CURLY AND CANDID

What does Mother’s Day mean to you? In my house it means a lie in, breakfast in bed, lots of kiddie cuddles, homemade cards (and whatever has been made at school!) and Roy generally being my slave. It wasn’t until I received some information recently about the plight of some Mothers; that I realised how much I take for granted.

I want to tell you briefly about the problems faced by many woman in Liberia. My first though was “Where is Liberia? I know where Libya is…?”. Well,

Liberia- Liberia is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone on the West, Guinea on the north, Côte d’Ivoire on the east, and the Atlantic Ocean on the south. It is still recovering from a civil war and the ensuing economic problems.

The maternal mortality ratio is one of the highest in the world, with roughly 990 women die from pregnancy related causes per 100,000 live births, with 1 in every 20 women at risk of dying during pregnancy or child birth.

Call to action: UNICEF believes it is wrong that women in Liberia are still dying during pregnancy and childbirth and is working in the country to try and help put this right but we need your help.

This Mothers Day please help us save ‘1,000 mums lives’ and make sure no child is born without their mother, by buying the ‘Deliver a Baby’ pack, which contains all the medical equipment needed to safely deliver a baby and help keep a mum safe during the birth. It costs £23 and includes medicines and delivery sterilisation and resuscitation equipment.

Visit here to find out more and purchase one of these life-altering packs.

About UNICEF: UNICEF, the worlds leading children organisation, supports children and their mothers in over 190 countries, working to combat deadly illnesses such as malaria and tetanus, protecting children from exploitation and violence, ensuring that mothers can deliver their babies safely and supporting families affected by emergencies.

What are Inspired Gifts: UNICEF Inspired Gifts such as the ‘Deliver a Baby pack’ are real supplies – like vaccines, medicines, food, ware containers, and education materials – that are delivered directly to those women and children who are most in need, so this Mothers’ Day, your gift for your own mum can help keep a mother living miles away safe and healthy.

For many people £23 is a chinese takeaway for two & a rented movie, less than an Xbox game, 4 packets of cigarettes, a new top…. for the women in Liberia, it can mean the difference between life & death. Some people however may not have a spare £23 floating around, which is fair enough, but you can do your bit too – share this information, post it on Facebook & Twitter, let your friends know. One pack at £23 could save a life.

Thanks to RosieScribble for opening my eyes about this worthwhile campaign, as harrowing as the statistics are.

The men in my house go through drink like it is going out of fashion. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t want them to dehydrate but I have long since been perplexed (read as slightly peeved) at how often I’m finding myself going out to replace empty bottles. They are both avid blackcurrant and apple fans. Roy takes 2l of juice to work everyday, and drinks more during the evening, Kieran drinks it in his packed lunch, before school, after school…. it soon goes.

Being the crafty and thrifty mum I am, I swapped their normal brand for a very basic brand (half the price) but alas there is no getting past those two.

When I was offered some Robinson’s double concentrate to try I’ll admit my initial thought was “Well that is one less bottle to buy anyway” – what? I’m being honest! I’ve had concentrated juices before but they don’t seem to last that much longer than the ordinary in my opinion.

The Robinson’s version, Double Concentrate is all the usual great taste but using a fraction of the amount I normally use when making juice up. The drink does look paler than “ordinary” juice but tastes exactly the same! No longer cynical a trial began in earnest. I can happily report we do actually use just under half the amount of juice per drink compared to what we would have used with our previous brand.

Not only am I saving money but also packaging. I have to hold my hands up and admit I am a lazy recycler. Our recycling blue box is picked up once a fortnight, more than enough one would think, but with the amount of packaging etc that seems to come with my food shopping (that is a post in itself!) it is full sooner rather than later, particularly when packed with blinking juice bottles. To add insult and injury and get a pee’d off Nicki – someone has pinched my blue box. Unbelievable but true, sadly. This means I have to troop along to the nearest recycle unit, pram and all, which isn’t far but is another inconvenience (my council are re-issuing a blue box, have been for months now and they won’t do a kerbside collection UNLESS things are in a blue box – bureaucracy gone mad!). The reason for me going ever so slightly off on a tangent is to point out that the longer a bottle lasts, the less waste my home produces, and an added bonus… less trips to the recycle bins for me! A small annoyance but a valid one for a busy Mum!

horizon 2 copy — Available in 50 or 70 servings per bottle - even in my house that goes a fair way!

The new product also comes with a new pour control and easy grip handle (much appreciated as blackcurrant can make a heck of mess when spilled by the litre) to help mums and little ones pour the necessary amount each time without wasting or spilling a drop. I can’t tell you how the new pour control works, I haven’t a clue, but it does and it means Kieran can pour his own juice with the minimum of aid (Little Mr Independent!).

New Robinsons Double Concentrate is also available in five of Robinsons most popular flavours including Orange, Orange & Pineapple, Apple & Blackcurrant, Lemon and Summer Fruits, and is available from all major retailers. Make sure you look it up next time you are doing your supermarket shop!

Anguish, Loss, Suffering… Happy Mothers Day? Not for some.

Robinson’s Double Concentrate & The Cawood Family! #review