Why money matters to mental well-being
By Dr. Hana Patel, NHS GP & Medico-Legal Expert Witness. Financial and money worries are often reasons that patients consult with me, as, this can impact on our mental health. Sadly with the increased cost-of-living pressures, I am seeing first hand with patients how this can lead to more financial stress. Having mental health issues […]
Bird twitching is good for your mental health
By Erica Crompton Since recently moving into an accessible bungalow that backs on towoodlands, I’ve discovered the joys of bird watching. Take a look atmy view from the French windows! All green and woodland.By far the best investment has been a metal bird-feeder to hang ona branch outside. It does need to be metal to […]
Summer Hopezine 2023 made with love with Unlock
With over 12 million people in the UK holding a criminal record, it’s time Hopezine handed over it’s pages to law-abiding citizens who have criminal records. This summer is the specialedition made with members of the charity, Unlock, for people with criminal records. Think it doesn’t apply to you? Tried cannabis in your teens or […]
Abandon hope all ye who enter here, philosophical words by Con Cord
Were those words actually attached to the police station, the courtbuilding, the prisons or probation offices I visited during the course of my criminal journey?No, they weren’t.They actually refer to Dante’s Inferno and an inscription above the gates of Hell.Did I abandon all hope as I frequented those establishments?With hindsight……Not quite, but very nearly.It is […]
Accessible travel at Mollett’s Farm, Suffolk
By Erica CromptonWe stayed in a development that, like many contributors in this month’sissue, had a second chance. At Mollett’s Farm in Saxmundham, Suffolk,a former waste land on the farm has been transformed into a series ofaccessible accommodations. I went along with our resident wheelchairuser and Accessibility Consultant, Paul Nicholls. On entering we found adisabled […]
Ballintaggart restaurant ticks all the boxes for accessibility, style & taste
What makes me feel happy? Food, of course! Paul and I recently inhaled the most splendid of seafood supers at Ballintaggart restaurant in the Grandtully countryside by a wee river in Perthshire. We are pushed to think of a time we had tastier fish. The razor clams were doused in the most delicious creamy sauce […]
A delightfully accessible day in York
As one of the UK’s biggest tourist destinations, Paul and I fiddled with chocolate buttons and ate like Fat Dan from Rate My Takeaway recently in York. For our stay we drove 20 miles North East of the city centre to Sandburn Hall Hotel which had the most sophisticated wetroom we’ve yet to encounter on […]
Sent to a newly chic Coventry
With its recent reign of City of Culture, Coventry has had a revamp. Think flat streets: the silver lining to a a rebuild after the World War II bombings. There’s chic retro restaurants and the viral sensation that is Binley Mega Chippy, too. We went along to see what it was all about. Our first […]
“What soothes you?” asks Hopezine summer 2022
This pretty edition of summer 2022 Hopezine has been brought to you by students studying A-level photography at Stafford College. Its’ been inspired by Project Soothe, a citizen science project that urges participants to photograph what soothes them and to share this with others. Leah Greenaway-Lewis has been guest editor of this issue and shared […]
Stanley Clare’s setting sun is beautiful
One thing I find very soothing is watching the sun set. I’m very lucky as Ilive in a dark sky part of the country so there is no noticeable lightpollution to obscure the sun. One of the biggest draws for me to watchingthe sun set is that it is different every time, depending on the […]