Latest news with #Connie
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Scots woman says trying to lose weight was like a 'full-time job'
Healthcare worker Connie Bulloch, 28, has now shed five stone after hearing other success stories. A woman who lost five stone while on Mounjaro says weight management used to be "like a full-time job." Healthcare worker Connie Bulloch, 28, from Cambuslang had struggled with her weight for years - but after undergoing an unrelated operation last March and gaining a stone and a half, she was desperate to find a solution. Despite watching her diet and regularly attending sessions with a personal trainer, Connie struggled to shift the weight, and began looking into medical interventions. At 15 stone 10lbs, she was too light to qualify for weight loss surgery on the NHS, and she worried that travelling abroad for an operation would be too risky - but after hearing success stories with weight loss drug Mounjaro, she began the process of obtaining a private prescription. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "I was working with my personal trainer, and had been for two years," said Connie. "I was maintaining weight, or sometimes even putting on a few pounds, and I just wasn't happy with it. It was like a full-time job - constantly having to go to the gym, constantly watching what I'm eating. "If I'd eat a takeaway, I'd have put on two pounds by the end of the weekend. Then I went for an operation around March last year, and it took me a while to recover from that - and I put on a stone and a half. "It got to me - it was one of those things where I needed the weight off and I needed to do something now. I was looking at surgeries abroad to help me lose the weight, but it didn't seem reasonable for me. "The NHS wouldn't accept me for the surgery waitlist because I wasn't heavy enough. I was thinking about it for about a month. I've got kidney disease, so that was one of the main concerns. If it was going to affect my kidneys, it wouldn't be worth it. "At the beginning, I was convinced I'd be the person that dies taking this drug, but after a while, I saw lots more people trying it and having success stories, so I thought I'd give it a go. I did it through an online pharmacy. "I filled out the form, took pictures of my body, and took a picture of the scale with my weight on it. I sent that away, and they got back to me within a few days to say that I'd been accepted, and the prescription would be sent out with 24 hour delivery." Mounjaro, a brand name for weight loss drug tirzepatide, works by mimicking the hormones released by the body after a meal, so the user experiences the feeling of fullness and encourages the body to burn fat. It is only available through private prescriptions in the UK, and Connie - despite being nervous about the side effects - decided to fork out £180 for her first month of four injections. In her first week, she lost one pound - and after a month on a 2.5mg dosage, she upped her dosage to 5mg. However, the side effects became too intense, so she quickly reduced her dosage, and has since maintained the lower dosage for nearly a full year. "At the beginning, I didn't think it was going to work for me," she said. "I'd heard about people losing five or six pounds a week on it, and on my very first week, I only lost a pound. "A pound is great, but I think I was just expecting more from it - but I've always been a slow loser. I thought at the beginning that I'd have to go up a dose every four weeks, so I went up to 5mg, but I was really unwell with it. "I couldn't eat and I was vomiting, so I went back down to the lower dose and stayed on that." Connie has now lost five stone and three pounds while on Mounjaro, and hopes to lose a further stone. She has begun sharing her story in the hopes of reducing the stigma around medical intervention for weight loss - but warns that the drug isn't an instant cure. "It'll be a year next month that I've been on it, and it's been really good," she said. "I still need to use some of my willpower because I'm not on the higher doses, but I've been able to lose or maintain my weight - I've never gained anything in the year I've done it. "I think a lot of people are scared to try it at the beginning, and I felt like that myself. I think hearing more success stories instead of all the negatives is really good. "There's a lot of women in the same boat as me, where it's maybe hormonal reasons why they can't lose weight or they struggle to keep weight off. This has made it so much easier for me. "My mindset is much better - but it's not a cure. I still have bad days where I look in the mirror and see who I was five stone ago. Some days I really love myself and some days I still hate myself, so it's not cured that side of things." Connie believes that there is an unfair stigma around the drug - but urges anyone considering it to ensure they've exhausted all non-medical routes to weight loss first. "There are lots of people out there that find it easy to keep weight off, but there are a lot more factors that go into why people are overweight. This will just make it so much more simple for people. "I think as long as people have tried everything non-medical, like eating well and exercising, and they're still not able to keep the weight off, then this is definitely the right thing for them - but it's important to still hold yourself responsible and source it properly."
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How To Build Game Changing Impact Partnerships That Inspire Action
It's an early Sunday morning and Sir Matt Busby Way is already a buzzing sea of 'real red.' Clad in bright football jerseys, thousands of fans joyously march towards the theatre of dreams, historic Old Trafford, to watch Manchester United take on West Ham. The 75,000 spectators are treated to a spirited contest, but it's halftime that truly steals the show. At the center of it all is a young, 12-year-old girl. Hailed as a miracle child, Lubona lost three of her siblings to AIDS. But thanks to another miracle—anti-retroviral treatment—the Zambian native was born HIV free. Today, she's alive and well, and standing in the penalty spot aiming to score a goal on Manchester United mascot Fred the Red. Just like a striker, Lubona eyes down her target, draws her right foot back, and delivers a precise ground shot to the back of the net. The crowd erupts, people stand and cheer as her mother, Connie, proudly looks on. This inspiring moment was the power of sports personified—and a long time coming. It was the climax of years of conversation and teamwork between Snapdragon, Manchester United and the organization that I lead. It was also a reminder of how even amid these turbulent times, purpose-driven partnerships can still break through in big ways. Not every collaboration culminates in a goal at Old Trafford—but the best ones create unforgettable moments, forge lifelong supporters, shift minds, and dare to make the world a more just place. Here are some of the secrets to building game-changing impact partnerships. The hard truth is that forging strong impact partnerships has never been easy, but it was easier. In the early 2000s, few Fortune 500 companies had corporate social responsibility (CSR) teams. The goal was to make money for shareholders, not give it away. Then came a wave of CSR, which nonprofits—and the companies themselves—benefited from immensely. Between the early 1990s and early 2020s the number of public companies that published CSR reports increased from less than two dozen to over 10,000. Now the times and objectives have changed once again. CSR is no longer viewed as charity, but a strategic business investment. It's less about altruism and more about mutual benefit. Today, the winning formula for impact partnerships focuses on reciprocal value—aligning a company's values and the values of their employees and customers with a nonprofit's mission. Much like a strong marriage, success requires a mixture of doing your own homework and choosing the right partner. Before considering an impact partnership, it's important for nonprofits to construct the right internal team that has the muscle to transform ideas into impact. Ask yourself the tough questions before you begin pitching prospects. Who are the key internal stakeholders that need to be part of the process at my organization? Should the team be cross functional? How much upfront buy-in is needed from leadership? The answers to those questions will differ by organization. But creating the right team at home will increase the odds of success and reduce the risk of last-minute hurdles. Once aligned internally, there's no widely used equivalent for companies and nonprofits to collaborate. If you're a nonprofit, it can often take weeks or even months of LinkedIn searches, introductory emails, cold calls, and meetings just to get connected to that one-in-ten-thousand person at a company who holds the keys to making a partnership happen. Choosing who you embark on the partnership journey with is critical. While there's an obvious temptation to identify and target the biggest and brightest brands, seldom does that dictate success. Do your research. Learn about a company's history, its values, its objectives, and past partnerships. Search for companies that have a clear commitment to your nonprofit's values. Your mission statements needn't be a mirror, but like a Venn diagram, you should see some strategic overlap. Hugh Foley, an expert on shared value, once said, 'Bringing those two things together, the unmet social need and the business opportunity, requires artistry, commitment and ingenuity.' If the goals and vibes are off from the get-go, get out before you get in too deep. There's an old proverb that says, 'If you want to go quickly, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.' Building strong, lasting impact partnerships takes time. The strongest impact partnerships are the ones you know by heart because they've been around for decades, think the United Way and the National Football League or the United Nations Foundation's Nothing But Nets Campaign and the National Basketball Association. Short term, quick turn collaborations are currently in fashion, but how will they be remembered a decade from now? And will those fans remain loyal to the brand or will they move on just as quickly? Resist the temptation to rush into a partnership just to hit your business development goals or organizational objectives. Learn the other side's motivations, strengths and weaknesses. Visit the company's headquarters, meet their employees and take in the environment. Recognize that it costs money to create impact. Whenever possible, invest the necessary resources to enable prospective partners to see your work up close and personal. As the old saying goes: show, don't tell. Once a partnership looks promising and leadership begins to get excited, there's a temptation to rush through the deal points as quickly as possible. Even if you're facing internal pressure to hustle, breathe and slow down. It's important for everyone to be on the same page about expectations and deliverables. Do this right up front and the chance of renewal increases considerably. And remember, it's a lot easier to renew a partner than it is to find a new one. One of the questions I get asked the most is: How do brands break through in this environment—one that's dominated by distraction, impatience, and short attention spans? The answer is: invest in good storytelling. Finding strong characters and strong narratives that show your organization's values and what you truly stand for is essential. Aristotle's rhetorical theory of ethos, pathos, and logos can help you connect with your audience and tell stories better. Amplify singular, personal stories. A piece about 5000 women and girls contracting HIV every week is not as compelling as a story about one miracle girl who lost her three siblings to AIDS, but overcame the odds. Get your audience involved and make them a central character in your storytelling. Create a strong call to action that empowers the audience to care and make a difference. When it's time to announce the partnership, you need to carefully consider what you're launching and who will see it. It goes without saying, but the vast majority of the money generated from an impact partnership should go to impact. But for every $1 you invest in producing the announcement—whether it be a launch video or splashy event—spend $4 on marketing and driving eyeballs to it. In order to break through, you need to meet your audience where they are—again and again—to increase awareness and recall. There's a reason you keep seeing the same ad in multiple places. Excellent storytelling can only take you so far. To land in this oversaturated environment, partnerships must reach people multiple times in new and creative ways. This year has been a brutal year for CSR. Words like social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion have been all but banned at most Fortune 500 companies. I've spoken to many well-intentioned executives, who are understandably terrified that any type of impact partnership could be misconstrued and spark a negative news cycle. It's incumbent on nonprofits to acknowledge the turbulence and help mitigate the risks for prospective corporate partners without compromising impact. The best thing a nonprofit can do these days is be nimble and flexible. Just because it's worked in the past doesn't mean it will work again in this new era. Nonprofit leaders may need to adjust their organization's value proposition, deliverables, and messaging without abandoning the mission. And that's okay. Stay opportunistic and get comfortable with rejection. It's an unusually tough time for nonprofit leaders looking to drive impact. But the pendulum always swings back—eventually. And the nonprofits that come out the other side will be the ones who possess the ability to reinvent themselves and evolve with the times.
Wales Online
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Britain's Got Talent star looks unrecognisable as she shares 'special' career update
Britain's Got Talent star looks unrecognisable as she shares 'special' career update Connie Talbot shot to fame after appearing on the first series of Britain's Got Talent back in 2007 Britain's Got Talent star Connie Talbot looked unrecognisable as she shared a "special" career update. The 24-year-old singer notably appeared on the first series of the hit ITV talent show back in 2007. She was just six years old when she auditioned, performing a stunning rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz. Connie made it through to the final, where she finished in second place behind opera singer Paul Potts. Now, Connie has issued a career update with her fans, taking to Instagram on Monday (May 26) to reflect on her time on tour with US rock band, Boyce Avenue. Connie Talbot issued a career update on Monday (May 26) Article continues below Connie uploaded multiple snapshots of herself on stage, alongside the caption: "That's a wrap! I had the best time on tour supporting @boyceavenue. Thank you for having me, and thank you to every audience that sang their hearts out with us. Not something I'm going to forget very easily. "Thank you @boyceavenue for having me and to all the crew for making this tour so special," reports Belfast Live. She concluded: "BRB, just crying that it's over... may have to arrange a mini tour." Connie's followers quickly flocked to the comments section to commend her performances, with one fan enthusing, "You were incredible. Can't wait to see you again soon." "Loved every minute in Belfast! Thank you for making it such a special night! Really was unforgettable, until next time!" another added, while a third expressed: "So grateful I was able to see you twice on the tour. You were amazing as always, can't wait for the next one!" Connie came second in the first series of Britain's Got Talent (Image: Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock ) Echoing the warm sentiments, a fourth admirer commented, "Thank you for your show Connie. It's so fantastic to see this tour. What a beautiful performance when you combine with @boyceavenue. You're truly a legend. Thank you and I hope to see another tour in the future." After appearing on BGT, Connie signed with the Rainbow Recording Company for a six-figure deal. Her much-anticipated debut album hit the shelves in November 2007 and quickly ascended to gold status by early December, which led to Connie receiving a gold disc on a live segment of This Morning. Article continues below An initial pressing of 50,000 albums was soon overrun by demand, prompting a fresh production run of 120,000 more after the album flew off the shelves within days. Continuing her music journey, Connie went on to appear on Britain's Got Talent: The Champions in 2019, captivating fans with several of her own songs. Britain's Got Talent is available to stream on ITVX
Metro
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
BBC quietly adds Australian drama that left fans 'crying their eyes out'
UK viewers can now watch a 'masterpiece' drama based on a book written by the same author of Big Little Lies. Based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty, the author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, The Last Anniversary is a comedy-drama 'wrapped in a gripping mystery about family, motherhood and the women who define the generations that come after them'. The six-part series stars Teresa Palmer (The Fall Guy), Miranda Richardson (Good Omens) and Danielle Macdonald (The Tourist). Set on the fictional Scribbly Gum Island, it's been teased the setting is a 'place of many secrets'. After a young couple disappeared there decades earlier, true crime tourists flock to the island, however for three generations of women that call Scribbly Gum home, hold far more. When Sophie Honeywell (Teresa) inherits a house on the island, left to her by her ex-boyfriend's great-aunt Connie, it's the fresh start she's craving, despite the unwelcome reception she receives on arrival. Single and approaching 40, Sophie is intrigued by something else Connie left her – a promise that she might finally find the man of her dreams… To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video When the series was first released in Australia and the United States in March, one fan said it 'left them in tears'. In its review, The Guardian wrote: 'The tone of this gracefully crafted adaptation of Liane Moriarty's bestselling novel is tender and mysterious, imbued with a soft literary quality.' 'The mystery is mostly backdrop to a patient, lovely drama that delves into the complexities of family, motherhood, and relationships,' Common Sense Media shared. 'Sure, it's heavy on the symbolism and the drama isn't exactly nuanced or subtle, but fans of Moriarty's brand of storytelling should definitely find themselves well engrossed by the time the first hour is up,' The Post NZ added. More Trending This week the show was finally added to BBC iPlayer, with all episodes now available to watch. The BBC's head of programme acquisition Sue Deeks said the series was 'an entertaining drama full of vivid characters, comedy and romance, with a compelling mystery at its heart'. The Last Anniversary was co-produced by Nicole Kidman and also stars Helen Thomson (Colin from Accounts), Susan Prior (Animal Kingdom), Claude Scott-Mitchell (The Dry), Charlie Garber (Barons), Uli Latukefu (Young Rock) and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (Force of Nature: The Dry 2). View More » The Last Anniversary is streaming on BBC iPlayer. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: All EastEnders cast returns, exits and new arrivals coming up in 2025 MORE: Why is Gary Lineker leaving Match of the Day and who is replacing him? MORE: Walking With Dinosaurs viewers devastated as major change has 'ruined' beloved show
Borneo Post
25-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Lions Charity Bazaar to raise funds for charitable initiatives
Connie (third right), Alyssa (second left), Chris (third left) and Cynthia (right) with the Lions Charity Bazaar 3.0 team. KOTA KINABALU (May 25): Lions Club International will be holding its Lions Charity Bazaar 3.0 at Kian Kok Middle School here on October 12, from 7am to 5pm, to raise funds for various charitable initiatives. This major fundraising event brings together 16 Lions Clubs from across Sabah in a united effort to support Lions Clubs International's 8 Global Causes. Organising chairperson Connie Ting said it will offer a full day of family-friendly fun with food and drink stalls, live entertainment and engaging activities for all ages, designed to be a meaningful family outing day blending enjoyment with charity. Connie said they hope to record around 3,000 visitors at the event, which will feature more activities for children and around 20 percent more booths and products as well as a musical festival, compared to last year's Bazaar 2.0. She added that some of the proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards their sponsporing of computers for the Kian Kok Middle School students. 'The goal is to raise RM200,000, with all net gross proceeds channeled toward Lions' global service areas: Vision, hunger, environment, diabetes, childhood cancer, humanitarian relief, youth empowerment and a rural medical camp. 'We warmly invite non-governmental organisations and youth organisations to take part by setting up booths to showcase their causes. 'Companies are encouraged to support the event through sponsorships, with various sponsorship tiers offering promotional opportunities. 'Vendors are welcome to join the bazaar and benefit from a large public turnout,' she told a press conference near Hilltop here today. The public can support the cause by purchasing charity coupons priced at RM50 and RM100, which can be used to enjoy food, games and activities throughout the day. The participating Lions Clubs are Api Api, Keningau Downtown, Kota Kinabalu Asia City, Kota Kinabalu Capital, Kota Kinabalu Central, Kota Kinabalu Centennial, Kota Kinabalu City, Kota Kinabalu Downtown, Kota Kinabalu Lintas, Kota Kinabalu Mandarin, Kota Kinabalu Vintage, New Century Kota Kinabalu Star City, Labuan Mandarin, Luyang (Ace), Penampang Host, Ranau, Sabah EverGreen and Tanjung Aru. For booth registration, sponsorships or coupons, please contact Connie at 017-8210989. Meanwhile, Connie also informed that last year's Bazaar 2.0, organised by Lions Clubs International District 308-A2, had successfully raised RM169,365 in net funds. With 65 participating vendors and overwhelming support from the public, the event empowered over 10,000 individuals throughout Sabah, delivering meaningful impact through more than 37 service projects by May 2025. A total of RM101,384 was channeled into global cause-based programs, while RM67,980 was distributed to local Lions clubs to fund targeted community projects. Among the standout healthcare efforts include the donation of three Desferal machines worth RM7,500 to Sabah Women and Children's Hospital to assist in treating thalassemia patients, and the funding of len implants for 115 cataract patients across multiple districts. Other charitable causes made possible from last year's bazaar proceeds include a medical outreach camp for 110 stateless children in Kampung Likas, and the establishment of a rural resource centre in Nabawan to provide access to educational materials and support for 70 schoolchildren. Also present at the press conference were Lions Club of Api-Api charter president cum Bazaar 3.0 deputy organising chairperson Chris Liew; second vice district governor elect cum Bazaar 2.0 project coordinator Alyssa Lim; and Lions Club of Tanjung Aru president elect cum Bazaar 3.0 secretary Cynthia Chung.
