Chorley mum named as finalist for national blogging award

Laura Dove, from Euxton, has been selected for the 2017 Brilliance in Blogging Awards (The BiBs) for her blog, Five Little Doves.

In it she documents her life as a parent writing about the loss of her second son Joseph, the 15 miscarriages she has gone through and learning to find happiness again after so much tragedy.

Laura, 37, said: “I am so happy to be a finalist, especially in the category of Inspire.

“Having lost fifteen babies to miscarriage and our second son to stillbirth, life hasn’t always been easy.

“Through my subsequent battles with mental health I never dared imagine that I would one day have the family I dreamt of and be seen as an inspiration to others.

“If I can do that for Joseph that is amazing.”

In 2006 Laura was pregnant with her second son but when doctors could not find Joseph’s heart beat they induced labour.

Thirty five hours later Laura had given birth but Joseph was stillborn. The sadness tore Laura apart and ended her marriage.

“The grief just escalated,” said Laura. “I wanted to talk about it and go over it whereas my ex husband didn’t.

“I just had to find my way through. I had to carry on for my first son Lewis.”

After losing Joseph Laura, who had remarried to graphic designer Garth, 35, suffered 15 miscarriages.

It was only when doctors had exhausted all their other ideas that they decided to give her Clexane, a drug which thins blood. She had to have the injections every day of her pregnancy but after nine months Eva, who is now five was born. She was followed by Megan, four and Harrisson, three.

“I’ve now got four miracles,” said Laura.

Laura started the blog in 2014 and has worked with brands like Ella’s Kitchen, Disney, Tesco, Johnsons and Sainsbury’s.

Thousands of votes were cast across 11 categories for the awards, which are organised by BritMums - the UK’s largest and most influential collective of lifestyle bloggers.

The BiBs ceremony will be held at the BritMums Live 2017 conference on Saturday, September 30 with a City Cruises Party.

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Leyland lead

Folk throughout Leyland are being asked to reveal their favourite historic buildings in the town.

South Ribble Borough Council wants to know whic structures residents think celebrates Leyland’s heritage?

The council is compiling a Local List for Leyland - a list of historically-important buildings and structures which contribute to the town’s heritage.

They say it will help protect them through the planning system.

The authority used its Facebook page to get out the appeal - and it has already recveived a good number of replies.

These include:

Amy Seager: ‘Cranky’ the big green clock on Hough Lane.

Susan Stevens: Road Springs works in Dunkirk Lane. The factory is gone now but the white buildings were their first site and then they had Dunkirk Arms for their offices and The Grove on Slater Lane.

Angela Williams: Lancaster House on Centurion Way. Such a iconic 60’s building from the town’s Leyland Motors past. We need to start preserving some of the remaining buildings seeing so many sites are now being built on.

Kimberley Lauren Clitheroe: St Andrews Church, or the old court/police station which is now La Corte.

Dan Hodgin: The old police station which is currently La Corte restaurant nearr the train station.

David Gillooly: The maze at Worden Park - not a building but it is a structure. Should be protected.

Kathryn Bradshaw: The original police station on towngate, then library, opposite the job centre.

Nicola Valverde-Duckworth: St Andrews church, Balshaws high school.

Nicola Du Bois: The conservatory at Worden Park.

Janice Wharton: The old police station now La Corte and Worden Park gates.

Martin Stringfellow: South Ribble Museum and Exhibition Centre, Church Road.

Howard Irving: Worden Park hands down. Love the place . . . and Spoons!!

Marjorie Donald-Marsden: The cross of course.

Rachel Duke: The old police station.

Nicola Valverde-Duckworth: Leyland leisure centre.

Kara Foden: The leisure centre and the museum.

Judith Edmondson: Leyland library and leisure centre.

Mark Fairhurst: Leyland station old ticket office.

Anita Marsden: Parish Church, Church Road.

Belinda Hatton: The fields at Farington Fields Forever - Help Preserve our Neighbourhood and Green Space.