I’ve been keeping a little secret, well actually it’s quite a big one. I’m going to be running The Paris Marathon next April.
Oh my goodness, it all sounds a bit real now!
I’ve spent much of my working life as an Oncology nurse and have I’ve lost too many people close to me including my father and good friends to cancer.
More recently, my much loved and very much missed Mother in Law, Wendy to Ovarian Cancer.
On 13th April 2025, I’m running the Paris Marathon in Wendy’s honour, to raise funds and awareness for the Ovarian Cancer charity, Ovarian Cancer Action and the Blood Cancer charity, DKMS of which I’ve been an Ambassador for almost 6 years.
It won’t be easy, it’s been quite some time since I ran anywhere but I’m going to give it my best! That’s a promise xx
I’d love your support. Every penny donated, every conversation started to support my Mission is very much welcomed.
I have two fundraising pages, one for each charity Ovarian Cancer Action and DKMS, the blood cancer charity so any support would be amazing. Be sure to check out both pages for additional information on each charity.
You may know that over the last few of years, I’ve been taking part in little Missions to raise funds and awareness for the Blood Cancer charity DKMS. It all started with one crazy idea, if you’d like to find out more click here: I’ve comitted to raising at least £600 for DKMS with for this Marathon.
Please do follow me on Instagram to keep updated with what’s happening with the #roadtoparis Mission and more! If you are part of a corporate company or your friends, family and colleagues would like to get involved, I’d love to hear from them too.
Strava is where my training is uploaded (you’ll be able to see just how slow I am!)
Finally, if you’d like to join me on a training run or would like to chat about my Mission, I’d LOVE to hear from you.
Thank you…
…for not thinking I’m crazy and for your support. I am honestly so nervous about this one. hopefully, with a big dollop of grit and determination, I’ll be able to conquer the Paris Marathon and do Wendy and the charities proud.
This Little Mission, The Christmas Gift Edit, I hope will bring you those gift solutions for the special people in your life, without breaking the bank or hurting the planet. I try to support small businesses as much as possible, so I hope this Gift Edit will introduce you to some brands you haven’t met before and that you’ll love as much as I do.
Ready? Grab a cuppa, a mince pie and let’s dive in!
Gifts For Your Coffee Lover
Your coffee lover will always enjoy an introduction to a new coffee or a brand new mug. Of course if you’re feeling really generous, the De’Longhi coffee maker is currently on offer. Whether it’s your best friend, work colleague or family member a coffee lover can never have enough mugs or coffee!
I love The Kitch Hen and have been a customer for a few years now. Caroline makes the most perfect edible gifts for those who need a little hug from afar, a well done, congratulations, a thank you and the perfect host gift too. I especially love the new Christmas collection, perfect for this Christmas gift Edit, and adore the Robyn design and the Christmas Eve Treat is brand new for this season, isn’t it fabulous?
Despite the fact we know we should look after ourselves better and make time to relax in this ever busy world, gifts for well-being really are such a treat. I’ve been a lover of Hoof and Paw Candles for years. The Christmas Candle is a yearly ritual (sorry now sold out but put a note in your diary for next year!) The Amethyst Crystal Candle is always burning when I’m working. Madeline at Hoof and Paws has recently launched a brand new range, the Chaka Collection which I know will be amazing. I have ordered the Intuition Candle ready for 2024 and can’t wait to light it. I know you’ll love these candles, they are the perfect table gift or gift for your host as well as your friends and family who adore candles and feeling good. .
Working with the magic of nature to enhance our wellbeing, mind and soul. Natural essential oil candles blended to work with the energy of our chakras.
Hoof and Paw
What’s better that to aid your wellbeing than with a fabulous good night’s sleep? You will love these gorgeous eye masks that gently warm up once they are placed over your eyes, banishing tension and helping you to let go of the stresses of the day. Simply sit back and relax!
The masks contain iron powder, which allows them to warm up once they are out of the pouch. Each pack contains 5 silky smooth single-use masks. You could give the whole box or gift one face mask with other items, making a little gift package. Maybe a lip balm and chocolates or whatever you wish. There is currently a special offer on until December 19th, buy 5 boxes and receive one free, valid when ordering the blue jasmine boxes only. Maybe keep a box for you, you deserve it!
This 7 day pill case from Tabuu has a separate compartment for every day, each holding up to 14 500mg paracetamol caplets and labelled with the day of the week to help keep things organised. It has a mirror built in, so it’s one less thing to throw in your bag.
Each individual lid compartment is removable so it’s nice and easy to keep clean, and cases are around the size of a smartphone so slip easily into coat pockets or bags! Love mine for when I’m travelling.
Gifts For Your Outdoor Lover
For the 2nd year in a row, Go Outdoors have partnered with the mental health charity, Mind, for Hats on For Mind. Last year, they raised over £233,000 for Mind and raise awareness of the impact spending time in the outdoors can have on your mental well-being. This year, we have new ambassador hat designs and all-new ambassador flasks. What a perfect gift whilst let’s get our hats on for Mind!
You know I love getting outside and walking on the SW coast path and Dartmoor and hope one of these might find its way under the tree with my name on! Aren’t they gorgeous? x
“It is not about how much we give, but how much love we put into giving”
Mother Teresa
Gifts For Your Garden Lover
The Blog is about finding the little gifts for the people you love without breaking their bank and preferably from a small business. These aged terracotta look planters tick that box! Fill with compost and spring bulbs, or flowering white narcissi, add a ribbon and your garden lover has a pot to keep for a lifetime and flowers they can enjoy too.
The Gardeners Handbook is a gift I’ve bought for a few of my Gardening friends and they’ve been really well received. The fabric covered gardening book is designed to last the great outdoors. Mark tips with the ribbon, write your to do list & stick photos on the recycled pages. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned gardener, journal your veg & garden plants with this organiser. Record seeds planted, growth & the garden tools use with this notebook
Penny aka Penny Albertella Jewellery, is a spiritual jewellery artist and is drawn to the vibrations and healing properties of crystals, gemstones and precious metals which the earth offers up and I love and am inspired by the natural beauty of nature and Italian design.
Penny designs and hand makes a collection of pieces and in addition, to order the makes special bespoke pieces made for clients to mark and celebrate those very special occasions and relationships. If you are looking for a special piece this Christmas, I know Penny will look after you.
Gifts To Share and Celebrate Life’s Special Moments.
The St Andrews Hamper Company make perfect presents luxury hampers and gifts filled with gorgeous eco and organic goodies to celebrate life’s special moments. These special hampers and collections are filled with lots of lovely gift ideas to share with family, friends and colleagues, or to enjoy on outdoor adventures, celebrations and special get togethers.
Alison and team are proud to be helping to turn the tide on plastic pollution by minimising single-use plastic throughout the business. Whilst some of their products, such as chilled foods, are plastic wrapped to ensure their quality and integrity, they never wrap their hampers in plastic and all our hamper and gift box packaging is recyclable – even their tissue paper is acid free!
Their Luxury Gardener’s Hamper is one of their most popular gifts in their unique gardener’s collection with 11 gorgeous gifts combining style, practicality and top quality. With mirror polished stainless steel, FSC registered hardwood handles and solid brass ferrules, the Sophie Conran tools are as good as they look at tackling tasks around the garden and come with a 10-year guarantee for added peace of mind. Includes a trio of eco products to cleanse and care for hands naturally. All beautifully presented inside a traditional woven trug-style basket and including a personalised message. Ideal for all kinds of gifting occasions, it’s perfect for keen gardeners and beginners alike at Christmas and any time of year.
If you follow me on instagram and read previous blogs, you’ll know I adore CharlesTed Interiors and have many pieces in my home. First establish in 2017, their mission is to help people create a more effortlessly stylish home with simple key pieces and to this day and we won’t ever stock anything they wouldn’t have in their own homes. I’ve shared three pieces which I adore and think you or your Interiors Lover will adore too.
Country Abodes is a country boutique offering unique luxury home ware and accessories. The quintessentially British collection includes roman blinds, curtains, cushions and lampshades, hand made from the most beautiful fabrics. They also offer a bespoke service for those who are after that extra special something, made to your own unique theme. I think you’ll agree, they really do Christmas very well!
I love a practical gift and these jars are a two in one type of gift. They are really reasonable at around the £3 mark, fill them with whatever you like, chocolates or bath salts, for example and they can be enjoyed long after the Christmas tree decorations have been taken down.
The Festive Candle from The Range is a perfect White Company dupe. Again it retails at around the £3 mark so won’t break the bank . It’s perfect for any “just in case gifts” for surprise visitors.
“I realised that Christmas is … is the time to be with the people you love.”
Bill Nighy, as Billy Mack in Love Actually
So there you have it, my Christmas Gift Edit for 2023. I really hope this Edit has helped spark some inspiration with the perfect gift solution for the special people in your life, Christmas or any celebration. Do let me know in the comments. I’ve tried to keep costs down to a minimum. Which is your favourite?
Creating a routine each morning that works for you, which in turn helps you boost your productivity, makes all the difference to your day.
However, it is tempting to stay under the duvet as the mornings are that much darker! The consequences of tapping that snooze button once or maybe three times, are that an already busy hour becomes even more chaotic.
How have your mornings been going this week..?
Let’s start slow before we make any adjustments..
What does your routine look like at the moment?
How would you like it to look in comparison?
Grab a cuppa and 5 minutes to scribble anything that comes into your mind in your journal.
It helps to have a clear vison of the now and the wish..
I know it sounds crazy but writing it down brings a clearer idea of what you are striving to achieve.
Do you wake up every morning full of vigour, ready to tackle the day with all of your energy, youthfulness and vitality?
No? Well, if it helps, you’re not alone. Promise!
Many of us virtually sleepwalk through the morning in a serious mental and physical fog, desperately plying ourselves with coffee in an attempt to wake up!
If this sounds like you, you might think you’re just not a morning person, and there’s nothing you can do about it. This isn’t the case.
While it’s true we all have varying predispositions to being either a “night owl” or a “morning person” it is possible to boost your morning energy, with a few simple strategies.
Going to a room that’s inviting and calm to sleep really does have a positive impact on a productive day.
Get A Good Nights Sleep.
Obvious I know, a good nights sleep increases productivity to function at our best and most of us need around 8 hours of sleep each night. If this sounds too good to be true, here are a few tips:
Establish a routine.
What does your routine look like at the moment?
Go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day.
Your body loves routine, and sleeping similar hours each day helps adjust your circadian rhythms, so that you naturally fall asleep and wake up refreshed.
Vigorous exercise or mentally stressful activities in the last hour or two before bedtime, can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
Chill out and relax before you go to bed. Watching Squid Game in bed isn’t the answer to relaxed sleeping, sorry!
The body responds to light and it is much easier to sleep in a completely dark room. Light can actually interfere with the body’s production of melatonin, a neurotransmitter which helps us sleep. Keep electronics and low lighting from alarm clocks to a minimum, especially your mobile phone. In an ideal world, it should be left outside your bedroom.
Start your morning right with a healthy, feel good breakfast.
Eat A Healthy Breakfast.
One of the main causes of low energy in the morning is low blood sugar due to the overnight fast and in addition to skipping breakfast.
We know this don’t we but eating a balanced breakfast, with a source of protein, whole grain carbohydrates, and fruits or vegetables prevents that mid morning slump and reaching for the biscuit barrell.
Avoiding sugary, highly processed carbs each morning, which trigger rapid peaks and troughs in blood sugar levels, means that those dips in energy will be gone and your productivity on point!
Avoid Excessive Caffeine And Alcohol.
Many of us feel dependent on the caffeine in tea or coffee, to get us through the morning. It does indeed provide a temporary boost, although this boost isn’t always as effective as you’d first think. Excessive caffeine can impair your ability to relax and it can interfere with your usual sleep patterns too. Alcohol on the other hand, tends to disturb your sleep cycle, leading to frequent waking, a poor night’s sleep overall and maybe even adding to that foggy head in the morning!
I’ve been loving these non alcoholic drinks which I’ve been switching for a glass of fizz – they are super yummy and low in sugar too.
Exercise In The Morning
One of the best ways to boost your morning energy, and ability to concentrate, is to get some exercise first thing in the morning. It was one of the many reasons I ran my fitness camps in the mornings at 6am and 9am.
Exercise helps improve your circulation, strength and flexibility, as well as your mood.
Exercising before work also gives you more energy on the job, while boosting your creativity.
As an added bonus, many studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning are the most consistent at staying with their exercise plan.
Waiting to exercise in the afternoon or evening, problems or scheduling conflicts often occur and prevent you from getting your workout in. (I know I’m guilty of this!)
Going for a morning walk, jog, swim session, or working out in your own home ensures that no matter what else happens that day, you’ve already had a chance to exercise. No excuses, hehe!
On a side note if my workout gear is all ready to go, prepped the night before, there is another little nudge to getting it done! Especially if you have arrange to workout with a friend.
Start your morning at the day ready to be productive
Creating A Morning Ritual Helps With Productivity
Try getting into the habit of starting your day with a relaxing ritual. Bare with me, especially if your morning this morning started with the alarm not going off and everyone charging out of the door clutching shoes and toast..!
Start slow but aim high – little by little introduce the above tips and it’ll happen! Promise!
I love to set my alarm that little bit earlier and head out for a walk in the Devon lanes, meditate or stretch. I know that might sound a little strange but I am SO much more productive for doing so.
Taking time out to simply be thankful for the day ahead, listening to uplifting music will help you to feel more in control of your day and set you up to deal with whatever life throws at you.
Remember, dreary, sleepy, foggy mornings don’t have to be the norm… With a little planning and preparation, you can start your day full of energy, enthusiasm and vitality!
Let’s make those little adjustments to a calmer and more efficient life without adding more!
Welcome to this blog, based on my experiences that I hope you’ll find useful if you are preparing for your child to leave home for University for the first time. I’ve compiled a list of what we did to prepare and what we packed in the hope it helps you support your fresher and family.
Firstly, congratulations! I really think we as parents need to stop, breathe and give ourselves a pat on the back of getting this far in parenthood. Yay! I hope that by sharing my experiences of navigating this emotional rollercoaster of a time, it”ll help you feel that you’re not only not on your own but it will help you save more and spend less.
It’s hard to believe that this time last year we were through with exams, both our teens had completed GCSE’s and A levels earlier in the summer, and we were in limbo waiting for results…
Our eldest had applied to University and is the first to leave home. In all honesty, I wasn’t ready.. I’m not sure if it’s because of lockdown and all the usual landmarks of school prom, leavers assemblies and more, hadn’t happened. It seemed the lead up to this time arrived so darn quickly..
This time reminds me very much of how it was when we were expecting our girl to arrive into the world – no idea what to expect as new parents, what we would really need, (the list appeared endless for such a teeny human!) and also how we would feel as a couple becoming a family.
Except this time was so very different, we were getting ready for our 18 year old to fly out into the big wide world and my heart was breaking. Of course I wouldn’t dampen her excited spirits but we’re close and it was so very odd, knowing our lives would be changed..
“Slipping through my fingers all the time I try to capture every minute The feeling in it Slipping through my fingers all the time”
Lyrics from Slipping Through My Fingers, Abba
There seemed SO much and yet so little information out there about our young adults leaving home. This period of time reminded me of when we were expecting our second child. I was keen each of our little family equally involved in the new arrival. Except this time we were preparing for a sibling to leave home, not arrive for the first time. We are extremely lucky, our children are very close. I knew my sons life would also change, they aren’t just as siblings, they are friends. Life would be different for all of us in our little household.
What did I do? I got list writing and preparing of course! It’s what I do!
I’ve compiled a list of what we packed and what we did to prepare in the hope it helps you support your fresher and family.
Kitchen Items
The temptation is to go overboard and get one of everything you own in your home kitchen. The truth is, you really don’t need to.
Here’s what we bought and has proved very useful – our girl used everything!
Tin opener
Sharp knife
Wooden spoon
Spatula
Kitchen Tongs
Kitchen Scissors
Cheese grater
Vegetable peeler
Saucepan (1 large, 1 small)
Frying pan
2 plates, 2 bowls 2 mugs
Resealable freezer bags
Sealing clips of different sizes for bags of pasta etc.
Bedroom Items
Similar to the kitchen items, I’d advise to pack what you know you will need and anything else you can order via Amazon or use as an excuse to visit! Remember even though they have gone off to University, shops exist and they will be fine!
Prepare with an aim to make the room as homely as possible. My girl and I went to buy the dovet and covers together, it was fun deciding on a new colour scheme from her room at home. I added a couple of items which I’ll share in my next blog Little Mission ~ Helping Your Fresher Settle Into their new Life
Cushions, throws, rugs, plants and photographs all add an instant homely feel. Check University halls individual guidelines as most won’t allow items such as kettles and candles.
Storage solutions are key for Uni rooms and this is where your trusty home furnishing stores such as Ikea, Homebase, Dunelm etc come in. Baskets and under bed storage bags are invaluable.
We packed smart as much as we could.
The dovet, pillows, pillow cases, towels etc we vacum packed into storage bag which saved a huge amount of space in the car. When in the room, these bags
A top tip we were given was to simply lift the clothes out of the wardrobe on their hangers put a dustbin bag over the hangers to form a temporary cover. When you arrive, you can simply hook them straight into the hanging space!
By planning ahead and spreading the costs, over what is an extremely expensive time, I hope you will have saved a little money too. Remember facebook marketplace and many of the homestores I mentioned earlier will have offers on for Univeristy students so keep a look out.
On that note, we found that shopping earlier, especially in Ikea, was key. (not an ad at all!) The store proves very popular at this time of year so don’t leave everything to the last minute.
I really hope this has helped take away a little of the overwhelm for you and your new University student in the preparation for them flying the nest. It’s an emotional roller coaster of a time but ride the wave in the knowledge you’ve supported your little one to this stage and you aren’t alone.
Stay in touch for more in this series including helping your fresher settling into their new life and how to manage moving in day!
Let me know in the comments if this helped and how you’re feeling.
I love to walk in the great outdoors and there are 3 apps I love to use when hiking or planning a hike. Read on to find out what I love to use when out and about.
Don’t get me wrong, my phone stays in my pocket when I’m hiking, there are too many lovely sights to take in.
Aren’t we lucky in the United Kingdom? So many places to explore from the moor to the sea and everywhere inbetween! Living in Devon, it’s important to me that as much as I love to be away from my phone, that I still have the connectivity of an app should I need.
Us Brits love to talk about the weather don’t we? If I was asked which app I look at most frequently, the Met Office app would definitely be in the top 5! When planning my walks, long or short, personally I feel it’s crucial to known what the weather is planning on doing, that way, I can plan what I wear and what I take with me in my ruck sack .
Here’s why I love the Weather App.
Quick switch between daily and hourly forecasts for your favourite locations
Interactive rainfall map and text forecast for the next 24 hours, or previous 6 hours (manual scroll or using play feature)
Real time UK National Severe Weather Warnings with the interactive warnings map for your UK saved locations
Instant notification of the official UK National Severe Weather Warnings for your saved locations– including snow, strong winds, ice, fog & rain
Watch the latest video weather forecasts
Dark mode available for compatible devices
Fun Fact! Did you know that the Met Office weather app is the winner of two awards in the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) International Weather App Awards 2020 for specialised app / weather warnings and for our public weather forecasts, including usefulness, reliability, quantity and quality of information.
The world reveals itself to those who travels on foot
This little app is the perfect app to not only help you when you are on the go but also to plan your routes and hikes.
You’ll be able to discover hundreds of thousands ready-made routes at your fingertips. Simply open the OS Maps app and instantly start finding local routes nearby.
You’re never far from a great route, not only that but you’ll be able to create and plot your own routes so you can explore the way you want to.
One feature that is really key for me living in beautiful Devon is that I can download the maps and routes to my phone so you can use them wherever you go.
You may remember when I was hiking the 26.2 virtual London Marathon for Mission 50 for DKMS, we lost signal for the second half of the event. Thankfully the Ordnance Survey app was quite happy on the SW coast path!
I did take a copy of the map as you can see just incase!
“Carry as little as possible but choose that little with care”
In 2009, Michael Horvath and Mark Gainey set out to recapture the camaraderie and competition of their days as college athletes. That vision has connected over 100 million athletes – and it’s still growing.
The Strava app is a free app, which allows you to track and analyse, share and connect and explore and compete for all of your physical activities. From Hiking to yoga, kayaking, running, cycling and many more fitness activities.
I love that you can turn on the “Beacon” feature, gives valuable peace of mind for athletes and their loved ones. “Simply share your location in real time with your friend, partner, parent, coach, butler, therapist, highly intelligent dog – anyone cool enough to have your back in an emergency.”
When you record an activity and it goes to your Strava feed. This is where your friends and followers can share their own races and workouts, give kudos to great performances and leave comments on each other’s activities; in other words a social network for athletes!
“The climb speaks to our character, but the view, I think, speaks to our souls”
Lori lansens
I hope if you’re new to walking or hiking that this blog has been helpful.
Are there any apps you love to use or have found useful when out hiking?
Which is your favourite?
As always, I’d love to know in the comments below. You’re also very welcome to join the conversation over on Instagram too!
I’m the creator of Woman on a Mission, a lifestyle space dedicated to helping women bring more calm, confidence and balance into everyday life. Born from my own journey to slow down and live with greater intention, it offers inspiration around wellbeing, organisation, home and mindset, one meaningful mission at a time
I have two fundraising pages, one for each charity Ovarian Cancer Action and DKMS, the blood cancer charity so any support would be amazing. Be sure to check out both pages for additional information on each charity.
