Sorted Magazine

Category: Family

  • Mind the gap: tackling debt

    Average household debt is at record levels, with more people finding their income doesn’t cover essential spending, fuelled by the cost-of-living crisis. There is help available, as David Chambers of Community Money Advice explains.

    In 1992, Heather Keates and her husband Tim experienced the sudden death of their five-month-old son Tom from a rare health condition. The family spiralled into debt and spent the next twelve years paying back over £30,000 with the care and support of their wider family, friends and local church. The Keates came close to losing everything, and Heather started thinking about other people who fall on hard times and have no-one to turn to for advice and help. 

    Heather’s Christian faith spurred her into action to set up a debt advice clinic in 1997 in West Sussex from which Community Money Advice was born, becoming a registered charity in 2003. Today, CMA’s network of over 160 Debt Advice and Connect Centres across the UK help more than 7,000 clients a year manage debts worth £71 million in total and make their money go further. 

    Community Money Advice is a major provider of face-to-face debt help and support free at the point of need, available to all who require it and live close to a nearby centre. It’s especially suited to those considered vulnerable, who struggle with their mental health or find the limitations of online or telephone-only services hard to cope with. CMA partners with lots of different organisations, creating a diverse centre network hosted by churches and community groups; embedded within housing associations and district councils; and aligned with foodbanks and social enterprises.

    At the heart of CMA’s debt help service are the 1,100 paid and volunteer centre staff who sit down with clients to listen and understand their money troubles. Giving clients the time and space to share their story and the burden of debt is a formative first step on the pathway to a debt-free future.

    CMA’s service finds its way into some unexpected places. Malcolm Lee volunteers at The Bridge Money Advice Centre in St Ives, Cambs, but sees clients in the neighbouring prison. HMP Littlehey is a Category C male prison with a population of 1,200. As part of rehabilitation and release planning, offenders can make an appointment with Malcolm to help deal with personal debts. 

    “Being on remand or serving a custodial sentence stops someone earning a living or receiving most state benefits, drastically cutting their personal income,” explains Malcolm. “Managing regular payments and sorting out arrears whilst inside, with little or no contact to the outside world, means we can stand in the gap. In the period leading up to their release, we discuss the various debt management options and enable a person convicted of a crime to learn basic money skills so as to be better prepared to manage their financial affairs. 

    “It can be really difficult for an ex-offender to adjust to being back in open society and move on with their life, particularly when they’ve spent a long time in jail. The opportunity to engage with that person in the lead up to release, and provide follow-on support through a local CMA centre, can make all the difference to getting themselves back on their feet and lessen the risk of re-offending.”

    Volunteer Malcolm Lee outside HMP Littlehey

    CMA centres are natural allies with foodbanks and social supermarkets, because recipients of food parcels and fixed-price baskets of cupboard essentials find it impossible to make ends meet. Claire Birdsall runs The Oaks Money Advice Centre within Blackburn Foodbank, part of the Trussell network. The centre has seen client numbers rise by 12% year on year, but it’s the higher proportion of clients with deficit budgets that’s more of a concern. As Claire explains, “Once a person signs up as a client, we do a deep dive into their household finances to produce a budget statement showing income, spending and personal debts. A household budget plan could often be adjusted to cover a one-off increase in an essential cost. However, the cost-of-living crisis has seen significant increases across the board on rent, energy, council tax, utilities, insurance, and transport – on top of food costs. Whilst the minimum wage and benefits have gone up, average incomes have not kept pace with annual inflation, and the gap between what’s coming in and what’s going out is getting bigger for more people. 

    “It’s an issue that can’t always be solved at a local level and needs a national plan of action to tackle the inequality and poverty a deficit budget only makes worse. Our goal is to take someone feeling at rock bottom and be that helping hand to overcome their financial hardship and continue doing it on their own without us. If they have no choice but to continue living with a deficit budget after coming to see us, they’ll end up back where they started and the cycle of debt won’t be broken.”

    CMA’s Policy & External Affairs Manager Steve Bolton acknowledges Claire’s experience is a growing one. “We know that not all people’s problems can be solved by our local centres, and there are underlying structural and systemic issues that are driving poverty and inequality. An example of this is the fact that so many of our clients struggle to make ends meet. CMA’s 2023 Impact Report shows that 67% of centre network advisers saw deficit budgets ‘very often’, and 24% saw them ‘often’. CMA is a strong voice within the debt advice sector and campaigns for change to alleviate financial hardship and lift people out of poverty. In order to push for change effectively, we also partner with other charities and think tanks. It is vital that we do all we can to address the root causes of debt, and ensure that those experiencing debt are treated with dignity and respect. CMA supports our network of centres and their clients by amplifying their voices to influence wider policy decision-making by regulators and government.”

    Research undertaken by Debt Justice in 2022 shows ethnically diverse British people are almost twice as likely to be in serious debt than their white counterparts (7% v 4%). An Office for National Statistics survey in 2023 into the cost-of-living crisis found just over half of Asian or Asian British adults, and 47% of Black, African, Caribbean, or Black British adults were finding it difficult to afford their rent or mortgage payments, compared with 33% among White adults.

    CMA has a handful of centres serving Muslim, Hindu and Afro-Caribbean communities but wants to see many more open to enable ethnic minority people plagued by debt get access to the help they need. CMA’s Business Development Manager, David Chambers is keen to find opportunities with suitable organisations interested in setting up a debt help service in their community. “CMA is run with a strong Christian ethos at its heart but partners with organisations of all faiths, or none, in an understanding of mutual trust and respect for one another’s values. What matters is joining forces to widen access to the expert help people need to deal with the misery of being in debt.”

    The London Borough of Enfield received the first of two Royal Charters in 1303 from King Edward I, nearly 90 years after the signing of the Magna Carta. According to the 2021 Census, Enfield’s population now stands at 338,000, with just under 30% identifying as belonging to ethnically diverse groups. The harsh realities of day-to-day life for many of the residents belies Enfield’s regal associations. Jubilee Central in Lumina Way is where you’ll find CMA’s Enfield Debt Centre. Opened in 2018, it’s part of a portfolio of support services available to the local community including fuel bank, befriending, school uniform project, addiction recovery, and foodbank. “It shows in stark terms the ripple effects of being in debt,” says John Franks, CMA’s COO. 

    “Falling into debt can be the result of mental health conditions, and being in debt can bring on mental health conditions. Lifestyle choices, the sudden loss of a loved one and unexpected changes in circumstances such as serious illness and unemployment are some of the main reasons behind the epidemic of personal debt sweeping across the UK. The cost-of-living crisis has drained away household savings built up during the pandemic, leaving more people without a safety net and fighting to keep their heads above water. For the most vulnerable and marginalised in society, the situation is often much worse.”

    CMA’s Debt Advice and Connect Centres are on the front line in the battle to defeat problem debt, offering free, unconditional and confidential advice. If you are struggling with debt or money worries, then visit communitymoneyadvice.com 

    CAN YOU HELP?

    If you are interested in helping others with money worries by establishing a local money advice service in your community, or in volunteering at a CMA centre local to you, please contact CMA’s business development manager in the first instance, by emailing: david@communitymoneyadvice.com 

    If you’d like to train to be a Budget Coach, to help family, friends and others in your community manage their household budgets, CMA offers a one-day online course, which will teach you budget management skills, and also when and how to identify a need for the help of a qualified debt adviser and how to make that referral. Contact: training@communitymoneyadvice.com

    All Photo Credits: Courtesy of CMA

  • From the archive: Descended from greatness

    As a northerner and a journalist I was delighted to discover that I’m a direct descendant of the founder of the Manchester Guardian newspaper. That’s an understatement. Actually, I was off my head with excitement! Imagine me, Mrs Nobody from the north end of nowhere, sharing the same DNA as someone I have long admired, a giant of the journalism world? Two years after the infamous Peterloo Massacre of 1819 John Taylor founded The Manchester Guardian which arguably became one of the most longstanding and respected newspapers in the world. Taylor published stories about the little people, exposed exploitation, held the powerful to account and changed the course of history.

    My joy was indescribable. A voice deep within whispered: “Now I know why I have this burning fire within me! Why I must write.” I put the kettle on and pondered the sheer significance of who I suddenly knew myself to be. In an instant I had become someone else, I saw myself with fresh eyes, no longer ordinary, surely I must be extra ordinary? I drank my tea and for at least fifteen minutes basked in the giddy glow of this unexpected greatness. Then I re-read the genealogy report; then I researched further; then I compared some facts; then I realised that the John Taylor I was descended from was not the John Taylor of Manchester Guardian fame; then I opened the biscuit tin.

    My John Taylor shared the same date of birth as the Manchester Guardian’s John Taylor, along with some other similarities. But a few minutes online and the full truth of the matter became apparent. Had I just wanted it to be true? Yes, I had wanted it to be true. Had I needed it to be true? Maybe. Did I have a blind spot to some of the facts? Did I leap to conclusions? Did I just want to feel important? Different? Descended from greatness?

    Those fifteen minutes taught me something special. For the entire duration of a tea break my self-belief soared, my self-love lifted, my self-respect resonated. It was really quite remarkable. My calling, my purpose, things deep within my heart were empowered with a fresh fervour. The stance of self-deprecation briefly evaporated. I was really rather impressed with myself. I thought I was alright. I’ve since raised a glass to both John Taylors and decided that perhaps I should embrace that kind of confidence a bit more often, regardless of my DNA.

    Main photo credit: Austin Kirk via Unsplash

  • Empty nest

    Research suggests that more than 30 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. That’s a shedload of grief – and not just for the mothers-to-be, as George Luke knows all too well.

    I remember that Monday afternoon like it was yesterday. I was at work when my wife Karen rang sounding shaken: “Something’s happened. I’m in hospital.”

    My job had become a toxic nightmare by this time, so part of me was thankful for an excuse to leave work early. But it wasn’t without a sense of worry; after all, it’s rarely a good thing to be summoned to a hospital at short notice. “I can see a six-week-old foetus with a heartbeat,” the doctor said after examining her, beaming from ear to ear as she delivered the news. Karen and I hugged warmly,  she got dressed and we set off home, our hearts considerably lighter than when we’d arrived. Could this be it? Our dream of parenthood becoming real at last? Third time lucky?

    Sadly, no. Two days later, my phone rang again. Another emergency summons from Karen. It felt a lot more ominous this time. Sure enough, when I arrived at the hospital the news wasn’t good: the foetus that had filled us with so much hope and joy over the last 48 hours was no more. At least this time round I was able to comfort my wife in person – not like the first time this tragedy hit us, when she was in France and I had to be supportive remotely over the phone hundreds of miles away. I don’t think I’ll ever feel as helpless as I did then. 

    Baby loss isn’t just tough; it’s an awful, tragic, mind-bender of an ordeal to go through. We all know (or think we know) how it affects women. But how should a man react, respond or even feel when his wife/partner has a miscarriage? He’s lost a child too; how does that affect him? It must do…  

    Who do we talk to about our feelings? How can we support our wives and partners better? So many questions, no conclusive answers. One thing I do have, though, is a couple of friends who’ve been through the ordeal and have, in their own time and their own way, responded to it. Tom Wateracre is one of the authors of a newly published book No One Talks About This Stuff. Ola Obaro is a trustee of the Miscarriage Association – currently the organisation’s only male trustee.

    Tom and his wife Sarah had been married four years when, as he puts it, “Our body clocks were like, ‘Right! Okay – here we go!’” Sarah then became pregnant quite quickly, but then the couple received some devastating news: “We found out that our baby had a genetic condition which some babies can continue with, but it also had heart problems and a load of different things. They said the chances of making it to term were very unlikely, and the chances of making it further than that even less so, and so they offered us a medical termination at 17 weeks.” 

    In the years following the termination, Sarah had some very early miscarriages. “After four years of that, we just didn’t want any more medical interventions,” Tom says. “So we started the adoption process. That took another four years.

    “Part of the adoption process was dealing with the grief. They wanted to make sure that we had absolutely stopped trying for a baby, which is one thing; so we had couples’ counselling at that point just to talk about what that meant: were we actually ready for having a kid that wasn’t going to be ‘our own’, and then going through the various stages of adoption. We ended up doing this thing called Early Permanence, which is where you foster and adopt at the same time. Our daughter came to us and we looked after her for a year. Part of the fostering process is the possibility that the child might go back to their birth parents, so we kind of opened ourselves up to that. 

    “In the book, I’ve written about the idea that we were prepared for some of the possibilities of that adoption process because we’d experienced that loss. We knew that if our daughter were to go back to her birth parents, we would in some sense have a blueprint of how we would deal with the grief of that. And so that gave me a bit of comfort during that process. It’s like a sneaky superpower.”

    Ola’s wife Anjuli first became pregnant about three years into their marriage; it was to be the first of three miscarriages she would have before the birth of their daughter, who’s now five. “By the third one, we were starting to potentially accept that we might need to consider other options,” says Ola. “We were referred to a miscarriage clinic – but then before we’d started any treatment, Anjuli became pregnant again, so all the clinic could do was monitor her. And then we had our daughter. But when we got pregnant again, we were told that because we’d had a baby, everything was now fine and normal… but then we had another loss. Thankfully, we had an amazing GP who was really great, and we had our son almost two years ago.

    “The first loss really stands out because like all of the stuff you read about, you never think it’s going to happen to you. You know it happens; you may even broadly know the statistics – one in four or one in five, depending on what you read – but then when it happens… I was just in a state of shock. This wasn’t part of the plan! Between me and my wife, I’m the problem solver:‘You get stuff done’. Only in this case, you can’t.”

    “My constant thinking was that my emotions are not useful here,” Tom recalls. “Sarah’s the one who’s had all of the actual trauma; I’ve just been like a bystander. It’s almost as if I didn’t have as much of an emotional stake in it as she did. So I just bottled it up until the point where I had a panic attack on the train one day. That was when I realised I needed to talk to someone about it.”  

    Churches generally do a great job at preparing couples for marriage, but both Ola and Tom think that some pre-emptive advice on dealing with baby loss would have been helpful. “Anj and I did a bunch of marriage courses,” Ola says, “and neither of us can remember this subject coming up. What does come up is ‘Do you want kids?’and disciplining kids. Nobody talked about what happens if you want kids but can’t have them. Yes, it might have been a bit of a downer. But there were enough people in the room that statistically some of us would experience this. 

    “Nobody wants to think about it, but unfortunately it is going to happen to some people. So there’s some responsibility to prepare people for it in a loving way, just as they prepare us for arguments and communication issues. Baby loss is such a traumatic experience; it could shatter your marriage if you haven’t been emotionally prepared. Churches could do a better job of talking about it openly –how you carry on having faith but potentially being prepared for not getting something you always thought was going to be part of your life.”

    “Even when your story ends in a baby, that’s not the end!” says Tom. And he’s right; the thought of what could have been doesn’t just go away overnight. Tom and Sarah now have their daughter, Ola and Anjuli have a girl and a boy, and Karen and I have our two girls. Mission accomplished? Not quite. The experience of ‘almost parenthood’ (to borrow a phrase from Tom’s book) has a way of messing with your head. There are groups that host memorial events for those who have lost babies through miscarriage in the past. Ola recalls going to a few such events and meeting people who were mourning babies they’d lost 30 or 40 years ago. “Even if you have another kid or you adopt a child three or four years later, that’s a whole different trajectory of hopes and dreams,” he says. “But those previous ones never got borne out and nothing can take that away.”

    And maybe that’s a good thing. Not everything in life has a nicely wrapped up conclusion, as much as we would like them to. “Dealing with the lows of life needs to be something that we’re more comfortable with,” says Ola. “Always seeing those lows as a part of your eventual victory can be unhelpful sometimes. Nobody wants to consider that bad things could happen to them, and what that could mean. But it’s so important that we do.”  

    There are a number of organisations who offer help to those in this situation:

     Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research is the largest of its kind in Europe. They offer lots of information and encouragement. tommys.org/baby-loss-support

    Miscarriage for Men has a community forum with links and blogs. miscarriageformen.com

    Child Bereavement UK supports families when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying. They have a helpline, face-to-face groups and information resources. childbereavementuk.org

    Cruse Bereavement Care helps people understand their grief and cope with their loss. They have a helpline and a network of local branches where you can find support. cruse.org.uk

    The Miscarriage Association provides a helpline five days a week, plus a forum and support groups.
    www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk

    Images: Getty

  • The beautiful game: generations

    I’ve been to some big games: Wembley playoffs, promotions, and championship-clinching matches and – being a Notts County fan – more relegation nail-biters than I care to remember, but this match eclipsed the lot.

    It was the debut of my best friend, partner in crime, and – by reason of osmosis – a committed Magpie, Arthur Ellis taking to the pitch in the home game against AFC Wimbledon on 9th March. He may only be four years old, but he looked Herculean as he took to the field in front of over 10,000 fans with a courage far greater than the crescendo of the crowd’s eruption as the teams appeared from the tunnel.

    I knew I’d cry that day, and thought I’d grasped the reason why. Notts are part of my DNA, and my association with the oldest professional football club in the world has shaped me and has been steadfastly there during the good times and the bad. In loss, the terraces gave me sanctuary, and in joy, Meadow Lane has given me the opportunity to collect the most vital of human possessions: memories.

    But as Arthur strode out onto the hallowed turf, with my son Adam looking on as a dad-in-waiting, along with other key members of the family, I knew that I’d discovered the missing element to my emotional conundrum: legacy. My late dad had passed the baton of belonging to me, and here I was doing the same for my partner’s grandson. I’ve held him since his arrival into this often crazy world where change is constant; often causing chaos and confusion. And maybe that’s why I love the club where I’m connected with 162 years of heartfelt heritage.

    I managed to keep it together, until captain Kyle Cameron lifted Arthur up,and in almost Rafiki style, held my little Simba up for the Notts faithful to welcome him into the Pride Lands.Then I totally lost it and blubbed like a baby.

    The scoreline was irrelevant, as my mate Arthur had come of age, and I’d done my duty in the face of fierce competition; his generous dad, Ruairi, is a massive West Ham fan…

    Thanks to the staff at Notts County for arranging the most beautiful of experiences, and especially Charlie Roach, Les Bradd and Harry Dalzell who choreographed the occasion with such care and compassion. In the immortal words of Bill Shankly: “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more serious than that.”

    © Ian Kirke 2024. Title image reproduced by kind permission of John Sumpter @JMS Photography. Other images by kind permission of Emma Ellis.

  • Comment: NHS tips for busy fathers

    Comment: NHS tips for busy fathers

    Achieving the right work-life balance can be challenging for any parent, especially in a world altered by the pandemic.

    However, there are ways to make it work, and NHS Property Services (NHSPS) has shared some helpful tips for Fathers’ Day that can guide dads, and mums, in achieving that balance.

    One of the most important things you can do is to eliminate daytime distractions by setting boundaries and sticking to them. This means turning off your phone or computer during family time or setting aside specific hours for work-related tasks.

    Another important tip is to structure your time to be optimized. This means planning your day and setting achievable goals for your work and personal life.

    You may also want to consider scheduling family time on your calendar to ensure that you make time for your loved ones.

    Delegating tasks to your team can also be helpful, as it can free up more time for you to focus on your priorities.

    It is also important to aim for integration rather than trying to separate work and family life altogether. This can involve finding ways to incorporate your family into your work life or finding ways to bring your work home with you.

    Finally, remember that quality time with your family is more important than quantity. Being fully present during family time can show your commitment to your children and your work.

    Helen McCarthy, Chief People Officer for NHSPS, said: “This Fathers’ Day, take these tips to heart and strive for a healthy work-life balance. It may not be easy, but with some effort and intentionality, you can find a way to make it work.

    “Remember, your family and your work are both important and finding a balance is key to living a happy and fulfilled life.”

    Main Photo Credit: Caroline Hernandez via Unsplash

  • Comment: Making memories at the Big Church Festival

    Comment: Making memories at the Big Church Festival

    Matt McChlery writes: On the recent Bank Holiday Monday, our car pulled up onto our driveway after completing a five hour journey from the depths of Wiston Estate buried deep in the Sussex countryside. I had just been to Big Church Festival with my two daughters, eight-year-old Katrina and six-year-old Lara. We had a fabulous time, although we were all in need of a good bath! Big Church Festival happens every Bank Holiday weekend over the May half term and sees 30,000 people coming together to celebrate all that is good.

    The last time I went to Big Church Festival was ten years ago – before my children were born. People are encouraged to bring a group along, which I did ten years ago. Although this time I knew that bringing my two young daughters would require more planning and energy than a group would demand, and I was right.

    Arriving on the Friday evening, with the help of my daughters, we managed to pitch our tent and blow up their camping mattresses so they could get to sleep just after sundown. This was a very late night for them, so I knew the next day would be interesting.

    On Saturday, we set off at midday towards the Field of Fun and the Kids Tent. We caught a bit of the Superbook show and then had a go at the climbing wall, scaled the huge haystack, jumped on the numerous inflatables, and enjoyed the various fairground rides.

    I was hoping to attend the Bethel Music session in the nearby Worship Tent. However, while we were having fun, a queue of a couple of thousand people had formed and by the time the girls had finished their various rides there seemed little point in joining the queue. Bethel Worship was due to headline on the Main Stage later that evening. With the girls to look after on my own, I accepted that I was going to miss out on all the excellent late night After Hours programme the festival offered.

    We did manage to catch a Cheeky Pandas gig in the Kid’s Tent and Leeland’s set on the Main Stage before we headed back to the tent for an early night.

    We did manage to listen to more music on the Sunday, including The Goudies, Matt Mayher, Tim & The Glory Boys and Israel Houghton. One of the highlights for the girls was hunting for wooden elephants that were hidden around the expo tent so they could win a packet of sweets. Oh yes, not to forget my daughter’s favourite artist, Philippa Hannah, whom we saw perform twice and they also got to meet after the second show. That was a definite highlight for them.

    I knew that bringing my daughters along to a music festival would be hard work, and it was. But for me, the price I paid both financially and sacrificing the bands and things I really wanted to do for the sake of spending time with them, was worth it. I need to make happy memories with my children and I can’t wait to do it again!

    Matt McChlery is a church leader, author and host of the Christian Book Blurb podcast. Find out more about him and his ministry at mattmcchlery.com

    Main Photo Credit: Courtesy of Matt McChlery

  • Gemma Hunt: “Christmas is about Jesus, the light in the darkness.”

    Gemma Hunt: “Christmas is about Jesus, the light in the darkness.”

    The Cheeky Pandas has released a pack of free resources, including a special Christmas episode, The Best Present Ever. Featuring CBeebies’ star, Gemma Hunt, there’s a special message for kids; Christmas is really about a person called Jesus, who is the best present of all.

    In The Best Present Ever Christmas preparations are falling apart for the Cheeky Pandas. Milo is sad at the lack of snow, Rory and Benji are fighting over which Christmas lights to use, and CJ’s cooking is less than perfect (pies in the kettle and turkey in the toaster!). Lulu just wants everyone to be happy. Every panda has a different idea about how Christmas should be. When the pandas get a special gift from the Pandaroo Delivery Service, will it remind them who Christmas is really about?

    The Christmas episode and song are both available on YouTube and The Cheeky Pandas website. The downloadable activity pack contains questions, prayer points, craft activity and a super-easy recipe (no ovens or mixers required). A free assembly plan will also be available for use in schools and a new Cheeky Pandas book The Best Present Ever accompanies the Christmas episode.

    CBeebies star Gemma Hunt said: “It’s an absolute joy to be a part of The Cheeky Pandas family. The fun, free Christmas resources that they are providing for children this year to remind them of the life-changing message of Jesus, the greatest gift this world has ever seen, is great! In the aftermath of the pandemic, as we face a cost-of-living crisis and a world that often feels in turmoil, children and families are more in need than ever of hope that can’t be taken away from them. Through this year’s Cheeky Pandas Christmas episode, song and bumper pack of crafts, recipes and activities, they have a timely reminder that Christmas is about Jesus, the light in the darkness.” 

    Access The Cheeky Pandas Christmas episode and song here

  • News: Churches campaign for women’s safety

    News: Churches campaign for women’s safety

    Christian campaigners are highlighting the realities of violence against women during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Red chairs are being placed in churches, businesses, train stations and schools to raise awareness that, globally, a woman or girl dies at the hands of an intimate partner or family member every 11 minutes.

    The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an annual campaign that begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs through to International Human Rights Day on 10 December.

    The Red Chair Project began in French churches, but now through the Christian Network to End Domestic Abuse, is being replicated throughout the world by Christian organisations who want to galvanise the church to speak up and do something about violence against women and girls.

    The Red Chair Project involves reserving an empty chair in a public place with a sign in red highlighting facts about domestic violence. The empty chair also serves as a visual symbol of the lives lost to gender-based violence. The colour red reminds us all of the violence faced by millions of women in war zones, on city streets, and also in their own homes. The sign is available in French, English, Spanish, Hindi, Romanian, Hungarian, and more.

    Bekah Legg, CEO of Christian charity Restored says; “At Restored, we speak up about violence against women 365 days a year, but this is a great opportunity for everyone to do something simple. Violence against women is such a pervasive problem, that most people don’t know where to start, but this project makes it easy to make a difference and start to change a culture which normalises violence against women.”

    Restored will be sharing pictures of Red Chairs around the country on their social media over the 16 Days of Activism. If you would like to get involved and set up your own Red Chair in your community, find out more and download the resources at www.restored-uk.org/redchair.

  • Education: Stress levels soar as mock exams loom

    Education: Stress levels soar as mock exams loom

    A new poll commissioned by the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) found that more than two-thirds of London teachers reported increased stress among secondary school pupils over the last two months, at a higher rate than other parts of the country. This may be fuelled by the higher average attainment levels, pressure from parents, and students feeling the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis.

    The poll revealed:

    • 43% of parents agree their child’s self-esteem is linked to the grades they achieved at school and university.
    • 59% of parents agree that since the Covid pandemic their child has fallen out of a routine with regards to their education and their motivation to work has declined.
    • 68% of parents agree that their child benefits from one-to-one learning environments, alongside the classroom experience.
    • 47% of students said they enjoy learning from a Tutor they can relate to (age, interests, personal experiences, communication styles, etc).
    • 49% of students said they learn better from people who share a similar life experience to them.

    In light of these findings, MyTutor has launched free online courses to help ease student stress in the run up to mock exams. MyTutor Squads runs group tutoring sessions throughout the autumn term. Sessions will cover core topics such as Maths and Coding relevant to GCSE Computer Science. Additional ‘Study Squad’ sessions teach a series of techniques to help with learning, remembering and revising. Sign up here.

    Main photo credit: Yogendra Sing via Unsplash