Pay

Like so many people, I used to buy The Big Issue now and again and not think that much about it. However I became a close follower of the charity after hearing Dr Sab Cohen Hatton on Desert Island Discs

Dr Sab Cohen Hatton is the youngest of just six female fire chiefs in the UK. However at 15 she was homeless, sleeping rough in Newport whilst still attending school. Each day after school she would get the bus to Monmouth and sell The Big Issue in order to try to improve her life for herself. 

I was humbled and inspired by her story and often relay how she has subsequently risen through the ranks of the fire service and gained a PhD in behavioural neuroscience. She has also written a book – The Heat of the Moment – based on her thesis and I often use this book in my coaching and public speaking activities.

Lockdown has been tough on everyone. But the Stay At Home message only works if you have a home so I was struck at just how hard Covid would hit some of our most vulnerable. I decided to support the Big Issue Foundation back in Lockdown 1 by creating a set of historical and literature based playing cards to help home schooling and have fun in lockdown. You can still enjoy playing with them and educating your kids (or yourself!) by buying them here!

We are hoping that the message of The52Project – that small things can really make a difference to your wellbeing – matches really well with our charitable intention. The idea is that if you don’t like the look of a tip and don’t want you to try it – that’s fine! Or if you try it once and think it is not for you, the last thing we want is for you to feel guilty about it! 

We talk a lot in our early blogs about how guilt, shame and feeling bad about yourself are proven to make you less likely to succeed when you try to introduce a new good habit or break a bad one – so we really don’t want you to feel guilty if you think one of the tips is just not for you – or you promise yourself you will get round to it – and don’t!