To Downing Street... surely not?

I could have been in any old meeting this morning as I shared the things I'd seen in Bangladesh, but I wasn't. I was sitting amongst a room full of fellow Save the Children Ambassadors, as a cabinet meeting took place in a room below us at 10 Downing Street.

What a whirl-wind of a year it's been. 

From blogger to conference organiser to campaigner to ambassador to being on the guest list at world's most famous address. 

If anyone ever questioned the validity or reach of the parent blogging community - here's the proof.

I'm so proud that Blogladesh reached out to so many people and that it was the inspiration for Save the Children's amazing new 'Born To' campaign. 

You see.... we really can change the world.

And get your pic taken by loads of tourists while you are at it!

With Tony Wadsworth on BBC Radio Leicester

For those that missed my interview on BBC Radio Leicester today with the lovely Tony Wadsworth. I was going well till my phone rang!! If you are interested it was the girls ballet teacher! Oops... sorry Tony!

If you haven't already bought Nicolas Kristof's book Half the Sky - here is the Amazon link. Do it now, you won't be sorry.

Around the world and back...

To say that I've been on a journey over the past few weeks would be an understatement. London, Dhaka, Barisal, Bhola, London, New York, London. The miles that I have travelled have not only been physical.

Six weeks ago I was oblivious to the intense suffering endured by women and children across the third world - then I visited Bangladesh.

There was no way I could have prepared myself for what I saw and experienced there and I returned home jaded and angry about the injustice that people were still living in such primitive, hopeless conditions in this modern world.

Then I read the most shocking book that I have ever read. It's called Half the Sky by the New York Times Journalist Nicholas Kristof. As a woman and a mother, I implore you to read it. I feel so passionately that Nicholas's writing simply has to be shared.

Seriously, I had NO idea that the things he writes about are common practices across the world and now that I do know I HAVE to do something to make a difference.

So off I went to the UN Millennium Development Goal Summit with Save the Children and politicians listened and I was featured in the Guardian and on the ITN News at 10 but that isn't enough. I know that I have to do something personally. So that is my challenge to myself. To make a difference. To offer a lifeline to another woman. To help save a child. It's really that simple. 

I just visited Global Giving.org and for $10 supported two girls in achieving their dreams to become educators themselves. It really is that simple.

I was lucky enough to meet my new hero Nicholas Kristoph, all be it briefly in New York this week. The man is amazing. His writing is gripping and I promise you that you will not regret reading his book.

Without our support women will continue to be sold, gang raped, violated, sexually mutilated, trafficked, beaten and left to die and their children the products of rape and torture will be born into this shocking cycle that HAS to be broken.

Thank you to Liz and everyone at Save the Children for giving me this life changing experience and for welcoming me into their team in New York this week. They worked me like a dog - but it was totally worth it.

Why are you still here? Get buying Half the Sky.....

I speak to Nick Clegg

It's been a pretty amazing day here in New York. It's been hot, busy and the roads have been at gridlock as Obama hit town.

Yes that's him going into the UN in his motorcade!

So my big news today was my meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. I went over to the UK Mission to the UN offices along with representatives from a few other charities and drank lots of water whilst we waited for him to arrive.
I asked him how he felt as a father that 9 million children were needlessly dying each year. This is his response.

The MDG Summit day 1

Today's the first day of the UN Summit and I've spent most of it at the Save the Children interactive art installation at Grand Central Station.

We've been stopping New Yorkers and asking them to add their thumb prints to this amazing piece of artwork created by the British artist Ian Wright.

I've spoken to the actress Claire Danes about her involvement with Save the Children and interviewed Andrew Mitchell the UK Secretary of State for International Development. The good news is that he has pledged to support Save the Children in training 400,000 community healthcare workers before 2015 and that the UK government will do all they can to ensure the Millennium Development Goals are reached. The gols are way off track and there is a lot to achieve in the next five years, so lets hope that he meant what he said.

Artwork created by Ian Wright

Actress Claire Danes gives her thumb print.

Children's food expert Annabel Karmel stopped by to show her support.

Speaking to Andrew Mitchell

Nutrition - What is being done in India?

Yesterday before the summit kicked off I spoke to Dr Rajiv Tandon about the nutrition projects in India. He is a very inspirational guy who has helped to same many children.

One day till the MDG Summit

Tomorrow I'll be at Save the Children's interactive art installation at Grand Central Station where I'll be speaking to the Emmy winning actress Claire Dane.