Sometimes it’s not what you say – it’s how you say it. Here’s how to talk posh:

TALKING POSH ©

Take a deep breath now
You can breathe the AIR
Let the breeze blow gently through your HAIR
Don’t hide away come out of your LAIR

Speak up and all together now say:
AIR HAIR LAIR

Wow that sounds posh!

And hello to you too 😉

© Julie Charlesworth 2025

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See – you can do it and there’s nothing to it – if you like that sort of thing 😊.

[A poem I wrote inspired by a joke I’d heard somewhere, some time back.]

On arrival at University, my Yorkshire accent was quite broad and I sometimes had to adapt it a bit to be even understood. Never to this extreme 😂.

I like different accents. They’re easy to pick up again ‘tha nos’. 😉

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 11/8/25

I do declare that I am proud of my very smart Yorkshire working class roots.

And as I have said before:

Manchester made me, l’d have to say.
But I was once a Yorkshire lass.
Born and bred there some time past.
Thankful to have some Northern grit.
And what the world needs now is some Northern wit!

A little bit of Yorkshire lives on in my garden in leafy Cheshire.

My husband had the presence of mind to bring a rhubarb root from my dad’s rhubarb patch to plant in our garden at home in Cheshire. My dad’s Yorkshire rhubarb is still flourishing year after year even today, 30 years after my dad died.

The legacy of my Yorkshire parents lives on in many different ways.

Watch out for some much needed Northern wit …

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 1/8/25

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As it is holiday time, for a change you might like to try travelling with this unusual airline 😉✈️
See Yorkshire Airlines sketch by Hale and Pace.

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Hopeful futures and Joyful Celebrations 🎉.

University graduation ceremonies, interviews with graduates and postgraduates have been uplifting! Proud parent posts are heart-warming!

And to come – there are exam results days looming for many teenagers. There will be much joy again 😊.

Whether receiving good news or initial disappointments all young adults will face uncertainties and choices to be made now or further along. Us ‘Oldies’ remember our own experiences in our teens and twenties and our experiences second time round as parents.

The ‘what would you have told your younger self?’ question is often posed.

Around this time 5 years ago with plenty of time for reflection I wrote a verse about perspectives in life. I had been thinking about my ‘own journey’. I was also becoming concerned about how young adults’ lives were being affected by the covid pandemic, associated restrictions, and lockdowns. Life might not be going to plan for many of them. I sent my verse to post-grad and undergrads I had been a mentor to. They liked it and said it was helpful! I published the verse back then on my website.

‘CHANCE, CHOICE AND DEFINING MOMENTS ©’ It seems a good time to share it again (click here)

I am thinking of all those embarking on courses or just starting their careers, also their families.

I hope you can spare a minute to read the verse and that you like it.

It’s about keeping life in perspective, taking things seriously but not worrying too much.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 24/7/25

I thought ‘This is serious stuff! I needed to know about it.’  It left me ‘gobsmacked’ and feeling compelled to do something.
What could I do?
 
BACKGROUND💡.  It was a Lecture 9th June 2015 The Cockcroft Rutherford Lecture 2015: Dame Sally Davies. The University of Manchester.
Title ‘The Drugs don’t work
A Global threat.’
The subject: Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
 
WHAT COULD I DO?
Speak up and communicate to raise awareness and hopefully inspire others. Initially, by writing and publishing my first LinkedIn Article – entitled ’Spread the Words, not Infectious Diseases’. At the same time, I wrote and published the first of several blogs on this subject here on my company website.
 
I also focused on some of my immediate spheres of influence and activity at that time (2015 to 2017) MedComms and Medical Writing groups. A good way to spread the messages through other communicators.
 
Over the past 10 years I have continued to ‘spread the word’ ad hoc sharing information, the science and other good work I came across.
In doing so I continued to learn about and appreciate the values of trans-disciplinary approaches and specialities including basic science, drug development, frontier research with new approaches, and also the importance of public health and policy. You can learn a lot from looking beyond your own specialisms.
 
IMPACT:  It is difficult to say whether I had much (if any) significant impact, but I am hoping so.
 
WHY DO ANYTHING? It was simply about ‘doing the right thing’ or what I thought was the best way I could contribute.
 
10 YEARS ON – SOME KEY MESSAGES:
 
AMR continues to be a major concern!
There have been advances and progress; great work has been done by many people in different spheres – this needs to continue.
 
The important role of universities in informing and inspiring action (beyond undergraduate and post graduate teaching).
 
‘Doing the right thing’ is valid and important.
 
Think ‘what can I do?’

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 21/7/25

 
 
[Here is the link to my first blog on this subject published 10 years ago in the summer of 2015] 

What is it about trees?

They often feature in symbolism and wise sayings.

These two saplings were planted in our garden for now and the future. Most good things in life ‘bear fruit’ with patience and hard work.

‘The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit’.

To plant a tree is to plant hope.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 11/7/25

We know there are decent people out there with good intentions despite all the current horrible world events.

There is also a lot of good science and other serious stuff to communicate. Plenty of that to come…

However, sometimes a lighter more uplifting note is required.

Click here: Spring to Summer 2025

So, following my promise of ‘consistency and surprises to come’ – here is my message for today:

I say it with flowers
And a little nesting bird
Because a picture and video
Are as good as my word
😊 😉

For consistency I have posted photos of these Ruby Wedding roses each year at this time since 2020. It’s always a lovely surprise when the little birds come back home year after year to raise their brood.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 26/6/25

The 2nd half of the year has begun!

Since May, I am also officially now a septuagenarian – a poignant moment for me.

Indeed, I arrived on planet Earth 70 years ago 👶🌍.

No-one is immune from upsets, and the difficulties life throws at you – me included. Thankfully, the positives outweigh the negatives.

It’s timely to add a few wise words and a bit of humour.

‘Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind it, it doesn’t matter.’ – Mark Twain

‘You don’t stop laughing when you grow old. You grow old when you stop laughing.” – George Bernard Shaw

I’d like to share one of my own sayings. (See image 😊)

To words of wisdom and moments of mirth 😊.

So where to from here?

Expect consistency from me and a few more surprises…

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 16/6/25

This year to celebrate a special personal milestone I chose a long-weekend in a large wooden cabin surrounded by trees and big enough for my immediate family – husband, grown up children and spouses, my young grandchildren, and a family dog.

Nestled in an idyllic forest setting 2025

This very special Spring holiday was organised for me by my family.

Forest bathing, family, and fun activities for all.

A large forest close to home in the UK.

We don’t always have to travel afar to have a wonderful adventure ❤️🌲🌳

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 05/6/25

This month at ‘playtime’ I have been making memories and putting life in perspective. I have been experimenting with home-made movies. I thought I’d share my discovery of some joys of Nature and the Wild.

These days, there are of course some superb films, documentaries, and communications.

However, here is my humble playful attempt at home-made moviemaking (May 2025). It’s only 30 seconds long but enough for a blog.

‘Wild and Wonderful’ the movie.

At least I know it’s my own real experience 😉 – and it was fun to make 😊.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 22/5/25

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(I have used clips from videos I took 10 years ago this month from a holiday adventure in South Africa to celebrate a special personal occasion.)

This story starts with an evening drive with a ranger in an open-top, open-sided vehicle in South Africa. Picture this: We came upon 2 lions probably a brother and a sister lying on the road track in front of us. The ranger stopped the vehicle and waited until the couple got up and started on their way. We followed at a cautious pace. It felt like they were leading us somewhere.

The female went ahead of the male and as I turned my gaze to the left, I sensed a presence up in the tree in front – hence I took this snapshot.

Some people in the vehicle wanted us to drive on regardless. My preference was to wait a little while (but for how long?). While the debate continued the lioness decided to jump down in front of the vehicle and continue her walk. But where was the male lion? He was nowhere to be seen.

While our attention had been diverted to the female – he had apparently disappeared. Then suddenly – there he was emerging from the undergrowth to the right on the other side of the road! Did he cross in front or behind the vehicle? No-one knew for sure. Suddenly we felt they were playing a game, and we were part of it. They were calm, confident, and in control. A passing thought was – maybe they were leading us back to the pride. Could it have been an invitation to join them for dinner?

But …. what or rather who would be on the menu?

However, they soon got bored and sauntered off. We all breathed a sigh of relief, and the ranger speeded up the vehicle, turned on to another dirt track and accelerated in a different direction.

After this somewhat scary moment we found some humour in the experience.

For a while there we certainly had not been in charge.

It was their game in their territory!

Maybe the lioness had climbed the tree to check us out – and then she didn’t feel quite that hungry after all 😉.

Or perhaps they just enjoyed playing a trick on us 😂.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 15/5/25

[Apparently ‘Lions don’t typically attack safari vehicles because they perceive the vehicle and its occupants as one large, solid object rather than distinct, moving individuals.’ An etiquette on safari is that animals are minimally disturbed hence the waiting for the lions to move on]