In this episode, we’re joined by Dawn Sheedy, a fully qualified financial advisor and passionate advocate for financial wellness. As the founder of Dawn Sheedy Financial Management, she’s on a mission to change the way people approach money, believing that financial health is essential to overall wellbeing.

Dawn shares her insights on breaking the stigma of debt and empowering people to take control of their finances - because it’s never too late to start your journey to financial confidence.

Connect with Dawn on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at Dawn Sheedy Financial Management.

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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LinkedIn: advocacy-focus
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We talk with Amanda Robinson, an award winning health and well-being coach and founder of Health Steps. Amanda shares what it’s like to work with a health coach and how they can help people feel better at work and in life.

We also chat about how your gut and brain are connected, give easy tips to make your gut healthier, and share small steps you can take to start 2025 feeling great.

Resources:

• Visit the Health Steps website: www.healthsteps.co.uk
• For blogs and recipes, visit: https://www.healthsteps.co.uk/blog
• For Amandas Facebook group, search for : ‘Health Steps Community-Health and Wellbeing support for all’

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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Our Spot Purchase Advocates are skilled and help people through their health and social care journey. They work in different areas of advocacy to provide the right support when it's needed.

In our latest episode of FocusAF, we talk to Advocacy Focus Manager, Leanne Barber, to learn about the important role of a spot purchase advocate.

Towards the end of this episode, Leanne mentions previous episodes of FocusAF and pages to visit on our website:

Previous episodes mentioned:

• A day in the life of an Independent Advocate with Independent Advocate Rachel Hall
• Mark's Story - Relevant Person’s Representative Advocacy with Leanne Barber

Pages on our website mentioned:

• Spot Purchase Us - Advocacy Focus
• Helping Claire - Advocacy Focus

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

Connect with us:
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LinkedIn: advocacy-focus
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Meet Jody, the new host of FocusAF!

Jody is part of our Community Focus team and served 16 years in the Royal Navy, 18 years in dentistry, and is passionate about helping others and advocating for her two sons.

Have a listen to our latest episode to learn a bit more about Jody and what you can expect in this new season of Focus AF.

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

Connect with us:
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LinkedIn: advocacy-focus
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It's Free Wills Month and we're joined by Kirsten Marshall from Wills on Wheels to discuss all things Wills and Lasting Powders of Attorney (LPAs)!

Kirsten talks us through what Wills and LPAs are, who needs to consider creating these documents and what they mean in real terms. As well as this, we go into how much these documents cost and how you can go about creating them.

Need help with your Will or LPA? Get in touch with Kirsten today:
http://wills-on-wheels.co.uk/
INFO@WILLSONWHEELS.CO.UK
07854 381400

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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In this episode we interview Darren Hayward, experienced self-advocate, and discuss all things self-advocacy including his extensive voluntary work supporting Trafford Council to improve services for autistic people and those with learning disabilities.

We also chatted to our very own Independent Advocate, Ashley Mee, who shared his top tips in creating and supporting a self-advocacy group as well as the key issues being experienced by people with learning disabilities and the autistic people of Trafford.

Below you can find out more about Pathways, who we discuss through the episode.

https://www.lancslearningdisabilityinstitutions.org.uk/content/about/who-are-we/pathways-associates

If you’d like to join Mission Impossible or support the group in any way, please contact Ashley@advocacyfocus.org.uk or admin@advocacyfocus.org.uk.

We would also like to extend a big thank you to Cheryle Britton from YOLO Wellbeing for sponsoring today’s episode, and for her kind words encouraging other businesses to fundraise for our charity. You can find out more about YOLO Wellbeing here: https://yolowellbeing.co.uk/

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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LinkedIn: advocacy-focus
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Trigger warning: This episode discusses death, car collisions, and serious injury.

In this episode we welcome Karen Blair, Chief Executive Officer of Aftermath Support a Northwest charity supporting victims of car collisions.

We discuss the complexities of witnessing, being a victim of, or being a loved one of someone who's been killed or seriously injured in a car collision. Our host Carolina shares her experience accessing Aftermath's services after her mum's car collision and life-changing injuries, and Karen explains some of the other support available through the charity.

If you have been a victim of or witnessed a car collision, live in the Northwest of England and need support, please reach out to Aftermath below:

0845 634 4273
0151 777 2562
support@aftermathsupport.org.uk
https://aftermathsupport.org.uk/contact/

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

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In this episode we are joined by Daniel Murphy, from TVS Supply Chain Solutions a multi-national logistics company, to discuss workplace wellbeing. We talk about TVS' journey in this space and share ideas of what you may want to try in your own business. Dan also shares what's coming up for TVS in the future, we discuss how Advocacy Focus has helped them in this journey, and share tips for other businesses in this and other sectors.

Visit our website: www.advocacyfocus.org.uk

Connect with us:
Facebook: AdvocacyFocus
LinkedIn: advocacy-focus
Instagram: @advocacyfocus