Writer • Speaker • Trainer • Facilitator
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Saturday 9th December, 2023Naomi is my friend, she’s 46 now. I remember being in our first year at sixth form college, free of school uniform we could now wear what we wanted to college, express ourselves however we liked, my other friend and I dyed our hair purple and wore hippy clothes, Naomi was always …
Monday 4th December, 2023 My friend Meg tells me that it’s always men who grab her wheelchair without asking if she needs any help: “I was wheeling up a busy street in Manchester, back to my car after a nice lunch with some friends, not struggling, just pushing myself as I usually do. Suddenly I …
Sunday 3rd December, 2023 The last three days I’ve posted stories from women who have been harassed by men on the street, they’ve explained how frightened they were, and, as I wrote yesterday, they were frightened because they know some women don’t make it home unharmed. Some women are more vulnerable, and some aren’t even …
Monday 27th November, 2023 My uncle started making sexualised comments towards me when I was a small child, asking me what I was wearing to bed when I was only ten years old. As my parents are deaf they wouldn’t have heard his comments to me, he took full advantage of this, I always felt …
Sunday 26th November, 2023 You might be wondering why Rachel, yesterday, didn’t tell a teacher about the boy harassing her. Well Deborah did…. I stood with my head bowed and shoulders hunched.I kept my back to the wall.Maybe this time I’d get into class before he started.But no.His hand on my arm as I try …
Saturday 25th November, 2023 Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women and the first of #16days of activism to end gender based violence. For each of the 16 days I will be giving a voice to women and girls from the U.K. to tell their story about how gender based …
“Truth hurts” a phrase often used to justify unkind words and a lack of care around other people’s feelings. Those of us of a religious bent may even try to spiritualise this notion of “only being honest” as “speaking the truth in love” But let’s face it, as our home secretary has shown us recently, …
Wednesday 20th September, 2023 There’s a pattern emerging. Right now it’s about Russell Brand but it won’t be long until it’s someone else. We’re cycling through the predatory celebs, Jonah Hill, Philip Schofield, Johnny Depp, even Prince Andrew. There’s always someone we’re accusing, or defending, arguing about, speculating over. Someone who is “innocent until proven …
25th August 2022 What do we do when our heroes, our family, our friends, our ancestors turn out to have made mistakes? Deny, minimise, distance ourselves, tear down statues, defend statues? Whatever community or cause we identify with, we will find people throughout its history who have got it wrong, we will be let down …
24th August, 2022 In the Lady Garden at Wells Cathedral stands a statue of Jesus. He holds his crown of thorns behind his back and gazes up at the Cathedral. The garden is peaceful, Jesus a picture of serenity and you cannot help but want to sit or wander a while in contemplation. As I …