80+ Exhibitors showcasing their products/services to 100’s of businessmen and women from across the region in what is acknowledged as the ‘Largest and most Cost Effective Business to Business Expo’ in East Yorkshire.
2. Exclusive Exhibitor Networking Lunch
This is your OPPORTUNITY to build business relationships with your fellow exhibitors in a relaxed atmosphere before the Expo! Sponsored by Village Hotels (Friday 19th September 2025 • 11am - 2pm • Village Hotel).
‘ Welcome to the May edition of the DNfourteen magazine.
I hope that you are all well and enjoying Spring and the better weather and lighter nights.
We have a light hearted look at some Facts & Figures from around the world on page 4, followed by a round up of the best New Books for you to read this May on page 6 - which includes the new Natasha Brown book ‘Universality’ which I am looking forward to reading’.
We have a great recipe for you all to try out on page 8 - It’s for ‘Spiced Chicken salad with cashews and cucumber’ which sounds ideal for barbeques or entertaining during the warm weather. For all you people that love Gardening please check out the article on what you should be doing in May. We have some great tickets to give away this month for three great shows in Hull, Bridlington and Leeds - check them out on page 10. For all you business people that read the magazine please check out the info on this years East Yorkshire Business Expo on the page opposite - It really is worth popping along (It’s Free) I can guarantee you’ll meet some great businesses there!
Finally, anyone with children please make a note of the date for this year’s Family Fun Day at Brantingham Park - (It’s the best family event of the Summer!) see the outside back cover.
Jane Editor
Please note that whilst we take care to be accurate, no liability will be accepted under any circumstances should any of the content of this magazine be incorrect. The views expressed in the articles are not necessarily those of the publisher. All rights reserved. Published by DNfourteen Magazine. Printed by DaltonSpire Ltd. 3
Facts & Figures
Brits hit online shopping record
British people spend more of their income on the virtual high street than any other nation, handing over 8.8% a year. This is double the Americans and French, who splurge 4.3%, with only the South Koreans coming close at 8.5, according to research by Public Desire. But more spend doesn’t equate to longer browsing, with an average of two hours and four minutes a week internet shopping - only a quarter of the time devoted by the Chinese.
3,000 Women between 25 and 65 speak
3,000 more words a day than their male peers, a University of Arizona study found.
43
43 is the age we starting turning into our parents,
according to a survey by M&S Money, with 36% citing complaining about the weather as the top sign.
Fancy a cuppa?
Almost half of workers never take a tea break with colleagues, while a quarter of Gen Z admit to not offering to make a cuppa in the office, a poll by food company Tilda found.
No more empty nesters...
It’s not just adult kids checking into the Hotel of Mum and Dad - more grandparents are moving in too, as homeowners renovate to accommodate the whole family.
Insurance firm Aviva say a rise in multi-generational living is
driving building work, along with increased working from home.
A massive 44% of property owners surveyed said they plan to renovate over the next two years, with 21% planning to extend the layout. Of those looking to increase space, 17% said housing more than one generation was a key factor, while a further 17% intend to reconfigure their home’s layout to add more bathrooms or toilets.
Rise and shine!
Life really does seem better in the morning, with a study finding people generally wake in the best frame of mind. UCL experts tracked the mental health wellbeing of 49,000 people over 24-hour periods across two years, discovering that we feel our worst around midnight. The day of the week and the season also play a part. Ratings for happiness, life satisfaction and feeling worthwhile were all slightly higher on Mondays and Fridays than on Sundays, and happiness was higher on Tuesdays.
Home Improvements
These days most homeowners suffer from a lack of storage space. So many precious items that need to be kept – but where to store it all? That’s where Yorkshire Loft Ladders come in.
The company, based locally, offers homeowners the opportunity to maximise their storage space with a loft ladder, 50 sq ft of boarding and a light all fully fitted in less than a day from just £277 + VAT. But it’s not just the affordability of the package the company offers that makes Yorkshire Loft Ladders stand out as manager Warren Ingleson explains:
‘Our watchwords are Quality,
Integrity and Value. Quality in the materials that we use for all our installations and the fact that all our loft packages are fitted by time served tradesmen so our customers are assured of the best job. Integrity in that we will turn up at the time we say and make sure the house is spotless when we leave, and Value in that we offer our services at a price people can afford. Our business relies on referrals and we got a huge amount of our calls from people who have been referred to us by our existing customers - that simply wouldn’t happen if we didn’t adhere to our overriding principles.
At the end of the day the old adage that happy customers
lead to more happy customers is true and we work hard to make that happen for every installation we carry out!’
So, if you want to make use of your loft space, however big or small, call Warren on 0800 612 8359 and he’ll be happy to pop round and give you a no obligation quote so you too can make use of your loft!
New Books for May
Story Of A Murder: The Wives, The Mistress
And Dr Crippen by Hallie Rubenhold
Air by John Boyne
Hallie Rubenhold is the number one Sunday Times bestselling author of The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper. Now the social historian is back with another deep dive. On 1st February 1910, vivacious music-hall performer Belle Elmore vanished from her north London home, causing alarm among her circle of female friends, who demanded an immediate investigation. They could not have known what they would provoke: the unearthing of a gruesome secret, followed by a fevered manhunt for the prime suspect – Belle’s husband, medical fraudster Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen. Hiding in the shadows of this tale is Crippen’s typist and lover, Ethel Le Neve – was she really just ‘an innocent young girl’ in thrall to a powerful older man as so many people have since reported? In this examination of one of the most infamous murders of the 20th century, Rubenhold gives voice to those who have never properly been heard – the women. Featuring a cast of eccentric entertainers, glamorous lawyers, zealous detectives, medics and liars, this is a meticulously researched and multi-layered read.
Universality
by Natasha Brown
This is Brown’s follow up to her acclaimed debut novel Assembly. On a Yorkshire farm, a man is brutally bludgeoned with a solid gold bar. A young journalist sets out to uncover the truth surrounding the attack, connecting the dots between an amoral banker landlord, an iconoclastic columnist and a radical anarchist movement. She solves the mystery, but her viral long read exposé raises more questions than it answers. Through a voyeuristic lens, this book focuses on words: what we say, how we say it – and what we really mean.
Being 30,000 feet in the air offers time to reflect and take stock. For Aaron Umber, it’s an opportunity to connect with his 14-year-old son as they travel halfway across the world to meet a woman who isn’t expecting them. Unsettled by his past and anxious for his future, Aaron is at a crossroads in life. The damage inflicted upon him during his youth has made him the man he is, but now threatens to widen the growing fissures between him and his only child. This trip could bind them closer together or tear them further apart. In this penetrating examination of action and consequence, fault and attribution, acceptance and resolution, author John Boyne (The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, The Heart’s Invisible Furies) gives us a redemptive story of a father and a son on a moving journey to mend their troubled lives.
How They Entertain by Pierre Sauvage
Admit it: we all love a wee bit of insider knowledge – a juicy nugget from the experts that makes you sit up and say, “Well, I didn’t know that.” This new book by Pierre Sauvage, head of eclectic homewares brand Casa Lopez, is crammed full of such tips. Sauvage has traversed the globe, visiting the homes of 20 tastemakers, and giving us lucky readers a chance to see how they welcome their guests. Take a stroll through interior designer Muriel Brandolini’s Parisian piedà-terre, or jewellery designer Rebecca de Ravenel’s sun-scorched studio in Estoril; each host shares their ideas for tablescaping, floral arrangements and how to dress a home for your next gathering. There’s even a selection of mouth watering recipes to really wow the crowd.
All the books in this feature are on sale now.
Spiced chicken salad with cashews and cucumber (SERVES
An aromatic chicken salad from Persia. Serve it in a big dish and let everyone dig in.
Ingredients:
Skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets 600g
Greek yoghurt 2 tbsp
Olive oil
Ground cumin 2 tsp
Ground coriander 2 tsp
Ground cinnamon 1 tsp
Ground turmeric 1 tsp
Cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp
Lemon 1, 1/2 zested and 1 juiced
SALAD
Cucumber 1 large, cut into 1cm diced pieces
6/8)
Cumin seeds 2 tbsp, dry toasted and roughly crushed
Coriander seeds 2 tbsp, dry toasted and roughly crushed
Chilli flakes 1 tbsp
Dried sour cherries or dried cranberries 200g
Spring onions a bunch, thinly sliced
Cashew nuts 150g
Coriander a bunch, leaves roughly chopped and stalks thinly sliced
Rice wine vinegar 4 tbsp
Honey 2 tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oil
Method:
Step 1
Marinate the chicken thigh fillets in the yogurt, 3 tbsp oil, spices and lemon zest and juice for at least 30 minutes (longer is better). Remove from
the fridge 20 minutes before you are ready to use, season and mix again.
Step 2
Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and once hot, drizzle in a little olive oil and fry the chicken thighs gently (turn the heat down if they are burning or browning too quickly) for about 10 minutes on each side until they have a nice, deep golden brown crust all over and are cooked through. Remove and slice.
Step 3
Mix the chicken, cucumber, cumin and coriander seeds, chilli flakes, sour cherries, spring onions, cashews and coriander in a bowl and add the rice vinegar, honey and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Season, and serve in a wide, shallow bowl or platter.
ELLIS J BARRACLOUGH is playing a Homecoming HULL Gig at Social on Humber Street on
Thursday 22nd May
This exceptionally talented 19 yr old from Hull started playing guitar when he was just 8 and penned his very first song at the tender age of 12. Ellis has been playing local gigs in Hull and select dates in London over the past couple of years.
The pure honesty and depth of his lyrics is truly inspiring. Combined with a refreshing approach to memorable melodies and chord progressions that surprise and delight the listener. Musical influences range from The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, to the Kings of Leon, America, Radiohead and Kula Shaker.
April 4th2024, Ellis embarked on a Nationwide tour as the support act for Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison of Ocean Colour Scene. They were so impressed with him that they asked him to join them yet again on the Scottish leg of the tour which sold out.
He now comes back to his hometown of Hull to play his very first performance with his newly formed band ‘THE SUNCREEN’ a five-piece outfit. The band consists of Drums / Bass/ Guitar and Keys.
He was featured on the Gabby Roslin BBC Radio London show and has been getting massive support from BBC introducing in Hull. This marks the beginning of an epic journey for the songwriter who here in Hull is now marking this as his premiere performance.
Venue: Social • Doors- 7.30pm Tickets are £12.00 plus BF Website – https://bit.ly/EJB_Hull
For further information on ELLIS check out the following links: Facebook.com/ellisjbarraclough/ Youtube.com/@EllisJBarraclough Instagram.com/ellisjbarracloughofficial/
RED HOT CHILLI PIPERS
on Thursday 29th May
There has never been anything quite like The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, from their formation in 2002 and a cameo appearance at T in the Park in 2004 with the Darkness to opening the main stage in their own right in 2014, and storming Glastonbury festival in 2024.
The past twenty plus years have seen the Red Hot Chilli Pipers become the most famous bagpipe band on the planet...ever! Bagpipes with attitude, drums with a Scottish accent and a show that leaves people with warm hearts and smiles. Brid Spa Box Office: 01262 678 258
The world’s biggest dance music brand brings you an unforgettable live experience! The legendary Ellie Sax is joined on stage by live vocalists, drums, percussion, keys and DJs to reimagine iconic dance anthems from the likes of Faithless, Eric Prydz, Becky Hill, The Shapeshifters, Daft Punk, Robin S, Fisher, and more!
Ellie Sax is a world-renowned saxophonist whose electrifying performances have captivated audiences across the globe. Known for her vibrant energy and unique
style, Ellie seamlessly blends classical training with dance music, making her one of the most sought-after musicians in the world of dance music. Ellie’s career has spanned an array of global stages, club floors and international party hotspots. Entertaining audiences from beach clubs in Ibiza and across Europe, through prestigious events including: Monaco Grand Prix and Glastonbury
This month we have a special May message from Mitch, Nurseryman at Bell Mills Garden Centre, Driffield, sharing his top tips for getting the garden in shape in May.
Welcome to ‘Mad’ May, a very busy time in the garden, hopefully with plenty of sunshine too. The bedding plants e.g. geraniums, begonias (pictured right), fuchsias, petunias etc. can be planted out in the garden at the end of the month. If we are lucky with the weather, the frosts should have finished now until the autumn. However, beware, as many supermarkets will have been selling bedding plants for a few weeks now, encouraging you to buy and plant out, but it is still too early as they can easily be killed off with a late frost.
Many years ago, I worked for the council in Bridlington, in the nursery at Sewerby Park. We grew 1000’s of plants from cuttings and seeds but they were never planted out until the 2nd week of June at the earliest.
Your lawns should be looking good now. Moss and weeds can be a problem, but treatments are available from your local garden centre. In order to keep your lawn in tip top condition, make sure you cut your lawn when it is dry and bright. If we get a drought, cut it less often. Last year I didn’t cut my lawn in June or July because it was too hot and sunny and many peoples lawn became yellowish because they had cut it in the hot temperatures.
Any trees or scrubs which have been planted recently, do need to be watered regularly to get them established. Water early in the morning or late evening to avoid evaporation, also trees and scrubs drink a fair amount of water, especially if it is sunny or windy.
Some varieties of roses, like Canary Bird (pictured below), will flower in May so keep an eye out for greenfly or aphids and spray with an insecticide and make sure you follow the instructions on the container.
Also, keep an eye out for slugs and snails if it is wet weather as they can do a lot of damage. You can use crushed egg shells or bits of grit to keep them at bay or there are many kinds of pellets available from your local garden centre.
And finally, the later flowering bulbs in your garden like tulips etc. may well have finished now for this year, so snap off the finished flowers and let the old leaves die back. This method helps the bulbs for next year to feed on the old leaves. Then sit back and relax with a good book, and great company but remember to keep on top of the weeds by regular hoeing.
From ‘No Way José’ to running my own slimming group
Sometimes a decision leads you somewhere you never expected - and that was me joining Slimming World last year. I’d always sworn I’d never go to a slimming club (Weekly weighins? You’ve got to be kidding me!). But with a big family holiday on the horizon and nothing working on my own, I went along with a friend… and it completely changed my whole outlook.
It wasn’t about starving myself, counting every single calorie or weighing everything. I could eat my favourite food - and still lose weight. In 7 months, I lost 2 stone, something I hadn’t managed to do on my own in 8 years. The support was incredible and there wasn’t even a single shred of the embarrassment I dreaded! The accountability of going to group every week was exactly what I needed. And no-one ever knows your actual weight! I feel so much more confident and I can fit into clothes I’d given up on. Yay! I even came off my blood pressure meds (doctor-approved, of course!).
The experience inspired me so much that I decided to become a consultant myself - and I’m thrilled to be relaunching a group at All Saints’ Parish Church Hall, North Ferriby from 14th May, every Wednesday at 5.30pm and 7pm.
If any of this resonates and you’d like support to lose weight your way (and make new friends along the way), I’d love to help you. Drop me a message on socials or call me to find out more. P.S. Don’t worry, my PR consultancy and coaching is continuing as normal!
I love May! It’s my favourite month……
And not just because of my new venture! The lighter evenings, the blossoms and two bank holidays, just before summer really kicks in! What’s not to love about May? Added to that, it’s my birthday and my wedding anniversary! This year we’re celebrating 22 years which is our copper anniversary. When I think about copper, I think of copper kettles (maybe that’s because I love a good cup of tea!) Actually, we could do with a new kettle, but that’s not very romantic, is it?! As well as blossoms, we’ll start seeing forgetme-nots (my favourite flower) and it’s always warmer, often with plenty of sunshine (not that you can rely on the weather anymore). But things always seem more possible in May. What have you got planned?
How
do
you cope with exam season?
My youngest just turned 18! How that actually happened is beyond me. It feels like only yesterday that she started at nursery. Anyway, with exam season underway, she’s doing her ‘A’ Levels. The thing is, exams aren’t just stressful for children (oh wait, she’s an adult now!), they’re stressful for us parents too. There’s a fine line between supporting and encouraging Have a great month everyone.
