Passionate Blog

Marvellous mum gets hotel's Mother's Day treat

MUM Diane Holmes is one in a million - and thanks to son Chris is all set for a Mother's Day to remember.

The Walsall sixth former has won Diane a treat by nominating her for a pamper day and family meal from The Village Hotel.

He said she deserved the special thank you for her support in him getting a place at Oxford University.

Single mum Diane will dine in style this Sunday, 14 March, enjoying a five-course meal for four at Walsall’s Village Hotel and get a make-over and hair styling session from a hotel beautician.

Queen Mary’s Grammar School pupil Chris, 17, put forward his mum, a teaching assistant at Walsall’s Joseph Leckie Community Technology College, for the Mother’s Day prize to say thanks for all her encouragement and support over the years.

The teenager, who is studying five A levels, has been offered a place at Mansfield College, Oxford, to study geography next year, if he is successful in his exams. He has already got 12 GCSEs, 10 at grade A star and two at grade A.

“She’s just a fantastic mum and really deserves a great treat,” said Chris.

“I thought this would be a fantastic way to say thank you to mum for all the support she’s given to me as I’ll be leaving her soon to go off to university.

Bloggers unite in festive theatre campaign to boost children's cancer charity

Photo by Ell Brown on Flickr

UK parent bloggers are joining forces to laugh their socks off while raising cash for a children’s cancer charity.

Bloggers are signing up for The Great Panto Review 2009 which will benefit NACCPO – The National Alliance of Childhood Cancer Parents’ Organisations.

Leading theatres in England, Scotland and Wales have agreed to give bloggers access so their reviews can spread ‘word of mouth’ throughout the blogospshere.

Cardiff’s New Theatre where John Barrowman is appearing as Robin Hood and the Birmingham Hippodrome where Ray Quinn and Joe Pasquale will star in Sleeping Beauty were among the first to pledge to welcome the bloggers and back the charity effort.

A Passionate encounter for kids' TV star

IT'S a tough job but someone has to do it!

Here's Katie getting up close (but not quite personal, thank you!) with the lovely Mark Rhodes.

Mark was at a very special event last Saturday. He spoke movingly of what a wonderful woman his mum was when he attended a remembrance service organised by Compton Hospice.

Women's business group co-founded by Passionate Media soars

I'M delighted to report that a recent visitors' day organised by the Cannock and Stone Wings groups proved a huge hit.

More than 40 people turned up to find out more about what we get up to.

The idea of the joint event was to bring together Wings' longest-serving and most recent members, to help give visitors a real idea of what the group is about.

"Virtual" success with The Independent

THANKS to education and careers writer Hazel Davis and her interest in Carmen's training for virtual assistants, there was a great piece in the Independent earlier this week.

The story is now being followed up by another national paper. What's particularly interesting for me on this is that Linda didn't send Hazel a press release, but trusted her instincts as to what she may be interested in pitching to one of her regular outlets.

A story we worked on with Carmen for Red magazine resulted in hundreds of enquiries. I wonder what this latest coverage will bring. [Carol]

'You've got your hands full' in The Telegraph

LINDA'S blog all about multiple birth children, You've got your hands full is featured in an in-depth piece in The Telegraph today, by Diane Shipley.

As she can bore for England on the subject of blogging, (that's Linda of course, not Diane) it's great to see some recognition. She was also interviewed about twins on Radio Stoke earlier this week, in the wake of the sisters on Big Brother.

It's a shame more depressing and predictable news has taken over where that show is concerned. Suddenly Samanda don't seem so bad. [Carol]

Passionate highlighted in UK flexible working survey

We were delighted to welcome employee relations adviser Mike Emmott from the CIPD recently to help him in his mission to compile a report on how small businesses can embrace flexible working.

Carole's one step ahead

We always like to report on what our clients are getting up to, especially when they're raising money for charity.Here's a couple of pictures of Carole Doyle from Acutec when she took part in the Breakthrough Breast Cancer 60km walk in Birmingham. You can read more about it here.  Hey Carole, I wonder if you'll be signing up for this next? [Carol]

Latest twins feature and a new blog

This month's edition of the NSPCC's Your Family magazine contains our three-page spread on having twins or triplets. The families interviewed were a joy to deal with. Each had faced their own dramas and the sorts of challenges that are so often par for the course when you have a multiple birth family. There isn't a link available online to the current issue but it's available in all Early Learning Centres! What shone through, despite the inevitable difficulties, especially with babies born so early, was how blessed we all are.

'What my heart wants to say'

Just to add to Linda's post about what we've been up to this week, I wanted to let you know that we have a starring role in Chat today. That's issue no. 38 dated 28 September. Its entitled 'Walking tall'. Needless to say we've all had a little tear after reading it this morning.

I rushed to the newsagents on the way to work and bought five copies. How about that for measured anticipation? The woman looked at me strangely as she ran them through the till. 'I'm in the magazine' I said, 'so I'm buying copies for my family'.  She obviously thought I was mad.

Anyway, here's a couple of pictures that got away - Pontins Easter bonnet parade 1978 and Christmas 1984. Bill and Ben eat your heart out.[Carol]

Related posts: Women's weeklies? We love 'em, Our Carol's a winner