Awemix Charity Watches - Breast Cancer*

Putting on my watch is one of the first things I do when I wake up in the morning and I cannot go about my day unless I am wearing one. When I saw the stylish watches that were available from a brand called Awemix, not only did I think they looked nice, I also thought they were for a very good cause and couldn’t wait to get my hands on one.

The watches have been launched by brother and sister team Michael and Sandy Niman. 20% from every £20 watch sold goes to charity which I think is really lovely. Not only does the charity benefit by receiving some money, the Awemix watch designs also raise awareness to the causes that they represent. Since wearing this watch I have had a few compliments and it always sparks a conversation. I think the watches are very affordable and stylish.

I received the watch that has been designed for Breast Cancer, for the charity Keeping Abreast. There is also a watch that has been designed for Norfolk Wildlife Trust for Wildlife & Conservation. The community nominates and votes on which charities they want to support and these are the two that were chosen. Norfolk Wildlife Trust is the oldest Wildlife Trust in the UK and the donations have been used for vital habitat conservation in Norfolk. Keeping Abreast supports women with either breast cancer or the hereditary BRCA gene, who are considering or undergoing immediate or delayed breast reconstruction. The money that they receive from Awemix goes towards funding the services they offer including information, support and practical help.

Awemix watches have partnered with numerous universities across the country, from Aberdeen to UEA, as well as Raise the Bar; a spoken word events company. Awemix Watches can also be found in five stores around East Anglia, with further shops planned. I love that it is local in this sense, but feel proud that they will be branching out nationally.

Overall I personally think the concept is amazing. It is rare that you find a company so passionate about helping others and it really does feel like a good cause. The watches are stylish enough to be worn and I personally feel proud to wear one knowing that they contribute to such good causes.

Head over to Awemix to get your hands on one of these designs. It's for a great cause!

*I received this item free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

My Purrfect Gift Box - November*

 My Purrfect Gift Box  is my favourite cat subscription box out there and after not receiving it for a month I was so excited to see what I had been missing out on for the November box. This month’s theme was all about relaxing, just what I needed during the stresses of the festive season. When you buy this box a portion of the subscription costs goes to support UK cat charities, rescue centres and animal shelters. So while you are giving to yourself, know you are giving to the cats that need us across the UK.

One way to really relax and de-stress is to use a colouring book. This one contains 70 detachable pages filled with plenty of cat designs and patterns. I made a start one one of the pages recently and it’s amazing how your mind completely switches off and all of your worries are forgotten whilst colouring in. it really is the ultimate way to relax if you have a bit of spare time and I find it calms me down more so than if I was to switch on the TV or the IPad. This product retails at £7.99, worth every penny.

To go with the colouring book we received this super cute handmade pencil case packed with coloured pencils. Etsy seller Zookaboo retails similar cases for £15.00. the case can also be used for make-up or to store other bits and bobs in your handbag. The cat pattern is absolutely stunning!

One of the cat gifts this month was this huge Kong Kickeroo and three bamboo balls. This aims to help cats vent their frustrations, which definitely distracted Biscuit from ruining the Christmas tree so I was very grateful for this item! It intends to promote exercise in the cat which is something Biscuit needs help with. He seemed to take a liking to this toy straight away so is definitely a winner in my eyes!

We received this Lavender Pillow with cat design, filled with dried French lavender. This smells lovely and I have popped it in the top drawer of my bedside table so when I put away my items and go to bed, I can smell it which instantly relaxes me. Available from Etsy retailing at £5.50.

One of my favourite items in this month’s box is the Nancy&Nell handmade plum and rhubarb candle with cute personalised cat themed lid. The scent on this is absolutely gorgeous and I love that it’s purple to match the box, and my newly decorated bedroom! They sell similar products at about £12.99.

Lastly I received the Green&Wilds 100% natural cat treats in Salmon. These are Biscuit’s absolute favourite treats. I think they smell a bit like fish food but the cats can’t get enough. I’ve even been woken up in the middle of the night by Biscuit wanting these treats because I have left them in his view!

Thank you so much My Purrfect Gift Box for a lovely box. My Purrfect Gift Box offer a number of subscription options, which start at just £20.95. If you’d like to sign up for your own box, head over to the My Purrfect Gift Box website or head to their shop for the chance to buy some of the items featured in this box and previous boxes.

*I received this box free of charge. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

Save a Life - (C)HECK Sausage Cassoulet Recipe*

Being on slimming world it’s hard to find a decent sausage that is not only low in syns but doesn’t taste of  cardboard. I absolutely love the Chicken Italia HECK sausages at only 0.5 ‘syns’, they are super tasty. When I was asked to review some of these sausages I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share my sausage cassoulet recipe with you using these sausages and the great thing is I get to share this with you for a good cause.

With Movember in full swing, food company HECK have announced they will be renaming their brand as CHECK for the month to join the fight for men’s health. HECK are hoping to raise £25000 for Movember Foundation through sales and hope to encourage more men to take action when it comes to their healthy and ensure they check themselves for signs of testicular cancer.

This campaign has come about due to the incident earlier this year when Jamie Keeble, co-founder and eldest son of the family behind HECK found a cancerous lump in one of his testicles. Thankfully he caught the cancer early but this is not the case for a lot of men who aren’t aware that testicular cancer is more common in younger than older men. Unfortunately too many men feel something unusual but do not head to their GP for a second opinion. HECK want to make it easier for them to say when they feel something isn’t quite right. The packs of CHECK sausages will hopefully start some conversations which will raise awareness, and funds and maybe even save some lives.

I love a sausage cassoulet and using this Chicken Italia sausages really enhanced the flavour of this meal. Each pack contains 10 sausages and they are gluten free. Keep reading to find out how I made this dish.

Ingredients: (serves 2)
6 Chicken Italia CHECK Sausages
1 tin of baked beans
250ml Chicken Stock
1 Onion
1 Carrot

1 Celery Stalk
Herbes De Provence
Potatoes

Method:
The first thing I tend to do is to peel and chop my potatoes and get them roasting in the actifry as they take 45 minutes and I can get on with the rest of the meal whilst they are cooking. I spray my potatoes with a bit of frylight before popping them into my machine so they crisp up nicely. You can also add oil, however if you are on Slimming World this will need to be synned. You can of course serve this cassoulet with mash, rice or simply have it on its own – it’s completely up to you. Try serving it with sweet potato mash for a delicious alternative.

Chop your onion, celery and carrot and pop these into a saucepan. I spray a little bit of frylight on them to stop them sticking and fry off until everything starts to go soft. When this happens, add your chicken stock, baked beans and one teaspoon of Herbes De Provence. Let this simmer away on a low heat so the vegetables can continue to soften.

Meanwhile cook your sausages as per the instructions on the packaging. I grill mine as they only take 12-14 minutes, just remember to turn throughout. When they are nearly cooked, add your baked bean and vegetable mixture to a baking dish and let this cook for another 5 minutes. Pop your roasties on a plate then add the sausages with their sauce for a delicious hot meal. If you’re on Slimming World this is only 1.5 syns a serving!

Men – don’t forget to CHECK your testicles. If I can write and talk about it on my Lifestyle blog then you can certainly talk about it with your GP. More than eight out of 10 men (82%) find it embarrassing to discuss their testicles with a parent or GP. It’s extremely important to check and seek medical help right away if you notice something unusual.

So if like me, you can’t grow a moustache for Movember – pick up a pack of CHECK sausages and spread the word to your brothers, partners, uncles and all the men in your life. Do your bit this month to combat testicular cancer. CHECK sausages are available throughout November and will cost £2.99 a pack and 5% from each pack will go to the Movember foundation.

*I received these sausages free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

*I received these sausages free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

My Purrfect Gift Box Review - September*

My Purrfect Gift Box  is my favourite cat subscription box out there and it seems to get better and better every month. This month’s theme was absolutely spot on and being all about tea, one of my favourite things in life, I was extremely pleased with the box. There seemed to be so many items in this month’s box and each and every one of them is something I (or Biscuit) will use. When you buy this box a portion of the subscription costs goes to support UK cat charities, rescue centres and animal shelters. So while you are giving to yourself, know you are giving to the cats that need us across the UK.

These handmade catnip sweets are from Tillypops, who also made Biscuit’s spotted blanket from a previous box. I think they are absolutely adorable and even come in a candy striped pick n mix style bag. Biscuit loved playing with these, he could smell the catnip right away! Available on their website.

Biscuit’s favourite item from these gift boxes so far has been his catnip fish from FreakMEOWt so when I saw another product from them in my box I knew this was going to be a winner, and I wasn’t wrong. This ‘teabag’ is infused with catnip and Biscuit loved it. I’ve been looking on their twitter page and I think they’re bringing out Christmas cat treats so I’ll definitely be picking one of those up for Biscuit this year.

I was intrigued when I saw this Kit-Tea catnip tea but thankfully it is for cats and not humans! These catnip teabags from Paw and Gnaw can be brewed and then used to make your own catnip sprays. You can also serve this in a bowl for your cat. I haven’t tried this yet as Biscuit has plenty of catnip goodies to play with but I will definitely be brewing this up and giving his toys a spray when the effects start to wear off. These teabags can even be dried out and reused – brilliant!

This mug is a My Purrfect Gift Box exclusive and comes adorned with the text “You are my cup of tea” and a cute little cat! This little cat will brighten any dreary morning, stick the kettle on and relax with your favourite brew. This mug retails at £11.99 and can be found on the online shop.

This has to be the most adorable item I have ever received! These handmade hanging cat tea bag holders fit right on the edge of your mug and can keep your teabag string in place. I love that I received a little ginger one, just like Biscuit! These retail for £9.50 and can be bought on Etsy shop MiniHandsCrafts.

These Cat head Shaped Tea bags have been made by LoJim in Spain and retail at £5.99 in her Etsy store. I received a honey tea and a saffron tea and admittedly I have already drank both mugs. The flavours are lovely and warming and teamed with the hanging cat, my mug and a biscuit made the perfect treat.

This gorgeous scented melt from Paw Melts is handmade and uses only natural and organic ingredients. The paw shape is said to symbolise the bond between owner and pet – how sweet! These retail at £18.50 for 9 and smell amazing. It also came in the most amazing packaging! I think these would make a great gift for any pet owner.

When I saw these Biscuits in my box I thought they were the most adorable things ever and I didn’t want to eat them! Of course for the purposes of a review I had to try them out and they were absolutely delicious. I think they’d make such a lovely gift for someone, I wish I was skilled enough to make something like these. These biscuits are made here in the UK by Nila Holden and you can find these cute biscuits and more on Not On The High Street retailing at around £6-10.

Thank you so much My Purrfect Gift Box for another amazing box. I think this has been my favourite one yet. If you’d like to sign up for your own box, head over to the My Purrfect Gift Box website or head to their shop for the chance to buy some of the items featured in this box and previous boxes. I think some of these gifts would make perfect stocking fillers and it’s never too early to start buying those!

*I received this box free of charge. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

Marks & Spencer’s - Macmillan Coffee Morning*

Unless you’ve been living under a rock then you’ll have no doubt seen posters and adverts galore about Macmillan Coffee Mornings happening as we speak all over the country. I’ve certainly seen a few bakes sales this week at work and its fantastic to see lots of events taking place all over to raise that all important money. Having a coffee morning is the perfect opportunity for a catch up with friends and have some delicious cake all for a good cause. One in three of us will face cancer and the money raised at Macmillan Coffee Mornings will ensure that no one has to face it alone.

This year is the 7th world’s biggest coffee morning in partnership with M&S and all the stops have been pulled out to ensure this is the best one yet. Since 2010 thanks to the support of M&S customers and employees an incredible £6 million has been raised. By 2020, almost 1 in 2 people will get cancer at some point in their lives but you can help be there for even more people by taking part where you can. The Birmingham store is even inviting shoppers to join them for a coffee and a slice of cake on Friday 30th September.

Whether you’re baking or faking it this year you will find a fantastic range of treats in M&S stores this September including a delicious selection of cakes, biscuit and a new range of 13 flavours of cake and cookie mixes. I was lucky enough to receive a few goodies including this ‘Hot Stuff’ mug, Tatty Devine Pin Badge, Pure Ceylon Teabags and Thumbprint Cookie Mix. Whenever you treat yourself to coffee and cake in the M&S Café, a donation will go to Macmillan Cancer Support. I decided to make these strawberry and white chocolate thumb print cookies and bring them along to our Macmillan Coffee Morning at work where they were sold and eaten for charity. They tasted really delicious and went down a storm with the buyers. All I had to do was add butter and the rest of the mix was provided - 10% of the sale of this product is donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

So if you have a work bake sale or the chance to attend a coffee morning, please pop in. Think of the lives you could change, grab a slice of cake and a cuppa and get involved. Remember – calories don’t count if it’s for charity! If you would like to learn more about Macmillan’s partnership with M&S, please visit their website.

*I received some items from M&S free of charge in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

Race For Life 2016 *

As you may have seen from my Active Norfolk post, I was training to run the race for life 5km in Norwich. I started off with a time of nearly 43 minutes and with my weekly training sessions I brought this down. The week before the race I did the 5km in around 37 minutes so I wanted to beat this on the day. I received my pack about a week before the race so dressed myself in pink and added some temporary tattoos.

I arrived at the Norfolk Showground alone but then saw my friend Kim’s mum who was running the 10km race so it was good to have someone I knew there. James, my boyfriend and photographer for the day, drove me down there to stand by me. I did the race alone as I was asked to attend by Cancer Research UK to provide me with some blog content. The atmosphere was amazing and there were so many ladies lined up to race. We had some motivational speeches before the race and got to hear from some real survivors – people who have beat cancer. The Norfolk Showground was a sea of pink and I felt proud to be taking part. Even the dogs had dressed up for the occasion! I headed for the joggers section. I have never ran 5km before without stopping so I was determined to try and jog for the whole race.

There was also a 10km race on this day, something I would love to build up my fitness levels into doing. I had to make sure I went the right way! The first 1km was nice and easy as it did take a few minutes to get past the start line. The 2nd km was slightly harder. I kept thinking I must have missed the sign and I’d soon be seeing the 3km sign.. but that wasn’t the case. I kept going, refusing to stop. I thought about how strong all the ladies that have been through cancer treatment are and what they would probably give to run a measly 5km instead of going through all that pain. It kept me going. There was a point in the race where I had to just have a break and walk about 4.5km in. I then went around the corner and saw the finishing line so did a sprint finish to the end. It was great to have everyone cheering me on as I ran through the finish line!

On the day I completed the race in 35 minutes and 4 seconds. For me this was a huge achievement as it was my personal best time and the furthest I have ever ran outside as my previous 5km training was done on a treadmill which to me is easier. I was given my ‘medal’, a packed of Kettle’s crisps, a chocolate chip brioche bun and a bottle of water. I then sat down on the grass to catch my breath.

I had such a great sense of achievement afterwards. My first 5km done! I urge anyone who is thinking about taking part in Race for Life to do so. This was my first one and I did it alone but I think it would be great to get a group of ladies together and do it as a team to raise lots of money.

I raised £150 for Cancer Research UK so thank you so much to Dad, Carol, Chloe, Sabrina, Ruth, Anna, Bethany, Yvonne, Mum, James, James, Nanny, Kelly, Karen and Karen. Together we will beat cancer sooner. Thank you to my boyfriend James who took these photos and stood by me and supported me along the way during the race.

*I was provided free entry to the race for life in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

Race for Life Training With Active Norfolk

I go to the gym a few times a week but my fitness levels are not great. I tend to warm up on the treadmill with a walk, head over to the weights or go on the spinning bikes. When I was contacted by Cancer Research UK to take part in the Race For Life, I knew it would be a challenge but I couldn’t turn down such a great cause. I decided that I would run the 5k race which takes place in Norwich on Sunday 15th May. Before accepting this, I had never even ran 1k let alone 5 and I had no idea where to even begin with my training.

Race for life Norwich have teamed up with Active Norfolk who carry out work on encouraging women to get into sport and fitness and tailor sessions for complete beginners. I was invited along to a beginners running programme which was free of charge and the sessions are run by Paul Evans, former Olympian alongside Steve who is great at motivating the group. So with less than a month to go until the race I thought I would share with you how the sessions have been going and how I have progressed.

I have been using my Apple Watch and Strava to track my own personal training sessions and I have been running on the treadmill in the gym and trying to recreate what we do in the sessions. The first week I decided to use the treadmill and try and hit 5k, mostly walking. I did this in 42 minutes and 50 seconds which was my starting point, and something to improve on.

The difference between doing this alone and doing the training alongside Paul and the rest of the group was very noticeable. I felt more motivated in the Active Norfolk training sessions and more determined to succeed. I turned up alone and met some lovely friendly ladies all in the same position as me. The first week we did 1 minute of running followed by 1 minute of walking, 10 times. We then did some fun relay games to get our heart rate going. We were then given homework to jog for 5 minutes without stopping, walk for 2, then jog for 5 again. I liked getting these little tasks and tried to do them a couple of times between sessions.

Week 2 was slightly harder but I was so excited for my session. Our overall running time increased to 12 minutes and it was great fun. I really pushed myself this week and could tell. There were less people at this session and I would say I was in the top 5 this week! I was really impressed with my progression even so early on. That week in the gym I then tried doing a 5k walk/run again and noticed already I had shaved nearly 3 minutes off my time hitting that 5k at 39 minutes and 1 second. My homework was to jog for 7.5 minutes, walk for 2 then jog for another 7.5 which I did on the treadmill.

The following weeks intensity increased and I have only a couple of sessions left before the race. I can't wait to try the 5k again a few times before I go to see if I have improved further.

I originally was only going to go to a couple of the sessions but I enjoyed them so much I am continuing to go! I have 3 more sessions until the race and my confidence is already increasing which is fantastic. I have created a JustGiving page and I would really appreciate if anyone wants to sponsor  me for such a worthy cause, just click here. All money raised goes to Cancer Research UK. We will beat cancer sooner.

I look forward to updating you all with the results from the race day and if you have any running tips feel free to share them with me in the comments.

Body Shop Haul - Kidney Research UK

A few weeks ago now I attended a Body Shop Party round the lovely Sabrina’s in aid of Kidney Research UK. Sabrina was given an amazing party pack from Kidney Research UK including ‘pimp it purple’ stickers and funny hats, great for selfies! This is a charity very close to Sabrina’s heart as in 2015 she got the devastating news that she had IgA Nephropathy which is a type of Chronic Kidney Disease. She has been incredibly strong the past year and is going in for her transplant in April so I wish her all the best. 

Lots of products had 30% off on the night so I got to pick up some things I have been eyeing up for a while now at really good prices.

The first item I decided to get was the All-in-one Instablur. I have wanted to try this primer for ages and decided to get it as it was such a great price. After trying it out on my hand in the crease between my thumb and forefinger, I was sold. This perfector blurs imperfections and controls shine for up to 12 hours. I have been wearing this under my foundation for a couple of weeks and I have really noticed the difference in application. My face feels so soft after using this, ant my makeup glides on nicely and stays put all day. You only need a small amount as a little goes a long way so it will last me a while.

I then bought was the Reviving Leg Gel in Peppermint. I do a lot of shifts that require me to spend long hours on my feet and can come home with heavy, tired legs. The cooling peppermint gel aims to sooth and revive tired legs which is just what I was after! I’ve had the cooling foot spray in the same scent and loved it. I have heard this product is great if you are pregnant and getting swollen heavy legs (this is not an announcement by the way!). I recently did a stint of couch to 5k training runs and this was so soothing to put on my tired legs after. I really love it.

I have been looking for a body lotion for a while now and the Green Tea Body Lotion caught my eye as it comes with a pump – great for easy access! I own the green tea bath salts which I really like using and this has a similar scent. This lotion sinks into the skin and does not feel sticky. I have been using this in the mornings on my arms and legs and I definitely feel moisturised.

The last item I bought  was the Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter which I haven’t heard of before. The body shop consultant explained to us that if you remove your make-up with wipes then you take off what is on your face but you don’t clean it. The cleansing butter aims to deep clean your face and after using a little bit on my hand I loved the consistency, and it removed the scribble of pen I had on my hand. To use this cleansing butter you simply put a bit between your fingers to warm it up, then massage it into your face. This can be removed with a muslin cloth or with cotton pads. I have used this to take off my makeup every night since having it and I haven’t had any breakouts and my skin generally feels a lot nicer.

I had a great night at the party. We played party games and there was a raffle to raise money for the charity.

All in all Sabrina managed to raise £80 for Kidney Research UK which is fantastic. If you would like to make a donation to a great cause and help develop and increase the knowledge within Kidney Research UK, head over to Sabrina’s donation page on Just Giving.