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By Sharon Court, Portsmouth City Council.  I was in Tesco several months ago and as I turned into one of the chilled aisles, I saw a Mum and her young child on the floor by one of the fridges. Mum was on her knees and her child was standing up, so they were both at…
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By Sue Knight, The Aftershock Project.  Growing up, I did not have the language for much of what I was witnessing around me. I grew up in an Armed Forces family. My father served as a bomb disposal operator in Northern Ireland, my mother served, and later my brother also deployed overseas. Like many military…
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By Sally Zurita, Bailando with Sally.  As a Bolivian woman who migrated to the UK, I experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to rebuild identity, connection, and emotional wellbeing in a new environment. Throughout my life, dance and art became more than creative expression — they became tools for healing, resilience, and belonging. What…
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By Nadiya, Portsmouth Mediation Service.  The terraced house had once been a family home before being divided into two rented flats. Poor soundproofing meant the building carried noise constantly. Every footstep upstairs echoed below, while conversations downstairs travelled clearly through the ceilings and walls.Upstairs lived a domestic abuse survivor and family member who had rented…
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By Elaine Hamilton, Portsmouth Mediation Service.  One windy evening on Southsea beach during the summer of 2025, I was trying to wrestle myself dressed after a swim with my towel and clothing flapping like a ship’s flag in a storm, when a medium-sized mongrel appeared at my feet and began barking wildly at me. Unhelpful,…
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By Steve Rolls, Portsmouth Mediation Service.  Back in 2015, Portsmouth Mediation Service took a bold step and redefined our purpose through what we came to call our Restorative USP. (unique selling point) We recognised that when people needed Mediation the situation had already gone too far. We understood the toll that conflict takes, the anxiety,…
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By Sue Austin, Portsmouth Mediation Service.  I was asked whether our service could support a situation following an incident at a primary school, where one boy had been harmed by another. Initially, the boy responsible received a short suspension and then returned to school. The boys were kept apart, as the boy who had been…
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By Gail Mann, Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Portsmouth.  Practitioners and volunteers working with the public are dealing with emotional situations and sometimes there are not enough spaces to reflect on or share these experiences. Creating space to share experiences provides emotional support and kindness, enabling people to listen to and empathise with each other,…
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