Will You Catch Me?

I am going to start with telling you about Nacoa, a charity very close to my heart and who I am an advocate for.

Will You Catch Me? has a lot of love and laughter but sadness too, as Nell has a mum with alcohol addiction and so her home life is very difficult. 

The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (Nacoa) has a helpline: 

0800 358 3456 

You can call to talk to someone in confidence.

If you are affected by a parent or relative with an alcohol addiction remember the Six 'C's: 

1. I didn't cause it

2. I can't control it

3. I can't cure it

4. I can take care of myself

5. I can communicate my feelings  

6. I can make healthy choices 

Some of you may feel like you don't have anyone to talk to but 

please remember that you are not alone.

 Remember the Six 'C's above and look after yourselves. 

Here is more information about Nacoa for you.

Here is a video to remember that #URNotAlone

Nell, in Will You Catch Me? thinks that she can stop her mum drinking and blames herself. 

Remember the first 3 of the 6’C’s written above.

1. I didn't cause it

2. I can't control it

3. I can't cure it
   

Here is an extract from my audio book of Will You Catch Me?

Read by actress Emma Noakes with kind permission of W.F. Howes.

I know that some of my readers have gone for help after reading Will You Catch Me? 

Every year the week in which Valentines falls, 14th February, is Children of Alcoholics Week or COA Week as it is known. A week to support Children of Alcoholics. 

Here are some messages of Celebrity Support , that might be of comfort to read to know#URNotAlone

Willem In How to Fly with Broken Wings has Asperger’s Syndrome This is a type of autism. Willem finds it hard to read social signals like body language and facial expressions and also takes things literally. So for example:, if you came in from the heavy rain and said to him the saying; “It’s raining Cats and Dogs out there.” Willem would run to the window expecting to see Cats and Dogs falling from the sky. People with Asperger’s often have a subject that they are obsessed with, they know everything about and love to talk to people about it. With Willem, it’s flying.

Some of my readers have realised that they are like Willem and as a result have talked to an adult about how they are feeling. It’s so important to talk.  Do not keep feelings bottled up inside. 

Finn Mason in How to Fly with Broken Wings is a bully but he is also a victim himself, in that he is involved in a gang and is used by the older gang member of the Beckham Street Boyz.

Young people become involved in gangs for many reasons. It could be because of where they live, or peer pressure. Quite often they are lured in and made to feel like they belong, that they are in a family. This is a dangerous path to take. TJ, in How to Fly with Broken Wings nearly ruins his life by being in the Beckham street Boyz but you will meet him four years later in Will You Catch Me? and you will see that he has had the courage to turn his life around.

Click below for some important information from the charity Childline about gangs.

Phone Childline 0800 1111 if you are in trouble.

https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/crime-law/gangs/#1

Here is another excellent charity that helps young people: GangsLine 

https://www.gangsline.com/

Here is the phone number for the 

Autism Helpline
0808 800 4104 

https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/about-us/contact-us.aspx

My book is dedicated to: 

‘Anyone Who’s Ever Been Told They Can’t.’

Bee has asthma but she doesn’t let it stop her. 

Here is a very inspirational video “Alexis’s Story”, where she talks about her asthma not stopping her living her life. 

I have asthma and always have my inhaler with me. Make sure you do too. Alexis talks about her parents being divorced, so she has an inhaler at both parents’ houses. Make sure you have inhalers at school and at people’s homes you visit regularly. For example, if you go for regular sleepovers at a friend’s, make sure that they have a spare inhaler for you. Be Asthma Wise. Be Safe!

Moon-Star Higgins, in Swimming to the Moon is part of the traveling community.

Moon- Star, has difficulties at school and is fortunate that he has a good friend in Bee, to help him with his troubles.

I would just say to everyone reading this, reach out and be kind to each other. 

If you are part of the travelling community and if you would like to talk to someone about an issue, for example, bullying. Phone Childline on 0800 1111

Here is a link to the Youth Travellers Times with information:

https://www.travellerstimes.org.uk/ytt/advice/childline

Bee, in Swimming to the Moon is grieving for her Great-Gran Beatrix. She misses her more than all the bees in all the hives in the whole wide world.

Maybe you are missing someone who has died.

Grief is such a difficult emotion and you can feel a confusion of different feelings at different times and that’s ok.

Here are two excellent links to dealing with grief:

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms/grief-and-loss/
https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/your-feelings/feelings-emotions/when-someone-dies/

If your family’s going through issues like Moon-Star’s mum and grandmother, Old Alice. You might want to show your families the below links to two amazing organizations who help with human rights for the traveling community. 

The Traveller Movement https://travellermovement.org.uk/

Margaret Clitherow Trust
http://www.margaretclitherow.org/

Grace’s Mum, in A Room Full of Chocolate, has breast cancer.

When I was six my Mum had breast cancer and I was sent away to live on a farm in Yorkshire. I remember feeling confused and alone with my feelings.

Some of my characters in my different books go through the same issues. 

Grace, Nell, and Moon-Star are all Young Carers. This means they are looking after someone who can’t look after themselves. If you are a Young Carer this can be very difficult. Dealing with schoolwork and not being able to meet up with friends among many other issues. It might leave you feeling stressed, lonely and depressed. Reach out and talk to someone about how you are feeling.

Here is the link to Childline’s page for Young Cares. Do take a look and read their tips and get some support.

Remember the phone number to talk to Childline is 0800 1111

https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/home-families/family-relationships/young-carers/

Bullying is one of the themes in my books.

If you are being bullied. Please talk to someone. Tell them what is going on.

Click on the below link to get support.

https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/bullying-at-school/

Here is the Childline page on the different types of bullying. 

Grace suffers from Cyberbullying, receiving nasty texts from Lucy Potts. 

Remember that number phone Childline on 0800 1111

https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/types-bullying

If someone you love has cancer, do not be alone with your feelings. 

Here is a link to a brilliant website:

http://www.riprap.org.uk/