Yorkshire BusinessWoman - June Edition by Yorkshire BusinessWoman & TopicUK

S u p p o r t i n g fe m a l e b u s i n e s s w o m e n a c ro s s t h e Yo r k s h i re re g i o n

Nº9 Bi-Monthly

June 2022

Katie Mallinson

taking a leap of faith

Freemans collaborates with Mark Heyes Confidence for women

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LEXUS LEEDS Domestic Road, Holbeck, Leeds LS12 6HG www.lexus.co.uk/Leeds

Model shown is All-New NX 450h+. Official NX 450h+ fuel consumption figures in mpg (1/100km): 256.8-313.8 (0.9-1.1). Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 21-25. Electric NX 450h+ range in miles: 41.7-45.7. Figures are provided for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption, CO2 and/or equivalent all-electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results. Fuel consumption, CO2 produced and equivalent all-electric range can vary significantly depending on a number of factors, including the accessories fitted (post-registration), driving style, conditions, speed and vehicle load. All models and grades are certified according to the World Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). All mpg and CO2 figures quoted are full WLTP figures. For more information on WLTP and specific vehicle types see www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/fcb/wltp.asp.

Yorkshire

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Contents

Group Editor Gill Laidler

Administrator Charlotte Hall

Design Rob Blackwell

Official Photographers Roth Read Photography

Printed By: Charlesworth Press Wakefield

Cover : Katie Mallinson Image: ©Roth Read Photography 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.

To Partner Yorkshirebusinesswoman Tel: 07711 539047

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BUSINESS LEADERS AND ACADEMICS HONOURED

W O M E N I N N OVAT I O N AWARD FOR ALI

G R I S E L D A – T H E U N S TO P PA B L E WOMAN

F R E E M A N S PA RT N E R W I T H LOOSE WOMEN

P E R I M E N O PAU S E A N D M E N O PAU S E – FO O D FO R THOUGHT

A GEM IN THE CENTRE OF LEEDS

BUSINESSES AND BRANDS AT F B FA S H I O N B A L L

C OV E R F E AT U R E : K AT I E MALLINSON

NEW CEO FOR BEVERLEY BUILDING SOCIETY

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EditorsNotes by group editor Gill Laidler

Welcome to the ninth edition of Yorkshire Businesswoman. Spring has arrived and so has the number of events that are springing up around the region. I was lucky enough to be invited to visit The Marriott Hotel in Leeds recently and you can read about the experience on page 54. For the next edition I will be visiting and staying at Grantley Hall ahead of our afternoon tea, fashion show and networking event there on 16 September. Places are limited, do let me know if you would like a ticket before, they are all snapped up. Fashion seems to be making the headlines at the moment. A few weeks ago, I attended FB Leeds Fashion Ball in its 25th Year. Founder and organiser Lisa Darwin once again created a fabulous event and we are lucky that Lisa has agreed to join Yorkshire Businesswoman magazine as a fashion columnist from next edition. Lisa will also host the Grantley Hall event with us. We were also asked to support Northern Fashion Week that is taking place in July and attended the Leeds launch event at Harvey Nichols hosted by the director of Marketing Adventures, Brogan Huntington. I then headed to John Lewis for the Silver & Sassy event, organised by Yorkshire Businesswoman member Rachel Peru. Supporting Wakefield Hospice this week saw me attend the Jane McDonald lunch at Leeds United. We are hoping to secure an interview with Jane and feature her in our December edition.

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I am delighted to announce that actress Natalie Anderson has become ambassador for us joining Christine Talbot; Liz Green; Gaynor Faye; Milly Johnson and Amanda Owen. Hopefully Natalie will make it to some of our events. As I write this the country has gone Jubilee mad as we prepare for the extended bank holiday. I will be joining Lord St Oswald at Nostell Priory to plant a tree celebrating The Queen’s 70 years on the throne, then a couple of weeks later, at another tree planting, this time as The Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice plants a blossom tree in honour of the late Mandy Taylor MBE, the colleague we sadly lost a few months ago. Hopefully I will see you at some of our planned events over the summer and be back with our August / September edition. Gill You can email us at hello@ yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk or call us on 07711 539047

Coming up for members

What started as a bi-monthly event, held in conjunction with our partners Dakota Hotel, to coincide with Yorkshire Businesswoman magazine publishing, has now turned monthly, due to demand. It is now over 12 months since we launched the membership and we now have almost 150 members and still growing fast. We have a number of events coming up for the remainder of the year, so please do book early as places can be limited at certain venues. •

Friday 1st July – John Lewis Leeds – 7.15pm to 9.30 pm. First floor style area followed by private shopping exclusively for members.

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Friday 5th August – Dakota Hotel Leeds – 3pm to 5pm

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Friday 16th September – Grantley Hall – 2pm to 5pm Afternoon tea, fashion show, networking, tickets are £50 and places are limited.

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Friday 7th October – Dakota Hotel Leeds – 3pm to 5pm

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Friday 4th November – John Lewis Leeds – 7.15pm to 9.30pm. First floor style department with a Christmas party theme followed by private shopping exclusively for members.

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Friday 2nd and 9th December– Dakota Hotel Leeds – 12 noon to 5pm Christmas party, choose both dates or either.

As we put on more and more events the membership fee has increased to £25 per month from the beginning of June, but don’t worry, current member rates will not increase for those already signed up. For details or to sign up as a member visit the website https://yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk/signup/ or call Gill on 07711 539047

Yorkshire businesswoman secures finalist place in national franchising awards Yorkshire Businesswoman member Fiona Ibbetson of Get Ahead Leeds, York & Harrogate is celebrating being shortlisted in the Encouraging Women into Franchising (EWIF) Awards 2022 Fiona fought off fierce competition to be one of just four finalists in the Woman Franchisee of the Year category. The Encouraging Women into Franchising (EWIF) awards celebrate the achievements of women across the franchising industry. The Woman Franchisee of the Year award recognises the most successful woman franchisee in 2021. According to organisers, this year saw a record number of entries, and the standard was the highest in the twelve years of the EWIF Awards. Winners of each of the ten categories will be announced at the in-person EWiF Awards Ceremony on Thursday

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30th June 2022, at RBS Building, 280 Bishopsgate, London. Commenting on her shortlisting, Fiona said: “2021 was a massive year for my business. In June 2021, I took a giant leap towards achieving my vision by completing the purchase of the additional franchise of York and Harrogate. This allowed me to unlock significant growth by taking on new clients and new virtual assistants. I also became an award-winning business, winning the first-ever Great British Franchisee Awards 2021. As a result, I smashed my financial targets, and I expect to deliver even

higher numbers this year. With passion, drive and commitment, I overcame the challenges of COVID19 in 2020 and delivered exceptional results in 2021, creating a bigger, stronger, awardwinning business. I am immensely proud of everything I have achieved.” Rebecca Newenham, founder of Get Ahead said: “I am blown away by what Fiona has accomplished since starting her business just four years ago. To be shortlisted in this category, fighting off competition from other, well-established franchisees that have been in operation for many years, is fantastic. It has been a pleasure to support her on her journey so far. I know she will continue to go from strength to strength as she grows her specialist outsourcing team further and enables even more businesses to get ahead.”

Anchor, PPG Industries, Britvic and London Midland. As well as audience engagement projects for leading power, manufacturing, transport and logistics companies to inform their business growth strategies. And she joins Fantastic Media as Account Director with a remit to lead the strategic direction of client accounts and develop the agency’s content marketing and PR services. Fiona started her career as a newspaper journalist, before moving into corporate communications in 2002. Since then, she’s become a full-service marketeer, honing her skills in content marketing, digital marketing, internal communications, reputation management and PR.

New strategic hire for fantastic media with the appointment of content and PR Specialist

On joining Fiona says: “Fantastic Media has an enviable client list, and an incredibly talented creative team. It’s an integrated agency I admire, and their ethos of People, Results and Value really resonates, so for me it’s a perfect fit. I’m looking forward to working with the team, and really driving our content and PR offer so we deliver even more value and results for clients.”

Managing director Andy Hobson says: “We’ve successfully navigated the last two years with a continued focus on growth. And Fiona is a key new hire for us in 2022 as we look to future growth. She’s a business Fiona is a versatile and experienced scarlettabbott, Words&Pictures, consultant as well as a marketeer marketing consultant. She’s a CIPR Igniyte, and Allott and Associates, and brings a wealth of PR and (Chartered Institute of PR) Accredited leading projects for a range of content expertise to the agency. Practitioner, who brings 20 years’ national and global B2B and B2C Fiona is also commercially savvy, https://yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk/signup for understanding more information the challenges experience in content marketing and clients. With a proven track record orreally Gill on 07711 marketing 539047 owner managers face, and how to PR strategy to the agency. ofcall delivering high-quality Email hello@yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk communications, she’s led projects deliver strategic marketing that She’s worked at agencies Kindred, for brands including Carlsberg UK, delivers business results.”

The Leeds-based agency continues to win high profile marketing consultancy contracts and, as part of its strategic growth plans, it’s hired award-winning business communicator Fiona Broomfield to strengthen its content marketing and PR offering.

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Kuldip Kaur Bharj OBE recently appointed as Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire

Business leaders and academics honoured to be named new West Yorkshire Deputy Lieutenants Six local business and industry representatives have been appointed as new Deputy Lieutenants of West Yorkshire. Kuldip Bharj OBE has had a career in the NHS and academia and is an active promoter of inter-faith working; Roohi Collins is a retired partner with a leading firm of solicitors, a trustee of Leeds Community Foundation and a governor at Leeds Trinity University; Adeeba Malik CBE is Deputy CEO of the QED Foundation and advises Government on economic and

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social inclusion; John Robins QPM is Chief Constable of West Yorkshire and Roger Thomas QC who was the Honorary Recorder of Bradford 2012-17 and has recently retired after 18 years as a Circuit Judge. Deputy Lieutenants are assigned by Ed Anderson, HM Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire and support the

Lord-Lieutenant in carrying out his role as The Queen’s representative supporting faith, voluntary, social and business activities across the area. The position will require all new Deputy Lieutenants to undertake a variety of duties including attending events, suggesting nominations for national honours, promoting the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and encouraging businesses to apply for the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

Approach PR managing director Suzanne Watson, appointed as one of six new Deputy Lieutenants of West Yorkshire

A businesswoman in the Bradford Bradford Chamber of Commerce, the provision of midwifery education district for more than 21 years, Suzanne said: “It truly is an honour to and practice and has successfully led Suzanne has been recognised with be chosen for this role and I’m looking on issues of equal opportunities with several awards including Inspirational forward to working alongside some an ability to facilitate the generation Woman of the Year, Graduate incredibly inspiring individuals in of culturally Employer of the Year, Business representing our district and county. sensitive and appropriate Woman of the Year and Business Personality of the Year. Alongside “It’s a challenging time for all areas healthcare. running Approach from its office in of the community from voluntary to S h e s a i d : It’s a challenging w a s time for all areas Ilkley, Suzanne is on the board of business and as a Deputy Lieutenant “ I West & North Yorkshire Chamber of for West Yorkshire I will make the h u m b l e d of the community Commerce, on the board governors at very best of the opportunity to use and at the from voluntary to Bradford Grammar School, a trustee my life and business experience to same time business... of the National Eczema Society and support, encourage and represent h o n o u r e d b e a Yorkshire Champion, speaking the people of our wonderful county.” t o appointed passionately on radio, television and in the online and print media about Kuldip Bharj OBE, from Leeds, a as a Deputy her areas of expertise. senior academic with over forty Lieutenant for West Yorkshire. I am years engagement in midwifery thrilled to undertake this role and I Appointed in recognition of her role spanning education, research and am encouraged to have been provided in the business community, for her practice, has held several board level with this exciting opportunity to volunteering work in education and appointments in the public sector and continue my commitment to work with charity and as former president of has been dedicated to excellence in communities and make a difference Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Celebrity stylist and salon owner announces expansion

Nestled in the market town of Bawtry in South Yorkshire, salon-owner and award-winning hairdresser, Rebecca Dickenson, has not let a world-pandemic stop her in her tracks, instead has expanded her business.

Opening her salon just six months before the country went into Lockdown, the pandemic couldn’t have come at a worse time, but Rebecca has successfully appointed her ‘dream team’ of stylists and a top nail technician, and is in the middle of a renovation which will see her business expand into the lifestyle sector. Continued over FF

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“I found Lockdown gave people the chance to make their own changes too, and this included changing their hairdresser. Once a person builds a relationship with a hairdresser, they tend to stay with that person but not if they weren’t happy.” Rebecca has successfully appointed three top new stylists to her salon: Margaret Parkin, a specialist in hair recovery post cancer, alopecia, and medically related hair loss, as well as wig weft micro bonding. Hayley Morris is extremely adept with the scissors and in creating the

perfect cut, and Alex Ultey is a perfectionist in precision colours and adores balayage and the French techniques. Created Evie Botterill is the expert for LVL lashes, brow laminations, pedicures, manicures and gel polishes with builder gels. “I’m so lucky to have these experts on board with me, and that we can offer the specialist services of hair transformation, hair in recovery and also teaching here in the salon.

It’s such an exciting time for us,” continues Rebecca. In-between Lockdowns, Rebecca created the Valentina Collection which rocketed her career globally, winning the Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation (HABIC) International Black and White Image of the Year. the front cover of magazines internationally and has also just been featured in USA Today. 2022 will also see Rebecca open her second ‘lifestyle salon’ at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park HEX hotel.

As a special treat, Rebecca has offered a complimentary consultation and a Million Dollar Facial, personally tailored to one lucky Yorkshire Businesswoman reader. All you have to do is drop us an email at editor@yorkshirebusinesswoman.co.uk and tell us why you should be the winner of this fabulous prize. The editor’s decision is final, there is no cash prize alternative and transport to and from the salon in South Yorkshire is not included. The treatment is at the sole responsibility of the winner and the salon. Winners must be over the age of 18.

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Freemans are supporting Loose Women Freemans, the Bradford-based, digital department store, has announced a major two-year, six figure, cross-platform partnership with ITV’s Loose Women that launched in May. The exclusive new sponsorship represents a first for the brand and will deliver idents at the start, during, and at the end of each episode of the awardwinning weekday lunchtime show, as well as sponsorship

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bumpers across ITV Hub and Loose Women digital sites, in addition to ‘proud to sponsor’ messages on Freemans’ owned channels. Idents around the show will be voiced by show panellist Nadia Sawalha. Empowering Commenting Richard Cristofoli, chief customer officer, Freemans

said: “Loose Women is a show that goes all out to celebrate women in an honest, authentic, accessible, empowering, relatable and diverse way – values that align perfectly with Freemans and the journey we are on to be the digital department store of choice.” Cornerstone

Loose women panel From L to R: Charlene White Denise Welch Nadia Swahalha Jane Moore

18 months that has reached every customer touch point including the online experience, delivery promise and the retailer’s product offer that has seen Freemans introduce a whole host of exclusive names in fashion and home including Julien Macdonald, Henry Holland, Abigail Ahern and Siobhan Murphy.

“The sponsorship is an indication Heidi Kenyon-Smith, client MD, of a more holistic approach to iProspect said: “This exciting new communicating what the Freemans partnership, delivered through brand represents today and will our team in Manchester, enables compliment other through the line Freemans to positively benefit from activity including, association with paid social, elevated ITV’s much-loved ad campaigns, digital Loose Women yearand PR across the round, reaching a coming season. significant key Loose Women is a We’re incredibly audience. It marks show that goes all excited and proud an important next out to celebrate to be working with step in their brand women in an the team at Loose reinvention, will honest, authentic, help drive brand Women and ITV.” accessible, ... reappraisal and is a great example “Loose Wome n of how iProspect is a cornerstone collaborates with of our daytime dentsu colleagues programming and has a rich history of celebrating at The Story Lab to create effective and empowering real women and solutions for our clients.” discussing the biggest issues of the day. We are so thrilled that Freemans Freemans is headquartered in have chosen to partner with the show Bradford and the new partnership as their first TV sponsorship and as is the result of collaboration from they embrace the next phase of their teams in Manchester at dentsu brand and growth journey.” added UK&I’s iProspect and The Story Jason Spencer business development Lab, dentsu’s partnership content director ITV. arm, working together with ITV Media. Freemans is working with The sponsorship announcement production partner The Production follows a complete re-imagining of Factory to deliver their creative the Freemans brand over the last content.

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Marketing agency starts largest recruitment drive to date Family run business Brand Ambition operating in Leeds and Belfast, have recently employed a new PR and content manager to add to their growing team, bringing the number of employees to seven in under two years. Megan Hayward brings a wealth of experience to the role, with several years of experience in digital

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Megan said: “I am excited to be part of a company that is already growing so fast and working with amazing clients. The companies that Brand Ambition work with have incredible stories to share and are top contenders in their industry.

marketing in an agency setting and most recently marketing her own small business that flourished during the pandemic.

Sam Raife, managing director added: “Megan is a fantastic addition to the team, bringing with her a wealth of experience that embodies the type of clients we have, but also the type of clients we want to attract.”

Previously, Megan owned the very popular Revival Coffee and Donuts in Hull which created a cult following and achieved a large media presence that led to nationwide events, bringing customers from all over the country to the independent coffee shop.

With a growing client base, Brand Ambition are growing their agency by taking on new hires and plan to create a training academy for a team of apprentices to help the younger generation take their first step into digital marketing.

Ella Kybaluk and Lydia Fearnley

Wild PR celebrates two new members and a flurry of promotions Huddersfield-based PR and Communications agency Wild PR has recruited two new members of staff, taking its headcount to ten. Alongside the new recruits, four existing staff have also been promoted within the business. Ella Kybaluk joins the team as a PR and social media executive after completing a BA in Fashion Marketing at Leeds Beckett University and having previous experience as a marketing executive for The Hut Group (THG). Ella’s role involves content creation, pitching engaging press material, social media management and supporting campaign outreach. Also joining the team is University of Birmingham graduate Lydia Fearnley, bringing with her proficient writing skills having undertaken a degree in English Literature. Lydia’s responsibilities as campaign assistant include supporting her team with digital marketing and social media management and implementing PR campaigns for various clients. Whilst working full time, she is undertaking a Level 3 Digital Marketing apprenticeship to expand her skills and knowledge.

The four existing staff celebrating promotions are; Ellis Noble who has been promoted to Wild’s head of client services, having joined the business in 2020 as account director. Frankie Lyons has expanded her role from senior

The recent client wins have been an amazing start to the year for the agency..

Level 4 PR Apprenticeship has advanced to PR executive. The agency had an impressive start to 2022 after securing three new client wins within the first quarter, including Manchester-based office design specialist Opus 4, dermatology clinic Aventus Clinic and the award-winning Huddersfield Literature Festival. Speaking on the recent appointments and promotions, founder and managing director Katrina Cliffe, said: “The recent client wins have been an amazing start to the year for the agency, and we expect to continue the success for the remainder of the year.

“Not only have the recent appointments helped us to grow as a business and welcome Ella and Lydia to Wild, but we can also celebrate the hard work the team digital PR manager to digital PR director. have put in over the last few months. Mollie Earnshaw was promoted from It has allowed us to modernise the senior PR executive to junior account structure of the teams within the agency manager, and junior PR executive Abigail and optimise our way of working to get Gosling, who is currently undertaking a the best possible results for our clients.” Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Bed manufacturer cements partnership & non-exec director appointment Bedmaker Harrison Spinks has set out plans to secure its position as industry leader in luxury sustainable comfort with the announcement of a partnership with a sustainability consultancy and the appointment of a non-executive director. It follows news earlier this month that the Leedsbased business has become the UK’s largest hemp grower following the acquisition of 80 acres of farmland in North Yorkshire, allowing the company to produce in excess of 1,000 tonnes of hemp annually. The 180-year-old family-run business has a track record which includes three Queen’s Awards in sustainability and innovation, an industry first Carbon Neutral Plus accreditation and was the first in the sector to partner with British Wool on its traceable wool scheme. Harrison Spinks has appointed leading sustainability and social responsibility advisor Dr Louise Ellis – who has more than 25 years’ experience of leading organisations to make a difference and strive for environmental and social equity – as nonexecutive director. Louise’s experience includes both an academic career and working in commercial and large organisational settings. The company is also working with management consultancy Project Rome to support in the development of their sustainability roadmap. Simon Spinks, group chairman said: “For many years, Harrison Spinks has worked to create a business where the quality and comfort of our products are underpinned by continuous innovation and a sustainable approach.

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“We believe that comfort and sustainability go hand in hand and our goal is to be world leaders in both as we create a circular business that leaves the world in a better place for future generations. “We are pleased to make a joint announcement as we welcome Dr Louise Ellis as a non-executive director and Project Rome who will help us redefine our plans to include an emphasis on our people, our community and sustainable, circular manufacture. “Becoming a circular business – where we strive to use recycled components and where we grow or manufacture as much of our own sustainable materials as possible on our farms and at our headquarters, and where our products are fully circular at the end of their life – will become the focus for our plans going forward.” Dr Louise Ellis said:“Harrison Spinks has taken great strides to be an industry leader in the realm of sustainability and has been at the vanguard of the circular economy for more than a decade and I’m delighted to be joining the business as a non‐executive director. “Working collaboratively, we will develop a roadmap for the future as the business looks to invest and work in new ways to drive forward environmental and social equity; to ensure positive change for the environment, society and the Harrison Spinks community.”

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National Women in Innovation Award for Wakefield’s Ali Gordon. The pandemic created a lot of uncertainty for many businesses, not least for the hospitality sector. The challenges facing businesses and the economy inspired Wakefield-based entrepreneur Ali Gordon to step up and make a difference. The Eat Out Round About mobile app was created and trialled in Wakefield after Ali secured the backing of an Innovate UK Award. The idea was inspired when Eat Out to Help Out was delivered by the government in August 2020 and was unsustainable. Ali saw a way that a scheme could be funded by the private sector, help businesses to grow, reward customers and employees with the ability to dine out with 50% off, drive revenue into hospitality and stimulate local economies. Eat Out Round About trials generated over a 600% return on investment for the local Wakefield economy. Ali said: “Creating an idea to stimulate dining out during a global pandemic

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has not always been easy. I am truly humbled to be recognised nationally for my achievements with this prestigious award. As an ambassador for innovation, I am looking forward to raising the profile of innovation across Wakefield, Yorkshire, and The North of England over the next 12 months, and to inspire women and girls as we continue to innovate and expand Eat Out Round About”. The award will be used to carry out further trials with the backing of Wakefield Council’s economic growth team and reaching out into wider local authorities to maximise economic impact. Eat Out Round About will be working in partnership with local

business communities, high street retailers, cultural destinations, events and festivals to help make vouchers more accessible. The funding will also be used to build a free online tool for businesses to access employee and customer reward Eat O ut vouchers and a marketplace with dining out incentives for staff and their customers when they source with local suppliers. “As a business community we are passionate about our members supporting their local economy. We are delighted to partner with Eat Out Round About, so that our community can connect and save as they dine out together and help the local economy” said Claire Sutherley, managing director of We Are Wakefield. “With the ever-increasing challenges for the economy and rising living costs, it is ever more important to come together and think outside of the box in ways to help everyone continue to enjoy more of their local area and have the affordability to dine out together” Ali added.

Fashion retailer selling clothes designed by the people for the people A Barnsley fashion retailer has taken to designing her own ranges after becoming fru s t ra te d b y t h e l a c k o f fashionable options for Plussize women. Mum of two, Claire Swallow, runs The Closet Queen in Barnsley’s Victorian Arcade has recently started designing outfits and having them manufactured. Claire turned designer after customers to her boutique store kept telling her they wished clothes were better designed for women over a size 18. She now sends her designs to skilled manufacturers in the UK and Italy and

sells them in her store, alongside key ranges she’s hand-picked herself. Closet Queen is one of many businesses benefiting from the transformed town centre following the development of The Glass Works. Footfall across the town centre has increased and Barnsley has also been awarded a Purple Flag, which recognises the safe, diverse and vibrant evening economy, for the third consecutive year. Showcasing Claire’s business has grown rapidly in recent years. After outgrowing her successful stall at Barnsley Markets,

she moved to The Victorian Arcade three years ago. She moved again to a larger unit in the Arcade last year and business remains strong. Closet Queen also makes expert use of social media to gather feedback for Claire’s latest designs, ensuring that the final product will be on-trend and popular with the store’s fans. Claire and her loyal staff host a Facebook Livestream every Tuesday to engage with followers. They are also active on TikTok, where a video showcasing a comfy jumper went viral and was viewed by over 100,000 people. The viral sensation resulted in a surge in online orders, particularly from America. Closet Queen’s identity and company values are firmly based on Claire’s own struggles to find well-fitting fashionable outfits for Plus-size women. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

British business flies the flag for a green Jubilee 24 Y o r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s W o m a n

This June, independent eco brand, Cosy Cottage Soap is celebrating the positive environmental impact its customers have made in the past year. To mark the achievements and support of the Queen’s “plant a tree for the Jubilee” campaign, Cosy Cottage Soap has dedicated the May/June box in its bi-monthly sudscription service to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Through sales of plastic, palm oil and cruelty-free bathing, cleaning and skincare products, Cosy Cottage Soap reports it has saved 225,000 plastic bottles from landfill and avoided 11

tonnes of palm oil consumption. The company does not use the preservatives, detergents and sulphates found in many mass-produced soaps, which has prevented over four million

The special Jubilant May-June box includes Bank Holiday pampering essentials such as a nourishing bath bomb, coconut oil soap, aluminium-free natural deodorant and – as a pledge to support neighbouring businesses - a Union Flag branded bar of salted caramel chocolate, handmade in York by ChocAffair. Packaged in red, white and blue ribbons, this fully recyclable box makes a royally relaxing gift or self-indulgent treat! Sustainable

leakages of endocrine-disrupting parabens into the environment. The service was established to help people commit to a more sustainable lifestyle and has quickly become popular for gifting and engage regular customers. The handpicked and handmade selection of natural skincare, bathing and beauty products – worth £36 – features full-sized special editions and pre-release products to kick start a greener lifestyle for as little as £13.50 a month.

C l a r a C h a l l o n e r Wa l k e r, Founder, comments: “Doing right by the planet is at the heart of everything we do, and we are always looking to help people make more sustainable choices, and, more importantly, ones they can commit to. Our sudscription boxes introduce customers to green versions of everyday products. The bimonthly delivery means they can try a range of natural bathing, cleaning and skincare items, top up their cupboards and find new favourites. Many people choose to gift sudscription boxes, treating lo ved ones to a surprise every couple of months and encouraging them to indulge in a planet-friendly pamper session.

Doing right by the planet is at the heart of everything we do...

“Through the Green Canopy initiative, Queen Elizabeth is using the Jubilee to leave an environmental legacy, and, in her honour, we have handpicked a range of sustainable products. I’m excited to see our next Jubilee-themed box arrive on our customers’ doorsteps and hear their thoughts.” Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Hormones, Peri-menopause and Menopause -food for thought Author: Nicki Campbell - Life Without Limits Ltd Health & Wellness Coach

Menopause awareness is increasing in the UK, particularly in workplaces, but we still have some way to go in understanding the impact this time of life has on women, and all those who they are close to. Menopause is not a disease, or illness or condition. It is a natural biological process, occurring due to our changing hormones. Women are ‘hormonal beings’, and are used to experiencing hormonal fluctuations

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through puberty and pregnancy, as well as their monthly cycle. Whilst many of us have over time adapted and become resilient to the impact of this hormonal rollercoaster on our mental and physical health, when

peri-menopause and menopause hit, it’s a different ball game all together. For some, this time is a breeze, for others a nightmare with seemingly very little in between. The word hormone, comes from a Greek verb meaning ‘to arouse or excite’. They are part of an interconnected network of chemical messengers that influence many physical and mental actions and reactions. They contribute to every function of our body - metabolism and growth, reproduction, digestion, skin and hair quality, bone strength, sleep, maintaining a healthy weight and managing stress effectively. We cannot live without them. They are vital for health. It’s incredible that the hormones providing us with vitality and energy, are also capable of plunging us into gloom and despair.

like themselves and low libido all symptoms of early hormonal changes, - is often diagnosed as depression. Whilst many of you may agree that fluctuating hormones can feel like depression, treating it as depression isn’t tackling the root cause. In peri-menopause oestrogen levels are fluctuating, and progesterone and sometimes testosterone is low. It is often different between women, not one size fitting all, and definitely not all about oestrogen, which we are so often led to believe. Official menopause occurs once there has been an absence of periods for 12 months. The consistent absence of or very low oestrogen levels bring additional challenges such as the dreaded hot flushes, vaginal dryness, joint aches and brain fog to name but a few.

Symptoms Our bodies have over 50 hormones. And it is our sex hormones, that fluctuate the most at the time of peri-menopause and menopause. Given the relationship between all of our hormones, a change in our sex hormones can throw everything out of balance! Think of an orchestra - lots of individual parts playing to make up the whole, but with one instrument out of tune, the whole performance is affected. The peri-menopause can start anywhere after the age of 35, and many peri-menopausal symptoms are overlooked by women themselves, as well as conventional doctors. Sometimes, when women seek help, they are told to simply ‘accept getting older’. Alternatively, the description of increasing anxiety, fatigue, not sleeping, not feeling

Sometimes, when women seek help, they are told to simply ‘accept getting older...’

So what we can do? Here’s a few things to consider: 1.

Keep a journal of your symptoms, physical and emotional, from the moment

you notice things are changing. 2.

Become aware of what aggravates those symptoms and seek help from a reputable source to implement nutrition a n d l i f e s t y l e c h a n g e s to minimise them.

Sleep is often difficult, and routine does help improve this.

Reduce stress, easier said than done, but there is a huge relationship between stress hormones, sex hormones and weight hormones, and stress is just compounding the whole thing.

Don’t fear HRT but please explore Bio or Body Identical Hormones. If you can, find a doctor or hormone clinic that will actually test your levels before prescribing anything, especially if you are perimenopausal.

We need to help more women learn about and recognise peri-menopause sooner than most currently do. There are effective nutritional and lifestyle changes that can help, and some would benefit from safe hormone support at an earlier age. Many women I speak to have lost some of what should be the best years of their lives, letting go of dreams and aspirations because they feel exhausted, depressed and embarrassed with the ever changing body that they seemingly have no influence or control over. It doesn’t need to be like this.

If this is you and you’d like to join a community of like-minded women for more support and advice, please drop me an email at nicki@lifewithout-limits.co.uk Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

alternative ways in which they can power their fleet. Owing to the Government Net-Zero target, the increased social spotlight on climate-change and the importance of legitimate green credibility for tenders and commercial contracts, it’s now more important than ever that businesses look to their own organisations carbon impact. Embracing a carbon offsetting scheme like this doesn’t just balance the CO2e output from an organisations fuel but also increases funding for green projects which can have a positive impact on many lives by bringing economic and social improvements to entire communities.”

Greenarc Fuel Cards

launch carbon offsetting initiative to drive forward carbon neutrality Burnley based Greenarc Fuel Cards have introduced a new carbon offsetting service to their thousands of nationwide business fuel card users. This initiative supports Greenarc customers and other commercial fuel users to make a positive contribution to the environment by funding several CO2e prevention and reduction projects across the world. Carbon offsetting is the process off balancing the carbon emissions caused by an action such as using fossil fuels in vehicles by investing in carbon reduction or carbon prevention projects to an equal level. These projects can include forestry restoration schemes, hydroelectric power stations and solar and wind farms. Formally known as Craggs Fuel Cards, Greenarc Fuel Cards have recently

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changed their name to highlight their new vision and align their green focus to drive sustainability forward for fossil fuel users across the UK. Matthew Crockett, Managing Director said: “This is the next crucial step for our company and it’s important to us that we are able to educate and support our customers with methods to reduce their carbon footprint and look into

Kevin Jackson, Sales Manager comments: “We’ve spent the last year putting the foundations in place, researching the process, and working with verified carbon developers to ensure we can deliver and support our customers with our brand-new carbon offsetting service. From speaking to businesses and our large customer base we know that there is already a huge appetite in the market for this service and we can’t wait to work with companies around the UK as a trusted partner to help them start their decarbonisation journey.” Greenarc Fuel Cards have partnered with leading carbon offset verification organisations such as Gold Standard, Verified Carbon Standard the Climate Action Reserve to ensure the projects they fund are both legitimate and available for investment and provide their customers with details on a monthly basis of the amount of carbon which has been offset and the green projects which were supported.

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Griselda is an unstoppable woman By: Gill Laidler - Editor YorkshireBusinessWoman

Griselda Togobo MPhil, ACA is an international corporate consultant and trainer. She is also a multi -face ted entrepreneur, engineer and chartered accountant. At her core, she is a commercially focused business consultant, but her experience as a black woman in a corporate world drives her. Yorkshire Businesswoman editor Gill Laidler caught up with Griselda, who is passionate about supporting female leaders through Forward Ladies, a 20,000 strong professional women’s network and to learn more about her new book Unstoppable Women, that features female entrepreneur stories that inspire and motivate. Did you attend University? Yes, it was always a life ambition to go to university as my mother was denied education based on her gender. I graduated from Cambridge University with an advanced engineering degree in Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management. It was an emotional day when she came for my graduation at Senate House. It was for her as much as it has been for me. I’m also a charted accountant after qualifying whilst in full-time employment. What was your first job? I’ve had many jobs as I grew up working alongside my mother. My first properly paid job was in the NHS as an admin.

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What did you want to do when you were growing up?

as I wanted a more flexible set-up after having my son.

I always wanted to be an engineer and was thrilled when I became one.

Is your industry difficult for a woman to succeed in?

When did you start in your current position?

I work with leaders and CEO’s mostly in the engineering, professional sectors advising them on building inclusive culture. It is a well-known fact that it is difficult to attract women into the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths sectors and even harder to progress them within the industry.

I started working for myself in January 2011 when my son was six months old. I was denied my request to work flexible whilst on maternity leave, which tipped the balance in favour of self-employment

There are several contributing factors. I must add that the issue is not the women - it is cultural and systemic. The industry is male dominated with outdated practices and perspectives. I get my female-fix though the work I do developing women leaders at forwardladies.com What is the best part of your role? I e n j o y m e e t i n g i n te r e s t i n g, inspirational people. I can’t get enough of them. That is why I wrote the book Unstoppable Women - after meeting so many wonderful women at forwardladies.com. I wanted to share their stories successes and failures to show others that they also do it. My passion for personal stories has also led me to host a regular podcast where I interview inspirational female leaders. I believe that the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we read and hear matter greatly. And the worst? Admin. It is not my favourite thing to do, so I delegate as much as possible. It was a happy day when I realised that they are people born to love admin.

FACT FILE: Husband: Dr Michael Togobo Children: Makavo Togobo (11years) & Elinam Togobo (5 years) What car do you drive? Land Rover Sport What do you do in your leisure time? Hiking and being out in nature exploring new places

What would you change if you could? Inequality, hate and bigotry. It is robbing our world of peace. What is a typical day like? There is no typical day as no two days are the same. I could be behind the computer training all day with clients in a different time zone and have to start later the next day. I could spend a day writing and another day doing a keynote. I love the variety and flexibility of my work. W h a t a re y o u r p l a n s fo r the future? I plan to do more of what I’m doing now, doing my bit to make the world more inclusive for all groups of people. I will continue to work with women, men, and businesses to put equality into practice because I believe it is an opportunity for positive change to create a high-performance culture where all people love to come to work and contribute. We all stand to win in a world like that. When did you decide you wanted to write a book? I decided to write the book in 2018, but I

Where is your favourite restaurant? I don’t have a favourite restaurant. I love anywhere that serves great food and offers an excellent ambience. I like to try new places too. A shout out to Tharavadu in Leeds for serving amazing South Indian food. What is your favourite food and drink? Spicy food, especially seafood. I do love a nice bottle of wine to go with it.

never got around to finishing it until the pandemic hit and all my programmes were put on hold. As they say, there is always a silver lining in every cloud. Will you write anymore? Yes! The Unstoppable Women book is my third book. I have more books in me, and I can’t wait to get started again. What advice would you give to your younger self? I’d advise my younger self not to overthink things and not fixate on other people’s opinions. I now believe there is really no failure when you believe in lessons and life being a feedback process. If you were starting again, what if anything would you do differently? I would take more risks and dream bigger. Griselda kindly sent me a copy of her book and I can highly recommend to any business lady. Every woman featured in the book is a fantastic role model and successful by any definition of success, yet most of them still face daily personal challenges despite their success. A must read

Where is your favourite holiday destination? Anywhere with sun and beach. In Europe, I love France. Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? Nostell Priory is high up there on the list. What is your favourite gadget? My iPhone What couldn’t you live without? My goal achiever planner.

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

Our health is our wealth, & our future If the last two years have made us consider and value anything – it is our health and our wellbeing. For many of us, our health only becomes a priority when something seriously goes wrong – it is not high on our radar – until a medical condition brings it to our attention. By: Janet Milner-Walker - Founder of Bespoke Advantage

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he pandemic completely turned this around – with time on our hands, and with our health being brought to the forefront of our lives, the world of wellness has exploded exponentially. It is no longer about treating a cause or a symptom when it comes to our health, but about ensuring we are functioning at our optimum best. The wellness industry encompasses personal care and beauty, fitness, healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss, wellness tourism, mental health, and complementary and preventative medicine.

In day’s gone back wellness was considered a luxury – booking a holiday to a wellness retreat or spending a day in a luxury spa – now it is how we lead our everyday lives. We have become far more aware of our health, wellbeing, fitness levels, quality of sleep, how to manage our stress levels, and what makes us happy. According to a recent report by the Global Wellness Industry this sector is forecast to accelerate at an annual growth of 10% to reach $7 trillion by 2025 due to a growing global middle class, an ageing population, and a rise in chronic disease.

From red light therapy to IV therapy, such as vitamin drips, and detox programs, infrared therapies, and salt therapies – we can expect to see more of this in locations from spas Janet is the founder of to salons and gyms. ABOUT JANET MILNERWALKER

Bespoke Advantage, a brand management company that build brands across the beauty sector, she writes So, what can we expect to see emerging for several publications on in this sector in 2022? the topics of beauty and wellbeing, she is also a Investment in our health from the consultant, and a speaker. inside out Over the past twenty years she has developed and It is not only our physical health we are launched products and concerned for – our mental health is also brands for M&S, Har vey a priority, and we are now spending more Nichols, Boots, Body Shop time on activities that help to boost our a n d C r a b t re e & E v e l y n creativity and to challenge our mind. Like as well as worked with learning to play the piano, painting, and many start-ups. Bespoke writing – we are embracing ways in which Advantage’s award-winning to keep our brains fit, whilst managing our portfolio of clients include stress levels at the same time. beauty and wellness brands, professional Unsurprisingly the word ‘Immunity’ is spas and salons, retailers, a focal point. One in three of global investors, and entrepreneurs consumers are more concerned about b a s e d i n t h e U K a n d immunity than pre-pandemic, with women internationally – www. reported to be more interested than men. thebespokeadvantage.com.

Collagen is naturally produced by our body, and is the building block to keeping our skin, hair and nails looking young. As we age the amount of collagen our body produces, depletes, hence the need to supplement. Collagen has gone mainstream – with more of us aware of the need to supplement – and is popping up in every format – from capsules to liquids to our daily cup of coffee and it comes in both a marine version as well as those suitable for vegans. We are also far more aware of our nutritional levels, and over the past two years, we have seen an explosion of subscription boxes – from Hello Fresh, to Gousto, Mindful Chef, and The Doctors Kitchen – providing both convenience and the ability to eat more balanced meals. It is also becoming easier for us to be mindful of the impact of our lifestyle on our future health and wellbeing, through real time preventative health devices, which enable us to measure everything Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

from our blood sugar levels to our blood pressure, our breathing, and the quality of our sleep. No more counting Sheep Talking about sleep … over 30% of consumers are complaining about a lack of sleep, with insomnia being one of the top researched terms on Google last year. We are now able to track our quality of light, deep and REM sleep through smart watches and devices like Apple, Fitbit, and Garmin. We are investing in our ability to get a good night’s sleep – with pillow sprays, camomile teas, soothing music from crashing waves to the sound of rain, and meditation apps – sleep is big business. Learning to Stretch Over the past two years, those of us who have been gainfully employed, have been juggling working from home and spending a lot more time sitting at a desk behind a computer screen. Pre-pandemic burpees, spin classes and power pump were all the rage.

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Now we are more interested in the science behind what is genuinely good for us, than the latest fad exercises in the gym, like low intensity exercise – from stretching to yoga, Pilates, and morning walks. Traditional yoga is extending to facial yoga, with more of us investing in sessions to tone the muscles in our face and our necks. The pandemic has also seen the rise of post-exercise products, to reduce muscle soreness, this includes CBD products like Puresport. As we venture back into our corporate offices, companies are investing in our health and fitness. A survey done by Gympass, a health and fitness app providing unlimited access to gyms, studios, and wellbeing apps, reported that 77% of employees believe it is important that their employer provided affordable wellness options, with many stating it affected their decision about whether to join a company. Becoming more Intimate Another growing sector of the wellness

industry is sexual wellness, historically a taboo subject, we are now far more open to discussing this sensibly. A plethora of brands and products have entered this marketplace, with the global sexual wellness market expected to reach $125.1 billion by 2026. Sexual wellness includes therapy sessions, workshops, sexual performance therapies and treatments for sexual health. Femtech, which forms part of sexual wellness encompasses a p p s r e l a te d to p r e g n a n c y, me nopause and pe riods, and smart tech devices like wearable breast pumps and pelvic floor e xe r c i s e t r a i n e r s f r o m E l v i e , Smile Makers is a brand that is on a m i s s i o n to m a ke w o m e n ’ s ’ sexuality a daily part of their over wellbeing through introducing products from massage oils to innovative sex toys. The wellness industry is providing us with more reasons than ever before to look and feel our optimum best. Our health is our wealth and the key to our future.

Marketing with Just as every business is unique, so is every strategy. As an integrated marketing agency, we are ideally situated to identify the perfect mix of tactical marketing channels that allow us to execute upon a plan born of true INSIGHT. INSIGHT enables us to get under the skin of your business, its services, products, audiences, competitors and so much more. From here, we are expertly positioned to develop a marketing strategy that is supported by a comprehensive plan outlining the what, how, where and when to help you achieve your short and long-term objectives.

This is Integrated Marketing. This is Marketing with . This is Fantastic.

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0113 246 4425

Freemans announces new collaboration

Love, Mark Heyes Freemans, the digital department store, has announced its latest Added Mark Heyes, “Growing up, I signing with a new, exclusive collaboration with stylist and TV remember my mum’s well-thumbed presenter Mark Heyes - best known for his fashion advice on television. Freemans’ catalogue and it must have been one of the first places that This heralds the first collection Mark through to a range of models of inspired my love of fashion so when has designed himself based on years of differing ages and sizes stepping out they approached me, I didn’t have styling TV celebrities and viewers alike. of their front doors ready to embrace to think twice. the day. “My first collection takes its inspiration Called ‘Love, Mark Heyes’, the range spans an initial 50 piece daywear A full digital marketing campaign from the French Riviera and holidays collection for SS22 that offers casual accompanies the TV across paid social, in the ‘Med’ and has everything you summer fashion across tops, dresses, display and YouTube and Freemans need for the summer months. Easy to wear with colourful prints, stripes, trousers and shorts designed to fit and owned channels, as well as PR. and checks, complimented by primary flatter women of all ages. Commenting, Richard Cristofoli, chief blues, whites and red with touches A year in development, Love Mark customer officer, said: “Mark has been of broderie anglaise thrown in for Heyes, is priced from £25 to £65 and providing the nation with help and good measure.” The collaboration the range is available in sizes from 10 advice on how to dress for the last builds on Freeman’s ambition to to 24, backed by the online retailer’s 24 years and as such was the perfect be the digital department store of choice for Freemans’ customers both choice. Since its relaunch in Autumn free delivery promise. 2020, Freemans has been growing existing and new.” significantly faster than the market. The launch will be supported by a full marketing campaign across TV, digital “His down to earth, relatable, fun, Mark now joins other well-known and social channels, led by the stylist and inclusive approach to fashion names such as Julien MacDonald, is perfectly aligned with where we Abigail Ahern and Henry Holland and presenter himself. are taking the Freemans brand. We that have signed to the online retailer The 20 second TV ad takes us from are delighted with the first collection to complement its other own brand Mark Heyes’ in his design studio, that drops just in time for brighter ranges including Bon Prix, Lascana and Kaleidoscope. pinning and creating his collection and warmer days”.

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A local business initiative to raise funds for Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity Business Connections is the brainchild of Lisa East – founder of The Thinking Cap and corporate marke ting volunteer – and Nicki Hood – philanthropy and partnership manager at Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity (YBTC). Lisa initially told Nicki about losing her father through multiple brain tumours just before the pandemic and how she admired the work YBTC undertakes in the local community. Nicki explained that it was extremely difficult, post Covid-19, trying to raise the £5,000 per month needed for YBTC to continue to fund brain tumour research and support affected families. People had started to cut back on buying new, instead making

do, reusing and upcycling more. As a consequence, donations for charity shops had tailed off. And, with only one shop it had become difficult to obtain the necessary donations to raise sufficient funds. This resonated with Lisa, who became determined to be part of the solution. She started to think how she could help the charity to raise money and came up with the idea of a Business Club, where Yorkshire employers could give something back to the community with YBTC as their preferred charity partner. Business Connections was born, the name reflecting the business element, connections in the brain and the connections made between businesses and the charity in supporting one another.

“Following my chat with Nicki, I felt the instant draw and needed to help. And what better way than starting and marketing a new business supporters’ club?” said Lisa. Lisa’s role as corporate marketing volunteer, providing marketing support for Business Connections, uses the know-how gained as founder of The Thinking Cap – a social media and content company that manages clients’ social media or helps with training. Lisa writes press releases, uses her contacts on behalf of the charity, and manages processes for getting things done. The ladies are inviting at least 200 Yorkshire business owners who have a connection with brain tumours and would like to give something back, to get involved. In addition to making positive connections in the community, some other benefits are: •

Laboratory tours at hospitals to see current research

•

Discounts on YBTC event tickets

•

Social media coverage

•

Backlinks to their website

•

Members’ networking events

•

Ongoing fundraising tips – fun ideas for staff involvement

As well as counselling and practical help, YBTC also funds brain tumour research in three hospitals: St James’ in Leeds, Hull University Hospital and Sheffield University Hospital. To find out more, go to yorksbtc. org.uk/business-connections or contact Nicki@yorksbtc.org.uk Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

YBW welcomes Freda With new food columnist - Freda Shafi

Hi everyone, I’m Freda Shafi A mum of two, passionate home cook, food blogger and stylist who loves to create and share healthy, everyday meals, made from scratch. Having qualified as an artist many years ago, I believe that creating food is an art form that entices us first with our eyes, then our senses. I love to make food look and taste beautiful, as well as make it accessible and affordable for everyone, especially at a time when we are all cutting costs. I demonstrate this in my daily recipes, which I share over at my Instagram page; how to make dishes that save

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you money, time and effort without compromising on taste. An advocate for buying and using seasonal produce wherever possible, I strongly believe that nature provides us with ingredients that help to keep us healthy and well from within. I even call my spice box “nature’s medicine cabinet!” Amongst my varied work in the food

industry, I’ve delivered guest chef supper clubs, at venues which have included Harvey Nichols, cookery classes at Leeds Cookery School and demonstrations at North Leeds Food Festival and more. I strongly believe that creating and sharing food is a natural conduit to connect people of all backgrounds and cultures, as well as inspiring the inner chef in everyone. I’m delighted to bring you two of my favourite recipes each month in the Yorkshire Business Woman magazine and I hope you try them and more importantly enjoy them!

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

lamb loin depending on your budget • Juice of 1 lime • 1 tsp crushed coriander seeds • 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes • 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger • 1 tbsp freshly crushed garlic • 1 small bunch mint chopped finely • ¼ tsp garam masala • 1 green chilli finely chopped (optional) • 1 tbsp vegetable oil or butter • 2 tbsp plain yogurt • Salt to taste • To serve • Fresh mint and coriander leaves Place a frying pan on a medium to high heat and toast the cumin and coriander seeds for a few minutes until fragrant; make sure they don’t burn by moving them around swiftly in the pan . Transfer to a grinder or pestle and mortar and grind down.

Spicy spring lamb cutlets with Moroccan spiced cous cous Blossoms and tulips and beautiful spring produce that make this month feel so uplifting and bright. One of my many favourite seasonal produce this month has to be spring lamb. Whether you buy it from your local butcher or supermarket, you cannot go wrong with the flavours that my recipe for these spicy cutlets brings to your table. Succulent and fragrant, this char grilled lamb is marinated in lime juice, ginger garlic and warm crushed spices, all served with a Moroccan couscous. As well as being packed with flavour, it’s a good source of balanced

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nutrition with the side dish of couscous. It really is a fabulous fusion of tastes and easy to create, so please do give it a try. Nutritional values Approx. 175 calories per lamb cutlet 200 calories per serve of Moroccan cous cous Preparation Time 25-30 minutes Cooking time 25 minutes Basic cost £7 for a family of 4 (may vary based on where produce is bought)

Ingredients 8 lamb cutlets* you can use chops or

Place all other ingredients into a blender together with the toasted cumin and coriander and blitz together. Coat the lamb chops generously with the marinade making sure every part is covered. Refrigerate ideally overnight, but otherwise a minimum of 2 hours. When ready to cook, heat up the grill up to a high heat. Place the lamb cutlets evenly into a baking tray / grill. Add another drizzle of oil or butter over them. Cook under the grill for at least 5- 7 minutes each side until they sizzle and turn golden brown and ensure the chops are cooked through. Sprinkle with finely chopped mint and coriander leaves and serve immediately with the couscous.

Moroccan spiced couscous

for a few more minutes

Ingredients

•

• • • •

• • •

• • • • • • •

100g / 1 cup dried couscous 1 ½ cups vegetable stock 1 medium red onion diced Mixed bell peppers - 1 yellow, 1 green and 1 red finely chopped (only use half of each pepper) 3 m e d j o o l d a te s r o u g h l y chopped (optional) 1/2 tsp sweet paprika 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp turmeric 1/4 tsp chilli powder / cayenne pepper

1 400g tin chick peas washed and drained Salt to taste 2tbsp olive oil Garnish :Fresh parsley or coriander

Method Place a frying pan or skillet over a medium heat and add the chopped onions, peppers and oil. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and the peppers soften

Add the chickpeas and stir through followed by the stock Add the couscous and stir through. Turn off the heat and leave to stand in the saucepan until all the stock / liquid is fully absorbed by the couscous. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with fresh parsley or coriander and chopped dates Serve alongside with the spiced lamb cutlets

Mix in the spices and salt and sauté

Lemon Drizzle Bundt cake Another favourite, that I love to bake around spring time. This Lemon drizzle Bundt cake is zesty and minty and fresh. The first home-grown mint shoots of the year appeared earlier this month, so they have to be used on absolutely everything including this yummy cake.

Nutritional value • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Approx. 200 calories per serve (1/8 cake) Preparation Time 10 minutes Bake time 25 – 30 minutes Ingredients: 4 large free-range eggs 225g/8oz caster sugar 225g/8oz self-raising flour 1 level tsp baking powder 225g/8oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing Juice of a whole lemon For the drizzle and garnish 200g icing sugar, sifted 2 tsp lemon juice Grated skin / rind of 1 whole lemon Fresh mint leaves (optional) Preheat the oven to 180C/160C

Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a cake tin (I used a Bundt cake tin) with butter

The cake is ready when it’s goldenbrown and coming away from the edge of the tin. Check it’s cooked through with a skewer.

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and butter. Combine with a handheld whisk or mixer. Fold in the flour gradually and mix everything together until well combined.

Place it onto a cooling rack. For the drizzle, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice beat until smooth but not too runny. Add more lemon juice if necessary

Add the lemon juice and stir through Place mixture into the greased cake tin then place the tin on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 30- 40 minutes

Pour the icing / drizzle over the top of the cake, so it drops over the edge as shown; sprinkle lemon rind and fresh mint (optional) as a garnish Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Agency in the spotlight:

Does that mean you plan to stay ‘small’?

Youbee Media are a new, but fiercely growing marketing agency based in Leeds. To understand the journey behind their growth, their hopes for the future and what makes Youbee different, Sophie Mei Lan sat down with Director Rebecca Hopwood to find out more.

I chose this path because I love building and nurturing relationships. I’m a real people-person and I never want to lose touch with my team, the clients we work with or the network of people around us. It may be an irrational fear, but it reflects just how much these relationships mean to me. I’ve heard stories of things changing for other agencies, so I’m mindful of that. We have a real bond, or ‘Hive Mind’ as our Head of Creative, Dena would say.

Youbee Media

So Rebecca, can you tell me a bit about what prompted you to start Youbee Media?

days – but my job didn’t allow that. So I knew I needed to make a change and it was now or never!

Yes, of course. I’ve had ambitions for a long time to set up my own business, but the timing never felt right. Then, like a lot of people, working from home during the pandemic made me take a step back and assess where I was in my career and where I was heading. I felt as though I had so much more to offer. As a working mum, I wanted to be involved when my little boy started school. I wanted to do drop offs, parent’s evenings, and sports

You’ve enjoyed great success so far, what are your aspirations for the future?

What are you most proud of ?

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This is just the start for us! It’s amazing to reflect on what we’ve achieved and know that we’re an amazing team of 3, who work closely with freelancers and have strategic partnerships in place with great businesses that we’re aligned with. The business is only going to grow, but we’ll never be ‘huge’.

Without sounding fluffy, just so much. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved in a short space of time; our awards, our connection as a team and also how much our digital marketing apprentice Emma has grown during her time with us. Watching her confidence and skills develop is just wonderful, and I’m so proud of how far we’ve come. I just know great things are on the horizon for us.

Kay Mellor a talent greatly missed By: Gill Laidler-Editor TopicUK.co.uk

It was with great sadness that we learned about the sudden passing of Kay Mellor, aged just 71, the talented writer and playwright of programmes such as Fat Friends, Band of Gold, The Syndicate to name a few. Kay is also mum to actress, writer and Yorkshire Businesswoman ambassador Gaynor Faye. I have been lucky enough to have met Kay on a few occasions, first when we interviewed her to feature on the The Marketing Optimist has hired Hannah Pearson to develop the agency’s digital marketing offering. She joins the team as a marketing executive and brings with her a range of agency and in-house marketing experience. Managing director Richard Michie said, “Hannah is a great addition to our team. Her experience working both sides of marketing gives her an understanding of our client’s needs, pressures and aims but also the commercial needs of a marketing agency.”

cover of TopicUK magazine. At that first meeting I was struck by her honest, straightforward and down to earth

personality, I remember thinking what an amazing lady she is. My second meeting was at her Rollem productions office in Leeds. To be honest I can’t remember what I was interviewing her for, as I didn’t stay long as she was rushing off to the dentist with a broken tooth! The next time I saw Kay I was at The Grand Theatre for the press evening of Band of Gold, the theatre production she adapted from the popular 90s television series. The stage version starred her daughter Gaynor. It was a fabulous performance, having watched the original television series, I was really transported back there. After the performance as Mandy Taylor and I were leaving, we bumped into Kay who invited us to the after-show party, not only was she talented, she was kind. My thoughts are with Gaynor and her family at this sad time.

New role for Hannah The agency has recently won three large clients providing ongoing search engine optimisation and social media marketing services and has seen an increase in demand for the support they provide to other marketing agencies across the UK. Richard continued “We’ve just turned six years old which is giving us the impetus

to grow our skills and our customer base.” Hannah has a Marketing Management degree from Northumbria University, graduating in 2018. Her focus for the agency is social media, but she also brings paid advertising and email skills to the agency.

Hannah added, “This is a great opportunity to join a fast-growing agency with a reputation for delivering effective marketing campaigns across the whole range of digital marketing. I really love working in digital marketing and the range of clients I’m going to be working with is very exciting.” Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards celebrates 10 years Nominations are set to open this week for the prestigious Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards (YCCA). In aid of the St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, the awards – now in their tenth year celebrate the phenomenal achievements of young people who have demonstrated courage, determination and strength in exceptional circumstances. The awards ceremony, which takes place on Friday 14 October at New Dock Hall, Leeds, will include categories for children aged between 0 - 12 years and young adults between 13 – 18 years. There will also be a separate category for the charities who focus on supporting children and families across Yorkshire. This year will also see the addition of a very special 10 Year Fellowship Award for 2022. This award will be presented to a previous YCCA

winner from the last 10 years - an individual who has shown dedication to their cause and made a notable difference to the lives of others. Comme nting on behalf of the S t. Ja m e s ’ s P l a c e C h a r i t a b l e Foundation, Ewan D owes said “We are delighted the awards are now recommencing after a short hiatus due to the pandemic. These awards are tremendously important in recognising and applauding the children and young adults who are

so deserving of proper recognition. We are again excited to be hosting this year’s award ceremony which promises to be a sensational evening”. All monies raised at the YCCA awards ceremony will be matched poundfor-pound by St. James’s Place. Over the last 10 years, funds raised by the YCCA have contributed hugely towards helping children, community groups and organisations in the Yorkshire region. Most recently, this has included the 2021 charity of the year winners The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund. Nominations for the special 10 Year Fellowship Award and others, will open shortly via the YCCA website. To find out how to nominate and see how your support can make a real difference to so many lives please visit www. yorkshirechildren.co.uk.

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KAFA Questions & Answers

Steph Bartle, Kirklees Apprenticeships for All - Delivery Lead

Can you tell us about the Kirklees Apprenticeships for All project? There is a LOT to say about the KAFA project, as we have a lot to offer to the community of Kirklees. I’ll try cover some key points of interest in the following questions, but to summarise; We are a project delivered by Kirklees Council with the aim of promoting “upskilling” within the workplace. This means we want to support employed individuals to gain the necessary skills, knowledge and qualifications they need in order to progress within their current job roles and organisations. We are part funded by the European Social Fund, and this funding, together with levy match funding support from our key delivery partners across the local district, means we can provide this service free of charge to Kirklees businesses and residents.

Why should someone consider an Apprenticeship? There are lots of myths surrounding apprenticeships, which we are trying to re-educate people on. Apprenticeships are not ONLY for school leavers. You can start an apprenticeship at any age (as long as you’re over 16) and there is no upper age limit. Apprenticeships are not ONLY for those starting out in their careers. You can start an apprenticeship if you have been in your role a long time and looking for your next challenge. Apprenticeships are not ONLY for entry level roles. You can use apprenticeships as a pathway for continuous development, even if you hold a senior or managerial position within an organisations With an apprenticeship you could remain in the same role, maintain the same salary and develop and grow your potential at the same time. There really is much more flexibility than you might think. As long as you have a desire to learn and the ambition to progress within your career …. an Apprenticeship can be a really effective route to doing just that.

So how can you specifically support businesses across Kirklees? We have an employer engagement team, who can work with businesses of all sizes, to look at their workforce strategy and current/future skills gaps. Our team can support the businesses HR function, no matter what it’s size, with their workforce development plans. We can help you identify who within your workforce is ready to progress within their roles and provide a route for them to achieve this. We can then offer ongoing support, to help both the employee and manager with their work/life/learning balance. We can also offer wrap around support for your workforce; mental health and wellbeing, line manager training, building internal infrastructure to support Apprenticeships …. and much more! We can also advise on available funding for Apprenticeships and guidance on the Apprenticeship Levy process.

Contact the team today and find out more! Web: www.kirkleesapprenticeshipsforall.co.uk Tel: 01484 221000 and ask for “Apprenticeships” E-mail: apprenticeshipsforall@kirklees.gov.uk

How can you support employed individuals across Kirklees? We have a participant engagement team, who work alongside anyone wishing to upskill to progress within their career, helping people consider their current job status and setting their future goals. We help people take the “next steps” in their career, leading to improved job status and in turn a better quality of life. Our aim is to ensure that job roles are accessible to all and that people are in a strong position to apply for a promotion or a new role, by having the right skills, and necessary support in place. We can offer support in areas such as basic skills, qualification advice, career guidance, mental health and wellbeing, academic mentoring and much more.

The Apprenticeship Levy …What’s that? If you are a business with an annual wage bill of more than £3million, you are required to pay into the Apprenticeship Levy. This is funding which businesses have to then re-invest in training their workforce via apprenticeships. There are only a few Apprenticeship Levy paying businesses in Kirklees …. however you can benefit from the levy funds whether you pay into it or not. If you ARE a levy payer, you need to spend your levy within 2 years, or you will lose it. If you are NOT a levy payer, you can still access these training funds via the levy transfer process; this is where levy payers transfer some of their levy fund (up to 25%) to other businesses … so you could access this unused training budget to help develop your current staff.

Kirklees Apprenticeships for All is part funded by the European Social Fund and managed by Kirklees Council. It is delivered across the Kirklees District alongside our delivery partners; The University of Huddersfield, Kirklees College, Kirklees Active Leisure, Thornton & Ross Ltd and Connect Housing Association. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Law firm announces partnership with Smart Works Leeds Law firm Gordons has selected Smart Works Leeds, which helps women across the city secure employment and change the trajectory of their lives, as its charity partner for the next 12 months. The firm will provide the charity with volunteering assistance along with donations and fundraising to support women from diverse backgrounds and ages throughout their employment journey. S m a r t Wo r k s L e e d s o p e n e d i n No v e m b e r 2 0 1 9 a n d i s a n independent member of the UK charity’s national network. Its mission is to help unemployed women regain the confidence they need to succeed at interviews, return to employment and transform their lives. The charity offers coaching on how to apply for, and interview for, roles. As part of the support it provides women with high-quality clothes for interviews, as well as a wardrobe

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We’re delighted that Gordons has selected us as its charity partner. In the last financial year... of clothing options for successful candidates to wear to work. Fundraising has already begun. Gordons has launched a sealed-bids auction to win a trip to Iceland and will undertake activities throughout the year, including sponsored walks and bake sales. The firm’s annual construction quiz, which involves clients and intermediaries, will also raise money for the charity. Commenting on the partnership, Helen

Oldham, chair of Smart Works Leeds, said: “We’re delighted that Gordons has selected us as its charity partner. In the last financial year Smart Works Leeds helped over 300 women in their journey into work, with 65 per cent of all the women who attended interview coaching getting the job. We have significant plans to scale the service this year so we’re very pleased to be working with an organisation as proactive and energetic as Gordons.” Each year, the law firms staff select a charity to benefit from fundraising and volunteering activities. Over the past 10 years, the firm has raised more than £175,000 for its chosen charities. Gordons’ partner, Anjon Mallik, said: “The team at Smart Works Leeds play an invaluable role in supporting and empowering women of all backgrounds and ages throughout their employment journey. “We are committed to championing diversity, inclusion and social mobility in the legal sector and beyond, so Smart Works Leeds is an ideal charity partner for us. We look forward to working with the charity as well as raising money, making donations and raising the profile of the charity over the next 12 months.”

Sarah commented: “Recent HRT shortages have created a wave of awareness around the menopause and while getting the right treatment can help you navigate the menopause, improving wider support for those experiencing symptoms is something I’m passionate about. “I understand first-hand how women over a certain age can feel invisible and overlooked by a society driven by the ideal of youth and peppered with unrealistic expectations. We can be under a lot of pressure, both emotionally and timewise, as we hold down jobs and manage our family and home lives.

Yorkshire author launches second coaching journal for menopause support Women have struggled to get help with the menopause for decades, but that’s about to change thanks to local author Sarah Banks who is toasting the publication of her second planner, which has launched in paperback.

Sarah’s debut planner, The IVF Positivity Panner, was released in October 2019 and has seen a 44% year on year growth off the back of a surging online demand. Last year hailed another record year of sales, with an 181% uplift from 2020.

Halifax-based Sarah is launching The Menopause Positivity Planner a unique coaching journal, designed to empower, support and educate women to improve their menopause symptoms, as well as encouraging them to embrace the menopause with optimism.

Through her latest release, Sarah shines a spotlight on the impact menopausal symptoms have on women’s health and careers, mixing the power of journaling with tried-and-tested coping strategies, expert coaching techniques and goal setting.

“I’ve designed The Menopause Positivity Planner to remove the stigma surrounding the menopause and help wome n re prioritise themselves and their emotional wellbeing. Its purpose is to help them feel happy, in control and able to prioritise what is important to them in what can be a really exciting time of their life. “Essentially, we need more support, both emotionally and physically. We need more support that informs us, empowers us and helps us to cope with unnerving changes.” Until recently, many women helped maintain a silence around their experiences of the menopause, but recent figures suggest the number of HRT prescriptions in the UK has doubled in the past five years, while companies are being held to account for neglecting to introduce workplace adjustments to support menopausal women. Both books are self-published and available on Amazon and Etsy in paperback. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

We don’t take a picture . . . we make one

Lincoln & Perrin from TopicUK officially appointed agency Roth Read Photography, contine to share their advice with us: From corporate to personal Usually, our column focusses on commercial photography (what with this being a business-to-business magazine). However, this month we’re chatting about what we do for our personal clients. The best way we can explain that is to tell you a story . . . The Mustang Bullitt dream Jim had a long-held dream of owning a Mustang Bullitt. The search for this beautiful car began in 2016 and came to fruition in 2020. Shortly afterwards, when Jim came to the studio for a headshot, he asked us to photograph his car on the moors. He wanted some digital images to share in the Mustang Bullitt group and a small, framed picture to hang in his office. The pre shoot consultation We suggested making the picture

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more personal by including himself and his wife Kerry in the scene. He was a little unsure at first but was soon on board . . . and Kerry was certainly up for it. We asked them to bring two outfit changes: a cool look with jacket and jeans, as well as a spiffed up look to appear as if they’d been out for the evening. Jim agreed that Marsden Moor at sunset was the perfect setting (even though it was October and very chilly!) On location photoshoot On location photoshoots for us are often taxing, but exciting and rewarding (our clients probably feel the same way!) Our creative direction dictates what should be in and out of the scene, and where each component ought to be placed. We add strobe lighting, select the right lens and determine the best angle to take the shot. All the preparation is required long before the camera

is picked up; at which point it’s essential to take a test shot and critique it before launching into the shoot. Once we’ve made the picture we want, we can take the picture you need. Several scenarios, light adjustments, outfit changes and some cool posing later, we had the photographs we needed; just before the sun disappeared. A centre piece The picture of Jim helping Kerry out of the car is now a large beautifully framed picture hanging as a centre piece in their home. The remaining prints are a collection of matted images to display wherever they wish. This is how we create unique wall art for your home and a legacy for your family. Lincoln & Perrin Roth Read Photography www.rothreadphotography.com

up over 70 million sales, including a number of generation-defining albums as part of Oasis. They’re joined by Double platinum and BRIT award-winning artist Paloma Faith, global disco legends Nile Rodgers and CHIC, and international DJ and dance music maestro Pete Tong and his Heritage Orchestra.

Yorkshire’s best kept secret? By: Nicky Chance-Thompson DL, CEO The Piece Hall Trust

We used to be known as Yorkshire’s best kept secret, but is that still the case? With the eyes of the world on this historic venue I’d say the news is now well and truly out with The Piece Hall rightly claiming its place as the jewel in Calderdale’s crown. And what a majestic summer of fun we have lined up with music, dance, song and spectacle all heading our way. After four full days of free events to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee at the start of June, as we honoured Her Majesty the Queen’s tremendous achievement of 70 years of service, The Piece Hall is about the break some records of its own.

I simply can’t wait to see these iconic artists performing in our iconic venue with that stunning backdrop. It’s times like this I’m grateful we’re an open-air venue so I needn’t worry about the roof being blown off! Later in the summer it’s buckets and spades at the ready as we bring back the hugely popular Piece Hall beach. Our Summer Makers Market promises to be a special one with a combination of brand new and customer favourite stalls. And of course, every day throughout summer there’s the chance to browse our top quality, unique independent stores or stop for refreshments our fantastic food and drink outlets. With more celebrations planned for the fifth anniversary of our reopening this August this summer will see this jewel sparkle like never before!

We’re expecting more visitors than ever before for Live at The Piece Hall 2022 which is set to be our biggest season of summer gigs yet. Preparations are underway to welcome over 50,000 music fans through the gates to see and hear some of the biggest rock, pop, and dance talent on the planet. Taking to the stage will be multi-award winner Sir Tom Jones, whose career spans six decades, and includes 36 UK

Paul Weller, First Aid Kit, Tom Grennan, Primal Scream and Jessie Ware are also headlining and there’s still some ticket availability, but you’ll need to be quick.

hits and 41 albums; pop icons Duran who’ve sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and song writing legend Noel Gallagher who’s notched Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

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Mary Benson By: Bernade tte Gled h i l l - Fa sh i on Con su l ta n t

I feel very privileged to have had a number of varied areas to my career. A section that has always inspired me has been working with many of the regions young designers through presenting final year degree shows and showcasing the work of a huge number of very talented students. Through our Fashion Show organisation I have also had the opportunity to invite individual Yorkshire up and coming designers to be part of our events. I have been inspired by many but one designer in particular that really caught my attention during the planning of Yorkshire Fashion Week back in 2009 was Mary Benson Mary was born and grew up in Yorkshire with her love for sketching dresses beginning at a very early age. At the age of only 16 Mary was providing dresses for small boutiques in Leeds

and at the age of 17 opened a pop up store in Clarence Dock Leeds called Pieces Of Eight. Mary began her studies at Leeds College Of Art and through an audition was selected to be featured on the TV programme Mary Queen Of Shops by providing designs for a small boutique in York. This collection caught the eye of many celebrities such as Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding, Paloma Faith and Little Mix. This experience was the turning point in her early career where she went on to study in Leeds followed by gaining a Fashion Design Degree at Westminster and then two years PR experience in London to boost the business side of her future career. The pandemic had a huge impact on Mary as it did on so many fashion companies. The business based in London had been very successful for 13 years of her career but through lockdown Mary realised it was time to go slower and smaller. Mary, along with her fiancé Tadgh who is also her business partner and their beautiful son relocated and returned to Yorkshire. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

A new plan to get back to basics and honour the history of dressmaking, training in print design, sketching dreamy doodles and printing them onto preloved dresses was a new idea born. This slowly evolved into designing magical dresses, firstly for herself and then for others, referencing the patterns of the 70s and a love for all things vintage. The company was originally born out of love of beautiful dresses, timeless vintage patterns and magical prints. Mary spent years experimenting with different textiles, illustration, dress making and vintage sourcing. Mary’s dresses are made to order using earth friendly fabrics. Each item is handmade by herself and now with the help of a small team in Yorkshire.

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I visited Mary at her beautiful calm studio on the outskirts of York and immediately fell in love with her idea of having special dresses made to keep forever. Mary’s inspiration was looking back at a time when people used to only buy dresses on very special occasions. They were

made to order, so they would eagerly wait until it was ready, counting down the days looking forward to the moment they could try it on and then wear it either for special occasions or just wear it every other day, through long marshy walks, or about town and keep mending

it. Each mend telling a story and beautiful in its own way. Clothing would be absolutely treasured, kept forever and passed down. The collection I viewed would certainly make you feel special but in todays style you could wear this collection dressed up or down or with a piece of beautiful knitwear. Mary styled her look with leggings, knitwear and a scarf looking very much the stylish young mum that she is. I also loved the way that any age could adapt to her style and make it their own. The present collection is one of timeless pieces, beautiful prints, washable organic satin cottons available from sizes 6 - 30. Mary Benson is an expression of passion for sustainability and creativity. Mary, with her boundless enthusiasm and inspiration was thrilled to share with me that new ideas are developing and growing

in her studio. Firstly, a stunning Bridal Collection, of which I got a sneak preview. Discussions can be available for bespoke designs, wedding guest outfits and with a new collection planned every few weeks it certainly felt very exciting. Enjoying Mary has a following of almost 50K on her instagram account and dresses many celebrities and influencers. Edith Bowman was featured recently wearing her design on Lorraine, Laura Whitmore of Love Island and Gemma Cairney are both regular fans and shortly a collaboration with Noel Fielding is planned but is currently under wraps! I think we have been very lucky in Yorkshire to see Mary Benson return to be with her family enjoying her

life in York where she loves vintage markets, charity shops, car boot sales, flea markets, church summer fairs and jumble sales, you name it! Mary also uses a lot of dead-stock material, saving it from landfill and truly wants you to love your Mary Benson treasures forever. It has always been an absolute pleasure to work with Mary on our Yorkshire Catwalks and I look forward to future events and collaborations. Mary’s final quote to me was “I am very excited for the future” I can see why! Bernadette Gledhill 💋 Mary Benson www.marybenson.london Instagram - marybensonlondon www.bernadettegledhill.com Instagram - bcg2m Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

A gem in the centre of Leeds

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TopicUK and Yorkshire Businesswoman magazine editor was a guest of the Leeds Marriott recently as the hotel was keen to showcase their extensive facilities for both business and personal visits.

t was a Friday evening when my companion and I arrived in the light and airy reception area, to be greeted by the reception team. If the hotel is judged on the welcome alone, this was one of the best we have experienced. It took just a few minutes to check us in, with a brief explanation of the hotel’s facilities. The Marriott is situated in Trevelyan Square just off Boar Lane, in the centre of Leeds, but we could have been in the quiet countryside when we entered our room at the front of the building overlooking Trinity Shopping centre, as it was so quiet, thanks to the triple glazing! There are 236 bedrooms and eight suites in the hotel and if you reserve one of the executive rooms, you have complimentary access to the private lounge area, situated just off reception.

we afforded a sneak peek into the corporate event space where there are 14 event spaces accommodating between six and 304 people... Each room boasts a flat screen television, large work desk, high speed Wi-Fi and tea and coffee making facilities. Our room, a standard double, was bright and spacious with lots of storage. The bathroom was a good size and included complimentary toiletries as you would expect of a hotel of this standard. Settled in, we decided to have a wonder around the hotel and

check out the facilities. There is a fitness centre open 24/7 that all guests have access to. There is a large range of equipment including cardiovascular, exercise bikes, rowers and treadmills, all you need after a day sitting behind a desk! Wandering across to the other side of the building, we afforded a sneak peek into the corporate event space where there are 14 event spaces accommodating between six and 304 people. There are also 17 breakout rooms. The Marriott is a great place for business, being in the heart of the city, with plenty of parking at Trinity car park opposite. As well as business, these spaces also offer bespoke wedding packages and prom parties. Back in the room to change for dinner, I had the opportunity to try out the mirrors (well us ladies need to dress using a full-length mirror and have good bathroom lighting for makeup!) There is a full-length mirror opposite the wardrobe, which was positioned FF Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

well, but I was a little disappointed in the bathroom as I found with such deep counters, the mirrors for my short stature were a little too far away, particularly when applying make-up and putting in contact lenses! Perhaps moveable shaver mirror would have done the trick! Suitably dressed, it was time to head down to The Cast Iron Bar and Grill at the front of the hotel, accessed through reception but also from the street outside as it is open to the public. Nicely settled into a window seat, we found an extensive cocktail menu with a large selection of beers. As it was still early the bar was fairly quiet, but it was a good spot to people watch from the large glass windows. At 7.30 we headed into the restaurant area to be seated at a table of our choice. We were handed the wine / drinks menu and ordered a bottle of Vidal Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand priced at £33.50. Whilst we waited for this to be served, we browsed the extensive menu, all items reasonably priced. For starters, my companion chose the scallops served with sweet potato and pea puree. He said the 5 scallops were

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cooked just right. I chose Katsu chicken served with coriander slaw. It was delicious but the portions were huge, so I struggled to finish as I wanted to have room for the other courses. The restaurant is nicely furnished, and tables placed with just enough space

to keep conversations from straying onto others, but it was quiet, perhaps if it had been full it might have been different. Starters cleared away; it was time for the main event. I chose the Cast Iron Burger, a beef patty with bacon, cheese

and fries at £14.50. As a non-cheese eater, I asked for mine without the cheddar and this was no trouble at all. I was shocked at the size of the portion, the burger was huge, I was beginning to think we shouldn’t have ordered the side of sage battered onion rings at £4, but they were delicious, I’m just pleased we didn’t order a portion each! My companion chose the tuna steak, at £18.50 which was also served with fries that he said was perfect. It’s not often I have dessert and was going to decline but I spotted one of my favourites on the menu, so just had to try it. Cold rice pudding made with white chocolate and served with raspberries and meringue. It was delicious, although I did remove the slivers of mint that ran through it, I preferred it without. My companion had chocolate brownie with hot chocolate sauce served with Jude’s vanilla ice cream.

Dinner over, we returned to our room and retired for the evening in a huge bed, that had crisp fresh white linen, meaning I soon drifted off, the blackout curtains ensuring a good night’s sleep. We rose at 8am and headed back to Cast Iron Bar and Grill for breakfast. There was a huge selection available from the self-service counter of fruit and continental, cereal and of course all items to make a full English. Our waitress brought tea, English breakfast and green and we both enjoyed a cooked breakfast with toast. Breakfast over and it was time to pack and leave.

A swift checkout and we were soon standing outside waiting for our taxi. The verdict? We will definitely return. The hotel is central, clean, friendly and worth the money. Plus, for those new to the area, the hotel is not just ideally placed right in the centre of town for shopping, dining, cinemas etc, it is on the doorstep for The Royal Armouries, a selection of golf clubs, Tropical World and Roundhay Park, The Grand Theatre and Leeds Playhouse. 4 Trevelyan Square, Boar Lane, Leeds LS1 6ET Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

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Yorkshire Businesswoman Q&A:

Katie Mallinson By : Gi l l L a i d l er - E d i to r York s h ire Bu s in e s s Wo m an

For someone who loves a plan, taking a leap of faith can be a big step outside of Katie Mallinson’s comfort zone, no matter the context. Since she could hold a pen, she remembers laying on her grandparents’ floor and writing lists. Fast-forward to now, Katie maps out her months, weeks, and days – often to the nth degree – and uses agile/scenario planning for ‘black swan’ events so she is as prepared as she needs to be for the unexpected. Yorkshire Businesswoman editor Gill Laidler, caught up with founder and managing director of the successful PR company Scriba PR. Did you attend University and if so, which one and to study what? Growing up, I was interested in so many things, that I found it difficult to identify one profession that I thought would suit me for life. That’s why I studied a broad degree (business management) at The University of Huddersfield.

buttonholes – random, but I loved it. I’d also spend my wages on clothes the same day! While I was at college and university, I also worked in a play gym and within a few months I was running it – setting staff rotas, managing payroll, looking after the banking, and heading to the cash and carry – while daunting for an 18-year-old, looking back, this experience was vital grounding for when I eventually came to set up my own business.

It wasn’t initially a sandwich degree, but when the second year was almost over, the course added the option to take a placement year – and with almost no time to spare, I applied to work with a public relations agency in Leeds. I missed the initial interview due to a family bereavement, and at the time I didn’t know anything about PR either, but we both took a chance on each other – and this decision shaped the direction of my entire career.

What did you want to do when you were growing up?

What was your first job?

When did you start your business?

Working in an ice cream van in Greenhead Park, and as a florist. Both companies were owned by the same people, so one day I could be making a ‘99, and the next I’d be arranging wedding

I set up Scriba PR in 2013 and in truth, it was something of an impulse decision, made on the flip of a coin – heads I stayed where I was, and tails I quit my job to go it alone.

I never truly sat down and planned my career, but my dad is an engineer, so it was always clear that I’d do something quite technical. I’ve grown up around someone who has a love for understanding how things work, so I’ve enjoyed getting my head around complex things for as long as I can remember.

I’m not normally that reckless and will usually mull things over for a while before I make any decision – in work and my personal life – but I did have a plan, and I was at the ‘should I do it or not?’ phase. It was my partner who encouraged me to leave the decision to a 50p piece – and within 48 hours, I had my first client What were your ambitions at that time? I never aspired to grow Scriba into a huge company – I simply wanted to do the job how it should be done. The proposition from day one was proudly distinct – providing content for businesses who thought their stories were too complex to tell. And at the time, I was quite happy delivering copywriting services and ad-hoc PR support for firms who needed it. In truth, if someone told me that by 2022 Scriba PR would have 16 employees and over 50 retained – plus dozens of ad hoc – clients, spread across the globe, I wouldn’t have believed them. I didn’t ever sit down and make a fiveyear plan either, or if I’m honest, I didn’t know if it would work. Mentors at the time said the idea was too niche, yet the biggest possible risk to me was that I could have only survived without an income for a certain number of months, otherwise I’d have to move back in with my parents. This approach to decision-making has stuck with me since. If you know what Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

your biggest risk might be, you’re far better equipped to move forward with confidence. Of course, some organisations’ biggest risks will be a lot more challenging than mine were – but if you know what they are, you can plan and mitigate them accordingly. How has that changed over time? Business took off quicker than I could have ever imagined, and I soon got to the point where I had to turn work down if I was to maintain the high standards I’d set. This meant I had to reshape my original ‘one-woman’ business vision. While I probably left it longer than I should have, eventually there’s a tipping point when you realise an extra person can add value where perhaps you can’t, so I took the leap and began hiring. My first recruit was PR assistant, Louise Jaggar, who is still with us today as operations manager. The pandemic was difficult for everyone, what was it like for you Gosh, that feels like a long time ago now! When lockdown first arrived, I was on maternity leave with a three-week-old baby – that soon came to an end. Two weeks in, we saw more than £284,000 of retainer work paused – and for a then-team of ten (8FTE), that was a lot! We had already had remote working engrained in our business, so the shift to homeworking wasn’t so much of a challenge, but like many, we evolved as a business as a result. How we behaved during that time not only bolstered our resilience as a collective, but also cemented our place as an extension of our clients’ teams, earned us a ‘company culture’ award and saw us climb up Prolific North’s top 50 agencies rankings.

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What happened over the past 24 months underpinned a fresh era of growth for Scriba. We launched our new marketing director service (12 months earlier than planned) because it was needed by the market, but we also made sure we continued to help those clients with even the smallest of retainers – for us, it’s about where we can add value, and the nature of the brief. After the dust had settled, and with 16 people now living and breathing Scriba’s values, we recently revisited our proposition as part of a brand refresh project, and it was humbling to discover that nine years on, Scriba still holds the same values. The sense of pride I have – in a team that shares the sense of purpose on which Scriba’s foundations were built – leaves me speechless sometimes.

What is a typical day like? There’s no such thing as a typical day in the world of PR – particularly as the owner of the business, alongside being an account manager on my own clients, and acting marketing director for our biggest client, international shredder manufacturer, UNTHA! I’d say much of my role revolves around solving challenges for clients, proving PR sceptics wrong, and demonstrating the bottom-line impact of the work we do. I do have my own clients too, because I’m just as happy writing a messaging house or technical thought-leadership feature as I am in a room full of people who don’t believe in PR, or going into sales meetings to show to show how we’re helping to grow their revenue.

But, fast forwards to 2022, and as part of our recent branding project, our delivery partner interviewed around 10 of our clients – of all sizes and tenure. Each one commented on the positive influence we have on their business, colleagues, and energy around their own communications. You don’t have to be overly corporate all the time – a mix of serious and fun can go a long way. What are your plans for the future? I want to keep doing PR ‘right’. That might sound like a cop out, but I still don’t aspire to be a 30-strong communications agency, for example. I want us to carry on working with really unusual companies in the UK and abroad, because for Scriba, that’s what true growth looks like – certainly reputational growth. What is the best part of your role?

What advice would you give to your younger self? “Worry less about what people think.” In the early days of Scriba, someone implied that I’d ‘never succeed just by smiling’, off the back of my happy energy. This person, wrongly, assumed it was all I had to offer. Of course, I knew there was more to business than ‘just’ being a happy person. FACT FILE: Partner name: Steve Children names and ages: Flo (age 4) and Livi (age 2) What car do you drive? Land Rover Where is your favourite restaurant? I am a massive foodie, so this is hard as it changes on a weekly basis. Currently it’s Destination in Slaithwaite

The fact that we’re trusted by businesses on a global scale, who are the lifeblood of the economy, with several of our contracts in countries where English isn’t the clients’ first language. We still have people who turn their noses up at the fact that we’re in Huddersfield and assume we can only help local clients.

looking after my own clients, and overseeing recruitment – just! – and I have more confidence than ever in the people around me, to do the same for their clients. And the worst? My brain rarely rests. It’s not always a bad thing, but I have a habit of taking everything on as something I could help to fix. In a professional sense, that’s because I genuinely care about our clients as though their business is my own. The fact that I am aware of it and recognise it’s a flaw means I am hopefully in a good position to work on it. What would you change if you could? Nothing. I acknowledge that work and life is hard, but I do my best to balance – and invest in – both, in equal measure. What do you do in your leisure time?

I enjoy my social life being as busy as work. At the weekend, I soak up as much time with my children as possible, I’m a big foodie too, and love spending time with friends. I am lucky enough to live in Slaithwaite, with some fantastic scenery – and places to eat – right outside my front door. We’re What’s more, I am not ready to give usually out exploring the countryside up the craft yet. I can still juggle the – possibly stopping off for a bite to eat running of the business, finances, and a drink along the way! What is your favourite food and drink? Seafood and a really dry, pale blush Where is your favourite holiday destination? Italy Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? Sat on the wall at the end of my garden, it’s like an infinity pool of hills – and both grounding and relaxing.

What is your favourite gadget?

I’m not really a gadget girl – if pushed, I’d have to say, voice notes! But I’m happiest with a pencil and some paper! What couldn’t you live without?

Music, it really chills me out.

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

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CAPA College (Creative and Performing Arts College) unveils multi million pound new home By: Gi l l Lai d le r, York sh i re Bu si n esswoma n ed i to r

CAPA College is one of the most exciting and innovative education providers in the North of England. Every year students from across Yorkshire and beyond flock to their corner of Wakefield to pursue their dreams of becoming the next Hollywood star, Oscar-winning filmmaker, director, choreographer, entrepreneur or creative.

CAPA College opened its doors as Wakefield’s first (and only) DfEfunded Free School in September 2018 and remains the only nonfee-paying specialist Creative and

Performing Arts College of its kind in Yorkshire or the North East. Over two years of study, students (aged 16-19) achieve the equivalent

of four A Levels, a portfolio filled with transferrable skills and all of the performance experience the need to progress to Higher Education and their chosen professional careers in Dance, Drama, Musical Theatre or Production Arts and Media. With an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rating (Jan 2022), an alumnus in every major West End show, consistent 99% A*-C results, a ranking in the top 1% of all post-16 providers nationally for student progress,

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

awards and accolades from the National Theatre, BBC, Sky TV and Arts Council England and almost 6 applicants for every place, CAPA College is a tour de force in Arts Education. In September 2022, CAPA College will open the doors to their new multi-million-pound, state-ofthe-art facilities on Mulberry Way (opposite Wakefield Westgate train station). It will house the incredible Mulberry Playhouse (a 150-seat, fully equipped theatre), a studio theatre, an outdoor amphitheatre, the eagerly anticipated Yorkshire Picture House (a bespoke arthouse cinema) and The Green Room (a public café/bar/restaurant). With community classes and projects; touring companies; space

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hire for private and commercial use; as well as a jam-packed programme of live performances and special events, CAPA College will become a new centre for performance and creativity in West Yorkshire.

CAPA College is proud to be part of Enhance Academy Trust, an exempt charity. Education for students aged 16-19 is free of charge. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Labels & Packaging success lies in our ‘talented workforce’ says OPM Group trust in each other to do our best. Our team has always been our competitive advantage and provides the inspiration, creativity, vision and motivation that enables our business to grow successfully.” With a company culture that’s built on a unique combination of family values, technical expertise, unrivalled customer service and an effective and agile infrastructure, OPM is a true measure of what success looks like in business – and it’s still growing.

The founder of American department store JCPenney, James Cash Penney, famously once said, “Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.”It is true that without a strong team behind you that is willing to lead by example, a business may not reach its full potential. For companies that want to grow quickly on a global scale, a strong company culture is vital. For OPM Group, a labels and packaging company based in Yorkshire, this is familiar ground. The Leeds-based company is a family-run business and says its success has always rested on the ‘inspiration, creativity and vision of its talented workforce’, as Sue Ellison, the company’s joint Managing Director, affirms. Established more than 40 years ago, OPM was initially an engineering company specialising in small desk top printing machines. In 1986, Chris Ellison bought the company and transitioned its core service into producing plain and printed

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self-adhesive labels, rebranding to OPM. Since then, OPM has gone from strength to strength. In 2013, the company moved to its current site in Leeds and has invested more than £6 million in the latest label and packaging technology. Now, OPM is working to a four-pillar innovation strategy, focused on culture, collaboration, performance strategy, and technology. “Second best is not an option for us,” says Sue. “As a family-run business our greatest benefit lies in our ability to communicate transparently and

Sue continues: “In January, we invested in two new fully automated Nilpeter FA22 presses for our European and US customers. The first installation will see a 12-colour 22-inch FA line Nilpeter machine fully in place by July 2022 in our Leeds facility, which incorporates hot air drying, LED UV curing and inline solvent lamination capabilities. The second installation of a 10-colour Nilpeter FA22 will be implemented in the second half of this year, based in a facility in North America to service our US customers. This will enable us to meet the current demand in the North American hygiene and wipes sectors using our patented TLC label closure system. “We’ve also just launched our new Multi Dex ‘peel and read’ label design. This multi-layered, multi-indexed label offers great versatility and functionality for brands that need to supply extra information on their packaging – perfect for those in our core markets, including food and beverage, pharma, and health and beauty.”

For OPM, now is not the time to rest on its laurels. The company is leading from the front by implementing industry 4.0 automation technologies to optimise resources and rapidly adapt to an ever-changing, fast-paced consumer market. “In our business, deadlines are everything,” continues Sue. “We ask the right questions, at the right time and listen to our customers. We then offer short lead times and blend innovation and functionality to create print that delivers on-shelf appeal. In a world where change is inevitable, we want to be leading the pack and staying ahead of the curve.” As a company that drives innovation in every sense of the word, sustainability is high on our team’s agenda. “We take our commitment to the environment extremely seriously,” says Sue. “Our next generation solutions are sourced with alternative eco materials for

inks and varnishes, while our Zero to Landfill and Zero Foil to Landfill certifications, as well as our commitment to the United Nations Global Compact 17 sustainable development goals, means we continually look for other ways we can reduce waste and support the environmental goals of our clients.” As consumer demand grows for more sustainable products and packaging, OPM not only has the technical expertise to meet demand, but it also has the financial investment to do so on a global scale. From labelling solutions like Multi Dex, peel and reseal, security and antimicrobial to flexible flow wraps, wet wipe packaging and sachets, the company works tirelessly to ensure the move towards a sustainable future is sooner, rather than later.

clear vision – and that’s to help our brand customers achieve their longterm sustainability goals. We can do that by measuring our impact and aligning our mission to those of our customers. Brands need companies that step up to the plate and take ownership. That’s how we operate here at OPM, with innovation and company culture at our core.” For more information on how OPM and its labelling and flexible packaging solutions can help your business meet its sustainability goals, visit https://opmgroup.co.uk/ or contact the sales team on +44 (0)113 231 1000 or by emailing customerservices@opmgroup. co.uk.

Sue concludes: “All of us are working to the same goal at OPM. We have a Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Eight new appointments signal rapid growth and HQ move B2B strategic marketing and communications agency, this size and especially in such a short Marketing by PHD, has strengthened its client team with period – but here we are! eight new appointments after securing a number of new “With these eight new appointments, global accounts. Best known for its work in the print, packaging, life science and technology sectors, the agency has moved its headquarters to larger premises at Nostell Priory, Wakefield, after seeing its full-service account portfolio swell to over 40 businesses around the world. A raft of new appointments now brings the team total to 22, evidencing the rapid expansion of the business.

Joanna Stephenson, MD and founder comments: “The journey we are on as a business is quite remarkable. In 2014, I took a risk by jumping out of the corporate world to establish my business, because the creative marketing comms service I wanted in the print and packaging sector simply wasn’t there. Just like every new business, at the time I couldn’t fathom growing to

we can better serve the needs of our existing and prospective clients. We’re proud to do things differently and as we continually move from strength to strength, we’re building an exceptionally talented pool of individuals with a common goal.” Working across the full spectrum of digital, print, and face-to-face communications channels, the team is comprised of marketing professionals, digital specialists, account managers and copywriters, supporting some of the largest and most established B2B brands in their respective fields. Joanna adds: “As we expand, it is crucial for us that every single member of our team is united under the same vision. That, of course, begins with a solid business culture and what makes the difference for our clients is that we really care. We are motivated by their success, not ours, and we consider every single interaction as an opportunity to impress, and we never rest on being ‘comfortable’. “With eight more talented individuals in our ranks, we’re also bringing together more unique perspectives and viewpoints to constantly challenge our thinking and creativity for our clients. With client retention rates that are almost unheard of in the industry, it’s clear our approach ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of brands! We can’t wait to see what the future holds for PHD.”

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Enjoy the fun, glitz and glamour of Royal Ascot in Leeds Following on from the success of the 2019 event, Bibis Italianissimo are once again bringing the fun, finesse and all the glitz and glamour of Royal Ascot Ladies Day to Leeds on Thursday 16 June.

Guests are invited for Pimm’s on the ‘lawn’ from 12.30pm, before taking their seats to enjoy a ‘day at the races’ whilst enjoying a fabulous three course meal. Bibis will broadcast the entire afternoon live on projectors and speakers from the Royal Procession to the final race.

Think big bets and bigger hats for the biggest event of the year with lots of fun and prizes for the best dressed. £5 from each ticket sold will be donated to the #BeMoreMandy fund in memory of Bibis much loved colleague Mandy Taylor who lost her battle with cancer in December. Tickets cost £70 per person and include welcome drink, music and entertainment, a sumptuous three course lunch and the experience of a ‘day at the races’ To reserve your seat at the event of the year call 0113 243 0905 or visit the website www.bibisrestaurant. com

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Business Beats Cancer gala dinner funds for Cancer Research UK here in Yorkshire. Through a variety of fundraising activities. On the night a staggering £52,000 was raised. Alexandra Fogal, Chair of Business Beats Cancer Yorkshire, who leads Private Business for EY in the North said: “It was absolutely amazing to Alex Fleming

Bu s i n e s s B e a t s C a n ce r Yorkshire officially launched on World Cancer Day 2021, raising over £35,000 in its first year through a variety of fundraising activities and challenges that really got the Yorkshire Business community behind them.

It was absolutely amazing to see the success of our first gala dinner event with so many businesses in Yorkshire supporting us...

In April this year, at The Queens Hotel in Leeds, Business Beats Cancer Yorkshire hosted 340 business leaders at their first Gala Dinner. The aim was to bring the business community together to raise vital

see the success of our first gala dinner event with so many businesses in Yorkshire supporting us. The funds raised will go directly to Yorkshire Cancer Research UK. The Board and I have worked extremely hard over

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recent months to ensure the event came together and the feedback has been absolutely amazing. We are all so thrilled to make such a difference” On behalf of our editor, Yorkshire Businesswoman Charlotte Hall attended the event which started with a drink’s reception, before heading into the beautifully decorated and refurbished Queens hotel event space, where they were welcomed by compere for the evening Alex Fleming. Party games commenced before guests enjoyed a dinner of ham hock and pear terrine, succulent pot roast blade of beef, served with buttered cabbage and candied carrot. Throughout the evening there were raffles, a silent auction and many speakers who told the audience about their own personal stories of how cancer had affected them. At the end of the evening, guests enjoyed a delicious dessert of chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream with raspberry coulis, before hosts announced their next event, a charity golf day at Rudding Park on 30th June.

the company expand and build on its excellent work to date.” Lauren commented: “I am delighted to be joining the team and will be covering all aspects of asset management in order to facilitate and expand the property portfolio. Having previously spent most of my career advising and acting for tenants I am looking forward to the new opportunities and challenges that working from a landlord’s perspective will bring. The whole Glentrool team have really welcomed me and I’m excited for this new chapter.” Jeremy Nolan, director commented: “These are very important appointments for us and we are delighted to welcome two such talented, hard-working and enthusiastic people to our team. Lauren & Sophie

Glentrool Estates strengthen team with new appointments?

“Both Sophie and Lauren have arrived at a significant time in our development, as we look to build on our success at Sherburn2 and enhance and expand our commercial property portfolio.

“So, looking ahead, we will need the best possible legal advice and an in-house lawyer is best placed to provide this. Sophie is perfect for this challenging and satisfying role. Our Sophie Antill joins Glentrool as an with external lawyers and reporting developments and income producing portfolio across Yorkshire are longin-house lawyer. Sophie arrives from back to the directors. term projects, which demand the leading Leeds-based law firm DAC Beachcroft LLP. “Having worked in private practice for fullest commitment from all us and nearly twenty years, the main challenge Sophie’s role is critical to successful Meanwhile Lauren Swiers is the is adapting to the role of the client. delivery. company’s new property investment It is fantastic opportunity to use my manager, having previously worked previous knowledge and experience to “Meanwhile Lauren, who is very for property consultancy Lambert advise and guide Glentrool ensuring highly-regarded in the Yorkshire Smith Hampton. its legal transactions run smoothly industrial property world, is a great addition to the company. I know and efficiently. that LSH are very sad to lose her, Sophie commented: “I’m really excited to be Glentrool’s new In- “I have already been made to feel and their loss is very much our gain, house Counsel. I’ll be managing all really welcome by the whole team as we strengthen our industrial and the company’s legal work, liaising and I’m looking forward to helping logistics team.”

Glentrool Estates Group, the Yorkshire-based property development and investment company, has strengthened its team with two new senior appointments.

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Driving networking to the limit? Yorkshire Businesswoman took our business ladies a little out of their comfort zone at our last event, driving members to network at magazine partners Lexus showrooms in Leeds Members were welcomed at the beautiful showrooms in Holbeck, just outside the city centre by centre principal Christopher Gardner and quickly settled down to listen to Christopher and his team talk about the new models that had arrived

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at the showroom, whilst enjoying a fantastic graze deli box courtesy of Lexus. It was then time for some of the ladies to try out some of the cars for themselves as they headed out to

test drive some of the fabulous cars. On their return, they listened to a representative from John Lewis talk about some of the fantastic range of cosmetics they had brought along for a pop-up stand then Rebecca Davison from Parsons accountants took to the stage to talk about the benefits of car leasing and other finance. The afternoon was rounded off with more test driving.

Inside out beauty Hack your age from within

By: Dr Lub na Kh an-Sa l i m , fo un der o f T i m e t o B l o o m

We are so used to hearing about ‘anti-ageing’ from the perspective of the beauty industry when it comes to our skin products or in-clinic treatments. Radiant glowing skin is so often seen as a sign of overall good health, but does it really show the whole picture? The practice of helping others feel better about themselves and the powerful impact this can have on their quality of life is a privilege of my job as a cosmetic doctor. For a long time though I have felt an unease as we seem to have forgotten the ‘medicine’ part of the specialty and the industry has exploded into the wild west of aesthetic clinics only treating the overall signs and symptoms of aging or overfilling

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faces. We haven’t addressed the underlying causes. But now there is an exciting new field of ‘longevity medicine’ that shows how we can influence our outside from the inside or biohack our age so we not only look good but we also feel good

With advances in modern medicine, we are all living longer but instead of simply adding years to o u r l i f e , I b e l i e v e i t ’ s s o important to add life to our years, this is exactly what longevity is all about.

Biological age is a measure of how well or poorly your body is functioning relative to your actual calendar age (chronological age). For example, you may have a chronological age of 65, but because of healthy and active lifestyle— for example, by not smoking and exercising regularly—your body is physiologically more similar to someone with a chronological age of 55. Your biological age would, therefore, be 55. Healthy habits can have a significant impact on your longevity and biological age. These include: Sponsored by

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Exercising regularly

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and that’s where I see the role of aesthetic medicine. I’m so excited to be introducing products and wellbeing packages to my clinic be able to help my patients on their wellbeing journey and to partner with companies such as Nuchido Time + and Glycanage which can actually test your biological age. Discovering your biological age will provide you with the confidence that your current lifestyle is optimal or empower you to make changes if there could be room for improvement. Now it really is your time to Bloom.

In an ideal world all if this would be easy to achieve but with our modern busy lifestyles this can be near impossible

Get in touch for your free consultation with Dr Lubna timetobloom.uk

The award-winning public relations business specialising in B2B communications

Force24 unveils trio of releases to help upskill 6,000 UK marketers to add customised pop-ups to their websites so they can capture any data required, control who sees them from their segmented marketing lists, and utilise accurate information to gain valuable insights and compile real-time reports. Leeds-based marketing automation specialist Force24 has launched three new key features to help thousands of marketers send hyper-personalised email communications to customers.

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The platform currently supports over 6,000 industry professionals from over 3,000 B2B and B2C brands – which include Michelin, Stoneacre and BBC Children in Need. • Designed to save marketers time and budget, improve efficiency, and help them tailor their email marketing campaigns, the three latest features are: •

Pop-ups: Helping marketers

Email deliverability report: Marketers can view and export monthly email deliverability reports using metrics including the number of campaigns sent, unique opens, unique clicks, bounces, and complaint rate. This functionality helps users measure email performance and swiftly respond to any inbox issues. Automated lists: Users can tap into this feature to manage and move contacts between lists automatically so they can better segment their audiences, send relevant content, and keep their data clean. Not only does this

reduce labour-intensive data input and human error, but it focuses on key metrics so industry professionals can make businesscritical decisions about who they deliver their next campaign to. The 90+ strong team at Force24 – the UK’s fastest growing marketing automation platform – has also improved existing functionality. This includes adding more customisable email templates to its design suite, all of which have drag-and-drop functionality so marketers can tweak them at pace. Jess Cheung, customer marketing manager, said: “We’re constantly developing value-adding tools to make life a little easier for marketers who are craving efficiency as they continuously battle against a backdrop of time and budget constraints.”

Company of the Month Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

North Yorkshire mum toasts success of wine company shops, hotels and bars asking for trade pricing and bulk ordering. She turned to AD:VENTURE, who gave her a grant of £4,806 to pay for improvements to the website, and for IT equipment and marketing materials. As well as receiving a grant from AD:VENTURE, Karol-Ann was given a business mentor and attended several webinars and workshops.

A North Yorkshire mum who found herself out of work just before the first lockdown is toasting success with her online wine sales business.

“I really can’t recommend AD:VENTURE enough. It’s been an absolute learning curve and it’s very helpful to have some support and to know that you can just contact somebody for advice.”

Karol-Ann is due to take on a Karol-Ann Hewgill has now sold “I thought there are loads of jobs member of staff and has plans to more than 50,000 bottles of wine around and I had several interviews. take on more. She also employs from her garage in Austwick through But then the interviews dried up one of her sons at the weekend to her company Lekker Wines. Starting and the world went crazy,” said help pack orders. with a range of 150 wines, mainly Karol-Ann. “It’s baby steps for me. I can’t from her native South Africa, she now stocks around 450 varieties from “So, I thought what am I going to do believe I have my own business. I countries including Italy, France, with myself ? I decided while I am always thought I would work for Spain, Argentina and New Zealand. looking for something I will take my somebody else, but now that I do personal licence exam and then I work for myself I know what I want Mum-of-three Karol-Ann, who has thought why don’t I see if I can get to achieve,” she said. been supported by AD:VENTURE, a my garage licensed, and I managed business growth programme for early that, and then I thought, why don’t stage businesses in North and West I buy some wine and create a little Yorkshire, has plans to launch her website – and it literally grew from own wine warehouse which would there. also be open to the public. “I just want to choose nice wines, But the beginnings of Lekker Wines quality wines. The range isn’t vast, were not as certain. In January 2020 but it is wine I am happy to drink Karol-Ann, who had previously and recommend.” worked in sales, left another wine company and started looking for Initially Karol-Ann sold to the public work. via her website, but soon had local

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Can you help a child with a burn trauma in Leeds? Family Burns Club was established to help children, their families and young adults face the challenges of suffering a burn injury, in an atmosphere of fun, support and rehabilitation resulting in an improvement in care and experience. It was developed in response to the needs of burn-injured children who lacked appropriate psychological support. Childhood burns are painful, traumatic, and devastating which can be life changing for the child and their family. The cosmetic stigma of a burn can greatly affect a child’s confidence. Part of the social reintegration involves successfully returning to everyday events, a process which requires a multi-agency approach in collaboration with the child and family. The club and all camps are funded without NHS support. It is funded through donations and fund raising efforts by staff and volunteers, raising a total of around £30,000 annually. This money is raised by people going beyond the call of duty. The club is run by a variety of volunteers whom are drawn from Fire service, NHS, and non-NHS backgrounds. “Seeing the difference the club makes to the children, their

lots of activities including zip wire, laser quest, low ropes, high ropes, aero ball, problem solving and a dark (blindfolded) obstacle course. The children have been provided with a rucksack and water bottle, fruit and chocolate all donated by local businesses. “The weekend has allowed the children the freedom to express themselves and communicate without family members being present. It provides an environment where the children are not judged on appearance as everyone has been through a similar trauma. The activities also encourage team building and communication,” she continued.

families and young adults is amazing and I am so proud to be part of this charity,” said Tracy Foster the charity’s founder. “This weekend we have taken a group of children aged 8-13 years to Kingswood Learning Centre in Dearne Valley. Here the children have taken part in

“We will be running a similar weekend camp in October for children aged 13-16 and a family camp for children aged 0-7 and their families in July.”

The charity are looking for local businesses to support these events, if you can help please contact Tracy Foster on 07743 162361 Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

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Yorkshire’s leading businesses and fashion brands attend FB Fashion Ball 2022 By : Gi l l L a i d l er, York sh i re Bu s in e s s w o m an e d ito r

Around 50 well known individuals from some of the region’s top businesses took to the catwalk to model outfits at the FB Fashion Ball, held at New Dock Hall in Leeds during May. The annual event now in its 25th year, showcased show stopping clothes from Harvey Nichols, John Lewis & Partners, Reiss, Ted Baker, Jigsaw, Hawes & Curtis, Rebecca Rhoades, Nancee and Roc Ethical. Stunning hair and make-up was by Creative Ambition and the show styled by Lisa D. Organiser Lisa Darwin said: “Wow! What a night. It’s amazing to make such a great comeback! FB

Fashion Ball is always a highlight in the corporate calendar and this year proved no different, seeing a crowded room of over 400 people attending and involved was fantastic. Everyone turned out for an evening of glamourous networking and much needed FUN! “The models did a superb job of overcoming any nerves, only meeting each other and coming together on

the day to learn their routines, they showcased some fabulous fashion with style. Along with the Yorkshire Hero Awards, the evening was a true celebration of what’s great about our region and the mingling and fun was off the chart. “The number of local charities we have been able to support this year by incorporating the sponsorship element has been fantastic and confirms the generosity of the Yorkshire business community.” As well as the catwalk show, the Yorkshire Hero Awards took pride of place honouring and celebrating

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PM Forum, Yorkshire Leadership Group, John Lewis & Partners, Reiss, Ted Baker, Dakota Hotel, RC Lifestyle, Montrose Retreats, Jigsaw, Hawes & Curtis, The Club, Lavish, Topic UK, J9 Advisory, Playroom, Yorkshire First Dance and Aimee Willow Connex. O ur Creative partners, Resource and Aaron Baxter photography. Topic UK Magazine and Yorkshire Businesswomen as our print media partner.

the region’s exceptional businesses and individuals. The 2022 Winners were: Star Employee – Kav Sangha, LCF Law Outstanding Male Business Leader – Chris Etherington, Partner RSM UK Best Employer – Addleshaw Goddard Outstanding Female Business Leader - Asma Iqbal, Chadwick Lawrence Diversity, Inclusion, Equality - EY Team of Excellence - Squire Patton Boggs Most Stylish Female – Sarah Restrick, The Club Diversity, Inclusion, Equality – Clarion Mo s t S t y l i s h M a l e 2 0 2 2 – Harry Henderson, Cardale Asset Management Diversity, Inclusion, Equality 2022 – Schofield Sweeney Lisa would like to extend her thanks

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to events sponsors and partners, Lamborghini, McLaren, Harvey Nichols, Leeds Law Society, ICAEW, LJLD, LCASS, BRADCASS, P100, LYP,

The Businesses taking part in this year’s event included: EY, Addleshaw Goddard, Barclays, Walker Morris, HSBC, RSM UK , Llo yds, LCF Law, Schofield Sweeney, TFG Capital, Clarion, Watson Buckle, Thomas Coombs, KPMG, Mazars, Gunnercooke, Zest, CF Recruitment, Business Wellbeing, Ford Campbell Freedman, Shoosmith, Squire Patton

Boggs, Cardale Asset Management, ifg Group, Merje, ELS, Maxim, Knights Plc, Chadwick Lawrence and Ridley Hall, to name a few. Would you like to be involved next year as a model, sponsor, partner or reserve tickets? Date for your diary is Thursday 27TH April 2023, at New Dock Leeds. Email lisa@ fbfshionball.show or visit the website: www.fbfashionball.show Yorkshire Businesswoman Magazine and TopicUK were delighted to be print media partners for the event and will certainly be there again next year. Starting in the August edition of Yorkshire Businesswoman magazine, FB Fashion Ball organiser Lisa Darwin (pictured above) is to write a regular column in the magazine on all things fashion. Order your copy today. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

New Leeds hospitals project will benefit patients regionally and nationally A new interactive map has been launched by a Leeds hospitals trust to show how its planned new hospitals will improve the lives of people regionally and nationally as well as those within the city boundaries.

map shows how the new facilities in the heart of the city will benefit patients beyond Leeds and will ensure they continue to receive some of the very best healthcare in the country. The Leeds Trust is one of the largest providers of specialist hospital services in the UK covering over 100 specialties. People can explore the map to find out how many people in their area receive treatment at the Trust and read some of the inspiring stories from those who have received lifesaving treatment at the hospitals. The data shared is from 2029/20 and is by UK constituency. Sheffield-born boxe r, Tommy Frank (pictured), is just one of those patients from the Yorkshire region who received specialist treatment – in his case for a hole in the heart when he was five years old. His successful treatment has enabled him to go on and become a British and Commonwealth boxing champion. Tommy was a patient of Leeds Children’s Hospital and is looking forward to seeing the new hospitals help other heart patients of all ages. He said: “Thanks to the specialist treatment and care I received in Leeds I have been able to get on with my life and follow my dreams.”

eeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is building two new hospitals, a new adults’ hospital and a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital – as well as the largest single-

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site maternity centre in the UK – in one building at Leeds General Infirmary.

Gail Hill (pictured), a mother of two from Barnsley, was the first person to benefit from a liver perfusion machine in Leeds that can preserve donated organs for longer prior to transplantation allowing more to be used for transplant.

The #myhospitalleeds interactive

Gail, was on the transplant waiting

Leeds to perform up to 20 more liver transplants a year.

list for two years after suffering from polycystic liver disease for 17 years. Doctors were able to keep the donated liver healthy for 14 hours using the new perfusion machine without the organ deteriorating.

“It has already given me a new lease of life,” said Gail. “My condition restricted my quality of life and I stopped being the outgoing, bubbly Gail that I was. I just feel so much better now.”

Plans to build the new Leeds hospitals will enhance specialist regional services and provide more treatment opportunities for patients across Leeds and the wider City region and beyond. The liver perfusion machine, paid for through charity fundraising by Leeds Hospitals Charity, offers surgeons more options than the current process of keeping

She added: “I’ll always be grateful to Leeds hospitals and the charity for giving me a new lease of life.”

a donated organ stored in an icebox. This new technology has the potential to allow the team in

Explore the Trust’s interactive map here: #myhospitalleeds interactive map and follow #myhospitalleeds on social media to find out more about the far-reaching benefits of the new Leeds hospitals. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Beverley Building Society announces new CEO

Beverley Building Society, which recently won Mortgage people whose circumstances are just Provider of the Year at the 2022 Yorkshire Financial Awards, that little bit more complex. announces Janet Bedford as its new chief executive officer. Janet, formerly deputy chief executive, succeeds Karl Elliott, who led the Society for five years, building a strong brand identity and financial performance. Stuart Purdy, chairman of the Beverley, said: “Karl was a much-valued CEO and we thank him for his service and leadership of the Beverley Building Society.

Janet, a qualified chartered accountant, is looking forward to building on these firm foundations, by focusing on significantly expanding the Beverley’s mortgage lending, in line with its founding purpose of ‘Building Better Futures’. She said: “I am really excited to take Beverley Building Society forward and I am extremely passionate about continuing our team’s great work. We intend to continue to build our reputation as an innovative mutual, offering genuinely outstanding customer service.

“The Board is delighted to have selected Janet to lead us forward in our ambitious plans. These include further strengthening our position as lender of choice for our local members “We’ve come through the challenges in Beverley, Hull and surrounding of the pandemic with new learnings area, and across the country, who are and confidence in our adaptability and attracted to the Beverley’s outstanding resilience, thanks to our outstanding service and mortgage underwriting team. We know that current and future capability. Our loyal savings members, members need our help more than ever meanwhile, value the security and when it comes to getting a mortgage, particularly the increasing number of service the Beverley provides.”

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Janet joined the Beverley Board in 2014 and, during her time as finance director, helped the Society build its level of profitability, capital and liquidity, cumulating in 2021 performance which saw our profit levels reach their highest point in the last decade. This was achieved while simultaneously investing significantly in infrastructure, including new recruits, to support future growth. Janet was promoted to deputy CEO in 2017, to help support Karl in creating and delivering the Society’s new ‘Building Better Futures’ strategy. In addition to the intrinsic understanding this experience has given her, Janet has extensive financial services sector experience, including 12 years at the global payments provider RBS WorldPay, where, among other things, she was financial controller for the UK and European businesses and Projects and Acquisitions.

WE HAVE LIFT OFF! Our new website has launched!

w: halstongroup.co

The power of your Vision, Mission, Culture to attract and retain the right people to your business

By Ros Jones - Business Coach

Clear and consistent co m m u n i ca t i o n h a s n e v e r been so important for business success. The foundation of all of our communication must be our VMC, the Vision, Mission and Culture statements that our business is built on. This is very often the thing that’s overlooked when building a business. But it’s crucial and will make many aspects of your business so much easier when everyone’s clear about your VMC. It’s what will: • •

•

attract the right people to your team; attract and retain your ideal customers to your business; and form the basis of your systems.

Everything flows from your VMC. So what is it and how do you create it?

Vision Your vision is the purpose of your business: it’s big and bold and something inspirational to aim for. It could be something as simple as “We aim to be the best [manufacturer of widgets] in [town]/[country].” It’s the top of the mountain where you’re heading.

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Having a clear vision of where you’re taking your business will help you attract people who buy into that vision – employees, customers and suppliers who are inspired by it.

Mission Your mission sets out briefly how you’re going to achieve your vision, or get to the top of the mountain. For example, “We do this by … [listening to what our customers want and always delivering the best quality on time and within budget … ] Yo u r e m p l o y e e s ’ r o l e s a n d responsibilities will be based on your mission statement, your ideal customers know what to expect from you and your suppliers want to be part of that mission.

Culture Your culture statements set out who you and your people have to be in order to get to the top of the mountain. These are the values everyone working in your business needs to demonstrate every day for your business to be able to deliver your vision. And people will do business with you because they share your values – people who don’t share your values (who are not your ideal customer) will go elsewhere which is what you want.

Your business values will also inform the behaviours you expect from your team: behaviours are the visible demonstration of your business values. For example, if one of your values is “highly professional”, what behaviours do you expect from your people that demonstrate they are ‘doing’ this value?

How to create your VMC If you’ve gone ahead with your business without a vision, mission and culture statement, now would be a good idea to get it documented.

You can do this yourself of course or get your team to help you to ensure you get their buy-in. It needs to be written up and visible so that people are reminded of it on a daily basis. Then be sure to use it in your job advertisements, your marketing material, including your website, and your sales process. When everyone in your business is fully committed to your VMC, everyone will be actively pulling to g e t h e r h e l p i n g y o u to w a rd s achieving the vision for your business. When they’re not committed, they’ll

be disengaged, non-productive and possibly sabotaging your business.

Your vision is the purpose of your business: it’s big and bold and something inspirational.

So when you’re communicating with your people, remember to keep them focused every day on your VMC. Before you know it, you might actually get to the top of the mountain AND enjoy the climb! If this article has been helpful or if you’d like a chat about anything to do with business wellbeing and growth, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me an email at rosjones@ businesswellbeing.club Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

The Club

networking across the North

Editor Gill Laidler recently caught up with Sarah Restrick, managing director and owner of The Club by Sarah Restrick, operating across Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. The Club by Sarah Restrick was launched in 2021, following a rebrand of Clique 100 Club and Sarah taking the business over solely. More than just networking, connecting business leaders, owners, high level executives and HNWI’s through a schedule of luxury events at 5 star venues across the North. Building relationships a n d s t r a te g i c a l l y m a k i n g ke y introductions to facilitate business return.

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How did you know that you were going to be successful within Business Networking?

Before The Club was established I ran Personal Shopping and VIP services for Flannels for over 10 years, so you could say that I’ve been a people person for most of my professional career. The experience allowed me to meet a lot of important contacts and build my own network and give me the confidence to really make the leap to branch out on my own as an entrepreneur.

Why choose to run your own company instead of working 9-5?

Why not? My time at Flannels, building my interpersonal skills really gave me the confidence to turn this into a career. Then running the business and seeing it build momentum despite the challenges of lockdown gave me the confidence that this was a viable business that I wanted to see through and scale. While it’s been scary and unnerving at times, I couldn’t see myself ever wanting to to work for anyone else again.

Club’s offering and so is keeping good people around me. The last two years of the pandemic really taught me that tomorrow is another day, listening to members of The Club and the impact it was having on their businesses was really humbling and helped to inspire the quick pivot that we had. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now in terms of business?

Apart from expanding into more key cities within the Midlands and the South? My goal is to have global reach as we look to establish The Club in Europe, Dubai and the US. What is the reason behind the name ‘The Club by Sarah Restrick?’

Ultimately the brand for The Club has evolved and diversified thanks to the members that have joined and is history from taking it over from “The Profile Club” but it’s always stood for inclusivity and connecting a group. Now that I have taken this over as my own business, I wanted to put my name on the door, as it were. With over 200 Members running across three powerhouse Northern cities, it’s something that I’m ultimately, proud of. Is there a time you ever doubting yourself when you have faced hard times?

Every day! But ultimately with every member signing up and with every successful event we’ve run, I’m driven even more. Running your own business can be terrifying in the early days, but I’ve also been inspired by The Club members, hearing their own start-up stories and seeing their journeys. I am lucky to work with many incredible businesses and have a pool of advice and support which I value very much. Do you think that coronavirus had an impact on your business whether

that be positive or negative and why?

Being an event and networking business, the pandemic could have finished us. However, I was quick to identify the need for our members to avoid the stress and monotony that was being presented. We ran a number of incredibly successful webinars and when restrictions were eased introduced our private dining for 6 events - which were booked out immediately. They provided a more intimate experience for our members to really network in a meaningful way and also allow us to match business owners with mutual needs - something that is rarely offered in the networking space. How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a woman in business?

Honestly? I think when I was 14, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I have always known I wanted to run my own business, set my own culture and scale an idea that added value to the business community.

How do you rate your terms of success?

Constantly through member feedback and then from the outputs they have from connections made at our events. And gaining a Global reach would be success to me. Best advice you were given in your career?

Don’t waffle, get to the point! It’s what cemented my success working in personal shopping and VIP services, time is money and I think people appreciate direct communication. I’m very lucky however to be surrounded by incredibly successful people on a daily basis and hearing their own experiences provides real insight and inspiration into my own business. www.theclubbysarahrestrick.com sarahtheclubbysarahrestrick.com

What would you say are the most important values to you in business?

It’s really important to me that people are both personal and genuine, and also vice versa when I’m dealing with them - ultimately, it’s the core of The Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Fashion comes to the North By : Gi l l L a i d l er, York sh i re Bu s in e s s w o m an e d ito r

Historically the North helped propel the UKs textile and dyeing industry, but inevitably, over time, the industry, economy and society have changed and fashion’s place in the North shifted elsewhere. Northern Fashion Week aims to showcase the most incredible talents where students have studied, worked, been inspired and where fashion deserves to have a spot on the map once more. The road to Northern Fashion week began with a launch party at Harvey Nichols Leeds in early May, hosted by Brogan Huntingdon. Brogan is the founder of Marketing Adventures and the person working alongside the London team bringing this event North. The Fourth-Floor restaurant was packed with young people from all areas of fashion and who were introduced to a panel from fashion stylists, make-up artists and nail technicians. Each of the panel members introduced themselves and spoke a little about themselves and their careers, before opening up the floor for questions and answers.

We’ve all heard of London and Paris fashion weeks, well now there is Northern Fashion Week which takes place from 4th to 9th July across Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester. The week is designed to champion Northern talent and develop Northern industry. The North has a rich history in cotton spinning and weaving, which is a source of national pride.

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It is an industry that contributed to the North of England becoming the powerhouse for the nation’s expansion and prosperity from the dawn of the industrial revolution.

Tuesday 5th July will be the launch of the Leeds events, with the venue yet to be finalised as we went to print, before heading over the Pennines for the main event at Manchester Central from 7th to 9th July. There will be lots going on over the two days with partner events, contributor’s dinner, a media morning, stalls, VIP area, catwalk shows, networking and of course an after party!

There are several ways you could get involved. You could sponsor an award or event, be a VIP bag sponsor, place something in the goody bag, website advertising or take an advert on the rate card. If you would like to be involved or want further information contact siobhan_clare@ newtalentfashion.co.uk Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

WACCL was founded by three local businessmen, Tim Welton, Andy Turner and Ian Taylor and has so far raised more than £400,000 for local children’s charities.

John Horvath is the current Chairman and he and the committee are busy planning a very special occasion. The lunch, which was forced to stop due to the pandemic, made a triumphant return last year to a new venue: Capri at the Vine, on the

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outskirts of Wakefield. Although, a smaller venue the event was just as special with 168 generous party goers raising over £20.6k for local charities. Proceeds from previous years’ events have been donated to various charities which support children and their

families in the Wakefield District: Levi’s Star. My Burns Club, Star Bereavement, The Laila Milly Foundation and The Performance Academy at Theatre Royal Wakefield. Tickets cost just £50 and include a sumptuous three course lunch, table magician, entertainment with lots of prizes and fun. All of this in aid of wonderful local causes.

Former nurse embarks upon nutrition mission

her responsibilities as a business owner, Kate contacted the Launchpad programme for guidance. Working with Launchpad helped to give Kate the confidence to put her plans into practice. Kate talked through her ideas with an experienced business adviser, but she knew that giving up her full-time job would take a leap of faith, and one that she wasn’t quite ready to take.

A former nurse, who developed a passion for debunking fad diets and clearing up confusion when it comes to understanding nutrition, is hoping to help people fall back in love with the joy of eating.

Kate Wall launched her Sheffieldbased nutrition business last October, working alongside her job as an NHS nutritionist, where she specialised in weight management, However, after calling for help from Launchpad, a unique programme, aimed at equipping new and aspiring entrepreneurs to succeed, Kate left her job behind in March to concentrate full-time on her fledgling business venture. During her work within the NHS, Kate began to explore the often-hidden factors that can impact upon weight gain including diet, the environment, mental health, genetics and life experiences. She embraced a holistic approach, designed to give her clients the confidence to break unwanted eating patterns, but crucially without laying down strict rules when it comes to taking charge of their dietary habits.

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The holistic approach Kate has developed rejects the common weight loss mantra of ‘eat less, move more’, replacing it with no set rules, instead focussing upon the joy of eating and helping her clients to understand the psychological link between eating habits, self-esteem and body image. After trialling her ideas, Kate realised her approach was yielding long-term results, and during lockdown, began developing her ideas and transforming them into a business venture. Having devoted much of her career to working within the NHS, the prospect of running her own business seemed like a daunting one, and little more than a pipe dream. She began to realise that the main thing holding her back was a lack of business knowledge. After scouring the Internet for advice, to understand

Instead, Kate decided to continue working in her day job, giving her time to refine and develop her plans. Initially offering virtual consultations, to Kate’s surprise she quickly found her services to be in high demand, and since opening her business, she is helping people across the UK to help them lead healthier lives. Kate has continued to actively participate in the Launchpad programme, helping her to develop her business knowledge, through one-to-one advice sessions as well as taking part in a number of workshops. Since working with Launchpad, Kate has successfully built her own website, developed a clear marketing plan, as well as getting to grips with the all-important finances of starting a business. Kate said: “The link between what we eat and how we feel about ourselves has fascinated me for many years. Nutrition can impact upon many parts of our lives: from the quality of our sleep, ability to move and even our mental health. Very often conditions such as obesity are symptomatic of other problems we experience in our lives, and I wanted to work with people

on a deeper level so I could get to know them, their needs and address the root causes of their nutritional behaviours. “I knew launching a business would be a huge gamble, especially as I’ve spent most of my career working in the healthcare sector. Working with Launchpad made me realise that I could take things at my own pace. I decided to trial my business, whilst continuing to work, and this gave me the time I needed to explore how the business would work, as well as helping me get to grips with the

fundamentals of running my own company. Jane Gregory, Launchpad adviser, said: “Starting any new business can be an exciting journey, but Kate realised that she would need time to build her client base, as well as understanding what would be involved in running her own company. One of the most common mistakes many new entrepreneurs make is thinking that they will instantly be able to earn a living from their business idea. In reality, it takes time to build and grow a sustanable business. “It’s one of the reasons many

successful businesses start life as a part-time venture. This can be invaluable for new entrepreneurs as it provides the time needed to build a strong business model, as well as testing their ideas. “The workshops Kate attended gave her the confidence and knowledge to build her own website, which I think is an incredible achievement, especially as it’s helped her to secure clients from across the UK, who are tapping into her wealth of knowledge and expertise when it comes to improving their relationship with food.” Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

Sunny 7up is perfect By: Graham Courtney - Motoring Correspondent

SEAT can do no wrong at the moment. Their Arona, Ateca and Tarraco SUV models continue to rack-up 5-star awards and both their Ibiza and Leon hatchbacks and estates have always been extremely popular. There are times when you need a car that resembles a minibus but, let’s face it, we don’t really want to drive one that looks like…and probably is…a converted van. However, a car which can seat up to seven people in comfort is something of a rarity these days. There used to be loads, but the tidal wave of the SUV has largely swept them away. Which is where Dacia come into play with their latest model…the Dacia Jogger. Although Dacia might be the budget brand of Renault, in many respects they’re leading the way because they can be a tad more radical. And when prices start at £15,345 it’s very hard to ignore the common phrase…”you get a lot of metal for your money.” But to say the Dacia Jogger is only good because it’s sensibly cheap, is to the miss the point by a country mile. This is a seriously good car…and as long as it isn’t carrying a team from the local Rugby Sevens, there’s plenty of room for a family, school run, taking friends to the theatre etc. A lot of so-called 7-seaters are really 5-seater cars with a third row for the local Hobbits. Anyone larger than a small child will complain about being cramped. No so with the Dacia Jogger.

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At the moment your sole mechanical choice is a 3-cylinder, 1.0 litre petrol engine mated to a manual gearbox. A 1.6 litre hybrid is in the pipeline. Performance is perfectly adequate and the 6-speed gearbox is sweet to use. Top speed is 114mph, 0-60mph takes around 11 seconds. You should get close to 50mpg. When you hop into the Dacia Jogger you are met with design features and quality materials which you wouldn’t expect in a car of this price. It certainly doesn’t feel cheap. It looks and feels as though it will stand-up to life as a family holdall. You can juggle the interior seating arrangements. The third row of seats can be removed completely to produce a huge load area or you can tumble the centre row forward to give those passengers in the third row sufficient room to stretch out. The ride is excellent. This will make for perfect long-distance holiday transportation. There are three trim versions…Essential, Comfort and Extreme SE. The entry level Essential trim gives you tinted windows, air con, rear parking sensors, cruise control, DAB radio, powered front windows, and a holder for your smartphone to allow access for navigation and entertainment. However we like the Comfort trim. Okay it bumpsup the price by £1600 but it makes the

Jogger feel a bit more special. You add a reversing camera, front parking sensors, auto air con, roof bars and a colour media display which also replicates the screen of your smartphone. This is one of the most versatile, easy to live with, roomy, comfortable and, yes, cheap cars currently available. If it was horrible to drive and with a downmarket

interior, we could sort of understand it when considering the price. The fact that it’s great to drive, will make long holiday journeys something to look forward to and, in Comfort trim, is reasonably equipped, it’s no wonder that the Jogger is likely to become one of Dacia’s biggest sellers. Yo r k s h i r e B u s i n e s s Wo m a n

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