Wellbeing - Bristol Business News

There is no place like home! Marking Jessie May’s impact in 2022-23

July 23, 2023July 23, 2023AdmireAdmin

Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home provides vital at-home nursing, family support and respite care for children and young people who have a terminal or life shortening condition. Families are able to make the most of the precious time they have left with their loved ones.

A parent said:

“Jessie May have been a source of strength for us both through this time. We view Jessie May as an extension of our family.”

There really is no place like home.

This year’s Impact Report 2022-2023 captures the busy year that Jessie May has had, and is a testament to all their achievements. It is packed with personal stories and awe-inspiring statistics that capture some of the remarkable work that Jessie May undertakes every day.

This year’s impact report includes a piece on Josephine and Francesca, twin girls who were cared for by Jessie May. It is a poignant account which explores their parent’s experiences of Jessie May’s support throughout their girls’ lives.

The report also contains an emotive diary entry from Vicky, a Jessie May Nurse. Her account gives us an insight into the expertise and kindness needed to provide palliative care to the children she nurses. Her gentleness and compassion are palpable.

“She receives her feed and, conscious that this could cause vomiting, we play a quiet game of dolls and dress ups while we wait for mum to come back, then hospital transport arrives to take them for a long afternoon of dialysis”.

It is a moving read showing how our nurses balance the play and medical needs of our children with such skill and humanity.

Daniel Cheesman, Jessie May’s CEO is delighted to share the charity’s achievements of 2022-23.

“Thanks to generous charitable donations 79 children and families shared in 4,377 hours of specialist nursing support. Jessie May are proud to have been able to support 53 families through bereavement and be able to offer them support for at least a further 5 years. We held a ‘bereaved family picnic’ in August to help families feel less isolated.

Jessie May’s wide reaching support has also ensured over 388 hours of telephone support and 1,039 text messages allowing parents to feel supported exactly when they need it. We asked families if their children felt happy and secure with their nurses, 100% of responses said yes! All of these achievements and more were made possible by our tireless staff, fundraisers and the generous trusts and foundations that support us.”

The year has had many fundraising highlights including Lloyd Kembrey’s ‘12 challenge’ which has seen him and his friends complete challenges that include an Ice Marathon and climbing the height of Everest. For those that preferred a less active fundraising event Jessie May also hosted their first charity dinner, raising over £18,000.

2022 also marked the launch of the “No Place Like Home” 5 year strategy from Jessie May. At the heart of the strategy is a commitment to working with more children and their wider families, especially siblings, in providing the best hospice care at home.

Daniel explains:

“Jessie May’s 5 strategy will also offer 24/7 End of Life Support for children in their own homes. They plan to launch new projects to support siblings and wider family members alongside the children they care for. We also plan to influence and support the establishment of services similar to Jessie May where they don’t yet exist. You can read more in our impact report.”

All in all Jessie May and its supporters have raised a total of £1,668,789. They are an essential service for children with life limiting illnesses.

The impact report lays out the emotions, the highs and the lows, the positive results of their care and the clear plan for the future of the charity. It is a moving and essential read. You will be able to download the report from the Jessie May website.

Announcing ‘The Golden Rule’; a carefully crafted new book that explores the humanist moral ideal of treating others fairly

November 4, 2022November 4, 2022AdmireAdmin

‘The Golden Rule’ is a new book by Robin Cade , one that explores the historic unification of a common principle used worldwide. The Golden Rule can be described as the principle of treating others how you wish to be treated yourself.

This is a sentiment that derives from biblical times, acting as a foundation for the Christian Faith. In both the Old and New Testaments, rhetoric is shared of doing “unto others”, what you wish “men should do to you”. However, the Golden Rule is not just pinpointed down to Christianity, as almost all faith traditions can interpret it, including many religions. This idea of reciprocal behaviour is an idea that surpasses personal religious beliefs, transcending into all factions of life. For example, something as simple as a smile or a friendly gesture to someone can benefit both individuals.

“It is a principle that we can all endeavour to live by. Mr. Cade’s campaign to promote it is highly commendable and has my wholehearted support” – The Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP

Robin’s diplomatic approach to the idea of the Golden Rule introduces the reader to a refreshed mindset. One where you are led to question your quality of life, and how you can approach situations in a more positive and practical light. When you prioritise humanity and understanding, you prioritise your own wellbeing.

Author Robin Cade hopes to start conversations with his findings of his research into the Golden Rule,

“The Golden Rule principle supports societies to reduce the abuse humans give to each other, to other species and to the planet itself. In the book, I explore various issues and subjects, including global waning, food waste, mental health, greed and abuse.”

You can buy your copy of The Golden Rule here https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1739671600/

The Climb – an ascent into the childhood’s imagination

July 26, 2022July 26, 2022AdmireAdmin

“This is a story that is both tangible and effervescent, exploring the depths of individual morality. “

The Climb is a brand-new children’s book by established author Martin Bissett. Martin has published twelve books, but this is his first illustrated story and his first for children as part of a four-part series.

The Climb is based on a dream that the six-year-old Martin had, making it an exciting exploration of childhood imagination. The book is written with the perspective of adulthood, as Martin looks back upon a childhood dream as a grown man.

The book explores the story of a little boy named James, who is six years old, and who is dreaming. James had saved all his pocket money for the toy he’d set his heart on. The small toy shop sits on the top of a big, steep hill. James has to climb the hill, but a chance meeting gives him a big choice to make.

The Climb is a poignant reflection of where dreams can lead us to, and the interaction with the old man creates a beautiful fable. This is a story that is both tangible and effervescent, exploring the depths of individual morality. The Climb is also a showcase of new and gorgeous illustrations by Pamela Carter.

As Martin describes,

“This has been a 4 year journey to tell a 39 year old story. To start a new book series for a completely new audience is a very rewarding experience for me. It is an inclusive story and a book for young grown-ups, but also for grown-up children. It’s one for multiple generations of families to enjoy together. All profits from the book sales will go to the Upward Spiral Foundation; a foundation that helps people to feel less helpless, hopeless or homeless”

The Climb is already stocked by 75 libraries in England and Martin is happy to provide readings in schools and libraries across the country.

The Climb is available from independent retailers and amazon globally:

Independent Retailers

Waterstones (UK): https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-climb/martin-bissett/9781739742102

WHSmith (UK) https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-climb/martin-bissett/paperback/9781739742102.html

The Book Depository (UK): https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Climb-Martin-Bissett/9781739742102

Foyles (UK): https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/childrens/the-climb,martin-bissett-9781739742102

Blackwell’s (UK): https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-Climb-by-Martin-Bissett/9781739742102

Barnes & Noble (US): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-climb-martin-bissett/1141251976?ean=9781739742102

Walmart (US): https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Climb-Paperback-9781739742102/986619646

Australia

Booktopia (Australia): https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-climb-martin-bissett/book/9781739742102.html

Netherlands

Broese: https://www.broese.nl/boek?authortitle=bissett-martin/the-climb–9781739742102

Switzerland

Lesestoff: https://www.lesestoff.ch/de/detail/ISBN-9781739742102/Bissett-Martin/The-Climb

Denmark:

Saxo https://www.saxo.com/dk/the-climb_bog_9781739742102

Portugal

Wook: https://www.wook.pt/livro/the-climb-martin-bissett/26817014

Hungary

Bookline: https://bookline.hu/product/home.action?_v=Bissett_Martin_The_Climb&type=200&id=5992338

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Climb-Martin-Bissett/dp/1739742109

‘It is what it is’

April 4, 2022AdmireAdmin

A positive guide to facing up to life-changing experiences, including loss.

The book portrays how life challenges shape the person you become. A person that can dig deep,
find immense inner strength and positivity. Past experiences and how you dealt with them can be
drawn upon to deal with the hardest, most devastating event of all – loss.
Julie’s life with her husband Cas was one of love, contentment and achievement. They were 5 years
into an idyllic retirement when tragedy struck in 2018. In an instant, life was shattered. All future
plans together were gone.
‘Grief is individual, unique in how it is felt, expressed and dealt with. I wrote a journal from day one,
continuing for 14 months. I cannot believe that I wrote such vindictive, harsh and condemning
comments as my unplanned, unwanted journey through grief continued. As I reflect on those dark
days, I do not recognise myself. I certainly did not like ‘me’ at that time.
It takes a brave person to share extracts from a journal, to lay bare such personal emotions.
However, Julie wants to portray an honest account of the true feelings of disbelief, despair and grief,
not often spoken about. Her bizarre and extreme emotions were not only felt, but also verbally
expressed and directed to family and friends – to the very people who cared about her.
Her recovery to finding herself again has been gruelling, to say the least. She has had to find ways to
‘put the lid on’ 3 healing boxes, find her way out of the dark pit she was in, and then find a purpose.
Her purpose presented itself in COVID-19, where the pandemic needed an army of nurses to take on
the challenge to vaccinate. Julie has been involved in the vaccination of over 8,000 people. She
continues to work in the NHS on a flexible, part time basis.
‘I soon realised that I had two choices – to survive and live an alternative life, an option B to what
was planned, or to continue the decline in health and stay stuck in grief. I decided that I must not
only survive, but also live a life of positivity, to adopt a positive mental attitude and feel gratitude for
what I have and indeed for what I had. I truly believe that positivity, setting goals and achieving
them, has got me to where I am today. I am living my option B life with Pete, whom I have known for
32 years. I am in my house of 24 years, that I love but nearly sold. My 3 sons are living their lives and
are happy that I am living mine’
Julie’s book ‘It is what it is’ has been written to help others. The initial, limited editions were printed
for family and friends to buy. All profit from these sales was donated to the British Heart
Foundation. She hopes readers understand that it is OK to express how you feel, you have an excuse.
But then to try and park those emotions and adopt a positive mental attitude to guide you through
the long arduous journey of grief.

It is what it is’ by Julie Morehen is officially on sale from 31st March, and can be ordered HERE:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-positive-facing-life-changing-experiences/dp/1739732707

Supporting Charity – One entrepreneur explains the importance of giving back.

March 28, 2022AdmireAdmin

Julianne Ponan is the founder of Creative Nature, a London company that creates truly healthy snacks that are especially popular with individuals with serious allergies or health conditions. Julianne is also proud to be an ambassador for the charity Jessie May, a Bristol-based service who provides palliative care for terminally ill children.

Julianne believes charitable giving is a very important element for an entrepreneur to consider. Involving yourself with a charity not only does good for the community, but also has major benefits to your own work, as well as on the wellbeing and motivation of your team.

As soon as Julianne saw the incredible work of the Jessie May nurses, she was desperate to help in any way she could.

“It is vital that you choose a charity that genuinely means the world to you. I fell in love with the work done at Jessie May. Seeing the impact it has on not only the children, but also the whole family, touched my heart. I just knew that I had to get involved.”

But why is it so important as a business owner to be involved with a charity? Julianne knows that supporting Jessie May gives her company a sense of purpose and helps build trust and reputation.

Supporting a charity positively impacts your whole company and your employees, giving them a sense of purpose. They will adopt the same sense of social responsibility you inhabit, plus volunteering and supporting charity has been proven to support positive mental health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that giving is beneficial for combating stress, depression and anxiety, and also helps keep you mentally stimulated, improves your self-confidence and provides you with a sense of purpose.

Being involved with a charity means you, and the charity involved, can share the spotlight in any local and national media coverage obtained through the partnership. Good press creates trust, and a build a good reputation for yourself in the business world, while also helping the charity to spread their message and raise vital funds. It also has positive implications for a business financially, as 70% of people reported* that they’d spend more on brands that are involved in charity work.

Lindsey Horton, Corporate Partnerships Officer at Jessie May, is thrilled with the support received from Julianne and Creative Nature,

“Corporate partners and ambassadors, such as Julianne, are vital for Jessie May. The partnership enables us to spread the word about our work to a new audience and means we can ultimately support more families.”

To learn more about Jessie May and what they do, you can head over to their website:

Home

* https://www.goodbox.com/2021/10/why-do-companies-give-to-charity/

Voice actor suggests realistic yet intriguing side hustle for the retired

February 22, 2022AdmireAdmin

Retirement is always a rewarding time, whether it comes early or late. A large part of the UK population is retired, reaching nearly 12 million (11,989,322). With all the spare time you encounter as a retired individual, you may consider a side hustle. In the UK, more than 3.5 million people over 50 earn money from a side hustle. The problem most face when considering this is WHAT the part time job may be, and HOW they can get involved in the sector.

Melissa Thom from the Bristol Academy of Voice Acting (BRAVA) is keen to showcase how voice acting and voice over can be great second careers or side hustles for the over 50s.

“Before becoming a voice actor, I was working as head of comms for a digital agency. Being a new mum and feeling creatively stuck, I decided to change paths. Voice acting gave me the time with my sons and gave me a newfound feeling of creativity I felt I was lacking before. My journey started as a radio host and voiceover in 1996, and I am still in love with my job to this day.”

Voice acting and voice over is now a well regarded career.

“Voice acting is booming. We’re seeing more commercials, ads, e-learning projects and video games than ever before, and for voice actors, job security looks pretty great.’

Besides having a voice to let the world hear, there are a few other things you will need to prepare before diving into this sector.

Get the right coach

The first is to get proper training with a reputable coach or organisation – cannot stress the importance of this enough. Whoever you choose, it must feel like the right fit. Your coach will get to know you as the weeks progress and this is really important as they will help you navigate the industry and support you to work out your next steps along each stage of the process.

Demo Reels

Everyone learns at different speeds, so the main offerings at BAVA are 1-1. There are options to take supplementary classes in groups. Your aim with coaching is to get you to the point at which you are ready to cvut your first demo reel. You should NEVER cut your own demo reel. This should always be done with an experienced producer and is something we offer here at BRAVA.

“It is important to show off your voice and all the ways it can be used. If you want to be successful in voice acting, this is an important step. Ensure you know how to interpret a range of scripts and bring them to life, so you can give yourself the biggest advantage.”

Practise, practise, practise

Of course as well as coaching you should find time regularly to practise yourself at home. You don’t need any specialist equipment to get started, recording on your phone is fine. You will also need to learn audio editing skills, which we teach here at BRAVA, as well as selecting software to enable you to do this yourself. There are many apps and websites that can help you achieve this. If you own a mac, a standard app on their software is GarageBand’, which is free and simple to use. If you do not own a mac or wish to use something different, Audacity is free software that lets you do the same.

Marketing

The next thing you will need is contacts. Use social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, and look out for courses and support that you can access.

Once you have all these things in place, you can set to work to get yourself out there in the voice acting world. Send your demo reel out to as many people as possible, and advertise it everywhere you can!

The Bristol-Based Social Passion Project that Supports Mental Health Throughout the UK

March 10, 2021AdmireAdmin

Discover Your Bounce is a company that offers workshops and events to help tackle the stress epidemic that faces many people and businesses today. It was founded, in 2013, by Nicky Marshall, an award-winning international author and speaker, who has trained in a range of holistic therapies and stress management. Nicky is supported by her Director of Business, Sharon Critchlow, who joined in 2016.

In April 2019, they added a social enterprise, focusing on mental health, known as The Social Passion Project. They started with a Mental Health Hackathon, in Bristol, where 60 people came together to offer their views on the mental health needs of the community, realising one of the most vital needs being to remove stigma surrounding mental health via education. Furthermore, they discovered that an emphasis on collaborating with the community would be integral to the solution. This was the start of their Social Passion Project.

When the COVID pandemic struck, both Nicky and Sharon realised the impact the virus would have on mental health and wellbeing. The importance of The Social Passion Project was starkly obvious, as was the fact that many individuals and organisations would be desperate for support. Nicky and Sharon started working with companies over Zoom both nationally and internationally over lockdown with the aim of being the ‘go to’ company for organisations wanting to support their staff through the mental, physical, emotional and cultural changes that the pandemic has brought.

Throughout 2020 they devoted time to their Facebook community, which grew from 30 to 550 members.

The Discover Your Bounce team wanted to support people throughout the lockdown and every day during the first four months of the pandemic, they would host Facebook Live events offering advice on maintaining wellbeing as well as actively monitoring and supporting their Facebook group, offering a range of resources and group activities.

Nicky and Sharon explain,

“We are a heart centred business and so our efforts were placed into building and supporting the Discover Your Bounce Community on Facebook and which has grown from a handful of people to over 550 in less than 12 months. We have gone live on Facebook with wellbeing tips and techniques for around 75 hours in total and provided over 24 hours of free wellbeing workshops which are open to all, to keep everyone focussing on the good stuff in life.”

In February 2020, Discover Your Bounce celebrated the launch of their first community book, The Bounce Back Journey, a collaborative book written by 24 people who came forward and shared their stories of overcoming adversity and bouncing back. A further two books were launched, The Bounce Back Journey of Women’s Health, released in line with World Menopause Day on October 18^th which included 26 personal stories, and The Bounce Back Journey of Men’s Health, including 20 stories, launched on November 19^th, International Men’s Day. These books help fund The Social Passion Project activities and 63 people have shared their stories to help support and inspire those who are struggling in 2020.

Nicky and Sharon have also gone on to talk about the experience themselves:

“We have seen a positive impact first-hand when one of our contributing authors gave his book to a sibling who then opened up to him for the first time about her mental health struggles. It gives us the fuzzies! We believe that sharing stories is an important part of eliminating stigma and demonstrating that it is possible to come back from the worst of situations. It also gives a feeling of connection which is important to everyone’s mental health. The profits from these publications and our three new Bounce Back Journey books for 2021 support our social enterprise arm – The Social Passion Project – which in turn supports mental health projects in Bristol. “

A number of people have reached out to Nicky and Sharon to express their support and love of the work that they’ve been doing throughout the lockdown.

“I’ve been fortunate that Discover Your Bounce moved online with the arrival of the pandemic in the UK as it meant that my location (Scotland) wasn’t an issue and I’ve been able to participate in some fantastic workshops. (I hadn’t actually realised that the online offering was new until some weeks in, as it was so polished and professional.). – Liz Blackburn”

“The My Wellbeing Club courses and workshops are an important part of my wellbeing routine. It’s great to have a structure and tools to help maintain a positive mindset, especially during these challenging times.” Ruth Bruce

“It’s like having a lovely friend in the kitchen with me, keeping me going and helping me connect with others. a burst of positivity that is very much needed to keep me going.” – Jo Chesterman

The team is working on two more books for the upcoming year to maintain their hard work with continuous support to those who need it through to the end of the pandemic.

The Irony of Managing your Mental Health whilst developing a mental health technology startup

March 8, 2021AdmireAdmin

by Matt Vamplew, https://www.paranimo.co.uk/pages/home

There is an irony to running a mental health startup. You have to be a bit irrational to start a company in the first place, particularly when faced with statistics such as “80% of UK companies fail within their first year” according to the Office for National Statistics. With that rate of failure and amount of effort, stress, uncertainty and sacrifice required to develop a business it’s no wonder 72% of entrepreneurs are directly or indirectly affected by mental health issues – compared to just 48% of non entrepreneurs, according to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health.

“No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness” said Aristotle. I tend to agree.

Anxiety and depression have been a shadow that has followed me around for a long time. When I started trying to build something to help other people with their mental health problems I soon realised this company could be both a blessing and curse for my own.

With that in mind, I wanted to share my experience of managing my mental health in the hope of helping fellow entrepreneurs (or anybody thinking about being one) navigate the choppy waters of entrepreneurship.

Having a purpose builds resilience and is a mental health treatment unto itself

Researchers from the University of California suggest that if you feel you have a purpose in life, you’re more likely to feel both physically and mentally well on a daily basis. Psychological resilience has been broadly defined as “the capacity to maintain, or regain, psychological well-being in the face of challenge” Ryff, et al 2012).

I believe a huge reason we have so many mental health problems as a society is because people haven’t found their sense of purpose. Moreover, putting yourself in a position where you will fail often, get rejected and question yourself constantly to achieve that purpose is scary. I know that and still experience it. But I do believe the purpose to build a socially good company has dramatically helped build up my own self confidence despite the challenges along the way.

So have a purpose for your business that you truly believe in and it will help you get through the hard times. But keep in mind you will have to sacrifice a lot in order to achieve that purpose.

Sacrifice hurts but it’s directly related to success

Have you heard of the famous marshmallow study? Walter Mischel, a professor at Stanford University, gave children the chance to have one marshmallow now or two later. These children were tracked through life into adulthood and those who had chosen to wait tended to have better life outcomes, educational attainment, body mass index and other life measures. Why? Because of their ability to go through life and delay reward now in the hope of achieving something greater later.

I know fear of missing out is the worst and it takes a strong will to say no to friends and family. My advice here is to set clear boundaries with yourself of what falls within the “allowed” list of immediate gratification and what doesn’t. What time or money can you afford to spend that you can afford to make back later. Entrepreneurship is a negotiation with yourself as much as with other people and having a clear sense of purpose will help build your resilience.

Just remember not to spend too much time thinking about the future, as you may miss out on what’s in front of you.

Don’t live in the future – its the present that counts

Living in the future is a common characteristic of new founders, thinking about all the things that could go well and also all the things that could go wrong. Cognitive Behaviourial Therapists state that future thinking is often based on Predictions of what might happen fueled by Assumptions not facts, leading to fantasizing and catastrophizing in equal measure. This can cause a lot of mental health distress.

In the early days of our venture my Co-Founder Dan and I interviewed a lot of therapists and people seeking support to test our assumptions about what might benefit both these groups. Feedback was fantastic and we had loads of great ideas for how great the platform could be and how many people we could help.

Unfortunately this meant we put off dealing with more immediate problems like “What technical support do we need? Where do we look for it? How do we get support to develop a platform that hasn’t made any money yet?” If we couldn’t answer those questions then the platform would fail. Thinking about failure made me feel incredibly vulnerable, so I preferred to think about those great visions of the future instead.

When we did eventually face up to these problems, we learnt that people generally do want to help if you have the courage to be vulnerable. It wasn’t easy plucking up that courage to reach out to various people with nothing but the promise of a cup of coffee for a chat, but we pushed through it, and this is how we met Matt Todd, our now Director and Chief Technology Officer.

So my advice is to dream big but think small and make sure you don’t get carried away seeing what you want to see – rather than what is.