Passionate Blog

Awards update: More blog nominations: Would love your support

 

AN awards scheme recognising the best of the UK parent blogosphere has been launched and our sites have been nominated.

Got Your Hands Full has been nominated for Blog of the Year, Funniest Blog and for Inspirational Blogger. I'd love any support you wanted to send my way. Have a Lovely Time has been nominated in the family fun blog category as well as Best New Blog.

Linda's blog nominated in awards scheme for authors

By Carol Garrington

PASSIONATE Media director Linda Jones has been nominated in the Author Blog Awards for her site at Got Your Hands Full.

Linda has worked hard to help parents of twins, triplets and more through this blog as well as offering advice for aspiring journalists and authors in her Write Away column.

So it would be great to see her efforts rewarded with a place on the shortlist in the Author Blog Awards.

The nominations process is open until 2 April. The author blogs with the most nominations will be put onto a shortlist and everyone who nominates that author will be eligible to win a prize. You have to go to the awards site, register and nominate. People can then vote on the shortlisted blogs. The blog with the most votes wins.

Thank you very much to anyone who can help by nominating Linda and Got Your Hands Full. Voting takes a couple of minutes. There's bound to be lots of interest in the awards from some 'big name' authors so it would be lovely to see Linda get some recognition by reaching the shortlist. 

Stafford woman tells of her battle against blindness to highlight need for testing

A STAFFORD grandmother who has successfully battled to overcome one of the most common causes of blindness has emphasised the need to have regular eye checks as part of World Glaucoma Day.

Cynthia Powell’s sight was only saved by the quick actions of her Stafford optician who spotted the symptoms of her chronic glaucoma at her yearly eye test.

Big swing in membership boosts St Thomas's golf club

STAFFORDSHIRE golf club, St Thomas's Priory, is celebrating a large increase in membership, despite the economic down turn, thanks to a range of investment to improve facilities.

The club, at Armitage near Rugeley, has seen the number of new members rise by more than a third during the year, despite the recession devastating parts of the leisure industry.

Managers at the club, home to an 18-hole championship course set alongside the 19th Century Hawkesyard Hall, put the increase down to the more than £100,000 spent improving the course and facilities at the club over the last 18 months.

Charitarian: A philanthropy magazine made in China

Photos by Janek Zdarski.

WE are working with an Anglo-Chinese team on Charitarian magazine. So far, we've started work on a blog for this innovative publication that reports on aid for China's most vulnerable groups, as well as including exclusive updates on other aspects of Chinese society.

Janek's photos show migrant children at work and play and are featured in the next issue of the magazine, which is currently being put together.

We can't wait to see the next edition and more of Janek's beautiful images.

Staffs business coach Patricia Cresswell in bid for top women's award

We are keeping everything crossed for business coach and trainer, Patricia Cresswell, who is a finalist in the prestigious Women on their Way awards this week, recognising the impact of women in business.

Patricia, who has helped thousands of women in their careers and personal development, has been short-listed for the Outstanding Contribution to Women's Learning and Development award.

She has been running her own training and development company, Patricia Cresswell and Associates Ltd, for more than 15 years, working with business people from across the private and public sectors, and at all levels.

Patricia, from Wheaton Aston in Staffordshire, has worked with National Grid, Britannia (part of the Co-operative Financial Services), Staffordshire Police, University of Birmingham and the Environment Agency, and delivers a range of training and development programmes, including Springboard, which is specifically for women.

Marvellous mum gets hotel's Mother's Day treat

MUM Diane Holmes is one in a million - and thanks to son Chris is all set for a Mother's Day to remember.

The Walsall sixth former has won Diane a treat by nominating her for a pamper day and family meal from The Village Hotel.

He said she deserved the special thank you for her support in him getting a place at Oxford University.

Single mum Diane will dine in style this Sunday, 14 March, enjoying a five-course meal for four at Walsall’s Village Hotel and get a make-over and hair styling session from a hotel beautician.

Queen Mary’s Grammar School pupil Chris, 17, put forward his mum, a teaching assistant at Walsall’s Joseph Leckie Community Technology College, for the Mother’s Day prize to say thanks for all her encouragement and support over the years.

The teenager, who is studying five A levels, has been offered a place at Mansfield College, Oxford, to study geography next year, if he is successful in his exams. He has already got 12 GCSEs, 10 at grade A star and two at grade A.

“She’s just a fantastic mum and really deserves a great treat,” said Chris.

“I thought this would be a fantastic way to say thank you to mum for all the support she’s given to me as I’ll be leaving her soon to go off to university.

An introduction to freelance journalism workshops, London and Midlands

SINCE running workshops for writers in how to diversify and survive and receiving such brilliant feedback from those attending, we've also been asked to consider running training sessions for aspiring freelancers.

In response to these queries, we've booked four training dates for 2010.

These are:

Saturday March 13, 9.30am-4.30pm

Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ 

Saturday March 27, 9.30am-4.30pm

Passionate Media, 2 New Street, Cannock, Staffs WS11 0DD

The itinerary will include practical exercises to highlight the skills, aptitude and realism needed to have any chance of making it in this most highly competitive of fields.