Yay me! I’m a Liebster Award Nominee!!

Oh my goodness, I have been nominated for the Liebster Award and I’m delighted to accept! It’s such a lovely thing when someone comments or likes a post you’ve worked so hard on, and to receive a nomination just makes you feel all warm and gooey inside!

I can’t go on without massively thanking the wonderful The Thought Card for nominating me. So, be a doll and check out her amazing blog!

Now, the Liebster Award is  a way of recognising other bloggers and helping the newer ones get themselves out there. And there are very specific rules which are …

1. Thank the amazing person who nominated you.
2. Display the logo for the award.
3. Nominate 5-10 other bloggers with less than 200 followers, let them know they have been nominated by commenting on one of their posts.
   Answer the questions that the person who nominated you has set and pose 11 new questions to your nominees.

My questions, set by The Thought Card, were as follows.

1. What’s your nationality?
   British, old chap!
2. Would you rather explore a new planet or the deepest part of the ocean? Why?
   I think I’d rather visit the deepest part of the ocean because of all the beautiful colours and sea life (despite the fact that there may be sharks and big fish lurking about!).
3. What are some of the best friend’s qualities?
   I think loyalty, integrity and a good sense of humour are essential.
4. Cats, dogs or neither?
   Cats, all the way!! I have two cats – the feisty Trixie and fluffball Tallulah.
   ~
   
   
5. Which are you likely to fight for, love or money? Why?
   I will always fight for love ❤ While money provides security and piece of mind, a life without love is a crying shame.
6. If you could speak another language, which would it be? Why?
   Je parle un peu le français! ¡Y hablo un poco de español tambien!
7. Would you rather receive a text message or call? Why?
   I think it depends on the situation. A little text to say that someone is thinking of you is so sweet but generally, it’s lovely to receive phone call because that person has taken the time to think of you and talk to you.
8. What’s the single best decision you’ve made in your life so far?
   One of the best decisions I made was not to go to a residential university. I was meant to study in Lincoln but due to family illness and other factors, I had to withdraw. I am now studying for my degree with the Open University. This has allowed me to earn money, gain work experience and have flexibility with my studies. Oh, and meet some great people!
9. Do you focus on the big picture or do you get lost in the details?
   I love tiny details but I love planning more and tend to focus on the big picture. (I totally had a five year plan when I was 19! haha!)
10. Luxury or low maintenance?
    Hmmm, tricky one! I like to think I’m low maintenance when it matters but I can’t help but appreciate (and admire) life’s luxuries.
11. What are you looking forward to the most?
    I’m looking forward to finishing my degree, mainly because I’ll feel like my life will finally be starting! 

Now, for the exciting part: my nominees!! Make sure you keep an eye out for their fabulous blogs 🙂

Hey Now, Haley Now
My Sweet Lolita
Wishing I Was There and Everywhere
74lbs to Hot Mom
Sojourning in Style
Explore a Corner
Magnolia Messages 

These lovely bloggers will now have the option to accept the nomination and answer the eleven questions I’ve set them. These are..

1. In what country do you currently live?
2. Favourite local delicasy?
3. What’s your earliest memory?
4. You can have any superpower for the rest of your life – what would you choose?
5. Do you believe in true love and soul mates? If so, why?
6.. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which song would it be and why?
7. Someone offers you the holiday of a lifetime to a destination of your choice – where do you go?
8. If you could only have one condiment (ketchup, burger sauce, mayo, etc) for the rest of your life, what would it be? Why?
9. Would you rather have a maid to clean for you and have to cook all your own meals, or a chef to cook for you whenever you’d like but you have to clean your home all the time?
10. Sweet or savoury?
11. What do you hope to achieve in your life? Your life’s goal?

Thank you once again for my nomination The Thought Card  and to everyone (ok, all five of you!) who actually read my blog 🙂 Good luck to my nominees and keep up the brilliant work!!

#missingtype

Did you know that our Prime Minister now lives at D wning Street? No, that isn’t a typo and if you check the official street sign in London, you’ll see I’m right. Well, why is this you ask? Have our sign makers suddenly come down with a case of temporary dyslexia? Nope, not at all! It’s all part of a new campaign to encourage more blood donors.

Various shops, street signs and landmarks are showing their support by blanking out the letters A, O and B. These are the most common blood types and the donor groups that are need of the most regular supplies. And blood is so important! We can’t live without blood and it makes up a whopping 7% of our body. Without blood, we couldn’t keep warm, get rid of waste or fight off infection. That’s why this campaign and it’s message is so important. There are many circumstances when you or someone you love may need a transfusion themselves. I know that when my dad was critically ill he was given two transfusions and they gave him the strength and help he needed to fight for his life.

The NHS’ #missingtype is taking over and I think it’s brilliant! The campaign has hit social media and everyone is being encouraged to tweet and share posts with missing letters.

ur Prime Minister’s l vely new street sign.

Unfortunately, I can’t donate blood myself due to personal health reasons but I’m supporting this worthwhile campaign any other way I can. So, do your good deed for the month and donate!

Get d n ting n w nd help them t fill the g ps ❤

Useful links!
NHS Blood Donation website – http://www.blood.co.uk/

Yorkshire’s Women of Achievement lunch – Friday 15th May 2015.

This is an event my mum has attend for the past few years but this year was my first year. The Yorkshire’s Women of Achievement lunch is an awards ceremony held to both recognise a group of amazing women and to raise money for Sue Ryder’s Wheatfield Hospice. It’s held at New Dock Hall in Leeds and is a wonderful day!

When we arrived at the venue, we started the day with some champers in the sun and then met up with the rest of my mum’s friends before finding our table. The whole room was dressed beautifully with gorgeous table displays and lots of twinkly lights but it was the goody-bags on the chairs that caught my eyes. They were filled with donations from L’Oreal and Good Living Magazine, and I definitely loved my new hairspray, mascara and other goodies.

There were over 800 hundred women (and a few men!) in attendance including a few celebs and of course, the awards’ host Liz Green.

Liz Green and me.

There were various fundraising games and raffles including the famous balloon game where you buy a pin to pop one of the many balloons and a ticket with a prize may be inside. Sadly, I didn’t win anything but the shower of confetti was rather nice!

We then had our lunch (which was delicious) followed by the awards themselves. There were 66 women nominated in over seven different categories ranging from the Yorkshire Rose award to the Women of Achievement in Education to the Jane Tomlinson Courage award. All the women nominated were exceptional people and thoroughly deserved the nomination. The winners of the awards were then considered for the overall Women of Achievement award, and this year’s winner was Saliha Rashid. An astounding woman who had suffered honour based abuse and had been blind from birth. She managed to break free from her abusers and is now studying for her Graduate Diploma in Law after finishing university with a first class honours in Psychology.

  Stephanie Hirst and me.

Once all the awards had been handed out, and the entertainment had finished, there was a chance to mingle and chat with the nominees and winners. I managed to chat with most of the them but I was thrilled to meet one particular nominee, Stephanie Hirst, who had been nominated for the Jane Tomlinson Courage award. Stephanie was the host of a popular radio show and during 2014 openly came out as being transgender. She came across as a beautiful, happy and lovely person.

I laughed, I welled-up and I had fun. I’m so pleased my mum invited me to the lunch and that I had a chance to attend such a humbling and inspiring event. Deserving women won awards and lots of money was raised for Wheatfields Hospice – the day was a success!

My mum and me.

#listoftia

Useful links!
Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice website –  http://www.sueryder.org/how-we-help/Hospices/Wheatfields
Yorkshire’s Women of Achievement Awards – http://www.sueryder.org/Get-involved/Events/All-events/2015/May/Yorkshire-women-achievement-2015