Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career. It is part of Community Care’s ongoing Choose Social Work campaign, which aims to champion the brilliant work social workers do every day and inspire the next generation of practitioners.

In this entry, Debbie Elsheikh, service manager of Salford council’s workforce learning and development team, celebrates workforce development officer Vicky Wright.

She praises Vicky for ‘revolutionising’ practitioners’ approach to life story work, embedding it earlier in the process of their practice with children.

Vicky is the most creative person I know and highly passionate about children and supporting staff.

I recently involved her in a project to improve our life story work and she went over and above in what she did.

She listened and collaborated with staff, who told us that they needed help with templates and asked that the work started earlier in the journey of the child. Vicky responded to the need.

She did not just create one template for life story work, she created three for under-10s and three for over-10s, to support children at different stages of their journey. The templates are beautifully presented.

Some cover examples of Vicky’s life story books for social workers. Photo by Debbie Elsheikh

Vicky thought long and hard about what the social workers needed, given that they are busy and time-poor, but we want them to start life story work earlier.

She designed the books to be used for direct work and for getting to know the children, as well as for life story work. This meant social workers were not doing additional work, but had tools to use at each stage with children.

When she launched the project, she did a briefing and was so enthusiastic and passionate that practitioners immediately seemed to take on board what she said.

They loved the child-focused templates and we have seen beautiful examples of work since.

Vicky has really revolutionised the way we work in Salford. Her passion and talent have shone through and impressed not just us, but also colleagues in Greater Manchester.

She has gone above and beyond her original ask and given her whole heart to the project, because she wants to better the lives of children.

We are very proud of her!

How to nominate a colleague

You can nominate anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

*Despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry.*

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com.

Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career.

In this entry, Tony Mushrow celebrates his manager, Sarah Humphray, and her work within Sefton’s Team Around The School initiative, a collaboration between schools and a range of professionals focused on delivering early help to families.

Dear Sarah,

I have today nominated you for My Brilliant Colleague for several reasons. All jokes aside, I think you have been brilliant with Team Around The School (TAS).

You have worked tirelessly to improve this new service and bring in changes that will benefit the children and families we work with across Sefton. 

We know this has not been easy and you have had to manage pushback from both schools and partner agencies.

You have led on several new initiatives and had a hand in everything – from the logo and the referral process to creating a handbook for families, schools and partner agencies that explains our work.

I came into post a couple of months after you joined and, although busy with your own role, you found the time to support me, taking me out to meet staff, involving me in meetings and being there for me when I struggled with understanding this new structure and service. 

You always find the time to help and support both the staff on the team and those in partner agencies.

Your organisation and presentation about TAS to the new cluster was brilliant.

There were a couple of hundred people in that room, including local councillors, senior managers, the head of service and the director of children’s services. Yet you remained confident, informative, relatable and personable throughout – all the things you need to be a brilliant communicator.

At 59, I have been in social work for 25 years and, to be honest, was feeling quite burnt out and flat about my old post.

But working with you and witnessing your enthusiasm, dynamic energy, focus and drive has definitely inspired me to work harder and do better.

I want to learn more, do more, and help and support you to transform Team Around The School into an even better service for the children and families within Sefton.

Thank you, Sarah. Keep being the brilliant you.

How to nominate a colleague

You can nominate anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

*Despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry.*

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com.

Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career.

In this entry, mental health practitioner Sam celebrates her manager, Claire, who, despite knowing her for a short time, has supported her throughout major life and professional changes.

I would like to nominate my senior and new manager, Claire.

I’ve recently started with a new mental health team, started a social work apprenticeship and left my abusive husband.

Claire has stuck by me, supporting me personally and in my work and apprenticeship – she has been completely wonderful! This is despite her only knowing me for a relatively short period of time.

Her support while I got acclimatised to a new role, studying and making it through personal hurdles, enabled me to feel supported and valued.

I believe she’s gone above and beyond for me. But I know she consistently does this for other colleagues and offers the same support to the people on her caseload.

Claire is an excellent person, a wonderful social worker and manager.

How to nominate a colleague

You can nominate anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

*Despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry.*

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com.

Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career.

In this entry, Jane Mathew-Byrne celebrates Farrukh Akhtar, who was the head of the social work course where she used to work as a senior lecturer.

She describes Farrukh as a leader and mentor who understood “the emotional and professional toll of the pandemic” and was able to foster resilience and adaptability during a crucial time.

During the challenging lockdown period and beyond, the head of my BA social work course played a pivotal role in guiding and mentoring me as a senior lecturer.

She has also been a valuable sounding board in my role as the lead for placement allocation, always making time to discuss placement dilemmas.

Her support extended beyond professional advice, as she encouraged me to stretch my capabilities and discover new potential within myself. Her mentorship is marked by her ability to foster resilience and adaptability, which were crucial during the transition to remote teaching and learning.

She consistently challenged me to step out of my comfort zone, whether it was by adopting innovative teaching methods or pursuing professional development opportunities.

She introduced me to fresh perspectives on pedagogy and research, inspiring me to approach problems creatively. Her constructive feedback and encouragement helped me refine my skills in areas I may otherwise have overlooked.

What stands out most is her empathetic leadership. She understood the emotional and professional toll of the pandemic and provided unwavering support. Whether it was through virtual check-ins or sharing resources, she ensured I felt valued and motivated.

Her mentorship not only enhanced my confidence but also empowered me to mentor others effectively. Her guidance has and continues to be transformative, helping me grow both personally and professionally.

Her belief in my abilities inspired me to embrace challenges with optimism, leaving a lasting impact on my career trajectory.

How to nominate a colleague

You can nominate anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

*Despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry.*

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com.

Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career.

In this entry, corporate safeguarding lead Natalie Stanley from Birmingham City Council, celebrates her mentor, social worker and independent safeguarding specialist Maria Barnett.

She describes Maria as a source of inspiration, expertise and kindness, who always sees the potential of those she works with.

Since I began working with Maria four months ago, her exceptional skills, dedication and compassion have made an enormous impact on my personal and professional growth.

While Maria has been a dedicated social worker for decades, her mentoring, guidance and unwavering support these past few months have been transformative for me and countless others.

Her wealth of experience in social work, coupled with her genuine care for others, has been a source of inspiration. Her extensive knowledge of the field is evident not only in her work, but also in her ability to simplify complex situations and offer practical advice.

What sets Maria apart is her unique approach to mentorship.

She listens with empathy, shares her insights without judgment and empowers others to grow.”

From the beginning, she has shown a deep commitment to my development. She has patiently guided me through challenging moments, offering advice that has helped me navigate both personal and professional challenges.

Her ability to connect on a human level, to see the potential in those she works with, is remarkable. I have grown not just as a professional but as an individual, and I attribute much of that to Maria’s mentorship.

Maria’s influence also reaches far beyond our work together. She has always been a compassionate advocate for those in need, and her legacy as a mentor, a leader, and a supporter continues to ripple through the lives of everyone she touches.

For these reasons, I strongly believe Maria deserves to be recognised. Her selflessness, expertise and kindness are qualities that have enriched my life, and I am sure others have been equally blessed by her guidance and mentorship.

How to nominate a colleague

You can nominate anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

Despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry.

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com.

In this episode of the Social Work Community Podcast, senior careers editor Kirsty Ayakwah speaks to two social workers who started their careers in a different profession altogether.

Monisola Osibogun and Pam Shodeinde are both social workers in children’s services who both began their working lives in law.

We find out why they made the move, what core skills they’ve been able to take from their former profession into social work and what keeps them in the sector.

Listen to “Career transitions: From law to social work – the experiences of two practitioners” on Spreaker.

Read the transcript of the interview here.

About the podcast

The Social Work Community Podcast explores the issues that matter to social work practitioners in their working lives.

Kirsty and fellow host, careers editor Sharmeen Ziauddin, interview experienced and inspiring guests, including frontline social workers who speak from the heart about their jobs, the sector and society.

The first season went down a storm and was nominated in the 2024 British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Social Work Journalism Awards.

We have since launched season two, during which we have covered whether we need more men in social work and interviewed a practitioner with 47 years’ experience about what keeps her in the profession.

Although the podcast is available on major podcast platforms, Social Work Community members will get special early access to each episode.

So sign up to the Social Work Community to be among the first to catch each episode and to connect with fellow practitioners in a safe space.

Otherwise, check out the Social Work Community Podcast on the following :

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Spreaker
• Audible (Amazon)

Click ‘follow’ or ‘subscribe’ on your podcast app so you know when a new episode is published.

And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram.

Moments into our conversation, Lemn Sissay kindly grounds me with a sobering truth.

Before our meeting, I’d spent most of the previous year conducting interviews that reflected on social work over the past five decades – including the progress the profession had made – for Community Care’s 50^th anniversary.

But when I ask Sissay – renowned poet, author, broadcaster and former child in care- what progress he has seen, he politely shuts the question down.

“There is no child in care right now who’ll ever find themselves feeling better by thinking whether it’s better now than it was 10-15 years ago,” he says instead.

Should ‘success stories’ be highlighted?

A prominent activist for improving the care system, Sissay has spent decades delivering talks, writing books and plays, and making documentaries about the challenges of the care experience. And he seldom fails to command attention with his work.

His 2012 TED Talk, A child of the state, at the Houses of Parliament, has garnered over a million views, his autobiography was a number one Sunday Times bestseller, and his 2018 documentary, Superkids, where he helped seven children in care put their experiences into words, was nominated for a BAFTA award.

“I’m reporting back to you to say quite simply that you can define how strong a democracy is by how its government treats the child of the state,” he said, when concluding his 2012 talk.

All this may explain why he’s averse to sector organisations highlighting positive experiences of care. Doing that would be missing the point, he tells me.

“The [core] of the care system is that it gives care. So, why would I spend all my time talking about the success stories, when that is why the care system exists?

“A child is in distress in a familial situation and finds themselves in care to be cared for. All of them should be success stories. All I am saying is that if one person is being ill-served then that person is the one we need to pay attention to,” he says.

He pauses, laughs, then attempts to clarify further.

“If somebody falls out of a window and breaks their leg on the pavement, I don’t say, ‘Look, there are lots of people who haven’t broken their legs.’”

The scars of a childhood in care

His voice drips with ardency whenever he speaks about children in care, which, as you can imagine, is often.

You can spot it in every interview, talk or documentary. He approaches the topic with generosity, passion and openness despite the indelible mark of pain behind each experience he shares.

Because, for Sissay, this has always been personal. He is well aware of what it means to be failed by the care system.

At two months old, he was plucked away from his Ethiopian mother, renamed Norman and placed with a long-term foster family.

At the age of 12, the family rejected him and he was sent back to social services. He spent the next six years in various children’s homes, the only black boy in most cases.

In his long career, Sissay has frequently detailed the abuse he faced in the children’s homes – whether emotional, physical or racial. He was attacked with profanities and racial slurs, kicked at and spat at. Within 12 months, he became suicidal.

“The most common thing that I learned from 18 years in the care system was that everyone will leave you when you love them – which would play out more in my adult life,” he says.

‘I was in an emotionally desolate place’

Sissay’s emotional state at the time he left care was mirrored in the flat he was placed in. It was empty – no furniture, no bed. No monetary help had been allowed him either – a specific request by the then head of social services at Wigan, he tells me.

“It was so desolate,” he says now. “I think it as a metaphor [because] I too was in an emotionally desolate place in the aftershock of an explosion that happened around me and inside me throughout my time in care.”

He’d go on to spend his career trying to articulate that feeling, and the lifelong consequences of an adolescence devoid of care, through his work.

“I can’t have what I wasn’t given. And all I’ve ever tried to do is articulate what it’s like not to have it. Because then, that might show people how big what was taken away from me is, how all-consuming. I search for metaphors like “an emotional Hiroshima” that can give somebody an idea as to what the experience of nothingness might be.”

Seeking accountability from the care system

Through his work, it seems to me, he has continuously asked for accountability – from the system that was supposed to be his guardian and the government that failed to recognise the importance of supporting children’s social care.

In 2015, when he received his files after years of inquiring, he sought financial accountability from the state.

“Upon seeing my files, I saw in writing that a lot of the decisions that impacted me as a child were financial,” he says. “It wasn’t social workers who were mediating, it was insurance companies.

“So I wanted the government to be answerable on its own merits. That’s how you dealt with me during my childhood, so that’s how I should ask for you to be answerable.”

Six months later, he received an offer of £2,000, 11 times less than the amount he had requested.

“They said to me, ‘We have to treat you like we’d treat everybody else, so we’ve got £2,000.’ And I thought, ‘No, you have to treat me like me. You have to treat every child in care like an individual.’”

And so began a three-year legal battle that was finally settled out of court in 2018. Sissay used the money to buy a house – something concrete and permanent to mark years of instability.

‘People need to see the care system for what it is’

Throughout the years of telling his story, Sissay has also sought accountability from the public.

In 2017, he put on a one-night-only show at the Royal Court in London, where he had Julie Hesmondhalgh, formerly of Coronation Street, read out to him the psychologist’s report from his case against Wigan council.

It would be the first time the audience and Sissay would hear of its contents.

“I wanted to show them that what happened in my childhood has affected me in my adult life. It affects lots of people in care – they end up in prisons, mental institutions, or committing suicide,” he says.

“I wanted to show the depth of that – I think that’s been part of my purpose, whatever that means.”

He maintains that his work has always been primarily aimed at the general public. Politicians, he argues, are driven by the need to secure votes, often through leveraging the public’s prejudices but also by prioritising the matters it deems most pressing. Currently, the care system is low on that list.

“[People] need to see the care system for what is and what it isn’t. And I think it’s the most important government department. I don’t know why we don’t see this other than [because of] society’s prejudice against children in care and social workers.”

He attributes this to what he calls ‘familial hypocrisy’ – families’ conviction that they don’t need to concern themselves with the care system unless they come to need it.

“The stigma is based on the simple fact that a child in care is living, walking proof that things can fall apart, and all families are about proving the opposite. A child in care is therefore seen as a physical, walking threat to an idea families are trying to uphold,” he says.

“This is why social workers are incredible; they see the truth, that families are a mess but also beautiful. And, actually, social workers do more work to keep families together and not apart.”

Celebrate those who’ve inspired you

Photo by Daniel Laflor/peopleimages.com/ AdobeStock

Do you have a colleague, mentor, or social work figure you can’t help but gush about?

Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone within social work who has inspired you – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

*Please note that, despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry*

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com

‘Social workers need to feel valued by society’

Addressing that stigma and establishing the care system as an urgent public concern are how it will find a place in politicians’ priority list, he continues.

“I see too much evidence of children who are in care who have suffered at the hands of inadequate foster parents or the budgetary constraints of our local councils. Children being moved around for no other reason than [financial ones],” he says.

“It’s got nothing to do with their wellbeing. And I’m also sorry that social workers have to watch this happening. It’s on their watch and they need our support.”

As a spokesperson for children’s social care, he has experienced, seen, read and heard about the issues plaguing the social work workforce.

He was a big supporter of Josh MacAlister’s 2021-22 Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, which stated that its recommendations depended “upon well-supported, confident and trusted practitioners who have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of children and families”.

Sissay adds: “Social workers need and deserve to be the highest paid civil servants in local government. They’re dealing with the most important asset of our society – children in care.

“They should have the highest regard [and so] there needs to be a massive year-long PR campaign about social workers. When they come to work, they need to feel that they are valued by society.”

The stigma within the system

However, he warns, social care also needs to take a deep look inward, because some of its cracks are self-inflicted. Prejudice plays its ugly part here too.

When I ask him about the stigma of being a child in care, Sissay admits that the idea of “something being wrong with a child in care or them being overdemanding” is born within the system that cares for them.

“It’s very easy to have a blanket opinion of a person who’s obviously traumatised but quite demanding. All children are challenging – it’s the nature of childhood. But a child in care, by nature of them being in care, has to be challenging.”

And so he leaves me with one final reminder – something always insinuated but never clearly stated when discussing children’s social care.

“The word ‘love’ should be right at the heart of the care system. And love is an action – an active verb.”

by Isabelle Trowler

Some of you will have known and admired Sue very much; some of you will have heard of Sue by reputation.

More of you will have heard of the family safeguarding model – the practice framework for children’s social care that Sue tirelessly developed and helped scale up across England over the past 10 years.

‘She knew how intense and emotional the work can be’

Sue cared – a lot – about children and their families, but she also cared a lot about social work. She knew how highly skilled, intense and emotional the work can be.

She knew that social work can be frequently frightening, frustrating, worrying and deeply rewarding. It requires depth of thought and a generosity of spirit, resilience, enormous creativity and an ability to hold extensive power.

It is why she set out to create a practice framework that helped anchor the practitioner within a set of values and skills and which offers clarity of purpose.

The new statutory Children’s Social Care National Framework for England and the government’s reform programme for family help and child protection reflect much of Sue’s ambition for our sector. This is her proud legacy.

‘She had the courage and determination to drive through change’

Sue Williams was recognised for her outstanding contribution to children and families in the 2024 Frontline Awards (photo by Frontline)

I chair the children’s social care national practice group, which is a multidisciplinary, multi-agency group of experts whose role is to set the practice direction for local authority social worker. As a member of the group, Sue was always there banging her drum relentlessly and shamelessly!

Even when Sue became increasingly unwell, she still came because she had a point to make. And this is what I loved about her. Her tenacity and grace for what she believed to be right were second to none.

We have come a very long way since I sat on the Department for Education’s innovation board about 10 years ago and saw that twinkle in Sue’s eye.

Not long after, we took a punt and invested in her family safeguarding framework in Hertfordshire, where she had worked for many years.

Sue had that crucial courage, conviction, energy, insight and determination to drive through these kinds of changes; changes that will stick and make a positive difference for years to come.

‘Sue was a social worker through and through’

Many of us reading this will be deeply affected by Sue’s death because, even though you might not have known her personally, you may recognise her work in your own practice.

You will certainly recognise many of Sue’s attributes – because this is what makes you a good practitioner.

Sue was a social worker through and through. She loved our profession.

Even though her loss will be greatly felt, there is surely solace that Sue lived a purposeful life, making a positive, significant and lasting difference.

I know that Sue’s son will read this – never was there a son more loved – and I hope it offers him and his family some solace too.

Sue Williams died on 5 January 2025 at the age of 69. Her family have shared that donations to the Trussell Trust, Cancer Research UK or Arthur Rank Hospice would be much appreciated in her memory.

Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career.

In this entry, social worker Yvonne Perkins celebrates the life of her former practice educator, Stewart Russell, whose ongoing guidance throughout the years built her career to where it is now.

To Stewart Russell,

Today we said farewell to you. Probably a hundred people were there to celebrate your life and share their stories of knowing you.

Around 15 years ago, you became my practice educator, when a senior social worker in a care leaver team.

You were bubby and passionate, but had a devious twinkle in your eyes. During our pre-placement meeting, you set out the objectives of the team and provided me with my first challenge – ‘find all your young people and bring them back to the city’.

Challenge accepted; and within six months, every young person on my caseload was found, back in the city and working with us.

That was because you taught me how to adapt my approach so I could engage young people better. You showed me the fine line between pleasant banter and educating young people, and how to be creative with it.

You often spoke of building futures and laying foundations, but what I didn’t know then is that applied to me just as much as to our young people.

You set the foundation blocks of my career. You showed patience during my frustrations and humour during my anxiety, and provided comfort when I experienced personal loss.

Your nurturing chats during my placement and ongoing guidance helped me hone and cement my skills, while your wisdom guided me as I built my career to where it is now.

My parting gift from my placement was a crystal light shade; this was to remind me to always look up and see the sparkles and possibilities the light holds.

I will never underestimate the value of an amazing practice educator or the impact one can have on a someone’s career.

As a team manager with students of my own, I hope to do just that for others.

How to nominate a colleague

You can nominate anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

Despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry.

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com.

Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career.

In this entry, newly qualified social worker Anjali Singhal celebrates the team manager who, “without judgement”, supported her through the learning and struggles of her assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE).

This is about my team manager, Nasreen Agal.

I recently completed my assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE) and I was lucky to be in the same team that I had completed my placement in.

I was lucky enough to also remain with the same team manager, Nasreen.

Nasreen is always available to listen – whether it is about personal or professional need – and will always go above and beyond to help.

In one of my cases, I was pushing myself only because I thought it was needed for my career development, and she asked me to sit and reflect if I was ready for this. She provided me support without any judgment and allowed me the time to work on the areas I was struggling with.

She has always been open in her communication and expects honesty in return. There is no micromanagement; instead, she places ownership and responsibility on the professionals while always being available to guide and help them.

Her consideration extends beyond working hours too. Whenever we complete visits in the evening, she ensures that we all confirm we have reached home safely (we have a WhatsApp group for the team).

Thank you Nasreen.

How to nominate a colleague

You can nominate anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

Despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry.

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com.