local – Lauren Angharad

The Daily Walk: how lockdown helped me rediscover my local area

(Disclaimer: the places mentioned and the photographs taken in this post occurred before the current UK lockdown, and at the time of being taken, were in line with the government guidelines put in place.)

The daily walk. The slither of normality. The regular parole from our otherwise and current ‘behind-closed-doors’ lives.

Whilst we are now emerging into a post-lockdown world, for some, staying local still remains to be a comfort blanket. For me, over the last year, daily walks have become implemented in my lockdown lifestlye.

Supporting small: independent businesses to support during Lockdown 3.0

Hello lockdown my old friend…

The déjà vu that no one wanted to experience again. Just as we were ready to dust off our best outfits and get ready to be vaccinated, the UK slammed a lockdown-sized door in our faces, leaving shops once again, to be forced to close.

#NOLABELS: Nikky Reed on normalising the conversation on mental health

Mental health. With 1 in 6 people in England experiencing a common mental disorder [1], it certainly seems to be something we are all affected by. Yet, despite this, it is plied with stigmas, with people often finding themselves shying away from making it a topic of conversation.

But, according to a recent report by the NHS on Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) [2], in June 2020 there were over 100,000 referrals to talking therapies: so shouldn’t this be a normalised conversation?

Local in lockdown: a Sparkleworks Spotlight

I was 10 years old when I was invited to my first Sparkleworks pamper party. Not only was it the unique party idea of getting a makeover with my friends, but it was also the exceptionally positive and friendly service of the host, Swindon-based Sarah Southall, that left me coming back to them for my parties throughout my pre-teen years.