Tag: mental-health

Walking for Pauline: A Son’s Journey of Love, Hope and Determination

Birds of a Feather actress Pauline Quirke MBE was diagnosed with dementia in 2021. Her family, who are unsure what stage she is at, have spoken of the “disbelief” they felt at the time.

I have known Pauline, her husband Steve, and their children Charlie and Emily for a very long time. They used to own a property here in Mallorca, which is when I first interviewed Pauline. That interview sparked a meeting with my wife Rachael, Pauline, Steve and me that led to the opening of the Pauline Quirke Academy here in Mallorca in 2009.

PQA is a performing arts academy for children and young people aged 4–18, offering classes in musical theatre, comedy and drama, and film and television. They have over 200 academies in the UK and here  in Mallorca, it runs every Saturday from 10:00 to 13:00 at Agora School in Portals Nous.

Since Pauline’s diagnosis, the family have been very private, as they did not want any press intrusion. Last month they shared an update on Pauline’s condition, and the news that Charlie will be bringing hope home this Christmas by embarking on a trek in honour of his beloved mum. The trek starts next Monday, the 8th of December, and he will walk 140 km in five days, raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

I interviewed Charlie last week to find out more about it.

RP: Hi Charlie, good to talk to you. I think everybody would like to know: how is your mum?

CQ: Hi mate, thank you for asking. She’s good. You know, she is still, as you know, the funniest woman ever—caring and loving as always. We’re all determined to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for this illness.

RP: Just over 15 years ago, we started the Pauline Quirke Academy here in Mallorca, and it’s been fantastic. The support that we’ve received from both your mum and your dad has been amazing throughout that time. This is a great thing you’re doing, Charlie. When do you actually start?

CQ: Monday, December the 8th. So yeah, it’s a little under two weeks now. It’s come around fast, and I’m walking for five days across five counties, embarking on places that have touched my mum’s life, and our family’s life and history. So starting in Chigwell—the iconic home of Birds of a Feather, of course—then to West Ham’s training ground, through London to Islington, then Windsor where my mum got her MBE, then to the headquarters of PQA, and finally to where we now live.

RP: Five days, 140 kilometres. So it’s more or less 30 kilometres a day. So we’re talking… well, not far off a marathon a day, basically.

CQ: Yes. Maybe I’m not good enough at maths—I didn’t realise how much it was! I think it’s about three and a half marathons in the five days.

RP: Have you been training? I ask because am I right in saying that you are recovering from a broken leg?

CQ: So, in a football match at the end of August, I fractured my tibia and did my MCL. So it’s all been a bit of a mess. I was allowed out yesterday for the first time in four months to walk for about 45 minutes in one go. So I’m aching a little bit now.

RP: You need to make sure you have a good pair of trainers. I think I saw you out in a pair of Adidas the other day?

CQ: I’ve been lucky enough that Alzheimer’s Research UK have got me all kitted out in Adidas. Adidas wanted to come on board and help the cause. So yeah, I’m head to toe in Adidas clobber, and the shoes are actually Alzheimer’s Research UK colours, so that’s a good omen.

RP: Have you got people joining you on the walk?

CQ: Yeah, so they’ve been keeping it a surprise, but I think I’ve got a lot of familiar faces from my mum’s career joining me. Also a lot of my friends that are in the industry. Some actors that my mum’s worked with who can’t make it because of scheduling issues, but who really appreciate and respect my mum, are sending good-luck videos as well.

RP: If people want to donate, what’s the best way to do it?

CQ: The best way is the website, which is trek.charliestrek.org. You can go on there and see all the reasons why I’m doing it, and there’s a nice little handy donation button. Otherwise, you can text CHARLIE20 or CHARLIE10 to 70255.

RP: Right now you are just under £50,000, which is an amazing amount of money.

CQ: I never had a figure in my head. I’m hoping I can get to six figures and that now seems a possibility. That’ll make such a difference for research and for finding a cure. It’s incredible—the amount of money shows the amount of support and love for my mum. It’s such a nice feeling, honestly.

RP: Well, listen mate, we wish you all the luck. Please send our love to your mum, your dad and your sister too.

CQ: Cheers Richie, and thanks for your support.

Christmas is a time when families may notice signs of dementia for the first time—a condition almost one million people in the UK are living with today. Heartbreakingly, there is no cure for the condition—yet.

But Alzheimer’s Research UK exists to change that. With your support, the charity will give families hope by funding the research that will change and save lives. Here in Mallorca and across Spain there are support groups that are listed below. 

  • Age Concern Mallorca: They provide a wide range of support, including advice, help with paperwork, and connecting people with support groups for dementia and Alzheimers.
  • Ceafa: This is part of the Spanish Alzheimer’s network and is active in Mallorca.
  • Fundación Pasqual Maragall: This foundation has a presence in Mallorca, including holding awareness events in Palma. 
  • Age in Spain: Provides information and referrals for dementia care and support services across Spain.

Nearly all of us have family, a friend or someone we know that suffers from this awful illness, I wish Pauline, Steve, Charlie and Emily all our love. 

Understanding Generation Z

I came across this fact the other day, 25% of today’s world population and 30% of workers in 2030 will be Generation Z. So understanding their way of life will be important for us in the future. 

If you were asked what Gen Z was or meant, would you know? No, me neither. Great start!

Members of the Gen Z years were born between 1997 and 2012. So as of the end of 2023, their age range is anywhere from 11 to 26. They are commonly referred to as the first fully “digitally native” generation. They have grown up with social media and smartphones, and they’re used to living in a digital-first world. Both my Sons are part of this and as I watch them grow and turn into Men, I sometimes wonder how they would be if they were born in my era. When I look back at things I did when I was growing up and compare them to what my two are doing now, life couldn’t be more different.

Watching television in my day consisted of three channels, BBC 1, BBC 2, and ITV. I remember the excitement around the country when we got another one with the release of Channel 4. Sky has brought in loads of channels to our screens, but the majority of the Gen Zers (if that’s a word?) are watching YouTube or “reels” on Instagram and TikTok. We can watch a live football game virtually daily now, but back in the day it was highlights on Match of the Day on Saturday nights and The Big Match on Sunday afternoons. In fact, the only live game was the FA Cup Final in May.

Drinking in a pub in my day was one of the ways you went out and met people. Friday and Saturday nights would be the nights you’d mainly go out. You’d start in a pub, move onto a nightclub and finish your night off with a takeaway. Nowadays, a lot of the talking and meeting people is done online. Gen-Z drink on average 20% than millennials, who also drink less than the previous generation, mainly because of an increased awareness of the dangers and effects of alcohol and the rise of health-consciousness as a lifestyle. In fact, an overwhelming 86% of Gen-Z consumers believe that their mental health is as significant as their physical health when considering drinking alcohol.

I can remember I was desperate to pass my driving test growing up as a teenager. As soon as I was old enough, I’d be out practising as much as I could in my Mum and Dads cars. I was gutted when I failed the first time, but I soon got a cancellation and I passed the second time. That same desperation isn’t the same amongst Generation Z, in fact, my eldest son Jacob, at 18 years of age, hasn’t even asked me yet. Electric scooters, of which my son has one, seems to be the most popular mode of transport. 

Even our own language could be changing. Beloved insults like plonker, tosspot, git, pillock, berk and numpty in danger of dying out, warns a new study. 

Gen-Z jibes are more likely to include calling somebody a “Karen”, meaning an entitled moaner or “basic”, referring to the fact they have mainstream tastes. 

“Fam”, is a shorter word for family, but don’t be fooled—it can be used to describe your friends too. “Bro”, It is often used as a casual and friendly way to address someone, similar to “mate.” It can be used to refer to a male friend or acquaintance, but it is also sometimes used more broadly to refer to anyone, regardless of gender.

Phone emojis are also commonly used as insults, such as sending somebody a clown or sending a person a thumbs up as a sarcastic response to something they said. And I thought it was me agreeing to something!

Social networks have become the gateway to all areas of life for this generation. Through them, they make purchases and communicate with brands, they learn and are informed about what is happening in the world. They also rely on social networks and content creators to learn how to manage their finances, communicate with their communities and feel comfortable sharing tips and experiences. So while I’m posting “boring” things on Facebook, known to my two, as “for old people only”. They are posting stories on Instagram or TikTok, adding cool music in the background by an artist I’ve never heard of. I like to think I’m down with the kids, but clearly I’m not!

Richie is the MD at Pirates, the island’s number one night out featuring Adventure, Reloaded and Gringos. Subscribe to receive his blogs at http://www.dadtaximallorca.com

Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi, or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com