Category Archives: Charity

Charity campaigns

Africa through my sister’s eyes

23 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by in Charity, Family

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

My little sister is a doctor. It still feels strange writing that because, to me, she will always be that lovable, annoying, mischievous little imp that used to follow me around making kissing noises when she saw me talking to boys.

Lizzy

My funny little sister, aged 2.

Now she is a fully qualified, practising doctor, with two years (hellish) junior doctor experience under her belt.

She is the person running through hospital corridors, administering drips, doing blood tests, resuscitating dying patients, diagnosing illness. While my work consists of entertaining via the written word and speech, hers is all about saving lives. In short, my sister has a proper job. Continue reading »

A desperate choice

22 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in Charity

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , ,

When my baby was 7 weeks old, I left her.

As I drove away from the house, knowing my tiny girl was peacefully sleeping under the watchful gaze of her loving father, I felt sick.

I’d spent nearly a week trying to think of a way I could avoid taking my baby to the police station to fill in paperwork after my car was hit while parked at the side of the road. I drove to a police station ten minutes away and buzzed the intercom. I was told I’d have to travel another fifteen minutes through heavy traffic to a bigger police station. I got cross and upset. “I have a newborn at home who will wake any minute,” I begged. The police officer wouldn’t budge. “I’m sorry, but you need to come in now to get this paperwork sorted,” I was told.

As I drove yet further from my girl, my milk-heavy breasts started to leak. As I sobbed irrational, uncontrollable tears, the milk coursed it’s way through my maternity pads and bra, flowing in a sticky river down my wobbly stomach. Every inch of me wanted to turn around, drive back home and be with my baby. I felt like I had lost an arm. Continue reading »

Meet Tamsyn

03 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in Charity

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

, ,

Have you ever read about someone, or watched someone on TV, or listened to someone on the radio and thought, “Blimey, I like you,” without actually having met them?

Of course you have. We do it all the time. Every single day. Whether it’s a TV personality, a blogger, a newspaper columnist or someone you follow on Twitter, we all have connections with people we’ve never met in real life.

Tamsyn is one of those people for me. Continue reading »

Childhood

01 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Charity

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to think about what childhood means to me.

I thought.

And then I thought some more.

And then I thought again.

Every answer I came up with sounded incomplete and contrite. “Childhood means splashing in puddles”. Nope, not quite right. “Childhood means wallowing in unconditional love”. Well, sometimes – but it’s not everything about the formative years. “Childhood means….”

I mused on the subject during our week away and I drew a blank.

Until tonight, when I was scrolling through my phone for inspiration. For me, childhood isn’t about one thing. It’s about a whole set of things. Continue reading »

Choice

09 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in Charity

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

The future: an unread book

I have a little girl. She was two years old last week. Her life stretches ahead of her, like an unread book. I don’t know what it will contain, only that I will do my very best to fill it with smiles, amazing experiences and laughter.

And choice.

I want my little girl to have choice.

In fact, this is something I take entirely for granted. I assume that because she lives in the UK, with access to sex education, equality and healthcare, she will have choices. Continue reading »

Lucky

21 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by in Charity

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

, ,

I was with my daughter in the garden yesterday.

I watched her gorgeous skinny legs as she climbed on the slide. I sat with her as she “baked” some delicious (pasta flavoured) cupcakes. I chased her as she threw a ball around, squeeling with delight.

And I thought, “I’m so lucky”.

For all the early mornings, mountains of work deadlines, household duties and trying my best as a mum, life is actually pretty good. Continue reading »

It could be your baby

01 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in Charity

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

Imagine it’s evening. You are putting your babies to bed. They settle for the night and you go downstairs to enjoy a few hours of peace.

Every now and again you pop to the toilet and stop to listen at the door. To reassure yourself, you poke your head into your children’s bedroom. You can hear their gentle snores and you smile.

And then a gang of armed men kicks down your door. Continue reading »