Today is hard for me

And my brother

This time last year my Nan past away

I still remember the day like it was yesterday

I woke up numb and didn’t really feel like doing anything today

Just thinking about this now brings a tear to my eye

I am not quite sure where this email is going to go but I felt that I had to share it

Writing daily these past few months, believe it or not have been quite therapeutic

Today even more so

You see, my Nan was extra special

My Nan and my granddad brought me up like I was their own

Both my mum and dad worked endless hours to able to put food on the table and put clothes on my back

People only judge the cover, don’t they?

You probably wouldn’t have thought this of me, would you?

It was never easy growing up

Living on a council estate

Bullied on the way to school

Some of the things I’ve seen I wouldn’t even wish on my worst enemy

BUT my Nan was ALWAYS there for me.

Do you have someone who is always there for you?

She opened my eyes up to the world

The possibilities amongst us that no one else sees

…This is hard to write

She reminded me of something all the time

And it was the very first time that I heard this quote

“Joe, you wasn’t born to fit in, your were born to standout”

I never knew it was a famous quote, all of those many moons ago I just thought it was said by my Nan

When she passed away, all her family was there waiting, but it was like she was waiting for me

When I finally arrived, I got to see her take a last breath and I gave her one last kiss goodnight…

Something came over me that night, I don’t know what it was…

But one thing for sure it has led me to where I am today…

It has led me to finally be in a position to share something with you that ive been re building for the past 

year…

You see, I left both my granddads and nan's side by promising them one thing…

“You were correct, I was born to standout, I’m on a journey of creating something that will outlive me, I will 

leave a legacy just as you both did me. I will be the ‘difference’. I promise!”

On that night of her passing away, the answers hit me like a ton of bricks!!!! All i needed to do was figure it all out and it has taken me a year, a year of planning, a year of reflecting, a year of re building... its the same stubbornness and tenacity that my nan had...

Which leads me on to where I am today. I do have something to share with you but the time is not right yet, my members and team need to hear it first.

But will all be revealed...

Thank you for reading…it means ALOT!

Joe ‘god bless you nan’ Hanney

Ps. here is a pic of me and my nan