Book Writing and Campaigning

Hi everyone!

Hope you’re having a great summer so far. I do apologise for the lack of recipe posts these past couple of weeks but life’s been a bit crazy busy round here!

There are two events in particular that have taken up pretty much all my time – book writing and campaigning.

Dont Pave Paradise

Here’s a quick update on what’s been happening… Continue reading “Book Writing and Campaigning”

Hello! Shout Out for Recipe Testers

I do apologise for the scarcity of blog posts lately, but two events have recently taken over my life. The first one is campaigning to stop Bath and North East Somerset Council from building a 1,400 space Park and Ride (“parking lot”) on the historic Bathampton Meadows.

Rainbow on Bathampton Meadows

Long time readers of my blog may recall that I campaigned against these car park plans a few years ago. Unfortunately, the Conservatives got into power again last May and immediately resurrected the plans 🙁 As soon as I get a chance, I’ll write a more detailed blog post on what I’ve been up to. If you’d like to add your voice to the campaign, please do sign our petition. Thank you!

Continue reading “Hello! Shout Out for Recipe Testers”

Bath Half Marathon 2015 and Mercy In Action

On Sunday 1st March, one of the UK’s most popular city running events is taking place – the Bath Half Marathon. With thousands of runners taking part, and thousands more spectators lining the streets and cheering them on, the city is literally buzzing with atmosphere and excitement on ‘BathHalf Day’.

Bath Half Marathon

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Every year, I stand by the barrier near the Holburne Museum soaking up the atmosphere and cheering on the runners. Come rain or shine (and especially when it’s freezing cold and rainy like last year!) me & Lil’ L are determined to stay right until the last of the runners finish their epic journey. I especially feel for those that have been on the course of hours. I can see in their faces how much they’re hurting when they turn that final corner and head onto Great Pultney Street. Hurting, but totally euphoric. We encourage them onwards by shouting that they’ve only got a few more metres to go. What an incredible sense of achievement they must feel!

Bath Half 2014 The Derby Telegraph edited

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In all the years I’ve supported the Bath Half runners, not once have I wished to be running with them. If anything, I feel a sense of relief when I see their faces on the final corner, glad that I’m not going through the agony with them.

But this year, things are going to be a little different as I’m hopping over the spectator barrier to join the 15,000 runners. Even as I type this I can’t quite believe this is happening! The longest I’ve ever run before is 10K so running double the distance seems unimaginable right now. It’s going to be tough. It’s going to hurt a lot. BUT, it’s all going to be worth it as I’m running to raise money for an amazing charity

Mercy in Action banner
The Bath-based charity, Mercy in Action, was founded in 1995 by John and Allison Todd, following an unexpected encounter with five street boys during a trip to the Philippines. The boys hadn’t eaten for three days and were begging on the streets. Moved by the plight of children the same age as their son, John and Allison took them for a meal.

“Within the 30 minutes it took us to order the food and the boys to eat it, we both knew we couldn’t walk away from them, and so the seeds were sown for what has grown into a charity which to date has helped thousands of children and their families.” John Todd

Mercy In Action Street-LIFE
John & Allison with children from the Street LIFE Project

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Mercy in Action is involved in numerous projects to help the poorest of the poor in the Philippines, and street children are at the very heart of what they do. The following are just a few examples of the valuable work that the charity does to support these vulnerable children:

Street LIFE Projects
Mercy in Action runs a ‘Drop in’ where street children are able to shower, wash their clothes, and have a hot lunch every day. Social workers support the children and ensure they get medical attention if needed; a teacher provides lessons tailored to the children’s various abilities; and global volunteers assist with the lessons and plan fun activities for the children including crafts, sports and a weekly outing.

“The drop-in was challenging to see; children from about the age of 7 living on the streets. We were struck by the size of the children. 14 year olds looked like 7 year olds, as a result of stunted growth due to poor, or at times non-existent, diets before Mercy in Action started working in that area […] The children were still amazingly positive, despite living on the street or in slums. They loved doing arts and craft activities and would try hard in the hours of teaching each day. Perhaps what sticks out most was that despite their conditions, despite they were standing in a ripped t-shirt often with nothing else on, when they got some food they would share it around and even offer it to us before themselves – such amazing, heartbreaking kindness, happiness, hope and generosity”. Volunteers’ Reflections on the Drop In

Mercy In Action - Street LIFE Project

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Mercy in Action also runs a community centre with a range of after school clubs and organised activities. Many of the children that attend the centre live in slum houses with only one room and no electricity, which makes studying very difficult. A new library and study area has been set up in the centre to help support the children and enable them to excel in their studies.

Education
Through Mercy in Action, over 400 children are currently sponsored to attend school. Click here to find out more about sponsoring a child.

Mercy in Action Education Programme

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Spring Village
The first of three family houses and a community centre housing a canteen, meeting place and volunteer accommodation have been constructed on a purpose built site. A routine of school, play, good nutritious food and loving carers brings about radical and lasting changes in the majority of youngsters – even the most damaged and vulnerable. The remaining houses will be built as soon as finances allow.

Mercy in Action Spring Village

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The Boys Home
In September 2012, Mercy in Action was able to rent an additional house near Spring Village and moved four street boys that they had been working with for five years into the new house. They were aged between 8-17, and all had drug addictions. The boys are all thriving in the home, and have been joined by four more. They are all off drugs, in regular education and flourishing with the help of loving house parents and counselling. The older boys volunteer on Mercy in Action projects, and are great role models to boys who are still on the streets.

Mercy in Action - Street LIFE project 2

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Chelo’s House
Through a partnership between International Justice Mission (IJM) and Mercy in Action, the first rescue home solely for male victims of trafficking in the whole of the Philippines has been set up called Chelo’s House.

Transforming Communities
The key to seeing lasting change in the lives of the children they work with is to support the communities in which they live. Recognising this, Mercy in Action sets up tailor-made programmes to meet the needs of individual communities. In the mountain village of Tapul where absolute poverty was preventing many children from attending school, Mercy in Action replanted an area of previously logged forest and gave ten fruit trees to each family to care for. When mature, the fruit will provide a much needed income. Until then the children on the programme receive a hot, nutritious meal each day, as well as having all their schooling needs met. The parents have taken responsibility for maintaining this innovative project.

Mercy In Action 1

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Mercy in Action recently received a grant for a small business fund. With this money they bought a fridge and other supplies to start an ice candy business. Some of the mums from a weekly support group called ‘Source’ get together once a week and make batches of ice candy. They then sell it in their local communities and give half of the money to Mercy in Action to continue the business and the rest they use to feed their families.

Mercy in Action 4

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Several of the ‘Source’ mums have been on jewellery making courses provided by Mercy in Action. They then make beautiful necklaces and bracelets that are sent to England and sold in the charity shops. The women receive a fair wage for their work and all other profits are put back into projects with street children.

Housebuilding
Mercy in Action is committed to helping families realise their dream of living in a home of their own. Small native houses are quick to build and relatively cheap, yet offer stability and hope that can pave the way to a happy, healthy family unit. Over the years the charity has been able to provide more than 50 homes.

And much, much more!
You can find out more information about this wonderful charity on their website, as well as details of how you can support them or even become a global volunteer!

Mercy in Action

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Fundraising for Mercy in Action
So next Sunday I’ll be lacing up my running shoes, gritting my teeth, and heading out on that 13.1 mile run round Bath in order to raise as much money as I can for Mercy in Action. I’ve pledged to raise a minimum of £175.

If anyone would like to sponsor me, any donations, whatever the amount, will be so gratefully received. Just think, if everyone who read this post donated £2, I’d easily smash my target!

Prize Draw
As a small token of my gratitude, I’m going to enter all the sponsors into a prize draw to win a gift box of 6 hand-made chocolates (or a gift box of my favourite non-melty goodies if you’re currently enjoying summer in the southern hemisphere!) Three winners will be selected on March 6th and notified by email.

Chocolate Goji Almond Hearts

 

Thank you SO much for your support. It means the world to me and Mercy in Action xx

CMV ACTION Awareness Month • June 2014

CMV Action
Today, I’m taking a break from my usual blogging topics to help raise awareness of CMV (Cytomegalovirus). Very few people have heard of the virus, yet at least half of the UK population carry it. Most healthy adults and children will have no signs or symptoms, nor long-term effects, however it can be very dangerous to unborn babies.

CMV can cause miscarriage and stillbirth, and is the one of the main causes of birth defects in the UK, affecting around 1 in a 1000 newborn babies a year. It can cause a devastating range of physical, sensory and cognitive disabilities, including hearing loss, autism, physical and motor impairment, learning difficulties and visual impairment.

I’d never heard of CMV until my friend gave birth to her second child. When he was just a few days old, she had a strong feeling that there was something wrong with his sight. Though the doctors were much slower to pick it up, it transpired that he had cataracts in both eyes. The cause was later diagnosed as Congenital CMV infection.

CMV

CMV is more common than Down’s syndrome, Toxoplasmosis, Spina Bifida and Cystic Fibrosis. We’re aware of these conditions, but why do so few of us know about CMV? Since it was over a decade since I was pregnant with Lil’ L, I wondered whether women are now made aware of CMV at their prenatal appointments. I was surprised to find out that they still aren’t routinely told!

The CMV virus is spread through saliva, nasal discharge and other bodily fluids. Exposure to saliva and urine of small children is the main cause of CMV spread to pregnant women, so those with a young family or who work with young children need to be especially careful about hygiene.

CMV - How to prevent its spread

With a few simple procedures, pregnant women can minimise the risk of contracting CMV:

  • Wash hands with soap & water after changing nappies, clearing up food or wiping a child’s face
  • Avoid sharing dummies, cutlery, drinks or food with anyone
  • Avoid kissing babies & young children directly on the mouth or near nose/cheek – give hugs or kiss on forehead
  • Wash hands and any items that have been in contact with bodily fluids with soap and water
  • Use condoms during sexual intercourse after conception

CMV - Hygiene Precautions

Kimberley Walsh from Girls Aloud has become Patron of CMV Action, a charity dedicated to educate women in the UK about CMV, and the simple steps that can be taken to prevent this devastating virus. The charity is staffed by volunteers, the majority of whom have CMV children. This month, Kimberley is spearheading the “Wash Away CMV” Campaign to highlight how simple hygiene precautions can save babies’ lives.

Kimberley Walsh

I think that it’s vital that we raise awareness of CMV and these simple preventative measures. If you know of anyone that’s pregnant or planning a family, please do share this information. Thank you!

The information in this post has kindly been provided by CMV Action. To find out more, or join their campaign, you can connect with them via their website, or on Twitter and Facebook.