Campaigns
Campaigns
From my earliest days of journalism, as I supported a bereaved mum in a successful quest to enforce stiffer punishments for car thieves who kill, I’ve welcomed opportunities to bring change.
Campaigning reports for the Wolverhampton Express & Star pushing for a new law worked towards an increase in sentencing from two years to 10.
As news editor in Worcester, my work was again raised in Parliament. MPs discussed ways of reducing drug offences, highlighting my reports on a lethal trade in heroin and ecstasy.
Helping the charity, then known as Tamba, on a campaign to raise tax credits for multiple birth children also brought backing from MPs, with blanket coverage across the UK on the challenges of making ends meet.
In 2022 as a cost-of-living crisis deepened, I raised awareness on behalf of a Birmingham energy company calling for an end to a Price Cap loophole which meant hundreds of thousands of people were out of pocket. After reports including on The One Show, Radio Four, Bloomberg, The Sun and Money Saving Expert, families who had previously missed out on a £400 discount were made eligible.
Dignity for dying cancer patients
After my husband Neil died I spearheaded calls for better NHS care for cancer patients nearing the end of their life, for Dying Matters and Marie Curie Cancer Care.
This meant appearances across major UK news outlets including BBC, Sky and ITN flagship TV and radio news programmes.
I contributed to a debate with Dr Bee Wee, then National Clinical Director for End-of-Life Care, NHS England and my views were considered in her report Putting Ambitions into Action: New ambitions for end-of-life care. Changes in light of our story were made at our local hospital, with improved training for nurses.
Thousands of patients are “dying badly” in NHS hospitals every year, experts have said, as a major investigation into end-of-life care in England reveals a widespread lack of training among hospital staff in the treatment and support of dying patients and their families.
Social care should be free to everyone at the end of life, says a report by the Commons Health Committee which calls for better recording of what people want in their last days.
Helping change the law on car thieves who kill: Donna Cooper campaign
In the days after 13-year-old Donna Cooper was killed by the teenage driver of a stolen car, I was assigned to report on the tragedy. I forged a close bond with her family. Donna’s mum Jenny appealed for stronger sentences and more protection for victims. I continuously reported on her campaign, maximising impact and boosting support as momentum swelled. A petition presented to Parliament led to sentences for vehicle crime increasing from two to 10 years.
Mental Health
I’m an award-winning writer on mental health after launching an acclaimed blog called Breaking the Silence. I was a regular contributor to the groundbreaking One in Four magazine and have reported for The Sun’s You are not alone suicide prevention campaign. As launch editor of Key Worker magazine, my focus was on advice and support for stressed-out emergency services and health employees.
Multiple birth families
I volunteered then worked with Tamba (The Twins and Multiple Births Association) for nine years. I gained ‘blanket’ media coverage for important issues for families, especially on how to make ends meet. I wrote scores of features.
Linda Jones felt out of place in her ante-natal classes.
Her bump was larger than those of the other women, she was more likely to need a caesarean, and there was a much greater chance her child would be premature, needing treatment and monitoring in a special care unit.
Parents for Playgrounds
Parents and children became more involved in their neighbourhoods as they spoke up for their home cities, towns and villages.
Five playgrounds were each awarded £15,000 to help more children play outside. Led by me as editor for Britvic’s parenting website Ready for Ten, Patsy Kensit was our ambassador. Features included: GMTV, Guardian, Express, Huffington Post and Fabulous magazine.
LETHAL WEAPON 2 star PATSY KENSIT is on a mission to restore abandoned playgrounds.
The actress is spearheading the Parents for Playgrounds drive, which will hand out £15,000 grants for play spaces in desperate need of renovation.