Yorkshire BusinessWoman by Yorkshire BusinessWoman & TopicUK

SUPPORTING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS THE REGION

Nº4 Bi-Monthly

A TopicUK Publication

July 2021

Yorkshire Sculpture Park LIFE RETURNS TO THE STUNNING

TILEYARD

A CENTRAL PILLAR IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

HOW MARKETING HAS CHANGED

POST PANDEMIC

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Yorkshire

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by group editor Gill Laidler Welcome to the fourth edition of Yorkshire Businesswoman magazine.

It’s less than a year ago that the idea for Yorkshire Businesswoman was born and since then we have produced three digital editions and launched our members club. Demand for something exclusive for businesswomen has been incredible. Now that things seem to be returning to normal following the pandemic with more places opening up, we have made the decision to print the magazine to the same high standard of sister publication TopicUK. As you can see it is designed a little smaller to fit comfortably into a handbag so it can be taken and read anywhere. We hope you enjoy reading and please do get in touch and let us know what you think, what you would like to see amongst its pages and do share with us your inspirational and entrepreneurial stories.

Group Editor Gill Laidler Design Rob Blackwell Business Executive Mandy Taylor Official Photographers Roth Read Photography

In April we launched Yorkshire Businesswoman members club. For just £20 a month, members have a dedicated area on our website where they can network with other members, receive discounts and offers as well as support and share business ideas and attend a series of networking events that we have planned. The first of these events takes place as this magazine publishes at Dakota Hotel Leeds. Members enjoyed a chilled glass of bubbly on arrival, whilst tucking into delicious

Contents & Comments

EditorsNotes

canapes. Our guest speaker Nicky Chance-Thompson is the CEO of The Piece Hall in Halifax who shared her career journey with us and what an inspirational lady she is. As well as looking after this beautiful historic gem in Halifax, Nicky is a board director of Welcome to Yorkshire as well as being a DL representing Her Majesty in the region. Also joining us Yorkshire shepherdess Amanda Owen, celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barton (who remembers Andrew visiting Amanda’s farm last summer and cutting her hair, which was donated to the Little Princess Trust) Calendar’s Christine Talbot and Danni Hewson who featured on our last cover. This edition we feature Helen Featherstone from the gorgeous Yorkshire Sculpture Park, a must visit this summer! Our thanks go to our partners The Dakota Leeds for partnering with us and hosting what we hope will be the first of many fantastic events (more dates coming up, check out future editions and our website for details).

Please do sign up and join us, we will endeavour to offer your business as much support and publicity as we can. Gill x

You can email us at hello@yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk or call us on 07711 539047 Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

To Partner Yorkshirebusinesswoman Tel: 07711 539047

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Three women making a difference

Leeds Hospitals project on track How marketing has changed post pandemic Tileyard a central pillar in the music industry

Life returns to the stunning Yorkshire Sculpture Park Yorkshire Businesswoman are delighted that professional photographers Lincoln Roth and Perrin Read who specialise in portrait photography are our partners for this exciting new magazine. Roth Read Photography work closely with both private and commercial clients because client’s stories inspire them to capture images which are creative, authentic, and invoke emotion. It is the attention to detail which adds value to a personal legacy or business brand. Their aim is to provide you, our readers, with the best images and experience.

Cover : Helen Featherstone Image : Roth Read Photography

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Printed By: Charlesworth Press Wakefield The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers and therefore, no responsibility can be held by the publisher for misinterpretation. Reproduction of this magazine without the express permission of the publisher is prohibited. Whilst every care is taken in the production of this magazine, the publisher/editor and staff cannot accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine contact 07711 539047 or email editor@yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk. Published by Ghost Publishing who decline all responsibility for advice given.

A rooftop delight

It was so nice to see so many people enjoying an alfresco drink on a warm summer’s evening as I walked across to Crafthouse - the destination for our meal for the evening. Having never eaten there before, but having heard such positive things, I was excited to see if it would live up to expectations...

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There’s no such thing as a stupid IT question The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those held by thethe publishers therefore, no of Yorkshire In firstand three issues responsibility can be held by the Businesswoman, that were published publisher for misinterpretation. digitally, wrote about Reproductionwe of this magazine withoutIT topics relating the adoption of Microsoft the express to permission of the publisher is prohibited. Whilstshould every caretake is takenback control if 365, why you in the production of this magazine,to embrace too your business is trying the publisher/editor and staff cannot... many software systems accept any responsibility for errors in articles, advertisements or programme schedules. To subscribe to this magazine contact 07711 539047 or email hello@ yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk Published by Ghost Publishing Limited.

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88 VaVa Voom - motoring special

The last car we looked at was the Mazda CX-30, but although SUVs are incredibly popular, you still can’t go wrong with a 5-door hatchback. There’s also a huge choice in terms of power…petrol, diesel, electric and hybrid...

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Our Yorkshire

Amanda Owen Yorkshire Shepherdess

Dawn Evans

Brogan Huntingdon Marketing Adventures

Anna C Mcmanus-Hughes

Caroline Pullich Barclays Sarah Power Chadwick Lawrence Charly Melia Integrated Recruitment

Charlotte A Hall

Equity Release Specialist Pink Dragonfly Travel Counsellors

Fiona Ibbetson

Get Ahead VA

Jo Swann

Chocolate PR

Katrina Cliffe

KC Communications

Clair Wright A Social Nature

Lesley Dutton

Cybg

Claire O’meara The Cocollective

Maryanne Scott

Branding Photographer

Claire Young School Speakers

Rachel Roberts

Stow Family Law

Christine Talbot ITV Calendar

Danielle Earnshaw Member Debbie Dobson Dakota Hotel Leeds Deborah Ogden Impact Club Dr Phyl Johnson H2Pro.org Steph & Allison Due Sorelle Gin Ellie Macdonald MacComms Emma Bolger-Wood Community Foundation Calderdale

Rachel Oates Sarah Lambley Claire Strachan Chloe Mcneill Halifax Bid

Shoo Social Media SLB PR

VIcky M Walker

Resolute Commercial Finance

Heidi Normanton We Are Low Carb

Ros Jones

Jo Hand Hands On Consultancy Jodie L Hill Thrive Law

Marketing & PR Consulting Halifax Bid

Sharon Brigden Natalie Ball

Janie Tongue Beauty Professional Magazine

VHPL Jsfr Consulting

Rachel Hatfield

Gill Laidler Ghost Publishing

Perrin Read Rachel Dilley Rachel Peru

Member Action Coach Roth Read Photography Town Hall Dental Model & Blogger

Rebecca Hopwood

YouBeemedia

Julia Morley Member

Samantha J Hague

wcsuk

Karen Gavin Fine Art Property Photography

Samantha Stones

WFW Webdesign

Judith Parsons The Linked in Lady

Karen Swainston Barclays Kate Hutchinson Secret Event Service Katie Mallinson Scriba PR Laura J Robinson Laura Robinson PR Lubna Khan-Salim Time to Bloom Michell Cowan Justo Software

Sarah Jones Sarah Resterick Sarah Small

Full Circle Funerals Clique100 A Digital Me

Sharon L Lumb

Member

Sophie Patton

Connect Yorkshire

Vicky Clapham

Bevic Marketing

Mandy Taylor Ghost Publishing Marie Woods Heritage Adventures Laurra Davies Brilliant Agency Michelle Leathley Energy Healer & Teacher Amy Byram Acomm PR

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Sign up today at https://yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk/signup or for more information call Gill on 07711 539047. Email hello@yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk

and digital, agri-foods and biorenewables, as well as ports and logistics. “As chair I want to ensure that, in the post-pandemic world, all directors are as prepared as they can be to trade and accelerate their business operations. My aims are to help shape the IoD agenda and make it relevant to all directors in the region while promoting East Yorkshire to the wider IoD community and government policy makers.” Delroy Beverley, IoD regional chair for the Yorkshire and the North East, said: “We were looking for a leader of leaders and Debra is the ideal candidate. She will continue the legacy of inspiring local directors, amplify their voices and provide regular opportunities to expand their network and skills. In addition, she will bring a commercial thought process that will galvanise the wider region, whilst remaining true to the one IoD methodology.

IoD appoints new East Yorkshire chair The Institute of Directors (IoD) has appointed Debra Leeves to lead its East Yorkshire branch Debra has held several board positions and is currently on the board of AIM-listed technology company Cambridge Cognition.

As IoD chair, she has responsibility for setting professional standards, providing branch leadership and offering commercial guidance. Debra will support members across East Yorkshire to build connections, gain professional development and influence decision-makers.

The IoD secured vital support for directors during the Covid-19 pandemic, including financial assistance for wage bills and changes to insolvency rules. Debra said: “I am honoured to be selected as chair. The region has an abundance of successful entrepreneurs and self-made business leaders with a strong presence in energy, manufacturing and engineering, technology

“Debra also shares my passion for mentoring the next generation of leaders. As we emerge from the pandemic and build back better, we will open up relationships between business and education providers to ensure that young people in East Yorkshire are supported as they climb the career ladder and become tomorrow’s directors.” Debra succeeds Pat Coyle of law firm Rollits, who stepped down upon the successful completion of her full term as chair. Delroy added: “We owe Pat a debt of gratitude for all she has done for the branch network, but also for the wider business community.”

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Leeds Heritage Theatres appoints Lizi Patch as artistic director Leeds Heritage Theatres is delighted to announce that Lizi Patch director, playwright, dramaturge and artist - has been appointed artistic director Young People’s Theatre; the charity’s first ever permanent artistic role.

Every year over 10,000 people of all ages take part in Leeds Heritage Theatres’ learning and engagement programme supported by the Emerald Foundation. Upcoming activities/projects include a sharing of work by LGYT at City Varieties Music Hall on Saturday 31 July; participation in the University of Leeds’ International Medieval Congress on Thursday 8 July, where the youngest members of the group will present filmed extracts of their work on the battle of Agincourt; and the relaunch of LAIT in autumn 2021. Chris Blythe, CEO said: “As our first ever permanent artistic role, this appointment represents an exciting development for Leeds H e r i t a g e T h e a t r e s. H a v i n g faced our hardest year yet, our commitment to bring people to g e t h e r t h ro u g h i n s p i r i n g, engaging, and educational experiences remains at the heart of what we do as we reopen our doors once again.”

A significant milestone in the organisation’s long history, the appointment solidifies its commitment to delivering its charitable aims and participation in city-wide conversations that place young people at the heart of the region’s art and culture movement. Forming part of the learning management structure, the role will see Lizi continue to act as artistic director for Leeds Grand Youth Theatre (LGYT) and Leeds Actors in Training (LAIT), as

As our first ever permanent artistic role, this appointment represents an exciting development for Leeds Heritage Theatres... Chris Blythe, CEO

well as evolve and raise the profile of the current programme of work on offer, including its training provision of placements and apprenticeships.

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Lizi Patch added: “Having worked in a freelance capacity at Leeds Heritage Theatres for almost a decade, I’m over the moon to accept this permanent position, at what has been an unimaginably difficult time for theatres and freelancers. It is a significant recognition by the charity of the vital role that the arts play in the lives of young people, and gives me the opportunity to deepen and expand the work of Leeds Grand Youth Theatre and Leeds Actors in Training, and further develop collaborative partnerships in Leeds and beyond.”

FB FASHION BALL IS BACK! AND WE WANT TO PARTY IN STYLE WITH YOU!

Craiglands Hotel & Spa general manager Matthew Hole with the extended team and new starters Gillian Venning (third from left), Craig Williams (fourth from right) and Bethany Shearer (far right)

Historic Ilkley hotelmarks new era Ilkley’s historic hotel the Craiglands is re-opening its doors with a new team, a luxury new spa and a refurbished 700-capacity ballroom following a £2.2million investment. General manager Matthew Hole joined the hotel from his management role at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and spent two lockdowns concentrating on the hotel’s facilities and leisure team with double digit new appointments in the pipeline. Matthew, who has more than 25 years in hospitality says the new look, the facilities and the team marks a new chapter in the hotels 162-year history. The Craiglands Hotel was built in 1859 at the peak of the hydrotherapy movement, when waters from the streams were widely considered to have healing properties. The

Craig said “Our Verbeia Spa & Fitness suite investment recaptures our days as a place for wellbeing and today offers five Decleor treatment rooms, a hydro pool, mud chamber, sauna and steam room, as well as a 25-piece gym.”

Craiglands was considered one of the largest and beautifully located purpose-built hydropathic establishments in the country, offering its visitors mustard pads, massage, baths and “tonic air” from the moors.

In just 12 months at the hotel, Matthew has also overseen the ballroom refurbishment which includes three chandeliers and includes a new carpet, decoration of walls and ceiling, and restoration of the wooden dancefloor.

Recapturing its reputation as a spa and wellbeing hotel was one of the drivers behind the recent £2million addition of a Verbeia Spa & Fitness facility which utilises previously unused space underneath the building and signals the arrival of experienced spa and fitness manager Craig Williams, senior spa therapist Bethany Shearer and sales and marketing consultant Gillian Venning.

He added: “As we widen our focus to include both traditional and multicultural weddings, events and conferences and maximise the incredible function facilities we have here, we’ll be appointing a new wedding and events co-ordinator, a Chef de Partie, additional food and beverage team members, reception staff, leisure attendants and spa therapists.”

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New challenger bank GBB appoints Sue Hayes as CEO GBB, a new bank focused on lending in Yorkshire, has announced the appointment of Sue Hayes as its CEO. GBB is a lender dedicated to SME property developers in key underserved UK regions that will support the levelling up agenda and help get Britain building again. Sue joins to lead it through the regulatory process of becoming a bank and brings a wealth of financial services and fintech experience, having spent more than three decades in banking, working for some of the largest established players and fastestgrowing challengers. Throughout her career, Sue has championed the customer through the development of innovative products and solutions by placing customer experience at the heart of proposition development. Prior to GBB, Sue led the retail finance business at challenger bank Aldermore, one of the waves of challenger banks. She also held

Our team is passionate about supporting property developers in areas that have been forgotten about...

remains a challenge for many developers and it’s my ambition to make that a much easier, more straightforward process. However, GBB’s purpose goes beyond lending money and that’s why I joined. Our team is passionate about supporting property developers in areas that have been forgotten about. We want to drive and support the movement to level up the North, get Britain building again, creating more homes and spaces, and drive economic prosperity for all.

executive positions at HBOS and ran retail and business banking at Santander before moving to Barclays Bank where she led business banking, comprising over “I am delighted to join an incredibly a million customers and 4,000 passionate, talented and committed team who are all united by our colleagues. purpose and I’m very much looking GBB is currently in the process of forward to the exciting journey gaining a banking licence and in ahead.” 2020 was delighted to announce it had secured £20 million investment Sue’s appointment is subject to from the Teesside Pension Fund regulatory approval and GBB is expecting to launch in the second (TCF). half of 2021 following approval of Sue said: “Accessing finance still its banking license application. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Expansion for recruitment firm professional division alongside the team already in place. After starting out in an ‘any and every’ recruitment environment, I’ve been able to make professional and technical recruitment my home over the past few years. “My focus will be on working with management and specialist white collar and operations support professionals. Understanding my clients and candidates has always been one of my priorities, so building that relationship to understand their requirements is key to making this role a success.”

Multitask Personnel has added a new permanent recruitment manager to their growing team following the appointment of Laura Thompson, who joins to lead the professional division at the Rotherham based specialist recruitment consultancy.

Laura, who brings over seven years’ experience has a background in engineering and construction, two key sectors that Multitask operate in. Ta s k e d w i t h g r o w i n g t h e professional division and team, Laura’s key focus is to provide

effective recruitment solutions to help existing clients on current vacancies, as well as bringing in new business across a wide range of market sectors that require professional expertise. Laura comments: “I’m delighted to lead and develop the

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Claire Lee, managing director comments: “As the business community continues to pull together and navigate itself out of the covid19 pandemic, we’re finding the requirement for professional management is increasing once again. “We therefore feel now is the perfect time to strengthen our professional desk with the appointment of Laura, who has all the skills and attributes to hit the ground running looking after a number of our key accounts and developing the division further.” Multitask Personnel is currently on an internal recruitment drive, with more new team members expected to join over the next few months.

Smise The importance of the

The events and promotion industry makes a comeback

‘Sarah Elston, founder of Slink Staffing, tells her promo staff as they prepare for their first post-lockdown job, “looking approachable and always sporting a smile is the golden rule of promo work” but wearing face masks has somewhat changed the approach for Slinks’ staff.

Sarah said, “the addition of masks has meant that we’ve had to brief teams to be much more animated in their approach to the public, they have to speak louder and clearer and ‘smise’ (smile with their eyes)! We have to work together to keep everyone safe and help to ensure that the gradual return of events continues.” Last year when Covid took over and the UK gradually came to a standstill, everyone was hit hard, in particular the

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events industry. Slink, who at the time were primarily an event staffing agency, saw almost their entire calendar of work wiped out for the year. Sarah said, “The first lockdown was spent issuing thousands of pounds worth of refunds for dance events that we had successfully booked and sold out at the end of 2019, and so to have those events ripped away was devastating for our company.” Not one to admit defeat, the team at Slink knew

that to survive the times ahead they would have to adapt, and that they did. They quickly realised that with over a decade of experience and a wealth of transferable skills, the team could transfer their knowledge to sectors they previously had never considered. With this in mind they took a step away from the professional sporting, coaching, arts and entertainment sector and

now offer staffing solutions to a whole host of other sectors. Most recently Slink secured partnerships with Yorkshire heating suppliers, Boiler Central and A&B Groundworks LTD. Though these partnerships couldn’t be further removed from the work that Slink had previously provided,

their huge growth has not seen them lose touch with the events industry and with the reopening of the industry, they are now keener than ever to get back to this work. Sarah said, “Naturally we hope that over the next 12 months our core volume of events will return, and we will be able to re-connect at large with our events staff. Equal to this vision

we want to continue to develop new contacts for recruitment and supply of personnel to other sectors.” “Thinking positively, we hope to be providing promotions staff to some clients over the course of the Summer holidays. Inevitably these events will be different post-covid, but live events need to come back and we are ready for whenever this happens!”

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Three Yorkshire women moving into teaching Three women from Yorkshire have moved into the teaching profession in order to make a difference in the lives of young people, supported by Transition to Teach. “Transition to Teach has helped me to understand how I can transfer my existing skills into teaching and progress. My guidance and development adviser have years of experience in the education sector and her advice is invaluable. I also like that the support extends to assistance with my assignments which I need to complete alongside my practical training.

Tr a n s i t i o n t o Te a c h i s a D e partme nt for Education funded initiative which enables eligible career changers, those at risk of redundancy and early retirees to train for new teaching careers. Recruitment for the 2021 programme beginning in September is now underway across the Yorkshire region. This desire to positively impact society was a key reason for moving into teaching for Fateha Uddin from Keighley, who studied for a BSc in biomedical science before embarking on a career in retail. Fateha undertook her school centred initial teacher training (SCITT) in September 2019 supported by Transition to Teach and started her newly qualified teacher (NQT) year at an all-girls school in Bradford in September 2020. “I was always interested in science at school so a degree in biomedical science was the natural choice for me. But after my degree, I ended

“What I will bring to teaching is my experience of working in a Rebecca Waring from Transition to Teach high-pressure environment. I know up going into retail and became that I will go above and beyond a floor manager for a large retail for my students, helping them chain. I’m now teaching biology inside the classroom and beyond. in KS4 and KS5 and teaching in I hope to inspire my students as I all sciences up to KS3. Personally, was once inspired, such as by my my work-life balance is so much art teacher Andria Zafirakou, who was awarded the Global Teacher’s better now. Award in 2018 - the first UK teacher Kiren Azam from Bradford is a to win this award. Further insight former immigration lawyer who from the HPI data found that, as is training to become a secondary well as being motivated to help French teacher. The opportunity others, candidates moving into to help and support young people teaching are motivated to work was a key motivator for Kiren to with the latest research, data and technology, enjoying creativity move into teaching:

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and innovation. Sowmya Mony from Sheffield, plans to use her background as a software developer to inspire more young women into STEM: “Some people might have the perception that only boys like gaming and computing, and I hope to use my role as a teacher and my past industry experience to encourage more girls into STEM subjects. In my old career, I used to volunteer for projects to encourage women into tech, helping them to code, so this will be similar in that way. Programme manager at Transition to Teach, Rebecca Waring said: “As we recruit for our 2021 cohort of trainee teachers, it’s incredibly positive to see that participants are moving into teaching because they want to make a difference in the lives of young people. They’re ready to be the role models that young people need, challenging perceptions that might exist about certain subjects or professions and inspiring the future generation.

TOP LEFT : Fateha Uddin switched retail for teaching with an aim of inspriring young people

TOP RIGHT : Sowmya Mona made the move to teaching in 2020 supported by Transition to Teach.

ABOVE : Kiren Azam switched law for teaching

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Beauty Reset 2021 B y:

J an e t

M i l ne r -W a l k er

F o und er

o f

Bes pok e

A dvantage

Events over the past year have certainly been interesting in more ways than one. Not only have we have had to explore a new way of living and working online, but we have had to reinvent our social habits, including the way in which we shop, and we have learnt how to pamper ourselves from the comfort of our homes... We have taken new roles into our hands from becoming our own ‘hairdresse r’, to a ‘beautician’, ‘dermatologist’ and ‘make-up artist’. Many of us have learnt through trial and error what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to styling, cutting, colouring our hair and Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

through trying to recreate the perfect shellac manicure (not as simple as it looks).

have certainly upscaled our knowledge on the benefits of ingredients.

With the industry reopening four months into 2021, we are embracing the opportunity to place responsibility firmly back into the hands of those who know best, but having dipped our toes into the water, this naturally means that there are going to be changes moving forward in terms of what we expect from the brands and services we buy into.

Over the past few years’ beauty, health and wellbeing have merged and there is a heightened interest in ingredients, and the benefits these bestow, particularly in the skincare category where we have become increasingly more aware of our skin microbiome, and the benefits of probiotics. We are also looking for ‘less to deliver more’ - gone are the days of a 10-step Korean skincare regime, we want products that save us time and money, and the products we use need to be validated by scientific research.

Less is More We have spent the best part of a year indoors fervently reading about how to keep ourselves healthy and researching health and beauty products. Now more than ever before we are concerned with keeping ourselves safe. We want to know more about what we are putting into our bodies and onto our hair and skin and we

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The early part of 2021 has already seen brands including Paula’s Choice with their 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment launching products that are steeped in science and multi-functional – the future of skincare is streamlined.

Many of us have mastered the art of threading our eyebrows and manicuring our nails and have also invested in the latest skincare devices, which help us to recreate facials. Most of these devices have been designed to help cleanse our skins and to help ingredients penetrate deeper into our skins. Gaining a greater understanding of our skincare means that we have also come to understand that skincare

Innovation is taking two things that exist and putting them together in a new way... Tom Freston

should be personalised, through the support of AR we are able to go online create our profile and seek out products that are suited to our specific DNA. We have become far more sophisticated about what we are looking for. Hair today, gone tomorrow Hair care is big business, it is one of the most researched beauty topics during the pandemic, Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

primarily because many of us rely on our hairdressers to take care of this for us, but also because there has been a reported increase in people suffering with hair loss during the pandemic. With salons closed brands have created products that enable us to care for our hair from home. Space NK reported a 196% increase in their scalp care category over the past 12 months and skincare brands Drunk Elephant, Elemis and D r Barbara Sturm have extended their skincare offering into hair care. Jen Atkin, of Ouai, launched a range of hair care products that help to rid our scalp of congestion and improve its microcirculation, the flow of blood to each hair follicle, thanks to dissolvable sugars. Goop has launched a mix of Himalayan pink salt and moringa oil to cleanse our scalp and remove product build up. Function of Beauty founded in 2015 as a personalised hair care brand offering 54 trillion possible formulations of their haircare products, individually formulated to consumers hair type, preferences, and goals has also unsurprisingly experienced a surge in growth over the past year and has even extended their range into personalised skincare. Scalp Care It is no longer about ‘wash, cut, blow dry’, we are now considering our hair care as an extension of our skincare and we are giving far more thought to how we need to wash, condition, and moisturise our scalp. Scalp care is a new

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Fact File About Janet Milner-Walker

Janet is the founder of Bespoke Advantage, a brand management company that build brands across the beauty, spa, and wellness sector, she is also a consultant, and a speaker. Over the past twenty years she has developed and launched products and brands for companies including M&S, Harvey Nichols, Boots, Body Shop and Crabtree & Evelyn as well as worked with many start-ups. Their awardwinning portfolio of clients includes haircare specialists and make-up artists, skincare entrepreneurs, investors and beauty, spa and wellness companies based in the UK and internationally –

www.thebespokeadvantage.com.

terminology that has moved up a notch or two on our radar, and this makes perfect sense. A dry scalp is no longer indicative of dandruff, there are so many other factors to consider. For those of us who have yet to experience the range of products available to treat our scalps, this can be a minefield. Scalp shampoos are designed to cleanse our scalp from product build-up and to nourish them. Scalp scrubs remove signs of flakiness, scalp serums boost the health of our scalp and can clarify, hydrate, and heal them, much like the serums we use on our face. Ouai’s scalp scrub contains a probiotic blend which helps to promote a healthy scalp and encourage hair growth. Scalp oils can encourage healthy hair growth and improve our hair from the root to tip. Using a scalp mask once or twice a week helps to exfoliate, cleanse, and soothe our scalps and provides it with extra nourishment. W h a t T h i s Me a n s fo r t h e Industry We still enjoy social interaction, and being pampered, with professional beauty reopening no doubt the biggest challenge we are going to experience now is in getting an appointment. However, once we have secured an appointment, what we will be asking for may well change. This requires a balance between maintaining our beauty treatments from home and experimenting with new technologies we can enjoy through the sanctity of our favourite salons.

Are you potty about your pooch or crazy for your kitty?

Then you will love RaaW Pet Foods, a family run company based in Harrogate, with a mission to produce the highest quality, safe, raw pet food and treats for cats and dogs, so they can lead their healthiest and happiest lives. All recipes are specially formulated, unique and vet approved, created using 100% natural ingredients – all the good stuff, none of the nasties.

T h e Ra a W f a m i l y a re f ro m generations of farmers who have been in the fresh meat industry for over 100 years. Over the years they have kept dogs, both working and pets and have just recently added Sooty the cat to the family. It was the love of their pets that they created RaaW, using honest ingredients and ethical values, resulting in nutritious pet food. All recipes and treats are made with sustainably sourced, fully

traceable British meat. They have the perfect blend of nutrient rich ingredients like sea kelp, alfalfa powder and taurine (for cats) – to maintain healthy bones, control blood sugars, aid digestion and mobility along with many more benefits. In April 2021, RaaW Pet Foods launched their selection of natural, air dried treats including chicken training treats for puppies and wild venison joint care bites for older dogs.

Yorkshire Businesswoman editor Gill Laidler was lucky enough to receive two bags of cat treats for the lovely Coco. “Coco is my twoyear-old tabby cat, who just loves her treats,” she explained. So, what did Coco think of her new treats? “Just the rattle of a treat bag and Coco comes running and the bag of RaaW Salmon Slices was no exception. These natural low-fat rewards are suitable for cats and kittens over 8 weeks and can be given up to six treats a day. She loved them; in fact, it was difficult keeping it to just 6 when she sat by the treat cupboard waiting for more,” she added. “The second bag was chicken and beef slices, which she also loved just as much and as these treats are full of natural goodness and sport ethical values, we will continue to offer her these as her rewards.

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Law firm appoints marketing manager

Yorkshire law firm, LCF Law has appointed Sam Wood as marketing manager, as part of the company’s on-going expansion plans. Sam has more than 20 years’ worth of marketing experience, working in both marketing agencies and in-house Sam is a seasoned corporate roles. Her skillset ranges marketing expert, with from digital advertising and a wealth of experience customer acquisition to planning working across a range and delivering events.

of industries and she will play an integral part in our future growth...

She will be responsible for implementing the company’s marketing strategy, working alongside marketing director, David Abbott, as well as supporting business development. Sam said: “LCF Law is widely recognised as

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one of the region’s leading law firms with offices in Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and Ilkley. They are extremely forward-thinking and has created an approachable environment where clients can benefit from straightforward, jargon-free advice with a clear pricing structure. Marketing has a key role to play in communicating this ethos moving forward, which makes this a really exciting career move that’s full of opportunities.” Managing partner, Simon Stell, said: “Sam is a seasoned marketing expert, with a wealth of experience working across a range of industries and she will play an integral part in our future growth. Already since the start of 2021 we have recruited across our insolvency, residential and management groups and I’m delighted to welcome Sam as the latest addition to our team.”

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST BUSINESS NEWS FOR THE DISTRICT VIA WAKEFIELDFIRST.COM Wakefield is one of the most accessible locations in England. Located at the heart of the UK with three of the main motorway networks meeting just outside the city along with a mainline rail service to London, Wakefield is not just a key location nationally, linking east to west and north to south, it is also on the west-European economic corridor which connects the city to the continent by air and sea. This connectivity has seen Wakefield thrive over the years and developer confidence and investment continues despite the pandemic, From state of the art 500,000sqft industrial units to multi use shared workspace set ups, here are just a few examples of space in the district for your business. COURTYARD 31 High quality office space, ranging from 1,300sqft to 5250sqft, positioned on J31 of the M62. These modern offices come with their own parking, landscaped grounds and high spec internal facilities, with extensive leisure and retail amenities close by. FLANSHAW BUSINESS PARK 10 brand new industrial units ranging from 2000sqft to 9450sqft with an additional 7 hybrid/ office units also on site, with easy connections to J40 of the M1. These units are ideal for both manufacturing and distribution, finished to a high spec and ready to occupy on completion from Q2 2021. Wakefield First offers tailored support packages to businesses looking to invest into the district. This include a bespoke property search and liaison with our business growth teams, sign posting to funding, employment and skills resource. For further information please email: invest@wakefield.gov.uk

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WAKEFIELD FIFRST VISIT: WWW.WAKEFIELDFIRST.COM OR CONTACT: INFO@WAKEFIELDFIRST.COM To view the full stories visit our Wakefield First news section: www.wakefieldfirst.com/news/

New Leeds hospitals project on track despite the COVID pandemic Plans to build two new hospitals at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) are making great progress despite all the challenges that the COVID pandemic has brought about.

As demolition continues to prepare the way for building the new hospitals, the Leeds General Infirmary site is already revealing how its transformation will not only benefit patients from Leeds and Yorkshire but could also create around 3,000 jobs and deliver up to £11.2 billion net present value as part of a new Innovation District for Leeds.

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Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is developing a new state-ofthe-art adults’ hospital and a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital. The new hospitals, which will be completed in 2025, will focus on patient-centred care with modern and forward-thinking environments allowing staff to provide the most advanced care and treatments in hospital or remotely.

Dame Linda Pollard DBE DL Hon LLD, said: “We are trailblazers here in Leeds, and this significant investment in health services for patients from Leeds and the wider region is moving forward at pace despite all the challenges we’ve faced with the COVID pandemic.”

This hospital development will be one of the most significant in the UK and will cover more than 94,000 square metres at Leeds General Infirmary. Initial funding of £600 million for the project has been confirmed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The development project, known as Building the Leeds Way, also includes a new pathology laboratory at St James’s Hospital that will provide state-of-theart pathology facilities for Leeds, West Yorkshire and Harrogate. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Chair,

ABOVE: Pathology lab East elevation and entrance OPPOSITE: Linda and Simon near new pathology lab hoardings

Growth The new hospital development will also release surplus estate at Leeds General Infirmary to support a new Innovation District in the centre of Leeds, bringing huge economic benefits for the city and wider region. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

This strategic partnership brings together Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds Beckett University, the University of Leeds, Leeds City Council and the private sector to drive regeneration, innovation and economic growth for Leeds and the region. It is predicted that the LGI Development Site project could deliver direct and wider economic benefits estimated to be up to £11.2bn in net present value terms - and more than 3,000 jobs. The first set of concept designs for the new hospitals will be available soon for people to see, and this will be followed by further engagement with staff, clinicians, patients and the public to give their input as the detailed design is taken forward. Over the past year there have been a number of key milestones with the programme, one of which was the demolition of the old nurses’ home building just before Christmas signalling the start of works on the project.

Crucial To recognise that landmark retired nurse Patricia Taylor, who lived in the nurses home in the early 1960s when she did her nurse training, joined Trust Chair, Dame Linda Pollard and Chief Executive, Julian Hartley, along with young hospital patient Violet from York who waved green flags to signal the bulldozer to start work on the building. Since then further buildings have been demolished and this work will be ongoing throughout 2021 to prepare the site for the start of construction on the new hospitals sometime in late 2022. Engaging with patients, staff and wider stakeholders is a key part of the Building

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ABOVE: Nurses Home Edwina Gerry, Pat Taylor, Sandy Dalby, Judith Sugden retired nurses. FACING: Mark Neave Site Supervisor

the Leeds Way programme. Their input is crucial throughout the project, from taking part in the public consultation on co-locating She also heard from some of those working on the new buildings on what it means personally to them. DSM demolition site supervisor, Mark Neave, spoke to HRH about his role and how the hospitals have a special meaning for him after the stillbirth of one of his children and the premature arrival of his son Kobi. He told her how special the care was that he and his family received at the time, and said he was delighted to now be involved in helping with the development of the new hospital. Good progress has also been made on the new pathology laboratory at St James’s Hospital. The new facility - which will

We are trailblazers here in Leeds, and this significant investment in health services for patients from Leeds and the wider region is moving forward at pace despite all the challenges we’ve faced with the COVID pandemic... Dame Linda Pollard DBE DL Hon LLD,

also provide pathology services to hospitals across West Yorkshire and Harrogate - will allow Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to bring many of its pathology services together into a purposebuilt state-of-the-art laboratory. Due to be completed in Spring 2023 – the new laboratory will be designed for fast, accurate, routine and specialist testing. The site is curre ntly being prepared for construction to begin later this year, and designs for the new facility are part of an ongoing engagement with staff. We will be regularly updating readers as the project progresses. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Questions to ask a photographer

How do you determine if a photographer is right for your business?

We have 8 key questions to help you find a Photographer who gives you confidence in their professionalism and abilities . . . and faith in your investment. Are you Insured? Public Liability Insurance shows a Photographer cares about the wellbeing of the people in front of their camera. Only hire photographers who carry insurance. What is the delivery timeline?

Lincoln & Perrin Roth Read Photography www.rothreadphotography.com

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and design ideas, prepare you for your photoshoot, identify your budget, and generally set expectations. May I see your portfolio and references?

As a guideline, approximately two weeks for digital images, and a little longer for prints.

All Photographers like to show off their best work, but you need to be satisfied their on-line images are genuine. Look for consistently good images in a style you love.

Do you hold a consultation to discuss my needs?

Do you have an assistant/second photographer?

This is a time to discuss creative

A good question to ask when booking

a large shoot or an event. Two photographers make for a smoother shoot and capture all the action as it unfolds. What does your fee include? Understand exactly what you are receiving for your money, here are a few pointers: • How many images do you receive? • Do you receive both hi and lo resolution images? (preferably hi res or both). • Will you be charged an additional fee if the shoot over-runs? Basic post-processing should be included in the price, but you may be charged for any major manipulations, such as adding/removing background items.

some areas you may need clarity on: • Copyright – a photographer retains the Copyright for all the images they capture. • Usage rights - in return, the client is granted usage rights which permits them to use the images in a specific way. • Model release form defines how and where the photographer publishes your images for their own promotional purposes. • Licence – some photographers may allocate a l i c e n c e f o r a f i xe d a m o u n t o f t i m e (consequently, you could receive a bill to extend the usage period). Do you own back up equipment? Equipment breaks and accidents happen – but they should not impact your shoot.

Do you provide a contract? Obviously, the answer needs to be yes, here are

We hope that’s been useful, if you’d like any further advice, we’re happy to help.

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How Marketing & Communication has changed in a post-pandemic world By

Re b e c c a

Ho p w o o d ,

D i re c t o r

o f

Yo ub e e

Media

You could say that Coronavirus and the pandemic ‘woke me up’. I was a busy wife and mum, working from home and reflecting on how life had changed in the first few months of lockdown. In my role at the time, I was responsible for helping businesses get their messages out on social media. I saw a gap in some of the client’s processes which left them confused and isolated about the right approach and how to communicate online. This inspired an idea - I could help businesses manage their communications, not just during, but past the pandemic and beyond.

more open you are to change and how happy you are to recognise an opportunity, the better your chances of long-term success. I saw clients quickly respond to lockdown by switching to ecommerce websites when they closed their physical shop and saw the opportunity to expand their offering nationally. Being able to take on an idea and run with it – even when it could feel like a risk can pay off.

Youbee Media was born with a vision of being a ‘marketing partner’ to businesses – here to answer Don’t shy away from sharing questions, guide a business and offer a solution. You could come If there’s one thing we learned to Youbee Media for almost from standing on doorsteps everything and we can use the clapping for the NHS, being knowledge and experience to add away from loved ones and having value to communications. During children invade our Zoom calls the pandemic I picked up on the – it’s that we’re all human with ways that I saw marketing change, human needs. The businesses and what it means for businesses: which chose to stay quiet when their doors closed, or didn’t feel the need to communicate in 2020, You’ve got to bend to survive may not have felt as ready to open The more agile a business is, the their doors in 2021.

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People buy from people, not just businesses. So let your customers know where you are. Bring your team up to speed

It’s true that a lot has changed in many businesses, but the lives of the people in these businesses

will have shifted or changed slightly too. Think about how working flexibly has increased their job satisfaction or impacted their mental health. Have you asked them how their needs have changed? Communication with your team is just as important (if not important) than communicating with potential clients so don’t make quick decisions without engaging with them first.

Think about the future

While having a marketing strategy has always been fundamental to Youbee Media’s clients, our team recommend that clients look to the future as much as possible. Reviewing the impact on financial changes, recruitment, new markets and staying true to your brand objectives is vital. If there was ever a time to keep reviewing where your businesses is headed, it’s now. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Do you need style inspiration? By Bernadette Gledhill

Meeting personal stylist Victoria Thewlis

Are you searching for a special occasion? Does your wardrobe need a refresh?

I am writing this feature during the roadmap out of lockdown with just a few more weeks to restrictions finally easing! I have happily enjoyed sitting outside to socialise but it will be rather comforting to know that we will not need several layers to enjoy a social drink and we can finally enjoy dining out feeling slightly more glamorous.

I am very organised with my wardrobe as I should be working in the fashion industry for so long, but I have emptied and re filled my wardrobe more times

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than I can count in the past 14 months! I suddenly realised that I had missed the interaction from my colleagues and the constant rounds of putting outfits together for events so I needed some personal inspiration. I have worked for three years with the team in John Lewis, Leeds planning the content for our Fashion Shows at the Great Yorkshire Show which is always fun and inspiring. However, I have never booked a styling session just for myself and I too felt I needed a boost. I made a decision to pick

Mint velvet dress, £129 Modern Rarity silk camisole, £65 John Lewis boots, £49

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up the phone one morning to make an appointment to visit Victoria Thewlis one of the John Lewis Personal Stylists. I discussed my ideas of items that I felt I needed to allow me to slowly recover from the cosy loungewear and casual wear we have become so accustomed to. I felt my personal reason was to re-establish some style and normality back into my life. I chatted through my basic wardrobe update requirements from a great pair of jeans, a casual jacket, an easy to wear dress and a variety of knitwear. I arrived for my appointment to find a very exciting colourful rail in a private styling suite and within a very short time

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ABOVE LEFT: John Lewis printed trousers, £29 John Lewis linen shirt, £42 All saints leather jacket, £299 ABOVE RIGHT: Hush dress, £99 Mint velvet denim jacket, £99 John Lewis & Partners knit, £22

I was doing what I love best of all trying on my new looks complete with accessories and footwear. I absolutely loved almost everything that Victoria had selected and definitely tried things that I would not have chosen for myself. I could not have enjoyed the experience more. I have discussed this styling session now in depth with several friends who all felt that they would find this experience slightly overwhelming. My advice is simply ‘Do It’. It is a free one to one session without any pressure, no minimum spend or obligation to buy, but of course you can

buy the items you love on the day if you so wish. The big added advantage for me was also to get to know my stylist so that I can send follow up messages and receive further recommendations throughout the season. If you do not live within easy reach of a John Lewis store you can talk with a Personal Stylist for up to one hour by video call from the comfort of your own home. As this feature is released I am delighted to add that the stores will now be back to more

normality and during each styling session you will once again be able to enjoy refreshments from a coffee or a glass of prosecco. This would be a fantastic experience as a surprise for a friend or family member of any age. Finally, please do not think this is just for the ladies as it’s a service available for the all the men in your life too!

ABOVE LEFT: Lauren by Ralph Lauren skirt, £179 John Lewis & Partners Breton top, £22 John Lewis & Partners knit, £22 Coccinelle bag,

For furthe r information visit w w w. j o h n l e w i s. c o m p e r s o n a l styling Bernadette Gledhill www.bernadettegledhill.com

ABOVE RIGHT: £370 Levi’s shirt, £60 7 for all Mankind bootcut jeans, £170 Mint velvet blazer, £129

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Vintage Yorkshire B y

R a c h e l

P e r u

If you’ve read any of my previous articles you will already gathered, I’m a lover of all things vintage. Over the next few months, I’m going to be sharing some of my favourite spots to shop for both vintage fashion and homeware and digging deeper into the world of vintage across Yorkshire.

AdVintageous

your attention, but their choice of venues brings everything to life. They also host bi-annual Scarborough Spa fairs in the beautiful Grand Hall and the prestigious Art Deco Royal Hall Ballroom beside the sea in Bridlington. These events are always a great day out, ladies can indulge their yearning for a 1940s ‘up do’ or 1960s ‘beehive’ with vintage hairdressers. Cafes becomes a NAAFI for the day serving 1940s “proper dinners” and there’s often a dance floor on hand to join in the social dancing should you wish to trip the light fantastic. It’s worth a trip to the seaside just to sit and admire the customers outfits and allow yourself to take time out and appreciate the old school glamour of times gone by.

Starting off close to home in one of Europe’s largest indoor market in Leeds. Cat and Debbie invite you to “Relive the ‘Good Old Days’. Take a trip down memory lane and open up a whole new world of STYLE” at their AdVintageous Monthly Vintage Market held on the 1st Saturday of every month. 10-4.30pm, FREE Entry.

AdVintageous.co.uk

Founders Cat and Debbie share their passion for vintage fashion and host amazing events across Yorkshire.

Catherine privately sources and curates amazing vintage clothing covering all decades form pre-1920’s to 2000. Including preloved designer pieces, items that will become the vintage of the

It’s not just the quality of sellers that grabs

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Next stop is Catherine Smith in Harrogate. Catherine Smith first opened her boutique, in the beautiful spa town of Harrogate in 2010.

future. Stepping into Catherine’s boutique reminds of a scene from Devil Wears Prada, the boutique is a fashionistas paradise. You never know what you might find, from Chanel, Dior, Hermes, exquisite 1950’s slips or contemporary vintage from British fashion favourites such as Alexander McQueen or one of my favourites Vivienne Westwood. Catherine left a a successful career in finance and banking to pursue her interest in fashion and sustainability. Having worked for Oxfam for a couple of years she decided to sell vintage

clothing and accessories. Initially renting space in larger emporiums and standing at vintage fairs she soon decided to open a boutique offering only the best and rarest of vintage. The business is now established as a go to for vintage in the North with customers from all over the country. You can now shop online too, and her accessories are not to be missed! Opening hours. Weds - Sat, 10.30am - 5.00pm https://catherinesmithvintage.co.uk Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Space You can’t leave Harrogate without visiting Space vintage, at The Ginnel.

Fifteen of Yorkshires finest vintage fashion and homeware sellers with owner Steve Elvidge at the helm. With 1,500 sq./ft of vintage and retro to browse you can find everything from women’s and men’s vintage clothing, mid-century furniture, vintage watches and jewellery, music, books and retro homewares. It’s easy to lose a few hours getting in lost in everything but when you’re ready for a break hop upstairs for a drink in Major Tom’s Social Cafe-Bar. That’s my kind of shopping day! Open every day 9.30-5.30 (Sun 10.30-4.30) Spaceharrogate.co.uk

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My Vintage-Beau If you’re looking for a more intimate experience, I would recommend booking an appointment at MyVintageBeau, based in Little Germany, Bradford. Trudy Fielding left the rat race behind 7 years ago to follow her passion for all things vintage and has now become a favourite seller in the vintage world. Trudy’s eye for detail has stood her in good stead as she finds the most amazing clothes and puts her expert styling experience to good use when helping customers. Fancy a night in with the girls, then why not host your own Vintage-Beau Party for some chilled wine and shopping time? It’s no surprise she’s become a go to for Film and Television costume departments and has provided outfits for The Bay, Call the Midwife, Back in Time, Small Axe, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Duke and lots more. To book an appoint ment contact Trudy hello@VintageBeau.co.uk Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

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Tileyard... a central pillar of the UK music industry” MUSIC BUSINESS WORLDWIDE

Tileyard is a globally recognised creative community and is expanding to an extraordinary new space in Wakefield. Tileyard London is currently Europe’s largest creative community and home to over 250 creative organisations, artists and independent creative industry businesses including a world leading music industry training facility. Amongst Tileyard London’s residents you’ll find the likes of The MOBO Awards and Joel Corry, The Prodigy, Hurts, Ella Eyre, Sigala, Platoon, AppleRadio, Spitfire Audio, Good Soldier, Marathon Artists, Notting Hill Music, Focusrite, Key Production, Devialet, Pioneer DJ, 13 Artists, Ultra Music, Maverick, and many more hitmakers, game changers, tastemakers and innovators. In an exciting move representing significant investment, regeneration and job creation, Tileyard’s founders have begun

work on their second site Tileyard North, based in Wakefield. Tileyard North will be a 135,000 sqft creative industries hub, based at Rutland Mills, which when re-generation is completed will transform the site into the UK’s largest creative community outside of London and will without doubt put Wakefield on the map as the ‘new creative destination in the North of England’. The regeneration plan will convert the space into a mixed-use, inclusive, creative and cultural cluster with world class facilities. The site is situated directly opposite the David Chipperfield’s Hepworth Gallery named ‘the most significant and exciting placefor sculpture in Europe’. This is the first Tileyard expansion outside of London.

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Tileyard North The project represents significant investment by Tileyard into the buildings to create recording studios, post production studios, flexible workspaces, creative edit suites, an education space, delicious food and beverage offerings and aspirations for a hotel, along with investment into the public realm to form a new 30,000 sqft central courtyard/event space fully open to the public along with a new riverside walkway and improvement to the River Calder flood defences. Tileyard founders Paul Kempe and Nick Keynes aim to promote creative inclusivity and unification across the North of England. The site will also bridge the gap between the professional creative community in London and the North. The goal is to offer more creative space and opportunities for businesses to

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grow and flourish in the North, whilst still retaining a relationship and stake in the London creative scene. Tileyard North will also feature a second site for Tileyard Education,a post-graduate and professional training facility housing a worldclass recording studio, tech lab, production songwriting rooms and lecture spaces. Tileyard Education delivers a suite of University validated Postgraduate programmes in Songwriting, Production, Music Business and Design alongside professional songwriting camps and events that connect aspiring creatives with industry professionals. The investment in this development is estimated to be over £40million and work commenced in April 2020. This has been backed and supported with funding of £2.89 million from the Leeds City Region Enterprise

Partnership (LEP), in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority through the Leeds City Region Growth Deal. Investment has also come from Wakefield Council who have been a major contributor to the project. D uring the build the project will generate in excess of 150 construction jobs. Once completed it is estimated the first phase will provide 250+ jobs in the creative, leisure and education sectors, rising to 500+ jobs once the development is completed. Tileyard hopes it will house and support the most innovative creative companies the North has to offer, providing them with a thriving community. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

TILEYARD NORTH TILEYARD NORTH

THIS IS OFFICES STUDIOS EVENTS FLEXIBLE THIS IS IS THIS WORKSPACE OFFICES OFFICES COMMUNITY STUDIOS STUDIOS CREATIVITY EVENTS EVENTS MUSIC FLEXIBLE FLEXIBLE TECH WORKSPACE WORKSPACE FILM COMMUNITY COMMUNITY ART CREATIVITY CREATIVITY A PLACE FOR MUSIC MUSIC YOU TO BE YOU TECH TECH FILM FILM ART ART A PLACE PLACE FOR FOR A YOU TO BE YOU TO BE YOU YOU

THE NEW CREATIVE DESTINATION OF THE NORTH

VISIT TILEYARDNORTH.CO.UK FORTHE ENQUIRES NEWS NEWAND CREATIVE

THE NEW CREATIVE DESTINATION OF OF THE THE NORTH NORTH DESTINATION

VISIT VISIT TILEYARDNORTH.CO.UK TILEYARDNORTH.CO.UK FOR FOR ENQUIRES ENQUIRES AND AND NEWS NEWS

THE BUILD AND GROWTH OF TILEYARD

Paul Kempe

Let’s go back to the beginning, tell us the Tileyard Story, how did Tileyard London come to be?

Paul: The Tileyard story started 14 years ago when I was introduced to some land and a set of buildings just north of King’s Cross, on a mostly empty light industrial estate on Tileyard road. The timing was not great as we exchanged just before Lehman`s crashed and just managed to complete which was the start of the financial crisis. The conventional office market collapsed such that we could not give the space away. It was clear that we had to look at the space in a completely different way which was the beginning of Tileyard London. Five years earlier I had invested in a small music production company as I loved music and wanted to get more involved in the sector. The production company was run by Nick Keynes and Michael Harwood who used to be in a band called Ultra and after hosting some a&r events at Tileyard we decided to see whether we could create a new music community at Tileyard as there was no possibility of letting the space conventionally. A s th e musi c i n d u s t r y w a s traditionally based in West London people thought we were mad

wanting to start such a venture in Kings Cross but I was aware of the of the regeneration plans for Kings Cross and felt sure that if we could get the offering correct we could build something very special and unique within the UK. The key to success was the curation of the community to ensure that we had the right mix of creative and likeminded occupiers and this was Nick’s primary role in the early days. Michael and Nick’s company also moved to Tileyard and was rebranded as Tileyard Music, our inhouse music company that Michael now runs.

Fast forward over 10 years and we now have over 120 music studio’s, 250 plus independent music companies and on any precovid day we would expect to see over 1500 creatives at Tileyard. we have also developed Tileyard Education which offers MA music courses within the music industry, our own fitness and wellness company and our social impact company but most importantly of all we have organically developed an exceptional community of talented and creative individuals who work collaboratively together.

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So, why Tileyard North?

Paul: We have always been inte rested in ope ning up a Tileyard North as there is so much inherent talent in the north but there has never been a central hub to provide world class facilities and the space for people to collaborate and thrive together. The reason we chose Wakefield was that I was invited to the H e p w o r t h Wa k e f i e l d b y a friend who had moved from the Royal Academy to become deputy director at the Hepworth and after having experienced this exceptional gallery I became aware of the beautiful but totally dilapidated mill building’s directly opposite the gallery and immediately started enquiring as to why they had not been developed and following an introduction to the then Wakefield council leader Peter

Box, the conversations started to grow further. Peter is a music lover, so we bought him down to Tileyard London for a tour of the site, and he really connected with our vision for the site. Six years later after a myriad of meetings with the local authority we obtained planning and listed building consent for the regeneration of the site. Despite this being a complex and difficult scheme we have had unwavering support from Wakefield Council. Wakefield have always understood and supported our vision for the site and their enthusiasm and support has been a key factor in us deciding to create Tileyard North in Wakefield. So what can we expect to see in phase one in January 2022?

Paul: January 2022 will see the beginning of a new destination

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for Wakefield and the surrounding areas and will bring a combination of professional recording studios, our music university Tileyard education who will be delivering masters programmes, creative office space, a cafe, an event space and a boutique hotel. Our vison for Tileyard North is that it becomes a destination for creative’s not just in Wakefield but further afield where we can offer our occupiers something more than just a space, but rather a creative hub and vibrant community where people can work, meet, eat and stay. Tileyard North will be wholly inclusive so we look forward to welcoming creatives of all descriptions as well as the local community and the 250,000 art lovers who visit the Hepworth every year so that everyone can experience the bars, cafes and restaurants that will form part of our offering.

Tell us about the Tileyard Story from your perspective?

Nick: I started my journey in music as a musician myself, I was bassist in a 90’s pop band Ultra - which was an amazing experience and gave me a great insight into the music business. We were actually quite successful selling nearly half a million albums - but we were also dropped (twice) by our label, so myself and ex-band mate Michael Harwood decided to call it a day and work out how we could use our passion in music to stay in business and remain creative. We were working out of our homes for some time, and decided to take the next step, so we bought a building in West London and built 6 studios, this was the catalyst for Tileyard. Then a chance meeting with Paul Kempe in 2007 was a life-changing experience for us, as he had the passion for music and the creative arts as we did, but we also had the business sense to support our idea and invested. I like to tell Paul that it was the smartest business decision he ever made investing in us . Partnering with Paul Kempe opened so many possibilities for us. He offered us space to run some music education events, in an estate he’d acquired on ‘Tileyard Road’, and everything after that began to fall into place. Paul asked us to help curate the estate and start to build out the initial phases of the site, and whilst everyone thought it was a crazy idea at the time, we started with 5 studios and just a couple of businesses and the community just grew organically. The rest is very much history as they say!

QA & Nick Keynes

What is your day to day role for Tileyard? Nick: Haha! That is a hard one to define. I am like a glorified tour guide - the man on the ground, showing people around the site, my key responsibility is bringing in exciting new tenants. I really enjoy meeting with the current residents, seeing what they’re up to and how I can help to support them as well as connect them to other businesses to help to grow the collaborative element of Tileyard. I love working with people, it is the best part of my job. Coming down to Wakefield and meeting all the talent and enthusiasm of the local people on the project has been an absolute highlight. I’m excited to see what the next 2 years brings for the project.

What does Tileyard mean to you? Nick: For me, Tileyard is about community, collaboration and storytelling. The stories made at Tileyard are the essence of its success. But also, Tileyard is about being at the forefront of trends within the creative and tech industries, it is why we call ourselves the ‘tastemakers and gamechangers.’ We like to support independent and interesting businesses doing interesting things, and facilitate their growth. But, Tileyard is also about inclusivity, we are always looking at new and innovative ways to continue to engage with local communities and offer events to connect people to the creative industries, this is something we’re looking forward to bringing to Wakefield.’

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As a teenager I had the best job in the world Backstage Academy is the leading live event production educational facility located on the Production Park campus just outside Wakefield. The Academy’s undergraduate degree courses, which have been running since 2009, provide the academic and hands-on qualifications to secure a career in the booming live events industry The team is headed up by vice principal Rachel Nicholson. TopicUK recently caught up with Rachel to find out a little more about her work in this fast moving and exciting industry. Aged just 15, Rachel secured a job as the assistant projectionist at Blackfriars Arts Centre in Boston Lincolnshire. “I would put together and screen the films; learning to splice the film together and switch lenses for cinema scope films and editing the adverts of the week,” she explained. “Our cinema was part of the Pearl and Dean distribution network, so every time I hear the classic Pearl and Dean intro, it takes me right back to being a teenager and watching the films back to front from behind the screen, with as much free coffee as I could drink. As a film mad teenager, it was probably the best job in the world!” Growing up, Rachel wanted to train as a cinematographer and work in the film industry. “It was

my dream to be the first female cinematographer / director of a James Bond film,” she laughed. “My mum got the prospectus of the NFTS, but at the time, the courses were all post graduate. I called to ask them what course I should consider taking to secure a place and they said I should choose something that involved lighting, so I applied for the only lighting degree course in the UK, which resulted in me gaining a BA (Hons) Lighting Design & MA Theatre Practice (Digital Scenography) at Rose Bruford College, a drama school in South East London. I then went on to gain my teaching qualification from the University of Greenwich.” Rachel joined Backstage Academy at the end of 2018. Prior to this she worked at a variety of venues including Sadlers Wells and the National Theatre. Rachel was also the external examiner for the Live Visual Design and Production Course, so she was already familiar with Backstage Academy. “I began

working in education in 2002 after I graduated and worked my way up from being a theatre technician to lecturer and eventually moving institutions. So, is it a difficult industry for women to excel in? “I think it’s fair to say that in the industry, my generation of women in live events are benefitting from the achievements of those before us, but women are still underrepresented in senior roles. Two of the challenges are: getting women into industry. Technical production is still perceived as being a very male environment and it is certainly true that men tend to outnumber Typically people who w o m e n work backstage are not on most the focus of attention, projects. in fact we spend a lot However, we of time trying not to be are seeing seen ...’ the number of women joining Backstage Academy increase each year which is a sign this may change in the future. One of the challenges is that typically people who work backstage are not the focus of attention, in fact we spend a lot of time trying not to be seen,” she

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laughed, “This means that most people aren’t aware of the huge number of highly skilled people it takes to put on a production. There are lots of exciting careers available in the industry, but this isn’t something that school careers advisors are always aware of. The other issue is keeping women in the industry,” she continued. “There tends to be a drop off of women in the sector when they reach their late 20s and early 30s as touring and the intensive work pattern of late nights and long days, isn’t easy when other areas of your life have changed such as putting down roots or having a family. I hope that in future, we will see a shift in the culture of the workplace to support both men and women who return to work after having families or other career breaks.”

Backstage Academy is currently in a period of significant growth. The new research and innovation centre XPLOR opens early next year and this will coincide with starting a number of new courses and international expansion. “Building on our recent successful application to join the Office for student’s register of higher education provides, we hope to gain our own degree awarding powers next year and

Concluding, we asked Rachel what advice she would give to her younger self? “I would learn to ask for help sooner,” she said. “There is certainly no shame or stigma in not knowing something, but not asking for help when you need it is foolish. Everything is a valuable learning experience, especially when things don’t go to plan!”

FACT FILE: Husband/partner: I am your typical single lady with a cat. Children: No children, but three very demanding nieces who I love. Sienna aged 10, Aurelia, 7 and Iris who is 5. What car do you drive?: VW Troc

There is no typical day for Rachel as she confirms. “One of the things I enjoy about our industry and working in education is that it is never routine and that has never been truer than over the past year. We have been working hard to get our students back on site as they choose to study with us because of the practical learning opportunities we offer,” she continued. “This has meant introducing a Covid testing site on campus and a number of us are training to become testers. The final year students are working really hard on their final major project at the moment, which they will present in June. We are hoping that we will be able to put in place sufficient safety measures to enable them to have an audience for their projects by this time.”

eventually gain university status,” Rachel added.

What do you do in your leisure time? Pre Covid I would spend most of my free time with friends and family. I enjoy going to shows and gigs and visiting new places. The lockdown has meant that I’ve been using the time to walk locally, indulge in some photography and I have become quite addicted to the Lego creator series as a great way to relax. Where is your favourite restaurant? It’s currently Magpie Fish and Chips in Whitby as everything is take-away at the moment and there is nothing like fish and chips at the seaside. What is your favourite food and drink? Sushi and Gin and tonic.

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Where is your favourite holiday destination? Right now, anywhere! But it is about the people you are with. If it happens to be somewhere with good food and the weather is a bonus. Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? York is a fantastic city. My grandparents used to own a florist shop in The Shambles, and I have lots of happy memories of getting in their way as they arranged the flowers. What is your favourite gadget? I love a gadget. At the moment it’s my noise cancelling earphones – great for a busy office and daily Zoom calls. What couldn’t you live without? My family and friends are top of the list as they would kill me if I didn’t say that! Other than them, probably a camera. I’ve always enjoyed photography and its ability to capture perfect moments in time.

Give the Gift of Warmth

Treasure Hunt

Thursday 8th July, Yorkshire Sculpture Park

There are many people in the Wakefield District living in fuel poverty who have to choose between eating and heating. Help pay for an emergency fuel grant and keep a family warm this winter by entering into the Treasure Hunt for £25 per person.

Entry Fee

£25

Children

£5

Per Person

The Give the Gift of Warmth Campaign is kindly supported by

Enter online today wakefieldcf.org.uk

Registered Charity Number 1121884

Beauty In the Line of

Lubna is a surgeon , skin care exper t and founder of time tobloom .u k

L u b n a

K h an - Sa l i m

Laughter lines, frown lines, fine lines – they tell our story of a life lived. In the age of the dermal-filler and Botox we are led to believe a perfectly smooth, crease free face is what we should all be aiming for, but it’s far from the truth. Softening the lines is not the same as removing them.

Innovative energy-based devices can yield beautiful effects by working with the body’s natural functions in a way that is safe, reliable, and non-invasive. They’re less costly and require little to no downtime. This makes them an excellent way to fine tune your appearance and delay signs of aging without a lengthy recovery time.

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InModes revolutionary Morpheus 8 platform is a great example that combines two treatments in one, microneedling and radiofrequency. This particular combination is extremely effective at stimulating and changing the skin in several ways, plus it is safe to use on all skin types. Microneedling of the skin creates extremely small puncture wounds over the treatment area. The skin itself is stimulated to heal; this healing process includes signalling molecules that cause the production of new collagen and elastin, the building blocks of skin. Radiofrequency gradually heats the deep layers of the skin, stimulating collagen and prompting lifting and tightening effects. It can

be applied to tighten the décolleté and upper arm skin, give the tummy and derriere a firm appearance and even help tighten up post-pregnancy skin. There is a fine line between enough and too much regarding facial enhancements. We’ve come to

realise that a little is better than too much and giving fresh natural radiant results is what is needed. This new generation of treatment is not about transforming people’s faces but helping patients feel better about what makes them who they are by enhancing, not changing or removing, what they already have. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Helping women

rediscover their fashion confidence

For most of us, the past 12 months have been filled with gym leggings, comfort hoodies and not a whole lot else. Even the shopaholics amongst us have been hard pressed to find a reason to sift through the offerings of online retailers in search of the latest styles.

It’s hard to get excited about buying a new dress when the only time to show it off is by pairing it with a face mask to mooch around the aisles of the local supermarket.

Whether you’ve spent lockdown resigned to wearing the same comfy outfit day in and day out, or you were the person still hooked on ordering clothes each week just to feel some kind of

excitement, it’s safe to say that lockdown has had a huge impact on the way that we dress. Independent Leeds based retailer, The Style Attic, whose loungewear sales soared during lockdown, felt the impact of this. The Style Attics’ owner Leigh Unwin said, “A lot of women lost the motivation to dress up, after all who was going to see

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them. As a brand we tend to focus on casual everyday styles so it was really important for us to tap into that and expand our loungewear range through colour and print.”

dressed up again. Leigh said, “I think after not wearing what we love for so long, many of us have simply forgotten what we like to wear and trying to figure that out again can be daunting.”

With The Style Attic’s shop now open, Leigh has been able to get back to “There’s a lot more meaning to the doing what she does best and has clothes that we wear than people been easing women back into the might think. When you look good, world of fashion by helping them you feel good too and the confidence rediscover their style. that comes with that feeling shines through, arming women with that Since the pandemic, many women have struggled when it comes to deciding what clothes to wear and having the confidence to get

confidence is what I love to do” The Style Attic experienced a record amount of sales in March 2021 with many women preparing their wardrobe for the much awaited chance to socialise again. With an array of styles on offer in sizes 8-22, whether you’re gearing up for the first big girls night out, or simply another night on the sofa, The Style Attic has you covered.

THE STYLE ATTIC

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Book Corner

We receive a large number of books here in the office. Each edition we will review one or two of these and let you know what we thought

First on our list is Escape to India the debut novel by Philippa Kaye. Escape to India – to be fair, retrospectively, there couldn’t be a worse title for a book right now! However, the book show’s a very different side to India, one most of us have never heard of. So, what’s it about? When Jo Johnson discovers that her latest beau is in fact married to someone else, it’s not surprising that an offer to manage a lodge in an Indian tiger reserve suddenly sounds appealing. After all, there’s little to keep her in England. Having moved from Yorkshire to be closer to the love-rat, she has few friends, a job that no longer inspires her and, as everyone keeps reminding her, she’s not getting any younger. Taking herself off to India might be just what she needs to keep her away from men while she heals her cynical heart. Having to learn how to survive in the Indian jungle, without WIFI, her mobile phone or, it appears, electricity might take her mind off things. But then she meets Abishek, and her resolve to stay single suddenly comes under threat. Escape To India is a funny, contemporary and feisty tale of one woman’s search for meaning, independence and tigers. What readers thought I never really find much time to read,

About the Author Philippa was born and raised in Yorkshire, completed a degree in London before heading to the mountains where she worked six ski seasons in Austria, France and Canada. She then spent several years working for luxury tour operators in London from where she discovered India. She is a traveller, writer, adventurer, self-confessed Indophile, luxury travel specialist and consultant to the Indian travel trade. She has spent thirteen years living in and traveling extensively throughout India, writing about her experiences on the go; periodically for Times of India and Travel Mint and regularly on her blog www. memsahibinindia. com.

although I do love a good book and this one didn’t disappoint. Once I started reading, I couldn’t sto p, w o ul d she, w o ul dn ’t she, a true love story in every sense of the word, I thought Bridget Jones in the jungle! Gill Laidler, editor, Yorkshire Businesswoman. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Philippa gets under the epithelium of India and its knots like few others do. Keeping her tongue firmly in cheek and her heart pinned to her sleeve, she never misses an opportunity to get herself into a twist, it’s brilliant! Marryam Reshii, Times of India.

Beautifully woven around a central love story with suspense which keeps reader constantly engaged about what happens next. The story subtly explains ins and outs of being in wildlife tourism. As a lodge manager, Naturalist and a passionate Nature lover and a believer of true love, I could relate it to so much that I spent two continuous nights and finished the book at an almost single stretch. Aditya Roy Absolutely loved it. Didn’t get up until 0945 this morning which is unheard of as I was desperate to finish it. Loved that I could choose my own ending - genius! When is the sequel? Lynn Perkin.

All profits from all sales for the next 3 months will be donated to the NGO’s that the author is supporting in India

Where can you find it? Available on Amazon: Escape to India by Philippa J Kaye.

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Is a plant-based diet good for you? Author:

I’ve just completed a month living on a plant-based diet. No meat, fish, eggs or dairy of any kind. Why have I done it?

Because I was get ting an increasingly large number of clients and members of the gym asking me my thoughts on Veganism, and plant based diets. Some wanted to know what all the fuss was about, some wanted to know if it was superior for fat loss or muscle gain. Others wanted to know if plant based diets are superior for optimal health and wellbeing. Documentaries such as ‘The Game Changers’, ‘Knives over Forks’ and ‘Cowspiracy’ have

further turned people’s attention to plant based eating.

I went cold turkey, pardon the pun. I went fully plant based overnight. I had my bloods done the day before I started. I wanted a clear set of markers that I could compare at the end of the months experiment. I kept my total calorie intake (approx. 3300 a day) and exercise output the same, as it would be through a ‘normal’ month.So, what happened?

I, as many of my clients do, understand the ethical debate and the sustainability issues of global cattle farming practices and was keen to see whether a plantbased diet could sustain adequate protein intake and nutrients for ‘You’re doing what?!’ said the wife. avid gym-goers. I decided the only That was Laura basically saying way I could truly advise others ‘you eat 6 eggs for breakfast, a tin was to live it… embrace it…and of tuna as a light snack, you never get bored of chicken and a 32oz see what happened!

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Photo de AMANDA LIM provenant de Pexels

Our regular Health and wellbeing coach, Adam Batchelor explores new recipes!

Tomahawk is not a food challenge, it’s an aperitif! How the hell are you going to give all that up for a week let alone a month?’ Going plant based in a family home of 4 is hard. Fact. The kids won’t eat it so that means extra meal prep from the word go. Anyone with young kids knows that ham and cheese sandwiches/rolls/wraps are diet staples, Laura ate her normal diet through the day but ate my plant-based meals on an evening with me (sometimes). I did get the kids to eat falafel which was a success. What did I learn? Tofu - this stuff requires marinating (a lot) to give it taste. I did like it in a stir-fry and I even baked it a few times to make a firm crunchy tofu that I could serve with a sweet potato and veg and enjoy it. Tempeh- sounds like ‘temper’, which it made me have in a bad way. You need to steam this stuff first to take away the bitter taste. I didn’t do this (the first time) and it tasted like mouldy mushrooms with a hint of sweaty sock. It’s full of protein and loaded with gut healthy bacteria. I did have another go with it and it tasted good... Honestly, I’d eat it again. Other evening meals that were a success; Quorn mince chili (the vegan one) and Linda McCartney meatballs. (Laura even prefers these now to the meat version!) Without doubt, the best meal was black bean chili. We use a slow cooker 3x a week in our house to help with the mad rush of evenings after work and school. Black beans are perfect in it, good protein, fibre, taste, and takes on seasoning and flavor well.

One problem is that you have to soak them overnight before you can cook with them. More prep time and organisation needed. Breakfasts A lot of us are eating plant-based breakfasts already! Porridge oats soaked in almond or coconut milk overnight, chia seeds, blueberries or raspberries and a shot of Vegan protein. Tastes good, all nutrition boxes ticked. Nuff said. Not much change from my usual. Vegan pancakes were easy and tasted good. I really missed eggs though. I had dreams of eating an omelette. Lunches Lunches required no more prep than usual. I made a lot of Buddha bowls comprising of a combination of red lentils, falafel, avocado, tomatoes, peppers, olives, black beans, spinach, grated carrot. I really enjoyed these and they made a refreshing change. I tried some Vegan cheese…once… It was disgusting. Snacks I found that in order to hit my daily protein requirements. (I usually have 170-180g a day) I needed to buy a Vegan Pea and Quinoa flour protein powder and I had up to 3 shakes a day. I ate loads of fruit, nuts, gluten free bagels with nut butters, alpro soy yogurt and I found some good vegan protein bars. I found I needed to put a lot more thought into snacks than I ever would on my normal diet. Hitting your Macros Within a few days of eating plant

based and logging on MyFitnessPal, it was obvious my carb intake was up by about 100g a day. This was due to the fact that there aren’t many ‘pure’ plant based protein sources available. Lentils, black beans, falafel, chickpeas and tofu are all regarded as protein rich plant based foods, but they all contain plenty of carbs too. This would make it a lot harder if you were trying to stay in a calorie deficit for fat loss on a plant based diet and trying to keep your protein intake up. Fibre and a good clear out Many of us fail to eat enough fibre. It helps to eliminate stools and toxins from your body, which means your colon is working efficiently. If you are constipated this could mean your fibre intake is too low. If you typically eat foods low in fibre, they take longer to digest, lead to irregular bowel movements, loose stools and can also cause stomach pain. Fibre also helps you feel fuller for longer, can improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels and can assist in preventing some diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and bowel cancer. One big positive of eating plant based is that you’re almost guaranteed to increase your fibre intake due to the quality of the carbs you’d eat. My daily fibre intake went up from approx. 45g a day to sometimes near 70g. I could really feel this, I mean literally. I have no doubt it did my insides some good, a thorough clear out and I felt ‘cleaner’ inside within a week of eating plant based. The pros I have definitely felt the benefit from an increased fibre intake and the variety and quality of some of the plant based

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meals I’ve eaten. I will definitely continue to include red lentils; falafel, black beans and the occasional quorn mince chili in my weekly meal prep. I did feel mentally sharper and more alert. Hard for me to scientifically prove if this was solely down to eating plant based, but I hadn’t changed any other variables. I would put this down to an improved micro biome gut balance by making my blood more alkaline from having no real acidic food sources; this in turn can increase neurotransmitter pathways making me feel like I experienced a higher level of cognitive function. Disease cells require an acidic environment to proliferate and an alkaline body has been proven to have a more robust immune system. I’m not saying we must eat only plant-based foods to

achieve a more alkaline body but it definitely helps to include more plant-based foods into your diet. I’ve felt no detrimental changes in energy and athletic performance when exercising. However, I can’t tell you if that would be the same after 6 months or a year of eating plant based. The cons Food is to be enjoyed! It’s not that I didn’t enjoy some of the plant-based meals I ate, but I missed the taste of eggs, chicken, beef and fish. If the options are there and they provide me with health benefits and taste good – I’m going to eat them until the time comes when I believe it’s either nutritionally, ethically or environmentally wrong to do so.

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Too much sodium If I ever ate some of the meat substitute products like meat free chicken nuggets or sausages, I found that I was consistently just swapping cholesterol for sodium. What’s the lesser of two evils? I felt like I needed to sometimes eat some of the meat substitutes, as there’s only so much Tofu I can get through in a week, just to mix up tastes and textures. I needed to eat the entire pack of meat free chicken nuggets to get my protein in, but ended up consuming well over my days sodium requirements in one meal. Vit B12 Vitamin B12 is hugely important in the formation of red blood cells and

DNA. We need it. For most of us we get our B12 from animal products, fish eggs and dairy, it’s much harder to get from eating plant based. I needed to buy some nutritional yeast and consume fortified plant based milks and even then I struggled to get enough B12 on a daily basis. Iron Dietary iron is found in two forms, heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron, which is present mainly in meat, poultry and fish, is well absorbed. Non-heme iron, which accounts for the majority of the iron found in plant based foods is less well absorbed. More than 95% of ‘useable’ iron in the human body is in the form of heme. We need both for optimal health, as too much consumption of heme iron from meat can be carcinogenic. Protein Plant proteins are less bio-available than animal proteins; they do not contain the same array of essential amino acids (meaning we need to get them from our diets). Most plant proteins are deficient in leucine- this is essential for stimulating protein synthesis. You can eat enough plantbased proteins to make up for these deficiencies, but you will need more total protein and an extremely well planned out diet to do so. I had to consume up to 3 Vegan protein shakes a day to hit my requirements. Do we NEED animal protein? NO. Is animal protein a superior source of essential amino acids? YES. Take home: Correlation doesn’t equal causation – higher rates of heart disease in red

meat eaters aren’t surprising. One reason is that these studies rarely differentiate between processed and non-processed meat. Meat eaters also tend to eat more calories, which can lead to weight gain, which could lead to increased heart disease risks. The problem lies with total calorie intake not because animal protein is inflammatory. I believe the ‘flexitarian’ approach otherwise known as ’eat everything in moderation’ is the key to optimal health. Don’t be influenced by plantbased preachers, TV or social media propaganda or unfounded claims. My blood results after 30 days of living a plant-based diet did show some positive changes. My HDL’s – the good cholesterol- were up. I have reduced my total cholesterol from 4.1 to 3.6. My HbA1c (Insulin and diabetic markers) have reduced from 30 to 26. Optimal range for a male of my age is 20-42. This shows that my average blood sugar levels were down over the last month, which is definitely a good thing! My Iron levels had stayed roughly the same. I do take a daily liquid iron supplement as previous blood test had shown I wasn’t absorbing enough from diet alone. So this makes it hard to tell whether the plant-based diet had any impact on it. My LDL’s were a bit high, a minor threat to my cardiovascular health, but a threat non-the less. Eating more fibre has helped my LDL’s. But, every time you eat, bile gets released to assist with the digestion of fat, to make bile you need cholesterol to allow you to excrete it in your poo. Our liver and intestines make about 80% of the total cholesterol we need

but we need about 20% from food. Ergo, you need some cholesterol in your diet. Through my entire month on plant based I ate zero cholesterol. I need some animal produce to get some cholesterol in. Summary I will and have already, continued to eat more plant-based foods in my daily and weekly diet. I’ve enjoyed more variety, tastes and textures. The increased fibre intake has been a big plus and I’ve realized that I can have more meat free days or combination of meat and plant based meals in a day and not cause any detriment to my exercise performance at the gym. I respect anyone who follows a plantbased life based on his or her personal ethical beliefs or desire to be healthier. The current global food system is no doubt damaging our environment. There’s an argument for and against plant-based being better or worse for the environment than a meat eaters diet – but I’ll leave that for another blog. I believe I can optimize my health further by eating more plant based foods and simply cut down my meat intake frequency. I love eggs, chicken, beef, turkey and fish and I’ll continue to eat them all – in the right amounts. I’ll have my bloods checked again in another 6 months and see if I’m right!

Website https://www.nrg4lifefitness.co.uk/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ nrg4lifehealthandfitness/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/adamnrg4life/ Mobile: 07779 337 807

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‘Green oak designs’ take Sandburn Hall Hotel back to its roots

Hall Estate, complementing one of North Yorkshire’s leading golf, wedding and business event spaces developed by the late Mike Hogg. The hotel’s centrepiece uses natural green oak beams to frame the triple height entrance lobby, a new edition to the original building with two L-shaped wings. “Given the freedom to interpret their brief, we created a design that not only makes the most of the space, but understands and incorporates the Hogg family heritage, interests and craftsmanship,” explained Rachel.

Rachel McLane

You may recall in our last edition, we featured interior designer Rachel McLane and some of the beautiful interiors she has created. So, when we heard she was the lady behind the interior design of the new Sandburn Hall hotel, seven miles from York, we wanted to check it out. Yorkshire Businesswoman editor Gill Laidler checked in for a one-night stay and to sample both dinner and breakfast. The green oak building tradition of the Hogg family form the inspiration behind the design of the new 40-bedroom hotel situated on the 1000-acre Sandburn

“We arrived late afternoon on a beautiful sunny Saturday and were warmly received in this grand entrance lobby displaying hand-picked artwork and green oak frames, as well as vintage maps depicting the Sandburn Estate” said Gill. “The design takes inspiration from the local area where York and the East Coast are evident in the natural colours and earthy tones. There is a contemporary functional fireplace and bespoke light fittings make the most of the vaulted ceilings, but do not detract from the oak frame. “Following a quick and efficient check-in, we were handed our keys to a premier courtyard room on the ground floor, a short walk from reception. Our room, which was quite large for a traditional hotel bedroom, merged traditional with contemporary styling. The ensuite bathroom was huge and included both a bathtub and double shower cubicle. Elemis toiletries are complimentary too, my only disappointment was there were no bath robes, but this might have had something to Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

do with Covid restrictions. A complimentary refreshment tray is also included. All rooms boast dressing areas, including the larger family, luxury and accessible rooms as well as the two luxury suites. They all have beautiful hand-crafted fitted wardrobes with automatic lights when opened which included an iron. “The room décor was a mix of grey panelling, exposed brickwork and cool tones giving the room an urban and industrial feel but with beautiful soft furnishings and super king size beds made in Yorkshire with Harrison Spinks mattresses a feature to ensure guest comfort. “Double doors led onto a private seated courtyard area, planted with young shrubs and trees, with stunning views over the golf course and lake. Oh, and did I mention the complimentary bottle of bubbly we enjoyed whilst watching a most stunning sunset?

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Given the freedom to interpret their brief, we created a design that not only makes the most of the space, but understands and incorporates the Hogg family heritage...” “Following a quick drink at the bar where we sat outside enjoying more amazing views, we made the short walk on the connecting path (a corridor is not finished yet) that led us to Tykes Restaurant where we had dinner reservations. Tykes is part of the golf club and was very busy with lots of families and is dog friendly (there were lots of wellbehaved dogs on leads). Shown to our table which was sensibly spaced, we were given our menus and promptly ordered our bottle

of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, whilst we made our dinner choices. “Starte rs arrived. I chose the breaded fish goujons with homemade tartare sauce which they adapted to my personal taste and my partner chose the surf starter of king prawns & scallops in a lemon garlic butter. Both arrived promptly and were delicious. Plates cleared and after short rest it was time for the main course. I enjoyed the Hunter’s chicken burger which was served with chips, coleslaw and onion rings whilst my partner chose seared seabass fillet, chorizo, new potato, fine bean and red onion fricassee with a caper, dill & le mon dressing. The main course was equally delicious, but Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

my partner reported that the seabass could have done with more sauce!

with vanilla custard. Top choice, it was delicious, light fluffy and just the right amount of ginger and orange.

Time for dessert. Now I am not really a sweet fan and don’t “Following a really comfortable normally bother with dessert, but night (did I mention I used to be in this case I’m glad I indulged. marketing manager for Harrison For my partner it was strawberry Spinks beds) it was time to pack cheesecake and for me ginger for home, but not before heading and orange steamed pudding back to Tykes for our breakfast.

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Usually we both enjoy a full English when staying in a hotel, and although my partner still opted for this, I chose something lighter as we had lunch reservations elsewhere. The full English was cooked to perfection with everything included, bacon, sausage, egg cooked to your own liking, hash browns, mushrooms, tomato and beans. My choice was

cinnamon toast with fresh berry compote and Greek yoghurt. It was delicious, so much so that will be a weekend breakfast at home! Breakfast was washed down with a choice of teas or coffee. “A smooth and friendly checkout and we reluctantly left, but will definitely return at some point,

perhaps for a round of golf!” The verdict? Well worth a visit. The hotel and facilities are beautiful, it is in a stunning setting and the bonus is it’s just a short hop into York for those wanting a weekend break. It’s perfect for golfers or for visiting nearby Castle Howard or the Yorkshire Lavender fields.

Sandburn Hall Hotel: Scotchman Lane, Flaxton, York YO60 7RG Tel: 01904 468787 Email: info@sandburnhall. co.uk Web: www. sandburnhall.co.uk

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The sustainable skin care brand dominating the market

With hopes of being more than just a skincare brand, vegan and cruelty free Wild + Wood, was created at the beginning of 2020 by young mums from West Yorkshire, Hollie Sharpin and Lorna Hirst. business sat on Lorna’s living room floor when we were both stay-athome mums. We had two young children so we often had them strapped to our back in the early days whilst we created products in the kitchen. Thinking about how it started and where we are now, I can’t quite believe how quickly the brand took off and how far we’ve come since then.”

Born from great friendship and a love of organic skincare, the pair began their journey hand crafting bath milks from their kitchen, with sustainability and luxury at the heart of each of their products. Fast forward 18 months and Wild + Wood have already surpassed any expectations either of the two might have had. Hollie said, “we started our

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All products are made with completely natural, organic ingredients designed to nourish all skin types. A firm customer favourite is their ‘Time to Nourish’ set that comes with a pouch of bath milk and an oat blend which has led to the most incredible skin transformation pictures from happy customers who suffer from eczema and psoriasis. Talking of its healing qualities, Holly said, “Having small children has really inspired a lot of our products, as we wanted something that our children could use too as they usually jump into the bath with us most days!” Wild and Wood have an impressive

packaging and posting, everything is hand crafted by the girls and their loyal team. Lorna said, “When we first set out on our beauty adventure, one of the main things that we wanted to maintain was our respect to the environment, animals, people and farms. Yes, we set out to leave our print on the beauty industry, but we want to ensure that we remain as respectable to the environment and the world as possible.” Not only are the girls changing the lives of customers, of all ages, with their incredible healing products, but they continue to push to change the lives of others with their ‘Wild and Wood gives back’ campaign. Before and after

following of mums who choose their baby safe skincare to help with anything from skin flare-ups, cradle cap and nappy rash. After selling more than 50,000 products in the first ten months it’s safe to say they’ve been a hit, not least with celebrity customers such as Stacey Solomon who regularly raves about the healing qualities of

On their mission to give back, Wild + Wood have partnered with ‘One Tree Planted’ a non-profit organisation to guarantee that with every online purchase made, one tree is planted. In the space of a few months this partnership has already celebrated the planting of their 4000th tree.

their products to her 4.4M Instagram followers during one of her selfcare Sunday baths. But it’s not just sales that the pair are concerned about, Hollie and Lorna make it of utmost importance that the process from purchase to parcel is sustainable. Each component is sustainably sourced, from hand blending the ingredients to

Their Instagram account also sees them gift products each week to those who are experiencing hardship or simply need a pick me up, which is just another example of the girls pledge to give back and stay true to their kind-hearted northern roots. Though they describe themselves as, ‘a small business with a big heart’, the pair are on track to have made their first million by October 2021 and with the recent purchase of their new store, which is set to open in their beloved Yorkshire later this year, the brand is rapidly growing and evolving.

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Yorkshire Mums’ luxury children’s wear brand loved by Hollywood A-listers Two young mums from Bradford have created a luxury unisex children’s wear brand in their own home that is already filling children’s wardrobes of A-list celebrities such as P Diddy, Kylie Jenner, and Snoop Dog. In 2018 Natasha Formoy and Chantelle Etienne both 32 and childhood friends worked from Natasha’s home alongside their fulltime jobs to create the children’s clothing brand, House of Juniors - aimed at children aged 5-16

Key pieces hanging in Kylie Jenners wardrobe

Natasha and Chantelle met at school and soon discovered they both had a passion for fashion and business. Remaining friends, they spent time building the brand whilst working as full-time social care workers and bringing up their children. The entrepreneurial duo joined forces with now head designer, Kamila Ogrodnik, 26, who, along with Natasha, focused on developing the brand’s design in the ever-expanding business. Natasha said, “When we first started, we had to convert the downstairs of my house into a workspace because we didn’t have the funds for a warehouse or office. At one point, every room in the house was overflowing with clothes.” Before developing the business,

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Natasha spent years researching the children’s fashion market worldwide, visiting trade shows in Europe, and gaining insight into how rival brands have become so successful in the marketplace. It was at these trade shows Natasha built invaluable relationships with suppliers from the manufacturer of fabrics to garment producers. In 2018 House of Juniors were chosen to showcase their products at Mini Mode, the official children’s runway at London Fashion Week, where they walked amongst brands such as Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld. On the back of the success of their catwalk, they were awarded a campaign with Harper’s Bazaar, and this became a turning point for the creative duo. Chantelle said, “To be chosen was a huge honour and a massive achievement for our brand. What made it more special for us instead of using professional London based professional models, we brought kids down from Yorkshire, which, along with the amazing clothes gave us a real point of difference.” The turning point came when the daughters of American rapper, P Diddy posted an image of his twin

Royalty Brown, Musician Chris Browns daughter Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

From left to right - Kamilla Ogrodnik, Natasha Formoy and Chatelle Etienne

daughters, Jessie, D’lila wearing the brands signature fur coats on his Instagram. From that moment, the brand skyrocketed, with a spike in sales and thousands of new followers on the House of Juniors Instagram. The fashion entrepreneurs then reached out to other Hollywood A list stars such as Chris Brown, Snoop Dog and Kimora who also posted photos and videos of their children wearing pieces of their

fashion line. More recently their iconic girls pink fur coat was seen in Stormi’s wardrobe on a recent post on Kylie’s Instagram. Natasha said, ‘The demand for clothes has been insane since Diddy posted his daughter wearing one of our fur coats. The power of social media has been such an important part of creating awareness for our brand. It was surreal to see the clothes designed by two mums from Yorkshire being worn by the

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children of Hollywood celebrities. It was these posts that helped take the business to another level. The most surreal moment had to be when Kimora Simmons messaged us on Instagram, inviting us to work with her in LA! Chantelle added, “Now we have seen our pink coat in Stormi’s wardrobe on Kylie’s Instagram, we are hoping it will make an appearance in this season of keeping up with the Kardashians!’

Since these celebrity endorsements, demand for sales has been worldwide, mainly in America, Europe, the Middle East and parts of Russia.As with any business, Coronavirus has had a significant knock-on effect on the Brand’s development and growth as the supply chain quickly ground to a halt. Before Coronavirus hit the UK, House of Juniors had already produced two collections available worldwide. The pandemic gave them the time to work on their third collection, which will be available to purchase very soon. Natasha commented, “It was a huge struggle when the pandemic hit as we didn’t have access to our suppliers based overseas. However, we have used the time wisely to develop the range and now there is light at the end of the tunnel.” What is next for the House o f Ju n i o r s ? A f te r a r i s e i n sales and exposure, they have recently partnered with sports b ra n d P U M A to p ro d u c e a creative commissioned design collaboration that will reach stores soon across the UK, France, Germany, Ireland and America. This collaboration aims to involve children in the actual design process and really embeds the idea of being unique. The success of this has pushed House of Juniors to create an adult collection just for the Puma collaboration, so don’t worry, your children won’t be the only ones looking stylish! Now the pandemic is easing, House of Juniors are itching to

Daughters of P Diddy (Sean Combs) twins Jessie James and D’Lila in coats from HOJ

get themselves to the USA to explore retail opportunities that they were offered before and during Coronavirus but have not been able to explore fully due to the travel restrictions. Chantelle says their long-term goals and dreams for the brand are to gain worldwide exposure and success, along with having representation in large luxury retail stores such

as Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. They are also aiming to have a huge on-line presence. Their ultimate goal to be compared to the brand OFF WHITE, but for children. With these long-term ambitions, you will be sure to hear about them. Keep your eye out for big things to come!

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Change of career following series of life events When former call Centre manager, Michele Leathley, found herself dealing with a series of life events (divorce, father’s death, relocation and then redundancy) in a short space of time, the stress alongside a busy career, started to manifest in physical symptoms. So, Michele made a decision embark on a journey of experimenting with alternative and holistic health and medical treatments, to find something that would help. It was after just a few sessions of energy healing that she realised that she had found the most powerful and transformational solution for her, a solution that changed her life. Michele made the decision to retrain as an energy healing practitioner and, after four years of training in different healing modalities all around the world, Michele qualified and in 2018 she quit her job after 20 years as a senior manager in the drinks industry, to set up her own practice at her home at Allerton Castle near Harrogate. Michele now devotes her time to helping busy people who feel like

she used to, helping them reclaim their power through energy healings and return to their true self. “My specialist treatment is the life activation. This is a 3,000-year-old healing modality, passed down in the lineage of King Solomon, which includes several energetic alignments to clear away blocks and an infusion of pure light to reactivate your divine blueprint, what we now call DNA,” she explained. “This sparks a process of transformation, a recalibration of your self, to energise the body, balance the emotions and calm the

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mind and support your progression and achievement of your highest potential in this life. It’s like a factory reset for your mind, body and soul. So helpful in these current challenging times.” As well as an energy healer, Michele is now a life activation practitioner, reiki master, sound therapist, crystal healer, shamanic practitioner, kabbalist, akashic records facilitator and meditation instructor. She also creates bespoke energy healing sessions for each client which she has called Shamballah Energy Healing, using a combination of all

of her healings, specifically tailored to the individual and what they need. For those unable to get to the castle, she does distance healings for people all over the world.

“During the Life Activation session, I felt many different sensations and I also felt quite emotional but in a good way. Afterwards I felt very tired but so relaxed, I slept really well.” Kay

Also available are Michele’s range of energetic healing products – candles, Goddess Bath Ritual kits, aura purifying sprays using pure essential oils and crystals which she uses during her sessions and also sells via her website. She creates them on the nights of the full moon and new moon, in her crystal gridded studio in the castle. She also facilitates workshops at her home.”

“Once the session began, I felt very relaxed, a strong feeling of calm and peace from within and didn’t want the session to end! Since the healing the magic began to work straight away. I have slept soundly and woken up feeling refreshed and more positive and balanced about life.” Heidi I recently had a distance healing with

Michele after a mutual friend not only recommended her, but spoke exceptionally highly of her. I had been diagnosed with sleep apnoea 12 months prior and although I was receiving treatment, I found doing simple daily tasks debilitating and felt so tired during the day. My concentration levels were virtually non-existent. Although I was a little sceptical about how the healing would work, I’m so glad I kept an open mind and went ahead. I no longer need to sleep during the day. I have so much more clarity in my mind which has enable me to function better on a daily basis.” Jane

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Life returns to the stunning Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Like many colleagues in the arts and cultural sector surviving the COVID-19 pandemic has been an exceptionally challenging time, which required quick thinking, a prudent approach, and the ability to be dynamic, flexible and adapt quickly to an ever-shifting situation. A ll

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Yorkshire Sculpture Park is an accredited museum and art gallery and was founded in 1977 by executive and founding director, Peter Murray, CBE. Over the past 44 years YSP has worked hard to reunite 500 acres of the historic Bretton Estate, once the playground of the rich and privileged, and make it accessible and welcoming to all. Over 100 sculptures, can be found at YSP and the offer is truly outstanding, and world class. YSP is often referred to as a ‘jewel in the crown of Yorkshire’ and it is certainly very special in the hearts and minds of many, making it an incredibly unique place to work. Following the launch of the new headline exhibition, Joana Vasconcelos: Beyond, lock down was announced on 23 March 2020. YSP closed its doors, and its future was very uncertain. YSP is a not-for-profit charity, and it has worked incredibly hard to be as ‘sustainable’ as possible. Ordinarily it raises almost 80% of income from trading, learning, and car parking and receives a core funding grant from Arts Council England and a smaller annual amount from Wakefield Council. “When an organisation’s income essentially relies on people visiting and spending money, and people can no longer travel and visit, that is a very frightening prospect!” said deputy director Helen Featherstone.

“At YSP we had one key mission; to ensure the survival of the organisation for future generations to enjoy, and to safeguard as many of the 243 jobs we create, as we could for local people. “The Job Retention Scheme was a welcome announcement which offered hope and was a foundation for stabilising the organisation. A core team remained working, and fundraising took precedent as did forensic financial management; expenditure was cut to an essential minimum and cashflows were scrutinised almost daily. Staff worked tirelessly hard to postpone exhibitions and reschedule events,” Helen continued. YSP fell silent, as did the roads around the site. Being situated just off junction 38 of the M1 the stillness was noticeable. Nature took advantage. YSP is rich and biodiverse with listed historic landscape, two lakes, woodlands, formal gardens, and a nature reserve. Ordinarily there is plenty of wildlife to see, with resident rabbits, squirrels and occasionally deer. The birds sounded louder, the nuthatches and woodpeckers bolder, and the heronry, which is one of the largest in England, filled the air with the unmistakable croaking call of adults feeding chicks. This was the very first time in its entire history that YSP had closed its doors to the public. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

Despite the fencing, which now surrounded the site for insurance and security purposes, it was actually very difficult to keep people out. “The sense of ownership that many people felt of YSP became acutely evident and a deep cognisant awareness of just how much YSP really means to people grew,” continued Helen. “This sense of ownership is a key asset and was mirrored by incredibly generous donations YSP received from philanthropists, patrons, and members of the public, all expressing their love and connection to YSP. The staff were overwhelmed by such a positive response, and we were also immensely grateful to the support from Trusts and Foundations, Arts Council England’s emergency funding, and the DCMS Cultural Recovery Fund. Without this vital support at such a crucial time YSP would not have survived.” Planning began for reopening, and for making

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Given the freedom to interpret their brief, we created a design that not only makes the most of the space, but understands and incorporates the Hogg family heritage...” the site as ‘covid safe’ as possible. towards the running costs of YSP A complex and movable timeline through car parking charges. was devised, which accounted for many scenarios. Significant “Ticketing is the only way in which investment was made in signage, we can carefully monitor and limit one-way systems, sanitising visitor number, comply with track stations, additional toilets, and and trace, and ensure that everyone staff training. accessing YSP contributes towards the charity and invests in its future The greatest change and one which for others to enjoy,” said Helen. “A required considerable thought and temporary ticketing system was consideration was a fundamental implemented and has been tested shift to the business model and a for the past year. move to ticketed entry. Historically visitors made a contribution “With significantly limited visitor

numbers YSP cautiously reopened its door at the end of July 2020. The response was fantastic, and it was wonderful to see the park filled with life, and diverse audiences of all ages enjoying art, and nature in the open air.” Autumn arrived and the tier restrictions came into force, YSP is located in Wakefield and this entered tier 3 restrictions at the end of October, just as a further tranche of catering and hospitality staff were about to be welcomed back to work. Although understandable given the situation of the pandemic, this was quite a blow. A key lesson learnt is that the ability to work with uncertainty is crucial.

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To be able to pivot, remain flexible, and continuously plan for different scenarios, whilst at the same time carefully considering decisions, and not feeling pressured to act to meet a ‘reopening date’ announced by the government stood YSP in good stead. YSP worked with DCMS to ensure that the grounds of sculpture parks could remain open. “We had seen first-hand the profoundly positive impact that accessing YSP was having on visitor’s mental health and wellbeing,” added Helen. “We were inundated with statements, and stories from the public, many emotionally highlighting how YSP had been their solace during this very difficult time. Across the country public indoor galleries were closed; people could not see art, and at YSP we felt that as custodians of a restorative service we had a duty to maintain this to enable people to nurture their wellbeing through art and nature.” Maintaining access to the grounds also proved fruitful in business terms as it meant that a level of business continuity could be maintained. This ensured that YSP was well placed to continue to plan, adapt and be ready for when restrictions began to lift. The welcome news of the government ‘road map’ provided a structure to work towards and YSP began a phased reopening from 12 April. After more than a year of closure due to COVID-19, outdoor dining commenced at The Weston, which as a destination in itself now operates outside the paywall to the main YSP site. Indoor dining at The Weston followed, and a new Miro exhibition

in The Weston Gallery opened in May. The main Underground Gallery at YSP also reopened featuring this year’s headline exhibition, Joana Vasconcelos.

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“The team at YSP have worked immensely hard and in a very stressful and uncertain time. I am incredibly proud to say that we have achieved our aim of ensuring that

the legacy of YSP remains for future generations, and simultaneously we have safeguarded jobs and haven’t made any redundancies. “The COVID-19 pandemic has been an interesting time to say the least, YSP certainly did not stand still. This period was used to invest in digital; upskill staff, and work with Bloomberg Contemporary to launch a visitor app. Much of YSPs programme went online and significantly increased engagement via digital audiences, some of which have never previously visited YSP. YSP supported local artists by working with a philanthropist to offer commissions, and launched a music prize, Tune into Nature! “A key learning experience was that the shift to ticketing has had an unforeseen positive impact. Visitor numbers can be closely monitored, and with less people on site the visitor experience is enhanced, and the dwell time is longer. Knowing how many visitors to expect on any given day also has operational benefits. Overall visitors report that they prefer this system, that it is more transparent, and they are reassured to know that they have secured a booking in advance. As part of YSPs recovery investment is being made in a longer-term ticketing solution,” Helen explained.

throughout 2021 new exhibitions YSP. Responding to the question and artist projects will be launched, “Can art save us from extinction?”, with narratives of identities and the artists have developed a histories, and a material focus on sculptural space made of natural textiles, photography, ceramics and materials that acts as an extended the natural world. The programme open pavilion and a quiet place set platforms female practitioners, within nature. working across a range of media New displays by illustrator Mark and scales. Hearld will be on display in the Central to the programme is the Visitor Centre this year, with works headline exhibition, which had available to purchase onsite and to close following lockdown; online. Interest-free loans through Beyond by celebrated Portuguese Own Art are available; all proceeds artist Joana Vasconcelos – a vibrant raised through sales support YSP’s consideration of gender through exhibition and learning programmes. materials and process traditionally defined as ‘feminine’. Displayed The Covid-19 pandemic also placed indoors and out, we are thrilled that new emphasis on the importance this powerful, celebratory exhibition of the outdoors and the unique has now been extended to January offer that YSP provides in enabling visitors to engage with both art and 2022. nature in the open air. YSP’s openThe sublime 18th century Chapel air collection comprises long and will reopen in summer with the short-term loans, and site-specific towering porcelain sculpture 399 commissions. Days by Rachel Kneebone, and The Weston Gallery, open Tuesday This collection will welcome the – Sunday, premieres new sculpture new permanent displays in the and textile works by Annie Morris, lakeside woodland in spring, and in autumn. Informed by their research in the autumn. at YSP and practice around playful Breaking the Mould: Sculpture by encounters, Idit Nathan and Helen Women since 1945, a major survey Stratford’s sculptures Walking and of female sculptors from the Arts Playing Farther Afield – created out Council Collection from post- of railway sleepers, with texts that war to the present day, opened encourage visitors to think about at Longside Gallery in May. This their environment – will be installed ground-breaking exhibition aims to later in the year. redefine the period and the place of women artists within it.

The pandemic has reaffirmed YSP approach in being flexible, adaptable, dynamic, risk taking yet considered, and this has certainly The Oak Project also unveiled its placed the organisation in a good first artist commission on World position to face the future and Environment Day in June, Silence transition to a phase of recovery. – Alone in a World of Wounds by artists Heather Peak and Ivan There is a lot to look forward to as Morison from Studio Morison, at

Deputy director Helen Featherstone Has a BA Hons in History of Art, Design and Film and an MA in Cultural Policy and Management at Sheffield Hallam University and almost 25 years’ experience in the arts.

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A rooftop delight Res tau ran t

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We were guided through a stunning floral archway to our window table. A slightly wobbly chair was replaced for my guest and we enjoyed a catch up before selecting our drinks. I opted for a white pinot grigio spritzer, and my guest chose a Sauvignon Blanc, both deliciously cold on such a warm evening. Shortly after a complementary amuse bouche was brought over. The double shot sized concoction was a chilled watermelon gazpacho with a foamy almond top which the chef recommends downing in one for optimal taste.

It’s been a while since I’ve ventured into Leeds for a meal, and I’ll admit I was quite giddy as I pulled into Leeds Trinity car park after such a long absence – and not least because I was out on a school night! It was so nice to see so many people enjoying an alfresco drink on a warm summer’s evening as I walked across to Crafthouse the destination for our meal for the evening. Having never eaten there before, but having heard such positive things, I was excited to see if it would live up to expectations. Going up in the glass lift to meet my dinner guest, I wondered how their vegetarian menu would fare having given up meat and fish two months previously.

A group of ladies sat on the next table were watching with interest to see if we could drink it in one and what we thought of the unexpected treat – the taste seemed to have mixed reactions but a fun way to start the meal none the less.

My dinner guest and I were greeted by an attentive waiter with a welcomed glass of chilled water and asked to review the wine list by scanning the QR code on the tables in the bar area. It’s an impressive list with lots of choice for any discerning wine drinker.

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Having selected our choice of meal from the digital menu, our starters arrived soon after and I chose to go with the three-course set menu for £29 starting with the salad of Isle of Wight tomato, burrata and IPA dressing. It was so tasty and fresh with the burrata going perfectly with the tomatoes. My guest opted for the Yorkshire Wolds chicken terrine, ham, apricot, carrot at £9.50 which was packed with flavour.

for several amends to the dish on ordering including switching the white asparagus and kale for buttered carrots, and the pomme puree for Jersey new potatoes with rosemary butter sauce. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the carrots were tasty and buttery. To finish we both opted for Eaton Mess which was a beautifully sweet dish that finished off the meal perfectly, even if it got the better of us towards the end. Throughout the evening there had been a steady stream of diners which was nice to see on a Tuesday evening, with many enjoying a long awaited catch up with friends, work colleagues and loved ones. Up o n l e av i n g I v i s i te d t h e bathroom which includes individual cubicles with enclosed sinks. Admittedly the bins were in need of emptying but it was getting on for 9.30pm with closing not far away. So, did the Crafthouse live up to expectations? Yes, it did. As we both made it back to our cars, we commented on what a lovely evening we’d had catching up after 14 months of not seeing each other over such a delightful meal.

After a short break, and good chance for a long awaited catch up, our mains arrived. I had selected the risotto of cauliflower, pine nut and pickled cauliflower, which was

divine – honestly one of the tastiest risottos I’ve ever had. My guest, chose the Yorkshire Wolds chicken at £22.50 and asked

The price of the food and wine is slightly on the more expensive side in line with other restaurants in the D&D portfolio, but the set menu offers good value and we both left happily satisfied but not over faced following a really enjoyable, tasty meal and I look forward to visiting again soon.

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There is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to IT By: Ti m Gu est - ma n a gi n g d i recto r C o n te d ia - w w w.co n te d ia .co m

So, here we are, the first edition of Yorkshire Businesswoman to be available in print! Our editor, Gill, and her team have done a marvellous job, during a particularly challenging period, to launch a brand new, article-rich business magazine that speaks to many professionals in our region. In the first three issues of Yorkshire Businesswoman, that were published digitally, we wrote about IT topics relating to the adoption of Microsoft 365, why you should take back control if your business is trying to embrace too many software systems without providing staff with proper company direction,

and in the last issue we discussed whether the decision and timing around the migration of some of your key business systems to a cloud-based version might be right for your business. You can still read these articles in our back issues, available via https://issuu. com/blackie365. Using our shiny, ne w print editions we would like to take the opportunity to write specifically for you, our readers, and respond directly to your questions about any aspect of business technology in the workplace. Perhaps there’s an area of interest

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to you that you’d like some advice on, well why not drop our editor an email with your questions or suggest an area of discussion around a topic of IT or digital workplace innovation and we’ll do our best to answer as many as we can in the issues to come. Remember, there’s no such t hi n g a s a st upi d quest i o n when it comes to IT…but if we don’t publish an article on your question, perhaps you’ve gone and proven us wrong!

Send your questions or suggestions to editor@ topicuk.co.uk

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Wellness treatments favoured by Hollywood A-listers When we heard about the opening of a new wellness destination opening in Burley-in-Wharfedale, believed to be the first in the UK to offer a combination of cryotherapy, ozone sauna and thermotherapy, we went to investigate.

Fire & Ice was created by businesswoman Claire Greenwood, located in a beautiful setting, purpose built in the grounds of her home. Greeted warmly by Claire, Yorkshire Businesswoman editor Gill Laidler said: “I had no idea what to expect, but Claire’s professional approach and friendly manner soon made me feel at ease. First, Claire showed me one of two treatment rooms which housed an ozone sauna system which heats to 40 degrees celsius and a state-of-the-art wellness pod featuring 22 different programmes including vibration massages and aromatherapies. The second room was the cryotherapy chamber which operates at minus 95 degrees Celsius. “Claire explained that this unique combination of the latest technologies allows Fire & Ice to provide contrast therapy, which involves exposing the body to a contrast of temperatures. This type of treatment is not new, hot and cold

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baths have been around for centuries and have a range of health benefits,” Gill continued. “Armed with the facts about the treatment and the reassurance that advocates include Hollywood A-listers such as Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga and Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as Claire herself who looks amazing, I was ready for my treatment.” The contrast therapy combines treatments in rotation to reset, restore and rejuvenate the human body’s immune, circulatory, lymphatic and musculoskeletal systems. “As I am a very warm person who doesn’t tolerate heat well, we decided to skip the wellness pod, instead opting for the ozone sauna system. I changed into a swimsuit and headed into the chamber for 30 minutes. Sitting in the pod whilst my body heated up, it gave me an opportunity to chat with Claire, to find out how the business came about.”

people time away from life’s worries and concentrate on themselves, hopefully experiencing what had helped me so much.” “Thirty minutes up and I emerged from the pod very hot with clammy skin, but surprisingly fresh. Changing from my swimsuit into shorts and vest, I headed to the second treatment room to face the cryotherapy chamber and minus 95 degrees. “Armed with gloves, slippers, headband to cover my ears and face mask, I entered the chamber and immediately felt my body turning to ice. Warned by Claire not to touch the sides of the chamber to avoid sticking to them, Claire stood on the opposite side of the glass door, which can be exited at any point, and encouraged me to keep moving. Three minutes is all it takes and on exiting, I felt totally invigorated. Would I do it again? Absolutely!” The treatments include tailored packages ranging from four to 16 weeks, created following a one-toone consultation with Claire. The benefits range from improving sleep and weight management to relieving chronic tension. In addition, single bookings are also available, and all treatments are personalised to each individual and their own wellbeing objectives. Claire said: “I originally worked in a family business in Halifax, but quickly realised it wasn’t for me and after a number of turbulent years both personally and professionally, I began researching the best therapies to help me restore both my mind and body.

“I heard about this amazing treatment and headed down South to have a look at the equipment myself. After trying them out, I was hooked, the difference they made for me was incredible. At that point I realised I wanted to create a sanctuary where I could offer

Bookings for treatments can be made online. To find out more, or to book an appointment, visit www.thisisfireandice. co.uk If you are a Yorkshire Businesswoman member, you can enjoy 10% off one of the treatments.

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Skincare range In search of a product that worked for sensitive skin Sandra Blackburn, a trained chemist, combined her knowledge of science with pure, plant-based ingredients to formulate her own skincare products. Together with her husband Iain, the couple launched Pure Lakes in 2006. Amongst their earliest customers were Claire and Gareth McKeever. Wanting to return home to the Lake District with their two young children, the couple bought the business from Sandra and her husband in 2016, continuing to work closely with the founding couple, who were fundamental in making decisions. Claire says, “Gareth and I had both used Pure Lakes products for many years and effective plantbased skincare is something we are passionate about, so we were excited to have the opportunity to build on this high quality and sustainable business. All our products are handmade by a small team in our own workshops, so we can be sure of the highest quality. To minimise the adverse effect on the environment, we try to use produce that is either organically grown or grown with the minimum use of everything the couple use is recycled or reused, including all cardboard, paper, glass and plastic. They also offer a refill scheme to all customers and where possible use UK suppliers. YYoorrkksshhi irreeBBuussi inneessssW Woommaann 93

After leaving school, Claire attended the University of Leeds Bretton Hall where she studied acting. Paris followed when she took a post graduate course in acting and Salsa dance teaching. Her first job was working as a waitress at The Swan Hotel in Windermere, but she was lucky enough to go on and pursue her dream of working in dance and acting, “I gave this up when the children came along because of all the travelling and late nights,” she explained.

FACT FILE: Husband: Gareth Children: Angus-8, Esme-6, Carina-2 What car do you drive? A Kia Carens – my husband calls it the ‘soccer mum’ car. Obviously, a Porsche would be fab but there is the small problem of cost and I’m not sure the Welly boots and pushchair would fit in the boot… What is your favourite food and drink? I love anything with carbohydrates in it – a bowl of pasta and baguette with a large glass of chardonnay or vodka & tonic, and I’m all smiles.

“It was strange when we took over the business, I knew very little about being ‘a boss’ but our great team were right behind us helping us settle in, whilst I undertook a qualification in natural skincare formulation. “The beauty sector is where women often gravitate towards and therefore the market can at times feel flooded and slightly overwhelming for us smaller companies. However, I have been lucky enough to develop some excellent relationships with women in my field and have received nothing but support and encouragement. “One particular role model for me is Sandra,” Claire added, “She has mentored me, and her wisdom and guidance have been invaluable. Her strong character and perseverance have shown me what can be achieved.”

Where is your favourite holiday destination? I love being by the sea, there is something so awe inspiring yet calming about it. Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? My mother was born and grew up in Yorkshire and I had the pleasure of having a weekend in York with her. She took me around the beautiful village of Skelton, I saw the house she grew up in and the church where she married my father. It was special to relive all those memories with her and to hear how happy she had been growing up there. What is your favourite gadget? For my 40th my husband gave me a set of Dyson hair straighteners and they are truly amazing. The last few years I have not given much thought to my hair – I had become a scrape her hair back in a bun type of girl and at work we wear hairnets. However, these straighteners are super quick and effective – ideal for busy people -I’m not on commission I promise!

So, what is a typical day like at Pure Lakes? “All our products are made from scratch, so lots of production goes on. Generally,

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What couldn’t you live without? Dancing! I really miss teaching dancing – I taught Salsa when I lived in Paris - but I now subject my poor children to all my moves.

afternoons are spent packing the orders to be dropped off for posting. In the future we would like to create range for babies and as we have a two-year-old she has been an excellent guinea pig for our lovely soothing and nourishing oils,” she concluded. Here in the TopicUK office we were thrilled to receive a box of luxury products from the Pure Lakes range. The Lavender and Chamomile hand and body lotion smells divine and really works on dry hardworking hands. The Grapefruit and Lemongrass shower gel is really strong smelling, lingering long after the shower and lathers beautifully. The Rosehip Seed facial cleanser is gentle on the skin, especially when followed by the Geranium, Lavender and Ylang Ylang Moisturiser. We can highly recommend the products and will certainly be going back for more.

It was strange when we took over the business, I knew very little about being ‘a boss’...

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Slide your way to a fitter, stronger body

Follow the exercises with Adam on https://youtu.be/JnIU7OVKL0M

Exercise sliders are a cheap, convenient and compact piece of equipment that will make an excellent addition to any gym or home-based workout.

important muscles that surround your stomach and allow you to twist and bend sideways

Sliders are highly portable making them easy to pack into an overnight bag if you’re working away or in a hotel and still want to keep active.

Glutes - the largest muscles in the body that help move your hip and stabilise your pelvis (especially important after childbirth)

What makes sliders unique is the way they force you to keep constant tension through the muscles being exercised as the sliders keep in contact with the floor surface and your body, regardless whether you have the sliders under your feet or your hands. Slider exercises

are also very low impact making them a great choice for all levels, ages and abilities. Your body can only be as strong as its weakest link. For most people thar weak link tends to be the core - the muscles that make up the pelvic hip complex. The core is a widely overused and misunderstood term. In basic terms it comprises of your; rectus abdominis - the superficial stomach muscle obliques - very

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Transverse abdominis- the deep abdominal muscle. Largely responsible for stabilising your entire body and helps to move your limbs! Using sliders is a very effective method of training all your Core

muscles. Sliders are scalable by simply increasing or decreasing range of movement of each exercise to suit your current fitness level. Here’s an example of two different routines for you to try with Sliders. The first routine is for beginners/ intermediates and the second is a little more advanced. Both routines will hit your core, upper and lower body muscles and improve strength, tone, mobility and fitness. Beginner/Intermediate 1.

Body saws - forearms on the floor, shoulder width apart. Toes on the sliders, hold in a plank position. Engage your core and hold your back flat. Push back through the sliders to start the ‘saw’ action then draw back through your upper body to bring the sliders back to the start position. The more you push the sliders back and pull forwards the greater you test your core muscles. Aim for 8-20 reps

Advanced 1.

Mountain climbers - arms locked out, wrists under elbows under shoulders. Toes on the sliders. Maintain a flat back and alternately work the knees in and out under your chest to create the sliding mountain climber action. Aim for 10-50 reps Plank circles - arms locked out as above. Draw a clockwise circle on the floor with the slider under the right hand, then draw and anti-clockwise circle with the slider under the left arm. Aim for 10-20 reps.

Plank jacks - forearms on the floor, shoulder width apart. Toes on the sliders. Whilst holding a plank position, slider one leg away to the side as far as you can control without bending at the knee, draw back to the start position and repeat on the opposite leg. The further you slide out to the side the more you test your Glute and core muscles. Supine L sit - these are not easy but are highly rewarding. From a seated upright position with your heels on the sliders, lift your bum clear of the ground

and start the slide by drawing straight legs under the body as far as you can control, then push the sliders forwards until you lift your glutes and hips high into an inverted plank position. This is a great test of upper body strength and control and hamstring and glute strength. 3.

Pike tucks - arms locked out, toes on the sliders. Bridge the body up into as high a point as you can control without bending at the knees. Slide back again to the start position. The aim is to draw your feet as close to your feet as you can. Requires good total body strength and control!

Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s sWo m a n

IoD seeks vice-chair for West Yorkshire

The successful candidate will build and develop connections with local businesses and other stakeholders such as LEPs, public sector bodies and universities.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has launched the search for a vice-chair for its West Yorkshire team. The vice-chair will play a key role in supporting chair Poonam Kaur in driving forward the branch strategy and building a community of members who help each other to grow and succeed. Poonam is managing director of corporate finance firm fds, based in Wakefield. The IoD provides connections,

professional development and an influential lobbying voice that presses for change where it is needed most. The vice-chair helps to execute the branch business plan whilst upholding national IoD policies, activities and standards and ensuring that the branch’s growing army of ambassadors are kept fully and accurately briefed on them.

Join us...

Are you a solopreneur, businesswellbeing.club someone embarking d on a new career or buil ships n o i t SME leader looking for rela a supportive community heal wellb th & to help you thrive? eing Visit our bi-weekly online networking group for FREE and meet business owners and leaders who have a value-led, abundant mindset to give back and grow.

We focus on the wellbeing of YOU and YOUR BUSINESS to maximise your POTENTIAL and PURPOSE.

have fun nce nda abu

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Interested? Find out more businesswellbeing.club

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Poonam Kaur, IoD West Yorkshire chair, said: “Applicants for this voluntary role should be IoD members who live or work in West Yorkshire. In return for your time and expertise, we offer fantastic opportunities to grow your network and influence the operation of the IoD branch. “These are challenging times for all organisations but we are determined as a community to create better directors for a better world.”Interested candidates should send their CV and covering letter to iod.yorkshire@iod.com by 11 July 2021.

Running a business can be like riding rollercoaster. Wherever you are on your business journey, whether a solopreneur or leading a team, it can be full of ups and downs: working on your own can be lonely and isolating and launching a second or third career can be daunting and overwhelming. For a successful business you need to build and nurture the core foundations that will help support your growth, develop relationships, help others and have fun along the way. This is what the Business Wellbeing Club is all about. Founded by NLP business coach and wellbeing expert Ros Jones, the Business Wellbeing Club is a supportive online community for business owners and leaders who want a kinder way of doing business. We’d love you to join us at the businesswellbeing.club

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Marti Pellow adds Scarborough Spa to Greatest Hits Tour One of Britain’s iconic music stars Marti Pellow, the former Wet Wet Wet front man is to perform his Greatest Hits tour in The Grand Hall, Scarborough Spa on Tuesday 9 November 2021. Having achieved the highest accolades with one of the most successful bands in UK pop history, Marti is now achieving that rare position of a highly successful career as both a solo artist and as a leading musical theatre star.

Facebook during lockdown with several impromptu performances.

for the lockdown sessions and I covered songs that were either fan requests or personal favourites. I’m now looking forward to including some of them in the shows, alongside tracks from my new album Stargazer.

The feedback received from the online performances led to Marti “I finally got to write the songs deciding to head out on tour that let me pay homage to all my heroes and I can’t wait to perform this year. them live for the first time. Get Marti explains; “Throughout your dancing shoes on – it’s time lockdown I was inundated by to party with Marti!” messages from fans asking me to organise a tour once we come Tickets for the show are on sale from out of these terrible times. Scarborough Spa’s website www.

The BRIT and Ivor Novello awardwinning singer, whose monster hits with Wet Wet Wet include the number one smash hit Love Is All Around and Goodnight Girl, entertained millions of fans on “Twelve million people tuned in

scarboroughspa.co.uk/event/martipellow-scarborough

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Dacia is a company on the move.

NEW SANDERO IS A DACIA DELIGHT

By:Jan Cour t ne y - Motoring Correspondent

It’s all too easy to simply point to the starting price of £7999 and say that the only reason to buy a Dacia Sandero is that “you get a lot of car for your money.” Which of course is true, but if you don’t look beyond that comment, you are missing a whole raft of other reasons for buying a Dacia Sandero. Yes, it’s cheap, yes it might be lacking in the sort of gadgetry you may find in more expensive cars, but there are thousands of people out there who’re not interested in the latest gizmos or how a car handles at speed. Badge snobbery is something they can’t understand. All they want is a car that’s safe, reliable, okay to drive, economical, comfy and comes with a 3 year / 60,000 mile warranty. It gets them from A to B, copes with the weekend shopping, school runs, a commute to work and the odd trip to the tip. It’ll also cope with the holiday going on holiday. Despite the compact exterior dimensions, the Sandero is still a seriously roomy car which fits into the supermini class. Five adults will sit in comfort. Y o r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s W o m a n 101

Oh and the Dacia Sandero is thoroughly modern and, shock, is also really good to drive. How Dacia manage to build a car this good for under £8k is staggering. The steering is light but direct, and the ride is nicely controlled to ensure comfy progress for all occupants. Previous Sandero owners are in for a shock when they hop inside. The design and the quality of the materials has moved into a totally new dimension. It’s extremely smart. It looks and feels good. The switchgear has a nice solid feel. The seats are supportive and ensure a cushy ride. You’ll get a perfect driving position too because the steering column is now fully adjustable. The entry level Sandero comes with a 3 cylinder 64bhp 1.0 litre petrol engine.

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Power goes via a 5-speed manual gearbox. We’d recommend that you look at the more powerful 89bhp 1.0 litre TCe 90 engine which is turbocharged. You have the option of a 6-speed manual ‘box or an auto. There’s even a Bi-Fuel version which has a separate LPG tank. Top speed is 111 mph and there’s a 0-60 time of around 11 seconds, although the Sandero feels nippier. The additional power of the TCe 90 engine makes for easier progress on the motorway. However, if you intend using the Sandero for mainly town work, the 64bhp engine will be fine. Both engines will manage over 50mpg. There are three levels of trim…Access, Essential and Comfort. The 64bhp engine is only available in Access trim. So, if you go for our favourite TCe 90 engine, we’d recommend Essential trim because you get, as the name suggests, the essentials. Air conditioning, powered front windows, tinted windows, DAB radio, Bluetooth,

height adjustable driver’s seat, cruise control, adjustable exterior mirrors and a smartphone app which allows you to link everything to your mobile phone. If you want to really push the boat out, go for Comfort trim. The price starts at £11,595 but you add powered mirrors, a colour touchscreen, rear parking sensors and reversing camera, smart alloys, fog lights, keyless entry, auto lights and wipers and a multi-function steering wheel. In other words the latest Dacia Sandero is now a serious 21st century car. It still stays faithful to being no-nonsense, incredible value motoring, but it’s now smart inside and out, and there’s a genuine sense of quality. For anyone who needs no nonsense business wheels, you can’t go wrong. If you look at the new Dacia Sandero, try to look beyond the price. You’re in for a nice surprise. Y o r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s W o m a n 103

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va va voom E-tech is Hi-Tech

By:

Jan

C o u r tn ey

M o t o r in g

C o r resp o n d ent

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It’s very easy to assume that electric and hybrid cars are designed purely for the cities and that they’re only happy trundling around busy streets rather than dashing along the motorway. Wrong. Take the latest Renault Clio for example. Their hybrid E-Tech version is the most powerful and one of the quickest in the range with a 0-60mph time of under 10 seconds and a top speed of 112mph. It’s great fun to drive and works really well for a work commute, school run, weekly shop etc. Quick reminder of how hybrids work. Under the bonnet of the Clio E-tech is a 1.6 litre petrol engine. There are also two electric motors which work in tandem with the engine. The electric motors are powered by a battery which recharges whenever you decelerate. This means that you get stunning economy. Go easily and you’ll crack 60mpg without too much trouble. Power goes to the front wheels via an automatic gearbox. In town traffic you can waft along in silence with the electric motors doing all of the work. As soon as you need some power

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and performance, the petrol engine fires up and joins in. The clever bit is that the driver won’t notice a think. It’s seamless. Renault reckon you’ll manage 80% of town driving on battery alone and save around 40% on fuel. Oh, and the Renault Clio E-tech is great for business users thanks to Benefit In Kind rates of 22%. Prices start at £20,995 for the E-Tech Clio hybrid in Iconic trim. You’ll get satellite navigation, DAB radio, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, cruise control, powered folding heated exterior mirrors, dark tinted rear windows, powered front windows, Isofix seat fixing points in the rear, 7inch colour touchscreen, air conditioning and a host of safety kit. To be honest you’ll not need to dip into the extras brochure because this is a really good level of standard kit. There’s also a premium feel to the interior.

Out on the road the Renault Clio has always been good to drive. The ride is on the firm side of comfy, but this makes for really good handling. The seats are comfortable, there’s loads of storage space and the boot is large enough to cope with a family holiday or a major weekend shopping trip. In other words if you want a lively yet economical car that is good to drive and well equipped, the latest Renault Clio E-Tech will fit the bill. And it looks really smart too.

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