Alison Wem

City gardening: do you like to get your hands in the soil?

Humans were not meant to be so remote from Mother Nature as perhaps many of us are who live in towns and cities.  In the UK, councils have started to set-up allotments on spare pieces of land perhaps besides a railway or between roads.  Some councils have chosen to allow residents to grow vegetables where formerly municipal flowers were planted.

In London where I live, I have managed to get an allotment allocated to our family.  To help children learn where their food comes from, the allotment only allows 20% of your patch to be given over to flowers.  The council gardeners encourage you to grow flowers that attract bees such as sun flowers or nasterchiums whose flowers you can eat in a salad. read more

By Alison Wem, ago

Divorce: do you live with the fall-out from another person’s failed relationship?

One of the greatest gifts you can give a child is a happy childhood.  Sadly divorce happens.  The impact goes far wider than the couple who have decided to split – their children, parents, aunts, uncles and wider family, friends and new partners.

The true impact of divorce is often not spoken of in a family and can continue for many tens of years after the decree absolute.  Even new partners and their families can be caught up in the web of emotions.  There are those awkward family gatherings when you are not sure who to invite and if everyone will get along alright. read more

By Alison Wem, ago