The blog has been on the back burner for a few months while I completed my second teacher training placement but let’s return to Nan’s student teacher days now and the friendships she forged: “I met some interesting people and got friendly with an ex-actress about my age who was in my education group, called… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: Character stories from teacher training
I was looking at which part of my Nan’s memoir to focus on next and because I am teacher training in my forties with family life to juggle, and my nan also did this, I thought it would be interesting to compare the experiences. Although the circumstances that led us onto this path were different… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: Teaching through the menopause
You may remember The Walk with Amal from last year, when an amazing 3.5-metre puppet travelled over 8,000km from July to November 2021. She made her way through over 70 cities, reaching 875,000 people in 12 countries to highlight the journey taken by refugee children across Europe. This year, its creator Good Chance Theatre is… Continue reading Ideas for August: Fly with Me kite flying festival
The long-awaited Women’s Health Strategy was published last week by the Government. Whilst this is promising in terms of formally recognising the huge gender health gap that exists, it is key that what is promised comes to fruition, and does not end up as a series of empty reassurances. Although the creation of a pre-payment… Continue reading Keep an eye on the Women’s Health Strategy
The years straight after the Second World War were hard, with everyday essentials still in short supply and cold winters adding to the bleakness. It was against this backdrop that my Nan got married: ‘1st March 1947 was in a way the dividing line in my life – I left the urban life for exactly… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: A cold wedding day in 1947
For those of you who missed it, towards the end of last year, NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) finally issued updated guidance on the use of progesterone in pregnancy that could lead to 8,450 more successful births a year. Based on a systematic review of research studies including the PRISM trial, it… Continue reading Progesterone progress
As we reflect and try to restore ourselves over this Twixmas period, today I’d like to take you back to the winter of 1946/7, which my Nan reports as being one of the most severe on record: “It began snowing on Boxing Day and from then on, the temperature did not go above freezing until… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: winter reflection
One of the most interesting things I have found when looking back through my Nan’s memoirs is the mentions of other women that flit in and out of the story. This excerpt in particular made me stop and think: ‘At the bottom of the path and on the other side of Belle Hill, there were… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: Raising lost voices
It’s the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week today, culminating in the International Wave of Light when people around the world light candles at 7pm in memory of babies they have lost. It’s a lovely collective thing to do and you can find out more from The Miscarriage Association or Tommy’s. But it’s ok if… Continue reading Wave of light
As we hit September, I have one child returning to school and one just about to start, meaning both boys will have moved on from those early years at home with me. With such a big adjustment looming for us all, I thought it was a good time to look back at this stage in… Continue reading Nan’s Diary: Starting school
My Beautiful Diary of the Amazingly Mundane 