Blondy's People

Today’s Interview its with two very amazing women, Nina McNamara and Kate Littler who created Bird Podcast.They, just like me, saw something they wanted to speak out about and decided that instead of just sitting there thinking about it…they would do something about it and Bird Podcast was born.

Gemma has achieved many things in her life and made changes that most of us only read about. She is a force to be reckoned with and if you watch our interview you will join us on a roller coaster of emotions. You may also wonder, like me, why Gemma has not got her show because the wit is dry and crisp. Just how I like it. Listen out for her favourite brand of moisturiser….

Becky is one of Blondy’s people because she would not have laughed at Blondy that day if she had been the SEN support sitting on the front row at that show (In fact, she may have knocked out anyone who did laugh at Blondy). She would have made sure that a child Like Blondy was well rehearsed before stepping on that stage. In fact, she would be there, Kneeling in front of the stage with her own bit of laminated paper speaking each word with Blondy.

I met Jhiselle when I presented at one of her events with Junior Smart and we hit it off straight away. She brings a power and a presence to a room that you can’t deny. I like that in a person. Jhiselle is not the kind of women you want to challenge unless you have facts and figures. The work she has done around gangs and exploitation is above and beyond. Jhiselle is a social worker who is here to save and change lives. She is her for the young people. She walks the walk and talks the talk.

Welcome to episode 14 of Blondy’s People and we are almost there…. a few more to go and I think I will be ready to make my point…but we will come back to that.

Feminism is something that was not part of Blondy’s everyday life. Not in an empowering way. In all areas of society, sex inequality  is the norm. Disgusting aint it. That the mere fact that you are a female means that life could pan out a certain way.

Today I introduce you to Joke Murray, my yoga teacher. She is based in Canterbury and owns the Manor Barn, centre for peace and personal development. They offer many services in this beautiful setting including Shiatsu, counselling, hypnotherapy and of course yoga to but mention a few. I have not been there yet but have looked at the website and have told Joke to get ready because I will be booking in for a weekend away there with a friend or two when the madness clears.

YOS can be a life changing experience for a young person. It can save lives. YOS is one of those areas that lots of people hear about but know very little about. Twice now Kate has given us an amazing insight.

Kate is one of Blondy’s people now because she is here to save lives. Change lives. Create a future. She does this both in her main job and in with Bird podcast.

Steve wants it to be mandatory that school staff receive good training around understanding and spotting the signs of county lines and youth violence. He wants all staff members in school to know what this looks like. He wants schools to stop being afraid of the stigma that is attached to saying “Yes…county lines affect our school…and…youth violence is an issue” and instead work together to try and reduce this.

I met Nathan at a talk I was invited to and was blown away as I watched Nathan speak about being involved in similar stuff that I was as a child, and hen his journey to where he is now. Something that stood out to me was the way he spoke about his wife, Sabrina, with such pride. As he spoke about being a dad and a husband his chest puffed out and you could see that this was the most important thing to him.

Later, down the line I then found that Sabrina was in no way just Nathan Dennis’s wife. Sabrina had her own flex going on and had written the book “A piece of the pie” and then from that came “Between the Sheets” . Sabrina’s book talks about the different layers that go into making a relationship work and even though I was single when I read it (and still am) it was like someone had given me a practical manual of how relationships needed to be. It was so interesting as I had never read anything like it.

Let us talk about violence against women and girls, let's talk about the voice of the survivor... let's talk to the lady who has lived it and has come out the other side.