‘If it’s offbeat and in Cardiff then it’s online here’
LISTEN To OUR PODCAST
  • Social Life
    Social Life
    Women in cowboy hat at country music event.

    A popular country music night in Cardiff brings fans together to make new friends

    Outside of Cardiff Central train station, showing the Christmas illuminations

    Local Welsh art projected on station as part of a huge Light of Winter trail

    Author and storyteller launches typewriter-for-hire service in Cardiff market

  • Work Life
    Work Life

    Two chefs to open a restaurant after the decline in Wales’ hospitality industry

    Local Rainbow

    How Welsh musicians are using social media to keep the spirit of bilingual music alive

    Picture of monitor on.a film set, showing actors preparing for a scene in the background

    Training project that aims to make screen sector more accessible gets funding boost

  • Active Life
    Active Life

    Local yoga instructor sees a rise in men embracing yoga classes to improve wellbeing

    ‘Men and women are not built the same’: Fighting for female-friendly fitness gear

    Three girls playing netball, laughing and smiling

    Netball participation among adults is growing as women seek a sense of community

  • Public Life
    Public Life
    Everywoman festival background and a set of four chairs with microphones lying on them

    Fibroid advocate takes the stage at Everywoman Festival to raise awareness of this common condition

    AI Generated image of an empty theatre

    The last act? Wales’ arts sector faces an uncertain future in challenging times

    A cluttered wardrobe that could use the help of rental fashion

    Fashion crisis unwrapped: The ‘rental revolution’ for Welsh consumers’ wardrobes

  • Long Reads
    Long Reads

    ‘Men and women are not built the same’: Fighting for female-friendly fitness gear

    AI Generated image of an empty theatre

    The last act? Wales’ arts sector faces an uncertain future in challenging times

    A cluttered wardrobe that could use the help of rental fashion

    Fashion crisis unwrapped: The ‘rental revolution’ for Welsh consumers’ wardrobes

  • Magazine
    Magazine
    queer magazine cover

    The Queer Culture Issue

    Magazine cover showing a rugby pitch

    The Grassroots Issue

    Magazine cover showing Christmas presents wrapped up

    The Mental Health Issue

  • Podcasts
Reading
Cardiff character: Juliette Llewellyn
ShareTweet

Cardiff character: Juliette Llewellyn

altcardiff·
No logo
·13 November 2012
juliette llewellyn at the chapter arts cwtch

Juliette Llewellyn proudly patrolling the social media cwtch

In an age where the internet provides a multitude of online communities, Juliette Llewellyn has created one of flesh and blood right in the heart of Canton, geared towards discussing the intricacies of social media.

Canton Social Media Surgery, a voluntary drop-in service for those wishing to learn more about social media, is part of a bigger UK movement set up in 2008. When Juliette applied in 2011 to advise at the local Cardiff branch, she found herself agreeing to the role of manager at a new Canton-based surgery.

It was to be a very practical role, including the sourcing of venue and arranging the format of the sessions.

“I think it’s important to educate people on how to use these social media tools,” says Juliette, sitting at a small table amidst the weekend-bustle of Chapter. “It is quite a new medium, and as well as thinking about what they’re saying, people need to learn to integrate it into their life in a way that’s healthy and manageable.”

Dealing with an illness

Juliette was diagnosed with ME/CFS in her early twenties and is now, at 41, in a state of recovery. The illness is still relatively misunderstood, both within the medical profession and among the general public.

She explains that it affects sufferers to varying degrees and recalls the severe effect of the illness at its worst, when in her twenties she found herself bedbound. “I had to break everything down. How was I going to get up to dress myself that day? How was I going to get to my clothes, when I couldn’t get out of bed?”

Juliette recently worked as a London Ambassador during the Olympics, welcoming people into the city.  She says this experience “opened up my mind and horizons as to what I can do”. With plans to further this scheme in Cardiff this could offer more opportunities, and possibly the chance to travel.

“I’ve been limited with travel for a lot of my twenties and thirties because of my health, so that’s an area I would like to look into now that I’m able to get around more.”

Canton SMS and Juliette’s recent work as London Ambassador, as well as her monthly project Incandescent (in which a local group gathers to celebrate published works of poetry) all testify to her determination, which she hopes can inspire others in similar situations.

“I hope it can show that eventually things can be possible,” she says in her soft-spoken voice, “however dark it can get, however much you lose hope. I can now do these things with a bit of support, and that’s a big step.”

The community

It’s her desire to connect with people that drives Juliette to undertake so much voluntary work, even if it is sometimes hard to balance the work with the symptoms of ME.

“I did a drama degree, so I’m a people person. To go from that to being very isolated with ME is a complete turnaround, so for me these various things are often to connect with people and be involved with the community.”

Tags
Cantoncanton social media surgeryCardiff CharacterMEOlympicssocial mediavolunteer
altcardiff
Related
No logo

‘You find somewhere so comfortable and find friends that make you feel like you belong’

Previous Cardiff character: Christina Thatcher
Next Cardiff character: Alex Williams
This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts.
Click to show error
Error: No posts available for this Facebook ID

About Us

  • About Alt.Cardiff
  • Contact
  • Magazine
  • Podcasts
  • Top stories from Alt.Cardiff
Copyright: James Taylor
  • Social Life
  • Work Life
  • Active Life
  • Public Life
  • Long Reads
  • Magazine
  • Podcasts
Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close
food Cardiff charity Art culture
See all results