despite the lovely new job, I still wasn’t quite ‘me’. You kind of figure something’s not right when you find yourself sobbing in Asda for absolutely no reason, so off I went to the Dr’s and this time I was given Sertraline for anxiety and low mood.

BUSINESS I am not ashamed of this, it made a huge difference and helped give me the little push I needed to get back running and we all know how good running is for your mental health.

Things were on the up! New job, sertraline, back to running… but then I got injured! I’d been doing well, better even, but was still down on myself. When talking about the half marathons, I kept saying I should have done better, I should have worked harder, been faster etc and then someone said to me…

‘Bev, you’ve run 6 half marathons… that’s totally Badass and you need to remember that!’

Yeah, I guess it is pretty Badass isn’t it.

I started to wonder why as women are we so down on themselves? We are good at building each other up but seem to struggle to take our own advice! Ask a woman to describe her friend and she will tell you of an amazing goddess who's funny, clever, kind and powerful. Ask her to describe herself…

Would she say the same? Why do we do it?

Now I had no running to stop my negative brain. I needed something else! I still missed social media and maybe I could use it to help mums like me? Was I the only one who needed reminding I was a badass? Maybe while I had a comfy spot on the injury bench I could focus on something new?

Something positive?

One evening I sat at the kitchen table crying. I told my husband I wanted to start an online ‘thing’ for mums who run and call it ‘Badass Mother Runners’ because it makes me smile and sounds a bit sweary.

Maybe if I can remind other mums how amazing they are a little bit might rub off on me. He told me to go for it, and so Badass Mother Runners was born and in the 3 years since it has become so much more than I ever dreamed it could be….

It is now my full-time job and allows me to work from home and be there for my kids. We have grown from one box of hoodies in the corner of the kitchen to a full catalogue of technical running wear and accessories. We’ve won more business awards than I can name and I was recently invited to the House of Lords. More than that and most importantly, it has become a global online platform where women support each other every day! I have my confidence back, met some of the most amazing inspirational women and thanks to all this my emotional scars are healing. Here’s to 2022 and another year of badassery!

You can find out more about Badass Mother Runners by visiting www.badassmotherrunners.co.uk

BUSINESS BUSINESS WRITING AND TONE OF LANGUAGE

BY LIS MCDERMOTT

What do I mean by the tone of language?

The tone comes across as your attitude about the subject so it can be important in how it will impact on the reader.

The tone can make a lot of difference between good communication and the complete opposite.

Here is an example: “Our staff have not been doing their jobs well, so we are not making any money. Because of this and the pandemic, none of you will be receiving any end of year bonuses.”

This is very heavy handed, quite accusing and also sounds hopeless. You would be unlikely to feel any empathy or care for your employer if you received an email with this tone.

However, if you received the following, you may feel slightly more understanding: “We regret to inform you that the business didn’t make as much money as expected this year. Unfortunately, this means we are unable to give out the bonuses we had previously planned. We also recognise that due to the pandemic, you may not have received the training required to make the most of your roles, therefore, we plan to remedy this as soon as we can. We would like to thank you for all of your hard work this year, and hopefully, working together, we will all receive our bonuses next year.”

I’m sure you can see the difference in tone, and hopefully although the reader will be unhappy that they won’t be receiving their end of year bonus, they will still feel valued.

BUSINESS

How do you choose the right tone?

It mostly has to do with the ·type of communication. ·the intent of the communication ·the familiarity the writer has with the audience.

Do you want to be perceived as a friend, or as an expert – or somewhere between the two?

Are you wanting to educate your readers; inform them of useful information about your business; or chat to them in a friendly way?

Business communications, should take on a more formal tone than when writing a more personal business communication to a client you know, or a colleague. In these two latter occasions, you can be friendlier, or even more humorous.

When writing to a superior or a prospective client who you have met, your tone should reflect the respect you have for the reader.

Always read everything through before you send an email or document to ensure it is what you meant to say, and what you would like to receive!

BUSINESS HAVE YOU GOT QUALIFICATIONS? OR IS EXPERIENCE AND GIFT OF THE GAB ENOUGH?

BY CHRIS ROBERTS MBE

Is it really important to have qualifications? Or can you succeed in life without them? Is experience better than exam results or can you get by on plain old-fashioned streetcred and gift-of-the-gab?

When I was 16 and had the choice of whether or not to stay on at school to take A-Levels or go to college to study or even leave education completely and get a job, my first reaction was that I wanted to leave school and start earning some money.

My best friend, who left school at 15 without any qualifications, was working and always seemed to be able to afford the latest trend in clothes and go out to bars and clubs. These were very important factors for me to consider as an emerging fashionista if I wanted to be a cool, stylish teenager and have some of what my friend had – designer clothes, nights out and a queue of boys waiting to take me out.

My mother had other ideas though. And remember – this was all before the days of the school Career Adviser or Google where you could job-hunt online and get career inspiration.

BUSINESS My mother wanted me to go to college and get more qualifications to add to the three O-Levels (or GCSCs as they are now known) that I already had. She explained that, if I went to college and got more qualifications, I would then be able to walk into a top job and earn much more money than my best friend was currently earning.

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out that way and I am sure that it’s still not that simple or cut and dried. At the end of my two year OND in Business Studies college course, I came away with my Ordinary National Diploma, an A-Level in Economics, a certificate for typing 40wpm and a Pitman’s shorthand certificate. These qualifications enabled me to get a job as a shorthand typist in the upstairs office of a travel agency. My friend, working just up the road in an estate agency office, was already earning much more than me, as she already had two years of experience behind her! She had also been earning for two years and had managed to save some money for an enviable holiday abroad!

So, when I did start my first job after college, not only was my pay-packet far less than my friend’s wad of earnings, but I also felt I had wasted two years of affluence having had to scrimp along on pocket money handed out by my mother to fund my daily bus fares and sandwich lunches. At that time, it seemed to me that getting those qualifications was certainly not nearly as important as the work experience my friend had gained and the cash she had earned during the two years I had been studying at college.

I have often wished that I had spent those two college years of my life earning around £50,000 (calculated on the average annual earnings for the years 2020/2021) and gaining job experience rather than having undertaken further education with no practical experience and incurring large student debts.

Over the years, I have found that employers nearly always valued experience above qualifications. If you compare my best friend with two years experience behind her with my qualified, but rather naïve self and assume each of us are of equal intelligence and we both apply for the same job as clerical workers/shorthand typists in another office, I am pretty sure my best friend would win hands down!

Very often, when trying to fill a job vacancy, employers are more likely to overlook the lack of qualifications when candidates have sufficient experience of a similar type of job and can – more often than not – confidently talk their way into the role that they want.

Recruiters do often write job advertisements that specify qualifications are needed for the job and appear to value candidates with qualifications. But, although having specified that qualifications are needed, potential employers are generally not very impressed in the grade of the qualification. As long as you have English, Maths and Science GCSEs, employers don’t really care whether you’ve got a grade of A* or a C. The level of pass is not too important – just the subject.

Experience means you can hit the ground running. Qualifications were once a major deciding factor in who got the job but, as more and more people have gained qualifications, they become less valuable and employers have become less impressed with their worth and tend to favour experience over education. In many cases, employers won’t even check to see if your qualifications are legitimate! I don’t recall a single occasion that I have had to prove that I really did have the qualifications I said I had by presenting my certificates to an employer.

Sometimes, qualifications can be a distinct disadvantage.

After having my children, I decided to get myself a ‘little part-time job’ whilst the children were at school. I didn’t want a ‘top job’ with responsibilities – all I wanted was an easy, stress-free clerical job that I could leave behind when I clocked off at the end of my day. I was totally amazed when I was turned down after being interviewed for an undemanding, effortless office job. Wanting to find out why I had not been successful, I phoned up to get some feedback. Imagine my shock when I was told that I was ‘over qualified’ for the job and the employer thought that I would soon become bored!

I explained that if he thought I was clever enough to gain qualifications, then he should realise that I was clever enough to know whether or not I might become bored with the job.

During this time with my children growing up and me being in part-time work and not in a high-achieving career, I decided to get qualifications for pleasure and not for ambition. I had always enjoyed English Literature and History and decided to start studying for a BA in those subjects as well as studying for an A-Level in English Literature.

However, since embarking on these studies, I have never ever had to use these qualifications in pursuit of a job.

BUSINESS I continued to do unchallenging office jobs that got me out of the house and paid me some pocket money until I decided to follow my long-time goal of being a journalist.

I have no qualifications for being a journalist – just a burning desire to write. Luckily, I was accepted to write for a local weekly paper after seeing an advert in the paper for someone to write the weekly community news. No one else applied for the job, so they took me on. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time! There is no technique or skill in doing this type of writing but, over the years, I have expanded the remit and now write a whole page weekly about what is going on in my local area and elaborate the articles to be more interesting and less like a collection of where, what and when. I also write for other newspapers and magazines and support a PR guru with her press releases. No qualifications were necessary – just a lot of enthusiasm and perseverance to keep plugging away at something I wanted until I got it!

My husband is a good example of how little relevance is placed on qualifications. When he was in his early teenage years and living in Bahrain, he used to skip school and spend the day on the beach with his friends. His parents had no idea that he would jump off the school bus when it turned the corner and was out of sight to go joy-riding in posh cars with his Arab Sheik friends.

Returning back to the UK, at the age of 16 with no qualifications and also having difficulty with reading and writing, my husband joined the MOD Fire Service and worked there for over 40 years, gaining Officer status; working with the Red Arrows acrobatic team; going on detachment to Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and travelling to Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. Earning sufficient salary to provide a comfortable standard of living for himself and his family – all with not a single qualification in sight!

BUSINESS Between us, over the years, we have managed to acquire a secure and stable home-life, nice house, fancy cars and a couple of holidays each year.Compared to some of our friends, we are relatively well off, but this is not as a result of being qualified.

So, the winner of this debate about qualifications versus experience is, I think, experience! It is by far the most valuable attribute you can have when applying for a job, but with a splash of blarney, a soupcon of ambition, a huge dollop of luck and a fair smidgen of enthusiasm to push you to strive for what you want until you get it.

BUSINESS SASHA: CARD BUSINESS OWNER GONE VIRAL!

At the time of writing Sasha has hit over 1 million views on Tik Tok and her Instagram stories show the fun she is having at the thought of being ‘Tik Tok famous.

Before this all happened, Hannah sat down with Sasha to ask all about business, Nani, the group Nan for Employee of the Month and more!

WHAT MADE YOU LEAVE LAW AND SET UP A CARD COMPANY? I knew I didn’t want to do law from the moment I started law. I always knew I wanted to do something different, but I never knew what that would be, and the truth is I saw another company run a Facebook ad for a funny card and I literally thought I could do better than that. At the time I saw that card I had been through a breakup, so my first range of cards were break up cards.

Law was a job that I didn’t enjoy – it was that I was bad at it, I just didn’t enjoy it. It just didn’t fit my personality – there wasn’t evil people or anything dramatic, I just didn’t enjoy it. As soon as I saw that card, I knew that was my way out.

WHEN YOU SAY YOU DIDN’T LIKE LAW FROM THE MOMENT YOU DID IT, IS THAT FROM THE UNIVERSITY COURSE OR THE JOB? The university course! I got to university and was like “fuck!” but then you don’t know what else you want to do so I finished the degree and then I did some corporate jobs for a while to put it off and then finally went back to law to give it a go.

On my first day as a paralegal, with the view to qualify, I went home knowing this wasn’t going to work. I stayed for maybe two years before I left.

BUSINESS

Sasha with Nan

WHAT DID YOUR FAMILY THINK OF YOUR DECISION TO LEAVE YOUR LAW CAREER FOR CHEEKY ZEBRA? My grandad is the head of my family which sounds like the mafia but it’s not. Everyone else was super supportive and super down with the decision but it was his approval that meant the most to me. Everyone else was amazing and my grandad made a deal with me.

He said, “you have one year”. It’s not like if he had said no, I still wouldn’t have done it, but it was important to me to get approval for him.

The deal that we made was that I had a year to make it work and if it didn’t then I’d have to go and get a job. He let me work upstairs at his premises and a year later it was ok, and he was happy with me carrying on.

WHY THE NAME CHEEKY ZEBRA? When I started, I saw Moonpig, and Funky Pigeon and I wanted people to think we’re a legit credible company because no one had ever heard of us.

I don’t actually have an affinity for zebras. I don’t hate them, but I also don’t like them. It was just that I was sitting on the domain searcher trying to find a name that wasn’t taken.

I tried everything we could think of like Angry Snail, Cheeky Monkey and loads more and the first one that came up as available was Cheeky Zebra.

WHAT DO YOUR NAN AND THINK ABOUT THE CARD DESIGNS?

BUSINESS

I asked her in our last interview what she thought about the designs and if she thinks I’m going to hell for them. Then I asked her if she understood them because I like to tell myself she doesn’t understand them and she went “I’m not born yesterday” so that was me told.

She said they make her laugh and when she is packing the cards, she always looks at them, has a giggle and then puts them in the envelopes.

Nan secretly likes the card, but grandad doesn’t acknowledge them, he doesn’t talk about them, I don’t talk about them. He never says anything negative, but we will never discuss them. He packs them when we’re really busy but that isn’t a conversation, I’ll ever have with him.

Not all of our cards are rude. There is a selection of them that are, but we do a variety of them, so they range from sweet to rude.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE THESE DESIGNS? THEY’RE VERY DIFFERENT – OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN’T WALK INTO SOMEWHERE LIKE CLINTONS AND FIND CARDS LIKE THESE. I’ve always felt like those cards aren’t really me. I never really sold them so I wanted to sell the kind of cards that I would also send and receive. I have friendships that are sassy, and I couldn’t find cards for that and also there is a big lack of cards for when stuff is really hard. I felt like there needed to be cards that were the right thing to say without being overly sentimental but that are funny and honest.

I made it a personal mission to design some cards that were loving and honest amongst what are sometimes shitty situations. It was a challenge I loved to be honest.

HOW IS THE DOMINATION OF CLINTONS GOING? I think really good, I think they’re starting to feel the pressure. I think they’re probably quite anxious about us. I expect they have a little room where there’s an orange bulls’ eye with a zebra on like in their break room. They’re starting to feel the pressure.

ASIDE FROM FAMILY WHO HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST SUPPORT IN YOUR JOURNEY? That’s a really good question. My best friend Tasha, she isn’t particularly business orientated but she’s the biggest hype person who has given so much time.

When I do a range, she’ll give me really good feedback on colour and design. If we’re super busy she’ll help pack cards, if someone has said something that has upset me, she’s the first person I call.

BUSINESS I HAVE TO ASK ABOUT THE NAN FOR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH GROUP ON INSTAGRAM – HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN THEY SET U P in ? such shock and My jaw dropped. I was thought it was hilarious. At first, I thought has this gone a bit far, is she ok? Then I saw what they were posting, and they were really respectful, and it was ok. I never saw it coming in a million years! I literally contacted every person in my phone book asking, “is it you?” and it wasn’t any of them.

I know who it is now, and it turned out to be someone who has been a customer for a really long time. They did it for fun and it was really nice because it shows the power of building a community.

WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING WITH NAN? It is my business, but I can’t say that my family don’t help me a tremendous amount because they do. I genuinely like working with nan because I get to spend more time with her, and we have a laugh but sometimes working in my grandparent’s office upstairs can be infuriating!

I was recording a podcast one and grandad decided to come and clean the printers, so I went into another room and when he had finished cleaning the printers, he started banging on the door to tell me the room was free!

Genuinely they’re incredible people and I’m very lucky. It’s fun and working with nan is great. She’s really good when it comes to business stuff. She’s so cute and I really enjoy working with her.

Nan secretly loves it. She always says “I’m not Employee of the Month. I don’t even get paid.

I’m Volunteer of Month. I do it for love.”

I called a family meeting to find out how everyone felt about it to be sure that everything is ok, and everyone is fine with it.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW BUSINESS OWNER? Honest advice would be don’t let yourself stress too much about the outcomes and just focus on the next thing in front of you because usually at the start it takes time to build traction so it’s very easy to focus on the lack of orders.

Don’t focus on the outcomes so much – focus on the actions and break those actions down into small steps. At the start you’ll have to work really hard, and it can be really lonely.

Find good music and good podcasts to get you through the long hours.

HOW DID THE PANDEMIC AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS?

BUSINESS

It was challenging at first. It hit during our Mother’s Day campaign. Our ads fell of a cliff. No one wanted to buy cards and I had spent money on stock, and it was really scary.

Then when Fathers’ Day hit it was when lockdown had just lifted, and no one knew it was even Fathers’ Day. Everyone was out with their family which was great but when your business is so seasonally reliant it’s a worry. I still have boxes of envelopes behind me because we were expecting all these orders. It gave us a really big cash flow issue.

We also had postage delays affecting orders and then when Valentine’s Day came round more people were buying cards than before because we were back in lockdown.

When Covid first happened, we gave 20% of all sales to the Trussell Trust. It was the first time we did something like that, and it was great to be able to help out.

1. Website – www.cheekyzebra.com 2. Instagram - @cheekyzebradotcom 3. Pinterest https://www.pinterest.co.uk/cheekyzebrac ard/_created/

To the right and below are a selection of Cheeky Zebra's Valentines Day best sellers.

Head to the website today - you only have until February 8th to get your orders in!!

Are admin and social media tasks getting too much?

Maybe you're finding yourself spending so much time on these that you aren't getting your main work done?

Let Empowered VA Services free up your time by taking on those tasks for you!

Email hannah@empoweredvaservices.co.uk to learn more!