Holly Jolly Seasonal Survival

Holly Jolly Seasonal Survival 

Staying sane, jolly and applying a bit of 
holly wisdom during the silly season

Dear Friend

So Christmas Madness Ensues and as a Choir Leader I am now beseiged by Christmas Music and requests for carols on every corner.  It's a holly, jolly experience to be sure - the all-consuming, crazy commercialism can be offset by a joyful, generous celebration of charity, love and good cheer. 

The Holly Bears a Prickle, As Sharp as Any Thorn
Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves,
even when we risk disappointing others - Brene Brown
This Olde Carol has much to teach us about the balance of soft and sharp in life.
Sometimes at times of seasonal overload we need to apply a bit of holly wisdom and set boundaries.  A clear, loving No serves everyone, bringing honesty and respect into a situation.  At a time where social and family expectations go into overdrive, it's essential to remember that by honouring ourselves we honour others and when we fill our own cups, we can give from a truly overflowing place.  When our own fuses have blown along with the fairy lights, it's time to for a holly jolly NO to external demands so we can reflect, rest, rejuvenate and reignite our inner sparkle.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your leaves will always teach me
That hope and love and faithfulness
Are precious things I can possess
That old chestnut 'your presence is the greatest present'  reminds us that many of the most precious gifts in life are not available in the shops.   The gifts of love extend through a multitude of loving actions - whether thats a hug, a shoulder to cry on, a warm smile, a helping hand or a moment of undivided attention in a busy world.   Staying present to what is truly valuable enables us to build a more sustainable world and work towards a crap-free Christmas and a crap-free world!

Oh By Golly have a Holly, Jolly Christmas This Year

I warmly invite those seeking both seasonal respite and celebration to festive singing events and the evergreen invitation to enjoy, explore and energise the power of your voice to express the gift of your presence in the world - more info here
I wish you a truly glorious holly and jolly festive season with all the trimmings of the precious gifts that quality time with friends, loved ones and community bestows.  

Sparkly seasonal singing wishes


Katie Rose

Website: www.therosewindow.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katierosewindow
Twitter: @katierosewindow

Widening the Circle of Safety and Support for Women

Widening the Circle of Safety and Support for Women   Dear Friend   Like many of us, I have witnessed the recent media treatment of female sexual assault with despair. There are too often too many cases where a woman who has experienced trauma is not given recourse to justice. In many parts of the world, it is still the victim, not the perpetrator, who is discredited, excluded, shamed and faces further violence from society. What can we do to change these shocking narratives and how can we support women to recover and communities to grow beyond patriarchal systems of gender-based violence and oppression? One action I have taken is to join Annie Lennox’s charity The Circle, which supports projects that do just that. I am also passionate about co-directing Sing for Water fundraisers for WaterAid projects which transform the lives of the women and girls around the world who spend 200 million hours daily walking for water. As I feel it’s important to keep sharing messages of hope and solidarity, in this blog I want to identify some of the positive stages of recovery, so we can all help widen the circle of support for women. 1. Acknowledging Oppression The first step is acknowledging the situation women face today. Just one of the many statistics included by Annie Lennox in her #OneReasonWhyImAGlobalFeminist campaign is that 1 in 3 women and girls are impacted by physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. These statistics are likely to be skewed, as many women are too frightened or in too much danger to speak out. There are horrific acts of violence happening against women right now – which is why it’s important that those of us able to read this safely on laptops or phones take action in whatever small way we can. Women who have experienced victimisation are not just victims and statistics  – they are strong, vibrant, creative human beings with the right to live peacefully and safely on the planet. When we stand up against oppression as individuals, we stand up for all women. 2. Owning, Voicing and Witnessing When a woman who has experienced gender-based trauma is able to own and tell her story, it is crucial that she is given safe, supportive witness. We need to be on the look out for signs that a woman is struggling, even before she feels able to disclose.  We can encourage women to safely speak out and access confidential, professional support. As a singer, I feel we need to empower and educate girls to feel they have a voice.  A girl who knows the power of her voice can say “no”, can shout for help and can stand up to oppression. Disclosing is only one step in the road to recovery – the #MeToo movement has seen an outpouring of stories which now needs to be met with a commitment to support recovery and social justice. 3. Creating a Circle of Safety and Support When a woman has experienced trauma, it is essential that she can access safe shelter and support for herself and her dependents. A circle of support can be formed – including her trusted friends and the health, employment, childcare or legal services she needs to access. In a caring, encouraging, empowering environment, she can recover and rebuild her life. There are many inspiring case studies on The Circle website – including women like Bina who left an abusive marriage with the support of counselling and legal support from a woman’s shelter in India, domestic violence survivor Siyandaand her son who received help from the Nonceba Family Counselling Centre, Cape Town, and the many women who receive support at the Glasgow Rape Crisis Centre. 4. Justice The inner process of recovery for women needs to be matched by an outer process of social justice. In a village featured in a film by The Asian Circle, after yet another woman was beaten by her drunken husband, women gathered together and smashed all the liquor pots. In the Samburu region of Kenya, where women are viewed as property, Rebecca Lolosoli spoke out against the rape of an estimated 1400 women in the 1980s and 90s by British soldiers. She was beaten by local men and received no support from her husband. She left her village and formed the Umoji village with 15 rape survivors, which now houses 50 women and 200 children seeking refuge from FGM, child marriage, rape and domestic violence. The women manage their own finances and land and their rape cases are finally being investigated legally. These stories testify to the immense resilience of women in the face of brutal oppression and the power that becomes available when we join together to say #TimesUp. 5. Liberation With support, solidarity and recourse to justice, a woman can liberate and reclaim herself from the shadow of violent oppression. She can rise up and recreate her life for herself and her loved ones. As she does, the whole community can be transformed. Men can become allies in this process, such as the members of Uganda’s police force who after 24 women were brutally murdered, went on a walk carrying water pots on their heads and babies on their back to see what it was like ‘to walk in women’s shoes’ and to inspire other men to ‘see the benefits of equality’. Just as everyone suffers in a world which brutalises women and girls, everyone gains when women are liberated from oppression and violence. We are all part of the change and we can all help widen the circle of safety and support for women. I warmly invited you to join us at a special Chai Day event on 25thNovember which is International Day to End Violence Against Women, 2-5pm in aid of The Circle  at St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood - people of all genders welcome - more info below. Warmest wishes Katie Rose Website: www.therosewindow.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katierosewindow Twitter: @katierosewindow

Chai Day - Day to End Violence Against Women Fundraiser for The Circle Church Hall at St John the Evangelist, Sylvan Road, SE19 2RX, Sunday 25th November 2-5pm I'm hosting a Chai Day to help raise awareness and funds for Annie Lennox's Charity to empower women worldwide, The Circle. Featuring inspirational guests: Jackie Morrison - founder of We Stap Esther Austin - inspirational empowerment speaker Gill Manly - local jazz diva Shaniqua Benjamin - poet and founder of Young People Insight Katie Rose -  singing for solidarity Bring friends and cake to share and suit your dietary requirements :) We will be collecting donations for the Circle (suggested donation £5) and sanitary products for local Period Poverty Charity We-Stap. Feel free to bring info about Women's organisations/ services to share Click here for a brochure about Chai Day here