Diolch @probstomfoolery am yr ysbrydoliaeth i feddwl am ein potensial ac am y pethau da gallwn wneud i wneud gwahaniaeth yn y byd. Thank you @probstomfoolery for inspiring us to think about our potential and of all the small acts of kindness we do that make a positive change. ➕
Alive With Poppies | A book to commemorate Remembrance Day
Thanks to Sharon Rentta for her beautiful illustrations and to everyone at @scholasticuk and the @PoppyLegion for working with me to create this book. This story follows one boy's journey as he understands the importance of poppies and their symbolism, travelling from World War 1 to the present day. It will help little readers understand why poppies are such an important symbol in today's society.
#RemembranceDay2024 #Remembrance #alivewithpoppies #tomfoolery #poetry
🎃 This Halloween, I am pleased to present ‘Alcohol Change’ an original Tomfoolery poem made in collaboration with @AlcoholChangeUK
There’s a line in "The Great Realisation" that goes, "And while we drank and smoked and gambled, our leaders taught us why, it's best to not upset the lobbies, more convenient to die." This still rings scarily true. Alcohol is so normalised and encouraged in British culture and we rarely stop to question its deeper impact on our physical and mental health. I started drinking when I was 15 and had been regularly drinking since 18, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that it began to dawn on me that alcohol had become totally ingrained in my life. During lockdown, I had a brief three-month stint of sobriety, and it was the first time I had glimpsed life without alcohol since I was a teenager. It showed me how much better I could feel without it.
On April 1st, 2023, at 28 years old, I decided to quit drinking for a year, and the impact was immediate and profoundly positive. I lost weight around my middle, my skin got clearer and my sleep improved dramatically. After two weeks, I started having dreams again—something I hadn’t realised I’d been missing for years, as I had gotten used to a sleep standard consisting of a comatose blackout until morning, even on the days I didn’t drink. I found myself filled with a new motivation, which brought with it the energy to exercise and a desire to eat well. Running, which I’d always avoided, became something I craved, and now I am regularly running half-marathons.
Today, I am over 18 months alcohol-free. I don’t know whether I’ll drink again—forever is a long time—but I’ve realised I much prefer the version of myself without alcohol and intend to remain that way for the foreseeable future. Supporting Alcohol Change UK this Halloween feels important to me, and I hope this poem can encourage viewers to question their own relationship with alcohol. For anyone struggling, I hope this might spark the motivation within you to believe that change is possible and to challenge yourself to a period of sobriety.
Good luck!
Broadcast live on the BBC from Portsmouth, Southsea Common on the 5th of June 2024 - Tomos Roberts (aka Tomfoolery) performs his latest original poem, "The People Who Gave Us Today." The poem was written to pay homage and respect to the servicemen and women whose sacrifice and vital efforts led to the success of the D-Day landings 80 years ago.
With an introduction from Dame Helen Mirren, the poem is accompanied by original music composed by Simon Haw MBE, conducted by Lt Col Huw Williams, and performed by The Tri-Service Orchestra. The performance was attended by TM The King and Queen, HRH The Prince of Wales, and the Prime Minister.
#dday #dday80 #ddayconcert #poetry #tomfoolery
The way I see it, one of the best uses for a social media channel is to promote the work of people and organisations doing useful and sustainable things for the world to make it a brighter and more beautiful place for all.
I Dig Trees from The Conservation Volunteers is the UK’s largest community tree planting programme and are creating thousands of pocket forests and taking action for climate, wildlife and communities.
Check them out and support their efforts 🌱🍃🌳 #IDigTrees
It depends on us all to hear humanities call and to see ‘The Invisible Man’ 🏚️🤲
Habitat for Humanity are doing essential work all over the country to repair homes that are empty or disused and to get people who are struggling back into housing. I am truly grateful to them for all they do and for collaborating with me on a video ☺️🙏
To support @HabitatFHGB on their mission visit: https://t.co/yb5BbD28VD 💜
Thrilled to collab with @FourPawsUK on a poem all about the still prevalent fur trade 🐾
Help us reach 100,000 signatures on our petition for a ban on fur imports ➡️ https://t.co/EkdXJ0Cerw ✊🙏
Mid-flow at @Windhill1 earlier this week! Had such a great day of creative writing with the Year 4’s ☺️
If you’d like me to visit your school email: [email protected] 🙌📚
@holliepoetry 🙋🏼♂️(but my English teacher was a big lover of poetry, she showed me your videos ‘Cupcakes or Scones’ in year 10 and I never forgot it!)