Category: News

Fundraisers are being invited to help paint the town pink in aid of a local children’s charity by signing up for the next Warwick Half Marathon.

Molly Ollys hopes to be well represented at the annual 13.1-mile race on February 1st, to top its 2025 fundraising total £16k.

Organised by RunThrough and sponsored by Moore & Tibitts, the race will follow a route between Warwick Racecourse, along Coventry Road to Leek Wootton, along Rouncil Lane and back to Warwick via Hatton and Hampton on the Hill. A 1km junior run will also held, with nearly 100 youngsters expected to take part.

Charity founder Rachel Ollerenshaw said: ““For the second year running, Molly Ollys is delighted to be the chosen charity for the 2026 Warwick Half Marathon, one of the biggest events in the Warwickshire running calendar with more than 2,000 runners taking part.

“Although we’re based in Warwick, it’s still important to raise awareness locally for those people who may not have heard of Molly Ollys and the work we do around the UK to support children with life-threatening illnesses.

“It might well be a cold day at the beginning of February if earlier this year is anything to go by, but I’d like to think the event will still be an uplifting one. Our runners really got into the spirit of ‘turning Warwick pink’, understanding exactly how their time, commitment and fundraising could make a difference to those children and families who need us most – the 2026 race should be no different. We’ll also have a number of ‘cheer stations’ throughout the course, so people can get behind their families, friends and colleagues.

“It’s predicted to be a tough year for charities due to ongoing socio-economic pressures, so we’re grateful to everyone that has decided to run for Molly Ollys. We’re seeing an increase in demand for our support so whilst our messages remain the same, we’re dealing with different children and families all of the time.”

Molly Ollys was established in 2011 by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw, from Warwick, following the death of their eight-year-old daughter Molly from a rare kidney cancer.

The charity works to support children with terminal or life-limiting illnesses and their families and help with their emotional wellbeing. As well as providing more than 4,300 wishes to date, they donate therapeutic toys and books to both children directly and to hospitals throughout the UK.

Olly The Brave is a therapeutic toy that helps children understand their treatment journey. Along with a set of books from the charity’s exclusive Olly The Brave series, stock the lion and books now been handed out to more than 70 hospitals or health centres to distribute to children undergoing treatment. Olly has his own Hickman line and a detachable mane which helps to explain and normalise the effects of chemotherapy.

Part of more than £5m raised to date, has also been used to fund the first consultant in paediatric palliative medicine at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and pay for the training of a further two consultants.

Rachel added: “We still have a number of free places available and would love to get more runners than 2025 and beat the fundraising amount too. People can run on their own, with family, friends or colleagues. As long as we see a sea of pink on the day, we’ll be very happy.”

For more information about Molly Ollys or to donate visit HERE.

More information of the Warwick Half Marathon is available HERE.

Everyone who signs up to run with Molly Ollys will receive a free place as well as free running T-shirt and support from the team. To book your place visit HERE.

A Brazilian entrepreneur visited the UK to learn English – funded by the sale of her late grandad’s cows – and never returned! Next month she is celebrating the second anniversary of her audiology clinic in Leamington with a special Open Day – also raising money for charity.

Carolina Leal is opening the doors to The Audiology Expert, to say thank you to the community she now calls home – and there will even be a special canine guest dropping in thanks to their national charity partners on the day, Hearing Dogs For Deaf People.

With impressive career credentials spanning over 18 years, Carolina’s thirst for professional knowledge has helped shape the next generation of audiologists through her experience in both teaching and overseeing national studies, some of which have even led to policy change.

As an active member of the British Society of Audiology, she has written national guidance protocols as well as conducting UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) assessments and numerous consultancy roles.

Dually trained with a BSc in Audiology and Speech & Language Therapy from Brazil, Carolina completed her MSc in Advanced Audiology from University College London, in 2012 while working in her first professional role as a medical technical officer at The Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital.

Indeed, she has come a long way since leaving her small hometown of Santo Antônio do Grama at the age of just 14, making the most of a private schooling opportunity afforded to her by her uncle.

But she said: “After my degree, I found myself questioning what I wanted to do next. I knew I didn’t want to go back to my hometown, so I decided to do a masters, but really needed to learn English first.

“Around this time my mum had inherited some land and cows from my late grandad so she sold the cows and gave me the money to come to London. But I ended up staying longer than the six months I had planned and paid my way through English school with part-time work in a florists.”

Years of practising and teaching experience eventually led her to Keyla De Magalhaes, who supported Carolina’s ambitions to emulate the success of her The Audiology Expert business model in Suffolk.

And now Carolina’s learning continues as she strives to complete the PhD in Clinical Neuroscience she started with the University of Cambridge – slowed by a series of setbacks, from Covid to divorce and co-parenting and grieving the loss of her mother back in Brazil.

This led Carolina to relocate to the Midlands where she had a short spell as a lecturer at Aston University before going on to work in the private sector.

“I recall I went back to Brazil and told my mum: ‘I’m giving up this PhD now because I have had enough’ – but just before she died she begged me not to. ‘You can do it,’ she would say. So every time I catch myself asking why am I doing this, thinking of my mum gives me that purpose. It would have made her so proud.”

These supportive words will also be ‘ringing in her ears’ on November 6^th when Carolina is joined by fellow experts to offer advice and guidance on all things audiology in a relaxed setting. Visitors later on in the day may even be lucky enough to meet Robyn, the 10-year-old yellow labrador from Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and learn all about the work of the charity, which is the event’s nominated fundraising partner.

Vicky Ryan, Community Fundraising Manager at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, said: “We’d like to wish The Audiology Expert clinic every success with their Open Day and to extend our heartfelt thanks to them for choosing us as the beneficiary of their prize draw proceeds.

“It costs around £40,000 to care for and train a hearing dog throughout their lifetime, so any funds raised will make a real difference – helping us to create even more life-changing partnerships in Warwickshire and the surrounding areas.”

There are also refreshments on offer as well as exclusive Open Day-only offers, including £10 off hearing tests and earwax removal; £100 off leading hearing aids and a FREE TV connector with any hearing aid package.

Carolina hopes the free event will dispel some of the myths she says still surround hearing aids.

Also attending will be The Mayor of Leamington, Cllr Ruggy Singh, who said: “I am looking forward to meeting the audiologists who carry out such valuable work in our community.

“Hearing is something that many of us take for granted until there is a problem, yet it plays such a crucial role in how we connect with others. Having your hearing checked regularly is a step that can significantly enhance your quality of life.”

The Audiology Expert offers everything from full hearing assessments to ear wax removal. Carolina said: “There is a lot of stigma around wearing hearing aids. I’m always honest with everyone in terms of the technology that we offer, but also the limitations.

“Technology has come a long way in how soon we can diagnose problems before it affects speech and language development. There are a lot of people for whom hearing aids change the quality of their life completely, so I find that hugely rewarding. It’s that joy of reintroducing them to things that they didn’t even realise they were missing before. It can feel like you’re giving them their life back.”She added: “The secret to the success of my clinic is in the one-to-one contact and just taking the time with the patient and offering tailored personal care, all of which gives me a lot of personal satisfaction.”

 

The Open Day takes place at The Audiology Expert at Pure Offices, Plato Close, Leamington with drop-ins welcomed between 10am-5pm.

Visit: https://theaudiologyexpert.co.uk/

Did You Know?

Around one in three people in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. Being deaf can greatly impact a person’s quality of life, making it incredibly difficult for them to communicate with others and leaving them unable to take part in conversations – even with friends and family. This can cause them to withdraw from social situations and experience overwhelming feelings of isolation, often resulting in anxiety, depression and loneliness.

In addition, the fear of missing important and often life-saving sounds, such as smoke and fire alarms, intruder alarms, the alarm clock and even baby monitors, can leave deaf people feeling incredibly vulnerable and unsafe. Hearing Dogs train dogs to alert deaf people to these vital sounds.

Hearing Dogs wear burgundy jackets when out in public, which brings a visibility to a largely invisible disability. This can often spark conversation, helping deaf people reconnect with other people and the world around them.

Food lovers visited Kenilworth Bookshop on Saturday to meet author, chef, presenter and entrepreneur Bianca Rodrigues-Perry who was the subject of the week’s ‘Saturday Signing.’

Bianca was on hand to sign copies of her exclusive recipe book, ‘Bia’s Kitchen Show: The Cookbook – A Culinary Journey of Gratitude,’ – and even had samples of one of the most popular recipes from the book available to try – classic Brazilian brigadeiros.

Visitors to the book signing event were also entertained by professional Coventry pianist Robert James Grey who added to the atmosphere with many of his favourite tunes on the Talisman Square community piano.

The cookbook is the first in a collection celebrating food, resilience and community being launched by Brazilian-born Bianca, who also fronts the successful Bia’s Kitchen Show on YouTube.

And every purchase makes a difference, with all profits supporting the mental health charity, Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind, a cause close to the author’s heart following years of her own personal struggles.

Rooted in Bia’s own journey of overcoming personal challenges through her passion for cooking, this beautifully crafted collection invites readers to embark on a flavourful adventure. Featuring recipes from her popular online TV series – as well as some of her own creations – the book introduces some of the best independent food businesses in Warwickshire, showcasing talented chefs, nutritionists, and food artisans who bring their love of culinary art to life.

From comforting family meals to exotic dishes, the recipes in this book are both accessible and inventive, allowing home cooks of all levels to recreate the magic of these local chefs in their own kitchens.

Alongside these mouth-watering dishes, Bia shares her heartfelt story of how cooking became her path to happiness, making this book a deeply personal and uplifting read.

She said: “I’m so grateful for the wonderful afternoon we had at Kenworth Books. It was such a joy to meet new people, catch up with friends and family, and share stories over prosecco and homemade Brazilian Brigadeiros.

“I’m truly thankful to everyone who came along, supported, and bought a copy of my book — your kindness means so much. A big thank-you to Judy and the team at Kenilworth Books for hosting us, to the lovely representative from Mind for joining, and to the amazing pianist Rob James Grey for creating such a beautiful atmosphere.”

“It was a day filled with laughter, music, and connection — I couldn’t have asked for more.”

Bia’s journey of reinvention began when she left behind her family and a high-flying marketing career in 2009, emigrating to Leamington from her native Rio de Janeiro as the newly married Mrs David Perry – her future now devoted to a new role as mum of three.

It was also to signal the start of a turbulent period in her life, spending much of her pregnancy in hospital with crippling sickness and battling with chronic post-natal depression and a series of health scares involving her children.

The book also includes a heartfelt dedication to her brother-in-law Oli Perry who took his own life in 2021 and has been published in his memory.

It’s Bia’s combined passions of cooking and entrepreneurialism that became a lifeline – even going on to win Channel Four’s Couple’s Come Dine With Me. Buoyed by her early business success running a thriving food delivery service during lockdown, it was in January last year that the Bia’s Kitchen Show brand was born.

Since then Bianca and her show, which is streamed regularly on YouTube, have won the affections of a loyal and growing UK audience, even winning the entrepreneur two national awards.

Bia’s Kitchen Show: The Cookbook – A Culinary Journey of Gratitude is published by Birmingham-based The Book Chief and is now available for order from Bia’s Kitchen Show HERE and through Amazon HERE.

For how to make Classic Brazilian Brigadeiros follow the recipe HERE.

Visit Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind HERE.