FocusAF

Tracey Noon is the Operations Manager at Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Council for Voluntary Service (BPRCVS). Her job is to help local groups and people make their communities better places to live.

In this episode, Tracey talks about her own journey and how her experiences help her support others. We talk about why volunteering is so important, and how using your own story can make a big difference in someone else’s life.

Learn more about BPRCVS: https://bprcvs.co.uk/

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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What song do you want to be played at your funeral? Where would you want to spend the end of your life? Having honest conversations about death can bring comfort, connection, and control. It’s a part of life, so let’s talk about it.

Jenny England is the Compassionate Communities Project Lead at St Catherine’s Hospice in Preston. It’s her mission to help us all feel more comfortable talking about death, dying, and grief – so we can support each other when it matters most.

In this powerful episode, Jenny talks about why the Dying Matters campaign helps with starting honest conversations about the end of life, planning, bereavement, and how communities can come together. She shares stories, practical ideas, and explains why talking about dying isn’t just important – it can be life-changing.

To learn more about the Compassionate Communities project at St Catherine’s Hospice, visit their website: https://www.stcatherines.co.uk/our-care/compassionate-communities/

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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Chloe is one of our Advocacy Managers at Advocacy Focus. She has worked with us for 10 years and now supports children and young people with their mental health under our St Helens contract.

In this episode, Chloe talks to us about what children’s mental health advocacy means, how it helps, and why it’s important. We recorded this as part of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, to help more people understand how to support young people with their mental health and wellbeing.

Learn more about children and young people's advocacy on our website: https://advocacyfocus.org.uk/services/children-and-young-peoples-advocacy/

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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In this episode, we’re joined by Dawn Sheedy, a fully qualified financial advisor and passionate advocate for financial wellness. As the founder of Dawn Sheedy Financial Management, she’s on a mission to change the way people approach money, believing that financial health is essential to overall wellbeing. 

Dawn shares her insights on breaking the stigma of debt and empowering people to take control of their finances - because it’s never too late to start your journey to financial confidence. 

Connect with Dawn on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at Dawn Sheedy Financial Management.

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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We talk with Amanda Robinson, an award winning health and well-being coach and founder of Health Steps. Amanda shares what it’s like to work with a health coach and how they can help people feel better at work and in life.

We also chat about how your gut and brain are connected, give easy tips to make your gut healthier, and share small steps you can take to start 2025 feeling great.

Resources: 

• Visit the Health Steps website: www.healthsteps.co.uk 
• For blogs and recipes, visit: https://www.healthsteps.co.uk/blog
• For Amandas Facebook group, search for : ‘Health Steps Community-Health and Wellbeing support for all’

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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Our Spot Purchase Advocates are skilled and help people through their health and social care journey. They work in different areas of advocacy to provide the right support when it's needed. 

In our latest episode of FocusAF, we talk to Advocacy Focus Manager, Leanne Barber, to learn about the important role of a spot purchase advocate.

Towards the end of this episode, Leanne mentions previous episodes of FocusAF and pages to visit on our website:

Previous episodes mentioned:

• A day in the life of an Independent Advocate with Independent Advocate Rachel Hall
• Mark's Story - Relevant Person’s Representative Advocacy with Leanne Barber

Pages on our website mentioned:

• Spot Purchase Us - Advocacy Focus
• Helping Claire - Advocacy Focus

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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Meet Jody, the new host of FocusAF!

Jody is part of our Community Focus team and served 16 years in the Royal Navy, 18 years in dentistry, and is passionate about helping others and advocating for her two sons. 

Have a listen to our latest episode to learn a bit more about Jody and what you can expect in this new season of Focus AF.

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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It's Free Wills Month and we're joined by Kirsten Marshall from Wills on Wheels to discuss all things Wills and Lasting Powders of Attorney (LPAs)!

Kirsten talks us through what Wills and LPAs are, who needs to consider creating these documents and what they mean in real terms. As well as this, we go into how much these documents cost and how you can go about creating them.

Need help with your Will or LPA? Get in touch with Kirsten today:
http://wills-on-wheels.co.uk/
[email protected]
07854 381400

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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In this episode we interview Darren Hayward, experienced self-advocate, and discuss all things self-advocacy including his extensive voluntary work supporting Trafford Council to improve services for autistic people and those with learning disabilities.

We also chatted to our very own Independent Advocate, Ashley Mee, who shared his top tips in creating and supporting a self-advocacy group as well as the key issues being experienced by people with learning disabilities and the autistic people of Trafford.

Below you can find out more about Pathways, who we discuss through the episode.

https://www.lancslearningdisabilityinstitutions.org.uk/content/about/who-are-we/pathways-associates

If you’d like to join Mission Impossible or support the group in any way, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

We would also like to extend a big thank you to Cheryle Britton from YOLO Wellbeing for sponsoring today’s episode, and for her kind words encouraging other businesses to fundraise for our charity. You can find out more about YOLO Wellbeing here: https://yolowellbeing.co.uk/

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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Trigger warning: This episode discusses death, car collisions, and serious injury.

In this episode we welcome Karen Blair, Chief Executive Officer of Aftermath Support a Northwest charity supporting victims of car collisions.

We discuss the complexities of witnessing, being a victim of, or being a loved one of someone who's been killed or seriously injured in a car collision. Our host Carolina shares her experience accessing Aftermath's services after her mum's car collision and life-changing injuries, and Karen explains some of the other support available through the charity.

If you have been a victim of or witnessed a car collision, live in the Northwest of England and need support, please reach out to Aftermath below:

0845 634 4273
0151 777 2562
[email protected]
https://aftermathsupport.org.uk/contact/ 

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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