SEARCH SEVEN, THE SEARCH MARKETING AGENCY FOR SOCIAL GOOD, UNVEILS A REFRESHED BRAND IDENTITY TO STRENGTHEN ITS MISSION OF ELEVATING BRANDS, CHARITIES AND PARTNER AGENCIES WHILE DRIVING SOCIAL IMPACT THROUGH COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING EVENTS.
All business is symbiotic in nature.
You can be inspiring your peers one day, learning from them the next.
In the end, people buy people.
That makes sharing our stories the most compelling way to connect with one another.
What’s needed is a platform to embrace and empower our regional business ecosystem. Where varied backgrounds and perspectives provide new context.
Harnessing potential, enabling growth.
And at the heart of it, a dedicated term of curators unlocking insights for the good of us all.
So we’re changing the way people think of connecting.
Because we believe in self-reflection, rather than self-promotion.
By demystifying the art of storytelling, we deliver authentic thought leadership through events, publishing and broadcast media.
We come together to discover, share and grow.
But we won’t be limited by geography, or our imagination.
Instead, we’ll seek out local leaders, visionaries and experts, wherever great businesses thrive.
Growing communities, in partnership with the businesses that power them.
And nurturing the enterpreneurial spirit in everyone.
SBTWelcome
Welcome to a special edition of SBT
Empowerment isn’t a word we use often enough in the business sphere. However, it is one that we will be highlighting this month as we celebrate International Women’s Day with a special supplement.
If you are looking for stories that shine a light on strength, resilience and talent, as well as equality, you will find them here. We meet the Sussex women who go beyond quiet acts of defiance and bold leaps of faith, and discover the diverse paths they have taken to reach where they are in life right now.
You will read about adversity, challenging societal norms and how empowerment is often found in the most unexpected places.
I am grateful to those who have shared their stories. Their journeys are not just about women - they are about humanity, shared experiences and unique perspectives that will enrich our understanding of the world.
It was fantastic to bring all the contributors together in a truly fitting placeBrighton’s Royal Pavilion.
Our supplement aims to serve as a testament to the remarkable contributions women make every day, and as a source of inspiration for all who seek to create a more equitable and just future. May these voices resonate long after the final page is turned, reminding us of the enduring power of women’s stories and the outstanding contribution women make to business.
In this bumper issue, we’re delighted to feature Search Seven and highlight its revamped logo and website. You will also find helpful features in our Finance and Legal sections, as well as plenty going on in Networking & Events.
Sam Thomas, Managing Director
Monthly News
Joint Managing Director/Publisher
Sam Thomas sam@thebusinessgroup.co.uk 07894 762304
Joint Managing Director Lee Mansfield lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk
Production & Design
Kim Butler kim@lifemediagroup.co.uk
Accounts Clare Fermor clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk
Published by
The Business Group Sussex Ltd. Licenced to TBG by Pixel Publications Ltd Unit 1a Swan Barn Business Centre, Swan Barn Road, Hailsham, BN27 2BY
Printed by
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Midnight has expanded its PR offer into the insurance space, we chat with the great British sausage brand: Porky Whites, SafeSite announces a promotion and new hire, and Whitespace reveals it has forged a new, strategic partnership with ITDS. Meanwhile, celebrated chef Steven Edwards, who founded etch., launches something new at the Brighton & Hove Albion Fan Zone and we hear from Crown Wealth Consultants.
Value Added Partner Stories
This month Caroline Watkins, of the construction team at Thomson Snell & Passmore, is in the spotlight.
Finance
Nikki Martin, an Associate Director at Carpenter Box, provides a 2025 tax guide for UK expats.
Legal
18
Bennett Oakley Solicitors offers some sound advice on Lasting Powers of Attorney and Alex Jones, of 365 Employment Law, marks International Women’s Day with a look at empowerment in the workplace, honing in on both progress and challenges. 22
Cover Story
Search Seven reveals its revamped look, but explains: “Our purpose and mission remain unchanged.”
International Women’s Day supplement
A very special collection of features that celebrate Sussex women, their successes, their inspiration, and so much more! Inspiring, honest and sometimes raw, this section is packed with personal journeys, words of wisdom and courage. A fearless look at the avalanche of potential women are bringing to both business and the community.
Networking & Events
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The latest from the Big Business Breakfast Club, news on squad members for the Sussex Sharks Women’s team and Sussex Business Show celebrates international women in business. In other news, the Starr Trust thanks its business supporters.
Lifestyle
How technology is transforming fertility care at the Agora Clinic.
Wine of the Month
Find out what tipple our resident wine expert, Michael Yeoman, has chosen for March.
Midnight lands major insurance PR win
B2B PR agency Midnight has expanded its client portfolio with a new addition in the insurance space: workplace health benefits provider Health Shield Friendly Society.
Midnight, an awardwinning Brightonbased agency, has years of experience in creating impactful PR campaigns for brands in the insurance sector, including media relations, thought leadership, social media and content campaigns.
Alex Hankinson, joint managing director, said: “We love working with ambitious business brands that want to make the world a better place for the people they serve. So, we’re excited to partner with Health Shield, which shares our values and ambitions.
“Health Shield Friendly Society was founded in 1877, way before the
NHS was established, and has a long heritage in helping workers stay healthy. The brand is a perfect fit for us with our insurance and workplace sector expertise.”
Following a competitive tender and sixway pitch, Midnight will be supporting Health Shield Friendly Society with a multi-layered PR campaign to position it as one of the UK’s leading employee health benefits providers across intermediary and HR audiences, while communicating its friendly society values, user-friendly functionality and sustainable pricing.
The not-for-profit mutual provides employee health benefits to businesses across the UK, including health cash plans and health screening services, designed for prevention and
early intervention to help people live healthy, happy lives.
Martin Dunne, head of marketing at Health Shield Friendly Society, said: “For Health Shield, finding a partner that aligns with our core values and vision is key.
“Midnight’s proven PR expertise, combined with their clear understanding of our vision and values, made them stand out during the pitch process. We’re excited to start working together and build a strong relationship with the Midnight team.”
For more information, please visit www.midnight.co.uk and www.healthshield.co.uk
Monthly News
Alex Hankinson
Martin Dunne
Key leadership promotion and new hire to drive growth at SafeSite
Operations Director and Business Development Manager appointments.
SafeSite Facilities and sister company
SafeSite Security Solutions are building on their growth and sector leadership with a key promotion and strategic new hire.
Paul Goossens has been promoted from operations manager to operations director at SafeSite Facilities.
With a strong track record of driving operational improvements and mentoring staff, Paul has been instrumental in shaping the company’s strategic direction.
Paul said: “My focus will be on streamlining processes, enhancing operational efficiency and creating a culture of continuous improvement,” said Paul.
“I’m also looking forward to mentoring future leaders within the company,
so we have a strong foundation for future success.”
As operations director, Paul will lead efforts to refine operational structures, identify skills gaps and implement targeted training programmes.
He will also take an overview of the company’s financial performance, overseeing cost-saving initiatives while enhancing productivity.
In addition to Paul’s promotion, SafeSite Security Solutions is welcoming Shane Hall as its new business development manager.
Shane brings a decade of sales experience, with a strong background in commercial cleaning, pest control and security services. He specialises in guarding, CCTV, temporary alarm systems and physical security solutions.
His appointment will strengthen SafeSite Security Solutions’ relationships within the social housing sector in particular, and his expertise in client relations and problem-solving will support the company’s expanding reach.
“My goal is to drive business growth by building strong client relationships,” said Shane.
“Coming from a large organisation, I’m looking forward to working in a close-knit team where collaboration and innovation thrive. I’m eager to bring my industry knowledge and experience to SafeSite Security Solutions to help support its ambitious growth plans.”
For further information please visit: https://www.safesitefacilities. co.uk/ and https://www. safesitesecuritysolutions.co.uk/
Monthly News
Shane Hall
Paul Goossens
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Championing quality, tradition and innovation in British sausages
When you think of great British sausages, one name stands out: Porky Whites. An award-winning brand with deep roots in Surrey, Porky Whites has become a staple in many households, with products stocked in leading supermarkets like Sainsbury’s.
Behind the brand’s success is Fran Wyatt, a dynamic entrepreneur who has carried forward a family legacy while innovating to meet modern consumer tastes. In this exclusive interview for Sussex Business Times’ International Women’s Month edition, we sit down with Fran to discuss her journey, challenges, and the future of women in business and the food industry.
Monthly News
From family tradition to supermarket shelves
Porky Whites has a long-standing
reputation for quality sausages. Can you tell us about the origins of the brand and how you became involved?
Absolutely! Porky Whites is more than just a brand — it’s a family legacy. Our story began back in the 1930s, with a simple mission: to make the best sausages using the finest ingredients and traditional methods. Over the years, we’ve grown from a beloved local butcher to a nationally recognised brand, but that passion for quality remains at the heart of everything we do.
I took the reins in 2019, stepping into the role without formal business
qualifications but with a deep respect for the brand’s heritage. It was a steep learning curve, but I surrounded myself with great mentors, joined Vistage, and leaned on a strong team. Now, I’m focused on expanding our range, investing in automation, and ensuring Porky Whites continue to stand out in an ever-changing market.
Breaking barriers in a maledominated industry
The food industry has traditionally been male-dominated. What challenges have you faced as a female business owner, and how have you overcome them?
It’s true — manufacturing and food production have historically been male-led, and stepping into this world as a female leader wasn’t always easy. There were moments when I had to work twice as hard to prove myself, especially in negotiations and business growth discussions.
The key for me was confidence— trusting my instincts, backing myself, and making sure I had the right support around me. I’ve built a strong team, invested in leadership development, and made sure we focus on results. At the end of the day, success speaks for itself.
I also believe in championing other women in business. Whether it’s supporting my team, mentoring, or simply leading by example, I want to help pave the way for more women to thrive in this industry.
Last year, I had the incredible honour of winning the Meat Business Awards – Wholesaling, and without a doubt, it stands as my greatest achievement. Our industry is filled with so many talented and inspiring women, so to be recognised among them was truly humbling. This award holds a special place for me, representing not just a personal milestone but a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion that drives Porky Whites forward.
Keeping up with consumer trends
Consumer preferences are always evolving. How has Porky Whites adapted to changing demands in the food industry?
Adapting is key to survival in this industry. Today’s consumers want more than just great taste — they’re looking for quality, provenance, and innovation.
We’re expanding beyond sausages,
exploring new products like pies and pork pies, and focusing on premium, health-conscious, and even plantbased options. The frozen food category is another area of interest, as convenience plays a big role in modern shopping habits.
Sustainability is also on our radar. We’re always looking at ways to improve our processes, from reducing waste to investing in automation and facility production to make operations more efficient.
Advice for women in business
What advice would you give to other women aspiring to succeed in their industries?
Believe in yourself, surround yourself with the right people, and don’t be afraid to take risks.
I stepped into this role with no prior experience in running a business, but I didn’t let that stop me. I sought out mentors, joined business networks, and kept learning. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, seek guidance, and invest in your own growth.
Also, don’t try to do everything yourself. Build a great team, trust them, and focus on the bigger picture.
The power of peer networks
You’re a member of Vistage Sussex, a well-respected leadership development network. How has being part of this group influenced your approach to business and leadership?
Vistage has been a game-changer for me. It’s given me access to experienced business leaders, valuable insights, and a support network that’s helped me navigate the challenges of running a company.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of working on the business, not just in the business. As a leader, you have to step back, look at the bigger picture, and make strategic decisions. Vistage has helped me do that.
Lessons in leadership
Vistage brings together business leaders for shared learning and support. Can you share a key insight or experience from your time with Vistage that has helped shape Porky Whites’ success?
One of the most valuable insights I’ve gained is the power of clear, strategic planning. Through Vistage, I’ve learned to focus on financial stability, long-term growth and ensuring every decision aligns with our core vision.
Having a clear strategy in place makes all the difference.
What’s next for Porky Whites?
Finally, what can we expect from Porky Whites in the future?
Big things! We’re expanding our product range, investing in automation, and focusing on building a brand that stands the test of time.
We’re also exploring new retail and foodservice opportunities, refining our marketing strategy and making sure we have the right people in place to take the business to the next level.
At the heart of it all, though, our commitment to quality never changes. No matter how much we grow, we’ll always stay true to what makes Porky Whites special — great-tasting, traditionally crafted, premium sausages.
Whitespace and ITDS forge strategic partnership to elevate IT, hosting and domain management services
Whitespace, leaders in digital innovation, is thrilled to announce a game-changing partnership with ITDS, an independent managed IT services provider founded by Jermaine Weeden.
Under this new alliance, Whitespace will transition its IT, hosting and domain management services to ITDS, ensuring clients will continue to enjoy seamless, secure and cost-effective digital experience with dedicated experts.
“Our partnership with ITDS is all about delivering simplicity, security and savings to our clients,” said Milly Stone, Managing Director of Whitespace.
“ITDS brings best-in-class IT expertise, allowing us to enhance our digital services and add value while ensuring our clients’ infrastructure is optimised, protected and future-proofed.”
By partnering with ITDS, Whitespace will now offer a unified approach to hosting and domain management, simplifying the way clients interact with their digital infrastructure. This partnership marks a significant step toward delivering superior, streamlined IT solutions and brings several distinct advantages to customers, including:
Unparalleled efficiency and control
• One-stop management – Clients can handle both hosting and domain services effortlessly from a single, intuitive dashboard.
• Single sign-on access – No more juggling multiple credentials — everything is accessible with one login.
Seamless integration and performance
• Automated domain setup – Instant configuration of DNS settings when hosting and domains are managed together.
• Exclusive discounts – Bundled services mean lower costs for clients.
• No hidden fees – Say goodbye to extra transfer or connection charges.
Superior security and reliability
• Advanced protection – Integrated security features, including SSL certificates, firewalls, and domain privacy.
• Reduced DNS hijacking risks –Centralised management minimises vulnerabilities.
• 24/7 monitoring and proactive updates
– Ensuring a safe and reliable service environment at all times.
Simplified support and billing
• Dedicated expert support – One responsive team for all hosting and domain-related needs.
• Faster resolutions – Issues are tackled quickly with all services under one umbrella.
• Hassle-free renewals – Consolidated billing and auto-renewal options for uninterrupted service.
Jermaine Weeden, Founder of ITDS, shared his enthusiasm: “We’re excited to join forces with Whitespace to continue to provide businesses with a streamlined, secure and expert web services experience. Our expertise in IT services, combined with Whitespace’s commitment to digital excellence, makes this a powerful partnership that will redefine how businesses manage their technology infrastructure.”
As businesses increasingly rely on secure and efficient technology solutions, this partnership ensures that Whitespace and ITDS are putting the client first, ensuring they stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Whitespace and ITDS are committed to driving innovation and delivering seamless digital solutions that empower businesses in an increasingly techdriven world. Clients can now look forward to a future of enhanced efficiency, stronger security and unparalleled peace of mind.
Jermaine Weeden
Milly Stone
On a mission to financially educate and build confidence in women
Meet financial planner Rachel Edwards, of Crown Wealth Consultants.
Monthly News
We stand on the precipice of what is being coined as ‘The Great Wealth Transfer’, passing wealth from one generation to the next.
The combination of longer life expectancy and a desire for greater financial independence is changing the financial planning landscape. At Crown Wealth Consultants, we are delighted that we are seeing more women gaining leadership positions and achieving entrepreneurial success, resulting in financially empowered individuals.
Rachel Edwards, Financial Planner at Crown Wealth Consultants, is on a mission to financially educate and build confidence in women.
She says: “In my experience women tend to prioritise trust and personal relationships when choosing financial advisers. They want someone to understand their financial goals and provide an empathetic, supportive approach. I believe a female adviser can be beneficial for clients of all gender identities as they can be particularly adept at navigating the emotional complexities of inheriting wealth - which often involves managing, not just financial assets, but also family dynamics, emotional ties and personal goals.
“I believe that encouraging women to reach out and start a conversation is key. Often this is all that is needed to relieve anxieties and open up vital conversations. Real people don’t start by asking questions about asset classes and
macroeconomics, they want answers to real life questions such as ‘Am I going to be comfortable in retirement?’ or ‘How do I take care of the people I love?’.”
As the Great Wealth Transfer progresses, the need for financial services tailored to women’s distinct needs is clear; there are unique financial challenges women face, including wage gaps, career
interruptions, and the longer lifespans that require careful retirement planning.
Crown Wealth Consultants is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority).
Crown Wealth Consultants is a trading name of Crown Wealth Ltd.
Steven Edwards launches food concept for the new Brighton & Hove Albion Fan Zone
BBC Masterchef: The Professionals winner and chef owner of etch., Steven Edwards has extended his offering at Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club with BITES by Steven Edwards. Monthly News
BITES will be available in the Premier League Club’s The Terrace, which will officially open alongside the American Express Stadium on Tuesday, April 1.
The Terrace, with space for up to 1,000 fans inside and 2,000 outside, is due to open this spring.
This exciting new venue will welcome fans with an array of selected food and drink to enjoy on both match days and non-match days. BITES by Steven Edwards will be one of the concept food offerings delivered by Sodexo Live! the club’s catering partner, with the chef bringing together his award-winning culinary skills and quality Sussex produce to create mouth-watering
burgers, beef hotdogs and sides.
Russell Wood, Head of Commercial at Brighton & Hove Albion FC, says: “The Terrace will offer a fantastic new space for fans to meet, eat and socialise before and after home matches. Our aim is to make The Terrace a destination venue within the site for non-match day events and hospitality too and we are delighted to have Steven working with us to help make that happen.
“Steven’s food has been a huge success at our VIP Hospitality offering in the Tunnel Club and it’s fantastic that so many more fans can now enjoy his Sussex-inspired creations.”
Steven’s BITES menu will include: Lord Beef - two 3oz dry aged beef patties served with a sesame seeded
bun, Frenchie’s mustard mayo, lettuce, gherkin and Swiss cheese, The BratBest beef hot dog served with Japanese milk bread sub, Frenchie’s mustard mayo, curry ketchup, onion seeds and crispy onions and a vegetarian option of Kentucky Fried Onion patty served with charcoal bun, Frenchie’s mustard mayo, lettuce, tomato, gherkin, beetroot ketchup and hash brown.
Steven says: “I love a good burger and it’s been great fun working on a concept that’s so different to what we create and serve at etch.
“The patties and hot dogs are packed with flavour and I’ll be regularly changing the menu to make the most of seasonal ingredients. I can’t wait to see the fans enjoying my menu.”
Value Added Partner Stories
This month, the spotlight falls on Caroline Watkins, Partner in the construction team at Thomson Snell & Passmore.
Tell us your story
Thomson Snell & Passmore is one of the preeminent law firms in the SouthEast, and the oldest law firm in operation in the world. We pride ourselves on offering practical legal advice, combined with expert business insight in order to help our clients to adapt and thrive in the face of change.
We have been supporting families and businesses since 1570 and our legal advisors provide a comprehensive range of services to both organisations and individuals across areas including corporate and commercial, dispute resolution, real estate, employment, family, residential conveyancing, estate planning, wills, probate, Court of Protection, clinical negligence, and personal injury.
I am part of the Construction Team and have been practising non-contentious construction and commercial law for over 15 years. I have worked with clients in a wide variety of sectors and industries, in particular the water industry. I have expertise in drafting, negotiating, advising on and producing construction documentation deriving from a wide range of industry standard forms including JCT, NEC, FIDIC, CIC and BPF, including drafting complex bespoke amendments and creating substantial portfolios of documents such as consultant appointments, collateral warranties, bonds and guarantees, flowing down specified terms throughout to the client’s requirements.
What has been your greatest or proudest business achievement to date?
On a firm-wide level, I am proud to work at an ambitious and progressive
firm, which has recently celebrated 11 consecutive years of growth. One of the reasons we have lasted so long is because we’re always looking one step ahead, to adapt and continue to deliver excellent service to our clients.
On a personal level, pursuing ambitions for a successful career in law despite some significant hindrances (such as recession and restructuring, a pivot into advising in-house in an industry that was entirely new to me, and some pretty savage curve balls in my family life) is something of which I am very proud. When you persevere against the odds, it leads to a greater certainty that you are where you’re meant to be in the end.
What type of clients do you currently work with and who are you looking to meet?
The firm works with individuals and business clients across a wide spectrum, from innovative start-ups and ambitious owner-managed businesses to high net worth individuals, land owners and multi-million pound companies with global reach.
In the Construction Team, I predominantly work with commercial operators in a variety of sectors (such as food and drink, education, insurance and workspaces). I work on both sides of the coin (consultants, contractors and developers alike) which is really useful in gauging when a party is being unreasonable!
I’m very interested in local development, sustainability and renewables (which Sussex has a great deal of investment in). In my career I’ve worked on a number of complex contracts and engineering projects that have required significant flexing of drafting muscles – I’d like to offer
those skills out to innovative businesses who are making real changes to the area, and who need efficient, practical legal support with appropriate technical expertise to make those changes happen.
Tell us a story/fact about yourself that people might not know
I am a drama graduate and spent most of my final undergrad year doing stand-up comedy. No, I am not going to do it again.
How do you define success?
This is a good question, and it’s not the first time I’ve been asked to consider it in recent times. I believe it has a lot to do with balance and knowing what you want to aim for. Inevitably, some objectives will need to be sacrificed in the name of achieving others along the way, and not ticking everything off the list shouldn’t be seen as a failure. I think people (and businesses, naturally) evolve quickly and the person that goes to bed at night isn’t the same one that woke up that morning, so you need to let your surroundings (and the people that surround you) influence you in a positive way.
Continually reflecting on and refining your aims and objectives, opportunities and losses according to who you are is a good exercise in getting the balance right for you – which leads to contentment, which to me is the definition of success.
Understanding tax for UK expats: 2025 guide
By Nikki Martin, Associate Director, Carpenter Box.
Navigating the complexities of taxation can be challenging, especially for UK expats. Whether you’re working abroad or have relocated for retirement, understanding your tax obligations is crucial. This 2025 guide will help you understand how tax works for UK expats, including personal tax allowances, residency rules, and the latest tax rates.
Finance
How does tax work for UK expats?
As a UK expat, your tax obligations depend on your tax residency status. The UK tax system operates based
on residency rather than citizenship. This means that if you are UK tax resident, you may be liable to pay UK taxes on your worldwide income. However, if you are non-resident, you will generally only be taxed on your UK-sourced income. Where income is cross jurisdictional, or you are resident in more than one country, it is important to review any tax treaties between the UK and the other jurisdiction, as these agreements can help prevent double taxation and provide tax relief opportunities.
Tax residency status is governed by the Statutory Residence Test (SRT), which considers factors such as the number of days you spend in the
UK, your ties to the country, and your overall lifestyle. It’s essential to establish whether you are resident or non-resident to understand your tax obligations fully. If you move between countries frequently, keeping detailed records of your travel and financial transactions is highly recommended to avoid unexpected tax liabilities.
What
is the personal tax allowance for expats in the UK?
For the 2024-2025 tax year, the UK personal tax allowance remains a critical aspect of tax planning for expats. The personal tax allowance is the amount of income you can earn before you start paying income tax. For most individuals,
including expats, the personal allowance for 2024-2025 is £12,570.
This allowance is applicable to British citizens and certain other individuals regardless of residency status. However, certain conditions may affect your eligibility, such as the level of your income or the basis under which your tax liability is calculated. It’s important to note that the personal allowance may reduce if your income exceeds £100,000. Due to the interaction of the personal allowance and savings and investment income for non-residents, UK expats who have pensions or rental income from UK properties should carefully assess how these earnings affect their overall tax position. Seeking professional advice can ensure you optimise your tax efficiency.
How long can an expat stay in the UK without paying tax?
The amount of time you can spend in the UK without becoming liable for tax depends on your residency status. Generally, if you spend fewer than 183 days in the UK within a tax year, you may be considered non-resident for tax purposes. However, the Statutory Residence Test also takes into account your connections to the UK, such as having a home or close family in the country.
For example, if you have ties to the UK, you may be UK tax residenteven if you were to spend fewer than 183 days in the UK, which may trigger tax obligations on your worldwide income. Therefore, understanding and accurately recording your days in the UK is crucial for tax planning. It’s advisable to maintain clear documentation of your stays and any professional or financial ties that might influence your tax status.
What are the UK tax rates?
For the 2024-2025 tax year, UK income tax rates remain consistent with previous years. The tax rates are:
• Basic Rate: 20% on income between £12,571 and £50,270.
• Higher Rate: 40% on income between £50,271 and £125,140.
• Additional Rate: 45% on income above £125,140.
These rates apply to UK residents on their worldwide income and to non-residents on their UK-sourced income. Understanding these rates is vital for effective tax planning, especially if you have a mix of UK and foreign income. Different rates apply to dividend income. For example, UK expats with business interests in multiple countries must carefully structure their finances to minimise tax exposure. Consulting a tax expert can help you maximise available deductions and allowances.
Need further guidance?
For expats, tax planning can be complex, requiring a deep understanding of both UK and international tax laws. Our international services team can provide expert guidance to help you navigate these challenges and ensure compliance with all relevant tax obligations. You can get in touch with a member of our *award-winning tax team by calling 01903 234094 or visit www.carpenterbox.com
*Carpenter Box was named national ‘Tax Team of the Year’ at the 2024 Accounting Excellence Awards.
Nikki Martin
Why is it important to have Lasting Powers of Attorney?
By Bennett Oakley Solicitors.
Planning for the future is essential, yet many people overlook the importance of protecting their interests should they become unable to make decisions for themselves. Whether due to illness, injury, or age-related conditions, losing the ability to manage financial and personal affairs can create significant challenges for both individuals and their
families. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) ensures that your wishes are respected and that the people you trust have the legal authority to act on your behalf when needed.
What are Lasting Powers of Attorney?
Lasting Powers of Attorney (often referred to as LPAs) are legal documents that allow you to appoint the people you trust to make decisions on your behalf
in relation to health and welfare and property and finances.
Why is it important to have LPAs?
• Lasting Powers of Attorney ensure that if you were to lose capacity in the future, or become unable to manage your own affairs, the people you trust are able to assist you at this time.
• Within the documents, you can
include specific instructions and preferences, to ensure that your wishes are legally documented.
• It is important to get LPAs in place to give you peace of mind, to know that once they have been registered, they can be used when required.
What are the risks of not having LPAs?
• Without having LPAs in place, you are not able to control who makes decisions on your behalf, if you are not capable of making them yourself.
• If you do not have LPAs in place, this could make it difficult for your family to manage your finances and healthcare.
• If you lose mental capacity and do not
have an LPA for property and finance in place, your family would have to apply to the Court of Protection to become your deputy, which can be a very lengthy and expensive process, delaying urgent decisions about your property and finances.
• If you lose mental capacity and don’t have an LPA for health and welfare in place, any decisions about your health or care will be made by the care professionals looking after you. If appropriate, they must consult your family (or anyone else with an interest in your welfare) when deciding what is in your best interests – but the final decision lies with them.
How Bennett Oakley Solicitors can help
At Bennett Oakley Solicitors, we provide expert guidance on drafting, signing, and registering your Lasting Powers of Attorney. Our team will handle the full process for you, ensuring that your documents are legally sound and tailored to your needs.
Our priority is to give you peace of mind — ensuring that your affairs are managed according to your wishes, both now and in the future. To discuss your Lasting Power of Attorney and safeguard your future, get in touch with our expert team today.
www.bennettoakley.co.uk
Empowering women in the workplace: progress and challenges in UK Employment Law
Written by Alex Jones, Managing Director of 365 Employment Law, for International Women’s Day 2025.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, it is a timely moment to reflect on the progress made in advancing gender equality in the UK workplace. Women represent a significant proportion of the workforce and addressing gender equality is not just a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage.
Recent legal developments and their impact on women
One of the most significant changes in recent years has been the Flexible Working Act 2023, which grants employees the right to request flexible
working arrangements from day one of their employment. Many smaller businesses already operate with lean teams and flexible structures, but the new law has formalised the process and encouraged more companies to adopt flexible working policies. This has been particularly beneficial for women, who often juggle work with caregiving responsibilities. By embracing flexible working, employers can attract and retain talented women, creating a more diverse and productive workforce.
Another key development is the extension of redundancy protections for pregnant employees and new parents under the Pregnancy and
Maternity Discrimination (Redundancy Protection) Act 2023. While larger companies may have dedicated HR teams to navigate these changes, smaller businesses may not have the same resources. The law has prompted many smaller businesses to review their policies and ensure they are providing adequate support to pregnant employees and new parents. This has not only improved job security for women but also helped businesses build a reputation as family-friendly employers.
Tackling sexual harassment in smaller workplaces
The #MeToo movement has had a
profound impact on workplaces of all sizes. In 2024, the government introduced a new statutory code of practice on sexual harassment, which provides clear guidelines for employers on preventing and addressing harassment. For smaller businesses, which may not have formal HR departments or anti-harassment policies in place, this code has been a valuable resource. It emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of respect and zero tolerance for harassment, and it encourages employers to take proactive steps, such as providing training and establishing clear reporting mechanisms.
While smaller businesses may face resource constraints, addressing sexual harassment is crucial for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace. Many employers have found that investing in antiharassment training and policies not only protects employees but also enhances their reputation and employee morale.
Supporting
women’s
career progression
One of the key challenges for employers is supporting women’s career progression, particularly into leadership roles. In smaller businesses, leadership teams are often smaller, and opportunities for advancement may be limited. However, many employers are finding innovative ways to support women’s career development. For example, some businesses are offering mentoring programs, leadership training, and opportunities for women to take on project management roles. These initiatives not only benefit individual employees but also help build a pipeline of future leaders.
The gender pension gap: a hidden issue for women
The gender pension gap is an emerging issue that affects women across
all sectors, including those working in smaller companies. Women, on average, retire with significantly lower pension savings than men, due to factors such as part-time work, career breaks, and lower lifetime earnings. For smaller companies, which may not offer the same level of pension benefits as larger companies, this issue is particularly acute. However, some smaller businesses are taking steps to address the gap by offering better financial education and support to female employees. For example, some companies have introduced pension matching schemes or partnered with financial advisors to help women boost their savings.
While progress has been made, employers still face significant challenges in advancing gender equality. Many smaller businesses operate with limited resources, making it difficult to implement new policies or invest in training and development. Additionally, the informal nature of many smaller companies can sometimes lead to unconscious biases and a lack of transparency in decision-making.
As we mark International Women’s Day 2025, it is clear that employers have a crucial role to play in advancing gender equality in the UK workplace. Inclusive workplaces are proven to drive innovation, improve employee satisfaction, and boost retention. By promoting gender equity, employers not only advance social justice but also position themselves as leaders in attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive marketplace.
To create truly equitable workplaces, employers must promote comprehensive and inclusive policies that address the systemic barriers women face. Expanding mentorship programs and ensuring equal access to leadership opportunities are vital steps. Similarly, investing in targeted upskilling can empower women to thrive in evolving industries.
For further advice, either as an employer or employee contact us at 365 Employment Law.
Thank you to Inside Stories for brand proposition and Major Digital for brand and web design
Search Seven - a new face for a timeless purpose
Yes, Search Seven has a new look, but its purpose and mission remain unchangedleveraging the agency to drive social impact and benefit the community.
The new logo, alongside a revamped website, marks an exciting phase for the multi-award-winning agency as it pushes towards its latest fundraising target of £177,000 as part of the #share177k campaign
Over the years, Search Seven has evolved beyond a search marketing
agency. It helps brands and organisations elevate their online presence through search marketing. In addition, it hosts events for charities, partner agencies and the wider community, bringing everyone together under one roof to make a difference.
Founder and CEO Gavin Willis explains: “The 7 in the new logo marks the three audiences we aim to serve, each
representing our brands, charities and partner agencies. We wanted a new logo and website that helps to showcase how we have elevated our brand, just like how we aim to do the same for others.”
In the following pages, we will shine a spotlight on each audience.
Brands
First and foremost, Search Seven is a search marketing agency that helps brands elevate their online presence through strategic SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and paid media consultancy, including PPC (Pay Per Click) and Paid Social (Meta ads, LinkedIn ads, etc.).
The agency partners with exceptional local brands in Sussex and national and global brands to ensure they receive the exposure they deserve.
Since 2011, Search Seven has worked with over 200 brands. While they don’t focus on a single sector, their combined expertise — both in-house and from previous agencies — has made them
specialists across multiple industries. Superb case studies highlight their proven impact on brand growth and digital marketing.
Local brands that they’ve supported include Boundless, Brighton Fringe, Sussex Cricket, Newbery Cricket, the Cruise Line, Rickshaw Travel, Responsible Travel, BIMM, World Of Books, and University of Brighton.
Brands outside of Sussex include Southampton Boat Show, Man City Football Club, Greene King, Johnson & Johnson, Roche, Vestd and Snap Dragon.
Search Seven works closely with inhouse marketing teams as an agency,
offering the strategic consultancy the brands need to guide and shape their search marketing strategies. It can provide standalone services, such as SEO, PPC, Paid Social, Analytics and Reporting, as well as training and workshops. However, the real strength lies in combining search strategies. By strategically adjusting efforts across SEO, PPC, and Paid Media, Search Seven helps brands achieve outstanding cross-channel results.
If you’d like to chat about how Search Seven can help elevate your brand’s online presence, you can book a discovery call with the team by visiting the new site.
Charities
Search Seven is passionate about supporting charities. Beyond fundraising, it offers a 25% discount on its day rate, providing charities additional financial support when they become clients.
Search Seven has supported numerous local charities with SEO and paid media consultancy, including Rockinghorse (their flagship charity), RISE, Group B Strep, Sussex Beacon, Chestnut Tree House, World of Books and Together Co. Beyond Sussex, it has also worked with charities such as Bowel Cancer UK, Leukaemia UK, National Numeracy, Crohn’s and Colitis, London’s Air Ambulance, and Mind.
As a certified Google Ad Grants partner, Search Seven provides specialist advice to charities seeking to maximise their £7,000 per month in free advertising. By leveraging this allowance, charities enhance their online presence, increase
website traffic, and ultimately drive donations, volunteers, sponsors, participants, and supporters to further their causes.
Since its founding in 2011, Search Seven has upheld a strong commitment to giving back, a principle reflected in its name. Every year, the agency pledges at least 7% of its profits to charity via fundraising and direct donations.
Now, nearly 14 years later, after hosting 28 fundraising events, it has raised and donated over £150,000, supporting 65 charities. With everyone in the team choosing a charity to support that is close to their hearts every year!
The efforts have earned Search Seven well-deserved recognition, including the Best Corporate Fundraiser and CSR Excellence Award at the Brighton & Hove Business Awards and Best Contribution to the Community at the Gatwick
Diamond Business Awards in 2024.
The current fundraising campaign aims to reach £177,000 by the end of 2026 to celebrate Search Seven’s 15th anniversary. However, after a recordbreaking 2024 —raising £27,000 in a single year—the agency is on track to potentially hit this target a year early. If they do, a new milestone of £200,000 could become the next goal for their 15th anniversary. Now, wouldn’t that be a fantastic celebration?
If you are a charity looking to elevate your online presence and drive more significant impact through search marketing, get in touch to book a discovery call via the new site.
Agency partners
The Search Seven experience goes beyond delivering excellent search strategies for clients. It also extends beyond the events it hosts to support charities.
Over the years, the agency has built a vast partner network, offering clients and charities complementary services whenever opportunities arise. Search Seven hosts a few agency-only events each year, inviting agency owners and leaders to a fun, informal setting that fosters relationships without an agenda or guest speakers.
With over 60% of revenue coming from agency partnerships since 2011, it’s no surprise that the partner days, events and co-prospecting sessions with other agency owners have become a core part of the agency’s focus. As the primary partner host and connector,
Gavin strengthens relationships between partner agencies, brands, and charities that Search Seven represents.
In 2023, Search Seven launched its Charity Referral League, S Club 7% This referral scheme donates 2% of revenue to a charity chosen by the referrer and 5% to the referrer. This initiative reinforces the agency’s commitment to driving change and has, to date, helped raise over £5,000 for charity.
Agency events include the Bowls Battle, where 18 business owners face off against 18 agency owners in a friendly green bowls competition — complete with food and drinks.
This sell-out event has been a huge success, and on June 12th, it will return for its third consecutive year. You can book your tickets here!
Search Seven has also hosted agency events at Flight Club, SIXES, Nostos, Malmaison and, most recently, the AMEX Stadium, where Gully made a special appearance alongside a stadium tour.
If you’re an agency interested in attending a Search Seven event or exploring a potential partnership, book a partner discovery call with Gav here.
2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Search Seven, with a brand refresh, new team members, and a fantastic lineup of events, including:
April 24- 25: Rockinghorse Ryder - final few tickets here
June 12th: S7 Bowls Battle - tickets
July 21st: Agencies @ The Raceslaunching April
October (TBC): The BIG S7 Charity Event - watch this space!
To keep up to date on the latest news at Search Seven, from team news and charity news to the latest industry updates in SEO and Paid Media, please join the mailing list here
Gavin is also on a mission to inspire other organisations to follow the Search Seven way, placing purpose before profit, and to embed CSR into their framework. If you’d like to learn more, download the e-book here
You can also follow and support Gavin on LinkedIn here
Finally, Search Seven would like to thank everyone in Sussex for their incredible support - a strong community is everything!
And remember, to stand out, stand for something ♥
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2025
CELEBRATING SUSSEX WOMEN AND PROGRESS
Beyond equality sound bites: celebrating Sussex women and progress
In this issue of the Sussex Business Times, we mark International Women’s Day by celebrating the women who are breaking down barriers to equality in Sussex. Here, they share their inspiring journeys to success.
International Women’s Day 2025 arrived not as a singular celebration, but as a critical checkpoint on a journey towards genuine equality. It was, as is the whole of March, a moment to look beyond mere gestures and acknowledge both the progress made and the formidable obstacles that remain. There is, perhaps, no better place to start than with local stories; real-life examples of Sussex women who are making important strides, not just for themselves but for women everywhere.
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It was fitting to bring these women together at Brighton’s Royal Pavilion. It
symbolised both history and progress, gathering entrepreneurs, executives and changemakers together to be recognised for their contributions to the local economy and community.
Accelerate Action was the theme of this year’s global event. It delivered a clarion call to everyone to move beyond a hashtag, or sound bites, and commit to forging futures where gender equity is not an aspiration, but a lived reality.
Locally, we are seeing advancements in education and entrepreneurial ventures, areas we are delighted to highlight in this special issue of the magazine. We learn how simple ideas, a passion or activism
have been the catalysts for successful new ventures. Some of these are designed to empower other women, be it through education, health and support networks, or entrepreneurship.
While systemic barriers persist, women’s participation in society is moving in the right direction. Areas singled out for future improvement include tackling the digital divide, economic disparities and the persistence of gender-based violence. Each of these are recognised as barriers to women’s full participation in society.
One crucial area constantly being put under the microscope is the economic empowerment of women - something
that the Sussex Business Times hopes this supplement will encourage. The lingering effects of global economic shifts have exacerbated existing inequalities. Women, particularly those in marginalised communities, often face limited access to financial resources, training and leadership opportunities.
In 2025, International Women’s Day called for the prioritisation of policies and initiatives that support women’s entrepreneurship, promote equal pay and ensure access to quality childcare and healthcare. Investing in women’s economic potential is not just a matter of fairness; it’s an economic imperative that benefits entire societies.
The realm of leadership demands critical examination. While women’s representation in political and corporate leadership positions has increased, true parity remains elusive. International Women’s Day highlighted why we need to dismantle the systemic barriers that prevent women from reaching their full leadership potential, including unconscious bias, lack of mentorship
opportunities, and the persistent expectation that women shoulder the majority of caregiving responsibilities. Creating inclusive and equitable leadership structures is not just about filling quotas; it’s about fostering diverse perspectives and ensuring that decision-making reflects the needs and experiences of all members of society.
Of course, the day was also a moment to celebrate the resilience and strength of women. From grassroots activists fighting for education that empowers women to business owners pushing the boundaries of innovation, women are leading the way in shaping a more just and sustainable future - especially here in Sussex. We want to amplify their voices, support their initiatives and recognise their invaluable contributions.
If you want to be part of the progress, it might require a shift in mindset -because everyone needs to move beyond the rhetoric of empowerment and embrace a culture of partnership and shared responsibility. Men must be active allies in the fight for gender
equality, challenging their own biases and advocating for change in their workplaces, communities and homes. Gender equality is not a women’s issue; it’s a human issue that requires the collective effort of all.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, let us commit to concrete actions that will drive meaningful change. This means advocating for policies that promote gender equality, investing in programs that empower women and challenging the cultural norms that perpetuate inequality. It means listening to the voices of women from all walks of life and recognising the intersectionality of their experiences.
Let us move beyond the fleeting moments of celebration and embrace a sustained commitment to building a world where women and girls can thrive. Let us forge futures where equality is not just a dream, but a reality. Let us make International Women’s Day 2025 a catalyst for lasting change, a turning point where we collectively commit to building a more just and equitable world for all.
How far did my bra fly?
By Helen Guinness.
The month of March and the return of IWD celebrations prompts me to think back to a time before women had the rights that they have now; and to the part that I have played in my lifetime to contribute to some of the changes, both in attitudes and laws.
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My parents were adamant about equality and fairness; and believed in everyone’s right to equality. A strong foundation for me and one that fuelled my future actions. In addition, my maternal grandmother was a suffragist and an
active campaigner for votes for women: a strong legacy!
Just to give this some context, The Representation of the People Act 1918 UK allowed only women over the age of 30 who met a property qualification to vote, that is only about two-thirds (8.5 million) of the total population of women in the UK.
Ten years later…the Equal Franchise Act 1928 UK allowed women over 21 to vote, and women finally achieved the same voting rights as men. This increased the number of women eligible to vote to 15 million.
But did you know that New Zealand’s women got the right to vote in parliamentary elections in 1893; that the colony of South Africa allowed women to vote and stand for election in 1895? South Australia, Sweden and Finland followed before the UK. Paradoxically, perhaps, the smallest Swiss Canton finally awarded women the vote in 1991; and perhaps less surprisingly, women in Saudi Arabia didn’t get the vote until 2015.
When I was a young woman, I could not open a bank account in my own name without permission from either my
father or my husband. I couldn’t have a mortgage in my own name until well after the Sex Discrimination Act was passed in 1975.
As a single parent in my late teens, I could not get a hospital bed unless I lied about being married and wore a wedding ring; and my child was referred to as illegitimate. This would never happen today.
By the time the Women’s Liberation Movement crossed the Atlantic in the late 1960s, I was ready for change and something that I could get my teeth into that might make a difference for the future of womankind.
The WLM was a political movement that sought to achieve equality and autonomy for women. The WLM continued its activities into the 1980s – although by that time I had embarked on my career, bringing leadership and coaching into UK organisations. Ultimately, the WLM did have a significant impact on the
world, politically, intellectually and culturally.
It was a difficult time that gave rise to militancy, massive resistance and the misrepresentation of the purpose of the movement. Women were labelled ‘man haters’ and accused of breaking up families. The following gives you a flavour of my involvement.
• I dressed, having discarded my bra, in the then ‘cool’ uniform of dungarees and Doc Martens and I threw out my make-up. Oh yeah!
• I led a group of women poets to self-publish a collection called House Plant. We sold 500 copies and donated the money to women in need.
• I ran a day nursery, set up to give mothers a break from daily childcare.
• I had articles published in two magazines of the time: Spare Rib and Nova.
• I supported Erin Pizzey who was known for her advocacy on behalf of both men’s and women’s rights, and for her work against domestic violence.
• And, yes, I camped at Greenham Common.
By this time my bra was in full flight!
Some significant changes occurred during this time. The contraceptive pill was launched in 1961, but available only to the married, until 1967. Sexual liberation was on its way!
The 1967 Abortion Act legalised abortion in the UK, for women who were up to 24 weeks pregnant, provided that
maternal health was not in danger.
So, now what?
I have successfully weathered a 40-yearplus career in a male-dominated business world and navigated the challenges therein. I continue to work in leadership development, because I believe that, ultimately, it may be the only way forward.
And yet, my bra has still not flown far enough!
Not only have we not made significant further progress, I would assert that we have fallen back. To take what is now and never should have been an issue, we still do not pay women the same amount as men in many areas of society. This must change.
Matriarchy is not the answer. We would simply be replacing one dominant culture with another, creating more blind spots, misses and mistakes.
We won’t succeed with the extremely binary women v. men, patriarchy v. matriarchy, win v. lose gender battle.
Only diversity – the representation of all genders and all people – will bring us a different result. And we all need to learn, to educate our children to live in an equal world, not a competitive, divisive one.
Leadership is the key!
Helen Guinness hello@helenguinness.com 07775 662170 helenguinness.com
‘Youth-ing’ the educational gaps
Profiling the pioneering work of Kaia Allen-Bevan, founder and CEO of a multi award-winning company changing the landscape of modern-day education.
Since 16, Kaia AllenBevan has been an anti-racism advocate, striving for change daily - no matter how big, small, or visible these may be, she believes each and every change is absolutely necessary.
From 2019 to the present day, Kaia has bloomed since the grassroots of her activism, delivering a TEDx Talk in April 2022, co-organising Brighton’s own BLM demonstrations and managing the campaign from 2020 to 2021, founding @ officialbrightonblm. Kaia is a recognised public speaker by the likes of Forbes and BusinessToday, and is considered to be ‘Making A Global Impact’.
As the Engagement, Anti-Racism and Allyship Lead at the award-winning company WatchThisSp_ce and a proud member of the GeniusIsCommon movement, she continues to make waves beyond the Brighton scene. She is also Plus X Innovation’s 2025 Ambassador, an artist and host, with a fruitful portfolio of partnerships, such as Grazia, Yubo and The Guardian.
Education is at a crisis point. Six hundred schools are “stuck receiving consecutive poor Ofsted judgments and more than 300,000 young people are going to these schools, which is directly impacting not just youth, but also educational staff and growing concerns from parents. With 285 million young
people unable to access equitable education globally, The World Economic Forum has concluded that existing inequalities in accessing education have only heightened since COVID-19. Furthermore, according to UNISON, Government cuts to schooling mean a pupil who started school in England in 2010 has lost out on £5,384 of education funding by the time they graduate sixth form in 2023.
Kaia has always wanted to transform education for the better but was met with challenges and barriers within youth work and teaching. From conducting market research, Kaia concluded that her sample of 100 people, from ages 17 to 55, could be generalised
to the UK population, where 75% of the UK would have had an overall negative experience within education, specifically around their relationship to the current curriculum and how antisocial behaviour (such as bullying, harassment and discrimination) was poorly addressed. Kaia sat with the pain of seeing the young people she taught be failed by the UK’s education system which propelled her into action.
Kaia, from February 2024 onwards, is the CEO and founder of the multi-awardwinning community interest company YouthTheGap, a consultancy on a mission to reimagine the possibilities of education. Officially incorporated in November 2024, YouthTheGap won its first award (Plus X Innovation “Rising Star” award) and raised over £10,000 in funding in their first two weeks of operating.
YouthTheGap works directly with schools to identify educational gaps and co-create solutions to fix them, taking the weight off teachers’ shoulders. Through workshops, training, their own Remediation Audit, events and an alternative educational platform aimed to be released in early 2027, YouthTheGap is determined to end educational inequities, on a global scale. YouthTheGap works with schools
within long-term partnerships as they recognise that tick-box exercises are not conducive to educational staff, parents/ carers/supporters, students/pupils, and wider stakeholders.
YouthTheGap’s five-star framework is inspired to counter the traditional Ofsted grading system, and operates from its four-pillar values to ensure that each step progressed with schools is inclusive, sustainable and leads with social impact. Funded by the Blagrave Trust, they are delivering their first Remediation Audit with Downs Junior School. Progressing through their four phases (Discovery, Devising, Delivery and Discourse), the team are to analyse, benchmark and deliver a specialised action plan, to become an actively antiracist school, working closely with their Deputy Head (Amy Trevatt) and new Headteacher (Katie Blood).
Funded by the Enjoolata Foundation, YouthTheGap has partnered with WildPurpose to launch their very own co-mentoring Programme “Symbiosis”, partnering purpose-driven people with a difference. Disrupting social hierarchies, each session is designed to forge coalitions and create safe spaces for each pairing to learn from each other. Since June 2024, 10 successful
matches have undergone 3-months of active allyship, understanding through differences and modelling intergenerational connection.
YouthTheGap recognises that education is not just a UK issue. Since their founding date, they have hosted 20 events responding to humanitarian crises and have fundraised almost £1,000 for non-profits, charities and grassroots organisations.
This year, YouthTheGap has partnered with TEDx Brighton, one of Europe’s largest independently organised TEDx events, to host and curate a section dedicated to youth voices and social justice, welcoming Dyar Hussain, Busayo Twins and Annabelle Woghiren to the iconic Red Dot, with Kaia, on April 4th.
What’s next? Well, watch closely! Kaia, and YouthTheGapCIC, are not just passionate about creating a platform but insist that they are a movement. They are here to stay until education is truly meaningful, accessible and inclusive for all.
Beyond storytelling: the power of narrative in personal and professional growth
By Laura Hearn, Founder of Flip It Global and Flip It Podcast.
As a natural introvert, I had always preferred to remain in the shadows - watching from the sidelines while others took to the stage. This, combined with an innate hunger to always know more, paved the way for a career in journalism. An observer of the human condition from a young age, I filled countless journals with reflections - words that helped me make sense of my world. But as the years passed and the pages filled up, I realised that words were more than ink on paper. They were stories with the profound power to shape my reality.
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My career at the BBC allowed me to craft and share stories heard by millions across the world. I met some of the most admired figures of our time, yet it was always the voices hidden in the shadows - the ones entrusted to me by those who rarely felt seen - that left me feeling like I had done a good day’s work. It is a privilege to be invited into someone’s world, their home, and their story, and it’s one I have never taken for granted.
Journalists often say: “We give a voice to the voiceless.” But I don’t believe that’s true. Everyone has a voice. The problem isn’t the absence of voices, it’s
the absence of listeners. That realisation has fuelled my mission: to help people feel seen and heard.
The stories that saved me
Stories have, quite literally, saved my life - a sentence I don’t say lightly. There was a time when my own story took an unexpected turn, one I would have done anything to rewrite. But as I sit here today, I see that moment as the greatest gift I never knew I needed.
In my darkest times, it was the words of others, their experiences, their wisdom,
their stories that helped me find my way forward. As I walked the rolling hills of the Sussex coastline, I learned to reframe my own narrative by listening to those who were willing to share theirs with me. Each conversation became a lantern in the dark, guiding me toward a new perspective. And as I collected the words, voices and real-life stories of others, I found myself able to rewrite my own.
It was these stories, along with my everloyal companion - nature - that led me to create Flip It, a passion project that has become my greatest chapter yet. Born from the scribbles in my journals and a determination to find light in the dark, I set out to meet everyday heroes - people who could help me flip my own script. What I found was far more than I ever imagined: an abundance of kindness from those who opened their hearts to me, offering a lens free of judgment that helped me rebuild my world one word at a time.
The power of narrative transformation
Feeling seen and heard is something we all deserve, yet so many of us struggle with it - both personally and professionally. That’s why Flip It has evolved into more than just a podcast; it’s an ecosystem, a platform and a community designed to help individuals reshape how they understand, articulate and share their stories.
Through my work, I’ve come to recognise that the ability to write, speak and convey ideas can have a profound impact on our lived experience. But beyond storytelling, it is narrative that shapes our reality.
A story tells us what happened. A narrative determines how we interpret what happened - and whether we stay stuck on the same page or find the courage to turn to the next. Stories capture attention and evoke emotion, but narratives endure. They provide the framework that connects
our experiences, offering continuity, purpose and meaning.
When we take control of our narrative, we move beyond the stories we were born into and step into the stories we choose to live.
Through Flip It, my mission is to empower individuals and organisations to reclaim and reshape their stories - whether for personal growth, professional success, or creative expression. But above all, it is an exploration of our shared humanity - a space where stories are valued, voices are amplified and transformation begins. A place where everyone has a voice, and every voice is heard.
Sharing stories, accelerating action
As we mark this year’s International Women’s Day under the theme Accelerate Action, I feel more compelled than ever to highlight the power of storytelling. When a story is shared, it lives on long after it is first told.
There have been many women who have helped me reframe my own narrative, but perhaps none more than my mum. Like her own mother before her, she has shown me what unconditional love looks and feels like. Without her unwavering belief in me, I may never have had the courage to step off the sidelines and find my own voice.
Mum, I hope you know that, to me, you are the epitome of what it means to be a survivor. You have inspired me never to give up - and to continue sharing stories that help others find their way, too.
If you’d like to find out more about Laura’s work or to get in touch with her, you can reach her via any of the channels below.
W: www.flipitglobal.com
E: laura@flipitglobal.com
M: +44 7813 983188
Reinvent your life after trauma, grief and loss
Meet Hema Patel, RTT hypnotherapist at Reset and Rediscover.
A career coach for over 10 years, it was losing her 27-yearold cousin to suicide that prompted Hema to change her own career. Fuelled by a desire to make a difference, Hema almost became a mental health first aid instructor. However, she decided that instead of making people aware of conditions, Hema wanted to help people become free of them.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
It’s a chance to come together and celebrate. I spent most of my 30s self-isolating, in the cycle of work, eat, sleep, repeat. In my 40s, I learned that isolation is a big risk factor for suicide. Connection is key!
Often we find it easier to celebrate others and more challenging to
celebrate ourselves. We forget ourselves in the busy-ness of life. We also don’t want to be seen as showy or egotistical. However, if we’re not visible, people won’t know what we do or how we can help them.
Why do people fear being visible so much?
We’ve all witnessed cases where people have been put on a pedestal and then
shot down. We worry people will judge and reject us. When we lived in tribes, we’d have had little chance of survival outside the tribe so, ultimately and unconsciously, we fear death. People tend to overthink every word, because of that fear of judgement and rejection. Whether it’s a presentation, pitch or social media post, the dialogue in our head can sometimes be noisier than what’s out there.
What do you do differently to other therapists?
I support clients to get to the ROOT CAUSE of their fears, using hypnosis. To understand how, when and why their fear was formed and then release it. Often, what started initially as self-preservation can turn into selfsabotage. e.g. being asked to read aloud in class, stumbling upon a word, other children laughing. As a child internalising the belief that it’s painful to be seen, heard and judged. Creating a ‘not good enough’ wound, trust and visibility wounds.
The work I do using Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) helps people release their wounds, heal their inner child and reprogram their subconscious for success. Our subconscious mind is responsible for 8595% of our day-to-day thoughts, habits and actions. We have 50,000 to 80,000 thoughts a day. 80% are not true and 90% are recycled from the previous day. The thoughts that aren’t true, e.g. “I’m not good enough”, “I can’t trust myself to do the right thing ”, “It’s not safe to be seen” are like grooves on a vinyl record. I help my clients take the needle off the record and play a new groove instead.
What is the most common misconception about hypnotherapy?
That it’s just for quitting smoking or drinking. I’ve helped people to
move past fears of being seen, heard and judged. I’ve supported people to release long-held selfsabotage patterns such as perfectionism, procrastination and people-pleasing.
People massively increase their selfbelief, confidence and courage when they work with me. Scaling their business, by putting themselves out there in a bigger way through networking and on social media.
What’s new for 2025?
I’m launching a programme called REINVENTION. A combination of oneto-one RTT hypnotherapy and group coaching, giving people the blueprint to go from undercharging, overworking and second guessing themselves to increasing their impact and income, by reaching the people who truly need them.
Transform how you show up for yourself and it transforms how you show up in the world!
You were involved with Baton of Hope in Brighton. How was that?
I was already campaigning for suicide prevention and contributed towards gaining over 128,000 signatures on a petition calling for a statutory duty of care for University students. My cousin was a final year Med student when he died.
I saw a LinkedIn post from Rose Rowkins, also featured in this edition, asking for volunteers for Baton of Hope. I signed up, not really knowing
what I was signing up to. In under 15 weeks, five of us, none being events professionals, organised five daytime events and an Evening of Hope. 90 people, affected or bereaved by suicide, carried the Baton from the Peace Statue in Hove, across different parts of Brighton ending at Brighton Dome. With speakers, musicians and local community leaders at each event. A highlights film was made and won a People’s Choice award at the Smiley’s, the charity world’s version of the Oscars.
I realised that when you make your purpose bigger than your fears and get really visible and vocal, ANYTHING is POSSIBLE!
How to get in touch?
For support to STAND OUT, without burnout or self-doubt, message Hema on Instagram @resetandrediscover or email hello@resetandrediscover.com
Why we shouldn’t need an International Women’s Day
By Lucy Tarrant, Founder of Cognitive Law.
On March 8th every year since 1911, International Women’s Day has celebrated the achievements of women and highlighted the fight for gender equality. And every year I join the celebrations, I find myself thinking the same thing - that we shouldn’t need an International Women’s Day.
Don’t get me wrong — I fully support recognising and celebrating the contributions of women, and Cognitive Law were headline sponsors at this year’s Best of British Women in Business Lunch to recognise the incredible women not only here in Brighton and Hove but worldwide. But the fact that
we still need a designated day to call attention to gender equality highlights a fundamental problem: true parity still doesn’t exist. Nowhere is this more evident than in the legal profession, where rigid structures and outdated mindsets continue to hinder progress.
The legal industry’s gender problem
For decades, law firms have followed the same archaic model. Long hours, rigid hierarchies and an unwavering dedication to the billable hour are ingrained in the profession’s culture. This structure disproportionately disadvantages women, particularly those who want or need flexibility to balance professional and personal responsibilities.
Despite some progress since the first female solicitor was admitted in 1922, women are still underrepresented in senior positions at traditional law firms. While the number of female law graduates and junior solicitors has increased significantly, partnership figures remain stubbornly male-dominated.
The statistics
It is not that the law doesn’t attract women. It’s that the law does not remain attractive to women.
According to the SRA, in 2015 women made up 47% of the legal profession. That rose to 52% in 2022 and to 53%. Great huh? More than parity, right?
Well, that’s where the good news ends.
In 2023, in firms of more than 50+ partners, only 28% of them are women. Smaller firms fare better, with 32% female partners. But if 53% of all solicitors are women, why are only an average of 30% of all equity partners women? Where do they go?!
They either leave, or don’t put themselves forward for those top roles. And that’s because of the inflexible working arrangements, an ingrained ‘presenteeism’ culture, and unconscious bias in promotion decisions. So many talented women are hitting this glass ceiling, finding themselves side-lined after maternity leave, or simply burning out trying to meet outdated expectations.
A better way: the consultancy model
When I founded Cognitive Law in 2014, it was because I had experienced first-hand how the traditional law firm structure failed female solicitors. I wanted to create a different kind of law firm, one that truly allowed all solicitors (regardless of gender) to build a successful career on their own terms.
Consultancy law firms break free from the limitations of the traditional model. They offer solicitors the ability to work flexibly, set their own schedules, and build a career that suits their personal and professional goals. There are no office politics, no rigid
hierarchies, and no outdated expectations of what a ‘successful’ solicitor looks like. Success is measured by each individual’s own personal metric, not by hours spent at a desk.
This model has been transformative for many female solicitors who had previously felt pushed out of the profession. It allows talented, highly qualified, and experienced solicitors to remain in the profession. It allows them to balance their legal careers with their family lives without being penalised for doing so. More importantly, it puts the power back into their hands — giving them control over their workload, earnings, and career progression.
The consultancy model proves that it is possible to have a legal profession that works for everyone. At Cognitive Law, we don’t need an International Women’s Day to highlight female success — it’s evident every single day in the achievements of our consultants. They are thriving, not because they’ve been given special treatment, but because they’ve been given the autonomy and flexibility to build their careers in a way that works for them.
Moving beyond a single day of recognition
If law firms — and businesses in general — were truly inclusive and unbiased, we wouldn’t need a dedicated day to
remind us to address gender inequality. If workplaces genuinely embraced flexibility, judged people on their work rather than their working patterns, and ensured equal opportunities for career progression, we wouldn’t still be having the same conversations about gender bias in 2025 that were undoubtedly taking place in 1911.
I completely agree that we must stop thinking of gender equality as something we focus on for one day a year. Instead, we need to challenge the deep-rooted traditional structures that continue to hold women back — not just in law, but across all industries. That means rethinking outdated working practices, addressing unconscious bias, and creating genuinely equal opportunities for progression.
I look forward to the day when International Women’s Day is redundant. When we don’t need a special day to remind the world that women are capable, ambitious, and deserving of equal opportunities. But until then, we’ll continue leading by example at Cognitive Law — proving that a better way is not just possible, but essential.
And if you’re a solicitor looking for a way to take control of your career and work on your own terms, perhaps it’s time for a change. Because at Cognitive Law, success isn’t defined by outdated structures — it’s defined by you.
‘I wish Holding Space existed when I needed it’
By Hansa Raja, Chief Executive of
Holding Space, an award-winning East Sussexbased charity that offers parent/carer peer support to families whose children and young people are experiencing mental and/or emotional health difficulties.
My personal journey has been one of resilience and determination and it’s this journey that led me to establish Holding Space. The catalyst for creating the charity was the distinct lack of support I faced as a mum dealing with my daughter’s mental health struggles. As a parent I felt like a failure; I was meant to protect my daughter. Yet here I was with no one who could help. I couldn’t share my concerns with friends or colleagues; I felt so alone. Parenting does not come with a bible and we often feel judged. We think everyone else has got it right and are perfect parents!
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In 2019, I set up a Facebook page, hoping there was somebody I could talk to … an understanding shoulder to cry on. The response was incredible, and parents started sharing their stories. It was clear that there was a critical gap in support, and I knew something had to change. Holding Space was born out of this need.
I never imagined that, almost six years later, I’d be leading a charity supporting over 1,300 families across East Sussex. But the need is clear and continues to grow. I wish Holding Space existed when I needed it.
At Holding Space we believe that the voice of parents and children is paramount and no parent should walk this journey alone and in silence.
The vision of Holding Space is a world where no parent feels they have to navigate their child’s mental health journey alone.
Our goal is to ensure that every parent and carer across East Sussex feels heard, supported, and confident in navigating their children’s emotional and mental health challenges.
Our mission is to educate, support and empower parents and ensure that they have the tools and knowledge to support their children. Early intervention and support is crucial to the mental health of future generations.
Across Sussex there are over 7,000 children and young people waiting for an assessment with the average wait time in East Sussex for an intervention being 2-3 years. The consequences of this lack of mental health support are evident in the child health profiles, with East Sussex hospital admissions for self-harm during 2023 being significantly worse than the England average and in the 25% worst percentile.
The types of issues we hear from parents are varied; from anxiety, selfharm, waiting for assessments for autism diagnosis to school struggles. The emotional and practical impact on the parents and carers, as well as other family members, can be profound. Parents feel inadequate and unsupported by statutory services as if they are to blame for their child’s condition and they feel a deep sense of despair. Many parents are forced to give up work to care for their child, which impacts on family finances.
Supporting parents and carers is essential for the wellbeing of families and young people. When parents feel empowered, seen, listened to and connected they are better able to support their children and look after
their own wellbeing. Early intervention and support is crucial and we must do more to support families and children.
I spend part of my day attending business networking events and talking to fantastic companies about the work we do and how they can get involved. Funding is a constant challenge, but we are not alone. So many charities that I talk to are in a similar position.
My passion for supporting parents and carers extends beyond the charity sector. I also run a consultancy business that offers workshops to businesses on how to ‘Support parents and carers in the workplace’. As a single mum, I know firsthand the struggles of balancing work and caregiving. When my daughter was in crisis, I had no choice but to leave my job to support her.
While my employer at the time was understanding, there were moments I
feared for my job. I eventually realised that balancing work with the emotional strain of supporting my daughter became overwhelming. This experience highlighted the urgent need for a change in workplace culture - a need for better understanding and support for employees managing personal and family crises. It is essential that businesses recognise these challenges to reduce absenteeism, retain skilled staff, and provide a supportive environment that enables working parents to thrive.
For more information on working with Hansa, the workshops or the charity: hansa@holdingspace.org.uk hansa@hansaraja-consultancy.co.uk www.linkedin.com/in/hansa-raja
A fitting backdrop to celebrate International Women’s Day
The Royal Pavilion proudly played host to the Sussex Business Times photoshoot for this supplement, marking International Women’s Day 2025 and celebrating the achievements of female business leaders in Brighton & Hove.
The Pavilion’s iconic Adelaide suite balcony and Music Room provided a fitting backdrop for the occasion, symbolising both history and progress as these women: entrepreneurs, executives, and changemakers came together to be recognised for their contributions to the local economy and community.
As a charity responsible for operating museums and preserving local history in Brighton & Hove, we wanted to take this opportunity to talk about inspiring
and ground-breaking women from the past, through the lens of Preston Manor, reopening to the public after five years’ closure on April 5.
Preston Manor has been the home of many redoubtable women in its history, none more so than its last owner, Ellen Thomas Stanford, who died in 1932, bequeathing the building to the town of Brighton.
Born in 1848 in the Manor itself, Ellen inherited vast wealth at the tender age of five following the death of her father. The Stanfords’ fortune came from land
and Ellen had a typical gentry lady’s upbringing. After a first marriage, which took her to Wiltshire, she returned to Preston Manor in 1905 to make it her main home with her second husband, the MP and future Mayor of Brighton Charles Thomas.
By now Ellen would have been almost 60. With her solid Victorian background and values, it’s interesting to wonder what she made of her hometown, which was changing rapidly, particularly for women. As one half of Brighton’s foremost power couple, entertaining dignitaries and attending important civic events, Ellen
Louisa Martindale
Princess Sophia Duleep Singh
must have crossed paths with some of the women who were challenging people’s ideas of what a woman should be. The museum has a seating plan for a dinner event around 1910 which shows Ellen sitting opposite a ‘Miss Martindale’. Could this be Brighton’s first female GP, Dr Louisa Martindale?
Before the First World War Dr Martindale was a visiting medical officer at the pioneering Lady Chichester Hospital Brighton Branch at the bottom of Ditchling Road. This offered a wide range of charity-funded or free medical treatment and help to some of the poorest women in Sussex. Following the war, during which she served in Northern France, Dr Martindale became senior surgeon at the New Sussex Hospital for Women in Windlesham Road. She is remembered today for groundbreaking work in treating certain cancers and for ceaselessly promoting medicine as a career for women in her many books and talks.
Maybe Ellen subscribed to the traditional idea that medicine was no place for women. I wonder if dinner opposite the hard-working and formidable Dr Martindale changed her mind?
During WW1 Ellen threw herself into charity work in support of the Red Cross and other organisations. Scrapbooks at Preston Manor reveal that she was
active in the Ladies Committee of the General Hospital for Indian Troops. Would she have come across Sophia Duleep Singh, a Sikh princess who visited the soldiers in the Royal Pavilion?
Sophia was the daughter of exiled Sikh Maharajah Duleep Singh. She had been brought up as Queen Victoria’s goddaughter in comfort and luxury and, like Ellen, had been educated in Brighton as a girl. Unlike Ellen, Sophia rejected her aristocratic comforts to become a suffragette. Embracing militancy, Sophia threw herself into the fight for the vote, selling The Suffragette newspaper outside Hampton Court, marching to the House of Commons and, on one occasion, throwing a suffragette poster at the Prime Minister’s car.
During the war Sophia trained as a nurse and tended Indian soldiers at a private hospital in Isleworth while visiting soldiers hospitalised here in Brighton. It is unlikely that Ellen approved of Sophia’s militancy but, concerned with the comfort and wellbeing of the Indian soldiers in the town, she must have been grateful for her help.
After the war, Ellen received a Red Cross Medal for completing more than 1,000 hours of voluntary work. Her idea to give her beloved family home to the town in 1932 was a kindness
that we can still enjoy today as we look around her personal rooms following its re-opening in April.
Written by Louise Peskett, Museum Educator at Brighton & Hove Museums. Louise also runs her own guided tours around local women’s history, ‘The fearless and fabulous women of Brighton & Hove’ as well as lecturing on women’s history.
Preston Manor reopens on April 5 with a brand new visitor experience. Step back in time to 1912 and embark on a Downton Abbey-style journey through one of Britain’s most haunted houses. Come and celebrate with us on April 12, 10am-4pm, at our Edwardian Easter Fete, kindly sponsored by Preston Insurance Brokers, and open to all to enjoy some family fun and Easter magic.
As a charity, Brighton & Hove Museums relies on the generosity of people like you. As a member, you will benefit from unlimited free visits to our sites and exhibitions all year, priority booking and members’ prices for events and discounts in our shops and cafes.
Find out more at brightonmuseums. org.uk/membership.
Ellen Stanford painting
Behind the scenes of events: the work that makes it happen
By Becky Stevens, Managing Director of Hybred Events Ltd.
When people think about events, they picture huge crowds, live performances and great moments — but they rarely consider what it takes to make them happen. The reality is that behind every festival, mass participation event, or national occasion is an entire network of skilled professionals working to ensure that everything runs smoothly and, most importantly, safely.
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Whether it’s Britney Spears in Preston Park or managing the queue for the Queen’s funeral, large-scale events don’t
just happen — they require expertise, meticulous planning and a ‘make it work’ mentality. As an event safety and operational support company, Hybred Events has played a role in the delivery of hundreds of events for hundreds of thousands of people.
Why I started Hybred Events
I launched Hybred Events in 2012 with one goal: to help clients bring their vision to life in the safest way possible. After a decade working across local authorities, charities and PR agencies, I was frustrated by the lack of a ‘can do’
attitude in the safety advisors I worked with. Instead of looking for solutions, too many focused on saying “no”.
Determined to change this, I went out and gained the only event safety qualification available at the time, then began working across a wide range of events — always with a focus on making the impossible possible.
The invisible work that keeps events moving
Over the years, we’ve supported clients to grow and transform their events. Our
work happens behind the scenes, but it is the oil that keeps everything moving. We handle the boring but essential elements that nobody notices unless they go wrong:
• Writing event safety plans
• Managing licensing applications
• Creating risk assessments
• Delivering safety training
• Ensuring compliance onsite
We work alongside incredible security, crowd management and welfare teams — the unsung heroes behind the ‘fun stuff’. The work we do is rarely seen, but without it, events would grind to a halt.
The risks we work to prevent
And when things go wrong, they can go catastrophically wrong. Every year, we see examples of avoidable crowd disasters. As part of the UK Crowd Management Association, Hybred Events collaborates with colleagues across the industry to analyse these
tragedies, understand what went wrong, and create guidance to prevent them happening again.
Breaking down barriers for women in event safety
One of the biggest challenges facing our industry is attracting more young women into event safety and crowd management. There are still major barriers to entry, and we need to ask:
• Do women even know this career exists? It’s rarely presented as an option when choosing a degree or considering careers.
• Do they think crowd safety is just about security? While security plays a huge role, crowd management is a far more complex discipline that benefits from an academic and strategic approach.
• Do we have the right support structures? The event world isn’t regulated, long hours are expected,
and pay can be low — but those of us in it do it because we love it.
At Hybred Events, we actively champion women who show an interest in event safety and crowd management. Through my teaching at BIMM, I work to engage, educate and encourage young women to consider this as a career — showing them just how exciting and vital this industry really is.
If we want to bring more brilliant women into this field, we need to be louder about what we do and why it matters. It’s time to open doors, break down barriers, and change perceptions — because the future of event safety needs more diverse voices, fresh perspectives and skilled professionals ready to take the industry forward.
https://www.hybredevents.com/
Rix & Kay Solicitors: pioneering gender equality in leadership
At Rix & Kay, women aren’t just part of the team, they are leading it. With more than 50% of the firm’s leadership team being women, Rix & Kay is setting a new standard in an industry where leadership remains predominantly male. A recent diversity report revealed that only 34% of law firm partners are women, and only 28% hold equity partner positions.
The women of Rix & Kay are shaping the future of business, proving that leadership isn’t about where you work, but how you lead.
One such leader is Kathryn Paisley, head of the corporate team. She joined the firm nearly a decade ago on a part-time basis, balancing her career with family life. Through Rix & Kay’s commitment to flexibility and career progression, she has risen to become an equity partner and a key member of its strategic board. Her journey is a
testament to the fact that with the right support, women can excel and lead at the highest levels of business.
She said: “Law firms need to acknowledge that everyone has a life outside of work, regardless of gender. The more understanding and flexibility a firm demonstrates, the more loyalty and dedication it will receive in return. Work has to be a team effort—both sides must give and take to achieve the best results.”
Rix & Kay champions flexible and hybrid working, ensuring that talent defines
success. Whether working from home or in offices local to them, this approach empowers women who may not fit into the constraints of a traditional Mondayto-Friday, 9-to-5 routine.
Kathryn adds: “Rix & Kay has always supported me in being who I am. Whether I was a part-time employee returning to work after a career break or now as an equity partner and member of the strategic board.”
Another leader paving the way for diversity in the legal profession is Angela Arnold, head of Rix & Kay’s residential
property team. Joining Rix & Kay the same year as Kathryn, Angela is the only black woman to hold a partner position among Sussex’s many law firms. Her leadership journey has been one of perseverance and recognition.
She said: “I came to Rix & Kay as a seasoned locum, and the leadership recognised my experience, efforts, and strengths. I’ve never pushed on doors, but have acted as a ‘positive disruptor’ pushing collaborative propositions, as a strategy to enable our forward-thinking objectives. I’m incredibly proud to be elected as Vice-President of Sussex Law Society — as the first woman of Jamaican heritage to hold this position. It was overwhelming at first, but I’ve always wanted to leave a legacy and inspire underrepresented professionals and women in the legal field.”
Also among Rix & Kay’s department heads is Janet Raeburn, Partner and leader of the firm’s family team. Starting at the firm in 2018, Janet has become a renowned figure in the South East family law field.
Janet said: “Success comes from focusing on your chosen career path and not feeling the need to change who you are. Support other women, and if you witness unacceptable behaviour, challenge it where possible. If you cannot challenge it directly, raise it with your line manager.”
Rebecca Jones, another Partner in the family law team, offers her insight to aspiring legal leaders: “Success comes from knowing your value, seeking out mentors and allies, and challenging outdated norms when necessary. However, the responsibility shouldn’t
fall solely on women to adapt. Firms and leadership teams must foster environments where talent is recognised based on merit, and where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive. A strong legal profession isn’t built on one specific leadership style, but on a variety of approaches to problem-solving, decision-making, and leadership.”
Rix & Kay’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion extends beyond the workplace. The firm is a vocal supporter of International Women’s Day and ran an extensive IWD campaign this year to promote the core theme of #AccelerateAction. The firm also actively participates in empowering events, including Herstory, an annual event featuring workshops and panel discussions with some of Sussex’s most inspiring businesswomen. Among the panel speakers for 2025 was Sarah Rebello, Solicitor in Rix & Kay’s dispute resolution team, who shared her legal expertise and personal journey into law.
As a law firm redefining leadership in the legal sector, it is proving that talent, dedication, and a supportive environment can create a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to excel. Rix & Kay is paving the way for the next generation of female leaders and shaping the future of the legal sector.
Rix & Kay is a full-service law firm with offices in Brighton & Hove, Uckfield and West Kent. The firm retains a strong regional presence across Sussex, Kent, Surrey and London and works with business owners, entrepreneurs and individuals, providing expert legal advice across a wide range of legal services.
Visit rixandkay.co.uk for expert legal advice today.
From personal crisis to business success: my journey building Connected Brighton
By Lyndsey Clay.
When people ask me how I built an award-winning business during a pandemic, it’s not the story they expect. Because the truth is, my journey to success started with what felt like complete failure. In 2014, my life took an unexpected turn when failed IVF treatment led to divorce and, suddenly, my entire world shattered.
While my friends’ lives were coming together with partners, children and families, mine was falling apart.
But my greatest challenge led me to my greatest purpose.
Driven to use my negative experience for good to help others, I started sharing my story through my blog, @ nottheblueprint, on Instagram, opening
up about my experiences with infertility, divorce and mental health. Initially, being vulnerable felt frightening, but it became my superpower. I qualified to be a Performance Coach and started to support other people who needed the confidence to take control and build a new life too.
Then, during the 2021 lockdown, while working in senior management,
I launched Connected Brighton, an inperson social events business during a socially distanced pandemic. Yes, you read that right! People thought I was mad, but I knew in my gut that this was exactly what our community needed. A safe space to meet like minded successful people, who shared the same values, believed in supporting local businesses and needed connection.
Why? Because I needed it too. As a divorced woman in my 40s without children, I was navigating a changing social circle and looking for people who wanted to make the most of life as we emerged from lockdown. I wanted to create the community I wished existed - one that supported local businesses while creating meaningful connections and long lasting friendships.
The response was extraordinary. Within our first year, we built a thriving community that caught the attention of local business leaders who sponsored us, and in 2024 we also launched a business club for our preferred suppliers - The Connected100.
My work in the community has led to me being named one of Small Business Britain’s Top 100 Inspiring Female Leaders in 2024 and, more recently, I’m honored to be a finalist for the 2025 Brighton Girl Awards in two categories: Brighton Girl of the Year and Community of the Year.
I was always a coach before Connected, and I’ve gone back to my coaching roots to support other entrepreneurs to find their confidence, build the right connections and create a community that champions their brand - because I have done it I know what works.
This year I launched my group coaching and mentoring mastermind - The Compass Club - designed to help business owners find their way
and navigate to success. Alongside this, I offer Lighthouse Sessions - oneto-one coaching experiences designed for immediate impact and clarity when business owners need it most. And because people are always asking me for advice on marketing, and especially social media support (the most common phrase I hear is “I see you everywhere!”) I also offer VIP days to steal my social media secrets too with strategy and planning mixed with practical reel making and content creation.
What makes my coaching approach different? It’s the blend of practical business strategy with authentic storytelling and community building. I’ve learned that success isn’t just about profit margins - it’s about creating meaningful impact while staying true to your values. Who you are matters as much as what you do, and why.
Looking ahead, I’m thrilled to share that we’re expanding our Connected vision beyond Brighton. What I’ve created here - this unique blend of social connection and business support - has proven so successful that it’s time to share this model with other cities across the UK. Every city has its own ecosystem of independent businesses and professionals seeking meaningful connections, and we’re creating a framework that nurtures these relationships while preserving each city’s unique character. Because supporting local matters more than ever.
From starting a blog to share my story, to launching a business during a pandemic, to now planning national expansion - my journey has been anything but traditional. But that’s the beauty of it. I’ve learned that there’s never a perfect time to start something new. The key is to begin with authenticity and purpose, and to find the right support system.
Through The Compass Club and our Lighthouse Sessions, I’m committed to helping other entrepreneurs navigate their own paths to success. Because I believe that when we harness our authentic power - being truly ourselves, for ourselves - that’s when real transformation happens.
As I look back on my journey from those challenging days to where I am now, I’m reminded that sometimes our greatest setbacks can lead to our most significant breakthroughs. And I’m just getting started.
Find out more about here www.lyndseyclay.com and www.connectedbrighton.com
‘De-risking scale-up with coaching and consulting, and a passion project or two’
By strategic coaching consultant
‘Accelerate action’.
I’m delighted with this as a theme - given that, at the moment, my great, great, great granddaughter will still be growing up in a world where the gender pay gap isn’t closed! Here is a bit about me, my path, and a few top tips on things I think could accelerate action in your business (or your side hustles).
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I started my career in the marketing departments of ‘big food’. It was the 90s. Not quite the mad men days, but the lunches were long, the expense accounts were healthy and the budgets were, by today’s standards, insane. I remember wondering if all of it was wrapped up in the price of a can of beans. It was, of course. In the corporate sector, I honed my skills in strategic planning and project management, and often ended up working on initiatives
and
passion project queen Helena Jevons.
that aimed to integrate sustainable practices into traditional business models - fairtrade, whole grain, organic. Since then I’ve had a squiggly career spanning start ups, scale ups, not for profits and consultancy, and now I run inflection consulting.
Inflection coaching, consulting and grant writing
Inflection is a strategic coaching and consultancy that primarily works with B corps and scale-ups that have just received series A funding. It was born out of coaching and consulting with hundreds of businesses in Sussex Univerity’s Innovation Centre, and observing there were key inflection points at which scaling businesses (across multiple sectors) tripped and fell.
I’m a passionate believer in small business as a force for societal change - unlike
large corporations, small businesses are agile, responsive and deeply connected to people. I help businesses increase their chances of success by addressing inflection points around.
1. Clarity on market demand & productmarket fit
2. Key messaging
3. Talent and leadership
4. Operations and systems
5. Economic and regulatory environment
I’m a seemingly rare creature - a three times funded female founder - once in electronics, once in food and once in travel - so I also know what it feels like to be taking that journey first hand.
The grant writing strand of Inflection was born from my experience of working with hundreds of businesses at Sussex Innovation and the insight that 1. SMEs don’t know where to go to find grants
and 2. They don’t know how to write compelling copy and win them once they do. The landscape of grants and funding opportunities can be daunting.
Inflection provides expert guidance and support throughout the grant application process, from identifying suitable funding sources to crafting compelling proposals (and managing awarded funds effectively if needed). We work closely with clients to understand their missions and goals, ensuring that each application reflects their unique value propositions, allowing scaling organisations to continue to thrive, innovate and be resilient at a time when funds are tight.
My passion projects
A staggering 39% of British adults now have a passion project, netting them on average £918 a month - worth having, hey? For me they help me connect people who have been told they’re not creative or artistic with the feeling that, actually, we all are.
The
Urban Wildling
Urban Wildling started in my own garden in lockdown, turned into a book (out September 2025), and emerged into a passion for reconnecting urban dwellers with nature. In an era where urbanisation is rapidly increasing, our disconnect from our ‘wildness’ and from nature has profound implications for mental health, the environment, and community well-being. The Urban Wildling seeks to bridge this gap by encouraging individuals and neighbourhoods to ‘get wilder’ in their back gardens, balconies or window sills. This brand also holds my ‘making’ courses: stained glass-making,
artist’s way, women’s singing circles, and baby loss remembrance feathers.
Hot Flashes - The Menopause Monologues
Hot Flashes - The Menopause Monologues started as my own jottings to help cope with becoming perimenopausal during covid. As I ‘emptied out’ my own thoughts, more creative perspectives on menopause started to come through in my writings… A producer friend suggested turning it into a podcast, another into a stage show, another wrote a theme tune, and it ‘caught a wave’ of interest. Sometimes you just happen to have the right idea at the right time - with no strategy. Then my mantra is, just enjoy the ride! It’s about to develop into writing workshops….
Things I wish I’d known earlier that would have ‘accelerated action’ my business
1. ‘Beware the dream stealers’ - be careful who you share your early stage thinking with. People will always see things through their own lenses, seedlings are fragile things. Keep them warm and in the light. Frost will kill them.
2. Paradoxically: be vulnerable - share your heart and your dreams and ask for help - you’ll be amazed who comes forward to support you. ‘The art of asking’ by Amanda Palmer is a great book, if this is something (like me) you find hard
3. It’s okay to be a polymath. You don’t have to just do one thing. The Linkedin algorithm wants to fit you in a box. Society wants to fit you in a box. If you’re a polymath that’s fine. In fact, in tricky economic times, it’s probably even wise.
4. Hold a clear vision and have a North Star. It will keep you on track when things are hard. But also jump on the RIGHT unexpected opportunities….
5. Don’t be afraid to pick things up and put things down. Everything will come to fruition in its time. Sometimes the things that go on the back burner come back stronger than ever because you’re grown while they’ve been waiting for you.
6. Get a good coach. Get some good mentors. They will make all the difference to your growth, progress and mindset and ask the tough questions your friends won’t.
7. Start with an attitude of ‘how hard can it be?’ Whilst you don’t want to tip into hubris, I’m pretty sure if people had told me ‘’women couldn’t raise’’ that would have affected my ability to raise. Nobody told me it was hard. It wasn’t.
8. Sell products, not hours. Sell value, not hours. Productise your offerings against the value they give your client, especially in the age of AI.
My grandma, Edith, was born on International Women’s Day in 1920. Of course, 8th March wasn’t International Women’s Day back then; the UN didn’t officially establish it until 1975.
But Grandma was a powerhouse, in her quietly confident way, as many women of her generation were. Stepping out of the shadows - and out of their homes - to keep the wheels turning, and the home fires burning, through those war-time years.
When the war was over, women were expected to shrink back behind the curtains. But the battle for women’s rights was fully awoken, and there was no going back.
Grandma knew a thing or two about equity and would call out inequity like a woman born of a different time. She spoke her mind with an honest tongue, sometimes brutal but always kind.
I was her only granddaughter, and she was my biggest cheerleader, along with a huge dose of Methodist humility. “Shine bright…” was her message, quickly followed by “…but not too bright!”
Over the years I have questioned that second part about not shining too bright – but I appreciate Grandma’s intention. Humility and gratitude were in her bones, and I hope also in mine.
I have come to understand that maybe she was saying something like this: While we shine our own offerings to the
world, we must also shine our light on others. For me, this is what International Women’s Day is about, and why this feature is so important.
I am so proud to stand, live and work beside these 17 great women of Sussex – and of course, countless others who could have filled many thousands more pages.
And now I can say – at last without shame – that I am proud too of what I do, as a Mum (raising a boy to be an active ally in the society we all want to see) and as a Trainer, equipping people with the tools and confidence to talk about suicide, on a mission to reduce the number of people who are dying by suicide, one conversation at a time.
Three quarters of people who die by
suicides are male, but notably, in 2023, the suicide rate for females rose to the highest it had been since 1994. Women are statistically at their highest risk of suicide between 50 and 54 years (almost certainly linked to the menopause) and, heartbreakingly, suicide is the leading cause of direct maternal death between six weeks and 12 months after birth.
A conversation can save a life; I’ve experienced this first hand from both sides, including countless conversations as a Samaritans volunteer in the early 2000s, on Brighton beach at 3am when running our city’s Safe Space project, and as a counsellor at the Young People’s Centre on Ship Street and at domestic abuse charity Rise.
I believe we can all learn when and how to talk about suicide – and we must.
Because most people who die by suicide haven’t spoken to a doctor or counsellor. As friends, colleagues, parents, even strangers, we can all learn to start the conversation, by moving from a place of fear (‘What if I say the wrong thing?’, ‘What if I make things worse?’) to a place of confidence (‘I
know what I’m looking out for, and I know what I can say/do’, ‘I’m not afraid to talk about suicide’)
We can all make a difference.
April 2025 marks ten years since I became a suicide prevention trainer; another reason why this feature is personally so timely for me. Over the past decade, I’ve trained thousands of people to talk about suicide, in both hemispheres, from Wandsworth Prison inmates to leaders at TikTok and everyone in-between.
One of Grandma’s life lessons has even found its way into my training:
“Remember,” she would say, “We have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Keep that ratio in mind. We should be listening twice as much as we speak.”
This is a point I’m careful to make when describing the life-saving power of listening, especially to someone in pain. Because hearing someone’s pain, moving towards discomfort not away, reaching in – this is how we help someone to feel less alone, and to feel HOPE.
And really, that is the business I’m in. The business of HOPE, which some say could stand for: Hold On, Pain Ends.
Because it does. Pain ends, just as everything does. This too shall pass. My Grandma died of Covid aged 101 - wise and witty to her last breath.
As I honour my Grandma this month, I honour all women, cis and trans, in every shape, size, colour.
Here’s to strong women.
Here’s to women who don’t feel strong right now - but are stronger than they know.
Here’s to sitting with each other in our pain. Here’s to laughing until we cry.
Here’s to honouring our ancestors.
Here’s to finding our tribe.
Here’s to HOPE.
Let’s all learn to lean more on our sisters. Together, we are mighty.
www.starttheconversation.uk
Just want getting dressed to be easy and stress free?
By Michelle Barrett, founder of Capsule Closet Stylist.
If you’ve ever stood in front of your wardrobe, staring at a sea of clothes but feeling like you have nothing to wear, you’re not alone. I’ve spent over 25 years in the fashion and styling industry, and I’ve seen this struggle time and time again — from high-profile professionals and entrepreneurs to busy parents and creatives who just want getting dressed to be easy and stress-free.
IWD Special
I started my career in TV and entertainment, styling musicians, presenters and actors for live shows, photoshoots and film and TV. It was fastpaced, fun and an amazing training ground for learning how to put together flawless
outfits — often under pressure and with limited turnarounds. But as much as I loved the industry, I noticed something: so many people, even those in the public eye, had wardrobes full of clothes but still struggled with what to wear.
That’s when I realised my real passion: helping people create simple, stylish wardrobes that actually work for their lives — without the stress, clutter, or endless shopping mistakes.
What I do
Let’s face it, most people have too many clothes and yet still feel stuck. That’s because most wardrobes are filled with:
• Impulse buys that don’t really fit or flatter
• Trendy pieces that felt like a good idea at the time
• Clothes kept out of guilt (because they were expensive)
• Random items that don’t mix and match
The result? Mornings feel like a battle, and you end up wearing the same few things on repeat that feel safe but do not inspire you.
That’s where I come in! I help people declutter, refine, and build a wardrobe that actually makes sense, so getting dressed becomes effortless and fun instead of frustrating.
No more decision fatigue!
With a few key, well-chosen pieces,
you can create outfits that make you feel put-together, confident, and totally ‘you’ — without spending ages trying to work it all out.
Client success stories
I’ve worked with people from all walks of life, and the transformations are incredible. Here are just a few stories of how a simple wardrobe overhaul changed everything:
Sarah – from wardrobe overwhelm to effortless style
Sarah is a corporate exec who used to wake up, stare at her jam-packed wardrobe and still feel like she had nothing to wear. She had way too many clothes, half of which still had tags on them. Shopping felt like a quick fix, but it only made things worse.
We worked together to:
• Clear out the noise — getting rid of the things that didn’t serve her.
• Create a smart, stylish capsule wardrobe that makes outfit choices effortless.
• Show her how to mix and match so she never feels stuck again.
Now? She spends less time stressing over what to wear and more time feeling confident and put-together — whether she’s heading to work, dinner, or a weekend away.
James – upgrading his professional image
James is a tech entrepreneur who was successful in business but not so much in the wardrobe department. He was still dressing like he did when he started out — casual, ill-fitting clothes that didn’t reflect his success. He wanted a wardrobe that made him look the part without feeling stuffy or overdone.
We worked together to:
• Find his signature style — smart, relaxed, but still polished.
• Build a mixand-match wardrobe that worked for meetings, events and casual days.
• Get clothes that actually fit well (because the right fit makes ALL the difference).
Now, James walks into every meeting feeling confident, and he actually enjoys shopping because he knows exactly what works for him.
Lisa – the travel light capsule
Lisa loves to travel, but packing? A nightmare. She’d overpack and still feel like she didn’t have the right outfits when she got to her destination. She wanted a chic travel capsule wardrobe — something light, stylish and practical.
We worked together to:
• Create a foolproof travel wardrobe with mix-and-match outfits.
• Find stylish, wrinkle-free fabrics so she could pack light.
• Simplify her packing process so she always knows exactly what to bring.
Now? Lisa packs in minutes, never overpacks and always looks effortlessly stylish no matter where she goes.
How I can help you
I believe that getting dressed should be easy, fun and totally stress-free. When your wardrobe is built around pieces you love and wear on repeat, everything just flows.
I can help you:
• Declutter and simplify your wardrobe so it works for you, not against you.
• Learn which colours and styles suit you best so they work for you, not against you.
• Define your personal style so you always feel like ‘you’
• Build a capsule wardrobe that makes outfit choices effortless..
• Shop smarter so you stop wasting money on things you’ll never wear.
Let’s create a wardrobe you love
At the end of the day, it’s not about having more clothes — it’s about having the right clothes. Less is often more.
If you’re ready to ditch the wardrobe overwhelm and finally have a wardrobe full of pieces you love and actually wear, I’d love to help!
Let’s make getting dressed the easiest part of your day. Your wardrobe should work for you rather than you working for your wardrobe.
W www.capsuleclosetstylist.com
M +447860116547
E Michelle@capsuleclosetstylist.com
A new dawn: soulful leadership and the future of humanity
By Marina Fernandez Julian, of Marina Zest for Life, Coaching and
NLP Training.
IWD Special
On International Women’s Day, I reflect on the women in my family - my mother, my sister and now my daughter. Each represents a different relationship with choice and, through their journeys, I see the evolution of leadership itself.
My mother didn’t know she had choices. My sister, though more aware, still felt confined by unspoken rules. When it was my turn, these two women encouraged me to live freely in ways they never could. Because of them, I chose differently.
But what I didn’t realise then was that choice is not a destination; it’s a path that keeps unfolding. To create the life I
wanted my daughter to see as possible, I had to step forward, sometimes in uncertainty, sometimes in confidence, but always in truth.
Today, although not a perfect world, my daughter and her generation stand in a new reality; one where choice is abundant, fluid and expanding. They are rising faster than ever, without asking for permission. These upcoming leaders are propelled forward by women who have done their homework in feeling sufficient in themselves, and so they have empowered them to take a place of sovereignty and ownership. They are ready to lead and contribute.
And the leadership of the future?
It is already here. It’s called Leading with Soul.
The leadership of the future is already here
Models of leadership rooted in control, hierarchy, and competition, are fading. In their place, something more human, more conscious and more impactful is rising.
Leadership in this new era is no longer about gender, power, or position. It is about impact.
The future belongs to those who integrate wisdom, emotional intelligence and ethical leadership.
This isn’t a theory; it’s happening right now.
In my book, Leading with Soul: Humanity’s Moment in an AI World, I share real stories of leaders who embody this shift.
• CEOs who listen before they act.
• Educators who nurture creativity over conformity.
• Entrepreneurs who build businesses not just for profit, but for purpose.
And yet, despite these powerful examples, this kind of leadership is still the exception, not the norm. We can change that.
From competence to impact: the 5C model of Soulful Leadership
I have always believed that great leadership is not about titles — it’s about presence. It’s about who you choose to be, every single day.
Inspired by the well-known model of the 5 C’s of Personal Growth and Success, I developed the 5C Model of Leading with Soul to lead with depth, authenticity and impact.
The 5 essential qualities that define the leaders of the future:
1. Consciousness – Awareness & Presence
Great leaders are self-aware, intentional and mindful, making decisions that align with their values.
• They cultivate clarity and focus.
• They prioritise purpose over reaction.
2. Compassion – leading with heart
Empathy is not weakness; it is strength. Leaders understand that business is about people, not just numbers.
• They create trust and belonging.
• They support holistic well-being because thriving teams build thriving businesses.
3. Courage – integrity and boldness
True leadership takes courage; the willingness to stand for what is right, even when it’s hard.
• They make bold decisions rooted in integrity.
• They challenge the status quo to drive real change.
4. Connection – community and collaboration
Leadership is not about control; it’s about co-creation. Build bridges, not walls.
• They foster inclusive, trusting environments.
• They cultivate collaboration that drives innovation.
5. Contribution – purpose and impact
Leadership is not about personal gain; it’s about leaving a legacy that matters.
• They lead with mission-driven purpose.
• They focus on long-term, meaningful impact in their organizations and communities.
Where are we now? The transition to soulful leadership
Today, the very qualities that were once dismissed as ‘soft skills’,emotional intelligence, adaptability and collaboration are now recognised as critical for success by top organisations, including Deloitte and the World Economic Forum.
And yet, the most impactful leaders go beyond emotional intelligence.
They are soulfully intelligent. They lead with depth, intuition and meaning. They create workplaces where people thrive.
They focus not on gender, but on impact and contribution.
Beyond gender: the future of leadership
I look forward to the day when we don’t have to take accelerated action. A day when International Women’s Day is no longer needed because recognition is the norm and true equality has been achieved.
The future of leadership is not about men vs. women. It is not about power struggles or polarisation.
It is about humanity
Imagine a world where leadership is truly balanced. A world where there is no gender gap to close, no outdated biases to unlearn. A world where the energy of the world and success is measured not by dominance, but by impact. This is the belief I hold in my heart for all of us. Let’s all, men and women use our power for good so we can make the difference that we so wish to see.
That future starts with us, and it is our responsibility, not tomorrow, not next year, but now to create the kind of leadership we want to see.
Let’s Lead with Soul
Because the time is not just coming, it is unfolding with the choices we are making.
Marina Zest for Life – Coaching & NLP Training
Supporting you toward self-leadership, professional growth, and richer life experiences.
https://marinazestforlife.com/
Read Leading with Soul: https:// marinazestforlife.com/leading-withsoul/ or https://amzn.eu/d/6ISOmzK
Breaking barriers and building legacies: my journey in business
By Lorraine Ali, who runs Upfix Appliance Repairs and Placr Recruitment.
When I first got into business, I knew I wanted to do things differently. It was never just about making money, although that certainly helps — it was about people, real connections, and actually making an impact. My journey has been anything but straightforward, full of lessons, challenges and wins along the way. As a woman in business, I’ve had to push past outdated attitudes, step into spaces that weren’t always welcoming and prove that success isn’t just about ticking the usual boxes.
IWD Special
For 10 years, I worked in the event staffing industry, where I saw firsthand how the right people in the right roles could transform businesses. But I also saw how the recruitment process had become cold and transactional. That’s why I launched Placr Recruitment — to bring back the human side of hiring. We focus on permanent placements, making sure businesses and candidates find the right long-term fit. And in just six months, we’re already making waves.
easy, but it’s taught me how to adapt, problem-solve, and most importantly, build a strong team around me.
But that’s not all I do. I also run Upfix Appliance Repairs, an emergency repair business covering the UK. It’s fast-paced, high-pressure and keeps me on my toes. Running two businesses isn’t always
Before I took the leap into running my own companies, I held management roles in financial services and the motor industry — both pretty male-dominated
spaces. Now, I’m leading a business in appliance repair engineering, another industry where women are the minority. Working across these sectors has reinforced my belief that success isn’t about fitting into the mould — it’s about breaking it and reshaping industries to be more inclusive and forward-thinking.
Let’s be real — being a female business leader still comes with its challenges. I’ve walked into rooms where I was underestimated, where I had to work twice as hard to be taken seriously. But every hurdle has only pushed me to go further. Women bring so much to the table in business — whether it’s balancing multiple demands, leading with empathy, or thinking outside the box. It’s time we stop proving ourselves and just own our space.
One of my biggest passions is supporting women in property — another industry where men still dominate. Through networking events, mentorship and bringing women together, I’ve seen how powerful a strong support system can be. It’s not just about opening doors — it’s about changing the whole narrative and paving the way for the next wave of female leaders.
Even with the long hours and big decisions, I wouldn’t trade this for anything. Seeing businesses grow, helping people land the right roles and knowing I’m making a difference is what keeps me going. My journey is far from over, and I can’t wait for what’s next. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that success isn’t about following a set path — it’s about creating your own.
For any woman thinking about stepping into business — go for it. The world needs more fearless, ambitious women shaking things up, smashing ceilings, and proving that leadership isn’t about gender. We’re not just running businesses; we’re changing the game. And, trust me, there’s more to come. Watch this space!
AI won’t solve gender equality, but women who use it will
By Mary Kemp.
The UK is 50 years away from gender parity in the boardroom.
Yes, you read that right. Fifty years. That means a woman entering the workforce today will likely retire before true equality is achieved. If that timeline feels outrageous, it should. Because for all the panels, pledges and policy changes, progress remains painfully slow.
The problem is not a lack of talent. Women graduate from university at higher rates than men. They outperform men in leadership assessments. And yet, the higher up the ladder you go, the fewer women you find.
The real issue? Access.
Access to mentors who have walked the path before. Access to decision-makers who control hiring and funding. Access
to unbiased systems that evaluate talent based on skill, not gender.
For decades, the power structures that dictate who gets ahead have been controlled by men. The gatekeepers have been men. The rules have been written by men.
But now, something is shifting.
GenAI is here. And it does not care
about who went to the right school, who plays golf with the CEO or who “just does not seem like leadership material”.
AI is not a silver bullet for gender equality. But for the first time, women have a tool that can dismantle the old gatekeeping systems without asking permission.
The Boardroom Boys’ Club is on notice
For years, women have been told to “lean in”, “network harder” or “find a mentor” as if the entire weight of progress rests on individual effort. But here is the truth. Success has never been just about working hard. It has always been about access to the right opportunities.
Historically, women have had fewer sponsors and mentors in leadership positions. Those connections, often the difference between getting a promotion and being overlooked, have been informal, exclusive and dominated by men.
AI is rewriting that power dynamic.
Instead of waiting for the right mentor to appear, AI-powered career coaching platforms offer on-demand leadership advice, negotiation strategies and industry insights tailored to each individual’s goals.
Instead of relying on biased hiring processes, AI-driven recruitment tools focus on skills, not gender, making it harder for outdated attitudes to dictate who gets the job.
This is not just theory. Companies that use AI-driven hiring have already seen increases in female leadership representation because AI removes the unconscious bias that holds women back.
For the first time, women can bypass the boardroom boys’ club entirely.
AI does not have imposter syndrome, and women should not either
Let’s talk about confidence.
Women apply for promotions only when they meet 100 percent of the qualifications, while men apply when they meet just 60 percent. Women negotiate their salaries less, often assuming they will be rewarded for their work without having to ask.
This is not a ‘women’s issue’. It is the byproduct of a system that rewards confidence over competence.
AI is changing that.
AI-powered negotiation coaches are already being used to help women practise high-stakes conversations, counter bias and demand higher salaries without the fear of backlash.
Instead of second-guessing whether they are ‘qualified enough’, women now have AI-driven career analysis tools that show them exactly what roles they should be aiming for and how to get them.
For decades, leadership has been about who sounds the most confident in a room. AI does not care about bravado. It cares about data. And when the playing field is levelled, women win.
The investment gap is closing, with or without traditional investors
Let’s talk about money.
Women-led businesses receive less than two percent of venture capital funding, not because they are less innovative, but because the people writing the cheques are overwhelmingly male.
Historically, investment has been a game of networks. Who you know, where you went to school and who can vouch for
you in the right circles have determined who gets funded. That model has kept women locked out of capital markets.
AI is now forcing a shift.
AI-powered investment platforms are matching female entrepreneurs with investors based on performance, not perception. They analyse successful pitches, identify the patterns that win funding and help women refine their approach with data-backed precision.
The result? Women no longer have to convince a room full of men that their ideas are worth investing in. AI helps them find the right investors without playing by the old rules.
AI is not the solution, but it is a weapon
Let’s be clear. AI is not a feminist movement. It is a tool. And like any tool, its impact depends on who uses it.
Left unchecked, AI could just as easily reinforce bias as eliminate it. There is nothing inherently fair about AI. It reflects the data it is trained on. That means women cannot afford to be passive observers in this revolution.
The women who embrace AI now will own the future of leadership.
The women who leverage AI mentorship will outpace those waiting for a traditional mentor.
The women who use AI-driven negotiation tools will close the pay gap faster than those who do not.
The women who harness AI in hiring and funding will bypass the old gatekeepers entirely.
The gender gap will not close on its own. But women now have a tool powerful enough to force the issue.
The question is, who will use it first?
The road to the Brighton Girl Awards
By Pippa Moyle, CEO and Founder of City Girl Network.
Nine-and-a-half years ago, I took a walk that changed my life.
I’d moved to Brighton eight months previously as a graduate, dreaming of a life full of lunch breaks on the beach, gossip over lattes, a book club family, meandering around markets, and home making through thrift stores.
I had a great life on paper: my first marketing job working in a small office above an estate agents on Church Road, a lovely flat opposite St Ann’s Well Gardens and a housemate-turnedboyfriend relationship, just to add the extra sparkle to my new grown-up Brighton life.
But behind the facade of my Brighton Girl life, I didn’t feel like a Brighton Girl at all. I couldn’t find the friends to gossip
with, let alone the best places to meet them, or the book clubs, markets, or hidden thrifty gems. I thought of all this as I walked along Hove promenade on that fateful early evening: the loneliness, the disconnect, the lack of belonging.
I stopped to look at the sea at the bottom of Brunswick Square, as I often did, and saw a girl who looked just like me. Tall, brunette, alone. I wondered if she felt like I did; and how I could ever know. It was in those thoughts that I came up with an idea that would see me change the course of my life.
I took out my phone, snapped a picture of her, and then wrote a mission statement. “Brighton has the power to be all encompassing, often drawing you to venture to the pebbled beach alone. Some days you’ll look out to sea
celebrating how far you’ve come, some days you’ll be searching for guidance. In that sea-gazing moment of establishing what’s lost and found, let someone else be your clarity, your Champagne glass and your shoulder to cry on. Let Brighton Girl be your guide.”
Five months later, the first Brighton Girl Coffee Meet Up was born, and a year from then the City Girl Network Limited got its company number, with four communities under its belt. By the time you read this, we’ll be in 25 places across the UK – but that’s a story for another time.
This story is all about Brighton Girl, and, more specifically still, the Brighton Girl Awards.
The City Girl Network has a very specific
mission: helping women and femmes to belong where they are. We host events, manage social forums, signpost services, elevate great businesses, and create guides to support them through all aspects of their lives. Our currency is experiences and recommendations, so entering into the awards market was a logical next step.
We tested the awards on our Brighton and Bristol communities in December 2023 with three categories: Brighton Girl won by Jade Hylton, Business won by Afrori Books and Community won by Women of Colour Brighton. It was clear that we were onto something, so we went away, developed the vision and came back on a bigger, more structured scale in January 2025 with a focus on Brighton. Bristol will follow later this year.
We created 20 categories, highlighting the core aspects of Brighton Girl life: from the property service helping her find a place to live, to the retailer helping her make it a
home. The campaign began with a nomination stage, with Brighton Girls nominating as many places as they’d like. Followed by a month of the voting stage, where the Top 10 most nominated asked the whole Brighton and Hove community to vote.
The votes closed on the 6th March with 50,003 votes, and the Top 5 Finalists –announced on International Women’s Day – were moved into the judging stage, which is where we are at the time of writing. The winners will be announced on Thursday 27th March at PLATF9RM Hove in a ceremony that will be full of Bolney sparkling wine, disco balls and vibrant frocks.
The strapline for the awards is “celebrating those who make Brighton a great place to belong”, but they became so much more than that. They were a free marketing tool for local businesses, a networking ecosystem for businesses, and a platform for sponsors to creatively advertise to the community.
Harbour Hotel, who sponsored Restaurant of the Year, brought the Top 10 Restaurant owners together for a three course dinner in their beautiful banquet room, for example. And I’m very excited for you to see what Sam Thomas does with Different Hats, sponsoring the Creative Agency Category.
I wanted the awards to be fuelled with creativity, community and collaboration, encompassing my own mantra of “people before profit; profit fuelled by people”. No cost to enter, no tables to buy, just hundreds of businesses sharing their stories and thousands of Brighton Girls discovering the very best ways to belong.
To get involved in the Brighton Girl Awards 2026, or the Bristol Girl Awards taking place later in the year, reach out at hello@citygirlnetwork.com.
Celebrating a visionary: the inspiring journey of May Chunladecha
In the heart of Brighton, May Chunladecha’s story is a testament to resilience, compassion, and visionary leadership.
From her roots in Thailand to becoming a beacon of inspiration in Brighton, May’s journey as a mother, entrepreneur, and business leader is both captivating and profound. As co-founder of Little Jasmine Therapies & Spa, she has woven a narrative of hope, perseverance, and unwavering dedication.
From Thailand to Brighton: a journey of passion and purpose
May’s story begins in Thailand, where her career as a creative producer for a leading radio station laid the foundation
for her future endeavors. In 2006, driven by a desire for growth and new experiences, she took a leap of faith and moved to the UK. Her destination was Brighton — a city known for its openness and creativity — where she hoped to improve her English and immerse herself in the Western world.
It was in Brighton in 2006 that May met her future husband, and together they built not just a life but a shared vision for the future. In 2008, after her husband lost his job at American Express during the global financial crisis, they faced a defining moment. Rather than succumbing to uncertainty, they chose to create opportunity. From the back of
their living room, they launched Little Jasmine Therapies & Spa, driven by a shared passion for wellness and a desire to build something meaningful.
In 2012, they made their boldest move yet — investing their entire life savings, approximately £100,000, into their first three-storey building on New Road, Brighton. It was a huge financial risk, but one that paid off. Little Jasmine quickly established itself as a leading name in the wellness industry. However, in 2017, disaster struck when a building fire threatened to destroy everything they had built. Refusing to give up, May and her husband leaned on their resilience — and the incredible support of their team
and clients — to rebuild and emerge stronger than ever.
Commitment to staff well-being: a holistic approach rooted in Buddhist principles
At the core of Little Jasmine’s success is May’s profound commitment to her staff — a commitment deeply rooted in her Buddhist background. May’s approach to business is guided by key Buddhist principles: compassion, mindfulness and balance. She believes that a harmonious and supportive environment creates the foundation for true success.
For 17 years, she has championed a holistic approach to well-being, creating an environment where people thrive. She offers salaries above the living wage, provides weekly well-being meals and hosts free development workshops to support her team’s personal and professional growth.
Her leadership style reflects the Buddhist value of interconnectedness. By fostering a positive and supportive work culture, she has cultivated a loyal and highly skilled team — one that reflects the values of the business. This approach has not only contributed to the success of Little Jasmine but also inspired a sense of pride and ownership among her staff.
Community contributions: a heart for giving
May’s generosity extends far beyond the walls of Little Jasmine Therapies & Spa. Her desire to give back to both her home country and her local community is deeply ingrained in her values.
To mark the 15th anniversary of Little Jasmine, May initiated and executed the “15 pence to 50 pounds: Healthy Meals for Everyone” project — a fundraising effort that provided meals
for approximately 1,000 children in Thailand. The project focused on supporting vulnerable children, including those without families and with special needs, especially in northern Thailand.
Closer to home, May has also been a driving force behind several charitable initiatives. She has raised funds for the Alzheimer’s Society and actively supports local organizations such as Rockinghorse Children’s Charity and Together Co., contributing both services and personal time.
Her Buddhist beliefs in kindness and selflessness underpin these efforts. May sees giving not as an obligation but as a natural expression of compassion and gratitude. Her dedication to helping others has made a tangible difference, reinforcing Little Jasmine’s role as a business with heart.
Awards and recognition: a legacy of excellence
Under May’s guidance, Little Jasmine Therapies & Spa has become a symbol of excellence in the wellness industry. The spa has retained the top spot on TripAdvisor for over five years — a testament to its consistently high standards and customer satisfaction.
In recent years, Little Jasmine received the prestigious Sussex Business Award for Best Customer Service, recognising the team’s exceptional care and professionalism. Further validation of the business’s success came with its acceptance into the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme — a recognition of Little Jasmine’s potential as a high-growth, high-impact venture.
May’s leadership has not only driven financial success but also established Little Jasmine as a trusted and respected name in Brighton’s business community.
A vision for the future
As Little Jasmine Therapies & Spa continues to thrive, May’s vision remains clear: to expand their impact by bringing wellness into the workplace. Recognizing the growing importance of mental and physical well-being in the professional sphere, May is leading an initiative to introduce wellness programs in corporate settings.
“We’ve supported individuals on their wellness journeys for years — now it’s time to bring that expertise into the workplace,” May explains. “Businesses thrive when their teams are healthy and balanced, and we believe we can make a meaningful difference in that space.”
Her ability to combine strategic thinking with genuine care for others sets her apart as a leader. May’s Buddhist values of mindfulness and balance are central to her approach — she sees success not as a financial outcome, but as a state of harmony between business, people and community.
Conclusion: an inspiring legacy
May Chunladecha’s story is one of courage, vision and unwavering dedication. From her beginnings in Thailand to her leadership role in Brighton, she has created a legacy built on care, excellence, and generosity.
To the clients who have supported Little Jasmine, to the staff who have grown with the business, and to the community that has embraced it — May’s success is a shared story. Every challenge overcome, every milestone achieved, is a testament to the power of resilience and the strength of a leader who leads not just with strategy, but with heart.
Untamed: the confidence to live on your terms
By Bethanie Lunn, of Untamed.
As women, we’re often told to be more — more successful, more accommodating, more nurturing, more available, more of what everyone else needs us to be. We spend years juggling responsibilities, proving ourselves, shaping our lives around the expectations of others…only to be told we’re then either too much or not enough.
IWD Special
But what if true success isn’t about becoming more?
What if it’s about stripping back — letting go of everything we’re not, everything that holds us back—so we can finally be who we were meant to be?
That’s what I’ve learned. That’s what Untamed is all about.
And this International Women’s Day, I want to share how I got here.
Strength in adversity
I grew up on a council estate — nicknamed The Bronx because of the crime and chaos that surrounded us. Knife crime wasn’t a news story; it was your neighbour’s last argument.
We were poor — I remember my mum crying because she couldn’t afford to feed my sister and I. Of course, she always found a way but, in the middle of that hardship, I saw something else: women standing together. Strength, resilience, connection, and survival.
I didn’t know it at the time, but that’s where Untamed began.
I learned that confidence isn’t about having it easy. It’s about standing tall when life throws everything at you. It’s about supporting others and lifting each other - collaborating and connecting, not competing and comparing.
Breaking free from the rules
For all the fire I have inside me, I wasn’t always confident.
As a child, I was painfully shy. Sometimes, when people spoke to me, I physically couldn’t respond. My throat would close up. My eyes would well up. I’d stand there, a quivering wreck.
Then, at 11 years old, something shifted. I froze in front of a boy I had a crush on, unable to say a single word. His look of confusion — and then embarrassment —hit me hard. That was the moment I decided: never again. I don’t want to ever feel like that again.
I created my own mantra: “I don’t get embarrassed. It’s impossible.” And over time, I didn’t. I learned to take up space, to speak up, to own my voice.
And now? I teach other women how to do the same.
At Velvet in Hove
Photo credit: Elif Kose
Because, for too long, we’ve been taught to shrink ourselves, to dim our voices, to soften our power. But what happens when we stop following the rules and start making our own?
We become untamed.
The moment I realised I was built for more
When I was nine years old, someone gave me a bag of sample-sized foundations — the kind you get for free at beauty counters.
I decided to sell them door-to-door for 10p each.
A woman challenged me: “Why should I pay for something that’s free?”
I looked her in the eye and said: “I’ll give you the free one, but you’ll love it so much, you’ll wish you had bought more. And if you don’t buy now, you’ll have nothing. This is a one-time opportunity.”
She bought 20.
I walked away, a little girl who had just learned something powerful: you don’t have to wait for permission. You just have to go for it.
That’s how I built my first PR company from my back bedroom at 23 years old. I left a stable job to do it. People asked: “Are you sure? Are you ready? What if you fail?”
I didn’t have all the answers. But I trusted myself. And I made it work.
Now, I want more women to feel that same fire, that same belief in themselves. I want you to know who you are, even when the world tries to tell you otherwise, and stand by that - live and work by your values and NEVER apologise for it.
From my story to yours: welcome to Untamed Academy
Everything I’ve learned — resilience, confidence, breaking free from the rules — has led to this moment. To Untamed Academy.
Because I see you. The woman who’s done everything ‘right’ and is still searching for more. The leader who’s been told to soften her edges. The business owner who knows she’s capable of more — but feels stuck and needs support. The woman fearing success more than failure - you know you’re capable but you still get ‘imposter syndrome’ and where do you even start when there’s simply too much information and also never enough?!
from waiting for permission. It comes from taking it.
Ready to become Untamed? Here’s your exclusive offer
You’ve read the story — now it’s time to write your own.
This is for you if you’re ready to:
• Stop second-guessing yourself
• Prioritise yourself and your businesswithout guilt
• Make bold moves and step fully into your potential
• Focus on the tactics and opportunities that really move the needle
Untamed Academy isn’t just another programme. It’s a space where executive women and female founders come to take back control — through curated events (move over, networking!), a powerhouse online community, specialist consultants and real-world training and mentoring.
It’s where you stop waiting and start owning your power.
Because confidence doesn’t come
For International Women’s Day, we’re offering an exclusive £100 discount on Untamed Academy’s next programme. Because investing in yourself isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.
Join Untamed Academy and get:
• Access to expert-led training, mentoring & events
• A powerhouse community of likeminded women
• The clarity & confidence to take bold action
Claim your £100 discount when you sign up by the end of April 2025. Use code UNTAMED100 at checkout.
Join now at thisisuntamed.co.uk
Join the waitlist at: thisisuntamed. co.uk Instagram: @bethanielunn | @_thisisuntamed_
Photo credit: Charlotte Rebecca Photography
Inside a pool residence at Tipai resort, India. Designer Ariane Thakore Ginwala has helped to revive crafts and skills back to life for the surrounding community. By working with permaculture principles, the former depleted teak farm is now flourishing with biodiversity.
Spanish architect Paula Rosales of Kitchen For Life has designed a clever kitchen system that disassembles and reassembles using durable, non-toxic materials, which can easily be added to and repaired. Instead of leaving your largest home purchase behind when you move house - you can now take it with you!
‘Anita Roddick gave me the best education in sustainable design’
By Chloe Bullock, Founder of Materialise Interiors.
When I was sixyears-old, a mile away from us, entrepreneur and activist Anita Roddick was busy setting up the first The Body Shop in the middle of Brighton’s Kensington Gardens. It was 1976.
My family were early adopters of this shop and its unusual natural products. Her creations were decanted into different sized refillable containerssometimes even medical urine sample bottles - complete with hand-written labels that blurred over time in the bathroom. We loved her home-made
products using unusual and unexpected ingredients. The shop looked and smelled exciting - like nowhere else I’d seen, with fence panel walls, dried flowers and rolls of stickers by the till which I would covet.
Little did I know this shop and its innovative owner was going to impact my life so much - as well as changing the skin & hair care industry and its practices so radically across the world!
“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.” A quote from the Dalai Lama, often re-quoted by Anita Roddick.
I literally grew up with Anita’s values and campaigns as she used the window area to draw attention to global issues around people, planet and animals - from Greenpeace to Amnesty International to banning animal testing.
When I returned home to Brighton after I’d graduated in design, it was the early nineties recession and I was really struggling to find work. In desperation I wrote a letter to Anita, whose company had boomed and had been floated on the stock exchange. Her international headquarters, complete with a pagodashaped office building and factory, was just along the coast in Littlehampton.
Photo credit Nacho Uribesalazar, 2021, reproduced by permission of Casa Décor.
Photo credit: Ariane Thakore Ginwala
In New York, Whitney Falk has created ZZ Driggs, a lending library of beautiful crafted furniture, combined with curated vintage finds to be borrowed for just the time you need them. So much better to be using the sharing economy than contributing to the 22 million pieces of furniture discarded each year in the UK alone, the majority of which goes directly to landfill (North London Waste Authority).
Amazingly, this handwritten letter led to work experience and then 10 years as a retail designer for the company.
This involved travelling the world and even living in Melbourne. Working within those teams turned out to be the best education in sustainable design and responsible business that I could have received. The experience has completely shaped my work since.
This November I will have been running my interior design company, Materialise Interiors, for two decades. I’ve been so fortunate to work for hundreds of clients on their businesses and homes across Sussex, in London and even in Oslo.
Everything I learned during my time at The Body Shop has carried through into my company - both how I operate as a business and how I design for my clients. My business became
a certified B Corp two years ago and, last year, the Royal Institute of British Architects published my book ‘Sustainable Interior Design’.
Over this time running my own business, I’ve seen that my seemingly glamorous industry has become part of the marketing machine of consumption. Along the way, the industry has become disconnected from nature, only seeing it as resources and not seeing the negative impact that the materials and processes we use have on wildlife - our life-supporting biodiversity. It’s polluting our air, land and water….and that pollution then finds its way into our bodies. We are disconnected from craft - our supply chains can exploit people, and even children. Animals are seen as resources for the industry and are used to test the toxic chemicals used by the industry on. So sadly not so glamorous after all.
The good news is - it doesn’t have to be this way and it’s completely possible to work in a conscious way whilst delivering beautiful interiors for clients. So, this International Women’s Day, I wanted to celebrate some of the inspiring women in my book who are breaking the way of doing things.They are rethinking interior design - shifting to a version that lives in harmony with our precious mother nature and does not compromise the needs of future generations in the process.
Read Chloe’s book Sustainable Interior Design, by RIBA Books.
Chloe offers interior design services for business and homes - as well as helping fellow designers and architects on their own sustainability journey.
Photo credit Nacho Uribesalazar, 2021, reproduced by permission of Casa Décor.
Photo credit: Sophie Sheinwald
Dad La Soul charity highlighted at popular networking breakfast
Event was staged last month and was sponsored by h2.
Networking & Events
Every month, the Big Business Breakfast Club (BBBC) gathers at an iconic Brighton venue for an event featuring a sponsor, a guest speaker and a spotlight on a chosen charity. Plus, the ever-insightful Alex Ryan, of 101 Marketing, is there to share latest trends, tips and his expertise. Next month, you’ll also get an up-close look at the amazing team behind the BBBC .
Here’s what happened in February…
Sponsor - h2 Productions
h2 was founded 25 years ago and has built an enviable reputation for creating and executing unforgettable events.
With offices in Brighton and Tunbridge Wells, h2 is your trusted partner specialising in live and corporate events throughout the UK.
Whether you require full event management or technical hire services, they would be delighted to discuss your requirements.
Sponsor’s nominated charity –Dad La Soul
Dad L Soul was founded in 2016 by father-of-one and award-winning social entrepreneur Dan Flanagan. He said: “At the age of six, in the 1980s, my
parents divorced and, due to my mum’s ill health, my dad was awarded custody of myself and my three sisters, so I grew up seeing first-hand the abject lack of support there was for dads.”
Guest speaker - Simon Nicholson, of Handelsbanken
Simon Nicholson, a branch manager at Handelsbanken, is a dynamic leader with over 16 years in banking. His journey is far from ordinary — he transitioned from boarding school to co-founding and selling a business with his wife before excelling at Barclays and Handelsbanken. Simon is known for his strategic leadership, deep expertise in corporate and retail banking, and passion for high performance.
Beyond finance, he finds lessons in motor racing that translate to business success. Overcoming personal challenges with resilience, Simon embodies perseverance and insight, which made this talk a must-listen for those seeking inspiration in leadership and entrepreneurship.
Guest speaker - Anthony Impey MBE
Anthony is an entrepreneur and SME champion, who has started, scaled and exited several businesses and now leads Be the Business – a not for profit that is working to improve business productivity. He also leads the Department of Education’s Apprenticeship Ambassador Network which brings together the country’s leading employers and the best
apprentices, to inform and inspire the next generation of apprentices and apprenticeship employers.
Next event - Friday, March 21
The breakfast will take place at the Leonardo Royal and is being sponsored by XO3D.
Tickets will sell out so book in advance.
Book here now: https://www. bigbusinessbreakfastclub.co.uk
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a sponsor of the BBBC, get in touch with the team at team@ bigbusinessbreakfastclub.co.uk
Photo credits: Jane Keating and Michael Cheetham
Sussex Sharks Women’s Tier 2 squad announced
Sussex Cricket has announced the Sussex Sharks Women’s Tier 2 squad for the forthcoming 2025 season as they prepare for their first campaign alongside the men’s team at The 1st Central County Ground.
Networking & Events
After being awarded Tier 2 status, the Sussex Women’s team will now play under the Sussex Sharks name and will play at Hove nine times in 2025.
The Sharks will play in three white-ball competitions in 2025: the T20 Vitality Blast League 2, the Metro Bank One Day Cup League 2 and the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup.
They will once again be led by Alexia Walker, who was appointed as the permanent Head Coach back in December having been in the role since 2019.
The squad for the 2025 season is as follows:
• Chiara Green
• Izzy Collis
• Beth Harvey
• Lucy Western
• Indigo Gentry
• Anna Buckle
• Phoebe Wilkinson
• Tia Joseph
• Mollie Adams
• Rachel King
• Anna Lewis
• Lottie Curling
• Kali-Ann Doherty
• Regina Suddahazai-Khan
• Maya Champion
• Faye Mullins
• Alice Noakes
• Hope Mullins
Speaking on the announcement of the squad, Head Coach Alexia Walker said: “It is an exciting time with the new structure and the new setup, we are really excited to get going.
“The most important thing is that the girls feel more prepared and more supported than ever from myself and the club.
“The growth of the Women’s game over the last five years has just been insane, so for the club to really embrace that journey, to be playing double-headers, playing at Lord’s in the T20’s has made the girls extremely
excited and motivated, but more importantly, hopefully the crowds and new fans will come into the game and support the team.”
Sussex Sharks captain, Chiara Green, spoke of her high hopes for the team this season: “As a squad we are really excited for the coming season, it will be great to be more integrated with the club with our home games now being at Hove.
“We hope this will bring a new audience to the game and are looking forward to meeting many supporters and members over the summer.
“We are extremely lucky to have some
great grounds to play at and I know we’re all especially looking forward to the doubleheader fixture at Lords!
“I believe we have a really talented squad, with a few new faces and I am positive this summer will be a very successful one for all the girls and Sussex Cricket!”
Sussex Women fixtures
There will be three double-headers at Hove this season, where the men’s and women’s teams will play on the same day.
Both the Sussex men’s and women’s teams will play competitive Metro Bank One Day Cup fixtures at Arundel in 2025, too.
The women will commence their campaign at Sophia Gardens on Saturday, 19 April as they face Glamorgan in the Women’s One Day Cup.
Their first home fixture will take place one week later, when Yorkshire Women journey down to Hove on Saturday, April 26, in the same competition.
To view the Sussex Women fixtures, please click here.
Ready to support the Sharks?
Tickets for all of the women’s and men’s games are now available to purchase on the Sussex Cricket website.
Celebrating female leadership: Sussex Business Show spotlights international women in business
This year’s Sussex Business Show proudly shines a spotlight on International Women in Business.
Networking & Events
Sussex Business Show will feature a dynamic lineup of female speakers who are driving innovation and inspiring change. Their diverse expertise and experiences promise invaluable insights for attendees coming along to Brighton Dome on September 25th.
Emma Draper, Founder of Velvet Hove, brings a wealth of knowledge in the luxury retail and experiential marketing sectors. Her entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to creating unique customer experiences are truly commendable. Emma’s insights into building a brand that resonates with discerning clientele will be particularly valuable for businesses seeking to elevate their market presence.
Pippa Moyle, Founder of City Girl Network, exemplifies the power of community and connection. Her work in building a supportive network for women in urban environments highlights the importance of fostering collaboration and empowerment. Pippa’s perspective on cultivating strong professional relationships and navigating the challenges of modern business will be highly relevant.
Sam Rehan, Wellness Coach, brings a critical focus to the often-overlooked aspect of business success: personal well-being. Her expertise in mindfulness and stress management provides
practical tools for leaders to enhance their resilience and maintain optimal performance.
Sam’s insights will resonate with those seeking to balance professional demands with personal well-being.
Jess Roper, Founder of Iam Fighting Fit, demonstrates the power of determination and resilience. Her journey in building a fitness and wellness business underscores the importance of passion and perseverance.
Jess’s story will inspire attendees to overcome obstacles and pursue their entrepreneurial goals with unwavering commitment. Jess has also just become a mother, so a huge congratulations to her on bringing a new person into the big wide world.
Tiffany Tzoi, Founder of SOJU Kpop and Co-owner of Kantenya Japanese Store, showcases the vibrant intersection of entertainment and entrepreneurship. Her innovative approach to bringing K-pop culture
to a wider audience demonstrates the potential for businesses to tap into niche markets. Tiffany’s insights into building a brand that resonates with a specific demographic will be particularly insightful.
These women, representing diverse industries and backgrounds, embody the spirit of International Women in Business. We are honoured to have them share their expertise and inspire the next generation of female leaders at the Sussex Business Show.
Emma Draper
Pippa Moyle
Jess Roper
Sam Rehan
Tiffany Tzoi
Starr Trust celebration night thanks business supporters and marks achievements
On Friday, February7, the Starr Trust held a celebration night to acknowledge what it achieved in 2024 - thanks to the kind support of local businesses and individuals. During the year, the Starr Trust was able to support an incredible 59 disadvantaged young people and has already awarded grants for 19 more so far in 2025, including a group project.
supporting me both as an actor, but also as a young person transitioning into adulthood. I’m growing from the adversity that had held me back into a fully-fledged, adult member of society and thriving in my life. Without the Starr Trust, I wouldn’t have been able to continue training at DMA London, which for me is like a lifeline and a second family.
or misunderstood at some point can feel seen in my story. I’m not sure I’d be where I am at all today without the Starr Trust. It has truly changed my life and turned it around for the better, as it has for so many young people.”
Young Starr Coralie, who is being supported by the Trust, and spoke at the celebration night. She said: “The Starr Trust has been vital in
“success over these three years has skyrocketed, with a highlight being cast as the lead in the 2024 Vanish advertising campaign. This has allowed me to share my story with others, so those who maybe felt underrepresented
Rob Starr announced that, in 2025, the charity will be encouraging businesses to get creative and consider hosting events or finding other exciting new ways their businesses may be able to raise funds to help the Trust support even more young people.
The Starr Trust is not holding a Winter Ball this year. Instead Rekha Sohun, Event celebrates milestones of 2024.
General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton, will be hosting a ‘New Year’s Eve Ball for a Cause’ in aid of the Starr Trust. The ball is set to be a carnival-themed night with a percentage of ticket sales and an auction going to the Trust.
NIcholas Taylor, Partner of Healys LLP, presented a cheque to the Starr Trust on the night to show his firm’s ongoing support. Nick said: “As an Ambassador of the Starr Trust, I am proud to support their incredible work in empowering young people and helping them overcome some of their challenges in their lives. Healys LLP is delighted to contribute £3,000 to this fantastic cause, ensuring that more
young people have the opportunities and support they need to thrive.”
Kurt and Remi, of Evergreen Waste Management, are continuing to donate 1% of all profits to the Starr Trust.
Matt Smith, of Webtrends Optimize, pledged to continue support and, having caught the bike bug in 2024, is co-organising a bike ride for this year along with Guy from the Implant Centre, who will also be kindly donating sponsorship money this year.
Other businesses the Starr Trust would like to thank for pledging their support for 2025 include James Mallinson, of Servo Private Wealth, Amanda
and
Thanks go to DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton, Fabricate and Mascol for making the night such a success.
Thank you to all Ambassadors - Fran Dirand, Simon Haffenden, Paige Collins, Stephanie Prior, Nick Taylor, Robin Cousins MBE, Jason Burrill and Claire Martin.
If your business would like to get involved, discuss your ideas via tracey@starrtrust.org
www.starrtrust.org
Minty, of Minty Ink, Sam Thomas, of Firmballs,
Steve Cropper, of Gemini Print Solutions.
How technology is transforming fertility care at the Agora Clinic
By Carole Gilling-Smith, CEO, Founder and Medical Director of the Agora Clinic.
At the Agora Clinic, we have always been at the forefront of innovation in fertility care. Our mission is to make the journey to parenthood as smooth, accessible and successful as possible for all our patients. In a field where science and technology are advancing at huge speed, we continually seek new ways to integrate cuttingedge tools into our practice. From AI-driven embryo selection to digital patient engagement, we are harnessing technology to improve outcomes and enhance the patient experience.
Lifestyle
Empowering patients with the Wawa App
Fertility treatment is complex and is well documented to be an emotional rollercoaster. At Agora, we believe that clear communication and strong support networks are essential in helping patients navigate their journey. That’s why we have spent the last two years working in collaboration with an AI tech company in Denmark to develop a bespoke patientcentered app Wawa, designed to provide seamless, real-time communication and support to our patients.
With the Wawa fertility App our patients can:
• Message our team directly – whether they need reassurance, medical advice, or practical support, our clinical and patient care teams are just a tap away.
• Receive medication reminders –fertility treatments often involve multiple medications at specific times. Wawa
ensures that no dose is missed, reducing stress and improving adherence.
• View upcoming appointments – all scheduled scans, consultations, and procedures are easily accessible in the app.
• Complete online consenting – a crucial yet often time-consuming part of fertility treatment is completing consent forms. Online consenting through Wawa makes the process smoother, easier to understand and much more efficient.
• Attend video consultations – for many patients, work and personal commitments make frequent in-person visits challenging. Our secure video appointments provide flexibility without compromising care.
• Enjoy easy access to written and video information - developed by our expert team on a whole range of fertility topics, our patients can access relevant educational material whenever they want to find out more or need reassurance (avoiding the need to consult Dr Google which can be riddled with misinformation!)
• Access a seamless finance toolReceive invoices, manage payments and deal with any finance queries directly through the app
By putting these tools directly in the hands of our patients from the start of their parenting journey with us, Wawa helps transform the road to parenthood into a much closer partnership with our team of experts and supporting staff.
This in turn reduces the uncertainty and fear that can so often overwhelm those undergoing assisted conception treatments such as IVF or egg freezing.
Revolutionising IVF with EmbryoScope and AI
While patient engagement through good communication is crucial, success in fertility treatment ultimately depends on the intricate science that takes place in our state-of-the-art embryology laboratory. One of the most exciting technological advancements we have implemented at the Agora is the EmbryoScope, a time-lapse imaging incubator that provides unparalleled insights into embryo development.
Traditionally, embryologists assess embryos at specific time points, briefly removing them from their incubators to examine them under a microscope. This method, while effective, provides only a limited snapshot of the embryo’s development and exposes the embryo
to more temperature fluctuations as they are moved out of the stable environment of their incubator. EmbryoScope is a specialised incubator which changes the game by continuously capturing images of the embryos at regular 10-minute intervals, allowing our embryologists to monitor their growth patterns in real time without disturbing them.
This time-lapse imaging technology helps us select the best-quality embryos for transfer, increasing the chances of a successful pregnancy. By identifying subtle developmental patterns that may indicate an embryo’s potential, we can make more informed decisions, improving success rates which in turn will reduce the number of cycles required to achieve a pregnancy.
The Power of AI in embryo selection
To further refine embryo selection, we have also embraced artificial intelligence (AI). Our state-of- the-art AI technology analyses the time-lapse images captured by the EmbryoScope and applies complex algorithms to assess embryo viability.
AI can detect patterns that even the most experienced embryologists might miss, offering an objective and highly
precise method of ranking embryos based on their potential for implantation. By integrating AI into our embryo selection process and combining this with human expertise we are not only enhancing accuracy but also optimising treatment outcomes for our patients.
Our research and innovation team at The Agora are currently exploring other AI tools designed to improve the way we select sperm and eggs for treatment and how best to incorporate these tools into our everyday practice.
Technology with a human touch
At Agora, we recognise that no technology can replace the human element in fertility care. Our approach has always been patient-first, ensuring that every innovation we adopt serves to enhance, not replace, the personalised care we provide.
The combination of digital patient support, AI-powered embryo selection and time-lapse imaging allows us to offer a fertility journey that is more transparent, efficient, and emotionally supportive. By reducing uncertainty and improving success rates, we are helping more individuals and couples achieve their dream of parenthood.
Leading the way in fertility innovation
As the largest provider of NHS and self-funded fertility treatment in the South East, the Agora Clinic remains committed to delivering world-class fertility care with a focus on inclusivity, excellence and technological innovation. Our adoption of tools like Wawa, EmbryoScope and AI-driven embryo selection demonstrates our unwavering dedication to giving our patients the best possible chance of success.
The future of tech in fertility treatment is a fast-paced, growing field, and we are excited to be in that conversation and investing time, money and expertise into researching, analysing and developing the tools that can best support our patient’s emotional well-being as well as chances of success. By embracing technology while maintaining our commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care, we are redefining what is possible in the world of reproductive medicine.
If you would like to learn more about how we can support your fertility journey, please visit our website www. agoraclinic.co.uk or get in touch with our team today on 01273 229410.
Three women working in partnership to integrate tech into fertility care: Carole, Michele Gilling-Ulph, Agora Director of Operations, and Cecile Jakobsen, CEO of WaWa Fertility.
County Business Clubs’ Wine of the Month March 2025
Cuvée Minnie Charlotte Seyval Blanc 2019 Brut.
So, we have seen a hint of spring over the last few days, bringing light relief from a very long and cold winter. One additional point of joy was the launch of two new Cuvees from the godfather of English Wine, the indomitable Peter Hall, who has been making wines in Sussex for over 50 years. For the last 15 years, the Royal Household has also bought his sparkling wines to serve to international guests such as presidents, kings, queens, and dignitaries visiting to the UK. My family always has a bottle of Breaky Bottom at each Christmas dinner - it’s tradition.
There is certainly a majesty in tasting Peter’s wines; they look amazing, with a very clean and characteristic design with a line of gold foil keeping the wire basket in place, holding back a pour of finest Sussex fizz.
Peter’s perfectly formed vineyard is everything that you would expect nestled in a dip on the South Downs, near the village of Rodmell near Lewes. Peter started off making still wines but
now only makes traditional brut, with Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier/Chardonnay which has red/green apple and citrus notes together with brioche and toastiness from several years cellar ageing. The Seyval Blanc tends to have more of a lemony zing to the above. It is also worth trying the other release for 2019 which is Cuvée Manja Scott and made from the champagne grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Winemaker’s tasting notes
• Taste - Showing aromas of ripe citrus, this cuvée is clean and bright on the palate with a fine tension and long finish. Varietals: 100% Seyval Blanc, ABV: 12%, 6,988 bottles produced
Michael’s tasting notes
• Nose – Pear and hint of orange on the nose.
• Palate – Layers of fruit come through together with a complexity and richness that you rarely get with an English sparkling wine. Citrus and
mouth-watering acidity follow. Wow! What a wonderful wine!
Food pairing for this cuvee
This wine is great for any occasion or celebration. It is perfect on its own but also works well with pan-fried scallops or grilled prawns.
Where to buy?
This wine is widely available from various Sussex wine sellers, such as Middle Farm, Harvey’s Brewery shop and Butlers Wine Cellar, or via the website https://www.breakybottom. co.uk/winery-notes-1/2025/2/7/ peters-note-january-2025
Written for County Business Club by Michael Yeoman, English wine specialist and producer of Spirit of the Downs, award-winning local artisan Sussex brandies, grape vodka and Boosy Barista Coffee Liqueur.
