B-eat

I bet the above name means absolutely nothing to anyone reading this site, but it means a lot to me and millions of other people in the UK. It is time for people to sit up and take notice of this national charity that is making a difference to the small minority who know about it.

Monday 22nd of February marks B-eat’s 21st birthday and it is also the start of it’s Eating Disorders Awareness week. Yet the charity still remains unknown. And why? The sad fact is that eating disorders are still a “hush-hush” subject, just like the C-word (cancer) was ten years ago. No one wants to talk about them; nobody wants to be associated with one. This is because eating disorders are a mental health problem, which like others - depression, self-harm etc - are rarely talked about. This needs to change.

Throughout the year, B-eat is holding various events across the country in order to promote awareness, kicking off with next week, which will involve lots of interviews in the press, on television and radio with B-eat ambassadors. These are real sufferers, who are either recovered or are still in their long road to recovery.

B-eat’s help line will be open 24/7; they will be tweeting statistics and updates; on-line recovery clubs will be running; a civic reception will be held at Norwich City Hall, the town where B-eat is based. Tuesday 23rd of February will see the launch of Beat Cymru, the first ever major project in Wales to tackle the issue of eating disorders and offering support. The end of the week is campaign day, when beat supporters are urged to take a copy of the charity’s manifesto to their local MP.

A lot of people may think that we don’t have a problem with eating disorders, but with between 1.1 million and 1.6 million currently diagnosed as having an eating disorder, not counting those who have not been diagnosed yet, I think this issue is a very serious one, especially considering it has the highest mortality rate of any mental health illnesses.

There are many different eating disorders - anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, compulsive eating, EDNOS (eating disorders non specified) and many more. They are more than just having troubles with food. That is the only what is seen on the surface. Sufferers usually have low self-esteem, perfectionist values, high levels of anxiety and could have another mental health problem. Often an eating disorder is used as a coping mechanism from a distressing event in your life. Or it could be a way of disappearing to escape bullying or sexual abuse. There are many causes of eating disorders and there is no fast fix. You can’t “cure” people. They have to want to recover and it can take years, even if you look okay physically.

Although the media does not cause eating disorders, it doesn’t help matters. The size-0 trend glorifies being emaciated; when in reality it’s not all it cracks up to be. You are a walking skeleton, with no energy, brittle bones and are certainly not attractive. You can develop osteoporosis; your brain shrinks and you lose heart tissue. By starving yourself, your body starts to shut off everything that isn’t a vital organ.

I strongly believe that the media should show real people in their magazines, ones that haven’t been airbrushed. We need to learn to celebrate that we are all different.

I could go on further to explain eating disorders but there is so much to say. They are a very complex subject but that is why awareness needs to happen. So you can help friends or relatives who may have an eating disorder. So people don’t say the wrong thing to a sufferer (Never, ever say they look well. They will interpretate it that they look fat). Whatever you do to find out about eating disorders though, do not go on pro-ana websites. These are sites that see being anorexic and bulimic has a life style and not an illness. This is wrong. People with an eating disorder do not choose it; it is something out of their control. Recovery, however, is possible with supportive friends and the general public being more understanding.

So, please do read articles on eating disorders in awareness week and do visit B-eat’s website at www.b-eat.co.uk

Kate Moss… can she do no wrong?

She’s a model, a fashion designer, a style icon and a party girl-Kate Moss covers all aspects of the spectrum. She’s known for her distinctive figure, her celebrity friends and more recently, her alleged drugs scandal but  still landed on her perfectly formed feet.

Her appearance on over 300 magazine covers all began when she was discovered at the age of 14 by Storm Model Management and became known as the “anti-model” of the 90’s as she contrasted supermodels such as Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell, who were known for their curvaceous and tall figures.

She quickly charmed the fashion industry and soon became the face of Rimmel as well as supporting campaigns by major designers such as Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Roberto Cavalli and Dior. This led to her appeaance in British Women’s Sunday Times Rich List in 2007, where she was estimated to be worth £45 million and ranked as the 99th richest woman in Britain.

Whilst everything appeared to be going swimmingly for Kate, on the 15th of September 2005, London’s Daily Mirror ran front page images that appeared to show Moss snorting lines of cocaine at a recording session.  Five days later, H&M announced that they would be dropping her from their autumn clothes range which was designed by her good friend, Stella McCartney. On September 6th, Chanel announced they would not be renewing Miss Moss’ contract with them and Burberry also decided to drop the star from their campaign.

Kate apologised for her actions and was heavily defended by friends such as Naomi Campbell and ex-boyfriend Johnny Depp. Designer Alexander McQueen showed true devotion to the model by wearing a t-shirt saying ‘We love you Kate’ during his walkout after a fashion show.

A year after the cocaine scandal, Moss made a huge comeback by bagging 18 top modelling contracts in 2006 including Rimmel, Agent Provocateur, Roberto Cavalli and Calvin Klein. The effect of her cocaine scandal appeared to be fading away and it was suggested that her earnings after the scandal were more than before the incident.  In 2006, Moss won Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards and whilst this was a clear sign that the public and the industry had forgiven her for her antics in 2005, the award was caused controversy.

In 2007, Moss decided that being a model and a party girl was simply not enough to keep her busy and on May 1st she launched her own collection in 255 Topshop stores.   The launch caused a media frenzy as she appeared in the window of the flagship store on Oxford Street, London, modelling a red dress from her collection.

Moss it seems has made a full public recovery and the nation continue to admire and rely upon her for effortless style.  Only last week, Cameron Diaz was spotted entering a hair salon in LA clutching a picture of Kate Moss only to come out with the exact same hair-do!  So girls rest assured that even the most famous and beautiful of women, with stylists on hand, take tips from Miss Moss…

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”Sunderland is as good a place if not possibly better than most in terms of finding types of talent that will create the British Film Industry of 2020,” the former chancellor said.

”There is no reason why we shouldn’t have four other Ridley Scotts living and working in the region as a result of this university and its facilities and resources.”

Lord Puttnam was chancellor of the university for 10 years before taking up the same office for the Open University. He hopes to broaden and extend nationally what he feels was achieved at Sunderland: “We tried to create opportunities for people and for the region to give the region confidence and self belief. I think we did a good job in that direction.”

”We are getting much better at tailoring to the individual needs, playing to students’ strengths as opposed to criticising their weaknesses,” he added.

“The world of education is going through a metamorphosis which will mean that it is better equipped to deal with the challenges of the 21st century.”

Despite retiring from the film industry, Lord Puttnam still loves cinema and managed to watch 23 movies over 22 days during his recent Christmas break.

But, commenting on the current awards season, he said: “I don’t miss the excitement of the awards ceremonies. I had 30 happy years but the challenges that I have now are more absorbing than anything that I found in the film industry. I am certainly not taking the soft option.”

Lord Puttnam was replaced by Olympic athlete Steve Cram as Chancellor of Sunderland University.

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