Whether or not you have a good or bad birth experience isn’t all down to whether you have your ‘ideal’ birth – it’s also about how you are made to feel throughout labour and birth. Your relationship and experience with your maternity care-givers matters. The White Ribbon Alliance, a global organisation which demands the right to a safe birth for every woman highlights the importance of this relationship – Women’s experiences with caregivers can empower and comfort or inflict lasting damage and emotional trauma. Either way, women’s memories of their childbearing experiences stay with them for a lifetime and are often shared with other…
Tag: london
Yogalime Mums and Bumps Club
Introducing our Mums and Bumps Club. We had our first meet up last weekend and a jolly time we had too! Sabrina, who is in her later stages of pregnancy shared that she really enjoyed herself and ‘it was great to hear the birth stories, tips on colic and feeling that there is a support network, knowing that everyone is going through the same thing.’ The Club builds on relationships forged in our Pregnancy and Postnatal Yoga classes and has been created to bring women together, enabling experiences to be shared, learning, nurturing friendships and creating local support networks. It offers an opportunity for mums…
London Celebrates its First International Day of Yoga
The UN declared June 21st as the International Day of Yoga, after 175 (out of 193) Nations backed India’s Resolution. 192 countries worldwide are reported to having participated in celebrations marking the first International Day of Yoga across the globe. The date was chosen to coincide with Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. In yoga philosophy, it is considered that this is the day when knowledge of yoga was first shared with the world. It’s also thought to be a time where natural support for those pursuing spiritual practices is greater. Events were held across the UK. Incredible India…
One Housing Groups’ Plans to raze the Isle of Dogs Estates – Birthing Behemoth
I don’t say this in jest, One Housing Group (OHG) plans to extinguish the Isle of Dogs Community as we all know it and create something altogether unreasonable. Plans are in tangible form – welcome to ‘Project Stone’. Project Stone relates to four Housing Estates all at the heart of the Island Community – The Barkantine, St Johns, Samuda and Kingsbridge Estates. The Estates were originally part of the Tower Hamlets Council Housing Stock and following privatisation measures are now owned and managed by OHG. At an open public meeting called by the labour party yesterday at the St John’s…
Tower Hamlets on Fire at Defend Democracy
Tapas means ‘to burn or create heat’ and there was certainly that at an emergency rally in Mile End to defend democracy in Tower Hamlets last night, following Eric Pickles announcement to send in commissioners to oversee the running of Tower Hamlets Council (THC). A diverse community attended including the media, residents and supporters of Mayor Lutfur Rahman – there was no end to the number of people entering the hall throughout the evening. All seats were taken and 100’s were happy to stand at the perimeter. This was a coming together of community. Neither was there a shortage of…
MCM Comic Con Hits London Excel
On Saturday I observed huge amounts of activity around Londons Excel Centre and realised MCM Comic Con was in town. Of course, I had to go down to see all the wonderful costumes, people in character and say hello (with camera in tow). What I loved about this experience was the energy, one of acceptance, body confidence, and how friendly participants were in sharing their passion with others for this genre. The MCM London Comic Con is a multi-genre fan convention focusing largely on manga, video games, cosplay, animae, sci-fi and popular media from Japan, the UK and USA. Below, I share…
Supporting New Parents on the Isle of Dogs
On Monday I popped into Café Forever on the Isle of Dogs in London E14, to meet with the ‘Bumps and Babies’ Group – part of the Community Parents initiative. The group aims to support people when they become a parent or are new to the area. It’s open to mums and dads and expectant mums and dads. Cafe Forever is a ministry of London City Mission which ‘exists to share with the people of London, the transforming love of God in Jesus Christ, and to enable them to join his church.’ Speaking with some of the parents attending, I gained…
Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict
On 10-13th June 2014, London’s Excel centre will be hosting the worlds’ largest summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. British Embassies and High Commissions around the world will be hosting events coinciding with the Summit. Global solidarity and support for this initiative is being shared on twitter with the #TimeToAct . Summits Aims The summit aims to create practical action, bringing about changes at a grass roots level and to create momentum against this atrocity. It will be co-chaired by the Foreign Secretary and Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The issue of Ending…
Million Women Rise in London against Male Violence
Today London was home to thousands of women marching across London towards a rally held in Trafalgar square, in solidarity with Europe’s largest women’s march: ‘Million Women Rise’ against male violence in all its forms. The aim of Million Women Rise is to end male violence against women and children. The campaign believes that solidarity amongst women is key to achieving this objective, as – ‘Unity is strength and the voices of many are louder together, than a single voice.’ MWR describes male violence against women and children as a ‘global pandemic’ which devastates lives, communities and ‘threatens to undermine…
Fascist Group EDL Diminished by Tower Hamlets in Solidarity
Far-right group the English Defense League were unable to enter Tower Hamlets in London on Saturday 7th September 2013, as thousands stood in solidarity to protect the East London Mosque, which had been threatened by the EDL. Trade Unions, local mosques and organisations helped to mobilise people onto Whitechapel Road. All were in unison in a stand against the EDL.