Passionate Blog

Birmingham cancer awareness programme smashes taboos among diverse communities

It's always a pleasure to help tell the story of efforts by individuals or teams which make a genuine difference.

We're delighted to report on work by Ambrose Koryang and his colleagues at Birmingham's Health Exchange, which is helping people from all sorts of backgrounds understand more about cancer and in some cases overcome a cultural stigma associated with this potentially devastating disease.

Here's our press release about how Health Exchange's innovative scheme has led to further work for Ambrose:

A one-year-old Birmingham programme empowering diverse communities to understand cancer is set to help smash more health taboos after reaching thousands of people.

Work by Ambrose Koryang and a team of staff at Birmingham-based Health Exchange has given raditionally ‘hard to reach’ communities more peace of mind about potentially devastating illness. 

Are pop stars too sexy for our children?

By Carol Garrington

CHECK out Linda's piece about raunchy Rihanna and the dozens of comments which have followed -especially if you want something to make you smile.

We love it when something we have written unleashes people's passions in a heated debate. This one's a corker.

Thanks to Parentdish for the commission. Here's hoping there's many more.

Patsy Kensit leads campaign for better UK playgrounds

STRICTLY Come Dancing star Patsy Kensit wants to help parents quickstep their way to a £15,000 award to breathe new life into delapidated play areas, as she tells us in the video above.

Mum-of-two Patsy is fronting the campaign called Parents for Playgrounds from Robinsons Fruit Shoot and Play England which is asking for nominations from around the UK. She's currently guest editing Ready for Ten where she's also keeping an eye on nominations and help pick the winners.

Back to school means a busy time on Ready for Ten

 
CHECKED out Ready for Ten yet?

This is a parent-powered website for families with children aged six to nine which is edited by Linda Jones. Now's an exciting time for Ready for Ten. Just look at how the team has grown!

As the site prepares for autumn to set in, there's plenty more food for thought from its team of parent bloggers and experts.

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.

Bloggers unite in festive theatre campaign to boost children's cancer charity

Photo by Ell Brown on Flickr

UK parent bloggers are joining forces to laugh their socks off while raising cash for a children’s cancer charity.

Bloggers are signing up for The Great Panto Review 2009 which will benefit NACCPO – The National Alliance of Childhood Cancer Parents’ Organisations.

Leading theatres in England, Scotland and Wales have agreed to give bloggers access so their reviews can spread ‘word of mouth’ throughout the blogospshere.

Cardiff’s New Theatre where John Barrowman is appearing as Robin Hood and the Birmingham Hippodrome where Ray Quinn and Joe Pasquale will star in Sleeping Beauty were among the first to pledge to welcome the bloggers and back the charity effort.

A Passionate encounter for kids' TV star

IT'S a tough job but someone has to do it!

Here's Katie getting up close (but not quite personal, thank you!) with the lovely Mark Rhodes.

Mark was at a very special event last Saturday. He spoke movingly of what a wonderful woman his mum was when he attended a remembrance service organised by Compton Hospice.

Women's business group co-founded by Passionate Media soars

I'M delighted to report that a recent visitors' day organised by the Cannock and Stone Wings groups proved a huge hit.

More than 40 people turned up to find out more about what we get up to.

The idea of the joint event was to bring together Wings' longest-serving and most recent members, to help give visitors a real idea of what the group is about.

"Virtual" success with The Independent

THANKS to education and careers writer Hazel Davis and her interest in Carmen's training for virtual assistants, there was a great piece in the Independent earlier this week.

The story is now being followed up by another national paper. What's particularly interesting for me on this is that Linda didn't send Hazel a press release, but trusted her instincts as to what she may be interested in pitching to one of her regular outlets.

A story we worked on with Carmen for Red magazine resulted in hundreds of enquiries. I wonder what this latest coverage will bring. [Carol]

'You've got your hands full' in The Telegraph

LINDA'S blog all about multiple birth children, You've got your hands full is featured in an in-depth piece in The Telegraph today, by Diane Shipley.

As she can bore for England on the subject of blogging, (that's Linda of course, not Diane) it's great to see some recognition. She was also interviewed about twins on Radio Stoke earlier this week, in the wake of the sisters on Big Brother.

It's a shame more depressing and predictable news has taken over where that show is concerned. Suddenly Samanda don't seem so bad. [Carol]