Sunday 29 April 2012

Tonight i'm mainly loving Beatboxing!

I've got a new passion! If you hadn't guessed by the title it's beatboxing. I could never do it in a million years but i admire those who can. Especially Dave Crowe who i discovered on Youtube tonight. I would love to see this guy live. Not only is he amazingly talented at beatboxing but he also seems to be able to entertain a crowd.


"Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments"

Take a look and let me know what you think.

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Purple Pledge campaign

My daughter has always been fairly healthy, that is until the end of last year when she had a seizure at school, at the time she just felt faint but on collapsing she banged her head off of the desk and the floor and then a seizure followed. I thought stupidly that it was a one off and that it wouldn't happen again until that is, she had another seizure one month later and epilepsy was discussed. Watching a seizure is frightening and scary and since it has happened i have done my best to research epilepsy and during this research came across the Purple Pledge Campaign which i want to highlight in my blog this evening.

Sadly, just because a child isn't born with epilepsy doesn't mean they are immune and that it won't develop in the future.




Paint the town purple!
Celebrities join forces with Young Epilepsy to launch My Purple Pledge
Young Epilepsy is urging people all over the country to back flagship campaign ‘My Purple Pledge’ this March, and make a difference to the lives of the 112,000 young people in the UK living with epilepsy.
Backed by a series of famous faces including Commonwealth, European and World Champion 400 metre hurdler Dai Greene, Young Epilepsy is asking the public and celebrities alike to do something purple and help put a spotlight on this misunderstood condition. 
Pledges could range from wearing purple to work or school, baking and selling purple cakes, taking part in a Purple Zumba, or even being sponsored to lie in a bath of blackcurrant juice! Anything goes and the quirkier the better!   Any pledge – big or small – will help raise vital funds for the charity which is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to children and young people with epilepsy and other associated neurological conditions.
‘My Purple Pledge’ coincides with Purple Day (26 March 2012), the international day to mark epilepsy awareness and National Epilepsy Awareness Week (May 2012).
Young Epilepsy Ambassador, Dai Greene, said: “My Purple Pledge aims to put epilepsy on the map and make people aware of what it really means. I’m fully behind the campaign and will be pledging purple to help improve the lives of a lot of young people with epilepsy. I’m hoping that as many people as possible will be ‘in the purple’ for the 26 March and help raise desperately needed funds for such a deserving cause.
“Epilepsy effects over 112,000 children and young people under the age of 25 – including myself - and is the most common neurological condition in the UK.  Despite this, it’s still relatively unknown and has little awareness.”
Lisa Farmer, Director of Fundraising at Young Epilepsy, commented: “My Purple Pledge is a fun way of generating awareness about a very serious condition.  All monies raised through the campaign will be used to provide life-changing support through our special school, college, medical centre and residential homes.  Ultimately, it will help young people with epilepsy across the country to fulfill their potential.”







  Waterloo Road actor backs epilepsy fundraising and awareness campaign
Philip Martin Brown, who plays the grumpy Grantly Budgen from hit BBC show Waterloo Road, is urging the nation to back flagship campaign ‘My Purple Pledge’, and make a difference to the 112,000 young people aged 25 and under living with epilepsy in the UK.
Launched by Young Epilepsy – a national charity dedicated to children and young people living with epilepsy – My Purple Pledge coincides with International Purple Day (26 March).  Its aim is to encourage people to make a ‘purple pledge’ and help raise vital funds to create better futures for young lives living with the condition.
Having been diagnosed with epilepsy himself at the age of 19, Philip is a Young Epilepsy ambassador and has made his own purple pledge: donating Waterloo Road memorabilia signed by all the cast – including a script from the last series and a visit for four to the show’s set in Scotland.  The prize is being auctioned as part of the My Purple Pledge campaign.
Philip Martin Brown comments: “My Purple Pledge aims to put epilepsy on the map and make people aware of what it really means. I was diagnosed in my late teens and am fully behind the campaign that is helping to improve the lives of young people with the condition.
“I’ve made my pledge and I hope as many people as possible will join me and help raise desperately needed funds for such a deserving cause. Your pledge could range from hosting a sponsored ‘wear purple to work or school day’ to baking and selling purple cakes – basically anything that helps raise money. The options are endless.”
Backed by a series of other famous faces - including Commonwealth, European and World Champion 400 metre hurdler Dai Greene - Young Epilepsy is asking the public and celebrities alike to do something purple and help put a spotlight on this misunderstood condition. 
Pledges can be made online at www.mypurplepledge.com and can range from hosting a purple themed event, taking part in a Purple Zumba, or even being sponsored to lie in a bath of blackcurrant juice!  Anything goes and the quirkier the better!   Any pledge – big or small – will help raise vital funds for the charity which is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to
Epilepsy is a serious debilitating disorder of the body’s nervous system causing symptoms such as paralysis, muscle weakness and seizures.  It affects around one child in every primary school and five in every secondary school.   Around 6,000 young people will experience communication, learning or behaviour problems. In some cases they will also have a significantly higher mortality rate.
The Children’s ISA is the main My Purple Pledge sponsor for 2012, with the first commercial partner being EasyLink UK, which provides epilepsy seizure monitors.
Please visit www.mypurplepledge.com for more information or to follow My Purple Pledge on Twitter @purplepledge.
Here is a youtube video showing what to do when a seizure happens.



Me and my daughter are hoping to bake some purple cakes for National Epilepsy Awareness Week. (Anyone know the best place to get purple icing?!) We will upload the photographs when we make them and perhaps we will create a just giving page and do a raffle or something similar. I will update as soon as we have figured out what we will be doing to help the cause.

I have been granted permission to use the images and information regarding the purple pledge campaign by www.youngepilepsy.org.uk/ and i thank them for allowing me to highlight such an important subject on my little blog.