Monday 11 May 2015

C&D Productions Take Two

   So, it's been six months since my last interview with C&D Productions, and with an incredibly busy summer coming up for them, I thought it was about time I interviewed Chris again to get all the details on what the company have been up to recently and what they have planned for the rest of the year.

Hey Chris, welcome back to my blog! It sounds like you and the theatre company have been pretty busy since you last appeared here, what’s been happening?
   First of all, thank you so much for having me on here, it’s always a pleasure! Regarding theatre and life in general, it's more like what hasn’t happened?! It’s been a busy few months since the start of the year and it’s seen C&D Production solidify itself as a growing staple in the local theatre community here in Northants. We’ve already performed two plays this year, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Sleeping Beauty, and next week we embark on our latest and biggest adventure, Macbeth.

So that brings you up to seven plays since the theatre company was established last year? What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced putting on so many plays - finding a cast?
   Surprisingly that hasn’t been an issue at all. I’ve seen groups suffering that issue with productions being cancelled last year and this year due to lack of cast. We’ve never had that problem as I think we cater to a very different group of performers. Typically we haven’t had many musical theatre performers come along and audition which is a mix of two things in my opinion. First of all, they enjoy singing and that’s their main focus of enjoyment when performing and they want to replicate shows and musicals we’ve seen online or on the West End. Secondly, I think that ‘just acting’ can seem quite daunting when you’re used to singing as with a song you’re given a way of singing it via the music that accompanies the piece. With acting you’re given words on a page and it’s down to you to interpret what to do with the script. Of course you need to do this too with lyrics, but you do have a helping hand and also you’re typically told what to do physically via chorography. Also our audition process is very transparent and I’m purposefully not auditioning for any of our shows this year - with the except of maybe Dracula -  to put that point across and establish the right working ethic.

You mentioned Macbeth earlier, what’s happening with that? Seems a far cry from Frankenstein and A Christmas Carol which you did last year?
   I think the right opportunity came across our path and the right time, which is so often the case in life when things go your way. I had floated the idea of Shakespeare mid last year and we agreed it was far too early and we should probably look at it in 2016-2017. Then a contact we made from the Camden Fringe passed our details to someone in Brighton and the next thing we knew we had the chance to perform at the Brighton Fringe Festival 2015. I wanted to take something that would be a challenge to the production team and especially the cast as you have to remember Shakespeare just isn’t done much locally at all. I had gained a good level of directing experience since starting the company but I had the sense to realise I needed someone on board who knew Shakespeare. John Whitney had approached us not long before offering his services and after an email exchange and several meetings I offered him the job of co-directing with me.

Casting a Shakespeare play sounds like a very different beast to the usual productions you've staged?
   Very much so, but I think we’ve established ourselves as the straight acting theatre company in Kettering to offer open auditions. As soon as I started mentioning the project to people the reaction was unanimous excitement and that wasn’t just from people interested in auditioning, but from people happy to see the group moving full steam ahead. We held two audition days which is our standard practice and after some tough decisions we picked our cast which even includes several people out of county. We had people from 50-60 miles away come to audition and that is a testament to our reach online and the portfolio of varied productions we’ve done since our inception.

The Brighton Fringe has already begun and seen a sleuth of productions being staged across the city. Looking online the sheer scope and scale of the festival is enormous, how have you approached preparing for next week?
   In the same way we do for every other production, in a professional way. We’re very strict on being off-book early on in rehearsals as clinging onto a script acts as a barrier to the character being fully realised. We are also blessed with having one of the most dedicated and talented casts I’ve worked with and it really has turned into a collaborative project as I think gaining cast input and suggestions is key to any rehearsal process. Neither John or I will be on the stage with them, so they really have to take charge of their characters and get into their own skin so that the movement, lines and performance is theirs and not them simply following a predetermined route. I purposefully don’t do a great deal of setting early on in rehearsals as I really do encourage actors to think for themselves on stage but instead help them make decisions about what their characters would do at any given moment.

I remember us speaking a while back about your last experience of fringe theatre and you telling me that pushing ticket sales was much more difficult due to heightened competition. How have you fared so far with Macbeth?
   This experience has been a revelation on that front. A month before the festival started we had nearly sold out one night and with a week to go before our first performance we’ve entirely sold out that night and have 10 tickets left for another, with the other two dates selling well too. You have to bear in mind that with Camden we were bringing new writing to the table which is always a risk, be it locally or at a big city festival. We’re fortunate that we’ve always made a profit on all of our shows to date and that trend will definitely now continue with Macbeth and also Sherlock Holmes – A Study In Scarlett, which is being performed locally at the end of May. We’ve broken our own record for pre-sold tickets with Macbeth and our aim will be to break a few records at the Rialto Theatre too!

What does the rest of the year hold of the theatre company? Are you going to slow down and have a well-received rest?
   Not a chance! We’ve already auditioned and cast our next play which will be a series of three well-known stories performed July 9th-11th in Kettering. The stories are Alice in Wonderland, which sees me carry on working with Abbey Scrimshaw who I’m co-directing Sherlock Holmes with, Hansel and Gretel, which sees a joint C&D directing debut of Trisha Lynch and Scarlett Jordan and lastly Red Riding Hood which Liv Norris is heading up after her success with Sleeping Beauty. John Whitney is directing The Seagull, by Anton Chekov in September, with an assistant director soon to be announced and for October and Halloween we’ll be performing Dracula. We’ve also got some fantastic new schemes starting over the summer and our first ever contracted engagement too.

It really sounds like you’ve got a great team around you at the moment?
   None of this would be happening without the truly amazing and dedicated people who make up C&D Productions. The theatre company isn’t about myself or Dan, who will be looking to start a Manchester branch at the start of 2016, it’s about the people that make up the fabric of the group. We work hard and play hard, which can clearly be seen by the quality of productions we produce and by the retention rate of keeping people involved with us. I’m always in touch with Dan to bounce ideas off and he’s usually the voice of reason when I come up with any ideas that we quite aren’t ready for, though I am pleased to say this has become less and less as we’ve grown and our ambitions balance with the talent we’ve amassed. The family we’ve formed is very unique in that we continually welcome new people into the fold and everyone is always accepting of them, whether they are a new director, someone new to acting or an addition to the backstage team.

Anyone in particular you’d like to give a mention to, or is that putting you on the spot too much?
   There would be far too many people to name who have had an impact on me personally and on the theatre company and I’m sure I’d end up missing someone! I can summarise some of the people who have helped and make C&D what it is, but if I miss anyone I’m sure you’re in my thoughts! My mum Trisha is an absolute rock and has done wonders sorting props for all of our shows and helps tremendously online getting our posters in front of people, and I’m really proud that she’s taking her first step with us in directing H&G with Scarlett. Pete Bing is an utter C&D warrior and does far more than most people realise, with us discussing ideas and options throughout the rehearsal process. He’s done everything from recommending lighting for us to get or fixing swords! We’ve got a great backstage team that has featured Tyler, Jade, Molly, Dani, Naomi, John, Damien and many others, some of our best costumes have supplied by Steve Lack and then there’s the directors..
   Liv Norris who I met doing my first ever theatrical show and has been a welcome addition since moving back to the area, John Whitney who has been a great asset with Macbeth and who I’m sure will continue to deliver with The Seagull and beyond and the new directors coming up through the ranks. Abbey has been great to work with on Sherlock and who I think has a great future ahead of her in whatever she does. Scarlett, Georgie Cunningham and Tom Heritage are going to be coming into the foray this year and I can’t forget Becky Hawksbee who is an amazing support and is an asset to me personally and professionally, and who is making a great return to the stage as Lady Macbeth, having occupied a smaller role in Dorian. I won’t name the 80+ cast who have been in our productions, but I have honestly enjoyed working with all of you and look forward to the doubtless years ahead still working with you. 

Very quickly before we finish up, you mentioned some schemes starting over the summer, care to elaborate?
As most people know I am very passionate about theatre having no barriers or obstacles to entry for those wanting to get involved. These of course vary from group policy to membership fees to groups using the same directors for 5-10yrs on the bounce. That's their choice and they are of course entitled to it, I however want to ensure anyone locally wanting access to theatre has that chance. This is why over the summer the first of the initiatives we'll be launching is 'New Voices', which will focus on new writing, mainly aimed at the theatre, but also just generally about encouraging people to write as it can have so many benefits to people's well-being too. The idea will be to get some short plays written as the process develops and then the theatre company will put them on and those received well will be transferred to the various fringes we'll be visiting. I was careful to give it an open name as this scheme will be open to anyone, regardless of age, so it will be exciting who gets involved. The other program which we are starting will be 'Future-Proof' which is aimed at developing new talent in other elements of the production process. The main focus will be on directing and other elements of backstage, with people teamed up with experience individuals to give them support. The ideal situation would be for a new director would get to work on some of the new material coming out of 'New Voices' and build up relationships with others learning their trade. Again this won't be age restricted so if there's a 17yr old coming through the ranks like Abbey or people who retired and want to take up a new interest.

It certainly sounds like the future is looking bright for C&D and for theatre locally to you in Northamptonshire. What's the plan for the next week in Brighton? We're travelling down early on Tuesday, book into the hotel and get to work selling the remaining tickets, which as I said earlier aren't many. I've got a few interviews to do with various reviewers and bloggers in the Brighton area and I'll be looking to meet up with Ditch The Label, an anti-bullying charity based in Brighton which we will be supporting while we are down there. The important thing to focus on though is to put on some quality theatre and have fun while doing it. We're there for six days and it's important to make them memorable and gain as much from the experience as possible, as well as seeing other shows that are on too. The family feel that you get from performing at a fringe festival is very different to the feeling you get when performing locally as no-one knows you but the support is a great pure passion to encourage each-other which agendas or motives. Someone comes to your show and sees it, if they liked it they will tell you, if they didn't like it they'll tell you, that level of honesty rarely exists at an am-dram level. Let's hope for some favourable reviews and a fantastic experience for the cast, John and I, and everyone else performing down there throughout May!

--

Chris Lynch
Artistic Director
C&D Productions Ltd


Tuesday 28 April 2015

Salford Varsity and SUBC 50

   Last Saturday saw the annual boat race take place at Salford Quays between our university boat teams and Manchester's. It's one of the most hyped about events for the university, and its safe to say that we were all pretty nervous when it came round. 
   Despite plenty of training and early mornings we weren't fortunate enough to win due to the strength of the Manchester crews, but it has made us all the more determined to train even harder to ensure our victory next year. It was still a huge event for the university, and it was lovely to see the amount of people who had come to support us, even though the weather was appalling and there was very little shelter! It definitely reminded us that despite being the underdog university we work incredibly hard, and can only keep striving to achieve what we know we're capable of.
   The evening brought with the annual rowing ball, which was particularly important this year as it was the celebration of our club having been running for 50 years. I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but it was a spectacular night and I'm incredibly grateful to have gone. It was a very formal event, and everyone looked incredible, and it definitely made a pleasant change to seeing everyone half asleep in their training gear at 6:30 in the morning! It was an opportunity for us all to celebrate how hard we've all trained over the past nine months, as well as to be able to give something back to the club. It also reminded us of how far we've all come, particularly us freshers, as many of us only started rowing in September, but it's such a huge part of our lives now. 
   Throughout the night there were various awards, allowing our captains to reward us for all our efforts. I was fortunate enough to get a gift for being part of the senior women's WeHORR crew last month, which is an event I will never forget, for both good and bad reasons! 
   It's safe to say it was emotional having to say goodbye to a lot of the crew who we've become so close to as they are now graduating, but we all know they'll be there with the supporters at the varsity next year! It was a day and night full of reflection on how far we've come, which is actually a pretty scary thought! It's crazy how huge a part of my life rowing has become, but I definitely wouldn't have it any other way.


Friday 13 February 2015

Faryl Smith

   So it's been a while since I last managed to get round to writing a new blog post due to the stress of assignment deadlines and January exams! Thankfully that's all out the way now, so I can get back to blogging! I've decided to take a slightly different approach with my blog to make it more blog like, so expect lots of interviews, reviews and my opinion on events happening around the world!
   As my first post in a while, I knew that this one had to be a pretty big one, so therefore I incredibly grateful to be given the chance to interview Faryl Smith! I used to sing with Faryl in Masquerade before she auditioned for Britain's Got Talent, as well as singing in concerts since we got her recording contract and for backing on her first solo album. Therefore I grabbed the chance to ask her about what 2015 is going to bring both for herself and for her career!

Who have been the greatest influences on your singing journey so far?
   Lots of great classical singers gave me valuable advice at the start of my career, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Lesley Garrett and Bryn Terfel. They were all people that I admired and looked up to. They all advised me to take my time with my career and to enjoy myself. 

What is the one thing you hope to achieve above all else?
   I hope to one day have the main role in an opera. It will take a lot of time and hard work, but that would be my final goal. 

Who are your favourite contemporary singers?
   I love all of Beyonce’s songs. Not just her voice but the way she performs because she owns the stage.

Will there be another solo album?
   Not at the moment as I currently want to concentrate and put all of my efforts into developing my voice and performing. However we will see about maybe doing another album in the future!

What advice would you give to young singers hoping to follow in your footsteps?
   I would say try to get as many experiences in performing in front of an audience as you can. Maybe join a choir as it brings out your confidence. It also makes the experience enjoyable as you will make lots of friends.

You were incredibly young when you entered the industry, how did you manage to keep grounded?
   I think having a close family around me at all times made me grounded. My mum definitely made sure that it didn’t affect me in any way.

What’s been the most challenging moment for you so far?
   The most challenging thing was probably trying to balance both my full time career and also GCSE’s & A levels. I thankfully got through everything with good grades, but it was very difficult to balance.

What’s been the most rewarding moment of your career to date?
   I don’t think I would be able to pick just one thing! I have had some amazing experiences that I will never forget. Performing in front of the Queen several times and having the chance to meet her was probably one of the most rewarding moments of my career. 

What would be your advice to anyone hoping to break the industry?
   Always do what you feel is the best thing for you. Enjoy and try to appreciate every experience that you have and make sure that you take lots of pictures. I now have albums full that I love looking back at, as there are so many lovely memories. But most importantly, enjoy it!

What can we expect from you in 2015?
   I have been accepted into several music conservatoires in London and I am currently trying to make the difficult decision of one to choose. I plan to study hard, achieve a degree in music and still perform regularly. I have many events coming up that I am really excited about, for example performing for Royalty and Wembley again.

Tuesday 27 January 2015

Infinity Dreams Award

   I haven't really got a clue what this award is all about, but I've been nominated by Olivia, so I'm going to follow the rules and see if someone ever tells me what it actually is! 

The Rules
  • Thank and follow the blog that nominated you
  • Post 11 facts about yourself
  • Answer the 10 questions set by your nominater
  • Choose 3-10 nominees and set them 10 questions

11 Facts About Myself
  1. I'm diabetic
  2. I'm quarter Irish
  3. I'm an only child
  4. I wanted to be an actress up until the age of 17
  5. Singing is my biggest passion
  6. My aim is to live in either Chesire or Chelsea when I'm older
  7. I aspire to be like Fearne Cotton - her career is my dream!
  8. I'm obsessed with American Horror Story and Fresh Meat
  9. I've recently become a pescetarian
  10. I used to be a hurdler
  11. I hope to travel the world
My Nominees

My 10 Questions

If you could pick 5 guests of your choice who would invite to a dinner party?
   I'd actually probably invite a ridiculous amount of people, so this is pretty difficult having to choose my top 5!

  • Alex Turner - I have the most ridiculous crush on me and he could serenade me and it would just be absolutely perfect
  • Barak Obama - he reminds me of an overexcited puppy, I just love him!
  • Ed Sheeran - he's the most down to earth celebrity ever and he's just so lush! 
  • Meryl Streep - she is my absolute live aims and I just find her so so amazing
  • Evan Peters - HE IS JUST PERFECT.
Why did you start blogging?
   Originally I started blogging to show people in year 13 or a similar situation to me that you don't need to get into your first choice university to be able to make something of your life and still achieve your dreams. However, nowadays it's become more of a lifestyle blog, and that's the direction I want to take it in. It's also an opportunity for my friends to be able to know what I'm up to, because we're scattered all over the country now! 

If you could only use 3 products on your face at one time what would they be?

  • B&B cream - it moisturises and gives foundation coverage so it's a good all-rounder!
  • Nars Volumising Mascara - it's my absolute favourite mascara, for someone with dark eyelashes it's perfect!
  • MAC Ruby Woo - red lipstick is by far my favourite, and this is by far my favourite one
Do you have any hobbies?


  • Singing - like I said in a previous post, I've been doing it since I was 3, properly since I was 7, and it's my biggest passion
  • Rowing - a new hobby since going to university, but I absolutely adore it and I've realised surprised myself!
What would you wear if you could only have one outfit for the rest of your life?
    For New Years Eve 2014 I bought a black playsuit from Topshop and it's become my new favourite item of clothing. It can be dressed up or down depending on how I do my make up and what I pair it with, so I'd definitely choose that alongside my black Chelsea boots! It's so simple yet sophisticated and it's a definite all round winner in the style stakes. 

What do you want to achieve from your blog?
   I honestly don't have a clue. I already have achieved more than I ever thought I would - I have so many followers and views and people who are genuinely interested in my blog and what I get up to in my crazy life! I just hope it carries on going up and getting more successful and that I give people various ideas as to what to do about university both before they go and once they get there.

What is your biggest achievement so far?
   My school expedition to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands without a shadow of the doubt. Being 1 of 30 chosen out of over 400 students who applied was just such a surreal experience and it was by far the most amazing and rewarding month of my life to date. It made me realise how much we take for granted back home - seeing the childrens faces when we gave them our old clothes just made you realise how lucky we are to have the security that we do. I'd recommend it to anyone and I'm determined to go back one day. It was a life changing experience.

If you could be any character from any TV show/film who would it be and why?
   Rizzo - Grease. I'm obsessed with the film, knowing all the songs and dance routines and having been in a production of it. I love Rizzo's sass and her no-nonsense attitude, I feel like I should start channelling my inner Rizzo a bit more! Yet she also has a soft side and is ready to admit sometimes that she puts on a bit of a front, she's just such an amazing character! I'd never ever be able to do Stockard Channing justice though! 

What was your first ever make up item?
   I can't even remember when I started wearing make up, let along my first make up item! Knowing my obsession with magazines when I was younger though it was properly a tacky sparkly bright pink free lip gloss

What is your favourite fashion trend? 
   My all time favourite fashion trend is a classic block print cocktail dress with black or nude court shoe Louboutins. However, I'm aware that's a rather expensive trend, so if I had to go for a cheaper one I'd probably go for black skinny jeans, chelsea boots and a pretty shirt or blouse.

Questions For My Nominees

  1. If you could have a one way ticket anywhere where would it be?
  2. If you could meet any famous celebrity of your choice who would it be?
  3. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
  4. What are your go to shoes?
  5. Where is your favourite local place to visit?
  6. What do you hope people achieve from reading your blog?
  7. Who are your favourite bloggers and why?
  8. What's your number one way to relax after a busy day?
  9. What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?
  10. What is your go to album for long car journeys? 
Well there you go - you now know a little bit more about me! Be sure to talk a look at Olivia's blog seeing as she nominated me! If I nominated you then pop the list in the comments below so I can check out your answers!

Thursday 22 January 2015

Masquerade Choir

   Even since the age of 7 I have been lucky enough to sing with international award winning choir Masquerade. I've been singing, or attempting to since, since the age of 3, and before I moved to Manchester the past 4 years saw me singing 4-5 times a week without fail. Having grown up with a pretty musical family on my mum's side, it was inevitable that I was going to inherit the musical genes. After trying, and failing, to play the violin and the saxophone, I stuck to singing and let them become my passion.
   I've also been a member of Belcanto Ladies Choir, another international award winner, various school choirs, and Stagemasque Theatre Company - but Masquerade is the choir that will also have my heart. Not only have I sung with them in the BBC Children's Choir of the Year, which we only went and won, and various competitions at the international choir awards in Llangollen, I was also lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to California with them for 10 days when I was 13. The trip was packed with singing at various theme parks, including Disneyland California and Universal Studies, as well as chance to shop and enjoy the theme parks.
   Growing up with singing being such a massive part of my life, it was a massive shock coming to university and realising that I couldn't really afford to dedicate 5 evenings a week to it any more. Plus I wanted to try new things, such as rowing, and so I decided that singing could take a bit of a back seat after 12 years of hardcore training. I definitely have missed it ridiculous amounts, but it's nice to have given myself a break because amazingly it can be pretty exhausting after a while, especially in the lead up to competitions!
   Spending so much time doing something I enjoy over such a long period of time definitely built strong friendships. I have the closest group of friends at choir, my lil Masquerade family, and it was incredibly difficult having to say goodbye to them. My hardest goodbye was definitely Laura, because she's been my main choir girl since day one! We've grown up together and we're ridiculously close and we have millions of memories together, so having to leave her was so difficult! Last year we got into the routine of having monthly Nandos meals as a chance to relax and have a proper catchup after practices seeing as we're not allowed to talk during rehearsals, so it was difficult having to accept that I wouldn't be doing that as often any more as well!
   
       
   Therefore when I was home over Christmas it was compulsory that I made the effort to see the girls a few times! We realised that it was going to have to be a major catchup, having not seen each other for 4 months, so the first time we decided to have a night in at Katie's with plenty of snacks, pizza and drink. It was such a lush night catching up and having a laugh together, I think it reminded us all how close we are! Despite the fact it had been such a long time since we were all last together it wasn't at all awkward, it was as if we'd never been apart!
   I also decided to go and surprise my choir conductor by turning up at a rehearsal last week. All the choir girls knew but we all agreed to keep it secret from Barry so it would be a massive surprise for him, and it's safe to say he absolutely loved it! It was so amazing being able to see all the girls and Barry again, and of course we went for a Nandos afterwards for old times sake! Going to a rehearsal also worked in my favour, as not only have I been asked to go to Disneyland Paris with Masquerade this August, but I've also been asked if I'll sing at Llangollen with Belcanto! It means my summer will be incredibly hectic but I honestly can't wait for all the training to get me back to singing to that professional standard! 
   So there you go, you now know all about my second family and my lifelong passion for singing! 






Thursday 15 January 2015

New Year, New Blog!

   Seeing as it's a new year I decided it was about time I started making my blog a bit more professional. However, after playing around for hours trying to get a new theme that I liked, I realised I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and that I should some proper help. Therefore, I recruited the help of Sarah, a blog designer, to create the perfect theme for my blog.
   I would definitely recommend Sarah to anyone wanting their blog revamping - she's so lovely to work with and the end results are amazing! I was in awe of how quickly she took my ideas onboard and created the perfect theme for my blog. Within 24 hours she transformed it from an amateur blog to a much more professional one that I'm proud to show of! The price is so reasonable for the end product, at only £20 you'd be silly not to go for it! Definitely go and check out her website - http://www.trisarahtopssmiles.co.uk/p/home.html - she offers so many different things from blog designs to company card designs, and she can quite literally create anything regardless of how in detail your ideas may be! 
   For those of you who know me, you'll understand my obsession with elephants and therefore it was key that I had them in my design somewhere, and I honestly think my new blog design represents me well! 
   Alongside getting a new blog design, I've realised it's time I started being a better blogger and taking more photos, as they liven up posts and it'd be better if I showed you what I was up to rather than just telling you! So I promise that this year there'll be plenty more photographs in my blog posts. I've also realised the importance of social media, so I've now got all the links to my various different social media sites on my blog, so you can easily find me! But just in case I'll pop them below as well. 
   As the title says - new year, new blog!

Twitter
Facebook
Google +
Instagram
Pinterest
Bloglovin'

Thursday 1 January 2015

2015

   It's with a huge sigh of relief that I wave goodbye to 2014. It's crazy to think how fast it's gone, but it was full of ups and downs for me, and I think I'd be right in saying I had far more than my fair share of downs. Therefore I couldn't be happier to see 2015, which I am determined to ensure is a much better year for me.
   I always create New Year's Resolutions but I am prone to giving up on them after about three months. However, this year is going to be the year that I follow my resolution through to the end. Usually I go for something stereotypical, like to eat more healthily and lose weight, and although this is part of my resolution, my overall resolution is much more important.


   My best friend sent this to me this morning, and I decided to make it my resolution. To be selfish. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always worried about upsetting and hurting people, so I let people walk all over me and I apologise for everything in an attempt to keep the peace and to avoid losing people. However the last few months of 2014 made me realise I can't let this happen any more. I can't be expected to take the blame for things that aren't my fault just because the other person doesn't want to have to accept that they're in the wrong themselves. I know this may sound clichéd, but 2015 is 100% going to be my year. I'm going to spend it focusing on myself and developing myself into a healthy, happy, successful 19 year old. Most importantly I'm going to love myself and realise my own self worth. I suppose in a way you could say I'm going to find myself. I've let my confidence be knocked so much that I think I deserve to be treated like rubbish, and no one deserves that! I'm going to become the best version of myself I can be and I won't be letting anyone walk over me or stand in my way. It's a hell of a big resolution, but I know I'm capable of achieving it.
   Thank you for sending me this Beth, here's to 2015!