Welcome from Paul Waite

PAUL WAITE - FCA FCCA - CHIEF EXECUTIVE ASPEN WAITE GROUP

Welcome to the Spring edition of our quarterly magazine.

We have a bumper edition with contributions from 14 individuals. If you are reading this and you would like to contribute an article, get in touch with me at Paul@aspen-waite.co.uk

I am a great believer in creating impact and, in my opinion, all the artwork we produce is of the very highest quality. This is entirely down to our Creative Designer, Lara Honeybul, who is as good as there is.

It is important in business to stand out from your competitors. This can be done in numerous ways including

strong branding, powerful marketing and innovative products/services.

This all requires investment and a sound plan. Lara is available at rates starting from £600 a day. Other than Aspen Waite, a great example of Lara’s genius is the artwork she has done for Heritage Mint. See the feature on page 62

What has happened to the

world? Two years of Covid and all the hysteria and paranoia that went with that (and damage to people and business) and then, just as the world started to wake up, Mr Putin decides he wants to be the modern day Stalin and has invaded Ukraine.

One of the things I most hate about this war is having to listen to all the propaganda and misinformation put out by Putin, Lavrov et al.

It is gob smacking how many Russians believe what is said to be “special military operations” and they are

“liberating the country run by drug addicts and Nazis”.

This conflict has profoundly upset me more than any other event of my lifetime. Zelensky is an inspiration, a man of Churchillian qualities and total resolve. He and his wonderfully brave people are an inspiration to us all.

I am not a fan of Joe Biden or the Democrats generally when it comes to foreign policy but he said something recently that I really liked – “freedom comes

at a price”.

The Western World has come together like never before and Boris has slightly redeemed himself in my eyes, although the jewel in the Cabinet is Liz Truss.

I am proud that Putin hates us; we are the founders of democracy and we fear nobody.

Watching Zelensky address Parliament brought tears to my eyes.

“Vladu Ukrayins Komu Nardu”

“Moye sertse z vamy”

We have made great progress in 2022 with a number of businesses including Food, Radio and Environmental Consultancy.

We are launching Aspen Waite Wholesale and this service will be available free of charge to all Aspen Waite staff and affiliates. We have decided to brand as AWWCO. This is a rapidly moving project.

I also think that Aspen Waite Radio will become branded as AWR. We have started to amass a huge number of followers on TikTok in particular. I feel that Calum, alias Eldridge Oddbod/ Wizard Schleeb, is destined for greatness. He dares to be different and I am proud of him. Another exciting initiative in the family is the launch of “Ink and Bloom Limited” which will trade out of premises in Bridgwater High Street.

This is a partnership of my daughter-in-law, Emily, and Harriet Popham. The effort they have put into planning the business is exemplary and Harriet is a force of nature. In the next issue we will report on their progress.

Towards the end of last year we took on a new radio presenter, Chris Redjam, whose passion for life, music and alcohol knows no bounds.

We now have a full recording studio and are attracting a lot of new artists.

The next step is managing bands and setting up our own record label.

The highlight of the year to date has been meeting and then interviewing a long time idol of mine, top jockey Graham Bradley. My article on the experience is on page 38.

I think that the war in Ukraine reminds us that our own lives are not that important in the scheme of things. There really are things worth dying for or experiencing financial hardship.

This also extends to family. My grandaughter, Evelyn, is now 2 years old and she is super smart and sassy. She is nearly as cute as little Yoda in The Mandalorian: this is a must watch. Slava Ukraini