#pru life uk

[everytechever]

Pru Life UK Launches Fund to Capitalize on Global Tech Trends

In a technology-driven era of global innovation, Pru Life UK introduces the PRULink Global Tech Navigator Fund, providing Filipino investors a unique opportunity to capitalize on the dynamic growth of the tech sector. The global tech sector will close 2024 with solid earnings as AI enhancements drive demand for software, semiconductors, electronics, e-commerce, and other advancements. The…

[kopifurann]

Me slowly twinkifying Arthur in my drawing is truly quite a phenomena that need to be studied

[fitzrovianews]

'She's behind you!' - Women and War

One of the Tate’s security guards peering at a poster: “Is there life after marriage?” Photo: Pru Stevenson. It was December last year and I was visiting the current exhibition at Tate Britain, Women in Revolt! Art and Activism in the UK 1970-1990, with Pru Stevenson who until a few years ago was a neighbour in Fitzrovia and who, in the 1970s, was one of the founders of the women’s printmaking…

[takeoffphilippines]

Cha-Ching, a financial literacy program, aims to reach 1M, young students

26 September 2023, Manila, Philippines — Prudence Foundation, the community investment arm in Asia and Africa of Prudential plc, Pru Life UK’s parent company, in partnership with JA Philippines, are thrilled to announce the official relaunch of its financial literacy education program that aims to reshape the future of young kids. With an unwavering commitment to empower the youth, we proudly present "One Student to a Million: Cha-Ching Shaping a Financially Literate Generation."

Celebrating Cha-Ching  Milestones

In 2016, Prudence Foundation with JA Asia Pacific and JA Philippines, introduced the Cha-Ching curriculum. Cha-Ching was co-funded by Prudence Foundation and Pru Life UK in the Philippines, a leading life insurance company that provides financial and health solutions. As these organisations continue to expand, it remains committed to extending its outreach by introducing additional initiatives within the Cha-Ching curriculum aimed at educating students on financial principles and financial matters.

As a testament to its success and commitment to involvement, the Cha-Ching program has now been integrated in the school curriculum of Grade 4 students. At such a young age, students are now exposed to matters involving money and finances and different investment modules. As the majority of key decisions in our daily lives involve money, Cha-Ching gives students the freedom and confidence to know and learn more about organising their finances, no matter how big or small.

Today, Cha-Ching is hailed as the most renowned financial literacy program for youth in the Philippines as it also received the Silver Asia-Pacific Stevie® Award in the Innovation in Community Relations or Public Service Communications Category in 2021 and the Money Awareness and Inclusion Awards in 2022.

This year, the renewed Cha-Ching program sets an ambitious goal: to reach 1,000,000 students and 28,000 teachers nationwide. This goal reinforces Prudence Foundation, Pru Life UK, JA Asia Pacific and JA Philippines’s commitment to becoming trailblazers in financial literacy education for the youth.

“Together with Prudence Foundation, I am very excited that the Philippines will be the first country where the Cha-Ching Curriculum will have reached 1 million students by school year 2023-2024. Truly, an amazing achievement reflecting our purpose as partners for every life, and protectors for every future,” shared Eng Teng Wong, President and CEO of Pru Life UK.

Getting to Know Cha-Ching Curriculum

Last year, Prudence Foundation successfully launched their one of a kind financial literacy online game, Cha-Ching Money Adventures (CCMA), globally. CCMA is an interactive online game and a dynamic learning platform designed to equip students and teachers alike with vital money management skills while making learning an enjoyable experience.

Aside from the interactive gaming design and interface, CCMA also reaches out to the typical student by playing through 4 different distinctive modules: “Hometown” for Earn, “Mallsville” for Save, “Las Races” for Spend and “Rockability Rivers” for Donate. These modules engage students in the fundamental Cha-Ching concepts: Earn, Save, Spend, Donate, all while earning points, learning, and having fun.

Making a Difference through Cha-Ching

Through curriculum integration and CCMA, Cha-Ching continues to revolutionise financial education, making it enjoyable, comprehensive, and accessible. It fosters a positive attitude toward money, empowering students to make sound financial decisions for a brighter future.

"Teaching kids financial literacy at an early age is not just important; it's absolutely vital. It’s like giving them a compass for life, giving them proper reference as they navigate real life. By instilling these skills early, we anchor them with the knowledge needed to navigate the complex financial world confidently," said Jed Velarde, Stock Market Investment Advocate and the Head of Partnerships at COL Financial Group, Inc., during the launch event.

Cha-Ching continues to change the narrative that only adults can handle money and shifts it to the belief that students can also make financially sound decisions for today and the years to come.

–

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[buildingfuture97]

Insuravest Plan from Pru Life UK

✅Life Insurance

✅ Critical Illness Benefit

✅ Accidental Benefit

✅ Disability Benefit

✅ Hospital Income Benefit

✅ Investment Fund

#savings

#investments

#insuredinvestor

#insurance

#millionaire

#financialliteracy

#financialplanninh

[digitalfilipina]

Pru Life UK underscores women’s health with breast cancer protection

Pru Life UK underscores women’s health with breast cancer protection

Leading life insurer Pru Life UK has launched its latest health protection product designed for the independent and empowered women in our lives, the PRUHealth Prime – Select Breast Cancer, through Pulse, the company’s all-in-one health and wellness app. “This protection product, designed for the women in our lives, be it our mother, sister, daughter, daughter-in-law, or grandmother, goes a long…

[lakwatserangfa]

My FA Journey with PRU!

Hey Lakwatseras,

Currently I’m a licensed financial advisor of Pru Life UK at Two Summit Life Insurance Agency and I wanted to share with you my journey. Let me take you through my journey here:

BYB: Build Your Business (Photo from Ivan Lontoc)

Ate Weng (my recruiter) shared the benefits of being an FA. Out of curiosity, I attended the career preview on December 16, 2019 at TUSLIA office in La Fuerza. The business presentation was presented by Eka Caraan and the sharers were Gel Dizon and Sei Grospe. I learned so much from them and it got me more interested to try the business. I was interviewed by UM Giann Elumbaring and as always assisted by the super bait, Ivan Lontoc.

The next day, I started the BTC online modules and finished them on December 18, 2019. Submitted my requirements to Rod our unit assistant and he helped me out whenever I have questions. 

Classroom BTC (Basic Training Course) Photo from Michael Dela Cruz

I attended the half day training on December 23, 2019, it was facilitated by Michael Dela Cruz. From company policies, dress code, violations, agent’s benefits, commissions and etc.. 

On January 25, 2020, I woke up early for the IC (Insurance Commission) Exam, the exam took place at the 9th floor of ANEX (Pru office) in Makati. I was kinda nervous even though I studied all the reviewers. I was at the venue around 7:30 am and fell in line to register for the exam. We were then given, the answer sheets and the questionnaire. First was the Traditional Exam, where it only took me around 30 minutes to finish. The next was the Variable Exam wherein it took me around an hour to finish. After my exam, I got to check my reviewers and saw some of my mistakes already but still positive about the results. I finished early that’s why I had the time to walk from ANEX to Chino Roces where TUSLIA office is. It will be where my next training will take place.

After my exam, it was Debriefing time. Our facilitator was Aaron Dumigpig. He taught us about prospect mapping, different kinds of approach, and also shared sample spiels that we can use. Our activity for that day was to approach our prospects, either through social media chat or call.

After Debriefing, I can officially attend trainings. My first training was on January 28, 2020 which was the PruOne class where one of our teammates Juan Fernandez was the facilitator. He taught us how to use the app for our clients, and some tricks too. He also shared how he collects data through google forms.

My first coffee talk was on February 13, 2020, held at the City Club in Makati. Together with my teammates with our Unit Manager Ivan Lontoc. 

Exam results also went out on February 19, 2020 and thankfully I passed both traditional and variable exams. I was so happy because my motivation that time was I can’t afford to retake the exam because I had no more cash. Haha

My first time to attend the unit meeting was on February 23, 2020, held at the 6th floor of Trevi Towers. 

Finally on March 9, 2020, CODING was up and I was one of them. Officially part of the agency force. Wohoooo.

Official welcome on March 20, 2020 by UM Ivan. 

So far my experience here is very fun. Of course it’s not all fun, there are struggles and rejections along the way but you know what, I AM ENJOYING (capslock para intense). At first it was just curiosity but when I learned to do the business, I enjoyed it. Sharing the same passion with my teammates also gives me the motivation to do more activities on my own. So if you ask me, YES I’m having fun here because I found a family with the same passion. Thankful to my unit manager Ivan for all the guidance and to my recruiter Ate Weng for all the help and patience. Labyu all.

[moneycoacholive]

[nctnews]

210802 | Pru Life UK’s Twitter update with Mark

Happy birthday MARK! 🎈 🎂 🥳

Wishing you a happy day! Looking forward to seeing you at the #PRUxSuperM We DO Virtual Concert and Fan Meet!

[faraway-wanderer]

BOOKS BY ASIAN AUTHORS MASTERLIST #stopasianhate

In light of recent events and the growing anti- Asian hate in the US and UK over the course of the pandemic I wanted to put together a masterlist of books by Asian authors. Obviously, it’s not extensive and there are HUNDREDS out there, but supporting art by Asian creators is a way of showing support; read their stories, educate ourselves. It goes without saying that we should all be putting effort into reading stories of POC and by POC because even through fiction we’re learning about different cultures, countries and heritages. So here’s some books to start with by Asian authors!

Here is a link also for resources to educate and petitions to sign (especially if you don’t read haha). It’s important that we educate ourselves and uplift Asian voices right now. Your anti-racism has to include every minority that faces it.

https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/

for UK peeps, this is a good read: We may not hear about the anti Asian racism happening here, but it is definitely happening. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/culture-news/a35692226/its-time-we-stopped-downplaying-the-uks-anti-asian-racism/

 THE BOOKS:

·         War Cross- Marie Lu ( the worldbuilding in this is IMMENSE.)

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. 

·         Star Daughter- Shveta Thakrar

A beautiful story about a girl who is half human and half star, and she must go to the celestial court to try to save her father after he has fallen ill. And before she knows it, she is taking part in a magical competition that she must win!

·         These Violent Delights- Chloe Gong (I told my little sister to read this book yesterday bc she has a thing for a Leo as Romeo- so if you want deadly good looking Romeos, badass Juliet’s and to learn about 1920s Shanghai- this is for you.)

The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery. A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. A Romeo and Juliet retelling.

·         The Poppy War- R.F Kuang (My fave fantasy series just fyi- it’s soul crushing in the best way. Rebecca Kuang is a god of an author).

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

·         Loveboat Taipei-  Abigail Hing Wen  (Really heartwarming and insightful!)

When eighteen-year-old Ever Wong’s parents send her from Ohio to Taiwan to study Mandarin for the summer, she finds herself thrust among the very over-achieving kids her parents have always wanted her to be, including Rick Woo, the Yale-bound prodigy profiled in the Chinese newspapers since they were nine—and her parents’ yardstick for her never-measuring-up life.

·         Sorcerer to the Crown- Zen Cho (if anyone is looking for another Howl’s Moving Castle, look no further than this book)

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, freed slave, eminently proficient magician, and Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers—one of the most respected organizations throughout all of Britain—ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up.

·         Emergency Contact- Mary H.K. Choi (very wholesome and fun rom-com!)

For Penny Lee high school was a total nonevent. When she heads to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer, it’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.

 ·         Jade City- Fonda Lee (I am reading this currently and can I just say- I think everyone who loves fantasy and blood feuds in a story should read this.)

JADE CITY is a gripping Godfather-esque saga of intergenerational blood feuds, vicious politics, magic, and kungfu. The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

 ·         A Pho Love Story- Loan Le

When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese-American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighbouring restaurants.

·         Rebelwing- Andrea Tang

Business is booming for Prudence Wu. A black-market-media smuggler and scholarship student at the prestigious New Columbia Preparatory Academy, Pru is lucky to live in the Barricade Coalition where she is free to study, read, watch, and listen to whatever she wants.

·         Wings of the Locust- Joel Donato Ching Jacob

Tuan escapes his mundane and mediocre existence when he is apprenticed to Muhen, a charming barangay wiseman. But, as he delves deeper into the craft of a mambabarang and its applications in espionage, sabotage and assassination, the young apprentice is overcome by conflicting emotions that cause him to question his new life.

 ·         The Travelling Cat Chronicles- Hiro Arikawa

Sometimes you have to leave behind everything you know to find the place you truly belong...

Nana the cat is on a road trip. He is not sure where he's going or why, but it means that he gets to sit in the front seat of a silver van with his beloved owner, Satoru. 

 ·         Super Fake Love Song- David Yoon

From the bestselling author of Frankly in Love comes a contemporary YA rom-com where a case of mistaken identity kicks off a string of (fake) events that just may lead to (real) love.

  ·         Parachutes- Kelly Yang

Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma.

·         The Grace of Kings- Ken Liu ( One of the Time 100 Best Fantasy Books Of All Time!)

Two men rebel together against tyranny—and then become rivals—in this first sweeping book of an epic fantasy series from Ken Liu, recipient of Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards.

·         Wicked Fox- Kat Cho

A fresh and addictive fantasy-romance set in modern-day Seoul.

 ·         Descendant of the Crane- Joan He

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.

 ·         Pachinko- Min Jin Lee

Richly told and profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty. From bustling street markets to the halls of Japan's finest universities to the pachinko parlors of the criminal underworld, Lee's complex and passionate characters--strong, stubborn women, devoted sisters and sons, fathers shaken by moral crisis--survive and thrive against the indifferent arc of history.

·         America is in the Heart- Carlos Bulosan

First published in 1946, this autobiography of the well known Filipino poet describes his boyhood in the Philippines, his voyage to America, and his years of hardship and despair as an itinerant laborer following the harvest trail in the rural West.

 ·         Days of Distraction- Alexandra Chang

A wry, tender portrait of a young woman — finally free to decide her own path, but unsure if she knows herself well enough to choose wisely—from a captivating new literary voice.

·         The Astonishing Colour of After Emily X.R Pan

Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love. 

·         The Gilded Wolves- Roshani Chokshi

It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

·         When Dimple met Rishi- Sandhya Menon

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

·         On Earth we’re briefly Gorgeous- Ocean Vuong

Poet Ocean Vuong's debut novel is a shattering portrait of a family, a first love, and the redemptive power of storytelling.

·         Fierce Fairytales- Nikita Gill

Complete with beautifully hand-drawn illustrations by Gill herself, Fierce Fairytales is an empowering collection of poems and stories for a new generation.

 BOOKS BEING RELEASED LATER THIS YEAR TO PREORDER:

·         Counting down with you- Tashie Bhuiyan- 4th May

A reserved Bangladeshi teenager has twenty-eight days to make the biggest decision of her life after agreeing to fake date her school’s resident bad boy.

How do you make one month last a lifetime?

·         Gearbreakers- Zoe Hana Mikuta- June 29th

Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they're fighting for a common purpose--and falling for each other--in Zoe Hana Mikuta's high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown's Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu's Legend series

·         XOXO- Axie Oh- 13th July

When a relationship means throwing Jenny’s life off the path she’s spent years mapping out, she’ll have to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love.

·         She who became the sun- Shelley Parker-Chan- 20th July

Mulan meets The Song of Achilles in Shelley Parker-Chan's She Who Became the Sun, a bold, queer, and lyrical reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty from an amazing new voice in literary fantasy.

·         Jade Fire Gold- June C.L Tan- October 12th

Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they're fighting for a common purpose--and falling for each other--in Zoe Hana Mikuta's high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown's Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu's Legend series

  Keep sharing, signing petitions and donating where you can. The more people who are actively anti-racist, the better. And if your anti-racism doesn’t include the Asian community then go and educate yourself! BLM wasn’t a trend and neither is this. We have to stand up against white supremacy, and racism and stereotypes and we have to support the communities that need our support. Part of that can include cultivating your reading so you’re reading more diversely and challenging any stereotypes western society may have given you.

 Feel free to reblog and add any more recommendations and resources of course!

[coach-engrvince]

READY TO:

👉 protect more lives and families today

👉 cater your engineering needs

👉 motivate you how wonderful life is

👉 give you business opportunity

starting on this rainy but blessed morning. 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦😇

Your officer-of-the-day is on duty, JOLO REVILLAME‼️‼️‼️😁

Feel free to drop your comments below or PM me for your queries and concerns. 🙂💪

Your smiling servant,

Engr. Vincent Barrero Magallanes

Licensed Financial Advisor - PRU LIFE UK

Licensed Civil Engineer

Life Motivator/Encourager

Financial Literacy Advocate

Profitable Consumerism Advocate

Community-Driven Development Advocate

People Empowerment Advocate

[ordinary-funky-feline-type]

hmmm sometimes when i think of the name of a ship in my head i refer to the whole dynamic and relationship, but it doesnt have to necessarily be romantic and both-sided. like when i think of usuk, im thinking of the whole of them, but most of it is just uk pining over america and other toxik and shitty (n very cool) dynamics. i cant see murica as completely loving of him, not explicitly (except maybe in some temporary situations). but when i step back and look at the whole of them then i can obviously see the love and tension and deepness and blahblahh, even if when im focusing on the day to day moments it may seem completely one-sided. on the iggy side of things, his relationship w murica is obviously the most intense n obsessively loving shit he's ever had but i wont get into that classic

tl;dr "a ship doesnt necessarily refer to a explicit/romantic/requited love, it can also refer to a complex and changing relationship that may not ever even get anywhere. Or even a one-sided romance"

now, i dont like fruk, because (and yes im contradicting my explanation above a bit) i dont like to focus on the love or the romantic/sexual/whatever part of their relationship. but i DO love their relationship, which contains a lot of things, some of them ARE sex and love. but, i dont know, in my head that part is not relevant to the whole concept of their dynamics and their bond as a whole.

mm thats why i usually try to avoid saying 'fruk' when i talk about my interpretation of those two charas, cus i dont want ppl to think i'm referring to the ship. i prefer to say eng & france n stuff like that. same with prus and hungary, yeah maybe they fucked, but in my head the important characteristic of their bond is for instance, their friendship and rivalry. the sex is just a tool to get to and highlight those important parts

'usuk' in my head is not us and uk, usuk is usuk, cus in their relationship the part where they feel romantic love and all that shit is v e r y important.. So much that i cant even imagine the character of iggy without him being in love with murica, to me thats just an intrinsic part of his character. So yeah the “ship” aspect of their relationship is quite the main point for me. like everything they do that has to do with the other is affected by this thing. also lil obvious side-note. sex and romance is not the only way to show and express love, its just the most known ones. And also we are talking about countries in the shape of humans, and they are absolutely not humans, so i can do whatever the fuck i want with them. iggy expresses his love for murica in ways that he himself doesnt even know or realise, all of that while he fucks the entirety of europe on the side. He may not ever lay a finger on him and with that he’s being 200% more genuine and vulnerable than any time he fucks spain or whoever. usuk FOR LIFE

basically: To me a ‘ship’ is not referring to the actual relationship but to the angle with which you approach it. An established ‘romantic’ relationship may not be a ship if its not relevant to you or your story, but a dude who’s in love with a celebrity that lives in another continent that he’s never seen may be a ship if thats what makes sense to what youre imagining. for instance i love biker x jacket even though they never interact. I just like to think of the potential of their personalities together. Not explicit but still… “romantic”? I dont know what words to use to explain those thoughts. But so like, france n iggz: explicit, not “romantic”. Usuk: “romantic” but not explicit? (jiji who am i kidding, maybe sometimes it does get explicit but whatever, thats the general idea)

I love to consume one-sided ships, but im still not comfortable enough to let myself do it? Perhaps in the future my usuk will be completely one-sided, who knows. I still got residual damage from exposure to mainstream ship dynamics as a kid Also i lied. Ijijij i do like fruk a bit, i do think that theres potential for some cute stuffz, specially when they are young. I think that they are super close, and there are million ways of showing that. I dislike fruk when its just fruk in a bubble and thats it. But i love it when its surrounded by the context of this whole hetaverse that lives in my brain (that has to do with me not being interested in other fan’s creations). No england ship ever gets to what usuk is for me, n dats awesom. I like to think that england just entirely took his own heart, pulled it out of his chest, and handed it over to america (along with his multiple other toxicities emoji of cowboy smiling). His heart has already found a place but that doesnt mean he cannot experience sum exciting stuffz with other countries!!! In fact he does, a lot, just like the rest of the charas!!! EVERY SHIP IN HETALIA IS CANON, go have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Alex Recommends: July Books

I hope you’ve all enjoyed a little more freedom over the last couple of weeks. Who knows how long this relaxation of lockdown rules will last but I, for one, am determined to make the most of the summer!

Mark and I are currently at the start of our hectic summer darting all over the country seeing people we love. He is now finally back in rehearsals for a production of Made In Dagenham, which opens in Stafford in October (fingers crossed!), so we’re fitting our summer in around that. 

Last weekend, we spent some time with some of my favourite people in Norfolk, strolling along the beach at Wells-next-the-Sea, walking dogs and exploring little villages. We were pretty lucky with the weather too. It wasn’t glorious sunshine but the rain held off and we could spend most of the time outside, which was lovely. 

I am trying to secure myself a more permanent, stable job because we would really like to buy a house together soon. We’ve seen some lovely, not completely extortionate, places online recently and I know I wouldn’t have to earn a huge amount for us to be able to afford them. Therefore, I am simply looking for a job that I know I would enjoy that pays a non-exploitative regular salary. You’d think that wouldn’t be too difficult to find but you’d be surprised! However, I am hopeful right now and I can only hope (yet again) that this drive to go for my dreams continues. 

I’ve read a lot of books this month. If you follow my blog regularly enough, you’ll have noticed that I posted a lot of reviews in July. I plan to do the same in August, despite my frequent travelling, so look out for my thoughts on some more recent releases. I have five more amazing July releases to share with you here. This was an incredible reading month for me and I can’t rave about these five books enough. I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I fell in love, I found comfort, I felt transported, I felt grounded -what more could you want?!

Hope you’re having a lovely summer so far and I know you’ll find something here to accompany you!

-Love, Alex x

FICTION: The Black Dress by Deborah Moggach.

When Pru finds herself alone at the age of almost 70, she is at a bit of a loss as to what to do. She misses the life she had with her husband and craves the love of a good man again. After noticing a little black dress in the window of a charity shop, she thinks it will be perfect for an upcoming funeral. Only she realises mid-way through the ceremony that this isn’t the funeral she was supposed to attend. Yet no one is questioning her identity and in fact, everyone is very welcoming of her. So, she sees no problem in going to another one because well, why not? This is a wonderful story about healing and forgiveness. There were some big twists littered throughout the narrative that I certainly didn’t see coming as well as plenty of humour. The end of the book lands us in very recent history and I think it’s the first time I’ve read such a realistic account of the UK in lockdown. Ultimately, The Black Dress is a celebration of finding love in later life, letting go of the past and the undeniable passion that can be found in long-term friendships.

NON-FICTION: The Comfort Book by Matt Haig.

Over the years, Matt Haig wrote himself notes that contained random thoughts and stories he came across, in order to inspire hope in his future self. These notes were intended to get him through the darkest times. As we tentatively emerge from the devastation of a global pandemic, Matt has published these notes and given them to us. This book is about finding comfort in the simple things in life and using the joy and hope that this gives us to reconnect with the world and each other. It comprises of a combination of Matt’s personal experiences, philosophy, poetry and history to celebrate the wonders of humanity. It includes stories from people who I hadn’t heard of but who have done amazing things. I really appreciated reading and being inspired by their achievements and yet it also made me feel that it’s ok to just be a good person and live my life well. The Comfort Book is an absolute must read if you’re looking for something to lift you up when it really feels like hope has completely gone.

MIDDLE-GRADE: The House On The Edge by Alex Cotter.

Faith and her brother Noah live with their mother in The Lookout, a house balancing precariously on the edge of a cliff with centuries of history behind it. Their father has disappeared but Faith is sure that he’ll be back soon. Noah has become obsessed with ‘sea ghosts’ in the basement but Faith knows that they don’t exist. However, there is a large crack in the cliff, which seems to be getting bigger every day and then Noah disappears too. This is a wonderful middle-grade mystery about exploring and honouring family history. Faith is a very likeable, mature character with plenty of fire and determination to get to the bottom of things. She finds friendship in the most unlikely places too and despite the story being tinged with tragedy, there is so much heart and hope in it too.

ROMANCE: The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller.

Every summer since she was a child, Elle and her family have visited The Paper Palace in the glorious setting of Cape Cod. Although she is a happily married mother of three in her fifties, last night Elle had sex with her oldest friend Jonas wihle their spouses were just the other side of the wall. Now, Elle needs to decide which path the rest of her life will take. This might be the best example of how to write a love triangle I’ve ever read. The characters are very real, flawed humans and I fully believed in them as real people. There is some truly stunning, immersive descriptions of Cape Cod that truly take you there. I could see the cabin reflections shimmering on the water, the sounds of the birds and raccoons in the forest, the smells of barbecues and the warmth of the sun on my skin. It’s also incredibly clever how The Paper Palace’s physical fragility yet resilience reflects Elle and Jonas’ relationship perfectly. It’s a heartbreaking, gritty read as we travel back through Elle’s life and witness abuse, crimes and grief but it’s a fantastic, intoxicating read that sweeps you up and holds you inside this devastating love story.

THRILLER: That Night by Gillian McAllister.

While enjoying a holiday together in Verona, siblings Joe and Cathy Plant each get a phone call from their younger sister Frannie. Frannie has accidentally hit a man with the hire car and she needs help. On arriving at the scene of the crime, it’s immediately apparent that the man is dead and that the body must be buried. The Plant siblings have always been close but just how far will they each go to protect their deadly secret? This is a very tense plot and it runs a very good pace. The premise in itself is quite unique and I was constantly waiting for the truth to catch up to them yet they kept seemingly managing to swerve it. It’s about the fierce loyalty between siblings with a very satisfying ending that was simply delicious.

[eeattherich]

Let’s Talk: See Red Women’s Workshop

“See Red Women’s Workshop was a collective screen printing studio which operated between 1974 and 1990 in London, England. The printing studio was ran by a feminist collective and produced material that aimed to combat sexist images of women and contribute towards the visual culture of the Women's Liberation Movement.” (x)

This group was founded by Prue Stevenson, Julia Franco, and Suzy Mackie who were all all art-school trained and did a mixture of painting, fine art, graphics, and film.

(Members of See Red working in the Iliffe Yard studio in 1982)

They printed posters, calendars, and t-shirts which funded the workshop along with donations. They focused on a number of women’s issues including: reproductive rights, women's refuges, women's liberation, racism, violence against women, black women's rights, support for incarcerated women, and lesbian rights.

Some of their various workshop locations, as they moved several times over the years, were attacked by the National Front (a far-right, fascist political party in the UK). Still, they persisted. Stevenson said that, “[the National Front] trashed our workshop: They poured ink all over, urinated all over, and generally made an awful mess. They wrote “NF” on the walls, and when the police came, we pointed the initials to the police, saying, “This is obviously who’s done it, the National Front.” And the police said, “Oh, no, no, no. It could be a man’s initials, like Nicholas French or something like that.” To a certain extent, some of the police were sympathizers with the National Front themselves.”

The practiced intersectionality, with Pru Stevenson saying in an interview with Collector’s Weekly, “When See Red first started, we were three white middle-class women and very conscious of the fact that our life experience was limited. It was very important for us to go out and get other women who had a wide range of experience to come and join us. Forty-five women came through the workshop, in fact. We’d also go out to organizations and say, “This is an issue which we think is important. What are your views on it?” They also, when they were given grants, turned them into wages for the working women and the women of color who were part of the collective.

As Vogue puts it, “[they] became more racially and ethnically diverse as the years went on, taking in political refugees from Chile, and addressing specific issues such as police brutality against black women, or the mistreatment of female prisoners in Ireland.”

The variety of women who moved through the workshop (around 45 or so over the years) can be an explaination for the wide range of styles seen in posters from See Red (examples below)

(More of their posters here)

Eventually, this group was recieving commissions from all over the world.

The original founders had left by 1984 and passed on the workshop to the younger, newer members. After their departure, See Red stopped producing new poster designs for the most part. The workshop officially shut down for good in 1990.

As their website puts it, “[Surviving core members] have in recent years been involved in various activities about the history of See Red, including putting this site together, various talks and exhibitions and the book about the workshop published by Four Corners.”

Finally, a picture of some of the remaining women at the book’s launch in 2016:

[kidsofcolourhq]

Kadeem (25): A Personal Reflection on the Education System, Exclusion and Working With ‘No More Exclusions’.

How would you describe your experience growing up as a young person of colour in the UK?

I feel like particularly in early mainstream education, I felt a lot of inequality and was on the receiving end of a series of unethical exclusions, due to my disability, eventually being forcibly removed from two primary schools and victim to a policy that was about behaviour, not academic potential. I experienced countless exclusions from age six upwards. I would spend long periods at home, where work was provided and I was expected to work independently, after not being seen as suitable for a class of 30. Exclusion was seen as a strategy to manage my behaviour, a strategy that did not directly manage my behaviour, instead giving me the impression I wasn’t important or wanted. From my experiences, exclusion mostly affected and still affects black boys; after being labelled and given a statement of special educational needs, being in a pupil referral unit (PRU) and being placed in alternative provision, I was surrounded by other young black males, 80% of the time from 10-15.

How do you feel race and racism has shaped who are you, if at all?

I didn’t initially over emphasize with race and colour as the cause of my maltreatment, it was more discrimination around my disability and about my protected characteristics. Because it was mostly black teachers subjecting me to the worst punishments, I didn’t recognise the racial element. I guess I was also trying to not be seen as a ‘typical black boy’ or to fit the stereotype, black had negative connotations on it for me, black was always bad, black meant I was stereotyped, labelled and treated differently. I didn’t understand why, and through exclusion I didn’t understand that my family upbringing was being challenged by a racist education policy and that I was already made the statistic outside of my control that I was trying to get away from.  

Undeniably, the fear of fitting into stereotypes shaped my future. I was more reluctant about being seen in a group of black boys, on a council estate, stereotypes about gangs drew negative attention. As I got older I was more aware of what race and class meant and it began to show through people’s attitudes towards me and always feeling like having to go over and above. At eight or nine I was being mentored at a black mentoring programme called Boys2Men, so felt like I always had an ability to critically think, all the reflection and behaviour management through early intervention led me at times to “overthink”, alternative provision equipped me to be more empathetic despite the worlds hostile perception of me as a young black male.

You do a lot of work with the group No More Exclusions, how has your experience of exclusion encouraged you to be part of the challenge against the policy?

After participating in discussions at The Colour of Injustice, Zahra Bei invited me to be a part of No More Exclusions because of my personal journey with exclusion. Being coerced to feel like I was the issue, then proving to myself that I wasn’t, I always felt like exclusion was an important topic. Exclusion caused substantial disruption to my family, and personal life, because of the pressure on myself after always wanting to achieve academically to escape exclusion. Exclusion was a hurdle I leaped over, I knew what it was designed for and didn’t allow negative perceptions to make me think less of myself.

After being labelled at 10, and fitting the diagnostic criteria for “oppositional defiance disorder”, because I was seen as challenging by my teachers and head teachers, those behaviours were then magnified, negatively, when actually what that misbehaved child was trying to say was they were massively unstimulated. Despite requesting to be given more challenging school work, I was held back and not allowed to improve within mainstream education. I felt that harder work would have aided my development more than any preventative behaviour strategies and could have compensated in eradicating those ‘disruptive’ behaviours which were a result of not being engaged enough in class and being bored.

I mentioned the lack of stimulation several times during early education and in most of the meetings I had when I was being excluded.

No More Exclusions finally represented a place where I was understood without having to explain myself, involvement created an environment I didn’t feel anxious about sharing my experiences in, I felt comfortable speaking and not being punished for my opinion about what I always felt throughout life stemming from exclusion. Education to me wasn’t about my achievements as an individual, I got the impression it was about impeding my progression and keeping me “in place”. 

You spoke at our event on the school-to-prison pipeline, do you feel like there is a growing link between school and the justice system? What is your opinion on race within this?

Inherently as a young black male there’s an inexcusable link between PRUs and prison. School contributes by creating the belief that as a young black man you won’t achieve academically and first separating you from “normality” in the form of isolation, detention or exclusion for mostly having a different opinion, or having an impairment. I think schools are oppressive and not mindful of the possibility of trauma, or the long-term support needed for those students with special needs. It’s more damaging because they end up feeling alone and are more likely to find refuge around people who they think reflects their perception of life. Some young people might find themselves in positions where they get involved in a life of crime either being left with no other option or being exploited, which then could lead to a lifetime involved with the criminal justice system, and possible inclusion on the gangs matrix especially if you’re under 25. When really the root causes could’ve been solved by resolving the underlying causes of trauma, understanding and listening to young people, and keeping them involved in discussions and solutions about their future, especially if they need extra support or are at risk of exclusion.

Find out more about No More Exclusions on twitter @NExclusions or at nomoreexclusions.com

www.kidsofcolour.com | @kidsofcolourhq

[digitalfilipina]

Pru Life UK partners with CIMB Bank to make financial solutions more accessible to Filipinos

Pru Life UK partners with CIMB Bank to make financial solutions more accessible to Filipinos

Life insurer Pru Life UK is teaming up with CIMB Bank Philippines (CIMB PH) to make digital financial products and service more accessible to Filipinos through technology. CIMB PH is a leader and one of the fastest growing banks offering digital banking products. Pru Life UK will be the first bancassurance partner for CIMB in the Philippines. This partnership is subject to regulatory…