Ever since i appeared on Channel 4 “Secret Millionaire” , people have been asking me to coach and mentor them in business, even though its been my greatest intention to help, i have not had the right tools in place.

I have since been inspired by a lot of people to systematize tools, am so excited that I can make even more of a difference to a wider audience.

I am soon going to launch Secrets of Success mentoring programme in a way that everyone can learn, using a system.

Dates to be posted shortly.

I’m spending more time now giving talks to groups of young people, helping them see what the possibilities are for them out there and hopefully inspiring and encouraging them to fulfil their potential. One of the messages I’m trying to get across to them is there’s nothing to lose by trying something, and you’ll find that if you just ask people for help and advice, most of them will say yes. I’ve met some very smart, bright and positive youngsters who have just never been shown that there are opportunities for them to take their ideas and passions forward and make a difference to their own lives, while positively affecting those around them.

Things have moved forward with the 4 Children charity and I’m now part of the Family Commission, a campaign chaired by Esther Rantzen, which will run for 18 months, focusing on the real needs of families in the community. I’ve also been travelling around the country with the ‘Make Your Mark’ team, helping judge the Enterprising Britain competition, to find the most enterprising place in the UK. The regional winners will all be at the awards ceremony in London in October, where I’ll be part of the final judging panel. I’m also hoping to work with Vodafone, helping promote their

Just before I went, I helped launch the Make Your Mark With A Tenner Campaign in Swindon, which was really good fun.  Both LTV and BBC local stations covered the launch – you can watch the footage by clicking on the logos below – as well as most of the local papers.  It was absolutely wonderful to be involved and to see so many young people with some really creative, great ideas!  I can’t wait to find out how they’re getting on.

As a result of that day, I’ve also now been asked to take part as a judge in ‘Make Your Mark’s flagship competition called The Enterprising Young Brit Awards, which was launched by Alistair Darling during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Anyone aged 13-30 can enter, with finalists pitching their ideas in a sort of ‘X-Factor’ style, and it takes place on the 24^th March in London.

And it’s back to television on the 5^th March, when I’m going to be a guest on Ben TV’s ‘Bright Talk’ show (Sky184). Viewers can ring in to discuss topical issues live on air – I’m really looking forward to that!

The Zambian High Commissioner came to Swindon recently and met some of the organisations that are raising money to provide support in Zambia. He’s now looking at ways in which the High Commission might be able to help these charities with tax efficiency etc. and facilitate their efforts.

The national charity 4 Children

Last weekend I did an online radio interview for Zambian listeners from all over the world, which apparently 2500 people tuned in for! I was  honoured to be their guest speaker and hope I inspired them with the story of my journey, encouraging the listeners that they too could be successful in business. You can listen to the interview on the website: http://www.mwape.com/braindrain.html

I’ve also just been to Liverpool and met with DCLP. Seeing how they continue to progress blessed my heart, they have just excelled in the work they are doing for the local community and are moving from strength to strength, planning on making themselves sustainable. My business partners, Steve and Nick, have been heavily involved in the organisation of the refurbishment that is due to start this week & we’re all very excited about the difference it will make to the DCLP team and the work they do.

Following the Kilimanjaro climb with GWR kids, we were invited to join in the celebrations to congratulate the guys and girls that took part in the event. I was so inspired by their commitment, and we had a great evening, with Mike helping me showing off my dancing skills!!

This week I’m having an interview with African Vibes magazine – http://africanvibes.com/wordpressnew/ – for their January issue, which will also form part of their first online broadcast, and then in a week’s time, on 4^th December, I will be in Birmingham, speaking over 100 women in business. This is the finale of three

I’m still overwhelmed by the response I’m getting and the number of unsung heroes that are doing great works all over the world. I have even had emails from America – people who have read articles on the internet – how amazing that the programme has touched that many.

The past few weeks have been so busy, trying to run my business and keep up with the media and various organisations and community projects, including the Liverpool projects, which I have to say have made such progress.  Dijuana has now planned another big event for half term and is also raising funds for a pamper weekend to thank the older generation that have been there for them in the local community.  As part of the gift to her I specifically asked her to have a girly weekend, as she deserved it, and she has come back and told me how much she enjoyed herself.  It was something she had never experienced before, and so she wanted to do the same for her role models, most of them aged 55 and above (How good is that?!).

DCLP have now employed a member of staff to help run the office and also free up some time for people like June who can now spare some time to go on holiday and not worry about the running of the projects while she is away.  They may have been able to cope without her for a week or two, but this means it’s one less thing for her to worry about.

Yesterday the Mayor of Swindon invited my family and I to his home for tea, for which we felt honoured as a family – he has been so supportive since we met him formally at our Secret Millionaire screening evening.  The kids were so excited – and so was I!  It is wonderful to know that he is behind the vision we shared with him a few weeks ago about wanting to make a difference in our local communities.

He has put me in touch with a lady in Swindon who is working in the local community with young mothers and teenagers.  They need someone who can spare the time to talk with them, and who they can open up to, and while I’m not sure I’m the right person to do that right now, having teenage children and a young baby myself,  I am certainly going to help organise her events and make contacts.  I am excited about working alongside her as she was so passionate, but what makes it all the more amazing is that she doesn’t even know I was on the Secret Millionaire programme – she just thinks I’m someone who wants to help…..which of course I am.

I have also partnered with 2 other voluntary organisations working in Zambia – The Book Bus and Street Child Africa – giving them more business support and seeing how I can help them best.

Last week I also met with the Zambian High Commissioner, who had called to see if we could meet to discuss how we could work together, both in the UK and Zambia.  We are now sharing details and making plans for when I visit Zambia in December and it’s all looking really good.  I have always believed that Together We Can make a Huge Difference, and now it’s really coming true, in a far bigger way than I could ever have imagined.

Last wednesday I caught the train back up to Liverpool with Dijuana and had some more interviews with local radio stations.  It was just so good to see the people again, especially after watching the programme – I was reminded why I chose Dijuana and DCLP, and knew they had been the right choices.

While I was there I had the privilege to meet DCLP’s new employee and also some more of the people in the local communities.  They told me the I inspired them to Be More, but in truth, it was just as much the case that they were an inspiration to me and I am so grateful for the way my eyes have been opened to what I can really do to make the most difference in communities like this.

I will continue to support the two projects in Liverpool and am now working alongside local projects in Swindon too.  Our big vision for establishing a women’s home is attracting a network of local people that want to get involved – the Mayor is on board with the idea and we are meeting with him to discuss how we can work together and make the project happen.  It’s all very exciting!

I’m also getting reading for a number of shows & events in October, giving talks at the HMO Summit at Heathrow on the 11^th and at the COC Business Achievers Conference in Reading on the 18^th, so have a look at