Hi Loves,
I wanted to write a post really in praise of Lee Pycroft, I am sure many many of you will already have heard her name, she is a renowned Makeup Artist who has worked with some very famous people in her time and was also head of the Makeup team on Britain's Next Top Model.
I first discovered Lee via Twitter about 18 months ago, I don't know why it caught my eye but it was just one tweet that led me to discover the amazing work that she does, and no I am not talking about superstar faces, although in a way I guess I am, as every woman is a superstar in her own right. Lee is responsible for founding and running an incredible initiative called My-MakeOver a fabulous scheme that uses beauty and makeup as a form of self care for the most vulnerable women in our society, here are a few examples;
Maggie’s provides free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends.
MY-Makeover visits once per month to Maggie’s at Charing Cross Hospital to deliver bespoke makeup and manicure sessions.
My-Makeover visits Solace Women’s Aid once per month to deliver a makeup and manicure sessions.
Solace Women’s Aid’s vision is of a world where women and children live their lives free from domestic and sexual abuse.
My-Makeover visits Solace Women’s Aid once per month to deliver a makeup and manicure sessions.
HCCT work with people who are socially excluded in a variety of ways both in Camden and Islington.
My-Makeover visits Holy Cross Centre twice per month to deliver a manicure session.
Band of Sisters
Team H4H is an extremely passionate bunch. Our passion comes from our links to the Armed Forces; some of us have served, others are related to or know someone who has.
My-Makeover delivers sessions twice a year to Tedworth House & Colchester Recovery Centres for their respite weekends and quarterly to the London based support groups. Larger events have also been created for Band Of Sisters and Band Of Brothers with the intention of creating an environment where couples and families could enjoy the experience together.
Widowed & Young is the only national charity in the UK for men and women aged 50 or under when their partner died.
My-Makeover created an event for 25 of W.A.Y’s guests where each person could enjoy a variety of treatments and take home a goody bag.
Phyllis Tuckwell is the only Hospice Care service for adult patients, and their families, living with cancer or other serious progressive illnesses (such as heart, lung or neurological disease) across the whole of West Surrey and part of North East Hampshire
My-Makeover delivers approx 3 sessions per year to this hospice treating approx 15 people per visit to multiple treatments.
Trinity provides skilled, compassionate care and support to people with progressive, life-limiting illnesses and those close to them.
We support people living in our central and south west London community, at home and at the hospice.
My- Makeover delivers approx 4 sessions per year to this hospice and treats around 20 people per visit to multiple treatments.
I asked Lee what her motivation was for starting My-Makeover ?
My mother was diagnosed with cancer some years ago and as she became progressively more ill she started to fear that she would become dishevelled and start to smell of the sickness she was carrying. Her appearance meant a lot to her and she loved to look groomed and always used to apply wonderful body creams and fragrance when she was well. So, when she became poorly I would paint her nails or do her makeup for her as a way of her experiencing something different during her day and as a reminder of the things she loved. On the day she died I had done her makeup for her and taken lots of pictures with her and that time we shared was a wonderful way of saying goodbye.
After Mum passed on and I went through my own emotional struggles but I started to see how I could use beauty and makeup as a from of self-care with lots of people who were vulnerable and going through challenges and i was fortunate to have a network that could help me achieve what the My-Makeover Initiative is today.
Through the MY-Makeover events I create I met a woman called Linda Magistris who is redefining how bereavement is dealt with in the UK care system by bringing all the necessary resources under one umbrella. She started a charity called The Good Grief Trust and it will help people all over the UK as with one click of a button everything you need for support will be found in one place.
I feel bereavement is something that will impact us all I am honoured to be the Ambassador of the charity and work with them by creating MY-Makeover events for them and helping them raise awareness and funds.
Check out Lee's website here
Lee's work has really touched me and made me think of a time I spent in hospital, in the bed next to me was a beautiful soul who was not only quite poorly but also suffering with Alzheimer's, Ivy commented on how nice my nails were, I asked her if she would like hers painted and bless her she was delighted, it just made me think how such a small thing was something that was overlooked in all of her care, of course it wasn't anything to do with making her better, but it certainly made her feel better, even for a little while.
Not only does her work involve makeup and the beauty industry she is also passionate about her therapy/ coaching service that she offers to individuals and corporate staff covering any issues people may have.
As Bloggers we are in the fortunate position to be given an awful lot of very lovely things, and it occurred to me that to show our appreciation it would be nice to give something back and support where we can, YES this is the part I ask you for money, even if you could only spare a couple of pounds, or the price of a lipstick, it would feel great knowing that we were helping a good cause even in a small way.
What do you say girls ? can you help ? It would be fantastic if you could, and I for one would love you forever.
As Lee is Ambassador of The Good Grief Trust it would be amazing if we could all support this charity.
The Good Grief Trust aims to raise awareness of issues around bereavement and try to change the way we deal with this taboo subject in the UK, ensure acknowledgement of the potentially severe effects of grief and encourage us all to talk it about it more openly.
https://www.gofundme.com/thegoodgrieftrust
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and please, please help if you are able.
Lyn xxx
