A Wonderful World

                                                 A SHOW THAT ISN'T AFRAID TO TACKLE TRUTH AND TRAUMA. Ola Ince directs an insightful ‘Romeo and Juliet’ at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre which takes to the stage from 26 September to 17 October. This production is unlike any other take on the play I have seen, despite honouring Shakespeare’s text throughout, they also step away from tradition in many ways. At moments, characters inject a few responses using modern day language, but I felt this doesn’t jar at all, it only adds a light-hearted humour and heart-warming connectivity that everyone craves when watching theatre. This company are bold and unforgiving and that’s what I loved most. Despite other productions drawing on the violence and conflict throughout the play between Montagues and Capulets, many performances that focus on a traditional delivery of the play d...

US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has changed the narrative around mental health. In stepping away from the Tokyo Olympics final after achieving her lowest Olympic vault score, she’s sparked conversation around the importance of putting ones health first and prioritising caring for ourselves. Losing her bearings mid-air and experiencing ‘twisties’, a mental block resulting in the loss of spatial awareness, she pulled out in fear of her mental and physical state. Despite the discomfort or difficulty it may cause along the way, we have to continue to consider our mental wellbeing and the benefits of doing so. The young athlete was and is a huge name across the world, and therefore faced with a huge amount of pressure and expectation from those watching, she was expected to win gold by many as she has so gracefully many times before. She was set to succeed similarly to her wins at Rio 2016, with expectations from the nation on her shoulders. It’s this unnecessary burden and strain that ca...

                                                        APPS FOR THE MIND ‘USEFUL APPS WHEN CARING FOR ONESELF AND MENTAL HEALTH’ Amongst the social media, music streaming, fitness and popular gaming apps that we can download onto gadgets or phones, there are also many apps that have been created to help us keep our minds in check and continue to ensure our mental health is cared for and a priority. HEADSPACE: A simple mindfulness and meditation app. Accessible techniques available so people can experience the benefits of meditation anytime, anywhere. It includes and shares guided meditations, animations, articles and videos. Sharing the message that meditation and mindfulness isn’t about switching thoughts off, but about acknowledging them and letting thoughts pass by in order to bring the attention back to the breath. Settling and quietenin...

                                                   ‘CHANNEL 4's POWERFUL NEW MINI SERIES’ ‘I am…’ is a new three part series on Channel 4 of searingly truthful dramas. Each one hour episode follows a different protagonist and shares their story, each focusing on an important subject matter, supporting raising awareness and increasing conversation around such topics. ‘I am Victoria’ is the first of the three. Suranne Jones takes on the role of Victoria and does so phenomenally, her performance is extremely raw, honest and at times difficult to watch. Sharing Victoria’s story, a mother trying to do it all and hurtling towards a breakdown. We see her juggle multiple aspects of her life, finding it difficult to manage until it reaches a point of extremity. It’s a very moving and harrowing piece, equally important in raising awareness and discussion around m...

                                                            YOUR MIND MATTERS. This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, 10th-16th May 2021. What is Mental Health Awareness Week? A national week in the UK to raise awareness of mental health and mental health problems. It's aim is to encourage action and promote the message of caring for and understanding mental health. The event has been organised and hosted by The Mental Health Foundation for the last twenty-one years, an opportunity for people to talk and learn about all aspects of mental health with a focus on providing help and advice. It's important that we continue to raise awareness to ensure we continue to strive to create a society that advocates for mental health. Despite its importance, there is still stigma attached. Mental health is just as essential as physical. It's convers...

'Starting a new calendar or diary with so little routine and plans to fill it with.'                                         2021 has begun and we're all hopeful that this year will be better than the last, as the vaccine is distributed and Tier 4 guidelines are followed, we're all holding on for cases of Coronavirus to fall and allow restrictions to eventually reduce, resulting in reunions with families and friends and having our freedom restored. For many January is a difficult month anyway, let alone with a global pandemic continuing to influence our choices and daily lives. It's usually a month of challenges regarding starting up work after the celebrations and time off over Christmas, cold, dark and getting ourselves back into routine, perhaps with new goals and new year resolutions. So despite the difficulties that usually come with January and the post holiday blues, there is ...

                    'Further restrictions for London and South East resulting in a Tier 4 Christmas.'  On the evening of the 19th of December, Boris Johnson announced that due to rising cases and level of infections there will be further restrictions in place for London and South East areas from Midnight, resulting in the original plan of a little more relaxation and mixing households over the Christmas period to be cancelled. You must remain with only the people in your household when indoors, or those in your existing bubble. Outdoors, you can only meet one person from another household. Three households are able to mix on Christmas Day alone, rather than the original plan of 5 days (23rd to the 27th.) Further details are on the Government website:  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home . Of course, this is extremely frustrating and upsetting for us all. Christmas will not be the same this year, and unfortunate...

Since the first lockdown in March, 'home workouts' have become extremely popular.   With the pandemic leading to lockdown, gyms suddenly closing and those working in the fitness industry taking a hit, working out from home has not only become an alternative to the gym, but a new way of continuing business. Proving that you don't need a gym to move your body, or to look after your body and mind. During Lockdown, as well as working to continue online personal training and zoom sessions, many established fitness influencers have used the Social Media app 'Instagram' to share 'Live Workouts' where followers can watch and follow along with their workout live from home. A lot of influencers have used these 'Live Workouts' via Instagram to support themselves with a form of income, sharing information about a monthly or weekly cost for the workouts and then allowing access to an account where the lives then take place. However, others are sharing them for fr...

' WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, CALL US ANYTIME FOR FREE. WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN' BOTH IN AND OUT OF LOCKDOWN, SAMARITANS ARE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING AND HELPING THOSE IN NEED. 'Samaritans' is a registered charity aimed at providing confidential support to anyone in need, distress, struggling to cope, needs someone to listen without pressure or judgement, or for anyone at risk of suicide throughout United Kingdom and Ireland. Although their support was available prior to Covid19, due to both lockdown and the challenges the virus has raised, their demand has increased and the constant support that the volunteers and charity offer is to be both recognised and praised. They are there to talk anytime, to support mental health, loneliness and difficulties in isolation. Although not a religious organisation, the charity was founded by a vicar named  Chad Varah  in London in 1953. As a vicar he offered counselling to his parishioners, but wanted to do something more spe...

'LOVE IN LOCKDOWN SERIES: GIVING AND SELFLESS ACTS THROUGHOUT LOCKDOWN'  ' VITAL MEALS IS A NEW NON-PROFIT VENTURE SET UP IN RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC' Ayesha Pakravan-Ovey, 26 and from London, began as the owner of 'The Plattery', a catering service set up in 2019 in London, offering platters and food boxes made by professional chefs with a fresh take on grazing tables, coming together with homemade and exciting food. As the catering company was hit by Covid19, Ayesha decided to continue to support her community and tackle food poverty. In Lockdown, Ayesha launched 'Vital Meals', and their ' Parcel to Plate ' service, collecting food parcels from doors and delivering fresh, home cooked meals in return. She came up with the idea to help the vulnerable during this challenging time, cooking meals in her own home before moving to a bigger kitchen, and delivering them. All to ensure those who need support still have access to nutritious ...

'Give a little, help a lot.' Before I start my new series 'Love in Lockdown', sharing stories of how others are selflessly helping others throughout this time, I thought I would share how I am doing the same, the work of charities and how we can all do our bit to help out. Coronavirus has no doubt impacted all of our lives, from a change of routine, experiencing anxiety, rules and regulations, unemployment, fighting over toilet roll and pasta, lockdowns, and lack of communication and freedom. We are all experiencing our own personal challenges amongst this unexpected global storm. It's during these times that both caring for ourselves and others is more than essential for both physical and mental health. Checking in on ourselves of course, but also giving what we can to others. That's where the glorious work of charities is to be recognised. Although there are multiple larger charities here in the UK, (Macmillan Cancer Support, British Heart Foundation, St John ...