I’m very proud to announce…

I’ve been teasing over a BIG announcement for some time. This is a project that’s been in the pipeline since before Christmas and, thanks to some positive and forward-thinking people, has the power to help make a REAL difference.

I am therefore thrilled to announce that I am helping the Cruse Bereavement Support (South East) charity by volunteering as their newly appointed ‘Creative Volunteer and Mental Health Advocate’.

What does it all mean? Well, there are several projects I am working on with the team at Cruse. They have an ongoing campaign specifically dealing with grief and the effect it can have on our mental health. I will be part of that campaign, and I’m honoured to do so.

Hopefully, you’ll see me taking part in interviews and providing creative support to the charity, both through drawing and writing.

As someone who talks openly about grief and deliberately uses this virtual space (as well as social media) to promote mental health and wellbeing, I’m so pleased they think I’m well placed to get involved. It’s a subject incredibly close to my heart and everything I’ve written and drawn so far on this journey has been in an effort to get to a place like this – a place where I might actually help make a difference for other people.

Grief creates an incredibly difficult and complex series of emotions and it can swirl around the contents of your brain until you don’t know who you are anymore. My own grief journey is well documented on this website, having left me with no direct or indirect relations at all and the misery created by the loss of 3 pregnancies and our daughter being born sleeping.

Cruse are aware of my background, they’ve even met my family and seen the tiny space I exist in. They know what I’m trying to achieve in my pain-free moments and have been kind enough to recognise the effort I am making to encourage others to understand ‘it’s ok not to be ok’. I’m trying to prove that despite not being fixed, despite still struggling with my grief and the consequential social anxiety, despite being acutely agoraphobic and stuck indoors for nearly 12 months, there are ways to live positively around those limitations. Cruse South East using me as part of their Mental Health campaign proves things are possible, even in the most unlikely circumstances.

They have kindly permitted me to use their logo on my website, which you will now see proudly displayed on my homepage and the ‘About Me’ page, which has also been amended to include this new status!

I want to take this opportunity to thank the team at Cruse South East, who have become part of my daily life in not only a professional way, but also a friendly and supportive one. I can’t wait to see the positive impact we can all have on those living with grief and suffering the effects of negative mental health challenges.

It’s never been more important for the narrative and understanding of mental health AND mental illness to change and I know that charities and organisations like Cruse have the power to make that change happen.

More news will follow on the projects as they go public!

The picture

Well, this had to be a positive picture, because this is incredibly positive news. I can’t think of anything more hopeful and inviting than a rainbow, symbolising the promise of better things to come.

I’ve included a unicorn because I couldn’t resist 🙄🦄🌈💜.

And yes, those who know me will know I’m so proud my eyes are sprouting some tears right now. What a day.