Author: Benny Shakes
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Who Is Privileged? What Does It Mean? What Does Working Class Mean?
Well, I’m back from spending time with my family, and I’ve had a really great few days away. I got to visit my sisters and their families, which was so much fun — all of us together, catching up, laughing, and just being with each other. I also spent Boxing Day with my Auntie June…
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Merry Christmas, Everyone (But I’m Not Stopping Yet)
Merry Christmas, everyone.This is my last blog post before Christmas — but it’s not the last one, because I’ll still be working in between Christmas and New Year. You know me… I can’t sit still. Last night, me, Susanna and Joe went out for our Christmas drinks, and as usual, we ended up coming up…
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Wow, What a Week!
Wow — what a week I’ve had, and what a week Blue Badge Bunch has had too. It started off fairly quietly in the shed, building my Christmas trees. Then on Thursday, I suddenly realised I had two orders to send out — Christmas trees and my children’s book. That felt really good. I made…
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An Interesting Week – Workshops, Reflection, and Finding My Feet Again
This last week has been a very interesting one. Last Wednesday we delivered another fantastic Blue Badge Bunch workshop at Vision Express in Nottingham. It was a joy listening to everyone talk about what they learnt and how the workshop changed the way they see disability. On the same day, Neil Benn was in London…
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Two Quiet Weeks – With a Few Big Lessons
It’s been two weeks since I last did one of these, and it’s been a quiet one — but that’s okay. I’ve been in the shed creating wooden Christmas trees, and they’re actually looking pretty good. I’ve also been trying to build up my following on Facebook and Instagram, the same way I managed on…
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Another Week Gone – Hard but Fun
Well, the week has been and gone yet again, and let me tell you — it’s been a hard but fun one. On the 13th, I went and opened for George Coppin at a new material night. It was fun getting out, meeting new people, and catching up with old friends. I tried to stay…
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🌟 What a Week in Benny’s Life! 🌟
: 🌟 What a Week in Benny’s Life! 🌟 Well, it’s been another busy week — and what a week it’s been! We kicked things off on Friday with the Nottingham Comedy Festival and our Disabled Cants showcase. Everyone smashed it! I’m so proud of what they’ve achieved over the past year — every single…
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November: Mental Health Awareness Month
Well, it’s November — and it’s Mental Health Awareness Month.It’s good that we’re finally talking about it more openly. Back in the day, mental health wasn’t really spoken about. I think lockdown helped it become recognised more. For me, when I’m not busy, my mind gets violent — so I keep myself very busy.But then…
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Another Year of Being Self-Employed: What Have I Learnt?
Well, it’s been another year of being self-employed. What have I learnt? Quite a bit, actually. Let’s be honest — I haven’t made much money. I’ve struggled these last few years. But I’ve also had a fantastic two years of being off benefits, and in that time, I’ve helped so many people get into comedy…
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Believe in Yourself — Because You’re Doing Better Than You Think
Well, another week done — and what can I say? It started off quite quietly because my mental health hasn’t been great. That’s partly on me — I didn’t get out much over the weekend, and I messaged someone who I thought really mattered in my life. Turns out, I was wrong. Lesson learned, I…
Benny Shake 