Category Archives: PAL Family Blog

So yesterday we celebrated the birthday of Hollie, who turned 26

Here she is with her cake!

The candles were meant to be a 26!!

  Happy Birthday Holl!!! 

As we didn’t have one last week, we thought we would treat you to Miss Louise Malpas, one of the very original PALovians!

Hi Louise, thanks for being our PALovian of the week, can you explain exactly what you do here at PAL?
I’m editor of two magazines, I keep the websites associated with the magazines up to date, and I help with the upkeep and copywriting of the other websites.

What would you say has been your biggest achievement?
I guess being here the longest! I was here right back at the very beginning, when it was just me and a telephone in an asbestos-ridden industrial estate in the middle of nowhere. Dark, but exciting, days.

What is the best thing about working for PAL?
I like the variety of work, the company ethos and the group of people I work alongside.

What is your favourite movie and why?
Billy Liar. It’s a film about a boy growing up in the 60s, who is bored with his life, indulges in fantasies, strings two girlfriends along and ultimately walks away from the opportunity to change his life. It’s a mixture of tragedy and comedy – and shows an England that I don’t recognise, but find very romantic.

If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?
I was an avid fan of the 1960s Batman series which used to be screened of a morning in the 1980s. One of the caped crusader’s arch enemies was a complex character called Mr Freeze – he would use his Cold Gun to temporarily freeze people in time. I’d like to do that – nothing sinister – maybe I could draw on people’s faces or stick daft hats on them. Cer-azy!

What’s your most embarrassing moment?
I have a few. I used to work in a pub in London that had a venue attached to it. I needed the loo during the day shift while a band were soundchecking. Without going in to too much detail, I’d had a particularly powerful curry the night before, so it was a ‘I’d give that ten minutes’ type of scenario. Unfortunately, someone was waiting to use the loo after me, and when I opened the toilet door, I came face to face with Shinga from The Noisettes, who had the misfortune to inhale the noxious fumes. Beautiful Shinga with her magnificent voice and fantastical clothes. As Morrissey sang, I can laugh about it now, but at the time it was terrible.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you take and why?
I’d take Boz (My Fiancée), Ernie (My little boy) and a fully stocked kitchen. Boz can pop in the kitchen and cook us delicious island food, and I can build sand castles and swim in the sea with Ernie.

Haha!! Thanks for telling us all about your encounter with The Noisettes Lou!!

So there you go, now you all know a little bit more about the original PALovian

So its that time of the week again when we update you with the goings on with a couple of our PALovian’s top lips!

So here are this week’s photos- Click on the link to see each of their Movember profiles, and of course to donate

Chris!! – http://mobro.co/chrisbalmer87

Mark!!- http://mobro.co/markbaznetty100

Ant!! – http://mobro.co/anthonyeyre

For this week’s PALovian, we called on the lovely Liz, to let us know all about herself.

Hi Liz, thanks so much for being our PALovian of the week, can you explain exactly what you do here at PAL?
I’m the web designer, which means I design websites.

What has been your biggest achievement?
I guess getting my first-class degree at University. I had to work really hard so it feels like a bigger achievement.

What is the best thing about working for PAL?
The variety! I never work on the same project for very long and the websites I design are so varied. One day I’m working on a solicitors website, the next day I’m working on a personal trainer website, the next day goalkeeper magazine – I never get bored.

What is your favourite food and the food you hate the most?
My favourite food is chicken fajitas. I had squid once by accident. I don’t like the idea of squid.

Tell us 1 interesting fact that no one would know about you?
I’ve spent 6 weeks camping in the middle of a forest in Chelyabinsk in central Russia. It was an unforgettable experience. We had no running water, no electricity, no showers or toilets – it was very basic. We took two woodcutters with us who would chop down trees to make space for any extra tents and would make furniture in the night. I also played in a Scottish ceilidh band there, which was fine until it got dark, then people fell over a lot. And my now-husband proposed to me by the lake. So good times

What is the best thing that happened to you so far this year?
My brother and sister-in-law had a baby last month, so now I have a little nephew called Thomas. I think meeting him for the first time is the best thing that’s happened this year. I made him a quilt. (Ed- Which is extremely beautiful, all hand made by Liz she is very talented as quilting is very difficult  )

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you take and why?
My husband Pete, a CD player and Blue by Joni Mitchell.

Thanks a lot Liz, how amazing would it have been to camp in Russia, what an experience!!

Who shall we have as next weeks??!!

So the countdown is on now for Children in Need, we have 7 days to get ready!!

Have you all got your costumes ready? What character are you coming as?

Also guys, we have some ideas for next Friday, but we need lots more ideas for challenges!!

Get thinking and write some suggestions below- or it will be the chilli eating challenge for everyone!! 

As you know a couple of PALovians are taking part in the yearly tradition of Movember by growing a moustache all in aid of prostate cancer. If you want to know more click here —> http://uk.movember.com/about/funding-overview/

So this is the weekly update of how they are doing, and of course with a link to their donation pages

Chris!! – http://mobro.co/chrisbalmer87

Mark!!- http://mobro.co/markbaznetty100

Ant!! – http://mobro.co/anthonyeyre

Only 22 days to go!!