This month's blog comes from Claire Trivino, who I've known for 10 years and who is a Life Villager, mum of two, comedian and a More to Life mentor. I've learnt a lot from Claire and have been inspired by her passion for community and hospitality. Here she writes about her Community Roast idea and how it has brought people together in Manchester.

The idea of having lots of people round for Sunday lunch might scare some people but it has always appealed...

Would you go on holiday with another family?  It isn’t everyone’s cup of tea I know, but I actually love it. Our children have other kids to play with so they leave us…in peace. Well, for a bit.

This year we went on holiday to France with our friends, Tony and Claire, who have two children. We took a flight and hired cars, stayed in a beautiful farmhouse and spent the holiday swimming in rivers and visiting picturesque towns. 

Tony and Claire...

My parents have been clearing out their loft. When they came to visit recently they brought a box full of my exercise books from primary school. I was gripped by my little coloured pencil drawings of fairies and snowmen and my carefully-formed letters. We had moved house quite a bit when I was younger and I came across a story I wrote about moving house as a six year old where I had written about the day before I moved house: "This night I was sad bec...

My friends Karen and Allen adopted their two little boys in 2014 who were aged one and two at the time. Here, Karen tells the inspiring story of their journey into adoption and the support network they have relied on. Karen and Allen are part of our son's Life Village and have been a source of encouragement and support to us as parents.

“Your children are adopted?…Oh I see…Didn’t you want your own children?…Why? Do you have infertil...