Editor’s letter
Spring is upon us and as the daffodills start to bloom, we at Hopezine are taking a moment to ponder what makes us happy. In mental health care, focussing on things that bring us happiness is known as positive psychology or compassion focussed therapy, which I’ve taken part in and that has brought me a happier life filled with joy.
In this special happy issue I invite contributors to seek what makes them happy, too. Whether it’s writer Jessica Oakwood’s swim or our Accessibility Consultant, Paul Nicholls’s easy access ramp, I hope you’ll find something that makes you smile among these pages this month. And I invite you to spend a few minutes thinking about what makes you feel happy as we thaw out from a cool winter season.
Enjoy! Erica x
Founding Editor: Erica Crompton
Accessibility consultant: Paul Nicholls
Cover image: Alice Evans
Contributors: Alice Evans, Paul Nicholls, Jessica Oakwood
Special thanks: Erin Hickey at Visit Scotland, Caroline Mason at Visit Brighton, Matthew Timmins, Laura Edwards at Fintel and all staff at our sponsors, Fintel.
Contents
Pages 4-5:
Writer and activist Jessica Oakwood has tapped out a poem about writing as therapy and how it makes her feel good
Pages 6-7:
In this poem about dressing-up dopamine-style, neurodivergent writer Jessica Oak flings open her wardrobe and gives us a peek inside
Pages 14-15:
Editor Erica Crompton delights in the Ballintaggart restaurant’s razor clams for this spring issue
Pages 24-25:
Accessibility Consultant Paul Nicholl’s turns himself into a wizard with some homemade and magical cocktails
hopezine.com 