Home Truth

About me!

The basics: Helen Redfern, 40 something, short and cuddly (husband-speak for dumpy!), a housewife/ stay-at-home mum/ domestic goddess (whatever you choose to call it)…….

Family: Married for eighteen years to Andy.

Five children: three boys, two girls

three adopted, two not

three extroverts, two introverts…….

….then add football, ballet, rock music, MSN, Peppa Pig, Scrubs, homework, tennis, Youth Club, Spiderman, hair cuts (or lack of) and Guitar Hero into the mix!

Home: We now live in Gateshead, having moved to the NE ten years ago from the SE. Miss the weather. Do not miss the busyness!

Recent achievements: playing my violin at a friend’s wedding; being short-listed in a short story competition; making a fantastic chocolate heart cake for my daughter’s ninth birthday; decorating my bedroom; persuading my husband to dig me a pond; receiving a signed photo from Ben Elton; surviving the Easter holidays with no illnesses, no injuries and no major arguments!

Confession: My husband Andy and his work (always good to avoid confusion!) partner Vic run the online shop Ethical Superstore from which some of the products mentioned in Hometruth are bought. However, let’s be clear:-

1. I do not get commission
2. I have an over-developed sense of honesty
3. This blog is far more about sharing my struggles with ethical issues in a real household than it is about increasing sales

Why Hometruth?

I’m really pleased to have this opportunity to share the ways in which my family are trying to incorporate fair trade and environmental issues into the way that we live our daily lives and into our decisions as consumers.

Sometimes it works. Sometimes it does not. That’s life.

Sometimes you may find what I say encouraging. Other times confusing. Or amusing. Or just downright frustrating.

What I am sharing with you is real life. It would be great to hear about yours. Go ahead and give us your comments or some feedback about your small steps on this path.