Lola happy to be blue for a cause

NUTRITION guru Lola Berry is wearing a healthy dose of blue nail polish every day this month in support of an important cause.

The best-selling author is an ambassador for the global Polished Man campaign which encourages people to paint one fingernail during October to raise awareness of violence against children.

Lola, who lives in Torquay, said she was heartbroken to learn that one billion children have experienced violence in the past year alone.

“Being a Polished Man ambassador was such a no brainer for me because the statistics are way too high,” she said.

“This shouldn’t be happening at all and it definitely shouldn’t be happening to half of the world’s children.”

The Polished Man movement was born after ygap cofounder, Elliot Costello, made a visit to Cambodia where he met an orphaned girl named Thea who drew a heart on his palm and then painted his nails blue.

He later learned Thea had been physically and sexually assaulted for two years by her orphanage’s director and he decided to paint one nail to remember Thea – a tribute which later grew into the Polished Man fundraiser.

Lola said the idea of having one painted nail was to a spark conversation that might inspire a donation, with the $1.13 million raised last year going toward trauma prevention and recovery for victims.

Lola, an aspiring actress with an Instagram following of 120,000, said she was inspired by Elliot’s mission to eradicate violence against children and honoured to be involved alongside high-profile Australian ambassadors including Vance Joy, Brendan Fevola and Tommy Little.

Lola and her partner Matt Sofo moved to Torquay earlier this year and have been grateful for their Surf Coast base during such a challenging year.

“There is so much nature around us and it is such a nurturing vibe,” she said.

Lola was due to move to Los Angeles when the pandemic hit earlier this year.

But rather than resent the change of plans, she has focused on silver linings such as the opportunity to slow down and be gentle on herself, bonding as a couple with Matt during isolation, and more time spent in nature.

“I think being okay with giving in to yourself is definitely a lesson we’ve learned this year,” she said.

“For me it’s also been quite nice to really go with the flow and be in the Surf Coast lifestyle.”

But the down-to-earth influencer still manages to keep busy with a full-time online acting course, a popular podcast called Fearlessly Failing and her Lola Coffee brand which is stocked locally in Torquay Merchant and Surf Coast Wholefoods.

Lola has also used the time in lockdown to produce her 11th book – a self-development and recipe book being published by Murdoch Books next year.

“I’m sharing a bit of my own mental health journey in this new book and what worked for me in a bid to help others,” she said.

To find out more about Polished Man and make a donation, visit the website at polishedman.com.au and follow Lola on Instagram @yummololaberry