It's a campaign week! This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, a prompt to reflect on our own mental wellbeing and how we can best support that of those around us. What's going on? We are starting to see warmer weather here in the UK, are your wellbeing activities changing with the weather? We've also just had local elections, which have been quite to very divisive. Are you able to take a take while staying informed? Over the last year or so, I have seen so many reels on in

Over the weekend (2nd and 3rd May) Portsmouth Guildhall hosted the annual Portsmouth Comic Con. A wonderful event full of performances, workshops, panel sessions, guest speakers, stalls, exhibitions and more. Zones and Fandoms Each year the experience zones get bigger and better. There's more props, sets and walk throughs to enjoy and opportunities to talk to zone hosts/ cosplay marshals. I think, kind of linked to the experince zones and cosplays, you can often pick up a mor

This weekend a campaign I've been following for a little while gained a lot of mainstream attention, as the Push for Paternity Leave Walk(s) happened in London, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham, timed to happen within Equal Parenting Week. The campaign focused on improving the current, (in my opinion) near non existent Paternity Leave support, here in the UK. Which is two weeks leave, with pay of £194.32 per week or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower). It's no

If you’re reading my blog, it’s possible like me you’ve needed or used the support offered by Samaritans. This blog post is about the changes coming to their services in 2026. I’m writing this because if you, someone you know or someone you talk to needs support, knowing these changes will be very beneficial. Earlier this year, Samaritans announced it will close its long-standing email support service by the end of April (2026), followed by the closure of its letter writing s

After a planned 3 to 6 month break turned into over 12 months, I’m so delighted to be hosting and sharing conversations again. Our house move and changing family needs has meant it's not been possible to record until now. Unfortunately, just around the time the broadband started playing up. However, with a change in provider coming in April the final hurdle is resolved, and recordings are now getting scheduled. I’m still deciding whether to return to fortnightly episodes or g

How? How has this happened? And I don't mean that in the way it's often said; as in 'how am I 40 years old, I was just 20'. No, I mean, I didn't think I would be alive at 30, how am I still here? At 28 my life spiralled. From seemingly having it all to feeling like I had nothing. I wanted out, the battle was too hard, the thoughts were too dark, the emptiness too welcoming. And being here the next day, week, month felt unlikely and almost undesired. So to be here 12 years lat

We are coming into Spring, there's plently of rain right now and the sun is just around the corner. But what's next? I have been having that feeling recently, a kind of mixture of emotions. I feel very unclear and uncertian about what's next. What's the next big (or even medium) project? How will things change in the next year? What does that look like? At home, we are about to convert our garage to a utility room. This will be the final big 'moving in job' we have planned/ c

Lately, social media has been filled with throwback photos and captions reflecting on 2016. Apparently that's a decade ago! 2016 seems somehow both yesterday and a lifetime away. As I scroll through old pictures, I find myself pausing, not just at the images, but at what sat quietly behind them. 2016 was complicated. On the surface, there were genuine moments of joy. That was the year I attended my first Mental Health Bloggers Meetup in Manchester. It was the beginning of fee

I did it! I crossed the 750 mile finishing line on my final run of 2025. Concluding an awesome year of running. Running has long been part of my wellbeing (more so than leisure) routine. It helps to both have a break from everything, but also allow time for some thoughts to cycle through and process. Prior to 2020 I always ran outside, however in 2020 I injured my knee resulting in a bad grade one tear. After physio I gradually returned to running, starting with walking, then

For many people, including myself, Christmas and the winter months can be a difficult time. There's shorter days, colder weather, financial pressure, family expectations, grief, loneliness, and or changes in routine; all of which can affect how we feel. And then potentially impact our thought process and behaviours. While there is often a lot of focus on celebration and togetherness, it’s important to remember that struggling at this time of year is common, and help is availa

I'll spare you the usual "I cant believe it's December already", although does it count if I've still mentioned it? It's winter time and Spotify, YouTube and the rest are sharing my wrapped 2025 views/ listens, which has made me think; what has this year been? It's hard to reflect on everything at once, but certain themes come to the forefront. *Content warning: mention of panic attacks and depression The Privilege It's been another whole year of living. Another year of love

It’s been, well… pretty much 14 months of constant go; at work and at home. The usual slow downs in January and August didn’t happen. At work we had extra reporting and events and at home all the moving related things. In the last year at home, we’ve moved, Laura’s been off work, we’ve both had bouts of illness, I’ve broken down at least three times from burnout, once from depression and had two or three panic attacks (it’s nice to mix it up). It’s just been a lot. As we com

I love you and I miss you Marmalade. You saved my life. And I’m so sorry I couldn’t do more to save yours. You will always be in my...

This week I realised, there’s more going on. There's trauma still at work. My lived experience, like all of us, impacts what I do/ think,...

It’s over ten years now… over tens years more of life than I thought I would have. And not just any ten years, while there’s difficult...

What a month it’s been! May has been packed with changes, challenges and successes. We finished April and rolled into May by agreeing our...

I have completed a 27.2 mile run! What an awesome experince. And one full of thoughts. Where to start? I have been enjoying regular...

April is Stress Awareness Month and has come at a time when I am continuing to make changes to better manage my own stress and mental...

Following on the routine of posting after awareness and celebration days/ weeks, I wanted to reflect on Neurodiversity Celebration Week...

Last week it was World Book Day. A day that often focuses on the wonderful colourful and imaginative characters that fill our pages; and...