An open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron:
“Don't block philanthropy; unleash it!”
Dear Prime Minister,
Philanthropists are often individualists, taking their own path of hard work and good fortune to create wealth and invest where they see the greatest opportunities and needs. But they are united by their desire to contribute their talents and resources to achieve a real impact for the better.
And to do that, they look for a framework of regulation and taxation that encourages philanthropy without legal delays or financial obstacles.
Thus we are deeply dismayed by the proposals from the UK government in its recent budget to enforce a restrictive cap on tax efficient giving.
It is claimed, without producing a scrap of evidence, that these measures are essential to...
Lifestyle
Hello Everyone!
First of all I wanted to thank you for your support by purchasing copies of one of my books. I really appreciate it!
As you may know I have self-published all three books in the series. While this gives me control over the series it does mean that there are significant costs involved in the production and development of each book. Following the wonderful feedback I have received from some of you I firmly believe that these books could become popular across Canada (and maybe even beyond), with the right backing.
I have been looking at various options and have seen that other authors have had some success through the Crowd Funding website www.kickstarter.com. My plan is to launch a campaign to help with the production of the next book in the series. With luck I will...
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To My Dear Sick Child:
I find the word “addict” a disrespectful label and therefore shall use the term I prefer, addicted person, to preserve regard and respect. The general public by and large fears addicted persons because of the high crime rates associated with the addicted persons’ need for another fix. However, as a bereaved mother who lost her grown son to drug intoxication eleven years ago, I have a different perspective. I respect you and your right to life. I want you to live a long life. You don’t scare me and your behavior doesn’t scare me because I understand your illness.
Are you fused to your drugs? Has the line blurred between where you begin and the drug ends—and vice versa? Or has that line disappeared completely?
Addiction is a brain disease in which the...
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My daughter, Hayley … is 31 yo and in an all women’s treatment facility in southern California. She has now been clean/sober for over 75 days, and seems to have vigorously embraced sobriety and the 12 step recovery program. She was a crack and IV heroin user for about a year …
It doesn’t matter what or how much we used or drank—the mentality of addiction is largely the same from addict to addict. Though the behaviors are different from substance to substance: if you read Bill Clegg’s book, as a crack user his behavior was different from mine. He smoked crack in bathrooms and hotels; I used all sorts of prescription drugs in all sorts of ways “not as prescribed.” I didn’t have a crack stem; he didn’t have fentanyl patches; but at the end we were both isolated and alone, with confused...
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I am a drug user. I need help.
Don’t solve my problems for me. This only makes me lose respect for you.
Don’t lecture, moralize, scold, blame, or argue, whether I’m loaded or sober. It may make you feel better, but it will make the situation worse.
Don’t accept my promises. The nature of my illness prevents me keeping them, even though I mean them at the time. Promises are only my way of postponing pain. Don’t keep switching agreements; if an agreement is made, stick to it.
Don’t lose your temper with me. It will destroy you and any possibility of helping me.
Don’t allow your anxiety for me make you do what I should do for myself.
Don’t cover up or try to spare me the consequences of my using. It may reduce the crisis, but it will make my illness worse.
Above all, don’t run away...
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I am a broken person.
I am tired of making excuses and pretending everything is fine. I am tired of holding this family together. I am tired of your reactions, your moods, your erupting anger.
I am tired of explaining to the kids why you don't come and eat dinner with us or why your eyes are red or why you haven't slept for days or why you're acting funny or weird.
I am so tired of your drug use. I am just so tired of being tired because you've kept me up all night accusing me of things.
I am tired of keeping this pain that I feel inside to myself. Living like everything is happy families every day when everything is in turmoil.
You need to fix the damage you've done. You need to try. You need to show me you want this family.
This family loves you unconditionally. Your...
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Dear Alan Davey,
We are writing on behalf of the membership organisations, Theatre for Young Audiences UK (TYA UK) a member of Global Association ASSITEJ and Action for Children’s Arts (ACA), who between them represent more than 400 independent artists and organisations committed to the arts for children and young people.
We are writing to raise our collective concerns about the positioning of the arts for young people in the recent This England report.
As an artistic community dedicated to developing the arts for, by and with children and young people, we welcome the centrality of Goal 5 in the Arts Council’s 10 year Strategic Framework. We share your belief that every child and young person should have the opportunity to experience the richness of the arts. We also share your...
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To my Children and my Grandchildren,
Following are some of life’s lessons – learned (sometimes poorly) by me along the road winding through my 65 years on earth. Read them and heed them if they make sense to you.
Guard your health above all else. Care for your body, mind and spirit or you will not live the best life possible.
Surround yourself with those who would make you grow, not just with those who make you comfortable. Humans tend to mirror those around them, don’t mirror people just like you or you may never reach your full potential.
Find a purpose and pursue it until you find a new one. You have many stages of life to visit, each may suggest a new purpose – from growing your body to adulthood; to education of your mind; to bearing and raising children; to pursuing...
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Dear Tim,
The shape and purpose of residential child care for some of our most vulnerable children could be set for a generation in forthcoming government announcements which are in response to a high-profile parliamentary report on runaway children and news reports concerning child sexual exploitation.
The announcements follow some terrible incidents but change should be considered in the calmest possible way in case rushing to judgement makes things worse.
You know the sector well having shadowed the brief for many years in opposition and having been the Minister for the last two years. You have often gone on record as praising the positive role that residential child care can play.
I have been involved with residential child care over four decades and the new media and...
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Dear Grandparents of Kids with Special Needs,
You are the grandparent of a child with special needs. This makes you awesome, brilliant, remarkable, and treasured! Do you realize you offer our family something that no one else in the world is able to offer?
As a mom of children with special needs, here’s some really important information I want you, my parents and parents-in-law, to know:
1. You give our child sweet unconditional love, and for this I thank you.
Do not ever underestimate how much your unconditional love makes a difference. There was a day my son came to your house, and you had set up a little village of Legos on your living room floor. You had his favorite snack ready, and he got to be King for the Day at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. He felt special. You didn’t...
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