Madeleine Lake

My Recent Work

PsychShe •

The art of letting go: why some friendships are just not made to last - PsychShe

Friends are like a good bra, they support you, lift you up when you’re feeling low, and make you feel good about yourself. But sometimes, like the saggy underwear elastic offering zero support, friendships can leave you hanging.


“I’m pregnant,” were the first words Amber told me as she laid an ultrasound photo onto the sticky wetherspoons table. 


I traced my fingers over the image and embraced her, promising to be a great aunt to her baby.  We had been friends since we were around 11 and w...
The Mirror •

Toddler born with rare condition which causes foot to 'grow uncontrollably'

A tot born with a rare mutation which causes his foot to 'grow uncontrollably' has defied the odds to take his first steps after being told he'd never walk. Axel Horgan, two, was born with genetic condition congenital lipomatous overgrowth (CLOVES) - which can result in vascular, spinal, skin, bone or joint abnormalities. He is one of just 200 people in the world with the condition. Axel's left leg was "very large from birth" and has been growing ever since. His parents, Eddie, 27, and Sarah, 27...
Metro •

Raw vegan feeds children uncooked fruit and veg because they're 'fruitarians'

A mum says she’s raising her kids as fruitarians – surviving almost entirely on fruit and veg alone.
Pam Johal, 47, is a raw vegan – meaning she only eats uncooked fruit and vegetables and has done so for the last four years.
Before adopting her diet, she’d eat meat four times a week – until a health scare prompted a lifestyle overhaul.
The mum was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the beginning of 2020 – by August of that year, she claims her new diet had ‘reversed’ her symptoms.
Pam has c...
The Mirror •

'My children are only allowed to eat fruit and vegetables'

Pam Johal is a raw vegan and claims her children don't need to see their GP since taking up the dietA mum says she's raising her kids as fruitarians - surviving almost entirely on fruit and veg alone - because she believes humans were designed to "only eat fruit". She also claims it "makes them behave better" as "food is highly linked with behaviour". Pam Johal, 46, is a raw vegan - meaning she only eats uncooked fruit and vegetables and has done so for the last four years. Before adopting her d...
The Mirror •

Toddler gets devastating diagnosis after parents noticed eye changing colour

Amy Waddle, 32, first noticed her son Teddy, two, had developed a squint in June 2023 - and originally thought he had a lazy eye. His eye colour then began to change from light blue to darkA toddler was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer - after his parents noticed his eye colour changing from light blue to dark. Amy Waddle, 32, says the "horrible" experience left her with PTSD. She noticed her little boy, Teddy, two, had developed a squint in June 2023 - and originally thought he had a la...
The Independent •

‘I work on a cruise ship – here’s what it’s really like behind the scenes’

A man ditched his “dull” nine-to-five as a plumber to work as a musician on a cruise ship - travelling to 40 countries earning £40k a year.Jack Nolan, 33, says being a plumber was "boring" and "unfulfilling".He started working on cruises in 2016 and earns £3,315 a month and has travelled to countries like Australia, Iceland and Canada. He revealed what it's like living and working on a boat.While he has to work most nights as a singer and guitarists he gets all day off - and gets to explore each...
ShefNews •

Sheffield Activism Group Challenging Street Harassment With Chalk Art - ShefNews

Two Sheffield residents have set up an Instagram and submission page to create a platform for the victims of catcalling.


The page, ‘catcallsofsheff‘ takes each submission and goes to the location where the incident happened to write it on the pavement using chalk.


Catcalls of Sheff told ShefNews: “We want to hold harassers accountable and provide a way for victims of sexual harassment to voice their experiences. We got involved in Chalkback because of this- it’s a small form of protest but...
ShefNews •

Unique grief exhibition opens as part of Sheffield Life, Loss and Death Festival - ShefNews

‘Grief Must be Love with Nowhere to Go’ is one of many exhibitions that has opened at Sheffield’s Life, Loss and Death Festival.


The exhibition by artists Emily Simpson and Chris Alton was created to make a space for grieving and talking about loss.


Chris said: “When my Mum died, I expected that my grief would pass with time. When it didn’t pass, I didn’t know what to do. I wish I’d seen an exhibition, or a TV programme, or a film, which had portrayed grief as something that you learn to l...
ShefNews •

'I lost my uterus and ovaries': Endometriosis sufferer speaks out during awareness month - ShefNews

An office administrator from Sheffield has spoken about her struggles with endometriosis.


Holley Staley was diagnosed with the condition in 2023 after suffering with painful periods that caused vomiting, and heavy bleeding.


One in 10 women in the UK suffer from Endometriosis and for most, will not receive a diagnosis for eight years.


The NHS defines Endometriosis as ‘a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tube...
ShefNews •

Hillsborough football stadium to host sleepover to raise money for homeless - ShefNews

Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme has partnered with Roundabout charity to organise a sleepover in Hillsborough stadium to raise money for homelessness.


The event is not only an experience for Sheffield Wednesday fans, but for families looking for a night of activities and fun.


Emily Bush, the Roundabout Fundraising Manager, said: “The annual Roundabout Sleep Out has always been one of our most popular annual events and we have been asked so many times if there was a version the whol...
Forge Press •

Interview: Sundara Karma’s Oscar Pollock on nostalgia, resilience, and the band’s upcoming album - Forge Press

Sundara Karma’s lead singer Oscar Pollock is the epitome of insight, he understands the importance of music and lets inspiration come from his heart. When I asked him who inspired the band’s upcoming album Better Luck Next Time he said: “Not a single person!” The album revisits influences that were present when the band first started. He said it was refreshing to make.
Sundara Karma have had over fifty-two million streams on their hit song ‘Flame’ alone and so I was surprised when Pollock told m...
Yorkshire Live •

'Standoff' in Sheffield as man 'climbs onto scaffolding' and police shut road

A major Sheffield road was closed for a number of hours today after a man was reported to have climbed scaffolding and police were engaged in a lengthy negotiation to get him back on the ground. South Yorkshire Police confirmed they had attended a concern for safety on West Street this afternoon (June 6). Locals reported that officers cordoned off the area at around midday as negotiations with the man began. Several police vehicles and ambulances attended the scene of the stand-off with one witn...
Forge Press •

“Get ready to turn your volume down!” Pale Waves’ Heather Baron-Gracie warns fans to prepare for their third upcoming album  - Forge Press

The band’s newest and heaviest album yet is in the making. 
Pale Waves’ Heather Baron-Gracie has opened up about their new upcoming album, one that has some “classic Pale Waves moves in it”. 
Despite a global pandemic, nothing has stopped this band from producing exceptional music; their third album will be nothing short of this. Lead singer and guitarist Baron-Gracie dives into the new album. 
Following the hit album Who Am I? Pale Waves decided to begin work on their third album, which is yet...