Dande-Lion Diaries

03/06/2026

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03/06/2026

We would like to thank North Yorkshire Council Service Children's Champion for inviting our founder to speak at today’s Service Children’s Network online event. It felt extra special with the focus on SEN, as our Elise’s SEND knowledge and professional experiences were the very building blocks that shaped Dande Lion Diaries into what it is today. So yes… she may have spoken almost as fast as Martin Lewis but wanted to try and squeeze in as much as possible!

If you are a service children champion, school, early years setting, service or other professional that would like to hear more about what we can offer then please do get in touch. ✉️ [email protected]

01/06/2026

Some days stretch you thin. Today was one of those days in our Dande-Lion home. So we took a leaf out of our own book and focused on finding those pieces of joy. 🧩
Our eldest had a wobble before football, and if we are honest Mum did too, but we chose to keep going and follow what brings him joy — football ⚽ He showed up, found his joy, and ended up coming home as player of the week. 🏆
If that does not show how powerful Dion’s Joy Challenge can be, we don't know what will.

✉️ [email protected] to order your copy today. 📚

31/05/2026

🔊We have some exciting news!! 🔊
We will be at Scarborough Armed Forces Day 2026!! 🇬🇧

This town holds so much of our family’s story. We lived here, wandered these stalls as teenagers, wide‑eyed at the uniforms and displays. We met our Army Dad here. And now, years later, we return to share our mission to support service children — including our two little Dande‑Lions.

Our story began here and it feels incredibly special to be coming back. A true full‑circle moment for Dande‑Lion Diaries. 💛

Which Armed Forces Day Event will you be attending?

North Yorkshire Council Scarborough Borough Council

29/05/2026

Our Birthday Month Deal ends THIS weekend!
So if you have a mental 'to do' list with 100 things on it and one is to order a FEELING IN BLOOM edition to support your Dande-Lion during a deployment this is your friendly reminder before the offer ends.
Available in editions about BOTH parents serving in EVERY service. 💚💙🩵❤️

Thank you for supporting us in supporting you. 💛

🔗https://jssxdvh1.forms.app/maydiscountform
✉️ [email protected]

14/05/2026

It was SO SO lovely to have visited Reception and Year 1 in their classes at Wavell Community Primary School on our final visit for the Month of the Military Child.
As with all of our sessions every Dande-Lion was so involved and receptive to the discussion.
I even got shown some of the Dandelion flowers the children had made earlier in the month as part of their celebrations. 💜
MotMC may be over but here at Dande-Lion Diaries we are here to support and champion every service child, every day. 💛

13/05/2026

💚 Mental Health Awareness Week 💚
Supporting the mental health, emotional literacy and resilience of our military children and their families is at the core of Dande‑Lion Diaries.

This year's theme is ACTION. We challenge you to take action too — honour yourself!

As His Majesty the King said today, “…our gallant Armed Forces and their families who make considerable personal sacrifices for the collective security and freedom of everyone in the United Kingdom.”

So if His Majesty can honour you, you can too.

08/05/2026

Our founder Elise also wrote a blog with Reading Force about where Dande-Lion Diaries began and where we aspire to be in the future! 📚
If you'd like to learn more click the 🔗 below. 💛

https://www.readingforce.org.uk/the-story-behind-dande-lion-diaries/?fbclid=Iwb21leARrBnFjbGNrBGsGZ2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHrmIKCcNBJxLUfUreDJ5y4xbsIWqNSwVy7usl39A-OTBdlpuZzf-OQbw8-bq_aem_LFdMhFJPnW5ncUIwRRn2Sw

We’re delighted to introduce Elise Norris, the creator of Dande-Lion books. Here she tells us why she wanted to publish personalised books for tri-service military children… Can you tell us what led you to create the Dande-Lion Diary books? I created our first personalised deployment book for ou...

08/05/2026

We are Reading Force's GIVEAWAY this week! 📚 What an honour! 💛 Fill in the form for your chance to win one of these copies for FREE!
Don't worry if you are not a winner. We still have our May Birthday sale 🎂🎈

It's time for our Friday Giveaway and this week we have a really special giveaway with four copies of Elise Norris's special tri-service deployment books, Dande-Lion Diaries! 🥰

These books are personalised for each of the services and there are options for different serving parents, too, so make sure you apply for one that's suited to your family! 🤩

Elise has very kindly written a blog with Reading Force where she talks more about her beautiful books- please do pop on over and have a read!!

https://www.readingforce.org.uk/the-story-behind-dande-lion-diaries/

🦁Dion's Dande-Lion Diary Army Dad Edition
🦁Dion's Dande-Lion Diary Royal Navy Mum Edition
🦁Dion's Dande-Lion Diary Royal Marines Dad Edition
🦁Dion's Dande-Lion Diary Royal Air Force Dad Edition

This book giveaway is for serving, veteran, reservist and ex-service (due to bereavement, divorce or separation) families.

For a chance to win one of these books, fill in this form:
https://www.readingforce.org.uk/book-giveaways/

One entry per family. Winners will be picked out of a hat!
Good luck! 🥰