Join the revolution and change your community with the co-operative

 

There are many great initiatives that support local communities. One of the oldest and most influential initiatives however is over 167 years old. Back in 1844 a group of ordinary people in Rochdale created a business that was owned by its customers and that reinvested in the community it was located in. Although, it was a completely new concept the business that you all know as the Co-operative now became a huge success and started a revolution across the country which is still growing strong. The video below shows you how it all started and also gives you a great impression of how strong the Co-operative's impact on local communities still is. 

 

 

 

Today in the UK, as well as The Co-operative Group with its six million members and 5,000 outlets across its family of businesses including food, financial services, travel, pharmacy and funerals, there are thousands of other co-operators who share the same heritage. They are people like you and me – people with ideas, dreams and visions – but they have empowered and brought their own revolutions to life. There are lots of great success stories about brilliant community projects and all of them are equally inspiring but the community group “Play Montgomeryshire” really stood out for me as a former teaching assistant. The group provides families with free or low cost activities that give children greater opportunity to learn through play. One of their services, the Machynlleth Toy Library, came under threat of closure when its existing funding was cancelled. The library is a well-loved part of the local community, and Mieke and the Play Montgomeryshire team were determined to save it. The group approached The Co-operative and secured a donation of £2,000 from their Community Fund. As a result, they are now confident that the library will continue to serve local children. 

 

 

I have only just moved to my neighbourhood but I know that there live many young families in my area that can't afford to take their children to softplay areas, the zoo or to a football game. Let's be honest, if you have a mortgage and bills to pay, splashing out on fun activities that stimulate your little one's creativity can be difficult or even impossible. Community projects like “Play Montgomeryshire” are a massive help for young families, so if you have an idea on how to help improve your community why not start your own revolution? Apply on the official website or vote for other great projects. You can keep up to date with them on Facebook or even better join the revolution and get involved!

 

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Charity Tuesday: The Cots for Tots Appeal

As many of you know I'll be giving birth at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol quite soon, but it's not about me in this post. This post shall raise awareness for a great cause that I have become aware of when going for my regular scans, a cause that helps to support Special Care Babies at St Michael's Hospital and a cause that I find more than worthy to be supported by everyone who has got some spare pennies: The Cots for Tots Appeal. 

The Cots for Tots Appeal is raising funds to support the expansion of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital by providing a Suite of four new intensive care cots and a Family Accommodation Unit so that parents can stay close to their baby on the Unit. The special thing about the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael's is that it's the only one of its kind in the South West region able to provide surgery for the most serious and complex conditions in premature and critically-ill babies. As more and more babies are surviving and care for babies born as early as 23 weeks becomes possible, the Unit is experiencing unprecedented demand for the specialist cots and equipment needed for life-saving care.

As The Cots for Tots Appeal receives no statutory funding and relies on the public for support it would be great if you could support the Appeal to help premature and critically-ill babies by donating whatever you can. Hold a tea or cake morning at work, dig out your old photos for a Guess The Baby Competition or fill a money box to the weight of a premature baby. There are endless ways of how you can help. So, please, do help if you can – you could safe a baby's life.

Click the logo to donate!

Review: dreamgenii® Pregnancy Support & Feeding Pillow

Being seven months pregnant I do know from my own experience that once your belly starts growing it is quite common to get restless at night and to have difficulties to find a comfortable position to sleep in. What I didn't know is that clever mummy and entrepreneur Vanessa Blake developed the perfect solution for all sleepless mummies-to-be: the dreamgenii^® Pregnancy Pillow.

The award winning pregnancy pillow consists of a back support cushion and a quilted pad as well as of a bump support cushion and a leg support. When we first opened the parcel I was sent from dreamgenii^® my boyfriend and me had a good giggle about the funny looking shape of the pillow but after reading the instructions and explainations on the packaging the design of the pillow soon made sense. The pillow which is being recommended by midwives and also used in countless delivery suits around the UK does not only support you back, bump and knees, it does also help you to lie on your left hand side which is the best position for pregnant women and their babies. I have known that sleeping on your left side supplies your baby with the best possible amount of oxygen, however, I have always struggled to get comfortable on my left side. I either couldn't get comfortable or I had problems staying on my left side falling back into my routine of sleeping on my belly. Having used the pillow for a week now I can say that it has changed my sleep completely. I have no problems getting comfortable anymore and I have noticed that I don't even turn around during the night but remain in the position I fell asleep in. The only problem is that my better half found out about the benefits of the pillow and tries nicking it off me in the night, but there is no way I'm going back to restless nights and bags under my eyes – at least not until our baby girl is born. But comfotable sleeping isn't the only thing the dreamgenii^® Pregnancy Pillow has to offer. Another benefit is that the pillow doesn't become useless once you gave birth. It easily turns into a feeding pillow and helps you to sit in a comfortable position while breast or bottle feeding your baby.

Ok, at first glance the price of £45.99 might seem a bit high for a pillow but having tested it I would highly recommend it to everyone that is struggling to get comfortable at night. I wouldn't have thought I would ever say this as I have never had any problems sleeping but there is nothing more valuable than a good night's sleep and comfort.