I'm a fun-loving granny, mother of 3 and granny of 5. I have a teaching background of 30 years and having nurtured little ones, I love to nurture bigger people - helping them to grow in confidence and grow their businesses. I help raise their visibility and brand awareness with social media and out of the box thinking. I am known as the #Golivegranny as I have been live streaming on a regular basis since August 2016 when - I live-streamed the Ryde Carnival on a completely blank page on facebook. My son, Tristan taught me how and helped me to get in front of 1000 viewers on that first broadcast. I now Livestream as many Isle of Wight events as I can on https://facebook.com/isleofwight.live and I have a regularly broadcast at 10 pm on https://facebook.com/golivegranny and the audiences both are growing on an almost daily basis. The #golivegranny community has become an amazing group of people - a friendly and supportive group. I will add to the blog about what happens and what is achieved through this group. You will learn about some amazing things achieved.
Wow what a lot of time has passed since my last blog. Hmmmm not good Mrs B so now to put that right. A lot of things have happened since I posted about Wightbuzz “doing” Cowes week! Such a lot of water under the bridge. I have welcomed a lot of new members into Wightbuzz.I have helped these Isle of Wight business owners to network their businesses and to find more business. I have carried on promoting my other businesses. I have a new trader and more customers in my Phoenix cards business, growing it at my own pace and I have continued to spread the eco-friendly word about Wikaniko.
All of a sudden we are into a new year and as I have not been very good at keeping up this blog, I have decided to take the Ultimate Blog Challenge once again. There is a lot of support and plenty of ideas so the ideas should never dry up.
Since my last blog. I have also set up The Giggly Grannies website as well as a facebook page and a twitter account – you can find us @gigglygrannies. My Giggly Granny friend, Julie Jordan, and I have been out and about in the community raising awareness for some of the Wightbuzz businesses, as well as for The Open Arms project which helps to feed and clothe the homeless.This is supported by many volunteers from the churches together in Ryde and was inspired by The Wacky Rev who initiated the project after a conversation with Father Anthony (but was criticised and treated very badly for her work by some who should have known much better!)
It has been very humbling and we have been thrilled with how much awareness has been raised. We have been delighted with how people have donated food, Morrisons vouchers to exchange for food, supported our fundraisers and awareness days that Barclays allowed us to hold in their Ryde Branch.
So although the blog has been fairly static, I have been very busy and in the coming days, Ill update you with much of what I have been doing over the last six months as well as new things going forward. I hope you enjoy visiting my blog and hope that your support will keep me on track to finish 31 blogs in 31 days.
When the opportunity presented itself, for me to represent my Wightbuzz members at Cowes Week, it was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse. So here is my report on Wightbuzz does Cowes week.
I saw this as such a fantastic opportunity and offered it to my members for just £10 each. It was a no brainier really. Which members could refuse the option of such a fantastic baron – the chance for their businesses to be represented to a massive crowd for such a small fee. There was, not surprisingly, a high take up and all members had to do was to get their literature or goodie bag items to me in time for the set up. The goodie bags has been supplied by Beta pak and I was lucky enough to have wifi sponsored by Wightfibre. This meant I was able to promote the sponsors and members all week on social media live from the sea front! Members dropped in to see me and pictures were taken. It was a long and tiring but fun week. It was made so much easier when Chris Cardy of Staddlestones garage offered me the Nissan Leaf, ( an electric car ) for the week. Having no vehicle at the moment, this proved to be a godsend. Not only did I drive it, but as the networking guru, I also heavily promoted it and have raised a lot of interest in the Nissan leaf, a perfect car for driving in the Isle of Wight.
The week was very successful. We have many potential new Wightbuzz members as well as many members of the public who would like to receive a Wightbuzz customer newsletter. It was tiring but fun land Soo worthwhile. I’m grateful for all support but especially to pin cola Broadsmith , Charlotte Smith and Debbie Frost for helping me man the stand and to Sean of A1 garage doors who helped me break down the stand at the end of a very tiring but productive week.
I was posed this question – any regrets and this time I have a video clip to use in my blog. I did record it earlier in the year but the message is important.
1st July 2013 is the first day of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. I have entered the challenge before but never quite got to the end so here goes!!
1st July is a very significant date for me and my family. When my first husband proposed to me and we were looking for wedding dates, it seemed most appropriate o choose 1st July. It was a Saturday, which is what we wanted but it was also my mum’s birthday and by choosing this date, I won lots of brownie points with my mum!!!!
So 1st July 1977 was the day I married Ivor Griffiths. Here you can see my very proud dad, about to give me away and it brings a smile to my face as I remember him rehearsing his line “I do” (in reply to who giveth this woman?) He rehearsed it in so many different ways it made me laugh!!
A very proud daddy about to give me away
Sadly, this marriage only lasted 16 years but it produced some very happy memories and 3 gorgeous children of whom I am very proud.
A few years later, my sister gained those all important brownie points by giving birth to her second child on 1st July. Zoe , my niece, has turned into a beautiful young woman.
Three years ago, my dear daddy left us . He died on June 15th. As he had led such a brilliant life, his funeral was not going to be one of mourning the dead, rather a great celebration of life with bright clothes and cheerful music. It seemed most appropriate for us to hold the service on 1st July. It was, indeed, a brilliant service with so many happy memories being recalled as my siblings and I all presented our own tributes to a very special man. We were able to do this in a way that would have made him proud as he had made sure we were proficient at public speaking.
Yesterday was again 1st July. I was travelling back from a brilliant holiday with friends. As I travelled, I recalled so many happy memories, not just of 1st July but of other family occasions too.
As I arrived back on my fairy Island (Isle of Wight) I managed to catch up with my brother and my mum briefly. I wanted to wish her happy birthday and we celebrated with a quick trip to McDonalds!!
celebrating mums birthday with a Mcdonalds
It seemed very fitting to start the first day of the Ultimate Blog Challenge with happy family memories (even though I am posting a day late – but then I was sooooooooo tired from travelling yesterday and the technology decided to beat me late last night)
I have been a distributor for Wikaniko since December 2010 and it is a company I love to be involved with. The folk who run the company work tirelessly to help us grow our businesses. they pay all the suppliers upfront . They offer help and support every step of the way. They are helping me to help others take those small green steps to save the Earth without costing the Earth,
It has taken time to build, as all good things do but this morning I faced a particular frustration and I got straight onto the online direct chat to HQ. Drew answered my call and within minutes, he had sorted my problem. Well done Drew. Thanks so much. Im now on my way to take more green steps……….why not come with me – check out the eco friendly products in my online shop and find out how you could have your own shop full of eco friendly items. Why wait – act now http://lynblackledge.wikaniko.com
Unfortunately, my fellow shock cash mob organiser, Julie Jones Evans, was unable to accompany me on Sunday 24th March in East Cowes. It was however, a successful event and boosted the sales at Kathy’s Cards and Gifts in East Cowes.
When I opened a new bank account with Barclays Bank recently, I had no idea of the fun that lay ahead. I love to have fun while working my business and as a self employed work from home mum and grandmum, this is so easy. For most of my working life, I have been self employed and so I set the rules. I enjoy what I do and having fun whilst doing it makes it even nicer. No boss to relate to. No boss to set my hours. I work as and when I want to. I work hard but I also play hard.
Well, on the day I opened the new account, my new Barclays manager, Wayne Child, told me about the back to business scheme that Barclays run. The managers are encouraged to go out with a client and spend a day with them in their business. Wayne asked me if I would like to participate in the scheme and I was very keen to take part. When I set the date, I had a client who wanted a video made so thought this might be quite interesting for Wayne to watch. After all, he had told me he didn’t want a boring day in the home office. Unfortunately, my client had to postpone my appointment with her but I decided to keep the date with Wayne.
When I set the date, I hadn’t realised it was Comic relief day. However, it soon occured to me that this was a day that could be a lot of fun and during the day we could do something funny for money. Why ever not?
I checked with Wayne to see if he was prepared for a fun day and he had absolutely no problem with it – in fact he sounded as though it was right “up his street”.
I am, very much a community person and I love to fundraise and encourage my Wightbuzz members to do the same. I spotted an opportunity and ran with it.
I sent out a letter to my Wightbuzz members and was offered raffle prizes. Jade Thornton of Petticoats and Frills offered us a box of red nose cup cakes. She even dressed in red to deliver them to the Wightbuzz office. She was truly embracing the “doing something funny for money” theme.
Doing something funny for money - fun cup cakes
Michael of the Dorset House, offered us a Sunday lunch for 2
Michael, of the Dorset House, donates Sunday lunch for 2
Susan Revell, also a Wightbuzz member, donated a free first aid course and Jayne Read of Island Memories, donated a family ticket for the VE celebrations being held in May. Claire and Ann of Attraction, a lovely gift shop in Cross Street Ryde, donated a jewellery set. I am very grateful to all these ovely people.
With all these lovely prizes, I knew my super Wightbuzz members would be happy to part with their money.
Before my bank manager came to pick me up, I uploaded a video clip to you tube,
My bank manager turned up to pick me up at 9. We needed to decorate the collecting tin and Wayne even obliged with this!
Then, after a quick coffee we were off on the start of our very exciting day. First stop – Jo of Wightcakes
who supplied us with coffee and
scrummy cake! It was going to be one of THOSE days
We then popped along to Missy J cafe where Janine insisted on tweaking my nose before parting with her money – well the theme was doing something funny for money!
Next stop - Wightsight for a quick laugh and joke with Mandy and Adrian who also bought raffle tickets
then a few doors along to Attraction to see Claire, one of the raffle prize donators.
We just HAD to stop at Barclays in Ryde. Well it would be sily not to as I was with my Barclays manager!!
a few more stops in Ryde then we zoomed over to Sandown and to the lovely gift shop Che-Sands
then we popped across to Rapaunui where we also met the lovely Emma from Island Voucher where there was time for a very quick photo call!
then over to recruit Wendy of Deeva into Wightbuzz before selling her raffle tickets too
by the time we got to the wightbuzz office we were really beginning to flag but Liz supplied us with coffee to keep us going
and it was here we stopped to make a couple of video clips about our day.
and
Our final stop was with Julie Jones Evans of Dragonfly i Nodehill – (my fellow shock cash mobber )
We rounded off the day with a lovely sit down and chat with Julie and more coffee and cake!
We had a brilliant day – it was manic, it was fun and we did something funny for money. We raised about £75 for comic relief and my Barclays bank manager and I now know each other much better! It truly was a fun day. (I spent the weekend chilling as I was quite exhausted!!)
I did pop in to see Wayne’s boss on Monday to report on what an excellent experience it was! Praise where praise is due. I have had friends, who bank at other banks, who don’t even know if they have a bank manager, let alone know his name!
I made a you tube clip of the day
Do you have stories to relate about your bank manager? Have you had a fun day out with yours? Pop your comments below
I am a trader with Phoenix Trading and have enjoyied running my own business from home promoting and selling beautiful greetings cards, wrapping paper and stationery gifts for two and a half years. I am now building a team.
I look forward to helping others grow their own businesses and looking after any new team members.
On Saturday 2nd March, I will be running another Coffee and Shop event at Ryde Methdist Church. We have many talented local crafts people and some of these have booked a stall at this event. We also have people running local businesses so this is a great chance to pop in and support the shop local campaign.
See you there.
Ryde Methodist Church, Garfield Road, 10 am – 12 noon
