Jo’s Journal – May 2021

As this month comes to an end, with some new freedoms firmly established, and others still to come, I am looking forward to May as a month of rediscovery and excitement.  

For me, April has been a month of little adventures. A day trip to Bristol to meet a friend for lunch felt like a whole weekend away; while an overnight in Cornwall, with a BBQ on the beach, felt like an actual holiday!

These are the things we have been missing – being in different environments, with different people, doing something different from simply being at home. Just the chance to wake up by the sea for one morning, and spend a few hours on the beach, felt amazing.

I am hoping to get to the Lake District for the Bank Holiday weekend – to get outdoors, see some incredible views, and push myself to climb some big hills.

As for so many of us, nature has been my go-to in all the lockdowns. So much so, that I have joined the RSPB! It feels like getting back in touch with who I was when I was a young girl, spending hours in the woods, knowing the sound of various birds, and keeping a list of different species spotted. I am now back to being very excited when I see a long-tailed tit, coal tit or nuthatch on my bird feeder!

More excitingly, this month - we have re-opened our shop, in Leamington, and got more of the team back from furlough – which has been fantastic.

Also this month, we have signed off more new Mantra designs, having seen the sample pieces. Our new Crescent Moon, Sailing Boat and Hand with Heart (Ahimsa) necklace will be launching in the next couple of months.

These designs have all come out our post-lockdown planning sessions, as we focused on what we believe are the key messages that we all need right now. Our half-moon-shaped pendant – the Crescent Moon – brings to life the mantra, ‘I am always whole, even if I do not feel it’.

We wrote this as a message of comfort and reassurance, for those people who have suffered a loss in their life, to remind them, as time goes on, that they are still themselves. Their loss has hollowed out a huge emptiness inside them, but they will eventually feel whole again. Just as the moon is always whole – even when we can only see a sliver – so are we all.

Our sweet Sailing Boat Necklace is designed to bring freedom and adventure to mind. Its carefree and relaxed mood brings to life the mantra, ‘If not now, when?’ – a question to for us all to ask ourselves, following the pandemic.

None of us know what lies around the corner, so use this reality to spur you on to get on with your life, doing the things, visiting the places, and seeing the people you want to. Don’t delay. For if you don’t do these things now, then when will you do them?

Our new designs launch in June, so we at final sign-off stage now, before we go into production.  

Our Charity of the Month this month is Mind, which is very fitting with mental health awareness week and maternal mental health awareness week both being in May.

I enjoyed interviewing Katie Quick, Senior Community Fundraiser at Mind, about what drew her to the role. Finding out more about her personal background and motivations was fascinating, and understanding what the key challenges have been, and still will be, for the charity as the pandemic progresses.

I look forward to catching up next month – when so many more freedoms should be in place. Going to stay with my sister is my next priority, as soon as we are allowed to stay overnight with others.  

I hope you all have a great month!  

Jo xx