
It is more than overwhelming what is happening in the World right now and it is all we can do to not get swept up in negative mindsets of hysteria & panic. Certainly it is a serious situation, not merely because of the virus, but equally the widespread reaction it has caused, effecting every single one of us.
I am writing this from a cafe in Ubud in Bali, where I live and run the business from for part of the year. I am lucky and grateful that I can still sit in a cafe, but I know this may change any day. Many of my friends are already well into lockdown in Tarifa, Spain (another of my homes) and each day I hear from friends in Sydney and family in the UK of the worsening situations, my heart reaching out to every one of them..
Here they have cancelled the Bali Spirit Festival, closed the Yoga Barn and all the schools. The streets are becoming eerily quiet and social distancing is definitely in full flow. As of today the airport is closed for 1 month. Lockdown here seems inevitible too...
Earlier this month I paid my third visit to the HOPE Foundation in Kolkata, India – Free Spirit's chosen charity to support & donate to.
Since HOPE was founded in 1999 they have helped thousands of orphaned and street children into loving homes, providing education, healthcare & life skills to see them through until they reach 18 years old, and with continued support to find work from then on, it is essentially a passport out of poverty.
This is the third time I have visited HOPE and it’s amazing to see them growing each year and able to help more and more children.
They have so many life changing projects, over 60 in total, and I was humbled and grateful to visit a few during my time there.
We may think that the escalating issue of plastic in our oceans is majorly at the fault of big global companies but in fact if every person took into account the amount of plastic they use and throw away on a day to day basis, and changed their daily habits we could make a huge difference.
It's becoming more and more common that we see garments made from recycled plastic bottles... but aren't they itchy or sweaty to wear? Especially for yoga pants? Well in fact, not only are they environmentally friendly but they are actually super soft, breathable and protect from UV rays!
Read on to find out exactly how they are made!