I am a great believer in everything for a reason. I met Lisa Dunnington whilst cleaning her loo. Lisa has a very big heart, a very successful business woman who loves to give back. She likes to help people to succeed in life. I met Dez, the artist known as “LoveArtPix” on social media. We both suffer with Mental Health. Dez also has to deal with Bi Polar each day and, just this year he was diagnosed with Autism. He is a great advocate for both.  Dez also has a big heart, a great talent and loves to give back. These are my kind of people.

I believe we all had a reason for coming together. So on Friday 21st August 2020 myself & Lisa jumped in her car and headed for an overnight stay in Manchester.

As we pulled up outside RMHC Manchester we were greeted by a giant with a huge heart. Meet Dez, 6ft 3, with a great sense of humour i’m wearing flats 5ft 5 at a push, Lisa on the other hand was in 6″ heels so i proceeded on my tiptoes for effect. We even got to meet his partner & beautiful son for a minute while he took some of his artwork into the reception area. He has very kindly donated to a virtual charity event in November so watch this space….If you haven’t already seen his work then i suggest you do…The Bees of Manchester…Awesome!!!

We had only ever conversed via social media together so it was quite exciting to see if the banter continued in person…Which it did…Like we had been mates for years…

We checked in to the hotel, had a couple of drinks, chat chat chatting away. The conversation just flowed. A friend of mine had booked us a table at Albert Schloss for 6pm so we had enough time to nip into “The Old Nags Head” for a swift one before going to eat, and as always i was starving….

I probably need to mention at this point that we all share the same or similar beliefs. We discussed them often on social media platforms, some agree with our views, some don’t. Anyway Dez created a very powerful image. An image that caught peoples’ attention, raising awareness #saveourchildren. After seeing the image for the first time i loved it so much i asked if he would get two Tees printed for myself & Lisa to wear on this night out in Manchester, to create interest and conversation in the bars. I knew he would agree, great minds think alike and all that. Lisa was still unaware of this until i pulled out two Tees, one black, one white and. said “Which one do you want Thelma?” “Thelma & Louise” private joke.

As the amber nectar trickled down our necks conversation  became a little harder to follow. We somehow got on about Mohammed Ali and his famous quote….However one of us seemed to think it was “Sting like a butterfly, float like a bee.” Absolutely creased here ha ha ha… On route to “Schloss”

If you have ever eaten in “Alberts Schloss” You will know how large the portions are. But smart arse here decides she can tackle everything on the menu!!!! I mean  the bowl of Hummus could have fed “Oliver” for a week…We’re like “Please Sir we can’t eat anymore!” Great company, great food, incredible Espresso Martini’s. “Why is one never enough?” Espresso anything on a full stomach at 9pm is not clever. Totally not my doing…Easily influenced. Lisa seemed to think it would counteract them by ordering a decaf to end the night on. The tees were starting to create attention, a subtle introduction of what is coming!!!  Lisa & Dez knew  people in here, this just hyped everything up. Instagram pics…facebook…Already a statement was being made. We haven’t even started yet!

As the evening came to a close we said “Goodbye” to Dez.  Myself & Thelma sat for another fifteen minutes or so dredging the bottom of our glasses. Two very smug almost childlike grins beamed from our table. Greater things are definitely on the horizon.

Back at the hotel at a very respectable 11pm may i add, we both couldn’t wait to hit the sack, sinking into white sheets probably wrapped around someones crack the night before. We had been up since crack sparrow & Lisa had done a four hour zoom before we set off. I’m stressed just fucking thinking about it…

Make up off, pee, chit chat with Thelma, get comfy, should be asleep soon…Just as the entire meal descends upon my gut i feel like i am homing a bloody breeze block. If that’s not uncomfortable enough then the fucking espresso Martini’s decide to kick in. FML…

Thelma toddles off to the loo, must have been that decaf that made her sick ha ha ha. You really shouldn’t mix your drinks my dear…As i lay listening to Lisa’s fragmented speech i tossed and turned for what seemed for hours. Then suddenly Lisa is back in the land of the living, a power nap and puke had done the job. I was bursting for a pee. I made my way in to the bathroom in the dark and……………….For fucks sake….If it’s not “Poo in my shoe” it’s bloody “Spew not quite in the loo!” Squelching through my bare toes were the remnants of Thelma’s evening…She likes to share she’s good at that. You couldn’t make it up…..I scrambled around for a clean towel, i know, are you visualising this yet? As clean as i was going to be i made my way back to bed to a chattering Lisa. We laughed so much we cried.

I said to her, “I’ve stood in your sick it’s still on the floor.” She heads to see what awaits her in the bathroom. After taking a look… while i giggled watching her stumbling ha ha ha …She replied “I swear on my life that was there when we came!” I am crying writing this, feckin’ hilarious.

For fucks sake she’s back to sleep i’m sure they were buying me double Espressos. I will  just have to toss and turn in sweat until it’s time for breakfast.

8am…Up showered and off home….It’s amazing what can be achieved in such a short space of time. In less than 24 hours we have created something that can only blossom…Here’s to the future…

What a night! We took a chance. We met up. We made a subtle statement. We bonded as friends. We have become a team in just 2 days. Paths cross for a reason, your gut will know if it’s right or not….I know we have got this right!

Watch out for the Tees…On sale very soon #saveourchildren #manchester #LoveArtPix

SUPPORT THE CAUSE….One Love!