Business

During the working week Danielle Mowlam specialises in estate administration in the private client department of law firm Blanchards Bailey. But at weekends, the Dorset-based legal executive dons a sequinencrusted skater dress and takes to the floor as captain of the England baton twirling team. Danielle, 26, has just returned from leading the team at the four-day European Championship in Selestat, near Strasbourg, in eastern France. She competed in individual and team events after spending hundreds of gruelling hours practicing routines. Danielle’s team was rewarded for their efforts with a silver medal and, in her individual event, Danielle made it to the final and finished in eight place. She is now preparing to compete in the World Championship in Holland in July. Danielle, who joined Blanchards Bailey in 2016, has been baton twirling since she was five. She is a member of Oasis Twirlstars, one of the UK’s leading teams, and undertakes a 110-mile round trip to their Basingstoke base every Saturday and Sunday for 14 hours of intensive training. Now a veteran member of the squad and competing alongside teammates as young as 13, Danielle has vowed not to retire until she has achieved everything she can. She said: “I’d quite like to coach in the future, but until then I want to go on competing at the highest level for as long as I can, but it’s hard on the body –sometimes I can’t move for a couple of days after a training session. “I absolutely love the sport and the massive commitment it requires is well worth it. To be named captain of

England was a real honour.” And when she is not training, Danielle, a private client executive specialising in estate administration, is working towards attaining her Chartered Legal Executive qualification. She said: “Some of my work colleagues think I’m a bit potty as when they go home for the night or weekend, I’ve always got my bag packed to go to the gym or to more training. “In fact, at the moment I’ve pretty much only got time for my baton twirling, work and studying for my exams.”

HIGH FLYER: Danielle Mowlam in action for England at the European baton twirling championships and, inset below, at her day job as an estate administrator Danielle picking up baton to twirl her way to glory

Get together and make connections at business event

Businesses are being invited to a third networking event in Bridport on Thursday, May 19 at 6.30pm. Connect Bridport is meeting at The Bull Hotel, Bridport. The Design Yard has partnered with the Chamber of Commerce and Bridport Mate once again to offer businesses the chance to meet and discuss opportunities and challenges. A spokesman for the event said: “We would like to thank you all for a fantastic and successful event, we are now delighted to go for round three. “The turnout was fantastic. We are still blown away by the support we have received from our local community. So once again thank you. It was lovely to hear that the event ‘had a nice informal and friendly feel’. “The aim of this bimonthly event is to bring people together just like it says in the name: Connect Bridport. After a rough couple of years, we believe that this is what was needed in Bridport: a feeling of togetherness. “But the real benefit of this is of course meeting new people, finding out more about local businesses, new entrepreneurship and people with a set of skills that could benefit you, and on top of that creating either business relationship or brand new friendship.” Two speakers are set to be announced soon. Tickets are £11.37 from eventbrite.co.uk/e/connectbridport-tickets-306343671 167