Full Transcript for Danielle Seatter - Eco-Able

00:04:56.560 --> 00:05:01.439 I I set my business up in 2019 with just an idea of what I wanted to do. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:10.879 I onboarded a few products, I started at really small events and markets and fairs, and then built my website. 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:18.079 COVID hit, and then you had to learn quite quickly how to adapt and pivot and you know keep moving. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:22.560 Coming out of COVID, I then set up the shop, which was amazing. 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:37.839 I had it for nearly three years in Sir Incester, and it was such a wonderful space, and I learned so much about what people want, what people are looking for, the problems that people are having in finding things or sticking to things, budgets. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:41.759 Um and that was really, really amazing. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:46.480 Um, and I think that helped shape what came next. 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:52.560 Um, and at the same time, I've been writing my books and producing them myself sustainably. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:57.600 So it kind of evolved over a period of time. 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:08.959 Um, and where I sort of onboarded lots and lots of different suppliers, and we we covered everything from you know cleaning stuff to clothes and kids' stuff. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:24.160 I think I realized that last year that I couldn't do it all, and that one of the big changes was that a lot of the supermarkets and bigger shops now stock a lot more um sustainable products and they're a lot more eco-friendly. 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:29.120 So some of the brands that we were finding are now stocked more widely. 00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:40.879 So I kind of felt well that I don't need to keep doing that because it's now been picked up by some of the bigger shops, which is kind of what you want because it means that everybody has equal access. 00:06:41.279 --> 00:07:01.279 Um, so that's when I decided to um sort of niche down really into being more about families, children, and education and kind of really working on those topics a bit more than just sort of offering everything to everyone because that's kind of unmanageable as a business, but you know, as a person as well. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:13.839 You can't you can't do everything, so it was kind of having to work out priorities and yeah, and you know, you've you've found you know, you were writing your book during that time as well. 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:16.560 Your background is in education, though. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:27.040 Do you want to maybe say a bit more around what you were doing previously and how that links into the work you do now with education um on the book front? 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:31.839 Yeah, so I spent over 20 years as an early years professional. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:47.040 Um, I started off teaching in primary schools, doing supply mainly around my family, and then I ended up in the preschool sector, running preschools um locally to me, uh, and I absolutely loved it. 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:55.040 And um, one of the things that was just pivotal was stories, books, everything revolved around books. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:08:04.560 We could do maths around a favourite book, role play, outdoor play, physical play, you know, motor skills, everything. 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:09.839 Um, and they just became like the heartbeat of what we did in practice with the children. 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:20.560 It was it was child-led, it's it's what our children love, but we had really good books, quality books on site, so that you know, we always had that as a resource. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:32.720 And I think when I when I was running the business, sort of COVID hit, and I'd had a few book ideas that I'd probably scratch down over the years on bits of paper or somewhere. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:41.360 And then because I had time and and my lovely illustrator Anna had time, we were kind of like, right, should we should we actually do this? 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:43.360 Should we actually get this book done? 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:51.759 And so I wrote a specific book for that project, which is my first book away, um, which is a book about waste in the environment. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:53.440 So it's set in the woodland. 00:08:53.679 --> 00:09:23.840 Um, and it's where the woodland creatures find something that really shouldn't be there, and it's about what they think about it, what they do, and it's kind of that the idea of introducing sustainability and environmental waste to children in a really lovely way, a really gentle way, and not giving them all the answers, but allowing them to explore why is that waste there and what can we do as humans to protect wildlife and our environment and and going forward. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:25.440 So that was the first book I wrote. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:32.480 Um, and I write for early years because that's my specialist, that's the area that I trained in and worked in. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:35.759 So it feels like the perfect fit, really. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:45.759 And what a lovely blend of that sustainability, knowledge, and message that that you want to get, and then your background in education. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:48.159 It's obviously kind of a match made in heaven. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:55.360 What is it about storytelling specifically then for children that that is so powerful? 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:59.039 Is it how they can interpret those messages? 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:03.440 Is it the way that you know just the pure power of reading? 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:43.569 Is it their you know, imagination? 00:10:43.730 --> 00:10:45.809 They can think about it in different ways. 00:10:45.970 --> 00:10:54.289 What is it that makes the story you know, as opposed to, I suppose you talked about those other things that you do at school? 00:10:54.449 --> 00:10:57.330 Why is storytelling so powerful for children? 00:10:57.649 --> 00:11:02.529 I think stories are so

non-judgmental in the sense in the way that you can read them. 00:11:02.610 --> 00:11:06.370 So it's you're not being told by somebody, are you, what to think about it? 00:11:06.529 --> 00:11:06.689 Yeah. 00:11:06.929 --> 00:11:12.929 You could, you know, children can pick up a book and they can look at the pictures, they can understand it for themselves. 00:11:13.090 --> 00:11:16.850 When they're able to read the words, they can then read it for themselves. 00:11:17.009 --> 00:11:26.289 They're things that you can share, and I think it does tap into your imagination, it taps into the way that you think, but it can also challenge your thinking. 00:11:26.370 --> 00:11:37.889 So that's sort of partly what I want to do is sort of open those conversations and get children thinking about really important topics, but in a really gentle way, with no judgment and no pressure. 00:11:38.129 --> 00:11:43.569 So it's not about they've got to have all the answers to sustainability, it's just like what do we think? 00:11:43.649 --> 00:11:45.009 You know, what could we do? 00:11:45.169 --> 00:11:53.090 And these are the change makers of the future, these are the people that are going to be making decisions at government level and you know, in society. 00:11:53.250 --> 00:12:02.929 So if we can help prepare them for the world and show them what's going on, but in a gentle way and get them talking about it, and they are just so amazing. 00:12:03.090 --> 00:12:10.210 When I've been into schools and we've talked about environmental things or we've talked about waste, they come up with the most amazing ideas. 00:12:10.370 --> 00:12:33.409 So I know that the future is safe in their hands because you know their brains are just incredible things, and we we give them the right tools with helping them understand important topics, giving them a range of words that perhaps they've never heard before to kind of pique their interest and get them kind of interested in literacy. 00:12:33.569 --> 00:12:37.809 Um, then you know, the sky's the limit for them really, and lock so much. 00:12:38.289 --> 00:12:57.009 I'm really glad to hear the optimism there and the positivity because I think a lot of the time when we're talking about the future of the world and even just kind of what's going on day to day, let alone what's happening to the planet, I think everyone has quite a pessimistic outlook and they're worried. 00:12:57.090 --> 00:13:09.569 And that when you hear people talk about the climate and the environment, you hear people being fearful of their children and generations to come and what they're going to grow up in. 00:13:09.730 --> 00:13:22.449 So it's wonderful to hear how optimistic you are about it from having those conversations, and um yeah, it's it's it's good to know and good to hear because I think you're you're totally right. 00:13:22.529 --> 00:13:35.250 They're they have the ideas and it's about bringing those stories in at that young age, and so they're already thinking about it without kind of knowing as they as they grow up. 00:13:35.490 --> 00:13:54.689 And I I love how often you use the word gentle as well, because I think it's it's one thing to to read a book that is for education purposes, and it's an and it's another to listen to a beautiful story and interpret your own things from it and your own ideas. 00:13:55.009 --> 00:14:02.129 Um, and no one, no one wants to be told what to do or how to do it and you know do it you have to think. 00:14:02.449 --> 00:14:02.689 No, absolutely. 00:14:03.009 --> 00:14:13.970 Even even a young child, and and you I know you have obviously these you have the beautiful illustration in the book, and that feeds and flows through into other resources that you have for them as well, doesn't it? 00:14:14.049 --> 00:14:20.610 So that they can let their imagination go off in other ways once they've read the story, which is lovely. 00:14:20.929 --> 00:14:30.449 Um, and I know you also do a lot of pop-ups and events where you have children there and they're you know getting involved in what you're doing. 00:14:30.610 --> 00:14:47.330 Um, and it's just that that environment and community, and it's about it's not forceful, it's it's not a kind of really it's a very powerful message, but being done in a very gentle, thoughtful way, which I think is what you know what they need, isn't it? 00:14:47.730 --> 00:15:18.929 Yeah, and I think that's the power of books and storytelling, it's like you you know you don't need to tell someone what to think, you can just unlock those conversations or that thought process um just with a gentle story, uh, you know, or some words, or you know, is it it's really easy to do that, and I think children respond so well to that because their imaginations and their brains leap off in all different directions, and you get so much more back from them by doing it that way. 00:15:19.730 --> 00:15:37.569 And how do you think we can encourage, or I guess how are schools um making sure that books are still very much at the forefront for kids with you know technology and whether they actually sit down and open a book and are they using libraries? 00:15:37.730 --> 00:15:40.769 Like, how how can we help there? 00:15:40.929 --> 00:15:54.289 And what what do you think needs to be done to continue them to have that that level of education and learning in in our ever kind of growing modern environment? 00:15:54.689 --> 00:16:01.889 Yeah, the digital world is is wonderful and it and you know opens up so much, doesn't it, to all of us. 00:16:02.289 --> 00:16:29.409 But I honestly believe that there's nothing that can be or compared to sitting with a book, a physical book that you can touch, you can open the pages, you can flick backwards and forwards, you can take it with you, you can, you know, there's so much you get from a book, um, so much more, you know, than you can through a a digital kind of uh device or even stories digitally. 00:16:29.649 -->

00:16:31.809 It's not the same as holding a physical book. 00:16:31.889 --> 00:16:41.970 Then there's something that we definitely need to protect, you know, as society within that, protect our libraries, protect our school libraries, and keep resourcing. 00:16:42.370 --> 00:16:53.649 You know, it's the year of reading this year, um, which is a government and the National Literary Trust um initiative because levels of enjoyment of reading have declined. 00:16:53.730 --> 00:16:56.449 So there's a real push to kind of bring that back. 00:16:56.610 --> 00:17:07.330 So I think it's you know, I've seen some great stuff where adults are modelling reading, creating reading-friendly spaces is a really simple one. 00:17:07.490 --> 00:17:13.410 You know, it can be a tiny little space just with a cushion or a cuddly and some favourite books. 00:17:13.569 --> 00:17:19.569 Um, there are loads of book swaps now, so you can kind of go swap books that you've grown out of. 00:17:19.650 --> 00:17:21.809 So it doesn't have to cost money. 00:17:21.890 --> 00:17:31.410 Um, and obviously the libraries are still great resource spaces, and they have lots of kind of storytime events and things like that to make it a bit more fun and bring stories to life. 00:17:31.569 --> 00:17:35.490 So there's loads of ways to still access books, I think. 00:17:36.289 --> 00:17:37.410 That's good to know. 00:17:37.569 --> 00:17:41.009 And it's not just about the story and reading. 00:17:41.170 --> 00:17:49.250 I think for me, it's that moment, especially when we're talking about early years and the younger children, that your books are aimed at. 00:17:49.410 --> 00:17:57.970 It's that time with their grown-up or with whoever it is that's sitting there, reading with them and being totally present, I think. 00:17:58.130 --> 00:18:07.410 Because you can give a child a book or say, you know, or go on your iPad or but it's actually sitting down with them and then having the extended conversation after the book. 00:18:07.570 --> 00:18:28.210 And it doesn't need to be a long time, but I think if um the the difference that has on a child's learning and development to actually sit down with a grown-up and have a couple of minutes to look through a book um is is really, really powerful, not just from the the actual learning to read, but that time together. 00:18:28.530 --> 00:18:29.250 Yeah, definitely. 00:18:29.410 --> 00:18:35.730 And I think I think that's one of the things I'm really conscious with with the books is that they are conversation starters. 00:18:35.810 --> 00:18:39.890 It's not the end of the journey when you get to the last page, that's just the beginning. 00:18:40.210 --> 00:18:45.890 So it's kind of whether they're used at home with families or whether they're used in educational settings. 00:18:46.050 --> 00:18:52.930 That's kind of the idea is that the book doesn't hold all the answers, it's the conversation starter, it's the starting point. 00:18:53.009 --> 00:18:57.410 Um, and then you know, those conversations can continue on after that. 00:18:58.610 --> 00:19:04.530 And you know, you said your first book was around the theme on sustainability. 00:19:05.009 --> 00:19:10.770 Um I know you have a book around sharing, and we'll move on to a headshot in a minute. 00:19:10.850 --> 00:19:17.250 Do you want to talk us through the the themes and why they're important to you and how they came about? 00:19:17.810 --> 00:19:28.530 Yeah, so um the first books obviously Away, Oceans Away, and Away at Christmas, which is our Christmas version of Away, effectively. 00:19:28.690 --> 00:19:39.250 Um, they're all about waste in the environment, and that came very much from me running the business and sustainability being kind of up there in terms of what I was thinking about at the time. 00:19:39.570 --> 00:19:47.810 Um, my newest book, which is called Mine, and that that one you talked about being about sharing, that was the first one I actually ever wrote. 00:19:48.050 --> 00:19:51.009 Way back when I was still teaching at preschool. 00:19:51.170 --> 00:19:59.970 Um, sharing was such an important topic, it was such a difficult topic for children and adults sometimes. 00:20:00.290 --> 00:20:12.050 Um so I'd kind of had the idea for that written down for a long time, um, but it just didn't felt it just I it hadn't felt the right time to get there, so to get it done. 00:20:12.210 --> 00:20:18.850 And so yeah, last year I was kind of like, right, I'm gonna I'm gonna get on with this now, I'm gonna create this book. 00:20:19.009 --> 00:20:23.490 Um, so it has a very special place in my heart, that one, because it's the first one I wrote. 00:20:23.570 --> 00:20:35.009 And when I read it and look at it, I think of all the preschool children that I work with, all my key children that used to make me laugh every day, and you know, who are all grown up now, which is mad to think. 00:20:35.170 --> 00:20:46.690 But uh yeah, that that and again it's just you know, it's it's not meant to give children the answers, it's meant to pique their interest and get them thinking, okay, how what does sharing actually mean? 00:20:46.850 --> 00:20:49.410 How do I feel about sharing this toy? 00:20:49.490 --> 00:20:52.050 And you know, what if someone did come and snatch it away? 00:20:52.130 --> 00:20:53.250 How would I feel about that? 00:20:53.410 --> 00:21:00.210 And it's opening those conversations about about sharing and what we share, what's appropriate to share, what's not. 00:21:00.290 --> 00:21:03.970 So there's the whole thing about consent and all of that in there. 00:21:04.130 --> 00:21:13.730 Um, so it yeah, it's just a real gentle starting point to get those conversations going and get children sort of understanding what that means to share. 00:21:13.970 --> 00:21:17.250 Um, so yeah, that's uh it's a lovely one. 00:21:17.570 --> 00:21:26.050 Yeah, it's such an important message, and it makes me think: will you do you love specifically

writing for this age group? 00:21:26.210 --> 00:21:46.050 Do you think you'll you'll end up kind of branching out to extend on those themes for older children, or do you think it's very much the early years that you obviously can relate to from when you worked there that makes you so passionate about writing in this format? 00:21:46.290 --> 00:21:52.050 Yeah, I think because that's my experience, so I draw on a lot of my experience of teaching over the years. 00:21:52.130 --> 00:21:54.770 I think yeah, I probably will only write for early years. 00:21:54.850 --> 00:22:00.610 I have been asked to write older books, particularly with um about hedgehog, which is about bereavement. 00:22:00.770 --> 00:22:11.490 Um, but I think when you have, you know, experience and expertise in one area, it's very easy to kind of create something from that and draw on that. 00:22:11.650 --> 00:22:13.730 It would be a lot harder for me, I think. 00:22:13.970 --> 00:22:21.650 But I have thought about maybe doing something in collaboration with someone else who perhaps has that um older age range experience. 00:22:21.730 --> 00:22:22.930 So that could be quite good fun. 00:22:23.330 --> 00:22:23.890 Interesting. 00:22:24.050 --> 00:22:37.650 And speaking on personal experience, then so um we will move on to talk about bereavement and grief, which um is a really very, very important topic and. 00:22:37.970 --> 00:22:38.770 Close to your heart. 00:22:38.850 --> 00:22:53.490 Do you want to talk about how your own personal experience led to the creation of this lovely book that you've now got for to support children in this really difficult area? 00:22:53.890 --> 00:23:01.650 Yeah, so um just coming out of COVID, um, my mum was diagnosed with a brain tumour. 00:23:01.810 --> 00:23:25.810 Very sadly, it was terminal, and she died later that year, um, which was heartbreaking and a really difficult time, but I didn't really have time to recover from that or even catch my breath because my stepdad died the year later from cancer, and at the same time, my brother was diagnosed with the same brain tumour as my mum, and he then very sadly died. 00:23:25.970 --> 00:23:35.009 So within two years I'd lost, you know, pretty much well, more than half of my family, which was just absolutely devastating. 00:23:35.250 --> 00:23:53.090 Um, I don't even have the words to explain how that felt at the time, but I again I don't think I had time to even process it because it was back to back and it was just getting through it, and then you know, there's all the admin that you have to do after bereavement, which is really tough. 00:23:53.330 --> 00:24:11.250 Um, but for me, because I think my brain works in that way, creating something off the you know, to help me process and you know, go through those emotions just felt like the right thing for me, and that's when I started writing my book about hedgehog. 00:24:11.570 --> 00:24:24.930 Um back when I was teaching, I had children that had lost parents when they were with us in setting, but also they'd come to us, you know, later, maybe their parent had died a few years before. 00:24:25.170 --> 00:24:40.450 Um, and I've met people, you know, have lost um siblings as children, and I just remember us as professionals looking for resources and not finding very much that spoke to sort of three, four, or five-year-olds. 00:24:40.610 --> 00:24:47.090 A lot of it was pitched much, much higher in age range, it was a bit more complicated. 00:24:47.650 --> 00:24:51.490 There was a lot of euphemisms used, which we know is not helpful. 00:24:51.650 --> 00:24:59.410 Uh, and I just thought actually, I can create something out of my grief and bereavement which helps children. 00:24:59.650 --> 00:25:10.530 Um, you know, I know how to do that, I've done it with my other books, I know how to speak to them, and I know what it feels like to be bereaved, obviously, not as a child, but as an adult. 00:25:10.690 --> 00:25:16.210 So I felt that I could use that to kind of create something that would just help. 00:25:16.370 --> 00:25:21.730 Um, and so I wrote about Hedgehog, um, which is a really lovely story. 00:25:21.890 --> 00:25:26.930 I mean, it's you know, it's obviously I wrote it for my loved ones, so it means so much to me. 00:25:27.170 --> 00:25:31.009 Um, but I also sent it to um Dr. 00:25:31.170 --> 00:25:39.009 Shelley Gilbert from Grief Encounter, so she's the founder of Grief Encounter, which is a child bereavement charity, and I said, What do you think? 00:25:39.170 --> 00:25:42.130 And she said, Yeah, it's really good, but it's not finished. 00:25:42.290 --> 00:25:47.650 So I kind of was like, Oh damn, I thought I'd finished it, but now I need to go away and make sure it's perfect. 00:25:47.810 --> 00:25:52.130 So I I worked on it a little bit more, sent it back to her, and she said, It's amazing. 00:25:52.290 --> 00:25:56.050 Um, so Shelley's written the foreword for me, which is incredibly kind. 00:25:56.370 --> 00:26:04.210 Uh, we also support Grief Encounter with five percent of every book sold, and we also do that for Child Bereavement UK now. 00:26:04.370 --> 00:26:12.050 Um, and both both charities have accepted the book onto their list of resources, which is quite a tough tough thing to do. 00:26:12.130 --> 00:26:15.410 So it's no mean feat to kind of get to get it on there. 00:26:15.650 --> 00:26:21.330 So, you know, we support them, they support us, and and we're supporting bereaved children across the country with it. 00:26:22.290 --> 00:26:22.690 Wow. 00:26:22.850 --> 00:26:38.930 Um hats off to you for taking, you know, something so deeply personal and sad in your own journey and putting that into creatively, you know, creating something so beautiful for children to help them. 00:26:39.330 --> 00:27:08.450 And I've read through some of the lovely quotes on your website from the people who have found this book so powerfully helpful, um, whether that's in educational settings or

personally, and you can just, you know, just from reading those, you can see the impact that it has on families, but but also, you know, in education, and as you know, kind of it's not just the families that are going to have to help the children. 00:27:08.610 --> 00:27:22.930 It's you know, if you're with them every day and they're in the classroom environment and not able to control their emotions or not what not know what to do, like you know, you're probably with them a lot more of the day, you know, to to have to explain and educate them. 00:27:23.009 --> 00:27:27.810 So to having the these resources in school, I can imagine is extremely important. 00:27:28.210 --> 00:27:35.250 And um, you know, I'm sure every school needs is gonna need a copy of of About Hedgehog. 00:27:35.650 --> 00:27:40.690 Um and I know that's something that you're that you're working on now, isn't it? 00:27:40.850 --> 00:27:49.170 Um how what what is the campaign there and how what how do you see it growing and benefiting people and schools? 00:27:49.570 --> 00:28:01.009 Yeah, the the the campaign really um just came about because I realised that grief and bereavement is going into the national curriculum from the first of September this year. 00:28:01.250 --> 00:28:25.410 So at the back end of last year, November, I kind of, you know, was doing some research about some resources um and I I kind of saw that it was going in, and it just felt like actually, we're gonna ask teachers to teach about it, we're gonna ask professionals working with children in settings to teach it, but we're probably not gonna give them the resources that they need. 00:28:25.730 --> 00:28:36.770 Um, and also you need a lot of different resources because children are so different that what they need varies age to age within that age group that it varies so much. 00:28:37.009 --> 00:28:47.570 Um, so I just kind of thought I can launch a campaign to try and get the book into primary schools so primary schools can have it for free, and we can send it out directly to them. 00:28:47.730 --> 00:29:01.410 I wrote some lesson plans for them to get them started so that they've got a starting point with the book and a lesson plan for EYFS, key stage one and key stage two, um, so it can be used for primaries across the board. 00:29:01.570 --> 00:29:12.850 Um, and we are doing the funding through a range of ways individuals can help funds, they can buy one for their local primary school, give it to them. 00:29:13.090 --> 00:29:22.130 Businesses are supporting, they're donating larger funds, and then we can send them out to whichever schools then um ask us for a copy. 00:29:22.290 --> 00:29:27.250 So schools can get in touch with us and request a copy, and we will send it out for free. 00:29:27.410 --> 00:29:29.090 Uh, and there's literally no catch. 00:29:29.490 --> 00:29:37.090 The only thing I've asked is maybe a month or so later for some feedback about how they're using it and how they found it. 00:29:37.330 --> 00:29:39.330 Um, I just think it's so important. 00:29:39.490 --> 00:30:03.970 And it's not just for bereaved children either, it's for children who perhaps haven't suffered bereavement because I think if we can build an understanding of what grief, loss, and bereavement looks like, feels like, what it all means, then we're going to be raising children that turn into adults who can talk about it and have a conversation, which I know a lot of people find very difficult. 00:30:04.210 --> 00:30:29.730 So if we can if we can teach children in a really gentle way again about loss and death and what that kind of means and looks like and why people might be feeling upset, or you know, how we can handle that if it's our friend that's lost someone, um, then it's just giving them some more tools to to help them as they grow and and understand the world around them and things that happen. 00:30:29.890 --> 00:30:34.530 And you know, when we see war going on, I know a lot of children get anxious about that. 00:30:34.690 --> 00:30:42.370 So it's a way of helping them sort of understand things in the world at a level that is right for them. 00:30:42.850 --> 00:30:44.050 Absolutely. 00:30:44.370 --> 00:31:15.970 And like you say, it's not just about someone using it who's going through that, and it's fantastic, it's being put on the curriculum that you've done lesson plans around it as well for how it can be used actually within the classroom, not just not just reading the book, and you're so right, it's them having the language and the understanding because at some point in their lives or with people around them, it's unfortunately inevitable. 00:31:16.210 --> 00:31:25.090 And to be starting that at that age, I think, is is you know, it's great that they're adding it, and it's um it's really important. 00:31:25.410 --> 00:31:50.050 And I know I've got a four-year-old and a six-year-old, and they mention stuff, you know, they don't have a close relative that's that's passed away, and you know, mum and dad are there looking after them, and they're happy, but you can tell they pick pick up on stuff, they notice they ask a lot about death because it's it's they don't know what it is really. 00:31:50.290 --> 00:32:08.130 Um, and I think having the words and the language, and like you say, not having different like euphemisms and you know, the wrong words, or it's the education around that has changed a lot for for people to know actually we need to be having these conversations. 00:32:08.210 --> 00:32:21.170 But like you say, it's the empathy as well, yeah, because they're growing up as in my case, you know, young boys who will be able to talk about their emotions, to talk about how they feel, to be able to express things. 00:32:21.730 --> 00:32:26.130 Um so the theme is important for everyone. 00:32:26.370 --> 00:32:47.170 Um, so I think you know, the message that you're sharing around how everyone can get involved, whether you are a school,

whether you're an individual, whether you're a business that can support it, um, it's you know, let's let's get involved and and let's make sure we get as much of these resources available to people as possible. 00:32:47.330 --> 00:32:51.730 And I've gone to my local library and seen your lovely books in there in Cheeksbury. 00:32:51.970 --> 00:32:53.650 So um there we go. 00:32:53.810 --> 00:33:11.810 And and it does, and they they are so beautiful as well, um, with the with the illustrations that um they're really eye-catching, and I think even though not colourful, and you know, I think a lot of the time colouring children's books are so it's like everything has to be like eye-catching with colour. 00:33:11.890 --> 00:33:26.850 But what makes these eye-catching is the fact that they aren't, um and people aren't gonna know what I'm talking about now, but I have some animals next to me that you brought in, which are the um illustrations from the book. 00:33:27.009 --> 00:33:34.290 Um, and they are you know, black and black and white sketches, but they're so they're so stunning, aren't they? 00:33:34.530 --> 00:33:50.770 And it really brings the story to life and I think helps children then build on their imagination from that because it's not all singing, all dancing, colourful, like you know, people have they they can't kind of concentrate as much these days because there's so much going on. 00:33:50.850 --> 00:33:53.490 So I guess that's was that the point to kind of bring it. 00:33:54.450 --> 00:33:54.690 Yes. 00:33:54.850 --> 00:33:58.690 Um, I'm neurodiverse, so for me, I find it really calming. 00:33:58.850 --> 00:34:22.289 Yeah, and I know parents of neurodiverse children who have got in touch with me to say we absolutely love them because they're not so colourful that they they're overstimulating and they kind of you know um just add to that overload and overwhelm that we can all feel when the world is just full of you know, digital, you know, where we're just scrolling all the time. 00:34:22.369 --> 00:34:24.849 So yeah, I felt it was important to strip it back. 00:34:24.929 --> 00:34:28.929 And actually, you know, children do ask me sometimes, oh, why why are they black and white? 00:34:29.090 --> 00:34:43.250 And I just say, Well, you know, I feel like we can input the colour ourselves, we we can use our imaginations a bit more, we work a bit harder, but also I think we can focus on the images better, you know. 00:34:43.409 --> 00:34:51.889 You you can see the detail in them when they're black and white, um, which maybe you can't do when it's so much colour and there's so much going on. 00:34:52.129 --> 00:35:15.650 Not to say that those books aren't amazing, there's that they are obviously, but I just felt like there was a a place for stripping it all back and just making it really simple, but obviously still really detailed and beautiful and you know captivating, um, but allowing children to kind of do do what they wanted with the illustrations in their own mind. 00:35:15.969 --> 00:35:31.889 I think it's that pause and slow down as well when it's when it's black and white and the themes, they're very thoughtful things to be thinking about and reflection, and it's it does tie into all of that. 00:35:32.049 --> 00:35:37.730 Um the gentleness that you talk about and the way that you talk about the stories. 00:35:38.289 --> 00:35:48.210 Um I think actually it's almost will have have that opposite effect to be eye-catching for children because it's different amongst everything else. 00:35:48.609 --> 00:35:55.170 Um, and absolutely is you know, a USP like for you and for your brand. 00:35:55.409 --> 00:36:01.250 And it is about kind of building on that with the other resources that you've got. 00:36:01.329 --> 00:36:18.129 I know you have your grief, um, grief journal, is it as well, and just you know how it flows through to all of the other resources that you have for children, and you see firsthand how they then use it, and like you say, the the feedback that you get from mums and and children about it. 00:36:18.289 --> 00:36:21.569 Um, that must be really lovely to hear when you get such a good idea. 00:36:21.730 --> 00:36:41.969 Yeah, do you know what it's really nice to get when you when you you know hear from families that are using the story, or you know, I just recently had a lovely um message from a mum of twins who said you're sharing books amazing for twins because you know what a great place to kind of help them understand that concept. 00:36:42.210 --> 00:36:48.609 So I think you know, I love to write purposeful books, um, but I don't feel they have to be serious. 00:36:48.690 --> 00:36:57.569 Uh you know, there can be a humorous twist, it can be a warm story, it doesn't have to be, you know, telling children in a certain way. 00:36:57.650 --> 00:37:03.650 So I think we can still have fun with stories, but make them purposeful and meaningful. 00:37:03.889 --> 00:37:13.650 So yeah, that's kind of that's my my sort of USP, I suppose, in in my writing and what I want to write about and why. 00:37:13.809 --> 00:37:19.809 So and any other ideas on future themes and books? 00:37:20.049 --> 00:37:22.849 Yeah, I literally wrote a book a couple of days ago. 00:37:23.250 --> 00:37:33.809 I guess that one is about that one's about saying sorry, but it's also about the magic of when you open up to other people. 00:37:33.889 --> 00:37:39.569 So sometimes it could be difficult to kind of talk to other people or other, you know, for children. 00:37:39.809 --> 00:37:42.849 So that there's there's kind of a double theme going on there. 00:37:43.009 --> 00:37:45.489 I've written one about helping each other. 00:37:45.809 --> 00:37:49.489 Um, I think both of those are finished and ready to illustrate. 00:37:49.650 --> 00:37:54.529 And then I have I have a more specialist one coming that I'm working on at the moment. 00:37:54.690 --> 00:37:57.969 So um I hope maybe next year to get

onto that one. 00:37:58.049 --> 00:38:00.129 But wow, you're on a roll, Danny. 00:38:00.529 --> 00:38:06.690 It takes time, it takes time to get them done and illustrated, and then obviously we print them sustainably as well. 00:38:06.769 --> 00:38:08.289 And yeah, so tell us a bit about that. 00:38:08.369 --> 00:38:18.529 And so obviously, you learn all of this whilst you were building Ecoable and the important you obviously wanted to make it sustainable. 00:38:18.769 --> 00:38:21.170 Is it difficult to do? 00:38:21.329 --> 00:38:33.170 Did you have did you have to spend a long time finding suppliers and and how as you grow will will and if will that have to change um and how how you produce them? 00:38:33.489 --> 00:38:35.089 Yeah, that's a good question. 00:38:35.329 --> 00:38:40.529 Um I'm saying as you grow, because I'm like, you're gonna be in every school and in every library. 00:38:42.129 --> 00:38:45.409 I think for me it wasn't difficult. 00:38:45.489 --> 00:38:51.329 I don't know if I was really lucky in the people that I found to support me and help me through my journey. 00:38:51.569 --> 00:38:57.170 Um I've worked obviously worked with Anna, who's my illustrator, who's incredible. 00:38:57.329 --> 00:39:02.289 Um, and I also worked with Tash from Culpepper who helps do the layout and design. 00:39:02.449 --> 00:39:10.210 So Tash introduced me to Chewsbury Printing because they had printed a uh a book that she had worked on. 00:39:10.449 --> 00:39:14.289 Um and I think I just said it needs to be sustainably made. 00:39:14.449 --> 00:39:17.170 And Andy at Chewsbury said, yeah, we can do that. 00:39:17.409 --> 00:39:18.129 We can do that. 00:39:18.690 --> 00:39:22.529 So they probably cost more than other books. 00:39:22.609 --> 00:39:22.769 Yeah. 00:39:23.009 --> 00:39:33.650 But I think when you're creating something that's not throwaway, we're not mass-producing these to be, you know, the sold now today and forgotten about tomorrow. 00:39:34.049 --> 00:39:48.609 We're kind of producing them to be long-lasting books that perhaps are going to be in settings for a long time, like schools and nurseries, or they're gonna be in families and passed down from generation to generation and loved and and treasured. 00:39:48.849 --> 00:39:54.129 So for me, it was kind of a no-brainer to kind of go down the sustainable printing route. 00:39:54.369 --> 00:40:01.889 So it's we it's all recycled paper, it's carbon balanced, it's got a certification, which I love from the World Land Trust. 00:40:02.049 --> 00:40:04.929 Um, and we don't use plastic lamination on the cover. 00:40:05.170 --> 00:40:10.849 So um I don't think you need it, but every other book will have it. 00:40:11.569 --> 00:40:16.210 So that is a massive point of difference for us, but it it was just non-negotiable. 00:40:16.529 --> 00:40:34.609 Um, we had to reduce the amount of plastic in in the product, in the books, um, and I think the only thing we have to have is glue, and we've

even you know gone to the extreme of kind of working out which is the most sustainable option, and and I've had conversations with Andy about that. 00:40:34.849 --> 00:40:44.049 So yeah, I think I think it's if you put it out into the world, then then there will be somebody doing it, you know, that you can kind of work with. 00:40:44.129 --> 00:40:47.089 So I was just very lucky I found people. 00:40:47.409 --> 00:40:47.730 Absolutely. 00:40:47.969 --> 00:40:52.929 So all in Gloucestershire, so you know, we all work together, and I think that's that's huge. 00:40:53.089 --> 00:41:11.650 It really helps to keep it local and amongst you know, um supporting one another locally in your you know same as sort of sort of supporting your high streets or your you know local other local businesses in whatever way it's really important and it keeps us all going, doesn't it, if we do if we do that. 00:41:12.049 --> 00:41:22.289 Absolutely, and like you say, these themes are never gonna go out of style, you know, these their core purpose-led topics that we're going to have to do. 00:41:22.369 --> 00:41:29.569 I mean, I'd love to generate feel like you know, we wouldn't be worrying about the environment, single-use plastic in a few years, but I don't think we're there yet. 00:41:30.129 --> 00:41:44.449 No, no, and I love how you know they can be passed down, especially, you know, uh the abbrevement and grief, and you know, to be able to pass that down through your family is really special and something that people can can have. 00:41:44.609 --> 00:41:51.730 Um Yeah, and I feel like you know, I know there's a sense that picture books are just for very small children, but they're absolutely not. 00:41:51.889 --> 00:42:05.889 I have adults telling me that they have bought about hedgehog for themselves because they've experienced loss and they want something comforting, you know, and I and I think that's hugely important that books have the power to heal and help. 00:42:05.969 --> 00:42:15.329 And I think it doesn't matter how old you are, you know, there's a place for for good quality, you know, great stories, great images in your life. 00:42:15.409 --> 00:42:22.609 And and I think if you need something to support you through a particular time, then you know that's a good thing. 00:42:23.009 --> 00:42:24.369 What a beautiful message. 00:42:24.529 --> 00:42:27.170 Um, Danny, I love I love what you're doing. 00:42:27.329 --> 00:42:34.690 Um and I can't wait to see it in more schools and being talked about more. 00:42:34.929 --> 00:42:46.769 All of these topics are hugely important um for for all of us, but you know, for like you say, the generation growing up in the world as it is today. 00:42:47.009 --> 00:42:55.569 Um and yeah, to be able to have resources for them to use um is obviously extremely critical. 00:42:55.730 --> 00:43:03.009 Um, and I feel very optimistic after talking to you about the environment and the youth of today. 00:43:03.250 --> 00:43:09.730 Um, and it's lovely to hear like your refreshing um perspective on it all. 00:43:09.969 --> 00:43:13.409 Um, and I wish you I can't wait to see your future books. 00:43:13.489 --> 00:43:15.409 I wish you all the luck with the campaign. 00:43:15.650 --> 00:43:20.369 And I know you've got some big, big plans this year, big events. 00:43:20.529 --> 00:43:22.929 Um, we'll be seeing lots of you everywhere. 00:43:23.009 --> 00:43:26.369 So good luck with it all, and thank you so much for coming on and talking to us about it. 00:43:26.849 --> 00:43:27.650 Thank you very much. 00:43:27.889 --> 00:43:28.369 Thank you.