1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,440 Roosevelt famously said when giving a speech, one should be 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:11,640 sincere, be brief and be seated. Unfortunately, I don't much care 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,800 for rules, so I can only do one out of the three, I'm afraid. 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,760 Sincerity. I sincerely thank you from the 5 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,880 very bottom of my heart for joining me today and for all of 6 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:26,000 your support this year, and especially for the Leopard Army 7 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,880 veterans of you, for your wavering support or rather 8 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,200 indulgence of my ramblings these last 3 1/2 years. 9 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:39,720 This party is not hosted by ADHDF Plus charity, nor is it a 10 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:43,120 podcast, emporium or Patreon community party. 11 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,880 It is my party. If I don't, that's a train. 12 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:53,120 It is my party in celebration of all of the above, and I'm using 13 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:54,840 it to raise some funds for the Chazzer. 14 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,800 So I'm going to share a little bit about each. 15 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,200 Like one of those round Robin letters people used to send to 16 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,760 update you on annual or ongoings only even more annoying because 17 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:07,120 you actually have to listen to me talk. 18 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,200 And it won't be brief because it never is with me. 19 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,680 I'm full of words always. But I know you're all well 20 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:20,280 versed in my too muchness and in hearing my rambles, and this one 21 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,800 is a reflection on the most terrible and most brilliant year 22 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:27,680 of my entire life. But before that, I want to take 23 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:33,880 you way back to 2019. I was invited to a Pat Butcher 24 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,760 themed afternoon tea at Little Nan's. 25 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,280 It was a family friend's birthday and we were told to 26 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,640 wear leopard print. Most just wore one item but 27 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:48,880 obviously all or nothing so I was head to toe seeing us all 28 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:53,040 together here in Deptford. It was so funny and genuinely 29 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,600 iconic as we trundled the streets of London like a little 30 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,440 leopard print army. That summer Big and I got 31 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:07,680 married and joined and for our joint stag and hendu we went to 32 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,120 Latitude Festival. You might or might not have seen 33 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,280 pictures of me as a groom and Big as the bride. 34 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:17,080 As is only right. I was so enamoured by the head 35 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,480 to toe look. I'd warn here that I instructed 36 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,000 our crew to wear leopard print on the Sunday of the festival 37 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:25,600 and leopard print Sundays were born. 38 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,880 Little did I know. Did we know that just nine 39 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:32,320 months later the world would pretty much stop spinning and 40 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:34,720 we'd be forced to stay indoors for two years? 41 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,720 We certainly didn't think that would be the case when Big 42 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:42,440 accepted a job offer in Aberdeen in October of 2020 and we spent 43 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:47,360 156 days alone, just the two of us, with nobody anywhere near 44 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,560 us. OK, the new so we could bubble 45 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,920 up with, but we'll skip the horrible part. 46 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:59,200 In January 2022, I was diagnosed with severe combined type ADHD. 47 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,400 I started medication in the March and we recorded the first 48 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,760 episode of ADHDAF with my neighbor just six weeks later. 49 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:12,200 I was astounded to be asked by an old Hathl customer to trade 50 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:16,960 at Secret Garden Party in June of 2022 because I genuinely 51 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,920 thought that not just my festival trading days were over, 52 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,800 but that festivals were never going to come back. 53 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,320 I really believe that. After the pandemic, I grabbed my 54 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,280 lifelong friend and all the Disco's designers, Steph. 55 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:32,480 Yeah. And Ash. 56 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,960 Yeah, and her wife, Sam. The bells are the ball. 57 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,720 And we created what was the very beginning of what would become 58 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:44,720 ADHDAF Emporium. And of course, I insisted on 59 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,280 Leopard Print Sunday. So anyway, there's so so much 60 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:50,520 more to the story, but you all know the rest. 61 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,440 I just wanted to share that little nan's here in Deptford 62 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,800 alongside the fact that Deptcore literally looks like the inside 63 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:01,720 of my brain. It has meaning in our story, and 64 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:07,240 actually everything I do has some sentimental or symbolic 65 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:11,240 meaning. And it also always has to be a 66 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:15,040 little bit ridiculous. And though I've figured out that 67 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:19,480 those are my motivators, things could always use a bit of better 68 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,040 planning. Like today could have been a 69 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,880 little bit better planned. You see, I booked this venue in 70 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,640 May, but even though there were multiple cross wires, I've gone 71 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,800 ahead with this party, just as I have done with all things 72 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:37,320 ADHDAF. It's imperfect action, taking 73 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,360 what we have right now and making the best of it, however 74 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,760 chaotic that might be. It has meaning, it has purpose, 75 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,520 and it is a little bit fucking ridiculous. 76 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:51,920 So I will try. I do have more to say. 77 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,360 Any of that fucking easy. I won't try not to offer on too 78 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,400 much longer, but I have some really important things to 79 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,480 share. So let's start with the podcast 80 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,240 because that's where it all began. 81 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:08,040 Now unfortunately I swapped hosting platforms in October. 82 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:09,640 Why not? Hey? 83 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:12,080 Which has messed up a lot of the stats. 84 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:15,880 Again, no logic, only feeling. But I do have a couple of really 85 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:20,600 special ones. So right now, today, ADHDAF is 86 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:26,360 the only UKADHD podcast with a 4.9 rating on both Apple and 87 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:32,360 Spotify. Spotify Rap states since moving 88 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:38,120 into video podcasting just two months ago, ADHDAF is in the top 89 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,040 10% of all watch content on Spotify. 90 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:46,800 Thank you very much. I have somehow managed somehow 91 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,200 to release 23 episodes this year, all of which recorded, 92 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,440 edited and occasionally promoted by myself. 93 00:05:54,440 --> 00:06:00,680 So one of which was of course the episode dedicated to my mum 94 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,280 on the 20th of February. I felt it was really important. 95 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:06,760 Sorry I have to lower the tone. It will get happier, I promise. 96 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,440 Go with, go with. It was really important to do 97 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,960 that episode having shared so much of my life over the last 98 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,680 3.5 years. As ever, I wanted to validate 99 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,320 feelings that are undoubtedly shared by like minded listeners 100 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:26,080 as well as honouring her. But the very next episode 101 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:31,640 released just six days later and less than a month after my mum 102 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:37,120 actually passed with the episode ADHDAF plus charity begins. 103 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:42,720 Now let me tell you, my mother didn't let me bunk off school 104 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:45,080 unless I had a temperature that would warrant calling an 105 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,160 ambulance. So whilst I'm worried I was 106 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:52,040 trying to distract myself from grief with work, in actual fact 107 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:56,160 cracking on with what at that point had already been a 13 108 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:00,040 month battle to get the charity up and running felt like the 109 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:04,000 most fitting tribute I could make to a woman who dedicated 110 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:08,520 her life to helping people with ADHD, whether she knew it or 111 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,680 they knew it or not. Keeping excluded kids in 112 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:13,520 education. Let's be honest, they all 113 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:18,560 fucking had it right. So I didn't bunk off, I hunkered 114 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,280 down hard. And on the 5th of March, which 115 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,960 incidentally was five weeks to the day that she passed, the 116 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:29,760 first ADHDF Plus charity peer support group began in the very 117 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:34,560 city where the podcast began. Meaningful and fucking 118 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,320 ridiculous. Here we all are nine months 119 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:42,800 later, and we've hosted monthly ADHD support groups in nine 120 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:47,080 cities in England and Scotland, and we've got another five lined 121 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,440 up for the new year, including our first group in Wales. 122 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,280 So how do we organize all of that when I can barely organize 123 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:00,960 just one party in seven months? Because I have an absolutely 124 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:04,440 incredible team. A team born from the Patreon 125 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:08,160 peer support community which unbelievably will be celebrating 126 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:13,040 three whole years. A daily morning body doubling 127 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:17,600 next month alongside the absolute legends who have 128 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,760 stepped up and dedicated their time to starting local peer 129 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:24,360 support groups this year. Kirsty in Aberdeen, Nicole in 130 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,800 Edinburgh, Jill in Manchester with Co facilitator Tony, Beth 131 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:33,799 in air, Ruth in London, Kate in Bristol, yes and Lizzie in 132 00:08:33,799 --> 00:08:38,240 Birmingham, Kirsty and Claire in Oxford and Donnie in Cambridge. 133 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:43,760 The board, Mandy, the chair, also my MIL. 134 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:45,400 Yeah, that's right. Yeah. 135 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:47,760 Mel. Kim, the treasurer. 136 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:49,000 Mel. Mel. 137 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:50,360 Sorry. Sorry, ma'am. 138 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:52,560 Sorry, ma'am. Kim, the treasurer over there. 139 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:55,960 So hey, that, the secretary and Ashley and Sam. 140 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:01,120 Ashley, the trustees. We've also got Kate as 141 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:05,520 coordinator, group coordinator, and Ruth as tech support. 142 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:11,360 Teamwork really does make the motherfucking dream work, and I 143 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:16,960 couldn't be more grateful to these 19 people that have made a 144 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,520 grieving girl's dream come true this year. 145 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,240 I cannot thank you all enough. Ever. 146 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:28,040 Our charity's aim is to connect and empower ADHD adults with 147 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,160 marginalized genders, and we have done that. 148 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:41,640 The 240 group attendees in the last nine months, the feedback 149 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,360 has been nothing short of phenomenal. 150 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:47,280 And I might add that the total number of sign ups for e-mail 151 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:52,600 reminders is actually 346. So I hope we can entice those 152 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:54,680 that want to come along in the new year. 153 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,320 I have to say an enormous thank you to our Darren. 154 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:00,120 I'm claustrophobic. Darren. 155 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:07,400 His big ADHD fundraiser this year raised so much money for 156 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,640 our brand new Chazzer. Yourself and Claire and all of 157 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:18,600 the team, including Katie here work so bloody hard and we are 158 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:23,120 all so grateful to you and well to all of you for helping get us 159 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,360 up and running. I'm so extremely, extremely, 160 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:33,240 extremely. I am also extremely sorry, 161 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:39,440 extremely grateful that you have very kindly decided to fundraise 162 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,600 for us again next year. Thank you so, so much. 163 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:49,160 I hope some of you amongst us can be enticed to cycle at next 164 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:53,000 year's event, or that I can at least entice you to the after 165 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:57,600 party. I've also got to thank, although 166 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,720 they couldn't be here today, thank you to David Kirkman, an 167 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,320 incredible artist who is kindly donating 20% of earnings from 168 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,880 the big ADHD fundraiser next year, with all funds split 169 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:13,760 between ADHD Plus and ADHD Adult UKI promise, I'm nearly done. 170 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:17,600 I'm wrapping it up, folks. So Speaking of next year, I have 171 00:11:17,680 --> 00:11:20,000 even more exciting news to share. 172 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,840 And genuinely, I'm still in disbelief about both, 173 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,640 particularly the latter. As I only found out two days 174 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:32,320 ago, I am absolutely overjoyed to tell you that the National 175 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:37,520 Trust have offered ADHD AF Plus free use of their premises. 176 00:11:40,560 --> 00:11:43,400 There's some very special events that are in the pipeline. 177 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:47,320 I'm so excited about sharing the details of these as soon as I 178 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,280 can. But seriously, some very, very 179 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:53,440 special events to not just connect and empower, but also 180 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,880 arm us with tools in some very special settings. 181 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,600 Coming right up. The second exciting bit of news 182 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,640 is that you might have seen on socials. 183 00:12:02,680 --> 00:12:06,000 I was invited to a very fancy pants book lunch the other night 184 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,320 of ADHD 360. The invite came out the blue and 185 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:18,280 I was confused as to why, but on Friday Tasha got in touch to say 186 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:23,880 that ADHD 360 will be donating 35% of the book profits to ADHD. 187 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:30,080 And all because Tasha is a long term listener. 188 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:35,120 The podcast helped her when she discovered back in 2022 that she 189 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:38,920 also had ADHD. What makes all of this so 190 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,760 incredibly special is that these things have literally fallen 191 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:46,080 into our laps. And this is where my husband big 192 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,800 points out it's not luck. It's been bloody hard graft, but 193 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,360 it's finally getting recognised. But all the same, it feels like 194 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:56,920 magic to me. I think it's particularly ironic 195 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:01,800 that all these years that I have spent chasing, hounding and 196 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:05,920 begging the fucking press for attention, the one year that I 197 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:09,920 decide that I'm not up to press and I just want to focus on 198 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:13,080 what's going on behind the scenes, the Independent and the 199 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:20,040 BBC get in touch in the same. So alongside all that is to 200 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:24,440 come, this year that I've crawled through has seen me host 201 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:29,800 a panel and go on tour with Paul Whitehouse might have hurt my 202 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:31,280 foot with that fucking name dropping. 203 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,760 So that last one feels like a massive Bose. 204 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:38,840 Before I trickle out the door in an RSD puzzle puzzle puzzle, I 205 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:44,600 want to tell you this alongside the symbolism of why the party 206 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:49,160 is here, The reason why this party is happening was to get me 207 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,600 through the very worst time of my life. 208 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:57,280 A dangling carrot, a finish line to crawl towards that I saw at 209 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:01,000 the time of booking as the worst year of my life. 210 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,720 But what it has turned out to be is actually a celebration of 211 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,520 what unbelievably, has turned out to be one of the very best 212 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:13,560 years of my entire life. And all of this light in the 213 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:21,400 very darkest of times. I know is all because of you. 214 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:26,680 All because of the hard work of stuff with the Emporium, Lou and 215 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:30,400 Newlands scooping us up in a leopard brim bus, Darren and 216 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,920 Claire for backing us when we had nothing and were no one. 217 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:38,680 And to all of you for listening to all of these ridiculous 218 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:42,320 ramblings and believing in my vision despite all of the 219 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:47,000 ridiculousness. And to my mum for never letting 220 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:52,800 me have a bloody day off school. Where's my drink? 221 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:57,120 I'm going to do what is now the infamous toast because I've done 222 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:02,640 a few of these. Here's to the lessons of 2025. 223 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:08,680 Here's to the legends that love us, the losers that lost us, and 224 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,800 the lucky bastards who are yet to meet us. 225 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,600 Here's to 2026 and to the leopard print army.