The Past Month has Been EPIC!

Hi!

Foggy's paws are back in the UK but won't be back in Foggy HQ until Tuesday. So much has been going on over the past 4-6 weeks I figured it made more sense to round it all up in one hit.

Unrest
It was an absolute honour to host a screening of this amazingly powerful film. However, it was a FREIGHT TRAIN that completely took over my life for the best part of 6 weeks. A number of people who came to the screening are now thinking of hosting their own screening which is fantastic. One word of warning: If, like me, you are a one woman band and do all the work yourself, please consider if you have the energy to do so first. My M.E has taken a constant hit since the moment I applied to screen the film. Finding a venue, organising the logistics, shop, insurance, promotion, marketing....the list goes on and on. Thank you so much for my friends Cat and Louise, and Rotarians Adele (and

partner Tyler), Tim and Janice for helping me out on the night. So much stress had caused my brain to stop working properly. If it hadn't been for them I don't think it would have been the success that it was. I did my talk on auto-pilot, I have absolutely no idea what I said (apart from what was on my prompt cards!). The payback has so far lasted 3 days..... more to come I'm sure. It was lovely to put faces to Twitter handles and Facebook profiles. I had a queue of people to talk to after the film finished, it was great to meet you all. Thank you to University of Portsmouth CIO, Andrew Minter for giving me such a warm introduction. He nearly had me in tears before the film even started! I've known Andrew for a number of years and he has always been supportive of Foggy and I. Although it wasn't a University screening he came along to support our efforts. 

Cuba Baby!!

Thank you Daniella and co for taking Foggy to Cuba for 2 and a bit weeks! He had a great time! I love the photos! We are working out the mileage but as he went via Paris it'll be quite a bit to add to his mile-o-meter I'm sure!

Click here to see the photo album - Cuba baby!! Yeah!!

Milan

Foggy has just spent the weekend in Milan with a lovely lady called Cvetelina and her friends. They are all members of Roteract (Rotary for young people) and Foggy got treated to lots of walkies around the city and a posh dinner. Nice! Again, mileage is being calculated.

Click here to see the photo album - Milan

School of Social Entrepreneurs

So, I announced this at the screening as it was, appropriately, Global Social Enterprise Day. As I have hinted at over the past few months, Foggy is getting bigger. I applied for a place on the (brace yourselves for a long name) Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Start Up Programme, in partnership with the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) and jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund. I got a place! I started the course in September. I was going to wait until the new year before making an announcement but the timing seemed right. Foggy is turning into a social enterprise. He will continue campaigning as he does now but in the background I will be running the business element. This is the last campaign Foggy and I will undertake for the benefit of the ME Association. We will still be raising research funding but will crowdfund for specific projects/researchers. It will probably (not set in stone) involve training for healthcare professionals who do not receive M.E/CFS training in med school. I will deliver M.E from the human perspective. Education professionals will be trained in how to support ME/CFS people. 21,000 children and young adults have M.E/CFS in the UK. They need support. The course is for one year and I will receive training and mentoring. Exciting and very tiring times ahead I'm sure. I will of course, be managing my energy levels but I know my symptoms will take a hit. I have no idea how the social enterprise will pan out. As you are all aware, it is entirely dependent on healthcare people WANTING to learn about ME/CFS.  Keep your eyes, arms, legs, fingers and paws crossed!

That's it - you are all caught up!

Love,

Sally AND Foggy (OBVIOUSLY) xx