Hello,

Audrey Hepburn once wisely said,

“as you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others“.

This last eventful month has given us all pause for thought and brought people all over the world together to show support for a fairer life for everyone.  As time goes by, and our days and weeks start to feel more normal again, let’s hope we’ll remember that we all have the power to offer each other a helping hand.

Reasons to be cheerful

–  Audrey Hepburn also said,

“I love people who make me laugh. It cures a multitude of ills“.  

Laughter is a definitely an effective medicine, and an unexpected benefit of the pandemic is that video calling is making it easy to reconnect – and share laughter – with old friends. That certainly feels like something to keep on doing in the future.

–  Some good news is very welcome at the moment, and you can click on these links for two  inspiring stories from the US and UK about people making a difference by doing something kind for others.

Something to do

Especially in the UK, the warm Spring weather has meant that roses are looking particularly beautiful just now. Lavender is also coming into bloom and there are lots of ways to use both these deliciously scented plants, from sewing fragrant sachets to keep moths away or mixing up some potpourri to baking shortbread biscuits or making Lavender Lemonade

Did you know?

–  The rose is the birth flower for June, the month named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love, marriage, motherhood and a protector of women. 

–  The green parts of the lavender plant taste similar to rosemary and can be used to add flavour to vegetables or meat in savoury dishes.

How to make a difference

 Some organisations have had to pause opportunities for volunteering because of the pandemic, but there are plenty of ways to help online – you can find some ideas here and here.

You can also directly help the research into understanding and treating Covid-19 by downloading the Symptom Study app – it’s not yet available worldwide, but you can find out all about it by clicking on this link.

Thank you for joining us here on the blog.  We hope that you and your friends and families are still safe and well and send you all good wishes for the next few weeks. See you next month!

Claire and Sam